by E. S. Moore
Jeremy hesitated like he saw something in my face that said I wasn’t telling him something, which of course, I wasn’t. I didn’t want to accuse Nathan or Keira of anything until I had some proof.
“Where’s Ethan?” I asked, rising. My socks made wet squelching sounds as I walked across the linoleum. I paused long enough to pull them off so I wouldn’t track water through the house.
“Downstairs.” Jeremy turned back to the TV.
I studied the werewolf for a moment, wondering if he was mad at me. While he’d been the one to initiate conversation, I hadn’t actually given him much in the way of answers. I definitely needed to work harder at including him, though it wasn’t going to happen tonight.
“Thanks,” I said, heading for the stairs. I wanted out of my wet clothes in the worst way. I could deal with Jeremy in a bit.
I closed my bedroom door and went about the slow process of peeling out of my leather. Wet leather doesn’t like coming off. At times, it almost felt as if it wasn’t worth it and I should simply lay down in front of a fire for a few hours before trying again.
Thankfully, the leather wasn’t exactly tight. I preferred motorcycle leathers, the loose kind that are strong enough to save you from scraping yourself too badly if you hit the pavement, but not so tight as to restrict movement, so I was able to get them off before growing too frustrated. I hung them on the edge of the hamper, figuring I’d go down and put them in front of the fire once I was dry and changed.
I shivered again and decided it would be a good idea to get a warm shower before doing anything else. I wouldn’t get sick from the chill, but it was uncomfortable. The hot water would serve as a quick fix in warming me up through and through.
I jacked the heat up and stepped inside the cascading water. I closed my eyes and simply let it wash over me. It melted all of the stress away, warming my chilled bones. It felt so good, it took me a moment to realize something was wrong.
I slammed my hand against the wall before I could fall. Everything was spinning and there was a churning in my gut that made my knees weak.
I slid down to my knees and fought the urge to retch. I was breathing fast and hard, unable to catch my breath. My body was covered with goose bumps despite the fact the water was almost as hot as it would go.
Steam blurred my vision and I closed my eyes against a world that refused to sit still. I hitched in a breath and held it, knowing that if I were to try to breathe normally, I’d end up puking all over myself.
And that’s when the pain hit.
It came from right behind my ear, where Beligral’s mark was raised. I screamed and collapsed to all fours where I vomited nonstop for at least ten agonizing seconds. The water washed it away almost immediately, but the smell filled my nose and wouldn’t go away. It smelled worse than the stuff Ethan had given me to drink the night before.
I threw up again.
I jerked my head back as another wave of pain hit. My skull cracked hard against the side of the tub and my knees bent back the wrong way, but I was past the point of caring. Stars were flashing in my vision and the world did another slow loop that just about had me flat on my back.
The bathroom door burst open, but I kept my eyes closed. Wave after wave of pure agony shot through my head, blinding me to anything but the pain. I was gagging and shaking so badly, it was like having a seizure.
The shower curtain was jerked back and I was pretty sure I heard it tear. Someone spoke, but the pain not only blinded me, it had struck me mostly deaf. I doubted I’d have made sense of the words even if I could’ve heard them over the ocean of sound going on within my head.
A hand took me by the shoulders and gently shook.
And just like that, the pain was gone.
My eyes snapped open to find Jeremy leaning into the shower. His hair was soaked. Water ran into his eyes, yet he didn’t seem to care. His one good hand was holding me down, as if he feared I might leap up and rip out his throat.
“Kat?” he asked. He sounded terrified. “What’s happening?”
I swallowed back the rush of bile that was still assaulting me. The pain might be gone, but I still felt woozy. “Let me up,” I said. My voice came out gravelly. I probably looked as bad as I sounded.
Jeremy leaned back, but kept his hand on me. I used his arm to lift myself into a sitting position. My head was still swimming horribly and I was forced to lean back against the tile to steady myself. Standing was completely out of the question.
I blindly reached out and turned off the shower. The water was still hot, meaning my attack hadn’t lasted long, though it felt as if it had taken a lifetime.
“Here.”
I opened one eye. Jeremy was holding a towel out to me. He was looking the other way.
“Thanks,” I said, taking the towel from him. I draped it across my legs and chest and crossed my arms over it to keep it in place.
Jeremy glanced at me and, noting that I was covered, turned to face me once again. “I heard you scream,” he said. I was surprised to hear how much worry was in his voice.
“I’m okay,” I said, though I was far from it. I knew what had happened. It pissed me off to no end. I wasn’t sure how much Jeremy knew of Ethan’s demon, so I wasn’t about to explain things to him. I didn’t want to scare him away.
Jeremy licked his lips and sat back on his heel. He wiped his hand down his face to sluice away most of the water. Droplets dripped from his hair onto his shirt, which clung appealingly against his chest.
God, I must have hit my head harder than I thought.
“I thought someone had gotten in somehow,” he said. “Christ.” He laughed shakily. “I thought you were dying.”
“I’m fine.” I took hold of the faucet and used it to leverage my way to my feet. I swayed a moment before steadying. “But I have to talk to Ethan. Now.”
Jeremy rose with me. He kept looking at me and then looking away. It took me a moment to realize I’d loosened my grip on my towel. It had been hanging down around my waist and the poor were had no idea where to look.
“Help me out,” I said, reaching out a hand. I wasn’t going to be embarrassed by my nudity. He was a werewolf; he should be used to that sort of thing by now.
Jeremy hesitated a moment before taking my hand. He kept his eyes averted, which was actually sort of endearing. The poor kid was embarrassed and trying damn hard not to let it show.
My legs were weak and shaky, but I was able to step over the lip of the tub and out onto the floor without falling. Now that the pain had passed and I was able to move again, anger was starting to creep in. I could have cracked my skull in there. I could have drowned. The fucking demon had probably planned it that way.
“Do you need me to stay?” Jeremy asked. “I can wait outside if you need me to help you downstairs.”
“I’ll be okay,” I said. “I just need a few minutes to get changed and I’ll be down.”
Jeremy nodded, but didn’t leave right away. He looked into my face, studied me as if trying to decide if I were really okay. I forced a smile and that seemed to do it for him. He turned and walked out of the bathroom, though I did notice him glance back over his shoulder once before he was gone. I wasn’t sure if that last gaze was to check on me or to check me out. I was flattered either way.
The bedroom door closed a moment later, leaving me alone in the privacy of my room. My entire body ached as I dried off. The mark behind my ear was throbbing now and the scar on my back had flared up during the attack. My fingers were tingling oddly and I had a sudden fear that something worse had happened while I’d been suffering, something permanent.
I shook off the thought. There was no use dwelling on it. If I didn’t get better by the time I was done with Beligral, I’d break the demon’s goddamned neck.
Once dry, I grabbed clean underwear, a pair of jeans, and a T-shirt and pulled them on. My boots were downstairs and still wet, so I snatched a dirty pair of tennis shoes out of the closet and slipped them on. I too
k a few deep breaths to calm myself before leaving my room.
Jeremy was waiting for me in the dining room. He watched me, face full of concern, but didn’t rush over to help when I swayed on the bottom step. If I’d asked, I was sure he’d be there in an instant. He realized I wanted to do this on my own. It was built into the both of us.
I was still having a hard time putting one foot in front of the other without stumbling, so I leaned against the wall before heading all the way downstairs. It wouldn’t do to show weakness in front of the demon. He’d take too much pleasure in it.
It was then I noticed Jeremy was holding his phone. By the way he was squeezing it, I could tell he had yet to make a call.
“Don’t call him,” I said. “I’ll take care of this. There’s nothing he can do.”
Jeremy nodded and slid his phone into his back pocket like he’d known that from the get-go.
I gave him a thankful nod and then headed down the next flight of stairs.
The fireplace was cold in the sitting room. I wanted a warm fire more than ever, but it would have to wait. I couldn’t put this off any longer. If I waited, chances were good Beligral would send more pain to remind me of my mark. The next time he did, I might not be standing in a shower. I could be riding my motorcycle. If that happened, I’d probably break my neck.
I took the stairs into the basement slowly, trying hard to manage my anger. I really didn’t want to do this. I was afraid of what I might say to the demon once we were face to face.
As soon as I was in the basement, I resolutely made my way to the door that led down into Ethan’s lab and pressed the intercom button.
“Ethan,” I said, sounding far angrier than I wanted. I needed to calm down fast. I really didn’t need Beligral pissed off at me any more than he already was.
It took him only a moment to answer, as if he knew I’d be coming. “I’m here.” He paused. “What’s up?”
I took a deep breath and grimaced. It tasted horrible, like bile and raw sewage. My hair was still wet and I think I’d puked in it, which only added to the stench. I felt like hell, yet there was no turning back now.
I glanced at the table with my weapons. What I wouldn’t give to take them down with me, but knew that would only irritate Beligral. What came out of my mouth was probably already going to be bad enough.
“Open the door,” I said. “I need to talk to your demon.”
There was a pause, followed by a faint, “Oh.”
A moment later, the door clunked open.
8
The lab was cool and demon-free as I descended the stairs. I looked around, noted that everything looked pretty much the same as the last time I’d seen it, including the cage at the far end of the room, and then turned to face Ethan.
He was watching me, red-faced. There were no half-finished weapons on the table, nor were there used weapons in need of cleaning. There was no hint that he’d summoned Beligral that night at all, or had had any intention of doing so until I’d arrived. I briefly wondered what he’d been doing down here by himself, but decided I probably didn’t want to know.
“I need to speak to your demon,” I said, glancing around the room again. The circle was still there, clear of debris and dust like always. The chair remained in the center, though I thought it looked as if it might have been turned a little so it faced the doorway more fully. I wasn’t sure if that meant anything or not.
Ethan bit his lower lip when my eyes fell on him again. “You sure?”
I gave him a flat look.
“Right,” he said with a shaky laugh. He turned and gathered his supplies.
I’d seen Ethan do this a few times, yet each time, it surprised me that someone like him could do something like this. He didn’t seem the type. He’d been doing it since he was a kid and I wondered how he ever got himself into a situation where he felt the need to summon a demon. I mean, people didn’t just suddenly decide to start summoning demons because their life wasn’t going the way they’d hoped. Something had to have happened.
I’m not sure if I’d ever ask him. It felt too invasive.
Ethan set up his flesh candles and drew a chalk outline around the silver circle set in the concrete. He glanced up every few moments to check on me and I caught a hint of pity in his eyes.
I looked away. It was my fault I was marked. I kept calling it his demon, but really, I was just as involved as he was. Every time I came down here, I was making deals with Beligral when common sense should keep me from doing something so mind-numbingly stupid. Yet somehow, he always knew what to say to hook me. It’s what made him so dangerous.
Not this time, I promised myself. He won’t get me this time.
If only it were that easy. What he usually offered was a way for me to help someone I cared about. He’d allowed me to see Levi for what he really was. He’d checked my brother, Thomas, to see if his mind could be saved. Each time I took on a mark, I did so out of my own free will to help someone else.
Still, I didn’t feel any better about what I was doing.
I sulked in the corner as Ethan finished setting up the circle. No matter what happened here, I was determined to walk away mark free. Maybe someday, once I was clear of the demon’s influence, and clear of some of my other troubles, I’d find a way to set Ethan free.
He started his low chant, something he told me wasn’t entirely necessary, but somehow helped him focus. He was already starting to sweat, though the heat had yet to build in the room. I straightened and braced myself for what was to come.
The dark speck appeared in the middle of the circle. It was little more than a black, button-sized hole in the fabric of reality. Heat poured from it. It blasted into me and knocked me back a step, though I thought I’d been prepared for it. I was forced to shield my eyes from the heat, causing me to miss the demon’s emergence.
I felt, more than heard, the tear between realms. I tried to see past the waves of heat, but it was impossible. I caught a glimpse of red skin and black wings, and perhaps a horn or two, through my parted fingers before his glamour took hold and he was just another man, dressed in a suit and tie. This time, he was wearing a bowler hat. He tipped it my way as the portal closed behind him.
“It’s so lovely to see you, my dear,” he said with a smile. His teeth were yellow and sharp.
“You didn’t leave me much choice.” I wiped sweat from my brow and lowered my hand. It felt like I was standing in an oven.
Beligral leaned on a cane that suddenly appeared in his hand. “Enough time had passed,” he said, glancing casually around the room. His gaze passed right over Ethan as if he weren’t even there. “I thought it was a good time to remind you of what you owe me.”
“Oh, I haven’t forgotten.” I stared into the circle, but refused to look directly into the demon’s eyes. It was far too easy to get trapped in his gaze.
Ethan edged his way to his workbench where he sat down and started chewing his nails. He was watching us, almost as if he knew something was coming and was simply waiting for it to happen.
“So what do you want?” I demanded. I tried to sound tough, but damn it, Beligral scared the hell out of me. Even trapped within the circle, he was dangerous. One mistake and something very, very bad could happen. Yet even though I knew that, I kept coming back for more.
What exactly did that say about me?
“I’m simply interested in your paying off your mark, is all,” Beligral said. “There is no reason for you to be angry.”
Yeah, right, I thought, but wisely kept my mouth shut. Somehow I knew he’d get too much pleasure out of me voicing my doubts.
About a thousand questions shot through me right then. I’d sworn to myself that I wouldn’t ask anything of the demon, yet now that he was there, I couldn’t help but think about everything he might be able to help me with. There was Delai, of course, but what about the Left Hand? Could he do something that would allow me to find them without having to search the entire damn city?
; I groaned inwardly. There was no way I could simply walk away from the demon. He knew too much that could help me. The bastard had me and he knew it.
“What can you tell me of the Left Hand?” I asked, chancing a glance up toward Beligral’s face.
His smile was knowing as he turned and strode over to his chair. He took off his hat, twirled it on his finger a few times before sitting. He slung a leg over the armrest and sat back, looking as comfortable as could be. The hat was gone, as was the cane.
“The Left Hand,” he said, acting as if he was mulling it over. “What do I know of the Left Hand?”
I shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. I knew he was drawing this out on purpose. He would do anything to keep a hold on me and I bet he was trying to find something he could use to coax me into a mark without actually telling me anything. It was the way he worked. I’d only gain something if I took on another mark.
But I refused to let that happen. I would find a way to get the information from him without getting marked. There had to be a way, right? All I had to do was push him the right way and he might let something slip.
I knew I was fooling myself. If demons were that easy to manipulate, then everyone would be doing it.
I clenched my jaw and stared hard at Beligral’s knees while he continued to hem and haw.
Finally, he shrugged and swung his leg to the floor. “They are of no importance,” he said. The cane reappeared and he gently tapped it on the floor. “They are but pureblooded nuisances, are they not? Hardly worth your effort.”
“So you can’t tell me anything about them?”
“I didn’t say that,” he said with a smile.
I growled deep in my throat. “Can you tell me anything meaningful about the Left Hand?”
He seemed to consider it before shrugging. “Nothing that would help you do what you wish.” He stood and began pacing. The cane was gone again.
“Then we have nothing to talk about,” I said, turning away. I wasn’t going to stand there and let him toy with me any longer. If I got out now, I might avoid another mark for good.
