by Diem, J. C.
“The deal she made with Violet does not preclude her from sending her minions out to scour the streets for us,” Leo added.
“Our bracelets will hide us from their notice,” Sophia said confidently.
“Only from demons,” I pointed out. “Half of the cops are human and they all know what I look like. Vepar has seen all of us now and she can give them your descriptions as well.”
Nathan nodded in agreement. “She will use an excuse that we are your accomplices and take us all into custody.”
Sam scowled and paused with his spoon in the air. “What use is it to make a bargain with a demon when they can just find a way around it so easily?”
“They won’t be searching for our base now, so at least we should be safe here,” I replied.
He shook his head. “Vepar is only one Demon Lord among many. Any of the others can take over the search for our base from her. They can continue to use the same tactics that she employed. They have already narrowed down the search area. It is only a matter of time before they find us.” He went back to eating and I had no argument for his morose assessment of our situation.
After lunch, Leo, Sam and I trooped upstairs to watch TV. I let them watch the screen in peace for a while before I spoke. “I’m meeting with Zach in an hour,” I said to Leo. “Can you take me to the Museum of Natural History?” I hadn’t been inside it, but I knew it was on the west side of Central Park.
Leo made a face at my request. “Why do we not just traipse through Central Park so the raven can find us faster?”
“It won’t even know we’re there if you take us directly inside the building,” I pointed out. There shouldn’t be any feathered spies lurking inside the museum.
He grumbled, but he knew it was pointless to argue with me. “Fine,” he sighed. “I will be your babysitter again. Let us hope your date will be less eventful this time.”
I had my fingers crossed that no one would try to molest me. Frankly, I was getting tired of being abused by anyone who thought they could get away with it. I wished I could keep my dagger with me for defense, but how could I possibly explain the weapon to Zach if he found it in my pocket? His hands tended to wander when we started kissing.
Looking down at my boots, a thought occurred to me. “Can you create a pocket inside my boot for my sheath?” They came halfway up my calves and would be just long enough to slide the dagger inside. My jeans were tight enough to tuck inside the boots.
I was sitting on the armchair and Leo and Sam were on the couch. Leo slid over then leaned forward and passed his hand over the outside of my right boot. “That should do the trick,” he said.
Picking the weapon up from the coffee table, I leaned down and slid it into the pocket he’d just made. It was a perfect fit and the dagger wasn’t visible unless someone stuck their hand down there. Now I wouldn’t have to take it out whenever I sat down. “You’re awesome,” I told him.
“I know,” he said without a shred of modesty. “If we are going to do this, we should go now. I want to scout out the museum to make sure it is safe.”
“Good idea.” I wanted to familiarize myself with the building so I’d be able to make a run for it if it became necessary.
It wasn’t necessary to tell Nathan and Sophia where we were going. They’d both overheard us from downstairs. Leo cocked his head to the side for a moment as he listened. “Sophia wants Sam to come with us,” he said.
“What use will I be?” Sam said morosely. “I can barely camouflage myself at all now. It exhausts me just to use my abilities for a few seconds.”
“Maybe we just want your company,” I replied in an effort to lift his spirits.
“That is all I will be good for soon,” he said. He was teetering on the edge of depression and I didn’t know how to snap him out of it.
“Stop feeling sorry for yourself,” Leo scolded him. “Violet does not need you merely for your talents. She needs your friendship just as badly.”
Sam looked at me with hope in his eyes. “Is that true?”
His vulnerability nearly broke my heart. “Of course it’s true. You’re my best friend, remember?” I’d told him this myself more than once, but maybe he’d needed to hear it from someone else.
He allowed himself to be cajoled into joining us and Leo teleported us to the museum. We arrived in a dim hallway that stretched out in two directions. “This way,” Leo said and we followed him to a doorway. We were in a section that was reserved for employees only. We didn’t encounter anyone as we made our way to a door that led to a dinosaur exhibit.
“Wait here,” Leo instructed us. “I will scout out the area.”
He was gone before I could reply. Sam goggled at the gigantic fossilized bones of a prehistoric creature. I felt dwarfed by it. Someone brushed against me and I nearly went for my dagger before I realized it was just a tourist. Even with all of the murders that had been committed, the museum drew people from all over the world. It wasn’t exactly crowded, but there were more people than I’d expected. With luck, Zach and I should be able to blend in with them.
₪₪₪
Chapter Thirty-Three
Leo returned a few minutes later. “I have searched the museum and I have not seen any demons so far.” He’d saved time by teleporting from room to room to check them all out.
Relieved to hear that, I tore my eyes away from the fossil of a sabretooth tiger. “Can you give me a quick tour of the place?” Zach would be here in a little over half an hour. That didn’t give me much time to learn the area.
“I will not be able to show you the entire museum,” he replied. “But I will show you the main areas and where the exits are, just in case we become separated and you need to make a quick getaway.” It was the same thought I’d had and I nodded in agreement.
He zapped us from the dinosaur exhibit to several other areas. I didn’t have much time to take them in. The items on display were foreign, exotic and usually ancient. I saw animals from all over the world as well as coins and jewelry that were probably priceless.
Feeling dizzy from being teleported too many times in quick succession, I put up a hand to stop him from whisking us away. “I’m going to barf if you teleport me one more time.” Sam was looking a bit queasy as well, so it wasn’t just me who was being affected.
“Your beau should be here at any moment,” Leo said.
“His bodyguard will no doubt be right behind him,” Sam added then slid a sly look at Leo. “Perhaps we can be more than just Violet’s babysitters.”
Leo’s brows rose and a mischievous smile appeared. “What do you have in mind?”
“We can assist her beau to give his minder the slip.”
Grinning at the prospect of getting in Giles’ way, Leo nodded his agreement. “This should be fun.”
“Just make sure you keep your distance and don’t let Zach know you’re following us,” I warned them.
Both boys gave me an affronted look. “Try not to lose control of your hormones this time,” Sam said in retaliation. “You are in a public place and allowing Zach to remove your clothes would be sure to draw attention.”
I wished I could say something snarky in return, but he had a point. “We won’t get carried away,” I said and hoped I wasn’t lying. If Mr. Orion found out his son was still dating me, he’d punish Zach. It would kill me if he received a beating because of me.
The two boys melted away towards the main entrance and I stood in the shadows where I could avoid being seen. Several minutes later, I glanced through the doorway and saw Zach striding towards me. He was wearing jeans and a red t-shirt that stood out far too much. A black backpack was slung over his shoulder. A small crowd of tourists was right behind him. I saw Giles attempting to blend in with them. Then Leo and Sam interjected themselves into the group and somehow managed to trip the bodyguard up.
Hearing the sound of a body falling, Zach looked over his shoulder. He saw the chauffeur go down and he was grinning when he turned around. I waved an
d he hurried over to me. With my hair up beneath my hat, I hoped Giles wouldn’t know who I was if he saw me.
Zach took my hand as soon as he was out of sight of his minder. “Hurry, before Giles finds us,” he said then we took off at a run. Heading for a room that I hadn’t seen yet, he pulled me behind a large display that held ancient weapons. Taking the backpack off, he reached inside and drew out a black hat and black t-shirt. “Hold this for a second,” he said and thrust the backpack and clothes at me.
Taking them, I watched as he stripped his shirt off. He winced in pain and I saw fresh bruises on his ribs. “Your Dad hurt you again,” I said softly and felt like crying.
Seeing me trying to hold onto my tears, he was quick to respond. “It isn’t as bad as it looks.”
I touched one of the bruises lightly and even that was enough to make him flinch. My gaze was drawn to the necklace around his neck and I smiled. “You’re still wearing it,” I said and wrapped my hand around the fire opal that hung from a leather chain. My initials had been carved on the other side in demonic script.
“I only take it off when I shower,” he said.
Our eyes locked and I realized he was half naked and we were standing only inches away from each other. “I only take my bracelet and ring off when I shower, too,” I responded a little breathlessly.
“Is it wrong that I’m picturing you naked, wet and soapy?” he asked with a grin.
My cheeks flared red, giving away that I was thinking the same things about him. “Here,” I said and handed him his shirt. It was a shame to cover his beautiful body, but someone could come along at any moment and see him. He’d stand out far more being shirtless than he would if he was wearing the bright red t-shirt.
Pulling the shirt on, he donned the hat. “What do you think?” he asked. “Will it fool Giles?”
“I hope so. Bringing a change of clothes was a great idea.”
“I watch a lot of spy movies,” he said with a smile that made the dimple in his left cheek appear. He was ridiculously gorgeous and I couldn’t help but wonder what he saw in me.
Stuffing the red shirt into the backpack, he went to swing it over his shoulder, but I took it from him. “Let me carry that. Your stalker might not recognize it if he sees a girl carrying it.”
“Good idea,” he replied and slung an arm over my shoulder. “You look a little tired,” he said as we slowly started to walk through the exhibit.
“I’ll be going to Boston for more treatment again soon.” I had no way of knowing when I’d find the next portal to hell, but I knew it would happen before too long.
“How long will you be gone this time?” His tone was sad and I hadn’t even left yet.
“At least a couple of months. Maybe longer.” It would probably be longer than that. Sam and I had been absent for nearly two months the last time.
Sighing, he hugged me to his side. My arm was around his waist and my hand was resting on his hip. We were fully clothed and we weren’t alone, yet it still felt intimate. “I know you have to go, but I wish you didn’t have to be gone for so long,” he said. A thought occurred to him and he looked down at me with a frown. “They do watch the news in Boston, don’t they? How come no one has recognized you and turned you in to the police?”
I had to think fast to come up with a plausible excuse. “Sophia knows some shady people from her past. One of them set me up with fake identification that’s managed to pass muster so far. I’ve only been recognized a couple of times, but I showed them my fake license and they’ve fallen for it so far.”
I held my breath until he nodded in acceptance of the lie. “What kind of past does Sophia have?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. She doesn’t like to talk about it. Whatever it was, she’s turned her life around and she’s a different person now.” That was true, yet her past had been anything but shady. I was desperate to change the subject and knew the topic that would work. “Why did your Dad hit you this time? Did you do something to upset Candy again?”
He grimaced and shook his head. “I’ve been a model fake boyfriend to her. I’m not sure what’s wrong with my father. I think it has something to do with Mrs. Weller.”
I knew exactly what had gone wrong between his father and Candy’s mother, but I couldn’t say anything about it. “What do you mean?” I asked instead.
“She’s been acting a bit cold and aloof lately. I thought she was having second thoughts about bringing more business to the bank. My Dad seems to be confident that she won’t back out.”
“I guess Candy is still obsessed with you then?” My question sounded as unhappy as I felt. I wished that was the reason why her mother was being aloof.
He tightened his hold on me, which told me everything I needed to know. “Yeah.” His tone was miserable. “She’s like a human leech, except she’s sucking my soul out instead of my blood.”
I held in a hysterical laugh. I was the one who ingested souls. Candy was merely an annoyance. “It must be awful having to spend so much time with her,” I commiserated. I knew his father had ordered him to take her out on dates more often.
“Being with you is the only joy I have,” he said mournfully. “If I didn’t have you, I’m not sure I’d be able to stand my life right now.”
Guilt came crashing down on me. If it wasn’t for me, he probably would have been quite happy to date Candy. She might be shallow and needy, but at least she was beautiful and she came from the same background that he did. I only had a few months left and then I’d disappear from his life forever. He thought he felt bad now. I could only imagine his pain when I was gone and he’d never see me again.
₪₪₪
Chapter Thirty-Four
Working our way from room to room, we kept our eye out for Giles. Zach had bought us tickets to all of the exhibits, so we were able to see anything that caught our fancy on all of the floors. Occasionally, we stopped behind a display that would hide us from view and spent a few minutes kissing. He always broke away before things could go too far, which proved that he had far more control than I did. I was in a haze of desire and it was becoming increasingly difficult to think.
We were in an exhibit that had exotic stuffed animals when we saw Giles enter the room. His white blond hair drew our attention immediately. He was the only person who wore a black suit and he stood out among the small crowd.
Zach slouched his shoulders so his posture wasn’t perfect anymore and turned us to face a lion. Up close, it’s fur was slightly mangy. A pride of lionesses lay or stood nearby. They looked completely bored to me even though they were dead.
Giles looked around in frustration. His eyes passed straight over us without stopping. He received several sidelong looks and realized he was drawing attention to himself. Turning on his heel, he stomped off.
“Poor Giles,” Zach said as he watched his minder leave. “He’s so easy for me to ditch when I put my mind to it.”
He’d had help from my friends, who he didn’t know were lurking nearby. I’d only caught a few glimpses of Sam and Leo. They were far more adept at blending in than Giles was. They were trailing us at a distance, being sure to keep us in sight whenever possible. “Your Dad should really think about sending him to a course on blending in,” I said with a snigger.
“I’d suggest it, but I don’t want them to know I’m aware he’s following me everywhere.”
“Surely he knows you’re onto him,” I said incredulously. Giles was awful at being stealthy.
Zach just shrugged. “I’m sure they’ve figured it out, but I don’t want to upset the balance by making a big deal out of it. My father might hire someone who is actually good at following me around without being seen. I won’t be able to sneak away and meet up with you if that happens.”
I had to concede that point. “Do you think Giles will give up, or will he keep searching for you?”
“He’ll keep searching,” Zach said with certainty. “He’s become a second shadow for me now. I can’t go anywhere
without him looking over my shoulder.”
“That must be uncomfortable when you need to go to the bathroom,” I joked.
His lips quirked in a smile then he kissed me. My toes curled and heat ignited inside me again. I didn’t know what it was about him that affected me so strongly. We had nothing in common, but I still felt as though I had a kinship with him. Maybe it was because we both only had one parent. Or I had before my mother had been murdered. His had moved overseas years ago and he only rarely saw her.
Zach pulled away and saw my pensive expression. Even in the midst of our kiss, I hadn’t been able to shut my brain off this time. “What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“Our mothers,” I replied honestly. “Do you miss your Mom?”
He shrugged one shoulder jerkily. “It’s hard to miss someone you don’t really know,” he said evasively. He’d once asked me about my father when we’d first met. I’d told him I didn’t know who he was. Instead of being put off by that, he’d acted as if my uncertain parentage didn’t bother him in the least.
“When did you see her last?”
“About a year ago, I guess. She has a new husband now, so she’s too busy to fly over here to see me.”
“Your Dad won’t let you visit her?”
The look he gave me was wry. “Of course not. He’d never let me leave the country without him.” His mother lived somewhere in Europe, or so I’d gathered.
“Does your father ever date anyone?”
He blinked at my question and shifted as if he was uncomfortable. “I don’t think so.” He was silent for a few moments before reluctantly speaking again. “I think he uses high priced escorts.”
My mouth dropped open before I could stop myself. “Why do you say that?”
“I’ve seen women sneaking in and out of his bedroom late at night when he thinks I’m asleep. They’re always well dressed and they’re usually blond.”
