The Demon Within (A PeaceKeeper Novel)

by Stacey Brutger

  He was giving her time, but she didn’t want time.

  She fell a little bit in love with him when she first saw him as a statue. Now it was only worse. She’d rather have him where he belonged then trapped forever in a statue because she screwed up.

  Her knees quivered as she stood, and she forced herself to act. “Let’s go.”

  Jarred’s perusal was all business. After confirming for himself that she was fine, his eyes softened with concern. Caly averted her face and headed for the stairs. A breath of relief escaped her when he followed her without asking any questions.

  She thought of Jarred and Brie together and it made sense. Brie would help him heal, but she never thought they would fall in love, not after all the warnings Jarred had given her for allowing Brie and Ruman to stay.

  “Caly?”

  She winced at his tone. When she looked at him, his lips tightened.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing.” His grumbled words faded as they exited the barn.

  So do I. They moved in tandem toward the house, people milling about the yard, ready to depart. Her gaze darted about the crowd, but she couldn’t find Ruman anywhere. She wanted to search for him, but their conversation had nowhere to go with their future so unsettled.

  Caly did what she always did. She ignored what she wanted and did her duty. Kelly had Caly’s weapons prepped. Buckling the various metals to her body, Caly did her best to conceal them from the average passerby.

  “Was everyone in on the plan?” She concentrated on her task knowing too much emotion would be visible on her face.

  “Huh?” Kelly spoke around a Little Debbie snack she was busy inhaling.

  “Did everyone know what Ruman had planned?” She glared at Kelly then cursed herself at the gleam in her friend’s eyes. She’d revealed too much.

  “Planned as in a surprise? What happened?” Kelly smiled and leaned forward. “I want the details, girl.”

  Heat infused Caly’s face, whether in embarrassment at being snatched from her own house or at being tied to a bed and actually succumbing to his seduction, she didn’t know.

  “Ah, come on. I’m your best bud.”

  Caly narrowed her eyes and asked a question of her own. “So why is it that you told him about my past? That was private. If I wanted him to know, I would’ve told him.”

  Kelly lost her smile and straightened. “No you wouldn’t. You didn’t tell me. I had to learn about it through Cunningham. And you sure as hell wouldn’t have ever told him.” She brushed off the front of her jeans. “The man is as near to loving you as anyone I’ve ever seen. The way he watches you with those dark, sexy eyes of his. Hmmm, girl.” She waved a hand in front of her face. “If my man looked at me that way, you wouldn’t see us for days.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

  Heat warmed her body at the memory of being kissed senseless, the focus solely on her pleasure. “He doesn’t—”

  “And whether you know it or not, I think you’re falling hard for him, too.” Chin high, Kelly met her gaze as if daring her to deny it. “I love you but sometimes you can be an ass.”

  Caly snorted. “You don’t think he’s already figured that part out?”

  Kelly smiled, and Caly released her breath as the tension between them broke. “Just don’t go behind my back again.”

  “You know me.”

  Caly closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping. “At least try to restrain yourself next time.”

  “The troops are ready.” David slipped a hand around Kelly’s waist but directed his comment to Caly.

  “Then let’s get going.” Securing the last knife, Caly nodded and moved toward her bike, glancing around for one last glimpse of Ruman.

  Chapter Thirty

  The police and news crews were long gone. The nip in the air barely registered as Caly ducked under the yellow police tape. Moving into the grove, she shoved away the unease that screamed at her to hurry.

  Then she realized what bothered her the most. She couldn’t sense Ruman watching her from the shadows. To make matters worse, she missed his licorice scent and his nearness.

  Ruman was alone at the house. She wouldn’t put it past him to do something stupid, like try to protect her at the cost of himself.

  They also had a conversation to finish. When she nearly tripped over the edge of the sidewalk as she imagined that discussion, she pulled herself back to the task.

  The park was unused except by dedicated joggers. Other than questionable lawn maintenance, the city had long ago abandoned the upkeep.

  She signaled for the team to move forward, and they methodically searched every inch of the ground, every blade of grass and piece of gravel for clues.

  “Anything?”

  Caly shook her head. “Blood. If there was anything else, the police took it.”

  David nodded, his body primed for an attack. “The police suspect more than one victim.” He spared a quick glance at Caly, a grim look in his eyes that didn’t bode well for the victims. “There were no bodies recovered.”

  Dread built, pushing hard on her chest, her guilt growing the longer she stood amongst the blood splatter. She could’ve prevented this. And if she didn’t work faster, there’d be more. With a nod, Caly walked away. There had to be something she missed.

  “I’m going to head back and test these.” Jarred lifted his bag to indicate the specimens he’d collected. She couldn’t blame him for hurrying back to Brie’s side.

  Desperate for the smallest clue, Caly waved him off. There had to be something, some tiny speck of evidence left for her to find.

  They wanted her.

  They wanted the medallion.

  So why did they hit the park? Tension gripped her neck, twisting her muscles into knots. Tipping back her head, she rubbed the over-worked muscles.

  And stopped stock-still.

  Strewn through the branches of one tree was a blood soaked scarf. Caly made a beeline for the base of the trunk, cursing that the lowest branches were feet above her head. When she searched for a foothold, she saw a symbol emblazed into the bark.

  Crouching over the frosty ground, she peered closer, getting a nose full of burnt wood. The shape appeared melted into the tree. She reached out to touch the symbol then thought better of it.

  But too late.

  An electric current jolted through her. All her muscles snapped tight, throwing her back through the air. The ground slammed up to meet her, knocking the wind out of her lungs.

  The bastards obviously knew the medallion was in the area but didn’t know where. Not until she was stupid enough to trigger the nasty little present they’d left to LoJack her. It was only a matter of time before they hunted her down like a dog.

  “Shit.” She gritted her teeth at the resonating ache in her bones, while her lungs took their own sweet time to remember how to function.

  “What in Hades happened?”

  Her eyes fluttered, and Ruman’s face slowly came into focus as he bent over her. His stoic expression gave nothing away. She struggled to sit, swatting away his helping hand. “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not. You—”

  “The tree.” But any evidence of the carved symbol had been obliterated. Only a nasty scar on the trunk remained.

  “It was there.” When Ruman reached for her, she ignored his hand, afraid that if he touched her, he would be able to read her newly learned emotions before she had a chance to come to grips with them herself.

  Jaw clenched, he stood and took a step back. A distant look came in his eyes.

  Distance she had put there.

  Unable to bear it, unwilling to give him up before she was forced to, she took a deep breath and lifted her hand to him. With a gentle tug, he helped her stand then refused to release her hand, which was fine with her. A tremor took up residence in her muscles, and she didn’t know if it was the reaction to the shock or his touch.

  She suspected the later.

  “You need to go back to the house.” Rum
an swept his thumb across the back of her hand, scattering her thoughts, and she prayed he never found out how susceptible she was to him. She’d never hear the end of it.

  Caly glanced over the park knowing there was nothing else to find. A physical battle with the Fallen would leave her group at a disadvantage. She was part human. Ruman was part demon. Neither, alone, was strong enough to take the Fallen down, and she refused to chance Ruman dying now that she just found him.

  Caly nodded and raised her voice, “Pack it up and head back.” The team scattered, training enabling them to disappear as if into thin air.

  Crossing the grass, Caly swung her leg up and mounted the bike. When Ruman snaked an arm around her waist, warmth enveloped her, and she allowed herself the small luxury of being near him. She’d expected him to leave the way he’d arrived. Though she knew she should use the time to plot, she couldn’t regret spending a few minutes alone in his arms.

  * * *

  Ruman didn’t speak as Caly battled with herself. He hadn’t intended to follow her that evening, giving her time to accept the future he envisioned for them. She was relatively safe in public with her friends. She could handle a few demons. She was that good.

  The instant she became injured, though, everything changed. Through his connection with her, pain slashed through his mind. He wanted a future with her but that wouldn’t happen if he allowed her to die.

  In a blink, he dissolved and reappeared over her still body. To see her sprawled on the ground stopped his heart, and all he could do was stand over her like some idiot.

  Sweat beaded on his upper lip. Swallowing became difficult. When she gasped for breath, his knees gave way, dropping him to the ground with a jarring thud. With a shaky hand, he touched her face.

  Alive.

  Her eyelids fluttered, but her evergreen eyes didn’t show any recognition for a few seconds. Even now, holding her tight in his arms, his mind kept flashing back to seeing her so still and beyond his reach.

  The bike roared to life, but the ride was over all too soon, leaving him only holding air when she dismounted. His arms ached to snatch her to him, bundle her back up into the blanket and take her away from all this.

  Instead, they had to hunt the killer who was stalking them before it grew too late.

  Unwilling to lose his connection with her, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “You’ll have to show me how to handle a bike.” Although he liked holding Caly close, he also wanted the freedom of driving and relished the thought of having her hands on him.

  Caly nodded. “When things have settled down a bit.”

  But Ruman heard the words that she left unspoken.

  If he was still here.

  Sadness cloaked her as she walked away, leaving an ache in his chest where his heart should’ve been if she hadn’t stolen it.

  * * *

  The attack came unexpectedly.

  One minute Caly was at her desk, the next she was flat on her back, the chair an uncomfortable lump on the floor beneath her, and her feet up in the air. Pain sliced through her body. Blood sizzled under her skin like someone was trying to filet her alive.

  Carnwennan. The blade at her side burned red in warning, nearly cooking the flesh of her side with its intensity. It was reacting to the presence of one big badass in her house. Fucking-fantastic.

  She quickly tampered down the pain and prayed no one came to investigate the noise. He’d slice them down before they took a step into the room.

  Caly scrambled to her feet and peered cautiously over the desk. The creature was larger than she expected and more powerful than she’d feared.

  “Come, little one. Stand up. I mean you no harm. I only came for what’s mine.” The voice rose and fell on the air, the melodious sound called to something inside her, urging her to comply. She fought the compulsion. Her muscles spasmed against the strain, but she remained perch behind the desk.

  A low, husky laugh echoed in the room, skittering up her spine. “You’re strong but no matter. All you have to do is hand over what was stolen from me, and I’ll leave you in peace.” In the guise of a man, the creature smiled. Quite charmingly, actually. She wasn’t fooled.

  Although the beast in no way resembled the hollow husk they’d seen at the temple, Caly had no doubt the medallion belonged to him. “I have nothing for you.”

  The smile came and went but this time with no amusement. A sharpness entered his eyes that warned her if she complied with him, she was dead. “All you have to do is tell me what I want to know.” The man, for want of a better description, resembled Azazel. But instead of a unique charm and a dangerous innocence, the essence of this man left a bitter aftertaste like an unripe Brazil nut.

  Blood filled her mouth, and she realized she’d bitten the inside of her mouth to prevent herself from babbling. “I don’t…” The lie stuttered on her dry lips, and she couldn’t spit it out.

  This time the laugh sent a chill snaking up her legs to coil in her stomach. When he moved toward her, her heart pranced against her ribs. She scurried around the desk on her hands and knees, unwilling to face him without some barrier between them.

  “The man next door will be much more accommodating. He stole my charm, and my vengeance won’t be swift.” The beautiful smile that crossed his face was at odds with his words. “I can spare you that if you hand it over now. If you don’t tell me where it is, he will.” The good cheer belied the cold indifference, making the threat all the more chilling. “Later it’ll be too late for you.”

  The medallion gouged into her ankle like a beacon. She just prayed he couldn’t sense it. “I—”

  His fist slammed down on the desk. The wood trembling under the blow but held.

  Caly leapt to her feet and out of the way, Carnwennan clutched in her fist. The blade shimmered as energy poured off it, feeding her with a need to take action.

  The creature stopped short.

  “A young slayer.” He rubbed his chin as if her value suddenly rose in his eyes. His interest pierced her composure.

  The angle of his jaw was clean and clear. The light olive skin, the dark hair and eyes created an alluring picture, but the soullessness of him scared her cold. She’d underestimated him, thinking they had more time. If she didn’t stop him, others would be fooled by the charismatic charm he used so effortlessly and fall like sheep to the slaughter, failing to see the vile creature underneath.

  His eyes darkened when he looked at her desk. He reached across the surface, picking up the wax rubbing. “Enough games. Where is it?”

  “Caly?” Kelly knocked on the door. The door creaked open.

  Heart in her throat, Caly leapt forward and struck first. She couldn’t allow him to touch her friend. In quick succession, Caly slipped the weapon into his back with two clean jabs to the kidneys.

  His roar deafened her. He swung out, knocking her across the room. Glass shattered as her back smashed into the window. Dazed by the impact, she hit the floor in a jarring thud. Glass rained down on her, little nicks taking bites out of her skin. Kelly screamed, and Caly struggled to her feet, half dazed.

  She lurched forward, her vision swimming in and out of focus. The creature’s paws were wrapped around Kelly’s throat.

  “Drop it.” He nodded to her knife.

  Her eyes flickered toward Kelly. Although Kelly shook her head no, Caly had no choice. She held out her arm and reluctantly loosened her hold.

  As the blade dropped, Ruman appeared in the room.

  In a dive, he tackled the creature. Both men careened to the floor. Caly reached forward, captured Kelly’s leg and pulled her out of the mêlée. The men struggled, the heavy blows staggering each of them. Taking a sneaky hit to his stomach, Ruman doubled over, wheezing for breath.

  Though the Fallen favored his back, the wounds Ruman inflicted healed almost as fast they appeared. Even as she watched, a cut above his eye faded, blending into his skin like it never happened.

  Ruman wasn’t so lucky. He
kept fighting, but each blow injured him. Caly scooped up her dagger, but hesitated when she couldn’t get a clear shot in the struggle.

  Time slowed.

  Seconds dragged by.

  When Ruman took a hard blow, she sent the blade winging through the air.

  The pommel quivered as it sunk deep in the beast’s shoulder. The shocked expression on his face was priceless.

  An unholy bellow of rage filled the room. A trail of smoke curled in the air from the wound. Instead of turning to dust, the creature vanished. The blade thudded loudly to the floor.

  Caly stared at the spot where the demon had stood in blank shock. She was sure she had nailed his ass. How the hell could he have survived?

  Then she knew.

  The medallion.

  Ruman had warned her, but she hadn’t really understood that the Fallen couldn’t be killed the same way as demons.

  But she’d wounded him. If he could be wounded, he could be killed. Tread a little unsteadily, Caly staggered to Ruman’s side. “Are you alright?”

  “Yeah, you?”

  Caly rubbed the back of her head. “Bruised but alive.”

  Strong arms wrapped around her, and she allowed herself the luxury of leaning into him. The warmth of his body seeped into hers, barely penetrating the cold.

  They were both alive. But for how long?

  “Is he dead?” Kelly’s voice came out a rasp from her damaged throat, and she winced.

  “No. He’s still alive.” With great reluctance, Caly untangled herself and walked away from Ruman and the comfort of his touch. Caly picked up her dagger and inspected it carefully. With the corner of her shirt, she wiped the blade clean then sheathed it.

  “But how?” Kelly sounded baffled.

  “When we were down at the temple, we found a medallion secured around his neck. As long as the disk remains intact, he can heal. Until I can finish translating the code on the medallion and find out how to destroy them both, we’re screwed.”