by Anya Bast
Alana’s light blue eyes widened with fear. Apparently, he didn’t look and sound as friendly as he was trying for. Her long golden hair whipped around as she turned and fled.
He ran around the table and followed her into her kitchen. Cole caught her right before she opened the back door. He slammed it shut with the flat of his palm. Taking her by the arm, he swung her around to face him. “Calm down, lady,” he ground out. “I said I wouldn’t hurt you.”
A hysterical laugh bubbled up from her throat. “And I-I’m supposed to just believe you?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You lunged at me the first time I met you. You actually got your hands around my throat.”
His eyes flicked down to her neck. “Must not have been too bad. I don’t see any marks.”
She laughed again. “You’re a piece of work. You try to kill me, then you break into my house and demand I be civil.”
“Your front door was open.” He released her and she backed away until she was flush up against the counter behind her. “Anyway, I don’t care if you’re civil to me or not. I just want some answers. And, see…I’m pretty sure I had a reason to lunge at you. I’m certain I had a damn good reason to be angry. You want to tell me what it is?”
She stared up at him, her mouth twisting in a cruel half-smile. Her eyes were cold and hard. Some men might think she was beautiful. Fuckable, at the very least. But Cole didn’t like the look in her baby blues. Didn’t like the sticky, slimy feel she seemed to have in her psychic energy pattern. She felt nothing like clear, honest Serena, or silky, sensual Rowan.
She pushed past him, running a hand through her long tresses. “Fine, then,” she shot back over her shoulder at him. “I want to be done with you. Come into my parlor.”
“Said the spider to the fly,” Cole muttered as he followed in her sauntering wake.
The parlor was Alana’s living room. It was decorated in a sun and moon theme, done deep blues and golds. It should’ve been soothing, but everything about this woman seemed to set his teeth on edge.
She plopped into a recliner, picked up a pack of smokes from the end table and lit one. She took a drag and exhaled like she was having an orgasm, then leveled her gaze at him. “Look, big guy, you weren’t even supposed to remember who I am.”
He sat down on the sofa, absorbing her words. Rage built within him. Games really weren’t what he wanted right now. He took a breath and steadied himself. “You better get to the point, Alana, and fast.”
She held her hands up. “Okay, okay. I’m just saying…you shouldn’t even be here. You shouldn’t have even remembered my name. The invocation must have been slightly off. Something went amiss.”
His hand that rested on the couch’s armrest clenched. “What invocation?” he asked with forced measured calm.
“The one that triggered the realization of Cernunnos within you.”
“So, I am Cernunnos? If I’m Cernunnos, who the hell is Cole?”
She sighed at him and rolled her eyes like he should be in the corner with a dunce cap on. “You’re both Cernunnos and Cole. You were born Colin Peter Striker. But Colin was just the human front for the energy of Cernunnos. Cole is the physical vessel for that ancient energy.”
“Uh-huh. Have you been smoking crack?”
She rolled her eyes again and leaned forward. “Cernunnos incarnates over and over in human bodies, but most of the time that human incarnation retains no real awareness of that ancient energy within. The incarnations are usually always OtherKin—like a witch, a mage or a shapeshifter. In your case, you’re both a mage and a shapeshifter.”
“Uhm…huh?”
“Think of it as a person with an invisible thread of energy hanging off his back. That thread is connected to an ancient power source that exists somewhere else.” She took a drag on her cigarette and glanced away. “The Three Ash coven called forth the slumbering Cernunnos energy within you. It came through the thread that hung off the back of Cole and now resides within him…you.”
Cole went still and quiet. His fists clenched at her words. The rage built. He pushed it down with effort. Maybe Cernunnos hadn’t liked being called forth? “So why can’t I remember anything before waking up naked at the edge of the forest a few days ago?”
“The energies are warring inside you right now. It knocked your memory out. Once the energies find a balance, you’ll get it back. When that happens, you won’t be Cole, not anymore. Not really. You’ll be your true self which is a mixture of both Cole and Cernunnos.”
“I don’t think Cernunnos appreciates what you did,” he stated in a low voice that thrummed with an almost otherworldly power. “I think he was happy where he was.”
Fear flickered in her eyes. “Yes.” She glanced away. “I know that. You shifted when we did the invocation. First you shifted to a wolf and scared the crap out of everyone, then to the stag form of Cernunnos. You ran free for days. We were afraid some hunter would take you before you shifted back to human form. It was like you were trying to escape being trapped in human flesh.”
His hands clenched again. “So, here’s the obvious question, the one you haven’t answered yet… Why did you do it?”
Alana stared at something to his left for a moment, then shot out of her chair. She paced to the window and back, taking an occasional agitated puff on her cigarette, until she’d smoked it down to the filter. She stubbed it out in an ashtray.
“Well,” Cole finally drawled.
“You were the only one within a four-state radius that was a vessel for an energy as powerful as Cernunnos…and Cernunnos is tough enough to take out the thing we accidentally raised.”
“Uh, what? What thing? Specifics, please.”
She stood in front of him, letting her arms hang limp at her sides. Before she spoke, she lowered her eyes. “The coven accidentally raised a demon,” she said softly. “A very intelligent and sadistic one.” She raised her gaze. “That’s a bad combination.”
“What exactly do you mean by demon?”
“I mean an entity that means humankind harm. As OtherKin, you understand that everything that we fear or believe, dream, or think—it all manifests as reality in the astral realm. Angels, demons, gods, they’re all real and they all exist somewhere. We were trying to contact the disincarnate father of one of the members. Somehow, we opened a portal from another dimension—one more commonly known as hell—to this plane of existence. This demon, Ashmodai, came through.”
“Nice job.”
“Don’t joke.” She turned, walked to the window and looked out. “He’s one bad motherfucker.”
Shock ripped through him as the demon’s name registered in a rush. He knew that name. “Ashmodai. He goes by many names. The oldest of them is Aeshma Daeva. He’s believed to be the child of the incest between Cain and his sister Naafrfah, and is one of the seven archdemons of Persian mythology. He was assumed to have been among the Seraphim at one time. Medieval scholars of demonology associated him with playful aggression and lust. He is often represented as having three heads—those of a bull, of a man, and of a ram—as well as a serpent’s tail and webbed feet. He likes to play games, this demon.” He stilled. “How the hell do I know all that?” he asked in shock.
She glanced back at him, giving him a rueful smile. “You, Cole, are big into the study of demons and the supernatural. You have a whole library of books on ancient pagan religions, myth, and legends.”
Man, not knowing himself was disturbing. Nosce te ipsum. Know thyself. He didn’t.
She pulled open a drawer and fished out a wallet and a key chain. “In fact, everything you’d ever want to know about Ashmodai is in your apartment. Most likely there’s a ton of information in your library and your computer. Everything you’ll need to know about how to defeat him is probably there.” She tossed him the wallet and keys. “Have Serena help you. If there’s one thing that witch is good for, it’s research.”
He stared down at the objects—his possessions—in his hand. “So, did you know m
e before? Before you invoked Cernunnos?”
“I only made your acquaintance in order to get a strand of your hair for the invocation.”
“How’d you do that?”
She smiled slowly in a manner that was likely supposed to be seductive, but fell waaay short in Cole’s opinion. “We slept together.”
He shot up from his chair and pushed a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling nauseous.
“Of course, I could’ve gotten the hair without actually seducing you. That was just for fun.” She gave him a sultry smile. “It was really good, Cole. You’re one of the best pieces of ass I’ve had in a long time.” The smile faded. “Too bad you tried to kill me, or I’d invite you into my bedroom right now.”
“Sorry about that. I really am.” He was sorry about all of it. “Like I said, I think Cernunnos wasn’t very happy about what you did. I think both Cole and Cernunnos liked things just fine the way they were before.”
“Yeah, well, get used to your new self,” she shot back. “I didn’t do anything that goes against your nature. Cernunnos has always been a part of you.”
“When were you going to tell me all this? You didn’t seem to be very forthcoming the other night.”
Anger flashed through her eyes. “You tried to kill me as soon as you saw me. That didn’t exactly make me feel chatty. Anyway, Ashmodai will be looking for you. You’re the only source of energy around who can foil his play. He’s going to sense that and want to take you out. I knew you’d figure it all out pretty quick.”
Great.
“We invoked Cernunnos so you can take him out. You’re the only one with enough magic and raw strength to do it.” She fixed him with a sad smile. “You’re our only hope, now.” She gestured at his hand that held his wallet and keys. “That might help bring some of your memory back, but there’s no going back. Your memory should return by tomorrow morning. Good luck. The black SUV out there on the street is yours.” She jerked her head at the door. “Now get out. Last thing I need is that damn demon here looking for you.”
“I have one last question.”
She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Shoot.”
“Did you use magick to free me last night?”
She frowned. “No.”
He stared at her with dark animosity in his eyes. “Why’d you let them cuff me and keep me in the first place? If I’m supposed to be your weapon against some badass demon, wouldn’t you want me free so I can fight?”
She smiled and winked. “You are free, big guy. I knew you could do it. Anyway, like Cernunnos, Ashmodai needed some time to adjust to this reality. He shouldn’t be cooking yet, but he will be soon…cooking with gas.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“Yeah, I’ll just bet.”
He looked down at the set of keys in his hand, feeling a familiarity with them. They were his car and house keys. The image of an apartment living room flashed in his mind and he flipped open his wallet, found his ID and examined the address printed on it. Without a glance at Alana, he went out the door.
* * * * *
Serena stomped around the corner of Rowan’s apartment building and started toward her car. She was so mad that it literally felt like steam was coming out of her ears. Damn her stubborn sister!
She’d come into town to see if Rowan was all right and to share with her the strange message the Elders had given her that morning after she’d found Cole missing. She’d gone to the oak grove to ask about the mage and, man, had she gotten an earful. But when she’d arrived at her sister’s apartment, all that had ceased to be important. Rowan had a huge bruise on her cheek and her eye was almost swollen shut.
After a bad argument, she’d finally persuaded Rowan to go to the doctor to make sure there were no more serious wounds than some bruising. Rowan had steadfastly refused to tell Serena or the doctor how she’d received the injuries. Since she was a protective older sister, Serena had pressed once they’d returned to the apartment…and Rowan had become belligerent and had asked her to leave. Actually, ordered, would be more accurate.
“So much for sisterly love,” she muttered as she fished in her pocket for her car keys.
There had been fear in Rowan’s eyes and that fear had ripped through Serena like a thousand icy daggers. Her little sister was in trouble, bad trouble, and she felt helpless to protect her.
That, coupled with what the Elders had said about Cole, had caused the day to turn out pretty shitty. All she wanted was to go home, have dinner, and take a nice, long bubble bath. She’d badger Rowan again tomorrow. No way was her little sis going to give her the brush off on this one.
Deep in thought, she approached her tan sedan and fished in her coat pocket for her car keys.
“Hey, beautiful.”
Her steps faltered. She looked to her right, in the direction the voice like melted chocolate over shortbread had come from. Decadent, irresistible…and really bad for you. Cole, gorgeous and beguiling, leaned up against a storefront, watching her with his forest-colored bedroom eyes. “Cole,” she said in surprise.
“I thought I recognized your car. Kinda hard to miss the vanity plate hdg wtch.” He took a step toward her. “You consider yourself a hedge witch since you don’t belong to a coven, don’t you, darlin’? Be glad you’re not a part of the Three Ash.” He clenched a fist loosely at his side. “They’re on a certain…list of mine, at the moment.”
What the hell was he doing waiting around for her, or calling her beautiful while he did it? Had she slipped into a Twilight Zone where good-looking men paid attention to her? “How’d you get free last night? What are you doing here?” She walked toward him, shaking her head. “Never mind, we have to talk. I have important things to tell you. I contacted the Elders today and found out all kinds of stuff.” She babbled on. “Not all of it makes sense, but—”
He reached out as she came near, hooked his finger in the pocket of her jean skirt and pulled her toward him. The action stopped her words…stopped her breath. He frowned, reached further into her pocket and pulled out a tube of cherry-flavored lip balm.
He quirked a brow and looked at her questioningly. “What’s up with you and the lip balm?”
“Uh. I kind of have an addict—”
Warm hands grasped her shoulders and then slid around to her back, stealing the rest of her sentence. A hard, hot body pressed up against her. “Let’s see if all that lip balm has paid off,” he murmured. “Are your lips as soft as they look?”
She completely lost her train of thought as Cole pulled her up toward his face. Her gaze locked on his eyes for a precarious moment that seemed to last forever. The ending of the word “addiction” was still poised on her tongue. He smiled that slow, sexy, confident smile that sent butterflies straight to her stomach and then lowered his mouth to hers.
Shock stole almost all her motor skills and definitely all her cognitive ability. For a moment, she almost pushed him away. Then something gave within her and said…why not? She relaxed into his body.
His lips worked over her mouth, slowly sipping and tasting her. His hands trailed down and stopped on her waist. She ran her hands up his arms, feeling the bunch of luscious tendon and muscle as he moved.
Rapture. Utter and complete.
His lips slid across her mouth like silk, rubbing sensually. The action tightened her stomach, made it flutter, and affected areas of her body just south. He nipped at her bottom lip and gave it a slow lick, then pulled it into his hot mouth. Her knees almost gave out. With a sexy little growl in his throat, he enveloped her in his arms, tilted his head to the side and slanted his mouth over hers. His tongue feathered across her lips and she opened for him. He swept inside.
Oh…
The man could kiss. There was no doubt about it. He tasted like coffee and smelled like whatever soap he used when he’d showered, kind of clean and manly. His stubble rubbed her soft skin. She noted the sensation, but hardly minded it. On the contrary, for a kiss like this, she’d en
dure a little beard burn…or five o’clock shadow burn, or whatever it was called.
Dear God, she couldn’t think!
His tongue rubbed up against hers and his lips worked over her mouth, tasting, nipping, devouring. The entire street fell away. The whole city just disappeared, as far she was concerned. She felt like she was floating in space. He caught her lower lip between his teeth and tugged gently. Then he slanted his mouth across hers once more and plundered again.
Finally he set her away from him. Her knees felt weak. Her lips were swollen and achy. Her mouth felt empty.
How would it be to sleep with this man if that was just a kiss?
“Sorry,” he said. “I couldn’t resist.”
Sobering, she stepped away from him and searched for something cutting to say. She came up completely empty. “S-sorry?” She swallowed hard. “N-no, that’s okay,” she stammered. It was soooo beyond okay.
He gave her that slow, confident smile again. “But I did notice you kissed me back, beautiful, and really…enthusiastically, too.” He handed the tube of lip balm back to her and she stuffed into her pocket with a trembling hand.
Well, that was like cold water in her face. How arrogant could he be?
Even if it was true.
Her spine straightened. Again she searched for something cutting to say. This time she came up with something feeble, but it was something. Her mind was starting to thaw out. Yay her. “Well, yeah. Someone grabs me out of nowhere and kisses me, I’m going to kiss back. It’s, uh, reflex.” She tried to sound flip, but failed.
He rubbed his hand over his stubbled chin. “Huh. Funny. I would’ve thought that screaming and pushing me away would’ve been reflex.”
She sighed and played with her car keys. “Uh-huh. Listen, I wasn’t joking. I don’t know what just possessed you to do that just now, but it doesn’t matter at this exact moment. I have things to tell you. So…”
He took her hand. “Come with me. We’ll talk.” He pulled her behind him.
