Wicked Pleasure (39 page)

Ganymede burped loudly, calling attention to himself. “You have to get rid of those demons in a bubble first. Kim needs more detectors than just Fo to take care of them.” He looked at Sparkle. “You know, I'm a sensitive kind of guy, and all this talk of demons has upset me. I crave a big dish of ice cream to settle me down.” He leaped from the chair. “Coming, sweet stuff?”

Sparkle looked uncertain but stood to follow him.

“Aren't you going to do battle against the demons?”
Asima sounded scandalized.

“Battle demons? Hmm.” Ganymede rolled his eyes to the top of his head in pretend thought. “That sounds a lot like work. Nope. Don't think I will.”

Sparkle studied her nails, but her heart didn't seem to be in it. “You know, I wouldn't like to see anything happen to anyone here.” Her pointed stare said Asima was exempted from Sparkle's “anyone.”

Ganymede yawned. “Look, there're enough of you here to take care of the demons. A little ice cream, a little nap, and you can call me if you need me.” He stared at the closed door, and when it swung open, he padded out of the room with tail waving in the air.

Sparkle made her decision. She sat back down.

Holgarth sniffed. “Well, those of us who care about something other than ourselves will go forth to defeat the forces of evil tonight.”

“Oh, brother.” Sparkle rolled her eyes.

Wade didn't look too enthusiastic about battling the forces of evil. “Umm, I've had a long day on the water.”

Brynn stood. “No one leaves until Kim talks to Lynsay.” He glanced at Kim.

Kim pulled out her cell phone. Thank heavens Lynsay answered. “I need at least three more detectors. We have some demons to take out. Don't bring any Vaughns with you, just the detectors. Meet me up at room . . .” She glanced at Brynn. He mouthed the room number. “Meet me at room one forty-five.”

Holgarth took over. “Kim, Brynn, Eric, Lynsay, and I will destroy the demons. Conall, Donna, Asima, and Sparkle will start looking for Dirk. Oh, and while you're looking, make sure none of those bubble containers are lying around anywhere.” He speared the Dirk hunters with a gimlet stare. “Do not, I repeat, do
not
engage the archdemon if you find him. Notify me immediately.” Finally, he cast Wade a dismissive glance. “Since keeping the world safe from archdemons ranks somewhere below catching the perfect fish, I didn't include you.”

If Holgarth was hoping to shame Wade into a commitment, he failed. Wade shrugged. “I'll tag along with Kim and Brynn just for the heck of it. Then I'll go to my room and catch up on my sleep. Had to get up before dawn this morning.” He yawned to demonstrate his exhaustion from reeling in his thirty-five-pound beauty.

Asima leaped onto the table to face off with Holgarth.
“Why does Conall have to hunt for the archdemon? Sure he's strong, but physical strength means nothing to a malevolent entity like that. He'll flick Conall aside like a piece of lint from his belly button. I think—“

“Shut up, cat! I'm a warrior, and I'll do a warrior's work.” Conall's thunderous roar made everyone wince.

Except Asima. She simply hissed at Conall. But she didn't finish telling everyone what she thought.

Kim didn't waste any more time. She and Brynn led the way to Mary and Herb's room.

Lynsay waited for them at the door. “What's up, Sis?”

“Where's Deimos?” Up until now, he'd been attached at the hip—and other places—to Kim's sister. Where was he now when they might actually need him?

“He's watching the candy store for Sparkle.” Lynsay sounded like right now she'd rather be hawking gummi bears.

Amazing, since destroying demons had always been Lynsay's reason for being.

Kim took a deep, fortifying breath. Okay, Lynsay needed to know what she was up against. She also needed to know that nonhuman entities were fighting on her side. No specifics. Just enough info to keep her from freaking if Holgarth or Eric outed themselves during the fight. She firmed her lips and her determination. Her sister didn't have to know anything about Brynn or Wade.

As quickly as possible, Kim filled Lynsay in on Dirk, Gabriel, Ye Olde Victorian Wedding Chapel, and the bubble demons. She also hinted that several of the men who'd be going into the room with her were, uh, more than men.

“Holy crap!” Lynsay cast uneasy glances at Brynn, Eric, Holgarth, and Wade. Then she looked at Kim. “Let's get those bubble bastards. And later on we'll talk about this ‘more than men' thing.”

Brynn stepped forward and used his master key to open the door. The pile of plastic wedding cakes lay on the coffee table. Lynsay handed Eric, Brynn, and Holgarth demon detectors.

Lynsay frowned at Wade. “Sorry, I only brought three.”

Holgarth sniffed. “Wade is a noncombatant. He doesn't need one.”

Eric turned and stared at the door and then did the same to the window. “I've put a shield across both exits. If a demon gets past us, it'll be trapped in the room.”

Lynsay's eyes widened, but she didn't say anything.

“We'll open one container at a time. From what I saw on the elevator, we'll only have to blow once to empty the container of demons.” Brynn glanced at Wade. “Since you don't want to be involved in destroying the demons, you can blow the bubbles.”

Wade's face lit up. “Hey, cool.”

Kim suspected Wade's inner child wasn't far from the surface. “As soon as Wade blows the bubbles, we destroy them. And make sure the bubbles are far away from Wade before you zap them. We wouldn't want to hit him.” Message sent to everyone except Lynsay—they didn't want to be sweeping up Wade's ashes.

Eric, Holgarth, and Brynn got the intense expressions on their faces that told Kim they were instant messaging telepathically. Probably reminding each other to make sure none of the demons got near Kim or Lynsay, the only two beings in the room the demons could possess.

Kim took Fo from her pocket. “Ready, Fo?” At this point, she didn't give a damn if Lynsay heard her.

“I'm pumped.” Fo's purple eyes shone with battle lust.

Wade unscrewed the first container, dipped the ring in the liquid, and blew. As in the elevator, the lights went out and the big brilliant bubbles with the evil eyes floated into the room. Other than an amazed squeak from Lynsay, everyone was silent as they aimed their detectors, pushed the red buttons, and . . . nothing.

Fo was the only one that worked. Frantically, Kim ignored everyone around her as she focused on the demons and kept pressing the button.

When she heard Lynsay's startled yelp, she knew the “more than men” were going into action. A bubble disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Kim glanced over to see Holgarth pointing his wand at another one.

Lynsay's reaction escalated to a shriek. Eric. Kim took care of a demonic bubble that was floating near her sister. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Eric had changed to vampire form. He wasn't touching the demons physically, but Kim knew what kind of power he wielded mentally. Bubbles started exploding in showers of light.

When the last bubble was gone, Wade carefully put down the empty container and looked around the circle. “Y'all have some defective equipment there.”

Lynsay's face was pale as she glanced at the men. “A vampire and a real wizard? I don't want to know what the rest of you guys are. My brain isn't processing this too well. Right now, I have to deal with the fact that none of the detectors are working except for Fo.”

Kim responded to the terrible suspicion in Lynsay's eyes. “Just like your detector stopped working when you first got here.”

Brynn nodded, his expression grim. “I'd bet none of the Vaughn detectors are working. No wonder the archdemon is so confident. He's disabled every weapon that could stop him and his demon army.”

“Except for Fo.” Lynsay stared into Fo's wide eyes. “Why is that?”

Kim shrugged. “Who knows.”
Because Fo is a sentient being with a free will, not a mindless machine.

Holgarth straightened his pointed hat that had gotten a little off center during the excitement. “We have to destroy the demons in the other containers with whatever we have.”

Lynsay stared at Brynn. “I didn't notice you zapping any bubbles.”

Brynn smiled at her, that sensual smile honed over centuries, able to melt women from the inside out. “My talents lie in other areas.”

And Kim's sister reacted accordingly. Her smile was soft. “I just bet they do.”

Wade picked up another container and unscrewed the top. “Between Fo, Eric, and Holgarth, we can finish this job.”

Fifteen minutes later, they stood staring at the empty containers and the many small piles of ash scattered around the room.

Brynn reached for the phone. “I'll get housekeeping to bring up a vacuum so I can get rid of this ash.”

But suddenly he stilled, along with Holgarth and Eric.

Lynsay cast Kim a puzzled glance.

“Telepathy.” She moved to Brynn's side. “Have they found Dirk?”

“Yes. He's sitting down in the lobby.” Brynn picked up the phone to finish his call to housekeeping. “Probably waiting for Mary and Herb to show up with the cakes so he can scoop them up.”

“And turn his army of demons loose on the Vaughns at midnight. Without their detectors, none of them could stop the demons from taking them as hosts.” Kim raked her fingers through her hair. “It would be even more satisfying to the archdemon than killing them outright. The ultimate irony.”

“Conall has hotel staff unobtrusively moving people out of the lobby.” Eric removed his shields from the door and window.

“Like the archdemon isn't going to notice the lobby emptying?” Wade nudged a pile of ash with his toe. “He'll know you've made him.”

For once Holgarth wasn't wearing a supercilious smirk. “Let's hope he's arrogant enough not to care. But we can't move on him until all the humans are safe.”

“All the humans?” Lynsay edged closer to the door. “That sort of sounds like there're more nonhumans in the castle.”

Kim sighed. “Yeah, Lynsay, there are. Now let's hope there's enough nonhuman firepower to bring down an archdemon.” She just wished she felt a little more confident.

Every primitive instinct in Brynn had howled for him to rip Fo from her hand, shove Kim behind his back, and have at those cursed demon bubbles. Even though he knew she was a professional and had the cool, calm courage to do the job herself. Even though he knew she'd tear a strip off him if he dared try to take Fo away from her. But damn it, his need to protect his woman had almost turned him into a grunting Neanderthal.

His woman. And that's who she was. Maybe she didn't know it yet, but he suspected she did. So now he had a problem. How could he say words he'd never said in five centuries? How about, “Hey, babe, love ya. Don't know if the compulsion will ever come back, and I might still be a demon, and I can't give you kids or much of a life, but how about runnin' off and marrying me, huh?” Right. That would make her realize what a great prize he was.

He'd whispered sensual words to thousands of women, but he didn't know how he'd say “I love you” to the only woman who'd ever been important to him. Maybe this was a show-don't-tell situation.

Brynn didn't have any more time to make plans because they'd reached the lobby. Now he'd have to watch Kim put herself in danger all over again. Freakin' great. A whole castle full of useless demon hunters with their useless demon detectors.

At least Dirk had a physical body. Brynn couldn't do anything but bat at those blasted bubbles, but he could get his hands on Dirk and do some serious damage. Hopefully, the combined supernatural powers of Eric and Holgarth would be too much for the archdemon. Sparkle and Asima had powers, too, but he wouldn't depend on them.

Holgarth glanced at the small army ready to enter the lobby. Donna was the only one missing because she had to get ready for her show. Couldn't cancel that. But no one doubted that Eric counted for two vampires when it came to pure power and danger.

“I think it would be best if you didn't go in with us, Lynsay. You're human and weaponless, an unfortunate combination if the archdemon is searching for a weak link. And I'm certain he will be.” Holgarth tried to look kind, but he couldn't screw his face into a benevolent expression that anyone would believe.

Frantic, Lynsay looked at Kim. “Sis, you know demon hunting is my whole life. You guys have to take me with you.”

Kim sighed and turned to Holgarth. “I'll keep her safe.”

He didn't look happy, but he nodded at Kim. “I'm sure if I say no you'll design some grotesque new addition to the castle.”

Kim grinned. “You bet.”

Then Holgarth spoke to the whole group. “We'll go in together and then spread out to divide his attention. If he doesn't attack, we'll slowly close in on him. Kim, when you're within range, use Fo at the same time Eric and I throw our combined powers at him.”

Conall frowned. “Don't you think we'd have a better chance if we all just rushed him? Won't your plan give him time to escape?”

Holgarth puffed himself up like an outraged rooster. “I advised Napoleon on his battle strategies. Exactly how many generals have
you
advised?”

“And if it doesn't work?” Lynsay didn't sound too confident now that she knew all the detectors were inoperable.

“Then we run like hell.” Wade, always the bottom-line guy.