Sins of the Demon

Chapter 17

The first thing I did after everyone left was to go to where Jill and Votevha were waiting. The demon sat with his legs pulled to his chest, face pale. Jill shot me a worried look. “I don’t think he feels good.”

“He’s been here for several hours,” I said as I crouched in front of Votevha. “Forgive me for the delay, honored one. I am deeply grateful for your service. Are you ready to go back?”

Votevha nodded, then bared his teeth in a razor-tipped smile. “Fun.”

I grinned. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Standing, I gave Jill a nod. She scrambled back while I began the dismissal chant, but then I stopped and scowled. Hard to pull potency when you’re blocked from the arcane. “I’m sorry, Votevha. We need to get onto the back porch so that I can be inside the wards.”

The demon nodded and trotted to the porch. I joined him there, pulled the cuff off. I had absolutely no doubt that Eilahn had restored the wards the instant the interlopers had left. Once again I began the dismissal chant, exhaling in pleasure as the power came into my control. Pulling potency, I focused on the bindings that held the demon in this world, shaping the portal that would pull him back to his own. A wind rose, bringing with it the stench of sulfur as a light-filled slit widened behind Votevha. A few seconds later a ripping crack split the quiet of my backyard, and the demon was gone.

I sank to sit on the back steps until the spots could fade from my vision. Dismissals were like sprinting while holding your breath. A rustle from the woods grabbed my attention, but before I could even think to find a weapon Zack emerged from the woods, carrying a large cardboard box. Grinning, he came up to the steps and set it down in front of me.

“We figured you didn’t want anyone seeing this stuff,” he explained.

Puzzled, I looked down into the box then laughed at the sight of the knife and candles and various implements I used for my summonings, as well as half a dozen books with titles that would likely raise eyebrows.

“I have the best friends in the world,” I announced as Ryan and Eilahn came out to join us.

“Anytime, babe,” Jill said. “At least that’s over.”

“For now,” I replied. I went inside and did a quick prowl through my house and basement to be absolutely certain nothing had been unduly disturbed. Other than the clothing in my drawers being a bit mussed, everything seemed to be all right. I headed to the living room where the others had gathered, and flopped onto the couch. Eilahn was looking out the window with a troubled look on her face.

“Is something wrong, Eilahn?”

She glanced my way. “I am troubled that it was necessary to destroy your storage diagram.”

I grimaced and ran both hands through my hair. “Yeah, well at least I was able to use it to get Votevha here to check Roman.” Then I made a disparaging noise. “Not that it mattered.” I heaved a sigh. “And at least I kept Mayor Asshole out of here. But now he’s my number one suspect for being the mystery summoner, and it would have been damn nice to be able to get a demon to verify that for me.”

“He did seem most eager to enter.” Her mouth pursed in a frown. “But I thought perhaps it had more to do with this.” She extended her hand to show me a baggie of white powder. “Am I correct in assuming it is contraband of some sort?”

“Yowza,” Jill said, eyes going wide.

I took a careful breath. “Where did you get that?”

Eilahn tilted her head. “It was in his right coat pocket.” A whisper of satisfied amusement lit her eyes. “I noticed that he kept his hand very near that pocket, and would often dip his hand into it as if to make certain that something was there. I was curious to see what he was so concerned about.”

I took the baggie from her and peered at the contents. “Well, I have a good feeling it is contraband, but unlike on TV, one does not taste the drug to find out what it is. I don’t happen to have a field test on me, but it doesn’t matter. I’m quite sure this is either cocaine or heroin, and it’s about to get flushed.” Renewed anger suffused me. “He was going to plant it. What a cocksucker!” I shot her a grateful look. “Nice job picking his pocket.”

“I replaced it with a similar substance,” she said. “I have hopes he will not notice the exchange.”

“You seriously rock,” I said fervently. “What’d you use?”

“Powdered sugar.” Vicious amusement lit her eyes. “Though I admit I was tempted to replace it with the ant killer in your shed.”

I laughed. “And that, boys and girls, is why you never taste the drugs!”

The cat stalked in and rubbed against Eilahn, then walked across Jill’s lap and onto Zack’s lap to thrust her head into his face. He gave a surprised laugh, then obediently scratched Fuzzykins behind her ears.

Jill smiled and reached over to give her a pet. “What a sweetie kitty!” Bemused, I watched as Fuzzykins bumped her head briefly against Jill’s hand in cursory appreciation of the adoration, then returned to her passion fit on Zack’s lap.

“That’s a bizarre cat,” Ryan muttered.

“Yeah, she hates me and Ryan, but she seems to go nuts for, um,” I stopped myself and quickly fumbled for something to say besides demons. “Um, Zack and Eilahn. Do y’all use the same kind of soap or something?” I forced out a laugh while Zack gave me a Seriously? look.

“Maybe she’s mellowed,” Ryan said. He leaned forward and reached a hand out, then quickly pulled it back as the cat turned on him with a snarl and hiss. “Or not.”

We lapsed into silence, broken only by the cat’s insane purring. My thoughts continued to rampage madly. Too much I needed to be doing. I needed to rebuild my storage diagram and start channeling power back into it. I needed to figure out who the fuck was killing these people and why, so that I could get my job back.

“Perhaps I could make waffles,” Eilahn said. “Is it too late in the day for waffles?”

“It’s never too late for waffles,” I told her, relieved at any excuse for a distraction. She smiled in satisfaction and headed to the kitchen.

“Your computer and the map are out in my car,” Ryan told me. “I’ll go and get them now.”

Zack gently removed Fuzzykins from his lap. “I’ll help,” he said.

The two men left. I looked over at Jill. She had a smile on her face, but it seemed strained and I could see lines of worry around her eyes. I gave myself a mental kick. I’d been so preoccupied with my own crap that I hadn’t even paid attention to how she was doing.

“How are things with Zack?” I watched her face as I asked. I didn’t like it, but I had a horrible sneaking hope the two of them would break up. Not because I wished ether of them ill, but more because I really didn’t like that Zack wasn’t being honest with her. Or was he? Had he finally come clean to her?

“Well,” she said, spreading her hands. “Things are great.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I sense a ‘but’ coming.”

She shrugged and smiled, but it was unsteady. “I like him. Hell, I’m crazy about him. He treats me like a goddamn queen, we have a lot of fun together, the sex is great, we seem to be really compatible…”

“But?” I prompted, biting back the urge to say “But he’s a demon.” Let her say it, I thought, relieved. Zack had finally told her. At least that was one stress off me.

She took a deep breath. “But things are suddenly moving really…fast.”

I waited.

“I’m pregnant.”

I had no doubt that the expression on my face was a combination of shock, horror, disbelief, and nothing else that could make her think I was possibly happy for her. I fought to put a smile on my face, but it wasn’t happening.

“It’s Zack’s?” I asked, somehow keeping my voice in a mostly normal register.

A scowl flashed across her face. “No, it’s Pellini’s! We’ve been doing the nasty in the back of the van after every crime scene. Of course it’s Zack’s.”

“Sorry,” I muttered. “Um, are you okay with this?” Don’t you know he’s a demon? I wanted to shriek. “And does he know?”

She was silent for several seconds. “Yeah, he knows, and yeah…I think I’m okay with this. It was a shock, to be sure. I use protection, but nothing’s foolproof, I guess. But if I have to get knocked up by accident, at least it’s with a guy who’s pretty damn awesome.”

I reached out and squeezed her hand, since it seemed like the right thing to do. “That’s great, then.” And because I couldn’t hold the question in any longer, I blurted, “How much do you know about Zack?”

She opened her mouth, then closed it and gave me a penetrating frown. “Why? You have that look on your face.”

“What look on my face?”

“The one that you get when you’re—” She broke off as the door opened and the two men entered, laden with my stuff. We both leaped up to help them, and the next several minutes were occupied with getting my computer hooked back up, and the map on which I’d marked the portal locations up in the hallway by the kitchen.

By that time Eilahn announced that waffles were coming off the iron, and so we trooped into the kitchen. Ryan gave me an odd look as I sat in the chair that faced the back door.

“I thought you hated that chair,” he said as he took a seat.

I blinked, frowning. “Yeah. I do.” So why did it feel right to be facing this way?

Then Eilahn plopped a waffle onto my plate, and I forgot all about where I was sitting. Ryan even got up to help Eilahn with the cooking, giving her a chance to sit and eat as well.

I caught Zack’s eye. “I hear congratulations are in order,”

His smile faded. I had no idea if he had any ability to read thoughts, but I had no doubt that mine were pretty clear on my face. I made a quick flick of my eyes toward where Ryan stood at the counter with the clear message, If he wasn’t right here I’d spill the beans because I’m not going to let you fuck with my friend, and holy fuck how can a demon get a human woman pregnant anyway?

Okay, maybe that was a lot to read in my face, but he seemed to manage it. He gave me the slightest of nods, acknowledging. But now I couldn’t help but wonder—why was I so shocked that Zack had knocked up Jill when only a little while ago I’d been worried that Rhyzkahl had done the same to me? But the demonic lords aren’t demons, I reminded myself. Yeah, great, so what are they?

Ryan turned. “Who are we congratulating for what?” he asked, gaze flicking from me to Zack and Jill.

Zack spoke up first. “Jill’s pregnant.”

Ryan inhaled sharply and gave a cautious smile. “Surfer boy’s going to settle down now?”

“Looks that way,” he said. Zack gave Jill’s hand a squeeze along with a look of such fondness that I almost felt guilty for being so angry at him. Almost. I was still plenty pissed. I wasn’t an expert on relationships by any stretch, but it didn’t seem like starting off with a big whopping lie—like the fact that he wasn’t human—was a good way to go about it.

“He’s stuck with me now,” Jill said after giving him a return squeeze and an equally fond look.

Ryan finished up at the counter and slid into his seat. He lifted his chin toward the map hanging in the hallway. “I get that the red marks are where bodies were found. But what are the blue marks?”

“Well…” How to explain this? Crap. Nothing to do but just say it. “Not long ago Rhyzkahl went onto my computer,” I told him. “Did some sort of internet search on a bunch of locations in this area.” I waved a hand at the map. “That’s the blue marks.”

Ryan’s brows drew together. “Well what are they?”

I shrugged. “No clue.”

His frown deepened. “You didn’t ask him what he was doing?”

I poked my fork into a waffle. “I wasn’t there when he was doing it.” I jammed a piece of waffle into my mouth. “I fas sweep.”

Jill’s eyes were dancing in amusement, but Ryan’s narrowed even farther. “You were what? Asleep?”

Jill piped up to save me. “Maybe they’re places where people are going to die. Have you checked out those sites?”

“Only a couple of them are nearby,” I said, giving her a grateful look. “There are a few more that aren’t even on this map. But no, I haven’t gone and checked them out yet.” I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. “I’ve been a bit preoccupied.”

Ryan’s scowl hadn’t abated. “Hang on, did he go up and use your computer without you knowing about it?”

I set my fork down. “Ryan, let it go. I’ve already dealt with it.”

“Dealt with it?” Ryan said, anger in his voice palpable. “He’s sneaking around, and you’re acting like it’s nothing!”

“Would you stop treating me like a goddamn child?” I exploded. “I don’t need you looking out for me! Yes, I confronted him. We’ve established boundaries. I fucking dealt with it. Like the grownup that I am! Could you please get off the ‘I hate Rhyzkahl’ horse for just a few minutes and try and work with me?”

Hurt and pain seared across his face, and I immediately regretted my outburst. “Shit. Ryan, I’m sorry. I just can’t take any more sniping right now. It doesn’t help anything.”

“I understand,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry.” A horrible silence fell, and after about a dozen heartbeats Ryan pushed back his chair. “Excuse me. I need some air.”

My chest constricted as I watched him exit out the back door. Zack began to stand to go after him, but Eilahn put a hand on his shoulder. “I will see to him,” she said. “You three need a moment anyway.” The two demons exchanged a long look, then Zack gave a soft sigh, nodded, and sat back down. To my surprise Zack looked at me expectantly as Eilahn left and quietly closed the back door behind her.

I frowned. “What?”

He took Jill’s hand in his, gave her a fond look, then returned his attention to me. “I am in need of your assistance.”

“Sure thing,” I said. “What do you need?”

He took a deep breath. “You are wroth with me for failing to disclose information that you feel your friend and my lovemate deserves to know.”

I narrowed my eyes a touch, gave a cautious nod. I didn’t miss the fact that he was talking like a demon and not like Zack Garner. Jill merely looked baffled.

“Information?” Her eyes went from him to me and back again. “What are you talking about?”

Zack gave her hand a light squeeze but kept his eyes on me. “I do not deny her right and need for full disclosure. I dishonor her by failing to provide it. Yet I am bound by oaths that counter my ability to be fully truthful.”

The light bulb went off over my head. My anger at him evaporated. “Ohhhhhh. Wow. Gotcha.” He wanted to tell her and couldn’t. Apparently there were hierarchies of honor, where some oaths outweighed others. Poor guy. No wonder he looked so frazzled. “You, uh, want me to help explain things?”

Jill frowned. “You guys are weirding me out. What the hell is going on?”

I looked at her. “Zack has something that he wants and needs to tell you because you totally deserve to know it, especially now that you’re all pregnant and shit—”

“Even were that not the case,” Zack interrupted, expression painfully earnest, “I still dishonor her by—”

I waved him silent. “Yes, we know. You’re a good guy.” I gave Jill a reassuring smile. “He really is. But he’s not allowed to come right out and tell you this thing.”

“Kara,” Jill said. “I swear to god I’m about to throttle both of you. Just tell me.” Her mouth twisted in annoyance, but I could see a touch of fear in her eyes. Fucking hells, I hoped this wasn’t a dealbreaker for her.

“You can’t tell anyone,” I said. “Even Ryan.”

“Especially Ryan,” Zack added, face a mask of worry.

“Fine!” she said, bafflement and worry warring on her face.

“Zack’s a demon,” I announced.

I half expected her to yank her hand from his and storm out. But instead she pursed her lips, fell silent for a moment, then gave a short nod. She cocked her head and looked at Zack. “You’re like Eilahn?”

He shot me a pained look.

“He can’t confirm it directly,” I explained, more than a little surprised that she took it so well. Then again she’d also accepted pretty easily the presence of demons and my ability to summon them. And she and Votevha hit it off pretty damn easily, too. What’s up with that? But I didn’t have time to wonder about that right now. “Apparently he’s under some pretty serious oaths,” I said. “But as far as I’ve been able to determine, yes, he’s a syraza, and he’s protecting Ryan.”

She frowned and looked down at their intertwined hands. I watched as she absently ran her thumb over his. “Okay. So, hypothetically speaking, if a human woman and a demon were to have a kid together, what would the kid…be?”

Zack cleared his throat. “First off, I wish to state that if, hypothetically, I were a demon, I would never purposely get a child upon a human woman without her informed knowledge and consent.” The look he gave her was agonized and earnest. “And truly, if I were a demon, I would likely have had utter faith in contraceptive methods in place.” Then he winced. “Although, if I were a demon, I should have remembered that we are quite…virile.”

Jill’s lips twitched ever so slightly at that.

“But a child,” Zack hurried on, “would appear human in every way, though as the babe matured it might show an aptitude for handling arcane power.” He fell silent and looked at her miserably. “Jill, I care for you deeply, and I already love this babe beyond measure. But if you wish me to leave and cease to bother you, I will abide by your wishes. I do not wish to cause you to suffer.”

She let out a snort of laughter. “You ass,” she said and leaned in to kiss him. “Stop talking like that. You’re freaking me out. Don’t you fucking dare leave me.”

I excused myself as the two started shamelessly snogging, though I don’t think they noticed me leaving.

I headed out to the front porch, surprised to see Eilahn and Ryan sitting on the steps, the cat on the side of Eilahn away from Ryan, who glanced back and gave me an uncertain smile.

I gave him a reassuring one back, then crouched and tried to pet the cat. To my annoyance it hissed and swiped a claw at me, then ran off in a streak of calico fur.

I watched it go. “That cat is psychotic.”

“It hates me too,” Ryan offered, shrugging.

“Yeah, but…” I trailed off as a realization smacked into me. “She didn’t hate me when I was wearing the cuff.” I turned to Eilahn. “Can you go get her?” I asked.

Eilahn stood, nodded. “Interesting theory. You think she dislikes non-demons with arcane ability?”

“Exactly!” Maybe I didn’t need to worry about summoning another demon after all. Grinning, I dashed back inside and grabbed up the cuff. Jill and Zack gave me a curious look, but I simply winked at them and hurried back outside, just as Eilahn was returning to the porch with the cat snuggled in her arms. I snapped the cuff on and did my best to ignore the rush of queasiness that came with it.

Eilahn held the cat loosely as I reached out to pet her. Fuzzykins gave a mild mrowr and bumped against my hand. Grinning, I pulled the cuff off, nearly chortling in delight as the cat’s mood instantly shifted to hostile.

“Do all cats act this way around arcane practitioners?” Ryan asked, peering doubtfully at the cat. “Or is this one more than just a regular cat?”

Eilahn picked Fuzzykins up and nuzzled her. “She is simply a cat. Not a demon in disguise.” She shot Ryan an amused look. “Which is what you were thinking, yes?”

He chuckled, shrugged. “Do you blame me?”

“You know,” I said, thinking, “I had a cat when I was a little girl, but when I asked Tessa if we could have one she said she was allergic. And then after she introduced me to summoning she explained that cats didn’t like the smell of demons on us. I’d forgotten about that.”

Eilahn rubbed her nose against the cat’s. “She loves the smell of demons!”

I laughed. “Clearly so. I doubt Tessa ever conducted this sort of experiment. But either way, it’s nice to know we have a summoner-detector.”

“Time to pay a visit to the mayor?” Ryan asked.

“Damn straight,” I replied, then I glanced at my watch. “Well, first thing in the morning, that is. And with any luck he’ll also be violently allergic to cats.”