Not for the first time. But maybe the second? He folded the spell, and when Vika returned at that moment and asked what it was, he said, A recipe for preserving mouse hearts. Could come in handy. You okay?
Shed tidied her hair and adjusted her dress. Almost as pristine as when shed arrived, but he knew beneath the surface the woman was a wild tangle.
Yes. But I got a cleanup call while we were...entangled. They left a text. I have to leave. Its faery related, which is always disturbingly weird and requires immediate attention to keep the evidence from mortal discovery. Once that faery dust hits the ether, strange things start to happen, trust me.
Of course. I think Im going to hang around here, page through a few more grimoires.
Its getting late. Shouldnt you get home before dark?
The Metro station is just outside the door, and it stops right across the street from my building. A completely lighted journey home. Ill be fine. He kissed her, tasting the sweetness of cherry lip gloss she must have just put on. You could come over after the cleanup if you like. Ill cook for you.
Between you and Libby cooking for me, Im a very spoiled girl. Ill see you then. She spread her palm over his heart and nodded, as if deciding that yes, he was okay, and then kissed him quickly on the mouth and sidled off without so much as looking back.
The Queen of Subtle Indifference, he decided. So interesting, that witch.
Certainly ran through the rain blasting the world with cold, hard droplets. Though the Metro stairs were literally across the street from his building, his clothing was soaked by the time he landed in the lobby and nodded to the doorman, who informed him the electricity in the building had gone out. Not an uncommon occurrence during storms. The electrical wiring in the building dated to the early twentieth century.
Thanks, Jacques. Good thing I take the stairs, eh?
Power should return in an hour or two, the doorman called after him.
Also a good thing he had a generator. But first, he had to make it to his front door via the dark staircase. This was not going to be easy.
Taking the stairs two at a time, Certainly was already beginning to feel the stirrings inside as his passengers awakened to the darkness they fed upon as if ravenous beasts. It took him less than thirty seconds to make six floorsand not a moment too soon.
A growl escaped unbidden as he opened his front door and rushed inside.
To darkness.
The generator? He dashed into the hallway and to the roof access doorway. Inside, his muscles clenched and he fought against the demon that sought to control him. Through sheets of rain, he spied the smoking generator. What happened?
Had it been struck by lightning? It looked okay. No burn marks on the metal cabinet. He pulled the ignition cord, and the motor sputtered. It had to work when wet. It had before.
Lightning slashed the sky and frightened the emerging demon so that Certainly felt the actual cringe within his body. From the rooftop, he scanned the streets below. A neon sign flickered three blocks away. The entire neighborhood was dark.
With renewed urgency, the demon thrummed through his veins, pulsing to the fore. Bent double, CJ fell to his knees. Who is it this time, damn it!
A throaty chuckle spit out raindrops. Hungry for some pain?
Vika dropped Libby off at the witches bazaar and told her to be careful of the weather on the way home. The worst had passed; she could feel it in her bones. But that had been some crazy lightning earlier. Must have taken out power in parts of the city, for theyd driven some streets dark for the lacking streetlights.
Since she was close to Certainlys home, she decided to abandon caution and go for it. Shed been abandoning more than caution when around the man. This afternoon in the archives had beenscandalous. Sexually, it had rocked her world. The instant connection they had developed was downright combustible. And mercy, but she wasnt wearing any panties now due to her quick change before heading out to the cleaning job. She wondered if the dark witch would be up for round two.
I know he will be.
And yet, reluctance twanged deep in her gut. It was evening. Dark and rainy. She knew she had no reason to fear. His home was well lit with the prismatic light required to keep back his demons.
That still didnt erase the unease clinging to her skin.
She found a parking spot down the street from CJs building and decided a walk in the sprinkling rain wouldnt make her hair any less appealing than it already was. Tugging off the Tyvek shoe covers and stashing them in the back of the hearse, she made a note not to forget the bag of faery dust theyd swept up. It must be returned to Faery unless she wished to risk mischief and malice. Vika didnt like dealing with the sidhe, so she would contact a freelance liaison she regularly hired for jobs such as this.
The concierge in the lobby tipped his hat to her and informed her the electricity was out and shed have to take the stairs. He offered her a flashlight, and she accepted it while her heart sank to her gut.
Taking the stairs, she could not anticipate what she would find on the sixth floor. No electricity meant no light. But CJ had said he had a backup generator.
Whew. Allowing her nerves to get the better of her was so out of character.
Quickening her steps she made the top floor, but she didnt try CJs door when she saw the roof door open and swinging from the breeze blowing down from above.
She listened before taking the three steps up to the roof, clinging to the slick iron railing. The rain had picked up again and it poured over her shoulders, soaking the thin white T-shirt she wore above skinny black jeans. Shivering against the heavy droplets, she ventured across the pebbled roof, her flat heels finding slippery purchase. A few tin vents jutted up. The stairwell was bricked in so she walked around it, expecting to find the generator on the other side.
Vika walked around the brick wall and spied a dark stream of water. It trickled over her shoes, and she saw it was blood. Certainly?
Heh, heh, heh. He sat against the wall, a serrated piece of metal in hand. His arm bled from inner elbow to the wrist, and at sight of her he smiled a macabre grin before banging the back of his head hard against the brick wall behind him.
What happened? She lunged before him and CJ growled, setting her back and stumbling away. Red eyes. Not CJ. A demon controlled him. Had it forced him to draw the metal down his arm? Let me have that, please?
CJ viciously slashed it toward her, and she avoided getting cut only by dodging and landing hard on her elbow. Throaty coos of pleasure sickened the demons laughter. He slammed his fist against the wall and dragged his knuckles slowly, peeling away the flesh.
Stop it! Youre hurting him.
And so I must, the demon growled. It feels so good, yes? Ah, delicious pain.
Pain, she muttered, wincing that this man must be tortured by something so hideous.
Torn flesh is orgasmic, he intoned as if in the throes of wicked pleasure. Come closer, red witch. Me want to share the witchs pain with you.
If you kill him, then what will you do? No one to torture with your sick games.
Me wont kill him. Hes a healing spell tattooed here. The demon snapped out Certainlys arm, displaying the bloodied tattoo on his biceps, the shirtsleeve torn away from the shoulder seam. He used me to get to Daemonia. Now I shall use him well.
What does that mean? He used you?
Pain inflicted upon others.
The demon cackled and slammed the metal piece across CJs leg, cutting through the heavy jean fabric. CJs body reacted, stiffening, and he howled, but the cry was accompanied by the demons macabre smile.
He felt everything, Vika knew, but could only witness, not control.
Blood must be shed to enter the place of all demons, Pain said. This dark witch shed much. He leaned forward, his wet hair hanging like black oil across his face. You dont think the vampire goes painlessly with the stake, eh?
Of course not, but I have no idea what youre talking about. Certainly would never harm Vampires? Staked? Had CJ
The demons laughter exploded, as did CJ. He leaped up, hooked an arm in Vikas and swung her about, then pushed. She tumbled toward the stairwell, yet grasped the railing before soaring headfirst down the steps.
He lifted her as if she were but a doll and kicked open the roof door.
Vika grabbed the iron rail and managed to hold long enough to tug the demon off balance. He clattered down the stairs, releasing her to fall onto the top step. The demon cursed her and scrambled up behind her. This time he tossed her over a shoulder.
Slippery little witch. Lets try the next stairs together. Your bones can break my fall, and my fall will break your bones!
Through the inky darkness, he charged toward the stairway. His boots slipped from the wetness, and he stumbled, slamming them both against the wall at the head of the stairs.
Vika kickedclutching the nail at her neckand connected her heel with the back of his knee, and found her freedom. She grabbed the doorknob to his home and said blessings it was open. Inside, she dashed toward the center of the loft. All was dark. The crystals tittered with her frantic movement. There would be no safety here unless the electricity returned.
But there were the sigils placed on the walls, floor and counters by the protection demon. She raced to a wall where a red spray-painted sigil depicted something she couldnt translate. What the hell did it protect?
The pain demon tracked the dark room with Certainlys eyes, sniffing, clutching the air with his fingers in anticipation of finding her. He could use only the witchs senses, and those were not as heightened as those of a corporeal demon who could assume his own form in this realm.
Suddenly the lights flickered. Vika slammed against the fridge, searching the constellation above. It had been only a flicker.
Lumos! she tried. Stretching out her fingers to connect with the latent electricity in the air, she scoured the ether.
Nothing.
She couldnt see CJ or hear his demonic passenger lurking, but he must be close. Despite the floor-to-ceiling windows, the loft was dark. It clattered with crystals that shivered as if as fearful as she felt right now.