“That’s not true,” he growled. “You want plenty to do with me.”
“No.” I needed to find a way out. It couldn’t wait. My heart rate accelerated as fear swirled through me.
“You’re not leaving. No reason to waste your energy trying. I have better uses for your energy.”
I shivered.
“You still don’t get it.” He continued to talk to me even though I had no interest in listening. “Maybe I should show you.”
“Show me what?” There was nothing he could possibly have to show me. I tried to calm down, taking small breaths while focusing on the floating. Getting upset would only make my thoughts clearer to him.
“Show you my physical form.”
“Why?” I could feel the heat building again. I hoped the burning wasn’t going to return.
“Because I want to.”
Before I could share my thoughts on the matter, the temperature rose higher and higher until I thought I couldn’t take anymore. Then there was a bright flash of light; I could almost feel the intensity.
I blinked over and over, trying to bring my vision back. The floating sensation was gone. I was standing.
Finally my vision cleared, and I tried to take in my surroundings. I was walking down a deserted country road. A light from above illuminated the road, but it wasn’t normal moonlight or the sun. It was as if someone was holding a light above me. But there was no one there, at least no one I could see.
I stopped walking. I wasn’t doing this because I wanted to. The demon had brought me here. I wrapped my arms around myself and closed my eyes. I thought of Ian. Maybe that’s how anchoring worked. Maybe thinking about him could get me out of this place, wherever it was. I opened my eyes and was hit by a wave of disappointment. I hadn’t moved at all.
I turned around, half expecting to come face to face with a monster, but there was nothing there.
“Looking for me?” An unfamiliar voice called.
I turned and startled as I found myself looking at easily the most attractive man I’d ever seen. Ian was gorgeous, but this guy—this guy had an ethereal quality. I blinked a few times waiting for the mirage to disappear.
“Expecting something different?” The man stepped toward me.
“Who are you?” I watched him warily, knowing whoever he was he was dangerous. Being attractive didn’t change that.
He smiled. “Come on now, I can read your thoughts when you’re emotional, remember?”
I stepped back. “No. This isn’t your true form.”
“It is.” He grinned. “I am glad to know you like it.”
“No wonder you were able to trick the girls….” I doubted anyone could resist this guy. Well, unless you knew he was evil. That made him far easier to resist.
He laughed. “Why are you so hung up on them?”
“On the girls you murdered?”
“They were not simply girls.” A light breeze blew around sending over the whiff of something sweet. The guy even smelled good.
“Women then.” It was impossible to know for sure how old they were.
“I mean they were not human. Maybe that helps.” His eyes locked on mine.
I blinked. I didn’t want to look into his eyes. Like the rest of him they were probably made to lure women in. “What were they?” Netta was human; she had to be.
“Same as you. Just not as strong.”
“What?” I startled, taking in the information he’d shared. “Netta?” Could she really be a Séancer? It made sense. Why else would such a powerful demon have wasted his time on them? Still, it came as a shock.
“I’ve searched through all the lines hoping to find one Séancer worthy to join me. None have been, but their power has still been useful.” His eyes lit up as if there were actual flames inside.
I shuddered. “Are you going to do the same to me?”
“No.” He shook his head. “We’ll work together. Once I break that connection you foolishly made.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He waved a finger in front of him. “No more pretending. I know everything.”
“I’m not that powerful.” I wasn’t. Even if I had the power, I didn’t understand how to use it.
“You are. You only need to learn to use your abilities.” Was he reading my thoughts again? He probably didn’t need to read my thoughts. My lack of experience was as clear as day.
“I’ve used it enough. Thanks though.” I’d barely scratched the surface, and I’d already gotten myself in over my head. If I’d awaken a demon on my first try, what other messes could I unwittingly create?
“Oh.” His lips twisted into a smile. “I know what to do.”
I froze. “Nothing you could suggest is something I’d be interested in.”
“You mean you don’t want to save Netta and the others?” He licked his lips in a way that immediately made me think of an animal.
I pulled my gaze from his lips that probably hid razor sharp teeth. “Save them?”
“Yes. They still have some life left in them. I could release them, and then all you would need to do is have someone dig them up.”
“Why would you agree to release them?” I kept my voice level, but I was anything but calm.
“I’d want something in exchange.”
“What?” I was terrified to ask. Nothing he would want could be good.
“You.”
“Um…” I struggled to come up with anything to say. Obviously the answer was no.
“Think about it.” He walked toward me. “We could do so much.”
“So then what would be the point of letting the girls go? All you’d do is hurt more people.”
“Who says that?” He stepped toward me. “I wouldn’t need more power. We could do other things.”
“What other things would a demon want to do?” I narrowed my eyes. I also left out any sarcastic comments. If those got me in trouble with Bryant, I couldn’t imagine what would happen if I used them with the demon.
“Plenty of things.” He made no motion to give details.
“I need to leave.” I looked around me frantically. How much time had passed? I had no clue, but I was beginning to fear that help wasn’t coming.
“Don’t you mean you need to save Netta? You promised her you would. She’s depending on you. Are you really going to let her down?”
“Stop!” I needed him out of my head. I needed him to stop playing with my emotions. “Stop doing this to me.”
He shook his head. “Did you ever stop to think about why your grandfather didn’t tell you what you were?”
“I thought you could read my thoughts. And you’d think I’d be emotional when I thought of that.”
“It was a rhetorical question.”
“Then tell me. Obviously you want to tell me your theory.”
“It isn’t merely a theory. It’s fact.”
“Yeah. I bet.” I was so freaked out I was breaking my rules about being careful what I said to him.
“I knew your grandfather well. Very well.”
“Great.” I wasn’t necessarily surprised. My grandfather had been full of secrets.
“But I knew your mother even better.” The demon stepped toward me.
26
Mara
“What?” I stepped back, trying to let that bombshell of information soak in.
He grinned. “Now I have your attention.”
I crossed my arms. “You knew my mom?” I shouldn’t have cared, but I did. I’d never known her, and I was desperate to have some clue about who she was.
“Yes. Very, Very well. She found me much the way you did.”
“Oh.” Had she been bumbling around and awoken him? I wasn’t the only one capable of making such a colossal mistake?
“Oh? Is that all you can say?”
“What else could I possibly say right now? My whole life has been a lie. All of it.” And I was sure there were even more lies, more secrets hidden from me
my entire life.
“Why does discovering your mother was my friend change anything?” His brown furrowed.
“Your friend?” My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “Yeah right.”
“She was. She was lonely and admittedly so was I.”
“Stop lying to me.” My mother hadn’t been his friend. It was impossible.
“I’m not lying. She made me promise to stop killing, and I did—until she left me.” His hands balled into fists at his side.
“She left you?” I asked slowly, watching his face for a reaction—any additional clues beyond his words.
“She stopped coming back. Of course I learned it was because she was dead, but still. She could have found me before it was too late. Instead she turned to your father. Horrible man. What is it with you women and those shifters?”
“What was she like?” Despite everything, I wanted to know. My grandfather had told me nothing about her. I’d seen pictures, and I knew I’d gotten my eyes from her, but that was it. I’d never heard a single story or anecdote. I had no clue about her likes or dislikes. Her passions or loves.
“Have you forgotten where this conversation started?” The demon tilted his head to the side. “With a question.”
“Oh yes. Why didn’t my grandfather tell me what I was?” My heart rate accelerated as I waited for whatever explanation the demon was going to give.
“Because he knew the mark I left on you.”
“Wait. What?” I put a hand to my chest.
“I checked in on your mother—she wasn’t easy to forget. I marked you so I could find you. It worked like a charm.” He grinned. “When you started to use your abilities, you woke me up from a decade long sleep.”
“So you’re telling me that I didn’t stumble upon you randomly?” Was it not my fault?
“Of course not.”
“And you’re a creep who wants the closest thing to my mom?” I was being reckless, but I was also emotional so I was sure he could read my thoughts.
“You have more power than her. Far more. Maybe that’s because of my mark. Maybe I willed you to be this strong. Either way, you are impressive.”
“I don’t care.” I was in a fog of confusion and hurt. I felt so alone, and the only thing that would help was getting back to Ian. I needed him. “I want to save those girls and go home to my mate; I did choose a shifter.”
“You want to imprison me.”
So I hadn’t buried those thoughts as deep as I’d thought. “You’ve murdered innocents.”
“I didn’t murder them. I left them in a half-way state. It’s different.”
“Bring them back.” They deserved an end to their prison.
“I told you I would if you did your part.”
“I’m not my mother.” Nor would I ever be.
“I realize that. You’re more.”
“I’m not dark.” I refused to accept that. I wasn’t perfect. I was far from that, but I wasn’t evil.
“Because you haven’t had the opportunity to reach your potential.”
“Then I’ll never reach my potential.” I refused to cause more pain and suffering.
“Never say never. It’s a dangerous word.”
I had to leave. I couldn’t stay with this demon a second longer. I was wasting time. He wouldn’t help me save Netta. He was the one who imprisoned her, and I would never agree to his terms.
“I will help you.”
“Stop reading my thoughts.”
“Why would I do that?” He reached out for me.
“Stay back.” I held up my hands in front of me.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want you touching me.” I wrapped my arms around my chest.
“You find me attractive.” His eyes zeroed in on my face.
I coughed. “You know the effect your physical appearance has on women, but it’s just that. Physical. You are a demon. I want nothing to do with you.”
I felt a tug somewhere in my mind. I tried to ignore it, push it away so the demon wouldn’t notice.
“What of Netta?” He leaned in. “Will you let her continue to suffer so you can stay with your mate? Is your happiness more important than hers?”
“No.” I shook my head. “But it’s just as important.” Maybe I wasn’t as selfless as I wished I was, but I knew I could be of more help if I wasn’t with the demon. Besides, was Netta more important than the others he would hurt? And he would hurt others, especially if he had my help.
I felt the tugging again, and this time I grabbed hold of it, pushing it to the furthest reaches of my mind.
“What is that?” The demon demanded.
I shrugged.
“Don’t pretend. I know the truth.”
“Then why are you asking the question?” I forced the tugging back. Was it possible? Had I hid it from him?
I decided to push it further, I focused on the tugging and sensed the presence of someone I missed more than anyone.
“Stop that!” The demon roared.
That just gave me more of an impetus to push back into that part of my mind. I wasn’t sure what it was, but he was there. My grandfather.
My grandfather had been the king of clichéd sayings, but one in particular came back to me. When someone you love dies, they are never truly gone. A piece of them is still with you. I used to hate the saying because I had never experienced it before, but I had loved my grandfather. Despite everything I still did. I wasn’t sure if it the words were just a memory or not, but the tugging was him. I could do this. I could take on the demon.
“I’ve changed my mind.” I set my mind on it. Otherwise he would know what I was doing.
“Why? A moment ago you said you wouldn’t. What was that I felt in your mind?” His eyes were black with red and orange dancing flames. His voice was low and hoarse like it had been before he showed me his human form.
“Because you’re right. My happiness isn’t more important than Netta’s or the others.” I believed that. And because I believed it, he would never know what I was up to.
“Then you will swear your oath to me?” His voice had returned to a more human sound, but I couldn’t get the creepy one out of my head.
“What kind of oath am I swearing exactly?”
“An oath to give me your power.”
“Give you my power?” Was he changing things up on me? “Weren’t we talking about working together?”
“It would be working together.” He held out a hand.
“But you just used the words ‘give you my power’.”
“Are you that concerned with semantics?” He appeared slightly amused.
“I’m concerned about giving you a power I’m only beginning to understand.”
“Don’t think about it then.” He stepped toward me.
I stepped back. “Um, yeah. Thinking is important.”
“Sometimes it gets in the way of making the right decision. Your power won’t leave you, but it means it will work through me.”
“You said ‘give you my power’. That’s a different thing from what you are describing now.” I was buying time and working hard to keep my emotions in check so he didn’t know exactly what I was thinking.
“I need you alive if that’s what you’re thinking.” He took another step toward me.
I stepped back, continuing the dance. “Alive in the sense that you’ve left the other girls?” Because that wasn’t alive. Not at all. In many ways that was worse than death. I couldn’t begin to fathom what that isolation would feel like, and how hard it would be to be left alone with all your thoughts and regrets while the rest of the world went on without you, never realizing where you were.
“Haven’t I already assured you you’d be my companion?”
Companion? Like anyone would want to be the companion of a demon? “No. You only told me you liked my mother.”
“Like is the wrong word.”
“What is the right word?” Once again I was stalling. Someone would come for
me and pull me out. They had to. If I learned something about my mother in the process I wouldn’t complain either.
“Stop trying to distract me.” His eyes turned red and a set of fangs descended from his mouth. They were long and looked sharp enough to cut through anything—including my flesh. Then just as suddenly his face changed, and he composed himself. The fangs were gone and his eyes were normal. “We’ll have plenty of time to discuss that later.”
I was shaking uncontrollably. I’d never forget those blood red eyes. “What would stop you from killing me later?”
“What would stop me from killing you now?” He smiled. The smile was worse than his words because it appeared so normal. He could discuss death as if it were nothing, and after seeing the fangs I realized just how easy it would be—not that he needed the fangs. I was quite certain he had other methods of killing.
“My power.”
“Exactly.” He nodded.
“But if I turn it over…” I held out my hand to the side.
“I already explained this. I need you to use the power. You’d have to be alive.”
And that was why those girls weren’t dead. Which meant he’d kill them if I helped him. He’d never set them free.
I had no other option. Whether help came or not, I had to destroy him. Capturing him wasn’t going to be enough.
Unfortunately I had no idea how one went about destroying a demon.
27
Ian
“What’s taking so long?” I snapped. The binding had gone quickly, why was this part taking twice as long?
“Everything has to be perfect. I can’t waste the crystals.” Isadora didn’t glance up from the set-up in front of her that consisted of vials, crystals, and an old, worn black book. I always thought old magic meant magic tied to the land and other natural properties, but evidently it also involved ancient books.
“Who cares if it’s perfect if we’re too late?” Didn’t anyone else understand? Mara had been alone for too long. I was drowning in guilt over letting her try it. It was my job to protect her, and I’d completely messed up. Again.
“We can’t get to her if I mess this up.” Isadora tore her eyes from the crystals jars, and the book in front of her. “Got it?”
Heat (The Grizzly Brothers Chronicles Book 2) Page 15
