A Tale of Two Demon Slayers (8 page)

Amara smoothed her dress. “Please,” she said, motioning to the table.

I sat facing Amara, and Dimitri slid onto the seat next to me, his thigh coming to rest against mine. “Where are your sisters?” I asked. Or for that matter, Amara’s brother.

“They’re back at the house,” he said. “Unlike your family’s magic, which seems to thrive on chaos, our clan works best when we focus our energies.”

I nodded. It made sense. Yet as I looked out into the blackness of the gardens, I couldn’t help feeling a little exposed.

When my hair had soaked in the bowls and Amara had sung a lilting melody in Greek, we were finally ready.

“Quiet now.” She stood opposite us and held her hands over the table. “I call to my spirit guides. To Maia. To Aethra. I call to those who can see the yet unseen.” A soft wind scattered her hair about her face as she closed her eyes, transfixed. The water in the bowls began to bubble softly.

Dimitri took my hand under the table. His warm, steady grip reassured me. Everything would be all right. It had to be.

“I call to you to trace what is untraceable.” Her eyes flicked open. “Dimitri, I need you over here, please.”

Dimitri untangled his hand from mine. I immediately felt the chill as he rose and went to her, his white shirt blowing against his muscular chest from a wind I certainly couldn’t detect on my side of the table. Amara planted her hands on his chest and sucked in a breath of plea sure.

It had better be the magic talking.

“It isn’t enough,” she murmured, fingers splayed, leaning into him. “I need skin-to-skin contact.” She slid her hands to the top of his shirt and flicked open the top button, then the one below that, and the one below that. She bared his chest like a starving woman after crumbs. Dimitri pushed her hands away and finished unbuttoning himself.

He shrugged out of the shirt and tossed it onto the floor.

“Perfect,” Amara murmured, moving in, close enough to kiss, drawing her fingers across his wide shoulder.

“Can’t you just hold his hand?” I muttered under my breath, realizing I wouldn’t like that very much either.

A muscle in his jaw twitched. “This doesn’t mean anything,” Dimitri said, his voice hard.

But that’s where he was wrong. It meant a lot to Amara. How much, he had no idea.

The water in the bowls bubbled harder.

Her pink tongue touched the corner of her lips as she drew her hands down his dark, muscled chest. “I can feel
it,” she said, her voice husky. She raked her hands slowly back up. For a moment, I thought she was going to thumb one of his nipples.

I could see she was aroused. I braced my palms on the cold bench, ready to stand, when Amara blew out a slow breath and retreated. The bubbles in the bowls slowed, the strands of my hair churning in lazy circles. Dimitri glanced around him, as if he too sensed it was over.

Amara took Dimitri’s hands in hers. “I have good news,” she said. “I felt your magic and it is alive and strong and”—color crept up her chest and neck—“intoxicating.”

“Where did it lead?” Dimitri asked, breaking the contact.

Hurt flashed across her features before she composed herself once again. “That’s the part I don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s right here, on your estate.”

Dimitri looked as surprised as I felt. “Impossible. Why would anybody steal it and keep it here?”

Amara seemed mildly offended. “I don’t know, but I’m certain it’s here,” she insisted. “It’s not in the house, but it’s definitely on the grounds. I can’t tell you exactly where. I’m a psychic, not a diviner. But I can tell you whoever—or whatever—is holding it feels twisted and dark.” She touched him on the arm, worship in her eyes. “I’m so worried about you, sweetheart.”

“Okay,” I said, rising from the table. “That’s enough.” I was a good little demon slayer while she played her games, but if we were done with the ceremony, she was done taking liberties.

Surprisingly, she broke contact with Dimitri, a wide smile on her face.

“Let’s clean up and get back,” he said, shrugging into
his shirt. “If we do have enemies on the grounds, we need to come up with a game plan.”

We let Amara handle the bowls. I tried not to trip her while I returned her scissors—and her razor. Dimitri studied the bronze knife. “What was this for?”

Amara hesitated. “If touching didn’t work,” she said, running her fingers through the air as if she were stroking a lover, “I might have had to cut you.”

Naturally, she’d opted for the touching first. I shook my head as I stowed her scissors in their case. Of course touching was better. I had to stop letting her bother me.

Amara joined me, practically thrumming with excitement as she wiped out the bowls with a chamois cloth.

“You’re certainly happy,” I said.

She turned to me, her eyes bright. “I saw something else.”

I tried not to cringe. “What?”

“I’m not leaving. You are.”

“Emergency meeting,” Dimitri announced as we poured into the dining room for the second time that night—the Dominos clan on one side of the long wood table, Dimitri’s sisters and I on the other.

Dimitri stood over Amara, his entire body tense. “Are you positive it hasn’t left the grounds?”

Amara clenched her small hands into fists on the table across from me, her attention riveted on Dimitri. “I know it doesn’t make any sense, but that’s what I saw,” she said. “I am
not
wrong. The threat to Miss Brown, along with the magic you used to hold it, is still
here
”—her voice cracked—“somewhere.”

Why was I more scared than comforted? Despite the coolness of the night, I could feel myself sweat. I couldn’t imagine why the thieves hadn’t fled to the mainland—or heck, another dimension—unless they needed to be close to me in order to do something terrible. I squashed down a wave of panic.

I took a deep breath and stood. I needed to move, to think. “There has to be another way to find it.”

Dyonne glanced at the psychic. “She’s done everything she can.”

“I know that,” I said, thinking, walking just to walk.

I did have to give Amara credit for refusing to do another
rub-all-over-Dimitri ritual. I’d actually been the one to offer. If she’d thought she could see more, I’d have been all for it.

But Dimitri’s ex had turned me down flat, too frightened for him to even consider what she could get away with.

Amara knotted her hands together on the table in front of her. “There is a terrible threat tied to both of you,” she said, her eyes darting from Dimitri to me. “I don’t know why your enemies would stay here on the grounds of the villa unless they are forced to do so.” She turned to Dimitri. “Are you sure you didn’t tie your magic to this place?”

Dimitri plowed a hand through his coal black hair, leaving a wave of tousled locks in its wake. “I didn’t need to tie it anywhere. I only needed it to find Lizzie.”

His eyes locked with mine and I saw the desperation, the worry, as well as his unspoken apology.

“What about you, Dyonne?” Talos folded his long fingers in front of him. Amara’s brother had been so quiet, I’d almost forgotten he was there. Talos seemed reserved, determined, yet the type of person who thought things through, who didn’t talk unless it was important.

Worry pricked at me. I could tell from the dread written across his features that Talos was about to bring up something I didn’t want to hear.

He swallowed. The tension traveled down his long neck as he gathered his thoughts. “The day after Diana and Dyonne woke up from the curse,” he said, choosing each word carefully as he remembered, “after we gave thanks in the garden—”

Dyonne hitched a brow. “After Diana tricked you into climbing the pomegranate tree?”

“Yes,” he answered, a blush tinting his cheeks. “Afterward you called to your Skye magic. You thanked the heavens for your safe delivery from evil, and together you made blessings over the house.”

“We set up a protective barrier to protect the family from any more demonic surprises,” Dyonne said slowly, remembering.

I stopped next to Diana. This could change everything.

Talos lifted a slim finger. “If nothing can get in, maybe nothing can get out either.”

Diana clapped a hand over my arm. “By Helios himself, that could be it. We sealed the house. Of course we were thinking of threats from the outside.”

Talos held up a palm like a professor making a point. “Now to play devil’s advocate, I must point out that the thieves were able to get in.”

“And the imps,” I said, loath to point it out.

Diana shook her head, unfazed. “But,” she said, “what if our spell worked better at keeping things
in
than keeping them out? Everybody knows we’re not up to full strength. Talos is helping, but a month ago, we were completely powerless. It’s not like everything comes back right away.”

Dimitri had stopped pacing. His eyes narrowed, considering it.

“We don’t know for sure,” I said, not wanting to celebrate too early. Granted, it helped to know our enemies might be trapped. Sort of. It was certainly better than knowing they were waiting to ambush us. But it didn’t
mean the spell would hold forever—or that they wouldn’t discover a way around it. They’d sure figured out how to bypass the security in Dimitri’s office.

“So let’s find them,” I said. “Would we recognize Dimitri’s magic if we saw it?”

Amara stood. “I would.”

“I would as well,” Dimitri said, coming up behind her. “Come,” he said, touching her shoulder. “Mara and I will search the grounds.”

Mara.
I squashed down a thread of jealousy. Now wasn’t the time.

“I’m coming with you,” I said. “I may be able to lead you to it.” My demon slayer instincts had guided me to threats in the past. Of course, those had included poisonous snakes, rabid bats and telemarketers. Still, I was willing to stumble on a hostile badger or a swarm of hornets in order to root out our new enemy.

Amara squinched her nose. “We’d actually be able to cover a lot more ground without you. Unless you’ve learned to fly in the last five minutes.”

“Lizzie can ride with me,” Dimitri said, unbuttoning his shirt.

Talos rose from the table. “While you do that, I will work with Diana and Dyonne to concentrate their Skye magic.” His eyes widened as Amara slipped her dress from one shoulder.

Oh no. She was
not
going to get naked right here, although no doubt she’d enjoy it.

“You three, go,” Diana said. “We can try to get a better hold on things.” She winced, apologetic.

She had nothing to be sorry for. It was a wonder she’d woken up at all last month. Nobody expected her to have
her powers fully charged. Besides, from the sound of it, she and Dyonne had bought us valuable time.

Dimitri took my hand and we headed for the back porch.

Outside, I spotted Pirate by the rose garden, chasing fireflies.

“Time to head in, little guy,” I said. Just in case.

“But I’m busy!” my dog protested. “See that one?” He leapt up, missing the lightning bug by a foot. “And that one? Can’t let this one get away.”

Dimitri tried a new tactic. “Pirate, I think Christolo needs you in the kitchen. You can help him start a bacon breakfast casserole for tomorrow.”

Pirate spun so fast he almost ran smack into a climbing rosebush. “I am on it,” he said, dashing past us. “It will be the best breakfast ever.”

Sure. Since yesterday’s breakfast.

Dimitri winked as he moved past me and down into the garden.

How I loved that man.

Amara nearly tripped over Pirate as she left the house. “Watch it!” she said to my dog, her eyes on Dimitri.

The bodice of her dress pooled at her waist. Her scrap of a white lace bra highlighted more than it hid. I was glad Dimitri hadn’t bothered to look back at her. Maybe he already knew what he’d see.

While Amara staged a one-woman show behind us, Dimitri stalked out into the garden. He drew his white shirt off and tossed it over a hedge, his wide back beautiful in the moonlight. While I would have preferred to see his khaki shorts go next, I was thankful he didn’t
make a move to take them off in front of Miss Exhibitionist.

The shorts ripped at the seams as he shifted in them. His muscles stretched and grew. Brightly colored wings unfolded from his back—red, blue, purple and green, his feathers tipped in gold. It was an immense reminder of the power he held. And as thick lion’s fur sprouted along his back and legs, I couldn’t help being amazed all over again that I shared a life with the extraordinary man in front of me.

Dimitri bent his massive lion’s body low to the ground and I climbed onto his back. He’d allowed me to ride before, but it still gave me a thrill. I loved the feel of his massive back underneath me. His fur was smooth and warm, like a cat’s. His back was much too wide to straddle, so I rode with my legs over his shoulders and my fingers twined in the thick fur at his neck.

Amara padded in circles in front of us. Her lion’s body shone almost white in the side-porch light, with a silver beak and massive silver and blue wings. She bent her head and called to Dimitri. Her voice sounded like an eagle’s screech.

He returned her call, pawing at the ground. I wrapped my fingers around him extra tight. “All set,” I said, bracing for takeoff. Griffins were like Ferraris. They could go from zero to two hundred in about five seconds flat.

And to imagine, I used to get woozy on the back of a Harley.

My teeth clacked together as Dimitri bolted skyward. The wind buffeted my face and body, and I tried not to think of the stomach I’d left back on the ground.

When we leveled out, I gave him a quick caress on the neck and readjusted my grip. His massive wings beat in a steady rhythm, sending a gust of air against my calves on each downward stroke.

A full moon shone its watery light on the darkened landscape below. Shadowed trees rose up over uneven ground. Waves pounded the edge of the black cliffs as all kinds of night creatures called out to the heavens.

Lights glowed from the house below as Dimitri and Amara made a wide arc over the front drive and back toward the darkened gardens. I frowned. If there had been something back there, I’d probably have sensed it while I was on the ground. We were limited in what we could see with our eyes—not that it would make much of a difference. Whoever had stolen from us wasn’t going to be sitting out in the open.

We’d have to rely on my demon slayer instinct to run toward danger, then count on Amara’s psychic abilities once we arrived.

Dimitri’s massive wings stroked the night sky with a heavy, rhythmic
whoosh
,
whoosh
. We flew past the garden, over the hills to the north. I strained my senses, trying to detect anything unusual, anything strong enough to indicate evil.

At the edge of the hillside, where the cliffs dropped into the ocean, I felt a tug and an intense desire to see where it led. This could be it.

I squeezed my knees into the curve of Dimitri’s shoulders and pointed toward an outcropping of rocks at the top of the cliffs overlooking the sea.

Amara saw and nodded, leading us straight down.
Dimitri and I dove after her. The wind streaked against my face, and my stomach lurched. Whoa Nelly.

Maybe I wasn’t so used to this.

That’s the thing you don’t notice about birds until you actually fly like one. They dip and weave in the sky and look so graceful doing it. When you’re along for the ride, it’s a whole different story.

I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks that it had been a few hours since we’d eaten dinner.

The pull of the rocks grew stronger. Something was down there. I could see the threat like a dot of light in my mind, along with the overwhelming urge to leap off Dimitri’s back and belly flop straight for it.

“There,” I yelled over the beating of wings, pointing toward a shadowy outcropping of volcanic rock that resembled a claw. It was large, at least five feet across and jagged at the edges. A few scraggly weeds clung to the top before giving way to a precarious drop straight down the sea cliff.

I held my breath and tried not to fidget as Dimitri drew closer. Oh yes. My demon slayer senses clanged in my head. Ever since I’d come into my powers, I was insanely attracted to anything that could chop me in half or send me falling to my death.

This place was perfect.

I wanted to unwind my legs from Dimitri’s back and cling to the black rock cliff. Instead I forced myself to take it slow. I reached out and touched the sharp, pockmarked volcanic rock. Power simmered under my fingertips, and I groaned at the pleasure of it. It felt so good and so wrong at the same time.

I licked my lips. “This is it.” I could feel the danger lurking underneath the stone.

But how would that piece of me—or our enemies—have found a way inside?

I pushed harder. Whatever lurked there wanted to come out. I could feel it. All I had to do was move a mountain.

The rock bit into my skin.

Dimitri nudged his head underneath my hand. “No,” I told him. “Please.” I didn’t know what could happen to me, much less him. If my powers had led us here, I hoped I could handle what we found. Besides, a griffin might be able to survive a fall to the rocks below. I wouldn’t bet on a demon slayer.

Blood trickled down my hand and over my wrist. The stone jiggled and I realized I was only trying to move part of a cliff. The rocks had caved in on something. I focused all my energy on the stone under my hand, willing it to give. It was close. “Almost”—I cringed—“there!”

The rock gave way, plummeting into the ocean below. Inside, a strange piece of marble lay in a tangle of woven straw. The rock itself was pitted, roundish and yellow as an Easter egg.

“Dimitri?” I didn’t want to invite trouble, but something had led us to this artifact.

He nodded his mammoth head as I eased my fingers around the rock. When it didn’t burn, I slipped it, along with most of the grassy covering, into the pocket of my demon slayer utility belt. Perhaps he could tell me more, once he’d shifted back. At any rate, I wasn’t going to risk our find plummeting off the cliff into the ocean.

We continued our sweep of the grounds, flying low
along the cliffs and then out over the shallow waters of the ocean. It would have been hard to detect a boat if they didn’t shine their lights, but like I said, we didn’t need our eyes as much as our senses. We circled above the house again, then past the lawn and over dark forest beyond. I could feel tinges of danger. Still, I couldn’t locate the source.

It was everywhere.