Demon Child

by Patti Larsen

  “He gives me the creeps.” I shuddered at the thought of his smile, his eyes. Everything about him made me want to run away or beat the crap out of him.

  “That’s it?” Quaid held out one hand. “Show me.”

  So I did. I let him feel all of it. Every shiver, every pinch of anger, even the stuff I wasn’t proud of. And my fear of losing my friends.

  When he pulled away he looked troubled. “I’m sorry, Syd,” he said.

  He was? Really? “For what?”

  Quaid shrugged his shoulders, T-shirt pulling over his chest. My demon drove my mind to the memory of him earlier, when there was nothing between him and us but air. I snapped her back to the present. This was more important.

  “I thought you were jealous or something.” He looked uncomfortable. Served him right. “I really thought you were just being a bitch.”

  “And now?” His fingers tightened on mine when I asked.

  “Maybe you’re right.” He frowned into the sunlight pouring through the kitchen window. It made him look older, wiser. “I admit the guy is a weirdo. And I can’t stand him either.”

  I sat back, mouth open, horrified. “Why didn’t you back me up?”

  “Because,” he said. “All your friends are weirdoes.”

  Okay. Fair enough. But still. And hang on a minute. “You’re my friend,” I said softly.

  His smile hit my pulse rate so hard I had to gasp a breath. It just wasn’t right he was that sexy. Not right at all.

  “No,” he said. “I’m your boyfriend. There’s a big difference.”

  His power hooked my chair, pulled me toward him. He gently lifted me into his lap, fingers sliding my ponytail over my shoulder and out of the way. He leaned in and pressed his lips against the base of my neck.

  Our power reached out and connected. But for the first time, I noticed it wasn’t seamless. Not like I thought. And despite the fact Quaid nibbled my earlobe, it was enough to distract me long enough to turn to face him.

  He must have known what I was thinking about, felt it in me. “We’ll figure it out together,” he said, his rumbling voice making my whole body vibrate, pressed to him like that.

  I really believed we would.

  I know something terribly inappropriate but incredibly amazing would have happened between us if Meira and Sassy hadn’t interrupted. From the glint in my cat’s eyes, he was now keeping an eye on us as well.

  Probably for the best. This was no time to fall apart and do something with Quaid we’d both fail to regret in the least later.

  Still, when darkness fell with no answers in sight and not even a communication from the coven, my dad or Uncle Frank and Sebastian, Quaid offered to stay again.

  It was so tempting. Waking up to his power in the same house. But when he made the offer he was sitting on the couch with me in his lap again, the TV on and Sassy glaring at us from the recliner.

  Quaid laughed at us both and kissed me so deeply my knees wobbled before he went home.

  “Just reach for me,” he said. “I’ll be right here.”

  I knew it. And held onto his power until he reached the Vega’s, only letting him go because it was too hard to sustain through their wards.

  I crawled into bed and lay there, trying not to think. Not the easiest thing to do when I had so much to think about.

  I’m tired of this sitting around, my demon snarled. If you don’t act, I will.

  Oh, and what exactly did you have in mind? If I wasn’t in the mood for Alison’s challenge, my demon was no exception. Only problem, there was no getting rid of her.

  I’ll think of something, she said. Just let me out.

  No way. I slammed up another layer of wall to hold her in. You promised.

  Meira’s back, she said. Truce over.

  She wouldn’t. Not with Mom missing.

  Just try me, she said.

  Great. Like I needed more trouble.

  Go ahead, I said. Run off without a plan and get Mom killed. Great idea.

  She grumbled sullenly at me. I would never do that.

  If you take off without an idea of what’s happening and do something stupid, what do you expect? It was like lecturing a kid. Or me about six months ago. Now I knew how Mom felt. Wince.

  She thought about it, turned it over and over, but finally she settled.

  I had to take that as a win.

  There was no way I would be falling asleep anytime soon. Every flicker against the wards made me sit bolt upright in bed, heart pounding, sweating. When I felt a mind touch the barrier, I was so hyper aware I knew immediately who it was, even through the wards.

  I thought I’d taken the run to Meira’s room fast. My path to the back door should have qualified as light speed. I banged open the screen door and almost crossed the wards when his deep voice, no longer full of velvet, shouted, ‘NO!”

  I looked at Sebastian, really looked at him and felt fear of him for the very first time. The glow was gone, but hints of it flickered. It wasn’t the power he emanated as much as the look of him.

  All humanity was missing from his face. As I’d seen with Cesard, Sebastian was stripped to the very ideal of vampirism. Though unlike Cesard, this picture wasn’t hideous or ugly.

  On the contrary. Sebastian looked like an angel. An angel of death.

  “Stay where you are.” His voice came in a whisper. “Syd, I need you to stay behind the wards.”

  There was an undeniable pull to him, a call to peace and serenity. If it hadn’t been for my demon, I would have crossed the shields and gone to him anyway, just to embrace the eternal joy he offered. She roared her displeasure at rattled my mind so hard I gasped from the pain.

  “Sebastian,” I said.

  “Where is your mother?” His body was motionless, a stunning statue, terrible in his beauty and the purity of his purpose. “I need Miriam, demon girl.”

  “She’s gone.” How did I tell him without just blurting the truth? “Nicholas took her.” Sebastian shuddered. “Nicholas.” The name passed his lips like a sigh. “My brother. Is here?”

  I nodded, trying not to look directly at him. That made it easier to resist running to his arms and giving myself to him forever. What was happening to him? It was like he had turned into a grim reaper no mortal would be able to resist.

  Was that the real purpose of the blood plague?

  “This cannot be.” Sebastian moved so fast all I saw was a flicker. When I turned my head, he stood right on the other side of the threshold. The déjà vu was almost too much. Hadn’t I just had a similar meeting with his twin? But there was no comparing Nicholas to Sebastian. Not to this Sebastian, anyway. I half expected him to sprout a pair of black feathered wings.

  “I will find her,” he said. “I will bring her back. And Nicholas will pay for his arrogance.”

  I swayed, eyes locked on him, the need for him stronger than even my demon could break. It was as if everything about him called me to die and I was happy to do it. If he hadn’t flickered into a white flame and vanished, I know I would have been lost.

  Sleep was a long time coming after that. I contacted Erica, told her what I knew. Not much, but at least she was prepared. If and when Sebastian showed up, she and the others were warned.

  I was surprised when I jerked awake, disoriented and foggy. I had been having the best dream. Quaid was in it. T-shirtless Quaid.

  All thoughts of him left the moment I sat up and looked down at the foot of my bed.

  And saw Sunny standing there, watching me.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Suddenly and completely wide awake, I scrambled to climb out of bed, gathering my power while my demon roared to full awareness and slammed the blonde vampire so hard she impacted the wall with a thud shaking the entire upstairs.

  My demon kept her pinned while I trembled with alternating bouts of fear and fury and tried to decide what to do with her.

  She didn’t struggle, but the hurt in her eyes was its own form of
attack.

  “Syd,” she whispered. “Please, you have to listen to me.”

  My demon barked a laugh and hit Sunny again, rattling the windows and making all of my pictures fall off the walls. My alarm clock skittered across the polished wood of my bed table and hit the floor with a crash.

  “I can’t believe you came here after what you did.” And I kicked myself for not thinking to ward the house against her. She lived here for so long I never considered the new wards wouldn’t do the job. Mom didn’t know Sunny was a traitor at the time she rebuilt the protective net and I clearly had my head on straight.

  Yeah, that was sarcasm.

  “We have to go right now.” She started to fight me a little, panic all over her beautiful face. Wow. Great performance. I’d give her an Oscar if my demon didn’t tear her unbeating heart out first.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.” All my bitterness poured out on her, fed into my power. She flinched from it, tears welling in her eyes.

  “Syd,” her voice had no force behind it. “Please. There’s so little time.”

  Sassy came tearing into my room, Meira peeking around the corner.

  “Protect her,” I snapped at him.

  He snarled at Sunny before chasing Meira out, hopefully back to her room where he was weaving wards to keep the vampire out. I could hear her screaming at him, at me, the sound and content muffled but the tone pretty clear. I’d be in trouble for making her stay put. She’d probably torture me for it. But I couldn’t risk her, brave or not.

  And, knowing Sassy, he’d never let anyone near Meira again as long as there was breath and demon magic in his fat cat body.

  “Miriam,” Sunny said, voice cracking. I realized she wasn’t whispering on purpose. She might not need to breath to stay alive but she did need air to talk. And saying my mother’s name was the magic word.

  My demon eased off enough Sunny was able to go on.

  “If you want to save your mother,” she said, “we have to leave right now.”

  Yeah, right. “There is no way I’m trusting you ever again.” It actually hurt to say that. It hurt her too. Clearly.

  “I know,” she said. “Syd, I know. But you don’t know everything. And this is all my fault.” She shook in the confines of my demon power. “I have to make it right.”

  My demon let her go suddenly, shocking me.

  What the hell?

  I believe her. My demon’s anger waned.

  Good for you, I said. I don’t. I tried to pin Sunny again but my demon refused to help.

  “We have to hurry.” Sunny was already moving toward my door. “I have no idea how long I have before he misses me.”

  I was not going with her, no way, no how. Until I felt something inside me wrench sideways. Suddenly I was walking forward, following her down the stairs and to the kitchen. I struggled and fought, trapped inside myself, but unable to control my body.

  No way. This never happened when I was awake. How did my demon do it?

  Let me go. I tried to stay calm, but my panic rose with every step.

  Shut up, she snarled at me. If you won’t listen to sense, I’m driving.

  Sense. Blindly following the vampire who betrayed my family to the bad guys.

  Yeah, made total sense.

  She snarled at the sarcasm I shot at her and kept moving.

  Why were we going to the basement? Sunny didn’t hesitate, but whipped open the door and glided down the stairs, my demon pounding along behind her. It wasn’t until we were standing in front of Dad’s statue that my demon let me go and I had control again.

  Don’t you ever—

  I said, shut up, my demon snarled. And listen.

  Whatever she sensed that I missed, she trusted Sunny again. Okay, fine. I’d bite. But I wasn’t giving in that easily.

  Sunny’s explanation better be damned impressive.

  “We have to call your father.” Sunny looked even more desperate if that was possible. “He’s the only one who can save Miriam.”

  I hesitated. There wasn’t much damage she could do to Dad in his statue, but still. Besides, I’d tried earlier to reach him with no luck. Whatever he was working on seemed to be taking forever. Still, even knowing I’d probably not raise him, this felt like the beginning of a very bad idea.

  “Why?” I wanted more answers before I did anything else.

  “Syd, there’s no time to explain it twice.” She wrung her hands, as though trying to still the shaking. “Please, Syd.”

  My demon didn’t give me an option. She reached out without asking and called Dad.

  Who, naturally, was there in an instant. Why wasn’t he there when I called him earlier? He had to be sitting around waiting when the vampire who betrayed us wanted to talk to him. Typical.

  Dad’s spirit flooded the granite. His amber eyes fixed on me then Sunny. Before he could act, attack or say a word, she spoke.

  “Please hear me out,” she said. “And if you still want to kill me when I’m done, I won’t fight you.”

  Dad met my eyes. I gritted my teeth against my demon and shrugged.

  “Speak,” he said, his deep voice full of power.

  “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.” Tears trickled down her face. I fought off my empathy as she dashed them aside with impatience. “I was trying to help.”

  “Betraying my family isn’t helping, Sunny.” Dad’s tone was gentle, but still full of power.

  “I know.” She hugged herself. “I thought I could control it. Get close to him. Find Meira and rescue her myself.”

  “But the call was too strong,” Dad said.

  She nodded, misery pouring out of her. “I made a mistake. I forgot how truly strong he is and I let him touch me. When he did, my fate was sealed again.” She hung her head a moment, chin vibrating, before meeting his eyes. “It wasn’t for long, but it was long enough. He learned everything he needed to know about you. Your family. The coven. And our alliance.”

  “Sebastian,” I said.

  She nodded.

  “You claim to be free now?” Dad shook his head. “Sunny, you know we can’t take your word for it.”

  I sighed. “You don’t have to.” My demon prodded me. “She’s telling the truth. At least, my demon seems to think so.” Poke. “Okay, knows so.”

  Sunny didn’t smile, but she did look at me and I was able to return her gaze.

  Small victories.

  “He has to be destroyed.” Her arms dropped to her sides. “I should never have allowed Sebastian to talk me out of killing Nicholas the last time. That is a mistake I plan to rectify.”

  “How?” Dad’s concern was clear. “Without putting Miriam at risk?”

  “Demon power,” she said. “And a lot of it.”

  What was she saying? Me?

  “I won’t let you put Syd in harm’s way,” he said.

  “I know.” She glanced at me again. “I don’t want that either. That’s why I needed to talk to you.”

  This was close enough to what Dad was supposedly working on I jumped in. “What did Theridialis say?”

  Sunny looked confused. Good for her.

  Just like Dad to fill her in. “Syd told me about Miriam. I’ve been looking for a way to cross in my demon form.” He grimaced, the expression almost scary demonic. “I’ve been unable to raise the support I’d hoped for.”

  Demonicon politics. Great. I felt terrible for him, though. Even through the granite façade I could see the strain on his face.

  Sunny brushed his despair off. “There may be another way,” she said. “From what I understand, you are able to take mortal form.”

  Okay, clearly she was nuts. “We’re not risking Dad’s life, Sunny.”

  But Dad nodded, ignoring me. “I can. There are times when it’s necessary.”

  I flushed bright red. Meira and I came from somewhere, right?

  “It’s the only way,” Sunny said. “You can’t leave the basement, not in your present form. Not without
a family pentagram to sustain you.”

  This was nuts. And way too dangerous. Hadn’t we already crossed this off the list of possible solutions?

  “Dad,” I said, stepping up to him, keeping my voice low so he wouldn’t hear the shaking in it. “You can’t. You’ll be mortal. If this is a trick, they could kill you.”

  Even my demon seemed shocked by the suggestion. So shocked she kept quiet.

  Dad stood there and stared at Sunny for a long moment, one hand sliding over my shoulder and giving a gentle squeeze. He drew a great breath and nodded once, sharply.

  No, this was wrong, so wrong. “Dad, please, don’t listen to her.”

  He smiled at me, a sad thing, and squeezed my shoulder again.

  “I have to do something,” he said.

  All of his frustration and feelings of uselessness were naked on his face.

  I held his hand as his power swelled, keeping one eye on Sunny while my father gathered his demon magic and used it to propel himself into our plane.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  I had only once witnessed Dad’s mortal form and even so I was still stunned. Gone was the red tinted skin, the horns. Like me, he looked human.

  But more than human. Super human. Like a god made flesh. Everything about him was perfect. His whole being vibrated with power without even trying. His deep blue eyes, so dark they were almost navy, settled on mine and he smiled.

  “Hello, cupcake.”

  His hug was so warm, so real. While I adored seeing him no matter what, feeling his arms around me, there was still a cold and stone-like quality to him when he came through his statue. As if he wasn’t able to fully dispel the substance in exchange for his own.

  This Dad was totally different. Totally mortal.

  And it terrified me.

  “We need to go.” Sunny looked so relieved I was starting to believe her.

  “After you.” So he wasn’t trusting her either. Good to know. I knew my dad wasn’t stupid or anything. After all he was older than dirt. But when it came to Mom, he could be entirely irrational.

  Mortal case in point.