Shit. So much for being pleased.
“She also said you were human.” Damon leaned forward and sniffed, his dark blue eyes burning with a hot, soft glow. “But you sure as hell don’t smell human.”
“I’m surprised you were able to figure that out on your own,” Noah drawled, his temper getting the better of him as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I’d always heard demons weren’t too bright.”
A slow grin curled the guy’s mouth. “That’s just ’cause we’re so pretty. People are usually amazed that we can have such great looks and brains.”
Willow cleared her throat, cutting an uncertain look toward Noah, no doubt sensing his mood. Then she stared up at the man holding on to her and shook her head, looking as if she was fighting back another smile. “I see your ego is still enormous, Damon. Can you at least try to behave yourself?”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, without sounding the least bit contrite. “I haven’t seen you in forever, Low. And you know how crazy that makes me.” Then the bastard lowered his head and kissed her, right on the delicate edge of her jaw, and Noah started thinking that this just might be the night he finally discovered if demons were really as hard to kill as he’d always heard. If not for the fact that he needed Damon to decipher that damn spell, he just might have given it a try.
“I’m curious, Will.” Noah sounded like his throat had been scraped with sandpaper. “Is he like this with all women? Or just the ones who’ve turned him down?”
She winced, but the demon only laughed as he deliberately ran his hand over her hip, then glanced at Noah. “You never know, Winston.” His voice was a deep, sensual rumble. “Maybe tonight’ll be my lucky night.”
Noah took a step closer, getting right in the demon’s face. “Try it, and I can promise you’re not going to be nearly so pretty come morning.”
“Way I’ve heard it,” Damon rasped, his blue eyes narrow and dark, “you’re not the kind who sticks around till morning.”
“You don’t know a goddamn thing,” Noah snarled, his hands curling into fists.
Damon sneered, his own temper suddenly raging from his eyes. “I know you had better have a damn good reason for coming back into her life!”
“Stop it!” Willow suddenly cut in, sounding tense. As well as distracted. “I get that this is obviously a blast for the two of you, but is it possible we could save the drama for later?” She was looking away from them, staring through the window that was located just off to her side. “If not, I’ll just go outside and deal with the monsters lurking in the woods behind the parking lot on my own, while you two keep playing barbarian.”
Noah gritted his teeth, wondering how much worse this night could get.
“Monsters? What the hell are you talking about?” the demon grumbled.
She pointed toward the window. “Take a look for yourself.”
“It’s the Casus,” Noah muttered, spotting the same eerie, malevolent glow of ice-blue eyes that had caught Willow’s attention through the glass. He walked over to the window for a better look, and could see the bastards standing just inside the line of trees that bordered the back lot, near where he’d parked his truck, probably waiting to ambush them when they left the bar.
“You sure it’s the Casus?” Damon asked, coming to stand by his side.
“I’m sure,” Noah replied. He knew that icy color by heart, considering he saw it every time he looked in a mirror.
While they were watching, an SUV drove through the rear lot, its headlights illuminating two of the Casus. The monsters were still in their human forms, their impatience etched into the eager lines of their expressions.
Damon whistled under his breath. “Is it just me, or do those guys look like they’re waiting for something?”
Willow gave a strained laugh. “Oh, they’re waiting for something all right.”
With raised brows, the demon looked at Noah, then at Will. “Well, is somebody gonna tell me what it is?”
“Me,” Noah grunted, his muscles coiling as he felt the sharp rise of a lethal, primal fury surging through his veins. One that was anything but human. “They’re waiting for me.”
“I’m assuming there’s a good reason for that.” The demon’s voice was wry, as was the look on his face as he studied Noah through his golden lashes. “Let me guess. Your charming personality has made you irresistible to them?”
Noah slanted the demon a narrow look. “Let it go, MacCaven.”
Damon’s chest shook with a gruff bark of laughter, and he slid a grin toward Willow. “I’m actually starting to like this guy, Low. Maybe you should keep him around.”
“I’m afraid he’s not mine to keep,” she said tightly. “We’re working together, and we tracked you down for a reason. An important one, but it’s going to have to wait until we deal with what’s out there.”
Noah turned his attention from the window and pinned her with a glare. “We’re not dealing with anything, Will. Your little ass is going to stay inside and out of danger. I’ll handle this on my own.”
“That’s a great idea,” she said breathlessly, feigning an exhilarated expression, “except for two things.”
“Yeah? What?”
“One, you’re being an idiot.” She shot him sweet smile. “And two, I don’t take orders from anyone. Least of all you.”
Looking at Damon, he growled, “Keep her here.”
Damon shook his head and grinned back at him. “No can do, buddy. I gave up trying to control Low a long time ago. The witch does as she pleases.”
“Some help you are,” he muttered, turning and making his way out of the crowded room. Unfortunately, they followed along right behind him, but at least there was no sign of Hank and his friends as he headed through the front room. Nor was there any sign of the band, who must have been taking a break, the place blessedly devoid of music. When he reached the side entrance, a group of purple-haired pixies poured into the bar and blocked the doorway while Willow and the demon caught up to him. Damon crossed his arms and leaned his shoulder against the wall, and Willow placed her hand on Noah’s arm.
“Please, just think about this before you go rushing out there.” Her voice was rough with concern. “If Sienna is with them, then—”
“Sienna?” Damon grated, cutting her off. “As in your sister? That Sienna?”
“Yeah, and it’s a long story.” She took a deep breath and shoved a handful of curls behind her ear. “But she isn’t exactly playing for our side anymore.”
It was clear from the demon’s expression that he felt bad for her. “Shit, Low. That sucks.”
“Tell me about it.” Looking back at Noah, she said, “Sienna might freeze you in place, just like she did before, and you won’t be able to do a damn thing to keep Calder off of you. But I can.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
She licked her lips, then quickly explained. “I might have followed the warrior’s path, but do you really think Jessie ever let any of us do anything the easy way? She made sure I studied a little of all three specialties, so I’m pretty good with spells. I should be able to counteract whatever Si tries to use on you.”
Damon moved away from the wall and cracked his knuckles. “And I’ll get a kick out of pounding some Casus ass. Never have liked the stories I’ve heard about those jerk-offs.”
“This isn’t your fight,” Noah said to the demon, wondering why the guy was even offering to help.
Damon shrugged, the casual gesture stretching the confines of his white T-shirt. “Low seems to like you,” he said in an easy rumble, “which means I can’t kill you. So I might as well help keep you alive.” He rolled his head over his shoulders, then released a set of vicious-looking talons from the tips of his fingers. “Now, what do these guys want with you?”
Willow quickly explained about Noah’s bloodline and how Calder intended to use him as a host. She also told him about the Dark Marker that Noah had, explaining that it was the only weapon that could send the Cas
us to hell. The demon took it all in stride, still ready to stand by them, and Noah shook his head, thinking it was a shame he hadn’t met Damon MacCaven under different circumstances. He might have actually liked the sex-eater, if not for the situation with Will. But, as things stood, he had no choice but to hate the guy.
“So then this Calder needs a host to survive outside his prison, right? But what’s so special about Winston here? I mean, he’s pretty enough. But there’s got to be more to it than that.”
Before he could respond, Willow said, “Noah sided with the enemy and dared to fight against the Casus. He stood up to these bastards. Refused to sit around and wait for them to screw up his life. That’s why Calder wants him.” She turned her warm gaze on Noah, and a grin crossed her mouth. “Noah’s strong, and Calder wants that strength.”
What the…? Noah swallowed the lump of shock in his throat, stunned by her words. By the pride and admiration in her soft voice. But he knew he didn’t have time for the sentimental reaction, so he shook it off and reached for the door.
“One more question.” Damon put his arm out to block the doorway, and locked his gaze with Noah’s. “What happens if we kill one of those host bodies without a Marker?”
The demon’s question made him realize there were still a few things he needed to explain. Clearing his throat, he said, “Before we broke into Meridian and destroyed the gate, the shades would be sucked back into the prison whenever we killed a host body without using a Marker. But we’ve had some new intel from a Watchmen unit in Australia who killed a Casus a few weeks ago.”
“And?” Will asked.
“The bastard they killed didn’t go to Meridian. He just hopped into another body. They know that’s what happened because the second host was a friend of one of the Watchmen.”
Willow’s eyes darkened with worry. “So if Calder’s out there, walking around in some other body, and we kill him without a Dark Marker, then he could try to jump right into you. Do I have that right?”
Noah shrugged. “For all we know, he might be able to do it without waiting for the host body to die.”
Her surprise was obvious. “Has that happened before?”
He shook his head. “Not that I know of. But with Sienna in the mix, I think it’s best if we don’t rely too much on history. She’s powerful enough to change the rules.”
Willow looked pale at the thought of going up against her sister, but she wasn’t backing down. “Make sure you protect the charm Jessie gave you,” she told him. “Don’t let them rip it off you.”
Noah nodded, pressing his hand against his shirt, where he could feel both the Marker he’d brought with him and the leather pouch. He’d already mailed the other two charms Jessie had given him to his brothers. He hoped like hell that the charms worked, but in the event that they didn’t, he needed to tell Willow what to do.
Reaching inside the neckline of his shirt, he grabbed the Marker and pulled it over his head. Then he held it up for her to see. “If at any point you suspect me, you get this away from me and you use it.”
“What are you saying?” she asked with a frown.
“Calder could be out there, and we don’t know for sure that Jessie’s charm will work.” His voice was getting harder. “If you think he’s inside me, don’t even think twice. Just do what needs to be done.”
Her eyes went wide as she realized what he was saying. “What the hell, Noah? You want me to kill you?”
“Do. Not. Hesitate.” He forced the words through his clenched teeth, and prayed she would listen. “I mean it, Will. If you hesitate, you could die.”
Her nostrils flared as she flicked her gaze over the cross. “Noah, even if I wanted to, I don’t know how to use that thing as a weapon.”
“You just hold it flat against your palm. That puts the cross into weapon mode. Your arm will turn into something that’s called an Arm of Fire, and you use it to punch right through the back of the Casus’s neck.”
She kept her gaze on the cross as she exhaled a deep breath of air. Then she swallowed, and lifted her gaze back to his. “I’m not going to kill you.”
Frustration roared through him, the cold suck of fear in his gut freezing him to the bone. “Damn it, Will. I need to know that you’ll be safe.”
“You don’t need to worry about me,” she said, lifting her hands in front of her. “I can protect myself.”
“Will…?” Hardly able to believe his eyes, Noah blinked at the sight of the small balls of fire flickering in her palms. “Cool, huh?”
“I’ve never heard of a Chastain witch being able to manipulate fire.”
Her smile was cocky. “I bet you’ve never heard of a lot of things I’ve learned to do in the past twelve years,” she told him, the flames disappearing as she closed her hands.
He hated that she was right. Knowing that nothing good was going to come out of his mouth at that moment, he turned and walked out the door. And they followed right behind him.
As they walked across the parking lot, Damon fell into stride on his left, Willow on his right. There was a grass-covered border of land that stretched from the back of the lot to the edge of the woods, and they stopped when they reached it, standing near Noah’s truck. Across that strip of grass, the trees swayed, but there was no sign of the Casus. Not even the chilling, ice-blue glow of their eyes.
Damon cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Come out, come out, wherever you are!”
Noah counted the beats of his heart, reaching ten before three Casus males stepped out of the woods, stopping at the opposite edge of the grass, their bodies still in human form. But there was no sign of Sienna.
“Where is she?” Willow rasped. “I don’t feel any kind of spell on the air.”
“Maybe she didn’t come with them,” Damon replied.
“Which one of you is Calder?” Noah demanded, while back in the bar the band started up again.
“He’s otherwise occupied,” the one in the middle replied. “So he sent us to collect you.”
Noah ignored the wave of relief that spiked through him, and gave the monsters a snide smile. “I guess he was just too chickenshit to do the job himself.”
The Casus ignored the taunt, spreading out as they released their claws and fangs. They stepped onto the edge of the grass, and the light from the sign shone on their faces.
“Whoa,” Damon muttered under his breath. “Is it just me, or do these guys look a little…dead?”
CHAPTER TEN
WILLOW UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY what Damon meant. The Casus looked waxen, their skin sagging on their bones, as if their host bodies were already decomposing while they were still walking around inside them. “I don’t think the hosts are agreeing with them,” she murmured.
“They must be the shades who came through with Calder,” Noah scraped out, palming the hilt of the knife he’d taken from his calf sheath in one hand, still clasping the Marker with the other. She’d seen him put his gun in his bag earlier that day, and knew the weapon was still locked in the truck. “None of the other host bodies have ever looked like that,” he added.
Reaching for her own knife, she said, “Maybe Calder’s having the same trouble.”
“If he is, that might explain why he was reluctant to come on his own,” Damon murmured.
“They’re getting ready to attack, so be ready.” Noah’s voice vibrated with rage, and she had no doubt he was going to be deadly in the fight. “Try to take them down without killing them if you can. Then I can fry them with the Marker before they move to another host.”
Willow was about to ask how easy a host body was to kill, when a familiar voice came from off to their right, farther down the grassy patch of land. “You know, for someone who claims he isn’t a Casus, you keep some interesting company, boy.”
Oh, shit. She’d wondered why she hadn’t seen Hank and his pals on the way out of the bar, and this was obviously why. They’d been waiting to confront Noah in the parking lot, where the bartender and
his shotgun couldn’t interfere.
“This has nothing to do with you,” Noah growled, cutting a quick look toward the group. They must have added a few more—shape-shifters to their numbers, because there looked to be six of them now, including Hank. “If you’re smart, you’ll all turn around and get the hell out of here.”
“That’s some good advice, Winston. But I don’t think those shifters look all that clever,” Damon drawled, and in the next instant, they attacked. All of them. The Casus and the shape-shifters, and it was a goddamn bloody mess. Willow felt like she’d landed in the middle of a freaking war zone, but instead of guns and rockets, this was a battle being fought with claws and steel.
“Don’t let them kill him!” one of the Casus shouted to his comrades, obviously worried about the shape-shifters going after Noah. “We’re meant to take him back alive!”
The battle was fast and violent, and Willow cut and slashed as opponents came at her one after another, careful not to make any of the injuries fatal. The shape-shifters were assholes, but she didn’t want to be responsible for their deaths. And she knew Noah wanted the Casus killed with the cross he’d slipped back inside his pocket. But despite the Casuses’ strength, their flesh tore easily beneath her blade, the rotten stench of their blood making her want to gag. And she wasn’t the only one having a problem.
As Damon grabbed the arm of the man he was fighting, the Casus’s arm tore away from its body with a wet, sticky pop, and the demon looked like he might hurl. “Jesus,” he groaned, tossing the arm over his shoulder with a visible shudder of disgust. “Anyone else feel like we’re trapped in some bad zombie flick? This is just wrong.”
The Casus snarled as he lunged, swiping his remaining hand at Damon’s face, and the demon had to lurch back to avoid the monster’s claws, tripping over the groaning body of one of the felled shifters. Willow started forward to help him, ready to take on the one-armed Casus before he could reach Damon, but another Casus grabbed her from behind and pinned her arms behind her back, his low laugh rumbling in her ear. The one-armed Casus gave an evil smile as he started toward her, his intention clear, and she screamed, knowing Damon would never get there in time to stop him.
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