The Audacity of Demons

by Trina M. Lee

  More than I disliked my name in Nova’s mouth, I detested the way he made me want him. Right now. Face to face, his skin hot on mine, he oozed that erotic charge.

  A snap of his fangs and I trembled.

  Disgusted with myself for falling so easily under his sway, I bared my own much smaller fangs right back at him. “Get your hands off me and let me get dressed. I do still have some rights here, don’t I?”

  “Not as many as you’d like to think.” Nova gave a slight nod and released me. “You have sixty seconds.”

  I hurried away, eager to put as much distance between us as possible. When I entered the dressing room and escaped Nova’s prying eyes, I vigorously rubbed both arms where he’d touched me. The effects of his power faded, but the heat from his touch remained.

  Rushing to the row of chairs lined up in front of a series of mirrors, I grabbed my bag and fished out a pair of blue jeans and a black tank top. I dressed in haste, tugging the cash from my g-string. With a glance at the spot on my forearm that still tingled from Nova’s touch, I slipped my leather jacket on instead of carrying it.

  Stuffing the cash I’d earned dancing into a cute brunette’s g-string on my way out, I couldn’t help but glance about for any opportunity to escape. But demons could move unseen from place to place in a heartbeat. I really couldn’t outrun the demon if he was determined to find me. Knowing that Nova expected me to make a break for it meant that I could do no such thing. I refused to be predictable.

  Better to wait and see what The Circle of the Veil planned. I couldn’t imagine they’d make a so-called rogue a hunter, but Nova had made it sound like they had a purpose for me. For all I knew they might want to use me as bait for some big nasty thing, but it hopefully wouldn’t hurt to hear them out. I could always plan my getaway when the circumstances were right.

  When I returned rather than flee like the guilty vampire he believed me to be, Nova scowled. “Twenty-eight seconds to spare,” Nova said, “Too bad. I hoped you would run. It’s been a while since I’ve had someone try to give me the slip.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you.” I started walking toward the exit before his nearness could grow uncomfortable. “I’m not interested in being that easy for you to figure out.”

  Near the door a man with a drink in his hand edged into my path, an attempt to force me to stop and speak with him. Not the smoothest pick up tactic. Before I could shoulder him aside, Nova planted a hand on the guy’s chest and shoved.

  “What the fuck?” the guy shouted after us, throwing a hand in the air.

  We emerged into the rain-scented night, and I turned a frown on Nova. “How incredibly masculine of you. If pushing drunk humans around is part of the incubus charm, it’s rather repulsive.”

  Nova cast a glance at the drab sky, like he worried rain would ruin his attire. Early in the summer season, the promise of hot nights hung on the air. “You haven’t seen any incubus charm. Otherwise you’d have less clothing on, not more.” Cocky as fuck, the demon was gorgeous and he knew it.

  I detested him. “Yeah sure, whatever,” I muttered, wondering what we were waiting for. “So where are you taking me?”

  Plucking his phone from a pocket, he glanced at the screen, brow furrowed in irritation. “You’ll see. I hope you don’t have anyone waiting for you because you’ll be staying a while.”

  Nope. Didn’t have a single person waiting for me. Not these days. I did have a small apartment where my TV, iPad, and clothing resided. Nothing special, just a cozy little place downtown. I’d lived large in the past: giant house, personal staff, the works. Although it hadn’t been my house or my staff. The big life wasn’t for me. I’d take a tiny apartment all to myself over that circus any day.

  “What about my stuff?” Suspicion colored my tone. Maybe I wouldn’t be needing it. Maybe The Circle of the Veil didn’t plan for me to live long enough to bother.

  We’d see about that.

  Without glancing up from his phone Nova mustered half a shrug. “Whatever you need can be fetched later. The necessities and whatnot.”

  Thanks for the hospitality, jackass. “Are you going to tell me anything about where I’m going? Or am I expected to just go along with whatever you say? Cuz I’m not big on getting into cars with demons I don’t know. Stranger danger and all that.”

  “Not even if I have candy?” he replied with a wicked grin and a wink. When my stony expression didn’t crack, he added, “Vampires, such an uptight bunch. I’ve yet to meet one that didn’t have a stick up their ass.”

  Not bothering with a response, I stuffed my hands into my jacket pockets.

  So the answer to my question was no; Nova was in no hurry to tell me jack shit. I didn’t like being left to wonder just minutes after being accosted by him inside the club. But I’d already survived hell. I could take whatever this demon threw at me.

  Night-time traffic zipped by. Several other nightclubs in the vicinity meant considerable human activity in the area. As I watched the cars pass, I pondered the likelihood that I could lead Nova into traffic, preferably in front of a bus, and somehow escape unscathed myself.

  Though immortal, demons weren’t invincible. They could be weakened both magically and physically. Enough damage would force Nova back to the other side, the spirit realm, to recover. Except it wasn’t easy to take out a demon. Even if I managed to pull it off, nothing prevented the demon from seeking retribution. And he would.

  Not that I knew a lot of demons personally, but I’d had my share of interactions. I learned a lot about them. Contrary to folklore silver didn’t harm werewolves. It did, however, weaken demons.

  I tried to know everything I could about anyone and anything dangerous enough to pose a threat. This city attracted some of the most powerful supernatural beings: demons, vampires, shifters, witches. Some were born here, others drawn here, and often a newcomer sought more power here.

  Edmonton. The city of evil. Or so some say. The local youth called it Deadmonton, but they didn’t know how wrong they were. This city was very much alive.

  A slick black SUV pulled up to the curb. Nova waved me over and pulled open the back door. He ushered me inside and then climbed in next to me.

  In the driver’s seat a thirty-something werewolf swiveled to Nova in surprise. “You’re riding along?”

  “I am for this one.” Nova offered no further explanation.

  The wolf didn’t ask for one. Dark eyes flitted over me briefly before the guy turned back around and pulled the SUV into traffic.

  I stared out the window as we drove through the streets. The weight of Nova’s gaze caused a warm flush of heat to creep up the back of my neck. I fought the urge to paste myself against the door to put more space between us. In the close confines of the vehicle with him, my entire body heated uncomfortably.

  When finally I tired of his persistent stare, I whirled suddenly to confront him with a glare, but the jerk had his nose buried in his phone.

  Was he messing with me? Annoyed but wary, I stared straight ahead, watching as we ventured into a shady neighborhood. Rundown businesses gave way to ramshackle houses, some obviously abandoned.

  Despite my reservations about Nova and where he might be taking me, I was curious. He wasn’t the first monster to take me somewhere against my will. I’d survived that, and I’d fight for my life again if I had to.

  We turned down a street as deserted as a ghost town. No cars, people, or activity of any kind interrupted the desolation. At the end of the barren street behind a wrought iron gate and down a short driveway sat a large old house. It wasn’t in the worst shape, but it was far from pristine.

  The SUV rolled to a stop in the cobblestone circle driveway. The front yard consisted of a patch of sparse grass struggling to grow, and I couldn’t see the back from the car. Broad steps led up to the large front porch of the three-story house. The upper floors each had a balcony, though their structural soundness was anyone’s guess. Drab gray stone wrapped the exterior, crumbling in place
s. This might have once been a small hotel or an old-school whorehouse.

  Nova flung the door open and got out, offering me a hand when I slid out after him.

  Ignoring his hand, I took in the unkempt property and haggard house. Truth be told the vibe of that house made my skin prickle. I kept expecting the two arching windows to blink. Haunted houses were no joke, but they still paled in comparison to the real monsters among us.

  “Is this where you bring all the ladies you pick up in the bar?” I asked, unable to be the frightened and timid captive he expected. “Looks like a reject from the Amityville movies.”

  “It’s actually a bit more like Hotel California.” Nova’s eyes flashed in irritation when I climbed the front steps without any prodding. “Some people can’t leave. Others simply don’t want to. I wonder which one you’ll be.”

  I’ll be the one who escapes.

  Nova hurried up the steps and pushed ahead of me to seize hold of the door handle. The SUV pulled away, and I was left alone with the demon again. Having no choice but to follow him inside, I crossed the threshold, expecting to find an interior in great need of repair.

  Instead I found shiny chestnut-brown hardwood floors, a fresh paint job, and a sparkling chandelier lighting the sweeping entryway. A decorative side table sat against one wall, a bouquet of wildflowers at its center. Behind the door ten or twelve coat hooks lined the wall, a few occupied.

  A doorway off the front entry revealed a small dark sitting room. Straight ahead against the wall on the right stretched a long staircase with an elaborately carved cherrywood banister. A small hall led past the stairs to a closed door at the back of the house before branching off left and right into what I assumed to be the kitchen and living room areas.

  “Upstairs,” Nova instructed.

  Whatever glamour he used to maintain a strictly human form, he let the magic drop. Black feathered wings cloaked him from shoulder to ankle. Even tucked against his back they were impressively large. Two black horns curled up from either side of his head, perched high like antelope horns but with a soft curl at the tips. The tail that whipped about behind him was thin and ropey, moving like a snake, the tip tapered into a point.

  Now Nova looked like a demon.

  Except he still had that manly physique, hard and chiseled, like he’d been cut from stone. I’d expected him to be more… monstrous.

  “You can gawk all you like later, ok, red? But I’ve got somewhere else to be, so it’s going to have to wait. Up you go.” Nova swept a hand toward the stairs and spread his wings as if to literally herd me up.

  “Red?” I spat over my shoulder as I took the stairs two at a time, keeping out of reach. “Now that’s one I’ve never heard. Clever. Points for originality.” Enduring the same horrible, terrible, incredibly shitty redhead jokes over and over for almost a century left me zero patience for any of them anymore.

  Nova could have been hurrying me along to a torture chamber for all I knew, but those flared wings kept me moving. If there was a right time to take off, it wasn’t now.

  “Based on your attitude I’d say you’re a natural redhead. Carpet matches the drapes,” Nova quipped, guiding me around the first-floor landing. “How did you get the name Blaze?”

  The first flight of stairs led to a large landing that had four doors and a sitting area with a tiny couch and lamp behind the stairs that led up to the third floor. The cozy sitting area opened onto a balcony that overlooked the backyard. As we angled for the next flight of stairs, two open doors revealed a pair of bedrooms.

  The third floor also had six bedrooms and a sitting area with a balcony that looked out onto the backyard.

  Nova kept moving, giving me no time to properly take in the house, even as dozens of triggers assaulted my senses. Traces of werewolves and humans mingled with recently cooked steak and a wisp of floral perfume. I sensed many people in this house.

  Too sassy for my own good, I asked, “How did you get the name Nova?”

  He paused outside a closed door and inclined his head, studying me with a quizzical half frown. “You’re a real pain in the ass, aren’t you?”

  “Hey, I’m the one here against my will. Don’t expect me to volunteer personal information. I don’t know what I’m doing here, and I don’t know you.” Arms crossed over my chest, I stood firm beneath his penetrating crimson stare. It wasn’t easy, since the demon’s gaze unnerved me, as if he could see deeper than he should be able to.

  Mouth twisting into a smirk, Nova leaned in close, getting near enough that I tensed and leaned away before realizing he was just going for the doorknob. His gazed dropped to my lips. “Do you want to get to know me, Blaze?”

  He was too close. My head fogged with his sensual vibes. My body warmed and a gentle throb awoke between my legs.

  I gaped at him, unmoving.

  A door slammed on the floor below, and Nova jerked like he’d been stung. He shoved open the bedroom door in front of me and waved me into the room. “This will be your room for as long as you’re here. Stay put. I’ll be back for you. The house is warded, so don’t even try to leave. I’ll know the second you do.” The asshole all but pushed me into the room and left, shutting the door in my face.

  Seeing as I didn’t have much of a choice, I checked out my prison.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Standing near the door, I flicked on the light and took a moment to gawk. My bedroom was one of the nicest rooms I’d ever seen, as big as my entire apartment. That rich chestnut flooring continued underfoot. A lush, deep pile throw rug near the bed added an element of warmth. The bed itself stuck out diagonally from one wall, complete with a curtained canopy. A television mounted on the wall across from the bed was paired with an antique table with a rich cherry finish. A cozy looking couch near a corner fireplace and a pair of nice bedside tables completed my new home.

  Or so I thought.

  When I stepped into the attached bathroom, the large clawfoot bathtub drew me. Deep and long, it made the perfect tub for a bubble bath with a good book. It had been some time since I’d allowed myself to enjoy such simple pleasures. I needed this tub in my life. Next to it the stone-tiled shower featured a wide rainfall showerhead.

  Appreciative that at least the facilities were adequate even if the circumstances were not, I drifted toward the large picture window. I expected to find the backyard as bland and dead as the front but was taken aback. Below me stretched a patio. Lit by lanterns and dangling strings of fairy lights, it had lounge chairs to relax and bistro tables to sit and eat. Just beyond the patio a swimming pool beckoned, something almost unseen in these parts unless one was incredibly wealthy.

  More intriguing than the pool itself was the tattooed man swimming in it. Completely naked. Doing laps from one end to the other at an impressive rate. The hint of rain on the air didn’t bother him. Definitely not human.

  I watched the naked stranger move through the water. Even from the third floor I could see the muscles ripple in his arms and back. Splotches of tattoo ink elongated with each practiced stroke. Raven-black hair plastered to his forehead when he pulled up from the water.

  I should look away. A creep leering out the window at him, I meant to turn, but he glanced up. Busted.

  “Son of a bitch,” I muttered, pulling back from the window. Not that it mattered now. I’d been caught. Although who swam naked outside bedroom windows if they didn’t expect to be seen?

  I stepped back into the attached bathroom to check my appearance. My forever twenty-four going on ninety-something reflection stared back at me from the mirror. Vibrant blood-red hair waved in disarray around my face. My eyes appeared an icier blue than usual. When I rose as a vampire the colors of my hair and eyes had intensified. Against my ghostly pallor, I appeared even less human.

  With the tip of my pinky finger, I wiped away a smudge of eyeliner. If Nova seriously had no intention of letting me leave, then I would need some personal care items. My bag held my phone, wallet, and keys. Maybe a lip ba
lm.

  After smoothing my locks down the best I could, I wandered around my room. I touched the gray blanket on the bed, the fabric soft. Upon opening the drawers of the bedside table and venturing into the small walk in closet, I found both empty.

  Although I knew other people had stayed in this room before me, I couldn’t sense nor smell them. Usually a residual energy remained, giving away who or what might have been here prior. Nothing. The cleaners had scrubbed the place both physically and magically, raising my suspicions.

  When Nova hadn’t returned an hour later, I grew restless enough to pace. Surely he hadn’t forgotten about me, but I couldn’t help but be curious about this house. How many people were here? Just who and what was that delectable stranger in the pool? I needed answers, and patience was not one of my virtues.

  I paused at the window more than once to peek out. Nobody there now, the backyard was mesmerizing with that dangling light display. A wrought iron fence ran the perimeter of the property. Thick brush and foliage grew in a tangled riot on the other side of the fence, making it hard to gauge the distance to the next house. The entire property was incredibly private.

  And I wanted to get a look at the rest of it. I hadn’t seen the main floor, and a mansion like this had a basement. Perched on the edge of the easy chair, my knees bounced as time ticked by on my phone screen.

  “Ok, that’s it. I’m done with this waiting shit.” Tucking my phone back in my bag, I stuffed the bag in a drawer next to the bed and headed for the door.

  Maybe I should have been more concerned for my safety—demons were not to be trifled with; I’d heard the stories—still, if Nova wanted me dead, I already would be. I half expected to find the door barred from the outside or something equally creepy. But the knob twisted in my grasp without a sound. Poking my head into the square hall, I glanced around to the other closed doors. It was quiet.