“You’re not,” she insisted. “You ran in to save all of us from Dr. Bellowes and you killed that hellhound by yourself and you teleported down to protect Susie from that shadow thing and you were the first in to rescue those people in that warehouse.” She shook her head. “You’re so incredibly brave.”
“I was scared to death,” I corrected her. “Besides, what about you?”
“Me?”
“You were right there with me every time. You risked your life over and over to help everyone else. If I’m so brave, what are you?”
Her eyes were dark bottomless pools as she searched my face, threatening to draw me in and drown me. Her lips parted as if she was going to say something but she just looked at me. I waited for her to do something but the glimmer of hope in her eyes faded out and she turned her head away. Belatedly, I realized that I’d missed another signal.
Melissa started to get up but I took hold of her shoulders and pulled her back, turning her to face me. She resisted for a moment, trying to pull my hands away, until I leaned in and kissed her. She stiffened in surprise and then melted into me, pressing her mouth against mine with desperate eagerness. Her tongue fought its way in and tasted mine.
She climbed up onto the couch and pushed me backwards, falling on top of me and straddling my hips. She broke away from our kiss with a gasp and sat up, stripping off her slip and letting it fall to the floor. All she wore was a skimpy pair of briefs.
“Melissa –” I gulped but she came down for another kiss that took my breath away. The fingers of her right hand interlocked with my left and her other hand guided mine to her breast, holding it tight enough for me to feel her arousal and the pounding of her heartbeat. She rocked her hips right on top of Little Peter and a yearning whimper escaped her throat.
I broke free from the kiss, gasping for breath, and I tried to push her back before things got out of hand, but that just gave her access to my waist. She yanked at my belt, wrestling with the buckle for a moment before she got it open, and then reached for the button of my jeans. I grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away.
“Melissa, stop!” She stared at me as if she didn’t recognize me. Her eyes were wide and pitch-black now. “We can’t do this.”
“Why not?” Her voice was raw, almost feral. “I want you, Peter. I need you.”
“This isn’t like you. You’re not thinking straight.” I got one leg out from under her and sat up, easing her off of me.
“What?” She drew back away from me. “What did you say?”
“This isn’t normal. You’ve been through a lot and you’re just confused.” Her pale breasts almost glowed in the dark and I looked aside to avoid the distraction.
“I’m not normal?” There was a brittle edge to her voice.
“No, that’s not what I said!”
“Oh my God.” She pushed herself as far away from me as she could. “It’s happening again. You think I’m crazy, like all the other boys.” She hugged herself, shivering. “I knew I shouldn’t have told you.”
“What? No, that’s not true!” I tried to take her hands to reassure her but she shoved me back and jumped to her feet.
“Leave me alone!” She snatched up her slip and ran from the room. I was only a couple of steps behind her but she managed to slam the den door in my face.
“Melissa!” I rattled the door knob but it was locked. “Melissa, open up!”
Silence. I pulled up Teleportal and jumped into the room. Melissa gasped and clutched her slip against her chest.
“Get away from me!”
“I just want to explain –” I stepped towards her and her hand burst into black flame.
“You’ve already said enough. Get out.” The flames ran up her arm and over her body, wreathing her in a shadowy aura.
“It’s not what you think,” I persisted. “I don’t think you’re crazy.”
“It’s too late, Peter, it’s obvious you don’t want me.” Tears dripped down her cheeks. “I threw myself at you, I played coy, I teased you, I did all those things on your stupid list, and for what? You can’t even stand to look at me now.” Her words were coming in short, broken gasps now. “I’m a broken freak.”
“No, you’re not! Just let me –” I tried to take hold of her, hoping she’d banish the dark fire, but she backed out of reach.
“Don’t touch me!” She swept her hand around and something hit me hard, sending me stumbling backwards. “I thought you were different, Peter,” she sobbed. “I thought you could love me despite everything.” The flames were darker and wilder now and her hair was snapping in a wind I couldn’t feel. “I thought I could finally stop pretending to be someone I’m not.”
All the anger drained out of her suddenly and she collapsed to her knees, but the black fire still burned around her. “I’m tired of fighting it,” she whispered. “There’s no point.” She looked up at me and her eyes were completely black, without a speck of white at all. “Goodbye, Peter,” she said and she faded into shadow and vanished.
“Oh no,” I breathed. “No no no.” I recognized her Shadow Step spell but I had no idea what her range was. I ran to the door and fumbled with the knob until I remembered it was locked. I got it open and ran out into the hall, searching desperately for her.
“Melissa?” I called as loudly as I dared. I was surprised no one else was up demanding to know what all the noise was about. I searched the front room and Dad’s office and the kitchen and the garage, but there was no sign of her. I even checked the back yard and ran out into the street out front but she was gone.
I came back in and dropped onto the couch, sick to my stomach. This was all my fault. I knew she was struggling with her powers and I knew the demon battles were taking their toll on her and I knew about her troubled past and I knew she desperately needed someone to love her and I still rejected her. Now she was out there somewhere wearing nothing more than a skimpy nightgown, alone and afraid and spiraling downward into darkness, and I had no way to find her and bring her back.
“Shit. Shit shit shit.” I gripped my skull with both hands, trying to squeeze an answer out of my stupid skull. Maybe one of the patrols will find her. I searched around for my phone, finally finding it on the floor, but there were no alerts about a half-naked teenager wandering the streets.
I can’t call her, she doesn’t have her phone with her. Can someone track her magically? Agent Prescott, maybe? He followed Lilith all the way from New Orleans. I sat up hopefully and then slumped again. No, he needed that bond with Olivia to do that. Could Mrs. Kendricks do it? Melissa’s in her coven. No, I thought eagerly. Not her, Susie! Susie found me in Hell with just my cellphone.
I jumped to my feet and ran back to the den. Melissa’s clothing was folded and stacked neatly on the coffee table and her other bags sat on the floor nearby. I started rifling through them, searching for something personal Susie could use to track her, but my movements slowed as an uneasy realization struck me.
How long is it going to take Susie to find her? How long will it take us to calm her down and bring her back here? Someone’s going to have to stay up with her the whole time to make sure she doesn’t try to hurt herself or leave again, but I have to make that phone call while everyone’s asleep so they don’t try to stop me. If I wait too long, it’ll be too late.
“Oh my God,” I whispered, sitting back on my heels. I had to decide between saving Melissa and saving everyone else.
I don’t know how long I knelt there in the dark, staring at nothing, but I finally got to my feet and left the room. I walked to the front door, feeling numb, and stopped there with my hand on the latch. Mom still had my key and I couldn’t wake her up to get it from her. I had the van keys but the garage was right beside her bedroom. With her senses attuned to listening for Dad’s return, I’d never be able to leave that way.
I had a spare key fob for the Mustang but it was in my room. Daraxandriel was a heavy sleeper, fortunately, but I had no idea about Olivia. If she did wak
e up, though, I could hit her with Sleep to knock her out again, so I walked down to my door and listened. Hearing nothing, I carefully eased it open.
I expected to find the two of them curled up under the blankets on opposite sides of the bed, so it took me a moment to recognize what I was actually seeing. They were lying together with Daraxandriel’s arms wrapped around Olivia’s ribs and her tail twined around her leg. The covers were completely kicked off, so it was obvious they were both naked, Olivia’s pale skin a stark contrast to Daraxandriel’s dark reddish hue. Both of them smiled in their sleep as they breathed in unison.
The cake incident notwithstanding, the sight of them together like that threw me for a loop. Granted, Daraxandriel was always too hot and Olivia’s corporeal body was cooler than normal, so it made sense for them to snuggle up like that. Besides, Daraxandriel already agreed to date me and Olivia insisted I was her boyfriend, so their clinch had to be perfectly innocent, just two friends who were very comfortable being with each other. The whole business with Daraxandriel’s tail was just Olivia’s playful innocence combined with her ignorance of demon anatomy. That kiss they shared, though ...
That was a problem for tomorrow, I reminded myself, assuming we all lived long enough to see it. I crept into the room and slid my night table drawer open, reaching in for the spare fob. I winced when it scraped against the wood but neither of them stirred. I tiptoed out of the room and let out a sigh of relief when the door latch clicked quietly closed.
I locked the front door behind me when I left and hurried to my car, scanning the house for any telltale lights as I unlocked it. I searched the yard and the street for cats, not that that mattered much anymore, but the block was devoid of any sign of life. I eased into the driver’s seat, shutting the door as quietly as I could, and then I grimaced in anxious anticipation as I turned the key in the ignition. The deep thrum of the 5.0-liter V8 starting up seemed to reverberate throughout the neighborhood and I waited for Mom to appear on the porch demanding to know where I was going, but nothing happened. I took a steadying breath, shifted into drive, and pulled away from the curb, waiting until I was all the way down the block before turning on the headlights.
I didn’t have a particular destination in mind, other than a need to get as far away as possible from the house and everyone inside, so I zig-zagged through the back streets while keeping an eye out for Melissa and police cars. I finally pulled into the parking lot of a dry cleaners without seeing either one and took out my phone.
I stared at it for the longest time, feeling a queasy fluttering in my stomach. As soon as I made the call, there’d be no going back, but I couldn’t see any other way to end this once and for all. I scrolled down to her number, took a shaky breath, and tapped Call. Her phone rang once, twice, three times before she answered.
“Peter Simon Collins.” Lilixandriel feigned surprise didn’t fool me for a second. “This is most unexpected.”
“I give up, Lilith,” I told her before my courage failed. “I surrender.” I closed my eyes and let my breath out. That’s it, it’s done.
The silence on the other end persisted for quite a long time. “I am pleased thou hast seen the right of it,” she said finally, “and yet I confess I am skeptical of this sudden change of heart. Thou didst defeat Orixnador and his hounds and escaped unharmed. Whyfor should I believe thy capitulation is true and not some feint to ensnare me?”
“I was lucky today but a lot of people got hurt, people I care about. They could have died. The next time, they probably will and I don’t want that to happen. Call off your demons and you can have the Stone.”
“How very noble of thee,” she sneered. “Yet hast thou forgotten the consequence of thy proposal? Soulstones do not trade masters lightly.”
“I’m going to get killed anyway,” I said harshly. “You said that yourself. But this way no one else gets hurt and we both win something.”
“Oh?”
“My friends won’t have to face another demon lord and you won’t have to stab him in the back to get the Stone for yourself.”
Lilixandriel chuckled in my ear. “Thou hast a devious mind, Peter Simon Collins. ‘Tis a pity we find each other at cross-purposes. We would make formidable allies.”
“Not interested,” I told her flatly.
“How blithely doth thou discard an opportunity few are offered,” she sighed dramatically. “And what of thy companions? Are they in agreement with thy terms?”
“They don’t know about this.”
“Verily? Whyfor not?”
“Because they’d try to stop me.”
“Ah, that rings of truth. Certes, my dear clutch-mate seems enamored of thee, though I cannot discern the reason. Yet another failing of her ill-fated spawning,” she said dismissively.
I swallowed my angry retort. “Do we have a deal or not?”
“Thine offer is most generous,” she agreed, “and yet I needs must be cautious. Thine ilk do not often give up their lives so cavalierly. I must be assured of thy veracity.”
“I’m telling the truth,” I insisted. “Tell me where to meet you.”
Lilixandriel laughed softly. “Thy word alone does not suffice, Peter Simon Collins. Come to the cemetery where thou didst encounter Uxbranidorn this morn – alone and unenchanted, mind thee – and await my instructions.” She hung up before I could object to her plan.
So far so good, I told myself, but I had to grip the steering wheel tightly to keep my hands from shaking. At least she’s willing to meet me. There was a chance she’d have another demon lord waiting for me at the cemetery but that wouldn’t matter as long as she was there too. I figured the odds were still in my favor, since I couldn’t see her letting her champion just walk away with the Philosopher’s Stone.
I left the parking lot, trying to ignore the little voice in the back of my head telling me there was still time to abandon this whole crazy scheme and go home. The rest of the FBI’s Occult Investigations team would be here in the morning, including Prescott’s boss, who was apparently some badass demon hunter. We’d have more than enough firepower to deal with whoever Lilixandriel threw at us. There was no reason to throw my life away confronting her by myself.
It was all a lie, of course. The fact that Lilixandriel answered my call meant she was back on Earth and there was no reason for her to be here unless she already had her next champion ready to go. The victims from the warehouse proved that hiding from her wouldn’t do us any good. She’d use any means at her disposal to draw us out into the open, even if that meant killing innocent bystanders. I couldn’t wait for the cavalry to ride over the hill and save the day. I was on my own.
Unsurprisingly, the cemetery parking lot was empty when I pulled in, although the Whataburger behind me had a handful of cars in the drive-through. I kept the engine on as I scanned the area for Lilixandriel or her latest demon lord, but all I saw were the rows of marble headstones in front of me, gleaming in my headlights like macabre Post-It notes on a blackboard.
I tapped my fingers nervously on the steering wheel, wondering if Lilixandriel was playing me somehow. Maybe she’s at the house slaughtering everyone in their sleep, I worried, although that didn’t really make any sense. The Philosopher’s Stone was here with me. Killing them wouldn’t do anything except piss me off. I seriously considered calling someone over there, though, just to be sure. Susie, maybe, or Melissa. No, I remembered despondently. She’s not there.
I searched the shadows between the gravestones on the slim chance that Melissa’s dark depression drove her here, but I couldn’t see a thing in the shadows. I wracked my brain for some way to locate her or contact her and searched through my spells, but they were all about killing or immobilizing demons. Clerics could use Summon to teleport party members to them but Halana Lyresong, my only cleric character, didn’t have it yet.
“Where are you?” I murmured. “I hope you’re okay.”
My phone rang then but my hope that Melissa had come to her senses and
was looking for me evaporated when I saw the name on the display.
“I’m here,” I answered dully. “Where are you?”
“All in good time, Peter Simon Collins,” Lilixandriel told me. She sounded very pleased with herself. “I needs must ensure thou art unaccompanied.”
“I’m alone,” I insisted.
“So it would seem, yet glamours may fool the eye. Open the door of thy carriage.”
“Why?” I asked uneasily.
“My imps will ride with thee, as surety against deception.” Something small and black landed on my hood, startling an oath out of me, and slanted yellow eyes peered at me through my windshield. “Make haste, Peter Simon Collins. Midnight approaches.”
“Why does that matter?” I watched the imp nervously. I didn’t think it could break through the glass but I wasn’t certain.
“All shall be revealed in the fullness of time. Open thy carriage, that we may bring our bargain to a swift conclusion.”
I couldn’t reach the passenger door so I carefully opened my door, keeping an eye on the imp. I wasn’t expecting another one to bound across my lap and land on the passenger seat and I flinched when it hissed at me. That gave the one on the hood time to leap down to the ground and jump in as well, slinking its way into the back seat.
“Okay, they’re in,” I reported, trying to sound nonchalant. “Now what?”
“Abide.”
The imps crawled around the entire interior, under the seats, on the back dash, and between my legs. One of them sniffed me while the other batted at my phone, but they finally positioned themselves on the passenger seat, watching me unblinkingly. I seriously considered popping them with a spell but that would leave a mess all over the seats and make Lilixandriel question my motives.
“It would seem thou hast been truthful with me,” she said over the phone, but she didn’t sound completely convinced. “Proceed now to the library.”
“The library?” I echoed doubtfully. “What’s there?”
She sighed irritably. “Thy questions grow tiresome. An thou dost truly desire to end our conflict this night, proceed apace and await my call. Speak to no one.” She hung up, leaving me and the imps staring at each other. I expected them to leave now that their security check was done but they showed no inclination to move. I closed my door reluctantly and pulled out of the parking lot.
Necessary Evil Page 32
