Demon Tempted (Karmic Lust) (9 page)

“Oh, so that’s what it means.” She unlocked the car and got settled inside. He indicated he wanted to talk to her, so she rolled down the window. He leaned in with his arms resting against the car.

“Means, I’ll think about. I will see you at home. I have one more stop to make.”

“Sounds good. I need to take a long soak in the tub anyway.”

He gave her a peck on her lips and then moved away. She started the car and drove off. She was losing herself to him, heart and soul. How on earth would she keep her needs separate from her heart?

****

Clay watched her drive away, waiting till her headlights were mere specks on the horizon. Satisfied she was gone, he rotated toward the angel that stood at the edge of the parking lot. He headed in that direction. Once he reached him, they both blended seamlessly into the darkness.

The stood in the in between, the realm between the earth and the heaven—the crossover point at the Nether. It was a place where they were neither in darkness nor light. It was a place where everything was in a holding pattern and time stood still. Silence carried them for a few moments then Clay took it upon himself to speak.

“Kamuel, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“If I said checking on your progress that would mean I was lying. As you know we are always aware of what’s going on.”

“Yes, which is why I wondered what brought you here.”

“I’m here to give you a bit of warning, though I can’t tell you exactly what’s happening.”

“A warning? What kind of warning?”

“There’s an old enemy about. An enemy who’s thirsty for blood and won’t stop until it’s received.”

“Understood, Kam. An old enemy meaning someone I’ve had to deal with before. But seeing as I’m still here and so is my enemy, this must be a vengeance issue.”

“I’ve always rooted for you. If prophecy had mandated that I could help, I would have, as would many of the others.”

Clay clasped the other male’s shoulder.

“I know and appreciate that fact. The ramifications for changing the written law and rules can be a tricky thing to be sure. No hard feelings, Kam, even if this doesn’t turn out the way I hope it does. Eva still has a will of her own, and she is guiding our path more than I am.”

“Just watch your back, as well as Eva’s. Oh and Samael and Liliana, they are to be figured into the equation and protected as well. The enemy will use them as well he can.”

“Will do, Kam, and thank you again.” The use of ‘he’ didn’t mean much to Clay. A supernatural adversary could take any form. The danger could come in male or female form. He’d speak with Samael about keeping vigilant.

“Be well, my friend.” With a great flutter of wings, Kamuel was gone just as quickly as he’d appeared.

Back at his vehicle, Clay just sat with his hands on the wheel, thinking. It was remarkable how used to human things he’d become after all these years playing at being one. He could have left the car there and been back at home quickly, but leaving the car would raise questions he didn’t wish to answer. In this world he had to play at being human in most instances or risk violating the natural order of things. Even demons had rules.

He started the car and drove toward home. He would heed Kamuel’s warning. It wasn’t given lightly. Knowing that someone was coming for them made him even more watchful. It also made him a bit more suspicious of the new male suddenly in Eva’s life. She was going to give him hell and most likely rebel if he told her to watch out for Oz. So he would have to do the surveillance himself. History showed him as weak for always listening to what she’d said. It hadn’t been weakness though, unless love was a weakness. This time he’d be the one to make sure they were on the right path.

She woke up in a cold sweat, Clay’s white dress shirt clinging to her skin, as she clung to the covers, a scream having left her lips. She tried to calm herself, taking in slow, deep breaths. Clay burst open through the bedroom door, looking around as if he expected someone to be there. The small lamp on the nightstand by her bed cast his shadow on the far wall. She must’ve fallen asleep waiting for him after her bath.

“Eva, what’s wrong?”

He moved quickly to her side and pulled her up against his body. He was in a pair of sweatpants but otherwise bare. He cupped the back of her head with his hand, stroking her hair gently.

“I’m sorry. I just had the most god awful dream.”

“Do you want to tell me about it?” His voice sounded so strange. She wasn’t sure why.

“I suppose I could, but it wouldn’t do any good.”

“Let me be the judge of that,” he whispered.

Clay sat on the bed and pulled her naked form into his lap, still running his fingers through her hair. She snuggled close, pressing her face to his neck and closing her eyes. She took in a deep breath then let it all out.

“The serpent from the garden was in my dreams.”

Eva didn’t elaborate on the identity of the serpent. She saw the recognition of who she was talking about on his face, but he didn’t say anything so she continued speaking. “He was tempting me, and I couldn’t stop him. I wanted his temptation even though I knew it wasn’t for my good.”

“It was just a dream, Eva. You’re here with me. I’ll always take care of you.”

He rocked her gently, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. His voice was soothing and hypnotic. She nodded and wrapped her arms snugly around him.

She inhaled, and her breath caught. Something was squeezing the breath from her chest, making it hard to breathe. The tightening got worse. Just as she was going to ask him to stop squeezing so hard, she arched back in horror.

Eva was in the grasp of a large, ebony-scaled snake and not Clay. The largest snake she’d ever seen. Struggling only made the snake’s coils tighten. Once it held her immobile, its huge face moved inches from her own.

“You’re mine, Eva.” After every word, a hissing sound followed along with a long flick of its tongue.

“No! I don’t belong to you! Let me go!” She used her hands to push at the snake’s body and just when she’d get leeway from one coil, another would wrap about her body. She had to face facts—she was trapped.

This was no ordinary snake. Serpents didn’t talk. This was a manifestation of a demon. Perhaps she could reason with a demon. She had to hope and pray that she could and that there was something the demon wanted from her and that that something was not her life.

“Now why would I do that? Trust me, you will want this. In fact you need this.”

“I’ll stop struggling. Tell me what you want. Why do you think I need this? Who are you?” The snake pressed its large head against her cheek and rubbed, shivered. She could smell death and the pit of hell on its breath as the tongue flicked out against her lips. The sound of a raspy chuckle would echo through her head. The serpent looked at her and stated, “Damn right you will stop struggling, lest you wish to die.”

“I don’t want to die. No, just tell me what you want.”
Where was Clay?
She needed Clay. Her ribs were starting to feel bruised from the rough handling by the demon.

“You need this, my dear, because you always have wanted what you shouldn’t have. You’ve always wanted knowledge, the man who wasn’t yours and everyone else be damned, right?”

“That was in the past,” she protested.

“Not so far in the past, Eva Jackson, celebrated in the past as Eve.”

“If I need you, then show me who you are, who you really are.”

“Not going to happen yet. First I’m going to have some fun with you.”

This demon knew all her secrets, but the problem was what was he going to do with that information? Perhaps if she kept him talking, she could find out what he wanted.

“What did I do to you?”

The serpent laughed yet again. “Do? You did nothing to me, personally. I’m a demon. I choose my fun.”

“Then why are you here? Or most importantly why did you choose me for your fun?”

“Lust and greed, my dear, is what brought me about, something you have plenty of.” The serpent’s head turned toward the door and cocked to the side. Then his green eyes took her in once more.

“Till we meet again, my dear.” His coils wrapped about her body one more time.

She was getting dizzy from the pressure, and it wouldn’t be long before she succumbed and passed out. She looked into the serpent’s eyes. Startling deep green. Where had she seen such eyes? His eyes changed to a yellow, and she thought perhaps she’d been seeing things. She heard her bedroom door open. The light from the hallway shone in, and Clay stepped into the room. The demon was gone. It was like it truly had been a dream, but her ribs were hurting—proof that it hadn’t been.

“Clay.” She jumped up and ran into his arms, pressing her face into his chest. He held her close and kissed her forehead.

“Hmm, what brought this on? Miss me that much?”

“Nothing, I just had a bad dream is all.”

She wasn’t going to tell him. She’d take care of this herself. She wasn’t sure how, but she wouldn’t bring him into this. She’d have to do this on her own. She’d spent too many years letting others be pulled into her own personal hell. She wasn’t going to do that again. She’d figure this out. She had to. She held on to him for a few moments longer.

“Are you sure?” He peered into her eyes, concern appearing in his own. She nodded.

“Yes, I’m sure. It was a bad dream, but you’re here now. Everything will be fine. I’m okay.”

“If you’re sure you’re all right?”

“Clay, I’m fine. I promise, now come and hold me. I want to go back to sleep. This darn human body of mine needs sleep.”

She took his hand and led him back to the bed. Tossing the covers aside, she climbed back in and patted the side next to her. He held up a finger to indicate one minute and quickly divested himself of his clothing. He tossed it to the chair.

“Sure I will, since you ask so sweetly, dearest Eva.”

He teased her by sliding into the bed next to her. He pulled her close and tucked her head under his chin so that she was lying on his chest. She exhaled and tried not to think of the pain twinging her ribs. She would not think about it.
She’d ignore it, and it would go away. Yes, that’s what she had to do.

Besides, Clay was here. There was no way that the demon would come back with Clay being right here with her. For Clay to not sense that another demon had been around had to mean the serpent was cloaking himself. It was hiding from Clay, which told her it wanted her and her alone. Yes, she could take care of this—she had to.

She moved against him, trying to get comfortable finally. She found the perfect spot and stopped moving. He slid his hand down her body and cupped her lower back. She bit her lip to stop the cry of pain before it escaped.

“You finally settled?”

“Mhmm, you smell good.” Distraction, she needed to distract him.

He kissed the top of her head, then reached over and turned off the lamp.

“Now I know you must be tired, if you’re giving me compliments. Get some rest,” he kidded.

Her giggle turned into a huge yawn. His body shook as he snickered. One more graze of his lips on the top of her head and then he lay back on the pillows, tugging her close into the spoon position.

“Good night, Eva. I will wake you in the morning.”

“I’m sure you will have to. I think I will sleep like the dead tonight.”

“Enough with the talking woman. Rest. ‘Cause if you don’t, I will be doing more than just holding you.” At first, in her sleep-hazed state, she wasn’t sure what he was talking about. Then she felt the insistent poke of his cock. Her breath caught but as tired as she was there was no way she was going to do anything.

“Sleep first. I will take a rain check on the other.”

She nodded and closed her eyes. Letting out a huff as her body calmed, soon she slept.

****

Asmoday, otherwise known to the human as Oz, looked on from the twisting nether of perdition as the demon of old held the newly made human. His anger built each passing moment he was thwarted and taken off task by a lesser demon such as Clay. He had to be careful or his plan would be found out before it could come to fruition.

“Soon they will understand the true meaning of despair. Tonight was only a taste, Eva and Clay. Just a small flavoring of my disdain and power. Soon the Eve of the Garden will once again present herself, and I will be there waiting in the wings.”

Another demon strode up to stand beside Asmoday. He screeched manically as he looked down at Clay and Eva through the looking glass that could show any point in time a demon wished to see.

“Damn, don’t you think you should stop messing with those two? They seriously fucked you up the last time.”

“Fuck off, Vestis. If I need your commentary, I will fucking ask for it.” Asmoday didn’t even turn his head to look at the other demon; he knew who it was just by the laugh and smell of him. The red-eyed demon was as shadowy as pitch with snow white hair. Down in the Nether the demons were in various forms: some in human, some in their demon form and some in their bestial forms.