Dancing With Demons

by Trudi Jaye

  He takes one of the chocolate morsels and puts it in his mouth. “Oh man, these are good.” He leans back and turns his head idly to look at me. “So what else have you fixed for people around here? Aside from the toaster?”

  I glance at him in surprise. “What makes you think I’ve fixed more stuff?”

  “Come on, Hazel. Of course, you have. I saw the toaster.”

  I lean back against the sofa again, the cushions holding me in place. “Okay, yes, I’ve fixed more stuff. Mr. Fookes….” I pause, thinking about what I’ve recently learned about Mr. Fookes. “He’s always bringing me things. I don’t even know how he figured it out the first time, but he knew I could fix them.”

  “Smart guy,” says Blade. He’s still watching me. His eyes have turned this luscious shade of green that’s turning my insides into mush.

  My demon is dancing around inside me, egging me on. I hold myself still, trying not to move toward him. Trying to hold myself in place.

  But when he leans toward me, I can’t stop it. I move closer to him.

  “What are you doing?” he asks but doesn’t try to stop me.

  I move slowly until his lips are millimeters from mine and breathe softly against his mouth. “I’m going to kiss you now, and it’s not going to be a pity kiss,” I whisper. “It’s going to be the best fucking kiss of your whole damn life.” I give a small smile against his skin, and then move my mouth to his.

  When our lips touch, I feel the shock through my whole body. He puts his hand up to cup one side of my face, and I lean into it, deepening the kiss. I put my hands up to touch his chest, and I can feel his warmth, touch the hardness of his muscles.

  I smooth my hand up from his chest, over his shoulder and around his neck, filling the gaps between my fingers with his dark hair. I’ve been wanting to do it for days, since the last time we kissed. I moan underneath his lips, and it makes him surge closer. He covers my hip with one large hand, and our lips feel like they’re on fire. I feel my magic somehow twisting inside me, like it’s dying to come out. I’ve never felt like this before, so consumed by passion that I’m not thinking clearly.

  The world around us seems to stop. All that I know and understand is Blade, his lips on mine, his hands on my body. Heat burns between us, and I can barely control the desire to crawl on top of him, into him. His lips are hot and heavy, everything I thought they’d be and more, touching, tasting, nibbling, growling against me.

  I just want to get closer to him, to break all the rules. To touch every part of him that I can, to feel his smooth muscles under my palm.

  A loud knock on the door breaks into the fog.

  Whoever it is knocks again. This time much louder.

  29

  Blade leans back, taking gasping breaths, hand still cupped around my neck. He leans his forehead against mine. “They seem anxious to talk,” he mutters.

  “Screw them,” I say.

  “What if it’s important?”

  I sigh, knowing that I would have stopped even if he hadn’t. Whoever is out there is knocking on the door like we’re their last port in a storm. It’s hard to ignore.

  I reluctantly stand, feeling the lack of warmth immediately, like going outside on a winter’s day. My body is still trembling with desire, and my demon is fizzing inside me.

  The few steps to the front door of my apartment feel like they’re a million steps.

  When I open the door, Connor is standing in the hallway.

  He’s about the last person I was expecting, and it’s like having a large bucket of cold water dunked over me. My stomach leaps up inside, and my fingers curl tighter around the door. I try to smile, but I’m pretty sure it’s more of a grimace.

  He’s standing at the entrance, looking his usual suave self. His suit is perfectly pressed, his tie the epitome of immaculate. I don’t think there’s even a single hair out of place on his head. But instead of being attracted to him, he gives me the creepy crawlies.

  “Connor,” I say guardedly. “What are you doing here?”

  “Can I come in?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t think that’s wise. Perhaps we could talk about whatever it is tomorrow. I could come to your offices, or we could meet at the campus cafe?”

  Connor shakes his head. “No, I need to settle this with you now.” He moves in close to me, and I’m so worried he’s going to try to kiss me, I move backward, inadvertently inviting him inside.

  He stalks into the room, only to start bristling as soon as he sees Blade, who’s now standing next to the table, a dark frown on his face. “I thought you said you weren’t seeing anyone,” he says, his face flushed, the first sign that he’s not as in control as he seems.

  “I’m not. Blade’s just staying with me, remember?” I swallow hard, knowing I have to get the words out. “But even if I was seeing him, it wouldn’t be any of your business, Connor. We only had one date....” I take a deep breath, preparing myself for the explosion.

  “We’re going to have another one,” says Connor, his voice petulant.

  Not if I can help it. “Look, Connor, you seem like an…all right guy.” I’m struggling to find the right words with the feel of Blade’s kisses still on my lips. “But it’s better for us to just deal with our business relationship first.”

  “He’s turned you against me,” says Connor, gesturing to Blade. “He’s telling you lies about me.”

  “What? No, of course not. We don’t talk about you.”

  “Then why is he here?”

  “He’s… that’s none of your business.” I don’t want him to know that Blade is guarding me, helping me deal with the demons that want to destroy me.

  “I could help you. What help do you need?” Connor’s expression is starting to look manic. His eyes are moving around the room in a frenzied way, like he’s going to spot something physical—aside from Blade glowering at him—that he can sort out for me.

  “Thanks, Connor, that’s very… uh… sweet of you. But I’m okay. Perhaps we could have this discussion another time? It’s late, and I’m tired.”

  “I’m not leaving if he’s not leaving,” says Connor, crossing his arms.

  Anger swarms up inside me. Who does this guy think he is? I’m about to give him a piece of my mind when I remember. I just have to keep Connor sweet for another couple of days until I can disappear. The thought is like another bucket of water being thrown over me, except this time it’s got ice in it.

  I’m leaving in a few days. None of my decisions tonight have been the greatest in that context. “Look Connor, I’m sure you mean well, but this is my home, and you can’t just demand to stay here.” I lift one trembling hand to my face, intending to rub my forehead which has started to ache. But a weird glow distracts me: my hand is glowing blue. I whip it back down and behind my back, except when I flick my gaze back up to Connor’s face, he’s staring at me, eyes wide. “I thought I was seeing things last time,” he whispers. “But I was right.” He looks up at me, his eyes alight with some fire I don’t understand. “You’re glowing like a demon.”

  “I… uh.” I look down at my hand and my fuzzy brain can’t think of a possible excuse. I throw a panicked look at Blade. “It’s uh….”

  “It’s none of your business,” says Blade, striding over. “You’re not full super, but you’ve definitely got something shady going on.”

  “You can’t talk to me that way,” says Connor, his eyes blazing. He turns to Blade and suddenly launches himself at the SIG agent. Blade sees it a moment before it happens, and he steps back, blocking with practiced ease as Connor throws a punch. Connor seems to collect himself and starts to look like he knows what he’s doing, his feet moving carefully around Blade, his eyes assessing.

  “Stop it, both of you,” I say, my voice high-pitched with panic.

  Blade is still, his eyes never leaving Connor’s face. He reminds me of a hunting cat, waiting for its prey to make the first move—probably the wrong one.

  Connor le
aps forward again, this time with a wild roundhouse punch that Blade blocks easily, and then a stomach punch that Blade uses his other hand to block. Just as Connor’s knee comes up in a close quarters groin attack, Blade pushes Connor’s arms to one side, putting him off balance and sending him to the ground. He puts one knee on Connor’s back and grinds his arm upward, until it’s sitting on his shoulder blade. The fight took all of maybe ten seconds. Blade was so fast, I almost didn’t even see him move.

  “He’s definitely got some of his mother’s siren abilities, given the way he dazzled you at the beginning.”

  I sit down abruptly. “He’s using magic to get what he wants in business, just like his mother.”

  “You can’t prove anything,” screams Connor, all charm gone. “I haven’t done anything wrong!”

  Blade tightens his grip on Connor’s arm. “I’ll be watching you from now on, McKenzie. If you so much as step sideways, I’ll be there.”

  “You can’t do that. I’ll lodge a complaint to the authorities,” says Connor, his face red with rage and his features squished into the carpet.

  “I’m the authorities, Connor. And you’re officially on notice.”

  Blade pushes Connor away and stands back. “I don’t want to hear anything more from you.”

  Connor leaps up, makes as if to attack Blade, and then stops. He laughs. “Got you, SIG man.” He turns to me and sneers. “So you’re wasting all your talent on the SIG? Too bad. We could have done amazing things together.” His face is nothing like the sophisticated man he’s been presenting to the world all this time. It’s like he’s a wild animal, but not the graceful or beautiful kind of wild, more the rabid kind that needs to be put down. I don’t know what to say, but I have a feeling my thoughts are showing on my face.

  “Don’t expect me to continue your funding, demon girl.”

  “I’m not a demon,” I manage to blurt out.

  “Then why are you glowing blue?” he sneers.

  “I... uh...” I don’t want to tell him I’m possessed by a demon. That seems too much information to give a crazy man. I put my hand behind my back.

  “As I thought. Don’t worry, I’ll show myself out.”

  Just as he opens the door to the hallway, Nelson appears at the door to his apartment. “Everything okay, Hazel?” asks Nelson. He glances at Connor and then past him to me.

  “It’s fine, Nelson. Blade’s here. Just go back inside.” I’m desperate for Nelson to stay out of Connor’s gaze.

  “Okay.” Nelson must see the fear on my face because he disappears quickly back inside his apartment. I let out a relieved breath.

  Connor sneers at me. “Defenders everywhere, demon girl? You’ll need them.”

  I manage to stand my ground only because I can feel the heat of Blade’s body just behind me. His strength blazes out of him, making Connor look small and weak as he scuttles off down the stairs.

  “I need to warn Nelson about not getting involved in my problems,” I say, my heart beating faster than seems useful.

  “I’ll talk to him,” says Blade.

  “Not right now, though,” I say, as I close the door, and lock it.

  “No,” agrees Blade. “Not right now.”

  He puts one hand on my back and steers me to the sofa, gently making me sit. Then he sits down beside me and puts one arm around my shoulders and leans me into him. I’m too shocked to do anything other than accept the comfort he’s offering. “I didn’t expect that,” I say.

  “Sirens can be like that. They give off this air of perfect calm, and then suddenly their emotions get the better of them and they turn into a screaming nightmare.”

  “He’s not a full siren? Your grandmother said his father was human.”

  “He’s just strong enough to be a pain.”

  “He was using his siren powers on me and the Professor.” I remember how dazzled I felt when I first met him.

  “Yeah, he would have been. He probably uses it on a daily basis to get his way in business. I’ll have to put him on the SIG watch list, make sure he’s not doing any deals that harm humans.”

  “So he was interested in our research because he knows demons are real?”

  “But because he’s only a partial siren, I don’t think he can usually see them. Like I said, they’re not the easiest kind of supernatural energy to see. Not all supernaturals can see them.”

  I let that sink in for a moment. “Why do you think he funded our research?”

  “I don’t know, but I doubt it was for the good of the world.”

  “I don’t know how I’m going to tell the Professor. He’s going to be so upset.” I wish I hadn’t accepted the date with Connor in the first place. “How come his powers stopped working on me?” I ask. “When I visited him at his offices, I started to see him as creepy rather than gorgeous.”

  “Not sure.” Blade shakes his head. “Could be something to do with your abilities? Or that you were in pain from the demon tongue?”

  “Does the SIG have researchers looking into this kind of stuff?” I ask. Ideas for research projects are percolating in my head, trying to get out.

  “You’ll have to ask the Director,” says Blade, with an amused expression.

  “Are you laughing at me?” I ask suspiciously.

  “Only because I can see you plotting in your head. You’re amazingly easy to read.”

  I lift my hand. “It’s the demon. I used to have a much better poker face.” I hesitate. “I used to be much better at living alone, not letting anyone in.”

  Blade nods. “It’s a hard life, being a demon hunter.”

  “You’ve got your sister, your nephews.”

  “And that’s about as close as it’s healthy to get,” he says quietly. “I’ve had... near misses.”

  “Demons hurting people you love?”

  Blade nods. “I don’t want to go through that again. It’s bad enough that my sister gets demons up where she is occasionally.”

  “She seemed pretty tough.”

  “Her husband was killed trying to protect them from a demon.”

  The breath whooshes out of my lungs. “She didn’t say how he died. Why does she stay up there if there are so many demons?”

  “She’s a battler. She’s determined not to give in to them.”

  “You’re both stubborn,” I say softly. He’s still got his arm around the back of the sofa, touching my back. I shift slightly, until my hand is resting on his chest and my leg is against his.

  “What are you doing, Hazel?”

  My hand is glowing bright blue against his shirt, and I know that I’m not fully in control of this situation. But I want so badly to kiss Blade, I let the demon move me in the right direction. I lean in and whisper in his ear. “I want to thank you for saving me from Connor.”

  “Just saying thank you would be enough,” he says, his voice low.

  “But where’s the fun in that?” I say, before kissing his neck, just below his ear.

  He groans but doesn’t shift away. I’m encouraged to keep going and let my lips stray along his jawline, kissing softly and nibbling at his skin, until I’m resting cheek to cheek with him. And then I swallow his groan with my mouth, my lips hard on his, and make sure he remembers this kiss for the rest of his life.

  30

  It’s only the sound of Blade’s mobile phone ringing next to us that brings me out of the daze of sexual heat. Blade pulls back reluctantly, his eyes hot with desire. “I have to take that. I’m technically on duty.”

  I nod, unable to do anything else.

  “Blade here.” I hear someone talking on the other end. A man.

  “Okay. Yes.” He glances back at me, and the heat has been replaced by frustration.

  He listens to the caller again. “Yes, I get it. It’s important.”

  Blade finishes the call and throws the phone back down on the table. “That was the Director.”

  “What did he want?”

  “He’s got a sixth sense f
or when agents hook up. He told me not to do it.”

  My eyes widen and my stomach fills with dread. “You’re kidding.”

  Blade glances at me, an amused expression on his face. “Yeah, I’m kidding. He has a location he wants us to check out tomorrow. Thinks it’s the source of the buildup of demons.”

  I let out a breath. “Thank God. I’d hate to think he knew what we were doing.”

  Blade rubs one hand down his face. His expression when it emerges is serious. “We have to stop, Hazel. We can’t get involved.” He’s looking at me with his stubborn face.

  “Why does it have to stop? Because you think I can’t take care of myself?”

  Blade shakes his head. “We’re both agents. It would be a conflict of interest. We’d both get hurt.”

  “How about we just take it one day at a time?” I say softly. “Stop worrying about what might happen somewhere down the road.” I manage to stop short at telling him I’m leaving anyway. I’m still not convinced that he wouldn’t tell the Director or try to stop me somehow.

  “I’m too old to live like that,” he says. “I’m going out. I’ll see you later.”

  Even though I know it’s coming, the sound of the door closing makes me flinch.

  The next morning, I wake up with gritty, sore eyes. My whole body feels like someone has been pounding me with a blunt object while I slept. I force myself to get out of bed and start getting ready to go into the lab. Not because I’m planning to do any work, but because there are things that I want to collect, so I can take them with me when I go.

  My whole body feels heavy, and brushing my teeth seems like an act of will. Climbing into my jeans is almost more than I can achieve.

  But I do it anyway.

  I sneak past Blade, who’s sprawled out in his place on the sofa. I don’t know what time he got in last night, but it must have been late. I fell into a restless sleep sometime around midnight and dreamed of demons all night. I’m still pissed at him, so I leave him there, and head out by myself.

  It’s the first time I’ve gone out on my own since I met Blade. It feels weird, but if I’m leaving in a couple of days, I have to get used to it.