by Dale, Lindy
“Ready,” the others replied as they stomped up the stairs, arms linked.
At the front door, Zac and Ty greeted them. “Hey girls. Party’s through there.”
Ty led the way down a long central hallway to the back of the house and Abbie followed with Lacey behind her. Like sentinels, Kat and Lola took up the rear, their black Docs clomping on the floorboards. For such willowy things, they were ungainly creatures.
“Did you bring your iPod, Lola?” Ty asked, as they walked.
“Yep. All the music is downloaded. Just like Zac asked.”
“Cool.”
The lights in the living room were dimmed but even if they’d been on, Lacey thought she’d have been lucky to see anything. The midnight blue wallpaper, soaked up every grain of light and the floorboards - painted black to match - made seeing rather difficult. Dark rugs dotted the room and large sofas filled the space. On the wall hung a massive wall hanging, its embroidered picture depicting the head of a goatlike creature that Lacey couldn’t quite make out. She didn’t want to go closer to find out what it was. It was bad enough that the eyes seemed to be following her.
Over in the corner of the room, Lola plugged her iPod into the dock, infusing the space with music. It wasn’t to Lacey’s taste but the rest of the gang seemed familiar with it. Some began to dance, drinks in one hand and joints in the other, others chilled and mouthed the words. Not knowing what she should do, Lacey sat down on the lounge and waited. She felt silly. Totally the odd girl out even though she’d managed the right outfit this time.
A minute or two later, Zac entered the room and came to stand in front of her. His black shirt was undone almost to his waist, revealing a hard tanned chest with a silver pendant resting on it. His hair was styled to perfection as usual and his skinny jeans were so tight, nothing was left to the imagination. He looked hot. But then, she supposed, it was easy for a demon.
His large hands easily carried two drinks and he held one out, sitting himself down beside her. His white smile dazzled. “Drink, Lace?”
“Sure.” She took the paper cup from his hand and lifted it to her lips. It didn’t smell too fishy. Just plain old alcohol. “What is it?”
“Vodka and lemonade.”
“Cool.” She took a sip.
“You look nice tonight,” he remarked, his eyes travelling along the lines of the see-through top and over her breasts. Was he looking for the sigil? Suddenly, she felt nervous without it.
“Thanks.”
“That top’s hot. Anyone’d think you were after something.”
Thank God he didn’t know what she was really after.
Lacey smiled. The vodka was bringing back her sense of calm. She could feel her nerves slipping away. “Maybe, I am.”
Zac arched a brow. His stare was red and intense. “I have a few things to attend to first, but maybe you’d like to go for a walk in a bit? We won’t be gone long.”
Only long enough for him to do whatever it was he needed to do.
“Maybe, I would.”
“We never did get to have that kiss.”
“I know.”
Zac was leaning closer. She could see the fine hairs along the side of his jaw. “I hope I can do something to rectify the situation.”
Lacey blushed. She couldn’t help it. He’d always had an effect on her, demon or not. “I guess we’ll see.”
Zac stood and gave her his drink. “Can you look after this for me? I’ve just got to get things sorted and then I’ll be back. If we don’t do Abbie’s branding tonight, she’ll drive us all insane until the next full moon.”
Lacey frowned. She wasn’t comfortable with the idea of Abbie having that tattoo on her wrist. They were so permanent and who knew what it actually bonded her to do. “Isn’t there another way, I mean, without the tattoo? Abbie doesn’t cope well with needles.”
“There is, but it’s not up to you to decide, Lace. We’ll do what Abbie wants when the time comes.”
*****
The moon had cloaked herself in clouds of despair by the time Lacey and Zac went out to the garden. Taking her hand, he led her along the path and into the woods where a well-used trail rambled.
Lacey’s head was pounding and before her, the way was blurred. She should have been scared yet she felt oddly buoyant and ever so relaxed all of a sudden. There must have been something in her drink, after all. She should never have trusted Zac to do the right thing.
Stopping where the trail led down to the river, Zac found a patch of grass and flopped down on it, pulling Lacey along with him. Somewhere in her foggy mind, she knew this was a mistake and yet she couldn’t seem to bring herself to tell him she wanted to go back. It was as if her mouth were glued shut.
The moonlight peeked its head through a cloud to check on her and Lacey saw Zac’s face in the shadows. He was very handsome. One little kiss wouldn’t hurt. If Cam couldn’t love her, Zac was more than willing to fill his shoes. Besides, she was meant to be exposing herself to the danger, right?
“This is nice,” she said at last.
“Not as pretty as you.” Zac lowered his head to her neck and began to kiss the skin along her collarbone.
“I’ve never seen the river from this angle before,” she remarked, pushing him away a little.
“And I’ve never kissed you, but I’ve been dying to since we first met.” Slowly, Zac cupped Lacey’s chin in his hand and turned her to face him. His eyes were glowing like the reddest rubies and she stared into them. She knew she shouldn’t but she felt compelled. “I think it’s about time we did something about that.”
Bending in, Zac claimed her lips as his own. His mouth moved on hers and she felt herself respond as a surge of sexual energy passed through her body, lighting the spark that wanted to turn to a rampant fire, if only she would let it. Hell, why couldn’t he be Cam? Why did he have to be the bad guy?
Laying her down in the soft grass, Zac leant over her. His body pressed into her, his hands roamed along her sides and up towards her breasts. Finding the buttons, he began to undo her shirt. His hands were warm and soft, yet somehow strong at the same time and Lacey felt herself acquiescing to this one small pleasure. If only Cam would touch her this way.
“Come on, Lace. Join us. Be one of us,” his voice intoned over and over again in rhythm to the circular motion of his hands and lips. His kisses were persistent and, oh, so tempting. Heat surged through her, willing her to say yes. This was what Cam had warned her of. Zac’s seduction was almost impossible to refuse.
“What do you mean? Have sex with you? Here on the grass? Is this what all the girls do to be in ‘the gang’?”
“No. Only the special one is chosen for the leader. You are my special one. The most beautiful of them all, saved for me. The others may have whom they please when they please. Except you. You are mine. One kiss and you can have eternity beyond your wildest dreams.”
His kisses, hot and fast, rained down on her and despite what she knew, Lacey wanted to give in. It was as if he had infused her lips with a longing she had never felt, a drug that now she had tasted, she wanted more of and would do anything to have. Her body fought to claim the prize but her mind repelled the urge. Oh, to have this pleasure every minute of every day, what would the price be?
“No!” she squirmed. “Get off me. No!”
Zac gritted his teeth, his face stony at her refusal. He gripped her tighter and thrust his tongue into her mouth.
She felt so dizzy, so weird. And her head was pounding. Her arms crept around his neck and she kissed him back. What was happening?
“I can take you to your mother,” he whispered against her mouth. “All you have to do is say the word.”
Lacey paused. She felt the blood drain from her face.
“She’s with Uncle Luca now. You can see her. Give your heart to me and I’ll take you there. She was very upset when you tried to kill yourself. ”
Lacey bit her lip. “How did you know that?”
“She
told me. She’s been so worried about you.”
“You’re lying, Zac. My mother died in the crash, Zac. I saw her mangled body. You can’t bring her back to life.”
Zac frowned at her. Was he trying to gauge how far he could go? His eyes reeled her in, held her. His hypnotic voice and silky hands enthralled her before he delivered the final blow. “You’re right, I can’t. I don’t have that much power. But Lucifer has. He can do anything if you join forces with him. He’s with your mother now and she’s waiting for you. All you have to do is say ‘yes’.”
Lacey stood up, brushing the grass from her clothes. He was lying. Cam had said he would lie.
“Your mother wanted me to tell you that the accident wasn’t your fault.”
No. Nobody except Cam and her father knew about the accident. It couldn’t be true. She could never see her mother again. Could she?
“Can I think about it?”
“Of course. Come back to the house. You can talk to Luca about it. I’m sure he’ll be able to help you clarify your thoughts.”
Chapter Twenty Three
Lacey was woken from a fitful sleep by the feel of a hand on her shoulder, shaking. “Lacey, wake up. Lacey!”
Rubbing her eyes with her fists, she sat up and looked around, blinking herself into the day. She was in her own bed, wearing her usual night attire of leggings and a singlet top. Her clothes from the night before lay in a crumpled heap on the floor next to the bed, just like always and her shoes had been kicked off next to the door. But where was Abbie? And how had she gotten home?
Next to the bed, Cam and Aunt Beth waited for her to waken fully, their faces a dual picture of concern. This was freaking her out, them being here, in her room, at this hour. And where was Abbie? She was supposed to have slept over last night after the party. Come to think of it, what had she done at that party? She had no idea. She obviously hadn’t signed her life away or something. She was still here. Maybe Zac was dead?
“What’s wrong?” she asked, throwing back the covers and sitting up on the side of the bed.
“Abbie’s missing,” Cam said.
“She didn’t come home with you last night. Cam went to her house in case she went there but she didn’t go home, either. Her mother’s frantic.”
Understandably.
Jumping from the bed, Lacey snatched a pair of jeans from her clothes pile and took off her leggings, sliding the jeans on. Now was not the time for modesty. She was sure Cam had seen lots of girls undressed in his celestial life. Her mind was filled with frantic images of Abbie wasted, letting Zac and Ty do God knows what to her. Worse still, Abbie’s discarded body lying in a ditch somewhere.
“We have to find her.”
“When did you see her last?”
Pulling her hair into a ponytail, Lacey wracked her fuddled brain. Everything was a mess in her head, all fuzzy from the drinks she’d had and whatever Zac had spiked them with. “Um…”
“Think, Lacey.”
“I am thinking,” she shouted. “Its not easy, that’s all. Zac did something to my head.”
Cam began to tap his foot. There was only limited time to get Abbie back before it would be too late.
“The last time I saw her was at the house. She was drinking with Ty and the twins. I went for a walk with Zac.” Her mind attempted to piece the missing parts of the previous evening together. “When I got back, she was gone. At least I think she was. I remember Kat saying something about her leaving.”
Aunt Beth sighed. “And you didn’t think to look for her before you came home?”
“I don’t even remember how I got home, Aunt Beth. All I know is I felt sick and I spewed everywhere. Now its morning.”
Aunt Beth threw a vexed look in Cam’s direction.
“Lacey was okay. If she’d been in distress, even in her disorientated state, I would have intervened.”
“The Angelica Root must have done the trick then.”
“So, there wasn’t a chance to get to Zac?” Lacey asked, still uncertain of what had happened.
“There was a moment when I thought the time might be near but for some reason, you stopped it. Don’t you remember anything at all?”
Lacey rubbed her head in confusion. “Nothing after we went back to the house.”
After putting on her shoes, Lacey grabbed her phone and the Angelica Root bag, stuffing them in her pocket. If only she hadn’t loaned the sigil to Abbie. “So where do we look first?”
“I’ll do a sweep over the bushland near the farm,” Cam replied.
“I’ll go down the walk and into the maze. She would have had to have come back that way if she was on the way home.”
Aunt Beth sat down on the sofa and picked up the phone. “Her mother has already contacted the police but I’ll do a ring around of all the kids at the party, starting with Ty. Maybe she went home with one of them. Can you make me a list, Lace?”
Lacey went to the hall table and grabbed a pen and paper.
“Did anyone try Abbie’s mobile?”
“She doesn’t have one.” Now wasn’t the time to go into it.
*****
The gravel under Lacey’s shoes crunched as she ran along the Willow Walk calling Abbie’s name. With each tree canopy she checked, her fear grew. By the time she reached the park and maze, she was frantic. This was her fault. She’d known Abbie was vulnerable; she should never have left her inside the house and went off with Zac. Her concern for her friend should have overridden any selfish thoughts she had of finding demons and the like. And where the hell was Ty? He was meant to be Abbie’s boyfriend. She’d kill him if he’d let anything happen to Abbie. Especially if he’d been off playing the clown again.
Rounding the bend and running down the grassy knoll that led to the maze, Lacey kept calling. Abbie couldn’t be dead, it wasn’t possible. Ty would never hurt her and Abbie wouldn’t leave his side to go with someone else. She was probably holed up somewhere, oblivious to the fact that everyone was looking. They would find her somewhere, safe and sound. Maybe she should try Abbie’s home phone again? She might answer this time.
At the bottom of the park, Lacey heard a low whimpering sound coming from the corner behind the maze. Was that crying? Or moaning? Oh shit, it was Abbie. Setting off at full speed, Lacey ran. Her lungs sucking in breath, she screamed Abbie’s name over and over. Please God, let her be okay. Don’t let her die.
At the corner, Lacey stopped, absolutely unprepared for the sight that greeted her. Abbie was lying coiled on the grass, her eyes shielded from the danger. Her leg, scratched and bloodied, was twisted in an awkward manner. Above her, two huge black wings flapped, attached to possibly the ugliest creature Lacey had ever seen. Its skin was brown and scaly, dragon-like. A long forked tail flicked back and forth behind its body. As it turned its head, training its gaze on her, it opened its mouth in an horrendous roar, showing Lacey thin fang-like teeth that dripped with saliva. Lacey could see its eyes too, like crimson saucers, sending sparks toward her, willing her dead.
Jesus, what was she meant to do? She could scream but it would be utterly pointless. Thinking fast, she pulled the flannel bag Aunt Beth had given her from the pocket of her jeans and waved it in the creature’s direction, attempting to ward it off. The thing hissed and flicked its tail towards her, trying to knock her down. Jumping out of its way, she waved the bag again screaming, “In the name of God, I ask you to leave. In the name of God, I ask you to leave!” Then, more for good luck than anything, she dropped the tiny pouch and formed her fingers into a crude crucifix shape. It worked in the movies, after all.
“Be gone,” she yelled, with all the ferocity she could muster.
Angered, the creature roared again and thrust forward as if to strike her with its taloned arms. This was it. She would surely die, this time. Her lungs were exploding, her legs so heavy she could hardly move but with one last effort she dived into the refuge of the branches of the maze….
….just in time to see Ty, who had app
eared from the other end of the maze, unfurling the most massive pair of pearlescent wings Lacey had ever seen. Rising to a height that looked twice his own size, he glowed in an aura of lavender and silver. In his left hand, he wielded a huge sword that he swung with frightening ease and in his right, his body stood protected by a platinum shield engraved with an intricate crucifix. Wind rushed around Lacey’s ears, her hair matted over her face as he swooped across the grass like an eagle diving on it’s prey.
As Lacey watched, Ty took on the demon with surprising skill. The two ducked and darted, tumbling over the ground and down towards the freezing waters of the river. Fanged teeth were bared and arms were torn to bleeding as they lunged at each other, flying back up the slope until finally in one last swipe, Ty plunged his sword into the chest of the beast and withdrew it swiftly, only to swing again, felling its head. Defeated, the lifeless body of William fell to the ground, shrivelling into a blob of ash.
Oh my God. If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed it.
*****
Lacey raged through the kitchen door, slamming it behind her with such force it almost came off its hinges. Aunt Beth and Cam were sitting at the table waiting for news. The room was dark and chilled with sadness. It was as if the life had been drained from it, as if some dark secret was waiting in the oven to jump out at them. Aunt Beth’s head was bent to the table and her hands cupped an untouched mug of herbal tea. Cam was staring at the fireplace as if trying to formulate the explanation he already knew Lacey would demand.
After slaying the beast that was William, Ty, had taken Abbie to the hospital. He’d contacted her mother and was waiting for the doctor to arrive. Shaken from the fight but more from the fact that Lacey had been witness to it, he’d wanted to explain then and there, if only he hadn’t had to deal with Abbie . She had no clue how he was going to explain it to Abbie’s mother or what he would even tell the Police when they arrived. ‘A demon did it’ wasn’t exactly a plausible explanation. The only other person who’d been there was Lacey and she wasn’t about to tell. Nobody would believe her if she did. It was as fantastical as the fact that Ty had two metre high luminous wings hidden between his shoulder blades. Still, what happened with Ty and Abbie wasn’t her problem right now. All that mattered was that Abbie was safe. Lacey wanted the truth.
