The Demon Within (44 page)

Memories of another time with Ruman on his knees tumbled through her scrambled brain, and her traitorous heart skipped a beat. But the difference in the man at her feet now was night and day.

Ruman tugged on the boot then paused when his fingers met the solid shape of metal. “Clever.” He removed the boot, letting his fingers drift along her ankle in a way that sent a shiver all the way up her legs. “It doesn’t appear to be broken.”

He probed the bone. Fiery pain spread from the contact, and she tightened her fingers on the mattress. Not wanting to lose the closeness between them, she asked what was on her mind instead of burying it like she normally would. “What’s bothering you?”

“Nothing.” The hesitation as he handed over her boot did little to convince her.

“No?” Caly slipped the leather over her injured ankle and hissed when the disk settled against her bruised flesh. “Are you upset about the medallion?”

He shrugged, his eyes watching her hands as she laced up her boot. “It’s a good hiding place, but we have more important matters to settle at the moment.”

“Such as?”

“You really don’t understand.” His sad look scared the bejesus out of her.

Pissed at being forced into a confrontation when she’d tucked away her own anger at him, she lashed back, ignoring the part of her mind that screamed at her to shut her mouth. “Is this about the demon?” She laughed bitterly. “I understand well enough. My instinct just saved our lives.”

“What if it had been Brie coming to warn you? What if it had been me? Would you be so cavalier?”

That shut her up.

“Get dressed. We need to warn the others.”

By the time she gathered her wits to say she’d reacted to being attacked, Ruman was gone. The door clicked behind him, the noise so final she had difficulty swallowing.

Why did she have the feeling she’d just lost something precious? Could he have been right? Her throat closed. If it had been someone else, she couldn’t have guaranteed instinct wouldn’t have taken over.

The tendency for violence hovered in her mind every waking moment. When around humans, she’d purposely scaled back, retreated to keep them safe from her darker emotions.

It was obvious now that she let herself get too close. Once this was over, she’d have to leave or risk endangering them like this again.

Retrieving her knife, she decided Ruman was partially right. She slept with him. She made love with him. She either trusted him or she didn’t.

Heat burned her cheeks. She’d allowed Oscar to brainwash her into believing all demons were evil. She needed to find Ruman and explain. To have him thinking badly of her had the darkness in her creeping closer to her soul.

She found him in the kitchen, drinking the hickory-flavored coffee he loved. To give herself time to organize her argument, she helped herself to a cup and sat across from him, desperately trying to think where to start.

“I can’t help the way I was trained.” Coward that she was, she hid behind her cup, unable to face him. The warmth of the brew soaked into her icy fingers but it brought her little comfort. The chill came from within.

“I’d like to think I wouldn’t have reacted the same way if anyone came into my room, but I can’t say if that’s true or if I just want to believe it so bad.”

She blew across the dark liquid, more to have something to do rather than to cool it. The surface rippled, and her image distorted. “I haven’t trusted anyone, especially not myself, since the first time I met Oscar.” A bitter laugh escaped. “I don’t blame him. Not anymore. He did what he thought best to protect me and the group.”

“Caly—”

She held up her hand, praying he would give her a chance to finish. She didn’t think she’d be brave enough to try again. “I trust you with my life and more important, the lives of my friends. I—”

“Stop.”

Tears pooled in her eyes, blurring the image in the coffee further. “But—”

Faster than she could form words, he stood and stretched across the table, dragged her over the surface and kissed her. The touch of his lips burned through her, breaking the fragile shell that kept her protected from the outside world.

His mouth plundered hers like he didn’t intend to ever stop, and she returned the favor. When he cupped her face then slid his fingers into her hair, she shivered, her whole body aching for more.

He pulled back to study each feature, memorizing every nuance. “I’m sorry. I let my fear blind me. It should’ve been me protecting you, and it pissed me off that I didn’t even know you were in danger until it was over. I trust everything about you, including the demon you hate so much.”

He stared down at her green eyes and fell more in love with this courageous woman who braved the nightmare of her past to be with him. He was an ass for letting his doubts gain control. She cared.

It was enough for now.

He tugged at her hand, urged her off the stool until he had her settled between his legs. “When this is over, whether I’m an angel or demon, we’ll work this out.”

When she ducked her head, his heart plummeted. Then he saw a shy smile and shimmer of hope in her beautiful eyes. “I’ll be waiting.”

Unable to resist another taste, he swooped down and gave her a quick kiss.

Glass shattered. Instinct took over and he hunched forward to shield Caly from flying shards. He shoved her down, pressing her flat against the floor under his body, grateful that Caly didn’t fight him. He peered cautiously over the center island but found no threat to conquer.

“What the devil is going on in here?” Still crouched over her, one arm wrapped around her waist, he hustled Caly toward the door. The need for retribution brought out the warrior instincts that demanded he defend what was his.

“Kelly said sporadic attacks have been going on for the last hour.” Remembering the first attack upstairs, Caly amended her statement. “With a dash of Kamikaze warfare.”

“What happened?” Kelly charged into the hall. Petite size six shoes blocked their way. “They better not have touched my kitchen.” Attitude covered every word and anger carried her past them and into the room. “Damn, do you see this mess?”

“Get down. They just tried to kill us.”

“With this?” Kelly hefted a large rock and tossed it out the hole in the window. “You better believe they’re going to pay for that.” Kelly spoke so fast she was almost unintelligible. The speech was interspersed with a smattering of languages that Caly didn’t think was in any way complimentary.

Kelly opened a cupboard and sighed. “At least they didn’t touch the chocolate.” Popping a piece of fudge in her mouth, she swept the room with furious energy, glass tinkling with each stroke.

Caly stood in a rush, barely containing her anger. “You told me the fighting had only just started.”

“I lied.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Her fingers ached to wring Kelly’s throat.

Without missing a beat, Kelly dumped the glass in the trash. “Same shit, different rooms. We’re fine. They’re only getting more adventurous now that the sun has set.”

“Tell that to the demon I demolished less than hour ago in my bedroom.”

“What?” The broom handle clattered to the floor. “Are you hurt?”

The house shook. A boom came from below. The lights in the house flickered. They looked at each other when everything plunged into darkness. “Get the night gear out and have everyone hunker down. Ruman and I will head to the basement and see if we can get the power online.”

“Caly—”

“We can see almost perfectly in the dark. We’re the logical ones to go.”

“I’ll go.”

“Brie?” Caly turned and faced her double. “No. Stay with the others. You’ll be of more help here.” She stared at the woman she’d spent half her life hating and loving like a sister. “Be careful.”

“You, too.”

Brie led Kelly away, and Ruman slipped his hand into hers.

“Come.” Ruman tugged her hand. “We need to secure the house before he arrives.”

“You think it’s him out there?”

He looked at her over his shoulder. “Don’t you?”

“Why attack us on our own ground? Wouldn’t he try to lure us out of the house instead of keeping the battle on our territory?”

As if in answer, an astringent smell snaked through the closed basement door. She jerked Ruman to a halt. “Don’t open the door.”

Caly reached out and laid a hand against the wood, then quickly yanked it back. “Fire.”

Ruman blanched.

She hurried to the middle of the house and bellowed, “Fire. Everyone downstairs.” Footsteps thundered on the wooden floor. In a matter of seconds, the troops stood waiting.

“We have two choices. We can stay and battle the fire. No demon would willingly be in the same location as an active flame. Or we can run and step right into the trap.”

“The unexpected might cause them to make a mistake.” David rubbed his jaw but said nothing more.

“I vote we save the house. At least inside we stand a chance.” More than half of the group nodded at Kelly’s suggestion.

“Grab the garden hose and hook it up to the faucet. There are two fire extinguishers in the kitchen. Take two teams and worked to douse the fire.” Ten men scrambled to do as she ordered.

“Kelly and David, take three men and head toward the back of the house.” Caly hefted a leather pouch that rested near the study door that contained the bombs. “Take these. When you are ready to use them, bend the plastic tube to snap the vials. Make sure you have it out of your hands in less than a minute or the plastic inside could become imbedded in your palms.”

They nodded and took the package gingerly. “Holler if you run into trouble.”

“You four,” Caly pointed at the men by the stairwell. “Same rules. I want you upstairs, two in the back, two in the front.” She nodded to them. “Keep up your guard.”

In minutes only she, Ruman, Brie and Jarred remained. “What did you do with Henry?”

“I’m here.” Henry stood in the hallway, smiling grimly, clinging to the wall to stay upright. “You didn’t think I would let you have all the glory, did you?”

Caly smiled. “Of course not.”

“Although I wouldn’t mind having one of those bomb things if you have any of them handy.”

Jarred stepped forward, Brie at his side. “You and Ruman worry about getting that bastard. The three of us will take the kitchen.”

As they hurried away, Ruman turned toward Caly and sighed. “From the look of mischief in your eyes, you have a plan. I’m not going to like it, am I?”

Caly laughed. It felt good to have him stand by her without question. Bending, she fished out the medallion. Between her fingers, the gold metal twirled and shimmered in the darkness. “It’s time to bait a trap of our own.”

Chapter Thirty-three

“I
’m not so sure this was such a good idea.” Now that it was time, the plan didn’t sound so brilliant. Doubts crowded in on her from all sides, the knowledge that one mistake could cost her everything was a slow, torturous death.

“We need to know the numbers waiting for us.” Ruman seemed so confident; she just hoped he didn’t do anything stupid and try to act all heroic by confronting the Fallen by himself.