Chapter Eight: Entranced:

Caius stands next to a fireplace, his ocean eyes focused as his fingers run along the necklace in his hands. His hands are tan, as is the rest of his skin. His cheeks are blessed with tiny kisses from the sun, light brown freckles litter his cheeks and nose. He lets out a small grunt as a flash of blue zaps from his fingers. The silver chain of the necklace is slowly enveloped by the blue, and soon the glow is wrapped around the material like another layer. It glows for a moment, until it shimmers and then disappears from the chain. He loops the material through his fingers and twirls it around and around, making a whooshing sound as it continues to spin.

"Why are you doing that?" I ask, and he stops for a second, the chain faltering and falling onto his wrist.

"Nothing, I was just playing."

"Great, when we are on a time limit, you're fooling around" I roll my eyes and Falcon stands closer to me.

"Calm yourself, wolf, I'm not going to retaliate for her sarcasm," Caius returns my eyeroll and moves over to his desk. "These necklaces are complicated. I need a moment to figure it out."

"Why? Aren't you all so powerful? A great guardian?" I know I'm goading him, but for some reason, the sight of him is pissing me off. The anger seems to increase as I continue to watch Caius fumble with the necklace. My cousin is out there, needing my help, and Caius is wasting our time.

"That, I am. But because you're human, I can't just give you one of these. It could kill you the moment it touches your skin," he raises a dark eyebrow at me and then opens up a drawer in his desk.

"You're going to put something on me that could potentially cause my death?" As the words come out, Falcon growls. He moves his arm out in front of me and says, "The human will have me, she won't need the charm."

"Do you really want to risk it? I mean, it is your life too. This can help her if you cannot get to her in time," Caius lets his hand hover over the open drawer, but I can't see what's inside from here.

Falcon seems to ponder this while Caius continues to look inside the drawer, pulling out a large forest green box. His black hair hangs over his forehead, and he moves his shoulder to shrug the longer locks behind it. He blows out through his mouth and then turns to me with a blank expression.

Caius opens the box and grabs a pink stone, but his eyes are watching me like a hawk. I fight a blush at the look in his eyes, and I'm sure he notices this. But he does not comment on it. He then takes out a lime green jagged rock that appears to have a white coat of powder over it. When he then pulls out a shiny black stone, my body shutters. I can literally feel the power radiating from it, the pull to it so strong I gasp. Caius nods as if he just realized something very important.

"Legend has it, humans are drawn to onyx stones. My decision on the stone would be based off your reaction. It looks like we've found your soul connection."

"What does that mean?" I ask, watching Caius touch the stone with interest.

"The stone chooses you. These are not ordinary stones, my dear," Caius smiles at me, moving to place the other stones back in the box. I cannot stop looking at the onyx orb, my eyelids want to blink, but I'm almost being put into a trance.

Falcon surprisingly sits on the couch as I stand closer to Caius, watching him use his blue power to mold the stone to the chain. He then lifts it up to his lips, as if he is about to kiss it. But he only speaks more of a language I've never heard of, the words blowing into the stone like he is breathing life into it.

"Speak to it," Caius tells me, bringing the stone closer to my face.

"You...want me to talk to a rock?" I ask in disbelief, smirking at him.

"Ask it to protect you, and to always give you strength in times of hardship," Caius ignores my sarcasm, and stares at me intensely. He is being serious this time.

"Um, can you protect me and help when I need it?" My cheeks flush in embarrassment at having to talk to a rock. The stone does not do anything at first, but a hiss from Caius causes me to look up in surprise. He moves so that his hand holds the chain, and not the stone. I look and see a small burn mark on his palm, making my eyes widen.

"It burned you?!"

"Like I said, it chose you. It will only allow you to hold it. The chain, on the other hand, will be fine. I've designed it myself," he moves to dangle the chain on one of his index fingers, "here."

"I'm not taking that. Look at your skin! We will just leave without it," I move back a few steps, but he follows. I take one step back, he takes two more towards me.

"It will explode if you do not accept it. You made a contract with it. If the stone explodes, you will be burned alive. Just you," Caius tells me, but continues "and Falcon too, considering how you're both bonded to each other now."

"You're lying," I hiss, trying to see if he is being genuine. His facial expression gives nothing away, and I feel a deep sense of dread staring at the stone.

"Take it," Falcon mutters from the couch. I turn to look at him and feel the bond working, twisting my insides to comply with his wishes. Without further hesitation, my fingers loop around the chain. I lift it over my head, and close my eyes, expecting the stone to burn my chest. But it doesn't. It is the opposite. I feel a coolness settle over my skin—not ice cold, but a refreshing chill.

"How does it feel?" Caius asks, watching my reaction.

"It feels...nice." I touch the stone with my fingertips.

"You can use that stone for not just protection. Because it is connected to the chain, you and I can contact each other if need be. Just hold onto the stone and think of me. I'll connect with you then."

I go to speak, but Caius interrupts me, "Blanche, remember?" His smirk irritates the hell out of me, but he's right. I nod and turn towards Falcon. He is already on his feet and ready to leave. We make our way to the meeting room, and then towards the door. Caius follows.

"Caius?" I say, and he turns to me with the same emotionless expression he likes so much.

"What?"

"Thank you."

He sighs, moving to open the door, "I'm not doing it for you." He turns to his secretary and nods at her, and she replies, "yes, sir, I will do so immediately."

I look at her weirdly and then leave with Falcon, Caius following behind quietly. I feel his eyes on me, but I don't look back at him. He doesn't trust me.

And I'm wondering if he should trust me? When it comes to my family, I'll do anything. I guess we share that in common. If it comes down to it, and I had to make a choice, my decision is already chosen at this point. I'd save Blanche over his sister, and that thought scares me.

I recall Caius' expression when he talked of his sister and what happened, and I do feel a flutter of sympathy towards him. But I can't change my mind on this. I've already lost everyone else. Blanche is the only one left.

I look behind and find Caius' eyes on me, just as I suspected. Instead of being the macho-man he likes to pretend he is, he looks away and plays at indifference. I almost smirk at this. But I realize he just doesn't care. It's his pride that has him turning away, not wanting to admit that he was staring at a human so intensely. What really bothers me though...is that I can understand why he doesn't like humans. We are really the reason he's stuck here for eternity. It's like my hatred for the monsters that killed my parents. If it wasn't for them, I would have my normal life still. I'd have my family.

I wouldn't trust a Nightcrawler if it came here suddenly, acting civil either.

I follow Falcon towards the entrance of the town, and I see civilians glaring at me as they walk past us. A woman strides by and very noticeably smells the air, making a disgusted face. She looks at Falcon and shakes her head at him, her long black hair moving back and forth over her shoulders. He growls and takes a threatening stance, yelling at her to mind her own business. She yells back profanities at him, and others do the same. I'm left very confused at this, feeling nervous. Every one of these 'people' could kill me with one flick of their wrists. But I know Falcon won't let that happen. And oddly enough, I know Caius won't either. Even if he hates humans for what has happened to him.

When it appears that no one is going to attack us, we move on towards the entrance. I try to memorize the buildings around me, of how open they are with the modernized look. From a town that wants to hide from this world, the people here are very open with their day-to-day lives. The windows on every building are over the top, and I can see entire floors on a few. Everything is exposed.

When we arrive at the large doors to the town, Caius orders for it to be opened. As they open, a gust of wind has me almost falling over. Caius quickly grabs my arm but throws it back to my side—literally shoves it as if it was the most disgusting thing he'd ever touched. Falcon growls at this, baring his teeth in anger. The stone on my chest heats up, but then I realize it's because my skin flushes in embarrassment.

"I would come with you, but I have better things to do," Caius ignores Falcon and turns to me instead.

"I'm sure you do," I respond sarcastically. A small smile twists at his lips, and I realize he doesn't find my insults offensive. He almost appears pleased by it. When we first met, it wasn't like that. I must be growing on him. I roll my eyes at this and move away from him.

Caius' secretary rushes forward with two backpacks. I stare at the items for a moment, wondering how they keep using human inventions when they've been stuck here for years.

I'll ask Falcon later.

"These are filled with food, some clothing, and powders. I'm hoping you won't need the powders, so please bring them back untouched," Caius smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. It never does apparently.

"Thank you," Falcon takes both bags from him, and turns away when I try to grab one.

I smile in thanks and turn to Caius, "I have no clue where to go..."

"We'll go to their den first," Falcon responds instead. Caius nods and replies "you have him with you, you'll be fine."

When we move to leave out the doors, I take one last look at Caius before leaving. Not because I'm going to miss the asshole, but because I want to see his expression. He doesn't reveal anything, which flares my temper once again.

When the door is almost closed, Caius brings his large hand up to his mouth and then blows me a kiss. His laughter is the last thing I hear when the doors shut, leaving us in the forest. The town has disappeared, leaving nothing in its trace.

"He'll grow on you," Falcon tells me, shaking his head.

"I hope not."