by Zoe Winters
Chapter Seven
Anna opened the door to find Father Jeffries looking much more pallid than he had at lunch. Maybe he’d picked the wrong potato salad.
“Come on in, Father.” She stepped to the side and made a broad, sweeping motion that was meant to be welcoming, but from the expression on the priest’s face, must have instead conveyed impending doom.
“Um . . . yes . . . thank you,” he said as he shuffled into the house.
He looked official enough, still wearing his priestly garb. His arms were weighed down by a cardboard box filled to the brim with a bible, crosses, holy water, candles, and a big black book that Anna presumed held the secret and mystical exorcism rituals of the Catholic Church. The cover read, De Exorcismus et Supplicationibus Quibusdam. Yep. That would be it.
His pale blue eyes scanned the room. “Where are the crosses I asked you to hang?”
Oh boy. Here we go. “The demon threw them out the back door.”
“Oh, dear.” Father Jeffries put the box on the floor and made the sign of the cross. He appeared disturbed Luc had been able to touch the crosses without immolating on contact. He muttered something like, “at least the demon feels threatened.”
Anna decided not to disabuse him of that quaint notion. Better that he think Luc was intimidated and afraid than to know the truth that he’d simply found them distasteful.
The poor man already looked ready to bolt. He might not be much to look at, but right now Father Jeffries was all Anna had in the demon-banishing department.
“Could you tell me please where the most activity in the house has been?”
For her, the most activity had been in the living room, what with Luc hogging the TV. Or else the kitchen. Then again, he was an incubus. In his career he’d probably spent most of his time in a bedroom getting laid or slinking into people’s dreams. Anna tried to push that thought away.
“There really isn’t any one hot spot, Father. He’s been all over the house.”
The priest sighed. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
Anna had no idea what difference it made where Luc had been. They weren’t cleaning up demon residue here; they were trying to get him out. “I don’t know if it changes anything, but he was cursed by a witch.” She didn’t think the priest’s eyes could bug out any further.
“Do you mean to tell me you’ve been in communication with the demon?”
Anna shrugged, inexplicably feeling guilty. “It’s not like I held a seance or did any spooky chanting or anything. He just showed up and started gabbing at me. It’s like True Confessions in this house.”
Father Jeffries busied himself, arranging a circle of white pillar candles on the foyer floor. “Are you not afraid of him, child?”
The truth was, Luc scared the crap out of her. She could banter with him until doomsday, and for brief moments at a time she could pretend he was just a quirky human or friendly ghost, but those moments were fleeting. If she wasn’t so stubborn, she would have fled the house already or put it back on the market.
She found herself less afraid he might kill her and more afraid she might invite him into her bed. Which, with him being an incubus, just raised the odds that he might kill her. She blushed when she looked back over to the priest, realizing she’d gone off on a tangent in her head.
“You must not converse with him. It only gives him a stronger connection to you. If you must speak to him, say the Lord’s Prayer or the Hail Mary.”
Anna nodded. She didn’t want tell the priest it was impossible not to talk to Luc, but Father Jeffries was right. Nothing good could come of communicating in any way with a demon.
He pressed a small bottle of olive oil into her hand along with a white handkerchief, instructing her to make a sign of the cross with the oil over all the doors and windows while saying a Hail Mary and an Our Father.
She dutifully went through the house, doing as he’d asked. The kitchen was her last stop. Anna drew the cross on the window pane with the oil and began:
“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art though among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb . . . ”
Luc materialized beside her. “This isn’t going to work.”
“Jesus!” Anna nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Blasphemy during a ritual to rid yourself of me? Naughty, Anna.” He wagged a finger at her.
Luc’s chest and feet were still bare. Shoes were probably excessive for someone who couldn’t leave the house anyway, but something about him running around barefoot, humanized him and made her forget what he was.
He was also eating chocolate chip cookies straight out of the bag.
“Give me those!” She swiped the bag and put it on the table. “You don’t need food.”
He shrugged. “I’m a nervous eater.”
Anna rolled her eyes, a retort ready on her lips. Then, remembering the priest’s advice, she turned back to the door and started muttering the prayers again.
“It’s not that I don’t want out of the house, but this is a waste of time. I can tell you it won’t work.”
“How do you know?” She’d been halfway through the Our Father, but it was hard to concentrate while someone was talking to her. She was amazed she remembered the prayers at all.
“A priest was already by here, remember? Besides, this priest is dirty. He’s been diddling a couple of his married parishioners. If anyone is going to get a sex demon out of the house, it won’t be someone enmeshed in his own sexual sins. Anyone could tell you that.”
“You couldn’t possibly know that. He’s a nice guy, he would never . . . ”
The look he gave her made it clear he thought she was naïve. “Everyone in this town talks. With Cain bringing my dinner, I know more than you think. The priest is human. He’s weak. He’s a member of a religion that expects celibacy, something no human should have to or be able to give. I can smell an impure soul, and I’m telling you, it’s not going to work.” He picked up the bag of cookies, his interest shifting to the activity going on in the other room.
“Leave him alone,” Anna said.
“Relax. I’m just going to watch the show. Also, if you want someone pure, someone who actually has a shot at this . . . look outside the church.” With that final bit of wisdom he disappeared into the living room.
When she’d finished with the doors and windows, she joined Father Jeffries. The candles were lit, and the exorcism book was lying open on the hardwood floor. The priest stood in the center of the circle, flinging holy water to all corners of the room while he chanted fervently in Latin.
“Domine, exaudi orationem meam. Et clamor meus ad te veniat . . . ”
Apparently it was impossible to get rid of an evil thing without the aid of a dead language. Anna had a feeling ancient Sumerian might have been just as effective. And maybe it was effective. Despite no windows or doors being open, a wind started to howl. Stray papers rose from the coffee table and swirled through the air as if they had lives of their own.
His voice grew louder and stronger. “Exorcizo te, immundissime spiritus, omnis incursio adversarii, omne phantasma, omnis legio . . . ”
Luc stood in the corner with his arms crossed over his chest, his patented bad boy smirk firmly in place. She crossed the floor to him and lowered her voice.
“That’s not the priest’s doing is it?”
Luc chuckled. “It’s me. It seems to encourage him, though. Don’t you think? Look at how much more into it he is now. God, humans are fun to play with.”
“I thought you wanted out of the house!”
“I DO! And I’ve told you there is only one way to make that happen. This isn’t working, and it’s frustrating.”
“We will find a way!”
“There is ONE way.”
“NO!”
The priest, believing Anna was fighting with the demon in more of a fight for your soul way than a you are annoying the hell out of me way, started flinging holy water in Luc’s directi
on. His chanting became even more intense as beads of perspiration popped out over his forehead. “ . . . per omnia saecula saeculorum . . . ”
Anna was sure if not for the curse, Luc would be out of there. It was an impressive show. The exorcist’s alleged impurity aside.
Moments later, the front door banged against the wall as the wind rushed out in one violent burst. Father Jeffries wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, a satisfied smile on his face as if he’d single-handedly resurrected the bad-ass reputation of the Catholic Church. He said final prayers in Latin and began snuffing out candles and packing the holy items back into the box.
“Why did you do that?” Anna whispered to Luc, careful not to draw the priest’s attention.
“Because it was just sad. Pathetic. It was like watching a woman try desperately to orgasm and not being able to. Eventually they just have to fake it.”
Anna tried not to let the images he’d evoked affect her. “At least try to get out of the house again.”
Luc let out a put-upon sigh before making the obligatory effort to leave. As expected, he bounced off the barrier.
“If you have any more trouble, let me know,” Father Jeffries said.
“He’s still here.”
“Oh that can’t be. I felt his presence leave.”
“No, you felt a wind that he created, fly out a door he opened with his magical mind powers. That’s it. Can’t you see him? He’s standing right there.” Anna pointed to the spot the demon now occupied.
The priest squinted as if Luc was a Magic Eye poster, and if he just looked hard enough the image would appear. A troubled expression creased his brow. “No, I don’t see him.”
“Look, I really appreciate your help. I’ll just have to find another way.”
Father Jeffries got a strange look in his eyes all of a sudden. He gripped Anna’s hand and unfolded her palm. She tried to jerk away from him, but he held on. Every hair on the back of her neck stood at attention as he ran his index finger over the length of the raised scar.
“He did this, didn’t he?”
She looked away. “Yes.”
“Oh, this is worse than I thought. He’s tied you to him. You’ll have to be cleansed.” Anna could see him going through a mental checklist as he rattled on. “You’ll have to come to confession and get reconfirmed. And there’s a convent a couple of hours from here, where they can . . . ”
A savage growl tore through his litany of how to clean up Anna’s filthy soul. Judging from the startled look on the priest’s face, he’d heard it too. Luc picked Father Jeffries up by the throat, marched over to the door, and flung him outside.
“What are you doing?” Anna shouted, suddenly very aware of what was trapped inside her house.
“I’m taking the trash out.”
He picked up the cardboard box and threw it onto the lawn, the candles and books spilling out everywhere. Anna stood at the window, unable to brush past Luc and not wanting to mess with him right then. A wave of fear flowed over her in response to Luc breaking out the big scary.
He growled again and shouted to the priest to stay off his property.
The color drained from Father Jeffries’ face. His eyes met Anna’s as he made the sign of the cross, then turned and ran. His exorcism kit remained in the grass. Anna jumped as the door slammed, and Luc rounded on her, fury blazing in his eyes.
In spite of herself, she backed away. “Calm down. Why are you acting this way?”
He gripped her hand. “You belong to me. You understand that, right?” His eyes were glowing that scary bright green. It was as if whatever humanity he had, had receded, and his darker nature was fully in control.
“No . . . ” Her voice came out too breathless. She didn’t know how much more of this Jekyll/Hyde routine she could take. “You said you didn’t take my soul.”
“Yes, that’s true. I’ve told you already I can’t take it without your permission. Goddammit, Anna, your soul isn’t the only thing in danger from me.” As if to prove a point, he brushed his lips against her throat while his hand caressed one breast.
She melted against him, the side of her that was terrified losing to the side of her that was aroused. He was too male, too attractive, too completely visceral. Was he doing this to her? Like Cain? She didn’t know. She couldn’t think straight.
“Stop it right now.” The voice she’d meant to sound forceful and commanding, came out strangled.
She could see the fight going on within him as he backed up, allowing her the opportunity to move farther from him. Her eyes kept going to the door.
When he spoke, his voice was calm. “Run from me, and I’ll have Cain hunt you down. He doesn’t have the same handicaps I have at the moment.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks. She couldn’t help it; she felt too betrayed by his outburst. Even though he was a demon and she knew it was silly to be indignant that he was behaving like one. She wiped her face angrily with the back of her hand.
“I thought you were protecting me from him, and you said he couldn’t . . . ”
“He’d bring you back to me.”
“What is wrong with you?” Anna wasn’t sure if she was more disgusted with him and what he was or with herself for wanting him in spite of it. Why couldn’t he behave in some way approaching the human mask he wore so easily?
“He touched you. He had no right to touch you.” Luc’s voice was harsh.
“Who? The priest?”
“He touched what’s mine.”
Her stomach fluttered at his words, even as he still terrified her. She inched toward the door. The afternoon had gone from banter to life-threatening far too quickly. She didn’t feel safe alone with him anymore.
“Anna, what did I just say?” Wrapped in his tone was a reprimand.
“Please let me go. I’ll come back, I just have to get out of here for awhile.” Away from you hung on the air unspoken.
Chapter Eight
Watching Luc peer at her from behind the lacy curtains, Anna knew he’d never let her go. Not even if she burned down the house. Mingling their blood had clearly crossed some primal demon line for him.
The scar on her hand twinged as she moved to where the exorcism kit lay strewn over the grass.
The bond was starting to get pissed off when she wasn’t with him. She ran a finger over the red, raised mark, and her palm started to tingle. It wasn’t an altogether unpleasant sensation, but it made her think of Luc in a warm, fuzzy way. And that scared her.
She bent to put the spilled items back in the box Father Jeffries had abandoned. She didn’t need a bunch of Catholic ritual items littering her front yard. And the neighbors didn’t need more gossip material. Once the box was packed, she loaded it into her car.
She wondered if she could just leave town and never come back. Could Cain really find her? Maybe the scar was like some sort of homing beacon. If she ran and Luc sent Cain after her . . . what then? She wanted to be alone with Cain even less than she wanted to be alone with Luc. With Luc, there was something almost human there. Most of the time. Cain’s eyes didn’t have that. They were just empty. A monster with a pretty face.
Anna stopped off at the hospital on the way to church, needing a captive outlet to unload some of her anger and fear, as well as a target that deserved it. The receptionist at the information booth gave her directions to Marshal’s room.
She didn’t bother knocking, just barged right in. After all, he had barged in. It seemed only fair. He’d been moved from ICU to a regular room, but he still looked like shit.
Under the fluorescent lighting she could see the entire right side of his face was purple and puffy. One eye was swollen shut, and a neck brace kept him from being able to lie back on his pillows. One of his arms was in a cast. A couple of people had already been by and written on it in bright pink and green magic markers.
He turned from his television program, his good eye going wide when he saw her. He looked like he might be sick.
“Hello, Marsh. I just wanted to drop by personally and thank you again for the lovely date. You left so soon last night. I was having such a wonderful time. You know what with you trying to rape me and all.”
“I . . . I didn’t mean to . . . ”
Luc had damaged Marshal’s throat enough that speech was a struggle. She wondered how he’d ever gotten the story out about the wild dogs, or if it was all just so much Bitsy and Mimi gossip.
“Sure ya didn’t, Marsh. It was all just innocent. I wanted it, right? Had it coming? If I hadn’t been wearing that alluring dress like some slut that wanted it . . . ”
“No . . . that’s not . . . ” His eyes were wild and panicked.
“No? So I must have hearing problems. You didn’t comment on how you were scaring me? Your face didn’t light up while you were doing it? You didn’t try to force yourself on me?” She was greeted with silence as the protests died on his lips. “If he hadn’t stopped you, you would have raped me. Assuming I wasn’t able to knock you unconscious first. I still think I could have managed it.”
She had his full attention now.
“Who . . . what . . . ”
“It’s none of your business who or what he is. Just know if you ever come near me again, he’ll kill you, slowly and painfully.” Anna said it to scare him, to take back some of what he’d tried to take from her. But as she spoke the words she knew they were true.
Luc would torture the life slowly from him and enjoy the whole sordid affair, if his freak-out with Father Jeffries was any indication. Luc would protect her from anyone. But who would protect her from Luc?
She rubbed her palm against her jeans in an attempt to get the bond to settle down.
Marshal struggled to nod. “I won’t bother you again.”
“Good. I heard you said you were attacked by wild dogs. I can’t believe anyone bought that.”
Marshal used his good hand to rip the hospital gown away from his chest. Savage claw and bite marks covered his flesh. Anna tried to think back to the night before. All she’d been able to process at the time was that her date was getting his ass kicked. It wasn’t like she’d been shooting a documentary of the event.