Souls of the Damned (Kat Redding) (10 page)

“Okay, then,” the man said, backing slowly toward his vehicle. “You all be careful now, you hear?” He got back into the truck and a moment later, he was gone.

“You okay?” I asked Jeremy as we made our way back to his car. Sienna got into the backseat, head down, looking miserable. He closed the door for her and then prodded his side.

“I think she broke a rib,” he said. “It’ll be better in a day or so, but man, that girl packs a punch.” He looked toward the field and I wondered if he’d seen the road appear or not. “What are we going to do now?”

“I don’t know.” I glanced in through the broken window. Sienna had moved fast, almost too fast. I thought about what Beligral had said about her being special, but shook it off. She was just a girl. This had to be Levi’s doing. “I think it’s time we come up with a different plan.”

Jeremy nodded and then went around to the driver’s side. We got into the car and he put it in gear. He looked back once, directly where the sign had been, and with a shake of his head, started for home.

Ethan was locked away in his lab when we returned home. I was kind of glad he wasn’t there to see the disappointment on all of our faces. He’d hated this plan from the start and to tell him we very nearly lost Sienna would only have made it worse.

“I think I’m going to go lie down,” Sienna said. She kept her head down as she walked up the stairs to my room.

Jeremy and I both collapsed onto the couch the moment she was gone. My feet felt like they were on fire and my stomach was a hard knot where Sienna had punched me. Jeremy grimaced as he prodded his ribs again. That girl could seriously pack a punch when she wanted to.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” he asked, leaning back with a groan.

“I hope so.”

He glanced toward the stairs as if unsure we should leave her alone. If she had another attack, she might not head for the door this time. She very well might choose to leap out a window instead.

“What in the hell happened back there?” he asked, turning away. “I didn’t even know she’d gotten to my gun.”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I think Levi’s influence can somehow make her faster. Stronger.” Once again, I thought of what Beligral had said about Sienna not being a normal girl, but dismissed it. I’d lived with her long enough to know he was lying.

“Are you sure about that?” Jeremy asked.

“I’m sure,” I said with far more certainty than I felt.

Jeremy nodded and leaned back. He looked like hell. I felt bad for getting him hurt again, but at least this time, he would heal. My gaze shifted to his missing arm and then I looked quickly away. Now wasn’t the time to start feeling guilty.

“What are we going to do?” he asked, never lifting his head. His eyes were closed and he was taking shallow, careful breaths.

I thought about it. There was always Beligral, but that would only be a last resort. I hadn’t liked what he’d told me the last time and I doubted he would change his tune now. Mikael wasn’t much help right now either. And you could forget about me going to Adrian or Baset for help.

That left only one person I could turn to.

“I want to call Jonathan.”

Jeremy’s head lifted. His expression was guarded as he said, “Why?”

“He might know what to do.”

Jeremy raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure he knows nothing about angels or demons or magical towns. You haven’t told him anything, have you?”

“I haven’t,” I said. “But if we had his help, we could protect Sienna that much more. I don’t think the three of us here can hold her.”

Jeremy winced and touched his injured side. “No kidding.”

“Call him. Please.”

“I don’t know if I should. He told me not to unless it is an emergency.”

“Don’t you think this qualifies?”

Jeremy opened his mouth as if to argue more, but snapped it closed instead. He removed his phone and stared at it for a long time.

“Did you talk to him yet?” he asked.

“No. I went over, but . . .” I couldn’t bring myself to tell him I’d chickened out.

Jeremy nodded slowly as if he understood. With a sigh, he held the phone out to me. “You should do it.”

“Jeremy . . .”

“No,” he said, depositing the phone in my lap when I didn’t take it right away. “You should be the one to ask for his help. He’ll be more likely to listen.”

There was a twinge of something in his voice. Jealousy? Bitterness? I couldn’t tell.

I picked up the phone. Jonathan’s number was already up and ready. When had Jeremy brought it up? I sure as hell didn’t see him do it.

He was leaning back again, eyes closed, with a faint grin on his face. He’d known all this time that I would want to call Jonathan.

“Fine,” I grumbled as I pressed “call.” Movement by the stairs brought my head around, but it was only Ethan heading up, more than likely to check on Sienna. His back was drenched in sweat, telling me he’d been talking to his demon.

At least now someone will be watching Sienna,
I thought as the phone rang in my ear.

“What?” The voice on the other end of the line was gruff and irritated.

“It’s nice to talk to you too, Nathan,” I said. A faint smile managed to find its way onto my face despite the strain of the situation.

His sigh was audible. “What do you want?”

“We have a problem,” I said. “And I’d like to get Jonathan’s input.”

“He’s busy.”

“Couldn’t you at least ask him if he would like to talk to me? Please?” I’d been saying that a lot lately, which was starting to get irritating in its own way. I wasn’t used to asking so nicely for anything.

Nothing but silence met my plea.

“Come on, Nathan.” I tried hard not to sound like I was begging. “Just a few minutes. I’ll tell him what’s happening and he can decide whether or not he wants to do anything about it. That’s all I’m asking.”

The sigh came again before a terse “Fine.” There was a clatter and then silence.

I waited, heart hammering. I could scarcely bring myself to breathe. Why in the hell was I so nervous about this?

A scrape of plastic on wood told me someone was picking up the phone. I sat up straighter, my entire body tense as I waited to hear Jonathan’s voice.

“Kat?”

The voice was definitely not Jonathan’s.

“Keira?” I asked to be sure.

“Yeah. It’s me.”

My heart sank. Jonathan wasn’t going to answer.

“He’s coming,” she said as if catching something in my silence.

“I just wanted to let you know that he knows you had shown up here the other night. Here he is.”

Another faint sound as the phone was passed from Keira to another hand and then Jonathan said, “I’m here.”

His voice was like cold water splashed on my face. I gasped and was surprised to find tears in my eyes. I’d actually been punched in the stomach today and yet, the pain at hearing his voice hit me harder. I very nearly was sick without saying a word.

“Kat?” he asked as the silence stretched on.

“Yeah, sorry,” I said, wiping my eyes. Thank God Jeremy’s eyes were closed. “Jeremy was talking.”

There was a snort from where Jeremy lay back, but I ignored him.

“It’s good to hear your voice,” Jonathan said. He sounded weary.

“Yours, too.”

“Look, I’m sorry about not calling. Keira told me you stopped by. If I’d known you were here, I would have come out. Things have been . . . hard lately.”

“Are you doing okay? I mean . . .” I paused. “I don’t know what I mean.”

He gave me something akin to a lifeless chuckle. “I’m managing. I just needed some time away.”

“I think everyone deserves some time now and again.” It sounded corny the moment it was out of my mouth.

This time at least, his laugh was more genuine. “Coming from you, that’s pretty funny.” The laugh died away quickly. “Nathan told me something was going on and that you needed to talk to me about it. Is everything okay there?”

I opened my mouth to tell him about Sienna and Levi and Delai. I could tell him everything, including things I’d been hiding from him, such as Beligral and how Baset and Adrian were trying to control me. A few words and he’d know everything about Mephisto and how every time I left the house, I felt eyes watching me.

But I didn’t. He was already going through enough as it was. I could tell by the sound of his voice that he couldn’t take the stress of dealing with an angel right now. Hell, I wasn’t even sure there was anything he could do but sit around and wait for the shit to hit the fan like everyone else.

I refused to do that to him. Not now, maybe not ever again.

“Not really,” I said. “I just wanted to talk to you, so I made up a stupid-ass story so he’d let me.”

Jeremy’s head rose and he gave me a confused look. I waved him away.

“I see.” A slight pause and then, “Are you sure everything is okay?”

“Positive.” I took a trembling breath, hating myself. “I’m sorry if I bothered you. I was going crazy wondering if you were okay and well . . .”

“I’ll be as good as new soon enough,” he said. I wasn’t so sure I believed him.

I scrambled to come up with something else to say. I’d wanted to talk to him so badly, but now that I was, I was drawing a blank. What I really needed was to see him. His voice was nice and all, but it wasn’t going to make everything suddenly better. In fact, it only made the hole in my gut seem that much larger.

“It won’t take long,” he said, breaking the silence before I could. “I need to find a place to go. I can’t keep taking advantage of my friends like this.”

Panic shot through me. “You’re not leaving town, are you?”

He laughed. “No, Kat. I’m not.”

The panic was flooded away by a relief I could almost taste. “Good.”

“I’ll call you soon, okay?”

“Sure.”

“It really is good to hear from you. I won’t make everyone wait on me much longer.”

“Okay.”

“Stay safe.”

He hung up.

I handed the phone back to Jeremy.

“You didn’t tell him.”

“No shit.”

“Why not?”

Oh, how to answer that one?

“Because it wasn’t time,” I said, knowing it sounded lame, but not caring.

“But . . .” He trailed off and frowned, eyes looking past me.

I turned to follow his gaze. Both Sienna and Ethan were standing there, hand in hand. They looked as if they’d been crying together, though Ethan looked far worse, as if someone had beaten him upside the head with a baseball bat for a few hours. Large circles surrounded his eyes and his hair was mussed so much, it would probably need to be shaved just to get the knots out.

“Ethan?” I asked, looking from one to the other. There was a determination in both their gazes I really didn’t like.

“I had to,” Ethan said. “I tried to say no, but he made me do it.”

I rose slowly to my feet. I didn’t even feel the pain any longer. Fear flooded me, blocking everything else out.

“What did he make you do?” I didn’t have to ask to know who he was talking about.

Ethan’s lower lip trembled. I could just make out a smudge beneath his nose. It looked like dried blood.

“Ethan,” I said, fear rising. “What did you do?”

Sienna took a deep breath and forced a smile. She was still dirty from our scuffle earlier. Her hair was tangled and the left knee of her pants was stained green, but she looked far surer of herself than she’d had since she’d arrived.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Don’t be mad at him. It’s what I want.”

Of course, her telling me not to be mad instantly brought my anger raging to the fore. I swallowed it back with some difficulty. My fangs pushed through my gums, causing blood to drip into my mouth.

“What is going on?” I asked, trying hard to keep my voice calm. Jeremy stood next to me, as if he was ready to grab me if I made an aggressive move.

Sienna took a deep breath. She was still smiling, as if everything had suddenly become clear and she had found a way out of her troubles.

“I want you to do it,” she said, eyes never leaving mine. The determination there was so strong, I could feel it all the way across the room. “I want you to take my body.”

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Jeremy asked at my side.

I was frozen, unable to comprehend what was happening. Ethan had told her. He’d gone to Sienna and told her what Beligral could do.

It was like another punch to my gut. Out of everything that could have happened, this was probably one of the worst. There was no way I could do this to her.

I spun and staggered my way into the kitchen. I needed to get away. If I wasn’t there, they couldn’t make me do it.

But I stopped before ever reaching the door. If I left now, I’d be running away again. Sienna might view it as if I was turning my back on her. Ethan might feel the same. Hell, I’d probably hate myself forever if I walked away now. Just because I didn’t like what was happening, didn’t mean I needed to ignore it.

“Kat,” Ethan said, coming into the room behind me. “You know I had no choice.”

“I know,” I said, closing my eyes tight. I was furious, but knew I shouldn’t target my rage on anyone but the one person—no, not person—the one demon who deserved it.

“He made me do it. I tried to resist, but . . .”

“I know,” I said again, this time more forcibly.

“Don’t do it,” he whispered. “Leave. Go somewhere for a little while. If you aren’t here, he can’t make the swap. I can talk her out of it.”

“Don’t you dare.”

Both Ethan and I turned to find Sienna standing just inside the kitchen, Jeremy at her side. He looked stunned. She must have told him what was going on while Ethan and I had been talking.

“I want to do this,” she said. “I can’t last. I don’t
want
to last if this keeps happening. If I don’t go soon, I’m afraid it’s going to kill me.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking,” I said, though I knew it would do no good.

“It doesn’t matter,” Sienna said. “I need to do this. I don’t want to die.”

“That’s just it. If you become me, you’ll become a vampire. You don’t understand the rage and hunger you’ll have to deal with. It’s as good as dying sometimes.”

“I’ve seen it,” Sienna said with a sad smile. “Every day of my life has been spent around that very thing.”

It was like a knife to my heart. “I can’t,” I whispered. “Don’t ask me to do this.”

“Either you do it, or I’ll leave. I’ll go back to Delai right now, just so I don’t have to suffer anymore.”

I lowered my head and my shoulders slumped. This was what she wanted. I couldn’t hold her here against my will. I wouldn’t let her go back either.

“Okay,” I said, my heart breaking on the word.

“Kat, no.” Ethan looked stricken.

“You were the one who told her.” I said it not so much as an accusation, but rather, as a reminder.

“I had no choice!” His frustration came through as tears coursed down his cheeks.

“I know,” I said with a sad smile. “Neither do I.”

All the fight went out of him then. He turned and walked away, heading for the stairs as if preparing for the inevitable. No better time than the present, I suppose.

“Are you sure about this?” Jeremy asked as Sienna hurried to follow Ethan. He still looked confused.

“No,” I said. “But I think I have to.”

He nodded and then turned to head down.

They were all gathered outside the door when I finally headed downstairs a few minutes later. No one was talking, though Sienna’s hand rested on Ethan’s wrist, as if her touch could make everything better. He looked calmer than he had before, but when he glanced up at me as I entered, I saw something in his eyes I’d never seen before.

Disgust.

He turned away almost immediately, but I’d definitely seen it there. I think he’d thought I would flat-out refuse and he felt betrayed when I didn’t fight harder. He might have told Sienna, but he never truly believed I would have gone through with this.

He unlocked the heavy doors and led the way inside.

I don’t know why, but I assumed we’d head down and Beligral would already be standing there. Maybe it was because Ethan had come upstairs right after dealing with him and the demon would have wanted to wait and see the results. Obviously, Ethan had dismissed him anyway.

“I’m going to summon him so he can explain things,” Ethan said. He looked pale and tired. “Everyone stay by the wall so there aren’t any accidents.” He paused, and then turned to Sienna. “Don’t be frightened. He can’t get out to hurt you.”

She gave him a nervous nod.

“If you change your mind, just tell me,” I whispered to her as Ethan got to work. “There’s nothing wrong with backing out.”

Sienna only paid me the quickest of glances before turning back to Ethan. That was all the answer I was going to get.

“Have you seen this before?” I asked, turning to Jeremy. There was no way I was going to stand there in silence. It would only give me more time to think and right now, thinking too much would be a bad idea. What we were about to do was both stupid and terrifying.

Jeremy shook his head. “Not sure I want to.”

“You don’t have to stay here for this.” I glanced toward the cage at the far end of the room. Jeremy spent time in there during the full moons, but I don’t think Beligral had ever been summoned while he’d been locked up down here. If he had, would Jeremy have remembered?

“I think I do.” He glanced at Sienna, then at me, before frowning and choosing to look at the floor at his feet.

Okay then, no talking. I leaned against the wall, still wearing my slippers. I felt exposed and hated the fact the demon was going to see me like that, but there was no way I was going to get boots onto my feet as they were. Barefoot was completely out of the question. Who knew what kind of residue summoning a demon left on the floor?

It was a stupid thought, really. I used demon-forged weapons that were made with demon silver. Practically everything I touched had come from Beligral in some way. Why start worrying about how it might rub off on me now?

Ethan finished setting up the circle and began the chant. I couldn’t look at him as he did it. I didn’t even look within the circle in the hopes of catching sight of Beligral as he emerged from the demon realm. I didn’t want to be there and it was taking all my self-control not to turn around and walk right out.

“It’s going to get hot,” I told Sienna to keep from acting on the impulse. She was trembling at my side, staring hard at Ethan, as if studying him for the last time.

The heat blasted into me. Sienna yelped. Jeremy looked away with a grimace. I stared hard at the edge of the circle, wishing I would have found another way before the decision was taken out of my hands.

Beligral emerged, causing my eyes to rise long enough to see the satisfied, knowing smile on his face. I bit my lip and looked away, sick to my stomach.

“Well, now,” he said. “It appears we have a full house tonight.” He clapped his hands together, causing Sienna to jump.

“There,” Ethan said, walking toward us. He glared hard at me. “It’s done.”

Beligral moved to the edge of his boundary and looked us over. I glanced up to see he was dressed as elegantly as I’d ever seen him. He wore a top hat and coat, along with polished black shoes and white gloves. When he smiled, his teeth actually looked normal, but his eyes held the same evil they always had. It reminded me of when Jonathan had told me the eyes were the hardest to change in a glamour.

“Would this be the wolf I’ve sensed before?” He eyed Jeremy. “It is disappointing he is incomplete. Perhaps there is something I can do for you.”

“You’re not touching me.” Jeremy spoke through clenched teeth. There was a sprout of fur around his jaw and he was trembling. In his hand was a small golden cross. I’d never seen it before. He was clutching it like it was the only thing that kept him from lashing out.

Beligral chuckled. “We’ll see about that.” He turned to face me. “And Kat . . . it appears you have come to your senses at last.”

“Let’s just get this over with,” I said. I could feel the stairs a few feet away. All I would have to do is turn and a few steps would take me to them. I didn’t have to do this. Sienna would be safe enough until I found another way.

And yet, I didn’t move. I wasn’t so sure there
was
another way.

Beligral gave another chuckle, as if all of this amused him to no end. He cocked his head to the side and looked Sienna up and down.

“And here we have the girl who was so recently in the grasp of an angel. How does it feel to be free of him now? It hurts far more now that you realize freedom is so close, and yet you can do nothing to remove his claws from you, doesn’t it?”

Sienna gave him a harsh nod without looking at him directly.

“What you ask of me takes much power,” Beligral said, stretching. “This is no easy thing.”

“You were the one who offered,” I said. “And unless you do this free of marks, I’m not doing it.”

Beligral smiled. “Of course. This is my gift to you, my loyal companions.”

Jeremy growled low in his throat. I laid a hand on his wrist, which seemed to calm him somewhat, but he was tense and ready to spring. If he were to lose control and leap through the circle, we’d be in some serious shit.

“Steady,” I whispered. “He’s going to try to rile you.”

Beligral only laughed.

“Don’t play with them.” Ethan stood next to Jeremy, looking almost as tense and as pissed as the wolf. “Do what you said you’d do.”

“In time,” Beligral said. “In time.”

“What do we have to do?” I asked, hoping the demon would just tell us already. We needed to get this done before someone lost control, and that someone included me.

“You will both need to come into the circle with me,” he said. “I must touch you both to make this happen.”

“No,” Ethan said immediately. “I will not risk her for you.”

“Ah, protective of the young one, I see.” Beligral chuckled again. “It has been a long time for you, has it not? Do you wish a few moments alone with her before we continue? I’m sure it will not take long.”

Ethan reddened and looked away, thankfully not rising to the bait.

“If there was some other way, I’d happily make the transfer from within my prison, but alas, there is not.” Beligral shrugged. “I am contained here, as are my powers. I don’t expect you to release me from my cell, but if you wish this to be done, you must join me. There really is no other choice.”

“Fine,” I said before Ethan could protest more. Going in, I’d known this was a distinct possibility. And the longer we let the demon talk, the tenser everyone would become.

“He won’t hurt you,” I said, turning to Sienna. “He values us too much.”

“That, I do.”

Sienna’s eyes were wide and terrified. Who could blame her, really? She went from being overly protected by a father who was imprisoning her in a house where he brought vampires and werewolves to cure them to a place where the werewolves and vampires were free to roam and dealt with demons. It was as if her entire life had suddenly been exposed to all new dangers, ones that had always been crawling beneath the surface.

“Are you still wanting to do this?” I asked her, praying she’d say no.

“I am.” She set her jaw and raised her head. She stared defiantly at Beligral, but I noted she kept her eyes averted from the demon’s own. Smart girl.

“No need to send me away,” Beligral said. “I will be waiting.” With a wave of his hand, the tear between realms opened and he stepped out of this world and into his own. The tear closed, causing the lab to suddenly feel colder.

“This is a really bad idea,” Ethan said.

“You should have thought of that before telling Sienna.” I couldn’t keep the anger out of my voice.

Ethan looked hurt, but damn it, he should have found a way to tell her while keeping her from going through with it. I knew he’d been forced into it by his demon, but that was no excuse in my book. Sometimes you just had to suffer if it meant saving those you cared about.

Without looking at anyone else, I strode into the middle of the circle. I made sure not to step on any of the lines Ethan had drawn or knock any of the candles over. I just wanted this done so I could deal with Levi and put my life back to rights again.

Sienna approached more hesitantly. Her will was wavering, but something in her eye told me she wasn’t about to back out now. This was her one chance to escape Levi forever. She wouldn’t ruin it, no matter the consequences.

Ethan walked next to her, looking as if he wanted to pick her up and carry her away. Jeremy stood to the side, fighting hard to control his anger. His fist was balled around the cross so tightly, it had to be cutting into him.

Sienna stepped into the circle and turned to face Ethan. He reached out and gently touched her face.

“I’m sorry,” he said before he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

He started to turn away.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Sienna grabbed him by the arm and spun him around. She pulled him close despite the chalk circle separating them. His feet dragged through, marring the lines to uselessness.

And then she planted a kiss square on his lips.

I looked away with a smile. No matter what happened after this, they would have this moment, that single kiss that sealed them together, forever.

The kiss ended. Ethan staggered back, looking stunned and weak-kneed. Sienna was grinning when she moved to stand at my side.

“Yeah. Well . . . um . . .” Ethan looked around, seemingly confused before he saw the smudge in his circle. “Right!” he said, pointing at it. “Things to do.” He grabbed his chalk and went about redrawing the outline around the silver circle embedded into the concrete floor.

“You befuddled the poor boy,” I whispered to Sienna. She only smiled at me, apparently fortified by that brief moment with Ethan. I had to admit, it made me feel better too.

A few minutes later, the circle was redrawn and the candles were lit once more. I took Sienna’s hand in my own, both our good moods vanishing like smoke.

“Ready?” Ethan asked.

Sienna nodded. I did the same a moment later.

He began to summon the demon.