Demon Hunt (39 page)

He took a deep breath and prepared to beg. The last few months had been misery, knowing she was alive, alone and needing him but too angry to allow herself to love him. “I know this has been - horrible. You built this peaceful existence and everything gets blown to Hell in a week. But I can’t live like this, knowing you’re here, alone. I’ll give up everything and get a job as security in one of the casinos or as a big box store greeter. I’m stinking rich - I’ll buy you a castle or take you around the world but please, just take me with you.”

The corner of her mouth lifted. “A greeter? You’d scare the crap out of people.”

* * * *

Rhi’s voice shook when she managed to answer. She had sensed his gaze on her back and realized immediately that Blackthorne stood behind her because of the goose bumps that rose on her neck. It took all of her control to keep from leaping into his arms.

“
I’m just horny. I should try to make a run for it before things begin to blow up,” she muttered.

Pam grabbed her by the elbow. “Think before you make him relocate to the suburbs, Rhi,” she whispered in her ear. “A sheep or a tigress. The next five hundred years in a tract house or saving the world - I know which one I’d pick.”

Rhi stepped into the curve of his arm. “I’ll try to fit into your world - for a while, anyways. Until you leave your underwear in the floor one too many times.” She paused. “I didn’t tell you this when I left you in the pit. I love you and will love you until the world spins down. Totally against my will.”

Blackthorne grinned and the crinkles in the corners of his eyes were all Rhi needed to see before he leaned down to kiss her. He held her in his arms for a moment before turning to Pearl.

“
Molay needs you to get back at work, woman,” he informed her sternly, not releasing Rhi. “He says you’ve dawdled long enough.”

Pearl tossed her head and pursed her lips into a sensual red pout. “I knew everything you idiots are doing would go to hell without me. What’s imploding now?”

As Pearl and Blackthorne bickered, the race official motioned for them to line up. Rhi patted Pam on the shoulder. “Let’s do this.”

At the far end of Bennett, a commotion had ensued and several members of the crowd climbed over the wood barricades to gather around a familiar figure in the center of the street.

“
They can’t contest the race. We haven’t even started,” Pam protested, squinting up at the crowd. There was a flash of gold in the center of the group and Batty Betty could be clearly seen. The woman wore a gigantic formal race-day hat, adorned with roses. She had dressed for the event with the same care a southern belle would have taken for the Kentucky Derby.

An amazing howl, the long, deep-voiced, melodic call of a full-grown female bloodhound, shocked the group into sudden silence.

A huge red-gold dog loped down the street, dragging Batty Betty along with her, who lost her hat in the sprint.

The dog’s long ears flapped behind her like sails and the hound’s gigantic paws made her appear gangly and clumsy as she ran.

“
Ellie?” Rhi whispered.

The big dog skidded to a stop in front of the group, startling the donkey, which shuddered and pulled at its rope. The little animal hadn’t signed up for a giant dog encounter.

Ellie Mae hopped in giddy circles before jumping to her full height to place her huge paws on her mistress’ shoulders. The hound ran her tongue down Rhi’s face, leaving a sticky trail of slobber and then dropped down to demand hugs with pleading brown eyes.

The locals in the crowd cheered as Rhi got down on her knees to wrap her arms around the dog’s neck. Katie loudly demanded to be released from her perch and joined Rhi in hugging the animal. The dog’s cable tail wagged dangerously fast.

Pam handed her donkey’s lead to Pearl. “Hold my ass, would you?”

“
How’s this possible?” Blackthorne asked in amazement.

Betty passed the leash to him and stepped back to watch the reunion in satisfaction. “I told you Hell couldn’t hold or hurt the pure of heart. One of the bigger Hell cracks in the mountains was all I needed to call her from the depths. I sat out there in the woods for a few days but it was worth it.” She ran a blue veined hand over the dog’s head. “Poor doggie. She was in pretty bad shape, having wandered the paths of Hell for a few days. I decided to tend to her and see if she was going to live before I told you I’d found her. She might be a bit of a changeling herself now - I’m pretty sure she ingested some demon blood. The stuff didn’t kill her, as it would have most animals. This dog should never have healed like she did.”

Pearl glanced disapprovingly at the old woman. “Betty, you old witch, you know this is bending the rules, don’t you?”

Betty sniffed in disdain. “Like you’ve ever followed the rules, Pearl.”

Pam’s face filled with wonder. “Shouldn’t this dog be a crispy critter? I mean she withstood a small nuclear blast behind the gate!”

Blackthorne hunched down to examine the dog, muttering to himself.

“
What’s wrong with you?” Rhi demanded.

“
This breed was bred to hunt demons and it seems …” the big man ran his hands over the dog’s fur. “It seems that when the breed runs true, they’re pretty much fireproof, even against a small thermonuclear device and Hellfire. This is very interesting.”

Pam laughed. “You mean that when the powers-that-be finally screw up enough to push the big red button and end it all, the cockroaches and the bloodhounds will inherit the earth? Why does the mental picture of a planet populated by nothing but big slobbery dogs give me the warm fuzzies? But what about Manius … was he fireproof?”

Blackthorne’s grin was vicious. “No, he was definitely not fireproof.” He glanced over at his wife, who ignored the conversation as she sat on the pavement and happily rubbed Ellie Mae’s ears. The dog groaned with pleasure and leaned against Rhi, almost tipping them both over. “Is Ellie Mae coming with us to save the world?”

“
Well, the world is a fine place and worth fighting for. Besides, there’s nothing good on Animal Planet any more,” she replied from her seat on the sidewalk.

“
Paraphrasing Hemingway, are we?” Pearl examined the dusty leash in her manicured hand with distaste and prudently handing it to Bobby Wayne.

Pam plunked down beside Rhi to get her share of bloodhound slobber on her clothes. She elbowed her friend. “Pearl slept with Hemingway, you know.”

* * * *

Above the town the sun blended with the aqua sky and the granite pinnacles of the mountains were tall enough to tear gashes in the clouds. The top of one mountain in particular sheltered a large pile of ash and meat hidden behind a pile of boulders on its left flank. The sooty mess had lain frozen throughout the winter but upon the spring thaw, a tall, spindly creature discovered the bounty of the dead dragon and feasted upon the decayed flesh daily, building his strength.

Finally, he had escaped the torment he had been condemned to for thousands of years. Now it was time to feed and grow in strength, hidden away in the solitude of the mountains. Vengeance would wait - for a while.

The End