by Mary Abshire
But if she sees you kill him…
“Maybe I can bargain with her like you did with the four ladies you saved. It’s worth a shot.”
Andrew had always been concerned about being caught killing and destroying a demon. If someone blabbed the news to the world, his freedom might end. But spending life in jail would be worth saving dozens if not hundreds of innocent lives. He’d return to heaven eventually, so he didn’t worry about his final resting home. And what was life without Emily anyway? The last several days had been beyond miserable. He wanted to destroy demons and save lives, but he was tired and lonely. He yearned for what he couldn’t have. Emily.
He shut the laptop lid and then turned off the light. Feeling glum, he returned to the bed. He clutched a pillow between his arms and held it to his chest. In the morning, he’d start following the demon again. Until then, he wanted to spend every minute thinking about the woman he loved and the time they had shared together.
Chapter Twelve
From the store’s parking lot next to the hotel, Emily watched Andrew leave his room. The thick hair on his face revealed he hadn’t shaved in days. He looked smoking hot. Her heart accelerated. He’d dressed in a white t-shirt and khaki shorts. Bandages covered his forearm where the demon’s name always appeared. He kept his gaze low as he headed to Matt’s maroon sedan. After he drove away, she fought the compulsion to follow him. He’d notice at some point, and she didn’t want to confront him in public. Besides, she didn’t want to interfere with whatever plans he had.
Sighing, she leaned back and drank more of her coffee. The caffeine helped keep her awake. She hadn’t been able to sleep much overnight. After she’d visited two hotels and hadn’t gained any information on Andrew’s whereabouts, she’d realized she needed to stop and rest. She’d checked at a third hotel. Although he wasn’t there, she’d gotten a room for the night. She’d slept a few hours and then had called the other places on her list. When she’d found the right one, she’d turned in her hotel card, grabbed breakfast, and then left to find him. Her heart had wanted to jump out of her chest the minute she’d spotted Matt’s vehicle.
She’d found him, but she hadn’t figured out how to approach him. As much as she wanted to rush into his arms, a big part of her wanted to beat the shit out of him. He’d left her. What man loves a woman and dumps her when she’s injured? He’d lost a few marbles in his brain. Did he really think she wouldn’t try to find him? Did he believe she’d cry and go on with life without him? She’d once thought he was a smart man, but now she questioned his IQ. He needed common sense knocked back into him and she was the one to do it. The question was how.
The single-level inn he’d chosen had a backward L-shape design and looked older with cream-colored walls and a green roof. A gas station sat on the other side. Emily had parked on a lot connected to a drug store. She had a good view of the long building and could watch for hours without someone noticing. But she couldn’t keep her car running with the air blowing for too long. She needed to be inside somewhere.
A curvy woman came out of one of the rooms dressed in blue and white maid outfit. She pushed a cart with towels and other supplies to the next door. An idea came to Emily as the woman disappeared into the adjacent unit.
She watched the woman slowly move down the row. Andrew’s room sat midway in the building. The maid disappeared for ten to twenty minutes behind each door. When she moved to the unit next to Andrew’s, Emily decided it was time to put her plan into action.
She left the parking spot and headed for the exit. She waited for traffic to clear before she turned onto the road and then into the inn’s lot. Part of the building stretched to the right, closer to the gas station. She turned the corner and found two cars idle, facing the hotel. She parked at the farthest end, out of sight from Andrew’s area.
Purse in hand, she locked the doors to the Jeep as she reached the sidewalk. She wished she hadn’t discarded Carrie’s credentials at the gas station she’d stopped at in Texas. She could’ve used the ID to prove she was his wife if the maid questioned her. But she had money and it often persuaded people to do things they normally wouldn’t.
She paused at the corner. The woman stood outside Andrew’s unit. Emily backed up and gnawed on her fingernails. She’d once pretended to be a prostitute to help Andrew get close to a demon. Another time she’d acted like a security guard. She hadn’t felt nervous either time, but she sure as hell did now. With a deep breath, she continued with slow steps around the building.
The maid had disappeared into his room. Emily clutched her purse under her arm as she approached the cart with towels stacked on top. Spanish music played from a radio. The woman stepped out and dumped trash into the bin within her cart. The maid saw her and Emily smiled.
“My husband dropped me off. We’re staying in this room,” Emily said, pointing at the unit.
“Oh, okay. I’m almost finished.” She pushed the cart out of the way.
“Thank you.”
Relief trickled through her. In one way, she was glad the woman hadn’t questioned her. But another part of her thought it was scary to gain access to someone’s unit with so little effort.
She followed the maid into the dim room. The color scheme and furniture reminded her of something from the 1970s. At least the unit had a modern television. Emily stopped by it and waited for the woman to cover the bed. Andrew had left an Apple laptop on the table in the corner. An empty case for the computer and a duffle bag sat in one of the two chairs. She suspected he’d stopped at a few casinos to win money to buy the items. If she checked the drawers, she’d probably find clothes too. Maybe he had been holding up well after all.
The maid collected the towels from the floor near the door. She smiled at Emily on her way out.
The door shut, leaving Emily alone and in silence. She let out a big sigh. She’d found him. And he had no idea she was in his room.
Curiosity encouraged her to snoop around. What had he been doing with his time? What else has he purchased?
She set her purse on the table and then headed to the bathroom. She turned on the light to find shaving supplies, a toothbrush, and tube of paste on the counter. So he’d intended to shave but had yet to do it. She wondered why. The rest of the long room appeared clean. Clean towels hung from the rack near the glass-enclosed shower. She flipped the switch before she backed out.
The dresser under the television had six drawers, three on each side. Emily started at the top left. He’d folded two pairs of jeans and several pairs of shorts in the first drawer. The next one contained shirts. The bottom was empty. On the right side, she found boxers and socks. The socks looked too bulky. She lifted a pair and noticed the cotton felt heavy. She peeked inside one and saw a roll of cash. So that’s where he hid his money. And he had quite a bit. She returned the socks and then shut the drawer.
Hands on her hips, she looked around the room. He hadn’t bought much even though he could’ve. So what had he been doing with his time since he’d left her?
Emily took a seat at the small table. She opened his laptop and waited for it to power up. A notepad, pen, and small envelope were nearby. She picked up the envelope and found the Wi-Fi password. Smiling, she brought up the Internet screen and typed in the code. The Apple computer resembled one Troy had. She’d worked on his before and knew exactly where to look for the browsing history.
She found the directory and scrolled through the links. After clicking on one, an article appeared about murdered women within Louisiana. She selected another link from days ago. A window opened to a recent report about a serial killer. Emily continued to scroll and check items in the history. From what she could gather, he had been researching missing and murdered women and complaints filed against Deon. Maybe Andrew suspected the demon was the murderer.
Sitting back in the chair, she took a deep breath. The demon could be a killer and a cop. He’d know how to work around the law. Based on the complaints, Deon had a strong interest in female p
ersuasion. The serial killer seemed to target women too. If the demon was the serial killer, then he was very dangerous and smart. How was Andrew going to get close to kill him?
She straightened in her chair as an idea came to her. The first demon they’d killed had been a small-time rapist and killer compared to Deon. She’d lured the demon to a spot for Andrew to kill him. Maybe she could do the same thing to get Deon alone. If the demon enjoyed chasing women, Emily could possibly lure him to a private area where Andrew could destroy him. But there was no way she’d get in a vehicle with Deon, like she had with the first demon. She wouldn’t risk her life. Somehow, she’d have to get him to follow her. Since he was a cop, she could find a way to entice him. Speeding might do the job. If Andrew worked with her, together they could form a plan for him to complete his task.
A sense of relief flowed through her. She could prove her usefulness to him. As a team, they could get rid of the demons.
But you shouldn’t be here, imaginary Andrew said. I don’t want you endangering yourself.
“Tough shit, angel. I’m not leaving.”
Emily closed the laptop before she headed for the bed. She decided to stay and wait for him since the climate in his room felt much better than the humidity outside. After slipping out of her shoes, she carefully lay on top of the covers. Lethargy encouraged her to close her eyes. She’d found the man she loved and wanted to spend her life with. She couldn’t wait to see the surprised expression on his face when he returned.
Chapter Thirteen
Andrew sighed as he waited at the stoplight. He glanced at the foot-long sandwich sitting in the passenger seat. The growl in stomach suggested he needed food, but he doubted the Italian sub would taste good. Why he’d bought a full length instead of half of one baffled him. He guessed he’d done it because he ordered whole sandwiches when Emily had been with him. Sadly, seventy-five percent of the food would go to waste given his poor appetite.
Waiting for the signal to turn green, he leaned his arm on the side of the door. His day had been more than frustrating. He’d followed Deon to work and around different areas of town. When Deon had stopped drivers, Andrew had to pass by, find a place to park, and then wait for the cop to move on. The man handed out several tickets from what Andrew had witnessed.
The last vehicle Deon had pulled over had been on a country road. There hadn’t been any businesses nearby, so Andrew had no choice but to continue to the next street, which happened to be over five miles away. The area had been void of any gas, food, or stores. Since Andrew didn’t want to get lost, he turned around. He found and passed the car Deon had stopped, but the police cruiser had disappeared. Andrew had lost him. Realizing he couldn’t track him again for the rest of the day, he decided to grab a late lunch and return to his hotel.
The light changed and the cars in front of him took their sweet time moving. His hand itched to touch the horn. He checked his mirrors, looking for a way to get around the slow poke in his lane. Traffic prevented him from going around the turtle. Gripping the wheel tighter, he decided to stay put anyway. Two more blocks and he’d reach his hotel.
His patience had run out by the time he made it to the inn. He put his foot on the accelerator hard and the tires squealed as entered the parking lot. Three cars sat idle near the office. He passed them before he stopped at a spot in front his room. He’d never been more relieved to make it back. All he wanted to do now was strip and enjoy the cool air while he lay in bed thinking about Emily.
He grabbed the bag with his food and left the car. The humidity suffocated him and added to his foul mood. Once he killed Deon, he hoped he would never have to return to Louisiana again.
Reaching his room, he slid his keycard into the slot. As soon as it clicked, he pushed on the handle and opened the door. The dim room and cool air welcomed as he strode inside. When his gaze landed on the beautiful woman sitting in the chair near his laptop, he came to an immediate halt. Smiling, she rose.
His heart took off on a racetrack as she slowly approached him. He stared in shock while his thoughts tried to make sense of the situation. Had he been talking to imaginary Emily so much that his brain had conjured a woman who looked like her? Was he dreaming? He had to be delusional because there was no way she could’ve found him, not that he knew of. Had she died and been sent back? Her aura looked different. It wasn’t white, but it had lightened since the last time he’d seen her.
She stopped in front of him with her arms at her sides. The bruises on her face had healed more. The fingers on one had been wrapped around a stint. She stood barefoot. Black tights covered her shapely, muscular legs. The New York t-shirt she wore hung past her arms and hips a little too much. Her dyed brown hair had been cut evenly and now reached her shoulders instead of past them.
“Aren’t you going to say something?” she asked.
“What are you doing here?” Although he wanted to take her in his arms, hold her, and kiss her, he couldn’t think of any other words. His brain continued to process the fact she was standing two feet from him.
The pleasantry on her face transformed. “That’s it?”
“You shouldn’t be here.” It couldn’t be her. He had lost his mind.
Before he realized what was happening, her fist came flying at his face. The smack to his eye sent him back a step and he dropped his sandwich. Pain spread to his nose and cheek. He finally decided she was flesh and blood and he’d pissed her off.
“Fuck!” she yelled, shaking her good hand.
“Emily?”
She rushed toward him, growling and with a feral look on her face. She shoved him back. His head bounced off the door.
“You fucking left me.” She thrust her arms at his chest. “How could you? I told you I would change and you left! How dare you! You can’t tell me how to live my life.” She swung her fist at his ribs.
The impact of her hit stung. He quickly grabbed her swinging arms. “Stop.”
“You’re an idiot. You said you loved me!” She tugged her arms, trying to free herself.
“I do. Of course I do.”
“Then you should’ve given me a chance.”
She brought her knee up so fast he didn’t have time to stop it from hitting his boys. He gasped as hot pain burned within him. He let go of her arms and bent. Maybe he deserved it. She was right. He could’ve granted her another chance.
He clutched his balls with his hands and tried to breathe. “Stop. Please.”
She smacked the back of his head. “How dare you leave me!”
When she gripped a handful of his hair and pulled, he’d decided he’d taken enough abuse. He gripped her wrists and jerked until she let go of his of his locks. Then he pushed her back.
She grunted with tears running down her red cheeks. “Let me go!”
He forced her onto the bed. She let out a big gasp and gave up her fight long enough for him to crawl between her legs and on top of her. He stared into her pained watery eyes and said, “Do you have any idea how much I hated leaving you? I didn’t want to. I love you. I’d gladly give my life for you.”
“You left me. You fucking left!” More tears rolled from her eyes.
“I’m sorry. It was a mistake.”
His heart worked overtime as love consumed him. She’d searched for him. Her love and determination brought her back to him. He had to prove his adoration and devotion to her. And while his balls ached from her kick, his cock had swelled for another reason. His yearning for her had reached an unfathomable level.
She shook her head as she cried. “You gave up on me.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I won’t ever do it again.”
The words were his last ones before he covered her mouth with his. He captured her tongue and sucked on it. Desire consumed his every thought. She belonged with him and no other. He needed her the way he needed air and food to live. No, he needed her more. Now that he had her back, he would never let go of her.
Her resistance melted away. She whimper
ed and began accepting his kiss. Her presence still shocked him, amazed him, and encouraged his blood to rush to his groin. He rubbed his length against her, letting her know how much he’d missed her, cared for her, longed to please her. When she broke their kiss, sucking in air, he decided to show her how much he loved her.
He kissed and licked her chin, then her neck. Her chest heaved with each breath. He’d never wanted to touch her so badly, to feel her soft flesh, to taste every inch of her. Pausing, he hurried to remove his shirt. He tossed it to the side. When he lowered, she placed her uninjured hand on his hairy cheek. She smoothed her thumb over his lips. Overjoyed to feel her touch, he smothered her with another kiss. Her tongue rolled along his, thirsting the same way he did. Eager to feel more of her, he slid a hand under her shirt. A cloth of some sort protected her body and her breasts. He squeezed one anyway and she moaned. How could he live without her? He knew he couldn’t.
Her breathing labored, but her tongue continued to play with his. He loved her passion, her energy.
He broke the kiss. “God, I love you. I need you.”
He kneaded her breast while he bit the other one through her shirt. He wished he could feel her girls, but the cloth seemed tight around her. She ran her fingers into his locks like she had countless times before. His response was always the same. The strings of desire danced within him and his cock twitched. Although he couldn’t touch her and taste her breasts, he knew of another place he could.
Andrew rose to his feet. Taking hold of the waistband of her tights and panties, he jerked them down and continued tugging until he removed them completely. Wasting no time, he took hold of her knees and scooted her closer to the edge of the bed. Her warm flesh pleased his fingers and they itched to feel more of her. He ran them up her thigh as he kneeled. Desperate to taste her, he drove his tongue deep between her wet folds.
She gasped loudly. Oh, she was so wet, so ripe, so fucking good to taste. He took long strokes up, savoring her apple flavor as well as each moan and writhe in response to his caress. She was his. She always would be. And he’d always take her, please her, make her come and beg for more. He devoured her with lick after long lick. She dug her heels into the edge of the bed and inched her body up to work his tongue. He sensed her longing and slid a few fingers inside her. She moaned louder. Her body felt warm, but her inner depths were warmer. Her breaths became stronger. She was a ticking time bomb ready to explode. And he desperately wanted her to. When he swirled around her sensitive nub and pumped his digits into her, her release came. He circled and rubbed her core, keeping her climax strong. He loved the feel of her clenching walls, the taste of her flesh, seeing and hearing the pleasure flowing through her. She deserved it. And he’d gladly give her more.