by Misty Dietz
“Not in the last four hundred years or so,” Spencer drawled. “We could ask Jinx or Alexios for a wider time frame. However, I don’t ever recall them talking about—”
“Four hundred years?” Jessie shook her head. “This…this is just…I can’t believe this. Are demons around humans all the time, but we just don’t see them?”
Nate nodded. “Dark spirits who find a way back to Earth have to possess a human host in a short amount of time as their mist forms can’t survive long without a physical body on this plane. The trouble they cause is usually isolated to small pockets of a community. If the Guardians don’t prevail by exorcising the demon or preventing the possession in the first place,” Nate paused when more demons howled outside, “tragedy surely follows in the demon’s wake, but I’ve never seen it on this level.”
Horrors. “What’s going on right now then?” When Nate pursed his lips, she put a palm on his chest. “If you’re not going to tell me, I want to go home.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the hallway, only stopping when they were out of earshot of the others. He took her other hand, squeezing both of them in one of his own. His eyes looked haunted. “Do you want me to wipe your memories?”
Other sounds—dark and threatening—scattered through her mind. She looked over at the mouth of the stairs expecting to see the man in the suit standing there again. Maybe she should have Nate make her forget all of it. Then these voices would go away. “This is all insane. I should say yes, but I can’t.”
He nodded, looking relieved, which afforded her some relief as well. He held up his hands. “I’ll be right back. Stay. Here.”
She followed him to the dance floor where Spencer was arguing with Katherine. When Nate noticed her he threw up his hands. “By the blood, woman. Why don’t you listen?”
“You’re not my…” Well, actually he was her boss. Then again, she didn’t really have a job anymore since the whole metropolis was Demon Central. They probably wouldn’t have a world much longer either. “I think all bets are off at this point, don’t you?”
“No. Right now, martial law rules. You don’t know anything about these demons, so you’ll take my word as law.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really.”
“Knock it off, you simpering fools. Your fatal attraction is beyond tedious when we have work to do.” Spencer glared at them before waving Cruz and Dorian over. “You chaps alright with holding things down here so I can venture out again…” Spencer’s voice trailed off, his eyes going blank, then crackling with anger before he refocused on those standing around him. “My head of security at IGNIS has informed me that there are high level demons at my club as well. More fallout from the rift in the Seam, I’d wager, though our city hasn’t plummeted into the Earth’s bowels, so that’s something. Katherine, have you checked in with AQUA?”
The female Guardian shook her head, and moments later, her eyes took on that same faraway look until a battle light came into her gaze. Nate yelled, “Wait!” But it was too late. Spencer and Katherine simply….vanished.
Jessie closed her gaping mouth when she felt Nate’s eyes on her. “Where…?”
“They teleported—we call it streaming—most likely to their clubs. It’s actually good news that the archdemons weren’t able to stop them from doing so with the force field in place.” Nate looked like he was quite serious. But…this was Minneapolis while Spencer’s club IGNIS was in California and Katherine’s club AQUA was in Hawaii.
Jessie rubbed her eyes. Too much.
“Dammit!” Nate paced as he fired off orders to the remaining security team. He offered to stream them to their home bases as soon as things were secure here. Then they went to complete their tasks, leaving Jessie with Nate—yet not alone, with all the sleepers on the club’s perimeter.
“Can you take people with you when you do that beam-me-up-Scotty thing that Katherine and Spencer did?” she asked.
“Yes, but it’s taxing.” He took a cushion off one of the u-benches and placed it under a sleeping co-ed’s head. “I’ll answer all your questions as best I can. But later, okay?”
“I want to know how to protect myself if they get in.” When they get in.
“I’m not going to let anything hurt you. I swear it.”
“You can’t be with me always.”
NATHANIEL.
Her knees wobbled at the powerful reverberation of his name. Especially when she noted Nate had momentarily paled. “Who was that?”
“Jessie, you really need to go back into the sanctorum. It’s a safe room where no demons can enter.”
“I thought you were doing that abracadabra thing to keep them from coming in the club.”
“They’re called wards. And yes, we are. But it’s going to take extra time to get this area as fail-safe as the sanctorum because your uncle breached my Earth element and opened the Seam with an extremely powerful summoning spell.”
“Where is Mason anyway?”
Nate’s fingers were warm on her shoulders. “The demons used him to facilitate the breach. He accomplished their mission and is no longer valuable to them. I’m sorry, Jess, but he’s probably dead.”
“But you guys had him. When and how did he get away?” As soon as the question was out, she knew the answer. She looked toward the spot where Nate had faced off with the Demogorgon. Yeah, that must’ve been when Mason had escaped. She reached for a barstool, her legs wobbly like a newborn colt’s. When Nate pulled her to him and up into his arms, she wanted to curl up there and wake, many hours later, to find that this was all a bad dream.
But no, Nate was taking her somewhere.
Downstairs.
She shook her head. “Don’t put me back in that room.”
His jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
“What happened to free will?”
“It goes away when you’re in danger.”
The hell you say. She tried to release herself from his arms, but of course he was abnormally strong, and her efforts were as puny as a housefly banging against a screen door. “At least tell me how to fight a demon. There’s got to be a way for humans to protect themselves.”
“Be good.”
Even though it was pointless, she struggled again on principle. “Screw you, Nate.”
“Settle down. That’s not how I meant it. Being good is how you fight a demon. Or at least, it’s how you prevent yourself from being particularly vulnerable to one. Don’t do bad shit. When humans make bad choices, they leave pockets in their souls that demons can sense. Evil spirits hunting for a host are very good trackers, believe me.”
He opened the sanctorum’s door, somehow made the lights turn on all by themselves, and set her on her feet on the most luxurious rug she’d ever seen. “If you leave me in here, you’ll regret it.”
“I doubt it.” His eyes took on a determined gleam. “Don’t waste your fingernails or vocal chords trying to get out.”
As he slammed the door, he touched his abdomen where his wicked scar had been. And yeah, it damn well had been there. It felt important somehow. Like there was something about that scar that was going to change her life forever.
She ran to the door and started pounding.
Chapter 23
Nate lunged up the stairs three at a time and sprinted down the hallway to assist the others in safeguarding the club with wards, herbs, holy water, salt, and iron. Jessie could be pissed at him until the next millennium if it meant she was safe.
He was pretty sure that had been an ancient demon calling him by name moments ago. Ancient and powerful. And from the sound of it, other Unholy Inc clubs were likewise shoring up their properties against the same formidable evil. Which meant they couldn’t help one another, except by sharing intel.
He grabbed a broom and began clearing the debris from the dance floor as he reached into the ether to connect with Jinx Tanaka at club AER. Do you have any idea what we’re dealing with here?
Jinx didn’t answer
right away. He couldn’t feel her either. Then…
Kinda busy right now making a pincushion out of a cocksucking Demogorgon, Hellraiser.
That’s brilliant, Jinx. I can tell you’re doing your best to live down your bloodthirsty reputation.
She grunted, then let out a war whoop Nate imagined she’d sounded hundreds of times as an onna-bugeisha, a female warrior who fought beside samurai men in early twelfth century Japan.
She chuckled. Kill or be killed, I always say. Alexios believes the old ones rattling our cages are Princes of Hell. Aren’t we lucky? I’ve been dying to try out my double-sided naginata for ages.
Nate almost smiled at the image of tiny, fine-boned Jinx wielding the long, bladed spear. She’d always been one of the most ruthless Guardians. But if Princes of Hell had boots on the ground here on Earth, the time for smiling was over. I couldn’t reach Alexios a few moments ago. Is everything buttoned up at ETHER? he asked.
Alexios’s crew sustained several casualties before he got things locked down at his club. He probably doesn’t want to talk to you because this shitstorm erupted at your club.
Why don’t you tell me what you really think?
Aww, I’m sorry, did I hurt your feelings, English? Apparently finding your compar has made you soft.
Femme fatales were such a pain in the ass. He leaned the broom against the bar. It was a good thing she couldn’t see him cleaning. He’d never live it down. No other Guardian clubs I’ve contacted have been affected by the Seam rift like we have at TERRA, AQUA, IGNIS, AER, and ETHER. You have any other perspectives?
No. Which leads me to believe they want—
The relics, they said simultaneously.
Of course. It was the first thing he’d thought of, but it would’ve been nice to be wrong. Demons raising hell for the sake of being assholes didn’t sound so bad once you considered other reasons why they’d come. In other words, they were on a mission to claim the relics. There were dozens of Unholy Inc nightclubs around the globe, but only a small percentage housed holy artifacts.
He’d known it would happen eventually—all the Guardians did—he’d only hoped it wouldn’t be in this century. Especially now with Jessie in the picture. But it made sense—the Legions of Hell didn’t have the juice to get Lucifer out of his cage without the relics. If they managed to steal even a few, the archdemons would likely have enough mojo to force the archangels’ hand.
And if the archangels got involved, that meant Armageddon.
It was a dominoes thing. If the Guardians failed, the end of the world would begin.
No pressure.
Nate severed the connection with Jinx, then went to share what he’d learned with Dorian, Stark, Jaws, and Cruz. By seven-thirty, as the first rays of sunlight set the opaque glass blocks to glowing above the entrance door, he and the others had scouted the city in a ten-mile radius. They’d also reversed the wards that lured demons into the club, rescued humans they found trapped in the rubble, fought the remaining twelve demons who’d hidden in all the club’s dark spaces, and incinerated thirty-seven of them they’d captured in Devil’s Traps throughout the club—circular symbols etched into the floor or painted on the ceiling that physically detained demons and inhibited many of their powers.
Too bad they hadn’t collected enough evil-summoning objects to perform a domo ceremony. It might not get rid of the archdemon who’d come calling, but it would vanquish all the lesser demons in a ten block radius. They had three possessions that would have to wait for exorcisms since Katherine was no longer on site, but bringing in a priest for the job would be much easier now that daylight had broken and most demons would hide out until nightfall when their power resurged.
Exhausted and hungry, Nate descended the stairs to the sanctorum as softly as possible. All he wanted to do was eat and lay down in a soft place with Jessie in his arms. He paused outside the door, pressing his ear to the dense wood, listening. Several times as the morning had worn on, he’d been tempted to let her out of the room. But with every hiss and promise of retribution from the dying demons’ mouths, he’d known he was doing the right thing.
Keeping her safe was all that mattered.
His fingers closed around the doorknob. He whispered the unlocking ward, turned the lock tumbler with the power of his mind, and swiveled the brass knob. The door swung open abruptly, catching him off balance so he stumbled into the room with great momentum. He slid forward, scraping his knees on the stone tile and his broken nose on the walnut side table.
“That’s for all the lies,” Jessie announced above him as he groaned, swiveled, and plopped down to his bottom on the floor, too tired to even look up at her. Moments later, her concerned, silver blue eyes were inches from his own, assessing him from head to toe. “Oh heavens, look at you!” she scolded.
Her lips pressed against his sweaty temple before she ran to the counter to wet a clean towel. She’d better feel guilty because he was beyond knackered at this point. “What the hell did you expect? Demons don’t typically wait for my stunt double to show up.” He was surly, yes, but she deserved it for her ungratefulness, the lovely, little wretch. He sucked back another groan when he tried to stretch his arm over his head.
She returned and pressed the cool cloth to his face, taking special care not to bother his nose. “Are they gone?” Her voice was contrite. He could definitely press his advantage now. Guilt her into making it up to him. Con her into believing she was still in imminent jeopardy so he could more easily control her safety.
Make good choices.
Barmy conscience. Ever since she’d blown up his world with color, he’d been dealing with these inconvenient principles. He wanted to take that small, honorable voice and shove it up a demon’s arse. But protecting Jessie was the best choice, no? And to protect someone, you often needed to scare them.
Scare her? Or trust her to make her own decisions? She was intelligent after all.
But still…demons were a whole new level of fucked up with which she had no experience.
Blast this bloody morality shit. “There are no more demons in the club. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the city, thanks to Mason.”
“I’ve got to get to my grandparents, Nate. What if something’s already gotten to them?”
He grabbed her hand as she started walking toward the door and pulled her down to the floor with him, ignoring the flare-up of pain in his torso. The sooner he could eat, sleep, and lose himself in Jessie’s body, the sooner he’d patch up. “I set wards on their house and compelled them to remain inside until they hear from you.”
“Compelled.”
He only smiled.
She pressed her lips together. “Thanks?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re welcome?”
“What?”
“That was the most ungrateful thank you I’ve ever received.”
She frowned and scooted off his lap. He felt her withdrawal like an echo in his chest.
“You intruded on their minds. Took away their control,” she said quietly.
He shoved a hand through his hair and used the wingback chair to lever up from the floor. Her eyes widened at his grimace. “Would you prefer I left them vulnerable?”
She remained silent for a time. She wound her fingers together in front of her. “No. I’m glad you…did whatever it is that you do.” She waved a hand in the air. “Magic. Or whatever.”
“It’s not magic, Jess.”
“Well, what then?”
“I don’t know.” He’d never really thought about his abilities. They were just there. “Heaven’s Special Ops Forces, maybe.” Well, didn’t that sound ridiculous?
She seemed to accept it, though. “I don’t know what to think about all this.” She looked around the room. “What happens now?”
The need to claim her—to complete their bond—was growing stronger. And yet…
Her eyes reflected disillusionment and insecurity.
He hated that. She’d ha
d a lot to take in already. He could wait a few more hours or another day to tell her she was his compar. “Right now, we just go on.”
Her gaze fixed on the lower section of his tattoo that was visible below his t-shirt sleeve. He’d swapped his shredded mobster getup for jeans and black cotton shirt. She clearly remembered their conversation earlier in the week when he’d told her about the ink’s reminder to pick up and move on in the face of hardship. He leaned forward to place a kiss at the sweet spot beneath her ear. She shuddered and melted into him. Finally.
“I’ve had hours to do nothing but stew and worry. I can understand why solitary confinement is the worst sort of punishment.”
“I wasn’t punishing you, Jess. I only wanted to keep you safe.” His hands slid down to cup her bum. She still wore her costume, so there was nothing under her skirt but her itty bitty thong. He groaned deep in his throat. She wound her arms around his neck, sighing his name against his stubbled skin. His body shuddered in response. Want her.
Take.
No, he should make a plan. Take care of the demon problem. Keep the relic safe.
Keep her safe.
My Jessie.
His lips feathered along her hairline. He closed his eyes, absorbing her lime and coconut scent. He backed towards the sofa, sat down, then laid back, bringing her down on top of him. His fingernails curled into the skin on the back of her thighs, then raked up to slide over her bottom. “Damn, you feel good.”
Her lips closed around his earlobe. Take her, she’s yours, said a voice.
Make good choices, said another.
Her hips started a slow grind against his pelvis as her mouth fused to his. His tongue swept across her teeth as the scent of her arousal fanned the fire in his own blood. Sweat rolled down his temples and beaded between his pecs. Sounds of her breath coming fast and hard made a dark hunger swamp him. He scooted up from the sofa, grasping her to him, then laid her back down while he stood to unbutton his jeans. But before he even got the first button undone, she bolted up from the sofa and ran toward the door. Son of a bitch. He raised his hand, locking the door. She tried the doorknob in vain, then swung around, her eyes spitting sparks…and silvery hot desire. Her chest was blotchy red with her passion, her nipples tight through her white peasant top.