Supernatural Encounters

Chapter 8

Curled up under the blankets with her head resting on Aeron's bare chest, Harper is more at ease than she has in weeks. Not only was Aeron home and sharing his time and space with her, but he just spent the past hour showing her how deep his passion for her runs. And now that he knows her secret, Harper feels a level of relief and comfort that no one should after the attack she survived. Because as Aeron caressed each of the wounds on her body with his lips, he swore to destroy those who dared to harm her.

But as much as she wants to lie here in their own little sanctuary, Harper knows that she cannot hide in his arms forever. Last night someone intended to kill her, and someone used magic to save her. Both are a mystery, and both are terrifying in their own way.

"I know we got a little... off track," she whispers, a light blush dusting her cheeks as she thinks back on what distracted them from their conversation. "But where do you think the magic you felt on me came from?"

Aeron's hands pause for a moment before they resume stroking her sides again, using his own magic to knit together the broken blood vessels and fuse the cracks in her bones. "I cannot be sure for I have yet to meet any of the people involved in last night's events. However, I theorize that either the healer that was brought in or your former suitor himself was the one who cast the spell."

"...Is there a way to figure out who casted the spell?"

"If I were in close proximity to the spellcaster, I would be able to recognize the scent of their magic."

"Wait, magic has a scent?"

"Naturally." A wicked smirk takes over his lips as he brings them to her neck. "In fact, each individual caster has their own special scent." His tongue traces a path from her collarbone up to her earlobe. "With my magic flowing through your body to repair the damages done by the wretch, everyone in our world will know you belong to me."

Harper's head falls back as Aeron nips at the skin behind her ear. "You called it 'our world'. Am I really part of your world?"

Aeron's hand cups her chin and raises it until her gaze meets his own. "You reside with a ghost and a zombie. Your brother is a werecreature. You are being courted by a demon. The only way you could be more entrenched in the world of the supernatural is if you would agree to stand by mine and Alistar's sides and rule Hell with us."

Her lungs struggle to take in air as she stares into Aeron's eyes and sees the truth behind his words. She would never be able to accept his offer; her relationship with Kye is still a work-in-progress and deep down she knows that she would never be able to do the tasks required of an employee of Hell. But the fact that Aeron envisions her by his side means more to Harper than she could ever explain. Sliding her hands into his hair, Harper yanks his mouth to hers, desperate to show him how his words affected her.

"I love you," she says with a slight gasp when they pull apart.

"And I you," he replies, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. His hands entangle themselves into hers and pull them down to his chest. "All of the warmth exuded by this body is for you and only you."

The demon leans down and once again captures her lips with his own as his legs cage her, sending a rush of heat through her body. Harper splays her hands out on his chest and starts to move them down when suddenly there is an additional, and currently unwelcome, voice in their bedroom.

"Hey Harper? A letter just got dropped off on the porch, and I didn't see who left it but I- ahh!" Lily had floated through the door but was so distracted by the envelope in her hands that she failed to notice what she was interrupting until now. "Oh god, I am so sorry. It's just that I thought Harper needed to know about the letter. Oh wait, wrong guy. Oh shoot! I mean, the letter that holds...in.for.mation about...about... about your Christmas gift... that demon's totally don't celebrate.... You know, I'm just going to go now. Umm yeah..." The ghost pauses to stare at Aeron bare chest before a faint gray tint highlights her cheeks. She quickly drops the letter on the edge of the bed and falls through the floor into Kye's room below.