I shook my head and held my hand up in front of me. “He killed her for no reason? Just to prove a point?” The burning grew. My stomach was consumed in fire. I could feel the flames licking at my lungs, stealing my breath. My head emptied of all thought but that of Azazel and the evil he brought down on innocent people.
My dad nodded. His lips were mashed so hard into a thin line that they were white.
“You’re sure there’s no other way to get rid of this? I can’t transfer it to another group member? Give it to them?”
My dad shook his head. “No. It’s yours alone.”
I nodded my head. “Right. Okay.” The images of all the visions I’d had ran through my memory. With each one, my muscles tensed until they were so taut it felt like they’d snap. My teeth clenched until my jaw ached. Still I watched the visions replay in front of me. The little girl who’d have been violated by the pervert in the park. The woman on the street who’d have been attacked by the serial rapist… on and on until it ended with the night before at the Waterway.
No! He can’t do that! Someone has to try and stop the demon bastard. If I can’t get rid of this demi-angel shit, then…
“I’m not giving it to him. There’s no way he’s going to be allowed to do things like this without paying. He may have thought this would break me, but he’s just made one helluva enemy. I’m gonna fight him until I take my last breath. That’s what I was born to do.”
I was tired of being scared. Of worrying when I’d see another demon. When Azazel would show his face. He used that innocent woman’s death as a way to break me. I sat on my favorite purple couch and knew…
He’d just made me stronger.
Two weeks until my birthday.
I’m drowning.
My lungs burn from lack of oxygen. I try to hold my breath, but the need to fill my lungs causes me to open my mouth and inhale. Water fills my lungs, my head pounds, and my chest burns. My body tries to rid itself of the offending water. I cough and suck in more.
I’m dying.
I start to convulse. My body jerks and shakes. I’m writhing in pain. And through it all, I hear a voice. Not my mother’s voice telling me she loves me. Not my fathers or my grams’. Not Chay’s.
“This could have been avoided, Milayna, if you’d only sided with me,” it says.
I bolted upright in bed and rubbed my chest, looking from side to side. I was in my bed at home. There was no one there. I was safe.
I let out a breath and climbed out of bed, walking to the window. A shadowy figure stood on the sidewalk in front of my house. I jerked backward, tripped over my feet, and fell on my butt. Slowly, I crawled to the wall beside the window. I stood up, peeking out from behind the curtain. The figure stood in the same place.
My heart began to race, blood rushed behind my ears, and beads of sweat ran down my back.
Who is that?
I dropped to all fours and crawled to my bedroom door. Opening it, I made my way into the hallway. Standing, I bolted for my parent’s room.
“Dad!”
“We see,” he called from downstairs. I ran down the stairs and peeked around the corner. He sat on the couch, looking outside.
“Hey, beautiful.” Chay smiled and motioned for me to come to him.
“What are you doing here?” It was the first time I’d seen him since the Waterway. We’d talked on the phone and texted each other, but I hadn’t been ready to see anyone, not even him. He shrugged a shoulder. “Oh. You sensed trouble. Why didn’t anyone tell me about the little party with shadow man out there?” I sat on the couch between Chay and my dad.
“No need to wake you,” my dad said. “You haven’t been getting enough sleep as it is. Why are you up now? A nightmare?”
I nodded. Chay wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to him for a quick kiss. I snuggled against him, resting my head on his shoulder.
“Who’s our mystery guest?” I said around a yawn, waving my hand at the window.
“Not sure. Probably a demi-demon,” Chay answered.
“What’s he doing out there?” I snuggled closer to Chay, feeling safe in his arms, against his warmth. My stalker friend didn’t exactly fill me with warm fuzzies—more like a glass of ice water. The hair stood up on the back of my neck, and I scooted even closer to Chay. He squeezed me against him.
Chay shrugged. My head bobbed up and down with the movement of his shoulders, and I smiled. “My guess is he’s trying to scare you.”
“I don’t know if I’m scared or just creeped out.” I reached for the phone. “Did you call the police?”
“Your dad did. You should really go upstairs and try to sleep,” he whispered close to my ear, sending jolts of adrenaline-filled electricity through my bloodstream.
“Like I can sleep with Peeping Tom out there.” I shuddered and snuggled closer to Chay, soaking in his warmth.
The three of us sat quietly in the darkened living room, waiting for the police. Chay put his hand under my hair and massaged the back of my neck.
Just minutes later, a spotlight pierced through the darkness and illuminated our stalker. There was a blip from the siren, and the red and blue lights started flashing. They gave everything an eerie glow. Mr. Peeping Tom looked menacing as the lights scrolled across his skin. The car pulled up to him and stopped. He and the officer exchanged words before the officer guided him into the back of the police cruiser, and it drove away.
“Well, that was interesting,” I murmured. “Did you recognize him?” I looked up at Chay.
“Yeah. His name is Edward. A real pain in the ass.” Chay coughed and looked at my dad. “Sorry, sir.”
My dad smiled. “Aren’t all demi-demons a pain in the ass?”
***
Chay picked me up for school later that morning.
“Morning.” He stood on the porch with his hands in his pockets. His arms were straight, making his shoulders rise.
“Hi.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him.
“Get any sleep after I left?” His arm snaked around my waist for another kiss.
“Not really.”
“What’s wrong?” He pushed me away from him and studied my face. “Have you been crying?”
“Not much.” I cried for the woman who died and for my friends and family, who I was afraid would die, as well. Grief mixed with fear was a constant weight on my shoulders. Every day it got a little heavier, harder to carry. I felt like I’d snap under the pressure.
After the shock of watching the woman get killed, I decided to fight Azazel. To use my power against him. And I was determined to do it, too. But I was still scared, especially of what he could do to the people I loved.
Chay hugged me and ran his hand up and down my back. “I’m sorry.”
I buried my face in his shoulder and inhaled his scent. His touch and his smell calmed me. I lifted my head, blew the hair out of my face, and smiled at him. “Let’s get this over with, huh?”
The school day dragged on and on. I thought the last bell would never ring so I could go home. I hated being in the same place with Shayla and Lily. And now that they’d shown themselves, I had to see the other Evils as well. Chay walked me to and from every class, and every time, we’d see an Evil or a demi-demon.
“Just ignore them,” Chay told me when he walked me to history class.
I picked at the cover of my notebook. “Yeah. That’ll be easy.”
“They can’t do anything to you at school. They’re just trying to scare you.”
“It’s working.” I eyed one of them as we walked by.
Finally, the last bell of the day rang. Desperate to get out of that building, I dashed to the door and out of the classroom. The walls felt like they were closing in on me and everywhere I looked, I saw one of Azazel’s groupies. I needed out. I was almost to my locker when I felt a hard tug on my backpack. I thought it was Chay. He’d be mad I didn’t wait for him. Turning, I flinched at the ugly sneer marring the face that glare
d back at me.
“Lily.” I tried to sound unaffected by her presence.
“Milayna…” She slowly pulled out the syllables of my name. “Where’s your bodyguard?” She looked around and arched a perfectly shaped brow.
“I don’t have one. Where’s your malevolent posse? Oh, sorry.” I tapped my finger on my lips. “Do you need me to define ‘malevolent?’ It has more than two syllables.” I tilted my head to the side, my eyes wide.
“Funny. They’re around,” she said, inspecting her French-tipped nails. “We’re always around.”
“Good to know.” I shouldered past her, knocking her backward. My heart was drumming double time.
Chay walked toward me, looking at the ground, shaking his head. A ghost of a grin touched his delicious lips. “Not smart.”
“I figured it was better than cowering in fear in front of her.”
“Probably. Next time, wait for me.” He reached out and lightly pulled on a lock of my hair before pushing it behind my ear.
***
Muriel flopped backward on my bed with a huff. She’d come over after school to do homework, which took about a minute to do. “We should do something. I’m bored.”
I looked at her from across the room where I was hanging up my clothes I’d thrown around that morning looking for something to wear. “You’re always bored. I swear, you’re hyper. You need some Ritalin.”
“Hey! Where’d you get that top? That’s straight-up sexy. You need to wear that tonight, and we need to go somewhere.” She climbed to her knees in the middle of my bed.
“Why do I want to go out with you and wear something sexy? I was kind of saving this for Chay.” I looked at the pale pink, silk tank top. The front collar was a little lower than I was used to, and the back plunged, fabric cascading in delicate folds, the two sides held together by a thin band of silk across the back.
“Yeah, Chay’s coming too. We’ll all go. Movie and dinner, huh? Sounds good, right?” She was already sending the text to the group. She tossed her phone on the bed and smiled at me. Two seconds later, my phone chimed.
Chay: Are you going with Muriel tonight?
Me: Might be fun.
Chay: ‘Kay. I’ll pick you up.
At six o’clock, Chay pulled into my driveway. We drove to the movie theater to meet Muriel, Drew, Jen, and Jeff. Steven and Jake had football practice.
“Hey, guys!” I skipped to catch up with Muriel, towing a less enthusiastic Chay behind me.
Muriel turned and tugged on Drew’s sleeve to get his attention, and they met us in front of the ticket booth. “Hey! Crazy crowded tonight.”
“I know, right? We’re parked in the last row of the back lot.”
“I think we’re just two or three rows from you. I’ve never seen it this busy.”
Drew looked over my head at Chay. “Hey, man.”
“Drew, how’s it going?” Chay fist bumped him over my head. I was starting to get a complex. Either I was short or they were grotesquely tall. Or maybe just gorgeously tall… yeah.
“It’s all Channing Tatum, you know.” Muriel looked at me and grinned.
I smiled and winked at her, but I didn’t say anything.
Chay buried his face in the curve of my neck and planted soft kisses up to my ear. “Channing Tatum, hmm?”
I shrugged and looked at him wide-eyed. “I don’t even know who that is.”
Chay laughed, picked me up, and swung me onto his back piggy-style. He carried me to the door of the theater before he set me down. Muriel rolled her eyes. “You two are sickening.”
We met up with Jen and Jeff in the arcade before buying our popcorn and going into the theater.
“Let’s see some shit get blown up!” Jeff threw a piece of popcorn in his mouth and smiled.
“Let’s see Channing Tatum blow shit up while he’s naked,” Jen corrected.
I choked on my Coke.
***
It was late when the movie ended and we’d eaten. We walked across the back lot to our cars when they stepped out of the shadows of the dumpsters.
I turned and framed his face with my hands. “Be careful.”
Chay pulled me closer and kissed me gently. His hands tangled in my hair. “You too.”
Muriel shook her head. “Geez, I hate this,” she muttered. “It’s so gonna hurt.”
“Hiding out in the dumpsters with the trash? Just where you belong,” I yelled to the group of Evils and demi-demons standing in front of us.
Chay blew out a breath, ran his hand up the back of his head, and let it rest on top of his head. “Milayna, please don’t antagonize them. ‘Kay?”
I looked at him and shrugged.
“He wants you,” one of them called back.
“He’s a fool and a coward. And he doesn’t know when to take a hint. I’ve already said no. More than once. Does he need me to draw it in crayon?”
I heard Chay groan behind me and mutter something about ‘not keeping my mouth shut.’
The Evils and demi-demons moved closer to us. One guy stood in front of me. He was half a head taller than me, but as thin as a rail.
I can take string bean, here, easy.
I rolled my shoulders and shook out my arms.
“What did you say?” the guy asked.
“Milayna,” Chay warned.
I was way too stubborn to listen to Chay’s subtle warning. Instead, I continued egging the demi-demon on. Taunting him. “I said, Azazel. Is. A. Fool. And. A. Coward.” I over-enunciated each word to make my point. I was tired. Irritated they were ruining our night. And I wanted to go home. Plus, if we ended up fighting, they were going to ruin my brand new, sexy, silk shirt. And that pissed me off.
He reached out and slapped me hard across the face. My head snapped to the side from the force. My skin burned, and I was sure if I looked in a mirror, I’d see a perfect, red handprint.
Whoa. Should’ve been paying attention. I didn’t see that one coming.
Chay tried to push past me. I held my arm out to stop him.
“It’s okay.” In my mind, I was visualizing hitting the idiot that slapped me. I turned quickly, hit the guy under the chin with a palm-heel strike, kneed him in the balls, and pushed him away from me.
He lay on the ground, holding his crotch. I walked over to him and crouched down.
“Don’t ever touch me again,” I whispered.
“You’re either fearless or a badass,” Drew said from my side when I’d stood. I didn’t have time to answer. The rest of the demi-demons rushed us.
Before I could turn around, one had me in a bear hug from behind. I elbowed him in the stomach. He let go and I turned, kicking at his balls—always my favorite move on a guy—but he caught my foot and twisted it. I landed on my stomach with a grunt—the concrete ate away the flesh at my elbows.
I pushed myself off the ground and punched behind his knee. He fell next to me. I landed an uppercut. I could feel his teeth clamp together when the hit connected, sending jolts of pain through my hand.
He looked at me with such hatred that I flinched. He got one good backhand to my face in before I rolled, jabbed him in the side, and swung my arms, jumping to my feet.
I was fighting off my doofus of a demi-demon when a heard a commotion to my left. Shouting, scuffling, Chay cursing a violent string of words, a grunt, and then nothing.
The guy I was fighting took advantage of my distraction and got a good hit to my head. I shook off the stars I saw floating in front of my eyes just in time to block his next blow. He threw another punch, and I ducked. He hit nothing but air. It threw him off balance enough that two good kicks had him lying on the ground.
I ran to Chay. There was a group of demi-demons, and I only saw Drew and Jake fighting them, but I knew Chay was in the mix. I’d heard him.
What’s Jake doing here? He had football practice tonight.
The closer I got to the group, the stranger I felt. My stomach swirled like someone was using a han
d mixer in it. Around and around it went, scraping the sides of my body. A heat built in my chest and radiated through my body down to my fingers and toes. I looked at my fingers. They looked the same, but they tingled, like how it felt after I’d slept on my hand, when it prickled and tingled.
Pushing my way through the group of demi-demons, I braced myself for them to fight, but they ignored me, too preoccupied by the show in the middle of the circle. When I broke through the circle of people and saw what had their attention, my breath stalled and I was frozen in place. My eyes refused to translate the image I saw to my brain.
Then Jake hit him again and blood flew out of Chay’s mouth and splattered on my leg.
I pushed off as hard as I could and barreled into Jake. He was huge. A football player, he worked out in the weight room regularly. I knew I didn’t have a chance in hell against him, so I was counting on the element of surprise. I barely budged him, but I prevented him from landing another hit on Chay.
“What the hell are you doing?” I screamed.
“Fighting with my team.” He gave me one of his movie-star-handsome smiles.
“Your team? Since when do you fight against us?”
“Since I joined with Azazel.” I just stared at him. Another demi-demon came close and assumed a fighting stance. Jake waved him away. He stepped toward me and cupped my cheek. “Don’t look so surprised.” His body almost touched mine. Not quite, but I could feel his heat. His hand still held the side of my face, and his thumb rubbed over my cheek. “Come with me. You’d have everything you’ve ever dreamed of.” He leaned forward, and his lips skimmed mine. “We’d be good together, Milayna.”
What in the ever-loving hell is going on? Jake, what have you done?
Jake leaned in to kiss me a second time, and I spat in his face. With a growl of disgust, he pushed me away so hard that I landed on my butt—not really a place you wanted to be in a fight. Jumping to my feet, I had just assumed a fighting stance when I heard sirens in the distance. I knew they were coming for us. The demi-demons scattered, disappearing into the night.
I scrambled toward Chay, who was lying on his side on the ground, and Drew, who was facedown a few feet from him. I came to Drew first. For a second, I was paralyzed with fear at what I might find if I touched one of them. I could feel the tears building in my eyes and a ball of pain gathering in my chest. I placed my hand on Drew’s back and let out a huge breath when I felt it move up and down.