The Devil is in the Details

by Maya Daniels

  I tense when his warm palm settles at the small of my back while he guides me to exit the building in front of him. Watching him from the corner of my eye, I bite my tongue so I don’t say anything. Maybe he wasn’t as lost in his thoughts as I assumed.

  “What’s Loren’s problem with me?” I blurt out as we near his Porsche.

  “What?” Slowing his strides, he looks over, confusion on his handsome face.

  “Unless she’s your girlfriend and doesn’t like the idea of you spending time with another woman, I don’t know what her problem is.”

  My breath hitches as he moves so fast, it’s all a blur, and I’m pinned between the side of his car and his body. Goosebumps cover me, and butterflies wreak chaos in my stomach when he cages me with his arms. I’m terrified to move, because if I even allow a muscle twitch, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop touching him. Lowering his head, he brushes my hair away from my face with his nose before sniffing my neck like some hunting dog.

  “Maybe it’s because you smell delicious.” His voice is husky and deeper than before. I tremble.

  “Huh?” Dazed by his nearness, with my heart beating so fast he must feel it on his chest, I try to concentrate on what he is saying.

  “Maybe that’s her problem,” Eric says as he pulls back so I can see his face without my eyes crossing. The demon is too good-looking for my sanity, but I don’t push him away.

  “Because she is not your girlfriend?” Feeling his hardness pressing on my belly makes my voice breathless, but I’m too gone at the moment to care.

  His lips twitch, and hunger stares back at me. Gliding his hand on the car, close enough that he barely touches my body, he grabs my hip and his thumb makes little circles right on my hipbone, driving me insane. “No, she’s not.”

  “Good.” I don’t look away from him as I wet my suddenly dry lips.

  “Look at the little rabbit. It has teeth.” His nostrils flare, and he presses closer, almost crushing my back on the car.

  His smartass comment gives me a little control over my hormones. My eyes narrow.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I expected you to push me away, screaming bloody murder.” His lips twitch again, but his eyes are still glued to my lips.

  “I’m a hunter for the order, monster boy. I’m not a nun.”

  His green eyes jerk to mine and amber flakes glow like tiny pinprick stars in them.

  My comment dumps a bucket of cold water on my libido. “Or I should say I was a hunter. I don’t know what I am right now.”

  Reluctantly, he pulls away, then dips and kisses the corner of my mouth. My brain short-circuits at the touch of his lips. I don’t have time to register what happened before Eric guides me to the passenger door, opens it, and pushes me inside. He walks around the car, and I don’t look away when he slides in next to me and starts the engine.

  “As much as I would like to say that your distraction technique worked”—clearing my throat, I try to sound less breathless— “I still need to know who sent you to hunt me down.”

  “I need you to understand that I’ll do anything to keep the Order off our back. Well, I would’ve done anything to keep them off our back. You changed that, and I’m wondering if I doomed us all.” Eric glances over before looking straight and pulling out of the parking space.

  “What are you saying? And since you were in my head when you forced me to sleep, I’m sure you know that I’m wondering why an Archangel knows you by name.”

  “You’ll know the answer to that question soon enough.” He exits the parking garage and the night envelops. We’ve been in Maddison’s office a lot longer than I thought. I fully expect the first billboard that comes in view to display Eric’s face. Instead, some accident injury attorney’s face with a huge fake smile, stares back.

  “Why didn’t you kill me?” Changing tactics and watching him from the corner of my eye, I’m hoping he will finally answer something.

  “The moment I saw you, a week ago, standing between a horde of rogue demons and your team, with the headlights of the car behind you like some avenging goddess, I knew I couldn’t do it. There is something about you that made me rethink things, even when it means more trouble for us. Maddison was not happy at the time.” Shifting in his seat, he steals glances but doesn’t look at me. “I decided to get closer to see what’s so special about you. Why would the Order agree to let us deal with our own, just to get rid of a human hunter? It took until you were running towards your friend. I could’ve used your distraction and pain, but again I couldn’t kill you. Something about you makes me want to protect you, not harm you. The Order wanting you dead and promising to let us deal with our own was enough of a red flag that you are not like the rest of them. I still don’t know what makes you different.”

  “The Order wanted me dead a week ago?” My head spins. If it’s true, they wanted me dead the same day the abomination spoke to me and raked my arm. How would they know? Were the two events connected, or did they have other reasons for wanting me gone?

  Eric says nothing, clutching the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip making the metal groan.

  “Who was it?” I brace myself for the punch.

  “Hector.”

  My heart shrivels.

  I would like to say that thoughts raced in my mind after hearing that my father, the man that raised me on his own and wouldn’t let a hair on my head fall out of place before making sure it won’t hurt me, wanted me dead. I would’ve even liked to feel anger, rage, pain, sorrow. Anything would do. I felt nothing. Empty of everything.

  I stare out the window, not seeing any where we are headed. Does it even matter? When you spend your entire life doing what’s right to prove that the faith people have placed in you is warranted, and then they stab you in the back, I guess feeling empty is one way to react to it.

  I’m grateful that Eric doesn’t say anything or try to make me feel better. All I’m capable of at this moment is breathing. I can’t even feel my heart beating, almost like the organ deserted me the moment life shoved me to my knees and keeps kicking while I’m still down. A dull ache starts behind my eyes and my ears buzz.

  “Stop biting your nails.” My head slowly turns towards Eric as he gently pushes my hand down to my lap. “I need you to be alert now, okay? I know the last twenty-four hours have been hard, but at the moment, I need you to be a hunter.”

  “What do you mean?” Frowning slightly, I try to force my brain to function.

  “Things don’t look peachy here.” He lifts his chin, pointing towards the windshield. I turn to see what’s in front of us.

  I snap out of the surreal state. We are parked in front of a bar. A dive is more like it, since it’s a run-down building standing alone in the middle of nowhere. There are a few cars scattered around the dirt parking space. Two poles act like street lights. I’m saying act, because the cables hanging from the dangling lights lead to the inside of the bar.

  The bar itself appears deserted. No light comes out of it apart from the cracked green-glowing “Hell’s Tavern” sign above the door. The door looks ajar, but I can’t be sure as shadows obscure one part of the building. The large glass windows seem to have been painted black, I’m assuming to protect the privacy of the patrons. The tin roof is rusted at places, and something oily drips from it.

  I focus on what made Eric wary. Two massive demons with twisted ram horns stand on either side of the two steps leading up to the bar’s wooden porch. Dressed only in black pants, they stand with their feet shoulder width apart. Arms as thick as my thighs cross over their large, bare chests, as if they’ve been waiting for us. Stealing a glance at Eric, I rephrase that thought. Like they’ve been waiting for him, not us.

  “You’re good to go?” He doesn’t look at me as we both keep our eyes on the abominations. “I’ll do the talking; you just stay close. If anything happens, get to the car. I’ll follow right behind you.”

  “Friends of yours?” The judgment
is thick in my voice, but at least he managed to get me present and alert.

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” Eric mumbles as he grabs the handle and swings the door open, not waiting to see if I’ll agree with his request.

  By the time I open the door, Eric is almost where the two abominations are standing. I slam the door a lot harder than I intended, disturbing the eerie silence of the parking lot. Wincing internally, I jog to catch up as Eric looks at me over his shoulder. I expect a glare but all I see is concern as he scans me from head to toe, as if making sure I’m okay. A ping in my chest feels like another part of my heart got shredded.

  “I see you brought entertainment, Shadow.” The deep voice sounds like rocks grinding together as the abomination on the right chuckles, leering at me. My fingers twitch with the need to grab the girls and put a bullet between his red eyes. Why is he calling him, Shadow?

  “She’s none of your concern, Abaddon. What have you learned?” Eric stops in front of them, mimics their posture, and doesn’t look at me. My internal GPS goes haywire and makes the hairs on my arms and legs stand straight. I force my legs to keep moving, doing my best to maintain a calm expression on my face.

  “Michael has been on a rampage since last night.” Abaddon narrows his eyes to slits at Eric while the one next to him just grunts. “We’ve lost five of ours so far, two still missing. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about why that is, would you?”

  “He had a bad day at the office?” Shrugging a shoulder nonchalantly, Eric shifts so he is between me and the abominations when I stop next to him.

  It pisses me off, but I bite my tongue since I have no idea what is going on. His movement doesn’t go unnoticed by the demons either. I can feel their eyes burning holes as they give me their full attention. Great job, monster boy.

  “The word is that he’s looking for someone.” Abaddon, obviously the spokesperson for the grumpy duo, doesn’t take his eyes off me.

  Eric stiffens, but his voice sounds bored as if this whole conversation annoys him. “He is looking for some fun hunting as usual. Or have you forgotten what happens when the Archangel gets bored?”

  “This is different!” Abaddon snaps, and my hands grip the guns on instinct. His red eyes snap to my hands, and they start glowing. My gut feeling almost doubles me over from the evil he blasts my way. Glaring at Eric, he shoves an accusing finger at me. “He’s looking for her!”

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Eric’s words are so calm and soft that even my self-preservation kicks in, and I have to wrestle with my fight or flight instinct.

  The demon standing across from me strikes like a snake. His tree-trunk arm shoots towards me. I twist my body behind Eric’s back to stay out of his reach. A crack of bone and a deafening howl from the demon rips through the silence before I stop my momentum. My guns are out and pointed in their faces as I stop on the other side of Eric, directly in front of Abaddon. From the corner of my eye, I see Eric is still holding the arm of the now quiet demon. His elbow bends in the wrong direction and a bone sticks out of his dark skin.

  “I said, ‘I wouldn’t do that,’” Eric tells him conversationally, as he releases the limb.

  “She’s a hunter!” Abaddon glares at me, and for the first time in twenty-four hours, a smile stretches my lips.

  “Oh my God! She is!” I gush at him, blinking as if I can’t believe it either. “Ah, ah, ah! Don’t even twitch, or I’ll blow your brains out.”

  Eric chuckles next to me, and my stomach does a somersault at his husky laugh.

  “What is the meaning of this, Shadow!” Abaddon doesn’t look away from me.

  “I need to know the word that’s going around. I have no time to waste.” Eric glares back, his green eyes turn amber, but I don’t find that repulsive anymore. Man, I’m screwed!

  “You promised last week that we will get to take care of our own and they’ll leave us alone!” Abaddon spits angrily. “We trusted you and look where that got us!”

  “I don’t need your trust or your loyalty,” Eric snaps back, making the large demon take a step back while the other cowers, cradling his arm. “Speak!”

  “They say he is looking for one of theirs that was taken. He claims we have started a new war, but he will finish it…Starting with whoever has the hunter.” Abaddon’s eyes flick towards me. “We should give her back.”

  “We are not doing shit! You, on the other hand, are hiding something.”

  Abaddon focuses on Eric’s clenched fists. “None of them are worth dying for. Not even if she was an Archangel herself!” Grinding his teeth, he barely squeezes the words out.

  “That’s not for you to decide. What else?”

  “He promises freedom to live in this realm without being hunted for whoever returns the hunter,” Abaddon confesses begrudgingly.

  “And where was he last seen?” My head turns to Eric, his tone pooling dread in my stomach.

  Abaddon finally smiles, revealing a mouth full of white, razor-sharp teeth. “I love freedom to do as I please more than anything.”

  My gut feeling intensifies, alarms blaring in my head. How could we be so stupid? This screamed trap from the moment we stopped the car, but I was so numb that I didn’t pay attention at all. Without thinking, I pull a trigger. It takes Abaddon a second to realize that there is a bullet between his eyebrows. Black blood trickles down his nose as his eyes widen in disbelief. Eric grabs my arm, yanking me with him just as Abaddon keels over like a felled tree.

  “Hel, run!”

  Elite hunters pour out from all sides. Eric doesn’t let go of my hand as he bolts towards the car so fast, I’m not sure if my feet are touching the ground, or if I’m being pulled behind him like a kite. He skids to a halt a few feet away from the Porsche, and I body slam into his back, knocking all the air out of my lungs. My hands tighten on the guns as black spots dance in my eyes for a split second before his arm tugs me close to him. Knowing too well how hunters have no problem killing me on the spot, I spin so that my back is pressed to Eric’s and pull his palm flat over my lower belly.

  What an inappropriate time for warmth to gather between my thighs and butterflies to flutter in my stomach. As if sensing my raging hormones, Eric's fingers flex, and he tightens his hold. Looking around, I count thirty, maybe forty hunters. They all stand ready, weapons of choice drawn, but none of them move. It’s as if they are waiting to see what we will do.

  “Hand her over, Eric. There is nowhere for you to go. You are surrounded,” Michael’s voice echoes, calm and smooth as silk, making me want to scream. He must be the reason why Eric stopped so abruptly. I didn’t see him through Eric’s broad back and shoulders.

  “She’s not going anywhere,” Eric states just as calmly. I feel like a juicy bone between two hungry dogs. Anger, pain, and as much as I hate to admit, fear, bubble up until it feels as if my skin must split open so they can pour out.

  “Enough!” my voice booms, making even me wince from the volume. “That’s fucking enough!” Wiggling to get out of Eric’s tight grip, I stumble when he removes his arm from around my waist.

  “Language!” Michael snaps as I finally see him standing twenty feet in front of us, the car the only thing separating us.

  “Really?” I deadpan, as my breathing speeds up from my anger. “Me saying fuck is what bothers you in this whole situation? Because from where I’m standing, the one saying fuck doesn’t go around trying to kill innocent people!”

  Eric growls next to me but says nothing.

  “Who we are, what we say, do, don’t do…That is what separates us from them!” Michael spits the word “them” as if he can’t think of anything fouler.

  “Them, who?” My eyebrows go up as his eyes narrow. In the darkness, his angelic glow is like looking at the brightest star in the sky. “Them, the abominations who look grotesque and don’t speak, or them, the ones who look human and talk?” In my anger I gesture wildly with one of my guns. “Because until a week ago, none of us knew the t
alking ones existed! Or did that insignificant detail slip everyone’s minds, oh holy one?” There are a few murmurs around us and the shuffling of feet, but I’m not sure if it’s because of what I said, or if they are making sure I’m a locked target.

  “Stop this charade, Helena! Step away from Eric and come with me.” Lifting one hand, Michael gestures for me to go to him, and I narrow my eyes. “Or we can kill him and then you’ll come with me.” Shrugging, he drops his arm.

  “And I’m to stay quiet, and see how this plays out?” Crossing his arms, Eric glares at the Archangel, and my head snaps in his direction. “Because I was wrong. You don’t want her dead, or she would’ve been five minutes ago.”

  My heart speeds up at his words and hope blooms in my chest. Did they realize they’ve made a mistake? Can I go back now? As those questions sprang in my mind, my gut tightened. They’ve been trying to get rid of me for over a week if I’m to believe Eric. But what if he is trying to trick me? Dizziness makes me sway on my feet as my mind spins. A warm hand wraps around my arm. It’s like an anchor to reality, stopping the spinning and calming me down. When I look up, not realizing I’ve been staring at the ground, my eyes lock on dark green ones full of concern and other things I’m not willing to acknowledge.

  “I will not let them harm you. You have my word.” Eric’s words are softly spoken, for my ears only, and God help me, or whoever listens, but I believe him.

  “I don’t have all night!” Michael snaps, making my hackles rise.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.” My voice is low. Eric frowns before the pressure of his fingers on my arm decreases. Hurt flashes in his eyes, and if I weren’t staring so intently at him, I would’ve missed it.