Possessed By You (Overworld Underground Book 1) (32 page)

"Oh, Tyler," I said, and cried into my pillow. I had no will to get up or move, though the urge to pee finally forced action. It hurt just to stand. I stared at my miserable face in the mirror—dark lines beneath my eyes, blotchy tear-streaked face, and atrocious frizzy hair.

The hangover hurt, but the heartache I felt overwhelmed it. Thomas and Tyler might as well have never existed. It hadn't been them in control, but some evil force of Hell. Despite my religious upbringing, a part of me had never truly believed in angels and demons until now.

Why me?

What was so bloody special about me that demonic forces decided I was worth targeting? My father? He was the only reason I could think of. I felt so ashamed, having been duped. So dirty. If I had my way, I'd never tell him about this.

After drinking some water, and taking a painkiller, I dropped back into bed. Isabel and Jack were gone for the day, hiking or something. I remembered them talking about it as I'd soaked my emotions in alcohol.

I looked at my phone, and was ashamed to admit a part of me hoped Tyler had called or texted. But there was nothing waiting. Fresh grief washed through me, and tears trickled down my cheeks.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" I shouted.

Nobody answered.

I passed the weekend despondent except for the required responses to Isabel's queries of concern, and her demands that I eat. But I wasn't hungry. Even a few bites of food seemed to fill my appetite since swollen grief flooded every empty space within me.

Monday came.

As I walked to work, fear and excitement seesawed back and forth in my stomach, each one taking turns, leaving my emotions jumbled beyond recognition. I found myself hoping Tyler would be there one minute, to praying he wouldn't the next. I wanted to see him so much it hurt. I feared seeing him so much it hurt.

I am fucked.

Kevin and Jack kept me busy, and that helped me keep myself together. Every time someone walked past in the hallway outside the conference room, I looked up, hoping for and dreading the possibility it might be Tyler. But he never came. Jack gave me a knowing look once, but said nothing. He seemed to understand something of what I was going through, and I didn't remember a lot of what I'd said to him and Isabel on Friday after drinking myself silly.

Tuesday came. Still no Tyler.

Wednesday blurred into Thursday, and Friday arrived without a single hint Tyler was even around. The dread in me drained away until only the fear that something had happened to him made me a nervous wreck. But what could really happen to him? Hadn't those Exorcists caught up with him before, and he'd come back anyway?

Why hadn't he tried to contact me? Even Peter had fallen all over himself begging forgiveness and wanting me back after I'd found out his dark secrets. Tyler obviously didn't care. And, well, it made me really mad.

Isabel pranced down the hallway in our flat, looking radiant in a tight green dress, golden hoop earrings dangling by her face, eyeliner highlighting her exotic canted eyes. As if Isabel didn't already look exotic enough.

"You look beautiful," I said. "Big date?"

"Jack's taking me to a show at the Fox Theatre." She turned around. "How do I look?"

"Slutty." I stuck out my tongue.

She laughed, dropped onto the couch next to me. "We're supposed to meet some of his friends for drinks after the show."

"Oh, the big friends introduction," I said, waggling my eyebrows. "Must be serious."

She grabbed my hand, a huge grin spreading on her lips. "He's taking me to lunch with his parents on Saturday." She squealed. "Can you believe it?"

I couldn't remember the last time she'd been excited about meeting a boyfriend's parents. "Izzy, I'm really happy for you." I choked up, though truth be told it was partially because I felt so sorry for myself. The rest, though, was pure happiness for my friend.

"Don't cry," she said, taking deep breaths. "You're going to make me cry now."

I wiped my eyes and forced a grin. "Have you two consummated the relationship yet?"

"You mean, has he done me yet?"

Warmth flooded my face.

Isabel laughed. "You are too easy, girl. Not yet. We're waiting. I wanted to talk to you about it, but you haven't been exactly communicative this week." She tilted her head slightly. "What
really
happened with you and Tyler? I totally respect your privacy, but remember Peter? Remember the shit that bastard put you through and you refused to tell me until months later? How can you stand not having a friend to talk to?"

Fresh tears threatened. I looked away. Squeezed my eyes shut. "I want to tell you, Izzy. It's just too hard to understand." I sniffled. "I hardly understand it myself."

"Has he called?"

I shook my head. "I don't blame him either." How could I after I'd run screaming that he was the Devil? If a guy had reacted like that to me, I'd certainly never call him again, no matter how much I liked him.

"Wow. Must have been a doozy of a fight."

I took a deep calming breath as the concierge called Isabel on her phone to let her know Jack was in the lobby.

"Let him up, please," she told him.

I wiped my face. Jack had seen me crying enough this week, even though I'd tried to keep it away. I just wanted to be numb. To go back to not feeling anything for any man, demon-possessed or not. "Maybe we can talk about it this weekend."

"Definitely!" Her smile was radiant as she stood up, looking toward the door, waiting for Jack to knock. Her breath seemed to catch in her throat when it came a moment later, and she trotted over on her ridiculously sexy high heels.

Jack's eyes went wide when he saw her. He looked very handsome in a navy suit, his thick hair styled in messy spikes. "You look beautiful," he told Isabel in a quiet voice.

She smoothed down the front of his jacket and kissed him. "Hello, sexy man."

"Get a room," I said, feeling embarrassed to bear witness to their love fest.

Jack laughed. "Hey, Em. You're welcome to join us for drinks after the show."

I felt like laughing hysterically and then bursting into tears. I looked ghastly, all tear stained and mussed. "I'd love to, but I have plans," I lied, thinking about the fresh box of Dove bars and jar of Nutella I'd purchased on the way home. I still wasn't feeling hungry, but it never hurt to have emergency rations on hand.

"Okay, just call if you change your mind. We'll save you a seat." Jack flourished his arm. Isabel hooked her arm through his, blew me a kiss goodbye, and closed the door behind her.

Silence pressed in on me from one side, depression from the other. I felt smothered. Claustrophobic.
Maybe I should meet them for drinks
, I thought, before dismissing the idea. I'd only end up drunk like last Friday. It felt like a never-ending cycle for me. Find man. Fall for man. Discover something terrible about man. Rue the day I ever met man.

I cycled through television channels, settling on Animal Planet just as a show was starting. It was about Tasmanian devils of all the bloody things. I groaned, but left it on, since every other channel seemed to have a romantic comedy just waiting to depress me further. I wanted nothing to do with romance.

The door slammed and I jerked awake.

Isabel dropped onto the couch at my feet, bawling her eyes out. I jerked upright.

"What's wrong?"

Harsh sobs prevented her from speaking for a moment, before she finally got out a single syllable. "Jack."

I didn't know what else to do but hug her, and console her until her sobbing quieted down.

"Jack's been ch-cheating on me," she said, still shaking.

Fury burned into me, and it was all I could do to not jump up, grab the nearest knife, and run after Jack. "What do you mean?" My voice sounded strange between clenched teeth.

"This girl named Ana showed up for drinks after the show." Isabel sat up, the dark eyeliner drawing black liquid lines down her high cheekbones. "Told me she was Jack's girlfriend."

Ana, you stupid bitch.
"What did Jack say?"

"He was getting drinks at the bar when she arrived." Isabel sobbed quietly for a moment before she could talk again. "And then when he came back, he saw her. And I could just see it in his eyes. Like she'd blindsided him."

"And then you asked him if it was true?"

"No, no. I just ran out before I started crying."

"And Jack chased you outside and you talked?"

"No, I got a taxi and came home. I was crying so hard the driver could hardly understand me." She choked back a sob. "How could he? How could he do this?"

I grabbed a box of tissues I'd just opened, and handed her one. Isabel's phone started ringing in her purse. I pulled it out and saw fifteen missed calls from Jack. I answered.

"Jack."

"Emily?" Jack sounded desperate, as if he might break into tears. "Is Isabel there? Please tell her there is nothing between me and Ana. You know that already."

"I remember. Why was she there tonight?"

"I didn't invite her. I don't even know who did. Look, she was laughing about what she did to Isabel. She wanted to hurt Isabel and me because I told Ana I didn't want to date her. She's a bitch." His voice sounded ragged with agony. "
Please
, Emily. Please. You know how I feel about Isabel."

I remembered all too well how Ana had been around me. How the lying bitch had told me she was with Jack the night we'd gone out for drinks. I hated to admit it, but I trusted Jack. Some instinct told me he was a good guy, and that he would never cheat on Isabel—well, at least not until their love faded and they broke up.

You are fucked in the head, Emily Glass.

My inner ninny seemed pissed.

"Come over," I said.

Jack let out a loud breath. "I'm already on the way."

I hung up, then called the concierge and told him to let Jack up.

"No, no, no," Isabel moaned. "I don't want to see him." She shuddered. "I can't. I trusted him, Emily. I let him in here." She pressed a hand to her heart and started bawling.

I took her shoulders and held her up. Gave her a stern look. "Isabel listen to me."

She was crying hard now.

"I said listen to ME!"

She snapped her head back like I'd just slapped her.

"Ana is a lying Russian bitch who likes to make other people feel miserable." I told her about my experience in short angry sentences. "She lied to you. She and Jack used to date. Past tense. Jack is so in love with you, Izzy. There is no way in hell he'd look twice at another woman. You ran out on him without even giving him a chance to explain."

"But—"

"Do you trust me?"

Isabel gave me a miserable tear-stained nod.

"I trust Jack. Ana is the queen bitch from hell. She delights in misery. If you trust her enough to believe her word, then Satan wins." I had no idea where in the hell Satan came into all of this, but the words were out of my mouth before I could reconsider.

"You really think she was lying?" Her glistening blue eyes looked so hopeful, it almost made me cry.

"I
know
she's lying. Jack is in love with you, girl. The boy
loves
you. Every time he looks at you, his breath catches in his throat, and it's like nothing else matters."

Isabel buried her face in my sweatshirt, new tears pouring out. "I get the same feeling, Em. I can't stop thinking about him. Whenever someone texts me, I pick up my phone and just hope it's from him. Every time my phone rings, and it's him, it's like my heart is dancing." She smiled through her tears. "He makes me feel like a giddy little girl."

Her statement reminded me of how Tyler made me feel. The way my heart leapt with joy when he smiled at me. He couldn't be evil. Nobody with a smile like his could be bad. Hot tears flowed down my cheeks, and the next thing I knew, we were hugging each other and crying like two girls who'd let go of their shiny new balloons and watched the wind carry them away forever.

A knock sounded on the door. I let out a despairing laugh. "We're complete wrecks."

Isabel laughed, wiping futilely at her streaked makeup.

I got up and opened the door. Jack stood there, his eyes red and sick with worry. I offered him a tiny smile, and nodded.

He breathed an audible sigh of relief. "Thanks, Em." He stepped past me. Isabel got off the couch and threw herself into his arms.

"I'm so stupid, Jack. I'm such an idiot!"

He smoothed her dark hair back, pressed his forehead atop her head, and took in a deep breath, as if inhaling her scent. A shiver passed through his body. He put a finger under her chin, lifted her eyes to his. "I would never betray you, Isabel. I love you."

I felt like a complete pervert standing there, invisible to them as their emotions walled them off in their own private world. I knew that feeling. I knew what it was like to look into someone's eyes and feel everything else fall away.

Oh, Tyler!

Could I have been completely wrong to judge him, ignorant as I was of his true nature? I felt as though I'd made a horrible mistake.

Chapter 29

All the pain and regret from the past week flooded over me in an avalanche of despair. I'd run out on Tyler without giving him a chance to explain anything. True, I'd been frightened out of my bloody wits, but I could have given him more of a chance. If he were so evil, why would he even bother to tell me what he was? Wouldn't an evil person try to haunt and hurt me?

I went to my bedroom and pulled out my phone. Stared at Tyler's number for a moment, and then called it. It went straight to an automated message telling me the voicemail hadn't been set up yet. I remembered how much Thomas Jones had avoided technology, and how Tyler hated smartphones. It made sense, them being the same person, demon, entity, whatever the hell he was. His purchasing a phone just so he could text me was obviously a big deal to him.

I had to talk to him. Had to find out more about who the real Tyler was. I jumped in the shower, keeping my hair dry so I wouldn't have to fuss with it. I put on jeans and a sweater, and threw my hair into a ponytail. Just in case I needed to flee for my life, I put on a comfortable pair of shoes.