by Maya Daniels
Dread makes ice grip my chest, and fear squeezes my heart at his words. Without thinking, I turn both my guns from the hunters and point them at the biggest threat in the room. At Maddison.
I’m not sure why the disappointment I see in her eyes bothers me so much, but I manage to push it down when the handsome jerk to my left chuckles at my reaction. “She doesn’t eat humans either,” Eric tells me, waving a hand towards Maddison. I’m not sure what kind of a face I make at his words, but he throws back his head, roaring with laughter.
Without thinking, my hand moves, and before I register my reaction, the gunshot rings in the closed space, making my ears ring from the sound echoing around me. Eric jerks back with the chair he is sitting on while a sizzling sound comes from his right thigh and smoke curls up in front of him. His handsome face twists in pain, and grinding his teeth, he digs with his claw-tipped fingers, pulling the bullet out before dropping it on the floor with a clink, and my eyes follow it rolling away until it stops. Everyone else is frozen in various states of shock, and dumbfounded, I watch the blood stop flowing as his wound closes up, revealing smeared but perfectly smooth skin under the hole in the leather.
“These were my favorite pants.” Grimacing, and poking the hole with his now human fingers, he sighs and looks at Maddison, ignoring me like I didn’t just shoot him. “See what I mean? She’s not ready.”
Maddison is gaping at him in disbelief, and the two hunters behind her have horrified expressions on their bruised faces. Looking at the two of them brings back the migraine that has been pushed to the back of my mind by more pressing matters, like Lilith’s daughter sitting in front of me and the handsome demon that’s messing my mind up with his nearness. Nausea threatens to make the breakfast I ate earlier come right up, so I breathe through my nose in hopes I don’t hurl all over his black shitkickers, messing them up along with his pants. The pain comes back with a vengeance, and it almost doubles me over. Everything around me fades into background noise as the swooshing sound of my blood pumping intensifies in my ears, blurring my vision for a second. Swaying on my feet, I hear it like a distant echo when my guns drop from my numb hands and clatter on the floor before strong arms wrap around me, pulling me tight to a firm chest, and that beautiful scent from this morning envelops me, calming my erratic heartbeat.
Gradually the sound returns as the pain resides, enough for me to be able to hear that everyone in the room is talking at the same time. I can’t understand a word they are saying or shouting but hearing anything must be a good sign. When I look up and my eyes lock on Eric’s, my heart flutters for an entirely different reason, and warmth pools in my lower belly when I register how close our faces are from one another. I can feel his warm breath on my face and my lips tingle from his nearness, my fingers tightening on his arms where I’ve gripped him like he is my lifeline. Worry is etched on his face as his eyes search for something I can’t put my finger on before they zero in on my lips. Subconsciously I wet them, because they feel like I’ve walked the Sahara for a month without a drop of water, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth when hunger starts burning in his green gaze. I watch him swallow hard before slowly, his eyes meet mine again.
“Are you okay?” His voice is rough and husky, and the hunger is unmistakable. All he has to do is lean in just a little more and our lips will touch. The heat of his body pressed to mine feels like it’s seeping through my skin and penetrating my entire being. The strength of how much I want him to close the distance freaks me out so much that I jerk away from him so hard he almost drops me on the floor, because my legs can’t hold my weight.
“I’m fine!” I say, snapping at him like it’s his fault I can’t seem to resist his pull on me. I look at his Adam’s apple, avoiding the knowing look I’m sure he has on his stupidly handsome face. When I sneak a look through my lashes, I don’t find the grin I expected, but his eyes are softened and my gut clenches at that.
The door opens with a bang, startling me, and I turn my head just in time to see two very tall, muscular men walk in carrying a sofa like it’s a folder in their hands and not a heavy piece of furniture. Dropping it unceremoniously with a thud in the corner of the office, next to rows of wooden framed shelves, they nod towards Maddison and walk out without saying a word. Just as the doors were about to close, uneasiness swirls in me when Loren waltzes in, glaring daggers at me. Her silky red blouse is molded to her breasts, and it looks like she unbuttoned a few buttons from the top. The tight pencil skirt is like a second skin hugging her thin frame as her high heels click ominously on the floor as she walks towards me with narrowed eyes.
“What’s wrong with her?” Loren’s voice suggests she is hoping they’ll tell her I’m two seconds away from dying, and anger bubbles up in my chest. I don’t know this woman, and whatever her problem is, she can shove it up her tiny little ass. I take a breath to tell her just that when an ominous growl cuts me off, raising the hairs on the back of my neck.
“Loren, get the fuck out!” Eric’s voice snaps my eyes to him, and I realize the growl came from him while I’m still holding onto him so hard that my fingers are digging holes through his shirt. He’s not looking at me anymore, but he is cradling me to his chest protectively as he is glaring at Loren with his eyes glowing amber like two flames on his face.
“Loren, leave!” Maddison’s voice is calm, but when I look at her over my shoulder, she is not looking at the other woman. She is not taking her eyes away from Eric, and there is a calculating look written all over her pretty face.
Loren stiffens but says nothing as she turns around, lifting her nose so high in the air that I’m not sure how she doesn’t trip on those high heels as she struts out of the office like she’s walking a runaway.
“No one is going to hurt her, Eric.” Maddison’s voice is soothing, and unintentionally, even my grip on him loosens. “You have my word. No one will hurt her if I can help it.”
“What the hell is going on?” Freaked out by this whole situation and by my own reaction to the demon still holding me in his arms like he will tear anyone apart just for looking at me wrong, I start wiggling so he can let me go. His arms tighten around me, and his amber eyes snap to my face.
“Helena, don’t push him away!” Maddison snaps at me, and I swallow my panic at the warning in her voice. “He just needs a moment to collect himself. Don’t you, cousin?”
A million thoughts and questions swirl in my mind as I watch Eric struggle with whatever demons he is fighting in his head. A snort escapes me at that particular thought, and those amber flames narrow at me as if he can read my mind. My fear creates all sorts of scenarios in my head, like where he turns into one of the disgusting abominations and starts eating me right here where I stand, and my hands start moving up and down his arms in a soothing motion before I even register what I’m doing. Gradually the glow dims, and I watch, fascinated as his eyes return to their deep green color. I’m staring at him like some lovesick fool. We keep staring at each other until a throat clears uncomfortably, breaking the connection.
“How did you know that your touch would calm him?” Maddison looks at me curiously, and I glare at her.
“I want to take her with me tonight.” Eric cuts off whatever was going to come out of my mouth as he pulls back from me, hovering close as if expecting me to drop to the floor when he steps away. He’s not far from the truth, so I lock my knees to remain standing even though I miss his touch the second he moves away.
“Take me where?” I narrow my eyes suspiciously at him.
“You think that’s smart? She can barely stand right now.” Maddison is still looking at him as if she expects him to lose his shit at any moment while both of them ignore me like I’m not there.
“She needs to see for herself if she’s to stop fighting us at every turn. If what she told us is true, I can’t keep her safe if she thinks I’m trying to trick her with everything I say or do.” Clenching his fists at his sides as if holding himself back from reaching
for me, he turns to Maddison and swallows hard. “If what she says is true…” His voice trails off and Maddison takes a deep breath as if overwhelmed by whatever is left unspoken.
“What just happened,” she begins, looking at him intently, leaning her forearms on the desk, moving her body for the first time since we walked into her office. She was sitting unnaturally still for the most part, now that I think about it. “You know what that means…”
“Impossible!” Eric snaps, cutting her off, but his eyes turn in my direction, and my breath catches in my throat at all the emotions swirling in the green depths. “It’s not possible.” Clearing his throat, he pulls me by my arm, guiding me to the sofa, and pushes me down until I’m lying flat on it. Dumbfounded, I follow his guidance like some obedient puppy. “I’ll figure out what’s different about her. I just need time.” He looks at Maddison with determination in his eyes. Before I can ask anything, he looks down at me and says one word. “Sleep!”
My eyes close on their own while my brain screams in alarm. It can’t be good if he can control me with a word.
Voices drift in and out of my consciousness while I’m struggling to wake up for what feels like an eternity. At one point, it sounded like whoever was talking was about to start throwing punches; the voices were angry and loud enough that I almost managed to wake up. Like they could sense my awareness, they would stop, and I’d drift off to sleep again.
In my dreams, I was chased by the Archangel through the streets of Atlanta, and there was no one around. No cars, humans, or any movement. I kept running as fast as my feet would carry me and kept glancing over my shoulder to see how close the golden glow of Michael was to me. Everything in downtown was dark apart from a few streetlights scattered here and there, so most of the light was coming from the billboards hanging all over the place. I was grateful for the visibility it afforded me until I accidentally looked at one of the billboards. Eric’s handsome face looked down on me and his eyes followed my path as if he were keeping an eye on me.
Not stopping my running for fear that Michael would close the distance, I only flicked my eyes up every time a new billboard popped up, and Eric’s green eyes always kept track of me. For some reason that I refused to acknowledge, it made me feel safer. Knowing he was there and would come to my rescue if I needed it was more comforting than I expected. Even in my dream, I was aware how ridiculous that feeling was. The guy is a demon, and no matter how hot he is or how my traitorous body reacts to his nearness, I need to remember that. Hector always told me that the devil comes like everything you’ve ever wanted. Flicking my eyes to the new billboard coming into view, I must admit that those words of wisdom weren’t far from the truth. Not far at all! He does look and act like everything I’ve ever wanted. Hot as Hell, pun intended, dark, mysterious, and always there when you need him to have your back.
All of a sudden, the glow surrounding Michael starts closing in around me, and I stop running, turning in circles to see which side he is coming from. It gets brighter around me by the second and my eyes flick to Eric’s handsome face looming over me and the street. There is a frown pulling his eyebrows over his eyes as he scans the area around me as well. Pulling my guns out, even when I know they won’t kill the Archangel—not that I want to kill him, that’s just so wrong on so many levels—I grip them tightly because they make me feel more confident. Like a safety net, plus they’d slow him down if it came to that.
“Helena!” Eric’s voice booms like all the billboards are calling me at the same time, making me plaster my body to the building in the alley where I’m trying to hide until I spot Michael.
“You can’t hide from me, Helena. Not for long!” Michael’s voice floats to my ears and shivers rake my frame. He’s not yelling or screaming, no. His words are spoken like a promise, not a threat, and fear numbs my brain for a second.
“Helena, open your eyes!” Eric’s voice booms again, making me jump a little, and it snaps me out of the paralyzing fear that has managed to creep up in my head.
“You can’t hide her for long, Eric!” Hearing the Archangel addressing Eric makes my eyes widen in shock, until I remember this is my dream and all the stress is making me create these shitty scenarios in my head.
“Helena, wake up!” Eric snaps at me more forcefully, ignoring Michael’s words.
“You should just bring her back. If you do, I will forget your insolent behavior from yesterday. She needs to be back in sanctuary. Her father is sick with worry.” Michael keeps talking and I almost peel myself off the stone building where I’m pressing my back when he mentions Hector.
“Helena, wake up, NOW!” Eric’s forceful yell makes my whole body jerk up and my head connects with something hard, making pain shoot through it.
Someone grunts like in pain, but stars are flashing behind my eyelids and it takes me a moment to open them. When I do, I see Eric looming over me and rubbing his forehead that’s darkening on one side. His eyes are searching mine even when I’m still little confused about where I am and whether I’m still dreaming or not. Craning my neck, I look around and reality comes back as a slap in the face when I realize I’m on the sofa in Maddison’s office.
“You asshole! You forced me to sleep!” Pushing myself up and making Eric to move away so I don’t headbutt him again, I glare at him. “So much for doing the right thing, huh, monster boy?”
Arching one eyebrow, he looks back at me defiantly as if daring me to say something more. I want to so bad, but I hold my tongue when I realize that there is more worry than defiance in his green orbs. Deflating like a balloon, I allow myself to sink back into the sofa cushions. I’ve spent most of my life keeping very tight control over my emotions. His nearness is making me lose that hard-earned control in just twenty-four hours.
“Did Michael see you?” Eric’s question makes me frown in confusion before my eyebrows hit my hairline.
“How do you know what I was dreaming about?” Suspicion grows in my stomach. I know nothing of him, and I’ve been asleep and vulnerable more than I’ve been awake in his presence. Maybe I have a death wish.
“That wasn’t a dream. He entered your subconscious in hopes of finding where you are in reality.” That was said so calmly, as if it’s common practice to enter someone else’s mind, that all I can do is blink at him like a simpleton. “You are you okay? Did he see you?” Taking a step closer, his arm moves as if he is reaching for me, but he drops it to his side with a frown when my eyes narrow.
“What else can you do?” Keeping a calm façade, I lift myself off the sofa so I don’t have to look up at him.
“Did he see you?” he repeats himself.
“No, he didn’t!” Snapping at him, I have to take a calming breath so I can speak again. “What else?”
“What do you mean?” Frowning, he crosses his arms over his chest and widens his stance. I know that tactic, I’ve used it myself on others when I’ve felt they are onto my antics.
“You can control me with a word, like compelling me to sleep. You can also enter my mind through visions, as you mentioned. And you were there the time my best friend died as well as when Michael tried to attack me.” Looking at him somberly, I mimic his posture. “What else can you do?”
“There is no reason for you to know what else I can do. Not because I feel the need to hide it, but because you need time, Hel. I’m giving you that.” Him calling me by my nickname softens something inside me for a moment, and I almost relax under his penetrating eyes.
“Why were you there the night Amanda was killed?” Glaring at him, I snap my words sharply and clench my fists so I don’t grab my guns, until I notice they’re not in their holsters. “Where are my guns?” At my question, he just points to one of the chairs where my girls are waiting to be picked up. “I won’t get distracted, so start talking. Why were you there?” Grabbing the guns, I slide them into their holsters on the outside of my thighs, which instantly makes me feel better.
“I was on a hunt, too.” Eric hasn’t m
oved and his eyes track everything, including how many times I blink, I have no doubt. He is too perceptive.
“Hunting the abominations?”
“No.”
“Hunting humans?” The insides of my stomach started twisting at the idea of Eric hurting humans, for some reason.
“No.”
Lead pools in my stomach as I search his eyes, and silently I pray that the answer to my next question will be the same. “Hunting Amanda?”
“No.”
A huff of air escapes my lungs at his word, and my shoulders slump, releasing the tension coiling up inside. My lips lift at the corners, but they freeze when I look at his eyes. All emotions vanish and it looks like he sees me for the first time. Cold sweat beads on my forehead and a shiver passes up my spine.
“I was hunting you,” he said it so calmly and emotionless that all I could do is mutely stare back at him.
“You do realize I need more than just ‘I was hunting you,’ right? Turning away, I walk up to the large desk and lean my butt on it. “Since I’m still alive, and you even came to my rescue last night, I’m assuming something changed.”
Eric keeps watching me, not giving any hints about what he thinks, or feels. I realize that he intentionally allowed me to read his expressions earlier. His admission that he was trying to kill me makes me truly relax for the first time in his presence. His confession eliminates my doubts about being evil. If I’m evil, why would a demon want me dead?
“What I really want to know is who sent you to kill me,” I prod him calmly. “And obviously, why you changed your mind.”
After looking at me for a few long moments, Eric drops his arms to his sides and turns towards the door. “Let’s go, or we will be late.” Opening the door, he waits for me to exit first. Pushing off the desk, I slowly move towards him. “We can continue this conversation in the car.”
Since acting like an immature brat will only delay the inevitable, I follow him out into the hallway. I don’t care where we have the conversation as long as I discover who, apart from the Archangel, is after me. A fleeting memory of Michael addressing Eric by name floats through my mind, but we reach the lobby area, and I keep my questions to myself. Loren glares daggers at us from behind the desk, but Eric doesn’t spare her a glance. Striding towards the automatic glass doors, he looks lost in his own thoughts.