Something Wicked (6 page)

“Why did you come here?” Darrak asked.

Then again, he’d never been one to step
too
shallowly.

Theo’s dark brows rose. “Here? At this nightclub?”

“Sure. In this club. In this city. Why here and why tonight?”

“You’re very direct. I like that in a woman.”

So did Darrak, actually. “Are you going to answer my question or not?”

“Very well.” Theo leaned back against the plush sofa. “I’m here for business reasons, but also because I’m looking for someone.”

“Who?”

“An old friend who may be in trouble. I was given information he might be here tonight. I want to help him if I can.”

Could it be that Theo was here looking for Darrak specifically? The thought didn’t help him to relax. It could mean anything or it could be an outright lie. Theo could have been sent to destroy him.

Had he always been this paranoid, or was that thanks to Eden’s influence?

Theo reached a hand over to squeeze Darrak’s borrowed knee. “But don’t worry. I also have plenty of time to get to know you as well, my dear.
Intimately
.”

Darrak pried Theo’s hand off and deposited it back in the demon’s lap. “Sorry. I’m not into guys.”

Theo’s eyes gleamed as a very nonhuman spark of fire lit inside their dark depths. “I do like a challenge. I think you’ll find I’m very hard to resist. Your protests only make things more interesting for me.”

Darrak’s initial apprehension began to fade, and he restrained himself from rolling his eyes. “Theo, you’ve always been blinded by booze and babes, haven’t you?”

The demon frowned. “How do you know my name?”

“Where did you get this information on your friend? And are you sure you’re here to help him? Or were you sent here to destroy him?”

“Destroy him? But why would I—” Theo broke off, his expression turning wary. “Who are you?”

Darrak could leave now. Walk away and ensure Eden’s safety. But he’d be ensuring it only for tonight. Tomorrow and beyond was another story.

“Look closer,” Darrak said. “I’m sure you can figure it out despite the eight rum and Cokes you’ve choked back tonight. You’re a smart boy.”

Theo sat up straight and leaned a fraction toward Darrak, slowly taking in Eden’s attractive exterior from head to toe with a blatant level of appreciation in his eyes.

“You’re a very beautiful woman, despite your less than appealing footwear.”

“Prevention of bunions is the new black. Keep looking. I’m sure you’ll get it eventually.”

Theo cocked his head as he concentrated harder. The loud music made it almost too difficult to speak, let alone to think. Men and women had to get very close to each other to be heard—part of the appeal of a club like this, Darrak figured. He took a moment to scan the room. Was Stanley, the wizard’s assistant, still here? He couldn’t see him anymore, at least not from this side of the crowded room.

That feeling he’d had earlier, of the lust and desperation—it felt like a solid thing now, touchable and real. All these humans after the same base need—sex. It worked to give the club an ambiance that was less than pleasant. As an ex-incubus, he was surprised he didn’t appreciate it more. But he didn’t. It felt . . .
threatening
.

He had no idea why.

“Well?” he prompted after another moment. Best not to get distracted from why he was really here.

Theo’s gaze continued to move appreciatively over Darrak’s borrowed body, lingering at Eden’s chest for a moment before returning to her face.

Then, suddenly, his eyes widened with clarity. “Oh, shit.”

Finally. “Bingo.”

The demon’s mouth gaped open. “Darrak?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve been staring at your tits for the last five minutes.”

“They’re not mine, of course. But they are lovely, aren’t they? All natural, too.” Darrak blinked. “You can stop looking at them now.”

“Not sure I can.” Finally Theo yanked his gaze away from Eden’s body. “What is going on here?”

It was vaguely encouraging that Theo’s first reaction was confusion rather than destruction.

“I was cursed,” Darrak explained simply.

Theo raised an eyebrow. “Cursed.”

“When I disappeared, I was summoned by a witch during the Salem trials. She trapped me and forced me to do her bidding before I managed to escape.”

“You killed her, I hope?”

“Not exactly, although that was the original plan. She fought back and threw out a powerful death curse at me. If I’d been less than an archdemon, it would have decimated me completely. As it was, it turned my body to ash. Let’s just say, it stung like a bitch. I’ve been forced to possess humans ever since.”

Theo had covered his mouth with his hand, obviously shocked. But after a moment, Darrak realized he was concealing his laughter.

“Sorry,” Theo managed after a moment. “It’s really not funny, is it?”

“No, it’s really not.”

Theo snorted. “It’s just . . . I mean, look at you. Just
look
at you.”

Darrak stared at him. This was the fearsome demon he thought might destroy him on sight? The archdemon was practically giggling. “Maybe I’ll laugh about it in the future. The distant future. At the moment, not so much.”

“Oh, wow.” Theo gasped for breath, then grabbed his freshest drink and took a quick swig. “I needed a good laugh. Things have been way too serious for me lately. Thanks.”

“Glad my tortured existence can bring you some joy.”

“Why didn’t you summon me? I thought you’d gone to the Void.”

“I haven’t had any control over my previous hosts. Besides, even if I could, summoning an archdemon from inside a human never would have worked.”

Theo eyed Eden’s body again. “And you’ve taken this woman over completely? Burned out her soul so you can take up permanent residence?”

The thought made him inwardly cringe. There had been a few incorporeal demons who’d done just that, treating their hosts like nothing more important than taco shells. “No. She’s just asleep right now.”

Theo considered this. “So she knows about you?”

Darrak nodded. “We’re looking for a way to break my curse and return my power. So far, no dice.”

“Is your strength returning? I know witches’ curses can be a bitch to deal with.”

“A little, but not as much as I’d like. There’s something different about Eden, though—”

“Eden?” Theo repeated. “That’s her name?”

“It is.” Darrak’s lips curved despite himself. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

“I’d say so.” Theo laughed again. “At least you didn’t pick a host named Heaven. That would have been hilarious.”

“I’ll take the potential for comedy gold into consideration next time I’m cursed.”

Theo leaned forward and put his hand on Darrak’s shoulder, his expression sobering. “Hell hasn’t been the same without you. We used to have lots of fun painting the town red, didn’t we?”

“Yes, we did,” Darrak agreed. Although, their paint of choice at the time couldn’t be found at Color Your World.

“I can help you find the witch, and together we’ll tear the heart from her chest to break this curse. It’s the least I can do.”

Darrak tensed. “Sounds like a blast, but unfortunately the witch is already dead and not by my hand. The curse stands.”

Theo laughed again. “So you’re saying you’re screwed.”

“Essentially.” If this was happening to someone else, he’d probably be able to see the humor a bit better. “I do have a perk with Eden, although we haven’t figured out why it works. She’s psychic, and I seem to be able to draw on that energy to take solid form during the day.”

A waitress brought over another rum and Coke, placing it in front of Theo and indicating that it was bought by a brunette at the bar. He tipped it in the woman’s direction and took a sip. Darrak glared at the woman, and she slunk back into the crowd.

How rude.

“Interesting.” Theo rubbed his chin. “Never heard of that before—psychic energy assisting in possession.”

“Me neither. But it’s been helpful.”

Theo templed his fingers and studied Darrak’s current form, a frown creasing his brow. “The solution is simple. We kill this body you’re stuck in to release you, temporarily trap your essence in a crystal for safe keeping, and return you to Hell where you might be able to be restored by hellfire. It’s just a theory, but it’s worth a try.”

The demon was dead serious as he said it.

“I’m not killing Eden,” Darrak said evenly.

“But if you’re looking for a simple solution—”

“I never said I was looking for a simple solution. I’m looking for a
solution
. One that won’t result in her death.”

“She won’t survive a trip to Hell,” Theo reasoned.

“Then there has to be another answer.”

“Of course there is. You can come with me during the day when you have form. It won’t take long.”

Darrak shook his head. “I can’t go far from her side. I’m bound to her.”

“More reason to kill her, then.”

“Not going to happen.” Darrak glared at him.

Theo studied him, and Darrak grew uneasy. In the past he wouldn’t have hesitated to take the simple way out. A human life for his continued existence? It was a no-brainer.

“You’ve changed,” Theo stated. “Haven’t you?”

Darrak clenched his fist, ready to will whatever power he could muster into it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re all . . .” The demon’s expression soured. “
Emotional
. And
human
. I can sense it now that I’m paying attention.”

“Who told you I was here?” Darrak demanded, any attempt at friendliness disappearing.

Theo’s eyes narrowed, and an unpleasant smile snaked across his face. “It was a rumor that I was sent to investigate. I confirmed it by talking to the local wizard master and convincing him to fill me in on the details. He knew more than I expected.”

“And by convincing, you mean you tortured him.”

“Of course. He’s left town for a while to recover.” Theo’s knuckles whitened on his drink glass. “Do I see disapproval in your eyes, Darrak?”

Disapproval that Theo was acting as a demon should? That would be irrational, wouldn’t it?

“I have to go.” Darrak stood up and turned away, moving through the crowd. He now saw it had been a huge mistake to come back.

A hand closed over his arm. “Hey, you’re back.” It was the man who’d briefly hit on Eden earlier that night. His other hand closed on Eden’s ass. “I knew you couldn’t stay away, baby.”

“Think again.” It only took a modest shove to launch the loser across the room. He landed heavily on his back in the middle of the dance floor.

How do women put up with this kind of crap without resorting to violence?

Darrak turned, only to be faced with Theo now in front of him, blocking his way to the exit.

“I wouldn’t try that with me,” Theo said. “I’m a little harder to push around.”

“Get out of my way or we may have to test that theory.”

Theo’s eyes went to Eden’s amulet as if seeing it for the first time. “What’s that?”

“What does it look like?”

“I thought you said Eden was a psychic.”

“She is.”

“And she’s also a black witch?”

Darrak grimaced. “The original witch cast a spell on me so any psychically gifted woman I slept with would be imbued with black magic.”