Demon Underground (2)
Page 32
This was the last time Phil Anchor would try to kill me.
“Come on.” Ram ushered me inside. “The cops will be here soon enough to question us.”
Mystify was still sitting on the floor, still healing his injuries. He scooted back warily away from Ram, holding up a hand to ward him off.
“You can’t come in here and beat up my friends,” I told Ram. But my protest didn’t have much heat in it—not after Ram had just saved my life again.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you, Allay.”
“Including setting fire to a building full of people? You killed four people in the Prophet’s Center, Ram. Just to hurt Dread. How could you?”
“I didn’t do it. Dread set that fire.”
A disbelieving noise escaped Mystify’s lips. I felt the same way. “No way,” I protested. “Dread wouldn’t destroy his own home. The church is his power base.”
“Not after you got through with him. There was evidence he needed to destroy, and what better way than an incendiary fire? He didn’t care if his employees were inside.” His voice tightened. “You really thought I did it?”
Suddenly I remembered how Ram had spoken about helping humanity, guiding their civilization to enlightenment and balance so demons and humans could live together in harmony. He cared about people. He killed rogue demons, not people. “Not really. But the others think you did it.”
Ram shot Mystify a look that pierced the darkness. “You better not tell them otherwise. I want them to be scared of me. I want them to think nothing will stop me from protecting Allay.”
“Dread knows the truth,” I said.
“I’ll make sure Dread doesn’t hurt you,” Ram said.
A warm feeling began to spread through me at his tone. “Do you mean that? I’m out, you know. You won’t be able to hide.”
“I know.”
“So you want to be here, standing by my side, helping me like a partner? You want to be the boyfriend of a famous demon?”
“Just try to get rid of me.” His smile was just for me. “Maybe I’ll come out myself.”
He had beaten me to my own line. There was no mushy stuff; he wasn’t saying he couldn’t live without me. He didn’t apologize for nearly killing Mystify, or trying to strong-arm me into going away with him.
“Allay, you know he’s a killer, a thug,” Mystify protested, giving voice to my own doubts. “He’s saying what you want to hear.”
“You can feel the truth, Allay. Do you feel the same way about him as you do for me?”
I stared at Ram, who drew me in like a magnet, making my mouth water and my hands yearn to touch him, to hang on for the ride of my life. When I glanced at Mystify, his signature was a void, nothingness.
Mystify shook his head. “Don’t believe it, Allay. He seduces women, carries them away in spite of themselves. Like he’s doing with you now.”
Like Revel used his titillating signature to convince me I was in love with him. But once I knew what that feeling was, I’d been able to resist it. Actually it had hardened me against his advances.
Was it the same with Ram? I lost my head when I was around him. Who knew if it was real or a response he was evoking in me? Like Crave manipulating women into an obsessive passion for him.
With both of them staring at me, waiting for me to make a choice, I realized I didn’t know for sure.
But I didn’t have to. Not right at this moment. I had a long, long time to figure it out. I was a demon—I could live for a thousand years, two thousand years, maybe even more if I played my cards right. My first steps were crucial—where I ended on this long journey would be very different depending on how I began.
My choice was Ram. He was the oldest of us, the strongest, the most deadly. Being with him wasn’t without its risks, but if I wanted to be the kind of demon who lived through the ages, there was no better way to learn to sink or swim.
I didn’t accept some of his behavior, but he wasn’t capable of something truly reprehensible. Like Dread.
I’d be lying if I said the danger humming through Ram wasn’t an aphrodisiac. Just being close to him, I could hardly keep my hands off him. Watching him expertly choke out Mystify seemed to have stoked my cavewoman instincts, as sick as that was.
I have to be honest with myself, if nothing else.
I helped Mystify stand up, then patted him on the shoulder. “You should go, Mystify. The police will be here soon.”
He glared at Ram, who instantly flushed verdant, he was so ready to grab hold of me. He was only restraining himself because of Mystify.
The poor boy crumpled like a dead leaf. I had the uneasy feeling I’d sparked another filthy little Oedipus tale by choosing his father over him.
Distantly I heard the door close behind Mystify as he let himself out. I might have ruined any chance at a friendship with him, but we definitely weren’t ready for anything more.
Ram’s signature seemed to intensify when Mystify left, as if the void had managed to dampen even his tremendous power.
I could no longer help myself—I reached out for Ram. His arms were strong around me. In them I felt safe, happy, and full of hope for the future.
His lips met mine softly, as if savoring every second. He poured into me with a touch, letting me soak up his power, giving everything he had to me. It was more than I had dreamed of, his devotion, his passion. His mouth drew me in further, making me drown in him.
I wish I could say we made it upstairs before my jeans came off, but I can’t. But I did make sure that after our interview with the cops, the second round finally took place on my bed, the old-fashioned way.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
S. L. Wright has lived in New York City for more than twenty years, exploring every part of the city, from roof-tops to underground tunnels. She moved to Manhattan to get her master’s degree in fine arts, and not long afterward met her husband, Kelly Beaton. Together they have spent the past decade restoring a big brick house on the edge of Bushwick, Brooklyn. Wright is an activist at heart, saving wild cats in the city as well as helping people who are persecuted for their personal choices.
ALSO AVAILABLE FROM
S. L. Wright
CONFESSIONS OF
A DEMON
After accidentally stealing the life force of a dying demon, Allay
became the only human-demon hybrid in existence. Demons
feed on human emotions, so Allay decided the safest way to
satisfy this need—and still retain some semblance of her
humanity—was to open a bar. Here she can drink from, and
ease, her patrons’ pain, which has helped her to stay under the
demon radar…until now.
When Allay is attacked and nearly killed by another demon, a
human comes to her rescue. Theo Ram is tall, handsome, and
mortal—and Allay feels a connection to him she didn’t think
she’d ever know. But that bond is tested when the demon
community in New York begins to rise up, and two opposing
clans fight for power. Now Allay is caught in the middle, and
she must decide where her loyalties lie—or risk being caught in
the crossfire.
Available wherever books are sold or at
penguin.com
R0057
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
<
br /> Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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