Demons Prefer Blondes (26 page)

“But daddy fell in love and ruined all your little plans.” She let out a low chuckle. “Score one for love.”

Larissa snorted, shaking her green scaly head. “Love doesn’t exist, right, mistress?”

“That’s the human in her.” Her other snakelike hand traced through Lucy’s hair and down her cheek. Anger and revulsion reared their ugly head. She bit her tongue.

“Oh yes it does,” she managed. “And it’s love that’ll kick your asses.”

“We’ll see, my dear.” With that, Lamia curled her tail around her, pulling her closer to her slithering body.

“Hurry!” Larissa punctuated her screech with a point of a clawed finger.

Lamia turned her head, a low growl forming deep in her belly. “Bloody hell.”

Curiosity wriggling its way through her, Lucy joined in. Light reflecting against the snow, a car barreled its way down the road. At least 80 miles an hour, easy. Her spirits lifted. Deep in her heart, she knew that car was on its way for her. Rafe was nearby, getting closer by the second.

“I told you love would kick your—”

Deep bone-wracking cold permeated her entire body, freezing her in place. Arctic air swirled and blew around her, slicing into her face. Ice crystals formed in her hair and her lashes. Any colder and her eyes would freeze shut. Thank goodness she didn’t have a runny nose. Talk about snotcicles!

Frost darted across her cheeks and over her face, the ice glazing over her eyes. Headlights dancing and reflecting against the thick sheen. She sucked in a cold, bitter breath.
Almost here.
Lamia’s iced-over tail still kept her tight in its grasp. Tires squealing and moaning, the car slid to a stop.

“Lucy!” Rafe’s shout echoed through the bitter cold night and throughout her mind.

Lamia’s deep chuckle reverberated through her ears. “Too late!” she shouted as the car doors swung open.

With that, the ice cracked and shattered, the sound screeching in her ears. As if she were swept up in a giant tornado, her body twisted and pulled as the winds sucked her in. A loud pop reverberated, bursting in both her ears. Her eardrums pounded and throbbed as the blood rushed to her head. She used to think flying in an airplane was bad, but this was ten times worse. Spiraling and whooshing through the portal, she had no choice but to let snake-lady tighten her hold.

With a violent gust of air, the portal slammed her forward. Face freezing as wind licked at her cheeks, she kept her eyes closed. This would, no doubt, be messy. Insides squeezing and constricting, she struggled for a breath of air. Her head pounded and her stomach heaved. Would traveling be like this every time? If she managed to survive, she hoped not. Hopefully, if she was lucky, the journey would kill her, and all of Belial’s plans would backfire.

The familiar, gut-wrenching odor of cinnamon intermingling with rotten eggs wafted through the air and straight up her nostrils. Her stomach roiled and bile rose. Saliva, thick and heavy, coated her tongue. Belial, golden mane swirling around his head, stood tall, his beady amber eyes glowing in the darkness. A large, sinister smirk crept across his face.

“Ahh. My bride has arrived.”

Nope, luck wasn’t on her side.

Rafael raced toward the icy swirls, Lamia’s cackle echoing in his ears. The remaining winds churned and swirled around him—mocking him. The cold snow pelted his face, feeding his despair. With an eerie pop, the portal closed. Lucy was gone.

“
¡Mierda!
” Gerardo flew from the car and came to stand next to him. With a shake of his head, he let out a defeated sigh. “I tried to warn her.”

Rafael blinked. Warn her? He turned to face the Latino, his glare steady. “When?”

“Hmm.” Eyes glazing in thought, Gerardo twirled a bright red feather around his finger. Were there any shirts in this man’s wardrobe that didn’t involve some sort of plumage?

“Before you arrived at the shop,” he finished, his mouth spread in a wide toothy grin. “The day I tried to touch your hair.”

What in all that is holy?
“You remember?” Rafael gritted his teeth. Humans never remembered enrapturement. They only remembered the suggestions left. And Rafael had only left Gerardo one. Never touch a demon.

“Oh yes, I remember everything. Including the rather intriguing conversation with Mrs. Carlson. Absolutely fascinating, I may add.” With that, he reached out and patted Rafael’s back. “Mighty impressive Deleon.”

Rafael reached up, grabbed Gerardo’s wrist, and yanked him to face him. “What are you?”

All of a sudden, Gerardo reached out with his other hand and grabbed Rafael’s other wrist. Gaze narrowed, he drew his lips into a straight line. “Not Infernati, so don’t worry about that.” What was it about this town? Never in his four hundred-plus years had he never encountered such a concentration of magical beings. This wasn’t natural.

“Just someone who cares about Lucy.”

Rafael’s grip grew tighter. “This isn’t the time or the place for cryptic banter. Lucy is in danger and I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to her.”

“We are in agreement.” Gerardo’s smile spread from cheek to cheek. He loosened the hold on Rafael’s wrist and raked his fingers through his hair. He smoothed the feathers on his shirt and turned his back to Rafael. “This is what I am.”

Throwing his hands up to the sky, he bowed his head. Bright bursts of energy poured down, showering Gerardo in radiant light. Bloody hell, Rafael had seen that light before. And usually, it meant things were worse than the Paladins knew.

Feathers, as white as the snow spiraling around them, crept from Gerardo’s back, spreading farther and farther across, each plume as thick and fluffy as the last. With a flick of his new grown wings, Gerardo turned to face him. “I can’t show up in public like this, you know.”

Gerardo was an angel? And if he could keep his disguise around demons, he wasn’t just any angel. “Who are you?” Rafael demanded.

“Gerardo Martinez.” His grin spread wider. “I’m Lucy’s guardian angel.”

“It certainly explains the affinity for feathered shirts but doesn’t explain how you managed to become a guardian angel for a succubus.”

“Without feathers, I feel naked.” Gerardo plucked a feather from his shirt and tossed it into the wind. “And Lucy’s only
part
succubus. She’s also human, you know. Upon discovering this, I decided she needed more guarding. I wasn’t exactly sure what she was, but the way Lilith, in her Mrs. Gunderson getup, kept lingering around the shop, I had my suspicions.”

Rafael rubbed his jaw, the stubble scratching his fingertips. He had no choice but to trust Gerardo. After all, he’d taken care of Lucy. “Very well. Speaking of Lilith, where is she?”

“With Lilu protecting Lucy’s mom.”

Bloody hell
. In his urgency, he’d forgotten Lucy’s mother. With a silent breath of relief, he nodded. “A very awkward family reunion, I suppose.”

Gerardo snorted out a chuckle. “Amazing. You’ve grown a sense of humor.”

“I’ve always had one,” Rafael interjected. “I just seldom show it.”

The sounds of heels clacking against pavement broke their conversation. With a quick shuffle, Kalli came to stand next to him. “I’ve tried opening a portal. The bastard Belial has blocked the entire—” Her eyes widened in shock as she registered Gerardo’s appearance. “What the hell! The Fore-Demons sent an angel?”

Frankie, who lumbered behind, stopped in his tracks as he gazed Gerardo from head to toe. “Where in the hell have you been hiding those things?” Brows arched and eyes wide, he tilted his head to the left.

“They’ve always been here,” Gerardo drawled with a flick of his snow-white wings. “I just chose to keep them hidden… for obvious reasons.”

Frankie arched a manicured brow. “Why?”

“I couldn’t do that to Lucy. Either they would stay away in fear, or come in droves and gawk like the salon was some sort of sideshow exhibit.” He blew out a breath of air. “If you thought the small crowd that followed Lucy was big, it’d be ten times worse.”

Frankie pursed his lips. “I’m still trying to figure this all out. But if you’re a guardian angel, why in tarnation did you allow Belial into the shop?”

“I have a good answer.” Gerardo grinned. “How is it that Lilith arrived at that precise time? I sought her out and told her Belial was near.”

“And why in the name of all that is holy did you do nothing to protect her?” Rafael balled his fists in an attempt to tamp down the sudden desire to throttle the would-be guardian angel. Fingernails digging into palms, he threw Gerardo a dagger-like glare.

“Believe me, I would have if I could, but to show oneself to one’s ward when the time isn’t right goes against angel protocol.” Gerardo’s gaze grew pleading. “She was in capable hands.”

“Whose capable hands? Belial’s or Lilith’s?” Yes, Lilith might have been Lucy’s aunt, but he’d heard stories of her exploits in Las Vegas. She’d done more than drain her victims’ energy. She’d sucked their life force, as well.

“Neither.”

Rafael furrowed his brow. “Whose?”

“Yours.” Gerardo’s lips swept into a wide grin.

He blinked. His? “I don’t understand.”

“Of course you wouldn’t. But there’s no time to explain. You will learn soon enough” He spread his wings, urgency creasing his face. “We need to go. Now.”

“What about him?” Kalli asked, nudging Frankie on the shoulder.

Frankie stood tall, his chin jutting out in determination. “You ain’t leaving me. I may be human, but that don’t mean I can’t fight.”

Everyone’s gazes turned to Frankie. He gripped his hips and stood tall, his face as serious as stone. “Well?”

He’d be damned if he let one of Lucy’s friends get hurt. “If you come with us, you will freeze to death.” Rafael flexed his arms across his chest. “If you think the winter here is cold, the portal is much worse.”

Kalli nodded in agreement. “The human body isn’t made for traveling. You could, quite literally, freeze an appendage off.” She lowered her gaze to his groin.

With a startled gasp, Frankie grabbed himself. “Really?”

Rafael only offered a static nod. Unfortunately, Kalli spoke the truth. There wasn’t any easy way to sugarcoat it. “And that’s not the worst of it.”

Frankie’s eyes sparked. “I don’t care. I need to help Lucy. If that means losing Frankie Jr., then so be it.”

“I won’t put one of Lucy’s friends in danger.”

Frankie stomped his foot, sending snow flying. “It’s not fair. I
have
to do something!”

“It isn’t safe,” Kalli flipped a knotty lock from her face. “We can’t—”

Gerardo flicked his wings. “I can take him. We
angels
aren’t as restricted as demons.” Of course, demons were essentially evil creatures. Only those who proved their willingness to repent were chosen for the Paladin, but still there were boundaries even the Paladin couldn’t break. Transporting humans, for one.

Flapping his wings, Gerardo bound into the air. With a quick flick downward, he descended and motioned to Frankie to join him. “Hop on.”

“You gotta be joking,” Frankie squeaked. “Honey, I like you… but not
that
much.”

Fists clenched, Gerardo drew his lip straight. “This isn’t a joke. Do you want to help Lucy or not?”

“When you put it that way, how can I refuse?” With a quick jog, he bounded toward Gerardo and grabbed a bunch of feathers from his shirt. Flinging a leg over Gerardo’s back, he climbed on. “I’ll just imagine I’m Perseus riding Pegasus in
Clash of the Titans
.”

“Whatever floats your boat. Now hold on tight, it’ll be a wild ride.” Without a further utterance, Gerardo flapped his wings and burst up toward the heavens, a streak of dust following in his wake.

“Ooooh-weeeeee!” Frankie’s voice echoed in the distance.

Now came the bigger task. Breaking through Belial’s block. He turned his gaze to Kalli, who paced the snow-blanketed road, her footprints converging on one another. Fists clenched, she grumbled. “Fuck it. I’m calling in the Fore-Demons.”

“No, you’re not,” Rafael growled, grabbing her by the lapels of her trench coat. His gaze blazed. To call in the elders signified defeat. He hadn’t failed Lucy yet. Scratch that. He
would not
fail her. “I’ll call in Dominic. The three of us should be able to break through the block.” The flame firmly burning beneath his ass, he closed his eyes. “Dominic Duvane!”

“Whoa, buddy,” Kalli said, waving him off with her hands. “Take it easy.”

Rafael unlaced his fingers from leather, smoothing out the wrinkles along the lapel. “Sorry. I just—”

“Love her?” Kalli’s lips swept into a devious smile.

He kept his emotions as tamped down as possible. “I’m supposed to protect her.”

“You keep telling yourself that, Rafe.”

A fierce burst of wind rushed in, sending a knotty strand of Kalli’s hair in a violent barrage against her face. Ice-cold crystals sliced through the air as the winds continued their wanton spinning. Dominic, gaze narrowed, swiped a few snowflakes from his leather-clad arm. Clutching the sword at his side, he scanned the area. “Need help, huh?”

Rafael wasted no words. Time was near extinction. “Belial’s blocked the area. We need your help.”

“If we concentrate, we can push through the block. All three of us are strong enough. Rafe especially, more than he realizes.”

Dominic raised an eyebrow in bemusement. “Oh, is that so?”

“Kalli thinks I’m the chosen.” Rafael snorted. Him? Chosen? But it was supposed to be Coby. He balled his fists. And it still would be. Rafael had never been so sure of anything in his life. He didn’t want to be chosen. He wanted to be loved… by Lucy.

Lucy. Who knew in a matter of a few days he could grow so attached. Who knew a saucy minx of a beautician could wrap him around her finger and then some. Who knew he’d fall in love again. He certainly didn’t.

He’d tried to blame his initial attraction on the untapped sexual energy she radiated. But it wasn’t that at all. This attraction went deeper, under his skin, to his loins… and straight to his heart. Blast it all. He had to save her. His sanity depended on it.

“What are we waiting for?” he barked. “Let’s do this.”

***

Belial, in his swirl of cinnamon and brimstone, hovered over her, the sickening smirk still wide across his face. Had she not been cuffed in silver, she would’ve gladly rearranged that annoying smile.

His long clawed finger traced a lock of hair from her face, sending shivers of revulsion worming their way through every receptor in her body. “I feel your tremors. Excited, are you?”

“Oh, don’t you wish.”

His eyes sparked gold and he clucked his tongue. Lamia stood to his right, arms snaked around each other, annoyance etched firmly into her face. Another countenance she wouldn’t mind reshaping.

“Is that any way to talk to your betrothed, m’dear?” His words, intended to be smooth as honey, scraped like a Brillo pad.

“I’d rather marry lump of steaming horseshit than you.” Lucy jutted her chin out. “Smells better, too.”

Belial shrugged, grabbed her around the waist and hauled her up to face him. His gaze burned like two giant amber flames. A look that would normally send people trembling in their boots only filled her with anger. She clenched her fists, silently cursing the silver cuffs that still bound her wrists.

“So you’re truly part succubus?” His fingertip traced down her cheek and slithered down her neck. Her skin crawled. He threw his head back and chortled, the sound slicing into her eardrums.

Fuck him.
It was him and his stupid Infernati that had put her in this mess. She would give this man—demon, rather—a piece of her mind, and, hopefully, more. “What’s it to you, cinna-stank-licious?”

“Everything!” His voice boomed, echoing through the clearing. The tiny pink-trimmed chapel shook in protest. Lucy blinked. Hell had a chapel?

Rubbing her eyes, she scanned the area, surprisingly bright so late at night. Where was all that light coming from?

She spun around. Tall wooden totems with hideously painted faces stood surrounding a rock-lined fire pit. Sitting right in the middle of that pit was that damned—and she meant it in the most literal of ways—chest. She was more than ready to send it back from whence it came. If it weren’t for that chest, the scene would’ve been funny. Like a deleted scene from
The Brady Bunch
’s Hawaii vacation. Bad juju for sure.

“How’d you get that thing here?”

Lamia shook her head, the cackle bursting from her lips. “Does it matter? All that matters is that it’s here now.”

“Whatever.” She was probably better off not knowing, anyway.

Lamia rolled her eyes. “If you must know, I sent it to Belial while you were unconscious. Traveling isn’t just for demons you know.”

“You should start your own company.”

Lamia narrowed her eyes. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

She shrugged. “You could make yourself a fortune as a delivery company. Call yourself ‘In-Ex.’”

“In-Ex?” Larissa scratched her chin. “We don’t understand.”

“Infernati Express? Or maybe DPS–Demon Parcel Service.”

“We don’t want our secrets exposed… until we have the world under our control.”

She should’ve known these evil demons wouldn’t have a sense of humor. They never did. And there went her chance to stall them.