Deceiver's Bond: Book Two of A Clairvoyant's Complicated Life (10 page)

“Your lecherous beast routine. It doesn’t fool me one bit, so you may as well save it.” I gave myself a mental pat on the back for managing to sound confident and self-possessed, in spite of my inner swoon.

“Indeed.” It rested its chin obliquely on the top of its left knee and regarded me. “You don’t believe me to be a lecherous beast?”

“Oh, I think you’re plenty lecherous, but the way you obviously go on about it, like a strutting bird all puffed up and cocky … well, that’s just dramatics to distract me from your truth.”

“How interesting,” it replied, sounding anything but. It raised a lazy eyebrow. “And what am I trying to hide?”

“More secrets than I care to imagine, I’m sure,” I admitted, not bothering to camouflage my disgust. “But I know you want to visit places like this at your own choosing, without being summoned by some power-crazed human who forces you to do his bidding. You do your best to deny it, but the thing you want most is to be human. You want to be free.”

It straightened and turned its head to take in the view, expression betraying nothing.

I’d expected a flat denial or, at the very least, a snarky retort. Puzzled, I studied its profile. Paimon had chosen the same human façade each time I had encountered it. At first, I’d assumed it cobbled together its human appearance based on my personal preferences, but now I wasn’t sure. It appeared in this same guise when it had pulled my essence into the Between, the vast, empty nexus between worlds. In that place, with only our essences representing us, we each appeared as we viewed ourselves, not as others saw us or wanted us to look.

“Soon, I won’t need to be human to visit this place unfettered,” it said, issuing a humorless laugh, “but by then, it will only look like this in your dreams.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Its pale eyes, despite their human shape, managed to appear both alien and ageless. I suppressed a shiver.

“It means, my mate, the dawn of convergence is nearly upon us. If you wish to help those you love and preserve the things you hold dear, you will need no small amount of skill and power, and, perhaps most of all, cunning.”

“Stop calling me that,” I snapped, leaning closer to poke its arm. “I am not your mate. And if you think I’m going to fall for some horseshit about a coming catastrophe that can only be averted by sacrificing virgins in your name, you can go stuff it. I’m not lifting a finger for you,
demon
.”

“I’d not dream of asking you to do such a thing.” It sniffed, feigning indignation, before flashing me a devious smile. “Besides, virgins are highly overrated.”

I pressed my lips together and tried not to laugh at its expression. Smothering a smile, I blew out an annoyed breath. “Why do you continue to interrupt my sleep? What do you want?”

“We have covered this. I wish only to help you.”

“Right. And if I’m stupid enough to believe that—which I’m not by the way—what makes you think I want or even need your help?”

It narrowed its eyes. “My darling Lire, I know what is coming.”

“God.” Glaring at him, I straightened and crossed my legs kindergarten style. “Everyone must think I enjoy hearing mysterious predictions and thinly veiled threats because it seems like that’s all I’ve been getting lately. First, the telepaths with their damned prophecy and, now,
you
. Dawn of … what was it? Convergence? Could you be any more melodramatic?” I rolled my eyes. “Please. If you have something to tell me, then
tell
me. I’ve had enough of the drama.”

It peered down its nose at me. “You are so ignorant, one hardly knows where to start.” It reclined to one elbow and gestured at me. “You know, of course, about the creatures you humans call ‘the fae?’”

After its ‘ignorant’ comment, I wanted more than anything to prove it wrong. Unfortunately, I knew almost nothing about the fae. “Leprechauns, brownies, pixies, the sidhe, plus a host of other darker creatures—they’re all part of the fae. Only leprechauns and brownies remain in our world in any significant numbers. My knowledge is limited. I’ve just read about them, never met or seen any. Red told me once, he’d only come across one sidhe in his entire existence. I know some sidhe are involved with Invisius Verso.”

“My, my. How the mighty have fallen.” It clicked its tongue in a pitying fashion. “Eons ago, the fae populated your world in vast numbers, a second home, if you will. They called Earth their ‘sylvan haven.’”

It gestured toward the view around us before continuing, “For many thousands of years, they reveled in its splendors and vast reservoir of magic. But their influence has diminished. The conjunction between their universe and yours has waned. No longer can they slip between worlds unhindered. Soon, they will become like me, only able to visit when summoned.”

It traced its index finger along a millimeter-wide crack in the rock, appearing lost in thought. Sensing that it had more to say, I remained silent and watched its unconscious movements, struck by their humanness. Again, I reminded myself this creature was far from human. As I studied its appealing appearance, I wondered at its age. Somehow it managed to project a sense of antiquity while still retaining a contemporary manner.

I probably knew more about Paimon than most people, since I had touched it and received some of its memories when it had almost succeeded in possessing my soul, but much of its nature eluded me. How were its kind born? Had it been alive before the birth of humanity or did it naturally possess an air of timelessness? Did it truly live in what humans had come to think of as Hell? Or was it just another creature, like the djinn, or the fae for that matter, that inhabited one of an infinite number of universes? I had visited the Between and felt for myself the staggering number of connections intersecting that place—each tremulous string representing a unique life force that inhabited any one of God knew how many worlds. Even now, I could hardly grasp what I had experienced during my brief visit. No doubt, there were astrophysicists who would give their front teeth to have my limited knowledge. Not many humans could say they’d visited Purgatory or, even less ostensibly, navigated their way back to their Earth-bound body after getting stuck there.

Paimon broke the lengthening silence, forcing me to shelve my questions and pay attention.

“Thousands of years ago, when the sidhe first realized that an epoch approached in which they would no longer be able to freely slip between worlds, they endeavored to protect their treasure. For countless years, they fought the growing tide of human expansion, but when it became apparent that my brethren would eventually usurp their control, they resolved to instead use humans as unwitting tools.

“The strongest and most gifted of the sidhe set out to impregnate as many human females as possible in order to create an army of Earth-bound caretakers, to fight for and protect Earth. After more than five thousand years of effort, however, the birth rate has been, shall we say, less than ideal.” It laughed richly. “The modern invention of effective birth control only added insult to injury.”

Oh, us pesky humans. We’re just so precocious.

Paimon shrugged at my disapproving scowl, but went on, “Now, the sidhe grow desperate. Soon the denizens of my world will overrun this world, destroying everything in their path and gorging themselves on its plentiful magic until nothing remains.”

I blinked and straightened. “Come again?”

It eyed me as though I were a wad of gum stuck to the bottom of its shoe. “Do you consider nothing I tell you? Mass slayings have increased steadily over the past century, have they not? As your world draws closer to mine, they will skyrocket—culling your numbers. And, soon, my kind will do more than simply possess the weak-minded. Soon, they will cross over unhindered, as the fae once did, and all will be lost. Unless you act to prevent it.”

“Me? What can I possibly do?” I blurted before coming to my senses. “Right. End of the world. Had to be.” I glared at it. “Give me a break. There are more slayings because there are more people now than there were a hundred years ago. It stands to reason the numbers have increased. Nice try,” I retorted, but I couldn’t help considering my upcoming visit with the FBI.

Agent Fisk had reason to believe his case had something in common with the Circle Murders, otherwise why involve me? And Paimon’s assertion about the increased number of massacres didn’t sound all that farfetched. Over the past several years, there had been an inexplicable number of mass killings, both here and abroad. Was it a trend, or just coincidence? Gun control advocates claimed the increase was due to the proliferation of high capacity firearms, but several of the murderers hadn’t used guns. One thing most of the murderers had in common, however, was their questionable mental state.

But that didn’t mean Paimon spoke the whole truth. I had ample reason to doubt this messenger, to say nothing of its preposterous message.

Demonic invasion? You’d think it would have come up with something more probable. “You know, your kind isn’t exactly known for truthfulness. In fact, even if I was stupid enough to believe you, I might question what your motive is in telling me all this. And don’t give me that baloney about just wanting to help me. I don’t believe for one second that you care about me as a person unless it benefits you somehow.”

“‘Judge not, lest ye be judged.’” It reached out and stroked the underside of my jaw. “If you doubt me, you need only look into your own heart.”

I jerked away, unsettled by the fluttering in my chest at its gentle touch. “What is that supposed to mean?” I slapped a palm to my forehead. “God. I sound like a broken record. Trying to get the truth out of you is impossible. Why do I even bother?”

It smiled seductively. “It means, my mate, that although the covenant between us has been broken, we remain partially connected. It is how I visit your dreams. I have tasted your blood and you know me as no other being has since becoming what I am. If you allowed yourself to trust your instincts, you would see the truth of it. But to know without a doubt that I speak truly, to know me completely, our tie must be equitably strengthened.”

It sighed and rolled to its back, staring up at the cloudless sky and waving its right hand dismissively. “And before you mount your high horse to spew something about my treacherous ways, know this is not some trickery of mine to gain your soul. One may not compel another without also being equally compelled. It is the way of things, as you well know.”

I remembered Red’s words. “I’m sure there’s another way. You just don’t want me to know it.”

“No, my sweet. In this, I omit nothing. Surrender is required to glean the absolute truth of someone’s soul. There is no other way.”

“That’s no different than our previous covenant. You would have my soul, which isn’t up for trade.”

“Typical human—allowing emotion to impair common sense,” it scoffed. “If you stopped to
think
, you would remember, in our previous bargain, I surrendered nothing of myself. I simply relinquished my portal. I took your blood and gave up none of my own.”

“And now, for me to learn the truth, you would surrender yourself? Why? What’s the catch? What’s in it for you?”

“No catch. We would be in each other’s debt. Tit for tat, as it were.”

“Now,
that
I know is a lie.”

It shrugged, managing to make the gesture look elegant, in spite of lying flat on its back, left arm crooked under its head. “Believe what you will. To you, I speak only the truth and need no such arrangement to continue doing so.”

I studied it, remembering our first encounter. “Why am I no longer repulsed by you?”

“When I am summoned, I am imbued with the desires of the summoner. What you sensed at our first meeting was Brian’s corruption.”

I drew up one knee, hugging it to my chest. “Strengthening our connection … what would that entail?”

It tilted its head, examining me. My question seemed to surprise it. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it assumed I would disregard the idea out of hand.

It replied, “A blood exchange, nothing more.”

“Can it be done here?”

“In a dream?” It chuckled. “No, my love. Only your world or mine will suffice.”

I gritted my teeth at the endearment, knowing it would just ignore my angry retort, and instead corrected, “Or the Between.”

“Yes. Although, in that place, our essences will serve in place of blood.”

I wondered whether that made it more dangerous.

“I’ll consider it.”

It rolled to its side, smiling and crooking an elbow to support its head. “A most welcome surprise, but do not delay long in consideration. There are those who will soon move against you. Without my help, you may not survive to prevent the coming tide.”

“I don’t get it. If what you say is true, why prevent your kind from coming to Earth? You want the same freedom.”

“Freedom on an unspoiled Earth. Most of my brethren care nothing for its wonders. They desire only to consume and destroy. That is not the refuge I seek.”

I cast my gaze to our surroundings and considered the natural beauty I had created from memory. The thought of this place being destroyed was inconceivable. Forcing my gaze heavenward, I almost snorted, wondering how many times this demon had used such a story to convince a gullible human to do its bidding. All of its answers sounded so reasonable and more than a little magnanimous, which made me suspicious. But, without a contract between us, there was no way for me to know whether it spoke the truth as it professed.

It touched me again, a light caress on my arm, making me shiver. Its voice was intent. “Our time tonight draws short. I leave you with a warning. Avoid contact with the sidhe. Do not allow one to touch you. If they detect even our partial connection, they may not hesitate to kill you, or worse. They believe all of my kind their enemy and do not recall old friends or strive to honor ancient compacts.”

“Great.” I sighed. “Just what I need, more enemies.”