“What to do with you, Juliana? I could snap your neck and be released from this realm. My master however would not take kindly to me causing you pain. And this host is being most verbal about his disapproval.”
“Well, you’re just all kinds of conflicted, aren’t you?”
Before it could answer, water began to spray from the sprinklers placed throughout the cell. The moment the first of the spray touched the demon, it howled and dropped her. For the third time, she hit the floor with a thud. She’d just as soon not do it again.
She lay there to get her bearings while the demon howled above her and waves of agony radiated through her with every movement. Finally, she managed to get on her hands and knees and half-crawled, half-scrabbled for the cell door. Michael waited on the other side, ready to unlock it the moment she reached it. The demon stayed frozen in place behind her, back arched in pain while it screamed in rage. When she got close enough, Michael flung open the door, grabbed her and pulled her through. He slammed the door and locked it.
She made it to the wall across from the cell and sat with her back against it. She panted through her pain while the demon writhed in his. Running water may not hurt the thing, but holy water sure did.
“Interesting set-up you got here,” Michael said, indicating the cell behind him.
“It has its uses,” she agreed. “Is all the blood off yet?” She’d prefer not to see her dead friend’s blood covering her mate from head to toe any longer than necessary.
Michael looked the demon over before turning back to her. “I think he’s as clean as he’s going to get.”
“All right. Turn them off.”
He went to the end of the hall and pushed a button. The water shut off, though a few drips still fell here and there.
The demon’s shoulders were rigid with tension when it turned to show her eyes pure black with rage. “You twisted, insignificant thing,” it spat, a guttural sound that had no place coming from her mate’s mouth.
“Sorry. Did that sting?” she asked. Michael sat beside her, took her arm and pulled it into his lap to examine her wrist. He was careful not to injure her further.
“You little whore.” The demon leaped across the cell. It wrapped its hands around the bars in front of her only to hiss and jerk them back. It frowned down at them, turning them as if looking for a defect.
“Blessed metal,” she enlightened him. “And the walls are set with mortar mixed with holy water. You’re just in your own little version of hell, aren’t you?”
Michael grabbed a first aid kit from somewhere and used its contents to dress the wound in her wrist. “This is not good, Juliana.”
She shrugged one shoulder. “It’ll be all right. Just wrap it up.”
The demon began to pace in the small area directly in front of her. She kept her eyes locked on him, watching every movement. “Did Catalina do as I asked?” she spoke to Michael, but kept her eyes on the demon.
“It came through right before I got here,” he said. “You’re going to have problems with your boss over this one.”
She knew she would, she just didn’t care. Her job, which had seemed so important to her before was now just a tool she could use to help Thomas.
A muscle twitched in his jaw and the demon turned to her with a hiss. “You will release me.”
“You know how to get out.” The demon might not be able to leave the cell, but it could leave its host and then she’d be more than happy to send it home. Hopefully it would stay there.
“If you think to force me to leave this host, I will shred his mind on my way out. Vampire he may be, but I will make sure he will never be whole again. Now release me.”
She glanced down the hall when the door at the end swung open and a ghost stepped through. Nathaniel stood there looking whole and unharmed. As solid as he looked, she knew he couldn’t be real. She pushed herself up the wall and walked toward him.
He gave her a sheepish smile when she approached. “Jeremiah told me I better get down here and show you I was all right.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not dead?”
“Do I look dead?” he asked.
She reached out a hand and pushed against his chest causing him to rock back on his heels. “You’re not dead,” she said again, only this time it wasn’t a question. Her friend wasn’t dead, hadn’t been killed by the demon riding Thomas. Her fingers curled into the palm of her hand as she drew back her arm. Then she punched him in the stomach as hard as she could. “You selfish son of a bitch.”
Nathaniel grunted and curled around himself protectively. He gasped in a mouthful of air. “What the hell was that for?”
“You let me think you were dead.”
“It wasn’t my fault,” he protested. “I told you they had me on psych leave. No one tells me anything.”
She clenched her jaw, not ready to forgive him yet. “Who was it?”
He straightened most of the way upright and ran a hand through his hair. “Some rookie that came by to check in. I was complaining about it and he was more than willing to go for me. I figured what the hell. If I’d known...”
If he’d known, he would have gone. And he’d be dead. While part of her grieved for the agent that had died in his place, she couldn’t squash the overwhelming relief she felt that he was alive. She punched him again, softer this time and in the shoulder. “Don’t you ever die on me again. I don’t like it.”
“You’re one to talk.”
She scowled at him and went back to her spot on the floor.
“Was that a dog joke?”
She frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”
“You called me a son of a bitch.”
Closing her eyes, she shook her head. Leave it to Nathaniel to find humor even in a situation like this.
He wandered over, hands in his pockets, eyes on the demon. “Why is Kendrick in the demon dungeon?”
“They really don’t tell you anything, do they?” she said. “He is our demon.”
His eyes widened. “Are you telling me that your master vampire is playing host to a first-level demon?”
“That would be an accurate assessment of the situation,” Michael answered.
“What are you going to do?”
“We’re still working on that.” She wasn’t about to admit that she had absolutely no plan. Well, she had a plan. It just wasn’t much of one. The fact that she had the only demon-slaying sword in residence would buy her some space, some respect amongst the parties involved. But they weren’t going to wait forever for her to fix this. Eventually they’d get tired of waiting for results and come in and take over. If they did that, Thomas was dead.
“You’ve got to destroy the host, Jules,” Nathaniel said, looking down at her.
“Can’t,” she said.
“Don’t be stupid, pup.” He bit out the words. “You risk us all by letting it continue to live in our world. If you can’t kill your boyfriend, I’ll do it for you.”
“Actually you won’t,” Michael said. “The Council has received a court order prohibiting the extermination of the vampire Thomas Kendrick for forty-eight hours, provided that he is contained and not a threat to the general populace.”
She glanced at him. “They did put in a clause for release if the demon’s gone, right?”
Michael nodded.
“Are you crazy?” Nathaniel said.
She turned back to him, her brows arched. “What makes you think I had anything to do with it?”
He blew out a breath. “Please, this has you written all over it. No wonder Ben’s pissed. You can’t save everyone, Jules. You just can’t.”
“I saved you and I’m going to save him.” She had no idea how, but that had never stopped her before.
The demon continued to pace but she knew it was listening to their conversation.