"Please don't do this to me," Taranee begged on her knees. This has to be the worst day of her life.
"I'm sorry Taranee, but the group voted. "If you were here instead of with Nigel, then this might not have happened."
It wasn't my fault really, Taranee thought, but she knew that those words were to fall on deaf ears. This was her third time 'forgetting' to come to a meeting. She would've been on time for this one, but Nigel begged for her to tutor him for the history test this coming Friday, and who can say no to those big hazel eyes; since she so carelessly forgotten Nerissa was on the attack, she got stuck babysitting the royal pain himself, Phobos.
Her sad eyes trailed over to Phobos, who just quietly stared at her, critically analyzing her. She didn't say anything for the rest of the meeting. While walking home with her friends, she was relieved to know that Phobos would be staying with Matt during the night. It would've been awkward to explain to her parents why some mysterious boy was going to spend the night over her house. When she got home, she changed into her pajamas, and forced herself into a fitful sleep.
She woke up the next morning, feeling refreshed and she thought that maybe last night was just a bad dream. But she found Phobos waiting for her on her doorsteps. Damn.
"I will not eat this garbage," Phobos said stubbornly, pushing his lunch aside. "Get me something edible."
If there was anything called a double migraine, Taranee thought. I have it. Phobos has been complaining to her non-stop this morning. His insistent complaining about trivial things like how people in Meridian wouldn't make him sit in these hard chairs caused her to accidentally blow up the chemistry lab, and now his delicate palate could not stand this human food. Her friends were affected by this as well. They sat in a tense silence, wishing for him to shut up. But knowing that she's been through worse, Taranee felt no sympathy for the girls. Her day couldn't get any worse.
"Don't look now but Taranee's knight shining armor has arrived," Irma said. She turned around and saw Nigel walking toward the table.
"Hey," Nigel said.
"Oh hey Nigel," Taranee greeted shyly, a blush spreading across her cheeks. Her migraine came down to a dull ache. Phobos narrowed his eyes.
"So are you ready to study for the history exam this evening?" Nigel asked. She froze. I forgot all about that, she thought.
"Yeah, about that-"
"Taranee, be a dear and get me a drink," Phobos rudely glared at him. "Please." Phobos forced out between gritted teeth.
What's his problem, she thought, but went up to get him a drink. She cast Nigel a sorrowful glance before she left.
"Hey, what's your problem?"Nigel asked hotly, but Phobos only ignored him and started to pick at his food. When Taranee came back, Phobos didn't even touch the drink. Taranee looked at her friends for help, but they only looked on with amusement. Fortunately for her, the bell rang. "This day couldn't get any worse," she said to herself.
It did. "Gym," Taranee groaned. It was her worst class of the day. She grudgingly headed for the girls' locker room, but she noticed that Phobos was still following her. "You can't follow me in there," she said." Sit down by the bleachers. Since you're new, the coach wouldn't mind."
"I have strict orders to follow you everywhere," Phobos said." If not, I have to hear those harpies have a fit."
"I have to change clothes!"
"Well they did say everywhere," Phobos answered, a sly smirk forming on his face.
"Just sit," Taranee ordered. She watched as Phobos raise his hands in mock surrender and walk over to the bleachers. Once he sat down, Taranee went into the girl's' locker room.
"Who's the new kid?"
"Is he your boyfriend?"
"Can you introduce him to me?"
Other endless questions bombarded Taranee once she hit the locker room. Word sure travels fast, Taranee thought and she tried to answer to tell them they weren't anything, but she was overwhelmed by the other girls.
"Enough!" they heard a voice shout. They turned their heads and saw Irma was the source of the voice. "If you want to know about him, ask him. Taranee doesn't want to be bothered by you guys." Taranee felt a surge of gratitude and made her way to the other side of the dressing room, next to Irma.
"Has our majesty been acting up as of lately?" Irma asked.
"No, but he is a pain in my back," Taranee answered.
"That's good, Irma said. Then the two girls fell into an awkward silence. "You know, we really regret forcing you to take care of Phobos, but you know how stubborn we are."
Taranee smiled at her. "You know, when you try really hard to ignore him, he doesn't seem so bad." They laughed and soon Irma was ready to leave. "If you want to miss the warm-up exercises, I'll cover for you." Taranee told her about a thousand thanks before she left.
She was now utterly alone in the girls' locker room. She breathed a sigh of relief and started to change. It's not that she was nervous changing in front of the others, but this was the first time today that she had some time to herself. Until she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"AH-" she started to scream, but someone covered their hand over her mouth.
"Be quiet, you damnable woman," a familiar voice hissed at her. Phobos, she realized and turned around to face him.
"Why are you here?" Taranee demanded. "Didn't I tell you to sit by the bleachers?"
"Since you didn't come out with the other girls I got worried," he said with mock hurt. He looked at her once over. She was in her underwear.
" !" she squeaked, covering herself up.
"Fine," he complied. "By the way, you have a horrible taste in underwear." She threw a shoe at him, but he disappeared before it hit. She was fuming. Turns out, by a miracle, the fire alarm went off as soon as she got outside, so there was no gym today.
For the rest of the day, it felt like a test of patience between Taranee and Phobos. He either constantly bugged her or he was completely silent, staring at her. The staring really put her on edge.
She hoped her friends would give her some leeway for her study date with Nigel, but no they said that her punishment was not over. So here she is now, sitting in the library, waiting with Phobos for Nigel to come.
"Why am I here?" Phobos said.
"Because they forced me to drag you with me," Taranee answered curtly. She spotted Nigel from by the library doorway, and she waved at him to come over, and Nigel smiled and walked over to her, but that smile fell flat as he saw the new foreign exchange student sitting beside her.
"Are you ready to start?" Taranee asked once Nigel got situated. He wanted to ask why the foreign exchange student was with her, but he knew it would come out rude.
"Yeah," Nigel answered. For the first 20 minutes, everything was going smoothly. They were in deep discussion about the War of 1812, and they were going over the basic information.
"So what was the War of 1812 about?" Taranee asked.
"Oh….um," Nigel said, struggling to remember.
"Idiot," Phobos muttered under, his boredom boiling over.
"What was that?" Nigel said. Oh no, Taranee thought and put her hands over her face.
"You've been over this for the hundredth time," Phobos answered. "Now I beg if you, use that pea-sized brain of yours so I can leave." It took about three seconds for Nigel to reach across the table and punch Phobos dead in his nose. Another three seconds and everyone in the library had to evacuate because Phobos decided to redecorate the building. By setting it on fire.
Taranee dragged Phobos Getting an abandoned alley. "What's your problem!" she shouted. "Why do you have to ruin everything?"
Phobos said nothing, he looked away defiantly, clutching his bloodied nose. Taranee took out a handkerchief and held his nose. All the while, Phobos stared at her. He has really pretty gray eyes, she thought. Almost as nice as Nigel's-wait, what am I thinking. Burning down a library, he could've killed someone. It didn't take long for the bleeding to stop, and Taranee cleaned the excess up from his face.
"That insolent boy should be put to death," Phobos murmured.
"You're the one who started it," Taranee stated bluntly. "What's your problem with him? You don't even know him."
"He's annoying."
" . . You're much more insufferable than he will ever be. See this is why-Mmph!" All of sudden, Phobos pinned her against the alley wall and captured her mouth in a heated kiss. She tried to struggle against him, but she lost the will to as she melted into the scorching kiss. He slipped his tongue inside of her mouth, entwining theirs together, rubbing against hers. She looked into his eyes and she shivered. This was unlike any of the looks he gave her. His stare reminded her of how a predator looks at their prey. Like he wanted to eat her. Like he was about to eat her.
His mouth left hers, and moved to her ear. "I don't like you talking about other men in my presence," he whispered darkly. Taranee felt his lips lightly ghost over her ear. "You need to be punished." She froze, a mixture of fear and excitement stirred in her stomach as she wondered what would happened next. Teeth met her dark flesh as he bit her neck, making her cry out in pain. Blood slid down her neck and he sucked on the bite mark, forming a dark bruise. He moved further down, his tongue grazing her skin.!
Her mind was blank, letting him do whatever he pleased. That was until he started to unbutton her shirt. Her mind caught back to reality and she started to panic. Adrenaline overflooded her senses and her in a display of strength, she pushed him away and ran home.
"Taranee, where were you? I tried to contact you a million times when I heard about the library catching fire. We were worried sick," scolded. She knew she was in trouble when she walked in and her parents and brother was waiting for her at the doorway. "Sorry mom, I was a bit caught up," Taranee said meekly. That was a poor explanation, but she knew telling her family that she was getting down in the alleyway wasn't going to get good results.
narrowed her eyes at her like she wanted to say something, but she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples in frustration. "Just make sure to contact us next time. We were really worried about you," Mr. Cook said and ushered his tired wife back to bed.
"Hey, lil sis," Peter said."Wanna go for a drive?"
Taranee looked up at him. She needed to clear her head and wait till everybody calmed down."What about mom and dad?"
"They'll be fine,"he said."Come on"
Once, Peter and Taranee was a good distance from the house, he started to ask her some questions."So, what did you guys do at the library?"
"We just did some studying,"Taranee answered.
"Just studying?"Peter replied.
"Yeah, we were. Why you ask?"
"For one thing, your neck looks like it was attacked by a bunch of mosquitoes."
Taranee looked at one of the car's mirrors and her face flushed. Her neck was littered with hickeys, starting with the beginning of her neck to the middle her breasts. Also she had forgotten to button up her shirt. She frantically tried to button up her shirt, fumbling multiple times on the buttons. She tried to look everywhere but her brother.
"Now, I know that you are responsible," Peter said. Oh god. " But I think you're taking it a bit fast with Nigel. You just started to talk to him this Monday."
" I know. I was just caught up in the moment," Taranee said. Well, it wasn't a complete lie. I was caught up, but not with Nigel."I'm sure this won't happen again."
"What do you mean?" Peter asked.
"Well, I sorta ran away," Taranee looked out the window. They were heading toward the Silver Dragon." Hey, why are you taking me here?"
"Cornelia asked me to take you here. They said you were talking to them for some reason or another, so you're here to make amends." Oh god, they can absolutely not see me like this. She slid down in her seat. The car was filled with a tense silence until they pulled up at the restaurant.
" Well, if you have anything you need to talk about," Peter said. "You can come to me. You know as the one with the most experience." Oh god, Taranee thought. She laughed and entered the restaurant, saying a quick hello to Hay Lin's parents, and then making her way to the basement. A flood of questions overwhelmed by the group was she in turn, but it seem so down, due by Cornelia.
"Are you okay?" Hay Lin started.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Taranee answered.
"We're glad to hear that," Will said. "But on another note, where's Phobos?" Taranee flushed, remembering ditching him after that little episode. "Uhhh...I kinda...left him," Taranee answered quietly.
"You what!" Caleb shouted. "How could you be so, so reckless. I knew we shouldn't have entrusted him to her."
"Caleb," Cornelia said. "That was uncalled for."
"Yeah," Irma said. "Now, can you tell us why you left one of the most dangerous villains we ever faced by himself." Taranee told them about the library and the alleyway. "Oh, that explains why you looked like you had a fight by with a vacuum cleaner." Iram teased. Taranee blushed, but soon started to laugh along with the group.
"So now we know we have to do two things," Will said. "First, we have to find Phobos, and second, we have to wipe the floor with that creep." The team agreed. Ironically, Phobos just happened to through the door after that statement. "You," Taranee said, eyes alight with flames.
"You know, it's not polite to have a man lost in the middle of this abhorrent city," Phobos replied.
"Hey!" Will said. "What's your deal with Taranee?"
He looked over at her with a smug look on his face. "Whatever do you mean?"
"You practically mauling me in an alleyway," Taranee had calmed. "That's what we mean."
"Yeah," Cornelia. "What do you want from her?"
"Oh that's simple," Phobos answered. "I want to control her, dominate her. Her legs wrapped around my waist, screaming my name as I fuck her into the ground. But that's about it."
The silence that filled the air after that statement was so thick that a knife could run through it. That was not the response they were expecting to hear. In fact, Taranee almost fainted from shock and Irma was snickering away. "When have you decided to do that?" Cornelia said, her cheeks a bright red.
"It been a while now," he answered. "Haven't you noticed by now Taranee? The lingering glances, the conversations we had during the times we spent together. Those were all flirtatious advances perpetrated to court you. I took the advice from one of those human books that Cedric kept in his bookstore. You call them 'magazines.'
"So that little episode in the alley was to show you were interested in me?" Taranee asked.
"I wasn't going to perform full intercourse in that dump," he answered. "I was only giving you a preview to the main event." If you could pour water on Taranee's face, it would create steam. She wanted to crawl in a hole and never come out. The group huddled around each other to figure out what to do. "Well, we can't let him within close quarters with Taranee any more. He may pounce on her, and it won't be pretty." Irma said.
"But he takes all of my classes with me," Taranee said.
"Okay, how about he stops going to school and I can watch him," Caleb said.
"But we need to be near him at all times. You know Caleb can't handle Nerissa alone." Hay Lin said.
"Hey!" Caleb said.
"You're right," Will agreed. "Alright guys, Caleb don't let him out of your sight. We will be watching him if we take classes together. Let's break."
"Congratulations Taranee, you are now relieved of Phobos watching duties," Will said aloud. Phobos narrowed his eyes at Will. "Caleb will be in as a replacement. Does the group have any objections?"
"Obviously-," Phobos stated.
"Since there are no objections, this will go into effect right now, "Will interrupted. "This meeting is adjourned." Taranee went home with a huge weight taken off her head. She went up to her room and was getting ready for bed. Midway unclothed, she felt someone enter her room. "Peter, please knock before you come in." She said as she kept changing.
"Who's Peter?" said a familiar voice. She froze in her tracks. "Phobos, if you don't leave right now, I will scream so loud that my brother will come here and beat you within an inch of your life."
"So he's your brother," Phobos said, ignoring the rest of the statement. "That's reassuring."
"Did you not just hear the part where I will have my brother beat you within an inch of your life?" Taranee said, getting even angrier. "Or, are you just stupid."
"Your words wound me, my precious Taranee," he said. "Even if you scream, your brother will have no chance against my magic, but why won't you fight me yourself, you are in fact a guardian?"
"You're not worth the energy," Taranee lied. She didn't want to reveal that her powers in her human form are far weaker and much more unstable than in her guardian form.
"Hmm, is that right," Phobos replied. He walked up behind her and began to kiss her neck.
"Stop it," Taranee said, trying to shrug him off, but he had her pinned against him, his palms resting against her waist which were going lower by the second.
"Why...don't...we...fight...with...our...bodies," he said, kissing in between words." If you don't enjoy it, I'll back off." His hands playing with the band of her underwear. "But if you do, you belong to me."
"What if I refuse?" Taranee questioned.
"Then I'll go back to pinning after you," he was slowly began removing her panties, but was stopped when Taranee smacked them away. "It's a win-win situation for me."
I'm going to regret this; she said to herself. "Fine I'll 'fight' you." He turned her around and kissed her deeply. One of his hands grasping her blue-black hair while the other was undoing her bra.
The kiss they shared was unlike the kiss they shared in the alleyway. This one was much more passionate. His mouth was trying relatively take all of her into him. He broke off the kiss and trail of saliva left her now swollen lips. He pushed her against the bed and climbed over her. He massaged her breasts, making her gasp. Her nipples became rock hard after being repeatedly teased. He dragged his tongue over her breasts, stopping to suck on them. Taranee felt a burning pool in the pit of her stomach and she pushed his head lower to her crotch so he can relieve the burning sensation. Phobos smirked at her eagerness, but she wouldn't look at him. She was soaking wet. He peeled off her panties before delving in the moist folds of flesh.
Pleasure struck her body like lightning and gripped Phobos's head, biting her lips to muffle her moans, so she wouldn't give Phobos the satisfaction of hearing her cries. He used his fingers to prepare her, along with teasing her clitoris with his tongue. She was so close to climaxing, but she pushed his head away, remembering their bet.
Phobos chuckled at her defiance, and languidly stripped away his clothes. Taranee stared at his chiseled chest, not daring to look lower. "Aaah!" she yelled. Pain shot up her spine when he first thrusted into her. She digged her nails into him as he was getting her adjusted to his penis. Once she settled down, he moved again. This time, pain ended to another sense: pleasure. He kept to a slow and steady pace and studied her moans so he can bring her the utmost pleasure.
"Say my name," he demanded and he thrusted into her. Hard. She moaned aloud, arching her back. He used that to put his hand under her back to bring her closer to him. His eyes peered hers, she felt like he was staring into her soul. She was mesmerized. His hair cascaded around them like a curtain, as if no one can see the erotic faces she was making but him.
"Say. My. Name," he growled, and accentuated every word with a thrust. "Ah.. !," she cried out his name over and over, and no matter how hard she tried to fight it, she came hard with Phobos coming quickly after. She collapsed onto the bed from exhaustion. She started to nod off, but was nudged awake by Phobos. "What," she said turning to look at him. Phobos was was staring over her with the smuggest look on his face. Like he won the lottery or something.
"So, are you ready for round two?" he asked.
What have I gotten myself into, she thought.