Chapter 61: Just a Little Burn

✦Noel✦

I walked with Austin back to the dorm and didn’t say a word the entire way. I was looking around, but not looking around to make it look suspicious when I stopped on the final stretch to the door of the building, “Why is there a screen in the grass?” I asked out loud making Austin stop as well.

“Hm?” He hummed and I looked over at him as he came up next to me, “Maybe someone was drunk and knocked out their screen. It’s Halloween, you should expect that much,” He waved it off like it was nothing and continued on.

“True, but still…” I grumble and follow Austin into the dorms. There were a few people downstairs playing pool and watching some Halloween movie. I sounded like Hocus Pocus. But I couldn’t stay to find out. Austin grabbed my wrist and drug me to the stairwell so we could go up the flight of stairs to the first floor where our dorm was located.

He opened the door to our room and drug me inside. I snagged the door and closed it gently so it wouldn’t slam shut, like these doors like to do on this floor considering the doors are so heavy.

“Just how long have you been an exorcist?” I asked him walking away from the door and going over to my bed.

“My family is an exorcist family. Mom and dad are top tear exorcist’s,” He answered going under his bed and pulling out a small box. He pulled out another yellow vial and stuck it in his side leg pocket on the right side before closing the box once more and putting it back under his bed. He stood back up and brushed off his pants. “So I’ve been doing this since I was young,” He walked over to me and Yun poofed into his large human form and got between us.
“I won’t allow you to lay another hand on master Noel,” Yun said in a serious voice.

Austin sighed and put a hand up to Yun’s throat. He pressed his pointer and pinky against Yun’s throat and moments later a bright, ice blue ring formed around Yun’s neck, hover about an inch away before shrinking down to a thin faded ring that looks like a tattoo, “Now, move please,” He pushed Yun out of the way and sat down on the bed next to me. He went to press his pointer finger and pinky against my throat like he did to Yun and I leaned back.

“What the hell did you just do to Yun?” I asked him.

“Think of it as your both under house arrest. You leave the dorm and I’ll know where it is your going,” He answered lunging at me and I grabbed his wrist but my arm was shaking. ‘Damn it. I can’t hold still.’

“It’s from the Anise. It’s not going to leave our system for a while,”
Nori said as I rolled Austin and me over and pressed Austin against the bed.

“Noel, just stop fighting this. It doesn’t hurt and it’s just to make sure you don’t leave the building,” Austin sighed not fighting back.

“How long does this spell last?” I asked him.

“It lasts as long as I want it to. I will disband it in the morning. It also hides whatever demonic presence that you give off. We don’t need exorcists coming into the room and find either of you,” He over powered me and flipped us around so I was pinned to the bed. He pressed his two fingers against my throat and the glow of that ring appeared. ‘No,’ I thought and a dual sound of glass shattering came from around my neck. “Obviously, a level one spell won’t do it. You’re a lot stronger then you give off. Even in that demon form of yours. But it was worth a shot,” Austin commented and pressed his palm against my throat like he was going to choke me. An even brighter glow slightly blinded me and I pushed Austin off, but it was too late the glow faded and there was a warm sensation around my neck, before it faded away.

“Noel switch with me, I’ll give him something to be afraid of,” Nori sounds pissed.

‘Nori, we don’t need to be starting anything. We’ve already been through enough tonight. And who knows what he can do with this damn tracking thing he put on us.’

“Don’t glare, I’m trying to protect you,” He looked at me before getting off the bed, “I have to go back out. It’ll only be for two more hours. You two have had a night as it is. And the side effects of the antidote I gave you should be kicking in soon. So, you might as well just call it a night.” He poked Yun’s forehead, like he was Itachi from Naruto, “Good night you two. I’ll see you in the morning,” Austin said going over to the door.

“What makes you think we’ll be sleep by the time you get back?” Yun asked him.

“Well, you probably won’t be, but the antidote will knock Noel out by the time I get back,” He smirked and then left the room.

“UGH,” I groan flipping over and pressing my face into my pillow. “This is the worst.”

“Master Noel, what should we do?” Yun asked me.

“As long as he disbands this stupid spell in the morning we’ll just have to deal with it for the night. There’s no point in us fussing over it. And I don’t want to go up to Elena’s room and make her panic with seeing it. So, we might as well just call it a night,” I answered. ‘I’m feeling exhausted anyways.’

“It probably is best to just call it. If he doesn’t disband this stupid spell tomorrow morning, then I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.”

I got off the bed and got changed, then went down the hall with my toothbrush and toothpaste to brush my teeth. I feel like I’m dragging my sandals down the hall as I make it back to my room. Turning off the light and locking the door. I crawl into bed as Yun poofed into his cotton ball form and floated over to me and landed on the pillow next to my head. I checked under my pillow but didn’t feel my phone. Groaning I slipped out of bed, found my phone and crawled back under the covers slipped my phone under my pillow and relaxed enough to easily fall asleep.

*✧*✦*✧*✦*✧*

✧Nori✧

“I can’t believe this, A fucking level six locator spell?” I stormed back and forth in front of Noel as he sat on the bench. We were at my family’s manor in his head.

“I’m sorry, I should have tried to fight him off better,” Noel apologized. I looked at him. His head is down and he’s looking at his lap.

“It’s not your fault. The Anise that’s in our system affect you too. And it’s not like I know any binding spells, so trying to tie him down in our state would have been pointless,” I sighed and put a hand on Noel’s head. “You did what you could. I’m just curious if the girls are going to notice the after image of the spell once it’s taken off.”

“What do you mean?” Noel asked me.

“It’s not the first time I’ve had a locator spell on me. My mother knows a couple of them. They leave a residue that only a demon can pick up. But it’s still faint. Though, the stronger the spell the longer then sent will last,” I explained to him.

“In other words, your saying that Elena and Eevie should be able to pick up that we had a spell placed on us?” Noel questioned.

I nodded, “If we see them before it wears off yes. And the fact that Austin placed it on our neck means that, even though it’s been doing this since he was little, locator spells are new for him,” I crossed my arms and leaned my weight on my right leg. “If he was experienced and a bit smarter, he would have placed the spell on out ankle, or somewhere hidden. Hell, he could have even put it on an ear. But, with how large it was, he wouldn’t have been able to focus it on something so small.”

“What should we do then?” Noel asked tipping his head to the left.

“Considering the side effects of the antidote he gave us; we can’t do much. But over my years I’ve learned how to slip a collar. Think of it as anti-magic, magic,” I smirked down at my human counterpart.

“That’s so cool!” Noel looked up at me, his eyes sparkling with admiration.

“Na, that’s nothing, What I want to experience is you actually showing off your gymnastic moves. I know you’ve been using them in training sessions. But I want to know what you can do,” I said changing the subject to something else. Noel looked at me shocked and didn’t say anything so I figured that was a go ahead to continue, “This school has a gymnastics club, doesn’t it?”

“I think it does. But, I’m nervous to get back onto the uneven bars.” That’s all that’s got him worried?

“You’ll do fine. Why not ask Elena if she wants to go check out the gym and see what clubs are going on. I feel like both of you need a day off from strict training and have some fun,” I smiled down at him.

“You just don’t want Austin to be following us. Or if he decides to tag along you don’t want things to be suspicious,” Noel commented.

“That’s half of it, but the other half really is for you to get out and have some fun. Yun’s put you through some hardcore training. It’s physically starting to show a bit more on your body. But he’s always been trying to keep you very flexible so if you ever wanted to go back into gymnastics you could,” I explained to him with a soft smile.

I heard the sound of a buzz coming from outside Noel’s body, “I think your phone went off.”

“Okay,” He nodded and his image faded away and everything went black around me again.

Noel cracked his eyes open and checked his phone. It was his sister, telling him hi and she hopes that he’s going well. Also, that she had her first competition today. I felt Noel smile and he text her back good luck and that he was doing just fine. I’m sure it’s to not make her worry.

“What time is it?” He mumbled finally seeing what time it was. It’s 7:30 in the morning, “I should probably get up,” He muttered and that’s what he did.

“I see that sleeping beauty is still out cold,” I comment as Noel stretch. “You should ask him to take it off so you can do your morning run.”

‘True, I should. I’ll wait till I’m dressed for that,’
He answered sliding his feet across the floor to his dresser and getting into a pair of under armor shorts and basketball shorts. Along with a muscle shirt and a pair of socks. Once he had his socks on he walked over to Austin and shook him.

Austin cracked an eye open and looked up at Noel, “Hm?” He hummed.

“Can you take this off so I can go for my morning run? I don’t want to know what it’ll do if I step out of the dorm with it on,” Noel asked pointing at his neck.

“Why are you up at all hours of the morning on the weekend?” He groaned pulling his blanket over his head.

“Because I can’t sleep in all that much. I’ve been in sports all my life,” Noel questioned and pulled the blanket off Austin then pointed at his neck, “I want it off now please. I did what you said and stayed in last night.”

“It can stay on till you come back. It’s not going to hurt you going outside with it on. Well, I don’t know, it may sting or something. But, you’re an athlete, you can work through the pain, right?”

“I swear, if this leaves a mark on me and my family sees it…” He muttered in frustration.

“Maybe you should go back to bed. You never wake up in such a bad mood,” He sat up in bed.

“Sorry, my sister is having her first gymnastics competition today and I can’t see it,” He answered opening the door to the room, “I’m going for a run. Yun’s still sleeping, just so you know,” With that Noel left the room. Double checking to make sure he grabbed his key to the dorm he stepped outside into the morning air. The muscles in his neck twitched when the ring started to burn. Noel ignored it and started to run. He did his normal loop around campus. The burning intensified the further away from the dorm we were.

“Only do one lap today,” I told Noel and he nodded in agreement as we closed in on the dorm. Noel waited will he was going upstairs to put a hand on this throat.

‘This sucks,’

“I know, just hang in there,” He opened the door to his room and Austin was up and cleaning the room.

“Welcome back,” Austin didn’t turn around to look at Noel as he was making his bed.

“Can you please take this thing off?” Noel was practically begging him.

He finally looked at Noel and his eyes widened slightly, “Why are you crying?” His voice came out as barely a whisper.

“I can’t run with this on. When I was on the other side of campus it burned so bad it felt like I was being branded,” He answered,

“I’m sorry,” Austin instantly apologized, “I didn’t think it would burn you that bad,” He came over to us and placed his hand on Noel throat. The pain started to subside and the sound of glass shattering came from Noel neck, “Sit down in your chair. I’ll get something for the burn.” There’s a buzzing sound from Noel’s bed. He went over to it and grabbed his phone.

“Elena asked if we want to go to breakfast,” Noel said going back to his seat and sitting down.

“Tell her I have to get changed and we’ll meet them there. That should give me enough time to take care of your burn,” Austin said setting a first aid kit down on my desk.

“Okay,” He mutters.

We’ll meet you there. Austin and I have to do something really quick. He sent the message.

“Maybe from us bonding it’s made your skin more sensitive?”

‘I don’t know, maybe.’

“Do you want to do a mental switch for a bit so you can take a break?” Doing a mental switch will let me bring my healing ability to the front a bit faster anyways.

‘Sure, just please don’t do something I wouldn’t do.’
He let me switch with him as Austin was working on. Austin paused rubbing the burn cream on Noel’s neck and looked at me.

“What did you just do? Your presence feels like it did a U-turn,” He commented.

“All I did was bring up one of my demon abilities. It’s going to help heal the burn. I’m just trying to keep the girls from asking questions,” I answered, with Noel’s voice.

“What else can you do?” He asked me going back to rubbing in the cream.

“Not too much. You saw that I could teleport last night,” I replied.

“Not very far,” He said with a bit of cockiness in his voice.

“That’s because of the Anise,” I said quickly.

“Can you only transform at night?” Second question.

“I can transform whenever I want to,”

“Is the rest of the family part demon?”

“No,” Not Noel’s half and my half is full demon thank you.

“So why only you?”

“I can’t answer that question.”

“Why not?”

“Because.”

“Noel…”

“Austin…”

Austin sighed and put the burn cream away, “Do you want me to wrap it. Or do you think you can heal it enough before we meet up with the girls?”

“I’ll wear a sweater and try to hide it,” I answered getting up and going over to Noel’s dresser to find his hoodies and pull one on.

Austin put the first aid kit away and then grabbed his stuff.

“Can I come?” Yun asked in his squeaky voice. I look over at Austin and he sighs

“You can come,” Yun poofs into his normal human form and Austin takes the ring off before Yun goes back into his cotton form and hides himself in Noel’s hoodie.

We headed out and walked to the cafeteria. The girls were waiting inside for us.

“Morning,” I greeted with Noel’s usual smile.

“Good morning,” The girls said in unison.

‘Elena looks really pretty today.’

“I see you noticed her training sessions are paying off.”

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

“Nothing,” I hand the lady my card and she swipes it through, “Thank you,” I said and went inside sticking the card back in my pocket.

‘Do you think they’ve noticed?’

“More than likely. If she didn’t notice the burn mark, then she probably noticed the smell.”

‘Let’s switch back for now, just to be safe.’

“Alright,” I let Noel take control once again.

Noel got some fruit and a bowl of cereal then went back to the table that they four of us picked out. Elena was practically right behind us and sat down across from us. Noel smiled at her, “You look really pretty this morning,” He complemented. Good way to start the conversation at least, “After breakfast do you want to go to the gym with me and fully check it out? I haven’t been in there to really look around.” He’s trying to distract her I’m sure.

End