Personal Demons 2 - Original Sin (13 page)

I glance at Lili, who looks mesmerized by the scene. A fascinated smile curls her lips as she surveys the leather-clad crowd through the dim light.

Taylor's mouth dangles open and her gaze is locked on the band, set up in the corner of the room on a low platform. She steps into the room and shoulders her way to the stage through the writhing and gyrating bodies.

My sixth sense buzzes—loudly. There are demons here. Lots of them. But they're so intermingled in the mass of humanity, I'm having trouble getting a fix on exactly who they are.

Lili tugs my shirt and points to the corner, where a keg sits in a bucket of ice. She starts working her way in that direction and I follow. She picks a red plastic cup off the top of the stack and hands it to me, then pulls one for herself. I grab the tap and fill the cups.

Someone bumps me from behind, sending the beer in my hand sloshing over the rim. I turn slowly and a tall, skinny guy, maybe twentyish, stares me down, his solid black eyes telling me without a word that he knows exactly what I am.

And I know what he is too.

“Who invited you?”

Before I can answer, his eyes slide past me to Lili, who steps up next to me. “Was it you, my lady?” He holds his hand out to her. She takes his hand and he brings it to his mouth, kissing the backs of her fingers. A lopsided smile blooms on his dark face. “Because, if that's true, I'll forgive the indiscretion.”

“I did.” I can barely hear Lili's reply over the music.

“I'm Chax. It's my very great pleasure to meet you.”

“Lili,” she replies.

I step in front of Lili and pull her hand out of his. “And I'm Matt.” The urge to carry her out of here is overwhelming. “We were just leaving,” I say, trying not to glare.

His eyes don't leave Lili, but his voice turns to ice. “I wasn't talking to you.” He turns and looks behind him, where a shorter guy with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail and the same cold, black eyes is just walking out of the kitchen. Chax sticks his arm in the air. “Hey! Andrus!”

His buddy smiles and starts heading toward us. Bodies seem to part, like the Red Sea, at his passage. He reaches us, and a malefic smile splits his face.

Chax's smile pulls into a leer as he drapes his arm over his friend's shoulder. “Andrus, I'd like you to meet Lili,” he says, giving Andrus a nudge.

Lili steps closer to me and I wrap my arm around her waist. With her in my grasp, my power surges and I feel suddenly invincible.

Chax's grin turns to pure evil. “Oh, and her friend, Matt,” he adds with a wave of his hand.

Just then the band stops, and even with the chatter, shouts, and calls of the crowd, it seems too quiet.

“Hi,” Lili says, tugging at her shirt. She looks hard at Andrus, and he nods thoughtfully.

His tongue presses into the ring through his bottom lip. “And may I ask how you heard about our little gathering?”

Lili's eyes flick to Taylor, where she's taking a hit off a joint that a tall, built guy with shaggy black hair just handed her. He's dressed in torn jeans and a ripped black T-shirt, and a black bass guitar hangs on his back.

“I think that guy invited us…or our friend, anyway,” Lili says.

Andrus elbows Chax. “Marc's found a new toy.” He looks back at Lili with a predatory grin.

I've seriously got to get these girls out of here.

My grip on her waist tightens. “So, Lili…you ready to go?”

Chax's smile widens and his eyes flare in the dim lighting, never leaving Lili. “You're not leaving yet. The party's just starting.” He grasps Lili's hand, tugging her out of my grip, and leads her to a couch in the back of the room, where a spot magically appears. He settles into it and taps his thigh for Lili.

Jealous rage courses through me, and the urge to smite him is almost irresistible. I can picture summoning my power and blasting him into oblivion—or at least back to Hell.

“Um…I don't think so,” she says.

Good girl.

She looks at me, and just for a second, it feels like she's seeing the real me. Her eyes lock on mine, and her mouth tilts up with the hint of a smile. She reaches for my hand and laces her fingers in mine, and my insides explode in a burst of ecstasy.

Frannie

I'm going seriously stir crazy. I sit in my desk chair and prop my chin on the windowsill, staring mindlessly at the pink and gray swirling dusk and watching for the Shelby.

Where the hell is Luc? How long can moving a bunch of books possibly take?

Less time if I help.

I jump up, slide on my flip-flops, and skip down the stairs. Passing through the family room, I wave at Mom and Dad on the way out. “Going over to the library.”

“Gosh darn Jeter!” Dad yells at the TV.

“Daniel!” Mom chides, and then turns to me. “Aren't they closed this late?”

“Luc's working late, moving books. I'm gonna help,” I say, edging toward the door.

“Fine, but call us if you're going anywhere else.”

I bop out the door, slide into my car, and turn the key…and scream when a ginormous auburn-haired demon phases into the seat next to me.

“Hello,” he says.

I spring from the car without shutting it down.

My instinct, obviously, is to run. But then I remember Luc saying he wanted information. I root my feet to the ground and grope for the crucifix dangling from the chain around my neck, trying not to look as scared as I feel. I remember the damage my last crucifix did to Belias, and hope I don't have to use this one.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Rhenorian,” he says in a soft voice, obviously trying to soothe me. He smiles. “But my friends call me Rhen.”

My heart is trying to commit suicide by throwing itself relentlessly against my rib cage. “What do you want?”

He looks at me as though he's trying to peer right into me. “He did it for you, didn't he?”

“Who? Did what?”

“Lucifer. He's human.”

“I know.”

“How did he do it?”

“I…I don't know,” I lie.

“He said someone else made him human. Who?”

“I don't know,” I repeat.

He turns my key, shutting down the ignition, pulls it, and steps out of the car. He stretches to his full height, towering over me, and an icy smile pulls at his mouth. “You're a terrible liar.” He tosses the keys over the car to me. “Take it from a professional.”

As panic flutters through me, somewhere in the back of my mind, it's occurring to me that Matt should be here. “I don't know how it works.”

He steps slowly around the car. “I think you do.”

“Is that why you're following Luc?” Fear closes my throat, strangling the words. What am I doing? He's not gonna tell me anything.

I back away a few steps and focus.

You don't want Luc.

He hesitates for a second, and his face goes slack. But then he shakes his head and looks back at me with sharp, clear eyes. “I'm going to find out.”

“He can't tell you how it works either. He doesn't know.”

His eyes lock on mine. “We'll see about that.”

I drop into a crouch as he advances toward me, ignoring my pounding heart, and try to stay focused on his mind.
Go away. You don't want Luc. You don't want Luc. You don't want Luc.

He backs off a step, looking confused.

You don't want Luc
, I push again.

The gun of an engine catches Rhenorian's attention and he looks up, his face clearing, just as Luc's Shelby screeches to a stop at the curb.

Luc flies out of the car, eyes wide, and stands beside me. “Leave her alone, Rhen.”

Rhenorian flashes a sharp smile at Luc. “When I have answers.”

“For the love of all things unholy, Rhen! There's nothing to tell.”

I breathe deep and focus on his mind again.
You don't want Luc.

“Leave,” Luc says.

I back off a few steps, never taking my eyes off him. He doesn't make a move toward me, but his eyes are trained on me too, and there's something in his expression that I can't really read.

We turn for the house and I hold my breath as we hurry up the walk, half-expecting him to try to stop us.

Go away. You don't want Luc.

“See you around,” he says to our backs.

We slip into the house and close the door behind us. I lean against the wall, shaking, sure I'm gonna throw up. Kate is just coming down the stairs. Her face scrunches when she sees Luc. “Hey, how'd you beat Chase?”

Luc twines his fingers in mine and shoots me a concerned glance before turning to Kate. “He was closing up when I left. I'm sure he's right behind me.”

Mom looks up from her crossword. “That was quick.”

I push away from the wall. “Yeah, Luc just got here. Saved me the trip.” I hope she doesn't notice the shake in my voice. “We're going upstairs.”

She just looks at me, the meaning in that stare clear.

We slip past Kate on our way up the stairs. In my room, Luc closes the door. I think about Mom's door rule, but don't open it. “What happened?”

“I'm fine. Thanks for asking,” I say.

He pulls me to him and nearly squeezes the life out of me. “Frannie, when I saw you out there with him…”

I push away from him again. “I was bored. I thought if I came to the library and helped, you'd get done faster.”

His eyes narrow and his lips press into a hard line. “Where the Hell is Matt?”

“Good question.”

“This is wrong.
Gabriel
was wrong. Matt can't handle this.” His words are quiet, but his eyes aren't. A storm is brewing in those black pools.

“Stop it, Luc. Matt's here. I'm sure he would have done something if I was really in danger.”

“Call him,” he says, challenging me.

I step closer to him and smile my best sultry smile, which probably isn't all that sultry, but it's the best I got. “I don't want him now.” I slide my hands over Luc's T-shirt, trying to distract him. Because, truth is, I'm pretty sure Matt's not here.

Luc loops his fingers around my wrists and brings my hands to his face, where he brushes his lips over the backs of my fingers and looks hard into my eyes. “Call him.”

“No,” I say, yanking my hands away from him. “You call him.”

“If I do it, he won't come out of spite—or if he's distracted. If you call him, he has no choice.”

I cross my arms and pull them tight against my chest. “Fine.”

Matt

Sitting here with Lili, it'd be easy to forget where we are—in a room full of demons. The band grinds away, its pounding rhythm shaking me to the core.

I glance over at Taylor. Even though the band is playing, the bass player has her pressed up against him, her arms slung over his shoulders, swaying together and locked in a kiss. I know I should go over there and retrieve her, but with Lili this close to me on the couch, her heat making me warm all over…I'm not going anywhere. Her hand in mine feels amazing. Electric.

I slide my arm over her shoulders and pull her closer. Even in the dim lighting, there's no mistaking the look she gives me. I twist a finger into her hair as her hand shifts to my thigh, and what I feel is totally foreign. It spreads through me, and my insides stir, along with certain parts of my outsides, until all I can think about is Lili. Everything else falls away as I reach for her face and lean in to kiss her.

And then I feel the mental tug.

Frannie.

Damn!

I spring from the couch. “I have to go, Lili…sorry.”

“What?”

I grab her hand and pull her off the couch. “I have to go—right now. So do you. You can't stay here.”

“Okay, I guess. Let me find Taylor.”

“She's over there.” I gesture to the stage as I back toward the door, feeling my grasp on my human form start to slip. “Grab her and get out of here.”

“You're not waiting?”

“Can't. Sorry,” I say, backing down the hallway toward the door. “Get Taylor and go. Now.”

“How will you get home?”

“Don't worry about me. Just grab Taylor and go.” I hold her shocked gaze for a second longer, then I turn and run from the room before I'm forced to phase right in front of everyone. This is the risk of being visible. As a guardian, when my charge calls, I have to find her immediately, no matter what I'm in the middle of.

Once outside, I swear under my breath as I phase into Frannie's room. When I look up, Frannie's sitting on the bed and Luc stands near the door. And they're both glowering at me.

“What?”

“You're joking, right?” Luc says. The calm in his voice is betrayed by his fists, clenching and unclenching slowly at his sides.

My eyes shoot to Frannie and I step toward the bed. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

She just stares at me with questioning eyes.

“Where the Hell were you?” Luc growls.

“I was…I didn't feel anything.” I drop my eyes from hers, and an involuntary grimace pulls at my face.

“I don't care what you ‘felt.'” Luc's voice is acid. I look up as his jaw tightens and his eyes narrow. “Frannie was in trouble and you, the great guardian, were nowhere to be found.”

I close my eyes, feeling cold dread fill my insides. “What happened?”

“Rhenorian was here,” Frannie says.

I lift my eyes to hers, relieved. “Is that new? I thought he's been following Luc.”

“
He
was here,
I
wasn't,” Luc says, and I feel the sharp edge of his glare.

His words are like a punch to the gut. This wasn't my deal with Rhenorian.

I work to keep my voice steady, and my eyes don't leave Frannie. “He came for
you
?”

“Sort of. He wanted to know how Luc turned.”

Luc's eyes snap to her too. “That's what he wanted? He wasn't after you?”

“No. He was asking about you being human. He thought you did it for me, and he wanted to know how.”

Luc turns and drops into Frannie's desk chair, elbows on his knees and head in his hands.

I move to the window and look out. Rhenorian stands on the sidewalk near the neighbor's shrubs, his eyes trained on the house. He sees me looking and salutes in my direction. I glare at him and send a warning—a flash of white light. If he's screwing with Frannie, he's no longer an ally. But as much as I hate to admit it, he's still my best hope to get Luc away from my sister.

I turn my glare on Luc. “So, it seems to me that you're the one putting Frannie in danger.”

Luc lifts his head from his hands. His face is tormented, as if he's figured this out on his own. He looks with agonized eyes at Frannie. “He's right. Rhenorian wants
me.
If we were apart, he'd have no reason to approach you.”

Yes…just go with it, Frannie.

But the panic that flashes in Frannie's eyes tells me she's not going to.

“You're not going anywhere,” she says. She hauls herself off the bed and moves toward Luc.

“Frannie, be reasonable—” he says, grasping her hand as she reaches him.

“You should let him go, Frannie. He's putting you in danger. Even he sees that,” I say in one last-ditch effort, but I can see it's useless. Frannie slides into his lap and wraps her arms around his neck.

“Nope. If you leave, you're gonna have to take me with you,” she says.

Stubborn, as always.

Hope lights Luc's face. “Maybe that's what we need to do—just leave. With our Shield, they shouldn't be able to find us. We'd just have to shake them. What if we go to L.A.? We could leave early.”

“And tell my parents what?”

“They'd buy it if you said we decided to go early. Use your Sway.”

She looks hard at Luc. “I'm not gonna use my Sway on my parents, Luc. And anyway, I'm not ready to go yet.”

“So, if you're staying, and so is he—” I glare at Luc. “—we need to figure out a way to keep Rhenorian away from you.”

Luc glares right back at me. “You staying put would help. You have one job, Matt.”

He's right. And I have to start doing it. I was an idiot to think, even for just a second, that I could have a “life.” This obsession with Lili has to stop. Getting to know her was a huge mistake. It hasn't changed anything, except maybe to make things worse. I let her talk me into abandoning Frannie. It won't happen again.

I didn't know it was possible for angels to get headaches, but as thoughts whir through my head in a dizzying blur, I'm pretty sure that's what's happening. I ease onto the edge of Frannie's bed, lean my elbows onto my knees, and pinch my forehead. “I'll worry about Frannie. You figure out what to do with Rhenorian.”