“I know the difference.”
“No, I don’t think you do.” She took a step back into the bathroom, then slammed the door shut on Quinn’s next protestation. With a satisfied sigh, she locked the door.
“Daeva, we don’t have time for this crap.”
“Sure we do, lover. While I bathe this beautiful body of mine why don’t you get what you need ready. Make sure you pack an extra pair of shorts, it’s going to be a long trip.”
She heard his exasperated sigh, and it tickled her inside. Let him suffer for a while. Fair was fair. Besides, she really did want to wash off the stench of sulfur she was sure still clung to her skin and clothes.
Plus, it would give her a bit of a reprieve from the sensations surging through her at seeing Quinn again. She didn’t think it would be this hard to be near him, with his masculine scent tantalizing her senses. The urge to touch him warred with the desire to slug him in his pointy nose.
Maybe she was being silly by demanding a bath when obviously there was a level of danger hovering over everything. But she found she couldn’t just jump in as Quinn’s traveling partner, however forced it was. It was a bit too much too soon. She’d just returned from three years in hell, sent there by the man beyond the door. She needed a little time to decompress her anger. Anger that she was surprised she still harbored. Seeing him face-to-face manifested that bitterness.
Daeva turned on the sink tap and splashed cold water on her face. She looked up into the mirror at herself. It was strange to be topside in her true form, well, almost true form. She was minus the fangs and glowy-type skin. She’d gotten so used to seeing Rachel’s face in the mirror that her real appearance sometimes startled her. She could just imagine what it was doing to Quinn. Maybe she should give him a break. This was probably just as difficult for him as it was for her. She gave him credit though, for swallowing his enormous pride and calling her. Asking a demon for help must’ve really pricked him in the ass.
Straightening, she patted her face dry with the hand towel. She opened the door. She supposed she’d give him that break. Although his suffering was sweet, she did possess a heart and conscience somewhere deep inside.
He was there leaning against the wall when she stepped out.
“I thought you needed a bath?”
She shrugged. “Nah, I just needed a minute to adjust to topside. It’s a bit unstable up here. The Earth’s always moving.”
He stared at her as though he didn’t know whether to believe her or not. He opened his mouth to respond but she grabbed his arm and yanked him to her.
His eyes widened when she leaned into his ear. “We have company.”
“Are you sure?” Quinn whispered.
She nodded. “Sounds like three or four men. Two at the front, one or two at the back.”
“Damn it.” He cursed a few more times. “Must be the Cabal. They’re earlier than I thought.”
“I could go blast them.”
He shook his head. “No. No blasting until we absolutely need to.” He moved to the stairs. “We have to get back to the basement.”
She followed him, close behind. “Won’t we be trapping ourselves?”
He shook his head. “Trust me. I’m always prepared.”
They made it back downstairs without incident. He rushed to one wall, slid his hands along the wallboard until he found a groove. He dug his fingers into it and pulled a piece off. Behind it were two duffel bags.
He grabbed them both, tossing one to her, then he pointed to the small window. “We’ll go out that way. I have a car parked about five blocks away for emergencies.”
She watched him pull the metal bars from the opening. Obviously they were there only for show. He tossed his bag through then dragged a chair over and set it underneath.
“You first.”
Although she was better equipped to stay behind and deal with the Cabal if they rushed down the stairs, she didn’t argue with him. Stepping up onto the chair, she pushed her bag out then reached through the window, grabbed hold of a tree root that was pushing through the grass and pulled herself up. Kicking her legs, she managed to wriggle her way out the small opening.
Once on her feet, she reached down and helped pull Quinn through. It proved a little harder for him to squeeze out the window opening. He was much thicker than she was.
They peered around for any sign of sorcerers lurking. She couldn’t see anything, even with her night vision. “We’re clear,” she told him.
“Okay. We run east about five blocks. There is a dark blue sedan parked on the right side. Keys are hidden on the right front wheel under the fender.”
“Got it.”
Quinn draped a bag handle around each shoulder, then took off. Daeva did the same and was right behind him. She’d run barely a block before she felt the first zing of magic behind her. She glanced over her shoulder just as a green bolt of energy slammed into the azalea bush she’d just passed.
“They’re on us!” she shouted to Quinn who was maybe three feet in front of her. “You get to the car. I’ll slow them down.”
She didn’t wait for him to respond. She stopped running and turned, already conjuring a ball of dark fire in her right palm. As a demon on this plane, she should have possessed many powers. Telekinesis, manipulation of elements—especially fire—moving through shadows. But she wasn’t sure which ones would work now that she was Quinn bound.
Her hands heated quickly, so she assumed her firepower was still intact. Once she had a good-sized fiery globe in her hand, she launched it at the two sorcerers running down the street toward her. The ball hit the pavement in front of them, sending up sparks, and a wall of flame.
It wouldn’t last long, so she hoped Quinn had made it to the vehicle. Before the flames could go out, she made another ball in her left hand. It wasn’t nearly as big or powerful, but it would have to do. She had always been right-handed.
But before she could release it, a bolt of magic clipped her in the shoulder, and she dropped the sphere of fire. The moment it hit the sidewalk, it exploded in an array of sparks and flames leaped at her. She dived to the right and fell onto her side on the grass before her pants started to burn.
She looked up just as two other sorcerers advanced on her, their hands glowing green with power. Rolling, she gained her feet and started to run, but they were right on her ass. Sudden jolts of searing pain rushed up her back. The impact of their magic pushed her forward and she stumbled again, falling to her knees.
She couldn’t believe the pain surging over her body. She’d never felt anything like that before. Obviously she was more fragile topside than she was in hell. The binding must’ve made her human like.
A kick in the back of her head sent her face down to the cement. She tried to push up, but one of the men pressed her down with his boot on her back.
“We got the demon bitch,” one of the men called.
“There’s no need for name-calling.” Daeva pushed up with all her strength, sweeping her leg at the man. She knocked over the sorcerer standing on her.
Once he was down, she stumbled to her feet. But the other one was there, grabbing her by the back of the head.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
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