Hedgesville, West Virginia

Caspian Residence

Friday, August 30, 1996

5:23 PM

Music filled the air as the room was filled with loud teenagers who were screaming at each other at the top of their lungs. Jennie stood in the doorway with a tray of snacks and drinks.

Astonishment filled her eyes while Rem stood behind her with an even more bewildered look. It took all her effort not to drop her plate. And even more of a struggle to not want to walk away.

“These are your friends?” he asked.

“Well, those are yours,” she answered back, staring at Janiston who was remarkably flirting around with Erin playfully. “I’ve never seen him like that.”

“Me either,” Rem replied.

“What about him…” Jennie’s concentration went to Mirage. The lime-haired demon was sitting on the couch, leaning fairly close to Amanda, while trying to whisper something into her ear.

“Trying to score,” Rem said, “most likely.”

“Great,” Jennie mumbled.

“Kasei Hidaka!” Ashlee screamed as the cat demon rushed past Jennie while wearing a pair of undergarments on top of his head, causing her to trip backward. When the blue-haired female jolted in front of Jennie and Rem, she paused for a second.

“That brat stole my panties!” she screamed.

“What?” Jennie asked in horror, nearly dropping the tray of food and drinks.

“He stole my panties. You know,” she shouted while tears were streaming down her face, “my favorite pair. The ones with the cute strawberries with the smiley faces.”

“Wait a minute,” Rem screamed, thrusting out his hand while trying to get a look at the fleeing twelve-year-old. “Did he have his cat ears out? And no hat?”

“Yes!” she cried out.

Rem pushed Jennie out of the way, causing her to fall sideways. She stumbled while trying desperately to keeping her balance while keeping her hands on the plate of snacks.

A hand grabbed a hold of her left shoulder while another reached out and stabilized her grasp on the dish. Peering up, she found Reiyl eying her calmly.

“You okay?” he asked.

A frown formed on Jennie’s face as her shoulders slumped forward. Stepping over to the coffee table, she placed the tray down then turned to face Reiyl.

“Things are not going the way I was planning,” she said, walking up to the cat demon and pressing her forehead into his chest. “My friends are flirting with the guys, your brother is running around like an idiot, Rem is chasing him around, Ashlee is screaming her head off, and what the hell am I suppose to do about it?”

“Relax?” Reiyl questioned, tilting his head to the side while looking down at her with a composed expression.

“Yeah,” Jennie sighed, pulling back and peering up at him with a forced smile, “that’s exactly what I should do. But it’s a no-can-do when I have to worry about my friends learning about all the hush-hush stuff.”

“Yeah,” Reiyl replied with a conscious look. He tilted his head back for a moment as if calculating something to say then dropped it back down. “How about you trust us.”

“I do!” Jennie said in alarm, backing away from him for a second. “But your brother…”

Placing her fists to the side of her head while wiggling her index and middle fingers into the air, she eyed the long haired man in front of her. “These things are out.”

The look of displeasure on Reiyl’s face told Jennie that he finally understand the true severity of the situation. But before she could try to remedy his annoyance, she was given a shock of his arm rushing past her.

“What the hell!” she shouted, whipping around wildly.

“Your problem child,” Reiyl said, clutching a hold of Kasei’s shoulder. His stone face began to falter. His lips parted for a mere instant then his mouth dropped open in horror. “What is on your head?!”

“Undies” Kasei purred as he reached up, grabbing a hold of Ashlee’s panties. “I thought I would liven up the party by showing everyone a fun time.”

“Not with those out!” Jennie scolded, whacking Kasei in the back of the head. “You’re supposed to be wearing your hat if you can’t control those damn things.”

“I can do it!” Kasei screamed, kicking out his legs frantically while trying to escape. “But not under pressure.”

“PUT THEM AWAY OR I’LL GIVE YOU SOME PRESSURE IN A PLACE YOU WOULD LIKE!” Jennie’s voice was dark and full of malice while Kasei stilled in his brother’s hold. The hateful glare that the Seraph was giving off made the twelve-year-old quiver.

Reaching up his hands shakily, he pulled off the undergarment and handed it over to the steaming Jennie. Slowly, the cat ears slipped down into his hair while his human ears formed.

“Thank you,” Jennie snapped, whipping out her hand toward Ashlee in order for the girl to retrieve her underwear. “Now if you’ll excuse me…”

A thrumming pain was beginning to form at the temples of her forehead as Jennie escaped the living room, stopping in the hallway where she took a deep breath. Already, she felt exhausted.

“I’m really sorry.”

Glancing up, Jennie found Kasei standing in front of her with an apologetic look. She forced a smile and waved her hand back and forth in front of her face.

“It’s okay,” she said in return, “I shouldn’t have blown up.”

“I won’t do it again,” Kasei replied, “And I’ll behave myself, so can I still…”

“You can stay,” Jennie chuckled lightly. “Just be careful, okay? No funny business. And definitely no ninja antics.”

“No ninjutsu,” he said, bowing his head low. “I PROMISE!”

Without warning, the boy turned on his feet quickly and scampered back to the living room. Jennie peeked up to find Reiyl standing a few feet away with a small smile.

“What?” she asked.

He shook his head, keeping his smirk. Jennie frowned and looked away, feeling uneasy with his gaze.

Turning her eyes back to him, her breath was caught in her throat at the sight of him next to her. She shook her head, took a deep breath, then quickly slammed her fist into his chest.

“Quick doing the sneaky shit,” she declared.

“Sorry,” he laughed. Reaching up his hands to her face, he drew his fingers over her temples. “Having a bad headache? Want me to get you some aspirin?”

“Maybe,” she sighed, leaning in on his touch. Her eyes closed, wanting only to feel his fingers on her skin. He gently massaged at her brow.

“Or,” he said lightly.

Jennie didn’t fight it when he tilted her head back while massaging down her face, slipping his fingers behind her ears. It all felt relaxing. Something that she needed.

“Tha—“

Her words were stopped when Reiyl’s mouth pressed against hers unannounced. Abruptly, her whole body went hot as she pushed him away swiftly.

“What was that for?” she asked, wiping her hand over her mouth while looking toward the living room and kitchen doors. Luckily, no one was standing there to see the encounter.

“Thought it would help,” Reiyl whispered. “Suppose it was unwarranted.”

“Unwarr—“ Jennie paused in her words then shook her head. “No! But others could, you know, catch us.”

“I don’t care,” Reiyl mumbled, “Besides, they’re too busy entertaining your friends. And your lips…”

Pressing her back against the wall while trying to avoid Reiyl who was getting a dark look in his eyes, Jennie gritted her teeth and pushed the palms of her hands against the wall. An escape was in order or else she was going to fall.

“Stop,” Reiyl stated in a low voice, slamming his hands beside her head. “There is no point in trying to run from this. You know good and well how I feel about you. I’m not the type to screw around for laughs.”

“I know,” Jennie replied wearily, “but I don’t want you screwing up your chances on going home. I mean—“

“Shizukani,” he said in a quiet tone. Slamming his hands to the sides of her body, he pinned her and eyed her devilishly. “Let me want you. And I’ll make you want me.”

“Stop saying such embarrassing things,” Jennie whispered, feeling her body heat up even more.

The heat of his mouth against hers made her legs weaken as she became aware of the warm wetness of the kiss as his tongue licked lightly at her bottom lip. Gradually, she slipped down the wall as Reiyl followed by dropping to his knees.

A shivering tickle was felt around her abdomen as she sensed his fingers sliding underneath her shirt. Her breath stilled as she experienced the sensation of his hands near her breasts. It was the first time someone had ever tried to touch her there.

“Stop,” she choked out in the kiss. “Not there.”

“Yes,” Reiyl answered back as he began to gentle caressing. “There’s nothing to hide.”

“But—“

Her protests her silence with another kiss while his touching became more and more sensual. And Jennie’s thoughts were lost.

“Let’s go upstairs,” he breathed out.

His words made Jennie’s heart shutter. A looming anxiety befell her as she swiftly shoved him backward, watching him falter for a moment then fall onto his backside.

The two stared at each other. Neither spoke.

“What’s wrong with you two?”

Looking to the right, Jennie found Nick’s study door opened and the lawyer stood with his eyes on them. At his appearance, Reiyl stood, shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, and sauntered back into the living room.

“You okay?” Nick questioned, eyeing Jennie who still sat on the ground with her eyes on the ground. She could barely nod to give him an answer. “I can’t say you did the right thing by shoving him away, but at least you know where you stand.”

“Yeah,” Jennie finally said as she lifted her head up. A smile was on her face, but tears were streaming down her cheeks. “I know. But it’s hard.”

“Don’t think about it,” Nick said with a sigh, “and just go back and enjoy the party…”

“I think—“

“Wow, I can’t believe Reiyl,” Megs shouted, running out of the room with Nahele in tow, “Just downing those sodas like that. He really must want a caffeine rush, huh?”

“What?” Nahele asked while Jennie could see his face was bright red. He was even staggering behind the redhead. “Oh yeah, caffeine rush. Yeah, drunk on soda. Haha—“

“Drunk on soda?” Jennie questioned as her head whipped around to look like Nick. “You didn’t get us caffeine soda, did you?”

“Of course not,” Nick said, “What kind of father would I be? Orange soda doesn’t have caffeine.”

“Sunkist does!” Jennie shouted, finally finding her feet. “Is that what you got?! Oh God!”

When the Seraph ran off, Nick grinned to himself and leaned against the doorframe. “That’ll keep her on her toes.”