She hesitated. “Lilith insists that I claim –”
“I know what Lilith wants. Is that what you want?”
She stared down at her hands. “Nay,” she whispered finally. “I could not endure the thought of thee within my Dread Lord’s grasp.” Her admission sent a curious thrill through me and my heart skipped a beat or two. “Yet I needs must prove myself.”
“Why? What would happen if you never took a soul?”
Now she looked anxious. “Lilith would berate me and claim my failure as proof of mine inferior breeding.” She touched her crayon red hair unhappily.
“So what? Why do you care about Lilith’s opinion?” She blinked at me uncertainly. “Look, Mrs. Kendricks is going to figure out a way to get Olivia out of your head and then we can convince Agent Prescott to leave you alone, especially if you promise never to take any souls. All you have to do until then is pretend to be after my soul so that Lilith thinks you’re still on her side.”
“But she grows impatient, Peter Simon Collins!” Daraxandriel protested. “She is displeased thou didst not sign a contract with me this very day. She demands I twist Melissa to my will to seduce thee.”
“Aren’t you already doing that?” I asked dubiously. “I’m afraid to look at her texts now.”
“Nay, I have but set her inhibitions aside and let her natural desire for thee come forth. Lilith would have me set her lust aflame.”
“No, absolutely do not do that!” I gulped. “In fact, just put Melissa back the way she was. We can’t take any chances here.”
“An thou wish it,” she agreed reluctantly, “yet Lilith will not capitulate so easily.”
“We just need to come up with a way to convince her that she’s winning.”
“Thou couldst sign a contract with me,” she suggested tentatively.
“What?” I gaped at her in disbelief. “That’s exactly what we’re trying not to do!”
“Nay, an thou dost apply thy blood falsely, ‘twould be void,” she insisted. “Thy soul would be safe.”
“That sounds awfully risky,” I said uneasily. “Can’t you just make a fake contract where it just looks like I signed it? Could she tell the difference?”
“Any demon would know,” she said, shaking her head. “The aura of a soulbound contract is unmistakable.”
“But Lilith’s not a demon anymore, remember? She won’t know and that’s all that matters.”
“Mayhap,” Daraxandriel allowed, looking unsure. “Yet first thou needs must play thy part and show that Melissa has captured thy heart and thy lust, else Lilith will not believe thee.”
“I really don’t want to mess Melissa up any more than she already is,” I grimaced. “If I pretend to fall in love with her and then dump her when all this is over, someone’s going to get hurt.” Probably me, I thought gloomily.
“I could ply thee with my power,” she offered. “Such doubts would vanish and thou wouldst have thy pleasure of her as thy prize.” She plucked a fry from the box and nipped off the end with a wicked grin.
“No, that’s okay!” I told her hastily. “We’ll just play that by ear.”
“An thou insist, Peter Simon Collins.” Her smile faded away and she stared at her fry, finally setting it back in the container. “I am sated,” she said quietly. “Let us return to thine abode.”
I stood up but I wasn’t ready to head home just yet. Lilith was there and I needed to keep the two of them apart for as long as possible. Daraxandriel seemed to be on my side again but I didn’t know how strong her resolve was. One wrong move could send her back to Lilith and I doubted I could pull her away a second time.
“How about we go for a walk first?” I suggested. “I’m still not tired.” I was actually wide awake, which surprised me. Between Daraxandriel and Olivia and Melissa, I wasn’t getting much sleep these days. A hike would kill some time and maybe wear me out.
She surveyed our surroundings with a dubious frown. “Whither would we go?” she asked. Apart from the pavilions and picnic tables, Kimball Bend Park didn’t really have much in the way of scenery, especially in the middle of the night.
“There’s a walking trail along the river. Come on, I’ll show you.” I held out my hand and she allowed me to help her up.
The trail was little more than a well-worn path meandering north from the park by the bank of the Brazos River. I was a bit worried that it might be rough on Daraxandriel’s bare feet but countless hikers over the years had worn down the underlying limestone into a smooth, albeit uneven, walkway just wide enough for us to walk side by side.
The moon was at its zenith now, casting enough light to send our shadows on ahead of us. There was absolutely no sign of civilization out here, no roads, no houses, not even the blinking lights of a passing aircraft. The only sounds were the crunch of an occasional twig underfoot and the soft rippling of the river. It was as if we were the only people left in the world.
The trail ended at a small cove where tubers could launch themselves into the water and let the sluggish current carry them back to the park. Daraxandriel stood there looking up at the sky, where the stars struggled to make themselves visible against the moon’s glow.
“There are no stars in Hell,” she said. “The sky roils with storm clouds and the smoke of the furnaces without relent.”
“That sounds ... different,” I said. It actually sounded horrible but I didn’t want to insult her homeland.
“Wert thou to somehow transport thyself there, thine eyes would boil in their sockets and thy breath would tear at thy throat. It is a terrible place. I am well quit of it.” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself of that.
She carefully picked her way down to the water’s edge and leaned over to peer at her wavering reflection. “The river Styx contains the wrathful and sullen dead.”
“The River Brazos contains water and mud,” I noted wryly. “It’s harmless. Don’t drink it, though,” I added as an afterthought.
She cautiously touched the water with her toe and then slowly waded out deeper, clutching her tail in both hands as if she was afraid of getting it wet. She stopped when she was knee deep and looked around uneasily, as if she expected to be attacked by piranhas at any moment.
Get out there with her, Little Peter whispered insistently. This is your chance.
For what? Daraxandriel tilted her head back to gaze up at the sky again. She looked like a faun in a classical painting, almost glowing under the moonlight.
She’s lonely and she’s scared. Show her what you really think about her. Prove to her you’re there for her, no matter what. Go!
I’m not wearing a swimsuit.
Neither is she.
That was a compelling argument but I just stood there watching her as she bent over and swept her hand through the water, letting the drops fall from her fingertips like glittering jewels.
Tell her she’s beautiful, Little Peter nudged me.
She won’t believe me, I argued. She thinks I think she’s ugly when she’s in demon form.
That’s because she never hears you say otherwise.
I’ve told her! I protested. She doesn’t believe me. Lilith has her doubting everything I say.
But she’s helping you against Lilith now, he pointed out. She’ll believe you this time.
No, she won’t. She’ll think I’m trying to manipulate her, just like Lilith did.
If you’re telling her the truth, that doesn’t matter. I shook my head and I sensed Little Peter rolling his figurative eyes. You are such a dweeb. Why does Melissa want you so badly?
“God knows,” I muttered.
“Didst thou utter summat, Peter Simon Collins?” Daraxandriel asked, looking back at me with a frown.
“No,” I assured her. “I was just, uh, thinking out loud. You’re not thinking of going swimming, are you?” She was up to mid-thigh now and her tail wrapped itself tightly around her arm. If she took two more steps, the end attached to her butt was going to get dunked.
“Nay, I have not that skill.” She eyed the water uncertainly.
“You never learned how to swim?”
“The rivers of Hell are filled with death and despair, Peter Simon Collins. Few who dare their treacherous currents ever return.” She carefully waded back to the shore and made her way up the slope to my side. Rivulets of water ran down her legs and spattered on the ground.
“Oh, well, that’s too bad,” I said weakly. “Maybe we can sign you up for lessons or something.” I wondered if the local YMCA had a beginner demons class.
“Mayhap.” She unwound her tail from her arm and pushed it firmly behind her, where it seemed to glare resentfully at the river. “I grow weary, Peter Simon Collins,” she complained, stretching her arms over her head. “Let us return to thine abode and welcome the sweet embrace of our beds.”
“No, it’s way too early for that!” I insisted. “There’s still a lot I want to show you.” If I could keep her up most of the night, maybe she’d sleep through the day and Lilith would leave her alone. Of course, then she’d turn her attention to someone else, but I’d deal with that when it happened.
Daraxandriel looked around. There was absolutely nothing to see except the trees and the river cast in stark black and white by the moonlight. “Such as?” she asked pointedly.
“Well –” I desperately dug through my mind for inspiration. “Did I ever show you the Henry Milton Memorial?”
25
I’m not a dog person. Dogs are big and loud and smelly and way too enthusiastic about just about everything. They’re also not potty trained. The fact that most towns have ordinances requiring you to pick up their poop pretty much says everything you need to know about dogs.
Cats, on the other hand, are small and quiet and fluffy and they do their business in a known and easily-managed location. They’ll also completely ignore you unless they’re hungry. Cats are anti-dogs, which is probably why the two species don’t get along. They’re trying to cancel each other out, like matter and anti-matter.
Pets are fine if you live out in the country where they can roam around on their own and get their exercise and maybe even perform some useful function, like herding sheep or keeping the local mouse population in check. In the city, though, pets are kind of pointless. They’re like stupid, furry children who never grow up and move out, forcing you to take care of them for the rest of their lives.
Even small pets just aren’t worth the effort. Fish are boring, reptiles are creepy, don’t even get me started on tarantulas, and anything that needs a cage to keep it from leaving should have been left in the wild to fulfill its role in the food chain. If an animal doesn’t want to be with you, don’t make it a prisoner.
People claim that pets are perfect companions. They’re there when you need them, they’ll listen to anything you tell them without judging you, and they might even save your life some day. I get the same benefits from the Internet, without having to deal with poop. I might not be able to cuddle up with my computer, but I have access to an infinite variety of cat videos. I call that even.
We sat on the library steps listening to the distant rumble of traffic on the highway. Daraxandriel leaned her head on my shoulder, her horns scraping my ear whenever she stirred. Her tail lay across her lap like an overcooked noodle, completely limp and motionless.
“The dawn breaks, Peter Simon Collins,” she murmured sleepily. “The world stirs from its well-deserved slumber. Can we not seek out our own repose now?”
“Hm?” I twisted around to see where she was pointing. The sky was getting brighter in the east, slowly smothering the stars. Damn, it’s later than I thought. Susie’s probably already up to greet the sun. Mrs. Kendricks and Stacy too. And Melissa, I guess. I checked my watch doubtfully. I’d been up for twenty-four hours now but I was still wide awake. I wondered if there was something wrong with me. I’m just a bit stressed out, that’s all, I told myself.
“You’re right, we should have been home an hour ago.” I got to my feet and helped her up. She stood there swaying with her eyes closed and I was almost afraid to let go of her hand. “Come on, let’s get you to bed before anyone realizes we’re missing.”
“Aye.” She followed me down the steps obediently and nearly toppled the both of us over when I stopped suddenly. “Dost thou seek to afright me into wakefulness?” she demanded peevishly.
“Shh, don’t move!” I whispered urgently. A black SUV was coming down Milton Street, the only vehicle in sight. It was too far away for me to tell if it had Louisiana plates but there was no way the driver could miss us if he looked this way. I waited with my heart stuck in my throat but the SUV continued on without slowing.
“Come on, we have to get you home ASAP,” I said anxiously. “Agent Prescott’s out there looking for you and we don’t want him finding you before we’re ready.” I grabbed her hand and practically dragged her down the steps.
All of the HPD officers knew the Mustang by sight so I’d parked it in the alley behind the library just in case one of them happened to drive by on patrol. I didn’t need Dad getting a phone call in the middle of the night telling him his son’s car was downtown when said son was supposed to be home in bed. It was still there in all its cherry red glory as I rounded the corner with Daraxandriel in tow.
“Thy haste is unwarranted,” she protested. “Dost thou truly believe the hunter is about at this unseemly hour?”
“He chased Lilith all the way here from New Orleans,” I reminded her. “He’s not going to lie around in bed waiting for Mrs. Kendricks to serve him breakfast, especially since his bond with Olivia isn’t working anymore.”
“Dost thou truly believe he will discover us now?” she asked doubtfully. “He did not succeed last night at thine abode.”
“He was this close to figuring out who you really are yesterday,” I pointed out tersely, holding my finger and thumb an inch apart. “The only reason he didn’t is because Mrs. Kendricks showed up at the last second and distracted him. We can’t take any chances.” I dug my key fob out of my pocket and unlocked the Mustang.
Both of us were startled when a small black creature streaked out from underneath the car and leapt up to the top of the low brick wall on the other side of the alley. It paused there for a moment, glaring at us with yellow eyes, before it dropped down on the other side.
“Peter Simon Collins!” Daraxandriel gasped, crushing my fingers in her grip. “That was a cat!”
“Yes, I know, I saw it too.” I extracted my hand with difficulty. I wondered if the one I saw hanging around outside the house had somehow hitched a ride with us but that was impossible. “It must have been the one Olivia saw. No, it couldn’t have been,” I realized belatedly. “It’s still stuck inside.”
“There is another within?” She shrank behind me and peered up at the windows, as if she expected an army of black cats to suddenly burst through the glass and attack her.
“It’s locked in, don’t worry about it.” I opened the passenger door for her but she inspected the interior carefully before easing into the seat. “What’s the deal with you and cats anyway?”
“They are the minions of witches and warlocks,” she whispered hoarsely. “They go everywhere and see all.”
“You and Olivia must read the same books,” I observed sardonically, closing the door and walking around to the other side. “They’re just cats. They chase mice and purr.” I slid into my seat and inserted the key into the ignition.
“Not all, Peter Simon Collins,” she warned direly. “Some may be imps in guise.”
I paused. “Imps?” I echoed doubtfully.
“Minor demons,” she explained, peering out through the windows. “They are dispatched to thy world by my Dread Lord or His lieutenants.”
“What for?”
“To seek and report.”
“Seek and report what?”
“Whatever their masters require.” She looked at me with wide, worried eyes. “Ofttimes they presage the advent
of a demon lord.”
I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “So was that an imp under my car?” I asked uneasily.
“I know not, Peter Simon Collins. They cannot be distinguished by sight.”
“So how do you tell if a cat is a real cat or not?”
“Thou needs must slay it. An it bleeds, ‘tis a cat. An it dissolves into a foul miasma, ‘tis an imp.”
“I’m not going to go around killing cats to see if they’re really imps!” I protested.
“Then be most watchful,” she told me earnestly, “for the lords of Hell are potent and relentless. Thou needs must flee ere the sky darkens.” She looked up through the windshield and I couldn’t keep myself from doing the same. The sky overhead was blue and perfectly clear.
“So no demon incursion today, then?” I asked.
“Nay,” she acknowledged, although she didn’t sound all that confident about it. “Ne’ertheless, we needs must remain alert for a gathering of cats.”
“If you say so.” I started the car and pulled out of the library parking lot.
Daraxandriel’s ailurophobia battled with her exhaustion on the way home and ultimately lost. I had to poke her several times to keep her awake and I finally dashed into a donut shop to grab half a dozen kolaches and a selection of frosted donuts. Hopefully the sugar rush would keep Daraxandriel functioning until I got her deposited into her bed and the plain white box would give me an alibi if anyone caught us sneaking back into the house.
She polished off two donuts by the time we pulled up in front of the house and she was eyeing a third when I opened her door and took the box from her. She grumbled under her breath as I unlocked the front door and peered inside but the coast was clear. I waved her inside and eased the door closed behind us.
“Go to bed,” I whispered. “Don’t wake Lilith up.”
Her only response was an inarticulate grunt, although that didn’t stop her from snagging the last sprinkle donut before making her way down the hall to my bedroom. She fumbled with the door handle but she got it open and disappeared inside, just as Dad came out of his bedroom.
Soul Mates Page 32
