She wondered if he were killing Brad but realized he wasn’t. The wolf gave another bone crunching bite and a pull. It shook its head again and Brad’s hand was no longer attached to his body.
Brad screeched again and broke free. The wolf followed.
She couldn’t see anything else but heard what sounded like the violent death of a demon. She heard another bone crunching bite and the ripping of flesh. Brad’s other hand landed beside the car. It had been bitten off at the bicep.
Tanisha heard sirens in the background. They were getting closer, drowning out Brad’s agonizing screams.
The wolf came back to the wreckage, leaving Brad wherever he was, still screaming. The wolf came to the side of the door. He didn’t look hurt but he whimpered as he saw Tanisha. He laid his massive body there, guarding her.
She stared into his glowing blue eyes. “I’m okay,” she tried to say but couldn’t. She mouthed a silent “thank you” instead. She didn’t remember the ambulance arriving. Her last recollection was of the giant blue eyed wolf standing guard. She lost consciousness but remembered finally feeling safe before she did.
***
It was hard for him to take in the sight of Tanisha. He wished he were able to solve her problem for her but he couldn’t. He wanted to kill Brad, to send him back to hell where he belonged, but like everyone else he was subject to law and wouldn’t have been able to justify the killing. That couldn’t stop him from taking away his weapons. He’d never strike Tanisha again.
His wolf was happy, but his heart still ached.
“I tried to give her an enchantment but she hasn’t waken up.”
Colby jumped inside. He’d forgotten Amelia was there. Her eyes still showed concern. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head. “It was scary. His eyes were black; it was like getting sucked into a black hole. Of evil.” She looked away. “He showed me how I would die. He told me to ‘leave or die,’ then showed me how it would happen.” She started sobbing. “I shouldn’t have left…but…I didn’t want to die.”
Colby stiffened. “Don’t do that to yourself.” Anger flushed through him. “Demons are that way. They get in your head and eat away.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t let him do that. Tanisha’s safe. You did what you had to. Had you stayed you wouldn’t have gotten to me in time. Things could have gone much worse.”
His thoughts trailed to his own demonic experience with the succubus. What would have happened in his nightmare had Amelia not burst into his house and woken him up in a panic?
His mind went back to that morning. Why did Tanisha run away from him in the first place? Had she stayed he could have protected her; she wouldn’t have ended up like this.
His Fenrir roused, scolding Colby. He told Colby that he was falling prey to demonic thinking as well. His Fenrir was right. He was blaming Tanisha for trying to keep herself safe from her abusive husband. He was blaming the victim. Colby’s eyes glowed with intensity. He hated demons and everything about them. He resisted his hateful thoughts and focused on what he cared about. What he…loved? Was he possessed?
JC rushed into the room. To Colby’s shock, JC ran to embrace Amelia. He kissed her. “Are you okay baby?”
This was the girlfriend? Colby wasn’t sure how to feel. JC held Amelia, ignoring Colby and Tanisha, the actual patient. Yep, definitely the girlfriend.
Colby thought it best to let them have their moment; Amelia needed JC’s moral support more than Colby or Tanisha. He knew Amelia was hurting. A single moment with a demon could be enough to unravel a person’s sanity. If he showed her how he planned to murder her, it would take some time to get the images out of her head. He hoped JC was up for the task of helping her through it.
He turned his attention back to Tanisha, who’d spent far more than a moment with Brad. Colby was committed to helping Tanisha through this.
He saw Tanisha’s bandaged face and head, her blackened eye and swollen lip. She’d been bruised in the accident, but he knew most of her scars weren’t from the flipped car.
Rage filled him again, but his Fenrir calmed him. His wolf reminded him of what they’d done to save her. Maybe Colby should have taken more pleasure in leaving Brad maimed, but he didn’t. What he felt was a mix of guilt and disappointment; he felt guilty that he’d done it, but worse was the disappointment that it had to be done. He may have the blood of a wolf god in him, but it didn’t help him understand the ways of the Almighty. From the kids at the center to the woman he was falling for, why did the world have so many people that needed protecting and saving?
Tanisha stirred, sending a wave of excitement through the room. Colby, JC, and Amelia all raced to her side. She groggily called out for Colby.
“I’m right here,” said Colby, grabbing Tanisha’s hand. He held her hand tightly. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said.
Tanisha stirred. “The proposal?”
“Success,” said Colby, “but don’t worry about that.”
“Brad?”
“Back in custody,” said Colby
“Not in handcuffs,” said JC.
Colby gave him a scolding look.
Tanisha let out a breath.
“That’s over,” said Colby. He rubbed her hand in his. “Never again.”
A tear rolled from her blackened eye. Colby held her hand tighter.
“Amelia?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“I’m gonna need some enchanted make up,” said Tanisha. “And one of those morning after smoothies.”
Sass With a Past_Demons, Gods, and Monsters Page 7