Vengeance of the Demons

by Rebekah R. Ganiere

  Danika smiled. “I told you. Evan’s with someone else.”

  Anger surged inside him. “Where is she?” he hissed.

  Danika’s expression grew hard.

  “I’m sorry. I just… I need her.”

  “So you remember then?”

  “Yes. No. It’s… I have flashes of my time with her, but I don’t know why I want her so badly.”

  “I won’t allow you to toy with her. She’s not a pet. She’s a person. If you want to have sex for fun, you need to find someone else. Not her.”

  “Why not her? She’s beautiful, and from the little I remember we were very compatible.”

  “Because what Evan wants is the old William who loved her. Not the one who thinks he’s the world’s new pleasure package.”

  “But I’m the good one. The desirable one. I’m made for—”

  “Bringing pleasure, yes, you’ve informed me. But pleasure comes in many forms, not only sex, and if you don’t learn that you’re going to have a very hard time here.”

  “Then maybe I’ll go somewhere else.”

  Danika’s gaze grew frosty. “If you cannot behave yourself then I think you need to go to your room for the evening.”

  William clenched and unclenched his jaw several times. The sights and smells of so many people made him want to take Evan up to his bed and screw her until she couldn’t walk straight. He scanned the room for her once more, and when he couldn’t spot her he headed for his room.

  Slamming his door, he flung his tie to the floor and ripped the shirt from his body. He pounded on the wall and threw the chair across the room, breaking the legs. Anger coursed through him and pain pulsed behind his eyes. He pulled the sheets from the bed and threw them at the door just as it opened. The sheets hit Evan in the face.

  “Excuse you!” she said.

  His muscles relaxed. “Evangeline.”

  “I told you not to call me that,” she said. “I didn’t think you’d be in here.”

  He crossed to her in a single stride and took her face in his hands. He kissed her hard on the mouth, tasting her. The lingering sparkle of champagne stayed on her tongue. She tasted right, felt right. He reached down and cupped her rear. Round and tight.

  “Okay.” She pushed on his chest. “Okay. Okay, that’s enough.”

  “Evan. I want you.” He kissed down her throat.

  “Yeah, yeah. Okay. Stop, William, stop now.”

  He pulled back. “What’s wrong? I thought you wanted this.”

  “I’m only here to grab my bag.” She pointed to her backpack in the corner.

  He looked over and spotted the bag. “Your bag?”

  “Yeah. I’m going out with a few people, and I need my bag.”

  “Out?”

  She shook her head and walked past him.

  “Evan, wait.”

  She grabbed her bag and searched inside and found whatever she’d been looking for.

  “This is the last thing I think I left in here. I’m staying in my old room in the barracks. That way you can have this one to yourself and whomever else you want to share it with.”

  She didn’t meet his eye as she headed for the door. He met her at it and slammed his hand on it so she couldn’t leave.

  “Evan, listen to me please. I need you. I’m sorry. I was wrong. I only want you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. You’re the one. No one else.”

  “Huh?” She looked at him quizzically and then wiped his cheek. She showed him her fingers stained with red lipstick. “Yes. I can see how much you’ve changed already.”

  “That’s not what it looks like.” He became flustered and unsure. Why was she having this effect on him? “Okay that is what it looks like, but I didn’t like it. When I was drinking from her all I could think of was you. Your rear is rounder. I remembered that.”

  “My rear? Really? You remembered my rear?” She pressed her body into his and grabbed his crotch making his knees almost buckle. “What about this? Did she do this to you?” She stroked him through his pants. And he closed his eyes. “Did you like it?”

  “No it wasn’t her. That was the redhead.”

  Her hand stopped moving and his eyes flew open. The icy glare she gave to him had him going soft instantly.

  “Two?” She raised an eyebrow.

  “Like I said, I didn’t like it. I only want you.”

  “You love me? You want to marry me?” Her voice held a sarcastic note that he didn’t like.

  “No. I don’t but—”

  She wiped a spot of blood from the corner of his mouth. “I have two someones of my own waiting. Two someones who want no one else but me. Until you’re ready to act like the William I fell in love with, I’m not interested.”

  “Evan, please—”

  She stepped out of his room and closed the door. He banged his head on it and roared in anger. Damn Mason for making him promise not to use his powers on people. Evan would be in his arms and in his bed that very minute if he’d been allowed to use his charms.

  The whole situation had him so pent up he thought he might explode. Ripping off his suit, he headed for a cold shower to clear his head.

  * * * *

  Evan walked down the hallway, holding back tears. Doing what Danika had prescribed was working, but for how long? How could she be so sure that once William had her again, he wouldn’t change his mind?

  She knew he was in there. Her William. The one she’d fallen in love with. He was sexy as hell now, not that he hadn’t been before, but she wasn’t going to fall for a good-looking man again. The last time had almost killed her.

  She walked down to the foyer where everyone continued to enjoy themselves. Her stomach lurched as she hit the bottom stair and she stumbled.

  “Are you okay?” asked Danika.

  “Yeah. I think I had a bit too much champagne. I think I’m gonna head to my room.”

  “Are you sure? I know two gentlemen who are dying to take you out.”

  Her stomach lurched again and she covered her mouth. “No. I think I really should go lie down.”

  Danika nodded. “Okay. We’ll try again tomorrow night.”

  Evan stumbled again and Danika steadied her. “Maybe I should get someone to escort you.”

  Evan shook her head. “I’m fine. But you might want to have someone check on William before he destroys his entire room.”

  Danika frowned. “He better not. That was my birth mother’s room.”

  The thought struck Evan right in the heart. The reverence that Danika had for her birth mother. Evan wondered if Travis even told their daughter about her at all.

  “Good night,” Evan said. She hurried and headed for the back door, trying not to stumble again in the heels she wasn’t used to.

  She rushed outside and took the shoes off. She ran to the barracks and threw the door open. Tommy sat on the couch with his arm around Sue. He looked up when he saw her.

  “Whoa, sis! I don’t think I approve of that dress.”

  “I’m headed to bed,” she said.

  “Evan, are you okay? Evan?” he called.

  “I’m fine. Night.” She raced up the stairs as her stomach rolled for the third time. She barely made it to the common bathroom before throwing up in the toilet. Her stomach lurched and she threw up a second time. Sweat trickled down her brow. The sour taste of fermented champagne and stomach acid made her mouth taste like rotten fruit.

  She sat down hard on the tile floor, leaned back on the bathroom stall, and burped. She’d never had champagne before in her life. Never had more than one beer in her life, either. Her head spun as memories of William’s red eyes floated in her mind. Her heart ached for wanting him. Two females. He’d been with two. How far had he gone?

  She hung her head. She didn’t want to know.

  The outer bathroom door opened. “Hello?”

  She didn’t answer.

  There was a knock on the stall door. “You okay in there?”

&nbs
p; “Fine,” she croaked.

  “Need some help?”

  Evan got to her feet shakily and flushed the toilet before opening the door. She came face to face with Matthew. He looked taken aback at seeing her.

  “Oh, it’s you.” She pushed past him and stumbled to the sink.

  He grabbed her around the waist to steady her. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine. Just peachy.” She turned on the water at the first faucet and splashed it on her face. The mascara Danika had put on her ran down her cheeks. She grabbed the bar of soap and scoured her face trying to get the makeup off. Blinded by the water in her eyes, she felt around for a towel.

  “Here.” Matthew pushed one into her hands and she blotted her cheeks.

  She opened her eyes and handed it back to him. “Thanks.”

  “You know, I’m not trying to be rude, but you don’t look so good. Maybe you should get to bed.”

  “Great advice. I think I’ll do that.” She spotted her backpack on the floor, bent to pick it up, and swayed slightly.

  “Whoa! That’s a good way to get a concussion.” Matthew grabbed her around the waist again and helped her up right. The pressure of his fingers on her sides reminded her of her love making with William.

  “Don’t touch me.” She pushed him away and her vision blurred. “If I call for Tommy, he’ll kick your ass.”

  Matthew held up his hands. “I only want to help you to your room.” He grabbed her backpack and slung it over his shoulder.

  She scoured him with a look. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

  He sighed. “Because you’re drunk and you need help.”

  “I’m not drunk.”

  He nodded. “Okay, well then why is everything you say about two octaves too loud and one second to slow?”

  It was?

  He held his hand out to her. “Come on. I’m really not as big of a jackass as I pretend to be.”

  Jackass. William was her jackass. She stared at Matthew’s hand for a minute before nodding. “Thank you.”

  “Think nothing of it.” Matthew put his arm around her waist and walked her to her room. He opened the door and everything spun in a circle.

  She staggered forward and landed face first on her comforter.

  “Okay then. I’m gonna leave this bag and these shoes here for you.”

  “Sounds good,” she said.

  “And I’ll turn out the light?”

  “Yup.”

  “Night.”

  She didn’t bother to answer. As soon as the light was out, she slipped out of the party dress and under the covers in nothing but her underwear. Her stomach lurched but she swallowed down the bile. She didn’t have the energy to crawl back to the bathroom, and there was no way she was puking in bed.

  Chapter 24

  William tossed and turned the rest of the night and most of the morning. By midday though a thought struck him, and he walked to his heavily curtained window, threw it wide, and gasped. For the first time in over a year, he could feel the sun on his skin without it trying to kill him. How had it taken him three days to realize that?

  A great pleasure blossomed inside him, and he turned to tell Evan, but she wasn’t there.

  His heart sank and he growled deep in his chest. He couldn’t understand why with all of the beautiful women in the world his heart pined for only one of them. Four women. Four beautiful women had been in that room last night, ready to fulfill his fantasies, yet… They’d caused him to stir only briefly before he’d remembered Evan.

  His memories were foggy. He’d grasped bits and pieces but nothing coherent. Like he watched all of them as a spectator. No feelings attached. Emotionless as watching a television show with the sound off. His heart told him that he loved Evan. His body told him that he loved Evan. But the essential nature of who he was told him he was made for loving everyone. Made for women to worship him, pleasure him, and be pleasured by him.

  He huffed and turned from the window, his enjoyment of the sun ruined by his desire for Evan. The one woman he’d been told was off limits. Why should he care? Evan had basically chosen someone else by turning from him, what should it matter then who he was with? Just the idea that she’d been able to resist him and had chosen someone else made him growl deep in his chest. If he could use his powers on her, she’d not so much as even look at another man again.

  William threw his hands into his hair and roared in anger. There were tons of other beautiful women. He could have any of them. Why her? Why did he want that one?

  He stopped and looked out the window again. Mason had said he couldn’t use his powers on them. He’d never said he couldn’t be himself.

  A grin spread across William’s face. He stripped naked and walked to the shower. He didn’t want to smell like last night’s leftovers when he went to woo a woman.

  * * * *

  Thirty minutes later William jogged down the front stairs in a pair of khakis and a green dress shirt open in the front. House servants milled about cleaning up after the dinner party. They stopped when they saw him as if confused by his presence.

  He flashed them a smile and waved them on to their duties. More than one cast backward glances as if afraid he might gobble them up if they weren’t looking. The idea made him frown.

  He decided to look for the one person he remembered had always been receptive to him. The human named Sue.

  He searched the lower level of the house, and when he didn’t spot her he headed to the barracks.

  After walking into the backyard, he stopped and sucked in the fresh air. The glorious scents of grass and flowers made him smile. Though he’d only been shut in his room for three days his body reacted like it had been locked up for months. Memories of a dark, hard cell floated into view. His muscles shook as someone kicked him in the gut repeatedly.

  He panted hard, trying to control his mounting anxiety. His gaze whipped around the backyard to make sure no one had seen his moment of terror. He caught a glimpse of a woman moving around in the barracks kitchen. Short brown hair, slender build. Sue.

  He smiled to himself and washed the horrible memories away before stepping inside the building. He tiptoed up behind her and covered her eyes with his hands.

  She gasped and then laughed.

  “Very funny, I know it’s you.” She spun to face him and her expression dropped. “W-William?”

  “Of course. How are you?” He laced his hands around her waist as apprehension crossed her features. “Don’t be scared. I know I’m a bit different, but I’m still me. Only better.”

  “Oh… I… uh…” She seemed at a loss for words.

  He nuzzled her neck and she stiffened. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I no longer have an appetite for blood, though I do still enjoy it.”

  She didn’t relax.

  He kissed her playfully on the throat, and she yipped and jumped away, bumping into the counter. A pot of tea whistled on the stove, and she stepped around him to grab it.

  “So I was thinking.” He ran a finger down her bare arm, noticing how pale it seemed compared to Evan’s peachy skin. “Maybe you and I could spend some time together today.”

  “Oh!” She gave a nervous laugh. “I’d love to, I would, but I uh…can’t, I’m afraid.”

  “You can’t? Or you’re afraid?” he asked.

  “Uh…” Her hand shook as she poured the hot water into a teacup, splashing it all over the counter.

  “Sue?” A set of heavy footsteps bounded down the stairs. The blond guy that had been in his room with Evan and Danika and Mason turned the corner and spotted them. “William.”

  William racked his brain for a name. Evan’s cousin. “Tommy.”

  Tommy crossed to Sue and put his arm around her. “You have the tea?”

  She nodded vigorously and refused to meet William’s eyes. “I was just looking for some crackers but couldn’t seem to find some.”

  Tea… crackers…

  “Are you having a tea party?” William joked.
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  Tommy and Sue exchanged a look.

  “Evan has a bit of a hangover,” said Tommy. “I’m sure she’ll be fine in a couple of hours. She’s never really had alcohol before and the champagne she’s been having lately seems to have gotten to her.”

  “Evan’s sick?” A protective instinct kicked into overdrive.

  Tommy nodded to Sue to take the tea up. Sue gave William a tight smile and ducked around him.

  “Just a bit of a hangover,” said Tommy again.

  He wanted to ask to see her, but Tommy’s body language told him the answer would be no. Not that it mattered. Tommy was human and he was so much more than human. Still, concern rooted in his chest and made him uncomfortable. No matter what he seemed to do, Evan seemed always in the forefront of his thoughts. He didn’t understand what was going on inside. He needed to talk to someone but no one seemed to want him around.

  “You’ve changed,” said Tommy. “And not in a good way, bro.”

  “It’s true I’m different. But I don’t see how my changing makes me worse than I was before.”

  “At least when you were blood crazy you needed and loved my sister. Now the only person you seem to love is yourself.” Tommy walked to the stairs and stopped. “My sister’s been through enough pain already. She gave up everything to save your life. The least you can do is respect her wishes and leave her alone. She deserves better than you.”

  The words cut William more than he’d like to admit. Tommy disappeared out of sight as one of the humans from the night before entered. Petite with wide features, her face wasn’t beautiful but she wasn’t plain either. Her jet-black hair framed her face in a Cleopatra style that suited her.

  A smile spread across her face at the sight of him. “Well hello, lover. You ran off so fast the other night that I didn’t get to introduce myself to you. I’m Irena.”

  Desire spiked in William despite his concern for Evan.

  Irena strode forward and stretched out her hand. He took it in his own and shook it. She barely came up to his chest but under her T-shirt and jeans he spied a lovely set of curves.

  “William,” he replied. “I’ve never seen you before.”

  “My master was killed in the last attack. I’ve only been here a week or so, with my sister slave Janet.”