Only Skin Deep: Paranormal MMM Romance, page 12
“Well, if the planet dies… they can’t leave hell and run amok, right?”
“That’s their whole thing, though. They want to turn this realm into Hell.”
“Exactly. They want to turn it into Hell. Humans are doing a fine job of that themselves. Might be taking all the fun out of it for the citizens of Hell.” Gideon shrugged. “Or human extinction means no more humans to torment.” He growled. “I don’t know. He’s a demon. I’m a witch. I have no idea what’s going on in his head.”
“Yet,” Ash said, grinning.
“I am not getting close enough to find out.”
Ash tapped his hands on the steering wheel, nervous energy churning through him. Twenty minutes later, the demon reappeared with a full shopping bag in one hand. Once the creature was inside the car, the tail continued. They meandered through the city, ultimately ending up at a house in a Boston suburb just outside the Salem city limits. Ash pulled up a few houses down, eyeing the place.
A blue clapboard home with a peaceful front porch on a tree-lined street with other large homes. There was nothing outward that spoke of evil. Any normal family with two point five kids and a dog could’ve lived there, not a demon.
“I wonder if this was the human’s home? The one he stole the body of?” Ash asked.
“Maybe.”
“See anything?”
“Wards. Heavy-duty ones,” Gideon said. “We won’t be able to get inside that house.”
Ash was outside the car before Gideon was done speaking. Stalking along the shadows on one side of the street, he shifted into his squirrel form and scampered down the sidewalk. All of his clothing was enchanted—it disappeared and reappeared whenever he shifted. He rushed closer to the demon and tackled him in human form feet from the front door. Groceries flew, rolling down the lawn.
“Motherfucker, you broke my eggs. Do you have any idea how expensive they are?” the demon yelled before swinging a roundhouse punch.
Ash ducked it, squeezing one hand around the demon’s throat. “Not the only thing I plan to break tonight.”
“Big talk from a shifter who’s all alone,” the demon said before rising from the ground with Ash’s hand attached to his throat. Horns appeared, black eyes scrutinizing him.
Fuck.
Ash spun, putting the demon in a headlock—but was tossed over one shoulder like a bag of potatoes. He landed on his back… against the trunk of a tree… knocking the air from his lungs. He was back on his feet in no time, getting in a couple of good punches and knocking the beast to its knees. The demon tackled him, slamming him on the walkway—the concrete shattering underneath his back.
One beastly fist rose… and Ash prepared for pain…
Only nothing came. He spotted a tiny palm covering the demon’s forehead and glanced to the side. Gideon clung to the monster, whispering his incantations—one similar to the one he’d whispered with Ash not more than an hour before.
The demon winced in pain, returning to his human form. He spun and lay on the grass beside Ash in the fetal position, groaning and writhing. Ash rose slowly, brushing bits of concrete off his shirt.
“What did you do to him?” Ash asked.
“I’m making him relive a time when he was tortured in hell by Satan himself. He doesn’t realize where he really is or that we’re here right now.”
“How long will it last?”
“I’ve got it on replay. It’ll stop when I make it stop.”
“Remind me to never piss you off,” Ash said.
Gideon laughed, a bit too manically for Ash’s taste. “Oh, you’ve pissed me off before and you survived. So far.”
Ash narrowed his eyes.
“Come on, big boy. Get your demon. There might be more inside or on their way, and we need to get out of here before they arrive.”
Ash lifted the demon in a firefighter’s carry over one shoulder. He deposited him in the trunk before speeding back to Enchanted Ink.
Luca rolled over, the world outside replacing the dream one. He reached out to the spot beside him but found it empty. Opening one eye, he saw the other side of the bed appeared unused. He sat, glancing outside to determine the hour. From the look of the sky, it was early morning. Luca rose, took care of his needs in the adjoining bathroom, and wandered out into the lounge.
After checking in on a sleeping Colby and a snoring Daniel, he left the empty studio and hit the elevator button. Using a bit of his power, he searched the building. There was a cluster of folks in one of the empty studios. He hit the button for the third floor and exited seconds later.
As soon as the elevator door opened, the faint scent of sulphur gave him a clue why they were gathered. The elevator didn’t move fast enough, panic taking hold. Readying his battle magic as he approached the studio door, he pleaded for strength. He opened a door and saw Cassius, Eli, Ash, and Gideon standing at four corners around a demon in the center.
“Close the door,” Cassius commanded.
Luca slipped inside and closed it. “What the hell?”
Ash met his gaze. “This is him, Luca. The one who cursed Colby.”
Luca glared at the beast. Closing a fist, he rushed closer—but both Ash and Cassius stopped him.
“Don’t break the binding spell,” Cassius whispered. “Stay out of the circle.”
“What are you going to do to him?” Luca asked, scowling at the beast.
“We’ve been trying to get information out of him all night,” Ash whispered.
“Which he’s surprisingly good at withholding,” Cassius added.
“We should send him back to Hell!” Ash yelled, glaring at the demon.
“No,” Cassius said.
“No?” both Luca and Ash asked in concert.
Luca’s fists tightened. “He deserves to die.”
Cassius opened the door and urged them both out. “We’ll only be a moment, guys,” he said to Gideon and Eli.
“Why should we not send him back to Hell?” Ash asked as soon as they were in the hallway with the door closed.
“Because I can bind his evil while he’s on Earth. If we kill him and send him back to Hell, they’ll simply send him back up. He could return to hurting people in a matter of hours. This is the only way,” Cassius said. “Here, bound, he can’t hurt anyone else.”
“He’ll simply tell his comrades, and they’ll kill him and send him to Hell,” Ash said.
“Not if Cassius binds him from speaking,” Luca said, realizing Cassius was right. “Can you put an Eagle’s Eye spell on him, too?”
Cassius grinned. “Already planned.”
“Eagle’s Eye?” Ash asked. “We’d see inside the shop?”
“And hear what they were saying,” Luca replied, grinning.
“Am I forgiven now?” Ash asked Cassius. “Even though I technically didn’t do what you told me not to.”
Luca’s gaze swiveled to Ash. “Forgive you for what?”
Cassius chuckled, eyeing Ash. “I don’t think I’m the one you should be worried about forgiving you.” He returned to the studio, leaving Ash and Luca in the hall.
“What do you need to be forgiven for, Ash?”
“I went to Dark Arts last night. I wanted a peek.”
Rage filled Luca. “You put yourself in danger? Without telling me?”
“I put myself in danger every goddamned day of my life working for the police department.”
“Against humans. This is different.”
“I got out alive, alright? And you and Cas went there, too.”
“What if you hadn’t gotten out alive?” Luca shoved Ash against the wall. “Well?”
Ash wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“Sure, I went with Cassius. We didn’t go in, and we damned sure didn’t abduct a demon while there.”
Ash sighed, rolling his eyes.
“Colby needs us to protect him and Daniel right now. I’m struggling with my power. I need you here and whole, Ash. Not just for them, but for me, too.”
“And I’m here. Whole. I’m fine.”
“But you risked more than you should’ve.”
“It got us a way in, didn’t it? In my mind, it was worth it.”
Luca stepped back. “Did you take help?”
“Gideon was there.”
Luca scoffed. “All five feet two inches and a hundred twenty pounds soaking wet, hmm?” Gideon was the shop’s femme tattoo artist who often dressed like he was on the set of a porno version of Hocus Pocus. Put long black curly hair and a much shorter dress on Sarah Jessica Parker’s Sarah Sanderson and you got Gideon. He said it gave the locals something to talk about. Luca was fairly sure Gideon got off on the catcalls and the Catholic mothers making the sign of the cross over their chest when he walked past.
“Gideon was the one to capture the damned thing. I was its punching bag for a bit. Distraction. Gideon came in and took control.”
“Gideon took down a demon?” Luca had a hard time believing that.
“Well, he made it relive when it was tortured in hell. On a loop. It was incapacitated after that.”
Luca fought a smile. “Inventive.”
“Indeed. I’ll admit that I bit off more than I could’ve chewed.”
Luca pushed Ash back against the wall. “Don’t do that again.”
Ash held his gaze for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”
Luca sighed. “You should get back in there and help maintain order while the others work their spells. I’ll go check on Colby and Daniel.”
Ash stepped closer, wrapping his arms around Luca. “Am I forgiven?”
Luca lifted a brow. “I haven’t heard an apology yet.”
“I’m sorry.”
Luca cupped Ash’s cheeks, his mate’s beard rough against his palms. “You’re forgiven. But that ends the second you pull this kind of shit again.”
“Duly noted.”
Luca slanted his lips over Ash’s. He needed more than a kiss to rev up his power, but they didn’t have time for that—and he wasn’t sure it would help. It hadn’t thus far.
He frowned as he leaned back in the elevator before heading up. It had been nearly a full day and his magic hadn’t yet replenished. He’d used a great deal for Colby, sure, but his tank shouldn’t still be so low. Enough time had passed that he should’ve felt somewhat recharged. If he didn’t start improving soon, he feared he wouldn’t be able to continue the fight for Colby.
What would they do then?
Chapter
Nine
Colby awoke in less pain, yet still covered in scars. He lay for long moments, willing himself to awaken from the nightmare he was living. His dreams had been better. Much better. They’d starred both Luca and Ash. They’d spent an eternity in bed together, learning one another’s bodies in thorough detail. He closed his eyes tight, willing himself to return to the dreamworld, but he found it impossible.
Especially with Daniel nearby, snoring away.
He glanced down at his feet and saw his brother curled up on a rollaway bed there. At some point, he vaguely remembered someone had dressed him in a t-shirt and shorts, but even the soft fabric had hurt, and he’d stripped them off to sleep. The sheet was about all he could handle, and even that was almost too much.
Rising, he lifted his good arm and saw tentacles of illuminated magic swirling over his skin, moving out from the tattoo Luca had created. The sky outside was barely lit, so the shadows of the room allowed him to see the movement of light all the better. The tattoo was simply beautiful. He had no other words that would do it full justice. Luca was a true artist, his work stunning. Warmth radiated from the swirls, spreading toward the icy side.
The cursed side.
His skin there was cold to the touch. The skin rotted and healed… rotted and healed. He struggled to move his arm. Sleeping seemed to cause that side to stiffen, almost to the point of rigidity. He moved in increments, working the rigor away. Rising to his feet once his arm movement improved, he stretched his leg, pain lancing upward toward his torso.
Hungry, he ambled out of the bedroom to see if there was anything to eat. No one was in the lounge, which had been half full the night before. Nothing but silence—and Daniel’s snoring—was to be heard. He headed to the kitchenette and found a silver domed lid situated on the counter. Beside it was a printed card tented beside it that read “For Colby and Daniel.”
He lifted the lid, and the scent of fresh-cooked bacon and eggs caused his mouth to water. After sliding some onto a nearby plate, a steaming silver coffee urn suddenly appeared beside the platter and he upended the plate onto the counter.
“Fuck!”
After he’d cleaned the mess, made himself a new plate, and poured himself a cup of coffee, he situated himself at the nearby table. And realized he was a righty. Not a leftie. He had never realized how hard it was to feed yourself with the wrong hand.
His dominant hand wouldn’t close around the fork—but his other hand didn’t do a great job lifting eggs to his mouth, either. More landed back on the plate than in his mouth. Eventually, he tossed the fork aside and used his fingers like a toddler. Halfway through, Daniel appeared.
“I’m hungry.”
“There’s eggs and bacon under that cover. Can you make yourself a plate?”
“I don’t want eggs. I want bacon and French toast.”
“You get what they’ve made for us, Daniel,” Colby said. “We should appreciate our hosts’ hospitality.”
Daniel stomped over to the cover and lifted it. “French toast! Yum!”
Colby slid from his chair with difficulty and shuffled closer. “There was no French toast.”
But what did he see? A tower of French toast on the plate where a mound of scrambled eggs had been. Reaching past Daniel, he snagged a piece for himself and shoved a bit into his mouth.
“You’re supposed to use a fork, Coby.”
“Well, my hands aren’t working so great today.”
“Mine don’t like to work so good in the morning, either,” Daniel said, flexing his fingers.
How many times had Colby fussed at his brother for not moving faster in the morning and discounted the complaints that Daniel’s limbs or hands hurt? “We should talk to your doctor about that.”
“Haven says I have ar-thur-itis.”
“Haven?” Colby scoffed. “Mr. Bad Ass, right?”
“Bad assssss.” Daniel giggled. “Haven has ar-thur-itis and has to take medicine for it. He says I have it, too.”
“Well, we need your doctor to check for it and make sure. Haven’s not a medical professional.”
“He’s badassed, though.” Daniel grinned and collected his plate again, forking over seven slices of French toast.
“Slow down,” Colby said.
Daniel glowered at him.
Colby hated having to be the voice of reason when it came to food. He was aware putting too much stress on his brother’s eating habits could cause insecurities, but his brother’s Down syndrome caused a lower metabolism and lesser thyroid production—which led to issues maintaining a healthy weight. It also didn’t help that Daniel didn’t seem to have an off switch to his hunger. He’d eat all day if allowed. Without something to regulate him, Daniel’s health might suffer, which would make his care more difficult.
They didn’t need more difficult. That put Colby in a precarious position.
“Please. You don’t want to get a stomachache.”
Daniel put back two slices, scowling. Colby opened his mouth to say five was still too many, but decided he didn’t want to push any harder.
As they were seated, the elevator doors opened, and Luca emerged. Colby noted dark circles under the man’s eyes and wondered if he was still struggling with his power. Because of me. He looked away, unable to witness what he’d caused.
“Good morning,” Luca said, sidling up to the table. He placed a hand on the back of Daniel’s chair. “Glad to see you both up, looking rested.”
“That bed was comfy,” Daniel said.
“I’m glad,” Luca said. He turned to eye Colby. “And we have some good news.”
“Oh?”
“Ash was able to apprehend the demon who cursed you.”
Colby’s gaze flipped to Luca’s. “He’s gone?”
“Well, not gone, but its evil is being bound so it can’t hurt anyone else.”
“You mean he’s still alive?”
“If we kill it, it returns to hell… and it can be sent back, if they want to. This way, it can’t hurt anyone else.”
“And then what?” Colby rose. “Is he here? I want to see the son of a bitch.”
“That’s not a good idea.”
“Why not?”
Luca waved to Colby’s body. “Being close to its evil could strengthen the curse. I don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t chance it. My tattoo is just barely holding on.”
A war waged within Colby. He wanted to spit in the face of the asshole who’d cursed him… but he didn’t want to experience the pain he’d endured with the curse. While his body hurt, it was nothing like what he’d lived through when it was destroying him.
“If the demon’s been neutralized, that means we can go home.”
Luca frowned. “No.”
“You just said he can’t hurt anyone else.”
“No, but its friends can.”
The elevator opened again, and Ash, Cassius, Gideon, and one other later introduced to him as Eli appeared.
Colby shook his head, his focus returning to Luca. “I won’t live in fear. Plus, I have work. Orders for new pieces. I have bills to pay.”
“We can manage all of that.”
Ash approached, stopping beside Luca. “What’s going on?”
“Colby wants to go home,” Luca muttered.
“You shouldn’t,” Ash said, frowning. “You won’t be safe there.”
“The demon who hurt me has been stopped.”
Ash chuckled, but there was no mirth. “One of a million demons. We’ve only just begun to clear Salem of this threat.”
“Why?” Colby asked, ignoring Ash and turning back to Luca. “Why would you pay my expenses?”
“To ensure you’ll stay here, where you’re safe.”
