The Devil's Due

CHAPTER 23

Convincing Raphael to come with me to Adam’s wasn’t exactly difficult. Even over the phone, I heard what I could swear was repressed excitement. I knew he and my brother didn’t get along, and if he really was treating Andy better this time around, it meant he had to interact with him more than he’d like. Perhaps he was just excited at the thought that he might find a new, more enjoyable host. But I didn’t think that was it.

No matter how loyal Raphael might be to Lugh, I had to agree with Lugh’s assessment of him: he was a liar. He knew more about the Houston project than he’d admitted, and for some reason he was very, very eager to have Tommy host him.

What was it about Tommy that made demons everywhere fall over themselves in order to acquire his body? I suspected I wouldn’t know unless and until one of Lugh’s allies ended up in possession of Tommy’s body.

And therein lay the crux of my moral dilemma. Could I really stand to let anyone, even a fanatic like Tommy Brewster, be possessed against his will? Demonic possession had been my own worst nightmare, and though I had learned to live with it to some extent, I still longed for the days when I was alone in my body. And not only was I a hell of a lot more compatible with Lugh than Tommy would be with Raphael, but I also still had control of my body. It wouldn’t be the same for Tommy, and he would suffer. If I let this happen.

I hadn’t reached anything that resembled a conclusion by the time the cab pulled up in front of my brother’s apartment building. Raphael was waiting at the curb and quickly slipped in while the car behind us honked in indignation at the delay. Gotta love Philadelphia drivers. Always so polite and understanding.

I gave the cabbie Adam’s address, and we were off again.

“Does Adam know I’m coming?” Raphael asked.

I grimaced. “In this case I decided to adopt your philosophy of asking forgiveness rather than permission.”

He looked like he was about to say something, but then his gaze darted to the driver and his mouth thinned into a hard line. I, of course, was not at all unhappy to have our own personal censor available. I didn’t want to talk about what I was contemplating. I’d put off deciding what to do for as long as I could manage it. And maybe even longer.

We rode the rest of the way in silence. I wished Adam lived farther away, though I don’t suppose having more time would have made me any more prepared. I gave the driver a generous tip, which I couldn’t afford, and then stood on the pavement for a long moment, staring at Adam’s house, not wanting to go in yet.

Raphael had no such problems, and before I was ready, he’d hurried up the steps and rung the bell. My throat felt tight with panic, but I fought it off as best I could.

It was Dom who answered the door. I supposed Adam was keeping an eye on our prisoner. Dominic raised his eyebrows when he saw Raphael, but didn’t comment.

“Come on in. The party’s just getting started.” There was a hint of strain in his voice. He was too nice a guy to like Adam’s interrogation methods, but though he disliked them, he didn’t seem inclined to protest. Then again, maybe he already had.

“Adam’s not going to be happy to see you,” Dom said to Raphael as soon as the door closed.

Raphael shrugged. “Doesn’t much matter. I’m a member of your merry band now whether you want me or not.”

Something sparked in Dom’s eyes. He looked like a man about ready to take a swing at a rival. I guess that meant he was really having a hard time with Adam’s methods. He’d always been the calm one in the face of Adam’s or my temper before.

Raphael went on the ready, his shoulders drawing up and back, his posture stiffening. I rolled my eyes and laughed, hoping to defuse the tension.

“If one of you guys starts pounding his chest and yodeling, I’m outta here.”

Dominic laughed suddenly, and Raphael lost the aggressive body language. Just your average, everyday peacekeeper, that’s me.

“Are they. .?” I asked, tilting my head toward the ceiling over which the black room loomed.

The laughter faded quickly from Dom’s eyes. “Yeah. Do you, uh, need me up there?”

I stared at him a long moment. I pitied the misery that showed on his face. But not enough to let him off the hook. “You don’t get to hide your head in the sand and pretend nothing bad is happening,” I told him, though I kept my voice as gentle as I could manage. “I know you don’t want to see Adam showing his true colors. I don’t, either. But we’re both going to have to suck it up.”

A hint of fire flared in his eyes again. My, he sure was touchy tonight. I guess knowing your lover was going to torture someone could do that to you. But there was truth in my words, and even Dominic had to admit it. Or at least he couldn’t find a way to argue it.

Looking grim but determined, he headed toward the stairs without another word. Raphael and I followed.

Déjà vu plagued me as I climbed those stairs toward the black room. I remembered a frantic rush up the stairs, a desperate desire to stop Adam from hurting my best friend. I remembered Val’s screams, and I remembered the sound of her neck breaking. I hadn’t been able to stop Adam that time. And this time, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to. The realization did not sit well in my stomach.

Dominic took a deep breath, then opened the door.

Adam and company were waiting for us. Though I’m not sure Tommy knew he was waiting—he looked like he might be passed out still. Or again.

Adam caught sight of Raphael, then turned to glare at me. I tried to look innocent. I suppose the expression doesn’t sit well on my face, since Adam kept glaring.

Dominic stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, drawing Adam’s attention. I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“Why don’t you wait for us downstairs,” Adam said, and at that moment there might as well have been no one in the room except him and Dom.

To his credit, Dom refused the opportunity to shove responsibility for his presence on my shoulders, even though that was where it belonged. He kept his gaze locked with Adam’s, not even flicking the briefest glance in my direction.

“I’m not going to hide downstairs,” Dom said. “We’ve decided we’re going to be open with one another, haven’t we?”

Adam looked remarkably uncomfortable. I guess it was kind of tough for him to torture someone when his lover was looking on. Not that Dom didn’t already know how ruthless Adam was. He did, and loved Adam anyway. But knowing something and seeing it are two different things. I almost convinced myself to tell Adam why Dom had decided to stay and to let Dom escape, but not quite. It just didn’t sit well with me to condone Adam’s behavior but then not be willing to bear witness.

“Are you sure?” Adam asked.

Dom crossed his arms over his chest and shivered. But he nodded.

“Fine,” Adam said, a hint of sharpness in his voice. “Just keep out of the way.” Adam turned his attention away from Dom, and I followed his gaze.

Tommy lay on the floor, not moving. A heavy stun belt circled his waist.

“Since you’re here, you might as well make yourself useful,” Adam said to Raphael, shoving something at him. “I may need to use both hands.”

I saw that he’d handed Raphael the trigger device for the stun belt. Raphael nodded his agreement, and Adam went to squat in front of Tommy.

“Time to stop playing possum,” he said. “I know you’re awake in there.” Tommy didn’t move, and Adam let out a huff of exasperation. “If you’re going to start being difficult already, this is going to be a very long night. When I asked around about you at the club, everyone agreed you’re much more into giving pain than taking it. So I can either prove you’re awake by breaking a finger and listening to you scream, or you could just sit up.”

By this time, even I could see that Adam was right and that Tommy was awake. Although his eyes were still closed and his breathing steady, his muscles had visibly tensed. Finally, he swallowed hard and opened his eyes.

“Good boy,” Adam said with a sneer.

Tommy didn’t seem to like that much. He snarled, baring his teeth.

“Behave,” Raphael said, holding up the stun belt trigger.

Tommy suppressed the snarl and struggled up into a sitting position. “You’re all going to fry for this,” he said, setting his face into a petulant expression that was probably one of the human Tommy’s favorites. “I’m a legally registered demon, and you can’t—”

“You’re the one locked in my room with a stun belt around your waist.”

Tommy seemed about to retort, but then it must have occurred to him that if we were all so blatantly breaking the law it must mean we thought it didn’t matter.

“You’re going to exorcize me,” he said, sounding stunned. He looked at me, eyes wide. “You’re going to jail for the rest of your life for this!”

“No one here’s going to jail,” Adam said. “You’re going back to the Demon Realm, though.” Tommy started. “Yes,” Adam confirmed, “everyone here already knows exorcism doesn’t kill us.”

Tommy’s lip curled again. “If you know it’s not going to kill me, then you know I’ll be back someday and kill everyone here.”

“You can try. You might find it a little harder than you imagine. But that’s beside the point. What’s important is that you can either go back quickly and painlessly, or you can go back after I’ve shown you what an amateur you are at inflicting pain.”

Tommy’s eyes narrowed. “And what would I have to do to get this quick and painless exorcism?”

“Tell us who has the children and where they are.” Tommy’s jaw dropped, and those narrowed eyes widened. “Children? What children?” Then he suddenly screamed and collapsed.

It took me a second to figure out what had happened, but when I did I turned to look over my shoulder at Raphael, who was smiling as his finger hovered over the trigger.

“Should I give you another jolt just for fun?” he asked. “Don’t lie to a liar. We’re far too good at picking up each other’s tells.”

All Tommy could do at the moment was glare. The electricity fucks up a demon’s control of the nervous system so badly they’re essentially helpless. Unfor tu nately, it meant his tongue wasn’t functioning too well, either, so we had to wait until he’d recovered before we could get anything but drool out of him.

Eventually, he regained control and managed to sit up again. There was a glint of fear in his eyes, but his face was set in stubborn lines. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said.

Adam held up his hand in a gesture obviously meant to stop Raphael from zapping Tommy again. “If we have to wait ten minutes for him to recover every time, this is going to take all night,” he said. “Just zap him if he tries anything.”

“Sure thing, boss,” Raphael said dryly.

Adam paid no attention to him, instead piercing Tommy with a look that should have left him bleeding. “If you think the stun belt hurt, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Now, would you like to reconsider your answer?”

Tommy firmed up his resolve, getting that stubborn, mulish expression on his face once more. I tensed, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dominic tense, too. Neither one of us wanted to see whatever Adam was going to do now. We both stood with our arms crossed over our chests. I seriously considered not watching, but that seemed like cowardice, especially when I had guilted Dom into being here.

I held my breath as Adam casually reached for Tommy. I had no idea what he was going to do.

And I didn’t get to find out, because, before he laid a hand on Tommy, there was the distinctive pop of a Taser, and Adam went completely limp.