by Willa Blair
“’Tis fine, but why are ye sneaking around in this spot?”
The halfling’s nose wrinkled. “Almost as soon as I got inside the safeguards Arianna opened for me, I could smell demon spawn.”
Darach’s growl stirred the air.
“I didn’t find any, but I did find this.” The halfling knelt in the grass, and Darach moved closer. A woman’s nude body lay amid offal from the canal. Her long slender arms and legs were posed in a fetal position, her hands under her bruised chin as in prayer. Light brown hair, snarled with blood and other fluids he didn’t want to speculate about, rested across her shoulders and back.
“God’s teeth. ’Tis more brutal than the other prostitute’s death.” Darach clenched his fists.
“I know. It seems to be an outlet for someone’s rage. Why they dumped her here, I can only guess. Did they know it was Abby’s property or not? I don’t know, Darach, but I don’t like it one little bit.”
Darach tamped down on the gorge rising in his throat. He didn’t like the coincidence either.
“The women are okay, I checked.” Sean’s assurance helped, but not a lot. No one should have been able to get on the property.
“How did they dump the body?”
“Since the safeguards were intact, I’m thinking they tossed her from a boat. Some of the bruises look post-mortem.”
“I dinnae want Abby’s house turned into a crime scene, Sean.”
“Neither do I. I think we can contain it to this section here. I’ll call in a favor or two.” Sean’s voice conveyed the rage Darach felt. The halfling’s eyes turned red.
“I would appreciate that and if we could keep it from Abby.”
For the first time since he’d spotted Sean, the halfling smiled. “I’ll leave it to you to distract your bride-to-be. Why don’t you go on up to the house and I’ll see to this matter.”
“I owe ye one. Not only for this but for standing up for me and Abby tomorrow and all your help.” Darach held his hand out.
Sean took it. “Hey, we’re both on the same side of the law, and if it means I get to kick some demon butt, I’m all for it. And look, I know you and Conner have been friends forever, if you’d rather have him as your best man, I’d understand.”
“Thanks man, but I’d be tickled pink, as Abby would say, if you’d do it.”
Sean grinned and both he and Darach shook hands, before Darach teleported back to the porch where he retrieved Abby’s roses, and then knocked on the door.
“Darach! You’re early.” Abby’s face glowed with an emotion he was fast learning was contagious.
“Well, I be hoping ye wouldna mind, but I could leave and come back.”
“Get in here, you. I want to tell you about all I got accomplished today.” Abby tugged on his hand and after he allowed her to pull him over the threshold, he held out the other one.
Abby took the box and then slid the ribbon off. She took one look and grinned.
“Roses! Oh they’re beautiful. Thank you. I’ll just go and put them in some water.”
He watched as she almost ran, he assumed to the kitchen, and then he walked to the living room. Arianna sat curled up in a chair and Conner took up a good bit of space on the sofa.
“Hey, Conner. When did you get back? And what did Michael want?”
Conner’s smile was a slash of white as he nodded to Darach’s greeting. “Aye, everything’s fine. Got back a few minutes ago, and Michael wanted me to do a quick job for him. I hear ye had a bit of trouble while I was gone.”
“Aye, ye could call it that, but Sean and I handled it.”
“He seems like a good man.” Conner placed the newspaper he’d been reading when Darach walked in onto the coffee table.”
“He is. He’d been a godsend.” Darach looked toward Arianna. “Evening Arianna, I didnae mean to ignore you.”
“Evening, Darach.” She smiled but the vibrancy he was used to seeing was missing from her gaze. He hated adding to her mood, but she needed to know about the dumped body.
“Sean found a body at the edge of Abby’s property.”
Arianna sat up on the couch. “When?”
“Just a bit ago, after ye let him through the guards.”
“Oh…that’s why he didn’t come in. So who and how?” Arianna’s eyes went flat.
“A young woman, murdered, and dumped here. Sean said he smelled demon spawn after he got to the house.” Darach arched a brow.
“The safeguards?” Arianna’s agitation showed in the way she clicked her long nails on the back of the couch.
Darach knew how she felt. Once an immortal set the guards they should hold. The fear they wouldn’t could put the executioner and those in his care in jeopardy.
“Your guards held, Arianna. She was dumped from the canal side. No way ye could have known.”
“Thanks, but not sure that makes me feel any better. I should have gone all the way to the edge of Abby’s property.” She continued to tap the couch.
Darach heard Abby’s footsteps heading their way. “Forget about it, and I dinnae want Abby to know—not now anyway.”
“All right.”
Abby entered the room with a vase filled with his gift. Her smile lit up the blue in her eyes, and he loved seeing her happy. He’d do anything in his power to keep that light in her eyes.
“Again, these are gorgeous, thank you.”
“You are welcome.” Darach needed to get her out of the house. “I be thinking, what if we go to dinner and ye tell me all about the plans for tomorrow. I need a time so I can show up.”
Abby’s mouth fell open before words spewed out of her mouth. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry. I guess you do need to know that.”
Darach stood and crossed the room. He took the vase, placed it on the coffee table, before pulling Abby into his arms.
“Oh please, I hope you two are not going to be kissing in here. I want to watch television.”
Darach grinned at the immortal. “Nay, I will be saving me kisses for somewhere more private, but—”
Arianna groaned. “Oh no, I hate buts.”
“I be going to say, I will need ye to go with us to dinner.” He gave her a look she couldn’t possibly misunderstand. With the latest demon development, and his senses still off, he didn’t plan on going out without back up.
“Sure, give me a minute to freshen up.” Arianna jumped off the couch and headed for the stairs. “Oh, now you can kiss,” she tossed over her shoulder.
Darach’s lips hovered above Abby’s. He wanted to savor his first kiss of the day with her, but before he could Sean came through the front door.
“Ahem, Darach, could I get a minute with you and Conner?” The halfling’s gaze looked at him and then over at the other immortal who was looking anywhere but at Darach and Abby. So taken up with Abby’s happiness, he’d forgotten Conner was still there.
“Hi, Sean. When did you get here?” Abby’s smile was briefly returned by the halfling.
“Just arrived.”
Darach knew the lie probably went against Sean’s grain; he hated lying also, but both of them wanted to do what was right by Abby.
“Well, I’ll see all of you later. Darach and I are going to dinner, and I want to change clothes.” Abby stood on tiptoe and brushed her lips lightly against his. He resisted the urge to pull her so close she could never leave.
Once she did, Sean took several deep breaths. “Okay, just gonna spit this out. You’re not going to like it.”
“What is it?”
“When the medical examiner came to get the corpse, there was a note under the body.”
“What did it say?” Darach knew it was about Abby, he felt it in his heart.
“Here, I saw the note and got it before the doctor noticed it. I’m not going to enter it into evidence.”
At Darach’s look, he continued. “There’s no point in telling my captain. He’d think I was crazy for even talking about demons.”
He took the note and read: “Next time it will be yo
ur woman.”
****
Angus listened as his minions gave their report. The body had been dumped right where he’d instructed. From a secluded distance away and off the Dupree property, they had watched through a pair of binoculars as the half-breed demon and then Darach studied the body. Yes, it had been a stroke of genius to violate the sanctity of Darach’s woman’s home. And he would so enjoy violating her body even more.
Note to myself: Do not forget to look in on Darach and Abby’s wedding tomorrow. Although he could not be there in person, he wanted to see the looks on their faces when they opened his gifts. In the meantime he needed to clear his desk of other matters. Christmas would be upon them soon, and he planned to take pleasure in the joyous occasion.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The note was signed simply with an A. Darach wanted to rip it in half, wanted to find Angus and tear his heart out. He felt so helpless. His nemesis would not stop until one of them was dead, and Darach planned to live.
“Angus will get his punishment. I just wish Michael would let me dole it out.”
“He does need to be killed. I could do it.” Conner’s habitual smile was absent. “That demon is nothing but trouble.”
“You’ve met Angus?” Darach questioned.
“Not in person, but I have seen some of his handiwork after he finished. Women raped, men disemboweled, children stolen away and never found.” Conner hissed the last part. “I ken Michael wants him captured, but I have to tell ye, if one of us gets the chance to kill him, I will look the other way.”
“I plan on taking his miserable demon life meself. I do need all of ye to promise to look after Abby if I get zapped by Michael for disobeying a direct order.”
“Would Michael truly kill one of his executioners?” Sean’s question caused both Darach and Conner to turn his way.
“I dinnae know, but I want Abby looked after regardless. Angus will never fight fair, and too many things could happen to me, but I will do all I can to revenge my family’s deaths.”
“Don’t blame you, Darach. Hopefully that will happen soon.” Conner moved toward the door.
“So…what now?” Sean’s question was not out of place, but Darach wished he knew what to say. Other than continuing to hunt his cousin, there wasn’t a lot to be done.
“When I get back from dinner with Abby, we will start our hunt. I know we probably willna find him, unless he wants us to, but…”
“We’ll try any way.” Sean gave him a salute and went to the kitchen, which reminded Darach he should probably bring both men back some food.
“I will be back in time to go hunting with ye also, Darach.” Conner gave a brief wave of his hand before disappearing. Darach looked back in time to see Abby standing in the doorway, now dressed in jeans and a sweater instead of the suit she’d worn to school.
“I’m ready to go. Just let me grab my notes.” Abby detoured to the kitchen, said hello to Sean again, and then met Darach in the foyer.
“Do you have a preference where you want to go?”
“Somewhere quiet if that’s okay with you.” Abby truly didn’t care where they went as long as it kept him from hunting for a while longer. She didn’t care if he did have back up in the form of Sean or Conner. Too much could happen and she did not want to lose him.
Darach leaned over and kissed her.
“What was that for?” She wasn’t complaining but he looked a bit relieved.
“For reading me mind. I would prefer some quiet time with ye also.” His words melted her heart all over again. In less than twenty-four hours, hopefully, they would have several blocks of time to be together without a crowd.
Darach opened the door, bowed a bit at the waist, and with his arm extended in a slight flourish, he ushered her out into the night.
A while later, they sat in a bistro sharing creamy spinach dip as they sipped tall glasses of iced tea.
“So tell me about our wedding plans.” Darach wiped his mouth on a linen napkin and then smiled. His black eyes resembled polished onyx in the light from a cozy fire.
“Well, the minister will be at my house around six. I ordered a small cake and champagne for afterward.” She grinned. “I also placed an order for pizzas to be delivered. I know Arianna and Sean will probably be a bit…”
“Starved, as usual?”
“Exactly. And Conner too if I’m not mistaken. And I did have a question. I didn’t know if you wanted to stay at my house or go to yours for…uh…afterward.” Abby’s tongue twisted around itself at the thought of their wedding night. She couldn’t wait, and then there was a tiny part of her that was a bit apprehensive. So far, Darach seemed satisfied with her attempts at partial lovemaking, but what if she did something he didn’t like? And of course the dream was just that. Could she satisfy him as she did in their fantasy?
“You mean for our wedding night?” Darach’s eyes twinkled.
“Yes.” Abby’s one word reply came out in a whispered confirmation.
“Well, if you be all right with it, I would like to take ye to my home. There are a lot of rooms you didn’t see.” Darach’s words weren’t a whisper but instead a distinctive rumble of sound.
“I’d love that. Will Arianna be coming with us?” She glanced toward the immortal who’d caught up with them before they got to the trolley stop earlier. Arianna had been the perfect guard, staying way behind them on the walk from the stop to the bistro. She’d parked herself on a bar stool and stayed put ever since.
“Nay, I think she will be more comfortable at your house. And since I usually teleport to me home, and I bought it under another name, there shouldna be a problem with demons finding us.”
“Will we be displacing Conner? I know he’s been staying here.” Abby hoped her wishful thinking didn’t show through.
“Conner will sleep anywhere. He’ll stay at your house.”
“Good. I mean…” Abby looked away.
Darach reached across the table and grasped her hand. “’Tis okay, Abby. ’Tis not wrong to wish for our first time as man and wife to not be disturbed.”
The waiter brought their entrees and for a bit they were both silent enjoying steak and sides. Over dessert Abby brought up a subject that would need to be addressed sooner or later. Where they would live in the future.
“Darach, once Angus is caught, will Michael send you somewhere else right away?” She watched the strong line of his jaw work as he chewed the last bite of his chocolate cake.
“I dinnae ken, but I think he will allow me a few more years here in NOLA. I can always use artifice to age a bit.”
Relief flooded Abby from the inside out. She didn’t want to leave her birth home, but she would when it was time.
“Okay, that’s good to know. I guess my next question is where do you want to live?”
This time Darach took a sip of tea before answering her.
“That be up to you, Abby. I have had many temporary homes since I became an executioner. I will be happy to live wherever ye are the most comfortable.”
“I think I’d like to split our time at the houses.”
Darach’s smile was a gleam of white as he gave her a wolfish look. “Then I cannae wait to introduce ye to the shower at my house. It’s large enough for two.”
He adored the blush coating Abby’s cheeks. Marriage to this woman would be an adventure each day. His smile faded just a bit. If only Angus wasn’t a thorn in his side. Abby deserved better than to have to be worried about a mad demon on the prowl.
“You better behave or I just might take you up on that offer.” Abby smiled back.
“’Tis what I’m counting on, me love.”
****
On the walk back to the trolley, Darach listened as Abby told him about her day at school. She’d told the principal she would be leaving after Christmas. Her boss had been sorry but understood.
“And guess what? He said his niece could fill in until they get another secretary. I don’t have to go back as of to
day.”
“Are you sure you be okay with that?” He prayed she was, he truly didn’t want to let her out of his sight for more than a few hours at a time.
“I’m sure. I’ve enjoyed working with the teachers and getting to know the students as they enroll in classes, but I’m so looking forward to being your wife.”
He pulled her closer and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “What made you decide to become a receptionist?”
“It was my grandmere’s idea for me to take business in college. She wanted me to have an education I could make a living at, but I’ve always wanted to try my hand at art.”
“Painting?” He was curious about Abby. So much time had been spent worrying about the threat of demons, dead bodies, and his stay in the hospital. He wanted to know more about what she wanted out of life.
“Maybe, I don’t know. You know after my parents were killed, when I was a baby, Grandmere gave up a good job to take care of me.” For a moment, Abby’s eyes glistened before she blinked back her emotion.
“She loved me so much, as I did her. In fact, without me knowing it, she pawned her and Grandpere’s wedding rings to pay for my education. I never met him, but she told me they met on a trip she took to Scotland. She said she fell in love with him almost immediately. I tried to get the rings back from the pawnshop after she told me, but by then a couple of months had gone by and the pawnshop was out of business. I wished Grandmere could be here tomorrow.”
Darach squeezed her hand. “I ken you do.”
The house came into view and Darach waited as Arianna, bringing up the rear, with a few take-out orders in her arms, eased the guards. Once they were in the front yard, she tightened them again before leaving them alone. Darach walked Abby to the porch steps but didn’t climb them with her.
“You’re not coming in?”
“Nay, Sean, Conner, and I be going—”
“I know, hunting. Well, at least I’ll have you to myself tomorrow night.” Darach’s breath hitched as Abby slid into his embrace. Her body pressed his in all the right places.
“Aye, that be a promise. Now, get inside. The quicker I leave the faster I can return. I dinnae plan on sleeping at all tomorrow night.”
