Where There's Smoke (26 page)

“My cousin can do most anything she sets her mind to,” Vetis said, then his eyes narrowed. “She only has to focus.”

Destiny heard the double entendre and understood perfectly that he thought she wasn’t focused on why she was there.

“Wait a minute.” LeAnn snapped her fingers. “This is the exact suit I showed you the first day we met. It was in one of your magazines.” She fingered the beads on the lapel. “How?”

“A thrift store.”

“No way,” she breathed, then squared her shoulders as her expression turned solemn. “I can’t take it.”

“And why not?” The girl could be so exasperating!

“It’s far too nice to just give away.”

“I can’t wear it. You’re shorter than me.”

“But—”

“Either you take it or I’ll toss it in the trash.” She made a move to follow through with her threat.

“No! I’ll take it!”

“Then you’d better hurry and get ready. This is your night to shine.”

“It is.” But before LeAnn took the hanger, she hugged Destiny.

For a moment Destiny couldn’t move, then she returned the gesture. Her toes curled. She couldn’t stop the warmth that spread over her like sweet maple syrup drizzling over fluffy pancakes. Destiny had never felt so strong a connection to another woman. They really could have been sisters.

In a heartbeat, LeAnn stepped away.

“Don’t forget the boots.” Destiny cleared her throat, blinking away the moisture in her eyes.

“Oh yeah.” LeAnn smiled sheepishly. “It was nice meeting you,” she shyly told Vetis. “I hope you’ll be able to tell me all about how you found Destiny before you leave.”

His smile was that of a snake about to strike its prey. “Oh, I can guarantee we’ll meet again.”

LeAnn blushed and hurried to the door. As soon as it closed behind her, Destiny turned to Vetis.

“Don’t hurt her.”

“Me? Hurt her? Have you lost faith in me so soon?”

She glanced away as he meandered closer. She knew better than to push him.

“You think you have it all figured out,” he continued.

She squared her shoulders and met his gaze once again. “I know I don’t have it all figured out, but I know LeAnn has more of a chance at living a good life than I ever did.”

“And the man you’ve been fucking?” His words were silky smooth. “Do you have him figured out yet?”

Her heart stopped, then began to pound inside her chest. Vetis knew about Chance. That she’d made love to him. Her gut told her there was something terribly wrong.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you really think he will return to Hell with you? That you’ll have your quota and the two of you will live happily ever after for all eternity?” He circled behind her, then stopped in front and ran his hand down the side of her face.

Destiny gritted her teeth at the burning pain he left on her skin. She wouldn’t let him know how much his touch burned, but it was all she could do not to cry out. And beneath the pain, she wondered how he found out about Chance.

“Do you love him?” Vetis casually asked.

“Of course not,” she lied.

“You probably think he loves you, too,” he continued as if she agreed with him.

What did he know? His expression told her nothing as a sick feeling began to form in the pit of her stomach.

“I watched the two of you today,” he ground out, but the whole time he smiled.

Fear so intense that she swayed swept over her. Please don’t hurt Chance, she silently begged.

“I saw him plunge inside your body and the look of ecstasy on your face. I never saw that look of passion on your face when I fucked you,” he snarled.

“No, it was only sex,” she whimpered.

“Only sex?” he roared. “Is that why you told him that you loved him?”

“I’m sorry.” Everything began to crumble around her. How could she have let her relationship with Chance go so far?

“You don’t even know he’s playing you for a fool.”

She stilled, her heart falling to her feet.

No, this was just another game he played, but one look at his serious expression and she knew this was not a game he played. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve cast me aside for a nephilim, you stupid, stupid girl! An immortal!”

The room began to spin. Vetis lied! He lied!

Chance couldn’t be immortal.

Vetis suddenly transformed into something hideous. The horned monster standing in front of her bore no resemblance to the handsome demon who once seduced her. Dark red skin stretched across muscle and bone, the ligaments and tendons visible. The creature’s eyes glowed yellow with black triangular slits.

Destiny’s terror intensified. She stumbled back, wanting to run. Knowing there was nowhere she could hide.

In the blink of an eye, Vetis shifted back to the angry seducer. Handsome once again, but trembling with rage. He turned away, drawing in a deep breath, then faced her once more. Had she only imagined the change in his appearance? She knew the mind could play tricks on the eye when someone was consumed with fear.

Destiny ran a weary hand across her forehead, eyes closed. She wasn’t sure what she saw. It happened too fast.

“Your lover is a nephilim. An immortal,” he repeated.

Her hand dropped to her side. What game did Vetis play? “Nephilim?” She didn’t know this word, but she did know Chance wasn’t an immortal. He couldn’t be. Wouldn’t she have sensed it? He was a cowboy, nothing more.

“I see he hasn’t mentioned any of this to you.” He smirked.

She studied Vetis. There was something in his expression that said he wasn’t lying. Ice crystals began to form inside her veins and around her heart.

Chance an immortal? Why didn’t he tell her? No, it couldn’t be true. They were lovers.

A niggle of doubt weaved its way through her. What did she really know about him? He wore a cowboy hat, so she assumed he was a cowboy.

What did he tell her about his life? Nothing whatsoever. He took her out, showed her a good time, but he wouldn’t be the first man to have done that while all the time he had a different agenda.

They did have a good time. The sex was fantastic, but spending time with Chance was more than that. They were comfortable with each other. He took her to the rodeo, bought her a hat. They laughed. He risked his life when he rode the bull.

Or had he? Immortals didn’t die.

Doubts flooded her. Did she only see what she wanted to see?

No, Vetis lied.

Destiny studied the demon. He was gloating. The sick feeling inside her grew. She knew without a doubt that what Vetis was about to tell her wouldn’t be good, but it would be the truth.

“Angels came down from heaven and mated with mortal women,” he explained as his eyes narrowed angrily. “See, and I bet you thought angels were pure and untarnished by the world,” he spat. “No, they laid with these women, then the women bore their unholy children—nephilim. The brats like to think they’re demigods.” His satanic laughter filled the room. “And now one has seduced you.”

“No.” She put up a hand as if she could stop the words he flung toward her.

“No?” His lips thinned. “You still want to believe the best about him, don’t you?”

“Chance didn’t lie.” She shook her head.

If she hoped for a sudden miracle, it didn’t come. No, Vetis still stood in front of her, waiting for her to stop denying what was right in front of her.

The words Chance had uttered that afternoon came back to haunt her.
I’d rather take you to Heaven.

She stumbled away from Vetis, sitting on the sofa with a hard thud. No, the demon lied. Vetis had been lying to her from the start. Hadn’t he? Chance was all that was good in her world. He wouldn’t lie to her. Not when she loved him so much.

Her hands began to shake. She held them, forcing the trembling to stop. The sick feeling inside her grew stronger.

“He wants to convince you that you can be reborn again. That you could be perfect.” Vetis snorted. “As though that would ever happen!”

She dragged her gaze to his. “What?”

“You’re not paying attention!” He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath as though he barely held his temper in check, then looked at her once again as he began to explain. “He’s going to tell you that he can give you another chance to relive your life by literally being born again.”

“To live again?”

“Exactly!” he said as if she finally got a very important question correct. “Of course, there’s no guarantee your life will be any different. Who’s to say it wouldn’t be exactly the same. Or worse.”

“No, it’s not true.” She shook her head.

“Isn’t it?”

She reached up, touching the necklace Chance had given her, but as her fingers ran over the angel wings, she quickly dropped the charm as if it had burned her.

An angel, of course.

He’d mentioned more than once how her life could be better. She thought she was seducing him, but he was the seducer. Again she let someone into her life, and that person lied to her.

“He was never planning to spend all of eternity with you.” Vetis delivered his last blow. “As soon as you’re reborn, the rules change for him. You can never be together. He’ll move on to the next pathetic person whom he believes needs saving while you’re left all alone once more to fend for yourself.”

The couch sank as Vetis sat next to her. He opened his arms. She hesitated before going into them, letting him wrap her in his warm embrace. At least with Vetis she knew where she stood. He’d told her from the beginning that he wanted her soul. Chance lied about everything.

“I thought he would return to Hell with me,” she whispered as the cold feeling moved over her.

“I know.”

A tear slipped from the corner of her eye and trailed down her cheek. “He was never planning to go with me.”

“No. Not even for a minute.”

She sniffed. She was so stupid. She fell in love with an angel. How ironic. Didn’t Chance know she belonged in Hell?

Chance.
She sucked in a deep breath as reality set in completely. It was over. There would be no living an eternity with him. That’s why he didn’t tell her that he loved her. He’d only wanted to steal her soul. He’d used her like all the others.

She buried her face against Vetis’s chest as pain ripped through her. She just wanted everything and everyone to go away.

“But you still have to meet your quota.” Vetis’s voice penetrated past the ache that buried itself deep inside her. “I won’t be able to stop the others if you don’t.” He lightly stroked his hand up and down her back.

She stiffened in his arms as his words sank into her brain. “What do you mean?”

“The tribunal.”

She closed her eyes tight as if she could will his words away. Everyone in Hell had heard of the tribunal. Demons who were almost as old as time. People said once you went before the council, you were already doomed. They always found the person guilty.

A shiver of dread swept over her. The rest was guessing on everyone’s part, but she had a feeling all the things she heard might be pretty close to the truth, which scared her even more.

When Vetis continued, Destiny knew she had to listen.

“You will go before the tribunal. There are six of us in all. I’ll be there, but I’m afraid they will join against me.”

“What will they do?”

He patted her back. “You still have time to get your quota. Think of it this way, you’ll be giving someone a chance at a brand new life where everything can be theirs. Dreams waiting to be fulfilled. Riches beyond their imagination. Who wouldn’t want to trade their soul for all that?”

Except she had yet to see any of what he’d offered her in exchange for her soul. No, Destiny couldn’t do it. She didn’t have enough time to convince someone to return to Hell with her.

“I can’t. I need a few more days. You could talk to them.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry. Our laws have been in place for centuries. I couldn’t change them even for you, my love.”

“What will they do if I fail?” she asked as she straightened from his arms.

Pity showed in his eyes. “They will cast you into the fires of Hell. There you will burn for all eternity, never dying. You will be driven insane by the pain, but it will always be with you.”

Destiny sucked in a deep breath as she pushed out of his arms and jumped to her feet. She began to pace across the floor as images of constant pain filled her head. How would she be able to stand that kind of sustained torture? Fear trembled over her. She tamped down the hysteria building inside her. No, she wouldn’t let it happen.

She suddenly stopped, turning to him, raising her chin. “Help me. You can if you want. You have to help me.”

He opened his hands, palms up. “Why do you only call upon me when you’re desperate,” he shook his head, his eyes turning sad, “only to reject me when I’m no longer needed?”