One Handsome Devil (33 page)

"Trust me.” Jack's voice.

Anger surged up in her. Trust him? Trusting him had gotten her into all of these trouble. Trusting him had made her love him.

"Come out of there, Jack."

"Almost done."

"Now."

"This is going to hurt.” She didn't sense that Jack was talking to her. From Katra's scream, she was right.

Katra sobbed for breath, then screamed again, a piercing high-pitched wail of agony and despair. “It's too much."

It
was
too much. Sara felt herself snap. No more Ms. Nice Girl. No more giving the demon the benefit of the doubt. She drew on every scrap of childhood memory. “In the name of the creator, I conjure you out. In the name of the preserver, I order you to leave my friend. In the name of the great destroyer of evil, I demand that you return to the pit."

Katra opened her mouth to answer but no words came. Her stomach convulsed, but her eyes were once again the deep blue of her friend rather than the glowing sapphire of the demon she'd loved.

Katra glared at her. “I'm going to be sick."

"I'll come with you."

Katra shook her head. “Right now I don't want to see you."

"Katra, it's Sara. I know you're there so pick up the phone. We've got to talk."

Katra glared at her answering machine. It was summer vacation and she didn't have to talk to anyone. Especially not Sara.

"Are you going to answer that?” Mona walked into Katra's bedroom without knocking and headed for her closet.

"No."

"She's your best friend."

"Like you're such an expert on friendship."

Her sister flipped through Katra's wardrobe with practiced ease, casually dumping half the clothes onto the floor. “Where's your leather miniskirt?"

"You don't want to wear that. It makes you look fat."

"Oh,
excuse me
. Why don't you just take everything out on me. I'm just your sister, after all. What is it, a lovers’ tiff between you two?” Mona rolled her eyes suggestively. “Or did you make a move on that hunk of hers."

Normally, Katra would have punched her sister and felt sorry later. For once, she held herself back. “You know what? You're right. I am taking it out on you. I'm sorry."

Mona looked suspicious. “Go ahead, where's the zinger?"

"Borrow whatever you want. The leather skirt is in my bottom drawer. Wear a girdle and it won't look so bad. I've got to go see Sara."

"You mean I can borrow anything?” Mona's eyes opened with greed.

Katra knew she'd flipped out but none of this seemed to matter. “Except my underwear."

"Like I'd wear that. Gross."

"I'll see you later, then."

"Uh, want me to drop you off?” Mona had something in mind.

"It's not a problem. I'll drive."

"I was sort of planning to borrow your car.” Mona yanked on the leather skirt and then selected a form fitting blouse with a zipper up the front, pulled it over her head, then unzipped until she was almost falling out.

"I don't suppose you want any more fashion tips?"

"From you.” Mona paused for a fractional second. “No."

"All right, let's go."

Katra was already pulling out the driveway before she realized this was the first time she'd left her house since Sara and Reverend Bob had broken in. She'd spent the first couple of days lying on her bed, too weak to stand, to tired to even eat. Then she'd managed to wander out to the living room and watch soap operas with her mother. It hadn't led to much conversation since her mother was completely entranced by the tube, but Katra hadn't felt like conversation anyway.

Only in the last two days had Katra really come to her senses—to the realization that something was seriously wrong.

"Can I ask where you're going after you drop me off?” She tried to make the question sound casual.

"I've got a date. You remember what those are, don't you? Where the guy actually pays for things."

"A date with whom?"

"That's none of your business.” Mona looked out the passenger window, studiously avoiding meeting Katra's gaze.

The light turned green and Katra gave the Corsica some gas. “I'm worried about you."

"Yeah? Maybe you should worry about yourself."

Maybe she should. “I'll take the bus home. You can have the car as long as you want."

"Thanks.” Mona forced out the word.

Katra pulled into Sara's parking lot, unfastened her seat belt, and stepped out.

"Be careful."

Mona laughed. “Look who's talking. You're the one who led an attack on a bunch of Christians at the airport. You're lucky they didn't arrest you."

Katra gritted her teeth. The Dallas newspapers had twisted events to the point where Reverend Bob had called the police to tell them that he forgave his attackers and didn't want any prosecution. Naturally the police had ignored Katra's accusations that the church group had instigated the violence. Since neither Maura nor Sara had backed her up, the police had simply written her off as a crackpot.

"I fight back,” Katra said. “I recommend trying it sometime."

"And I recommend doing whatever it takes to get the guy."

Katra shook her head. “Don't wreck the car."

"You know, it's really been driving well lately. What did you do to it?"

"When I broke down...” she trailed off. “Trust me, you don't want to know."

"Want me to wait and make sure Sara answers?"

Her sister, considerate? The world was definitely taking some strange turns. “I'll be fine. Promise you'll be careful."

Mona shifted into reverse and pulled away without answering, without promising.

Damn. Shaking her head, Katra headed up the stairs to Sara's apartment and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?” Sara's voice sounded suspicious.

"It's Katra."

"Oh.” The deadbolt was new and Sara rattled with it for a good twenty seconds before finally opening the door.

Because she spent so much of her life outside, Sara generally looked golden and healthy. Now, she seemed a faded version of herself.

"You look like something the dog dragged home. What happened to you?” Katra asked.

"No happy reunions, hugs and kisses, and telling me you're sorry you've been ignoring me?” Sara's attempt at a smile fell way short.

"You deserved worse. I can't believe you broke into my house with that creature."

"Jack was already in there with you."

"I'm talking about the Reverend Bob."

"Oh.” Sara's chin wobbled. She gestured to her living room, let Katra sprawl on the sofa, and pulled up a straight-backed chair. “I've been really worried about you."

Time to lighten up. “It was just a demonic possession. Nothing serious."

"Oh, hell. I've been worrying about everything. About whether you're all right and why you wouldn't answer my phone or come to the door when I came over. About Jack. Even after everything he did, I feel terrible about sending him back to Hell. About the Reverend Bob and how he feels like he failed you. About whether I should spend the money we won on my business or just chuck the whole thing. You can't imagine how much I wanted to be a partner with Jack."

"That's a lot to worry about."

Sara nodded mutely.

"Need something else?"

Sara shook her head in firm negation but couldn't stop herself from inquiring. “Is it Jack?"

"No, it's Derrick."

"I thought you took care of him.” For a split second, a real smile lit Sara's face.

"I think Mona is going out with him."

Sara looked puzzled. “But he's fixated on you."

"Either he's transferred his lust, or he's looking for a more indirect way to get back at me. Either way, I'm worried about Mona."

"Ohmygod, we've got to do something."

"Tell me about it. The man is the biggest pervert I've ever met.” She let herself smile too. “And believe me, I've met some perverts over the years."

Katra looked great, as if she'd discovered something that opened up a road to inner peace. It hardly seemed fair.

During the two weeks during which Katra had ignored her calls and denied her visits, Sara had let herself dwell on all sorts of terrible possibilities. Could Jack have twisted her body, ravaged her face, given her terrible diseases as punishment for being so forcefully wrestled from his hold? Might the pain of possession have left permanent scars? She never would have guessed that Katra would look better than ever.

Sara relaxed a little. She had made some terrible mistakes. Trusting a demon had to be high on any list of truly dumb things to do. But at least she'd learned. She'd done the right thing when Reverend Bob had approached her. She'd acted in time to save Katra. She'd helped exorcize Jack before it was too late.

The Reverend Bob had been a trooper during the two weeks since they'd thrown Jack out of Sara. He had stopped by her apartment almost every evening, bringing her a bite to eat and word that Katra wasn't seeing him either. If Sara hadn't known better, she might have thought he was making a play for her. Of course that was impossible. I mean, really, would a man of the cloth have anything to do with a woman who had opened a gateway to Hell and endangered the entire planet?

She corralled her mind. Katra needed help. “Didn't you tell her what a complete creep Derrick is?"

"Well duh. Can you remember Mona ever listening to anything I had to say?"

Sara thought about it but came up empty. “No."

"In this case, everything I told her made her even more interested. She's into kinky sex. You know, getting tied up and all of that sick stuff."

Sara tried not to blush. She'd never forget that first night with Jack. The sense of control, of power over another could be an aphrodisiac. The other way had been great too. Being powerless but trusting, forced to enjoy sex with a man she loved. What could be better? Except Sara had been crazy to trust Jack. “I hear there are a lot of women who like that kind of thing."

"Really? I like to hold my own ankles above my ears, not have them tied there."

Sara couldn't help giggling at the mental picture. “Maybe it depends on who's doing the tying."

"Well it wouldn't be Derrick, either way. Of course, for Mona, the big deal is that he's rich. Money makes up for a lot of bad habits. Not to mention she thinks she's stealing him from me."

"I can see why Mona might go for him, but what makes you think they're actually together?"

Katra shifted her weight from leg to leg. “I was suspicious so I, uh, picked up the phone when she was on it. I recognized his voice."

Sara nodded. This was serious. “First coffee, then we'll plan."

"I'd kill for a cup."

Sara went into the kitchen for a couple of mugs and sprinkled in some creamer. When she returned to the living room, Katra climbed off the sofa and was sitting on the floor. Things were coming back to normal.

Except for Jack, of course. Sara shook her head to herself. What kind of a woman thinks things are normal when a demon is around? A sick one, obviously. Yet, despite everything, she missed him, his off-the-wall insights into humanity, his humor, and his ability to see beneath the surface.

She handed Katra a mug and joined her on the carpet. “Okay, let's plan. What are we going to do about Derrick?"

"Hell, I don't know. If we had Jack back, we could just go find him."

Sara's blood froze at the name. Why couldn't she put her demon out of her mind once and for all? Out of her mind and her heart. “Jack could never find him, remember?"

"That's because—"

A lightbulb went off. “Because they were in cahoots. Of course. Jack used Derrick to make us trust him more."

Katra shook her head. “You're talking like an idiot. You're conflicted because you're in love with someone you don't trust."

Sara couldn't hold back the bitter laugh. “Trust him. I tried that, once. If you'd seen what you looked like when he possessed you, you wouldn't be talking that way. It was terrible.” Just remembering Katra writhing in pain and hearing Jack's voice came from Katra's mouth sickened Sara.

"It was not terrible. Or rather, it was terrible but I needed it."

"Who's into pain and kinky now."

"It wasn't fun. But I had to relive some of my experiences and re-do them. It turns out my math phobia had some deep causes. Jack dug down in me and unburied them. And guess what? It worked."

Since Katra was notorious for not being able to get the tip right from a ten dollar lunch, Sara had her doubts. “Whatever."

"I'm serious. I asked him to help me and he did."

"If we hadn't gotten there when we did, he would have consumed you."

"Like he did you, huh?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"If Jack had wanted to destroy either of us, he had plenty of chances. I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt."

For just an instant, Sara's confidence fled. Could she have made a terrible mistake?

She suppressed her errant thoughts. She'd seen Katra writhing on the floor. That had been real, physical agony. She had painfully learned how casually Jack took her personal space. More recently, she'd spent hours with Reverend Bob learning about demonic possession and the evils that inevitably followed.

Sending Jack back to Hell might have been the hardest thing she'd ever done, but it was also the only moral choice she'd had available. Earth did not need unbridled, consciousless power wandering around.

"Not only did Jack possess you, he sicced Derrick on you."

Katra shook her head. “I asked for it and you know it."

Horror nearly blinded Sara. “What?"

"Jack didn't know us, didn't owe us anything. We were holding him captive and torturing him in that cage. I asked him for wishes and he agreed. It wasn't his fault the easiest way to grant my wishes put me in danger."

"Yes, but...” Sara's voice trailed off. She wasn't going to persuade Katra of anything and was too tired to keep arguing. She took a sip of coffee and waited for the caffeine surge.

Katra sipped at her own coffee and said nothing.

"None of this is getting us anywhere,” Sara finally admitted. “We've got to do something about your sister and Jack is long gone."