Defiant Diva

by Irene Vartanoff

  With a mighty sucking of wind, I felt the demon depart. I screamed, feeling my flesh ripping. I swayed and nearly collapsed from my kneeling position. The prayers continued, and then, at a sign from Marcus, stopped.

  My flesh was whole. I was not bleeding anywhere. I felt…light. “It’s gone!” I began to sob. “It’s really gone! I can feel it’s gone at last!”

  Marcus led us all in a prayer of thanksgiving, as the tears flowed down my face. The demon was gone. Praise God.

  The next few minutes went by in a daze. I believe I thanked Marcus and the other priest, who blessed us all and then departed. I embraced Louis and Gayle, my dear friends. Sunlight and joy poured out of me. For the first time in a year, I was completely myself.

  As I turned to leave the chapel, I suddenly felt faint. I stumbled, and almost fell. Dex Morgan appeared at my side and caught me. His expression was openly disapproving. “You shouldn’t have done this.”

  “How did you know?” I asked, stunned.

  “Your friend told me what you were up to.” He nodded at Louis, whose expression was sheepish. “He was worried about you.”

  “Guess I was wrong,” Louis said. “You look one hundred percent happier.”

  “She’s about to faint,” Dex said angrily. He was still supporting me, his arm wrapped tightly around my waist.

  It felt good. I didn’t want to move away from him. I leaned my head on his shoulder.

  He said, “This is nuts.”

  In a dreamy voice, I said, “You don’t understand. It worked.” I didn’t have the strength to raise my head, but my joy was unbounded. “The demon is gone. I feel marvelous.”

  Dex tilted his head and eyed me as if I was raving in a delirium. “It’s noon. When’s the last time you ate anything?”

  I thought about it. “Last night.”

  He indicated Gayle and Louis. “Did you tell anyone why it’s dangerous for you to fast?”

  “Nope.” Being in his arms was so comfortable. “I think I have to sleep now.” I closed my eyes.

  When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on the back seat of a car. I saw the back of Dex’s head in the driver’s seat. I was safe. I closed my eyes and let myself drift.

  Chapter 14

  I woke from my nap happy for the first time in a year. I was still in Dex’s car. “It’s gone. The demon is gone.”

  “Or you’re fooling yourself.” Dex’s voice came from the driver’s seat.

  I was too happy to argue with him. Tall trees through the windows were close together, not short or far apart as in the city. “Where are we going?” I wasn’t worried, merely curious.

  “Northwest. My house. You need looking after. And food.” He glanced at me through his rearview mirror. “Since it didn’t appear you’d told your friends about your diabetes diagnosis, I thought it would be simpler if I kept an eye on your health today. You obviously haven’t been taking good care of yourself.”

  “You mean the fasting? It was necessary for the exorcism.”

  He cursed. “How anybody could believe such claptrap is beyond me.”

  “I’m a committed Christian,” I said. “I believe. Even if I hadn’t before, what happened this morning would have been utterly convincing.” Words poured out of me. I told him of my complete joy and feeling of release, my physical conviction that the malevolent entity ruling me for a year had left my body. Dex listened and said nothing. Did he believe me? Probably not, but my mood was so lighthearted that even this basic disagreement didn’t faze me. The world was a beautiful place to me again. “I want to celebrate being freed.”

  His sour words floated back to me as he turned the car into a driveway. “You can celebrate by lying on a couch and doing nothing for a few hours. After you eat.”

  He wouldn’t let me walk. He carefully pulled me out of the car and carried me in his arms. “You’re a manly man,” I said, sighing happily. I nestled against his chest.

  “You’re punch drunk.”

  He used his phone to unlock the front door, then opened it without putting me down. “Never knew how handy that app would be,” he muttered.

  Dex carried me into a cozy room that was outfitted as a den and deposited me on a leather couch. He took off my shoes and straightened, frowning at me. “You lie there. I’m going to make you some food.”

  “All right.” I was still drifting in my newfound happiness. Being ordered around by Dex didn’t bother me in the slightest. Nothing did, now that the demon was gone. “But first I want a kiss.”

  I’d surprised him. Dex looked briefly puzzled before shaking his head. “You’re lightheaded and not thinking straight. You need food and rest.” He unfolded a plaid throw and draped it around my body. “Sleep,” he said, putting one hand to my cheek gently.

  I entwined my arms around him and pulled him down to me. “No. I want a kiss.” With his face so close to mine, I whispered, “I need your kisses, Dex. Your kisses make me feel as if I’m floating on air.”

  His expression was torn. He wanted me. I knew he did. “You aren’t well, Daylia.”

  I pulled him closer, until his chest was against my breasts. I breathed deeply of the joy of touching him, even though his body resisted me. I nibbled at his lips. “Just one kiss, Dex. One. Little. Kiss,” I said, emphasizing each word with a small peck of my lips on his, which were tightly sealed. My fingers crept around the back of his head, urging his mouth to connect firmly with mine.

  With a groan, he gave in. Dex opened his lips, and his tongue took possession of my mouth. I reveled in his mastery, my body twisting with pleasure at the electric shocks racing through me. I wanted to sink into his kiss forever.

  Dex wrenched away from me. “No,” he said. “This is wrong.” He loosened his tie and undid his top collar button as if they were choking him. His eyes, their expression torn, never left mine. “You’re out of it, Daylia. You might as well have done a dozen jello shots at a bar, you’re so high.”

  He stood. “Sleep it off.”

  I pouted. But I didn’t have the energy to argue with him. My limbs felt so languorous, I could barely move. “You’re a wonderful kisser. We should kiss again.”

  He shook his head. “Not right now. Close your eyes and rest.”

  I closed my eyes. I must have slept. I think I roused a little once or twice. I may have eaten an egg Dex spoon fed me. When I finally woke fully, late afternoon sun poured through the windows.

  Dex was on the phone in the hall, his voice rough with anger. “She’s still asleep.” A pause. “She was high as a kite earlier. What did you do to her? Did you give her drugs?” After another pause, he said, “What about the priests? Did they make her eat or drink something? Even a communion wafer?”

  He paced in the hall, his voice gaining in volume as he drew nearer. “If she doesn’t wake up soon, and sober, I’m taking her to an ER. I don’t give a damn about the publicity angle.”

  “I’m awake,” I called. He didn’t hear me. He continued to harangue whoever was on the phone, but the words were indistinct, as he must have walked in the other direction. Was he talking to Gayle? How would he have her number? Oh, wait. Dex’s friend Jackie had the list of people who’d attended the juvenile retinoschisis charity ball and Gayle had bought the tickets.

  How long had I been asleep? “I’m awake.” I attempted to sit up. The moment I did, my head spun. “Ohhh.”

  “Lie back down.” Dex appeared at my side and gently pushed me back into the couch. He knelt next to me. “Take it easy.”

  He was still wearing a white dress shirt and dark suit pants, but he’d rolled up the sleeves, revealing his muscular forearms. The contrast of white shirt and tan skin was tantalizing. I stroked my fingers along one arm, enjoying the hairy, taut feel of him.

  He drew in a sharp breath.

  I stared into his eyes. “You have nice arms.” I tugged a little and brought his hand to my mouth. I licked his salty skin.

  Dex closed his eyes and groaned. “Woman, you’ve gone craz
y on me.”

  “I’m perfectly sane. Thrilled to be with you.”

  He turned his hand and let his fingers touch my lips. “You’re trying to seduce me. What happened to all your resistance?”

  “Gone with the demon. Kiss me, Dex.” Suddenly I was desperate for him, aching to meld with him completely. “Make love with me.”

  He drew back, shaking his head. “All that fasting must have played havoc with your blood sugar. You need food, not sex.”

  This time, when I put my feet on the floor and sat up, the world didn’t spin. “I’m all right.” I stood and threw my arms out wide. “The world is a wonderful place, and I am happy.”

  I made to spin around, but Dex took my hand and stopped me. “Eat before you start dancing.”

  “Party pooper,” I said, but slipped my shoes on and allowed him to draw me down the hall to a kitchen shining with all the latest stainless steel appliances.

  He sat me at a large counter and pulled orange juice from the refrigerator. He poured me a small glass. “That should help regulate your system a little. Chicken breast with greens okay? Or there’s salmon.”

  I sipped the juice. How did he know so much about what I should eat? Had he been studying nutrition? “Salmon, please.”

  We didn’t talk much while he was cooking. I nursed my orange juice and contemplated how light and airy I felt now that the demon was gone. Also, how much I wanted to become Dex’s lover tonight. His lean body was so tempting. But he kept the counter between us, and he trained his eyes on the food he was preparing.

  In a few minutes, with no fuss, Dex cooked up a simple, healthy meal, and plated it as elegantly as any I’d had in a fancy restaurant. He sat us in the dining room to eat and poured us a white wine.

  Dex watched me as I ate. “Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m not going to keel over.”

  He shook his head. “You’re completely different today. Where’s your prickly pride? Your defiance? Your reticence?”

  “It’s good to be alive.” I threw my head back, taking in the pleasantly appointed dining room with its crystal chandelier in a clean-lined modern design, and other tasteful touches. “Nice room.” I stared straight at his face. “Good company.” I stared at his lips. “Perhaps something tasty for dessert.” I was deliberately arch, openly provocative, and I enjoyed the look of astonishment on his face.

  “You’re talking dirty to me,” he finally said. “I can’t believe you. I’ve been so careful. You’ve been…”

  “Elusive? Restrained?” I smiled at him. “No more. I’m here. We have all night to…get to know each other better.” I deliberately touched my tongue to the rim of my wine glass.

  Color suffused his face. “I’m totally tempted. I admit it.” He threw down his cloth napkin and rose. He went to a window and peered out before turning back to me. “Unfortunately for your naughty hopes, while you were freshening up a little while ago, I called your friend Gayle. She’s about to arrive. She’ll take you home and watch over you tonight.”

  While I was still in shock at being outmaneuvered, Dex came to me and lifted me from my chair to stand within the circle of his arms. His expression was predatory as he said, “This is to take the edge off.” His arms tightened around me, crushing my breasts against his hard chest. He leaned down and took my mouth in a full-blooded, passionate kiss.

  Somewhere, a bell was ringing. I did not want to answer the bell. If I paid attention to the bell, I would have to stop doing the joyful thing that made my mind a happy blank and my body alive with tingling sensation.

  The bell rang again, and Dex pulled away from me. “Coming,” he called, without glancing away from me. His expression was all male possessiveness and satisfaction.

  I was his, softened into complete female submission, but it was not to be, not tonight.

  Chapter 15

  I pouted all the way home, and Gayle laughed at me the whole way. “Your man has ethics. You should be thrilled.”

  I woke early on Sunday morning still feeling happy. No other way to describe it. A weight had been lifted from my spirit. Once I was showered and dressed, I reached out to Dex by text to see if he wanted to join me for a sedate walk along the Mall after church. He agreed to meet me at the World War II veterans’ memorial, which was near the northwest end, next to the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

  A couple hours later, I changed out of my church clothes into one of my least formal outfits, floaty ivory cotton instead of silk, and no extravagant jewelry pieces, just simple gold hoops in my ears, and tan Capri pants with flat sandals.

  I found Dex exactly where he’d said he would be. He wore a pale yellow polo shirt and chinos, casual but dressy enough that we’d feel comfortable almost anywhere we wandered. I checked out his clothes first because it was a bit difficult to look him in the eye today after my over-the-top behavior last night.

  Dex showed no reluctance to take up exactly where we’d left off, pulling me into an embrace and kissing my cheek dangerously close to my lips. “How do you feel today? Still crazy to seduce me?” He smiled down at me, obviously happy that I wasn’t immediately attempting to move out of his embrace.

  “Very happy to be with you. But first we should walk all over the Mall and steep ourselves in patriotism.” I moved out of his embrace, but slowly.

  He grinned. “That’s my girl. Drive us both to the edge of sanity with delaying tactics.” He took my hand and we strolled toward the reflecting pool.

  We wandered the paths, admiring the massed plantings of spring bulbs and the blooming cherry trees. The spectacular cloudlike blooms of the Yoshino cherries had faded a few weeks ago, and the massive traffic jams of huge crowds of tourists had departed. Since Washington attracted visitors every day of the year, there were plenty of people around us enjoying the Kwanzan and other later cherries.

  Dex pointed toward Constitution Hall in the distance and entertained me with a story of a school field trip there. I worked out the date as roughly when my public school had taken my class to the same place. I said, “We might have been there the very same day for the same youth concert.”

  “We could have stared at each other and fallen in love right then at age ten,” he said.

  I almost stumbled. Love? Who said anything about love?

  Dex didn’t pursue the topic, for which I was grateful. Or maybe not. Love was a big, fraught word. I’d rather he didn’t use it unless he meant it.

  After a while, Dex asked if I was hungry for lunch.

  “You always want to take me to lunch,” I said. “Do you have a hollow leg?”

  He said, “Doesn’t everybody eat lunch?”

  “I don’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “I have brunch. First I shower and warm up my vocal chords. Then I vocalize for a while. What we call practicing scales. I do at least an hour. Then I have some food.”

  He frowned. “Enough to last you until dinner?”

  “I eat very lightly. I don’t like to sing on a full stomach. It feels clogging to my system.”

  “You do the same during rehearsals? So you’re starving by mid-afternoon?”

  “I’m used to it,” I said, shrugging.

  He frowned. “I’m betting your body doesn’t like to be treated that way. Isn’t it possible the rage attacks happen because of lack of food? Specifically, sugar levels out of whack because you haven’t eaten?”

  “That was the demon.” I spread my hands joyfully. “And now the demon is gone.”

  Did Dex believe me, or was he withholding judgment? We picked up some food from vendors and food carts as we wandered the area. Seeing me eat a taco seemed to satisfy Dex. I was entertained as he wolfed down a massive pulled pork sandwich.

  As we walked, we talked about our lives, about growing up and first loves. I didn’t have much to tell him that he didn’t already know, a few very youthful relationships that seemed serious at the time but ended because the boy in question and I were headed in different educationa
l directions. “It’s the old story. We went to different colleges and we forgot each other and fell for new people. On the good side, although breaking up was awkward, it wasn’t horribly painful for either of us,” I said. I hadn’t thought about that boy in years.

  Dex said, “I wish my own past was that easy. I got married at the end of college, a stupid idea. I don’t know why my parents or her parents didn’t fight us hard, but anyway, we were crazy and we insisted. Turned out, neither of us was ready to be an adult. I soon was busy all the time building my tech business, and she, well…”

  “What?”

  Dex drew us to a stone bench next to the path. We sat. He looked out at the reflecting pool, not at me. “I discovered that she cheated on me repeatedly.” His expression flattened. “We shouldn’t have married so young. For her, our marriage was boring and empty. For me, absorbed in my business, it was convenient to work very long hours and know I had a woman at home waiting in my bed.” He shook his head. “Crass, but at twenty-one, almost everyone is that selfish. I didn’t look beyond a sure thing, and she didn’t like it. We yelled at each other a lot before we divorced.”

  “Do you still see her?”

  He shook his head. “Mutual friends told me she went to graduate school, became an architect, and finally got married again a couple of years ago. I hear she’s happy. I don’t blame her for anything that happened between us. We made a mistake.”

  Whereas I still blamed myself for making a mistake with Michael. It suddenly struck me that I had insisted on getting to know Dex at great length, drawing out the dating process, all because I’d been wrong about Michael and feared being wrong again. Not because of the demon, or because I didn’t trust men, but because I didn’t trust myself. Overkill. Anyway, I didn’t need to be hyper cautious with Dex. He was the kind of man I could trust.