Page 73 of The Demon's Fire
Margo’s words drifted into a distant echo. When Chay focused on her sweet mouth, he couldn’t stop himself. With her ankles around his waist, he leaned down to steal a kiss. Her lips were soft, luscious. Tempting. Distracting.
She didn’t pull away. Rather, she pressed into him, surrendering, combing her fingers through his hair.
Ever so slowly, Chay’s Firebrand senses took hold. With deep breaths, along with enormous willpower, he withdrew his mouth. “I can imagine, Red. You’re spectacular. Now, unlock the cell door.”
After it swung open, Chay rifled through the desk for makeshift weapons, anything to throw. “Bonanza! They left a knife here. A letter opener, too. Sweet.” Chay clasped a pointy object in each hand, tossing them to judge their heft. “Stay behind the desk.” He opened the door to the other room, his movements silent. Gone was the flirt from moments ago. He was replaced by a lethal, skilled warrior who excelled at his craft.
****
Heatradiated from Skyler’s feverish cheek, through Kole’s shirt, to his skin. She was burning hot.
Skyler passed in and out of consciousness while he raced toward the Healing Pond with her clutched tight against him. In one of her lucid moments, she lifted her head from his chest. “You blame me.”
“That would be stupid.” Kole jostled her when he jumped over a low bush.
“Yes, it would be stupid.”
Kole paused his forward movement, peering into Skyler’s innocent eyes, a beautiful shade of blue with lilac streaks. “You did nothing wrong, Frisca. Sleep until we get to the pond.”
Yet he thought of Abrahm, who had slaughtered his family, while he was speeding with the demon’s descendant in his arms, trying to save her life. Destiny sure decided to fuck with him when it sent him to Skyler Maxwell’s office. Screw destiny. No such beast.
“I’m telling you, you’re different. You blame me for my ancestor’s unforgivable actions.”
“I don’t. Now shut up.” He never should have told Skyler his story, but she had awakened, begging him to distract her. So he had. Through gritted teeth and seething rage, he exposed her ancestor.
“See. You never tell me to shut up. You say a million other rude, even crass, things. Never that.”
“Damn, give it a rest, Frisca. Isn’t it enough for me to lug you to the pond where I’ll heal you? Do I have to listen to you bitch the whole way, too.”
“No. Set me on my feet. I want to walk.” Skyler smacked his shoulder with the palm of her hand.
“Hey. Stop or I’ll drop you here and leave.” Distracted, Kole stumbled on a rock, nearly taking them both to the ground.
“You said you weren’t going to ditch me. You’re a man of your word. I trust you. Even though you blame me for something I had no control over, you would never abandon me.” She smacked him again.
“So help me, Frisca, if you don’t stop…”
Before she could strike him once more, Skyler’s head rolled back. “I don’t feel so…”
He stopped running to set her on the ground, gently grasping her chin between a thumb and forefinger. “Skyler.”
She was ghostly white.
You cannot die on me. I won’t lose you.
“Frisca. Are you okay?” He patted her cheek. No response. He tapped her again. Again. Harder each time. “Do not die. Are you listening to me? I’ll paddle your ass until you can’t sit the fuck down.”
Her eyelids fluttered open, her lips spreading into a small, weak smile. “You’re you again.”
He sighed. “Yeah. I am.” He lifted her into his arms, resuming his sprint toward the pond, all thoughts of her ancestry erased from his mind. While he ran with Skyler cradled against him, fighting the infection from the kas nettle, Kole’s soul accepted she was blameless for the death of his parents. An innocent should never be held accountable for the actions of those who came before. Wasn’t that the very reason his uncle Horach hadn’t taken him in when his mother and father were killed?
****
Chaycrept into the room, dropping into a crouch. He was out of sight and silent.
A loud gun battle blasted away on the TV while the sloth demon lazed on the sofa, his back to Chay, his feet propped on the table. “Hey! Is my sandwich done?”
A refrigerator slammed shut in the kitchen. From where he was crouched, Chay saw the incubus prepping lunch. “Give it a rest, slug. It’ll be ready when I tell ya it is.”
