Love Hurts (28 page)

“
How long do you think this will take before we can leave?” Dylan asked once she figured out Frankie wasn’t giving in so easily.

Frankie leaned against the counter. That was a good question. It all depended on his brother. And judging by the sounds coming from the other room it was going to take a
long
time. Sam was getting what he wanted—Delaney. It was going to be very tricky for him to string along Elcina now. But he wasn’t going to tell Dylan this. He had better things in store for her.

Anyone willing to throw him to the wolves deserved to go through a little hell before they were forgiven—if he ever did forgive them.

“
What are you staring at?” Dylan asked, a bit uneasy by the sick smirk plastered on Frankie’s face as he looked at her lost in thought.

“
Oh nothing,” He smiled.

***

Amarus enjoyed the night. The dark shadows, the pale moon and its translucent cloud, the sounds of all the night creatures, the bugs. The simple eccentricity of the entire environment, to some, they all might seem a bit disturbing, but to him it was like he was at home.

“
Sir,” Arnold, one of his servants more or less, entered the room. “They have arrived.” Arnold ran a hand down the front of his jacket, his eyes darting quickly away from Amarus. He knew the power he held and he was deathly afraid of him. He was human and simply brainwashed to stick around.

Amarus looked past Arnold to the redhead and the dark haired Spanish girl. They would do.

“
No blondes, Arnold?” he asked, coming closer to the two of them. He waved them past the threshold into the room. “You know how fond of blondes I am.”

The redhead respectfully took a seat. But the Spanish girl was nervous and scared. Amarus could smell the fear on her. He liked them feisty. He loved a good fight before he ended them. He wasn’t able to go out on his own and search out fresh woman to feed on. So he had to count on his minions to do his dirty work.

“
I thought you said this guy was a photographer?” The Spanish one asked Arnold. Arnold lifted a tray from the table carrying it over. He offered her the glass of water. She hostilely waved a hand at him, “No, thanks.”

Amarus studied her closely, his eyes perusing the entire length of her body, ending at her knee high black leather boots. “Those are nice boots. I’ve always liked a woman who knows how to dress.” She met his gaze, drawn to him like a magnet. Arnold smiled. Relieved he didn’t have to see another bloody struggle arise. At least tonight his boss was willing to take what he wanted much simpler. He hated to try and remove blood from the tapestry.

Amarus took her awaiting hand. “You’re beautiful. Tell me your name.”

“
Esmeralda,” she said in awe, in her eyes Amarus was the most amazing man she had ever seen. She saw nothing but what he wanted her to see. Amarus touched her face, his eyes lighting up at the smooth flawless skin of this girl before him.

“
And what is your friend’s name?” He kissed her cheek, his eyes drifting to the red head with the more than enough bosom.

“
That’s Maggie.” Esmeralda told him. She eagerly waited for his next move.

Amarus lifted the water offering it to Esmerelda. “Sit. Drink and get comfortable. I will be back soon for you.” He followed Arnold from the room. Arnold tugged the large doors shut, closing the girls off so they couldn’t try and escape. He didn’t have his running shoes on tonight and he didn’t want to go back out and find two more for the boss. It was hard enough being human and trying to lure young girls back to Amarus’ place. He wasn’t that great looking a guy. Most nights he made up lies about being a modeling scout and picked the flashiest girl to persuade to come home with him. It wasn’t hard. Most girls in bars were hoping to be discovered. And lots of them were willing to allow Amarus to put his hands all over them in hopes of fame and fortune.

“
My sons, have we any new information?” Amarus asked, studying himself in his mirror. He patted down his black hair, plucking a gray strand. One that if not for the blasted curse would never have shown its face. He was forever thirty five. But curses did wonders on dna. And even botox wouldn’t stop a man with a curse placed on him by a deadly demon from aging. Elcina was the answer.

Arnold cleared his throat. “Well sir. The guys confirmed Sam and Frankie met up with Elcina. It seemed she didn’t know who he was. I think they are on track.”

Amarus nodded content with Arnold’s findings. “Send them upstairs. And keep the old lady downstairs until I am done. Have her bake some of those wretched cookies or something.” He slowly climbed the staircase.

Arnold watched him. He smirked. Amarus’ old lady was totally ignorant to his night visitors. He kept her around to do his chores: laundry, cooking and sex when he couldn’t find anyone better. The woman was living on borrowed time. Her body ravaged from Amarus draining the life out of her. Sometimes Arnold couldn’t help but chuckle when the once beautiful woman hobbled past him in an apron. And that one cloudy eye that seemed too wander off when she was looking at you. It made him shudder every time.

Left field

Frankie pushed open Sam’s bedroom door with his toe. Half shielding his eyes from any ungodly sights he was about to lay eyes on—his naked brother being the worst of those. Delaney sat up as soon as he entered the room. She fixed her hair and tugged her camisole in place.

“
Where is he?” Frankie asked, taking a bite of the bowl of fruit loops he was holding. “After what I heard I can’t see him just taking off.”

Delaney’s cheeks burned. Frankie wasn’t afraid to speak the truth. “He never came out of the bathroom. I know he is okay I tapped on the door a couple times. But he won’t come out.” She watched Frankie. He handed over his bowl of cereal. He lifted a file from the dresser. She watched him carefully unlock the door, but didn’t get up. She was afraid to look at him.

Frankie stepped into the bathroom, surveying the broken glass and torn shower curtain. “This place looks like a wolf got a hold of things.” Frankie lifted a foot shaking away the glass. Sam sat up. He looked like hell.

“
Is she okay?” he asked, pulling himself up and staring at his image in the mirror. He turned the faucet knobs catching the water in his hands.

“
She looked quite well, satisfied even.” Frankie watched his brother hurriedly splash water on his face. “You did well.”

“
I can’t get it out of my mind. I can’t stop thinking about it and her.” Sam shook the water from his face and dried his hands on a towel. He stared around the bathroom at the big mess he made.

“
Does this ever go away?” Sam asked, as if he expected an honest answer from Frankie.

“
I
always
want to hurt something or someone. But that could be because people piss me off all the time. I think you’re ok, bro.” Frankie crossed his arms, “On to bigger and better things today?”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Elcina. That was the least of my worries last night. Fighting the urge to unlock this door and do god knows what to Delaney was my biggest issue last night.” Sam sighed.

“
Strangling the life out of her, that’s god knows what.” Frankie smirked, leaving the room.

Sam pulled it together. He headed from the bathroom, undoing the robe as soon as Frankie shut the door. He didn’t look at Delaney. He hurried to get dressed before he knew what to say to her.

She watched him pull on some jeans. “Good morning.” Sam took a seat in the chair from last night. “You hungry?”

Delaney smiled. “Not really.”

“
I’m sorry I left you out here all night.” He watched her smile fade. She stood up, coming over to him. “I’m sorry for a lot.”

Delaney worked her way into Sam’s lap. She rested her head against his chest, listening to his racing heartbeat. He ran his fingers along her arm, glad to be holding her.

“
For now on let’s agree you stop apologizing to me.” She kissed his cheek, running her fingers along his chin. “I believe you’re sorry.”

“
How could you ever want anything to do with me again?” He kissed the side of her face, smoothing her hair, waiting to hear her silly answer.

“
Because it doesn’t take much to fall for you over and over again or to realize that no matter what you do I will always love you no matter what.” She laced their fingers together looking at the perfect match their hands made. “Just promise me one thing.”

Sam stopped running his hand through her hair. “What’s that?”

“
Promise me you’ll always be truthful with me. You’ll always tell me everything, no matter how awful.” She looked into his eyes for the promise. Sam placed a kiss on her lips, pulling away, nodding his head.

“
I promise.” He stared into her eyes. “And since you’re looking for honesty, I hate to say this but I have to take off and get this
thing
out of the way for my father.”

“
What exactly does he want with this girl? And what do you think you’re going to do?” She ran a hand through his messy hair. Sam pecked her cheek, a serious expression forming on his face.

“
When a demon places a curse on someone they are bound by that curse. Completely powerless until the demon agrees to remove the curse or they find a way to break it. My father believes getting his hands on Abaddon’s daughter Elcina will help him remove the curse.”

Sam watched as Delaney mowed over his explanation.

“
I feel sorry for her,” she said finally, “Sorry that her father has her tangled in a mess that has nothing to do with her. Just like you.”

Sam shrugged. “My father is not one to be confined and restricted ever. As long as he is free to do what he wants he will leave me alone. The sooner I get this done and over with the better off I am.”

“
What about Elcina?”

“
Elcina is not some naive girl. She’s far from any normal girl, Delaney. I can’t say that I know what he wants with her.”

“
Maybe a bargaining tool?” Delaney asked. She hoped so. The thought of the beautiful girl in the picture being used as an end to all means made her heart hurt.

“
Maybe, it’s hard to say. I really need to head out. So, promise me you will stay here and stay out of trouble?” He kissed her forehead before standing up to get ready to locate Elcina.

“
No place I would rather be.” She sat down on the bed watching Sam throw a shirt on. “Sam, do you ever think if things go wrong that you will be used just like Elcina? Does it ever scare you to think someone could be out there after you because of something your dad did?”

Sam gritted his teeth, sitting down to put his shoes on. “I was too busy fearing my dad to ever imagine someone out there worse than he was. But anything is possible. Doing his dirty work opens up a side of life I tried very hard to stay away from. But I always take care of me…and you now.” He placed one last kiss on her lips before heading out.

Sam tapped the guest bedroom door, “Leaving right now, Frankie.” He hated to take his brother to anything important. But it was part of the rules. And if they wanted to break free from their father they would do what they needed to do so. Neither of them wanted to put up with Amarus more time than necessary.