Studying Ch. 01

"Sky and sea, you obey me . . ." Allie tossed her head to the side and yanked my hand away from her forehead.

"Goddamnit, Allie!" I cursed.

"Darren, let me go . . ." Allie muttered faintly as she turned around, my arm still encircling her waist. She pushed me away from her, but only made herself stagger backward. I quickly hid the crystal back in my pocket. Fuck. I had choked her and now I didn't have the element of surprise anymore either.

"What the hell, Darren?" Shock and confusion warred across her beautiful features. "I have to go!" She hurried over to her backpack and began shoving her study materials into it. As I watched her face, I realized I still had the upper hand. There was no betrayal in her eyes. In spite of herself, she still trusted me. She was still open to my suggestions, and my touch could still affect her. I let go of the crystal in my pocket and smiled to myself. She still didn't comprehend what I had done to her, what I could still do to her, and what I intended to do to her. If she had, she wouldn't have stopped to gather up her schoolbooks.

"Allie," I said tenderly, opening my palms to her. She looked up, scowling. "Come, please. Sit. Let me talk with you," I said as I sat down slowly on the edge of my bed. She stopped packing and looked at me suspiciously. "Please, Allie, give me a chance to explain." I watched as she contemplated. I kept my face passive as she bought into my manipulation. Her expression slowly changed from angry to curious.

She stepped over to the bed and sat next to me, about a foot and a half away. I could work with that. She turned to face me, bending one knee and moving it onto the bed. I turned to face her in the same way, and stared into her eyes. My empty black eyes gazed into her clear crystal ones. Her emotions were there on the surface, transparent in her eyes. Conversely, she would be able to see nothing in my pitch black ones.

"Allie, I'm sorry, I got carried away." I raked my hair back out of my face with my fingers. She waited. "You see, I have wanted you for so long. You are perfect, beautiful, a sweet angel. And, I have been struggling to contain my desire for you. I was weak in a moment. I'm sorry." Her hands were folded neatly in her lap as she watched me with sympathetic eyes. "Please, forgive me?" I asked.

"Alright, Darren," she said slowly. "I've made mistakes, too, so I suppose it would be wrong of me to judge you for yours."

I smiled at her. "Can we continue to be friends?" I asked.

Allie smiled back. "Of course," she said as she leaned across the bed. She wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. I sat there in astonishment. That had been too easy!

I slowly put my arms around her, holding her loosely.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry again." I stroked her back. "But," I whispered, "I will get what I want, one way or another."

I slid my hands slowly up her arms. I grasped both her wrists. I pulled her arms from around my neck and began to force her gently backwards onto the bed.

"Darren?" she asked, nervousness rising in her voice.

"It's okay," I reassured, "Just lay back. Lay back."

As she did, her eyes fixed hypnotically on mine. I laid down on my side next to her. I tucked her arm which was closest to me under my body, into the gap between the bed and my ribs. I slid my other arm under the back of her neck and held her other wrist tightly in my hand. Now, I had that wrists pinned up by her head, and her other arm pinned uselessly between my body and the bed. With my free hand, I pulled the crystal from my pocket. She tugged her wrist and squirmed.

"Stay there, Allie. Just stay still." Her eyes unfocused, refocused on mine, then unfocused again, and she obeyed.

"What are you going to do, Darren?" she asked shakily, gazing up at me.

"Nothing, Allie. I promise. Close your eyes and relax."

She closed her eyes, and the tension left her body. I pressed the crystal to her forehead and began to chant:

By air and earth, By water and fire, So be you bound, As I desire.

Allie twitched beneath me and furrowed her brow. "Darren?"

By three and nine, You are now mine . . .

She twitched again and turned her head to the side, but her eyes stayed closed. I kept the crystal pressed firmly to her forehead.

By moon and sun, My will be done. Sky and sea You obey me.

Her body quivered.

Dark powers hear me

Seal her to me.

I lifted the crystal away. "Look at me, Allie," I instructed softly.