Stalked by Demons

by Trudi Jaye

  “Impressed?”

  “Very. I… didn’t think you’d actually manage to do it.”

  My head slumps back against the step behind me. “You didn’t think I could do it?”

  “I had my doubts.”

  “Why tell me to do it, then?” I can’t even work up the energy to be annoyed at him any more.

  “Because it was the only chance to save them.” He’s silent for a moment, but I have nothing to say. He seems to know it. “You’ve done well, Hazel. Not many people could have stood up to those demons and won. They got the better of Blade, and he’s the best we’ve got.”

  My eyes close, and even though I try to say something, the words won’t form. I’m too tired. My grip on the phone loosens, and it falls to the wooden step.

  “Hazel?” I hear Damien’s voice on the other end. He sounds worried.

  Ha. Maybe that will get him back for all the hanging up he likes to do.

  As I drift off, hands appear at my side, and I squint up to see Suzanna crouching down beside me. She touches my forehead, frowning down at me.

  “I think we need to get you inside,” she says.

  I try to nod, but nothing happens. I close my eyes, and drift away.

  When I wake again, I’m warm and comfortable. I’m snuggled up against a heater or maybe a really big hot water bottle. Wherever I am, I don’t want to move.

  I haven’t felt this safe and warm since… well, maybe ever.

  I move my head, trying to snuggle deeper into the warmth, and my cheek rubs against something silky and smooth. I freeze. That’s not a heater. I open my eyes quickly, hoping it’s not what I think it is.

  Blade is lying on his back next to me in a large bed. His muscled chest is bare, and I’m cuddled up against his side, my arms wrapped around his torso.

  Like a freaking cuddle monster.

  Maybe he hasn’t noticed? I try to ease away slowly and glance up at his face to make sure he’s asleep.

  A pair of bright-green eyes is watching me with amusement.

  “I must have been cold,” I mutter, pulling away.

  A half smile twitches at one corner of his mouth. “You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn’t have the heart to wake you,” he says.

  “What are we doing in here? What’s the time?” I glance around the room. “Where are we?“

  “We’re still at Suzanne’s place. This is her room. She’s sleeping on the sofa.”

  I sit up properly, pulling down my T-shirt like it’s going to cover up the fact I was snuggling up to Blade in my sleep.

  “I could’ve slept on the couch,” I mutter, pushing my hand through my hair, and looking around for my glasses. They’re on the bedside table, so I put them on.

  “Once we got you in here, you fell asleep, dead to the world. We didn’t have the heart to move you.”

  I glare at him. “And the reason you’re here is…?”

  “The boys get up early. They’d have woken whoever was out on the sofa at about five, and we both needed our sleep.” Blade is moving stiffly, and I remember the beating he took from the demons and wince. That’s also when I notice the sounds of small voices in the next room. I try to keep glaring at Blade, but he’s being so reasonable, it’s impossible.

  “Thanks,” he says, watching me intently.

  “For what?” I say, my mind still on the kids in the room next door. It seems like it’s a dangerous place for two little boys to live, up here in the mountains on their own.

  “For saving my life. Again.”

  I blink, returning my gaze to his face. “No problem. It’s not like I could’ve left you out there on your own.”

  “Some people would have. Not everyone is as brave as you are.”

  I make a face at him to cover my embarrassment at his compliment. “You usually tell me I’m foolhardy, not brave.”

  “Well, that too,” he says with a quick smile. “But this time, you saved me. I’d be dead now, if it wasn’t for you.”

  I shrug, but I can’t deny it. They had him on the ground. He would have been torn apart, just like my parents and Becca.

  There’s no way I would have left them to it.

  We sit in silence for a moment, both in our own thoughts. My backpack on the ground next to the bed starts vibrating, and I scramble across to it, digging into the mess inside. I pull out my phone triumphantly. “Hi,” I say, in a rush to answer.

  “Hazel? Is that you?” The Professor’s voice is weak on the other end.

  “Yes, it’s me, Professor,” I say as I sit back down on the bed.

  “Hazel, something terrible has happened.”

  “What is it? Are you okay?” I struggle to think through all the bad things that could affect me that might also concern him.

  “The lab. They’ve broken into the lab and stolen or broken everything. It’s all gone.”

  “What?” I frown, confused by why someone would steal from his half-rusted collection of machines or any of the random stuff in his junk room.

  “All my notes, the boxes of spare parts, and your broken designs from the other day are all gone. The new microscope, the high-pitch frequency meter, along with all the new photographic equipment are all either destroyed or missing. All the new equipment Connor gave us.” I hear a small sob escape the Professor’s throat. “All the tiny bottles are smashed on the floor.”

  I’d forgotten about all the new toys he’d bought with Connor’s money. “But why?” We’re hidden in the bowels of Stanford. There are so many better, more useful, more expensive things to steal in the other labs.

  “I don’t know. Someone who knows we’re onto something and is jealous?”

  “Who even knows about our research?” Professional jealousy doesn’t seem right. Everyone thinks Professor Hasselblatt is a nutty old crank and that his research is worth less than the paper it’s written on.

  “I can’t tell him, Hazel. I can’t tell Connor what happened.” He sounds panicked, scared.

  “I’m sure—”

  “He likes you. I know he does. He’s always asking me about you. You could tell him, and he won’t be upset. He might even buy us the microscopes again.”

  “But surely the insurance will cover it?” I ask. The silence on the other end of the line says it all. “You don’t have insurance?”

  “I couldn’t afford it in the budget, and the Stanford Board of Directors have refused to pay it since that incident with the explosion.” His tone indicates they’re being unreasonable.

  “Does Connor know you didn’t have insurance?”

  “No. And I can’t tell him. You have to do it. I’ve never had any problems like this before. I was so sure it would be fine.”

  “I can’t—”

  “Please, Hazel. I can’t do it. I can’t.” The Professor’s breathing is getting heavy, and the panicked tone in his voice escalates. He sounds like he might be about to have a heart attack. If he has a heart attack, all my dreams of researching demons at his lab will be dead in the water.

  I need the Professor alive and well. “Okay, fine. I’ll let Connor know.” I let out a big sigh.

  “Thank you, Hazel. I knew you’d be there for me. Thank you.” The Professor cuts the line quickly, as if he doesn’t want to give me a chance to change my mind.

  I sigh again and stare down at my phone.

  “What happened? Someone attack the lab?“

  I turn to look at Blade. “They stole all the new equipment that Connor only just had installed for the Professor’s use, plus some of the old stuff, including my inventions. Everything that’s not gone is broken.”

  “That’s rough. But why is it your concern? I thought you were just the research assistant?”

  “Nothing in the lab is insured,” I say quietly. “And the Professor wants me to call Connor and tell him what happened.”

  “Because he knows you’re going on a date with him?”

  “He says Connor likes me. He won’t be as mad.”

  “That�
��s ridiculous. It’s not your job to deal with problems like that. Call him back and tell him to call the investor himself.” Blade sounds truly indignant on my behalf.

  It makes me smile. “The Professor isn’t capable of doing it. He’s too upset.”

  I look down at my phone, hesitating over the buttons. I have Connor’s phone number in my phone from when he called me the other day. It would be as easy as pressing one button, but I can’t make myself do it quite yet.

  “Call the Professor back, tell him he has to do it.”

  The bossiness in Blade’s tone raises my hackles. I frown down at my phone. “No, I said I’ll do it, and I will.” Pressing the button, I wait for the phone to start ringing.

  “McKenzie here.” Connor’s voice is curt and impersonal. Cold.

  “Hi Connor, it’s Hazel.”

  “Hazel.” His voice immediately warms up to his usual liquid fire. “How good to hear from you. Dare I ask if you were missing me?” he says teasingly.

  I give a nervous laugh. “Uh, that’s not the reason I was calling. I just got off the phone with Professor Hasselblatt. There’s some bad news.“ I hesitate, not sure how to say it.

  “Just spit it out. It can’t be that bad,” says Connor, his voice still warm.

  “There’s been a break-in at the lab. All the Professor’s notes, plus all the new equipment, and all the old spare parts have been stolen.”

  “What? When?”

  “Last night. I don’t know any more. I’m out of town.”

  “Hazel, I appreciate you ringing me straight away about this, but things like this happen all the time. The insurance will cover it. Don’t worry about it.”

  I take a breath. “There’s no insurance.”

  42

  “I’m coming in with you,” says Blade as he parks his pick up in front of the large ten-story office building. The headquarters for McKenzie Industries is made of sleek, stylish glass, and reflects the midafternoon sun.

  Connor demanded to see me as soon as I got back into town. He was pretty pissed off. Okay, so a lot pissed off. Actually… super-mega pissed off at the Professor for not having insurance. I think that’s why Blade is being so protective now.

  But I figure I can be the person in the middle, the one who mediates the two parties back together, so they can continue their relationship. A relationship that benefits me, particularly now that I’ve learned so much about demons. I need somewhere to study them, to find out what I need to know to destroy more of them.

  To keep Connor happy, we drove straight here from the ranch.

  “He doesn’t know you. It will seem weird if I turn up with some random guy,” I say. And I don’t want to upset Connor by bringing Blade inside with me. “This is work related.”

  “On a Sunday?”

  “Sure. We had a break-in at the lab. He wants to discuss it with me. That’s all.”

  I climb out of the pickup, and my legs are a bit shaky. It’s been a rough twenty-four hours. I pause, pretending to take in my surroundings, holding onto the door with one hand. My hand is glowing blue. It’s also got pins and needles, which is weird. I shake it out.

  “Are you okay?” asks Blade.

  “I’m fine. I’ll be out in half an hour.” I give him what I hope is a winning smile. “Thanks for waiting for me. I appreciate it.” The little demon is jumping around inside me like it’s trying to get out, and it’s making me feel like I’ve got angry butterflies in my stomach.

  I take a deep breath to settle my thoughts, then walk up to the doors, still flicking my hand. Blade can probably see the blue glow, but there’s nothing I can do about that. The mirrored-glass doors swish open as I approach. Inside is a receptionist and a security guard. I’m surprised to find the building so populated with people on a weekend, and stumble to a halt. The security guard advances on me. He’s tall and muscled, and looks like he wouldn’t be out of place in a Calvin Klein ad.

  “Miss Rushton?” he says, his dark eyes taking in my scruffy appearance. “Mr. McKenzie is waiting for you.”

  I push my glasses up my nose and stand a little taller. He ushers me to the elevators at one side and presses the button for the top floor. I don’t even have to say a word through all this. They know exactly who I am and what’s going on.

  The elevator takes me swiftly upward. I stand there looking at the shiny metal surface in front of me, wondering what I’m doing here. My legs are still shaky, and I have to lean on the elevator wall to keep myself standing. I don’t quite know what’s going on—unless it’s some kind of delayed exhaustion from everything that happened yesterday. I’m so distracted, I don’t notice I’ve arrived at the right floor until the doors ping open, revealing another reception area and another receptionist waiting for me.

  “Hi, I’m—”

  “Mr. McKenzie will see you now, Ms. Rushton,” interrupts the receptionist. She’s an older woman, rather attractive, but clearly not given to chitchat. “May I take your jacket?” she asks.

  “Uh… no, thank you,” I manage to stutter. My jacket pocket is hiding my glowing hand, and I don’t want to show it off to Connor again.

  The receptionist stands up and leads me to a door on the other side of the room.

  “I… uh… Thank you.”

  But I may as well have not spoken, for all the attention she pays me. She knocks on the door and opens it. “Ms. Rushton to see you, sir.”

  I hear Connor’s voice in reply, and then she holds the door wide, so I can enter. Once I’m inside the office, she leaves the room and shuts the door firmly behind her.

  Connor is sitting at a large desk. Behind him is a view out over the city and the sea in the distance. It’s an amazing vista, and it captures me for a moment. I can’t do anything but stare. The little demon is still agitating my stomach, making me wish I could just head back down in the elevator and find somewhere to throw up.

  “People often have that reaction,” says Connor with satisfaction.

  I blink and look back at him. “To the view?”

  He nods and stands, gesturing with his hand. “It’s an amazing city we live in, Hazel. We’re privileged.”

  I nod in agreement.

  “But many people take it for granted, the fact we’re privileged to lead the lives we lead.”

  I hesitate. The tiny demon jiggles in my chest. “Are you saying you think we took the equipment you bought the Professor for granted?” My vision is going a little blurry. I blink a few times, trying to clear it.

  He stops and turns to me. His lip quivers on one side. Then he laughs. “That’s what I most like about you, Hazel. You don’t pussyfoot around the issue. You play the game with all your cards on the table.”

  I frown. “Was that a yes or a no?” I’m struggling to concentrate on what Connor is saying.

  “Yes. I am talking about the lack of regard that Professor Hasselblatt seems to have for the expensive equipment I purchased on his behalf.”

  “I assure you he doesn’t take it lightly. He’s devastated by the loss. Nothing like this has ever happened before. I don’t understand who—”

  “There are many people who would steal such equipment. I’m extremely dissatisfied that, so early in our association, the professor has shown such disregard for our joint venture. I am reconsidering the future of the relationship.”

  “It’s not his fault that everything was stolen,” I say, stung by his blunt talk, even though I was the one who insisted on it.

  “No, but it’s his fault that he didn’t provide adequate security, then didn’t have even basic insurance for the expensive equipment I provided him with.”

  “People can break in and get past security measures if they really want to,” I say desperately. “You said so yourself. Bad people are out there.” I swallow hard over a metallic taste in my mouth.

  Connor glares at me with flashing blue eyes. “Don’t use my own words against me,” he says.

  He’s clearly still very pissed off. I need to tread carefull
y if I’m going to keep the funding and help the Professor to continue his research. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I’m going to make it through this interview without passing out. I need to act fast.

  “We’re making progress,” I blurt. “If you cancel it now, you’ll miss out.”

  43

  Almost without missing a beat, Connor’s anger subsides, and a peculiar attentiveness takes its place. It’s like having a 1000-watt spotlight focused in my direction. Overwhelming to say the least. “I knew I was right about you,” he says. “What have you discovered?”

  I take a breath, trying to figure out what I need to say. “I know how to conduct the demon energy once it’s been caught.” I cross my fingers on the hand that’s hiding in my jacket pocket. I hope I know how to do it. I think I do. But I don’t know for sure. “I built a device.”

  Connor’s eyes are blazing. “You’ve really done it? You know how to conduct their energy?”

  I nod, glumly thinking over all the times I’ve told the Professor not to get Connor’s hopes up with false claims. Now I understand the logic behind why he did it. There’s something about Connor that makes you want to win his approval.

  “So all you need now is to capture a demon and test your device?”

  “It’s not that easy to catch a demon.” My fingers are still crossed. I don’t want him to know I’ve already got one in a bottle at home. The little demon inside me jumps. Or that I’m carrying one inside me at all times.

  I don’t want his approval that much.

  “But you’ve done it before?”

  “It’s very dangerous.” I don’t quite answer his question. I swallow hard, trying to get rid of the sandpaper that’s in my throat. The room is starting to look a little blurry again.

  “You can do it. I have faith in you,” says Connor, his smile wide. His previous anger is now completely gone from his demeanor. It’s like I’m dealing with a completely different person. To be honest, it’s more than a little creepy.

  “So does this mean you’re not going to cancel the grant?” I ask carefully. I need him to make the commitment.