A shot of warm soothing heat coursed through my body and my injuries slowly disappeared.
“Are you going to kiss Myrtle now?” I asked as I stood and put some distance between us.
“Nope.” He smirked and pointed a finger at my little friend. A fine golden mist engulfed her body and her bruises, cuts and lacerations disappeared. She slowly began to come to.
“Wait a minute,” I sputtered as I stood and tried to shove the big liar. “You didn’t need to kiss me, did you?”
“Nope.” He smiled as he backed away from my ire.
“You tricked me,” I yelled, forgetting about the differences in our race, height and weight. I was going to kill him.
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” Elijah was so serious it halted my pursuit of destroying him.
“I have a soul mate,” I told him.
He approached and fingered my beautiful necklace with interest. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, sending shivers all through me. “Tell him he has competition. Until you're bonded you're a free agent.”
He stepped back and with a panty melting smile he disappeared in a glittering burst of gold. I was healed, confused and off balance.
“What in the Hell happened?” Myrtle, finally awake, asked groggily.
“I have no idea,” I told her truthfully. “I really have no idea.”
***
We walked the rest of the way home with Steve at our heels.
“Where’d you find the wolf?” Myrtle asked as she examined her bloody clothes.
“She’s not mine. She belongs to an old lady in town. Her name is Lucky, but I call her Steve.”
“Oh.”
“Is that all you have to say?” I snapped. I knew I was taking my anger at myself out on her, but I couldn’t help it.
“No, but you made it clear you didn’t want to hear what I had to say back in the commissary.”
“When has that ever stopped you?” I came to a halt and yanked her around to face me.
“Okay, fine.” She laughed at my tough girl stance and winced. “Why does my shoulder hurt and how did we get all bloody and gross?”
“I crashed into the Angel when we were running. It was like hitting a concrete wall. You got knocked out and your shoulder got dislocated. I popped it back in and the Angel healed us.”
“Thanks,” she said as she rotated her arm.
“Aren’t you shocked he didn’t kill us?” How was she so nonchalant about our brush with death? Maybe the impact rattled her brain.
“No.”
“No?” I laughed. She was definitely concussed.
“Dixie,” Myrtle explained as if I were five. “Eden, Kentucky is neutral territory. He can’t kill us here.”
I gave her a brutal stare. “You people suck. Is anybody going to keep me up to speed on the rules here?” I yelled.
“Do you really think Lucifer would have sent you into a war zone before you were ready?” she asked as she tried to bite back her laugh at my tantrum. She failed.
That stopped me and made me miss my father terribly. “No, he wouldn't."
“Dixie,” Myrtle said gently as she took my hands in hers. “You were justified in doing what you did. The world is a bad place right now and the rules can’t be trusted.”
Steve wedged herself into me and whimpered. I sat down on the ground and stroked her soft fur.
“I need to know everything from you that won't turn us to dust. Can you do that for me?” I asked, idly making circles in Steve’s coat.
"I can."
"Thanks."
“We’re looking for Rogue Demons, but the Angels are not our friends either,” Myrtle reminded me.
“I don’t think he would have hurt me,” I murmured as I laid my head on Steve.
“Not here he wouldn’t.” Myrtle joined in on the Steve love-fest.
“No,” I said softly. “I’m quite sure he would never hurt me anywhere. Neutral or not.”
“You’re crazy,” Myrtle huffed and petted Steve.
“Possibly.” I smiled at her. Guilt about Hayden tugged at my heart as I remembered the kiss from Elijah. “But I really don’t think he would.”
Chapter 26
Blanche was waiting on the front porch steps when we got home. Steve ran over to her, wagging her big tail.
“Why are you here?” I smiled tiredly, happy to see her even though my question sounded snarky.
“Nice to see you too.” She grinned as she scratched Steve. “What in the Hell happened to you guys?”
“Are you talking to your invisible friend?” Myrtle asked as she watched Steve’s fur be manipulated by what appeared to be nothing.
“Yep,” I said as I plopped my exhausted body down next to Blanche.
“Well, tell her I said hi.” Myrtle made her way to the front door. “I can’t stand myself.” She groaned and attempted to rub the dried blood off her arms. “I need a shower.”