I’ve finally gone back and performed a little editing on the first chapter of my Work in Progress, tentatively titled “The Demon Guard.”? It’s still rough, but hopefully not too horrific.? Comments/ constructive criticism always welcome!

Cheers!

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? ? ? ? ? ? ? Squaring my shoulders, I entered the hallway to wait.? According to my watch, only four minutes had passed when Trent came tearing up the stairs.? He saw me and skidded to a halt, his sneakers squeaking on the hardwood floor.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? “So, what’s up?”? He flashed a white smile and rested his hand on the small of my back.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? “Why don’t we go into one of the bedrooms?”?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? I felt his hand jerk in surprise.? I couldn’t blame him—ever since the debacle, I hadn’t been famous for my approachability. ? Even the majority of the students that mocked me feared my razor-sharp comebacks.?

But Trent recovered quickly.? He steered me to the farthest doorway down the hall on the right, and we entered a master bedroom.? I bypassed the attached lounge to plop down on the four poster bed, nervously smoothing my hand over the satin of the comforter.? At least my first time would be in a nice room—I’d heard all the horror stories.

“So, what do you want to do now?? I’ve gotta admit, I’m kind of surprised.? You’ve never seemed very interested.”

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? I smiled a sad smile.? “Shows how observant you are.? I’ve had a crush on you for ages.”? In spite of what was coming next, I couldn’t help the warmth that filled my cheeks. I glanced down at my hand, noting the ring now appeared black.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? I bolstered my courage and widened my smile into something I hoped looked seductive.? I could have been off, though—my flirting skills were way beyond rusty.? “Why don’t you take off your shirt?” I suggested, leaning towards him.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? His eyes lit up, then dimmed.? “Are you sure you haven’t been drinking?? Because I’m not the kind of guy who would do that.”

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? “Just that one sip of beer.? I hardly think it’s enough to get me loaded.”

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Faster than a gunshot, he yanked the black t-shirt over his head and tossed it to the side.? “Well, okay then.? Now what?”

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Tentatively, I lifted my hand to his chest until my palm rested on the warm skin.? His muscles bunched under my touch, but I could still feel the beat of his heart.? It was distinctive and rhythmic.? Very rhythmic.?

Too rhythmic.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? I dropped my hand, my own heart crashing against my ribcage like a caged tiger trying to escape.? Swallowing hard, I said, “Well, here goes nothing.”? I reached under the hem of my own shirt, and the smile in his eyes changed to something hotter.? I paused. “You know, I really do like you.? That’s why this is so hard.”

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? “What’s so hard?”

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? “This.”? I whipped my hand out from under my shirt, clutching the thin golden spike I’d grabbed from inside my leather sheath.? Then, without a moment’s hesitation, I shoved the spike straight into his skull.

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