Something Wicked

by Michelle Rowen

  This was why Theo wanted her to come with him. He knew she was a black witch, and he could use that to do . . . whatever it was he was doing to Alistair. An angelheart. Is that what he called it? That was the weapon.

  “Darrak,” Eden looked at him. “Do something! Theo’s killing him!”

  Darrak didn’t move for a moment, but then his hand shot out and he caught Theo’s wrist. Flames had appeared in Darrak’s eyes as well. “That’s enough. You don’t need to destroy him completely, do you?”

  Theo grinned. “I guess not. But thanks for ruining the party.”

  “This is no party.”

  “If you say so. Doesn’t matter. I got what I came here for.”

  The next moment, the flames left Theo’s eyes. Alistair slumped forward on the table, his eyes closed.

  Theo fisted the diamond and slid it back into his pocket. He slapped the angel on his back and threw a roll of bills on the table before he got up from the booth. “For your troubles. Thanks a bunch.”

  Eden scooted around to the other side of the table to check Alistair.

  “Don’t worry. He’s alive,” Theo said. “Darrak was right. There’s no need to exert the energy to kill him.”

  “You took all of his angelic energy,” Darrak said. “You put it into that diamond.”

  He sounded flat and emotionless about it.

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I did,” Theo confirmed.

  “What does that mean?” Eden demanded. “Is Alistair going to be okay?”

  “He’s human now,” Darrak said. “All of his angelic power is trapped in the black diamond now.”

  “I need another drink!” Alistair slurred without raising his face from the table. “Maybe eight!”

  “Give it back to him right now,” Eden said. She was shaking. She was supposed to observe Theo getting his hands on the weapon. Well, she’d observed. She’d expected a dagger or something stolen from the vaults of a museum, but a diamond filled with angelic energy?

  She knew crystals—most commonly, pieces of rock salt—were used to help imprison demons. Once the demon found himself trapped, the crystal was smashed to finish the exorcism and destroy the demon. The weaker the crystal the easier it would be for a demon to escape. If one was so inclined, clear diamonds could be used to indefinitely trap a demon and channel its power.

  She didn’t need a gemology course to conclude that a black diamond was meant to trap an angel’s power, making it into a weapon to destroy someone like Lucifer.

  “Can’t give it back,” Theo said simply, tapping his pocket. “This baby has one shot. One use. And I’m going to make sure it hits the target.”

  “You used me.” Eden’s eyes narrowed. “You knew having me here would be enough to render him clueless about who and what you are.”

  “I’m so clueless,” Alistair murmured into the tabletop.

  “Yes, that’s right,” Theo agreed. “And thank you. You were very helpful. But don’t worry, I’m not going to go back on our bargain. You helped me and now I’ll help you. Right Darrak?”

  “Get out of here,” Darrak said darkly.

  Theo looked surprised. “What?”

  “I would have liked to know exactly what was going to happen here today ahead of time.”

  “What do you care? He was just an angel.” Theo shrugged. “And it’s not like I killed him.”

  “He can’t go back to Heaven now,” Eden said. “Can he?”

  Theo rolled his eyes. “He’ll have more fun as a human than an angel.”

  “You need to go now.” Darrak didn’t sound as if he wanted any further argument. Eden found small comfort in the fact he wasn’t celebrating alongside Theo at the moment.

  Theo looked confused. “You are so harshing my victory buzz right now. Do you know how long I’ve been planning this? And now I’m going to help you out. Both of you.”

  Darrak didn’t answer. His jaw was tight.

  “I also have another surprise planned to show my gratitude,” Theo said, then raised his hands when that received a glare. “Don’t worry. It’s something you’re going to love.” He cast a dark look at Eden as if he blamed her for Darrak’s current treatment of him.

  “I think Darrak said something about you leaving?” Eden said grimly.

  He turned to face her. “Oh, Eden, what would Darrak do without you?”

  She glared at the sarcasm but didn’t reply.

  “You’re lucky he’s sweet on you, you know that? Because, just between you and me?” Theo’s eyes narrowed. “It’s the only reason you’re still breathing.”

  “Just try something,” Eden said, feeling magic channel into her hand. “I dare you.”

  “Enough,” Darrak growled. “Both of you. Theo, leave now.”

  “Hope she’s worth it, Darrak,” Theo replied. “Oh, and Eden? Darrak and me go way back. We’re almost exactly the same and always have been. If you think he’s any different, then you’re fooling yourself.” He grinned and patted his pocket. “Thanks again for the help. I owe you one!”

  He left the pub without another word.

  “Is he gone?” Alistair asked, facedown.

  “He is.”

  Alistair pushed back from the table and looked at her wearily. “Well, I don’t think that could have sucked any worse.”

  She shook her head. “I am so, so sorry. I had no idea what he planned to do.”

  “I feel drained.” He raised his hand to catch the bartender’s attention. “Smirnoff. And keep ’em coming.”

  “I’ll do everything I can to get your angelic energy back.”

  Alistair laughed humorlessly. “Don’t bother. It’s too late.”

  “No, it can’t be. I can fix this.”

  “What are you, stupid or something? Not everything can be fixed. This is one of those things.” He drained his glass of beer and slammed it down on the table, before raking a hand through his thin head of hair. “My decisions have led me to this fate. If I’d been a perfect angel, I wouldn’t be here, would I?”

  “How can you just accept this?”

  “Eden, leave him be,” Darrak said.

  “Theo stole his soul,” Eden said.

  “Angels don’t have souls. Neither do demons,” Alistair said. “He stole my energy, my power. My ticket back to Heaven. So, yeah, I’m pissed. But I only blame myself.”

  Eden looked at Darrak.

  “Angels are very even tempered,” he said. “Except for the archangels. Don’t want to mess with them. All flaming swords and fury. Not pleasant, or so I’ve heard.”

  Eden draped an arm around Alistair. “This is my fault, too. And I swear I’ll try to make it up to you.”

  “Really?” Alistair said.

  She nodded. “Really.”

  He clamped his hand over her left breast and squeezed. “I think I know how you can start making it up to me, pretty lady.”

  She pushed him away, her compassion and guilt turning quickly to disgust. This was an angel? “Not exactly what I had in mind.”

  “Oh, come on. I thought you were feeling guilty? Black witches are disgusting evildoers, but they’re still soft and warm and human enough. You look like you might be good for a roll in the hay.” He reached for her again, and she slapped his hands away.

  “Darrak?” she said.

  “Charity time over?” he asked.

  “Afraid so.” She stood up and looked at the former angel, who now just looked like a drunk man. “I am sorry. Really.”

  “If you were that sorry, you’d be giving me a lap dance right now.” He patted his lap. “Come on. Make it up to me.”

  “You’re disgusting.”

  Her cell phone rang again, and she dragged it out of her pocket. Andy again. She finally answered it.

  “Andy, I’m a bit busy right now.”

  “Eden . . .” was the hoarse, weak reply. “Please . . . help me . . .”

  Her back stiffened. “What’s wrong?”

  “I . . . I’m hurt. I need . .
. help . . . please . . .”

  “Where are you?”

  The line went dead.

  FIFTEEN

  With shaking hands, Eden hit the speed dial for Andy’s number. It rang but no one picked up.

  “What’s wrong?” Darrak asked.

  That was a good question. What was wrong? She didn’t know. But something was.

  “It’s Andy. He’s hurt and I . . . I don’t know where he is.”

  “Does everyone who knows you end up hurt, sugar tits?” Alistair asked, knocking back the first shot of vodka the bartender brought to the table.

  Yeah. It looked like maybe he was right.

  She had to find Andy. Darrak followed her out to the parking lot.

  “I have to concentrate,” she said, trying to tap into her psychic energy. She had been able to locate things in the past, but it had never been with much accuracy or when she’d wanted to. Images came to her mind without her asking for them and at unexpected times. She wished she could channel it to help her whenever she needed it.

  However, she did have another power she could now channel whenever she wanted.

  As if reading her mind, Darrak grabbed her arm. “Eden, no. You can’t use your magic for this.”

  She shrugged away from him. “He’s hurt, and I don’t know where he is. I won’t let him die.”

  “Eden, no—”

  But it was too late. She flexed her mind and dipped shallowly into the surface of her magic that had been there lying in wait the whole time they were with Theo. She cringed as the force of it hit her and her stomach cramped with pain.

  She had just one thought: Where is Andy?

  Her magic reached out over the city as if it was a spider-web, pulsing and moving, searching and reaching. The spiderweb turned thicker, like oil spreading out. A rancid black icing spread over the top of a rotting cake.

  Gross.

  But it did the trick. She saw it as clear as day.

  “I know where he is.” She opened her eyes to look at Darrak, who held by her shoulders and stared down at her, concern creasing his brow.

  “Eden, why do you keep doing that?” He sounded furious with her, and his eyes blazed fire. “You can’t use your black magic, no matter what. What about this don’t you understand?”

  Magic continued to crackle around her like static. “You’re so cute when you worry about my immortal soul.”

  “Eden, I—”

  She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer to her. Then she kissed him hard on his mouth.

  When they parted and he looked at a loss for words, she slapped him.

  “Ow.” He pressed his hand against the side of his face. “What was that for?”

  “For introducing me to your asshole buddy Theo.”

  “And the kiss?”

  “Because using my magic makes me want to kiss a demon, and you were the closest.” She took his hand and pulled him toward the car. “There’s no time to talk about kissing or slapping. Get in. Hurry.”

  He did as she asked without further argument.

  It took ten excruciatingly long minutes for her to drive to the location she saw in her mind’s eye. It was an alleyway filled with Dumpsters and strewn garbage between two graffiti-covered buildings. She didn’t wait for Darrak to follow her. She got out and started walking toward the spot she’d seen in her head.

  “Andy,” she called out. The magic that had been there for her a minute ago had finally faded, leaving her feeling cold and scared.

  There was no reply.

  “Eden, be careful,” Darrak said.

  She felt on the verge of hysterical tears. “He was trying to call me but I ignored him. He wanted my help on this case, but I was too busy dealing with everything going on with us.”

  “And Andy understood that.”

  “It doesn’t matter. If something bad has happened to him, it’s my—”

  “Watch out!” Darrak yelled and grabbed her, pulling her out of the way as something launched itself at her. She hit the ground hard.

  “What the hell was that?” she asked.

  She heard a growling sound and looked up. A huge animal stood eight feet away from her, baring its teeth and growling. Saliva dripped from its jowls. It had gray fur and a dark streak down its back.

  It looked like a . . . wolf.

  “Werewolf,” she managed.

  “Don’t move,” Darrak warned.

  Andy had been on the case—the werewolf case. The cheating spouse. All he’d had to do was to take some pictures, but . . . but something had gone wrong.

  Her stomach clenched as she saw the blood on the wolf’s muzzle. It snarled and moved closer.

  “Don’t even think about it, puppy dog,” Darrak rose to his feet. The wolf didn’t back down; in fact, it drew closer.

  “Darrak!” What did he think he was doing? “Don’t get near it.”

  “Werewolves don’t scare me,” he said. “Should be the other way around, right puppy? What? Don’t you sense what I am? I can understand that. I’m a bit different recently. But, trust me, not where it counts.”

  He held his right hand out. Eden’s eyes widened as flames began to ripple across his skin from the elbow down until his hand could no longer be seen behind the fire.

  The wolf whimpered and stepped back.

  “That’s right. I suggest you run away before I decide that well-done werewolf steaks are on the dinner menu tonight.”

  The wolf bared its sharp teeth again as if deciding whether or not it wanted to fight with a demon, but then it thought better of it, tucked its tail between its legs, and ran away.

  Eden finally let out the breath she’d been holding.

  Darrak glared at her. “That was way too close.”

  She scrambled to her feet. “Where is he?” She scanned the alley until she saw it. A boot attached to a leg, sticking out from behind a green Dumpster. Without hesitating, she ran to it.

  Sure enough, it was Andy. He lay on the ground, half covered in garbage. His white shirt was dirty and ripped and covered with blood.

  Three deep, red slash marks streaked across his face.

  She clamped a hand over her mouth at the horrific sight, a sob catching in her throat.

  Darrak pushed past her, knelt at Andy’s side, and checked his pulse.

  “Is he . . .” she began, not wanting to ask the question. If Andy had been killed because she’d ignored him, she didn’t know what she’d do.

  “He’s alive,” Darrak confirmed. “But barely.”

  She dialed 911 on her cell phone. Why would Andy call her and not an ambulance? She could yell at him for that later. Right now, they needed help.

  The ambulance arrived five minutes later, and Andy was taken away to the hospital.

  Eden and Darrak followed in her car.

  It was funny how something like this, a friend who’d been hurt and almost killed, cancelled out all of her other worries. She’d endured blackmail from Lucifer himself, as well as helping a greedy demon strip an angel of his power, but Andy’s well-being was the only thing that mattered to her at the moment.

  Her fingers went to her gray amulet, and she twisted the chain nervously as she waited.

  Darrak stayed by her side but didn’t try to make her talk . She knew he was angry she’d used black magic to find Andy, but she’d had no other choice. In fact, it was one time that she was actually thankful she had some extra power. If she’d been a regular, everyday woman, then she wouldn’t have been able to find him in time. She felt certain the werewolf would have finished Andy off if they hadn’t been there to stop it.

  Over an hour later a doctor came out to speak with them.

  “He’s going to be fine,” she said.

  Eden exhaled shakily. “Thank God.”

  “Looks like a wild animal attack,” the doctor said. “Something large. Unusual for the downtown core but not unheard of. He’s lucky to be alive.”

  “Can we see him?”

  “Are yo
u family?”

  “Yes,” Eden said. “I’m his niece and this is my husband.”

  Darrak raised an eyebrow.

  She lied very easily. Almost too easily. But she didn’t want to wait.

  Lies sometimes got you what you wanted.

  In Andy’s room, she slowly approached him in the hospital bed. He was covered in white bandages.

  “Hey,” Andy said weakly, raising a hand to her. She took it gently.

  “What did I tell you about getting yourself hurt like this?” she said.

  “I don’t think you told me anything, did you?”

  “No, I didn’t. But that’s only because I didn’t think you would. Otherwise, I would have given you a very stern warning not to.”

  He grinned a little but then grimaced. “I’ll have to keep that in mind for next time.”

  “There’s not going to be a next time.”

  He touched the bandage that covered half his face. “You’re right. I think I’ve learned my lesson about werewolves. They don’t like being spied on, do they? Who knew? The wife’s boyfriend is responsible for this. Smashed my camera and chased me, then beat the shit out of me, as you can see. He turned to his wolf form—which, by the way? Freaky as hell—and I thought he was going to tear my throat out. Feels like he did.”

  “Did he give you these wounds when he was in wolf form?” Darrak asked.

  “Yeah. I guess women are going to have to love me for my personality now instead of my male-model good looks.” Andy attempted to grin but failed.

  Eden sat on the edge of Andy’s bed, still holding his hand, and studied Darrak. “What’s wrong?”

  His light blue eyes met hers. “He was attacked by a werewolf. You saw it yourself.”

  “I know. But I don’t know what we should say on the police report.”

  “There’s not going to be a police report. The police won’t know what to do with this,” Darrak said. “It’s just . . .”

  “Just what?” Andy asked.

  A sensation of dread crawled up Eden’s spine. “What is it?”

  “May I?” Darrak indicated Andy’s facial bandage.

  “You want to look?” he asked. “Kind of morbid, don’t you think?”

  “I just need to check something.”

  “Then go ahead.” Andy eyed the door. “But Nurse Ratched will have a fit if she sees you. The women here . . . not charmed by me bleeding all over the place.”