Holy Socks And Dirtier Demons (18 page)

now.”

Yeah, the thought had crossed my mind too. “What do you know

about her and Samuel?”

“He wanted her to sacrifice you, but she refused.” Hades sobered, his

eyes growing hot.

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing good. Lilith is dammed, so Samuel couldn’t kill her

outright, but what he done to her today…” Hades frowned. “Even the bravest

of Gods wouldn’t have survived it.”

Sickness pooled in my stomach. Whatever happened I’d make

Samuel pay for that, and repay Lilith. Another thought occurred to me. It

hadn’t been Lilith at the gardens today, but someone had wanted me to

believe it was. My question was who? What did they gain by separating us? I

had no idea. Nothing made sense right now. Scrambled brain aside.

“What are you going to do with the cat?” Hades eyed the beast.

“No.”

“What?” He raised his hands innocently.

“You cannot eat her cat.” I tucked Bodhi further into my sweatshirt

and slipped off the barstool. My head spun, more from its earlier abuse than

alcohol. “I have to apologize to Lilith.”

Hades nodded. “Maybe bring her some flowers. Women like

flowers.”

“Good idea.” I gazed at the angel, who played a game of Mage with

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the Goddess Aphrodite. “Angel? Watch the cat for me. I’m going back to

Lilith’s.”

“If you insist.”

“I do.” I shoved Bodhi at him. “And if Hades eats him, I’m going to

tell Lilith you did it.” Tossing a few bucks on the bar, I waved at Hades and

headed from the Underworld into hell.

~ * ~

“Lilith?” I tapped on her apartment door. No answer. I knocked

harder, a smattering of fear rippling through me. Had something happened to

her?

The doorknob twisted easily in my hand. Unlocked, shit. I pushed

through the door, ready and willing to slay dragons with the bouquet of black

roses in my hand.

“Any one here?” I scanned the pristine room. Not a smashed green

demon glob in sight. For Lilith, cleanliness must have been next to evilness.

Her white sheeted bed was made, bookcase restocked, and cat food neatly set

on the counter.

The bathroom door opened a crack, and I spun toward the sound

catching a glimpse of Lilith’s naked back in the steam-fogged mirror. Angry

red scars lined her skin. Recent, newly healed scars. Scars inflicted while

protecting me. Scars like the one on the back of her neck. This wasn’t the

first time she suffered at Samuel’s hands. I swallowed hard, a greasy feeling

churning in my gut.

I tapped quietly on the doorframe, careful not to startle her. “I

knocked but you didn’t answ…”

“Go away.” Tears fell unabated from Lilith’s eyes, her face patchy

and red. Not an unpretty sight, but one I had never hoped to witness.

She slammed the door, which narrowly missed my foot. The pain I’d

seen in her eyes would haunt me for a lifetime. My protective instincts

surfaced, as did my stupidity. I reached for the door handle.

She surprised me by opening the door at the same time. It bounced

off my nose, sending me spiraling to the floor. Stars circled my head, little

blue ones with silvery edges.

Lilith stalked across the room in a t-shirt, and I was damn sure, she

didn’t wear anything underneath. Gone were her tear stained cheeks,

replaced with a steely, cold look.

“Why are you here, Jace?”

I stood, bridging my busted nose with my fingers. “I came to

apologize.”

“Well?” Her hands flew to her hips.

“Um, I’m sorry.” I held out the now decapitated black roses. “I wish

I could make everything all right. Make up for Samuel—”

“Don’t.” Her face tightened.

“What?”

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“Don’t be nice.” She flexed her fists. “I hate when you’re nice.”

“Too bad.” I pulled her into an awkward hug, and patted her back

like a child. She kicked me in the knee, following it up with a hard left to the

collarbone.

“Damn it.” Releasing her, I rubbed at my throbbing shoulder.

“There’s something seriously wrong with you.”

“Me?” Redness exploded across her face. “You all but accuse me of

kidnapping J.C. this afternoon, not to mention wrecking my apartment, and I

have done something wrong?”

“I fucking said I was sorry.”

“Do you even want to find J.C. or are you too busy fucking your

sweet Mary to care?” She shoved me hard enough to rattle my teeth.

Rage washed over me. “Don’t bring Mary into this, and don’t you

ever—” I poked her in the breastbone, “—question my loyalty to the kid.

He’s the only reason I put up with you, and your demonic P.M.S.!”

“P.M.S.,” it came out like a squeak. Lilith started glowing scarlet

around the edges of her skin, eyes turning fiery. “You stupid mother—”

A hum buzzed from across the room. Tyrfing floated in the air. I

swallowed back some of my rage, and walked toward the sword. The feel of

the hilt in my hand ignited the bloodlust locked deep inside my heart.

Destroy.

Devour.

Dominate.

I lifted the blade, watching Lilith’s eyes reflected in the shiny

surface. Each step I took closer to her gave me a tiny thrill, like stalking prey.

A few feet separated us, me with my demon-killing sword, and her with the

blackened heart of demonic bitch.

Glancing at the sword with regret, I tossed it into the bathroom and

slammed the door. “Now, you were saying?”

Her fist caught me just above my left eye. Lucky for me, my earlier

brain injury had numbed much of the feeling on my left side. I’d have to get

the angel to look at it.

I grabbed her hands and tossed her onto the bed. “I’m not a fucking

piñata. I don’t hit women, but next time you deck me, I’ll make an

exception.”

Her lips curled into a snarl. “Try it and I’ll rip you apart.”

“Don’t push me. I’ve had it with you, with all of this demon shit.” I

bent closer until our faces were inches away. Her breath was hot on my face,

sending a mixture of signals to my fucked up brain. “Why can’t you just act

human for once in your fucking life? I offered a shoulder to cry on, and you

twisted it into something evil.”

She struggled to rise from the pillows, but I refused to back down.

She’d be submissive for a few seconds, even if it killed me.

I grabbed her hair and tugged. “Well, fuck you. From now on, you’re

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on your own.” I threw her back down on the bed, and turned for the door. I’d

find the kid on my own.

“Fine. Good,” she yelled behind me. “Like you were any help

anyway. Stupid momma’s boy.”

Snap. Yep, I actually heard my brain snap, and went from pissed to

crime of passion mad. The sword, reacting to my violent temper, smashed

into the closed door. But the sound did nothing to cool my rage.

I spun to face her, ran the ten feet from her front door to the bed, and

pounced. Slamming her body against the bed, my fingers wrapped around her

skinny neck. Her skin felt red hot, her lips twisted with hate.

My erection took me by surprise. One second I wanted to kill her,

and the next I wanted to screw her until one of us met our maker. Preferably

her, but who was I kidding.

“No.” She ground her pelvis against me. “You’re not man enough.”

“And you’re not Mary, but I’ll make do.” I pinned her arms

underneath my hands, and crushed my mouth to hers. For a few seconds she

fought me, a growl escaping her throat.

“Fuck,” I spat when her teeth ripped a layer of skin from my lip. I let

go of one of her hands to wipe at the blood dripping down my chin.

“Bastard.” She slugged me in the jaw.

I rolled off her, the taste of my blood calming my rage. Not

completely, but enough to question whether I had a death wish or I was

merely stupid. Stupid won out. I blew out a breath. “Lilith, I—.”

She wrapped her legs around my waist, and yanked at my hair. “Shut

up, Jace, or so help me, I will break every bone in your body.” She pulled my

mouth to hers, and like a pirate pillaged my lips at will.

I knocked her hand away, but didn’t break contact. Instead, I dragged

her off me, pulling her upright so I could remove her t-shirt.

She shoved at my chest, knocking me back, and stripped her own

shirt from her body. Her skin flamed against the room’s whiteness, glowing

like fire. The sound of heavy breathing and rushing blood filled the room.

She licked at her swollen, bloodied lips, and smiled. Her finger curled,

taunting me to come closer.

I shook my head. Not this time. I planned to win this round, and that

meant Lilith would submit. I cracked my knuckles and waited.

She brushed an imaginary piece of lint from her breast, her nipple

hardening under her fingers.

Bitch.

“This is a limited time offer.” She stroked a finger across her lips,

running it down the curve of her neck. “And I expect foreplay.”

“Good luck with that,” I said, moving towards her. Fuck it.

Submission, like foreplay, was overrated anyway.

Twelve thirty-one a.m. My jeans circled my knees, and my boxers

followed suit. I tugged on her hair and she bit me, but complied with my

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suggested positioning. Something taken straight out of the Demons Guide to

Karma Sutra. Her back arched, and I lost myself to the feel of her hot skin.

Twelve thirty-eight a.m. My leg cramped and Lilith twisted

underneath me. Her evil eyes burning with lust. “You know, Satan can go all

night.”

I shrugged, rolling her on top of me. “So can Mary.” I caught her fist

before it slammed into my eye. “Now shut up. I’m trying to concentrate.”

Twelve fifty-two a.m.

“Don’t stop.” Lilith raked her nails across my chest before exploding

with her fourth orgasm in fifteen minutes. Bells and whistles, bright glowing

light, blah, blah, blah.

One thirty-four a.m.

Crack. “I think that was my spine.”

Two sixteen a.m.

“Yes. Yes. Oh God, yes.”

Three forty-five a.m.

“You’re on the pill, right?”

Four fifteen a.m.

“I can’t move.” I groaned. Lilith lay curled on my side, her naked

body pressed against my sweat-soaked skin.

She lifted her head. “Poor baby.”

“No, I mean it. I really can’t move.” I tried to lift my arm, but it

wouldn’t comply. “I think you crushed my spine.”

“Oh.” She laughed, but like a trained chiropractor, she snapped my

vertebrate in place. “Better?”

“Thanks.” I closed my eyes, basking in our post-coital bliss.

With a yawn, Lilith said, “Get out.”

“What?”

“You heard me.” She stabbed her foot into my ribs, and pushed.

“Nothing’s changed.”

“You’re kidding me.” I stumbled from her bed, searching the floor

for my jeans. “Where am I going to sleep?”

“Like I care.” Lilith pulled a cell phone from her nightstand, and

tossed it at me. “I’ll call you when I find the kid.”

Bitch.

“Oh, and don’t forget your,” she glanced down, “little sword.”

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Thirty Two

I took the D train from Lilith’s apartment, Tyrfing riding shotgun in

the seat next to me. A group of teenagers pushed through the empty car, took

one look at the sword, and headed in the opposite direction.

Hopping off the subway at Grand Avenue, I wandered the streets

mumbling to myself until the sun peeked over the skyline.

Fucking Lilith.

Forget about her, my brain ordered. Find the kid and leave that evil

succubus behind. I laughed, knowing it wasn’t that easy. She’d broken more

than my spine tonight. My defenses had taken a beating, and I’d be damned

if I didn’t want her more now than ever before. Was it witchcraft, some

succubae sex magic, or complete and total stupidity?

I yawned, exhaustion plaguing my every step. As I turned onto

Avenue D, rain started to fall from the clouds.

Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.

Not rain. Hamsters. I looked up, and took a hamster to the skull. Shit.

I ducked under an awning while the streets filled with small furry rodents.

Small furry confused rodents. They bumped into each other, chirped and

squeaked, as more dropped from the sky.

What the hell?

The kid. He must be close. I searched the hamster packed street, but

saw nothing. Maybe I really had snapped, and the past five days were

nothing but a delusion. It made as much sense as God entrusting his only kid

to a guy like me. Looking to the heavens, I prayed for a sign.

“Jace?” Mary appeared in front of me, her face scrunched with

concern.

“Mary? How did you find me?” I pinched my arm to make sure I

wasn’t dreaming. That, in fact, the once object of my desire, was standing in