Smolder Chapter 15

Jade completely forgot about the three Seraphina in the car when Benjamin cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. It was short too short but powerful, sending a flurry of butterflies into her stomach and a jolt of electricity down her spine.
She wished she could say she had ended the kiss for the sake of Aiden or the two girls gaping at them in the car, but as usual, it was Benjamin who pulled back. No matter how well he blended into the modern world, he was still a product of the century he was born into. Public displays of affection were limited to quick pecks, hand-holding, and maybe a kiss on the cheek. But Jade had no complaints especially considering how often her supernaturally speedy boyfriend sneaked into her room late at night.
“Hi,” Benjamin said, his lopsided grin melting away her worries.
Jade barely had time to reply before Summer’s voice pierced the moment. “Jade! What are you doing? Get away from him!”
Benjamin’s grin faltered. The shift in his expression was so subtle that anyone else might have missed it but not Jade. She knew this would hurt him. He probably thinks I’m ashamed, she thought with a pang of guilt. But it wasn’t about him; it was about the Seraphina. None of them would understand. She didn’t want to go through that exhausting conversation again, especially with an entire community.
Before she could explain, Benjamin had already composed himself, shifting her to the side as he turned to address the car.
“Judging by their utterly shocked faces, I’m guessing you didn’t tell them what I am?” His voice was quiet, dripping with sarcasm.
Jade winced. “I told them we were meeting my boyfriend...” She offered him an apologetic smile. “C’mon, I’ll introduce you.”
Taking his hand, she turned to face the car. Aiden sat in the driver’s seat, feigning nonchalance, while Isa leaned as far from the window as possible. Summer, meanwhile, glared at Jade with a fury that could set the car on fire.
“I know this is a shock,” Jade began carefully. “But Isa, Summer I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Benjamin. I swear he would never hurt either of you. You have no reason to be afraid.”
“Hello,” Benjamin said, stepping forward and extending his hand. Isa flinched away, and Summer’s glare hardened.
Jade turned to Aiden, who shrugged and finally got out of the car. He walked around to Benjamin and offered his hand.
“Hey, man. How’ve you been?”
“Good,” Benjamin replied, his tone polite but stiff. Niceties from Aiden were rare, and Benjamin wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Okay, Summer, your turn,” Aiden said, reaching into the car to tug at his sister’s arm.
Summer shot him a venomous look but begrudgingly slid closer to the window. With clear reluctance, she extended her hand. “Hello.” The word came out flat and forced like it had been pried from her mouth.
Benjamin shook her hand briefly before she pulled it back like he’d burned her. He turned to Isa.
“And you must be Isa,” he said, offering the same polite smile.
Isa barely managed a whisper. “Hi.” She shook his hand for less than a second before retreating into her seat.
Aiden clapped his hands together, breaking the awkward silence. “Well, now that we’ve handled this demon problem, let’s go deal with the bigger one.”
Jade rolled her eyes as Aiden hopped back into the driver’s seat. She pulled Benjamin in beside her, settling into the middle seat. She loved the warmth of his leg pressed against hers on the right but not so much the annoyance of Summer crowding her on the left.
As Aiden pulled back onto the road, the car settled into an uncomfortable silence. No music, no rustling trees, no distractions. Just the hum of tires on asphalt and the rumbling of the engine.
Jade didn’t mind. Benjamin’s thumb rubbed gentle circles against her hand, and her head rested comfortably on his shoulder. For a moment, she was completely at peace.
Then Summer broke the silence.
“Okay, sorry to disturb whatever weird pact the three of you have, but I can’t ignore this. He’s a demon. I’m sitting in the car watching a conduit cozy up to a vampire. It’s unnatural. It’s... it’s just gross, alright?”
Benjamin’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Oh, I’m sorry. Do you feel left out? I can hold your hand too.”
Jade elbowed him in the ribs not that it did much. Sweet Ben was starting to give way to a defensive and slightly sarcastic Benjamin.
Summer’s glare sharpened. “If you so much as try, you’d better prepare to fry. Or is that your thing? Kinky.”
Jade sighed. Here we go. If Summer was anything like her brother, this argument was going to drag on. Settling in for the inevitable back-and-forth, Jade shifted her head from Benjamin’s shoulder to the seat behind her. Better to let them fight it out better out than bottled up, right?
“You don’t know anything about our relationship, so stay out of it,” he retorted, his tone icy.
“Oh, I know enough,” she shot back. “He’s a demon, Jade. He’s literally the opposite of everything we stand for!”
“You know nothing about me,” he said calmly, though his jaw clenched. “But you wouldn’t know that because you’ve already decided who I am. Makes life easier, huh? No nuance, no gray areas. Just monsters and heroes.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re twisting this.”
“Am I? Or are you just uncomfortable because I don’t fit into your neat little box?”
Jade placed a hand on his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Let it go,” she whispered. His gaze softened, but Summer wasn’t finished.
“I know it’s completely asinine and destined to fail. You know, the whole part where you guys are mortal enemies and all. Or, I don’t know, the fact that you’re immortal. Take your pick.” Summer leaned back in her seat, her words sharp and unapologetic. Jade was surprised by just how vocal she was about the situation maybe even more so than Aiden.
What didn’t surprise her was the glint in Aiden’s eyes as he tried to keep a smirk off his face. Of course he’s enjoying this, she thought bitterly.
“No one said being in love is easy,” Benjamin replied with an easy grin, his gaze softening as he turned to Jade. They’d talked about these very challenges at length before, and Summer’s jabs were nothing new. Aiden had tried them all on Jade already.
Summer, undeterred, shifted her attention to Jade. “This guy? Really? Over my brother? I just don’t get it.”
“Fortunately, you don’t have to,” Jade shot back, her words sugary sweet.
Summer’s smirk widened. “Actually, I kind of do. You see, I was in the town square yesterday. Ten more seconds, and this would’ve been a completely different conversation.”
Jade froze. Crap. That was as good as a blackmail threat.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jade said, feigning indifference, but her grip on Benjamin’s hand tightened involuntarily. He gave her a questioning look, confusion flickering in his eyes. This wasn’t going to go away anytime soon.
“I think you do,” she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.
“Enough,” Aiden interrupted, his tone sharp. “We have more important things to focus on like what we’re going to do when we get to Lecanto. We need a plan.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Jade watched Aiden closely. Why had he stopped Summer? Wouldn’t Benjamin finding out about the almost-kiss play right into his hands? Was he just that focused on the mission, or were there other reasons? Summer, meanwhile, crossed her arms, a smug expression firmly in place.
Jade tried to push the thought away. Focus, she told herself. There are bigger problems right now.
“The plan,” Benjamin began, “is for Jade and me to scope out the head demon’s estate just outside the city. You three can do whatever Seraphina normally does to investigate a demon situation.”
“Split up?” Aiden asked, his frown deepening. “I’m not sure about that.”
“I agree with Benjamin,” Jade chimed in. “Why not split up and cover more ground? We can all take care of ourselves.”
Aiden sighed, clearly exhausted from the day’s constant battles. “Fine. Benjamin, let me know where to drop you off when we get closer.”
With that, he cranked up the music country, of course. Jade rolled her eyes but settled back into Benjamin’s arm as it wrapped around her shoulders. She rested her head on his chest, half-listening to the twangy lyrics, half-listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The foreign blood pumping through his veins fascinated her, and the sound soothed her. Before long, her eyes fluttered shut, and she drifted into a light, restless sleep.
She woke with a start when Benjamin’s body tensed beneath her. Blinking groggily, she peered out the window to see they’d reentered civilization houses lining the streets, their windows glowing warmly in the twilight.
“How much longer?” she asked, her voice still heavy with sleep.
“Maybe five minutes,” Benjamin replied, his voice quiet but focused.
Jade stretched her arms above her head, shaking off the last remnants of sleep. Summer was slumped against the door, practically drooling, and Isa’s head lolled back, eyes closed. Aiden caught her gaze in the rearview mirror, his expression unreadable. Jade’s stomach twisted. She didn’t want to imagine what he and Benjamin might’ve talked about while she’d been asleep.
“Aiden, you can drop us off at the bend on the right,” he said, sliding his arm from around Kira as the car slowed to a stop.
“Jade,” Aiden said, his voice softer now. She turned back to him. “Be safe, okay?”
She nodded. “I’ll call as soon as we find something out.”
Benjamin opened the door and stepped out, extending a hand to help her. She took it without hesitation, letting him pull her to her feet. They shut the door together, and after a moment’s pause, the sleek black car disappeared down the road.
Still holding her hand, Benjamin led her into the dense forest lining the road. Why is it always the woods? Jade grumbled internally, glancing down at her sneakers, now caked in a thin layer of mud.
“Where are we going?” she asked. “I thought we were heading to a house?”
Benjamin smiled at her, his tone teasing. “We are. But there’s a reason demons like estates are hidden deep in the forest. Let’s say it’s not exactly... accessible by main roads.”
Jade groaned, lifting her feet carefully over an exposed root. “Great. Next time, I’m bringing boots.”
Tristan chuckled softly, his grip on her hand tightening briefly before he pulled her closer. “You’re doing fine. And besides...” He leaned down, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, “I’d carry you if you asked.”
Jade rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “Not a chance. I’d never hear the end of it.”
The tension of the car ride melted away as they walked deeper into the woods, their steps falling into an easy rhythm. But Jade couldn’t shake the unease building in her chest. She knew what waited for them at the end of this path wouldn’t be as comforting as Benjamin’s touch.