The Demon Within (45 page)

“I want you in and out. No lollygagging. No taking care of this by yourself.” When he didn’t immediately agree, she narrowed her eyes. “Don’t make me come out after you.”

Brows lowered, Ruman leaned forward until they were nose to nose. “Don’t you dare. Try something like that, and I’ll put you over my knee.”

Caly smiled, unable to resist tweaking him. “Maybe later.” On her toes, she kissed the harsh expression off his face. “Get before I lose my nerve and refuse to let you leave.”

Shadows wrapped their dark wings around him. His image wavered and dissolved in a cloud of fog. When it cleared, Ruman was gone.

Demons did it all the time but to see Ruman do it unnerved her more than a little. Not because he was a demon but because she hate having him out of her sight.

She rushed to the front window, but saw nothing. Air grew thin at the thought of Ruman out there, injured and determined to do whatever it took to protect her.

With the medallion.

Caly took a deep breath and did something she thought she’d never do. She dropped the veil that imprisoned the darkest part of her soul.

The demon within flared to life in a blazing glory as if afraid she’d change her mind. Agony filled her body, setting her blood on fire. Her fingers curled into fists as she wrestled with the urge to scratch off her own skin.

Every inch of her body tingled, oversensitive to the world around her, the pain crippling in its intensity. She clenched her jaw to prevent herself from crying out, fearful one wrong move would send her over the edge.

Time slowed, the world shifted. The pain subsided slowly, reluctant to release its hold, leaving behind heightened senses and the strength to fight next to Ruman and kill this bastard once and for all. She smiled, relishing the prospect.

Seconds tripped by and stretched out forever as she tried to listen for any disturbances. “Where are you?” Caly waited for any sign that he needed her.

“Were you searching for me, little one?”

Caly whirled and came face to face with shadows. As much as the voice sounded like Ruman, her blood screamed otherwise. She hunkered down and tensed. Doubts stayed her hand. She didn’t know whether she could trust her instincts despite Ruman’s confidence in her. Not if it meant his life.

“Ruman?” She hated the slight quiver in her voice. When he didn’t answer, she moved from her position, tightening her hold on the dagger. Ruman wouldn’t have left her vulnerable by refusing to answer.

A shape formed by the staircase, only a faint mist. Tracking the dark fog, she pulled out a stiletto knife nestled at the small of her back and sent the metal whirling through the air.

A hiss of fury filled the hallway, but the expected splash of dust never arrived.

Fear climbed up in her throat. Only one thing reacted like that.

The Fallen had arrived.

She had him in her grasp and allowed him to escape. Angry at herself, she marched toward where the stiletto quivered in the wood and wrenched it out of the wall with a grunt.

“Caly?”

Spinning on her heel, she had the tip of the blade at his throat, the knife against his flesh when she realized her mistake.

“Ruman?” Her voice wavered, and she jerked away as if she could erase her action.

Her stomach heaved, and she backed away, shaking so bad she could barely hold the blade. “He was you. He was pretending to be you.” Her throat closed at the dark blotch that marred his throat.

A mark she put there.

“I almost killed you.”

“But you didn’t. You stopped.” Ruman swallowed carefully, the small patch of burned flesh smarted, but the blade hadn’t penetrated his skin.

“I’m fine. I’ve had hangnails worse than this.” He approached her carefully, afraid she would scamper away like a skittish kitten if he moved to fast. He wrapped his arms around her, stricken at the way she trembled. After a few minutes, she snuggled against him, and he rested his chin on the top of her head.

“What did you find?” Her voice emerged muffled from his chest.

“A few demons, nothing more.” He rubbed his hand up and down her back then tipped her face up and kissed her lightly. It took all his willpower to release her. “Let’s go kick some demon ass.”

From his pocket, he removed the medallion and hooked the chain back to it. He slipped the medallion over her head, careful to place the disk under her shirt, hiding the links beneath the collar. Everything had to go perfectly.

A grunt and a scream came from upstairs. Ruman caught Caly’s arm when she turned toward the source of the fight. “Trust your men. You trained them well. They know what they’re doing.”

With one last look of longing upstairs, Caly nodded and turned away. The disgruntled look on her face would be adorable in any other situation. That peaceful thought shattered when she doubled over and clutched her stomach. “Caly?”

She waved him away, straightening in obvious pain. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” He cupped her elbows and helped her sit on the stairs, not liking the pale shade of her face. “What’s wrong?”

Caly groped for the dagger. When her hand settled on the pommel, a dark red glow soaked into her skin and seemed to ease her a bit. The threat in the air was palpable. “Too many demons, too close. It’s a bit overwhelming.”

The house fell eerily silent, and Caly lifted her head, a feral look of violence on her face. She was her fighting her demon, and the demon was taking a bit of revenge out on her.

When he would have spoken, she turned away as if she knew what he would say and called out. “Jarred? Brie?”

Brie’s voice floated out of the darkness. “Alive and well.”

“David and Kelly?”

“Still standing.” Kelly’s sassy reply made him smile.

“This doesn’t feel right. Check upstairs. I’ll check the progress of the fire.”

He grabbed her arm before she could take a step. “Together.” The word strangled at the back of his throat, the need to keep her within reach almost a physical battle within himself.

Caly hesitated, her eyes devouring him before she relented. “Agreed.”

He went up half the steps until the soldiers came into view and he could still see Caly. Both men stared intently out the window, waving off his concern. The injured man chuckled at a joke, wincing as he did so. Claw marks sheared the flesh of his back. The bleeding had stopped but the wounds remained opened.

“The scent of blood will draw the demons to you. Stay on your toes. If they sense any weakness, they will attack.” With those words of caution, he all but ran down the steps. By the time he reached the landing, Caly nodded and headed toward the basement door.

Ruman halted mid-step at the heat. Despite all her worries, Caly noticed as if she were attuned to him. “Ruman—”

“Go. I won’t leave this spot.”

After she left, the silence was deafening. Worry clawed at his gut that he was missing something important. He couldn’t mess this up. They were so close, he could all but see their future together. But he didn’t think it was his fear of losing her that put his sense on alert.

He glanced at the small parlor. Nothing out of the ordinary caught his attention, but something felt out of place.

He took a step, then two. A cold chill spread from his lower back to his shoulders. Sweat evaporated from his body. They were coming for her.

“Caly!” Terror seized his heart. He sprinted for the door when something hit him between the shoulder blades, sending him flying through the air.

Stunned by the attack, Ruman let instinct take over. He rolled, twisting to the side and came to his feet. The floor vibrated under him and the spot where he’d just been was a mass of splintered wood.

“We could’ve done this the easy way.” A lazy, laid-back voice came out of the darkness, a figure slowly taking shape. “We’re basically the same. We’re both trapped here, willing to do anything to be able to go back. Why don’t you talk sense into your little human?”

Ruman snorted and widened his stance. “We are nothing alike.” Not anymore thanks to Caly.

“And this little human can take care of herself.”

“No.” Even as he spoke, Caly barreled toward the creature’s unguarded back. The Fallen expected her maneuver and shifted his stance. Ruman launched himself forward.

The collision sent them sailing through the air. They landed feet away, the floorboards vibrating under the impact. They skidded until the wall came up and smacked him. A searing pain struck his ribs at the impact. A quick glance revealed Caly a safe distance from them.

The distraction cost him.

Claws slashed down the right side of his chest directly over his bruised ribs, shredding the clothes and sinking into flesh.

Ruman raised his elbow and slammed it against the man’s neck, relishing the satisfying crunch. A gurgling sound came from the creature’s crushed throat. Ruman fisted both hands together to hit him again and finish this when the Fallen bucked, sending him flying into a wall. Drywall caved beneath him.

“Ruman!”

The impact left him disoriented. At the sound of Caly’s voice, he struggled to his feet, battling vertigo with each step. His heart stopped beating when his vision cleared enough to find Caly fighting the Fallen, buying him time to recover. She slashed with her dagger, slicing at the creature’s hide with vicious accuracy.

The Fallen’s scream of pure rage drowned out everything. The beast clipped her high on the arm, knocking her off her feet. Caly crashed to the floor and didn’t rise.

The creature stepped toward her, and Ruman roared in fury, willing his damaged body to obey his commands. When the demon turned, Caly kicked out with both feet. The beast cantered backward. Following her example, Ruman lashed out with his boot, smashing his opponent’s knee.

The leg folded underneath the Fallen in a crunch of bones. A snarl tore from its throat, but he didn’t go down.

They needed to strike while they had him weakened. “Caly, do what you need to get this matter settled.”

Dazed by the knock to her head, Caly nodded but fumbled with her knife. She couldn’t seem to make her fingers work. Ruman sprang at the Fallen, only to be viciously backhanded.

When he staggered, she grabbed the darkness inside and tore away all the bindings that held it in check. There was no debilitating pain, no weakness as the two sides of her soul merged.

Ignoring the blood dripping from her arm, she scrambled to her feet and lunged. She went down on one knee and swept out her arm, catching him in the lower back. The blade slipped easily through flesh.

A bellow erupted from the creature’s throat loud enough to rattle the windowpanes. His leg lashed out, aiming straight for her chest.

She threw herself backwards. The blow glanced off her shoulder, the impact strong enough to slam her on her ass with a bone-jarring rattle. When she blinked, she found herself staring at the ceiling, her lungs screaming for air.

The battle raged beside her, the sounds muted as if underwater. The need to go to Ruman prodded her into motion, and Caly jack-knifed into sitting position.

Pain slashed across her middle, and she gasped, cradling her ribs. The oppressive silence penetrated her misery. She forced herself to stand, tears crowding her eyes as the pain nearly crippled her.

“Caly?” Brie caught her arm when her legs threatened to buckle. “I came to check if the men needed Jarred’s expertise, but it looks like you could.”

“I’m fine. Just trying to catch my breath.” Caly tilted her head to see the front door resting drunkenly on its lower hinge. Adrenaline burned through any aches as the need to find Ruman twisted through her.

Something outside caught Brie’s attention, and her face shut down. Caly stumbled toward the door, terror crawling up her spine with razor claws.

Ruman and the Fallen were exchanging blows. Ruman held his own, giving as good as he got, but it couldn’t last forever. Even now, Ruman’s reactions were a fraction slower. He wasn’t healing as fast. Their plan to destroy the medallion then kill the Fallen didn’t seem so well thought out.

Then she caught sight of Brie’s reaction. A twist of sudden fear shot through her. “What are you not telling me?”

“Ruman will die without your help.”

The words snapped Caly upright, all pain and fear forgotten. “What do you mean?”

“Ruman has only one life left. If he dies, he won’t be coming back.”

Caly stared at Brie, silently begging her to say it was a lie. “But he said three lives. That leaves him two left.”

Brie only shook her head. “The warehouse.”

“And the temple.” Numbed by the horrible truth, Caly’s arms dangled uselessly at her side.

“He said he would handle the situation.” Brie bit her lip. “I don’t think he can do it without you.”

“Bastard.” Caly spat the word. Anger narrowed her eyes as she thought of the ways she would make him pay. The demon within agreed. Energy pumped through her system as she stalked toward the battle. The pain of a few minutes ago faded, fury taking the place of any aches.

Ruman had lied.

He hadn’t trusted her. And the creature dared to think he could steal Ruman from her before she could kick his ass.