“If I go home, I’lls be killed. I beat the masser and ya know his man Leroy. I thinks I might have killed him. He caught me as I was cuttin’ through the backwoods. I’s going north. I’s getting my freedom. No man is gonna tell me what’s to do no more.”
“That’s good, but you best get now. Mister Sur’ll be home soon. I needs to get his lunch on the table.”
“You really tellin’ me to go.”
“Yeah. What did you think I’d do? Run away with you. You have nothin’ to offer me.”
“Don’t ‘cha love me?”
“I’s never loved ya. Yous just my friend and were nice. Nows I know’d yous slow and all…”
“She’s why you did it. Isn’t she?” Kiri asked, bringing me back to reality. Her voice was so light. I sat up. I didn’t feel worthy of Kiri touching my body. She didn’t seem to share my sentiment. She was on her knees and leaning forward against my back. She kissed each lash I had received.
“Yes. I had nothing. I never wanted to be controlled by any man. It’s an ironic justice, I s’pose. I went to the Mississippi River and walked until the undertow sucked me under. It was stupid. I thought Louise was strong and that she’d fight for me like I fought for her. I just didn’t see any reason to be around anymore. You would’ve thought the walk would have done me good, but with each step my sadness engulfed me more. I wasn’t even hiding when I walked. What was the point, ya know?”
Kiri kept kissing my back. I don’t even know what she heard or if she was even paying attention.
“The wrong person died,” Kiri said with a growl. “But I’m glad. Does that make me evil?”
Her arms wrapped around my chest and pulled me back.
“You need to sleep. Even if it’s only for an hour. Can you promise me something?”
“What?”
“That someday you’ll love me as much as you did her.”
“I already love you more.”
I closed my eyes and fell asleep in her arms.
Chapter 13
Kiriana
I was nervously cleaning and packing. How was I going to go through this twice a day? Maybe I could talk to Kiyoshi and Zarmina about how they handle it. It was weird to me that people don’t talk in the house.
What would be my role? My thumb was blacker than midnight, so I needed to stay far away from the greenhouse. I couldn’t cook. I had a sinking feeling there was a reason Kiyoshi was the one to get provisions. He was male, which probably meant I wouldn’t be able to do that either.
The T-shirt in my hands was rolled so tightly it could probably have fit in my pocket. I tossed the shirt in my backpack and decided to clean up the mess on the roof. That should take me all of two minutes.
Ugh! Where was he? I guessed it was only twelve thirty. He’d been gone for an hour, but it felt as if a year had passed. He was so tired when he left, but he said he was used to it.
I walked out to the roof and dumped out the water in the cooler. Sitting down in a chair I looked at the candle from DJ. DJ. How was I going to tell him? I leaned back and felt the sun on my face. My mind came up with a thousand scenarios, each one worse than the one before.
Hey, DJ, remember how you tried to eat at the Y and I said I didn’t feel anything? Well, I met a guy…DJ, you can’t kiss me anymore because I’m in love with a demon hunter…or, my favorite, DJ, I’m dead. You’re talking to a ghost. Actually. I never existed, I was a figment of your imagination. Now I’ve gotta take off with my lover who’s from the eighteen hundreds.
I leaned forward and ran my fingers through my hair. My elbows rested on my knees and I let out a long sigh. Then I heard a strange noise, like a cat’s meow. A calico cat was sitting on the ledge on the edge of my patio roof. I called to the cat and it turned toward me.
The smooth movements of the cat as it walked toward me were hypnotizing. But as it came closer, I saw it was huge, almost the size of a dog, not a Chihuahua but a lab. Its eyes were changing. The cat was growing with each step and the hair was falling away until I flashed back to the road where I first met Nye.
Oh. My. God. I swallowed hard as the cat’s yellow eyes were locked on me. It was morphing into a human-like creature. It gradually began walking upright. I fumbled for the door to my apartment, but my hands were shaking so bad I couldn’t grasp the knob.
Hissing came from its gargoyle-like head. Its body was a deep gray. I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t. It smiled, revealing two rows of razor sharp teeth. Its eyes did not move from mine, as it shook its head no. I was trapped and I had only one option. Fight. Our eyes stayed locked as I looked for something, anything to hit it with. Just then a beautiful woman appeared on the edge of the roof. She was smiling too.
At least three strides away was the grill. It was a little hibachi, but it was better than nothing, and in a pinch I could smash the wood table to create something sharp.
Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I thought of Nye. I would see him again, no matter what. My hands gripped the grill and I spun around and missed the demon completely.
Coals littered the roof, and coal dust floated down around us. I coughed and covered my eyes as a gray powder stuck to the sweat on my skin. The woman came running toward the two of us and I swung again, this time making contact with its head.
The grill pinged. The vibrations from the impact ran up my arms like I was a tuning fork. I might as well have hit a brick wall. The demon’s head dented the grill, but the grill caused no damage to him. I dropped the grill and blood dripped from my fingers where the metal edges had cut me.
The demon lunged at me, and I ducked and reached for the table as my eyes met the female.
She didn’t blink. She didn’t move. Her hand was up, stopping the demon that was growling and scratching the rooftop.
“He was right; do you smell? A mixture of cold and human? Which is your mate? The Viking? The Soldier? The Dark One? Or the woman? She looks the type that’d like a little one like you. Are they returning or were you just a whore for a night?”
I bit on my lips, afraid I’d give away too much. Suddenly Nye landed on the edge of the rooftop and Dilana ran up the stairs to be by his side.
“D, protect her,” Nye commanded.
Dilana threw me behind her as she drew her special blade and held it in front of her. I fell back on my ass. Rocks dug into my hands and my palms stung on impact. The world seemed to slow down.
I could hear Dilana groan, but she still separated me from the monsters. The female was fighting with Nye and the bantling was scratching for me. Its long fingers had nails that retracted and extended like a cat’s.
Nye dodged a punch and I caught my breath. The female and Nye rolled around the roof. To see this woman biting and punching at Nye was too much for me. “Kiriana, assess the situation. The world’s slowed down so you could save him. What do you see? What do you see?” The whispers spoke to me and my vision became as clear as freshly cut glass. I reached for a dagger tucked in the top of D’s boot.
“Damn it!” D yelled and the other demon jumped on her. D’s fists flew. Bodies flipped and I noticed even though Nye was fighting a female demon, she was just as strong as he was.
I leapt toward Nye. The blade in my hand cut through the side of the demon. The blood was red, but thick like syrup, oozing from the wound, and I shook at the sight, causing me to drop the dagger. The female roared toward me, and Nye grabbed her head, twisting until there was a loud snap. I hadn’t noticed he too had his special knife out and with a slice the female demon turned into a pile of ash at his feet.
Nye looked at me. His bottom lip trembled as fear chased through his eyes. The ash blew around us, but still he didn’t move. He stood still with his massive hands extended in front of him as if they’d committed their own sin.
Dilana screamed and he flew toward her. My eyes turned to my own hands, caked with coal dust, blood, and ash. They still hadn’t stopped shaking when another gust sent the last of the ash toward me.
* * * *
Damarion
“What was your sin?” the Princess asked one night while my head was in her lap.
With her middle finger, she traced the tattoos she had painstakingly inked on my scalp days before.
“Suicide.”
“What is that?”
“Taking one’s own life.”
“Why would one do such a thing?”
“For me, it was failure. I had failed my family. Getting sucked into a scheme which cost me a good deal of my fortune.”
“So you were wealthy?”
“Yes. My family owned a large portion of land because my mother was descended from a Mayan King.”
The Princess’s finger stopped and she gazed down upon me.
“You are of royal blood? Why did you not say this before?”
“Being a great, great grandson of a tribe that was wiped out is not royal.”
“But, yes, it is. Take me, my love. Even though my mother was not a true Deumos, I am still the daughter of Lucifer. That makes me a royal, no matter what my brother thinks. I am to be treated in the same fashion as he, with a true bloodline from both sides. Oh Damarion, this shall make it all come right. We can marry.”
“We can?”
“Oh yes. You are already a prince, but now you can be my prince. Who cares if you were only of royal blood on your human-side. Maybe that is why the tonics worked so well.”
I brought her face to mine. I kissed her longingly and wished her thoughts were true.
“You are the reason the tonics work so well.”
“Shall I pleasure you again? I do quite enjoy it. And if each pull of my mouth can bring you that much closer to being a full demon, I shall pull until I no longer have the strength.”
I kissed her again and her body moved from behind me. She moved down my chest and wrapped her lips around my length. I petted her head as she sucked and stroked my cock. We were both moaning so loud we didn’t hear the click of the door being unlocked.
Beside me a dog barked, and I was no longer in my love’s bed but back in the damn park with a dog playing fetch. I ran my hands over my face and I noticed it was wet. Tears, weakening me. I needed Zuma. Nemesio wouldn’t be enough.
Pulling up outside my cul-de-sac, I saw Pivane running to the far home with the Deumos chasing him.
“Whores, what are you doing?” I yelled as I opened the door to my car.
“She’s gone. He killed her,” Cailean screamed accusingly.
“Who? Who is gone?”
Nemesio was shaking.
“Zuma. The Dark One’s other stabbed her and then…”
Nemesio collapsed to the ground.
“How do you know it was his other? Others don’t fight.”
“She was human,” Keir said. “He was protecting her and she him. Pivane told Zuma the smell would be in the air. It would be near the emersion point.”
Pivane was being held down by Cailean and Keir. Nemesio’s eyes were burning with rage as she knelt on the asphalt in front of the far house.
“What was I to do? Damarion wouldn’t have been able to save her, either. She should have killed her easily, maybe even her mate. I was just trying to find the Frozen! The ones they fuck is the easiest way to find them.”
Nemesio leapt at his throat, her hands squeezing the pathetic life from him. I walked slowly to stop her. I gently placed my hand on her shoulder.
“Save it for my bed chamber,” I whispered. “Tell me Pivane, how did you learn of this mate?”
“I followed the trail of a fool,” he growled.
“Who would that be?”
His lip curled up on the side as he shook his head and closed his eyes.
“Take him to the second house. The third bedroom has been fortified to hold him. I shall deem the appropriate punishment after I’ve contacted the Prince to obtain a replacement for Zuma.”
“No one can replace her, no one,” Nemesio screamed, as she released her hold on Pivane and curled her body into mine. She whispered softly into my chest. “Please, Yahweh. I beseech you. Comfort me as only you can.”
The others dragged Pivane away as he scowled, but his knowing grin had me worried I’d missed something big. With their backs to me, I stroked Nemesio’s hair, allowing my lips to touch the top of her head. She sobbed into my chest.
“I can’t have him as a leader. Please, Yahweh. Please kill him.”
“You know I can’t, but I found a tool you’ll have to be strong enough to use. I can’t wield it. The Princess gave it unto me for your use. We both need comfort. Now come with me.”
* * * *
Nye
Kiri was coughing, then heaving. She must have breathed in the bantling. How had it tracked her? Could it have been me? We showered…and made love again. How strong was our scent?
I felt a heavy blow to the back of my head.
“I’m fucking bleeding, Nye! What did I tell you about your fucking pet?”
“She’s not a goddamn pet! She’s my other.”
D froze. “Kiri…Kiri…do you have anything for cuts?” I asked.
She was on her knees looking at her hands. They were caked and black all the way to her elbows. Her shirt was bloody, but she didn’t seem harmed. I knelt behind her. Slowly I put my hands on her shoulders, but she still jumped. She fell back then wrapped her arms around me. She held so tight, I thought I would never be able to unlock her arms.
“I tried. I’m sorry. Please say you’re not hurt. I couldn’t live with myself if you were hurt.”
“I’m fine, my love,” I said, stroking her hair.
“Well, I’m bleeding!” D snipped.
“I…I…I have a first-aid kit inside,” Kiri said, getting up and crossing to D.
“Don’t…fucking…touch…me.”
Kiri dropped her head.
“I’m sorry I took your knife.”
Kiri walked, picked up D’s blade, and wiped the blood off on her shorts. She passed it handle first to Dilana.
“I couldn’t watch him die.”
“That I can respect. We’ve been partners for a while now. We know where the other is and what their status is at all times. I wouldn’t let him die.”
“That makes me feel better. I owe you everything for keeping him alive all this time.”
“It’s only been six years. Before that I can’t take credit. Ow. I need to clean this.”
Dilana rolled up her sleeve. Her upper arm had three deep gashes.
“Follow me.”
“Nye, go to my truck and get my salve.”
D tossed the keys to me and I looked at Kiri, who just smiled. The two of them walked inside, while I ran to get the salve. Probably not a good idea to leave Kiri alone with D for more than a second.
When I returned, water was running in the bathroom. Remembering what’d happened last time I followed that sound made me stiff. But this was not the time or place for that. I opened the door; Kiri was scrubbing her hands and Dilana was rinsing her arm with her shirt off.
“Eyes on me,” Kiri ordered and I smiled.
“Is there someone else in this room?”
“Good answer,” she said, leaning toward me and snagged a little kiss.
My arms encircled her waist and I helped her scrub.
“Don’t make me gag,” Dilana snipped, took the salve, and applied it to her wound. “This room is too damn small.”
She pushed past me and left.
“I never noticed that,” I whispered in Kiri’s ear and then kissed her neck.
“That one? That I stabbed…”
“Thank you for that. You saved me at least ten minutes.”
I lifted her and carried her out to the living room.
“There will be no stopping us getting sealed. Gabriel is going to be in a good mood since we got one of their trackers. It might not take a miracle for him to let us be others.”
“Great, just what I want, to see his holiness,” Dilana grumbled.
“Oh, come on, D. Yo
u know he loves you.”
“No. He’s gonna fucking blame me.”
I set Kiri down and she crossed to Dilana. Oh shit. Kiri wrapped her arms around D, who stood frozen, her arms stiffly at her side.
“Thank you so much. If it wasn’t for you, I’d never have found him.”
“Don’t remind me. She’s worse than Zarmina.”
“I’m sorry,” Kiri’s voice cracked. “I’m just…you don’t know how much…”
Kiri started to cry and she ran back to my arms.
“Hey. It’s okay. D, do you have another mode besides bitch?”
“I’m asking for a transfer.” Dilana put her hands on her hips and scowled at me.
“No, you’re not!” Kiri interjected. “You can’t.”
“She attaches too easy,” D said. “She won’t be able to live this life.”
I looked down at Kiri. Maybe this was too much for her.
“Stop. Don’t even think about it,” Kiri said, her eyes assuring me she knew what she was doing and she was happy to do it.
“She’s stronger than you think. Did you not notice she helped kill a tracker?”
“Yeah, well, I don’t remember the last time I got injured hunting.”
“I do!” Kiri snipped, putting Dilana in her place. Hopefully Gabriel would be as easy to convince.
* * * *
Kiriana
Walking back into the compound, this time to live there, I was nervous. I held tight to Nye and hid behind him. Dilana hated me, but what would the rest of them think of me?
Zarmina’s raven hair fell to the middle of her back as she came bounding down the stairs. Her tanned skin shone beautifully against her pale yellow sundress with tiny white daisy appliqués. The skirt floated. Her eyes were the color of emeralds, or maybe it was just because they were sparkling when she smiled so big.
“Kiriana, I’m so glad to hear you are joining us,” she said as her hands took mine and she pulled me into the living room.
“Kiyoshi,” she yelled. “You must come meet our newest other.”
“I already have, but I will help with the preparation.”
Kiyoshi came downstairs, kissed Dilana on her cheek, and whispered in her ear. Again Dilana softened. She’s not as evil as she likes to pretend. I had to smile seeing this side of her. She checked Kiyoshi’s arm. He had a bandage on the exact same spot as Dilana had. I looked at Nye who bowed his head in shame.
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