What a Demon Wants (13 page)

Chapter 13

“Can you tell which one he is?” Ellina asked, peering from one wizened little face to another. “I can’t make out what any of the name cards say. And I thought it was supposed to be doctors who have lousy handwriting.”

Then she added in a whisper, “And frankly, they all look like eighty-year-old men who have been morphed with baby birds.”

A surprised laugh escaped Jude.

“I mean cute old men and cute baby birds,” she amended, smiling over at him.

Jude scanned the rows of infants. “He’s in the back. The third one in from the left.

With his cap on crooked.”

“Oh,” she immediately cooed. “Look how jaunty he looks with his hat at an angle.”

Jude smiled, amused by her excitement and her take on the hat.

“He’s definitely the cutest one,” she said decisively.

“Cutest of the geriatric baby-bird men?”

She laughed. “Yes. He’s perfect.”

As if she couldn’t contain herself any longer, she tapped the glass to catch the attention of one of the nurses monitoring the infants. The nurse, a lady in her mid-fifties, was clearly used to overexuberant new parents and other family members. She smiled and opened the nursery door.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes. I was hoping to see the Kostova baby. I’m his aunt.”

The older woman smiled again. “I can’t let you take the child out of the nursery without one of the parents present, but I can push him up to the window so you can have a better look.”

“Okay,” Ellina agreed, but Jude could tell she was disappointed. She sighed. “It seems sort of silly to keep him away from his own family.”

“I think it’s pretty good, the level of security they have here. You can’t be too careful.”

“Spoken just like a man who mistrusts everyone,” she said, but smiled slightly to buffer the words.

“It’s in the job description,” he said.

“I know.” Her tone held none of the brightness of just moments earlier. “It just must be a hard way to live.”

He didn’t speak for a moment, then he said, “It is.”

Ellina didn’t know what to say. She was surprised that Jude had been even that candid. Sharing was something that very clearly made him uncomfortable. Yet that comment admitted a lot.

The nurse tapped the glass, drawing Ellina’s attention back to the nursery and little baby Barrett.

Both she and Jude gazed at the child.

Ellina didn’t have much experience with babies. None, really. So she found every wiggle, every twitch fascinating. She smiled when his eyebrows moved up and down like Groucho Marx. She sighed when he yawned. She laughed out loud when he flailed his arm around like the appendage had a life of its own. That is, until his fist quite unintentionally found its way to his mouth.

“He’s amazing.”

Ellina looked at Jude and was surprised at the raw emotion in his voice. He watched the baby, but none of her joy was on his face. She only saw hurt, loss.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly.

He breathed in slowly. “Yeah. I…”

She waited for him to say something more. She could feel he wanted to, but the words wouldn’t come.

Instead he said, “Yeah.”

She watched him for a moment longer, wondering what could have happened to cause that distant, haunted look in his eyes.

But she didn’t press. She simply reached out a hand and touched his arm, offering comfort the only way she could.

“So, the rumors are true.”

Ellina spun around, gaping at the person who just spoke from behind her.

“Daddy.”

Jude had to admit that Viktor Kostova, also known as Valafar, was not exactly what he’d expected. He was dubbed the Grand Duke of Hell, and Jude had imagined him to appear like a stern, imposing grandfather. And while the demon was indeed imposing, standing as tall as Jude, although with black hair and dark eyes, he seemed more Hollywood than Hell. Old Hollywood to be exact.

His hair was perfectly coiffed, and his eyes were shrewd and intense. He wore a charcoal-gray suit with a blue ascot, and Jude was immediately reminded of Errol Flynn or Sir Laurence Olivier.

And he was much younger looking than Jude had imagined. Of course, that shouldn’t have surprised him. Demons usually aged normally until their late teens, then they acquired control over how old they wanted to appear.

Apparently Viktor Kostova had decided somewhere between thirty-five and forty was a good age range for him. But even if age-wise he didn’t appear that he could be Ellina’s father, his lecturing tone as he spoke to her left little doubt that he was her pater.

“So your phone doesn’t work? I have to rely on your brothers to find out anything that’s going on in your life.”

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

He nodded, but he was still not pleased. His gaze moved over her.

“Really, Ellina. You come to the hospital to meet the newest member of the Kostova family and this is what you wear. You look like a groupie for a rock band.”

He raised an eyebrow at her faded jeans. And from his continued expression clearly the vintage Rolling Stones T-shirt and boots that looked like the female version of biker boots didn’t pass muster either.

This time Ellina didn’t apologize, but she did fidget under his scrutiny, tugging at the hem of her shirt and looking every inch the scolded child.

Jude decided right then that he did not care for Viktor Kostova—and that didn’t surprise him in the least.

Viktor, after giving him a quick once-over, which didn’t reveal what he thought of his jeans and long-sleeved black shirt, extended his hand.

“You must be the beau that my sons told me about.” He looked pointedly at Ellina.

“Not my daughter, mind you. But my sons.”

Jude gave his hand a quick shake, trying to avoid too much of that creepy, clinging feeling, but alas it coiled up his arm like a snake curling itself around a tree limb. And Viktor’s was particularly unpleasant, indicative of an older, stronger demon.

He dropped his hand down at his side, opening and closing it into a fist, trying to shake away the feeling. He looked to Ellina, waiting for her to give the answer to her father’s question, and noticed she was watching him. Or rather his hand.

Then she looked back to her father.

“Dad, this is Jude.”

Ellina gave Jude a look that silently told him to leave it at that.

Jude didn’t say anything, although he did give her a slight smile. She managed to get around that question without a real answer. Her way was certainly more subtle than his this morning.

His gaze dropped to her lips. Then again, he’d enjoyed his method while it was happening.

Stop it.

Things were nice between them, a sort of unspoken truce, and he didn’t want to ruin their camaraderie by being overbearing.

“Well, I suppose we should take a look at this child,” Viktor said, not sounding anything like a proud granddad.

He stepped toward the nursery window, but not before he gave Ellina a look down his aquiline nose and added, “Your brother does actually contact me with his news.”

Ellina again didn’t say anything. Instead she just moved aside so her father could have a better view.

“Well, he’s a tiny little thing, isn’t he? Human babies are always smaller.” He looked over his shoulder at Jude. “Half-breeds are too.”

Jude didn’t react to the man’s words. When Viktor turned back toward the nursery window, he did look to see Ellina’s reaction. Her expression was placid, her eyes as emotionless as a doll’s.

“Half-breeds are born totally human,” Viktor continued, watching the baby, oblivious to either of their reactions. “Their demon traits don’t appear until they reach puberty. Or in some cases, like little Ellina here, they never really appear.”

Viktor shot a grin over his shoulder as if his comment was delightfully funny. As if he hadn’t just criticized his daughter. He was essentially, although not in so many words, telling her she wasn’t quite good enough to be his daughter.

“Dad.”

Maksim appeared, looking calmer than when they first arrived.

Jude didn’t know if Ellina felt relief, but he did. Maybe the arrival of the new father would put them on a more positive track.

“Maksim,” Viktor greeted, giving him a hug.

There had been no hug for Ellina. Just indirect criticisms intermingled with outright ones.

“Have you seen him?” Maksim asked, looking from one person to the next.

“He’s small,” Viktor said.

Nope, no positive track here.

“Well, I expect he’ll grow,” Maksim said undisturbed.

“They brought his bassinet right up to the glass,” Ellina said with an encouraging smile. “We couldn’t hold him without you here for security purposes.”

Maksim nodded, but Viktor gave a snort of derision.

“Like that child needs to be protected from his own family,” he said, shaking his head at the foolishness of it all—and undoubtedly of humans in general.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Ellina said softly. “You really can’t be too careful.”

Jude shot her a surprised look, and her lips curled in a half smile just to let him know she’d said the words on purpose. A private joke.

“I’ll get him now,” Maksim said, leaving them to knock on the nursery door. The nurse from earlier answered, talking quietly with him, then checking the hospital wristband he wore.

Within minutes Maksim held his son, squirmy and bundled in light blue.

Maksim directed them over to a more private section of the waiting area and settled on a tan vinyl couch, holding his son close to his chest. Ellina sat down beside him as if she couldn’t wait to get her hands on the baby.

“He really is so beautiful,” Ellina said, leaning in to push aside the edge of the blanket for a better peek.

Together, she and Maksim gazed down at him.

Jude watched Maksim, wondering if he’d ever sported that same silly grin, that same glow of delight. Or had it all been too bittersweet for that?

Pain, so intense it stole his breath away, tore through him like a ricocheting bullet.

He looked away, trying to compose himself. Hell, simply trying to breathe.

When he looked back, Maksim had passed the baby to Ellina, and she cradled him in her arms, gazing down at him with love in her pale eyes. The image was beautiful.

He couldn’t bear it.

Jude stood abruptly, wandering over to a water cooler in the corner. He took his time filling one of the paper cups. Then he took a long swallow, even though he wasn’t thirsty.

“How is Jo?” Jude heard Ellina ask.

“She’s doing okay. They gave her a sedative, and she’s sleeping. But there was a lot of tearing. She’ll have to stay here for a few days.”

“That’s the problem with human mothers,” Viktor said, from where his chair was set away from his children as if he were some lord overseeing them, “they can be such—

delicate creatures.”

Jude got the feeling delicate wasn’t the actual word he’d wanted to use.

“That’s why Jo’s going to cross over. Now,” Maksim said.

Jude frowned, curious about the announcement. Crossing over usually referred to a human becoming a vampire or a werewolf. Was that their plan for an eternity together?

That was certainly a much less selfish, self-important reason than his, wasn’t it?

Ellina stopped stroking the back of her finger over the infant’s chubby cheek.

“I thought Jo wanted more children.”

“She did—probably still does. But honestly, I don’t know if I can go through this again,” Maksim’s voice was rough with worry and exhaustion.

“So tell me,” Viktor said as if his son hadn’t just said anything of importance.

Certainly not revealed that he’d been terrified for the life of his wife and child. “What have you named the boy?”

“Barrett James,” Maksim said.

Silence filled the room. Even little Barrett, who’d started making hungry snuffling noises, was quiet.

Jude watched the array of reactions with curiosity.

Maksim sat regarding his father with a strange look of unrepentance on his face.

Ellina’s eyes remained on the baby, but Jude could see discomfort on her face. And from the firm set of Viktor’s jaw and the hard cast in his eyes, it was pretty easy to tell he was fuming.

Just then, Barrett let out a plaintive cry and started rooting against Ellina’s chest.

“I think it’s dinnertime for this one,” Maksim said with another proud fatherly smile at his son, totally ignoring his father’s dour expression. Ellina carefully placed the baby back in his father’s arms, then stood.

“I think maybe we should go,” she said, casting a worried glance at Viktor. Clearly she was not able to ignore their father’s mood as easily.

“Stay a little longer,” Maksim said. “Just until Jo wakes up. Please.”

Jude could see that Ellina wanted to leave—she wanted away from her father—but she offered her brother a sweet smile.

“Of course.”

“Thanks, sis.” Maksim gave her a quick one-armed hug and then hurried back to the nursery to get his son a bottle, Barrett was letting it be known that he’d had enough family time.

Jude could tell Ellina had too, but she braced herself, her shoulders straightening, her head up. She faced her father.

“Are you going to stay too, Dad?”

Her father’s expression was still grim. “I need a drink.”

“They probably have a cafeteria.”

Viktor grimaced. “That wasn’t quite what I had in mind.”

Chapter 14

Ellina really just wanted to go home. Not that she wasn’t worried about Jo and Maksim.

Not that she couldn’t stare at her new little nephew indefinitely. But dealing with her father, she could do without. Especially right now. Although she agreed a stiffer drink than tea would be nice.

She should have known Maksim’s name choice wouldn’t go over well with her father.

“Is this okay?” she asked Jude and her father, pointing to a small square table near the window. The cafeteria was relatively empty. One round table was surrounded by a half dozen older women, and two hospital staff members sat at another table on the other side of the room.

“Sure,” Jude said, offering her a slight smile. A hint of a dimple for support—as she was coming to think of it.

Her father followed behind them, a Styrofoam cup held out in front of him like a live hand grenade. But even with that disdainful look, his dark, austere handsomeness garnered him much attention.

The woman at the cash register, with her plastic gloves and hairnet, gazed up at him as if he were a god—not some persnickety demon who was never satisfied—even after he requested a venti, extra hot, double espresso made with springwater.

She’d just smiled apologetically, and flirtatiously, Ellina thought, and pointed to the square machine with three spigots, regular, decaf, and hot water.

“What civilized establishment doesn’t have espresso?” her father muttered as he pulled out one of the chairs surrounding the table. He grimaced as he sat down. “One with folding metal chairs, obviously.”

Ellina sat down too, and was oddly relieved when Jude took the spot beside her, rather than across from her. She could feel his heat, his strength, close to her, and that gave her courage.

Odd that he could do that for her. This man she’d just met. This man could make her so aggravated with his mistrustful and domineering personality, yet he could also make her feel so safe. But right now, she wasn’t going to question her reaction. She needed the reinforcements.

Her father took a sip of his coffee, then scowled. He set the cup down and pushed it away from him.

“So why on earth would your brother name that child after your mother?”

Ellina stopped midsip of her tea and set down the cup. Well, that certainly hadn’t taken long. She knew it was coming, but she’d expected him to work his way up to the subject.

He must really be peeved.

“Well, I think Maksim and Jo actually named him after me,” she said, keeping her voice even. “Barrett is my middle name.”

He considered that. “I suppose that it’s better they named him that. After all, he isn’t a true Kostova. If Maksim had named his real child after Kitty…well, I would have had to speak up.”

Ellina bit the inside of her lip, then took a drink from her cup to keep from saying anything, but even the burn of the overly hot tea couldn’t seem to stop her wayward tongue.

“Maksim considers Barrett his true son, Daddy.”

Her father raised a contemptuous eyebrow.

“He can consider him that all he wants, but it still doesn’t make the boy his child.

He’s…” he dropped his voice because the group of older women sat nearby and were, of course, looking at him, “human.”

Ellina tried not to roll her eyes. Honestly, her father was pretty much the Archie Bunker of the underworld.

“And what is this about Maksim’s wife?” Again he dropped his voice, “She’s crossing over?”

“That’s really their business, Dad.”

He was silent for few seconds, then he muttered, “I don’t agree with all these cross marriages. All these half-breed children. His children even will not really be a part of the demon world.”

Even though that wasn’t the first time she’d heard a comment like that from her father, the words still hit her like pellets from a gun, stinging, trying to draw blood.

“Pardon me, sir,” Jude said, his rich, low voice surprising her.

For some reason, she hadn’t expected him to say anything. Watching him wide-eyed, and a little nervously, she waited for him to speak.

“But how can you have such a low opinion of integration when your own daughter is a creation of such a union?”

Her father had the decency to look a little uncomfortable, but then he straightened in his hated folding chair and said, “I’m not of a low opinion, I’m just concerned.”

Ellina frowned, having no idea what that really meant.

“Besides, having a child with Kitty Barrett was not my intention.”

Well that revelation certain makes me feel better, she thought bitterly. Thanks, Dad.

Ellina closed her eyes for a moment, amazed at how her father could carelessly toss out harsh words with little thought as to who they might wound.

Then she felt Jude’s hand on her leg, his fingers curling around her knee, the gesture meant to comfort her. To tell her he was there.

Jude was there.

And while she did find his touch reassuring, she also felt shame. He was seeing exactly what her family thought of her. The family she’d defended to him. She couldn’t help wondering if, were the tables turned, they would defend her.

Sadly she was pretty sure she knew that answer already.

“I intended to steal Kitty’s soul,” her father said as nonchalantly as someone else might say, “I intended to borrow her car” or “I intended to ask her to loan me a twenty.”

“But she had such a sweet little personality and pretty face. And she was such a good cook that I ended up staying with her much longer than I planned.”

“Who knew a mean beef bourguignonne and berry cobbler could save your soul?”

Ellina said.

Jude smiled at her, then surprised her by adding, “And I thought it was good fiddle playin’.”

“And a chicken in the bread pan, picking out dough,” Ellina said.

Her father looked unimpressed with their jokes.

“‘Devil Went Down to Georgia’ is not a factually based song,” he informed them, condescension dripping from every syllable. “Nor is ‘Sympathy for the Devil.’ Or ‘Friend of the Devil.’ And for your information, Satan prefers to play slide guitar.”

Ellina glanced at Jude, trying not to laugh. He squeezed her knee, clearly sharing her amusement.

Her father sighed as if dealing with them was just exhausting.

“Anyway, back to what I was saying,” he said to Jude. “By the time I decided to go for Kitty’s soul, Ellina was on the way.”

Ellina supposed she should be glad that her mother’s pregnancy had stopped his nefarious plot. It still amazed her that it had.

Jude squeezed her knee again and gave her an encouraging smile.

Then the table fell silent.

Really, how did one follow a touching story like that?

“So Jude, tell me about yourself.” Her father’s tone was that of a concerned father, as if he hadn’t just revealed he never really cared for Ellina’s mother, and he was not pleased with his daughter. “What are you? I’m having a hard time reading you.”

Jude smiled, one of his wide grins with dimples coming out in full glory. “I’m a half-breed, sir.”

Her father’s eyes darkened and narrowed. “What are you then?”

“I’m half vampire/half werewolf.”

“Vampire and werewolf. Now how and why does that happen?”

Jude’s smile didn’t waver. “Well, I made it happen. I chose to become both.”

Ellina stared at him. He said it was an accident.

His father raised that eyebrow of his again. “Interesting.”

Ellina was surprised he didn’t say more. That seemed like something he’d have an opinion on, since he had an opinion about everything. But she needn’t have worried. He just moved onto one of his other favorite things to criticize.

“I suppose you know about Ellina’s books?”

Ellina fought the urge to bang her head on the tabletop.

“I do.” Jude said with a nod.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told her what silliness they are. A demon-fighting pastry chef. So ridiculous.”

Ellina breathed in slowly through her nose, telling herself she could get through this.

She’d listened to his derogatory diatribes many times before, although he was in rare form today.

And the attacks were usually for her ears only. Not in front of someone else. Jude’s opinion mattered to her. She didn’t understand why, but it did. Very much.

“Have you actually read her books, sir?”

Ellina’s gaze flew to Jude, again surprised by his question.

“Because,” Jude continued, “I think you would find them very good. They are smart and well written with wonderful characters and great plot twists. And actually the lead character is a baker and cake decorator.”

Ellina was stunned by Jude’s words. Did he really think that? She didn’t even know he’d read any of them. He even knew Jenny Bell was a not precisely a pastry chef—but a cake maker.

She glanced to her father, who didn’t look nearly as impressed with Jude’s review.

“They are about demons. Demons as villains. She should be more loyal to her own kind.”

Jude nodded as if he understood the man’s point and agreed. “But,” Jude said, his dark brows drawn together as if he were genuinely confused, “didn’t you basically say earlier that half-breeds aren’t really a part of the demon world?”

Her father’s expression grew darker, then he looked at his wristwatch. “Well, this has been an interesting visit. As always.”

He gave Ellina a pointed look.

“But I have to go. Please tell Maksim that I will be in touch.”

He started to leave, then paused, looking back to Ellina.

“Maksim told me about the breakins. Be careful. And call me if you need help.”

Ellina nodded, utterly confused. Her father had done nothing but say one hurtful thing after another, and now he was showing concern for her. She’d never understand the man.

He cast his dark, intense gaze to Jude. “Take care of her.”

“I will,” Jude said, his tone resolute.

Her father didn’t look back as he crossed the cafeteria, his back stick straight, his demeanor one of being inherently better than everyone around him. People watched him as he passed, and from their admiring stares, they seemed to believe the same thing.

Jude’s hand left her knee. Cool air replaced the warmth his large arm had created.

But his touch didn’t leave her for long. He caught her hand instead, his fingers curling around hers. His thumb brushed the back of her hand with a velvety roughness that managed to touch deep inside her.

She suppressed a pleased shiver.

“Your father is a piece of work.”

Ellina nodded with a humorless chuckle. “That he is.”

She met his gaze and saw something that looked an awful lot like pity in his green eyes. She didn’t want pity.

Yet before she could control it, tears welled in her eyes.

Oh God, she wouldn’t cry.

All the pent-up pain and humiliation from her own father’s words hit her, becoming even more glaringly ugly when seen through Jude’s eyes.

To her utter dismay, she began to sob.

Jude watched Ellina crumble and wondered how she’d held up under the weight of her father’s thoughtless censure this long.

He squeezed her hand, although he wanted to pull her onto his lap and hold her like a small child. He wondered if anyone had ever done that for her during her youth. Had she ever been protected? Comforted?

She cried quietly for a few moments, her head down, her shoulders hunched forward, trying to shield her breakdown from others. From him

“I’m sorry,” she managed, her voice hoarse with emotion.

“Don’t be.”

She cried quietly for several more seconds, then said with a watery, choking laugh, “I feel like an idiot.”

She subtly gestured to the table of women a few feet away from them.

The women watched Ellina, sympathetic expressions on their faces. One even offered an empathetic smile to Jude.

“This is a hospital. I’m sure people cry here all the time,” he told her, squeezing her delicate fingers.

“Not,” she sniffled, “because of their bully fathers, I bet.”

Jude noticed a couple in their thirties had joined the women as spectators, although they seemed more curious than sympathetic. They even looked away guiltily when they realized Jude saw them.

“Let’s get out of here,” Jude suggested. He stood and tugged her finger, gently urging her to stand too.

She did, allowing him to lead her along. The hallway outside the cafeteria was busy, and he knew being around others wasn’t what Ellina wanted.

He ushered her through a few hallways, eventually finding one that was empty and quiet. At the end were double doors and a sign that read CHAPEL.

“Chapel?” Ellina said, wiping her damp cheeks with the back of her free hand.

“It should be quiet. And some say a good place to gather your thoughts.”

He smiled at her, and he noticed her eyes flicked to his lips.

She nodded.

He pushed open the door and peeked inside. His eyes adjusted easily to the dim lighting that radiated from stained-glass wall sconces and onto the gleaming oak quarter-paneled walls. Matching oak pews lined both sides of a burgundy carpeted aisle. At the end was a small altar with a round stained-glass window casting a myriad of colors on the oak floor and walls.

The room was empty.

He pulled her inside and they sat down in the back pew, both silent, just taking in the colors, the quiet, the peace.

“This is better than the cafeteria,” Ellina decided with a nod.

“It is.”

They fell quiet again.

Then Ellina swiveled slightly toward him. She’d stopped crying, but eyes were still moist, her lashes clumped, thick and dark from her tears. Instead of detracting from her beauty, the effect reminded him of a waif, lost and alone.

The protectiveness that was becoming an ingrained part of him since meeting her flamed.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that,” she said managing a wan smile. “My dad is always overbearing, but he’s not usually that—well, that bad.”

Jude nodded, but didn’t quite believe her.

“You know, he’s just annoyed with my books. And it bothers him that I don’t really have any demon qualities. And—”