by Trina M. Lee
Leggings with rainbow skulls and a flowy black tank top were donned in a hurry. Getting away from Arrow for a while would be nice. I needed a chance to think.
Rowen tried one more time to change my mind as I headed out the door. He also tried to give me his car keys. Though he was too nice to say it, he wasn’t a fan of my old beater. After refusing his keys for the fourth time, I kissed him and darted down the hallway to the elevator with my guitar bag on my back.
The Wicked Kiss was a welcome sight. After the strange few days I’d just had, the vampire bar lacked menace in comparison. It used to frighten me, and still did as far as common sense was concerned, yet it no longer posed the threat it once had. Vampires might be deadly, vile creatures who prey on the living, a big middle finger to all that is pure and good. Still, other than a few extraordinary exceptions, they were nothing compared to demons.
“Who the fuck do I have to kill?” Jett greeted me as expected when I joined her at the side stage door.
“Holy shit, Spike,” Rubi joined in, pausing as she hauled an amp out of Tash’s van. “Are you ok?”
Projecting a wide smile that hurt my cheek, I hoped it would reassure them that all was good. “Fine, really. Nobody needs to be killed, Jett.” Not yet anyway. Worry gnawed in the pit of my stomach. What if we couldn’t save Arrow?
Jett wasn’t having any of my dismissal. Her brown eyes fixed on me, and I was sure I saw her wolf inside them. “Who did this?”
No point lying. The truth was important to me. Lying only bred mistrust. Besides, werewolves could smell a lie. “Arrow—it’s not his fault. He was in a blackout. He doesn’t remember doing it.”
“Sure he doesn’t.” Jett’s fists clenched, and a vein throbbed in her forehead. “He’s so fucking dead.” Jett’s readiness to defend those she loved was one of the things I treasured most about her, but she had a tendency to fly off the handle without having all of the facts.
“No, Jett. He really doesn’t remember. I saw his eyes turn black. Then he attacked me. Arrow is a victim here too. Cut him a break.” Ignoring her fierce scowl, I helped Rubi carry the heavy amp inside. It was one of mine anyway.
Tash, already inside hooking up her bass, took one look at me and gushed, “Oh, sweetie. What happened? Are you alright?”
I assured her all was well as I scoped out the inside of the vampire club. It was bordering on packed already, although it was always packed. From where I stood, it was hard to tell vampire from human, but upon closer inspection the differences were obvious. Vampires had perfect skin and eyes that glowed with hunger and darkness. They moved differently too, gliding rather than stepping. They were beautiful, even the ugly ones, if that made sense. Some of them were powerful on a scale I could barely fathom while others lacked any true supernatural power. Yet all of them had the physical strength of several humans and immaculate healing ability.
A scan of the building revealed that the owner, Alexa, wasn’t present. I didn’t know her well and had only spoken with her about the band’s schedule and payment, but she was the reason demons stayed away from this place. If she wasn’t here, what was to stop them from coming for me?
I shook my head as if I could shake that thought out of my mind. Relying on a woman I didn’t know for protection was absurd. I could take care of myself. The altercation with Arrow provided plentiful evidence of that. I hadn’t gone down without a fight.
“I can’t let him get away with it, Spike. I just can’t.” Jett appeared at my side, gazing out upon the growing crowd.
“Let it go, Jett. Please. If anything, this is evidence of how much Arrow needs help.”
“And if he kills you?” she snapped, a growl in her voice. “What then? I shrug it off because he’s such a broken soul in need of understanding?”
“It won’t come to that,” I insisted, hoping I was right.
“You’re damn right it won’t.”
Rather than engage with the angry werewolf and rile her up further, I left my guitar on stage and departed to the ladies room. It was busy, as usual. Women lined the counter as they did some last minute primping. One lady leaned against the wall next to the hand dryer, furiously typing away on her phone. Another shouted into her phone, calling the person on the other end a jealous bitch.
Ignoring all of it, I headed for an empty stall at the end. Many things could be said of The Wicked Kiss but filthy washrooms were not one of them. They were meticulous, something I appreciated after some of the nasty clubs we’d had to play in.
When I slid the second lock into place, I felt it, the strange, heavy sensation of angel or demonkind. I reached for the door, ready to bolt, but it was too late.
With a whiff of sulfur, Dash materialized next to me, taking up most of the tiny stall. He clapped a hand over my mouth and shoved me into the metal partition. “Don’t scream. Don’t fight. Just listen.”
Screaming wouldn’t do a damn thing to help me anyway. What could the women gathered in the washroom do to help? Not a darn thing. Screaming would only endanger them all.
I stared into Dash’s blood red eyes and froze. Any movement could cause a reaction, which could very well result in my death. After what had just happened with Arrow, I was sure Dash intended to kill me. Dying in the restroom of the vampire bar was not how I wanted to go out.
When I remained stiff and silent, Dash eased his hand off my mouth. He held up one finger in warning should I change my mind. “Spike,” he murmured my name like we were lovers rather than sworn enemies. “I’m starting to lose my patience with you, sweet one. Why must you be so insistent on stealing Rhine’s boys from me?”
“I’m not stealing anything or anyone from you,” I spoke with as much calm as I could muster with so much terror shrieking through my veins. “They’ve made their own choices, Dash. You should respect that.”
He chuckled, a throaty laugh that cut off abruptly. Dash smoothed a hand over my hair, primping me like a doll he was admiring. “Their father is my brother. He served at my side, and they will too. There’s nothing you can do to save them. Let them go.”
Since he hadn’t already killed me, I suspected that perhaps that wasn’t what he came for. To kill me would incur Cinder’s wrath. He’d placed his seal on me, a warning to all demonkind that I was under his protection. Which was exactly why Dash had Arrow try to take me out. The seal by no means offered an assurance from harm, though it would keep many demons at bay. Dash, however, had made it his mission to recruit Rowen. So if he grew desperate enough, he might think my death to be worthy of Cinder’s retaliation.
Terrified, I stared into those bottomless eyes. They were like two crimson seas, no end in sight. The sensation of falling made me dizzy, and I had to blink repeatedly to escape the pull of his darkness.
“I can’t do that. They don’t belong to me, Dash, and they sure as hell don’t belong to you either. I’ll do everything I can to keep them both safe from you.” My voice was steady and strong. Too bad I couldn’t say the same for the rest of me. I quaked there against the metal wall of the bathroom stall.
Dash studied me, searching me in an invasive way that seemed to reach right inside me. I clenched my teeth and focused on closing off my mind. Freely projected thoughts could be heard by angels and demons. I wasn’t giving him a damn thing.
His close proximity was making me feel ill, and the longer I stared into his gaze, the sicker I became. Sweat broke out on my brow.
The human body he wore was nothing more than an illusive guise. Tan skin and short, dark hair made him appear as something he was not. The dark robe he wore and those flashing red eyes said otherwise. For just a moment an image flashed in my mind. A monstrous griffin bearing black wings and the head of an eagle with a lion’s body. Blood dripped from its mouth. The eyes glowed with a soul-sucking malevolence. Dash’s true form was ugly in a way words could never fully bring to life. I blinked, and the image was gone, but it would live in my memory forever.
“I’d hoped to be able to avoid having
to do this,” he said, still petting my hair, uncaring that I was trying to shirk away from his touch. “Threats are so passé, don’t you think? There must be a way we can come to some kind of agreement. I’ll give you anything you want. You just have to stay out of my way.”
“I don’t want anything from you.” I bit back a shriek when his hand moved from my hair to my face. His skin was hot as he rubbed a finger over my bruised cheek.
“Such a shame that the brother you’re so concerned with saving tried to bring you harm. How is it that you deem him worthy of your talents?”
Games. Every word that came out of his mouth was designed to get in my head, to make me see Arrow as the villain instead of the victim. I held my tongue, refusing to argue about who was worth saving and why.
Dash continued with a knowing nod. “The success you seek with your music, your band, I can give that to you. Number one records, sold out stadium shows. All of it is yours. I just need one thing in return: keep your distance from both Rowen and Arrow.”
Promising fame and fortune wasn’t a new demon trick by any means. They’d been doing it since the beginning of time. And yet, people still fell for it. Every damn day. Even a tiny part of me was tempted. I was still human after all, still tempted by the material things of this world. But a bribe right after the incident with Arrow? That was a mistake.
“Your timing is all wrong, Dash. You tried to kill me tonight using Arrow, and you failed. I saw how far under your spell he is, and I am more determined than ever to keep Rhine’s sons from you. Both of them.”
Dash’s unwelcome touch grew in pressure until he was digging into my bruised cheek so hard I yelped. “Arrow is already mine. The only thing you have that might get his attention, you’re already giving to his brother. Don’t waste your energy. Arrow is a lost cause.”
“No, he isn’t,” I insisted, trying not to shout my pain into his face as he clamped down tighter. “As long as he’s alive, he isn’t lost.”
The stall grew hot, stealing my breath. The demon knew I wouldn’t be coerced by some physical pain and manipulative talk. His next tactic was the clincher, the one that would reach inside me and cause true pain.
“What are you willing to give up for them, Spike? Your dream of a music career? Your friends? Your mother? How about Jett? Werewolves make fabulous demon pets.”
I couldn’t respond, couldn’t even form words. My mind raced as I explored my options. Blasting him with fire wouldn’t help. A kick in the nuts might buy me a breath of freedom, but it would be short lived.
Nothing. I could do nothing. Sometimes nothing was better. Action had a time and place. So did inaction. It was a tough concept to accept with the demon in my face, threatening everyone I loved.
Encouraged by my lack of response, Dash released me, stepping back as much as the tiny stall would let him. “If you continue to stand in my way, not only will I destroy those you love, I’ll make certain that every second left of your pitiful life is spent in suffering.”
Trembling and dry mouthed, I shook so hard my teeth rattled. My hand went to my face as if I could protect my injured cheek from further abuse. Never had I believed embracing my destiny would be easy, but I hadn’t been able to fathom how horrifying it might get.
With a sadistic grin, Dash said, “Hey, if it makes you feel any better, you’re still welcome to join our side. I mean, why not? Your father did.”
He was gone with those words, leaving nothing but a trace of sulfuric odor to indicate he’d been there. Letting my head fall back against the wall I gasped for breath, finding my lungs had ceased to function.
I shivered despite the heat that lingered. Terror gripped me and I stood useless. I struggled to regain my composure. There was no such thing as a quick fight where demons were concerned. It’s always a war. We might have won the last battle, but Dash was coming back hard for this next round, and I feared that I might not have what it took to withstand him this time.
CHAPTER NINE
“Start talking. Something happened in the crapper earlier to get you looking like you’re about to shit your pants, and I want to know what it was.” With her burgundy lips wrapped around the butt of a cigarette, Jett eyed me with wolfish curiosity.
We stood in the parking lot outside our rented jam space shivering in the chill night air. Well, I was shivering. Werewolves tended to run a little hotter than the rest of us. Jett had waited to pester me until after we’d finished up our set at the vampire bar and got the hell out before we were swarmed by blood drinkers.
I’d kept Dash’s visit to myself, not wanting to frighten the other girls. Or because talking about it felt like a bad omen, like it would summon him somehow. I shivered, this time chilled on the inside, and rubbed my goose bump covered arms.
“Dash happened,” I said. “He came to threaten me. To warn me away from Rowen.”
“What’s his problem?” she asked. “We know he wants Rowen, but why threaten you now?”
I shook my head, replaying the encounter again for the umpteenth time. “It has something to do with all this shit going down with Arrow. Whatever Dash’s end game is, he doesn’t want me to fuck it up.”
“Which means you can.” Her smile was loaded with mischief. “That gives you power over him. That’s the beginning of victory.”
“Except it’s not. He threatened people. You. My mom. The girls. It’s not just me who’ll get hurt.” I declined the cigarette when she passed it my way. “I’m freaked out, Jett.”
“Don’t be. That’s what he wants.” The plume of smoke she puffed out formed a small cloud over our heads, grey against the night sky. “I’m not scared. I’ll tear that motherfucker’s throat out as many times as it takes.”
I cast a glance at the door to the jam space where the deep rumble of Tash’s bass could be heard. “At least you and I know what we’re up against. It’s them I’m worried about. And my mom. She’s tried so hard to distance herself from all of this.”
Jett tucked a lock of purple hair behind an ear, exposing the moon tattoo on the side of her neck. It was her pack’s tattoo, a crescent tribal design with a line that joined each point, making it a full moon as well. She dropped the cigarette butt on the ground, squishing it with the heel of her boot. “Holding a threat over your head may give Dash an edge, but if he follows through on that threat, then he has nothing left to use against you. Don’t empower him by being afraid, Spike.”
I nodded, knowing she was right but not knowing how to make that belief manifest in a tangible way. We entered the jam space to find Tash and Rubi jamming a White Stripes song. The room wasn’t huge, just big enough for all of our gear to fit comfortably, leaving space for a mini fridge and couch.
Jett pulled her iPad from her bag and swiped her fingers across the screen a few times. We used it to record, which was what we’d be doing tonight. Joe wanted a recording of “Love Song For An Angel,” and he would get it. I just wanted this whole argument settled so we could go on with our lives.
It was almost one in the morning. I was hoping we could get this done in an hour or so. We didn’t need the best recording, just good enough for the record execs to make their decision.
I checked in with Rowen, expecting him to be at my place with Arrow. Instead they were out, looking for a guy who was supposed to be taking some of Arrow’s stash off his hands. Apparently Arrow forgot he’d set the meeting up. How convenient. Rowen thought getting rid of the drugs would be for the best. I could see his point, but no part of me believed Arrow should be out gallivanting.
“Ok, let’s get this over with,” Jett said as she propped up the iPad on a music stand beside the microphone.
Reluctant, I picked up my guitar, determined to do my best despite the way I felt about the whole thing. The song meant a lot to me. It meant so much that I would rather give it to Arrow than filthy up its meaning by battling over it.
Rubi tapped her drumsticks together, counting us in. The music started with just my guitar. After a few bars
, Tash’s bass came in. The melody was light, almost a ballad, without losing its rock edge. As the song took shape, a twinge in my chest made me suck in a sharp breath. Yet the husky, rasp of Jett’s voice relaxed me. My fingers moved over the strings with ease, the song birthed from my soul anew every time I played it.
With each note and every lyric, my feelings began to change, and I became certain that I did not want Arrow to have my song. Jett had a way of pouring her own emotion into the words, and I knew Arrow could never tap into the heart Rowen and I had put into this song like she could.
Until I saw your eyes of fire
I’d learned to walk alone
Never trusting anyone
Forever on my own
I didn’t want to feel again
So I locked my heart away
Who knew you held the key
To free me from my cage
The drums came in on the chorus, along with a crash from my guitar. A thrill surged through me. It felt a little like joy. By the time we got to the end of the song, I was bound and determined to keep it out of Arrow’s hands.
We ran through the song a few more times until we had a recording Jett was happy with. No sooner had we called it quits than Tash was on the phone to her boyfriend, Mr. Country, telling him she was on her way over. After sticking my guitar back in its bag, I grabbed for my phone, finding no message from Rowen.
That was a good thing, right? Here’s hoping.
“I’m taking off, ladies,” Rubi announced, abandoning her drums with a yawn. “I have an exam tomorrow afternoon that I still need to study for.”
I groaned. “That reminds me. I have a site design job I need to finish up for a client by the end of this week. Maybe if Arrow will stay out of trouble for a day or two, I can get some work done.”
The rock life wasn’t easy. Juggling music with work, studies, and a social life sucked every moment from the day. Add in angelic duties, and it was no wonder I felt so damn tired these days.
