by Mary Abshire
“Still feeling sick?” he asked.
“Sort of, yeah. It’s weird. I tried to puke but it’s like I don’t need to. Yet, I don’t feel right.”
“Maybe you should stay here and get some rest.” He brushed her bangs away from her eyes. “You didn’t eat much yesterday and you’re overly worried about me getting to this demon.”
“I had the sub sandwich and chips.”
“But that was your only meal during the day.”
“It was enough.”
He shook his head as if he didn’t agree. “Not enough for you and the growing baby. You’re supposed to eat for two.”
She sighed. “I wasn’t hungry though.”
“We should’ve left instead of spending the entire day and most of the night watching the demon. I shouldn’t have let you talk me into staying so late.”
“But there was too much activity going on. We could’ve missed something if we’d left. And an opportunity had come up for you to get to him. It wasn’t your fault it didn’t work out.”
The demon had returned within the hour after Andrew had snuck around the property. Another car had parked behind the demon’s sedan with two men inside. Emily had recognized the men from the previous night when they’d gone to the mosque. The three had disappeared inside the garage for almost two hours. When the guests left, Andrew seized the chance to destroy the demon. On his way to the home, a green car had arrived. Emily identified the driver from the night before too. Andrew couldn’t destroy the demon with others around, so he’d kept walking. She’d picked him up down the street and then they’d returned to their spot to watch. The demon had company until the evening when the all too familiar van pulled into the driveway. More men exited from it, but they hadn’t stayed long. Everyone, including the demon, had left in the van.
“I should’ve ended our stakeout when they went to the mosque,” he said.
“I thought they’d drop him off and he’d be alone for the night. You would’ve had a great chance to kill him if that had happened. I insisted we stay, so none of this is your fault.”
Emily’s plan would have worked if the men had left the demon after their religious services. But the guy in the green car had stuck around for several hours. At ten at night, Andrew had decided they should leave.
He rose from the bed. “Maybe if you eat a meal you will feel better.”
The thought of food actually made her stomach churn more. Yet, she knew she had to get something in her. “I’d rather grab a box of Cheerios on our way out. I’m afraid if I eat too much I will get sick for real. I hate throwing up in a car.”
He ran his hand through his hair like he had so many times when he was nervous.
She stood and took hold of his hands. “Everything will be fine. My body is responding to stress, but I’ll be okay. Once you kill him, I’m sure the level will decrease and I’ll feel better.”
“I’m not going to spend all day watching him again. It’s not good for you. I want to destroy this demon quickly, but not at the expense of your mental and physical health.”
She chuckled. “Mental? You make it sound like I’m a crazy person for worrying about you.”
“I can admit I’m mentally unstable when it comes to protecting you. I will do whatever it takes and I dare anyone to hurt you. I will rip them to shreds.”
He made a valid argument. She, too, would do anything for him. Crazy wasn’t so bad after all.
She put her hands on his cheeks and gave him a kiss. “We should get going.”
He pressed his lips to hers two more times. The second one lasted longer and heated her insides. She fought the temptation to pull him into bed. Duty first, and then they could spend endless hours in each other’s arms.
She slid her hands down his chest as she stepped back. “Will you grab a bottle of water for me? I’ll get my purse.”
“Sure.” He pecked her cheek.
While he retrieved the water from the mini fridge, Emily collected her bag from the table. The weight of her purse had increased since she’d stuffed a gun in it. Strap over her shoulder, she headed for the door.
“Have you got your phone and the blade?” she asked as she met him near the bathroom.
He switched the bottle to his other hand and then patted his right front pocket. “Got them both.”
“I put an extra one in my purse in case you need it."
“And you have the gun?”
“Yes.” She dug inside her bag and withdrew the car key. “You can drive.”
He took the key from her before she walked out of the room.
They passed through silent halls to reach the elevator. On the main floor, a few travelers sat in the eating area with tables. Local news played on the large television on the wall. The volume had been turned low, but close captioning showed what the people were saying. Various food items were available for breakfast on the long counter to the side. She’d headed for the shelves with the cereal.
“How about some yogurt too?” Andrew asked.
“Yeah, if you want to get a strawberry one. And a spoon.”
He left her side to retrieve the items. Once she gathered a small box of Cheerios, she caught up to him. She took the items from him and dumped them in her purse. Side by side, they walked out of the hotel.
Traffic on the interstate seemed heavier from the previous morning. Maybe it had something to do with the fact they’d left over twenty minutes later. Emily ate the yogurt since her stomach had made a loud growling noise. She figured the creamy snack wouldn’t upset her since it was light. Having finished, she set the empty container and spoon on the side of the door to throw out later.
Andrew managed to park in the same spot as he had the day before. The black sedan was the only car in the demon’s driveway. Like many of the other homes, his remained dark. Emily retrieved the binoculars from the glove box and set them between the seats in case Andrew might need them.
“It’s a shame I can’t get into his house at this hour. We know he’s probably alone,” Andrew said.
“If you broke a window, he’d hear, and a neighbor might too. He’d call the police. Your jig would be up. Plus, there are people passing by his house on their way out of the neighborhood. Someone is bound to see you walking on the sidewalk or going up to his home. So now is not a good time to make your move.”
He rubbed his chin and held his tongue for a few minutes. Then, he said, “If everything goes well today and I can destroy the demon, let’s stay one more night. It bothers me you haven’t been sleeping much.”
“I don’t mind if we stay another day. And on the drive back to Utah I can search for a nice hotel for us to celebrate Valentine’s Day.”
The holiday was a little over a week away. She’d been too focused on staking out the demon yesterday she hadn’t checked for local places. Since it seemed they were going to return sooner than expected, she was glad she hadn’t searched for a hotel in San Antonio.
“I have a good idea what I’d like to do on Valentine’s Day.” His lips curled on one side.
“Yeah? Well, don’t tell me.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “I wasn’t going to.”
She grinned. Prior to meeting Andrew, she hated surprises. Now, it didn’t matter how big or small they were. She welcomed any kind of surprise from the love of her life.
They sat in the car and watched the sunrise. People left their homes, and busses drove by. Andrew yawned several times. He’d slept cuddled up against her backside as he had the night before. He hadn’t stirred much from what she remembered.
She looked down between the seats. The binoculars rested on the armrest. Lower, her bottled water filled one slot. The other was empty.
“You didn’t get coffee this morning,” she said.
“I decided to skip it.”
“I hope you didn’t skip it because of me.” She reached up and ran her fingers into his short dark locks.
He leaned sideways toward her as if he were a cat see
king a human touch. “I would do anything for you.”
His words added extra beats to her heart. She played with his tiny curls. “We talked about this. You can still drink coffee. I don’t mind it.”
He moved a hand to her stomach. “You and this life inside you mean everything to me. I don’t need coffee to feel good. I just need you.” He pressed his mouth to hers.
His delicate kisses always ignited a heat wave inside her.
“Crazy lover,” she said.
“I admit it and only for you.”
The door on the side of the demon’s house opened, stealing her attention. Andrew turned and straightened in his seat. The demon stepped outside and then locked his door. Having finished, he strode to the garage.
Emily sighed. “I guess he’s back to whatever he does in there.”
Andrew glanced at the time. “He’s early, compared to yesterday.”
With each passing minute as they stared at the garage, Emily’s gut twisted.
Andrew held out his palm. “Give me the gun.”
“Are you going now? It’s early still.” She dug in her purse by her feet. Finding the gun, she grabbed it.
“Now is as good of a time as any.”
She put the weapon in his hand. He leaned forward and tucked the gun behind his back, under his shirt.
“Make sure the sound is off on your phone. If I see any problems, I’ll send a message to you,” she said.
He nodded. “Don’t leave this car, even if you hear a gunshot.”
Fear came alive within her. She hated to think he could get hurt or that someone might call the cops. “You may not have much time if you use the gun.”
“I know. I’m going to try to stab him, but if things get out of hand, I’m not going to hesitate to shoot him.”
She swallowed hard. “He’ll fight back. You know that.”
Andrew put his hand on the side of her face. “I’ll beat him, kill him, and then destroy the demon. End of story.”
He gave her a passionate kiss that should’ve sent tingles of desire racing through her. Instead, her heart wanted to weep. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sucked on his tongue when he slid it into her mouth. Still, her need didn’t rise. Dread gripped her like a vise and refused to allow any other emotions. When he broke the kiss, she had to fight from crying. What the hell was wrong with her? It had to be her hormones.
“I’ll be back. Don’t worry,” he said. “And I wouldn’t mind a kiss like that when I return.”
She managed a small smile. “I’ll give you an even bigger one.”
“Deal.” He smooched her lips. “I love you.”
“Love you more. Be careful.”
He left the Jeep without another word.
Emily watched with wide eyes and a racing heart as he crossed the street. Nausea returned in a rush. She’d seen him destroy other demons, yet this one scared her. The only answer she could come up with was that her hormones were out of control. She knew Andrew had the strength to force his way in the garage with the demon. She had confidence he would kill the man and then send the demon to hell where it belonged. She took a deep breath to calm herself. Everything would be all right.
Andrew crossed the other street to reach the side with the demon’s house. There weren’t any cars coming or going. The neighborhood looked at peace for the moment.
Emily lifted the binoculars to her eyes. Peering through them, she saw the demon step out of the garage. He locked the door and then began walking to his house. Emily’s anxiety shot through the roof as she lowered the lenses.
Andrew stood behind an SUV parked on the side of the street. He had his gaze directed at her. She raised the binoculars and searched for the demon. She found him at the door on the side of his house. Within seconds, he disappeared inside.
Emily lowered the lenses and gave Andrew a thumb up. He gave her a nod before he stepped back onto the sidewalk.
Her unease remained strong as he strode toward the demon’s property. Rubbing her belly, she said a prayer. She asked for the powers that be to watch over him and protect him so they could be together again.
While she believed he could complete his task, she feared something would go wrong. She hoped her overworking hormones and overactive imagination were feeding her alarm, but her gut instinct disagreed. And her gut was rarely off base.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Andrew’s pulse sped as he strode down the sidewalk, heading to the demon’s property. The second he’d spotted the demon walking toward his house, he’d darted behind the SUV. He hadn’t expected the man to return to his home so quickly. The demon often stayed in the garage for at least fifteen minutes, often longer. After Emily had given him a sign, he’d decided to proceed with his plan, but he’d have to hurry and hide behind the garage in case the man returned soon.
He passed the demon’s privacy fence and reached the driveway. Keeping his gaze on the house, he walked close to the fence and away from the sedan as he strode toward the garage. The three-foot wide space between it and the tall barrier would give him enough room to hide and move around. He reached the gap and found gardening tools leaning against the building. Carefully, he stepped around them.
The air felt cooler as he continued along the dark space. He had to lift his feet to step over the tall grass and weeds. The area smelled of mildew. Mold covered several areas along the deteriorating gray fence. It seemed termites had eaten away at most of the wood too. He felt a tickling sensation on his arm and ran his hand down it. He wondered if spiders had found their heaven in the undisturbed small confines. Reaching the back of the garage, he spotted a large web in the corner of the fence. He hoped he wouldn’t run into the creator.
He walked along the backside of the building. The grass seemed taller, so he had to lift his legs higher to avoid making swishing sounds. He still did but one could presume the wind had created the soft noise.
Hearing a click and the jingle of keys, Andrew froze. He stood four feet from the corner of the garage that opened to the back yard. Heart accelerating, he put his hand on the building and steadied his breathing. The vinyl siding felt cool and gritty. He heard footsteps on the driveway. Seconds later, he heard a squeal and then a thud. The wall shook under his touch.
Andrew lowered his arm and waited for more sounds. He took one step forward. A clanging noise inside the garage gave Andrew pause. He guessed the clank belonged to some kind of metal or a pipe. Andrew moved toward slowly and quietly to the end of the building. Rattling from within led him to believe the demon was searching for something. Andrew heard the demon curse and then a loud cling.
The squeal returned and then a loud smack as if a door had been slammed. The building vibrated again. Hearing footsteps, Andrew peeked around the corner. The demon held his key and stopped at the front door to his house. Andrew stepped back and waited for the demon to go inside. When he heard a soft thud, he peered from behind the garage. The demon was gone.
Andrew’s phone twitched in his pocket. He ignored it as he hurried around the structure. Judging from the sounds, the demon seemed irritated and searching for something. He’d left in a rush and if Andrew guessed right, he hadn’t locked the garage door. And if he were on the hunt for something, he’d return soon.
His heart thudded fast. Adrenaline coursed within him. He reached the door and twisted the handle. It turned. Andrew rushed inside and shut the door.
The musty room stunk of some kind of chemical and fertilizer. Long florescent lights lit up the area. Tall wooden tables lined both sides and the back walls. Not far from him, there was a tall tool shelf, two piles of large forty to fifty pound bags, and several twenty-gallon cylindrical tubs. The tables on one side of the room were covered with vests with pipes connected to devices. Tools, pipes, electronics, bowls, paper towels, and a few kitchen items were scattered on the tables on the opposite side. Two of the large bags lay open as well. Black dirt coated the floor in one spot not far from one of the gallon tubs.
&n
bsp; Andrew had no idea what the demon was working on, but he figured Emily might know. He dug out his cell from his pocket. He scrubbed his arm over his forehead to clear the perspiration before he tapped the screen. Emily had sent him a message saying the demon had gone into the house. He ignored the text and pressed the icon for the camera. As quick as he could, he took a picture of the supplies beside him. He strode to the table with the vests and snapped shots too. He moved toward the door as he hurried to send the photos to Emily.
Having sent the pictures, he shoved the phone into his back pocket. He surveyed the room, looking for a spot to hide. He couldn’t find any tarps or covers. The four-foot high tool shelf didn’t offer enough width to conceal him.
A thud outside jerked his attention toward the door. Andrew’s heart raced as he suspected the demon was on his way back. With nowhere to hide, he backed up behind the wood door. He shoved his hand into his front pocket for the switchblade. He withdrew it and held the weapon at his side.
Sweat trickled down one side of his face. The demon twisted the handle and then entered the garage. Andrew sucked in a breath as the door came close to him. The demon swung it shut behind him. Carrying a box, he strode toward the tables with the supplies scattered about. The door smacked when it closed.
Andrew released the breath he’d been holding. He had one thought in his head as he took a step forward. Please let this end quickly.
The demon set the box on the table. The cardboard scraped over the surface. Andrew managed another step before the demon turned and saw him. The man’s eyes widened and he froze.
“What do you want?” the demon asked.
“You.” Andrew gripped the weapon in his hand. His thumb searched for the trigger to free the blade.
The demon darted his gaze to the vests.
“Don’t move.” Finding the small button on the switchblade, he pushed it. The sharp blade swished out.
The demon looked at the weapon in his hand. “Do you want money?”
“No. I’m here for you.”
The demon took a step to his right.
