by Vivi Anna
Leanne leaned on the table and looked the map over. She nodded. “Yes, I think so. It’s an old iron mine.”
“Could you take us there?” Daeva asked.
“It’s closed now, has been for decades. The roads are overgrown. There’s nothing there.”
“There is something there and I need to find it. Please, can you take us?”
Leanne didn’t look at Daeva. Quinn could see the hesitation on her face. He didn’t blame her. She had no idea what she could be getting into. Although they seemed safe right now, he knew the Cabal and quite possibly other demons wouldn’t stop pursuing them. The chest was the key to more power than any of them could comprehend.
“We understand if you can’t, Leanne. You’ve already done so much.”
She looked at him and he saw more than hesitation in her dark brown eyes. He saw regret, maybe even resentment.
“I will take you.”
“Are you sure?” Quinn asked. “We won’t lie to you, it could be dangerous. There are others after the same thing we are.”
“It is my duty as a Blackbird to do so.” Leanne sighed, her hands fidgeting at her sides.
“What do you mean?”
Daeva answered, “There was a curse put on her family line a few hundred years ago.”
He frowned. “What?”
Leanne gave him a sad half smile. “I never believed the stories. I’d always thought it was one of the old myths about the fire people.” She looked at Daeva. “I didn’t believe until I saw you on my porch. Then I knew it was my turn to fulfill the conditions of the family curse.”
She turned to look out the kitchen window. “I will get our gear ready to go at first light.” She turned and left the kitchen, opening the front door and exiting.
Quinn paced the room. “We shouldn’t be asking her to do this. It’s too dangerous. With the map we can find it ourselves.”
“She’s bound to this task, Quinn. She has to do it.” Daeva stood, wobbled a little and had to brace herself against the tabletop.
“Can’t you find the damn demon that cast the curse and have him remove it? Evil sonofabitch, doing something like that.”
She pushed away from the table and moved toward the bathroom. “I’m going to have a shower. I feel like I’ve been living in these clothes for weeks.”
He followed her, not content to let the conversation go. “Did you hear me, Daeva?”
“Yes,” she hissed, “I heard you just fine. But there’s nothing I can do about it.”
He took her arm to stop her from entering the bathroom. “You know the bastard that cast the curse, don’t you?”
She braced a hand against the door frame and glared at him. “Yes, I know.”
“Who was it?”
“Me.” She put her hand on the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I stink, so I’d like to shower please.”
Quinn slapped his hand on the door before she could close it. “What do you mean you put the curse on the family?”
“I’m a demon, aren’t I? That’s part of being a demon, enslaving a family to do your bidding.”
“I can’t believe it. It’s so...”
“Evil?” She raised an eyebrow sardonically, but he saw the hurt in her eyes. “I am a demon, Quinn, or have you forgotten? I’d be surprised if you have.”
“It’s just, I thought...”
“What? You keep reminding me that I’m not human. I’m not sure why this is so surprising to you.”
He looked at her, trying to figure her out. She sounded angry, but not necessarily at him. Just in general. Angry at the situation, maybe, or at herself.
“I know you’re not the same person you were three years ago, Daeva. I think I know who you are.”
“Well, if you’re not going to volunteer to wash my back, then I really think this conversation is over.”
After a long moment, Quinn removed his hand from the door and she shut it firmly in his face. He’d let her have her privacy for now, but she was gravely mistaken if she thought the conversation was over.
Chapter 20
Daeva stripped off her clothes and stepped thankfully into the shower stall. She cranked the tap all the way to Hot. It hurt when the scalding spray hit her, but only for a moment. Then it just melted gloriously into her skin and bones. Her muscles started to unknot under the blistering jet.
After being in the cold, on the run, and sleeping in uncomfortable positions for a couple of days, the hot, cleansing shower was like a little piece of utopia. She wished she could just stay in here and let the world move on without her, but she had to face her situation sooner or later. Just when she thought Quinn had stopped thinking of her as an evil demon and was regarding her and treating her as the woman he’d fallen in love with six years ago, he’d been reminded of her true nature.
She was born a demon and would always remain so. No matter what she did, he would now forever remember that she’d cursed someone. Well, enslaved a whole family line, really. It didn’t matter that she’d only taken advantage of that curse once before, the time she’d buried the Chest of Sorrows inside an iron mine. A place no demon could see through or human could ever get to, to obtain it, especially if they didn’t know where to look. She should’ve gotten extra brownie points for that. She’d saved the human race by burying it deep in the Earth.
Once she was thoroughly warmed through to the bone, she found shampoo in the corner caddy. It smelled of oranges. She glopped some in her palms and massaged it deeply into her scalp. The odor sent an invigorating shiver through her. She wished Quinn had volunteered to help her wash. His strong hands massaging her head, running through her hair, made her body quiver with need. It had been a long time since she’d had sex or any intimate contact with a man; the last time had been with Quinn. She wondered what he would say if he knew that. Would it make a difference to him?
Thinking about Quinn was making her dizzy, or it could’ve been the steam in the shower that made her light-headed. She took in some deep breaths, but it didn’t help, so she reached up for the showerhead to keep her balance, but it was too late. She dropped to her knees, hitting her head on the shower stall.
There was a rush of cold air as the bathroom door opened. “Daeva? Are you all right?”
She didn’t answer. Her tongue felt thick in her mouth. All she could manage was an undignified squeak. Quinn slid open the stall door and she fell forward into his arms before she could hit the hard tiled floor.
Not caring that he was getting wet, he reached up and turned off the water. Then he grabbed a large bath towel and wrapped her in it.
“Can you walk?”
She nodded, although she wasn’t positive she could, really.
He helped her to her feet. Leaning heavily on him, Daeva let Quinn guide her back to the guest bedroom. She’d never been this weak before, this vulnerable. And she hated it.
He lowered her onto the bed. “You obviously need more rest.”
“Obviously,” she mumbled.
He ran a hand over her wet hair. “You’re not made of steel, Daeva. You can’t go two hundred percent one hundred percent of the time. It’s apt to take its toll. You said yourself that being bound to the Earth and to me diminished your powers.”
“I know. It just sucks.”
He chuckled at that. “Yeah, it does.” His hand was still on her head. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
“Where else am I going to go?”
He left the room, then came back a few seconds later with another towel. He sat beside her on the bed, nudging her sideways with his leg. He picked up her wet wall of hair and settled it on the other towel.
“What are you doing?”
“Drying your hair. I don’t have a comb but my fingers should do.”
Touched, Daeva let Quinn comb his fingers through her hair while squeezing the excess water from the strands. It was a tender thing to do. She’d never had anyone care for her like that. Even when they’d been together before, when she was m
asquerading as a human, he’d never offered to do that. Unexpectedly, tears formed in the corners of her eyes. But she didn’t want him to see her so emotional, so weak.
“I want you to know,” she started, her voice quavering a little, “that I did that curse a long time ago. I was different then.”
“I realize that, Daeva.”
“You do?”
“I mean, I’ve changed in the past five years, so it’s easy to think that someone has changed in over two hundred years.”
He continued to run his fingers through the wet strands of her hair. She let her head fall back a little, pure pleasure cascading over her like a warm blanket. She sighed happily.
“Feel good?”
“Oh, hell, yeah.” She was hyperaware of his presence behind her and the fact that she was still only wearing a towel, was naked and wet underneath.
His hands paused; she sensed that he dropped them to his sides. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the hesitation in his face, the uncertainty. The fear.
“Maybe you should get under the covers and get some more sleep.”
“I’m not tired anymore.”
She couldn’t hide the fact that she wanted him. It was too tiring to constantly check her libido. She wanted Quinn in every way possible. Even when she was furious with him for being judge, jury and exorcist, she’d never stopped wanting.
He’d changed, too. He wasn’t as trusting or easy-going, his heart had toughened a little, but she still saw the compassionate and caring man underneath his hardened exterior.
He stood with his hands fisted at his sides. “We both need rest. We still have a long journey ahead.”
“Yeah, we do, which is why we should address this thing between us.”
“What thing is that, exactly?”
She twisted around, her towel gaping up the length of her thigh. Quinn’s eyes tracked the movement.
“The sexual tension.”
His eyes darkened. “I think it’s best we ignore it.”
She reached for his hand. “Quinn, I want you. And I know you want me.”
“Do you really think this is the best time or place?”
“It’s the perfect time. We might not get another chance.” She tugged him closer. “I don’t want to lose this one chance, Quinn. I don’t want to lose...” She couldn’t finish her thought; it was too painful to speak out loud.
By the look in his eyes, she wasn’t sure he could handle hearing that she still loved him.
He raised his other hand to her face. With just his fingertips he traced the line of her chin to her mouth. Cupped her cheek in his palm.
“You won’t lose me.”
“But don’t you see? I will, one way or another, after we find the chest.”
He didn’t say anything, then, because he knew she spoke the truth. Instead, he ran a hand over her hair.
“Come on. Get under the covers. You need the rest.”
She did as he asked and slid under the covers, the towel still wrapped around her. “Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?”
He nodded and crawled onto the bed behind her. He wrapped an arm over her on top of the covers and pulled her close.
Sighing, Daeva closed her eyes. Exhaustion was taking its toll on her and she was finding it difficult to stay lucid. The warmth of Quinn’s body and the way he stroked her hair was comforting, lulling her to sleep. When she finally succumbed to it, it was with his scent in her nose and the press of his lips on her shoulder.
Chapter 21
It wasn’t quite dawn when Daeva slid quietly from the bed and dressed in the clothes Leanne had given her. After putting her hair up in a high ponytail, she silently padded out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She didn’t want to wake Quinn. He needed the rest, both his body and mind.
He’d held her until she fell asleep. But she wasn’t out for long. Daeva tried to go back under but she had too much on her mind. Although her body was exhausted from the teleportation, she still couldn’t sleep. There was too much to do.
Quinn had been in a deep sleep, by the looks of him. So she’d covered him with the blanket then slid out from under his arm.
The cabin was dark but she knew that Leanne was already awake and waiting because there was a fresh pot of coffee brewed. Daeva poured a cup, and as she sipped it, she glanced out the kitchen window to the predawn glow. That was when she spotted Leanne outside, sitting cross-legged on a blanket spread out on the deck. Her eyes were closed.
As if sensing Daeva’s gaze, her eyes opened and she looked right at her. Daeva could see the latent power in the Cree woman. She possessed more strength than she probably even knew.
A couple of minutes later, the front door opened and Leanne came back in, the colorful blanket draped over her arm.
“You are up early,” Leanne said as she put the blanket into an old painted wooden trunk.
“I don’t need much sleep.”
“Neither do I.” Leanne came over to the coffeemaker and poured a cup, liberally adding sugar. She took her coffee and sat at the table. Daeva joined her.
They drank in silence. Daeva watched the woman over the rim of her cup. She knew Leanne wanted to ask her something and was gathering the nerve to do it.
“You are the demon that cursed my line, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Out of arrogance, I suppose.” Daeva ran her finger over the rim of the cup. “Your ancestor was a great warrior but he wanted more power. He called upon the dark forces to help him in his quest. He was lucky that it was me that answered the call and not another more vicious demon.” She watched Leanne flinch at that. “He demanded my allegiance to help him become chief. I gave it to him, but told him his entire lineage would forever be enslaved to me. He readily agreed. He didn’t even think about it.” She picked up the coffee and drank to wet her suddenly dry throat. “I only used the curse once, with your great-grandfather, to help me hide something, a most important and dangerous artifact. And now, of course you, to help me find it.”
The Cree woman nodded. “The stories I have heard over the years have changed somewhat.”
Daeva smiled. “Of course they did. No one wants to believe that their ancestor was a greedy, selfish, power-hungry jerk.”
Leanne sighed. “I will help you find what you seek.”
“When we are done, I promise you I will lift the curse so that the rest of your family is free from it.”
Leanne nodded. “Thank you.”
There was a long pause, then a voice came from the corner. “Good morning.”
Both women turned as Quinn stepped into the kitchen. Daeva suspected he’d heard their entire conversation.
As he passed her to get some coffee, he ran his hand over her head. He poured a cup and leaned against the counter with it.
“How long will it take us to get where we need to go?”
“It is an hour drive, then we have to hike the rest of the way in.”
“How far?” he asked.
“About sixteen miles.”
“That’s a long haul.”
Leanne nodded. “We won’t make it today. We’ll have to make camp and not wander the area at night. There are bears and cougars around.”
“We might run into other trouble,” he said.
“There’s no ‘might’ about it.” Daeva lifted her cup. “The Cabal will show.”
Leanne nodded. “I have protection.”
The door opened and a tall young man with the same long black hair and dark eyes as Leanne came in. He carried a rifle in his big hands.
He glanced at Quinn, then at Daeva, his distrust and distaste evident in the way he frowned.
Leanne stood and greeted him with a hug and kiss on his cheek. “This is my son, Billy.”
Quinn nodded to him, but Billy ignored the gesture. It was obvious his only concern was for his mother. He took her arm and guided her into the living room. They also spoke in Cree, but Daeva understood t
hem, anyway.
“Let me come with you,” Billy pleaded. “You can’t trust these people.”
“No, Billy, you must stay here. I can take care of myself. I am not useless.”
“I didn’t say that, but it is dangerous, especially with that fire hag.”
Daeva snorted. “Hey, I resent that. I’m not even close to being a hag.”
Leanne looked surprised. “You understand Cree?”
Daeva smiled, but without humor. “I understand all languages. The beauty of being from hell, I suppose. It’s multicultural.”
Billy came into the kitchen, his hands fisted. He looked ready to pummel her. She could feel the fury rising off him.
“Leave this house, demon. You are not welcome.”
Daeva stood, not liking being threatened while she sat. “Your mother welcomed me. This is her home, is it not?”
He went to speak again, but his mother was there beside him, calming him with her hand on his shoulder. “It is okay, Billy. I will be safe. You don’t have to worry.”
He turned to her, still angry. Daeva could tell he wanted to say so much more, but he had respect for his mother so he bit his tongue.
“Take the GPS tracker, so I know where you are.”
“If it will ease your mind, son.”
He nodded, then bent to kiss Leanne on the cheek. He spoke in Cree again. “I love you, Mother.”
“And I you. I will see you soon.”
With that, he was gone, leaving the rifle in his mother’s capable hands.
“My son worries too much.”
Daeva smiled at her. “He loves his mother. There is nothing wrong with that.”
“No, there isn’t.” Leanne returned the smile. “I will meet you out back and we will grab the gear we’ll need.” She left them in the kitchen to prepare for their trip.
Daeva set her empty cup in the sink. Quinn reached for her hand.
“He said those things because he doesn’t know you. The real you.”
“He has the right to be upset. We’re putting his mother at great risk. Because of something I did centuries ago.”
“Yeah, but we’ll keep her safe. She’ll be all right.”
Daeva nodded but with no real conviction. Ever since she’d woken, a sense of impending doom had filled her gut. She knew that feeling, had had it before. It meant someone was going to die.