Violet Tendencies

by Jaye Wells

  “Valva!” Giguhl yelled, punching a rough-looking male vamp in the face.

  I grabbed Adam’s arm. “Can’t you do some spell or something to stop this?”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “What do you want me to do, Sabina? He’s your demon.”

  Oh. Right. “Giguhl!” I screamed. “I command you to stop!”

  Giguhl’s fist paused midstrike. His arm shook as he strained to deliver the blow, but my minion couldn’t deny a direct order. Probably I’d hear an earful about this later, but right then all I cared about was stopping the fight.

  I jumped off the stage and pushed my way toward the action. Unfortunately, a few of the patrons mistook me for a stripper. But I endured the gropes and leers because they were easier to get through than fists and kicks.

  Finally, I managed to reach the horde of vamps parading the demon around the bar. “Valva! Get down from there right now!”

  She ignored me. Unlike Giguhl, Valva wasn’t officially my minion. That honor belonged to my sister, Maisie, which meant Valva didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to do.

  Going for a more direct approach, I pushed a guy out of the way and grabbed her leg. I yanked on her leg, but the males were having none of it. Someone grabbed me from behind and before I knew it, the world tilted and gravity reversed itself. They lifted me right up next to Valva.

  “Hi, Sabina!” she said. “Isn’t this great?”

  Before I could answer, the crowd surfed us over to the bar. Valva landed gracefully on the surface, blowing kisses and flicking her tail flirtatiously. One of the males carrying me decided to grab a handful of my left ass cheek before helping me onto the bar. Frustrated and pushed beyond patience, I slammed my fist into his nose. The cartilage gave with a satisfying crunch.

  “Hey!” he yelled, dropping me. I landed on the filthy carpet with a thud. The guy loomed over me. Blood coated his fierce scowl. But then his expression changed from anger to recognition. “Wait, aren’t you—”

  “Fire!” The shout broke through the chaos. I looked up in time to see the bar explode into flames. A flash of gold flew by my head—Valva making a hasty retreat from her smoldering impromptu stage. I had no idea how she’d managed to set the thing on fire, but I had a more pressing issue to worry about at the moment.

  I leaped to my feet, pushing the angry male aside. Obviously, the situation was way beyond diffusing. Time to just cut our losses and disappear. I spun to locate Adam and slammed into an unmovable object. One with an impossibly broad chest, a leather vest, and tattoos.

  I looked up slowly and cringed when my gaze reached his face. Fang’s expression wasn’t so much angry as apocalyptic. He grabbed my arms. “What the fuck have you done?”

  “Fang, I—”

  The heat and flash of the fire caught my eye. Flames licked across the floor, searing a path to the stage. On the platform, eight or ten vampire strippers continued their bloody battle. Apparently Fang’s strippers had some unresolved personal issues because they were whaling on each other, using any weapons at their disposal. Chairs crashed into heads. Thongs became garrotes. And jugs of baby oil—

  “Oh shit!” My gaze flew back to Fang’s face. “Is baby oil flammable?”

  He squinted hard. “Huh—”

  Too late. The flames already reached the base of the stage. “We need to help them!”

  Either he couldn’t hear me or he was so enraged he chose not to listen, but Fang’s grip tightened and his fangs flashed ominously. A flash of light and a burst of heat exploded through the club. The stink of singed hair and broiled skin brought bile to my throat. And the screams. Terrible, terrible screams.

  Looking directly at the stage turned pyre was almost too horrible. Looking like ghouls with melted wigs and blackened skin, the burning strippers danced around like scorched marionettes. Still, shock kept me rooted to the spot.

  Fang burst into action, tossing me to the side as he leaped toward the bonfire, shouting for water as he ran. I went the other direction, intent on finding Adam and the others. I didn’t get far before I saw Giguhl running in my direction with Valva in his arms. Her expression resembled that of a toddler about to throw an epic tantrum.

  “Adam?”

  Giguhl jerked his head toward the inferno that used to be the bar. “Over there!”

  I nodded and took off, yelling, “Stay here!”

  I hoped the demon could hear me over the yells of those who were trying to fight the fire and the screams of those trying to escape it. As I passed the group trying to help, I saw Fang yelling orders. He looked up as I passed, and the hatred in his once-friendly eyes made my stomach contract.

  Adam’s golden-brown head should have been easy to spot among all the redheaded vampires. But the thick haze of smoke clawed at my eyes. Climbed down into my lungs. I couldn’t see anything through the choking and the tears.

  Rough hands grabbed me from behind. I spun into a crouch, ready to fight. Adam tilted his head and raised an eyebrow in greeting. Instead of witty comments or snarky asides, he grabbed my hand and hauled me back to the demon.

  “Praise Asmodeus,” Giguhl said. “Can we leave now?”

  The mancy glanced at me for confirmation. I looked at the fire. At the soot-covered faces. At the flames dancing over smoldering bodies. “We should stay and help them.”

  “Red.” Adam sighed. “Normally I’d agree, but there’s no chance now that the Dominae won’t hear about this—or your involvement. We need to get the hell out of here before they find us.”

  Electricity flashed through my veins. Considering I had cost Fang his beloved club, I wouldn’t put it past my old friend to go to the Dominae himself and tell him we were back in town. Guilt swelled in my midsection like acid, but I nodded anyway.

  Adam put his arms around us. Started chanting.

  The pressure began in my solar plexus.

  The doors to the club burst open. The fire rushed toward the fresh oxygen. Then a dozen figures dressed in black ducked into the club.

  My heart stopped. Their red hair and the golden fleur-de-lis insignias on their chests identified these new arrivals as Dominae guards.

  “Mancy!” I yelled, urging Adam on. He didn’t respond. Just frowned and focused harder on calling the magic.

  “Sabina Kane!” Guns pointed in our direction. “Freeze in the name of the Dominae!”

  Magic rushed through me like static electricity, making the hair on my arms prickle.

  “Ready!”

  Unbearable pressure.

  “Aim!”

  Wind whipped up around us.

  “Fire!”

  Pop—we were gone.

  An eternal instant later, my ears popped and my body landed on something springy. A heavy mass thumped next to me, followed by a loud groan. Two more thuds echoed nearby. Fighting against the nausea and dizziness, I forced my eyes open.

  Beside me, Adam pushed himself up on his elbows and frowned down at me. “That was way too close for comfort.”

  I licked my lips and tried to unscramble my brain. “Huh?”

  “Are you okay?” His hands ran over my arms and torso, as if checking for wounds. I took a minute to enjoy his tactile inspection. But memories of the debacle at Fang’s intruded, ruining any enjoyment I was getting out of Adam’s nearness.

  “I’m okay.” I rubbed my nose in a futile effort to remove the lingering odor of burned sequins and charred skin.

  “You’re sure?”

  I nodded. I didn’t like that we’d basically run away from a mess of our own making, but since our only other choice was to hang around waiting to either be retaliated against by Fang or captured by the Dominae or…Well, let’s just say that narrowed the options down considerably. “Where are we?”

  He pulled away. The cool night air replaced his warmth. Standing, he gestured up with a wry smile. “Look for yourself.”

  I glanced up to where he pointed and blinked. Several tall white letters loomed over our heads. “The Hollywoo
d sign?”

  “I wasn’t sure where else to go.” He shrugged. “This seemed like a safe enough place for us to regroup.” He held out a hand to pull me up. The momentum brought me back into contact with his body. Knowing the mage, he was doing it on purpose. Not that I minded, but it wreaked havoc on my ability to concentrate.

  I stepped away and wiped my scraped and dirty hands on my jeans. Mostly I was fine, except where the rough landing bruised my ass. The demons, however, hadn’t fared so well. They still hadn’t moved.

  I knelt next to Giguhl and listened for breathing. Big mistake. A steady diet of Cheez Doodles and catnip didn’t make for the sweetest breath, but at least he was breathing. I glanced at Adam, who’d given Valva the same treatment. He gave me a thumbs-up, and I released the air I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

  Now that I was sure they hadn’t been injured, I relaxed. When we’d flashed into the city earlier that night, they had been disoriented but recovered quickly—Giguhl’s stress diarrhea notwithstanding. But I guess two rounds of interspatial transportation in one night had taken its toll on them.

  A groan grabbed my attention. I looked down to see Giguhl’s eyelids squeeze tight for a moment before popping open. The bright light overhead made his vertical pupils dilate. “Are we dead?”

  “Nope. No thanks to your girlfriend.”

  Giguhl swallowed and sat up slowly. When he looked over and saw Valva still passed out, he let out a little yelp. “Valva?” He grabbed her chin and shook her. “Is she okay?”

  Her lids snapped open. “Hi, honey!” she said in a breezy tone completely at odds with the situation.

  “Hi, honey?” he roared. “Don’t ‘hi, honey’ me!”

  She frowned. “What’s wrong, sugar buns?”

  Giguhl’s goat eyes widened impossibly. “What’s wrong? How can you even ask that? You almost got us killed!”

  Her golden lips went from a frown to a full-on pout. The bottom lip began to tremble. I rolled my eyes, recognizing feminine wiles when I saw them. “But I didn’t mean to. Everything was fine until those trampires tried to stop me.”

  “Valva,” Adam said, “what were you thinking getting up onstage in the first place?”

  She shrugged her golden shoulders. “I couldn’t help it.”

  “Bullshit,” Giguhl said. “You couldn’t wait to get out there and shake your sweet ass for all those bloodsuckers.”

  She blinked. “But I’m a Vanity demon,” she said as if it explained everything.

  “Like that excuses it?” Giguhl threw up his claws in frustration.

  Pretty tears started to fall from her violet eyes. “I couldn’t help it,” she sobbed. “I swear.”

  “Giguhl,” I said quietly. “Give her a break.” Don’t get me wrong. I was angry at her, too, but I was shocked to hear Giguhl talk to her that way. Ever since the demons’ eyes met across a bloodstained fight ring, it had been love at first sight. But now—

  “Oh please,” Giguhl scoffed. “No female of mine is allowed to act like a common tramp in public.”

  I cringed at his Cro-Magnon tone. Looked like the shine had worn off their sparkly new love.

  Valva’s tears dried up fast. She advanced on Giguhl, her golden hands clenched into fists and her blue-feathered tail twitching. She poked a finger into Giguhl’s chest. “You listen here, buddy. I am no one’s property. I’ll shake my ass for whoever I want wherever I want.”

  “Okay, everyone needs to relax,” Adam said, approaching the pair. The demons ignored him.

  “Is that right?” Giguhl growled, getting into Valva’s face.

  “I’m sick and tired of your clinging! I need some space.”

  Adam tried to get between the demons. “Valva, you don’t mean that.” The demons moved closer, edging Adam out of their space completely. He looked at me. “A little help here?”

  I held up my hands and shook my head. Refereeing a demon lovers’ spat was so not my area. “Just let them work it out.”

  Adam pressed his lips together and looked to the sky for patience.

  Giguhl crossed his arms across his massive chest. His eyes narrowed. “You want space? Why don’t you just go back to Irkalla then?”

  “Maybe I will,” she said, poking him again. “At least I’m appreciated there.”

  “Valva,” I said, finally moving in. Now that the talk had turned to her leaving, it was time for me to step in. “We appreciate you.”

  “No, you don’t.” She turned on me. “You’re bossy and you have split ends.” She pointed at Adam. “You know what I’m talking about. Tell her!”

  Adam lifted his hands and backed away, as if retreating from a ticking time bomb. “I’ve never noticed any split ends.”

  “Please, you know she’s a bitch. Ordering us about like we’re her slaves.” She ran a hand over her peacock-blue hair. “Besides, she’s totally jealous of me.”

  “Hey!” I said, ignoring the ridiculous accusation. “Need I remind you that you and Giguhl are my minions? It’s kind of my job to tell you what to do.”

  Valva laughed. “Giguhl’s your minion. Maisie’s my master. Or she was, at least.”

  I put my hands on my hips. This chick’s attitude was grating on my last damned nerve. I also didn’t appreciate her use of the past tense in relation to my sister. “Right. Maisie. Remember her? She’s the one who’s possibly being tortured while you waste all our time with your fucking temper tantrum.”

  “Oh please. You’re all so fucking whiny. The only reason I chose to be her minion was to get out of going back to Irkalla.”

  My mouth fell open. “What do you mean you ‘chose’ her?”

  “That’s right, bitches. It was my choice. I just let you think it was destiny or whatever because it was easier.” She snorted. “Boy, was that a mistake. I thought staying here would be an adventure. But I’d rather be damned to the pit of despair than deal with your lame asses for one more second.”

  Giguhl’s posture went stony. “What about me?” His voice was quiet, but fire lurked in the subtext.

  She shrugged. “I thought you’d be a fun lay.” Valva waggled her pinkie at Giguhl. “What a joke.”

  My chest clenched for Giguhl. “You bitch.”

  “Pot. Kettle. Black,” she enunciated slowly. “I’m so out of here.”

  Light burst through the area, momentarily blinding me. Brimstone smoke filled my nose. I blinked rapidly and finally saw wisps of black smoke snaking through the air where Valva used to stand.

  My jaw gaping, I looked around at the guys. “What the hell?”

  Adam’s eyes were saucer huge. “How did she just do that?”

  Giguhl didn’t answer. He just glared at the spot where she’d stood moments before. A muscle worked in his jaw.

  I approached slowly, unsure how any show of comfort might be received. “G?” I whispered. “Are you okay?”

  As if he’d forgotten our presence altogether, his head snapped up. His eyes had a wild look I’d only seen in the fighting ring. I held up my hands. “Hey, it’s just me.”

  He shook himself, like a dog after a particularly objectionable bath. “Hey.” He sounded disoriented, as if waking from a long nap. “What’s up?”

  I glanced from the corner of my eye at Adam. He just shrugged.

  “Are you going to be okay?” I asked.

  “What? Valva?” He waved a claw through the air. “Sure. No big deal.”

  I frowned at him. “Are you sure? She was kind of harsh.”

  “Sabina, I’m fine. She obviously wasn’t the demon I thought she was. I’m better off without her.”

  “Okay,” I said slowly. “Well, if you need to talk or whatever, I’m here.” I said this clumsily, totally out of my depth when it came to offering emotional support to the brokenhearted.

  “Yep, thanks.” With that, he turned and walked over to a boulder perched on the hill. He lifted the huge thing like a mortal might have lifted a heavy crate. Raising it over his head, his muscles str
ained for a moment. Then he launched the rock like a shot put.

  The boulder flew so far, my eyes lost sight of it in the inky night sky. Several seconds later, a muted crash rose from deep in the canyon below. A dog’s bark echoed through the night, followed by a single pinpoint of light igniting in a distant window.

  “Whoops,” Giguhl said.

  The corner of my mouth twitched. “Feel better?”

  He sucked in a lungful of air that expanded his chest. On the exhale, he roared so loud I had to check and see if my ear was bleeding. When the primal scream finally cut off, Giguhl smiled. “Now I feel better.”

  Adam removed his hands from his ears. “Um, maybe this isn’t the best time to ask this question, but does anyone know how in the hell Valva managed to flash out of here like that?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “I was kind of hoping you’d know.” I turned to Giguhl. “I thought only the mage who controlled the demon could send them back to Irkalla.”

  Adam nodded. “Right.”

  “It’s because she’s not a normal demon.” Bitterness dripped from Giguhl’s voice.

  I frowned, trying to decide if he was serious or if it was the heartbreak talking. “What do you mean?”

  He shrugged. “That rule only applies to your average Shedim demon.”

  Adam seemed to be following Giguhl’s cryptic remarks better than me. His eyes widened. “Wait, she’s a Lilitu?”

  Giguhl nodded solemnly. “Yep.”

  “Wait,” I said. “Can someone fill me in please?”

  Giguhl offered the explanation. “There’s two types of demons. Those that existed before time—the Shedim. No one really knows where we came from, but we know we’ve existed before Lilith fled the Garden of Eden and shacked up with Asmodeus.”

  I nodded. I’d never heard the word Shedim, but I knew enough of the origin stories to follow along. “Okay.”

  “The Lilitu are the demons who are direct descendants of Lilith and Asmodeus,” Adam said.