StrangeDays (10 page)

He leapt forward until he straddled her on the desk. She lay
backward and he knocked all of Mitt’s things on the floor when he climbed on
top of her. With absolutely no finesse, he tore her shirt from her body and
tossed it over his shoulder.

“You know what, Dodie?”

She shook her head, staring up at him for a second before
stroking her hand under his shirt. “What?”

“I fucking love you too. Okay? I don’t care that it’s too
fast. Sometimes things just work out that way. So you aren’t allowed to die. Ever.
I’m going to find some place to lock you up where you’ll always be safe and
you’re going to have to deal with that.”

Even in his current state he knew that couldn’t happen. But
spitting out exactly what he thought, even if in calmer moments he’d think his
thought process insane, had to be what happened right now.

His cock ached as if they’d been embracing for a much longer
period of time. He couldn’t help his desperation. Almost losing Dodie brought
out the Neanderthal in him. All he wanted was to mark her, claim her, take her,
hit her over the head and carry her home to his cave. Short of that, he had to
fuck her.
Now
.

He grabbed the condom out of his pocket and laid it on the
desk next to him. They’d get to that. First he had to make her ready. No matter
his level of desperation, he would never have sex with his girl without making
sure she enjoyed every single second of it.

He pulled down her pants, throwing them wherever her ripped-up
shirt had gone. They’d find it all later. His needs were basic and begging to
be fulfilled.

This time she actually wore panties and he quickly discarded
them. She lay bared for him, her beautiful full bush opened wide for his
inspection. He slipped a finger inside her. She felt silky, warm and inviting.

Christian groaned. He hadn’t even gotten the condom on yet. Somehow
he had to get control of himself.

“Hurry, Christian.”

Hell.
He dropped his pants to his ankles. Pulling out
his dick, he wrapped himself up in the condom. Some day they wouldn’t need
anything between them. They’d be nothing but skin-to-skin. For now they’d stay
protected.

“You ready for me?”

She whispered her reply. “Every time I look at you, I’m
ready.”

Dodie couldn’t have done more for his ego if she’d stood up
at a podium and announced he was the best lover she’d ever had for the entire
world to hear.

He positioned himself near her and slid his length inside. Her
muscles welcomed him, cocooning him snugly between her folds as if he’d been
made to fit inside her.

Maybe he had
.

Christian threw the thought away. He didn’t care if fate or
luck or the devil himself had brought them together. Dodie belonged to him and
he never intended to let her go.

Grabbing her wrists tightly in his hands, he pushed them
above her head so he could control how she moved. He wanted her to come when he
did, when he could be sure they’d do so together.

She moaned and smiled up at him. “I had no idea I’d like
that. But I really do. Anytime you want to hold my wrists like that, please
do.”

He smiled. “I’d do anything to please you, baby.”

“I know you would.”

Dodie clenched her muscles around his cock, sending pleasure
shooting up his spine. He closed his eyes and dug his teeth into the inside of
his cheek. Somehow he wouldn’t come too soon.

Christian moved in and out of her, quickening his pace to
match his growing need. There would never be a time he didn’t want this woman,
never a time his passion for her would dim.

She wrapped her legs tighter against his waist and he tried
his best to not slam her into the desk with each movement he made. His need for
her bordered on obsessive. With every slapping sound their bodies made
together, he could prove to the disbelieving part of himself, the bit that
always thought doom resided around the corner, that she lived.

He hadn’t stepped into some delusion when the reality was
that Dodie lay dead in a stairwell, butchered to death because he hadn’t gotten
there in time.

“Oh Christian.” She called out his name as her muscles
spasmed around him bringing on her orgasm. Her back arched and he bit down on
one of her nipples. Dodie cried out again, over and over, the most beautiful
sound in the world.

Finally, with pressure mounting all over his body, his ears
ringing, and his breath locked in his throat he spilled inside her. Nothing had
ever felt sweeter.

“Do I look as if I just fucked on a desk?” She wore his
shirt and her pants since her own blouse had been torn up in Christian’s mania.
Never before in her life had she felt so completely taken and she loved the
sensation. He had just laid claim to her body.

If she examined herself, she’d probably identify some of the
pangs on her arms as his digging his fingernails into her skin. She shook her
head. Who knew she had a wild and sexually uninhibited side? Or maybe it was
Christian losing control and needing to regain it within her that turned her
on.

Either way, she’d never forget this day. For a number of
reasons.

“You do appear to be a woman who was well loved.” He bit
down on her shoulder and she shuddered.

A knock on the door stole her attention. Christian turned
toward the sound. “What?”

Jonah’s voice responded. “Your boss got wind that you’re
here and she’s looking for you.”

“Crap.” He closed his eyes. “We’re going to have to leave.”

“Why?” She fiddled with her hair. Not that she could do much
without a brush. She had nothing but the clothes on her back.

“She’s going to want me to dance since I’m here. I’m
obviously not getting on the stage while a demon posing as a clown is after
you. Or anybody else for that matter.”

“Why not?”

He opened his lids. “Because you’re at risk.”

“I don’t think I’m in danger here in the club. He wants me
alone. Or asleep where he haunts my dreams.”

“What?” He slammed his fist on the desk. She’d forgotten she
hadn’t told him that.

“Yes. But that’s neither here nor there at the moment. We’re
safe here because it’s likely BoBo is not going to want to expose himself to a
room of people.” Not that she considered herself an expert on the subject but
she’d had a little time to think about what had happened. He only came to her
when they were basically alone. “If people start talking to the news about him
he’ll lose his edge of fear.”

Why had she been able to get away after Mindy sprayed him?
Well, because the white foam had pushed away her fear and temporarily replaced
it with laughter.

A clown who couldn’t be laughed at or he could be beaten…

“What are you saying? You want me to dance?”

“I think if it buys us some time without having to figure
out where to go next, then it’s worth it. Personally, I need to sit still. I’m
not built for all this running around.” She held up her hands before he could
comment. “I’m not criticizing myself. When this is over, I’ll go to the gym
more.”

“Believe it or not, I’m not cut out for this either. I think
you took ten years off my life today, sweetheart.”

He was so cute. In other circumstances, she’d just want to
rub up against him and get him hard again. For now she needed him to get a
bunch of other women hot so she could have a cold drink and process the demon
BoBo and what she needed to do to make sure she never froze like that again.

Mindy might not be there to come charging in with a fire
extinguisher.

“All right. Then I’ll go find her and then I’ll get ready. Come
with me. First, I’m going to leave you with Jonah.”

He held out his hand. She wouldn’t be his cowardly
girlfriend. Somehow she had to be his partner or at least not such a burden. Who
knew what Christian could have accomplished that evening if he hadn’t had to go
rescue her?

* * * * *

She sat next to Jonah who had Mindy to his right. Her best
friend sipped at a Coke and he drank a beer while he occasionally stared at
Mindy’s legs. Dodie tried not to notice since Mindy didn’t seem to.

Dodie took a big sip of her ginger ale.

“You’re okay with this? With your boyfriend getting up there
and taking off his clothes?”

She smiled. “I hope so. I’m the one who told him to do it
tonight so if it upsets me, I don’t have anyone to blame but myself. Besides,
after having nearly been chopped up by a demonic clown tonight, I think I can
have a little perspective.”

Well, the clown and the fact that Christian had fucked her
hard up against his boss’s desk the second they’d walked in the building. The
other women could do what they pleased, trying to grab at him and stick dollars
down his shorts. She’d go home with him—wherever that happened to be.

“Do you think?” Mindy slammed down her drink. “We could make
some plans while we sit here and wait for Christian.”

“Look, I get it. You’re frustrated. So am I, believe me.”
Jonah took another swig of his beer. “But unfortunately there isn’t much I can
do until I can figure out how to get you ladies somewhere safe so I can go kick
some clown ass.”

A passing waitress paused to give Jonah a questioning look. Nothing
should be amusing to Dodie, but the raised eyebrow of the woman who must think
Jonah crazy caused Dodie to giggle. Laughing at inappropriate times had become
a thing for her.

The woman walked on and Jonah rolled his eyes. “You and
Christian are made for each other. Did you know that?”

“Oh yeah?” She sat back in her seat. “Why is that?”

“You’re both out of your frickin’ minds.” He shook his head.
“And I say that in the rudest possible way.”

Mindy elbowed him. “Enough with the sarcasm. Say you find
this so-called den of safety where you can leave us, what do you plan to do
then?”

“I plan to help Christian take BoBo’s head off.” Jonah
imitated a guillotine using his own neck and his hand as the blade. He even
went so far as to demonstrate the noise the slicing would make.

“You know how you have to do that, right?” Dodie turned to
look at Jonah straight on. “I mean, you understand how the game has to be
finished.”

“I know how I would do it, but Christian will never allow
it.”

“He will.” Dodie sighed. “Because ultimately he has no
choice and I intend to force the issue.”

“Okay.” Mindy held up her hands. “You two geniuses sound as
if you’re talking in some kind of code. But for those of us who have never
played a role-playing game or designed them or anything, can you fill me in?”

Jonah put down his drink. “Dodie has pointed out that the
only way this ends is with you both being used as bait.”

“It’s the plot. We come to the end and the hero of the game
has to put what he loves the most at risk. Every time.” Dodie continued where
Jonah finished. She knew Mindy understood when her friend sat back in her
chair.

“I’m tired of sitting here like some kind of ridiculous girl
who can’t take care of herself.” She pointed at Jonah. “You said I could be
taught how to be strong.”

“And you can. Absolutely.” Jonah didn’t raise his voice to
match Mindy’s. Dodie couldn’t help but be impressed with his calmness. “But
right now we’re under attack. Training will come when we’re not.”

“Sure.” Mindy nodded. “Unless you and Christian go splat on the
floor, leaving Dodie and me defenseless to do anything but follow you into
death.”

With that charming thought percolating in Dodie’s mind, she
watched the lights come down on the stage. From her distance, she couldn’t be
sure who stepped out from the side of the stage to go front and center, but she
quickly recognized Christian’s swagger. No one else moved like he did.

“Ladies and gentlemen.” A husky female voice drawled over
the microphone. “Although he was supposed to be out tonight, he simply couldn’t
stay away from all of you.”

An eruption of female screams bounced off the walls. Jonah
rolled his eyes and covered his ears. “Seems he’s very popular.”

“How could he not be?” She smiled at Jonah’s horrified look.
If he didn’t have to sit with them, she doubted he’d be hanging around the
tables. Probably he’d sit at the bar with the other boyfriends dragged along
for a night at Brass.

The woman continued to speak. “Put your hands together for
the one, the only, the irreplaceable Christian.”

When the spotlight came back on, Christian stood center
stage, his back to the audience. He twitched his hip and the audience went nuts
at the movement. A peek over his shoulder prompted another round of shouting.

The three times she’d seen him perform before had been a
different experience. She’d been a stranger, sort of, experiencing him the way
these women did. A fantasy for her to carry around in her pocket.

But now? She knew his body, knew how those hips moved when
they were on top of her. She associated his smell with comfort, his arms the
embrace she never wanted to lose.

He turned around and faced the crowd. The music played
louder, each beat eliciting a hip bump or a sway of his entire body. Dodie
gasped. He really was…beautiful. With a quick jump, he leapt from the stage,
landing in the center of a table. Surrounding it were eight women who must have
been part of a bachelorette party. One of them wore a hat that read
Bride-to-Be
.

They clawed at his body, pulling at his pants, which she
knew would come lose from their Velcro restraints any second. He grinned at
each of them, raising his head to catch her eyes. He winked and her panties
creamed.

This was what he’d meant when he’d told her he could dance
for a room and only have eyes for her. Hell, she wanted him again.
Clowns be
damned
.

* * * * *

The crowd thinned out in the club when he finally got to sit
down next to his girl. She looked half-asleep in her chair but smiled at him
when he approached. The fact that she could doze at all spoke volumes about her
bravery. Other people would be eternally terrified to close their eyes after
what she’d seen.

He took her hand. “You okay? Not too freaked out by watching
me take my clothes off?”

She let go of his fingers and fanned herself. “Better than
okay, Christian.”

He kissed her knuckles. “Had to check.”

“Somehow we all managed to survive seeing you mostly naked. I
might never see straight again, but we lived.”

He punched Jonah in the arm. They fought like brothers and
Christian knew he’d never be able to do without him. He shook his head. Sentimentality
had no place right now. They had to be willing to be brutal.

Still, they’d all pledged an oath to Master Foy and to one
another. He would honor his until the day he died. Jonah wouldn’t abandon him,
Dodie or Mindy before this ended. He thanked fate for that.

“Where should we spend tonight?” Christian ached to get back
to searching for BoBo.

“Is the clown able to get us anywhere?” In the dimmed lights
of Brass, Mindy’s white hair appeared fierce. The woman had developed more
backbone just in the time he’d been away from her. He could see why Jonah liked
her. Neither one of them would ever fold. They’d both faced horror and come out
the other side.

“Unfortunately, it’s not a real clown.” He answered Mindy
and then looked at Jonah. “Did you not explain any of this?”

“Nope.” Jonah rubbed his forehead. “How could I do that when
you were up there dancing? I wouldn’t want you to miss all the fun of demons
101.” Jonah got up and stretched. “I’m going to wait outside. Scan for BoBo. Make
sure he’s not circling us.”

“We won’t be here much longer. The fewer people, the more at
risk we are.”

“Right. Give me ten minutes to scout. Then I’ll come back in
and get you.”

“Yep.” He nodded before turning back to the women. Dodie
really needed to go to bed. “Demon teaching can wait.”

“No.” His girl sat up straighter and took a big sip of her
drink. “I need to hear about this. Now. Please.”

“Why the rush?”

“Christian.” She took his hands. “Let’s face it. We don’t
have ‘let’s ease Dodie into this’ time. I need to know now. He could come
tonight. He could bust through the door instantly.”

He doubted that scenario would happen. Not with Jonah and
Christian around. Attacking innocents constituted one kind of evil, coming at
him would require the demon to gear up for a real fight. BoBo tended to cut and
run when things got hot. It might already be all over.

Still, he wouldn’t say that. Why get their hopes up if the
clown waited outside?

“There are different levels of demons.”

Mindy sat up in her seat. “I remember something about this
from Sunday school or something growing up.”

“It’s not exactly the same. I never attended any religious
training. This is purely about fighting. BoBo is a class two demon. He’s not
the easiest to kill, he can’t be sent back to hell just by ordering him there,
and he preys on the week. A class one would be worse but BoBo is not a joke.
We’ve been looking for him for a long time.”

“Why?” Mindy shouted out. She really seemed to be eating
this up.

“Because he slaughtered some people a long time ago. A
family in Chicago. Then he dropped their heads off on Master Foy’s living
room.”

Dodie hissed in her breath. “My god, sweetheart.” Her
endearment warmed him. “You’ve really seen so much pain, haven’t you?”

“I forget all of it when I look at you.” He knew his words
defined the term cheesy but he meant them, he had to say what came from his
heart.

“If the two of you wouldn’t mind.” Mindy grinned when she
shook her head. “I would like to get back to BoBo the head-chopping demon.”

“Right.” He cleared his throat. “Well, we’ve obviously been
hoping to take him down ever since. But he’s tough to get. Flies into places,
causes havoc and runs. Most demons want to stay and fight. This guy likes the
games—hence the clown persona and the stupid name.”

“Christian.” Jonah’s shout caught his attention and
Christian jumped to his feet. “Incoming.”

Jonah jumped to the side as five Hell hounds busted through
the door. Blood ran down his friend’s face and Christian would bet money Jonah
had taken a few out before he’d rushed in here to warn everybody.

“Dodie. Mindy.” Christian kept his voice steady even though
adrenaline had made him want to rush, to fight, to holler. “Get behind the bar.
Stay there.”