Something Wicked

“Just want to give you a chance to enjoy your gift. Here, give me your hand.”

Darrak eyed his friend warily, then held out Eden’s right hand. Theo placed the hilt of a knife into it.

“You shouldn’t have. Does the serrated edge go with my eyes?” Darrak continued to follow Theo curiously as they approached the back of the building.

“The knife’s not the gift.” Theo stopped walking and nodded his head. “That is.”

They’d entered a nicely deserted alley lit by only one small light set into the side of the building. The wind blew, making a hollow whistling sound and scattering garbage and dry leaves along the dirty pavement.

Standing in the dead center of the alley was Ben Hanson.

Theo approached Ben and thumped him on his back. “I restrained him for you. He can’t move. But believe me, he’ll be able to feel everything. Have fun.”

Wow. This was a surprise.

So. . does this mean I’m not getting a pony? he thought.

Ben’s eyes were closed. His normally perfect face showed some damage — cuts and scrapes. Some looked deep. His blond hair was streaked with red. His right cheek was bruised and a thick line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and dripped to the ground. His shirt, once white, was also torn and bloody.

The guy was a mess.

“So, this is my gift?” Darrak asked evenly.

Theo looked very pleased with himself as he nodded. “He is. You said yesterday this guy was a pain in your ass and you’d gut him if you had the chance.”

He did say that. At the time he’d meant it. This cop had been nothing but a problem since the day he’d met Eden, and now that Ben was with the Malleus he was even worse.

Ben had almost killed Eden last night thanks to his consuming drive to fight evil. Eden might be ready to make excuses for his actions and forgive and forget, but Darrak couldn’t.

He was funny like that.

Ben’s eyes suddenly opened as if he was just coming to. “Eden. . what are you doing here? It’s not safe. You need to leave right now!” He looked at Theo. “Get away from her, you asshole!”

It was almost amusing to Darrak. The cop thought he was Eden. Which, since he was currently occupying her body, wasn’t that hard to believe.

His gift from Theo was Ben’s head on a platter. It was very thoughtful of him.

Darrak approached Ben slowly, keeping the knife hidden behind his back.

“Can you move?” At the moment Darrak sounded so much like Eden that the cop’s gaze didn’t even seem to register anything different.

“No. Damn it. This. . this demon grabbed me outside my house. Next thing I know I’m standing here and can’t budge an inch. He’s evil, Eden.”

Ben was in bad shape. Darrak wondered what Theo had done to him in preparation for this moment. It didn’t look like anything pleasant. Stitches would definitely be required.

Golden boy thought he knew evil? Darrak supposed he hadn’t looked in the mirror lately. The Malleus weren’t exactly squeaky clean.

“Well, of course he’s evil, silly,” he said dryly. “All demons are evil. It gives balance to the universe, don’t you know, like a massive chess game. Black against white.”

Shades of gray. Don’t forget about the shades of gray.

Shut up, he told the nonexistent angel that had slowly and wearily mountain climbed back onto his shoulder.

“Aren’t you afraid?” Ben asked hoarsely.

“Afraid? Why should I be afraid? Was I afraid last night when you tried to kill me?”

Ben’s expression shadowed. “I didn’t mean for that to happen. I wanted to help you. I–I still do. Just because you’re a black witch. . it doesn’t mean anything. But you have to get out of here, Eden. It’s dangerous.”

Wasn’t that sweet? He was willing to see past Eden being a black witch, despite the murder attempt by his associate. How generous of him. Darrak cocked his head to the side. “Actually, I’m not Eden, pal. But I’ll be sure to give her your regards in the morning.”

Ben frowned. “You. . you’re not. .?” Then clarity entered his expression. “You son of a bitch.”

“Didn’t we already go over this once before? No mother. You really have to find another insult.”

“You stole her body.”

“Borrowed,” Darrak corrected, refusing to flinch at the reminder that he was being very naughty again.

He wanted to be naughty. That was the whole point of being a demon.

“You don’t deserve to be ten feet away from her, let alone be able to do this.” Ben looked disgusted enough to spit.

“Are you saying you don’t want to kiss these lips again? Because I’m fine with that.”

Theo walked a slow circle around the two of them. By the expression on his face, he seemed to be enjoying the show.

“Just an FYI, cop,” Darrak continued, “but Eden doesn’t need your opinion. Never has, never will. And this white hat routine doesn’t work on me.”

“White hat routine?”

“Yeah, you might be all high and mighty, busting criminals and drug rings or whatever you do during the workday.” Darrak had a former host who’d enjoyed watching nothing but retro cop shows and movies, so his education on that particular job was a bit skewed toward Lethal Weapon and Die Hard. “But joining the Malleus? You have no idea how corrupt they are.”

Ben glared at him. “There is corruption in every company. If you look close enough, you’ll find it. But it’s individuals, not the entire association. I believe in what the Malleus stands for. Even after what happened last night, I still do. My eyes are just a bit more open about the problems, that’s all.”

He sure looked sincere. Indignant, even.

“You’re one of the bad guys,” Darrak told him.

“No,” Ben said. “That would be you.”

Oh, yeah. Right. Why did Darrak keep forgetting that?

“Are you going to talk to him or gut him?” Theo asked. “I’m getting kind of bored here.”

“How can you do this to Eden?” Ben demanded with disgust. “Use her like this when you know damn well she’s foolish enough to care about you.”

Ouch. And Darrak had thought he’d get the first slice.

Darrak pulled the knife out from its hiding spot behind his back. “So tell me, Ben. You want a slow or quick death? I’m leaning toward a slow one right now. You’ve been that much of a pain in my ass.”

Ben didn’t flinch. “She has no idea what a monster you are, does she?”

“I’ve given her plenty of chances to figure it out. It’s not my fault she thinks I’m delicious and nutritious.” He smirked.

“She’ll never forgive you for this.” There was determination in Ben’s eyes. He knew death was coming, and he’d accepted it. Embraced it, even. It was more than a little disappointing. Darrak had fantasized about the cop begging for his life.

There was still time for that.

“You really think she gives a damn about you either way anymore?” Darrak shook his head. “Dream on.”

“You know she does” was Ben’s reply. And he didn’t even sound smug about it. Just matter-of-fact.

Darrak really hated this guy.

He clenched his jaw. This wasn’t going very well. Theo had been so thoughtful, too, picking out a gift Darrak was sure to enjoy.

He wished he was enjoying it.

Ben’s gaze moved to the sharp knife in Darrak’s — or rather Eden’s—hand and there was a short flash of fear in his expression before it disappeared.

So the valiant knight wasn’t made of impenetrable shining armor after all.

“You shouldn’t have kidnapped Eden last night. That was a bad move, cop.”

“Eden’s a special case.”