Something Wicked (31 page)

It was important to enjoy the small things in life.

Eden had sat down on the sofa. Even with her admission, she still eyed him warily as he approached.

“It doesn’t change anything between us, you know,” she warned.

No, she was right about that. No matter what the act of possession felt like for her, it didn’t change the fact that he was draining her of her life’s energy every time he did this.

However, this time he did notice the slight arch to her back as he possessed her, her breasts straining against the thin material of her blouse. The soft gasp from her lips as she squeezed her eyes shut.

It made him strangely happy.

But the happy feeling didn’t last long. His next thought managed to destroy it.

Selina’s spell. The one that would imbue Eden with more powerful and soul-damaging black magic every time they were together sexually.

Shit
, he thought with a dark, sinking feeling.

They didn’t have to actually have sex to trigger the spell, did they?

The spell was triggered every single day at sunset when he possessed her.

EIGHTEEN

Darrak had been unusually quiet since sunset. But chatty or not, Eden had to take the next step.

“I want to ask you something,” she said. She hadn’t left the apartment all evening. She didn’t know where to go at the moment, so she stayed in and tried to watch TV as she waited for the right time to broach this subject with Darrak.

Leena had disappeared into the bedroom and was currently sleeping under her bed. Eden wasn’t sure why the shapeshifter was being so unsocial that evening.

“What?” he asked.

“What do you think Theo has planned for that black diamond of his?” she asked, trying to sound casual. Theo hadn’t come out and admitted in front of her that he planned to destroy Lucifer with it. But that was what he was going to do. And she’d been recruited as a double agent to help stop him.

It was like the rerun of
Alias
currently flickering on her television. Only Eden didn’t have cool multicolored wigs like Jennifer Garner.

Darrak hesitated. “I’m not sure.”

“You don’t sound sure about not being sure. Are you sure you’re not sure?”

“Sure. Theo does his own thing. He always has.”

She curled her legs up under her on the sofa and pulled a cushion onto her lap, hugging it to her chest. “So you don’t even question him?”

“I guess not.”

He was keeping things from her. Then again, she was keeping things from him, too, but that was for his own good.

She could call Darrak by his full demon name,
Darrakayiis
. Then she would be able to command him. The first time she’d used it, she’d forced him to show her his demon form. When Darrak was under her control, he couldn’t lie to her, either. At the very least, he’d have a hell of a time trying.

As much power as that gave her, it felt incredibly wrong to take his free will away like that.

Eden used to think money made the world go around. After a lifetime of scraping by and a mother who either won big or lost big at the casinos, Eden was used to slim times. But now she knew it wasn’t really money that made the difference. It was
power
.

And, hell, money still helped. Even a black witch had to feed herself.

Darrak broke the silence after a minute. “You need to forget about that diamond.”

“I can’t.”

“Trust me, it would be better if you did.”

“I want it,” she said as calmly as she could.

“Pardon me?”

She grabbed the remote control and flicked off the television. “I want the angelheart.”

A long moment of silence hung between them. “It’s a bit too big to make a fetching necklace for you. And, really, what would you wear it with?”

“I don’t want it as jewelry.”

“Then why do you want it?”

She stood up and paced back and forth anxiously. “Because I don’t trust Theo, and I know he’s going to do something stupid with it. If he doesn’t have it anymore, no stupid can occur.”

“Theo’s not stupid.”

“I guess we have differing opinions on the subject.”

“Seems like. If you want the angelheart, maybe you should ask Theo for it the next time you see him.”

She hissed out a breath. “He’ll say no to me.”

“Wear that blue dress of yours and he might change his mind.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy.”

“I don’t know about that,” Darrak said slowly. “Theo did fall for a human once before.”

That was surprising. Theo had been in love? “What happened to her?”

Darrak paused. “She died a horrific death and her soul was consumed by hellfire.”

Her stomach lurched. “Why am I not surprised?”

“That’s typically what happens when humans get involved with demons,” he said pointedly.

She snorted. “Is that a promise or a threat?”

“Just an observation. But back to the angelheart . . . you need to forget it.”

“Can you get it for me?” She held her breath as she waited for his answer.

“And why would I want to do that?” he said evenly.

“You need a reason other than ‘pretty please’?”

“Afraid so.”

His flippant attitude was quickly frustrating her. “An angel already suffered and gave up his immortality so Theo could take his power away.”

“That angel didn’t deserve to be an angel. You saw him. His returning to Heaven with wings intact was already uncertain without Jack Daniels pushing him in the right direction. Heavenly and hellish entities really need to be careful with human drugs and alcohol. Dangerous stuff.”

“Theo didn’t have the right to steal from him. It was wrong.”

“I think you’re forgetting something, Eden. Demons don’t do things for the greater good of mankind. Humans are playthings, mostly. Meaningless diversions.”

She stared at her reflection in the glass on the balcony door. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest. “Is that how you feel?”

“How I
feel
?” There was an unpleasant twist to his words. “I shouldn’t be
feeling
anything. I’m a demon, and I keep managing to forget that little tidbit. Maybe it’s good that Theo’s around to remind me of what I truly am. After all, what I really should be feeling is: ‘Hooray, Theo drained an angel today. Point for us.’ ”

At her reflected look of shock, he actually chuckled.

“Sorry, I’m not quite as valiant as Detective Hanson. I’m sure he’d be scandalized and disgusted by what happened and willing to march off to war to retrieve that angelheart for you.”

“You’re right. He would.” Ben had made some stupid decisions lately, but Eden knew he had made them for all the right reasons.

“Glad to hear you’re still a fan.” But Darrak didn’t sound glad. He sounded pissed off.

This discussion wasn’t going half as well as she’d hoped. But what had she thought would happen? That he’d choose to help her—some random woman he’d met by accident a couple of weeks ago—over his centuries-old friendship with another demon just like him?

Was Darrak exactly like Theo?

She would have said no before, but the way Darrak was answering her questions now—there was no revulsion for the other demon, no judgment. Theo was just Theo. And Darrak seemed to trust him implicitly, no matter what he did or said.

Eden had desperately wanted to tell Darrak the truth. While she couldn’t say anything about the deal she’d made with Lucifer, for fear of repercussions if he found out, she could share what she’d learned about her father possibly being an angel. And about the Malleus being very interested in how that might affect the demon that possessed her.

But now she didn’t want to tell Darrak anything at all.

“I’m going to bed,” she finally said.

“Maybe you’ll dream about golden boy tonight swinging in and rescuing you from the evil demon.”

“I hope I do,” she agreed.

“Sweet dreams.” Darrak’s tone was decidedly sour.

Eden could pretty much guarantee her dreams that night wouldn’t be sweet.

She sincerely hoped tomorrow would be better than today.

It couldn’t possibly get any worse.

Nothing used to get to Darrak.
Nothing
.

Ah, the good old days.

Back then, when he’d felt defeated or powerless or even afraid—although that had happened very rarely—he’d covered it up with a joke or a sarcastic comment. He still did that. His mask? Maybe a little. But a snide comment or witty comeback made things easier.

He wasn’t feeling all that witty at the moment.

He felt angry mostly. And frustrated.

And . . . uncomfortable.

He refused to wear the fuchsia underwire bra. It pinched.

Leena watched him suspiciously as he got ready to leave the apartment in Eden’s stolen body at half past midnight to meet up with Theo at Luxuria.

“What?” he asked with Eden’s voice.

“Going to meet your mystery man again?” she asked.

“Good guess.”

“Who is this guy, anyhow?”

“Love to tell you all about it,” he said, “but I just don’t want to.”

A flicker of confusion went through Leena’s gaze at the flippant reply. Darrak honestly didn’t care if the shifter figured out what he was doing or not. He was a demon, and he could do whatever he wanted without worrying about any repercussions. In fact, he should revel merrily in it.

He’d revel merrily later. He mentally put it on his to-do list.

Darrak waited for Leena’s accusation that was sure to go something along the lines of, “You nasty piece of demon shit. How dare you steal Eden’s body to meet your nasty evil piece of shit friend just so you can feel whole again and not like a washed-up and worthless excuse for a once-powerful archdemon.”

As he’d said before, the shapeshifter was very insightful.

In fact, he challenged her to say something. He stood there, one stolen hand on one stolen hip, and he arched a stolen eyebrow. “Got a problem with me, cat?”

She had to know, didn’t she? Weren’t shifters all intuitive like that?

Leena glared at him for five full seconds before her bottom lip wobbled. “I’m so sorry, Eden.”

He frowned. “What?”

Leena inhaled shakily. “I know I’m difficult to live with. I know I always say the wrong thing and I can’t get along with anybody. But I’ll . . . I’ll try to get along with the demon. It’s not going to be easy, but I’m willing to try. I have the kind of personality that needs to fight with others. Darrak’s not the first. I just like to protect the people I care about from those I think are dangerous.”

“You think Darrak’s dangerous?”

“Well, duh. Of course he is.”

He considered this for a moment. “You’re right, of course.”

She wiped her moist eyes. “I am?”

“Yes. I think he’s probably going to get me killed if I can’t find a way to get rid of him.” Well, it was the truth, after all.

“You need to exorcise him,” she said firmly.

He snorted. “I appreciate that being so top of mind that you didn’t even hesitate before suggesting it.”

Leena sat down at the tiny dinette table. “I know people, Eden. They can take care of a demon infestation in twenty minutes or less. They’re independents, not associated with the Malleus.”