by Avril Sabine
She stepped forward to the sink, gazing at the painted mirror. She scratched away some of the paint, glimpsing a flicker of flame. A little more scratching revealed hazel to go with it. Her father’s eyes. Her eyes. No accusation. Just eyes. She stared a moment longer before she turned on the tap and leaned forward to splash water over her face. After she’d dried her face, she checked which direction Castigate was in. She wanted to see if she could track him. Obviously she wasn’t ready to take him on, but she needed to know if she had the skill to find him.
Leaving the bathroom, she headed for the kitchen where she could hear Gabe preparing food. If he didn’t want to go with her, she’d go on her own.
Chapter Twenty
Cassidy pulled over to the side of the road to focus on checking the direction again. He’d moved east this time. Didn’t Castigate ever stay still?
“Let me ride. We’ll never catch him if you’ve got to keep stopping to find him,” Gabe said.
“We’re not trying to catch him tonight. How many times have I got to tell you that? I still haven’t learned the ritual. I just need to figure out this tracking thing. And stop asking to ride my bike. You don’t have a license.”
“So? Neither do you.”
“Fine. Get off and let me swap places with you,” Cassidy snapped. “And if you get caught don’t go whining to me.”
Gabe chuckled as he hopped off the bike, quickly swapping places with her. He looked over his shoulder at her. “I bet you could Remedy the problem.”
“You’re not amusing you know.” She placed her hands on his hips. “Now move it. He’s headed east.”
They fell into a pattern, Cassidy’s hand tightening on his hip when she wanted him to turn that way. Both hands finally tightening as she yelled, “Stop.”
“What’s wrong?”
“He’s changed direction and headed this way. Move. Now.”
Gabe turned the motorbike and gunned the engine, leaning forward.
“Faster.” Cassidy’s arms encircled his waist as she plastered her body against his. “He’s moving quicker than us.” She felt the motorbike speed up and closed her eyes. She didn’t know what would be worse. Coming off a motorbike at high speed or the demon catching them. Dark energy tracked her and she figured out that coming off the motorbike would be preferable. The demon following them was after her, hunting her in the same way she’d hunted him. She swore. Why hadn’t Remedy told her Castigate would feel her hunting him? She felt the motorbike slowing and opened her eyes, about to demand what he was doing. The graveyard was ahead.
Gabe stopped just before the entrance. “Hurry up. Try. Your demon energy isn’t that strong right now.” He tugged her towards the graveyard the moment they were off the motorbike, one hand pulling his helmet off.
“I can’t.” Pain shot through her when she reached the edge and she recoiled from it. “Damn it.” She pulled away from him, yanking her helmet from her head to drop it on the ground. Then Castigate was behind her and she spun to face him, pulling out her daggers.
Castigate laughed, the sound echoing through the night. “You think you can face me with those bits of metal?”
Cassidy tended to agree with him, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. She tilted her chin and smiled. “I wouldn’t have pulled them out if I didn’t think so.”
Castigate launched himself at her and at the same moment Gabe wrapped his arms around her waist and dragged her into the graveyard. Castigate’s howl echoed her scream of pain. She fought Gabe, struggling to leave the graveyard and the pain it caused.
Gabe swore, twisting one of her blades from her hand. “Cass. Enough. You’re safe.”
She smelt blood, then saw it, a thin line on Gabe’s arm from one of her daggers. Reaching out, she instinctively pressed her demon mark against his blood. Pain exploded through her and she was able to pull away from Gabe who echoed her earlier scream, rubbing the rest of the blood from his arm with the edge of his shirt.
Cassidy stared at him on the ground, pain radiating from him. Her own pain causing her to sway on her feet. She wanted to run. To stay. She was torn between escaping the pain and helping Gabe. Under her skin she felt her demon mark twist and writhe, sharp blades of pain striking her with every movement.
Gabe staggered to his feet. “Cass. Please.” He reached out his hand. “Drop your dagger.”
She looked down at the blade, blood staining its surface. Gabe moved and her gaze returned to him. Behind her she could hear Castigate demanding she face him. Gabe’s hand touched her and she let the dagger fall to the ground with a dull thud. Then his arms were around her.
“Let go, Cass. The energy. The blood. Let it go. You’re safe here.” His hand rubbed her back, the other pressed her head against his shoulder. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
Cassidy shuddered, pain slowly ebbing until it was only a million little stings against her skin. Her arms came up to hold him closer against herself. “Your blood. I didn’t m-”
“Shh. Don’t worry about it.” His hand continued to stroke her back. “It’s over now.”
Cassidy pulled away from him. “No, it’s not.” She turned in his embrace to see Castigate waiting for her.
“What does he want?” Castigate demanded the moment Cassidy’s attention was on him.
“Who?”
“Your master.”
Cassidy didn’t bother correcting him. It wasn’t any of his business. “Nothing. I was curious when I saw his memories.”
Castigate grinned. “He was always a fool. Are you his new love to replace the last one I took from him? Tell him your days are numbered too. This time it will be by my hand, not a human’s.”
“Why? What did he ever do to you?”
“He tried to keep me from my full power. No demon can fully grow in power when they have obligations to others. He stole power that should have been mine by not releasing that hold over me. Now I will steal his when I tear him apart. But you,” he pointed at her. “Will be first. I will leave you to slowly die in a pool of your own blood. Bit by bit as I take your blood and power for my own. He weakens himself sharing some of his power with you. But it won’t help. You’ll still die like the last one.” Castigate laughed. “You will all die.” He spun away, leathery wings stretching as he took to the air.
Cassidy pulled away from Gabe and staggered to the edge of the graveyard. She dropped to the ground just outside the sanctuary. Gabe joined her, his hand reaching for hers. They remained silent, staring at each other. Cassidy started to tremble.
She swore, wiping a hand across her face. “What have I done? I am so dead.”
Gabe’s fingers tightened on hers. “We’ll figure something out.”
There was another rush of air above them and Remedy landed on the ground near Cassidy. “What were you thinking?”
“I haven’t got a clue.” Cassidy tilted her head back to look at him.
Remedy reached out to drag her to her feet, a hand around her arm. He put his face close to hers. “Then how do you think you’re going to win against him if you don’t think? Are you trying to get us killed?”
Cassidy shook her head. “I didn’t know he’d be so powerful. You said he was like you.”
“He is like me. Can’t you see?”
Cassidy gasped as power blazed forth from Remedy. More power than she’d ever seen him display. “I didn’t know.”
Remedy’s head came up as his power dropped to a hum. “I hope you liked that little display because every demon within the city is now headed this way. Hold on you fool.” His wings snapped out and he sent a look to Gabe. “You’re on your own, boy. You’re nothing to me.” He launched himself into the air, Cassidy held tight in his grasp.
With a squeal, she wrapped her arms around him at they streaked through the night. It seemed only minutes before Remedy landed outside her window and let her go.
He gestured to the house. “Get inside before they track you down. I should have known you’d be trouble.” Hi
s hands reached out and tugged on a strand of her hair. “What could I expect with colour like that?” He took to the air again, leaving Cassidy staring up at him.
She felt the energy in the night. Demons seeking the power that had flared out over the city. Sliding open her window, she climbed in, dropping to a heap on the floor. Her arms wrapped around herself and she nearly screamed when the house phone rang.
Staggering to her feet, she checked the time on her bedside clock. Who’d be ringing at two in the morning? Making her way unsteadily to the lounge room she picked up the phone. “Yeah?”
“Thank God you’re safe.”
“Gabe?”
“Who else rings you at this time of the morning?”
“Oh, Gabe.” Her legs gave out and she dropped into the closest armchair. “I’ll drive over-”
“Don’t be an idiot. You’re safe. Stay there.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll be right if I don’t die of boredom. Now if these demons would come a little closer I could use a few more of them for target practice. A pity I don’t have my crossbow with me. That’d get the ones hanging back.”
“I didn’t want to leave you. I didn’t have a choice.”
“I know. But it’s better he took you home. Although I can tell you those first two times I rang and no one answered were the longest minutes of my life.”
Cassidy had no clue what to say. Apologise again? Yell at him for being stupid enough to want to go hunting with her?
“You still there, Cass?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll be home after dawn.” He paused a moment. “It’s probably time I got my own motorbike license.”
“And your own motorbike?”
“Why would I want that? Riding together is about the only time Remedy lets me have my hands on you. Stay home, Cass. I’ll be there soon.” He disconnected.
Cassidy dropped the phone on the floor, a smile lingering on her face. She shook her head as she rose to her feet, unsteady legs barely holding her up. “I swear he’s got a one track mind,” she muttered, heading for the bathroom. Maybe a shower would make her feel better.
It did, but not by much. Dressed in a pair of soft shorts and a singlet, both black, she wandered to Gabe’s room with the ritual clutched in her hand. She read it over and over again, drifting off to sleep some time before Gabe arrived home.
She woke to find him kneeling beside the bed, staring at her. His skin was still a little damp from a shower and his chest bare. “Gabe?” The expression on his face scared her. He looked haunted.
He reached out and gently touched her face, running his hands along her neck, shoulders and arms. He ran them back up again, cupping her face. “You’re safe.” He dragged her against his chest.
Cassidy felt the pound of his heart against her and slid her arms around him. “Yeah. I’m safe.” She felt his arms tighten on her and she pulled him towards her. “Sleep. We’ll worry about it all in the morning.”
Gabe lay down beside her, still holding her tight against him. “I didn’t know if he was trying to save you or had finally lost control and was going to kill you.”
“Shh. He’s not suicidal. Yet. Go to sleep. You look like crap.” She heard the rumble of his laughter through his chest.
“Thanks. I appreciate the compliment.”
“I think your ego is big enough without me feeding it.”
“How about tomorrow night we stay home and I teach you how to use some of the toys in my toolbox?”
“Hiding?”
“No. Come on, Cass. One night. It’s not hiding. Learning is just as important as going out there and letting them all think you’re fearless.”
“You’ll teach me how to throw your shuriken?”
“Yeah. If you want.”
“I should practice the ritual.” She suddenly realised she’d fallen asleep reading it. She tried to pull away from him. “My ri-”
“I put it on the bedside table.”
She relaxed against him. “Thanks.” He didn’t answer. The only sound she heard from him was the beating of his heart against her ear. She fell asleep to that sound.
Chapter Twenty-One
Gabe dropped a scoop of ice cream into his coffee cup before he turned to Cassidy. “So where can we train? Before you make a decision let me point out the walls will probably need repairing and repainting before you’ve learned how to use all my weapons.” He stirred the ice cream into his coffee, his eyes still on Cassidy who was at the kitchen table with a plate of eggs, fried tomatoes and toast.
“I don’t know.”
He took a sip of his coffee and placed his cup on the kitchen counter he leaned against. “What about the other bedroom.”
“No.” She drew in a shaky breath, trying to calm herself after shouting the word at him.
“Whoa.” He held up a hand. “Give me a chance to remove the dagger from my side.”
“Shut up,” she muttered.
“What’s in there?”
Cassidy ignored him as she ate the rest of her breakfast. Once she was finished, she looked up to see he still watched her, sipping his coffee. She shook her head. “No.” This time she managed to say the word calmly.
“I didn’t say anything.”
She pushed away from the table. “Yeah, but I know you now. You just go ahead and do what you want anyway. Or keep at someone until they give in. Like water on a stone.”
“Self-defence against your stubbornness.”
Cassidy spun away without replying. She stalked towards her bedroom, stopping when she reached the room in question. She placed her hand on the timber door, looking at the large nails she’d hammered through the door and into the frame at an angle. She felt Gabe come to a stop behind her, but let the silence stretch out. She finally turned to meet his gaze.
“They’re not coming back.”
“I know.” Her words were as quiet as his.
“We could empty out the garage,” he offered.
She shook her head, leaning against the door. “There’s a hammer in the bottom kitchen drawer.”
“Well of course, everyone knows that’s where you keep them.”
She smiled slightly. “I needed to break some ice.”
He grinned. “Perfectly logical.” He held out his hand. “Let’s go and get it then.”
She stared at his hand. A mixture of smooth skin, calluses and faint scars. She rubbed her thumb across her own fingers and the top of her palm. Already she had calluses. Reaching out her hand she took his. “Okay.” She liked how he didn’t automatically want to take over, even with his pushiness. Liked that he believed she was as capable as him at doing things.
“Although if those nails are as long as they look you’re on your own with your demon strength. A mere mortal can’t be expected to remove a nail as long as the Great Wall.”
Cassidy laughed. “Wuss.” They reached the kitchen and she let go of his hand to retrieve the hammer. Her laughter faded when she was again facing the bedroom door. She took a deep, unsteady breath, her fingers tightening around the handle of the hammer. When Gabe’s hand rested on her shoulder, she turned to look at him.
He met her eyes for several minutes before he smiled. “How about I do the top ones and you do the ones at the bottom since you’re shorter than me.”
“I’m not that much shorter.” She shrugged off his hand and put the claw of the hammer around a nail and levered it out. The nail dropped to the ground and she started on the next one. Her vision blurred as she removed it.
Gabe reached past her and took the hammer. “I thought we were sharing the job. Must be my turn.” He guided her out of the way, a hand on her waist. “Typical,” he muttered. “You had to let me be the one kneeling on the ground, didn’t you?” He knelt in front of the door. “You’re probably going to expect me to kiss your feet too while I’m down here.” He levered a nail from the door.
Cassidy wiped the back of her hand across her eyes and joined him on
the floor. When he turned to look at her, she reached for the hammer. He hesitated then with a nod of his head handed it over. “Thank you.” She continued to meet his eyes.
“Isn’t that my line since I’m getting out of the chore?”
“Move over.” She quickly finished pulling out the last few nails once he moved then stared at the door, wondering if she had the strength to open it.
Gabe’s hands rested on her shoulders. “How about we go clean out the garage?”
She shook her head. “It’s just a room.”
He helped her to her feet. “Don’t give me that crap. Do you know how long it was before I could sleep in my bedroom after I nearly killed my sister?”
“How long?”
“I’ll let you know when I finally do.”
She opened her mouth then closed it, shaking her head in disbelief. “Now who’s speaking crap?”
Gabe grinned. “I’m serious. I moved into the lounge room, refused to go back in that room and my mum just closed the door and told me to let her know when I wanted it back again. When I was at uni I moved in with some mates.” He shrugged, “It was like the room didn’t exist anymore. None of us even thought about it after a while. Like there was nothing beyond the door but a black hole.”
Her look of disbelief increased. “You went to uni?”
Gabe threw back his head and laughed. The sound filled the hallway and he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. “Out of all I’ve said you find that the hardest to believe?”
“Then why are you stuck here if you don’t even live with your family normally? What about work?”
“I work for my family, hunting demons. And Mum took all my ID home with her. She only left me with my phone. I’m working on getting stuff sent to me. It isn’t easy to prove who you are without references. And it’s not the kind of thing I’d tell my mates. I’d never hear the end of it.”
“What is going on here?”