“You need to leave me alone,” Eden said. “And we won’t have any problems.”
Vanessa laughed. “Not so fast there, sweetheart. I think I need to settle up with you for ruining a good thing I had going on. Now I need to start all over again.”
She drew a knife out of her handbag. Eden eyed it with growing alarm.
“Drifters aren’t murderous,” she said.
“I guess you must be special, then.” Vanessa smiled. “Because I’ve decided to make an exception for you.”
CHAPTER 17
“Wait a minute.” Eden staggered back a few steps and hit a cement support beam. She looked around for someone within screaming distance, but the parking garage appeared empty. “Let’s talk about this.”
Vanessa raised a thin eyebrow. “What do you want to talk about?”
“You don’t want to kill me.”
“I don’t?”
She shook her head. “No, you absolutely don’t.”
The drifter laughed. “Humans are so entertaining. You walk around like you own this world, but you’re actually not the top of the food chain. You don’t have any idea how many things are out there lurking in the darkness with a taste for human flesh. Then again, I’m sure you know that now since you’re dating a demon.”
“I’m not dating him.”
Vanessa eyed her curiously. “Is it a spell you’re using to bind him to you?”
“No spells.”
“Then why did he protect you earlier today? That wasn’t normal demon behavior.”
“He’s different.” Her answer even surprised herself. But it was true. He’d seemed different. He’d acted different. Was it all just pretend?
She tried reaching inside to find the dormant demon, kind of like how she’d reached into her purse trying to find her car keys. She couldn’t find him, either.
Would he bother to help her now that she might know the truth about him?
“He’s different? Yeah, I bet.” Vanessa held the knife tightly and threw her purse and bag of books over toward the Toyota’s front tire. “It’s strange, that’s all. The only time I’ve ever known a demon to be interested in the well-being of a human is when they were after something. Has he bound himself to you? Must have. That would act as protection for him. Can’t be dragged back to Hell without the human’s permission then.” She shook her head. “For such weak sacks of meat, you have a certain level of power in the universe.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
She shrugged. “Maybe I’m cherishing the moment before I take the life of a human a demon was in love with.”
The thought was completely ludicrous. “He’s not in love with me.”
“He seemed kind of into you, if you ask me.”
“I’m not asking.” She glared at the drifter. “Besides, he’s evil.”
“Evil’s a lot like the color black. There are many shades.”
“Black’s not a color.”
“Let’s not get technical.”
She came toward Eden with the knife. Eden grabbed her arm but found her just as strong as the drifter had been when he’d possessed Richard.
“Don’t bother trying to fight,” Vanessa said. “You’ll lose.”
Eden fought anyhow. She attempted to squirm out of the drifter’s grip and almost made it, but Vanessa maneuvered her around and trapped Eden’s hands. She thought of Darrak then. What would happen to him when she died? Even though he was currently dampened, would he be able to find someone else to possess before it was too late?
Why did she even care what happened to the demon?
The blonde raised the knife high in the air. But then she froze. “What the hell?”
“What?”
“I can’t move my arm.”
“You can’t?”
“No. And I was seconds away from plunging this into your chest. Or slashing your throat. I hadn’t decided yet.”
Eden stared at her with shock. “And now you can’t move at all?”
“No. It’s very strange.” Strain showed on the drifter’s stolen face. “What’s causing this?”
“I am.” Malcolm stepped out from behind a beam near the stairway exit.
Eden stopped breathing for a moment at the sight of the exorcist. She was happy to see a familiar face at a time like this. Even if it was his.
“Who the hell are you?” the drifter snapped.
“One whose sole focus in life is to destroy things like you.” Malcolm approached and, without even glancing at Eden, plucked the knife from the girl’s prone hand.
“Go ahead,” the drifter said without any fear in her voice, glancing at her knife. “Kill me, then.”
“Why would I want to do something like that? So you can escape? You’re trapped at the moment, but you should probably know that I’m immune to being possessed.”
The drifter narrowed her heavily made-up eyes.
“That’s right,” Malcolm continued. “I know what you are. Although, it did help that I’ve been listening in on your conversation.”
“Please. Give me a break. What are you, eighteen years old?”
Malcolm scowled. “I’m twenty-one.”
“You’re just a child. Do you have any idea how long I’ve existed? I strongly suggest you leave me to my business right now or you’re going to regret it.”
Malcolm’s gaze finally flicked to Eden’s. “This woman is under my protection. So that makes this my business.”
Eden was surprised at this news. When did this happen? Not that she was complaining.
“Your protection?” Eden said aloud.
“Unless you’d prefer to deal with this creature on your own.”
She shook her head violently. “No, no. A little help would be fantastic, actually.”
“Can you please hold this for a moment?”
He handed Eden the knife and she stared at it with surprise before curling her fingers around the hilt.
Malcolm had given her a weapon? Had she missed a memo? Since when was he so trusting and helpful when it came to her?
Maybe Rosa had had a talk with him recently about his manners.
“No knife?” the drifter asked, almost bored. “Then whatever are you going to do with me, child?”
“Like I said before, I’m not a child.” Malcolm pulled a chain out from underneath his shirt. On the end of it was a rough, thumb-sized colorless crystal.
The drifter’s eyes widened. “Don’t even think about it.”
“I’m going to do more than think about it.”
The drifter looked frantically to her left and right, her blond hair tossing about. “Let’s talk about this.”
“Let’s not.”
“You son of a bitch—”
“My mother has nothing to do with this.” Malcolm smiled thinly. “Not today, anyway.” He began to speak Latin.
Eden clutched the knife and took a few steps back from him. Latin made her nervous. She knew what it could do. Nothing happened for a full minute, but the drifter’s expression continued to get more and more distraught, her breathing erratic. Vanessa began to shake.
He really was an exorcist. Rosa would be very proud.
