The Demon Within (A PeaceKeeper Novel Book 1)(43)

"Good." He leveled dark eyes at her, putting as much command in them as he could muster. "And you won't tell her."

"What? That you have only one life left?" Brie refused to answer his demand; instead, she turned her gaze to Caly. Her voice was solemn when she spoke. "She deserves to know."

"I'm her guardian. I'll not have her know that I failed."

Brie snorted. "You two are so much alike." She quieted a moment, watching the fighting. "A few words of advice." She dropped her arm, propped him up against the wall and tightened the bloody make-shift bandage on her shoulder. "Hold tight to her. Love her." She stepped back with a look of yearning so profound he couldn't blink. "Don't let pride stand in your way or you might lose the most important thing in your life."

A fog of smoke clouded Brie's features. Her frame grew opaque as she vanished.

Through the haze, Ruman saw Henry rise from the floor.

"Caly, behind you." Too weak to shift, he stumbled over the rubble on the floor, gritting his teeth as his wounds protested. He would not fail her again.

* * *

Ruman's shout boomed through the room. She twisted sideways, efficiently slicing the throat of the demon in front of her, ready to face the new threat.

"Bitch." Henry shuffled forward, a knife in his hand.

"Henry?" But instead of attacking her, he tracked Felicia like a snake, his neck swiveling with her every move.

"You used me."

Felicia rolled her eyes, almost dismissive of him. "I'm a succubus. It's what we do."

"My friends-"

Felicia's laugh echoed in the room like a pack of hyenas, high-pitched and extremely annoying. "You were all too willing to give up your brethren. I didn't even have to ask. You volunteered them." She flicked a hand at her skirt, brushing at a bloody stain with a slight frown of distaste on her face.

"And the murders in the area?" Caly needed to know if there were more than just demons stalking them.

The blonde shrugged, examining her jagged nails with a satisfied grunt, cleaning out what resembled blood and skin. "They were expendable."

"And me?" Henry interrupted.

A devilish smile came and went, revealing razor-sharp teeth. "You're dried up. In a few more days, doctors would've said you died peacefully in your sleep from old age."

"After you sucked the life out of me."

"But, of course." She touched the corner of her mouth with the tip of her tongue like a cat that had enjoyed a tasty meal. Her wild laugh sent shivers skittering along Caly's spine.

"You used me to spy on my friends." Henry clutched the knife and lurched forward.

"Not true." She purred and shook her head slowly, never taking her gaze from his. "You volunteered all the information without any prodding on my part."

In a reckless charge, Henry dove for the woman he confessed to have loved. She twisted away, knocking the knife out of his grip. Hand around his throat, Felicia hefted Henry off his feet and dangled him out for Caly.

The once beautiful woman transformed into a reject from The Exorcist as she focused her energy more on fighting. Caly couldn't help feel that she wanted Henry to see her true self, wanted to hurt him.

Color leeched from her face, fading to a putrid green. Her skin tightened, the flesh cracked and puss oozed out of the sores. The once luscious lips shriveled like raisins.                       
       
           



       

"What should I do with your betrayer? Do you have enough guts to kill him?" She studied him as a shopper would a prospective purchase then turned to Caly. "Or are you as weak as the rest of the humans and willing to forgive?"

Henry struggled like a fish in a bird's claw. He fought silently, refusing to plead for his life.

Caly didn't have to think twice. "He is an ass, but he's my ass."

Gripping the knife handle tightly, Caly stepped forward. The cold burn of the knife swelled up her arm and roared through her body in answer to her call. The demon within stretched at the lick of power, more than eager to fight. She'd failed to save Oscar, but she could save Henry. "Put him down."

Felicia tipped her head, considering the order. "Not just yet. I want the medallion you took from this buffoon."

"Why?"

A twisted smile appeared. "The one this idiot stole it from is not very pleased it had disappeared. He'd like it returned." Eyes narrowed, she surveyed Caly from head to toe. "I intend to be the one to do it. I want that reward."

"What reward?" Stalling, Caly shifted a step closer, ready to leap at the smallest opening.

"Equality. A balanced world where humans and demons have equal footing."

"You mean where you rule and subjugate humans?"

A girlish giggle echoed along the tiles, disturbing coming from the rotted corpse. "But of course. Isn't it humans who have the quaint little saying of survival of the fittest?"

"Don't do it." Henry's plea became choked when Felicia's fingers tightened mercilessly on his neck. "Too strong … even … for you." Henry's guttural mutterings filled the air. He stopped fighting and groped for his belt. Before Felicia could react, he swung and drilled a small blade into her chest.

A shocked gasp filled the room. Felicia's eyes rounded and her mouth dropped open at Henry's tenacity.

Felicia dissolved, crumbling slowly to the ground. The cascade of sand picked up speed until she rested in a pile of dust.

Henry landed hard and stayed still. Vacant eyes stared up at the ceiling. "Is she dead?" His voice didn't rise above a whisper.

Caly hurried forward and knelt down on the shattered tile floor next to the man who had once been her comrade and nemesis. "Yes. You did it."

Tears clouded his eyes but didn't fall. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Of course not."

"Did you mean it?"

Caly picked up his boney hand and held it tightly as if her hold could keep him alive. His skin was so paper-thin she was afraid her touch would tear the delicate flesh. The cold seeped from him like the touch of death and part of her wept at the loss. "Mean what?"

"That I'm your ass?"

A watery chuckle escaped. "Always."

"Good." His eyes slid closed, his face slackened. Henry's grip grew lax.

With trembling fingers, Caly leaned over, searching for a pulse.

There but faint. The tightness at the back of her throat burned. "Jarred-"

"Right here." He touched her shoulder, and Caly moved out of the way.

"Get him into the van and take him home. I want him alive."

"Aye, aye Captain." The distracted comeback from Jarred told her the seriousness of Henry's wounds.

Now that the threats were gone, the demon within lost interest and abruptly deserted her. Caly swayed as it took all of its healing power with it. Without the demon to counterbalance the effects, the aches of a dozen or so wounds bombarded her. Her vision blurred, the edges darkened, threatening to pull her toward unconsciousness.

Sweat beaded her upper lip, and she grabbed Carnwennan as the room tilted. She prayed she didn't make a fool of herself by passing out.

"Gather everyone and head back to the house. Leave no one behind. I don't want anyone to remain here longer than necessary." She rubbed her forehead, wishing she could reach in and squish the little gremlins that were burrowing into her brain. Caly lowered her hand and took a step only to wobble embarrassingly.

"I have you." Kelly's voice drifted to her. "Lean on me."

Caly had no choice but to do as told when her legs suddenly lost their strength. It was that or fall on her face. "My bike-"

"David will bring it home."

"Ruman?"

"Already left with Brie in the van to help the wounded."

Of course. That one sentence destroyed any fragile hope he might have chosen her. The shock of the loss staggered her under its weight. Once outside, the clean air struck her like a blow. Her overheated skin burned at the touch of the cold air. They shuffled only a few feet when nausea rolled over her, and her stomach rioted. Humiliated, she doubled over and lost her lunch.                       
       
           



       

An eternity later, someone tugged at her arm. "Time to go."

With sheer determination, she forced her feet to move when her body begged her to curl up into a ball and die. Every muscle tightened until her bones ached.

She shuffled toward the van, determined to make it home before she crashed.

The ride back was uneventful, giving her precious time to recover from the worst of the aftereffects. As everyone piled in the house, Caly hesitated near the door. She took a deep breath then willed herself toward the kitchen when all she wanted was to hide under the covers and try to survive as her body consumed every bit of excess energy she had to heal.

A hand on her elbow steered her to the stairs.

"Ruman." She recognized his touch the way her body lit up. She turned to face him. Though bruised and battered, he'd survived. The worry churning in her gut eased, and her fingers shook as she resisted checking the severity of each injury herself. All she wanted to do was lean on him and just absorb being near him. Then she remembered their last conversation, remembered he had left with Brie, and pulled away. "I need to make sure everyone else is okay."