Entity Mine (14 page)

Chapter 23

Looking up at her hovering friend, Devon muffled a scream with her hand, her throat too dry for her to swallow. Acting like a nine-year-old at her first concert wasn’t going to stop the demon or calm her hurling pulse.

Ethan’s big body felt warm and strong behind her. She gritted her teeth, fighting to keep herself from melting back into the comfort of his presence and collapsing into helpless tears. She could do this.

She’d helped tens of angry spirits cross over as a teenager.
But nothing like this, Devon. Not even close,
a small voice said.
Shut up!
She shook her head.
I’m just a little rusty.
She stood tall and focused on her oldest friend.

What she’d practiced for her adult life was law, and if there was anything being a lawyer had taught her, it was everyone had a motivation. Everyone wanted something. Maybe if they could figure out what this thing wanted, it would leave Beth alone.

She slid closer to Beth, stopping beside John. The action prompted Ethan forward. She blinked away the surge of warmth she felt at his protective movement.
Don’t be silly, Devon, he probably wants a better view.

“Well, Harvey,” she said, glancing at John, not wanting to step on his—she glanced down at his running shoes—rather brightly shod toes.

He dipped his head in encouragement, the movement curiously graceful coming from a man whose face looked as of life had chewed him up and spit him out.

“If you won’t tell us your name, how ‘bout you tell us what you want?” she continued.

“Ah.” The chair lowered and then settled back on the scarred linoleum with little more than a thump.

Beth bared her teeth again, her hair had tangled from her struggles and it clung to her shiny cheeks. “You know how to play, how lovely, but I don’t think it should be that easy.” She wiggled her shoulders. “This body is so—” She looked in the air as if scrounging for a word. “—cozy.”

John tugged his lower lip. “I could bring in a priest and some holy water.” He flashed an arctic smile. “See how cozy you think that body is then.”

“Now, now. No need to be hasty. Church-sanctioned exorcisms take so long and can be so damaging.” The being heaved at her bindings as if to make a point.

John lodged his hands on the table, leaning over Beth, making the fiend crane her neck to look up at his craggy features. “I don’t have any holy water on me at the moment.” He glanced over his shoulder at Ky. Could the half-demon even handle holy water? “But I bet Devon has a nice full carton of salt in her pantry. How would you like to be trapped in there?”

The demon grimaced and snarled.

Devon stifled a flinch.
Show no fear
. The rule rang as true with spirits as it did in the courtroom.

Ethan slung his arm across Devon’s shoulders. “Not very verbal, are you? Use your words, Harvey.”

Though the casual embrace thrilled her, Devon resisted the urge to cuddle into him, her attention on Beth.

The being seemed to swell, stretching her friend’s gamine features like a bad reaction to a bee sting. “You want to joke? How about this? This body has a flawed heart. Push me too hard, and I’ll stop it altogether.”

Devon sucked in a breath. Beth had had heart surgery as a child, but had always claimed to be one hundred percent recovered. A lie to make sure she wasn’t left out? Dear God, they couldn’t take the chance.

John held up his hands. “If that’s true . . .” He caught Devon’s eye, and she nodded. “. . . then even just possessing her could kill her.”

“Aw, I’m so worried.” The demon stuck out her lower lip and tilted Beth’s head.

Ethan crowded closer. “You should be. Because it’s clear you want something and if she dies, you’re never going to get it.”

The demon scanned their faces, one at a time, then straightened and lifted Beth’s chin. “I’ll be in touch.”

Beth’s head fell forward and when she raised her chin again, her eyes were their normal soft brown. She looked at her tied wrists. “Wha—what happened? What’s going on?”

Bill laughed as he awoke. That’d been fun. He could almost taste the sweet nectar of victory. He’d set the hook, good and deep. He could take possession of the blonde again whenever he chose.

He strolled to the mini-fridge and popped open a beer. This body had quite a taste for the bitter stuff. His old body had been more into Horlicks.

Another laugh puffed his thin chest. The looks on their faces when he’d lifted the chair. They really thought they were dealing with a demon. And the best part was it would be easier for them if they were.

Ethan helped Devon untie Beth, then stepped back.

Beth rubbed her wrists. “Why did you tie me down? Was I having a seizure or something?”

Devon glanced at the others. “Or something.” She made a shooing motion with her hand. “Why don’t you all go into the living room? I think Beth might want to hear this from me.”

Ethan stalked to the living room and stood beside the couch. The creatures within him were on high alert, and he couldn’t relax his guard. His brothers and John grouped across from him in front of the TV. They all stared at each other for a moment. No one spoke. The low timbre of Devon’s husky voice and Beth slightly higher tone were the only sounds in the small house.

Though he’d talked with his brothers for over an hour earlier, the tension of the last few minutes seemed to have returned them to the status of strangers. He eyed Kyle. His eldest brother still seemed twitchy, his long arms wrapped around his body as if to stop himself from pacing. Jake had slung an elbow on the top of a tall bookshelf, but though he looked relaxed he’d put up a hell of a fight earlier. Where had he trained? There was still so much he didn’t know about his brothers.

After several long minutes Devon entered with Beth.

Beth surveyed the room, noting their grim faces. “Sorry about that. I hope I didn’t hurt anyone.”

Devon shushed her. “Don’t be ridiculous, Beth. It wasn’t you and it’s not your fault.”

Beth shrugged. “I guess. So, you’re shapeshifters?” She sent a dubious glance at Ethan, as if asking him to tell her not to be crazy, but he just nodded.

She took a huge gulp of air. “Okay. What should I do now?”

Devon hugged her. “You can stay here until we can make sure that thing isn’t going to come back.”

Kyle shook his head. “This place isn’t big enough for all of us and you might need help at a moment’s notice.”

Ethan stepped forward. He’d managed without brothers for twenty-eight years. He didn’t need them now. “Thanks, but we know what to expect now. Devon and I can handle it.”

Devon threw a sharp glance at him. Damn it, he should have thought that through before speaking. She might not want him to stay.

He cleared his throat. “Beth is our friend. There’s no reason for you to be involved.”

Jake crossed his arms over his chest. “No reason for us to get involved?”

Ky growled, eyes glowing. “We’re family. Of course, we’re involved.”

They sounded so indignant, if Ethan had still believed in fairytales he might have thought he really mattered to them. But despite his initial warm and fuzzy reaction to the idea of having brothers. It was just a childhood fantasy. Family stuck together because of habit or economic advantage. He hadn’t known them long enough to become habit, and neither man needed money.

Jake threw out a hand. “You saw how many people it took to restrain her, and you need John.”

Ethan stabbed a pointer finger in his direction. “If you think—”

A piercing whistle turned their attention to the Devon. She lowered her fingers from her lips. “Boys, boys! There’s a simple solution.” She gave Beth a one-armed hug. “I’m sure Beth won’t mind if we all stay at her house.” She held up her hands to forestall any interruptions. “It’s big enough for everyone and it’s the first place the demonic manifested.”

Beth nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

Ethan glanced at his brothers, their green and blue gazes seemed to reflect his own doubts. It was a plan all right, but was it a good one?

An hour later, they’d dropped Honey off at Beth’s mother’s and reconnoitered back at Beth’s.

Ethan perched on the wide bed, back straight, staring at the curved bay of the turret bedroom, watching the last blaze of the sunset disappear from the sheer curtains. With his excellent hearing, he could detect Devon helping the shaky Beth lay down in her room.

God, this whole possession thing had him almost as turned around as Devon made him feel. Believing he was a ghost had been one thing. At least he’d been in charge of his body. Imagine being a puppet in your own skin. Fuck, what a nightmare.

He raked his hand over his buzz cut and turned to his duffle, which had been stored in the garage with his other things, yanked it toward him, and started to unpack.

Devon had been quartered here where the apparition had first materialized, so she could probe for its origins. John was next door, in case she needed his help with the portal—if there was one.

Ethan closed his eyes and steepled his hands against his forehead. Worry nudged his lion into pacing, testing his defenses. Jake said there’d come a time when his other sides wouldn’t feel like enemies, but that time wasn’t today.

He blew out a long stream of air, and marshaled the beast back into submission. In a minute, Devon was going to come through that door and he’d tell her she couldn’t stay in here alone. And no way in hell was she bunking down with anyone but him.

Maybe he’d be a little subtler with that last part.

He returned to shoving his clothes into the drawers. Better to fight from an entrenched position.

God, except for Jaden, Joe, and the guys, he’d never been good at making friends. Hell, he’d been crappy at making acquaintances. He was the kind people always gave a wide berth on the street. Who made women check their purses. Something about him drove people away. It’d always been like that, even when he was a kid.

After some shitty placements, he’d lucked into good foster parents near the end of his time in the system. Mr. and Mrs. Seeger were the kind who didn’t consider fostering kids a side business. They were passionate parents, the kind who went to games, and recitals, kept photos of the kids who’d passed through their home, kept in touch with email, cards and letters, the kind who really cared about their foster kids.

But, while they were hugging the other kids and praising their successes, there’d been no touching for him, no praise, no extra contact when he was gone. Not even when he’d graduated from SEAL training. Other men had families in attendance, friends. Joe and Jaden had had girlfriends. He’d had no one. As if his childhood had never existed. As if he didn’t exist.

Worse, he’d never figured out why. What was it about him that made him so unlovable?

The last couple years, he could understand. Raging against the shadowy enemy inside, he’d been a complete bastard, but before that he’d been a poster child, answering up, doing his chores, staying out of the way. He’d never even done the normal teenager things, never talked back, slammed doors, or pushed for more space. Hell, he’d had all the space he’d needed. He could have run a drug syndicate for all the interest they’d showed. And still they’d kept their distance, as if they were waiting for him to snap. To reveal the evil inside.

He finished unpacking and turned on the small table lamp beside the bed, then paced to the window, tugging aside the sheers to look into the night, fighting the rising struggles of the lion wanting to come out. His brothers hadn’t been kidding when they’d said it would be harder until he actually mated.

Mated. Despite his meeting with Devon in the woods, they hadn’t been alone together since and her feelings were a mystery to him.

She was caught up in this mating bond, just as he was, he could see it in her eyes, but that was biology, not love. His feelings . . . Well, he couldn’t say he loved her. He had no idea what love was, but she made him feel like she really saw him, like he’d do anything to make her smile, and the thought of losing her made something deep in his chest hollow and sick.

“Hi.” Devon stood in the open door, hand tucked in the back pocket of her jeans. Zero hour.

“Hi.” He took a step toward her and stopped.
Give her space, asshole. Don’t lurk like some jerk-off stalker.

Her brows wrinkled in a way that made him want to soothe her, and she waved a compact hand at the deflated duffel on the bed. “I thought we agreed
I
was staying here.”

He cleared his throat. This was tougher than the first day at BUD/S. If there was a bell here, he’d seriously consider ringing it. “We did, but we never said you were staying alone.”

Devon took a deep breath and seemed to be searching for a reply. He couldn’t help lingering on the rise of her full breasts.

He ducked his head. “I—”Sweet Jesus, he was shitty with words.

Before he could think, he snagged her by the wrist and reeled her in close, wrapping her in his arms. Her body felt so perfect against his, like a puzzle piece snapping into place.

Her lips, open with surprise, were as full and rosy as a ripe peach. They called to him and he answered without thinking, lowering his head and taking a long, honeyed sip. Despite his inexperience there was familiarity there, a sense of coming home, just like in his dreams.

She sighed and melted into him, her lips soft and receptive. And sweet, so damn, sweet.

The walls spun away. He deepened the kiss, gripping her tighter as if that would ground him, but the slick heat of her mouth around his tongue only made his knees weaken. She was like whiskey and fire mixed together. A heady, addicting concoction.

It was all he could do not to grind the heavy ache of his erection against her. There was a reason not to rush this, if only he could think what it was.