David reached up and pulled the sheets away from his battered body. His eyes narrowed, and a growl rumbled from his chest. Mya hissed in anger.
“Who hurt you, Jedidiah?”
“It was payment for a mistake, David. I took a service from you, yet delivered nothing in return. Thus I accepted my punishment willingly.” He swallowed. “I also requested a service. It’s a slim chance, Mya, and may be many years in coming, but there might be someone who can take the beast from you.”
“You paid for this knowledge by accepting torture?” David’s eyes were horrified.
“I paid for the service by offering the use of my body for a night. This demon takes its pleasure differently than I do.” He closed his eyes briefly. Never would he disclose to these kind people what Natalia had done to him in exchange for a name. She’d relished the opportunity to take out her fury on his all-too-human skin. He hated to imagine what she’d have put these two through if they’d accepted her rather than him.
“Once every few generations, a shifter is born who has the ability to absorb the animals of other shifters. My acquaintance shared the name and location of this shifter. He’s but a child yet, so in a decade or two, I’ll bring you to him. Perhaps he can help.”
Mya traced a finger over a raised welt. “You took this beating on the chance that someone might help?” She looked up at him. “I don’t know whether to be furious with you for doing this to yourself, or grateful for the chance that I might someday be normal.” Her blue eyes were full of tears. She lay down, gently resting her head on his chest.
“In myths and legends, the heroes were always larger than life. Shelly said you are a hero among demonkind.”
“Well, a fallen hero now, it seems.” His smile tasted bitter. On his other side, David sat up against the headboard and lifted the demon’s head, resting it on his lap. Gently, he stroked Jedidiah’s hair.
“The heroes had great strengths, but they always had a fatal flaw in their character that brought about their fall. Hubris, anger, lust…”
“Those are all rather admirable traits to a demon.”
She smiled and dropped a kiss on his lips. “Exactly. And I’ve figured out your flaw, Jedidiah Worth. Your fatal flaw is kindness.”
He winced.
“You are in this difficulty not because of your pride or lust, but because you were trying to help us. So you should know we are forever at your service.”
“I failed you, Mya.”
“No. There was no success or failing in this situation. And Mya is correct. We’ve caused you pain. We’ll take care of you until you recover.”
He tried to sit up, but was too weary to move. Too weary and content.
Okay. For the moment, being owned by a pair of tigers wasn’t so bad. A gentle hand stroked his hair, and a soft voice whispered sweetly in his ear, singing him to sleep. As he slipped away, he knew no fear, because his tigers were watching his back.
Chapter Eight
“David, come in here!”
She was nearly jumping up and down in excitement when he entered the bathroom, and once he was able to tear his eyes away from the delicious bounce of her breasts, he was able to see why.
“It wasn’t like this earlier…” He stepped in and gazed around the chamber, nearly speechless in wonder. “Do you suppose he did it?”
“Of course he did. He knows what tigers like.” Mya sidled up next to him, stroking a hand down the bare expanse of his arm. For a moment, tears welled up in his eyes. It had been a year since she’d touched him so freely, without fear of the beast. Impulsively, he pulled her into his arms, savoring the feel of her naked body against his.
“I love you, Mya.” She looked up at him, a happy smile in her eyes. “I know it’s still there, but he’s right, you’ve got control of it now.”
Her smile faded just a bit. “I’ll always have to be careful though. You too.”
He bent down and kissed her. Before they became distracted, he looked up at the room. The bathroom looked like a jungle glade. Plants grew abundantly from the ground and the walls. A waterfall tumbled down a rock slide, spilling into the bathing pool. Colorful birds flitted about in the upper levels of the room, landing on twigs and branches. Exotic flowers blossomed everywhere, their perfume heavy on the air. With a laugh, he lifted Mya into his arms and waded into the pool.
It was deep enough to swim in, so he lowered them and floated her, watching as her hair grew wet and dark and swirled around her like a water plant. With a wicked smile, she splashed water in his face and kicked away, swimming toward the waterfall. David followed with a laugh, catching her slick ankle, and then letting her slip away. The fun was in the chase; there was time enough for the capture.
They romped, rolling along the grassy bank that led to the water’s edge, and then back into the water, sputtering and choking as it got into their eyes and noses. He picked her up high over his head, listening to her squeal and laugh, and then she pulled her final trick.
Her weight increased; instead of smooth human skin, his hands closed on warm, soft fur. She twisted from his grip, landing lightly in the grass. Her tail twitched, and a deep, rumbling purr sounded like music, harmonizing with the song of the birds and the rush of the waterfall.
David’s heart wrenched. They’d mated, but like all shifters, the act wasn’t complete until their animals had joined as well. He dropped to his knees; his cock was rigid and hard at the front of his body. Wrapping his arms around her coat, he rubbed his face along her neck, listening to the improbable purr.
She gave an annoyed little snarl at his attention and crouched low to her belly, her meaning clear. With a laugh, David allowed his shift and covered her, leaning forward to bite and then gently lick the scruff of her neck. He thrust his short, barb-covered cock forward, holding her steady as his seed flooded her channel.
It took mere moments, and then she darted away, vanishing into long grass at the edge of the pool. He followed her, watching as she twisted and rolled flirtatiously. It wouldn’t take long before he was ready again, but David returned to human form. He could get carried away and fuck her into fertility when they were in shifted form. After Jedidiah’s revelations, David wasn’t so certain they were ready for a child. Perhaps after the shifter that he’d spoken of was grown and ready.
For now, they had a honeymoon to make up for.
* * *
When they entered the bedroom, the emptiness was palpable.
“Jedidiah?” Mya’s hand gripped David’s tightly as she spoke.
“It’s morning, Mya. This was only for one night.” David understood how she felt. There was a hollow feeling in his belly and uneasiness settled over his soul. Funny how one arrogant demon had managed to wiggle his way into their hearts so quickly.
“He was hurt, David. And weak. He needs protection.”
Instead of answering, David tossed Mya her dress and found his own clothing, neatly folded on the velvet bench at the foot of the bed. There was still so much he’d have liked to have shared with the demon. Sex, yes, certainly. But Jedidiah was an ancient soul; in his lifetime he’d seen tigers that were long extinct. He’d witnessed history, and had a unique insight into the paranormal community.
He was also theirs. David could no longer deny the compulsion to find their demon, to guard him and tend his wounds.
David quickly buttoned his shirt and slipped his shoes on, uncertain what he intended, though he certainly meant to do something. Clasping Mya’s hand, they left the room and rushed down the stairs.
The keycard let them back into the bar, and David rushed to the cloakroom, reclaiming their belongings. When he returned to the bar, he found Mya talking with the blonde bartender. When she turned to him, her eyes were bright with worry.
“David, he lied to us. He didn’t tell us the whole story.” She looked over at the cat shifter, who was bundled up to leave for the night.
“Jedidiah was exiled from the demonkind. I guess he didn’t mention that part.”
David’s heart plunged, but at the same time, he felt elated. He was still in the city! Or at least on the human plane somewhere. And what the fuck was he so worried about? Why was he so damn frantic to find the demon? Tigers weren’t social. Tiger shifters bonded to their mates and moved along in society primarily to blend in. They didn’t have best friends or buddies. They had their mates and often that was only temporary.
“Oh hell.” He remembered the punctures on the demon’s shoulder where Mya had marked him, the stripes on Jedidiah’s hips where he’d torn the skin. Blood had mingled with sweat and semen. They might not have bonded the demon to them, but they’d certainly bound themselves to him!
“Do you know where he’s staying? He’s hurt, and if he’s exiled, I’m sure there’ll be plenty of lesser demons on his tail.”
The blonde smiled wryly. “They do tend to eat their own on a whim. I don’t know his exact address, but here’s his card.” She pushed the white vellum business card across the bar. Initially, it appeared to be a duplicate of the first one Jedidiah had handed them, but this one had additional information. It listed a business address and phone number.
“He said he had a house in Chelsea. Sounds like he’s rich as Midas, so I imagine he’s covering his butt. I’m sure he’s got security set up.”
“Chelsea? How are we going to find him there? If he just ‘poofed’ out of here, I won’t be able to track him!” David ran a hand through his hair anxiously.
“But I can.” He looked at his wife, and for a heartbeat, her eyes gleamed red, reminding him that her hellhound was tightly bonded to the demon. Her smile was in control though, and David gave her a quick hug, breaking into a run as they left the club and headed to the nearest Tube station.
* * *
It really hadn’t been that long since he’d taken up residence in the old house off King’s Street, but in the faded light of dawn, the place felt hollow and abandoned. Jedidiah sighed heavily and walked through the foyer, heading for the back of the house. He could simply light the residence with a thought, but he was weary. His power had been largely drained after healing himself so many times during Natalia’s torture. It was worth it, though, if the young shifter in Tibet learned to control his abilities.
He was an omni-were being raised by Buddhist monks. The demons were watching him anxiously. There was no doubt that many unscrupulous individuals would love to get their paws on the child. He could divide a shifter from their animal and bestow it on another.
Though he didn’t have a beast himself, the idea of what he could do struck actual fear into Jedidiah’s heart. He couldn’t imagine David and Mya without their tigers. They’d simply wither up and die. Even the idea of him removing the hellhound from Mya was frightening. It was a part of her, and he’d come to enjoy the danger of its presence.
He climbed the stairs slowly, pausing outside of the formal drawing room. That room was large enough for a small dance. He smiled, remembering some of the less than dignified events that he’d hosted in this house. Fortunes had been gambled away, souls were traded for wealth, and virginity had been bartered for power.
At one party in particular, a regal duke had offered up his daughter to the demon in exchange for one more hour in the gaming rooms. At Jedidiah’s refusal, the pompous ass had offered up his own body, much to the demon’s disgust. He’d taken his soul instead. With Jedidiah’s assistance, the duke had restored his family fortune in one hour. He’d tripled it by the end of the evening. That had been the extent of his bargain with Jedidiah; the duke was broke again within a month. He’d forced his daughter to marry an elderly merchant, and his wife spent the rest of her days in a drug-induced stupor. Nowadays he was doing hard time in a hell of his own making.
Jedidiah pushed open the door, surveying the mostly empty room. What furniture remained was shrouded under dustcovers. When he had a staff again… Jedidiah shook his head in resignation. Those days were finished. He should take his business west, to the Americas. He could settle in among the new royalty there, the princesses with their unlimited wealth, the rock stars with their ravening appetites for excess. Shaking his head, he left the room and closed the door behind him.
The house was much too large for him. Even with a full staff, it was too much. He just wasn’t in the mood to consider the next century trapped here alone. Back downstairs, he started toward the library, which had always been his sanctuary. With a wave of a hand, a fire was dancing in the hearth, warming up the richly appointed room.
Books lined the inner walls, and the tall windows were draped with heavy velvet curtains. That’s when he laughed, seeing the similarity to the room at Last Call. Granted, there was no bed, but the furniture was richly covered with velvet and leather, dark wood paneled the room. It didn’t take much imagination to visualize cunningly disguised spanking benches and restraints. Even his umbrella holder held a variety of leather horse crops and slender whips. He lifted a whip from the container, considering it appreciatively. He snapped it in the air, grinning at the sound that cracked across the room. Carefully, he put it away, turning to face the open doorway.
The presence that invaded the house entered subtly, with cunning stealth. They flowed through the windows and under the door. There was no amount of security that could bar a demon from his home; he’d need a reliable wizard to do that for him. There simply hadn’t been time to prepare.
Well, at least he could pick his battlefield. Jedidiah left the library and entered the empty foyer. With a thought, he illuminated the space, drawing the demons into the light.
“Good morning, Natalia. You brought friends, I see.” He smiled benignly, slipping out of his coat and hat, and draping them over a chair.
She hissed and spread her leathery wings, her forked tongue testing the air. Her serpentine body undulated, reminding him that every part of this female was dangerous.
Her two minions had also been in the club last night. One had been a burly, handsome brute in his human form; as a demon, his face was studded with barbed spikes, and his powerful arms were nearly as long as his legs. Venomous saliva dripped from tusks that jutted from his mouth.
The second was blond and slender with the added perk of having blotchy, off-colored skin. Purplish-blue patches alternated with white pustules containing a noxious gas. Hit the creature and risk being poisoned and gassed at the same time.
Lovely.
Jedidiah ran over his possibilities. Even weakened, he had more innate power than these three. Unfortunately, if he did something truly spectacular, he might just knock himself on his ass long enough for the others to take advantage. So he calmly leaned against the wall, his arms folded over his chest as he considered his options.
She’d have trouble following him up the stairs in this form, and her human body was considerably weaker, so Jedidiah knew he’d be moving upward. When the largest demon attacked, he nimbly ducked, kicking the chair into its path. He leapt backward to the wide marble stair and laughed as Natalia tried to slither up, her wings waving furiously to assist her muscular lower body.
None of his tricks deterred the noxious demon, who steadily closed in on him. He coughed at the caustic odor that came off of the creature. If he’d been a human, that poison would have put him in a world of trouble. As it was, the stuff that dripped from his skin was scarring the polished wood of the stair.
If he kicked or struck the creature, it would break a pocket of poison into the air, and hopefully, the stuff would be heavy enough to stay low, rather than rising.
Natalia shocked him from his plans by shifting her bottom half.
“Neat trick there, Natalia. How long can you hold it?”
Her wings waved; wicked looking spurs projected from every joint of the bony framework. “As long as I need to hold it, Jedidiah Wormwood Worth.”
Uh-oh. She was using his full name. Never a good sign among demons.
“I’d have thought that repeatedly skinning me alive would be enough to keep you happy for a time, Na
talia. Why the attack on my hearth and home?” It wasn’t good form for demons to attack each other while they were within their lair. Even if he defeated these three, others would soon follow, their ambition overriding their fear of his skills.
“You’ve lost all status, Jedidiah. You’re fair game. If I don’t take you, someone else will.”
Interesting. She should have slid right into his vacancy within the ranks.
“You’ve got my job and position, Nattie. What more do you want?” He took another step backward as she advanced on him. Her minions flanked her on either side.
“You know full well that a century is nothing. Two is a drop in the bucket. As soon as you’re back, you’ll be coming for me. I’m just heading off trouble, old friend.”
The larger demon lashed out with one of his gorilla-like arms, catching Jedidiah in the thigh. He stifled a curse, and gritted his teeth against the pain. Pain was nothing. Unfortunately, a wide gash had opened on his leg; warm blood began to soak his trousers.
“Damn. This was one of my favorite suits.” He held his ground then, gathering his strength. One concentrated blast of energy sent the toxic demon tumbling down the stairs, his clothing and hair aflame. Thankfully, the idiot seemed to be highly flammable; he darted out the front door into the night air.
Jedidiah tried for another step, gripping the polished banister for balance. He wasn’t hamstrung, but it was close. Another step took him to the first floor landing, and he continued backward.
The remaining demon swung his huge fist. Jedidiah jumped back, barely escaping the razors that protruded from his knuckles. He countered with a fist to the demon’s throat, sending the brute backwards. At the same moment, Natalia relaxed back into her serpent form; she slithered toward him, teeth gnashing, clawed fingers reaching.
That’s when his leg gave out.
They went down together, her serpentine body wrapped around his, struggling to find purchase on his torso. She’d crush him to powder and then take his head for good measure. He could survive pretty much anything but the loss of his head.
Last Call Europe Devil’s Advocate Page 6