Beyond the Veil (14 page)

 
“
Don
’
t hurt her.
”

 
Stefan gave me a weary sigh.
“
I
’
ll find you. Just keep Akil happy. I
’
ll get to you.
”

  Ryder beckoned to me, and I had no choice but to follow, my steps heavy with dread. After a quick stop in a washroom to clean the blood from my hands and stem the flow from the cut with a paper towel, we returned to the workshop. The shutters were closed, thankfully, so Akil couldn
’
t see inside. It didn
’
t stop me from sensing him though. My body trembled a little as the sheer weight of his power lingered in the air like the threat of an oncoming storm.

 
“
I can
’
t do this.
”

 
Ryder clutched my shoulders, all authoritative.
“
You get out there. You tell him what he wants to hear. It
’
s not just your life that
’
s at risk here. You
’
ve got to do this.
”
He released me and beckoned Nica forward. She
’
d been watching quietly, aware that something was very wrong.  I nodded, indicating she should do as Ryder asked while wondering what Stefan would do to her. I didn
’
t think he
’
d hurt her, but I couldn
’
t be sure. She was Akil
’
s personal assistant, a spy in our ranks and liable to reveal all.

  As Ryder escorted Nica out the back door to the armory, I stood behind the personnel door in the front of the workshop, hand gripping the handle. Akil
’
s elemental magic wrapped its explorative tendrils around me, calling to me. I was about to lie to a Prince of Hell, Mammon, the Prince of Greed. Had I been full demon like my brother, I might have been able to pull it off, but half human, my emotions were my weakness. I wasn
’
t capable of it.

 
I shoved open the door, shielding my eyes from the piercing brightness of the winter sun. Crossing in front of Nica
’
s car toward the limo, I tried to plaster an easy smile across my lips, but it felt wooden, like trying to snap twigs. My hands trembled. I clutched them in front of me as the limo
’
s rear door opened.
I can
’
t do this
…
I can
’
t do this
…

 
Akil emerged from the back of the car. The sunglasses shielding his eyes made it impossible for me to accurately read his expression. He wasn
’
t smiling. His lips pulled thin. My heart did a little skip.
I can
’
t do this.

 
“
Hey,
”
I gushed, forcing too much glee into the single word in my desperation to appear innocent.

 
Akil stood behind the open door, a hand placed on the roof of the car. He turned his head to take in Nica
’
s car beside us, and the closed shutters on the workshop. I smiled brightly, but figured it probably came off as a grimace.

 
“
We
—
er
—
we had some car trouble.
”

 
“
Where
’
s Nica?
”

  His voice betrayed nothing, its tone flat. I assumed he was angry, and the stoic mask was there to cover the simmering rage. He hadn
’
t called his element, but that only meant he wasn
’
t concerned.

 
“
She
’
ll be out in a minute. She
’
s talking to the mechanic
…
You didn
’
t have to come all this way. We were having coffee.
”
I shrugged.
“
A girls
’
afternoon out.
”

  His gaze dropped a little. The direction of his attention was difficult for me to ascertain behind those dark glasses. Then I realized he was looking at my hands. I clasped them a little tighter together, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. Akil slammed the car door and strode toward me. He took my hands in his and turned them over, revealing the two cuts across my left palm: one from summoning Val and the other from attempting to read the sword. He wouldn
’
t know why the cuts were there, but there was no way I could disguise my sharp intake of breath.

 
“
What did you do?
”

  I looked up at him.
“
I
…
I summoned Val.
”

  Akil dropped my hands and snatched the sunglasses from his face. He slowly folded the sunglasses and tucked them over the waistband of his trousers, each movement precise and deliberate. I wasn
’
t sure how long I could stand there waiting for him rage at me. My knees were about to give out.

 
“
Why would you do such a foolish thing?
”
His voice still level, he fixed his dark eyes on me. I
’
d preferred him with the sunglasses on. Now I had the full weight of his stare on me. I refused to look away, knowing if I did, it would give him the hint of guilt he needed.

 
“
I wanted to ask him why he sent the Hellhounds.
”

 Ryder stepped from the door with Nica in tow. He swaggered up to Akil, thrusting out a grubby, grease-covered hand.
“
Nice car, but I wouldn
’
t leave it around here for long.
”
Ryder indicated across the street with a nod. The hoods were back
—
five this time, a veritable crowd. They watched us, hands tucked in their pockets, shoulders slouched, but I began to wonder if there was more to them than first met the eye. Perhaps the little collection of fine cars had brought them out, or Ryder knew them. Were they back-up?

 
Akil barely registered their presence. He regarded Ryder
’
s hand with a slight curl of his lip. Once Ryder realized Akil had no intention of shaking his hand, he tucked his thumbs into the waistband of his jeans, not in the least bit bothered by Akil
’
s brush off.
“
These ladies, huh? Can
’
t live with
‘
em, can
’
t live without
‘
em.
”
He slapped a hand on the hood of Nica
’
s car.
“
Ran out of fuel. Would you believe it? They
’
re lucky I
’
m a nice guy. Especially as this little doll here has had a few too many beers.
”

 
Nica flicked her hair out of her face.
“
I
’
m fine. Thank you, but
…
Charlie, you should drive.
”

 
“
Sure.
”
I was all too happy to get in her car. The thought of riding back with Akil made me nauseous. She tossed me the keys. Grateful for the excuse to get away from Akil, I hurried around the car and ducked in the driver
’
s side, acutely aware of Akil
’
s stare burning into me. Nica climbed in beside me, and we both watched Akil say a few words to Ryder. Whatever they had been, it was enough to wipe Ryder
’
s smile off his face. We drove back in virtual silence, the limo a constant presence in the rear view mirrors.

 
“
I won
’
t say anything,
”
Nica said.

 
She wouldn
’
t meet my glance and didn
’
t say another word for the entire journey. I believed her, but I wondered what Stefan had said to her to guarantee her silence. I had more to worry about than Nica
’
s silence. Akil would have questions, and he wasn
’
t going to like my answers.

The superb surroundings of the Trade Restaurant bustled with Boston
’
s elite. Glasses chinked while laughter tickled the air. An authentic d
é
cor hinted at its waterside location. Pieces of driftwood decorated the room like well-placed pieces of art while leather and glass gave the place an air of quality. It was delightful, but I was miserable.

Nica had called Akil
’
s apartment to inform me that my presence was requested here at 7pm. Akil couldn
’
t even be bothered to ask me himself. That annoyed me. Nica
’
s cold shoulder annoyed me. The fact I had no idea how I was going to get myself out of this mess angered me. Frankly, I could barely contemplate surviving another night. I told myself it wasn
’
t as bad as all that, and then remembered where I
’
d been before Akil had plucked me out of obscurity. There are things worse than death.

Akil was late. When he eventually arrived, someone accosted him in the doorway, shaking his hand as though he were royalty. Maybe they knew what he was. Maybe they didn
’
t. It didn
’
t really matter. Human or demon, he was untouchable. He had it all. Money. Respect. Anyone of the women in the restaurant would have gladly followed him home. All he needed do was catch their eyes. He was a force of nature. An elemental demon walking amongst men. A god.

How the hell was I supposed to beat that?

Akil noticed the half empty wine bottle on the table and suppressed a smile as he sat down opposite me.

“
You
’
re late,
”
I grumbled.

“
Traffic.
”

I snorted a laugh. Traffic? He could bend reality around him, and a few stop lights had prevented him from being on time. Right.

A waiter appeared and offered Akil a choice of wine. I glared at him through the brief exchange, watching him taste the wine and express his preference before the waiter poured him a glass. Once the waiter departed, Akil met my stare, his smile hitching up a little.
“
You
’
re angry.
”

I shrugged.
“
No.
”

He leaned forward, swirling the wine in his glass.
“
You are angry with me.
”
He, on the other hand, appeared to be in quite a good mood, as though my anger pleased him.

“
Yes.
”
I sat forward, planting an elbow on the table and picking up my wine.
“
Do you think I
’
m an idiot?
”

“
Sometimes.
”

I bit into my lip. A flicker of anger ignited inside me like a pilot light. From that one little light, an inferno could blaze, but right now it was controlled.
“
What are you doing, Akil?
”

“
What do you mean?
”
Oh, playing coy now was he?

“
Let
’
s cut the bullshit.
”
A few of the other diners in the restaurant glanced our way. Akil also found that amusing.
“
What
’
s going on? The workshop? The Hellhounds? Did you know a demon attacked me in the stairwell at your hotel? Damn thing nearly chewed my face off.
”

“
You
’
re surprised?
”

That little flicker of anger, it flared brighter, my element stirring, awakening.
“
Are you doing this to me?
”

“
No.
”
He said the word softly. Both of us leaned close enough that he didn
’
t need to raise his voice.
“
How many times do you need me to say it?
”

“
It
’
s not Val. I asked.
”
I waved my left hand. The wounds from earlier in the day were scabbed over but still sore.

“
That was idiotic.
”
He pointed a finger at me, smile failing.
“
You
’
re very lucky he didn
’
t turn you inside out.
”

“
He couldn
’
t. I protected myself.
”
Ha! See? Not so stupid. I decided not to mention how my brother had tried to skewer me.
“
He said he didn
’
t send those hounds, so who else, Akil? There
’
s only one other demon I know who has enough power to control those beasts.
”

“
And this one demon you say you know, did he save you from an abusive owner, the very same owner that sheered a wing from your ethereal body and destroyed your mind? Did this demon give you the tools you needed to exact your revenge on your owner? Did he protect you from that day to this one? Has he ever hurt you? Ever?
”
Embers of heat briefly sparkled in Akil
’
s dark eyes before vanishing as he blinked.

And that
’
s where my argument always fell over. I sucked in a breath and closed my eyes, rubbing my hand over them.
“
No.
”

“
I don
’
t deserve your anger, Muse.
”

I opened my eyes to see him watching me.
“
So who does?
”

“
I don
’
t know. Why does one demon have to be to blame? You
’
ve ruffled enough wings to infuriate a whole hoard of demons. Look at that detective; who I saved you from, in case you
’
d conveniently forgotten that as well. He was just one of many. What does it matter? If you did as I asked and stayed with me, none of this would happen.
”

He knew all the right words, but it wasn
’
t enough anymore.
“
Why me? I
’
m just a half-blood. Why do they even care if I live or die?
”

The waiter appeared with his pen and pad.
“
Are you ready to order?
”

Akil glared at him with enough force to make the poor guy squirm in his shoes and slink off. Akil picked up his glass of wine and took a generous sip.
“
There is something I
’
ve
…
neglected to mention.
”

“Oh?”

He swept a pertinent gaze about the restaurant.
“
Not here.
”

“
Then let
’
s leave.
”
I pushed my glass to the middle of the table, about to stand, when Akil
’
s hand covered mine, his warm fingers closing, holding me tightly.

“
No. We order. We eat. And we enjoy each other
’
s company.
”

The heat from his hand wove its way up my arm, its sensuous touch rooting me to my seat. His words weren
’
t a request. A part of me resented being told what to do, but the power in his words teased through my human barriers and did peculiar things to my demon half. There was no denying the control he had over me, over the demon inside of me. She would roll over and let him tickle her belly if she could, and I couldn
’
t blame her. She was me, and there was a large part of me that desired everything about Akil. How else does a woman fall in love with a demon?

***

 
Once I
’
d shrugged off my anger, I
’
d actually enjoyed the meal. The food was fantastic and Akil all the right levels of charming with an undercurrent of wicked innuendo that had me nearly salivating with the thought of what we might get up to. He hadn
’
t got to where he was by bullying his way to the top. His suave exterior, irresistible charm, and outright sexy demeanor were virtually impossible to deny. The evening air had a frosty bite when we left the restaurant, prompting me to pull my coat tighter around me as we walked along the waterfront. Yachts of all shapes and sizes bobbed in their moorings, rigging clinking against the masts. We leaned against the railing beside a vast yacht with a helicopter on its retracted top deck.

 I took a deep breath of sea air. There was something pure about the sea, its endless ebb and flow, timeless and constant. It would be there long after I
’
d gone, maybe even outlast my brother. I hoped so. Akil hugged me against his side. His jacket was over my shoulders, keeping out the worst of the chill. We stood like that for a few minutes. I listened to his breathing, let the warmth of him soak into me. The sky above sparkled with diamond stars. The water below was a bottomless black darkness.

  He turned me to face him. The press of his body, coupled with the lightheaded effects of the alcohol, conspired to rouse temptation in me. As he lifted a hand to my face, I leaned my cheek into his palm, closing my eyes and sighing.

 
His lips brushed mine.
“
Why did you leave me?
”
he whispered.

 It was the only single question I could never answer in a way he would understand, and perhaps that was an answer in itself. He would never understand what it meant to be human. He could pretend, but he had none of the fragility of life. It wasn
’
t even that though. He wouldn
’
t know the joys of the simple things in life because he was always playing the grander game. We were like ants to him, milling back and forth, our destinations of no interest. I
’
d only caught his eye because I
’
d belonged to Damien.

 
Five years I
’
d been Charlie, and it had been the best five years of my otherwise wretched life.

 
“
I didn
’
t leave you.
”
I rested my forehead against his, moistening my lips as a depth of sadness dragged my mood down.
“
I left behind the part of me that
’
s demon.
”

 
“
After everything I did for you.
”
His hand pushed against my face. Only when I felt his touch tremble, did I open my eyes. I searched his eyes. Slivers of heat fragmented the dark irises. It had never really occurred to me that I could have hurt him. But standing beside him, my gaze lost in the maelstrom of emotion in his eyes, I realized I had. I
’
d walked away from him after everything he had done for me. I
’
d turned my back on him.

 
I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his. When he didn
’
t immediately respond, I pulled back a little.
“
Akil?
”
The way he held my gaze, his eyes ablaze with heat, told me something was wrong. I caught a glimmer of emotion like nothing I
’
d seen from him. Before I could process it, his lips met mine with a ferocious hunger. I immediately succumbed, but a fragment of uncertainty had splintered in the back of my mind. I
’
d seen something in Akil that struck fear through my heart like the piercing jab of a rapier. Hatred.

 
“
You want to know why they seek your demise?
”
he breathed, pinning me back against the railing. His hand roamed down my waist, over my hip, and gripped my thigh, hitching my leg up, enabling me to hook it around him and pull him tighter against me. I couldn
’
t think clearly. His kisses burned on my cheek, my neck, branding my trembling skin.

 
“
Yes,
”
I hissed.

 
“
You
’
re not half a demon.
”

He let his element roll over me. The warm flush of it across my skin aroused my element. My demon woke from her slumber, summoned like a cobra at the beckoning call of her charmer. I struggled to pull her back, fearing she might spill over my skin and reveal herself right here by the marina.

He smothered my mouth with his, blunt teeth nipping gently at my lip.
“
There is no such thing as half a demon. Inside
…”
He splayed a hand across my chest.
“
You are whole.
”

His hand roamed higher, fingers easing behind my neck.
“
You
’
re entirely human and demon, and they despise you for it.
”
His grip tightened around my neck while the demon inside me rode higher, fighting to be free. I tried to rein her back in, but Akil
’
s hardened grip distracted me. I couldn
’
t breathe. I dug my fingers in behind his, trying to pry his hand free as my demon burst out of my flesh, enveloping me.

Akil took a few steps back to admire his handiwork. I stood bathed in my demon form and tried to consider my actions, tried to think clearly about what I was doing, but the chaos spiraled out of control. I couldn
’
t reason with chaos. It wanted the madness, the hunger, the glory of destruction. He could see me battling for control but wasn
’
t preventing me from manifesting. If anything, he was enjoying his personal freak show and my outright failure.

“
What are you doing?
”
I panted. My wing sprouted from my back, tugging at my flesh as it unfurled. My right side slumped. The weight of the one wing pushed me down, while the opposite stump protruded uselessly.

“
You
’
re beautiful.
”

I was dangerous, not beautiful. He was calling my element, luring all of it out of me but with nowhere for it to channel, I would fall victim to its wrath.