“Of course,” I said quickly. “I’ll tell her today.”
“Thank you,” Terian said, the look on his face indicating he was working up to saying something else. “Sar, I want you to know—”
I left the lab quickly, before he could say anything else to me, heading directly to see Sundown. She was upset that I was bowing out, but she said she’d ask Cia instead. I told her I was sorry, and that I’d still like to attend, if she’d let me. She said fine, to my abject relief. I didn’t want to cause any problems between them, not after what they’d both gone through.
We’d had enough problems getting Rip out of Hell two nights after Danial was drained.
Titus, Alerian—aka Leri—, Terian, Devlin, Theoron, and I had all gathered at Titus’s house at ten to midnight. I’d imagined the demon abode to be a cozy country cottage, which is what the top part of the house resembled. But the basement was enormous, and obviously used as Titus’s and Leri’s laboratory/workshop. There were scrolls everywhere, vials, leathers bags, and jars of who knew what on numerous shelves. While the workshop looked a lot like Titus’s lab at Devlin’s, some of this stuff had to be the witch Leri’s magic-making materials, prompting me to stare in wonder. What kind of sorcery did fairies do? I’d always heard in legends they could bend reality, and stop time. Maybe she knows only demon magic?
“Sar, this is important! Are you paying attention?” Titus said with barely concealed aggravation.
I snapped my mind back to what we were doing. Titus was drawing a plain circle with blood on the concrete floor. “Is that your blood?”
“No. Mostly Theoron’s, with a little of Lash’s mixed in.”
“From the training sessions?” I replied, surprised and sickened.
“I asked Lash if I could draw it magically out of the mats, each time they were done training,” Titus said, looking sheepish. “He knew I wouldn’t harm T, so he agreed. It’s strong magically and it saves me having to use Dev’s, or mine and so weaken either of us. I knew Rip was going to need it, sooner or later.”
Why would he know that? Something to ask later.
“Sarelle, you are the only human here, and Dev, you are the Summoner. I will need some of your blood. Leri will get both samples, if you let her.”
We submitted, grimacing, as she took a few drops by knife point. Where is a pain-relieving spell when you need one? I didn’t voice my thoughts, telling myself I wasn’t a wimp.
“Now repeat what I say. We need to open a door to Hell.”
The chant was simple, but after I’d said it fifteen times, it was getting old. We did it for a half hour, and suddenly, with a sharp cracking noise of splitting concrete, the center of the circle opened. Heavy choking smoke issued out, and the sound of hoarse screams.
“Sar, get back against the wall and stay there,” Titus yelled. “Dev, T, grab him when he comes through! Terian, Leri, help me hold back the rest of them back!”
Rest of them? Shit!
Figures covered with smoke and ashes were trying to clamor through the portal, sulfurous smoke and oily greasy fumes still spouting forth, making the air hard to breathe, and difficult to see through. I remained against the wall in a crouch, glad to stay out of the action. T and Dev managed to grab Rip—who’d somehow been right on the other side of the portal—and yank him through, but some other demons weren’t letting him go. They had his legs, and were trying to drag him back in with their clawed hands, the sharp snapping sounds of teeth gnashing in frustration. Terian and Leri struck at them with blue fire, and managed to knock them back, though no one seemed to die or burn, even when the fire hit them. Titus had his hands full just keeping the portal functioning, sweat running off him, his eyes burning flames, and his arms outstretched, his taloned hands straining to hold the door open.
Finally, Devlin and T managed to pull Rip free from the other demons holding him. “Close it now!” Devlin shouted.
Titus closed the portal with a quick motion, severing several arms that had been reaching through. Terian and Leri incinerated them with blue fire, and these burnt silently, still twitching violently. Directly after, everyone except me collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.
The effort had been worthwhile. In their midst, a steaming, smoking Rip was lying on his side sprawled just beyond the closed doorway. Devlin and T let him go, and he climbed to his feet, grinning widely. He seemed none the worse for wear from being in Hell, though he was filthy for sure. “Thanks!” he said with gusto, grinning. “I was sure they weren’t going to let me go this time—”
This time?
Devlin backhanded him hard with a snarl, knocking the demon to the floor. Rip bared his bloodied teeth in anger, before he swallowed it down. He faced Devlin, and went to one knee. “I apologize for failing you, Master,” Rip said very formally. “I am yours to command.”
I guessed that solved the question of how Dev acquired his demon servants. I didn’t want to know what he had to promise in exchange for their service. But maybe there was nothing, save a few drops of blood, and a ticket out of Hell? I hadn’t heard anything spoken tonight about souls.
“Guard us as best you can, and take your orders from Titus, till Lash returns,” Devlin instructed harshly. “And know that if you should fail me a second time, and be sent back to Hell again, I’ll not spill one drop of blood to get you out. You’ll be blacklisted from my employ and from Theoron’s as well. And with your reputation, you’ll be roasting in Hell a good while before you’re free again. No one wants a demon working for them who’s careless, or just plain stupid!”
I expected Titus to say something, defend Rip, but his face was neutral, as were Terian’s and Leri’s, who both stood beside him. T was glaring at Rip, but he said nothing. My mouth had gotten me in enough trouble lately, so I stayed silent, also. But I wondered about Devlin’s mention of Rip’s reputation, and if Rip was so unreliable, why he’s agreed to employ him at all.
“I understand, Master,” Rip said quietly, his jaw working in anger. “I’ll not fail you again.”
Terian teleported T and himself back to Danial’s house directly after, and I took Devlin and I back to Hayden. Titus said he and Rip would be along shortly. Devlin and I went upstairs and sat in the Jacuzzi for a while. We were both a little raw from the ordeal, silent and still as we soaked in the steaming water. But when we went in to bed, I couldn’t put off the question any longer.
“Where is Diana, Dev?”
Dev’s tone when he answered wasn’t regretful, as I expected it to be over the fate of Ulysses’ innocent sister. His words weren’t what I assumed I’d hear, either. “She’s in one of the grey rooms, with the door locked, and magically barred. Titus gave her a potion. It will make her sleep until either I kiss her, or I die. When she’s awakened either way, the blood I gave her will have worn off—”
“Tell me that’s not where the tale of—?”
“Yes, that maiden had the same kind of spell put on her, for much the same reason. She, like Diana, needed to be out of the way for a while. This way she will be.”
Nice way to put it. “I’m surprised you were so lenient with her, after what Ulysses did to Danial.”
Devlin said nothing, and then it hit me that he hadn’t come to this decision by himself. And it hadn’t been anything I had said to him, either. “Venus saw you with her.”
Devlin nodded. “Yes. I left you in a rage after our fight in the kitchen, and I went to Diana, to kill her, and to...hurt her first. But Venus saw me opening the door, and she didn’t ask me what I was doing, or who was inside, though I’d been careful that she not see Diana.” Devlin took a deep ragged breath. “She called out to me, ‘Daddy, please don’t hurt her.’ She was staring at me, tears in her eyes, holding that damn stuffed cougar you bought her—”
“What did you do?”
“Grabbed her up, and headed downstairs, feeling ashamed of myself. I called Titus, told him what I needed him to do, and he said he’d come and do it. He bespelled Diana last n
ight, after I moved her to the other room. But I was still angry, and after he left, I came to you...” Devlin trailed off.
I reached out and grabbed his hand. He looked over at me, his golden eyes a little sad, and squeezed mine. I was glad I’d taken back my words from last night. Maybe I wasn’t woman enough to keep his violent nature under control. But Venus seemed already a match for him.
* * * *
It was Saturday morning, the thirteenth of November. I’d not heard from Theo all week, and in spite of spending all of Friday with Devon and Elle, I’d promised them both I’d come for a big breakfast the very next morning, at Elle’s request. With all that had happened, I didn’t have the heart to refuse her. Especially knowing that Jenny was going to visit Mary for the weekend and would not be at Danial’s to possibly run into.
Mary, Danial’s retired housekeeper, had waited only a week to make sure her daughter was okay after becoming werecougar before moving out of Danial’s estate, and down south. Part of me was glad she was gone now, so Jenny would also be gone for a while. Mary had loved Danial, and I knew Jenny was in part going to break the news to her of Danial’s injury. She’d been with him for forty-some years at least, if not longer, and news of his injury was going to hit her hard. Part of me was just glad to know I’d have Theo to myself for a weekend. I’d let things slide with him already for far too long.
I arrived at Danial’s at about nine. I felt so odd to be there, and know that if I knocked on Danial’s bedroom door, I’d get no answer. Well, I would, but it would be T, not his father. I’d heard from Elle he’d taken over the central bedroom now. It was so strange to think of him there, sleeping on the bed on which he’d been conceived. I shoved the thought aside. Be grateful he’s still alive. If Ulysses had his way, T would be dead.
I tried not to dwell on that, and went to see Elle. She was asleep in her bed.
I woke her by gently shaking her shoulder. “Elle?”
“Sorry,” she responded sleepily, looking a little guilty. “I stayed up late watching a movie—”
“It’s Saturday, you’re supposed to sleep in,” I comforted. “Where’s your father?”
“Downstairs, I think,” she said, giving me a knowing look. “And he’s alone.”
It was good to have a smart daughter who didn’t make her mother ask certain things. “Go back to sleep then,” I said, with a smile. “Let Devon sleep in, too. But if you hear him, please—”
“I’ll stop him going downstairs,” Elle said, giving me a smile. “Don’t worry.”
I closed the door, then quietly made my way into the basement. Theo had heard me coming, of course, and was waiting for me in bed awake before I reached the bottom of the cellar stairs.
I took it as a good sign that he didn’t have a gun in his hand. “Hi.”
“Hi,” he said coldly. “Why are you here so early?”
“I came to make breakfast,” I said, biting my lip. “Do you want some?”
“No,” he retorted, and rolled over to face the wall, putting his back to me.
Great. Be an ass. I went over to the bed, and sat down. “I’m sorry, for what I said to you that day in the kitchen,” I said. “I was upset, and took it out on you.”
“You don’t give damn for me or for our son—”
“I love him best of my children,” I said in the quietest whisper I could manage, not wanting Elle to overhear, or T, if he was indeed sleeping above us, and not with Serena. “And I give a damn about you, too, or I wouldn’t be here talking to you when you’re being such a jerk.”
Theo didn’t any anything nasty in retort, but he didn’t roll over, either.
I sighed, and deftly slipped off my sweatshirt, jeans, and my underclothes. Then I crawled into bed beside him, though I didn’t touch him. “I left messages for you. Did you—?”
“Of course I got them!” Theo growled. “How blunt do I have to be? I didn’t want to talk to you, Sar. I didn’t want to see you! You had said you didn’t want to see me, remember?”
“I’m sorry,” I said, reaching out and hugging his body to mine. “It isn’t your fault, any of what’s happened.”
“It’s fucking Devlin’s fault, all of it,” Theo growled. “He’s a son of a bitch, and he’s brought down this shit storm on us all!”
“It is all his fault.”
Theo turned over to face me, surprised. “You aren’t going to defend him?”
“How can I?” I said bluntly. “You’re saying what I told him a few nights ago, some of it almost word for word. I can’t defend the guilty.”
Theo stared at me, his blue eyes penetrating and standoffish. “Why didn’t you come to me before now?”
“Because Danial told me you were with Jenny every night. And I didn’t want to risk coming and interrupting anything.”
Theo hugged me to him. “I thought you meant what you said, that you didn’t want to see me, maybe not ever again.”
“No,” I explained, “I was angry, and—”
Theo kissed me suddenly. I shivered a little, feeling his warm body against mine. “I’m safe,” he whispered, as he pushed my legs apart gently, but my answer was drowned in his growl of pleasure as he thrust into me. Theo was shaking hard, growling almost continuously, and in a few seconds, he roared out his climax, the warmth of him filling me.
He pushed up from me, shoving back a lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t wait,” he said, not looking sorry at all. His face was one big grin.
I rolled my eyes at him. He tickled me. I shrieked, and pleaded with him to stop, which he did, but only when I grabbed hold of his penis, the thickness rapidly firming in my hand.
“Again?”
He gave me a tender look. “Yes, wife. Again.”
Theo made love to me a few more times before we lay sated in each other’s arms. Every time he came very fast, much faster than usual for him, or what had been usual in the time we’d been together.
“Couldn’t wait?” I teased.
“Mating in animal form brings the urge to mate as human, just like the reverse is true,” he whispered, his tone hesitant.
He had been unsure how I’d take the explanation, due to the direct reference to sex with Jenny. I wasn’t upset. On the contrary, his behavior proved he’d been true to me, that he hadn’t been with Jenny, save as animal. “I’m glad you waited for me,” I said.
“I love you,” he said happily, kissing me. “Of course I waited. I had promised to, besides. It’s a—”
Just because I was accepting of his needs didn’t mean I wanted details, though. “Want some breakfast?”
“Sure,” he said eagerly. “Want me to go wake the kids?”
“No, you can go make us all breakfast—”
That led to another round of tickling, until I yelled out for him to stop again. “I’ll go get Devon and Elle,” I said, kissing him. “Meet us in the kitchen?”
He nodded. “I’ll call T, and let him know where I’ll be, and then I’ll see you there.”
Hearing that made me believe T was indeed with Serena. But it was just as well, because otherwise he would have overheard us, and I still felt funny, thinking of my child, even grown, hearing me having sex. It was hard enough still for me to think of him having sex.
I dropped that line of thinking and slipped on my clothes, and Theo got into some jeans. He kissed me a last time, grinned, and gave me a light slap on my ass as I walked upstairs. I shot him a look to remind him I didn’t like it when he did that, and he shot me the look that said he liked doing it, so oh well.
I walked into Elle’s room and made the offer of breakfast, giving it even odds that she would fall back asleep after I left. Closing her door, I went down the hall to T’s old room, which was now Devon’s room. Theo had told me that Devon had been moved in here from the smaller storage room after he began to get so big these last few weeks. It made sense, as T had taken over the upstairs bedroom back then, saying he liked th
e up in the air feeling of the greatroom’s loft. I thought he must have gotten that from Danial. I hated the idea of sleeping so far up off the actual ground.
Devon was in his human bed in lion form, stretched out on top, as he liked to. Briar the black cat was curled up beside him, and she raised her head when I came in the door. But Devon didn’t.
I couldn’t believe Devon was still sleeping. But he’d probably stayed up last night with Elle. She’d said she’d watched movies late.
“Come on honey, wake up,” I said loudly. Briar, always skittish, started, and jumped down, running from the room.
Devon still didn’t stir.
“You’re as bad as your father,” I said, smiling. “Devon, get—”
It was at that moment that I saw he wasn’t breathing.
Chapter Two
My heart seemed to stop, and everything from that point went in slow motion.
I grabbed Devon up in my arms, feeling how cold and stiff my son’s body was.
“No! Please God! No!”
My next scream deafened me, as I went to my knees, holding the lifeless body of my son. I kept screaming, stopping only to take great draughts of air to give sound to my pain.
“Sar! Sar, what the—?” I felt Theo’s hands on me, holding us. As he roared out his rage and agony, I fainted.
When I awoke, I was lying in Danial’s bed with Theo. Instantly Devon’s death hit me like a ton of bricks. I began screaming again hysterically, and crying. Theo held me, and we cried together for a long time, not saying anything to each other. What was there to say? Our baby was dead. And everything I’d hoped for him to become, and experience, would never happen.
We slept after, holding each other tightly. When I awoke, I felt calmer, the enervation borne of grief that was temporarily exhausted. Theo was sitting beside me. He seemed to have aged considerably, his face lined and grief-ridden.
“Sar, please listen. I have to tell you some things,” he said roughly. “First of all, Devon died of natural causes. Terian and Titus examined him for cause of death, as well as Dr. Camlyn. They can’t find any reason; Devon was in perfect health! Stephen says that he most likely died of SIDS, that it happens sometimes, there’s no cause that’s known, that a baby just stops breathing—”
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