Demon by My Side(13)
Without looking back.
Chapter Four
When Darcy tumbled into bed she’d never been so happy to see her pillow. After the demon had led them to the correct warehouse, she’d spent hours going over every inch of the place. Other than black blood seared into the floor near the back of the main storeroom, there was nothing out of place in the building.
A parade of hunters had swept through the location, including Blake. After finally dragging her home, he’d dumped a pile of his books in front of her and demanded she read until the words blurred before her eyes.
Sleep was a welcome escape. Or at least, it was until an unknown weight shifted on her mattress.
Darcy woke instantly, reaching underneath her pillow for the blade hidden there.
Her hand touched only empty space.
The bed beneath her moved again and she followed the movement to the dark shape bending over her.
She bit back a scream just in time, recognizing the red-flamed eyes watching her from the darkness.
“Ever hear of a phone?” she demanded, pulling herself into a sitting position.
The demon didn’t reply.
Darcy pulled the sheet up to cover her nightclothes. Despite the temperature, she’d never been a fan of fuzzy fleece pj’s. Instead she wore silky black pajama bottoms and a fitted blue top. Not exactly come-and-get-it wear, but under the demon’s hot stare it felt far more revealing than it should have.
“I prefer to speak of important things in person.” His velvet voice rolled over her. “What did you learn?”
“We have a witch scheduled to come in tomorrow to shed some light,” she informed him, gritting her teeth. It went against every instinct to yield to him in any way, but his threat was a good one. He knew exactly how to control her. “None of my hunter contacts have the psychic gifts necessary for a full reading. It’s definitely the location of the spirit portal.”
“I knew that.”
“Did you know it was Kerilyn’s blood on the floor? And not just staining the ground but permanently seared into the stone.”
“Interesting. What color of blood?”
“Black,” she said. “But Kerilyn was mortal. Want to tell me how any of this is possible?”
The demon didn’t move and Darcy wished for more light. He might be able to see with inhuman accuracy in the dark but she couldn’t. Everything about this man put her at a disadvantage.
“Got any info to share, partner?” She stressed the word with a sneer.
“Perhaps later.”
“Look, demon, that’s not how this works. I give, you give. Get it?”
His gaze ran down her body once more and she fought the urge to pull the sheet up to her throat. “Give me something, at least,” she said.
“Your information is not sufficiently interesting to warrant any disclosure on my part. Do better tomorrow.”
She bared her teeth at the order. “Then how about a name?” she replied. “Or do you want me to just keep calling you ‘demon’?”
His gaze flicked to hers as she tried to remember the list of demons Blake had been so concerned about. If she could figure out who this man was, perhaps she could find the information she needed on how to best him.
“A name,” he murmured. A smile curved his lips as he took his time replying. “You may call me Jared.”
Her hopes plummeted. “Jared is a human name.”
“We are in the human world.”
“And if we were in the demon realm?”
He flashed a grin. “If you ever venture so far, perhaps you will learn another name.”
Darcy glared at him. Who the hell was this man? Without his real name she had no way to research him. Nothing to help her battle him but her wits.
“I will learn who you are,” she vowed.
“You are welcome to try,” he purred, leaning forward.
Darcy shuffled back until she hit the headboard. He was too close.
“Tell me why you are different,” she tried instead. “You can do things other demons can’t.”
He moved close enough for her to feel his hot breath against her neck. “Give me a few hours and I’ll prove how true those words are.”
“Try it and I’ll introduce you to one of the other blades I have hidden in my room.”
He tilted his head, dark hair cascading over his shoulders. “You never back down.” A smile played around his lips. “Even when you should.”
“I don’t deal well with intimidation.”
He leaned closer. She felt his breath on her cheek as he inhaled her scent. “Careful,” he cautioned.
“Stepping on your toes again, am I? You could always snap your fingers and send me up in flames.”
“I’m tempted to make you burn, darling, but your cries wouldn’t be ones of pain.”