by Lexi Blake
This is the problem with calling demons that almost no one is willing to accept. Demons are evil. They might help you out to start with, but sooner or later they will turn on you. Being able to call a force of nature to your hand might seem like a powerful thing to do, but after a while, you forget who has the real power. Stewart showed her. With a flick of his hand, her throat came open and sprayed across the field.
“Son of a bitch,” I screamed as I got a nice coating of witch blood.
The rest of the witches were running, but it didn’t do any good. Their throats split, heads falling back like broken dolls. Blood ran and the demon licked his chops. He breathed in the death, loving the feel of all those souls rushing to Hell.
“I really was getting tired of coming here anyway,” Stewart said, brushing off the deaths of people who had worshipped him. “Now that’s over and we won’t be interrupted. I’ve thought about what you said, and the truth is you make a point. Ripping your heart out and gobbling it down while you watch really will cause me more trouble than pleasure. I suppose your vampire would be very upset. I doubt he would let the matter drop. So you’re off the hook, so to say.”
I sighed, thankful that demons really were easier to deal with than backwoods witches. “Let me up, Stewart, and I think you’ll find that my husband will be grateful.”
Stewart ran a finger across Dev’s now blood-soaked chest and brought it to his lips. “Yes, he will be grateful, won’t he? Your boy has ambitions. Anyone can see that. The Council is arrogant if they think they can control that one. I, for one, think he can do it. I’ve played around in his head, and I think he’s capable of far more than you could dream of. You think he’s doing this for the greater good, companion, but you’re underestimating the lure of power. It calls to him. He’s caught between his love for you and the need to see if he can be a god. Which need do you think is going to win? I have a suspicion. I think your boy is going to give this world hell. I think this plane will run red with blood before he’s done. That is a man whose gratitude I would find useful. He might be thankful if I let you go, but how much more would he value me if I did the one thing he cannot do?”
Suddenly that knife was in his hands, and he was tracing a light line across Dev’s very vulnerable throat. That dumbass knife had meant nothing to the demon, but it would nicely spill my lover’s lifeblood. Terror engulfed me. I strained against the ties that held me down because all it would take was a little flick of the demon’s wrist to end Dev’s life.
“Please, don’t.” I would do anything, say anything to keep that knife at bay. I couldn’t just lie there and watch it happen.
Stewart’s eyes lit with triumph. “There, now, that’s what I was waiting for. You’re awfully good at keeping me out, but there’s that terror I love. This is excellent, dear. You love him. That can’t make your vampire happy. Poor little Zoey, caught between two men. They’re going to chew you up and spit you out. I would be doing you a favor, too. This one is going to get you in trouble. Take my advice. Serve your master, companion. Give him the blood he craves and warm his bed. That’s your job. It’s what you were born to do. This one might bring you pleasure, but he’ll bring you all down in the long run. Trust me on this. In the end, you’ll thank me.”
He took the knife in both hands and held it over his head.
“I know what Brix is doing,” I shouted, giving up the last card in my hand. If this didn’t work, Dev was dead, and I would spend the rest of my probably short life trying to kill one demon.
Stewart let the knife fall harmlessly to the side. “Now, see, you really do know how to get a gentleman’s attention. I’m listening.”
This was desperation but I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t let Dev go, and there was no way to lie to Stewart. He would know immediately if I wasn’t truthful. He was smart to bring out my emotions because I had nothing to hide behind now. “He has an angel.”
Stewart thought about it for a moment. “Are you serious?”
I opened my mind as wide as I could, letting my every emotion spill across the demon. He actually took a step back as he took it all in. “You tell me if I’m serious.”
“Fine. So Brix is juicing an angel. That explains his resurgence. How is this supposed to help me? I’m not in a position to steal from him, and snitching tends to get you in hot water on the Hell plane.”
“I’m going to handle it.” I was grateful for the damn ropes now because my hands were shaking.
He looked at me like I was insane, which I probably was. Then a light of recognition lit those black eyes. “The witch’s divining amulet. Of course, that’s why you’re here. It really works? I thought she was just bat-shit crazy.”
“It works. I’m going to use it and free the angel. Halfer will lose his advantage on the very night he needs it.”
There was a triumphant smile on his really scary face. It was nice to know my plan was demon approved. “You’re an interesting woman. You plan to sneak out of the ball with your little divining rod, find the angel, unbind him because the only way Brix could keep him is to bind his magic, and then return him to his plane. You’re going to die, you know.”
I had him in my trap. I just had to close the door behind and make sure he was in. “Probably. But what if I don’t?”
“I think it will be immensely entertaining either way.” Stewart waved his hand and my limbs were free.
Though my every muscle was shaky and weak, I forced myself up and made my way to Dev. I climbed on his altar, taking his face in my hands, reassuring myself that he was alive. Tears clouded my eyes as I stared down at him. So close. That damn knife had been so close to his throat. With aching hands, I started to work on his bindings.
“Allow me.” Stewart didn’t need hands to undo Dev’s binding. They simply fell away.
I pulled Dev’s head into my lap, my hand smoothing back his hair. He opened his eyes, obviously fighting the drugs that were coursing through his system. “Zoey, you need to run, sweetheart.”
And leave him here? I knew it was the most expedient thing to do, but I simply couldn’t. “Not on your life, lover. You go back to sleep. I’ll take care of everything. It’s going to be all right now.”
“Touching,” Stewart said with disdain.
In the distance, a siren began to wail. I turned toward the sound and down the mountain I saw red and blue lights turning in the darkness.
Stewart sighed as he watched the police cars move ever closer. “Apparently your husband realized it was time to call in the cavalry. These idiots might have been fairly useless, but they set up a good defensive perimeter. Well, my time here is at an end. I look forward to the ball, dear. See that you don’t disappoint me. I might not be able to contract with you, but I still think it might be a good idea to get in your husband’s good graces. I can do that any number of ways. It’s your choice. If you want your lover alive, you’ll do the job.” He reached down and picked something off Mary Jo Renfro’s dead body. He tossed it to me. “Don’t forget this.”
The Revelation. In all the horror of the evening, I’d almost forgotten about it. I put it around my neck, a sense of peace coming over me.
With a blast of brimstone, Stewart was gone, and I was left with thirteen dead witches, one stoned faery, and very few explanations anyone would believe. I should have run. It was standard. Don’t get caught by the cops. It was rule number one in the thieves’ handbook. I was supposed to run and deal with getting Dev out later. But I sat there, kissing his forehead and feeling the reassuring beat of his heart against my hand. I just sat there and waited to be taken into custody.
It occurred to me that Stewart was right. My love was going to take us all down.
Chapter Fifteen
“Hey, sweetheart, I just thought of something,” Dev laughed, looking up at me. “I haven’t done it in a jail cell. Well, not in the U.S.”
Faeries can handle their alcohol. They can handle a substantial amount of it. Don’t try drinking a faery under
the table because he’s still going to be sitting there long after you fall out of your seat. Hard-core drugs, on the other hand, are a completely different story. It had been three hours since the police found us huddled together surrounded by corpses, and if Dev had sobered up any, I couldn’t tell.
The Bristol County Jail was so small it only had one holding cell, so Dev and I had been placed in the cell together. It was better that way because Dev was very difficult to handle. This was a police force that was built to take care of the occasional drunk and perhaps citizens who refused to acknowledge the annual burn ban. It was not ready for mass murder. The entire police force had answered the call. One sheriff and two deputies had shown up, guns drawn, and the two deputies promptly began throwing up. At least the sheriff had been able to hold it together.
I ran my fingers through Dev’s thick hair, the softness soothing me. “We don’t have time to check anything off your list, baby. Daniel will be here soon.”
He sure as hell better be. It had already been far longer than I expected to wait. Daniel should have been here busting open the freaking bars and getting us the hell out of here. I’d already been booked on suspicion of multiple homicides. The fact that I was covered in blood didn’t help my case. It also didn’t help that the police knew all the victims, but I was an outsider.
I wore an overly large jumper because the police had taken my clothes. Evidence. I wasn’t supposed to leave behind evidence. The sheriff was on the phone calling larger cities in an attempt to get an actual crime scene unit to the farm. From what I understood, the local vet served as the county coroner, and he was on a fishing trip.
I’d given an alias for my name, and Dev was incapable of giving them anything. I’d been through processing and had everything taken from me. Knowing the Revelation was in some evidence room was just one more problem I didn’t need. I was going to have to pay a visit to that little room before I left. To top off my trouble, I heard the sheriff calling for someone to take the male to the hospital. I really didn’t want that to happen, hence my wanting Daniel to hurry the hell up. It was time to blow this backwoods town before the feds showed up, and they were going to show up.
“I am looking for Sheriff Jones.” A familiar voice was speaking quietly.
I checked the clock. Three a.m. I was going to kick Daniel’s ass for making me cool my heels this long. Even as it was he hadn’t come in person. He’d sent Chad. I scooted out from under Dev’s now sleeping form and walked to the bars. I had to strain, but I could see Chad looking very professional in a suit. His face was flat, and he looked pissed to be pulled out of bed to have to deal with this shit. There was a man beside him, but he was in sweat pants and a T-shirt. I pegged his age as close to fifty. He yawned as he stood beside Chad.
“I’m the sheriff,” a gruff voice replied.
Chad held up a handful of papers. “Sheriff, these are the three lawsuits I am prepared to file. One is against the county, one against the police department, and the last one names you personally for the wrongful arrest of my clients, Katie Johnson and Devon Finn. They’re the victims of an awful cult, and yet they’re sitting in your jail cell not getting the medical attention they deserve. They were victimized first by your citizens and then again by a corrupt police force.”
“Corrupt?” The sheriff stared at Chad and then looked away. He shook his head as though trying to clear it.
“I’ve already spoken to Judge Laurence who instructed the district attorney’s office to look into the matter.” Chad kept talking but that wasn’t all he was doing.
I could feel the power he was pushing around the room. To the inexperienced, it would feel like the room was getting overheated. It was like a small voice in the back of their head imploring them to do the right thing. It was the very persuasive power of a vampire. It could be used for anything from getting a little blood and a little sex, to persuading a victim to sign over their life savings. Chad was just a baby, but he was already incredibly impressive. He might never be the strongest or the fastest vampire, but he wouldn’t need to be. He could talk people out of what others would take by force. In the vampire world, it was a talent to be highly valued.
“Howard, is this true?” The sheriff looked at the papers, appearing to read them briefly, but even from my vantage point I could see they were blank. They wouldn’t appear that way to the sheriff. He was seeing what Chad wanted him to see.
“I have no idea what you were thinking, Sheriff.” The dude in pajamas seemed to be the district attorney. “It’s obvious those two are the victims. Do you want to make us look like a bunch of small-town idiots? This is going to be a big case. This is going to make the national news, and we’re all going to look like bumpkins.”
Chad nodded. “I’ve already contacted the national news networks. Several major reporters are on their way here even as we speak. This is big news, Sheriff. Two tourists almost become the victims of a local cult. Trust me. Every media outlet in the country is going to cover this story. The question is do you want to be the officer who helped the victims or the one who tossed them in jail?”
The sheriff straightened up, smoothing down his wrinkled shirt. “Really? You mean like CNN?”
Chad nodded. “If you let my clients go now, we’ll do the show from the station with you looking like the hero who rescued them. Otherwise, I’ll be standing outside the station with a protest group talking about the largest lawsuit this county has ever seen. I can make your career, Sheriff, and I promise you I can break it. It’s your choice.”
Dev and I were processed out within fifteen minutes. We were in the van and on our way before anyone thought to ask for credentials.
“You are damn good, Chad,” I said as he steered the car onto the road that would take us to the cemetery.
Chad smiled at me in the rearview mirror, obviously satisfied with a job well done. “You think that was a tough crowd? You should have met my law professors.”
I sat in the back of the van with Dev draped across me. He sighed happily in his sleep. Chad turned into the cemetery. I hated to break it to him, but the job wasn’t over yet. “We have to go back.”
“Not going to happen, Zoey. I have orders. We stay here until Daniel and Neil get back.” Chad got out of the van. He opened the back door so we could talk face to face.
“You don’t understand. I had the item in my hand. It’s in the evidence locker at the jail. I can sneak in and get it. I just need you to pull some vampy mojo on the desk clerk.”
Before Chad could give the multitude of reasons why that was a bad idea, Daniel landed at the edge of the cemetery. He wore all black, from his denims to the duster that billowed around him as he landed with a thud. The ground shook as he hit it. Normally Daniel floated gently, so I knew that sound was meant to get my attention. He looked straight at me as he landed, his mouth a flat line with just the tiniest hint of fangs to let me know he was pissed off. His boots thudded across the dirt, stirring dust in his wake.
His hand came up, a glint of metal shining in the moonlight as he tossed the Revelation my way. I reached up and caught it. The little piece of jewelry hummed in my hand.
“See, Zoey,” Daniel all but snarled at me as he advanced. “I still know how to steal.”
I placed the Revelation around my neck as I eased out from under Dev. This was obviously a conversation that required me to stand toe to toe with my husband. I scrambled out of the van before he could force me to stay inside and lose the chance to stand up to him. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Daniel?”
Neil ran up the road in wolf form. He took his place next to Chad, who absently stroked his lover’s fur. He was busy watching Daniel and shaking his head in surprise.
“What it means, baby, is it’s time for you to hang it up.” Daniel loomed over me. The trouble with going toe to toe with Danny was the crick I got in my neck from staring up at him. “Let’s talk about how you fucked up tonight. First, you went into a situation with no intelligence whatsoever.�
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I felt my face start to flush with anger. How dare he? I’d been through hell and he wanted to lecture me? “I didn’t have any intelligence because you were too busy playing politician to do your job, Danny. You had one job to do—check out that farm. But no, you got too caught up in your own plans to consider the job you were hired to do.”
“Hired? You want to treat me like a hired hand, baby, you better pony up some more cash because you pay shit for all the crap I have to do to save your ass.” Daniel looked over my shoulder toward the van. “Hey, Quinn, get out here because I have a few things to say to you.”
“Leave him alone, Danny.”
“Is he asleep? He fell asleep after getting you arrested?”
“Don’t you blame him. He fought like hell. They drugged him. We were both drugged and carried out of the B&B. We were taken to the farm after I found the Revelation. I found it, Danny, not you. I had it in my hands when those witches came for me. I might have been a little more on my guard if you had done the reconnaissance. If I’d known I was walking into a killing field, I might have taken that bitch a little more seriously.”
Daniel held me by the shoulders. “Maybe if you hadn’t been so hot to take your boyfriend on a job, you would have had adequate backup. You need to make a choice, baby. Do you want to be a pro or do you want to get a cozy house in the suburbs and start spitting out Dev’s illegitimate children?”
“Jesus,” I heard Chad sigh under his breath.
“How dare you?” I screamed because just saying it didn’t express my rage. It was welling up inside me, all the pressure and terror of the night forcing its way up like a champagne bottle begging to be uncorked. I could handle it one of two ways. I could let him hold me while I cried or I could vent that rage at him. He’d chosen path number two, and I didn’t even feel a hint of guilt for following him.