The Demon in Me (18 page)

A chill went down her spine. “And now they know about me.”

“Well, Malcolm does. Not sure if he’s told his new buddies yet. I get the feeling he wants to take care of this little problem all on his own. He wants to save your immortal soul.”

“Lucky me.”

“No, you’re definitely not lucky. I don’t want you at risk because of me. This asshole won’t leave you alone. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She crossed her arms. Shouldn’t he be more concerned with his own well-being? Darrak was what Malcolm was after. Not her.

She got up, walked into the bathroom, and started brushing her teeth. “Can’t somebody talk to the… the Malleus organization? Explain that all… Others or whatever, aren’t that bad?”

“A lot of Netherworld citizens are pretty bad, actually.”

She spit out a mouthful of toothpaste and looked in the mirror. “Define ‘pretty bad.’”

“Completely and unrepentantly evil.”

She paled. “Oh.” She’d started to believe that all demons might be like Darrak. But they weren’t. He was obviously the exception to the rule.

“So,” Darrak continued, “even if you did tell Malcolm that our situation is different, not to mention
temporary
, he’d never believe you. He’s obsessed now.”

He sounded disturbed by this again.

“Ben said he’d talk to him,” Eden said.

“I don’t have much confidence in that conversation.” His voice turned sour.

She clenched her fists at her sides as her thoughts turned to the earlier festivities. “I still can’t believe you slapped him.”

“Believe it.”

“You ruined everything.”

“Are we going to go over this again? Yes, I slapped him. I couldn’t help myself.”

“Don’t give me that. You
easily
could have helped yourself. It’s things like that that make me want you to go away and never come back.”

“I thought we were forging some sort of friendship here.”

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We’re not friends.”

“But, Eden—”

“We’re
not
friends,” she said it louder. “And every time I forget about that little fact, you do something to remind me.”

“If I say I’m sorry, will you forgive me? Pretty please?”

She turned away from the mirror and crossed her arms. “No.”

“I know I wasn’t much help tonight.”

“I thought you wanted to help me get on Ben’s good side.”

“I thought I did.”

“So what happened?”

“I think I…” His voice in her head trailed off.

“You think you
what
?”

“I think I got jealous.”

“Jealous,” she repeated. Darrak was jealous? Of Ben?

“You looked all gorgeous and then you went out with another man and expected me to help you get lucky with a guy who seemingly can do no wrong in your eyes. Plus he’s got the dead girlfriend thing that makes him seem way more huggable or whatever. What can I say? I guess since we first met I’ve become a little… now I don’t want to use the word
possessive
, because that would make it seem like I’m trying to make a joke. But, okay, I was feeling possessive. What can I say?”

“
Jealous
,” she said again, still not believing her ears. “This is unbelievable.”

“All I know is that I despise Ben and I don’t think it’s just because I think he’s a bit of a trigger-happy meathead. I don’t know. I’ve quickly grown fond of you. Despite the fact that you hate my guts and sometimes you’re a bit of a bitch. I guess I find that oddly attractive.”

Her mind was blank. Out of everything Darrak could have said, this wasn’t it. And she had no idea how to react.

Wanting him to kiss her was one thing—something she knew was wrong. But now to find out he was fond of her? That he cared about her safety? That he worried about Malcolm coming after her?

She studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her dark reddish hair over her left shoulder and her face very pale now. Paler than usual.

“Look, I know you hate me,” Darrak said after a moment.

“Your friend, the one who thinks I’m your brother who’s escaped from a group home, is going to find the witch by tomorrow. I know he will. And then this will all be over.”

She grabbed a brush and absently ran it through her hair. “And what happens then? You go away?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“It is.” She said it as firmly as she could.

He was quiet for a moment. “I’ll do you a favor right now. I’m feeling drained from our run-in with Malcolm. Enough to let me fade for a bit. You can have your privacy and finish your supersecret bathroom routine. I just don’t know how long until I’m recharged and back.”

“Good,” she said quietly. “Don’t let me stop you.”

“Good night, Eden. And, just for the record, I’m not the least bit sorry for what happened earlier with golden boy. He’s not the right man for you and he definitely doesn’t deserve to kiss you.”

She was about to say something in reply to that, but before she could she actually felt Darrak’s presence fade away until there was nothing to indicate that the demon was still with her. It was like a weight had lifted. But it also left behind a chill when before she’d been warm inside.

“Good night,” she murmured even though she knew he couldn’t hear her anymore.

Stupid demon.

She
wasn’t
growing fond of him.

Not a chance. Considering how much he’d messed up her life that would be totally crazy. She’d be so glad when he was out of her life forever.

Holding onto that thought made everything much simpler.

———

If she’d had a menu of men to dream about, she probably
would have chosen Ben. But, instead, she dreamed about the demon.

She dreamed that she was kissing him. Very passionately. And clinging onto him as though if she didn’t, he’d fade away to nothing but black smoke.

“Don’t leave,” she murmured against his mouth. “Stay with me.”

“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Wow.
This dream felt really real.

Like,
really
real.

She slid her fingers through his hair as she explored his lips thoroughly. She felt his body, hard against hers.

“Eden…” he whispered and his lips moved to brush against her throat for a few moments before he kissed her again. “You feel so good.”

He was wearing his black T-shirt and she wanted desperately to remove it so she could feel his hot skin against hers. She pulled it over his head, breaking off their kiss for a split second. His hands were under her nightshirt, sliding along her sides to grip the backs of her thighs. She wrapped her legs around his waist.

“I knew you didn’t hate me,” he said. “I knew I’m the only one you want to kiss.”

Hate him? How could she hate somebody who made her feel like
this
? She wanted him inside of her. And she wasn’t referring to being possessed.

Her alarm clock buzzed.

That’s strange
, she thought.
I can hear my alarm clock, but I’m still dreaming?

Darrak slid his hand down between her legs and she let out a soft gasp, pressing herself closer against his touch. She wanted more of him. So much—

Wait a minute.

Her eyes snapped open.

This wasn’t a dream, was it
? she thought suddenly with a sinking feeling.
I’m totally and completely awake.

And there’s a demon in my bed.

Again.

“Darrak—”

“Yes?”

“Get off me.”

“But—”

“Get off me
right now
.”

He immediately removed both his lips and his hands from her body and rolled over onto his side. She glared at the demon who’d taken form again.

“You grabbed
me
,” he said. “Don’t even give me that accusatory look.”

“I grabbed you,” she repeated skeptically. Her face felt very warm.

“You made it very clear yesterday morning, okay? I took form when I had fully regained my energy a few minutes ago. I even conjured clothes to protect your fragile PG worldview. See? I’m dressed. Well, I was until you ripped my shirt off. I was about to get up and make some coffee when you reached over and started molesting me.” His lips twitched. “Not that I’m complaining, of course. I’m just trying to tell it like it is.”

Her face grew warmer. She was sure she was red as a… well, a something really red and on fire. “I thought I was dreaming.”

He looked pleased at that. “Dreaming about making out with me? I think I approve.”

She cleared her throat. “Actually, I was dreaming about Ben.”

That was enough to wipe the amusement off his face. “I see. You dream about golden boy a lot?”

“Constantly and obsessively.”

“Well, I’m very sorry to have disturbed your private fantasy time.”

She was surprised that the mere mention of golden boy… er,
Ben
, was enough to distract Darrak. She’d have to remember she had that weapon at her disposal.

The only problem was she
hadn’t
been dreaming about Ben. She’d known all too well exactly who she’d been orally exploring.

She swallowed. Maybe that wasn’t the best terminology for her to use, even if it was just in her head.

But it didn’t change anything. She’d been kissing Darrak. Willingly. And she’d wanted to do a whole lot more than that. Whether she’d thought it was a dream or not, it was very disturbing considering how much she wanted him out of her life—since if he stayed she was going to die. Talk about a bucket of cold water thrown on her libido. Willfully groping him seemed contrary to that position.

It was a Lust thing. Capital
L
. That’s all. Since it was one of the Deadly Sins it seemed demonically appropriate.

“You should get ready,” Darrak said. “If we’re going to follow your client’s hubby we need to leave in fifteen minutes. Cheaters like early starts to their days.”

“Is that something you’re an expert on? Unfaithful men?”

“You’d be surprised just how many things I’m an expert on.” His voice didn’t hold a whole lot of friendliness at the moment. Which was fine with her. It made it much easier to concentrate on something other than the sight of his mouthwateringly perfect bare chest as he pulled his black shirt back on.

Snap the hell out of it
, she commanded herself.
Nothing happened. You got off lucky.

Getting off
was also a bad turn of phrase at the moment.

Luckily she wouldn’t have to think about it. They were going to follow Richard Morgan to see who his mistress was. Or even
if
he had a mistress. Eden would take some pictures to show his wife the proof. And then Eden planned on following the girlfriend and finding out if she was up to no good.

She wondered if Fay had been serious when she said she’d be taken back home and possibly killed for abandoning her fairy ways for the love of a human. What kind of fairies were these, anyhow?

Scary fairies.

Unlike yesterday, this morning when Eden had gotten showered and dressed, received a knowing look from Leena in cat form—which she ignored—and was ready to leave, she didn’t try to sneak onto the elevator without Darrak. He accompanied her, although he was quiet. He sat silently on the passenger side of her car as she drove to a Starbucks, the one Fay said Richard always picked up coffee from each morning, and parked outside.

It was strange. Darrak was so different than Ben in more than the obvious ways. Ben made her nervous. But when she was with Darrak she felt like she could speak her mind. Easily. In fact, she’d been more open and honest with him than she’d been with… well, anyone. Probably ever. And that was all kinds of pathetic.

One of the many reasons why she wanted him gone.

Although, after seeing the real her, warts and all, it would surprise her if he’d even consider sticking around after their situation had been taken care of.

Which was good. She didn’t like what she’d seen of the supernatural world so far. She was more than ready to get back to her blissful ignorance.

Also, she didn’t want any obligations. Even working with Andy was beginning to have that permanent feel to it. Especially since it was doubtful that he’d be able to buy out her half—or rather,
49 percent
—any time soon.

But if she wanted to sell so damn bad, why had she felt ill at the prospect of him claiming bankruptcy yesterday?

Because she would have lost money. That’s all it was.

Money that hadn’t really been hers in the first place. Her mother was the one who’d won half the agency. Other than her name on a piece of paper, Eden had no claim to the business, or really any right to be there.

And then there was Ben.

When she’d first caught a glimpse of the cop, she’d never thought she would have a chance with him. It seemed safe to admire him from afar. Now things were different. So what happened if there was something between them? Not saying that he’d ever ask her out again, but what if he did? And what if she accepted?

There were a lot of big what-ifs in her life at the moment.

Another one was what if she didn’t solve the Darrak problem and in a year she died because of him?

That one took up a lot of space in the what-if pile.

Her life sucked, but she didn’t want it to end anytime soon.

See? That was a specific goal. She knew what she wanted and she knew what it took to get it. A chance at a happy and fulfilling future was dependent on her saying hasta la vista to Darrak as soon as humanly possible.

No matter how easy it was to talk to him. Or how much she’d liked kissing him. Or how her unconscious self seemed to have extremely impure thoughts when it came to the demon.

None of that mattered.

Being possessed by Darrak would eventually kill her.

She didn’t want to die.

He had to go. Simple as that.

“There he is,” Darrak said after a moment.

Eden glanced down at the picture Fay had given her, and yes, that was Richard Morgan walking into the coffee shop. Right on time for his double espresso.

“So what should we do?” she asked.