by Mila Young
Ryder wore only Knox’s coat around his waist, buttoned up the front and fashioned as a kilt. I suspected it might have been at someone else’s suggestion since Ryder had grown up a nudist and had zero issues with flashing his wares.
But when my gaze sailed to Knox and the victim’s brother, Asher, my stomach dropped.
“Where’s the girl?” I surveyed the pier on either side of me. I didn’t almost die to have her end up dead. Whatever possessed the child wasn’t normal and even now the demon’s words whirred in my head about finding me, knowing me. But I put that down to the fiend making up crap to catch me off guard. Still, why hadn’t my fire blitzed it out of existence?
Asher turned my way, his eyes red-rimmed, and he held his sister’s PJs in one hand—the fabric torn and bloodied. My mouth dried, my brain unable to put two and two together. I praised myself on picking up the obvious that she was missing, but right now my head hurt. My pulse pounded in my ears, and the blood on my skin was hardening, making me feel like a chick about to crack out of a shell.
The last time I’d felt this disorientated, I’d gotten kicked out of town at thirteen. I’d lost my home and everyone I’d considered a friend with nowhere to turn next. Sure, this was different, but I didn’t understand who I was or anything about my power, so how in the world was I supposed to defeat a powerful demon?
“She ran away.” Knox combed a hand through his hair.
I closed the distance between us. “What do you mean, ran away? While possessed? And why are her PJs still here?”
Asher’s cheeks were ashen and splattered with blood. Guilt sawed on my heart at seeing the agony warping his expression, the glistening in his eyes, the way he constantly swallowed past his dried throat.
“We were all knocked out,” he started, “and when I came to, she was drinking my blood and covering her body with it.” He lifted his trembling arm where several bite marks dotted his wrist. “My sister, Trisha had leaped off the pier and swam to the shore near the mountains in record time, then crawled out on all fours. She darted into the woods and vanished.”
Asher shook his head, as if still unable to believe what he’d seen, but the supernatural had inhuman abilities. And hearing his wavering voice had my hairs standing on end, reminded me of what we had faced and failed to do.
I glanced around at the four men, noting they all had similar bites on their inner arms, and at my own. Was the fiend feeding, growing in strength?
“Girl’s possessed by a demon or some shit,” Ryder blurted out. “But ain’t like anything I’ve seen before, especially if it overpowered Sephy. I’ve seen larger demons tremble in her presence. So what the fuck was that?”
Dean studied me from head to toe and stopped on my hands. My palms were red from the flames, but my skin never burned when I called on my ability.
“How did you do that with your hands?” Dean asked.
“Who gives a fuck?” Asher blurted. “She’s a magic user. He’s a lion shifter.” He pointed at Ryder. “So nothing new. Why are we still standing around chatting when my sister’s been invaded by a demon and has disappeared?” His voice rose, and I swore if more residents had moved into this complex, we’d be swarmed with television crews by now.
“We need to return to the station,” Dean said, approaching Asher. “I’ll get the team searching for her. In fact, I want to see all of you down there to take statements about what happened here.”
Ryder shook his head. “I’m a passerby, so whatever took place in the house or with the little demon girl has nothing to do with me.”
“She has a name. Trisha,” Asher growled, and Knox stepped between the men, seasoned at breaking up fights between troubled teens at the community hall he worked.
“I’ll join you at the station and help where I can,” Knox offered. “Not sure it’s necessary for Ryder or Sephy to attend right now, especially with her all bloodied up. So let’s start with me and Asher? The priority is finding the girl and saving her.” Despite his demanding tone, I appreciated him getting me off the hook.
My head still swam with what we’d gone through. The world around me kept swaying and what I needed was a shower, food and a stiff drink to re-energize myself. The fire always zapped me, but right now I was ready to collapse.
Ryder had my elbow and pulled me against him. “You going to faint? You’re pale as a cloud.”
“Forgot to have lunch. I lost a bit of blood.”
Knox looked my way, worry marring his brow. “Take her home, okay?”
I adored his protective nature.
Ryder slid an arm around my waist and held me tight. “I got her.”
But I pushed him aside, not ready to get chummy. “I can walk on my own, but thanks.”
Knox, Asher, and Dean climbed into the police car and drove to the station, while Ryder and I ambled through the park leading to my place.
“What a fucked-up day, huh, Sephy? When I saw that girl drinking your blood, I freaked and attacked her without thinking. God, I could have killed the child.”
“But you didn’t, and I’m stumped on what’s claimed her. You and I have seen some freaky shit, but this was different, and it scares me.” I rubbed the chill out of my arms while my head floated on clouds, fuzzy and unfocused.
“Have you thought of getting out of this business?” He remained by my side in case I lost my footing.
“Don’t want to talk about that. You know my thoughts. It’s what I do. I help people; otherwise, why was I cursed with this ability?” I drew away and marched up a dirt track past kids’ swings. The breeze pushed one and it creaked. Where would a demonic child run to?
I traced the edge of the bite on my arm with a finger. The wound was slightly puffy and sensitive to the touch. Vampires didn’t exist. This wasn’t the movies, and in reality far more terrifying things existed.
Ryder strolled alongside me, our arms brushing. He didn’t believe in personal space. “She bit all of us—maybe tasting our blood, hunting for something.”
We left the park behind and ambled up my street. “Or we were being marked,” I offered, and just as the words left my mouth, I hated that I’d even thought of them. Getting linked to a fiend wasn’t on anyone’s wish list, but I also didn’t intend on sitting back. Once I got myself cleaned up, I’d head back out and search for the girl. Someone had to have noticed a naked girl running around.
“For fuck’s sake, I hope we’re not marked. I came to you for help with my crap, not to get caught up in yours.”
I cut Ryder a glare, but I couldn’t blame him for not wanting to draw demons’ attention. Who did? “I’m sure it’s nothing but a feeding frenzy.” I forced a smile on my face, but his marred brow told me everything.
“You’re a terrible liar,” he said.
I unlocked the front door to the apartment building just as Ryder darted to the line of shrubs out the front of the building. Seconds later, he dashed over with a backpack over his shoulder. Okay, someone came prepared, but then again, as a lion shifter, he’d probably had enough of finding himself in naked situations if he transformed in a rush and tore his clothes.
By the time we reached the third floor and entered my place, my head spun.
Ryder shut us inside and scanned the room. “New sofa? What about our love couch?”
I rolled my eyes. “The thing was falling apart; plus, my roommate got this when you moved out. Anyway, let me clean your wounds before I shower.”
The corner of his mouth twitched and before he spoke, I answered, “No, that’s not an invitation.”
A year ago, I would have lured him to the bathroom with a strip show, eager to fall under his spell and magical tongue. Now all I thought about was his betrayal. I forgave him already but forgetting was a whole different ball game. And as much as being in his company brought back incredible memories of our times together, the love letters he’d write, the surprise gifts, the dates he’d take me on… It meant nothing after discovering he’d cheated. Because if he’d care
d, he wouldn’t have gone to another woman. And what sucked worse was how it had made me feel afterward. Worthless and lacking confidence.
With Ryder bandaged up, I jumped into the shower and drowned my sorrows under the scorching water. After all, part of my ability came with a heightened resistance to heat. Blood zigzagged down my arm and legs from the projectile vomit, swirling around my feet and drain, turning the floor a crimson hue. I scrubbed the muck off my skin, out of my hair, and from my face.
Everything about today had been off. Okay, let me be honest. It had been strange for weeks now, but today had topped it off. With meeting my dead mom, being attacked by a spirit, and failing to save an innocent. Oh, and the pleasantness of receiving a demon bite, getting vomited on, and sweet-talked by a satanic spirit. Yep. Today got added to my other memorable days.
I’d killed my first demon at the age of seven when I fought an intruder in our foster home after he had made his way to my bedroom in the middle of the night. The moment I’d shoved my hands against his arms, my palms had lit up and I’d burned him. Smoke had smothered the poor sucker. Initially I’d sworn I’d barbecued him, but later I’d discovered they’d been wisps of demon ash drifting back into the underworld. It had scared the shit out of me. My foster parents didn’t believe me and accused me of taking drugs. Bastards. I was fucking only seven years old.
I closed my eyes and tilted my head back under the stream of water, wringing the last bits of shampoo. Calmness now wove through me.
And a murmuring voice reached me.
I snapped open my eyes and froze. “Ryder, that better not be you sneaking in here.” I pushed aside the show curtain, but the bathroom was empty. I was alone.
Okay, clearly I was jumpy. I switched off the water and climbed out.
After disinfecting and bandaging my wounds and glass cuts, I pulled on my jean shorts and a T-shirt.
A voice came from the living room. Ryder on the phone, maybe talking to his girlfriend. Whatever. I wasn’t interested. Nope. Not even the twinge in my gut about missing what we’d had together would change that.
But when I strolled into the room to join him, I gasped at the state I found him in. “What the fuck are you doing?”
5
“You’re drinking my whiskey?” I marched toward Ryder and grabbed the bottle out of his grasp. I lifted it to see he’d downed several shots. “Are you shitting me? You opened it without offering me any?” Yeah, I got protective of my golden ambrosia when this imported stuff cost more than a week’s wages, but hell, it was my indulgence. “You’ve always been a beer guy.”
Ryder didn’t respond but kept his gaze locked on his phone while the TV blasted the horse-racing channel.
“Why are you watching this?” I switched it off. “Come on. Let’s go.” With a swig of the whiskey, the sweet aromatic liquid rushing down my throat, I stashed the bottle in the cupboard. While there, I took two of Raven’s honeycomb chocolates. I’d pay her back later, but right now, I needed sugar.
In the living room, Ryder hadn’t moved, but he was mumbling something under his breath. I grabbed my keys and stepped into my ankle boots with wedged heels, then noticed he was placing bets on horses online.
“Okay, didn’t realize you’re now gambling, but whatever. I’m heading out, so time for you to leave.”
When no response came, I nudged his foot with the toe of my boot. “Hello!”
His head jerked up, and his eyes glazed over as if he were miles away. I’d seen that look before on people with addictions. Lost and in a different plane of existence—just like the dozens of times I’d found Knox so high he couldn’t count to five, but his eyes had turned cloudy.
Staring at Ryder this way had me burning up from the inside out. I snatched the phone from his hand and grabbed his shirt, dragging him to his feet.
“What the fuck are you on?”
At first, he stared at me blankly. Great! Because my day wasn’t ridiculous enough, now my ex would overdose in my apartment.
I hauled him toward my bathroom. “If you’ve taken that new jade pill everyone’s talking about, you’re a complete moron, and you’ll make yourself vomit!”
But he seized my wrist and forced me to stop.
I turned to find him shaking his head like he’d just woken up from a dream.
“I took nothing,” he grumbled, and his brow furrowed into a dozen lines. “I’m fine.” His groggy voice screamed the opposite.
“What a load of bull. You’re spaced out, enjoying my whiskey and gambling. Since when? Whiskey used to make you sick, and you’ve never been into horse racing, so what’s going on?”
He ran his fingers across his stubble, the scratchy sound reminding me of sandpaper sliding over rough wood. “I was sitting there and the next thing I knew, I had the wildest urge for a drink and to place a bet.” He half-smirked. “Maybe it was a sign I’d win?”
“So you promise you took nothing?”
He made a cross sign over his heart. “I swear on my life, the only nasty thing I took was your whiskey. You need to get something better.” His hand still held mine. “You used to always have some of that locally-brewed beer in your place for me. What’s it called? ‘Beaver Town?’” He beamed and chuckled to himself.
“And you used to say you only loved me.” My throat thickened. I brushed past him, hating that he still affected me so much after I’d told myself I was over him.
“I don’t wanna fight, Sephy. So where are we going?” His footfalls fell in step behind me.
“I’m searching for the possessed girl; no idea where you’re going.” I reached for the door, but Ryder pushed his hand past my shoulder and shut us inside. I turned, finding myself pinned beneath him, his musky scent mixed with his fresh aquatic aftershave teasing me. I’d always loved the way he smelled. It tickled my libido to no end and even now, warmth slid through my gut.
“I know I fucked up. I’ve apologized a million times, and I’ll do it a billion more times. Please don’t push me away, Sephy. I’ve had no one on my mind but you since we broke up.”
"You have no right to say that.” I didn’t need to deal with this now or ever. I’d cried too many nights at his disloyalty and yet in his company, I always caved with the way he looked at me as if he had eyes only for me. But on the inside, I choked on my breath as the fear of getting hurt again short-circuited my brain.
“You hurt me real bad.” And that prickling at the corners of my eyes started, so I blinked hard to drive the tears away. “I don’t know if I can fully ever trust you again,” I admitted.
“Then let me win your trust back.”
A blanket of silence engulfed us. I studied his chiseled jawline, the thick lips I craved, and his short, honeyed-brown hair, making him an Adonis among most men. I would often place my face in his hair and inhale his sexiness—the lion underneath.
“Let’s not do this now, please. I have to focus on finding that poor girl.”
At my words, he retreated and bowed like a butler. “I’ll join you.”
My first reaction was to knock him back, but he’d saved my ass from the demon attack. So how could I turn him away when he’d offered help and that meant a better chance to find the child?
“Fine. Let’s go.”
“You look super-hot, by the way. Still wearing your cute shorts, I see.”
When he winked, I looked down at my mini denim-shorts. “That’s the way I rock,” I said.
Once we buckled up in my old Jeep, we drove toward the freeway. And I caught Ryder stealing glances my way. I half-expected him to reach over and touch my leg, but he never did. And that was fine with me. I wasn’t ready to go there.
“Remember that time I went down on you in the back seat of your car?” he started, and I laughed because of course that was where his mind focused.
“How can I forget? We got a ticket for indecent exposure by the cop who knocked on our window. I swear he had a boner, and that was the only reason he didn’t drag us to the station.”
“Oh, he so headed back to his car to jerk off.” Ryder chuckled.
I smiled at the memory of how insatiable he became when he devoured me. Damn, just thinking about his mouth had me tingling, and it was completely unfair for him to bring up such a topic. Or was that his tactic? Drive me insane with horniness so I jumped him?
So I focused on the road, swerving around slow-poke trucks. We passed the woods, and I took the next exit to my right because that would lead us to the river’s shore, where the girl had swum to. She’d moved through the water faster than normal. Not impossible for a supernatural, but still mind-boggling.
“Tell me about your problem,” I said, breaking the silence. “The one you came to talk to me about before everything went to shit.”
Ryder twisted in his seat and faced me. “I think someone’s trying to kill me.”
I cut him a hard stare. Was he making shit up or had he overreacted to a situation, which was so like him? He’d once sworn the hyena mafia had put out a hit on him. Turned out, they were after him not for a kill… but to become a potential mate for one of their daughters. I played the dutiful fiancée to save his ass. As a lion alpha, many shifter packs regarded him as potential to merge two races and build their bond. Mind you, he didn’t have a pride of his own, but no one seemed to care about such matters. Then again, most shifters now lived far and wide across the country. Larger packs hid in the mountains and national parks. That made them a harder target for trigger-happy hunters.
“Who’s trying to kill you and why?”
“My house.”
I met his gaze, unsure if I heard right. “Your house?”
“Don’t look at me like I’m crazy. For the past three days, the air in the home’s grown heavy. The other day, the iron flew across the room, missing my head by inches. I woke up with my bedsheets wrapping themselves around my neck. And just this morning, my breakfast steak mooed at me, then slapped me in the face like a hand smothering over my nose and mouth, suffocating me.”
I jerked the wheel to stay in my lane. “Wait, wait!” I glanced his way. “You own an iron? Since when? Never seen you wash clothes in my life.”