by D. C. Gambel
“Who?” I demanded loudly enough that the bartender sent a glare our way. I didn’t see why it concerned him. We were the only patrons in the place.
“That doesn’t matter.” When I opened my mouth to protest, he held up his hand stopping me before continuing. “What does is that I can make them stop and will.”
“If I agree to help you,” I added.
He nodded. “Only you can, Evie.”
“So you set me up?” I spat as the pieces began clicking together. “You had people killed to make it look like it was my gift then approach me for my help.”
“I swear to you Evie. I didn’t.”
I stood abruptly. He reached for me again but I jerked my arm away before his hand made contact. The longer I sat there the more infuriated I became. I didn’t know why I was so angry. It wasn’t just anger. I was enraged.
“Forgive me if I don’t believe you. You’ve stalked me then come at me with an ultimatum.”
“I didn’t…” he began but I cut him off.
“You won’t help me unless I help you. See, where I come from that sounds like an ultimatum. Let me tell you something, I refuse to have you exploit my fears. If you discovered who this person is, it means I can too.” It also meant that it truly wasn’t me. Deep down, a part of me had worried that the guys might be right and that Hell had changed me in a way I didn’t understand nor remembered.
The man sighed, stood, then moved to stand next to me. “You’ll change your mind, Evie. When the horsemen refuse to believe your innocence, you’ll remember that I do.” He slid a business card across the table. When I made no move to grab it, the man stepped forward into my personal space. I wanted to step back to keep the distance between us, but I refuse to show weakness to this man. Sliding the card into my front pocket he smirked. “Know that I won’t hold this encounter against you. We could both benefit from this arrangement.” Stepping back he glanced around. “You should go. War is looking for you.” He shrugged, “Or don’t. I suppose it’s none of my business how you handle your relationship.”
He nodded at the bartender who immediately announced last call. I barely made it to the door before they flipped the sign closed.
The whole way home I thought about the encounter. He’d known things that made me feel violated. Inhaling the frigid, night air cooled my temper that had been flaring. I couldn’t go home and talk to Cam, much less anyone else, feeling this much hostility. He didn’t deserve that. Sure I was furious that he went off with Emily, but if we talked now my feelings would be ruled by the conversation I had with the strange man at the bar.
I halted, entirely unsure where to go. As I stood there I realized where I wanted to be. I charged outside into the barn flipping on the lights. I stared around at the equipment seeking a way to ease the anxious feeling eating at me. There was the Cam and the Emily situation, then the stranger in the bar who knew way too much about me for comfort. I worried what would happen if I refused him. If he really had set me up the way I believed he had, then how much farther would he be willing to go to get what he wanted. I debated on telling Cam about my bar encounter, but the moment the thought crossed my mind something told me it was a horrible idea although I didn’t know why. Not to mention the guys had been keeping information from me.
Catching sight of the bag hanging from the rafters above, I marched towards it. I began letting my training take over. My body moved and bent on its own accord as I beat the ever-loving snot out of the punching bag as it swung with each blow. My fist slammed into it, my shin caught the side as I kicked out. I was panting heavily when the door creaked open.
“I hope it’s not my face you’re picturing,” Cam muttered sleepily. He was dressed in dark washed jeans and a white t-shirt under his leather jacket. He hadn’t changed since I saw him last. I wondered if he’d even made it inside the house. “Where the hell have you been?” It wasn’t spoken with anger but exhaustion.
I didn’t answer. Throbbing drew my attention to my hands. It wasn’t until then that I realized I forgot gloves. Cam eyed my knuckles that were now dripping blood. They throbbed in a way I hadn’t noticed while I’d been beating the bag. The pain had help curb my hostility, but it was still there lingering under the surface.
“Evie,” he sighed stepping forward, but I retreated. I was worried my anger would cause me to lash out. After all, he’d left with Emily, he desired her, not to mention he’d been keeping secrets from me. He froze furrowing his brow. “Let me help you.”
I shook my head. “I don’t need help,” I spat unusually hostile. Wiping the back of my hand on my jeans I saw the angry skin stitching back together before my eyes. “See.” I turned back to the bag slamming my fist back into it. I only managed two punches before Cam’s arms wrapped around me.
“I swear nothing ever happened with her.”
I twisted out of his embrace. He grabbed my arm, which only infuriated me so I brought my other up to connect with his face. Cam was faster and knew my intention. We sparred regularly and Cam was the better fighter. It didn’t mean I wouldn’t try to knock him on his ass.
“You think that’s my issue?” I swung again but he stepped out of it. “That you slept with her in the past? You forget I’ve been face to face with your conquests before.”
He winced at my words. Seeing my desire to fight, he began sparring with me. I charged and he defended, blocking my punches and kicks, but he didn’t attempt to hit back. He stayed on the defense.
“Then tell me,” he demanded blocking my onslaught. “Something about the encounter got to you.”
“You lied,” I hissed. Spinning, I brought my foot towards his chin, but he back out of its way just in time. “You promised not to leave my side tonight. But this girl that I’ve seen before, mind you, bats her eyes and you ditch me.”
“I didn’t ditch you.” He grabbed my arm, twisting it behind my back. He yanked me against his chest. Putting his mouth just against my ear he spoke quietly. I could feel my anger begin to dissipate at his nearness, but I didn’t want it to go. I wanted it to fuel me. I just didn’t know why. “And what do you mean you’ve seen her before?”
“The succubus, Cam,” I growled thrashing against him. “She’s what you most desired.”
He released me and I tumbled to the ground having been throwing my weight forward. “That’s what this is about?” he spat. “You think I desire her more. I fucking love you, Evie. I never loved Emily.”
“But you wanted her,” I breathed barely louder then a whisper. My anger faded leaving behind only hurt.
He sighed running his hand over the back of his neck. “You have to understand something. Emily was a relationship person. But that’s not who I was, not until you. I couldn’t risk infecting someone with my rage.”
“So I’m just second choice,” I muttered struggling against the tears forming in my eyes. Cam was on his knees beside me in an instant.
“Hell no. You are the only choice for me. I don’t mean because we can tolerate the other’s gifts, but because the moment I met you I knew I was a goner. The moment I kissed you, you stole a part of me that I will never get back and I don’t want it. I love that you have it. You accept me for who I am, the man and the beast within. Soul mate or not, I want you like I’ve never wanted another person. Don’t ever think you’re my second choice. There is no comparison. It will always be you.”
“But the succubus…?”
He sighed with a gentle smirk tugging at his lips. “You have no idea how relieved I was that she didn’t take your form.” My gaze shot to his completely surprised by his words. Seeing it, he elaborated. “I’d only just met you, Evie. It would have been hard to explain. I will tell you that I had to struggle to push those feelings for you away especially after dancing with you, breathing you in, feeling your breathing quicken when I held you close.” He cupped my face as it flushed. I had hoped I’d been subtler than that. “I’m sorry I broke my promise tonight. She maneuvered me so I would have been an asshole if
I refused, but I should have anyways. No one is more important to me than you.”
“I couldn’t believe she referred to your Mustang as an old car,” I chuckled trying to let go of the tension I held. The more he touched me the quicker I felt like myself and not the ball of fury and rage I had become since my encounter with the man in the bar.
He snorted with a grin. “And that is another reason I love you. You appreciate my baby more than any other woman I’ve ever known.”
“Her and I have had a special relationship since you did do me on her hood.”
“I suppose a threesome would make you two close. That on it’s own should prove how much you mean to me. I have never had sex on my car.”
“Just the backseat?”
He shook his head. “Never in or on my car, until you.”
“We’ve never done it in the car.”
“Well,” he held his hand out to me. “We should remedy that.”
Standing in the kitchen the next morning, I was busy making coffee when the doorbell rang. I was moving a bit slower today. I had a major crick in my neck. Not only had Cam and I christened the back seat of his car but we also passed out back there. It hadn’t been very comfortable even after he opened the front doors and angled us so our feet were sticking out of the car. Sleeping naked against leather, in a confined space had sucked, but being there with Cam had made it perfect. Having him hold me seemed to keep my anger at bay. When I awoke this morning, all of the worries that had plagued me the previous night felt insignificant. I didn’t understand why I made it into such a huge ordeal.
I knew he had questions. The main one was wondering where I’d been, but he hadn’t battered me with them. Either he was waiting for me to tell him on my own or he was trying to find the right time to bring it up again so we didn’t end up in another sparring match.
“You can’t be here,” Ty muttered when he opened the door.
Curiosity had my brow furrowed as I rounded the corner. I wasn’t dressed for the day. Cam had given me his shirt to sneak into the house. I had only added pajama shorts to my ensemble before roaming through the house. It wasn’t unusual attire to wander the house in first thing in the morning. Even though it was approaching noon, it was still first thing in the morning for me.
“Please Tyler. I just need to see him,” Emily cried.
“Emily he’s finally happy. It’s taken him a long time to get over you. Your presence will only stir things up.”
I rounded the corner. Emily immediately closed her mouth like she was about to say something.
“You’re here?” she seemed surprised. She eyed my attire and blanched. My shorts weren’t visible under Cam’s shirt. My hair was in disarray after the steamy car sex and I hadn’t bothered with running a comb through it yet.
I nodded. “I live here.”
“You…”
“She has for months now,” Cam explained entering the foyer snaking his arm around my hip. I swear the girl paled further.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come, but…” Then she started crying. I don’t mean little sad tears, but sobbing. She turned into a blubbering mess that even I felt bad for her. Ty stepped forward wrapping his arms around her.
“What happened?” Cam asked maintaining his distance.
“My cousin. The one who was getting married? She…she died last night. They think it was a brain aneurism… I found her.”
“Emily, I’m so sorry.”
“It was horrible. I thought aneurisms were supposed to look peaceful. But there was so much blood. I’m sorry you were just always there for me and I didn’t know where else to go.”
“What do you mean blood?” I asked. Her blue gaze shot to me. “I’m not trying to be insensitive, but was it from an injury?” Something wasn’t feeling right.
She shook her head. “No, she was in her bed. It was from her eyes.”
I glanced at Cam whose eyes were boring into me. I opened my mouth but no words came out. My heart was pounding. I hadn’t told him about the guy I met at the bar. The fact that there had been another death only hours after I met with him told me my earlier concerns might be valid. What if he had done this as a message? Was his intention to turn the horsemen against me too?
“I’m sorry for your loss, Emily. But you can’t show up like this,” he stated.
“I…” she began but more tears just streamed down her face.
“You and I aren’t together. Hell, we never were. If you’re looking for a shoulder to cry on then you’ve come to the wrong place.” He gestured to Ty. “Unless you’re here for him, which is perfectly fine.”
She released Ty stepping out of his embrace. “I just thought…”
“Thought what?” Cam demanded, but she didn’t answer. “You don’t even know.” He sighed running his fingers through his raven hair. Unlike me, he appeared clean and freshly showered. “Look you’re obviously distressed. I can call you a cab if you need.”
“No,” she shook her head. Her grief quickly morphed into anger. I glanced at Cam out of the corner of my eye and wondered if she was feeding off War’s rage, but that didn’t seem right since she appeared to be aiming it at him and I knew it didn’t work that way. She stood straighter setting her shoulders back. “I got here fine on my own. I’ll manage. I’m sorry if my presence is unwelcome. I just didn’t know where else to go.” Without waiting for a reply she spun on her heels and vanished.
“Do you think you could have been a little easier on her?” Ty asked closing the door.
“No,” Cam stated staring off into the distance. “She took an inch last night. I couldn’t let her take a mile.” His gaze locked on me.
“I swear…”
Tugging me close, his lips slammed against mine successfully silencing me. “It’s not even a question on my mind.”
“We don’t even know for sure that it was even similar to Evie’s gift,” Cam stated as the four of us stood in the library. He hadn’t yet asked me where I was last night, not since our initial battle and make up sex. I think he thought that if he were to ask then it would defeat the purpose that he did indeed trust me.
“Yes, we do,” Ty spoke sullenly turning his laptop to face everyone. There were pictures of who I could only assume to be Emily’s cousin, with their similarities. I recognized the signs and judging by the heavy silence that followed Ty’s reveal, so did the other horsemen.
“Evie,” Ty sighed setting the laptop on the table, leaving it open for whoever still wished to look. “We need to know where you were last night.”
I glanced around at the men standing before me. Derek’s blue eyes darted to me nodding, looking both sympathetic and authoritative. Ty masked his face so no matter what I said he’d appear understanding. Cam leaned back against the table, his eyes clenched closed like he couldn’t bare to look at me, so it surprised me when he spoke.
“She was with me the whole night. There’s no way she did this,” Cam stated before I could open my mouth. My lips parted at his lie. Both other horsemen turned aiming narrowed gazes at him. They didn’t believe him.
“So you’re saying,” Derek began after a lengthy pause where we all just stared at Cam, “that you didn’t sleep. You kept eyes on her the whole night.” He’d been unusually quiet since we explained to him about Emily’s visit.
“We didn’t do much sleeping,” Cam eyed Derek smugly. “But no I didn’t keep my eyes on her the whole night, but I did wake up randomly because we were uncomfortably crammed in the backseat of my car and she was always there.”
“What about before you came home?” Ty asked. My attention snapped quickly in his direction. He bowed his head having the sense to look ashamed for bringing it up. “I’m sorry, Evie, but I saw you take off. None of us know how long you were alone before Cam showed up.”
“Seriously?” I spat. “You want me to write out a perfectly accountable timetable of where I was. 1:05 we arrived home. 1:08 I ran into Ty. Is that what you want? I went to a bar, okay? I had one
drink then came home. I walked. There was no way I could have left, killed the girl and returned when Cam found me. It’s not like I can teleport.” Derek and Ty exchanged a look. “What? You think I can teleport?” Of course I had gotten to the bar awfully quickly, but that had more to do with zoning out. I thought about telling them about my encounter, but I didn’t know if they’d truly believe me, so I held my tongue.
“Evie,” it was Cam who spoke. “Certain upper level demons have that ability. The guys think that if you’re hosting one…”
“But I’m not. Toss some salt or holy water on me.”
“This isn’t an episode of Supernatural, Evie.” Derek explained.
“I’m not doing this!” I yelled. “There has to be a way for me to prove it.” I opened my mouth to tell them about the encounter at the bar, but no words would come out. They almost seemed to lodge in my throat.
Ty sighed rubbing his palm over his mouth like he was struggling with how to say the next thing. “There is.” He glanced at Cam then back to me. “But you won’t like it.”
“Tell me,” I demanded.
He exhaled heavily. “We have a demon proof cell in the basement.”
The silence that followed was deafening. “You wanna lock me up? You really think I did this?” My mouth was agape. The stranger had been right. The guys didn’t believe I was innocent. They did trust me.
“Evie, I don’t know what to think. You have been different since you returned from Hell—both you and Cam. Now it could be that you’re soul mates and that bond is making you both stronger or it could be a demon, who’s using your gift to kill. We won’t know unless we do this. You’d be locked up, temporarily. As soon as another body drops we’ll let you out.”
“And if one doesn’t?”
He didn’t reply and I knew the answer. I wouldn’t get out. Swallowing hard, I sought Cam out. He was watching me. His mask was firmly in place so I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. I returned my sights to Ty.
“Is this why you’ve been keeping information form me?”