This chapter is a little different. I flip flopped between Trent and Rachel's point of view. Hope you guys like it!

Chapter 6

Trent POV

I walked back inside and turned in time to see Rachel holding her face. I had not intended to kiss her but I desperately wanted us to have some sort of physical contact.

Quen cleared his throat beside me "Sa'han, I rather like the idea of you and Rachel."

I grinned at him. I knew about the subtle pushes Quen and Ceri were always giving me towards Rachel. I found Rachel attractive but the woman had a way of making me want to pull my own hair out. "We'll see what happens Quen." We continued down the hall and returned to the living room. Lee was still on the couch looking rather pale for a man that lived in California.

"So Trent, what's the deal with you and Rachel? I thought you guys had always had a hate-hate relationship?" Lee smiled.

I frowned. I didn't like Lee inquiring about the relationship that I did or didn't have with Rachel. It was something that I needed to figure out with Rachel, yet she seemed to enjoy avoiding necessary conversations.

"I'm not really sure Lee. We just have learned to get along quite well. She's a good person to have on your side." I decided was a suitable response.

Lee nodded but kept a smirk on his face. I had the urge to smack it off but I resisted seeing as Quen was watching me very closely. Ceri had returned and was standing by his side.

"Trenton, did something happen between you and Rachel?" She questioned.

"I don't know what you mean? We don't hate each other. I would even be as bold to say that she likes me Ceri." I smiled as I said it thinking about Rachel.

"That's wonderful!" Ceri gushed. "I had always thought you and Rachel would be a perfect match for one another."

Lee chuckled. "Until one of them pisses the other off and all hell breaks loose. Haven't you heard about the ability that woman has to get under your skin? I think it goes hand in hand with the red hair."

Quen finally spoke up, "Sa'han, you and Rachel have grown. You aren't the children you once were with the same petty arguments and wrongs done. She respects you, and you respect her. This would be a good thing for you Trenton. Not to mention she can keep your ego in check." He finished with a smile.

I had to smile back because he was right. "Well I do believe that is enough talk about Ms. Morgan. Ceri, we have a spell to make for Lee." I stood and Lee followed suit.

Ceri motioned for Lee to follow her to the kitchen. As I headed for the kitchen, Quen stopped me as the others left the room.

"Be careful with Rachel. She has changed and if she opens her heart to you she will open it fully. Do not ruin what you have worked so hard to accomplish with Ms. Morgan." Quen stated and entered the kitchen.

Now what was that supposed to mean?

Rachel POV

I pulled up in front of the church, happy to be home. Jenks had rambled the whole car ride back about Trent's gardens, Trent's security, Trent's compound, Trent, Trent, and more Trent. I stayed silent and listened to him talk about all of the great things Trent does, or has, or is capable of. I would swear he was trying to persuade me to date the elf if I didn't know any better. The things I could do with Trent kept popping into my head. The vision of him without his shirt on, standing behind my mother's car in the desert. The kiss we had shared in my kitchen was a memory that will never fade.

"Earth to Rachel!" Jenks was hovering right in front of my face.

I swatted at him. "What Jenks?"

"I've been talking to you for the past twenty minutes and all I've gotten is hmms and aahhs. What's up Rache?" He landed on the steering wheel.

"I was just thinking is all. I'm fine." I shoved my keys into my purse and went to get out of the car.

"What ya thinking about?" He questioned, hovering by my side. I didn't answer him.

I absentmindedly made my way into the kitchen heading straight to my spell books. Jenks was still rambling about what happened today and what my problem was. I hadn't been paying attention to anything that he had said until I saw Ivy sitting at the kitchen table. She had heard everything he had been saying probably since we had parked the car. My heart beat sped up but Jenks didn't seem to be bothered.

"Geez Rache, did you rub Trent all over you before you came home? You stink." Ivy said crinkling up her nose. The puzzled look on my face must have given Ivy the courage to say what she needed, after all she said she was moving on. "It's about time you two face up to the feelings you have for each other. You can't hate someone that much without feeling something else for them first."

"I-" I didn't even have the words. I hadn't thought about how I felt about Trent. He was someone I had hated and it had been my mission to take him down. Things weren't like that anymore, Trent was trying to be better. He helped a lot of people in a round about way. He had even done things to protect me. Why would he have done that if he hated me?

Jenks was standing on the center island looking down at one of the books I had gotten out. "I think the little cookie fart has gone soft on Rachel. He does a lot that you don't know about Rache. Look at how long he was taking care of law suits with David and you had no clue."

"I don't want to talk about Trent. I need to find the charm I used to call Pierce. The Druchii is still out there and I'm not waiting until it takes control of my mom to get to me." I flipped open the book realizing this wasn't the right book. I reached down and got the right one. Ivy and Jenks were silent thank God. "I just need to end this before someone gets hurt. I don't want that on my shoulders."

"Let me know if there is anything I can do to help." Ivy said as she stood and stretched towards the ceiling. "I've gotta go out. I'll be back before sun up." She was waiting for my approval to slake her needs.

I nodded my head as Ivy left the kitchen and a few seconds later I heard the front door slam. I had spent the past few hours at Trent's and couldn't believe it was almost dark out.

"Maybe you should call Al." Jenks said.

"I was just waiting for Ivy to leave." I said as I reached down and pulled out my scrying mirror. I sat down at the table and put my hand on the beautiful glass pentagram.

"Rachel calling Al. Al come in." I said this part out loud so that Jenks could at least hear one side of the conversation.

What do you want Rachel? I'm sleeping. Al said rather grumpily.

"Al, it came back. It used Lee this time." I said. Jenks had a worried look on his face.

Damn my dame. I've told you about collecting nasty little men. What have you done to piss it off? Al was wide awake now and becoming increasingly irritated.

"I haven't done anything!" I whined. "Trent had a spell and I am able to keep it out of my head. We're doing the same for Lee. I can't do this for everyone that has ever had contact with me."

Come to this side of the lines. I will keep you safe. Al demanded.

"I don't like it there Al. I'm not coming over. I need your help finding out what it wants from me? Why is it after me?" I asked Al.

He sighed. He was going to help. I could already hear him plotting in his thoughts.

I"ll see what I can find out. Then he cut the connection off.

"He's going to see what he can find out." I told Jenks, feeling a little better about the situation.

"Now time to call Trent." Jenks grinned and pointed to the spell book.

Trent POV

I heard my phone ringing as I stepped into my bedroom. I hurried over to answer it knowing it was Rachel. She was the only person authorized to ring in on this line.

"Hey." I said as I answered knowing after I said it that it had sounded weird coming from me.

"Uh hey." Rachel responded. "I found the charm. I talked to Al too. He's seeing what he can find out for me from his side of the lines."

I paused. I hated that she still had to talk to that demon, that she wanted to talk to that demon.

"Good. The more information we have the better." I tried to sound nonchalant. I didn't want her to know that I was a little jealous of the relationship she had with him. "When are you bringing the spell?"

I had hoped she would come back right away but I didn't want to pressure her. I knew she would scare easily if I pushed too hard and that was the last thing I wanted to do. If I was going to be honest with myself I hadn't even wanted her to leave. Rachel was perfectly capable of protecting herself but I felt like I needed to protect her too. Danger found her like a magnet.

"I was thinking soon?" She questioned.

She did want to see me again? I smiled to myself.

"How about eight?" I asked. "Maggie can make us a late dinner." I knew I had her with the idea of Maggie's cooking.

"Make it waffles and you got a deal elf boy." Rachel sounded excited.

"Deal." I said. "See you then Rachel."

I hurried down to the kitchen to tell Maggie about the dinner arrangements. As I was walking out, I bumped into Ceri.

"Excuse me. I didn't see you." I said and caught her before she could fall back.

She smiled. "Thinking about Rachel again?" She must have heard me tell Maggie that Rachel would be here at eight for dinner. I could deny it or just tell the truth and maybe get some helpful advice from her.

"Yes." I said. "She's on my mind all the time, even when I sleep I dream of her. I can't get her out of my head Ceri. I don't know what she feels for me anymore."

Ceri didn't look surprised. "Just be honest with her of your intentions. Rachel values honesty and trust in her friends. Do not mislead her in matters of the heart. That is something she will never forgive you for."

I simply nodded my head and continued on the way to my office. I knew the truth in her words as she spoke them. She reminded me of Quen. I couldn't mislead Rachel even if I wanted to. I felt like I was far too invested in this to go back now. Rachel had saved me from myself. She made me a better person. She gave me my daughter. My life would never be the same again and I owed that to Rachel. Now if I could find a way to say all of these things to her...

I had some time to kill before she would arrive and I decided to go over the numbers for the week. The brimstone production was right on target. I tried not to think about Rachel's words on my activities. Murdering, drug-lord, bastard I believe was her choice phrase. It bothered me more than I had let her know. She knew all of the reasons behind my activities and seeing as she wasn't as white as she use to be I thought she would understand. I frowned, I didn't want to think about the way Rachel use to look at me.

I wanted her to look at me like she would any other man that showed a romantic interest in her, only I had not shown that much of an interest. I could never quite read her emotions towards me. She kept them carefully bottled away. We were so much a like, no wonder she thought I hated her for so long.

Rachel POV

I pulled up at Trent's gatehouse and was waved through. I wonder if I will ever have to stop again? I decided to leave Jenks at home and he seemed plenty happy with the idea. He didn't want to sit around all night and watch the elf and the witch avoid their almost relationship like a bunch of stupid lunkers. His words not mine.

I pulled into the front parking lot and it was Trent that met me at the door, not Quen. That is unusual. I looked him up and down. This was the most dressed down I had ever seen him. He was wearing a black v-neck t-shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers. I didn't even know Trent owned sneakers. He pulled off the look nicely, making him look younger. I looked down at myself. I had opted for blue jeans and a white halter top, and my kick ass black boots.

"Hi." I said as I got out of the car, grabbing the spell book.

"Hi." He said in return and took the book out of my arms. We walked in silence through his compound but it wasn't awkward. We took a seat at the small table outside of the kitchen. It already had a bowl of fresh strawberries and a pot of coffee. I poured myself a cup. Just as I started to sip Maggie came out of the kitchen carrying a large plate with waffles. My mouth watered just smelling them. She set them down in the middle of the table and added another bowl of strawberries.

"Thank you Maggie. This is wonderful." I said with a huge smile.

"You're welcome dear." Maggie answered. "Will there be anything else Mr. Kalamack?"

"No Maggie, thank you. Please take the rest of the evening off." Trent smiled at Maggie.

"Such a dear." She said as she patted him on the shoulder and headed back to the kitchen.

"I want one." I said to Trent.

"Help yourself Rachel." He gestured toward the waffles.

"Not a waffle. I want a Maggie." I smiled.

"I am not sharing her with anyone." He chuckled.

I loaded my plate with two waffles and almost a whole bowl of strawberries. I felt like a pig until I saw Trent's plate and suddenly wasn't so worried. How was the man so thin?

"Where is everyone?" I asked around a mouth full of waffle.

Trent waited to respond until he was done chewing. "Most of the staff leave by 7. Ceri and Quen have the girls somewhere around here."

"Oh." I couldn't really think of what else to say so I went back to chewing. We continued on like that until our plates were empty.

"Rachel, I feel like I should apologize for earlier." Trent said meeting my eyes.

"Don't." I answered quickly. "Don't make it into more than what it was."

"I just didn't know if I was over stepping my boundaries with you." Trent explained.

"You would have gotten my foot in your gut had you been." I smiled at him.

"I have no doubt that you would have made it very clear." He said dryly.

"Can we please just talk about something else for now?" I pleaded. I wasn't ready to have this conversation when I didn't even know what I was feeling.

"You found the charm?" He asked, wiping his mouth with a linen napkin and moving onto the next subject with a polished grace.

"Yeah. I would have to perform it though." I said sourly. "It requires a collective."

"You can perform a spell that would take a collective of witches on your own?" He asked clearly impressed.

"I can only do it because I'm a demon." I finished off the bowl of strawberries.

"This is the same charm you used for your ghost?" He questioned, looking over the spell in the book.

"Yup. The same one Al tried to sell you." I said, not sure if bringing up that night was a good idea.

"I want Ceri to go over it with us. I'm not sure we would be able to modify it enough to work." Trent had taken on a seriousness to him that I assume was usually saved for his business meetings.

"Sure, no problem." I responded. "How's Lee? Is he still here?"

Trent closed the book. "He's doing pretty well taking into consideration that he had an evil elf in his head. He's in one of the guest rooms. I requested that he stay for a day to monitor him."

"Why did I recover so quickly then?" I asked Trent, genuinely confused.

"Honestly Rachel, I don't know. Maybe it's because you're a demon and Lee isn't? It may be something we will never figure out." Trent's eyes darkened. There was a hard look of determination behind them. I liked that Trent was on my side.

"Does Ceri know more about the Druchii than she's shared with me?" I asked. I saw Trent's eyes tighten slightly and I knew the answer to my question. Damn them. I needed all the information if I was going to help.

"I will tell you everything I know Rachel." Trent said, and I knew he was telling the truth. He launched into the details that Ceri had shared while I was gone. It turns out not all of the Druchii were dead. The demons believe they are still hiding in the ever-after. How they had stayed alive all those years no one knew. It was all rumors of course but with the ever-after it was better to believe than to not believe.

I felt my breathing increase. I couldn't get my body to respond how I wanted it to. I was losing control. No. Not again. I couldn't hear or feel anything else in my thoughts but I couldn't slow down how fast I was breathing.

"Rachel?" Trent moved to my chair and looked into my eyes. "Shit!"

I had never heard him swear like that. Mister elf has a potty mouth. I felt light headed. I wasn't getting enough air and I think I was going to pass out.

"Quen! Ceri!" Trent yelled.

He lifted me out of the chair and I slumped my head against his chest. I liked it when he smelled like the forest. My eyes fluttered shut.

"No, Rachel stay awake." Trent said in my ear.

I tried to open my eyes but I didn't want to. I just needed to rest for a while. I heard Ceri and Quen come into the room. Trent must have sat down on the couch, but he was still holding me tightly in his arms.

"It's trying to get back in." Trent whispered in a panic.

"No!" I yelled and tried to sit up, which really wasn't working for me. I had my eyes open again but little else was working the way I wanted it to. I was so warm lying in Trent's arms and if I could just go to sleep for a few minutes...

"You have to fight it." Ceri said. She looked determined and that helped. If Ceri thought I was strong enough to do this, then I could do it.

"Stupid elf." I murmured.

"Who is she talking to?" Ceri asked.

"I don't know." Trent replied.

"All of you can suck dandelions. We did the spell. It can't come in." I managed to get out, hardly keeping my eyes open. As my confidence in the spell returned I felt a haze wash over me. It tasted like spring. Wild magic. I could breathe again.

I felt Trent exhale beside me as my breathing returned to normal. "You have to believe in the elven magic you use for it to work Rachel."

"Should have told me...you..you...fairy-fart." I felt so tired, I wasn't sure anyone could understand me as I slurred my words.

"Real mature." Trent said. "I think she's okay."

Yeah, I was okay. I was going to go to sleep now, and the elves better leave me alone.