The Demon Side by Heaven Liegh Eldeen Page B

ball on the floor was heart-wrenching. Only a few breaths ago, I would have done anything to call her my own, to protect her, and now I hurt her again. Before she could turn to me with those hypnotic eyes, I flashed to the attic. No amount of drywall and insulation could block out the sounds of Etta’s sobbing below.
    “Good to go?” John’s voice rang out. He must have been outside packing the car when I unleashed my roar.
    “I’ll be right down.” Etta tried to sound like her normal self, but I could tell she was still crying by the strain in her voice.
    The tingle returned to my stomach so strongly that I could only describe it as painful. I hadn’t meant to hurt Etta. I simply got so angry that I released all my anxiety, frustrations, and doubts on her. She had been played as a pawn in a game she couldn’t truly grasp. Now, if there was ever a chance she could see past the real me, it vanished. Although I was upset at myself, I was happy to hear Etta would be leaving. I needed to get my head on straight and find Alastor. He would pay severely for making me his clown and using Etta to do it.
    “Ra?” Etta’s head poked through the opening.
    “Go away.”
    “No.” Etta pulled herself into the attic. “Look, I don’t know what I said that was so bad, but I’m sorry.”
    “You don’t get it. It’s not what you said. It’s what you see when you look at me. It’s not the real me. So just go before we do any more damage.” I let out a grunt as the tingling intensified twofold.
    “What I see doesn’t matter, Ra. It’s what I feel and I’ve already told you how I feel.”
    “You say that now, but Alastor is alive and here. He used illusion on you to make you believe that I look different than I do. What happens when you get a glimpse of the real me, when the illusion wears off? What then, Etta? You’re going to still love a black-scaled serpent? I don’t believe so. You humans are so superficial.”
    “But, he’s not here now, Ra.”
    “Alastor is very much alive and around, Etta. He’s probably laughing at us both right now as we speak.”
    “I know how you look, Ra.” Etta grabbed my hands and held them tightly as her gaze fixed on mine. “I saw the other you when you attacked René for hurting me. I saw it when you were talking to Alastor and Gabriel. I saw it when you just yelled at me. I know you don’t have the best teeth and look a lot like a mutant dragon with some funky horns. I know your eyes are blood red and your hands resemble dinosaur claws more than human hands, but when we talk, when we just sit and talk, I see the real you. The one you hide inside of you. The beast you are now is not who you are. So, you don’t need to hide it from me anymore. It won’t change how I feel about you.”
    Leaning my forehead on hers, I listened to her heart. “Don’t lie to me, Etta.” I whispered. Her heart raced, but not the way it would if she were lying. Something else made her heart beat rapidly out of control. Could it be her love for me or did she fear me now?
    “I’m not lying to you, Ra. I know it’s silly, but I think I’m in love with you.”
    Those words shouldn’t have affected me, but they did. I couldn’t contain my feelings anymore. I pulled Etta into me, kissing her with everything I had. “I love you, too,” I growled.
    “Shut up and just kiss me.” The passion that burned between us blazed hotter than any Hell I had known.
    “Etta! Let’s go!” John called out.
    “I’ll be back in a couple of days,” Etta said through each smack of our lips. I didn’t want to let her go, but I had to. As she walked to the opening of the closest, I flashed over to Etta, kissing her again.
    “I’ll take care of Alastor. You’ll never have to worry about him again. I swear this to you, Etta.”
    “I know you will. See you in a few days.” Etta winked at me before walking out of the closet.

Chapter Thirteen
     
     
    The next two days weren’t peaceful. If Alastor had