“Leave!” I shout. He scrambles to get to his feet. He looks behind me where the gate is, but he thinks better of trying to move past me, and turns towards the back of the fence, hopping over it and taking off down the back alley. He doesn’t bother looking back at his wife.
She lays there on the ground, crying as Zed rushes over, pulling her into his arms.
Concentrating on my powers, I rid my body of the flames so that I don’t hurt anyone.
“Is she okay?” I ask, my voice shaky as Zed looks up at me. He probably hates me now for intervening. I had no right to stick my nose where it didn't belong, but I just couldn’t stand here and watch him hurt her like that.
“Yeah. I think she'll be fine,” he says, scooping his sobbing mother up into his arms and taking her into the house.
I watch them go, tears swimming in my eyes as my mind swarms with all the bad thoughts it can think up.
“Abby,” Leo says, putting his hand on my shoulder. Blinking away tears, I look up at him. “Are you okay?”
“Of course.” I force out a laugh, wiping the fallen tears from my face.
“Starbright, you just went full demon on his ass, I can tell you're not okay,” Leo says, moving his hand up to touch my horns that are still poking out of the top of my head.
I gasp from the sensation of pleasure coursing through my body from him touching them. He snaps his hand back, eyes going wide.
“Well, that's new,” I breathe.
“Could come in handy,” he blushes, and of course he was thinking about sex in a time like this.
Raising a brow, a smile lifts at my lips. “Really?”
“What?” he laughs. “I’m up for trying anything.”
Shaking my head, I make my horns recede as I put my wings away just in time for Zed to come back outside.
“Zed, I am so sorry,” I say, but he pulls me flush to his body, knocking the air out of my lungs.
“Mine,” he growls, biting my lower lip, sending butterflies fluttering in my belly. “God, Little Bird, you were so fucking hot just now. My woman is so strong and powerful. You make my cock hard as stone.”
“What?” I breathe, shocked that he’s not appalled by me. “Yo-you're not afraid of me?”
“Afraid? Nah, sweet girl, I think I’m in love.” He kisses me, and I melt into a big, gooey puddle. “I need to stay with her tonight, but this weekend, Ineedto see you.”
“Come over, it would be nice to see you outside of the graveyard. If we're going to be together, we’re going to need to start getting used to us both going over to the other sides of the island.”
“I don’t know, Abby,” he says. “I don’t think I can be around those guys without wanting to bash their faces in.”
I giggle. “Looks like we have something in common, but don’t worry because I hardly ever see them. Actually, I only really see them in school. They keep to themselves, always out places, so it would really be nice to have you two over so I’m not always alone. And they’re having a party this weekend, and I’m going to be stuck up in my room for the night because there's no way I’d join them. So, how about a sleepover with movies and junk food? Relax before Leo starts school on Monday.”
“Alright,” he brushes his lips against mine. “Anything for my Little Bird.”
I grin at his nickname, loving when he calls me that.
“And thank you,” he says, sincerity shining bright in his blue eyes. “For getting rid of that fucker. I wish I was able to do it myself.”
“I’m sorry if I overstepped,” I tell him. “It's just, I couldn't sit there and let that happen, knowing I have the power to help.”
“You didn’t. It means so much to me that you protected my family. I’m just glad my sister is at a sleepover so she didn’t have to see. Not like she would care that the fucker is gone. She hates the guy as much as I do.”
“I’d like to meet her someday.” I smile. He’s mentioned her a few times. She’s only a few years younger than Zed. She’s eighteen like me.
“I’m sure she would like that.”
“Take care of your mom, and we will see you tomorrow.” I lean up on my tip toes, giving him one last kiss before he hugs me tight to his body.
“Goodnight, my sweets.”
“Goodnight, Zed.”