The valley stretched beyond the balcony. Grids of street lights surrounded the dazzling neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip. Zach could only imagine the riot of people from all over the world crammed together to celebrate the New Year, hoping to escape the baggage of the past year and start fresh with a year that had yet to disappoint.
Two over-sized canvas lounge chairs, a small metal table, and two tall, broadleaf plants on each end decorated the balcony. They settled into the chairs, wrapping themselves in the blankets. Zach sensed Olivia was giving him time as they stared out into the valley. He exhaled deeply and let the words tumble out. Her hand materialized out of the blanket, reaching across and entwining with his.
Zach told her about the demon who had terrorized him twice while he slept and how, on the third time, its intentions became obvious. He shared his suspicions that his mom killed the demon. Olivia never interrupted, absorbing the story until he finished.
"I'm so sorry this happened to you. It makes me sick to think how it almost killed you! And all that time, you never said a word while you supported me, letting me lean on you. You're a strong guy, Zach Paxton." Her grasp tightened as she leaned closer. "This has to stop. Have you asked your mom more yet?"
Zach's thumb rubbed across her hand. She had no idea how much her words meant to him. He was so thankful she understood. "No. She's been busy or out of the house, and this morning she took off on short notice to visit my aunt." He shrugged. "It'll wait until she gets back." He tugged on her hand. "Come here, Liv."
Olivia hesitated for a moment.
"I won't bite," he promised, smiling at her.
"You keep telling me that." Olivia giggled.
Sighing, she climbed over and brought the blanket with her. He chuckled as they both struggled to get comfortable. He lay on his back while she curled up against his side. He decided not to give her grief about her blanket, secretly hoping she wanted to share his. Olivia had many emotional layers he had to carefully peel back, or she'd throw up her walls. His heart skipped a beat as he gazed at her blue eyes, full lips and messy hair, framing a face that was never too far from his thoughts. Something clicked deep inside him, knowing their paths had merged into one.
"Stop staring at me." She nudged him in the ribs. He let out a big groan, making her laugh. But her face turned serious. "I wonder what the new year will bring us? For the first time, I'm scared about what the future holds."
Neighbors yelled the countdown to midnight from the street. "We'll get through this together. I promise." Zach tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His hand continued through the silky mass. Fireworks exploded, lighting up the sky, displaying their colored light show across her face. He wasn't sure if the booms he heard were from the fireworks or the pounding in his ears. They both laughed into the night sky, and for a moment, forgot about the fears plaguing them.
"Happy New Year, Liv."
"Happy New Year."
He leaned down and paused close to her lips. She lifted her head as their eyes locked, then fluttered her eyes closed as his lips touched hers. Olivia's soft lips were warm and inviting. Her arm encircled his neck, bringing him closer, deepening the kiss. His fingers touched the back of her neck, sliding up and entwining in her hair. Zach's face flushed as his body awakened, ached, wanting more, but now wasn't the time. Life was moving too fast, which meant they had to move slow. But he'd take all she offered in the kiss, returning it twofold.
Salsa music played, breaking the moment. Olivia's arm slid down from his neck.
"My cell," she said with a nervous laugh. Zach reluctantly released her hair, letting his hand skim over her back. He kept his other arm wrapped around her, wanting to keep her close.
"Sergio sent a text. He wants to see us tomorrow. Says he has something important to tell us."
"Did he say what it's about?" Zach asked.
"No, just urgent." She sounded anxious, her body stiff against his.
"Whatever's up, he's not hurt. So let's just relax and enjoy the fireworks." Zach nuzzled the top of her head. "We'll watch a movie and then fall asleep, okay?"
Olivia nodded, wrapping her arm around his chest. Zach made a few resolutions as the fireworks lit up the sky in its frenzied finale.
He'd stay strong for Liv, no matter the cost to him.
He wouldn't repeat the mistakes from his past and have another friend die in front him.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sergio
Sergio needed to see Olivia.
He slipped out the front door and headed down the tranquil street. The unassuming peace, with its gentle morning light, conflicted with Sergio's turbulent and gloomy emotions. The brisk breeze ruffled his thick hair, sending a shiver through his body as the events of last night played over again in his mind, pushing him toward Olivia. He'd buried his head under his pillow last night, trying to muffle the hideous cries that served as a backdrop for the vision haunting him. He was grumpy and on edge. Talking to Olivia was the only way to ease his mind. Sergio set off at a jog, needing to loosen up his body and run off his nervous energy.
Sergio's heavy breathing mingled in his mind with the incessant mournful wails of Hell he had heard in his vision as he approached her house. Low morning sun cast long shadows across the stucco like tendrils crawling up the side. Sergio stumbled as he neared the porch, greeted by an uneasy sensation of eyes tracking his progress. His pace quickened, matching his frantic heartbeat. He leaped over the porch steps and pounded on her front door, sneaking a peek over his shoulder. A bright silver light flashed in corner of his eye. His stomach jumped to his throat. He jerked on the handle as a silent scream readied on his lips. The door cracked open, but he pushed his way through, panicked to reach safety.
"Dude, what's your problem?" Zach rubbed his shoulder where the door had hit him. Sergio slammed the door shut and leaned his back against it.
"Shut up, Boy Scout. Something's out there. It watched me the whole way, and then a bright light flashed."
Zach scrambled to the window, scanning the porch. He grabbed his sweatshirt off the couch and pulled it over his head.
"Nothing's out there now. Besides, it was probably whoever Olivia's dad sent to watch the house. Maybe they took a picture of you." Sergio didn't think so but wouldn't argue with him. Zach's scenario sounded better than a demon lurking in the shadows. Sergio followed Zach to the kitchen and plopped onto the bar stool.
"Well, that's rude. They better not hand that photo out to the ladies." They chuckled, but Sergio ran his damp hands over his pants. "Still felt creepy. Olivia sleep?" Zach nodded, rubbing the back of his neck as he watched the coffee brew.
"She finally conked out around two. You're here early." Zach opened the cabinet and grabbed three coffee cups.
"I really−"
"Morning, Sergio." Olivia rounded the corner, her sleepy face brightened with a smile. She accepted the coffee mug, inhaling its rich aroma. Her eyes cut back to Sergio as she took her first sip. "What happened? I've been worried ever since you sent that text last night."
Sergio stared at the two people who had been at the center of his life the last few weeks. He wondered if they were as scared and confused as he was. Something dangerous was ensnaring them in a terrifying web. Sergio's anxiety bubbled to the surface with the events of the last few days.
"I need to tell you something. It may sound crazy, but it's been happening since the demon at the coffee shop." Olivia and Zach glanced at each other. She reached over, laying her hand on top of his tan fist. "I had another vision."
"Another?" Zach’s eyebrows shot up as he zeroed in on Sergio.
"Trust us when we say we won't think you are crazy," she said.
Zach leaned back against the counter's edge. "Spill it."
And so he did.
Sergio's voice was calm yet distant as he retold the vision at the mall, still keeping Olivia's name out of it. Zach's face paled and his posture got rigid, but he didn't interrupt him. Sergio hesitated, letting the late
st vision take hold. He needed to get this out before he lost his nerve.
"I had it again a few nights ago." He sipped his coffee, hoping the hot liquid would melt the pit of ice in his stomach.
"But last night, during the fireworks show …" Sergio swallowed. "I had another vision, but this one was totally different. It was like... I left my body or something." He shook his head, closing his eyes, trying to recapture the feeling. "I was flying... away from my body, but I still saw myself sitting in the driveway, waiting for the fireworks to start."
"Out-of-body experience," Olivia whispered.
Sergio nodded, afraid to say those words. "I was pulled, like there was a rope around my waist, flying through a tunnel. No lights, just dark, and then, I'm somewhere else." He paused and looked up at the tense, expectant faces of his friends.
"I was in a massive, dark stone room surrounded by arched floor-to-ceiling windows, glowing with bright pulsating colors. I was... floating on the ceiling above a huge man wearing a black, sleek body suit... light armor. His dark hair was slicked back, glistening like a black wet rock with big horns." Sergio swallowed again, trying to work up some spit. "They were jutting up from the sides of his head, ending in a sharp point. He strutted in front of the windows. He must have been in a tower. But all his attention was focused on what was happening outside." His voice was hoarse from his dry throat. "I could see a dark rocky landscape outside the windows. I didn't get a good look, except for the different brightly colored areas. It looked like bowls of boiling Easter egg colors had spilled, running rivers of lava, dumping into a black moat swirling around the tower." Sergio's shoulders slumped. "I don't know.... It all happened so fast."
Sergio licked his lips. The tang of salt hit his tongue. "But the sounds. I'll never forget the sounds," he whispered. "It was awful." His hands shook as he covered his ears, wanting to shut out their echoes. "There was wailing, groaning, cries of pain mixed with screams of terror." He didn't know he was rocking until Olivia's arms wrapped around him. "And this man. He loved it! Then six massive black wings sprang out from his back. He lifted his arms and laughed.... He welcomes the screams... feeding off them." Sergio grew quiet, fear knotting his guts. "And then his head snapped up to the ceiling. His face... oh man... his eyes. His face was cold, hard, like his white marble skin barely covered his skull. The whites of his eyes were red, but the pupils were black, alive with flames. And I swear, I thought he saw me or sensed me, but he took off down a circular stone staircase in the middle of the room, winding into a dark abyss, still laughing as he disappeared into the darkness." Sergio's voice caught on a sob lodged in his throat. "And then I was back into my body like that." He snapped his fingers. "And fireworks going off overhead."
"It's okay, Sergio," Olivia whispered, running her hand over his damp back. "You're safe and here now."
"We aren't safe. Don't you understand?" His eyes pleaded with them as his voice rose. "It was him."
"Who?" Zach croaked.
"Who else!" Sergio exploded, shoving himself away from them. "The Devil... Satan... Diablo... whatever you want to call him."
They both froze.
"It was him, and he was looking into Hell."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Olivia
Mom sighed as she settled down in her bed, nestling between the sheets. She closed her eyes, inhaling the fluffy pillow. "Smells like lavender. I've missed my bed." She sighed. "I've about had it with the stink of disinfectant."
Olivia's heart swelled, thrilled Mom was finally home. It had only been a few days since she had first woken up, but it seemed like a lifetime. After Sergio had shared his vision, Olivia had had a difficult time relaxing. She jumped when Thunder leaped out of his hiding places or when she saw a bright light in the corner of her eye. It didn't seem menacing, just something else she had no control over.
On the positive side, she was back to work. Joe wanted her to take more time off, but she begged him to let her come back. She needed the distraction from her parents and the demon nightmare. Joe gave in, but she only worked during busy hours and never by herself, which was great.
And Zach's kiss. That definitely gave her something to think about.
"Take a nap, and then it's time for lunch. How about a short stroll after that?"
"I'd love that, honey." Mom's eyes fluttered closed as Olivia shut the door. She took the stairs two at a time, only to find her dad in the foyer, clutching a black duffel bag.
She crossed her arms, pausing at the bottom stair. "Will your friends still be lurking around now that you'll be staying here?"
The bag landed with a heavy thud. He walked past her toward the kitchen. She followed his ramrod-straight back. "No, but you're welcome." He poured himself a steaming cup of coffee, eyeing it instead of her.
Fine.
They'd been taking turns staying at the hospital, seeing each other in passing. It was like sailing by a colossal iceberg: cold and foreboding. Dad had grown more mysterious since she told him about the demon in their home. Olivia caught him whispering on the phone a few times, but he'd hang up when he noticed her. She also had caught a hint of an exotic smoke odor on him yesterday. It added another level of mystery to who he was.
"Mom's asleep, and I'm working a few hours at the coffee shop. I told Mom after she ate lunch she could go on a walk."
"I got it." Dad turned, wary eyes glancing at her over the brim of the coffee cup. "Yeah, on that note. Um... Mom always enjoyed camping. She asked if we could go for a few days to get away. I made arraignments for the fifth and sixth. Get those days off, okay?"
Olivia's mouth fell open. "What? Mom didn't mention this to me. Is this the best time for her to be away? What if she−"
"I asked the doctor. He said as long as she rests, the change of scenery and fresh air will do her good. I have a large fifth-wheeler, and we're just camping over at Valley of Fire." His eyes never wavered.
Olivia contemplated his demand. Her stomach twisted as she remembered that the last time she'd been to the Valley of Fire was before he left. A seed of anxiety rose as she tried to shut out a distant memory of her laughter while she climbed the rocky, red hillside with her parents.
Camping in his trailer... ugh.
"It'll be good for her... for all of us." His blue eyes continued to pin her, daring her to say no.
I doubt that.
"Okay, but on one condition. No more excuses. You tell me the truth." She defiantly lifted her chin and met his glare with the same intensity.
"You'll know everything by the time we leave. It's time." Dad's ominous prediction left her with a pit in her stomach.
"Deal," she muttered, stalking out of the kitchen. She was geared up to face her burden, but camping with Dad sure didn't sound like a blessing
Delilah
Olivia slammed the front door as she left her house. She unknowingly headed straight for Delilah with the same determined stride and blazing blue eyes of her father. Delilah knew precisely what it was like to have Conner's angry blue eyes bore into her. Excitement surged through Delilah as Olivia passed by, jumped into her SUV, and drove off, never looking back.
Looks like all is not well in paradise.
Good. I'm ready for a fight.
Delilah faced Conner's back when she materialized in the kitchen. An electric thrill tingled through her as his closeness ignited the craving she struggled so fiercely to deny herself. He stiffened and slowly turned to face her. Delilah delighted in the flurry of emotion on his face. Surprise turned to anger, and the betrayal of a dormant attraction flared in his eyes.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was a guttural growl.
"I could ask you the same thing." She rejoiced in Conner's war with himself. His hands grasped the edge of the counter. "You were never to return home."
"Well, the situation changed, Delilah, when demons attacked my daughter, invaded our home, and possibly caused my wife's accident." A vein throbbed in his temple. "Do you know anything about that?"
>
Delilah's energy ratcheted up a notch. Zar had told her of his coming here, but was he also responsible for these other events?
What have you been up to, Zar?
"I don't know what you're talking about," she taunted, licking her lips.
Conner moved with a speed that startled her. He snatched her arms and shook her. "Liar," he sneered, inches from her face. Delilah could disappear, but even his rough hands felt better than the hollow ache in her chest. "You're at the bottom of this."
Delilah remained silent. Instead, she radiated warmth and passion, letting it do the talking. She bombarded Conner with her memories of them together, hoping to spark the yearning he held deep inside. Conner shoved her away like she'd scorched his hands.
"Don't do that, Delilah. It doesn't work on me anymore." But she'd seen his eyes dilate before he refused himself the pleasure of remembering what they'd shared.
"Now who's the liar?" Delilah hissed, taking a step toward him. "You can't deny your feelings for me, no matter how hard you try. Your body betrays you, Conner. I see it in your eyes, feel the vibration in your body." She laced her words with her own escalating hunger, pushing him to face the truth.
"You mistake my repulsion for desire. My momentary weakness with you has long since been buried. My wife and daughter are all that I love, not you."
"You don't mean that. Come back to me. It's not too late. What we have is eternal—"
"What we had wasn't real and will damn me for eternity." Conner's words might as well have been a slap across her face.
They challenged each other in silence as their battle of wills searched for a stronghold. Conner turned in disgust, striding into the den.
"What do you want, Delilah?" He sighed, hands resting on his hips.
Delilah rushed to him, driven by disbelief, stunned by his words, and shredded by his brutality.
"I'll never touch you again, Delilah. You disgust me."
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