Demons LLC (Damned and Cursed Book 7)

by Glenn Bullion

  Alex knelt next to her, but kept his gaze on Zoey. He knew their kiss wasn't going to end well.

  "Alex," Kylie said. She grabbed his arm. "This isn't right."

  Zoey forced the stranger's head back and kissed his neck. He moaned in delight. She licked and sniffed his flesh. Alex recognized the ecstasy, and something else.

  The signs had always been there. Hiding from the daylight. No longer eating and drinking. He'd missed them all.

  "Yeah, I know."

  Alex stood up and shifted back to the living realm. He pushed forward, but wasn't fast enough. He caught a glimpse of Zoey's fangs and red eyes as she reared her head back. In one smooth motion, her head snapped forward, latching onto the stranger's neck. Kylie and Nate gasped. There was nothing sexual in her movements now. She grabbed the stranger's hair with one hand, shoving his head against the wall, and pinned his wrist with the other. His eyes went wide with shock, but then euphoria took hold, and finally arousal. He put up no resistance as the blood left his body.

  Alex recognized the sight of a vampire out of control. Zoey took deep, full drinks. She let out a noise that was part growl, part moan. She wasn't going to stop until the stranger was dead.

  He slipped an arm around her neck and grabbed her wrist. He tried to pull her back, but even as frail as she was, she was much stronger than him.

  "Stop," he said. "You'll kill him."

  She shrugged him off easily, forcing him back a step. Whirling in place, she struck a single time, a punch to Alex's chest. He sailed across the alley and landed in a heap of trashcans. Pain shot through his back.

  The stranger was holding a hand to his neck. His senses returned to him, despite the erection. His panicked eyes drifted back and forth from Zoey to Alex.

  "Run!" Alex shouted. "Get out of here!"

  He did as he was told, without a word, and Zoey didn't pursue. Her gaze was fixed on Alex. They still glowed red. Her fangs protruded past her bottom lip, dripping blood.

  "Zoey," Kylie said, off to the side. She struggled to climb to her feet with Nate's help. "You…killed me, didn't you?"

  It took effort for Alex to pull himself to one knee as well. He needed a moment to catch his breath, but wasn't sure if that moment existed. He held up a palm.

  "Just wait a second. Zoey, listen—"

  "You fucking bitch!"

  It was Kylie. She stood upright, her balled fists at her sides. Nate tried to calm her down, but that wasn't possible.

  She charged. An unrecognizable scream escaped her lips, and Alex thought the nearby windows rattled, only for a second. Diving through the air, she passed harmlessly through Zoey and landed on the ground.

  The distraction was enough, but not in Alex's favor. He barely registered that the vampire was moving.

  He got his arms up in time before Zoey was in his face. She snapped her jaws, like a canine, and barely missed his nose. With an arm lodged under her throat, it was only just enough to keep her back.

  His instincts told him to vanish, but he pushed them aside. He needed to talk to Zoey, and he couldn't do that from the spirit realm.

  "Zoey," he said. "Listen. You're in the middle of bloodlust. You have to fight it. Or you'll hate yourself for the rest of your life."

  She said nothing. She leaned back, and for a moment, Alex thought he'd gotten through to her. He couldn't have been more wrong. She cocked her arm behind her and raked him across the face with a hand that was no longer human. Her fingers were elongated, her nails razor-sharp. It was only sheer luck and Zoey's clumsiness that she didn't rip half his face off. Still, the swipe connected, and he felt blood running down his face.

  The sight of the crimson nectar excited Zoey even more. Her eyes opened wide as she lunged forward again. She stretched her tongue as far as it would go, eager to lick the only thing a vampire could ingest.

  Alex stopped her with his arms, and two more appendages she didn't see coming.

  His wings shot out from his back, knocking over another garbage can and tossing aside a bag of trash. He hooked the claws on the tips of his wings into her shoulders and forced her back. His wings were far stronger than his arms, easily capable of protecting him. She shrieked in pain. He could have easily tossed her, like she did him, but he resisted. He was surprised at his composure, considering blood was running down his face and borrowed shirt.

  "No," he said. "My blood. You can't have it."

  "What the hell is she?" Kylie asked, barely standing on her feet. "She's a vampire, isn't she? Like Victoria?"

  Nate shook his head. "I don't know. She's nothing like Victoria."

  Zoey's expression softened at the voice she couldn't hear until Alex allowed her to. Just his wings touching her was enough for her to see into the spirit realm. Her eyes were still red, the fangs present, but she found her voice, and the craving for blood stalled.

  "Kylie?" she said, glancing left and right. "Is that you?"

  Her voice was slurred due to the fangs. She contorted her body, staring behind her, and ripped one of Alex's wings from her shoulder as a result. Tears escaped as she struggled to breathe.

  "Yeah, it's me." Her tone was icy and even. "But it doesn't look like you're you."

  Zoey pulled away from Alex and fell on her hands and knees.

  "Kylie, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean—"

  She looked up, but saw nothing. Breaking contact with Alex left her alone with him in the alley. But Kylie still looked down at her old friend with anger and disappointment.

  "Well," Kylie said. "I guess we know what happened that night."

  Alex said nothing. A new voice shouted from Alex's right, further down the alley.

  "Don't move!"

  He turned to see Detective Lisa Nash, running in a half crouch with her gun drawn. She stopped twenty feet away and took aim at Zoey.

  "Lay down on the ground! Put your hands behind your head!"

  Zoey would do no such thing. Her head snapped up, the hungry glare in her eyes once again. She licked what was left of the stranger's blood from her fangs. She charged forward without hesitation, but Lisa didn't hesitate with her actions either. She opened fire, lighting up the alley with muzzle flash. She caught Zoey in the shoulder and thigh. Zoey shouted and fell to one knee. She snarled at Lisa one final time before turning and running. She ran past Alex and through Nate, deeper into the alley.

  "Nate," Alex said. "Follow Zoey."

  Nate flinched, doubt and confusion flashing across his face. The alley was a mess, the scene of an attempted murder. Blood splatter was on the brick wall. Alex struggled to climb to his feet. Kylie could barely stand. Detective Lisa Nash was hurriedly approaching. Nate didn't feel comfortable leaving.

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes," Alex said forcefully. He eyed Kylie as she tried to lean on the wall. As much as he wanted to follow Zoey, he had the feeling he needed to stay with Kylie. "Go, watch her. I don't think she'll hurt anyone else."

  "Oh, you don't think?"

  "Go!"

  Nate pointed to Kylie. "Watch her for me. Please."

  Alex nodded, and Nate vanished. He didn't bother running after Zoey. He had his own way of pursuing someone.

  Lisa caught up to Alex. He'd already pushed himself to his feet with the help of his wings. He didn't bother hiding them, opting instead to fold them behind him. She lifted his chin to inspect the cuts across his face.

  "Shit," she said, wincing. "Are you okay?"

  "Believe it or not, I've been through worse."

  "Oh, I believe it. I have the feeling you don't want me to take you to the hospital."

  "You'd be right. I thought you said you were staying at home?"

  "There was nothing good on TV. So, I figured I'd follow you. Although there wasn't much following involved. You didn't exactly clear the cache on my computer."

  Alex shook his head. He should have known. Clearing the cache was a trick he'd have to remember, and get Cindy to teach him.

  "Well, do you mind if I…?" She gestured
down the alley.

  "Go ahead."

  She ran in the direction of Zoey, to engage in a chase he knew the detective wouldn't win.

  The only people left in the alley, alive or dead, were Alex and Kylie.

  "Alex," she said. She took one step toward him before falling to the ground. "What's wrong with me?"

  He sat next to her and reached for her hand.

  "Relax. Everything's okay."

  "Am I…going to Heaven? Or worse? I'm not ready yet."

  "No, that's not it. I think maybe you died around here."

  "Zoey killed me, didn't she? My best friend."

  "I don't know."

  "You don't know? Did we just see two different things? She's a vampire. And she's not friendly, like the ones you hang out with. God, I'd give anything to know what happened that night."

  "It's funny you should say that," he said, smiling. He squeezed her hand and put his free hand on the back of her neck.

  She let out a sigh. "Ah, warm hands. I feel so sick. I didn't even know that was possible. Ghosts can get sick?"

  "It's your mind. Your memory is fighting to be heard, and it can make you feel weird."

  "Weird. Bad choice of words. I feel like I'm going to throw up."

  "Eh, memories do that. Take deep breaths. Don't try to stand."

  "I think…I'm remembering."

  "Okay, then." He rubbed the back of her neck. "Away we go."

  The alley slowly faded away around them.

  CHAPTER 13

  Alex winced and clenched his eyes shut as the loud music bounced around in his head once again. He sighed in frustration. They'd just endured the war on the senses that was the club night scene, and here they were again. Kylie's hand was still entwined in his own. He pulled it free and covered his ears for a moment.

  "Ohmygod ohmygod," Kylie repeated, putting her hands to her cheeks. "What the hell's going on? Did I teleport here?"

  He slowly opened his eyes and absorbed the club again. Men and women drinking, dancing, flirting with each other, playing pool and cards. Kylie and he were on the first floor, near the center.

  "No. We're inside your memories, on the night you died. Getting near your place of death finally trigged something."

  "Are you kidding me? We're looking inside my head?"

  "You got it."

  "Well then how are you inside my head?"

  He smiled. "Just another of the little tricks I can do."

  She shook her head as she stared at the floor.

  "Jesus. This is just too much. The moment I think I'm getting a handle on things, something just kicks my ass."

  "Yeah, I know what you mean. Normal, it's not."

  Another voice spoke, identical to Kylie's.

  "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard!"

  They both stared at each other, confused, until Kylie's jaw dropped. She pointed over Alex's shoulder. He turned to see Kylie and Zoey in a heated discussion in the middle of the dance floor.

  It wasn't the same Zoey Alex had already met. Her figure was full, healthy. Her cheeks were rosy, her smile bright. She was nothing like the emaciated young woman that took her place now. She filled out her clothes, catching the eye of many men strolling through. Zoey could have easily passed for nineteen, maybe twenty years old.

  "C'mon, Kylie. Stop the crazy over there."

  "Are you even listening to yourself? You want to leave here with a guy you don't even know?"

  Zoey rolled her eyes and laughed.

  "Isn't that the whole point of why we came out tonight?"

  "To make out with strangers and leave with them?"

  "To have fun! And, sometimes, part of that fun is hooking up with a hot guy. Look at him. Tell me he's not cute."

  Alex and Kylie, the spirit Kylie, moved closer to look at the man in question. He leaned against the wall not far from the bar. He smiled and chatted with several women as they passed by, but his attention always returned to Zoey and Kylie. His features were chiseled, with an intense, blue-eyed stare and a strong jaw.

  "I'll tell you one thing," Zoey said. "He's definitely a good kisser."

  Kylie laughed. "Yeah, I saw you two dancing. I thought clothes were getting ready to fly off."

  "You saw us? Then why didn't you come out and dance with us, instead of holding up the wall?"

  "No, thanks. You've seen me dance. And I don't think a bomb could have stopped you two. How old is he? Isn't it weird that he's here creeping on high school girls?"

  "Uh, excuse me. I'm eighteen now, so I can do what I want."

  "Do you even know his name?"

  "No. Not yet."

  "Wow. Brilliant, Zoey."

  Zoey's eyes narrowed, taking a bit of a hard edge.

  "What is your problem? You said you'd come out and have fun. So, why can't you do that? Why can't you have fun?"

  "I am having fun."

  "No, you're not. You're watching me have fun. Kylie, if you want a guy to really look at you, to undress you with his eyes—" She looked at Kylie's kitten shirt. "You're going to have to change your clothes."

  Kylie shrugged. "I like my clothes."

  "Whatever. Look, you don't have to be jealous."

  She put her hands on her hips. "Jealous?"

  "He wants me to go to some friend's apartment of his. But I said I wouldn't go without you. So…." She held her hands together. "Please?"

  "Wow. A stranger's apartment. Are you thinking at all?"

  "And there it is."

  "There what is?"

  "If he asked you, I'd bet you go."

  "That's not it. I just don't like the guy."

  "Yeah, you don't like anyone. I guess you and your mom share that, at least."

  Kylie frowned. "Now where did that come from?"

  "I don't know. I'm sorry." Zoey turned to wave and smile at her dance partner. "Look, I'm actually going to see if I can meet some new people, and maybe even a little more with my new friend over there. Are you coming or not?"

  She crossed her arms and shook her head. "No."

  Zoey shrugged and pulled down at her mini-skirt.

  "Okay, whatever."

  Alex and both versions of Kylie watched as Zoey turned and walked away without looking back. She took the stranger's hands and they shared a quick kiss. He tried to wrap an arm around her waist, but he was a full head taller than Zoey. He settled for her shoulders as they headed for the same exit door that Alex himself used not long ago.

  "I was going to walk home," spirit Kylie told Alex. "But I couldn't just let Zoey go."

  "You remember?"

  "A little. It's cloudy."

  The memory version of Kylie headed for the door, and they followed. They stayed ten feet behind Kylie, and Kylie stayed twenty feet behind them. She kept to the shadows to avoid being seen. Zoey and her friend talked and laughed, stopping occasionally for a quick kiss. A terrible sense of déjà vu overwhelmed Alex as they relived the alley pursuit from ten minutes prior, only with slightly different players.

  "You know what's funny?" Kylie said. "I was jealous of Zoey."

  "Seriously?"

  She nodded. "Most of the time I didn't care. But it got to me that night. The way guys look at her. It didn't matter what was going on. They always look past me to look at her. And I don't think a mini-skirt is something I can pull off."

  "I'll bet Nate wouldn't agree. Do you know that guy Zoey is with?"

  "Not at all."

  They continued to wind through the alley maze, on the exact same course Zoey led the man from the club earlier. Only this time, in Kylie's memory, Zoey wasn't the one leading. The man she was with was in complete control, had Zoey eating from the palm of his hand.

  "Oh, no," Kylie said, slowing down. "Am I going to watch my own murder? Am I going to see Zoey kill me?"

  Alex said nothing. He had enough clues to put together a theory. But there were no words that would prepare Kylie for what she was about to see.

  He kept his eyes locked on the man
Zoey was with.

  They turned down yet another alley. In her memory, Kylie stayed behind, peering around a corner. Spirit Kylie ran ahead, in between Zoey and her other self. Despite being closer, she couldn't hear what Zoey was saying. Her memory didn't have that information, no matter how close she got.

  "God, we were just here!" she said. "This is where Zoey attacked that guy, tried to kill him? What's going on—?"

  A loud scream cut her off. Alex sensed it was coming, but jumped regardless. There were no more words, no more flirtation. Kylie turned to see the man holding Zoey against the wall. Her neck was bent at an odd angle as he drank from her. She struggled in his grip, not feeling the typical sexual side effects from a vampire's feeding.

  "Zoey!"

  It was memory Kylie. She ran from behind the corner, wanting to help her friend. The man let Zoey drop like garbage. He grabbed Kylie by the neck in a single fluid motion with one hand. There was no care, no gentleness, like with Victoria. He forced her to the ground and straddled her as he sank his fangs into her shoulder. Her body seemed to disappear under him. A small moan escaped as her legs shook.

  "Am I…?" Spirit Kylie said, crying. "Enjoying—?"

  "It's an involuntary reaction," Alex interrupted. "You couldn't help it."

  Kylie turned, not wanting to watch the vampire violate her. He took her blood, her control, her life. Alex almost felt a tear coming on as well. The vampire drank with no regard for Kylie's life. Zoey lay next to her, blood pouring from her neck. Her eyes stared up at the night sky. It felt like the scene went on forever, but in reality only twenty seconds passed. Kylie's body went still.

  Alex put a hand on Kylie's back as she leaned over and cried. He didn't know what else to do.

  Zoey screamed as she sat up. Her eyes flashed red, only for a second, before turning their normal shade of green. She kicked as she scooted away, knocking over a plastic recycling bin.

  Everyone involved in the memory was amazed, except Alex.

  "Well," the man said. "This is a surprise."