The Demon in Me

She blanched. “Is that what I have? A black soul?”

“No.” He met her eyes. “Your soul is as bright as polished silver.”

“You can see it?”

“I can sense it. Even right now as we stand here.” His jaw clenched. “I think it’s a big part of what gives me the strength to take form. I’ve never sensed a soul so… shiny.”

She had a shiny soul. Like a stainless-steel refrigerator. That should be enough to save her from the forces of darkness, right?

“So why me?” It sounded like she was whining — mostly because she was. She didn’t ask for this. And if she hadn’t done anything to deserve it, then why was this happening to her?

“I didn’t have any choice yesterday. If my host dies before I’ve had a chance to plan my jump, I need to possess the first human body I can get to. If I don’t, then I’ll…”

“You’ll what?”

“I’ll be sucked into the void as sure as if I’d been exorcised.” His voice sounded thick and he raked his fingers through his dark hair. “It wouldn’t take long. A few minutes at the most. That’s why that irresistible self-protection force kicks in. I can’t help it.”

Eden frowned very hard at him. “Are you trying to make me feel sorry for you?”

“No. I’m just trying to make you understand.”

“Black soul or shiny soul aside, just by your presence, you’ve killed over three hundred people since you were cursed. That’s what you’re telling me, right?”

His expression shadowed and he visibly swallowed. “I’m not trying to justify what has happened before. But it’s different now. You’re different. None of my previous hosts have ever been able to help me do this.” He waved a hand at his physical body. “We can figure this out. I promise.”

Figure it out. Which essentially came down to one thing, and one thing only. Find a witch who hadn’t been seen or heard from in over three centuries.

And they had a year to do it or she was going to die.

Her heart was thudding wildly, but she forced herself to calm down and look at the demon.

Darrak looked so damned earnest. She’d already seen cocky and suave, and she’d definitely seen pissed off, but now he was all grave and sincere.

At that moment she wished he was totally, unrepentantly evil. If that was the case, then she wouldn’t have tried to stop the exorcism and all of this would be a horrific but fading memory.

She started walking toward her parking spot. “So we basically need to find a missing person.”

“The witch.”

She nodded. “The man I work with, Andy, he used to work for the FBI before he moved up here and opened Triple-A. If there’s somebody who might be able to help find a missing person, it’s him.”

Darrak’s dark eyebrows raised. “Sounds like a start.”

It did. A weak one, but still a start. Besides, despite Andy’s stack of typing he needed done yesterday, the office hadn’t been very busy since Eden had come onboard. Andy might welcome the chance to do a little pro bono digging. And if he didn’t, she wasn’t above begging and pleading.

She just had to make sure not to reveal that he was actually searching for a three-hundred-year-old witch. On behalf of a mass-murdering but self-proclaimed “good” demon. That might not go over so well.

If only her psychic abilities were more reliable and controllable. Sure, she’d found the serial killer yesterday, but that had been a total fluke. She couldn’t simply find anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Unfortunately. Because that would be really helpful right about now.

Only a day ago she had no idea that demons even existed. Now that she did, she wanted to forget about that little chaotic piece of the paranormal universe she’d accidentally stumbled into and go back to her normal, orderly life where things were safer and controllable.

The sooner the better.

— Andy waited for her outside Triple-A. His arms were crossed.

“Something you want to tell me?” he asked.

She froze. “Uh…”

He nodded at the entrance. “New door?”

“Oh… yes. It’s a new door.”

His eyes flicked to Darrak, who stood next to Eden. “Thanks for the heads-up. I don’t have a key for it. I’ve been trying to call your cell phone for a half an hour.”

Her cheeks flushed. “Sorry. I totally forgot. And my phone’s off.”

She grabbed her key, handed Andy the spare, and opened the shiny new door. It was symbolic, really. If a door could be fixed soon after it had been broken, then so could she. A positive attitude was all it took. She’d ask the universe for what she wanted — easy as that. The law of attraction would work to do her bidding.

I don’t want to be possessed anymore. I want Darrak to go away and I never want to see him again. Ciao, demon.

There. That should be more than enough to get the universe working.

“Andy—” she said as they went inside the office. He was totally the key to getting the answers — she knew it.

“Are you going to tell me what the hell happened to the door?” He’d picked up the invoice she’d left on his desk.

“Uh… a little accident.”

His pale brows drew together. “Rush service? Do you know what this cost?”

“Well, I figured it was better to fix it right away than leave a gaping hole there all night so anyone could just walk in and make themselves at home.”

His attention moved to the tall man standing silently behind her and he thrust his chin in that direction. “Who’s he? The reason why you’re late this morning?”

In a word, yes, she thought. He’s my own personal demon. And he has to stay within approximately eighty feet of me at all times or it causes both of us excruciating pain. And he’s going to inadvertently kill me in a year if I don’t find a way to get rid of him. Also, FYI, he enjoys crunchy peanut butter and is comfortable with nudity.

But she didn’t say that out loud, of course. “This is… Darrak. He’s… my brother.”

Oh, sure. That sounded plausible enough, didn’t it?

“Your brother?” Andy repeated. “I thought you were Caroline’s only kid?”

Eden looked over her shoulder at Darrak, who had his arms crossed, and he raised a dark eyebrow at her to show his amusement.

“I’m her brother from a different mother,” he offered.

Kill me, she thought.

She moistened her lips. “He’s staying with me for a few—” Hours? Days? Months? Another wave of nausea surged through her. “For a little while.”

“Really?” Andy seemed surprised. “I got the impression you were a total loner who hates company.”

She forced a smile. That was his impression of her? Very accurate, actually. Uncomplimentary, but accurate. “For family it’s different, of course.”

Darrak snorted at that. “Sorry. I know… sis… likes her privacy, but she’s been very accommodating so far. If you ignore the screaming. Ha. Just kidding, of course. Mostly.”

“Good to meet you, Darrak. Any brother of Eden’s is… well, you know.” Andy stood up from his desk and thrust out his hand.

Darrak eyed it for a moment before tentatively shaking it. He looked at Eden with a half grin. “Having a body sure is hard to get used to, isn’t it?”

She forced the smile to remain plastered on her lips. “It sure is.”

Andy was looking at her strangely. “What does he mean by that?”

She coughed nervously. “Don’t mind Darrak. He’s a little… well”—she lowered her voice —“slow is a good word. He’s not used to being out and about from the, uh… special home he normally lives in down south.”