Darkened (12 page)

Several hours later I found myself once again sitting in the VIP section at Halo. Jared had dropped me off before the show
, and then once again went to talk to Greg. What does the manager of the club need to talk to the lead singer of the band about? Other than telling him to keep up the good work and bring in more money I can’t think of anything they would have to talk about.

“Here you go. I can’t believe you can drink that stuff,” Ryan said as he sat a glass of Ambrosia in front of me.

“This?” I took a sip. “It’s good. Almost fruity but closer to what you would think flowers taste like
, but don’t.”

He shivered. “If you say so. Jared offered me a taste once
, and it tasted more like jet fuel to me. Burned all the way down, and didn’t stop once it hit my stomach. Tried taking Tums, and it did nothing. It’s a good thing I was off that night because I was out like a light about thirty minutes later.”

He was messing with me. Had to be. I could barely taste the alcohol in this drink and afterward I usually feel giddier than anything.

“I guess you’re just a lightweight. I could probably drink half a dozen of these and just be tipsy.”

He looked like he might gag. “So, how did the game of hide and seek play out last night.”

“He found me.”

“Where’d you hide?”

“The game room with Luke.”

His eyes got wide. “Luke let you stay in the same room as him?”

“Uh, yeah. Why?”

“He has this total ‘no woman in the same vicinity’ thing?”

“Why?”

Ryan shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know he doesn’t get near women. I’ve had to guard him before so that he wasn’t touched by any females after a show.”

“That’s weird. Now that you mention it he does like to keep his distance.”

“Maybe he’s cool with you because he knows your Jared’s woman.”

“I am most certainly not Jared’s
woman.”

“If you say so. I say if you’re kissing on him, and sitting in VIP watching his show
, and going home with him after the show, you are his woman.”

“Whatever. I don’t need to prove myself to you.”

The band started and Ryan went back to guarding the entrance. I have got to find this Fallen so I can get away from here. I touched base with Cop earlier in the day
, and he didn’t have any new information. No one had called the precinct about Amber or Jael even though there were over a dozen posters up in the club. I really don’t want to wait for him to take another victim, but I don’t have any way to find this guy with the information I have.

Temmy came and talked with me on her break then Jared visited during the band’s break. He offered another game of chase, and I told him to stuff it. The last thing I need is him cornering me somewhere, and not being able to control myself. I’m pretty sure I would regret sleeping with him. Eventually.

When the band had started up again I walked over to the VIP bar, and ordered another Ambrosia. I was bored out of my mind so I decided I would drink to pass the time. Not the best idea, but not the worst either. After I got my drink, I walked over to the barrier between VIP and the rest of the club. There were so many people moving on the dance floor you couldn’t tell one from the other. I looked over at the bar to see Temmy flirting with a customer. She never stopped, and probably never would. I started to look back toward the band when I saw Saundra kissing some guy by the front entrance. I knew it was her by the bright red streaks in her hair and the extremely slutty outfit. They broke apart, and she immediately started rubbing herself against the guy she was with. What a hoochie. I looked at the guy...OMG! It’s Jael. He looked at me and winked then started walking with Saundra toward the entrance.

“Oh my Gods. It’s Jael!” I told Ryan as I jumped the barrier.

“Avery, stop
!” I heard Ryan yelling at me, but it was too late I was already halfway through the table area. I pulled out my cell and called Kansas.

“My perp is leaving Halo right now. I’m in pursuit.”

“We’re close by. Meet you there,” Kansas said before hanging up.

I heard the music stop
, and then I ran into Jared as I neared the front entrance. I mean, literally, I bounced off his chest and almost fell on my ass.

“Get out of the way. Jael just left the bar with Saundra.”

“You will not go out there. He’s using her to get to you.”

“Jared. I will have you arrested for interfering in a police investigation if you do not get out of my way now.”

“Sorry, Caru. That’s not going to work.”

“What are you going to let him do? Just get away with killing my friend? We have to go after him
, now.”

He sighed. “We go after him together
, but you do not leave my side. Understand?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

We went out through the front and Hash and Zach followed us. There were several people out on the sidewalk either trying to get in or just hanging around waiting for rides and such. I didn’t see Jael anywhere. Then I saw Saundra staggering down the road to the right
, but she looked to be alone. I ran up to her.

“Saundra. Which way did he go?”

She turned around and had a smile on her face then when she saw me, she looked angry.

“He is so amazing. Why do they always want you? You’re pretty I guess
, but not a pretty as me. Yet, they all want you. He wants you.” She pointed to Jared. “And, Jael wants you too. Why? What do you have that I don’t?”

Uh, let’s see. Self-
esteem would be my first guess.

“Where did he go?”

“Why? You and your boyfriend gonna have a threesome with him?”

“I will be forced to hurt you if you don’t tell me where he went.”

“He went down that alley over there. He said to tell you he just wants to talk. Yeah right. He sure didn’t look like he wanted to just talk.”

I left her standing in the road. I heard Jared tell Zach to get her a cab.

We reached the alley
, and I could see blue lights toward the other end.

“I’ll meet you at the other end,” Hash said and took off.

I was running as fast as I could when I felt Jared wrap his arm around me, and in a blink, we were at the other end of the alley. I saw Kansas and Davis but Jael was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’d he go?” I asked Kansas.

He turned toward me and smiled. Then he looked at Jared beside me and shot him in the chest.

“What the...?”

He turned to Davis and shot him too. As he turned back to me
, I punched him in the head as hard as I could. He was down for the count. Jared was already starting to get up so I ran to Davis to see he was hit on the right side of his chest. I pulled out my cell and called for an ambulance as I put my hand over his wound.

“Here, use this,” Jared said and handed me his shirt.

“Check the perimeter for Jael.”

“I won’t leave you alone.”

And, just when I thought I couldn’t be more pissed at him he goes and raises the bar.

After a few minutes, Hash ran into the alley. “I saw Jael take off from the building next door. I followed but lost him.”

“Alright, an ambulance is on the way
. Will you guide them in?” Jared said.

“Yeah, I got it,” Hash said before leaving.

A couple of minutes later
, the ambulance pulled into the alley. I moved out of the way as they did their work. Cassidy and Levon showed up right after the ambulance. They checked out Kansas, and helped him into the ambulance. He looked shell-shocked. I walked up to him once he was sitting in the ambulance.

“It wasn’t you. Jael made you do it.”

“How could he control me? I have magic. I didn’t think anyone could do that.”

I shrugged. “Go get checked out. I’ll get this guy.”

He nodded. They loaded Davis in the back, and the ambulance took off.

They had no more pulled away when Jared wrapped his arm around me, and we were moving at warp speed. Two seconds later, we were in Jared’s office. When he released me, I punched him in the face.

“It’s your fault. If you hadn’t stopped me, I would have been there. He made Kansas shoot Davis because you had to be an overprotective ass.”

“Ow. I was shot too in case you forgot. Damn, and it hurts too. I don’t see how this was my fault. If I hadn’t stopped you, you could have been shot too, or captured. It didn’t slip my attention that he shot everyone except you. Why do you think that is?”

He opened a closet, grabbed another shirt
, and pulled it on.

“Maybe he was saving me for last.”

“I highly doubt it. Look, stay here while I go talk to Luke then we’ll go home.”

“Whatever.”

He left the room and I heard a lock click. Great
, locked in. Right now I would rather take my chances with Jael than have to deal with any more of Jared’s bullshit. I can’t believe he would try to prevent me from catching this guy. The whole point is that he is supposed to be protecting me during the investigation. If I’d have known he wasn’t going to let me do my job, I would have just quit and taken a vacation like Cop told me to do.

I’ve got to get away from him. That’s the only way I’m going to catch Jael. There was only one window in the office, and it was kind of high on the wall and small. But it was big enough for me to slip through. I slid a chair over and put my hand to the glass. It was warded. Good. Maybe he would think I slipped out the door instead of the window. That would give me a few minutes head start, and as fast as he is, I’ll need it.

I reached into myself and pulled some energy out and used it to coat myself in a shield. The barrier not only protected me and made me invisible to the average observer it also allowed me to pass through magic undetected. I’m not sure if it is one of my gifts or is a thing all half Demon can do but I haven’t tried it on a ward that I haven’t been able to pass through. I pulled the lock and was about to open the window when I heard the click of a key unlocking the door. I jumped off the chair and let my shield drop as the door opened. 

Jared looked at me standing in front of the chair then where the chair was supposed to be, and finally the window above the chair.

“Were you trying to go somewhere, Caru? I would advise against it. That ward is a pretty nasty one
, and I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

“Just checking it out, Jared,” I replied innocently.

“Come on. Let’s go home.”

“I want to go to the hospital first. I need to see how Davis is doing.”

“We will call once we get to my house. I can’t properly protect you in a hospital.”

“I don’t think I will be needing your protection any more. I will take my chances with Jael.”

“This can happen two ways, Caru. You can choose to walk out that door and to my car. In which, I will take you to my house in companionable silence. Or, you can protest, and I can duct tape your mouth then carry you to my car. Either way works for me, but you are accompanying me to my home, and I am continuing as your guard until Jael is killed.”

J
ust when I thought I couldn’t be madder at this asshole, he goes and opens his mouth. I’ll bide my time. He can’t watch me all the time. I walked past him toward the door, and he was there opening it before I reached it. I didn’t say another word to him all the way to his house.

When we got there, I went to the kitchen and poured me a glass of water. As I drank it, I watched Jared to see what he would do. He stood at the doorway for a moment then walked into the open area between the living room, kitchen and short hallway leading to his room.

“I’m going to take a shower since I have dried blood all over me. Don’t try to leave. There are wards on every entryway
, and it will harm you if you attempt it. Plus, I will be notified immediately and would just drag you back,” he advised.

“You know it isn’t right to hold me against my will.”

“You agreed to have me as protector, and I am protecting you.”

“I no longer want your services.”

“It’s too late for that, Caru. You’re in it for the long haul. This will not end until Jael is dead.”

“How can I kill him when you won’t even let me get close?”

“Bart will finish him. All we need to do is stay out of the way.”

“It’s my job to get this guy before he kills another Human.”

“You will just have to sit this one out. He’s too dangerous.”