The Demon Within (30 page)

A tremor shook her fingers, and Caly sheathed the dagger before she dropped it. She had no intention of using it on her double, and they both knew it. She’d wanted this meeting; she needed to use her time wisely. “Tell me.”

“If they find out you survived the claiming, the demon council will stop at nothing to take you alive. That you already have the weapon only sweetens the deal.” She puffed almost continuously on her cigarette; her gaze darted about as she searched the ebony night.

Caly could almost swear the demon was trying to protect her. “I can take care of myself.”

“Does that include your angel?” A smirk came and went, but there was no threat behind the comment.

The mention of Ruman was like a kick in the gut. The demons knew about him, and they were going after her anyway. Either Ruman wasn’t as big a threat as she thought, or they wanted her that badly despite him.

“The demons hunt you because they know you withstood a demon possession. That we both survived. It doubles your value.” She dropped her cigarette and ground the butt under the toe of her shoe.

Parthina’s words came back to haunt her.
Don’t let them take you alive.
A shiver worked up her spine. “What do you mean, ‘that we both survived’?” Caly assumed it was a given that demons survived.

“As children, we’re kept within a certain distance of our double until we grow into our power. Ever wonder why so many kids have invisible friends? Anyway, the older we grow, the greater the temptation to merge.

“Most possessions can’t be separated once they join. Eventually one person gains dominance, and the slow slide into insanity begins.”

Caly remembered all too well, fighting thoughts and emotions not her own. What drove all the blood out of her head was the thought of being stuck in her body with someone else at the helm. Her talent, her knowledge, used to destroy humans. “They plan for us to merge and use us as a weapon.”

A harsh laugh escaped. “If the one in charge remained sane long enough. Before, our minds were young enough to withstand the onslaught. Our neuropathways weren’t fully formed. Though we survived the separation, there are some days I wonder if it might have been better if we hadn’t.”

Caly often asked herself that very question. “Aren’t you worried you’ll be punished for talking with me?”

“What’re they going to do? Banish me? Most of them pretend I don’t exist anyway. Kill me?” She shrugged. “As your double, I’m too valuable. I can locate you at any time.” She smiled devilishly. “If I wanted.”

“Come with me.” The invitation was impulsive, but it felt right.

It must have surprised her double as well, for when she went to light another cigarette, she almost dropped her lighter. “What?”

“You’re in as much danger as I am. I have an apartment above an old barn. It’s nothing fancy. We know the danger we pose to each other. We’re stronger and smarter than when we were children. We can make it work.” Caly laughed self-consciously. She wasn’t a people person and it felt odd to reach out to someone. Her double was in danger, and she could do nothing to protect her if they remained apart. “I can pass you off as my sister.”

The silence lengthened between them. “I don’t—”

Before she could finish, two vehicles rounded the corner. Tires squealed and headlights raced toward them. The screech of brakes filled the night, and her crew piled out, weapons drawn. The sharp smell of exhaust filled her nose.

“Caly, behind you.”

Light laughter danced on the air, and Caly winced at her djinn’s amusement. “Jarred, I’d like you to meet my djinn.”

“Hello, handsome.” She gave a side look to Caly. “My name is Cambrie. You may call me Brie.”

The way she walked, the come-hither voice, her smile, all portrayed the perfect picture of seduction. Jarred’s weapon lowered a fraction, wavered before it trained on her once more.

“She’s a friend, Jarred, put away your weapon.” Caly stepped into the shine of the vehicles’ headlights. The rest of the group remained by the vehicles and watched as the scene unfolded, their heads bouncing between her and Brie like at a ping-pong match.

Ruman lingered behind the others, anger radiating from him even at the distance. He gazed at her, his arms crossed for a full, disapproving minute as if contemplating what he planned on doing to her when he got his hands on her. Caly shivered, her mind slipped into the gutter at the thought of touching him, unable to take her eyes from his as memories exploded through her.

“She’s a demon.” Jarred’s words snapped her out of her lust-fueled daze. The usual mask of disinterest he wore was ripped away, leaving him raw and painfully exposed.

His reaction was so unlike his normal, placid self that Caly was baffled. “She is not a threat to us and will not be harmed.”

Brie laughed, a sexy sound that could reach down into a man’s gut and turned it to mush. She ran a finger down the front of Jarred’s chest, playing with the buttons of his shirt.

A shiver shook him, and his eyes remained fastened on her double. Caly couldn’t tell if it was revulsion or distrust, but sparks practically swirled in the air between them. She knew his past, knew demons had destroyed his life, but wondered if it wouldn’t take a demon to put it back together.

From under her lashes, Brie smiled up at Jarred. “Caly—” she cast her a glance out of the corner of her eye, looking for confirmation. Satisfied at what she saw, Brie turned her gaze onto her prey, “—has generously offered me a place to stay.”

“The hell you say.” Jarred jumped back as if being a demon were contagious. Giving her wide berth, he circled Brie and stalked toward Caly on stiff legs. “You can’t be thinking of letting her into the house. She’s a demon. She’ll murder us or worse,” he turned to look at Brie over his shoulder, “turn us over to her friends for sport.”

Caly opened her mouth to defend Brie but shut it when Brie stormed toward them, a narrowed, dangerous look on her face that didn’t bode well for Jarred.

“Listen here, buddy.” She poked him in the chest. “I don’t know what your problem is, but not all demons are alike. It’s attitudes like yours that get people killed.”

“It wasn’t my attitude that destroyed my life. It was demons.”

“So you blame all demons for the crime of one.” She jabbed him again, fire dancing in her eyes. “Then I’d best kill every human I see as your kind has killed more than a fair share of my family.”

A sneer crossed Jarred’s face. “Can demons have family? I’m amazed. I thought they were hatched.”

“Jerk.”

“Demon.”

“Oh, that’s original. I—”

“Enough.” Caly shouted to be heard over their bickering. She stared at the two of them in disbelief, repressing her amusement at their antics. “What the hell has gotten into the both of you?”

They glared at each other, neither backing down. She wondered if either would survive the night. “Brie, Jarred is a friend of mine. I expect you to treat him as one.”

Jarred smiled and dropped his hands to his sides. “I knew you’d come to your senses.”

Caly turned slowly. “I’d never do anything to endanger the crew. I thought you knew me better than that.” She placed her hands on her hips. “Since the two of you get along so well, I expect Jarred to be the one to help fix the space above the barn into an apartment. No bloodshed.”

Caly shook her head and strode toward the underside of the bridge. Too much time had passed. The place was abandoned. She sensed nothing in the darkness anymore, no leads or clues.

Caly bet that Henry knew nothing about his girlfriend’s connections or that she had sent reinforcements to follow him. Henry must have spotted the demons and attacked. He would never voluntarily work with a demon.

He was also a damned good fighter. Took out a few, too, if the scuffle was any indication. Since she found no body or large amount of blood, she’d guess he managed to escape. As she paced, her boot connected with an object, sending it spinning off into the street with a clatter. Caly retrieved the item.

Henry’s phone.

It was destroyed almost beyond recognition. The only thing intact was a metal back plate with his name embossed in reverse. The metal was added as a precaution, a kind of last resort weapon. Pressed against a demon’s skin, the flesh would burn and leave the attacker branded with Henry’s name.

A burned scent hovered, faint but very distinct on the phone, and she flinched away from the overly sweet stench of dead demon. Henry had taken out at least one in his fight.

She placed the pieces of his phone in her pocket and faced the rest of the crew. “We’re wasting darkness. Let’s get back to the house. We have to assume they followed Henry to the farmhouse. They’ll either come for a fight or try to lure us out. Either way, Henry has outlived his usefulness. I doubt they plan on keeping him alive much longer.”

Chapter Twenty-two

I
n the hour since they’d returned, Caly occupied herself by cleaning her weapons while she waited for a demon attack or the sun to rise, whichever came first. The monotonous work allowed her mind time to think. She went over and over her problems, relentlessly trying to work out an acceptable solution for both the Fallen and Ruman.

Ruman’s defense of her in front of everyone shocked her. He just plain confused the hell out of her. Anyone who said women were difficult to understand didn’t know men. They could hardly spend time in the same room without coming to blows. Or kissing each other. One touch and her knees weakened. He was an Achilles’ heel she couldn’t afford.

Arguing erupted from outside.

Again.

Curiosity finally got the better of her. She set aside the whetstone and knife, then stood. The window in the kitchen gave her a clear view of the yard. Although dark, the barn’s spotlight illuminated the area.

Two figures stood inches apart, arms waving, shouting at one another. Apparently, neither needed air to breathe.

Though fed up with the bickering, Caly couldn’t help be amused. She slipped out the front door and quickened her pace when Jarred bumped into Brie. They might not have weapons, but those two were ready to take each other out.

“Caly, tell this human he’s being unreasonable.” Brie glared at her and crossed her arms.

Jarred clenched his fists, his body vibrating with rage. He leaned closer to Brie as if he thought he could intimidate her into seeing things his way. “If you’d stop being so difficult, we could’ve been done by now.”

Mouth open in shock, Brie spun to face him. “Me?” She waved her arm in the barn’s direction. “You’re the one—”

“Enough.” Caly cleared her throat and tried to remain stern. “Jarred. Get the bed inside.”

Jarred dropped his arm and swung around. “But she—”

Caly held up a hand, allowing her annoyance to creep into her eyes. She turned away from him. “Brie, take a time out.”

Jarred spun with a huff, his shoulders so stiff that when he walked away, she wondered how his shirt didn’t split.

“I don’t know how you can stand being around humans. They’re so…difficult.” Brie groped her pockets for a pack of cigarettes then froze. “Ah, no offense. I obviously didn’t mean you.”

“None taken.” Caly smiled, amused that Brie was so flustered she forgot herself, becoming the girl Caly once knew.