by T. F. Walsh
“No!” His voice crackled.
“Let me prove there’s no demon living inside me.”
Levi was torn. One side of his brain demanded he ignore the demon’s lies and cleanse her now, instead of bringing her in. (Fuck, Argos. This was Cary!) He’d never forgive himself if he didn’t take action. But the other part of him wanted to trust Cary. This wasn’t adding up.
“I’ll do it,” he said. “I’m not just trusting everything you’re saying.” She nodded.
He clicked the weapon open, widened the loop with both hands, and threw it over her head. The leather fell to her neck and he tightened it, carefully.
Her nose scrunched more and her complexion turned ashen, but otherwise, she didn’t move.
“Six,” she said out loud, looking into his eyes.
Levi waited.
“Five. I’m not possessed,” she said. Her words quivered, and Levi’s hands unfurled, eager to reach out.
“Four,” Cary continued. “My mother was human, my father was part demon. Anything holy hurts like a bitch because I was born a cambion.” Despite the twitching that had started beneath her right eye, and the taut muscles in her neck, she refused to break her gaze with him.
There was something puzzling in the way she held her composure. Whatever demon possessed Cary wasn’t an ordinary kind.
“Three. My choices were grim. But I don’t eat people’s souls.” She took a breath. “Two.” Pain trembled though her voice. “I pay my taxes, have a mortgage, and live a normal human life.”
Levi sucked in a long breath. Any second now the fiend inside her would be flushed out, unless there was a gang of them—maybe. Was that possible? He rehashed every single moment he’d spent with Cary, in his head: getting lost in her company, adoring her insistence to have the final word, the sensation of her skin against his fingertips, and not wanting to live without her.
Cary’s hand quivered uncontrollably, her knuckles white against the handle of Noose.
Six seconds had passed, and no demon had been expelled. “What the fuck is going on?” he asked.
Tears tumbled down her cheeks and she whimpered for a moment. “You need to see me for who I am,” she said slowly. “I’m the same person you’ve always known.” The flesh around her neck turned a purplish-red.
And still no black miasma poured out of her body.
“No. Argos put a hit out on you and in all my time working for the company, they’ve never made a mistake when it comes to demons.”
If she told the truth, then he would have seen clues before now. He scratched his head, unsure of anything in that moment. There were the times she flinched when she touched Noose, her unconventional method of attacking demons, the piss-weak prayer on the phone. They were his clues… But he never put them together. Or was he falling for another trick?
“Brent lied, Levi,” she whispered.
He could see the suffering and affliction twisting her expression were real.
“I’m just like you,” she cried. Her knees buckled and gave out. She slid down to the ground.
With her back pressed against the brick wall, she blinked her glistening eyes to chase away the tears. “D… Don’t take me to A… Argos. Please.”
Levi grabbed Noose’s handle and removed the loop from around her neck. In one click, he retracted the weapon and tucked it into his back pocket.
She didn’t respond, but streams of tears threaded down her cheeks.
Heaviness settled on his shoulders. “Okay, Cary,” he said softly. “What are we going to do now?”
Chapter 19
Cary guzzled down a glass of water, its iciness soothing her throat. She’d gladly drench herself in it to ease away the perspiration rolling down her back.
Across the table in the almost-empty pub, Levi wiped his glass with his finger tips, not taking his eyes off her. Sunlight streaming in from the windows did little to lighten the room, while its dark timber decor gave it a ‘70s vibe.
“You sure you don’t want a stronger drink?” she asked hoarsely.
“No.” The stilted, painful silence swept over them again, the ominous kind that lingered like a tornado that opens above a house and tears it apart.
“Say something.” She wrapped her arms around her midriff. “You always talk.”
He shrugged and continued staring at her.
She shifted in her seat, taking another sip of water. The skin around her neck still burned. No doubt it would turn into a string of purple bruises. The big secret she’d kept inside for so long had burst to the surface.
But was Levi the right person to tell? Seeing the rigid way he sat in his seat and his stoic expression, Cary regretted her actions. Levi loathed demons… And she had outed herself as one. A ghostly finger traced the length of her spine at the notion of never seeing him again, never laughing at his lame jokes, or never feeling his soft caresses. Except if he couldn’t even accept her for what she was, he would have dragged her back to Argos. Maybe there was a chance.
Blinkie trotted closer and plonked his chin on the table, releasing an exasperated, steamy exhale.
Levi’s hand jerked back from the table. Rubbing his skin, he stared into the dark corner near him. He should feel lucky for not having to smell Blinkie’s rotten egg breath.
“Blinkie, sit,” she said.
“Really, you’re still going with that story?” Levi muttered, distaste coloring his voice. “And, what sort of name is ‘Blinkie’ for a hellhound?”
Ouch. Okay, he wasn’t taking this well. Give him time. She stretched a hand toward Levi, but he pulled away and ran his hand through his hair.
“Let me show you something.” She put her hand out again, glanced at her open palm, and then Levi. After a few long seconds of silence, he took her offer. She guided his hand to the top of Blinkie’s head, sliding his fingers down Blinkie’s neck. “Levi, meet Blinkie.”
“Fuck!” Levi jerked his arm back, his brow twisting into a jumbled furrow.
He stuck his hand out again toward the hellhound, who watched his movement. Levi’s finger found an ear and traced the outline. “How big is it?”
“A touch larger than an Alaskan Malamute.”
“Describe it for me.” Levi stared into the corner, eyes narrowed in concentration.
“Short, black fur with a gray spot on the tip of his tail. There’s a scar down one eye, making him blink more rapidly. He’s got the build of a Rottweiler, and oh, the bottom half of one of his front legs is invisible to me. No idea why. He probably has his paw tethered in Hell.”
Blinkie strolled away from Levi and set himself down alongside Cary’s seat.
Levi slouched in his chair. “Why’s he with you?”
“I think he belonged to my father. I’ve no idea how he found me, or why. Except, he won’t leave my side.”
Levi threw back a long drink and wiped his mouth with his hand. “Since the nightclub incident, I’ve seen strange stuff, and damn demons keep popping out of nowhere. And now this. You saying you’re a… And the hellhound.” His face paled. Was he going to be sick?
Cary told herself she should never have come into town, because then she wouldn’t have to explain any of this to Levi. By the sound of it, the demons might be using Levi to get to her—another reason she had to get away from him.
“Next time a demon asks about me, tell—” she started, but Levi interrupted.
“Demons have never mentioned you,” he said. “They keep telling me it’s me they’re after.”
“I figured this only affected me,” she said, surprised. “It never dawned on me that you’d be drawn into the center of my fucked up life. Unless pure coincidence is to blame, but I don’t believe in that.” She paused for a moment. “Wait… If demons are suddenly tracking you down, attacking you, you must have been marked along with me. Fuck! But, Levi, it was never meant for you.”
He huffed with exasperation, lowering his gaze for a moment. “I’ve killed four so far, and one of the fuckers was waiti
ng outside my apartment door.”
“The jumper demon from the nightclub marked me, and it must have gotten you as well, by mistake.”
He rubbed a hand across his brow. “What are you talking about?”
She summarized what the demon in the mirror had told her and how every beast was now on her tail. She omitted the part about her father being in Hell now, unable to bring herself to say that out loud.
“It’s my fault,” she said. Every hair on Cary’s arms stood on end. “You’ve been hunting demons for so long without this kind of trouble, and now I’ve put you into the firing line. They’ll never stop until they drag us both into Hell.”
“I’m not buying this,” Levi said, frowning. “You’ve lied to me, Argos, and everyone, for God knows how long. You could still be lying to me now. Your stories don’t make sense.”
Cary’s sat up stiffly. “Of course they make sense. Open your eyes.” She glanced around to make sure no one was near, then lowered her voice. “Demons are tracking you down. You touched an invisible hellhound. I’m wanted by Argos. What more proof do you need?”
“Maybe you’re only revealing the part you’ve been forced to. What else are you hiding from me?”
“Look,” she said. “I get it. This isn’t just about me. You’re drawn into my destructive mess, too. So, be cautious, sure. But if the demons catch you, they’ll possess you, track down your family and friends, make you watch as they killed them. Then they’d slowly torture you before hauling you soul into Hell forever.” She sucked in a quick breath. “I never wanted to endanger you. If my situation were different, I would have asked you out on a date, like a normal girl. The whole thing: movies, dinner, and making out in the car. But it never did me any good to fantasize about things I couldn’t have, so, I’ve done my best to keep you at arm’s length.” She sat back. “There. That’s everything you didn’t know.”
“Look.” He pushed away from the table, his chair scraping across the wooden floor. “I’m going home to try to make sense of this. You’re coming with me.”
“Don’t you understand?” She gripped his wrist. “You can’t run from this.” She couldn’t help notice his skin was warm to the touch.
He looked down at her hand, so she released him, hating the loathing in his eyes. What did she expect? He detested everything she stood for.
His hands curled into fists by his sides. “What do you want from me? Yeah, I can pretend to be tough and tell you how I ate nails for breakfast, but fuck. You’ve just told me I’m going to become demon chow. That I’m on their radar. What am I supposed to think?”
“I’m not saying to be tough, but don’t run away.” If she didn’t convince him about the mark, she might lose the one person who meant the world to her. “We don’t have time to be scared. Your life is on the line. So… We have to stick together,” she said. “Until we find a way to remove our marks. We’ll be stronger as a team.”
His expression remained frozen. At least he wasn’t muttering prayers or tossing holy water at her, but he didn’t seem to believe her.
“Once we find a way to get you unmarked,” she added, “You won’t see me ever again.” The words stung, but no use fooling herself that anything between her and Levi was possible. Not with the way he kept his distance now.
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth earlier?” He sounded disgusted, and her heart ached.
“I didn’t want to lose you… As a friend.”
“Friends don’t keep secrets.”
“You’re right. What kind of friend am I anyway? Putting everyone in mortal danger for a normal shot at life.” She shrugged. “It’s not just you I’m risking. Tasha and I have grown closer. We’ve stayed up nights talking, went clothes shopping, and supported each other. But was that selfish? Yeah, I guess. If I want to keep my friends safe, those things were a luxury I couldn’t afford, and it never should have gotten to this point.”
If only she’d listened to her dad. Anything that happened to Levi from now on was her fault.
“You can hate me, but do it after we’ve gotten you out of this.”
“I don’t hate you. I… ” His words trailed off momentarily. “You’re on every bounty hunter’s hit list. With a hundred grand on your head, you’ll become their priority. Including the trackers from Argos.”
“A hundred thousand dollars? Fuck!” She glanced around. “I’ll keep a low profile.” Glasses clanged from behind the bar, and a soft tune drifted around them, but none of the bar’s patrons stood out, or seemed to care that she and Levi were there.
“So what do we do next?” Levi asked.
“We need to get out of here. My dad used to hunt demons.” She licked her lips. “And he had a close friend, Thomas, who might know a thing or two, except—”
“Where’s your dad?”
Cary’s gaze fell to the table, the sting inside her spreading like poison ivy. “Not sure, but that’s not the point. I couldn’t find my dad’s address book. I don’t know where Thomas lives or anything. I don’t know where to turn next.”
Levi looked thoughtful. “He was a hunter?”
She nodded.
“This girl I once knew at Argos worked in archives, and she said Brent keeps a hard copy file of every hunter in the country, and any information he found on them. Not just employees,” he added. “They researched lots of demon experts who didn’t work for the company. Even you might be in there, from before you starting working for them. And what if this Thomas bloke has a file?” He leaned back, hands pressed to his hips. “Apparently, no one else in the company knows about it. She said she only knew because she had a fling with Brent who gave her the job and had her pull all kinds of old records to cross-check info for his files.”
“Could she get Thomas’s address for us?” Cary asked.
“No, she said the boss man keeps his copies locked up in his office and made her shred everything else.” Levi suddenly grinned. “We’ll have to get Brent’s file.”
“But we’d have to break into Argos.” Ice formed in the pit of her stomach, but if there was a possibility of finding Thomas’ address, what options did they have left?
“Yeah. Let’s go. I’m ready.” Glancing at his forearm, where Blinkie’s bite blushed pink, he said, “But your hellhound stays behind.”
“No way. This isn’t a negotiation.” Cary gripped the table, her knuckles turning white. “I’m serious. It’s about saving your life. Blinkie comes with me everywhere. He protects me, so I can protect you.”
Levi exhaled a long breath. “Fine, the damn hellhound can come. I’m wearing my silver tipped boots soaked with holy water, so I’m ready to kick demons where it hurts if they get in our way.”
“You’re such a stubborn ass.”
“Anyway, Argos canceled my entry pass the moment I quit. I’m guessing yours was revoked, too. A forced entry will trigger alarms all over Detroit.” He raked a hand through his brown hair. “Surely you have contact, someone inside who could do you a favor? Unless you have some other secret demon powers?” The corner of his mouth twitched when he said the word demon.
“An illegal favor, you mean,” she whispered. “And no, no abilities, other than what I told you. I’m not really any different than you.”
“Call it what you will.” He grimaced. “I say we do this quickly. Trackers are supplying information on the last place they saw you. They’re everywhere, Cary. They probably saw us coming in here.”
She glanced around the room, scanning everyone. “Well, the old man leaning over the bar is too old to be a hunter,” she said. “The two in the opposite corner booth were swigging back shots. Possible. Hard enough facing off with demons, but hunters nipping at our heels would be worse.”
Levi rubbed his jaw line, the scratching sound of his stubble lifting goose-bumps across her flesh. “I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic right now.”
“I’m taking you seriously, Levi. If we’re going to do this, no wasting time. And that means asking for an en
ormous favor from someone I don’t want to drag into this.” She sighed. Damn. “Can I borrow your phone?”
He grabbed his cell from his pocket, handed it over before standing and heading for the door to the men’s room.
Dialing Tasha’s number, Cary wondered how she was going to pull this off. Her friend could get thrown in jail. Tampering with company materials was a serious crime.
“Hello?”
“Tasha, it’s me.”
“Cary! Are you okay? I told you it’s too dangerous to talk. Brent has every paranormal tracker and hunter tracking you down. He’s obsessed.”
“I’m good. I’m okay. How about you?”
“I’m quitting,” she said. “Enough is enough. I’m out.”
“Don’t quite just yet. I need your help.”
“What can I do?” Her tone was sharp and all business.
“Do you know a way to reactivate my entry pass, and give me access to the whole building tonight?”
Tasha’s breathing resonated through the earpiece. “I could wait after hours and get what you need. Let me know.”
“No.” Cary exclaimed, and then lowered her voice. “Thanks, but no. This is my problem to address. I won’t have you more involved than just getting me in. Maybe you could throw a spell in there to cover your tracks so no one can link it back to you.”
“They’ll report you to the police if you break in,” Tasha whispered.
“I’m already on Argos’s radar.” And every demon in Hell. “But they think I’m possessed, so they may not press charges.” Cary took a deep breath. “I’m really sorry for asking you to do this. If you can’t, that’s fine, I’ll try something else.” Her knees bounced beneath the table, praying it didn’t come to that because she had no plan B.
Tasha cleared her throat. “There is no way I could get access to the root servers to grant you access, or turn off the cameras or wipe the data. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Not sure it’ll work. I could use a hypnotizing spell on that IT jerk. If I can get him to activate access for everyone that’s ever worked for Argos for a short period, it’ll look like a glitch, an accident. I’ll have to put a small spell on the backup files too, concealing your entry tonight.” She paused for a moment. “Might be a bigger spell than I initially thought, actually.”