Wasteland (13 page)

Balancing her weight, I reached for the steel handle and pulled it open. A wave of cool air funneled out, along with shuffling and heavy breathing. I stopped in the middle of the doorway. Icy fingers cuffed my wrist and dragged me in, nearly dislodging my grip on Beka.

Cold metal pressed against my neck, while a figure skimmed by me and shut the door. The lock clicked.

I froze, fighting the raging instinct to morph into my demon half. Logically, I knew the person holding the sword against me to be Russell, but with all that had happened in the last day I fought to maintain control over the beast.

“She lives,” Russell whispered. “I feared the worst.”

I scanned the barely lit room. Eight round tables littered the floor and two plush couches in the corner made up the meager coffee house. The back of the room had a door, propped open and a sliver of light tinted red from the exit sign, glowed.

The blade disappeared from my throat, but in the next breath it chilled the base of my neck.

“Walk,” Russell said.

“There is no need for the weapon.”

“I’ll determine that, thank you.”

“It would do you no good.”

“I did see the sparks ignite when the blades slid against your throat when you stepped in front of Rebeka. I do not understand this.”

“Then why do you insist on jabbing me with the blade?” I moved toward the open door. The sign next to the door said
electrical
. “You are taking me to the electrical closet?”

“You can see that?”

“I see most everything in the darkness.”

“Demon.”

“Yet you bring me into your safe haven and allow me to carry your sister and fought by my side.”

“Anything to save Jessica.”

“That includes sacrificing your sister.” I stopped by the door.

“If it was the price to save Jessica, yes.”

“You are lucky I do not share your convictions.”

“You saved her?”

“I believe that obvious since I hold her in my arms at the moment.” I growled. “You, however, sacrificed her without a second thought. I am not pleased by your actions, Russell.”

The cold, metal hilt of the sword cracked against my temple. Pain radiated down the side of my face to the base of my neck. My fangs slid out, and I snapped at Russell’s blade, my full demon surfaced.

“How dare you say I did it without a second thought. She is my—” His shoulders widened. “I did what was needed.”

Moisture pooled at the rims of his eyes. He stared me down, his jaw tense. He must not realize his behaviors were a direct challenge. I bit back a roar. He knew not what he did with such actions. I embraced Beka, my anchor to sanity. She was mine. Her safety was all that mattered.

“Back away,” I managed a whisper, fighting for control.

I focused on Beka’s face. Her delicate skin and full lips. I called on my human half, but the fiery demon refused to back down from a direct challenge.

Russell must have sensed the rage billowing off me and broke eye contact with me. “I did not mean to challenge you, David. I apologize.”

My claws and fangs retracted.

“Jeez, David,” Russell said.

“Do not stare me down again if you wish to live.” My human voice was barely audible. Sweat trickled between my shoulder blades. I stood frozen, waiting for him to direct me.

He reached around me and swung the door open. “Keep moving.”

I walked through the threshold, into the small closet. The hum of electricity emanated from the metal boxes hanging on the white walls, and the air carried a trace of sulfur.

Metal rang against metal as Russell sheathed his sword. Light flickered on above us, and the door shut. At the same time a gate, inches before us, slid to the side and latched onto unseen hinges. The floor shifted beneath me.

An elevator.
I held Beka close.

“Relax. It’s just an elevator.”

“I have heard of them.”

Russell coughed. “Heard of them?”moce

“Until I arrived at the hotel in this town, I had never been in one.” I regarded the dark door boxing me in next to a Guardian and chuckled. Never envisioned myself locked in a wee room with an agent of Light, holding another agent of Light, with whom I’d fallen in love.

Master may call my contract due at any time, igniting an agony in my chest that wouldn’t subside until I went to him. But when Russell admitted Jessica might be able to save me, I couldn’t walk away. I had to risk punishment.

The sickening motion of our descent ended with a jolt, and sent me bouncing back. I’d heard about elevators when they first came into invention; however, the hotel’s was smoother. I’d prefer not to ride either again.

The doors creaked open and a long, dark, narrow hallway greeted me. “Where are we?” I steadied myself on the now-solid ground.

“Tunnel under the street to the club.”

“You constructed this?”

Russell ducked beneath the door out from the elevator. “It existed, we modified for our needs.”

“We?”

“We have connections, remember?”

“Humans assist you?”

Russell reached for Beka. “I’ll take her.”

I hugged her close and twisted away from him.

“You are a strange demon to figure out.” He moved down the hallway.

He wasn’t the only one confused by my behavior, my emotions. The demon hadn’t chipped away all of my humanity, and my feelings for Beka, my need to protect her, trumped logic.

Had I taken a deep breath and stood tall, my shoulders might touch both sides of the concrete walls and my head the ceiling. I cradled Beka close and slouched enough to move without scraping her or myself against the concrete shrouding me.

Thick, damp air, carrying the scent of dirt and mold filled my lungs. I pressed my cheek to Beka’s forehead and let her familiar scent replace the dankness of this place.

Russell stopped in front of a metal door and peeked through the square window. He eased the door open, his hand on the hilt of his sword strapped around his waist. Cries from the rusty hinges echoed down the hall.

Grateful to be done with the claustrophobic tunnel, I welcomed the sight of stairs in the well-lit stairwell. We climbed three flights and met another door.

My arms twitched with fatigue, and I adjusted Beka higher to lean more into me. Her head rested on my shoulder, near my neck, bathing me in her fragrance. Dried blood ringed the neck of her copper shirt, tainting her lilac smell with a metallic scent. Strands of stiff, crimson-stained hair fell over her forehead as her head swayed with my movement.

Russell cranked open another steel door, holding it wide for me to pass. I stepped into the hallway I recognized as the one outside their apartment. I strode onward.

The door swung open and a massive guy, long raven hair draped over his broad shoulders, stepped through the doorframe holding a sword.

My heart discharged like a hand grenade. The demon burst forth and let out a hiss that would have scared a rattlesnake. My teeth elongated and talons emerged ready for battle should I have to drop Beka to fight.

The man’s golden eyes flickered. He struck. I ducked, freed my arm from beneath Beka’s knees and held her upper body to mine as I swiped at the blade. Sparks ignited as my wrist met the metal.

“No,” Russell yelled. “Abraham, stand down.”

I turned my body to shield Beka. Her legs swayed limp like a rag doll. So vulnerable.

Mine.

My instinct to protect her rivaled a wolf’s protecting his mate. And she wasn’t even my mate—officially.

The giant retreated to the doorframe, holding the sword up. “Demon.”

Russell reached for the one he called Abraham. “I know.” He glanced at me. “It’s complicated.”

“What is the complication, sir? Red skin, fangs, and black nails. Kill him.”

“Do you not see who he holds?”

Abraham analyzed me with wide, golden eyes. He must finally recognize the long, blond hair draped against my chest. I had her face cradled close, shielding her from possible injury. “Our—”

“Back off or you shall die.”

“A demon protects our —”

Russell raised his hand. “Silence. Sheath your weapon and back away.”

The giant gave me another look but obeyed. Russell approached me, palms up. “Calm down, David.”

“You and your people would do better to not surprise me.”

He dipped his head in acknowledgment. “We are all on edge. It is only Abraham, Jessica, and Elizabeth in the room. Please, you will scare the girls if they see you like this.”

I bent my knees and wove my arm beneath Beka’s legs, cradling her limp body to my chest once again. I rested my cheek on her temple and focused on my human half. The one longing to join with Beka. To be with her always. Russell’s tension-creased face softened. He brushed his knuckles down Beka’s cheek.

“Your Abraham started to call her something. Our what?”

 “We will talk later. Once Beka awakens.” Russell stepped toward the open door but stopped and looked back. “But know this. You saved more than one treasure tonight.”

CHAPTER 19

Abraham stood outside the door leading to the dark room, his hands propped behind his back. He donned a supply of knives tucked into a dark vest, a long sword strapped to his side, and black boots with steel tips.

A thick band of leather encompassed his neck and wrists. Long black hair draped his wide, muscled shoulders. He turned in my direction and grumbled, then faced forward again.

“He guards the girl?”

“Yes.” Russell exited the kitchen holding two plates of food. Beka lay on her side, back against the couch and head resting on a bright orange pillow. I sat on the edge of the soft, leather couch, my backside near Beka’s stomach and planted my elbows on my knees, hands clasped before me.

“How long will Beka be like this? She’s moved only twice,” I asked.

“She’s healing. Let me look at her.” He set the plates on the table before me, then knelt near her head and brushed the hair from her face.

I didn’t move. Instead,  I picked up the plate and swirled steaming noodles around the fork.

“What’s this?” Russell asked.

He pointed to the ruby line across her throat. “That is where the blade severed her neck.”

He faced me. “Severed?”

The image of her neck detaching cinched my stomach like a noose. “I held her together until she healed enough to move.”

Russell held my gaze. His mouth opened, then shut again. He returned his focus to Beka. “She should not have a mark. Once we heal, all traces are gone.” He bowed closer, touching the mark. It spanned the entire front of her neck and was a quarter inch wide. “Was it deep?”

“Very.” I choked down the noodles lodged in my throat. “I am surprised she survived.”

Air rushed from Russell’s mouth in an audible sigh, and he settled onto his heels. He bowed to Beka and pushed back from the couch. He snatched the other plate and regarded the room that housed Jessica.

“Where is the other girl?” I asked.

“Elizabeth is on Rebeka’s bed, while Jessica sleeps in the protected room.” Russell jutted his chin up. “You stayed with Beka. Protected her. Why?”

I wanted to say,
she’s mine
, but I knew she wasn’t. Didn’t stop my wanting her to be, though. “Knew she could survive. She is strong.” I sat up.

Russell’s left brow crinkled, creasing his forehead.

I scooped another forkful of noodles. “What is Beka’s age?”

“Much older than my four hundred years.” He shoveled in the food.

“You are cryptic with your responses. It’s irritating,” I said. “Tell me what you are.”

“You know what we are. I think I should be the one asking you that question, don’t you?”

“You said Jessica could save my soul. Tell me what you meant.”

“You are bossy, aren’t you?” Russell set the plate on the table. His long, dark-brown braid flopped over his shoulder, but he flipped it back and settled into his chair. “Jessica is purity personified.”

“Beka said that. Her chest glows. What can that do for me?” I swirled the last of the noodles around my fork.

Russell gripped the armchair. “It’s all about you, isn’t it? All of this. What do you want? What are you?”

“You first. Jessica is in high demand. Each side wants her. Is she one of us or you?” I regarded the small room I’d broken into earlier. Besides the furniture, on which we sat, only a table flanked by two floor lamps, decorated the simple room.

I could easily overpower Russell and his guard and snatch Jessica for myself. Facing Master with such a prize would surely grant me reprieve for killing my demon siblings. Possibly release me from my contract.

Russell’s gaze drifted beside me. Following his line of sight landed my eyes on Beka. Peacefully quiet, sleeping. Hopefully regenerating to full health.

She had said Jessica was more important than her. Was willing to sacrifice herself. Russell as well.

“I’m waiting, Guardian.”

“It was predicted a child, on her sixteenth birthday, will transform into Merus. Within her, she will house pure Light.”

“And. . . .”

“We only knew her name and had a picture from when she was young. We were sent here to track her.” Russell sank against the back of the leather chair across from me. “It took many months. I feared we’d failed.”

“You were here many months with no leads? Why would you stay?”

Russell smiled. “Faith.”

“Fools.”

“We trusted we were here for a reason. Destined to protect the Merus.” He scrubbed his stubbled face. One last glance at Beka, and he closed his eyes. “Then you showed up.”

I cleaned the rest of my plate and set it on the table. Unconsciousness still exerted its dominance over Beka, yet she coiled her body around the back of mine so I touched her stomach. Her closeness wrapped me in warmth. I curled a strand of bloodied hair behind her ear and swiped a smudge of dirt from her cheek with my thumb. “How’d you know to come here?”

“We have our ways as I’m sure you do.”

“Cryptic.” I faced him.

“Cautious.”

“Understood.” I glanced out the window Russell’s chair backed up to.

Strokes of purple licked the bottoms of small, puffy clouds hanging in the sky. The sun would rise soon, and the day brought the unknown for me. I fit in nowhere. Neither a full demon nor a full human. Bound to my demonic Master by a contract, yet bound to Beka, a Guardian, by love.