by Parker Blue
Shade thought about it for a moment as he perched on the back of the couch and kept his fingers lightly on Erica's pulse."I guess the crystal was able to absorb some of the energy. It interfered with the circuit just enough to destroy it."
"It shouldn't have been necessary," Trevor said impatiently."It shouldn't have taken that long to heal her burns."
Shade's expression turned sheepish."The damage was confined to her arms and hands, but she had . . . something else wrong with her."
"What?" Trevor demanded.
Shade shook his head."I'm sorry, but that's private . . . her choice whether to reveal it or not."
What a great guy—and he could heal people. It made me so proud of him. I moved behind the couch to hug him and give him a kiss."Did you completely cure her?" I asked, hoping their pain hadn't been in vain.
Shade smiled at me."Yes."
"What does it matter?" Trevor bit out."Shade, you took too big a risk. And for what? To cure someone you don't know? For a problem she didn't even ask you to fix?"
WHOA. Fang rocked back on his haunches. ISN'T THIS DUDE SUPPOSED TO BE AN EMPATH DEMON? SHOULDN'T HE HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, EMPATHY? WHAT'S UP WITH THE ATTITUDE?
Exactly what I was wondering.
"It was my risk to take," Shade said softly."And I judged I could handle it."
"Obviously you couldn't," Trevor retorted, and flung his arm out to point at the women on the couch."Look what happened."
Shade tensed."It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't interfered."
"I had to do something." Trevor ran a hand through his hair, messing up his immaculate hairdo."You're too important to risk like that."
THAT'S INTERESTING, Fang said. WONDER WHY MR. PERFECT IS FALLING APART?
I was afraid Shade would go all mushy with Trevor's compliment, so I challenged Trevor."You said that before you grabbed Shade—that you needed him. For what?"
Shade grew very still."That's a good question, Trevor. Why am I so important to you?"
The empath demon froze for a moment as well, but recovered quickly. Giving us his practiced smile, he said,"Hey, buddy, you know how it is. I don't have many male friends, and we've become like brothers in such a short period of time. I'd hate to lose you."
I wanted to call him on his crap, but Shade squeezed my hand, so I kept quiet instead and let him handle it.
Keeping his voice even as he released my hand and went all swirly, Shade said,"Oh, I think it's more than that. You glommed onto me when you realized I'm part shadow demon, and you've been all buddybuddy ever since."
I blinked at Shade, surprised. Then again, my guy was no dummy. I should have given him more credit.
YES, YOU SHOULD, Fang agreed.
"No, no," Trevor protested."I—"
"You had me fooled for a while," Shade admitted."But you became even more friendly when you learned I was the only known shadow demon in existence. You do need me for some reason. Does it have something to do with the books?"
Fang's ears perked up. GO, SHADE!
Trevor stared at Shade, his fake smile fading as he tried to weigh Shade's reaction. But the whirls revealed nothing as Shade waited for a response. Trevor glanced at me warily, but I worked on keeping my face relaxed. I really wanted to hear the answer to this question.
Trevor sighed and sank down onto a chair, bending over to stare at his clasped hands."Shadow demons can reach across dimensions, open portals to other realities."
So far, he wasn't telling us anything we didn't know.
"The books aren't just an encyclopedia," he explained."They've also been spelled to be a portal. That's how my father was trapped."
"Oh, I get it," Shade said."You need my help in getting your father out of the books."
Trevor winced."That's right."
Well, that was one of the few things that came out of his mouth that sounded like truth.
Sounding relieved, Shade said,"Why didn't you just say so?"
"Shade's one of the good guys," I added."You didn't have to pretend to be his friend to get his help."
Trevor grimaced."I wasn't pretend—"
Shade held up his hand to stop both of us."Enough, please. Val is right. That's what the Underground is all about—helping each other."
"I didn't realize," Trevor said."I've never really been part of it before. All I know is that the Underground in LA lost the books my father was trapped in. I had no reason to believe you would be willing to help me."
"Of course I will," Shade assured him.
JUST MAKE HIM OWE A FAVOR TO THE UNDERGROUND IN RETURN, Fang suggested. MAKE HIM APPRECIATE IT MORE.
Fang must have said that to both of us, because Shade took my hand and shook his head slightly at the hellhound. Too bad. It was a good idea.
"How would I go about it?" Shade asked.
Trevor appeared eager now."I'm not sure, but there's some theory on the subject. I think it's a lot like what you do when you heal someone or bring demons through from another dimension. You know, transfer the energy from there to here."
That left another unanswered question."So if you need a shadow demon to release your father, and there are no other known shadow demons, how were you planning on springing dear old Dad before you found Shade?"
Trevor shrugged."I hoped there'd be a spell or something inside to tell me how to go about it."
I heard a moan from the opposite end of the couch, and Marina sat up, holding her head. "What . . . what happened?" she asked, her eyes wide.
We turned to her to reassure her everything was all right, and Trevor rose, looking all bouncy now that he was getting what he wanted."I'll leave you to it, then," he said cheerfully."I need to find my father."
Shade wished him good luck and Trevor left, shutting the door behind him. Erica groped her way to wakefulness, too. After we'd gotten them each a glass of water and they'd marveled at Erica's healthy unblackened flesh, we explained what happened.
"My energies don't discriminate one kind of injury from another," Shade said. "So when I found another, older, problem, it took longer than I expected. Trevor thought something was wrong, so he tried to stop it."
Erica covered her mouth with both hands, looking mortified. "I'm so sorry. I didn't even think."
Marina grabbed her arm and shook it, an expression of unholy delight on her face."Didn't you hear him? He said he healed you."
Erica's mouth dropped open."You mean . . . I . . . you . . . ?" The hope on her face as she stared at Shade was almost painful to see.
"You're whole," Shade said with a smile.
Erica threw her arms around him and beamed from ear to ear."Oh, goddess, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Marina joined her, and Shade was almost smothered by the two grateful women.
I THINK THAT MAKES HIM A SHADE SAND . . . WITCH, Fang quipped.
I laughed. Not at Fang's horrible pun, but I couldn't help but share in their joy.
"Do you know what this means?" Erica asked me, apparently unable to stop grinning.
I shook my head."Haven't a clue."
"It means my husband and I can finally have a baby." She let go of Shade and put a hand to her chest as if to hold in the emotion."Marina knows. We've been trying so long, but I couldn't—" She broke off and burst into tears.
Marina joined her and they let go of Shade to hug each other and bawl.
Pain, injuries, death . . . these I could deal with. But two ecstatic, sobbing women? I was way out of my league. I stood there feeling helpless, not knowing what to do.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, Fang said, sounding unconcerned. THEY'LL COME UP FOR AIR SOON.
And so they did . . . eventually. Wiping tears from her eyes, Erica said,"I can't wait to tell my husband." Turning to Shade, she said,"How can I ever repay you?"
Shade shook his head."Just pass it on. Help someone else from the Underground when they're in need."
"Is that all?" Erica asked in surprise."It seems so little compared to what you did for me."
/>
"It won't seem that way to the other person," I reminded her."Besides, you got injured trying to help us."
She tried to get to her feet, but the deep couch seemed to hold her captive. I held out a hand to help her, but misjudged my strength and almost fell on top of the tall woman. Bracing myself, I tried again, and was able to assist her up off the furniture.
For some reason, that apparently meant it was my turn to get hugged by both of them. I endured it with a smile, but was happy when they left. I was glad for Erica, but all those emotions could wear a person out.
Fang snorted. TRY LIVING WITH PRINCESS WHEN SHE'S IN HEAT.
Nope. Didn't even want to go there.
The hellhound sighed then added, I'D PROBABLY BETTER CHECK ON HER.
He trotted off and Shade and I collapsed back on the couch. He put an arm around me, snuggling me close."Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. When I tried to help Erica up right then . . . it was harder than I expected."
He squeezed me tighter."You knew that would happen, didn't you? After . . . what we did?"
"I guess so. It just took me by surprise." And, though I hadn't really admitted it to myself, I'd hoped for a Hollywood kind of ending. The kind where true love won out over everything else and allowed the heroine to keep her powers, win the hero, and live happily ever after.
Unfortunately, this was reality, not the movies, and I was screwed.
Wincing at the unintended double entendre, I thanked heaven that Fang was distracted by his girlfriend.
Unwilling to repeat any of that to Shade, I said,"It'll take some getting used to. I just need to figure out how to handle it." I needed some time to test my limits, find a way to deal with this new version of Val Shapiro."I guess I can't be the Slayer anymore," I said, trying out the idea in my head. I didn't like it much."What does that make me?"
"Precious," Shade said, and kissed me.
That was sweet, but not very helpful."No, really. What should I do?"
"Do you really need to do anything?" he asked."You can do what you've always done. You just need to be more careful."
I didn't think it would be that simple."Maybe," I said doubtfully."But how do I tell Micah . . . and Alejandro?" I couldn't imagine how to start that conversation.
"Why tell them yet? It's not like you're hitting the streets every night, staking vamps anymore. And the fewer people who know, the fewer attempts will be made to take down the Slayer."
A sensation like fear spiked in me. Would I become the target of a slayer hunt?"Yeah, there is that," I said slowly."I guess I can wait until it becomes absolutely necessary." After I found a way to completely rearrange my life to accommodate this new reality.
I closed my eyes and rested my head on Shade's chest. I so didn't want to think about this now.
Lola perked up a bit, sending my body tingling and making a lewd suggestion as to how I could change the subject. I was considering it—great distraction—but as I ran my hand suggestively over Shade's stomach, it growled at me.
I couldn't help it, I chuckled.
"I'm sorry," Shade said, looking embarrassed. "I'm hungry."
Come to think of it, so was I. "Shall we go out and get something to eat, then?"
"Sure, after I take a shower."
We both got cleaned up, then headed for the front door. I slapped my pocket for my keys then stopped abruptly."Uh-oh."
"What?"
"I left the Valkyrie at Marina's house."
Shade laughed."And I left my bike at yours."
We grinned foolishly at each other."Looks like we're ordering in," I said.
Fang came back in, his ears perked up. DID I HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT FOOD?
I rubbed his ears."You chow hound, you. I thought you were going to check on Princess."
YEAH, WELL, HER PRECIOUSNESS NEEDS A LITTLE ALONE TIME RIGHT NOW, IF YOU CATCH MY DRIFT.
I did.
Shade chuckled."Princess can be a handful at times."
I picked up my cell to call my favorite pizza place but paused when I noticed I had two messages."Someone must have called while I was in the shower."
"Who?"
"Dan and someone else."
I dialed my voice mail and listened to Dan's message. Smiling, I told Shade,"He's narrowed down the area where Andrew must have hidden the books. He wants me to meet him downtown—at the Alamodome."
"Great," Shade said."Call him back and tell him we'll meet him as soon as possible. I'll call a cab."
As he made his call, I talked to Dan and arranged to meet him right away at the stadium, then listened to my other message. It was Marina. I expected more gushing thanks, but that wasn't why she'd called. I frowned at the phone.
"What is it?" Shade asked.
"Marina says she has something very important to tell us, and we need to call her back right away. She sounded upset."
"We have some time before the cab gets here."
Shade slapped together sandwiches and grabbed Cokes and a bag of chips as I dialed her number. I held the phone so Shade could hear as we munched.
"Oh, good," Marina said."I'm so glad you called back."
"Shade's here, too. What's up?" I asked.
"Erica and I were so distracted by her great news that we couldn't think about anything else. We were talking on the way home about what we experienced and compared notes." She paused. "Remember when Shade said we'd share thoughts and memories?"
"Yes," Shade said."That's normal during a healing session."
"We did . . . but we also shared with someone else. Trevor."
"Trevor?" I repeated in surprise."Oh, it must have happened when he got caught in the circuit."
"I don't know," Marina said,"but Erica and I compared notes and we both got the same thing from him."
UHOH, Fang said. I HAVE A FEELING THIS AIN'T GONNA BE GOOD . . . .
I second that feeling. "What did you get?"
"Trevor has been lying to you."
Oh yeah? Go figure.
Shade pressed closer to the phone so we were cheek to cheek."You mean about why he was being so friendly to me? We know that."
"You know that he needs you to get his father out of the books?"
"Yes, he told me that," Shade said, looking relieved.
Marina persisted. "And that he's not an empath demon or a keeper?"
"What?" Shade, Fang and I all exclaimed in unison.
"That's right," Marina said hurriedly."The reason he's been keeping his nature hidden is because he and his father are both highly powerful—and highly dangerous—mage demons."
Well, I'll be damned . . . .
"It gets worse," Marina added."His father caused the 1906 earthquake in California. That's why the keeper locked him inside the books."
"But Trevor isn't that old," Shade protested.
"Mage demons can live a very long time," Marina said."Trevor is much older than he looks."
"That's right," I said."He even told us that."
Shade stiffened as Marina continued,"With those books and the spells inside them, he and his father could control the entire world."
Oh, crap. I stared at Shade in horror, grabbing his hand so he didn't go all swirly on me."We need to find those books before he does . . . . "
Shade closed his eyes, looking as if he were in pain."And I just told him where Dan is meeting us to find them."
CHAPTER TWENTY
"You what?" I said, whipping my head around to stare him in the eyes. I had to grab his hand to see his expression, and smashed the bag of chips in the process.
He winced. "I'm sorry, but while you were talking to Dan, I also called Trevor."
"Why? You know the books told me to find them before he could."
"No," he said patiently. "You never told me that."
I closed my eyes and smacked myself in the forehead. "You're right, I didn't." I'd been too worried Shade would tell Trevor. Crap.
Marina was trying to get our attention on the phone. I held the
cell so we could both hear again. "Sorry. Was there something else?"
"Yes," she said, as if she hadn't unloaded a big enough bombshell."I didn't understand this, but you probably will. He convinced the freelance vamps to attack the Movement . . . and has been inciting the Underground to kill the vamps."
Must be the vigilantes Dan had mentioned. I knew Trevor was a total scumbucket. But it was no consolation to be right. We needed to stop him.