Chapter 12 Yardwork #2
“You don't need to call anyone.” He protested the thought, just as I expected. “I’ll figure this out myself.”
“You're not going to give up?” I bit my lip to stop my laughter again. That male ego was working overtime. It looked like even with creatures from other worlds, men were all the same.
“Do I look like the type of man who gives up that easily?”
“I guess not. You wouldn’t be here bugging me if you were.” I winked at him playfully. “Well, while you do that, I have some other stuff to work on in the garden, and I'll just be over here.”
I watched him as he continued his sabotaged attempts at pulling the weed until he reached the point of near exhaustion.
While he repeatedly embarrassed himself, I gathered the herbs I needed to make the tea for Miguel.
When I was done and after I had laughed at him more than enough, I decided to give him a break.
I also had to do something before he tore up my garden.
The man went into the garage and had things clattering around while he searched for something to dig with, and the last thing I wanted was him ripping up the dirt.
I touched the ground, closed my eyes, and focused on my energy.
The pulsing slipped from my fingertips, traveling through the ground and signaling the weeds. It was time to let up.
“Maybe give it one more try before you rip up my yard?” I offered when Raymond reappeared carrying a garden hoe.
“I—” He paused. “Okay, fine.”
I was already ready to laugh as he marched over to the weeds because I knew exactly what was about to happen. And it did! With one powerful pull, the big, strong man went flying backwards onto his nice, firm ass. But that time, he held the weeds up, a hard-fought trophy.
“I told you I’d get it done.” He flexed as if he’d won an Olympic gold.
“I'm glad you figured it out without tearing up my yard.” I laughed and pointed at his pants, where there was a big hole in the inner thigh. “Too bad we can’t say the same about your pants.”
“A casualty of war.” He pointed to the sky, where the sun had already dropped closer to the horizon. “And I did it before the sun set.”
I clapped slowly. “Very proud of you. Now you can leave.”
“You mean to tell me I did all that work and you still won’t be real with me?” He stood.
“Is that why you did this?” I rolled my eyes at him. “To try to get something out of me? You should have told me that, and I could have stopped you from wasting the effort.”
“This is about last night, isn’t it?” He pressed.
No, I wasn’t ready for it.
“What?” I took a step back from him. Did he know what I saw? Was he about to snatch me up and drag me into the shadows to protect his secret? Was I being a little dramatic? Yes to the last question.
“You’re having regrets.” He took a deep breath. “That’s what it is, isn’t it? You took it there, and now you’re wishing you hadn’t.”
“I’m…” That was not at all what I expected from him. Was Raymond feeling insecure?
“Don’t say you aren’t. You’re acting like a totally different person now.
It’s the same way you did after what happened in the gym.
Look, I know I said there is no going back, but I’m not going to force you to be with me.
I just don’t want to play games. If you don’t want this, don’t chicken out and ghost me. Open your mouth and say so.”
“Are you looking for an actual relationship here?” I didn’t know what else to say.
Yeah, I knew he wanted to fool around, but I didn’t think the man was trying to build something serious, though that’s what it sounded like.
“I thought this was just something fun until you leave. You are still leaving, right? That’s still the plan? ”
“Yes, that is the plan, but—”
“But what?” I scoffed. “Look, I really don’t want to sound like a bitch right now, but what exactly do you expect to happen here?
Did you think I would be falling all over you after a hookup with no promise of anything more?
What happened to all that talk about you not being like the guys I dealt with before?
Because this is exactly how they sound.”
“It’s not like that. I just want to make sure we aren’t about to go back to you awkwardly avoiding me.”
“I didn’t answer you for half a day, and you found my information and popped up on my step. That’s weird as fuck, not something a man who is so secure would do. I’m starting to think that was all an act.”
“Wow.” He took a step back, bobbing his head like he was sorting through what I said.
“Wow, what? Am I wrong?” I narrowed my gaze. “Or is there something else you aren’t telling me that would make this make sense?”
His jaw clenched, and just as his lips parted, the energy around the yard shifted. The sun dipped further into the horizon, and I felt it. The surrounding plants cowered. It wasn’t their usual recoil at the end of the day. This was something more. They felt fear. Why?
“Shit.” Raymond moved, pushing me behind him as he faced the fence where the trees stood, spreading their canopy and giving the yard a blanket of privacy from nosy neighbors.
“What are you doing?”
“Stay back,” he ordered.
I could have tried to debate him, but it didn't seem like the right time to do so, especially as I peered around him to the area beneath the trees.
The shadowed space grew darker, the air growing heavy and still, like an unseen presence was filling the void.
Suddenly, it felt suffocatingly hard to breathe, despite the fact that we were standing outside.
Panic tightened my chest, shallow breaths catching in my throat, each one a struggle.
Raymond tensed, his muscles bunching in silent anticipation.
A static itch started in my ear, and the sound of energy sizzling filled the air.
The sensation of running my fingers across the surface of an old television that had been left on idly started in my palms. Though that fuzzy sensation reminded me of a more innocent time, I knew it wasn’t a good sign. Danger was coming.
Two heartbeats later, that shadowed space beneath the trees parted.
It was hard to tell that it opened, but through squinted eyes, I could see layers of darkness folding back like a flower opening to the sun.
At first, I couldn’t see much, but then, there was movement.
Outlined in gray smoke, bodies formed like sharks breaking the ocean waves.
Their forms looked mutated, large, off center. There were sharp edges and humps in places there shouldn’t be. I expected them to look like Raymond, like a human, but they were nothing like him. There were no golden ratios used in the creation of these monsters.
The first body stepped out fully into view: a creature with yellowed skin.
It had spikes down the bridge of a wide nose with three nostrils and thick fur that covered its bare shoulders.
It grunted as it stepped aside, allowing space for the others who followed.
Each one was massive, dangerous, and I quickly realized Raymond couldn’t face them on his own.
The last one stepped out, the fifth in the crew. He pushed to the front of the group and locked his eyes on Raymond quickly. His mouth spread into a wide grin, allowing drool to spill down his chin.
“I'm sorry,” Raymond said without looking at me just seconds before they attacked.
It was one of those moments I would have expected to slow down, but it didn’t. Everything happened quickly. The first two demons charged. They targeted Raymond, ignoring my presence entirely. They weren’t there for me. I fell back, watching and hoping for the best.
Raymond met them with force, never backing down.
At first, he fought like a human, with fists and hands, but then, it changed.
His limbs stretched and became wisps of themselves.
It was as if he were becoming the shadow.
I watched him throw out a punch, and as he did, his hand phased into nothing before appearing on the other side of the yard to slam against the jaw of a man.
He did the same thing with every blow—kicks, punches, elbows, whatever he could to keep them from me.
But it wasn't enough. They outnumbered him, and though he looked strong, I knew he wouldn’t last long.
So much for keeping my secret.
I kicked the shoes from my feet and gripped the dirt with my toes to ground myself in my power. It took seconds to tap into the connection between myself and the land. Those plants that had cowered before perked up, ready and willing to aid me in my fight.
It took another moment for me to set my intention.
This wasn’t a gentle request. This was a brutal one.
I needed to fight, to defend myself and Raymond.
As if it were waiting for such a request, the land responded with exhilaration as for the first time in years.
I used my connection to the Earth to hurt another being.
But these things weren’t from Earth. They were ugly and brutal and deserved to be taken down.
Just as one of the beasts turned its eyes on me, the vibration spread from my body into the ground, and moments later, vines that climbed the side of the fence shot out at the monster.
They grew, tripling in length as they tied around the enemy and held it in place, its chest bared to the assault of roses.
Their thorns, fortified by magic, shot out like bullets through the night and penetrated its chest. It let out a powerful roar as it fought against the vines.
I kept as much distance as I could, allowing Raymond to take up the hand-to-hand combat while relying on my magic to support him.
Those same weeds he’d pulled up. I dug a hole with my hands and stuck them back in the ground.
After a few strokes for confidence, they became rooted in the ground and then stretched beneath the surface, shooting up sprouts in various areas.
The weeds grabbed hold of their ankles, locking monsters in place and making them easier targets for Raymond.
Even with nature on our side. I knew I had to do more.
I had to fight. So, I did what I knew best. I put my fist up and chose a target.
But I wasn’t dumb enough to think I could do it without help.
As I marched forward, a vine shot out to me, wrapping a protective layer around my hands, pulling rock and dirt with it to fortify the glove.
As soon as it was done, I clenched my fist, and magic radiated from within me, pulsing across the surface of the eco-friendly accessories.
I caught Raymond’s eye as I moved forward.
He looked shocked, as expected, but now wasn’t the time to pause and ask questions.
He had his secrets, and now he knew for sure I had mine.
Just as we had the night of the attack at the studios, we fought.
I singled out the smallest of the demons to focus my energy on.
Though the creature had hands, four to be exact, I managed my own.
If I could keep it occupied long enough, Raymond could take care of the others.
My plan seemed to be working until I heard Raymond cry out to me.
“Jericha, watch out!” His voice had a frightened rasp to it that stopped me in my tracks.
I turned in time to see a pointed tail coming straight at my face.
I held my hand up, hoping to protect myself, but I didn't have to.
The tree next to me reached out, extending its branches and slamming down on the demon attacking me.
It broke through the tail, and the demon wailed as it turned and ran back into the shadowy portal.
It vanished, but while I was distracted, the one with all the hands moved in on me. It wrapped two of the arms around my waist and grabbed my hands with the others, stopping me from moving.
That would have been smart, but bare feet left me connected to the Earth. I dug my toes into the dirt, and those same weeds sprouted up around us. They moved in between us and, with the help of the vines, ripped us apart.
“Crush it!” I called out, and the plants worked together, tightening as they wrapped around the demon. It cried out in pain as bones broke, flesh ripped, and odd-colored blood spilled from its eyes and ears.
After that, everything stopped. The other demons retreated and, as the shadowed portal snapped shut, the one wrapped in vines melted into a sickly puddle.
“Damnit. That can't be good for my garden.” I frowned at the mess.
“How did you do that?” Raymond breathed heavily as he stepped next to me.
“This is my house. I’ll ask the questions.” I headed inside.
“Where are you going?” he called out to me.
“I need a drink.”