Vengeance of the Demons (13 page)

“Wrong answer,” said Peter. “Try again. I’ll even help you. She’s the girl you carried to our gate. She came in here yesterday. You two chatted.”

William turned his head slowly and looked Peter in the eyes. His jaw pounded with pain, but he refused to let them see it. He spat blood on the ground, splattering his own pants.

“I found her wandering. It seemed the best thing I could do for her considering she was mostly delirious.”

“Hmm…” Peter scratched his chin. “So you found her wandering down the road and just happened to know where her family were to bring her home. You sure that’s the answer you want to go with?”

“I’d found a crashed car a few miles back. She was in bad shape. All I wanted to do was help. She told me where she’d been trying to get to.”

“A few miles back, huh? Where exactly did you find that crashed car?”

“Evan wouldn’t do that,” Tommy interjected. “She wouldn’t give up our location.”

William shifted his weight. He’d screwed up by telling them he’d found Evan a few miles back. If they went to check, there’d be no car crash to prove his words. He looked up at the earnest face of the younger brother. “We aren’t all the monsters you think we are. She needed help.”

“And what were you doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?” asked Peter.

William tried to remember what he’d told them previously. “I was on my way to Los Angeles as an emissary from Chicago.”

“So you’re not alone?” said Peter. “There are more of you. If you didn’t fly, there had to be more of you. Is that the trick? You get in here and find out what our defenses are like so the rest of your group can attack?” The anger in Peter’s voice rose with each word.

“I have no group. I came alone.”

“Then why not fly?” asked Tommy.

“Because I like the drive. I miss it.”

“Miss it?” Peter snorted.

This was his opportunity to try and build a relationship with these guys and show them that he wasn’t that much different than them.

“I’ve only been a vampyr for a year. Before that I lived in an enclave in Colorado, but we got picked up by slavers in Nebraska.”

“Colorado, huh? We have a guy here from Colorado. His name’s Chuck, remember him?” asked Peter. “Or is that a lie too?”

“There were lots of people in our enclave. I’d have to see him to know for sure.” William looked between the brothers. “It’s not a lie. I’m not here to start an invasion. I’m not here to do anything other than what I said before. The world is in trouble. We need help. Your help. The demons—”

“Oh that’s right.” Peter chuckled. “The demons. I forgot that’s why you were on your way out here. Demons are killing your friends. Sounds like a reason for us to celebrate, not jump to your aid.”

“You don’t get it,” said William. “After the demons are done with Vampires and vamps, who do you think are next? You think they’re going to leave you be?”

“Why not? We didn’t piss them off.”

“They came pissed off. That’s what they are, demons. Pissed off for having been shoved back into their world hundreds of years ago, and now they want to take this world for themselves.”

“Do you know how delusional you sound?”

William’s anger spiked so fast, he couldn’t control his tongue. “The delusional ones are you. Thinking you can stay here and be safe.”

Peter’s fist connected with William’s gut. “You have no idea what’s going on here. We’re stronger than you can imagine. You just wait, bud, we have something fun planned for you tomorrow.”

Peter patted his cheek before punching William in the face again. The pain blinded William for a minute.

“Peter, that’s enough,” said Tommy.

“You goin’ soft, Tommy boy?” Peter stood as William laid his pounding head against the wall and tried to blink back the pain.

“No. I just think enough is enough. Pop doesn’t even know we’re in here. Let the guy alone.”

“Guy?” Peter stepped up to Tommy so quick that Tommy took a step back. “Did you call that
thing
a guy?”

“You know what I meant.”

“No, Tommy, I don’t think I do. It’s because of
guys
like him that mom is a vamp and Evan was sold as a slave. It’s because of
guys
like him that we live in a freaking hotel and have food rations and water rations and an electric barbed wire fence surrounding us twenty-four seven.”

“I get it, okay. I get it. My point is, he wasn’t the one who did all that. He was like us till a year ago.”

Peter’s body language told William he was ready to explode. “Get out of here, Tommy. Get out before I throw you out.”

Tommy’s chest puffed up, and he stood his ground. “I’ll leave when you leave.”

It was like watching two rams about to lock horns. Neither wanted to back down. William hated seeing that kind of animosity between family members.

“May I have a drink of water?” William asked.

Tommy’s gaze flicked to William and then back to his brother. Peter stood rigid for a moment before relaxing a fraction.

“No,” Peter said. “Let’s go.” He left without looking back.

Tommy stared at William for a minute and chewed his lip.

“Tommy!” Peter shouted from the hall.

Tommy turned and walked out without a word.

William had gotten through to Tommy. Somehow, something he’d said had made a difference. Problem was, Tommy wasn’t the decision maker.

“It’s a girl,” said Travis.

Elation and exhaustion battled Evan’s shaken body. Sweat poured from her brow, and she tried to keep her eyes open to see the baby.

“Look what we made.” He rubbed down the pink infant with a soft towel and then set her in Evan’s awaiting arms.

The small bundle wriggled and squalled in her arms. A tiny fist balled up in her palm.

“Hey there.” A tear leaked from her cheek. A girl. She had a baby girl.

Strong arms surrounded her as a long, muscular body spooned up behind her.

“What should we name her?” he asked.

Evan shook her head, unable to form coherent sentences. Emotions raced through her so fast she didn’t even know how to register them.

“You should feed her.” A pair of lips touched her hair.

“I…don’t know how,” she whispered.

“I’ll help you.” A nurse stepped forward and helped Evan attach the infant.

The connection between her and the baby suddenly completed. In the small suckling sensation, Evan’s entire being awoke with a protective instinct she’d never possessed before. This tiny being was her life now. Her everything.

“Chéri,” Evan whispered. “Her name is Chéri.”

“Like Mon Chéri?” Travis mused. “It’s perfect.”

Evan kissed her baby’s soft, dark curls and then opened the blanket to look at all of her. She was perfect. Round and rosy with a pert, tiny nose and ten pudgy, little fingers and toes. Everything about her baby, everything she’d hoped and wished for, had come true.

“A family,” she said. “A real family.”

“I’ve spent so many years praying for this moment.”

She looked up into his dark eyes and smiled. “Me too.”

He tilted her chin and pressed his lips to hers. “Thank you.”

Evan awoke and sat up suddenly. “Travis!”

She blinked several times and tried to focus on her surroundings as dim sunlight filtered in through the window. She scanned for the baby bassinette, and then reality hit her like a cold slap of ice water.

“Mon Chéri,” she whispered, holding the tears at bay.

Her heart ached as memories bombarded her. Clear as a sunlit day, the agony was as fresh as if it had just happened. Travis was gone. Chéri was gone. And all she had now was herself.

Evan stood and walked into the bathroom. She threw water on her face and then brushed her hair. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she told herself to keep it together. She couldn’t afford a meltdown. Not now.

Her thoughts drifted to William. The sun would set soon. Most of the people in the enclave would head off to bed. She could sneak down and see him. Maybe bring him something to eat and some water. Not that Lou would allow her to. But he had told the guards down there to give her access. So what Lou didn’t know…

“Dammit, Evan. What the hell are you doing?” She stared at herself long and hard. Why was she putting herself on the line for him? How could she let him get into her head? After everything that had happened, was she really that weak? That stupid? Helping William around this place was bound to get her killed.

“Evan?” Tommy’s voice sounded from the doorway.

She wiped her face with a towel and then walked into the room. “How’d you get in here?”

He held up a card key.

“Does that open every door?”

“Yup. It’s a master key.”

“What’s up?” she asked.

“I came by to see if you maybe wanted to go eat.” He held out a chain with food chips on it.

Her stomach growled loudly. She snatched the chain and slung it around her neck. “Why not?”

“Cool.” Tommy gave her a wide, lopsided smile.

She shoved her feet into a pair of boots and followed him into the hallway. “Where’s Peter?”

“Uh… He and I aren’t talkin’ right now.” He glanced away sheepishly.

“What happened?” She sighed. The brothers were always at it about something.

“Doesn’t matter. But we can eat with his family anyway.”

She drew her brows together. “His family?”

They reached the elevator. “Yeah, you remember, Alexa. Short, curvy, mouth like a sailor?”

“Sure,” replied Evan.

“Yeah well they got together about six months after you disappeared. Have a kid. He’s one.”

“Seriously?”

Tommy chuckled and nodded.

“Wow. I never saw that comin’.”

“No one did,” said Tommy.

They exited the elevator and walked into the lobby. It was full of people. People talking or reading. Kids running around or playing games. Guards joked and spoke with each other. Everywhere she looked, there were people.

“Hey, Evan,” Joe caught up with them. “How are you adjusting?”

“Great. Thanks for asking.” She pushed her hair behind her ear.

“That’s great. I’m about to head to work. Maybe after we can play cards or something.”

The words to decline his offer hung on her tongue. Her thoughts turned to William and for a fraction, guilt struck her. How could she play cards when he was stuck in a cell?

“Maybe. I’ll see how my leg is feeling.”

“Cool.” He beamed as he walked away. “Tommy, you’re invited too. I still owe you a whooping from the last time we played.”

Tommy chuckled and raised his hand to wave.

She watched Joe jog away and her gut clenched in guilt. The feeling that she was betraying William overpowered her. It was a stupid feeling. She wasn’t married to him.

A toddler zoomed in front of her on a tricycle almost knocking into a potted plant. “Dang, it’s full in here,” she mused.

“Yeah, it gets this way at dinner time. Most other times people are working or sleeping. Kids are at school or helping do chores. Dinner is the one time that everyone gets together. Then it’s lights out by ten.”

“Sounds like a prison.”

“It’s keeping the peace. Without rules, this place would be in chaos in days.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Dinner consisted of ham and potatoes. There were a variety of vegetables and for dessert was something she hadn’t seen in years. Pudding.

“Slaves aren’t allowed to eat pudding,” she said.

“Really? Why?” asked Tommy.

“They’re put on strict diets for health reasons.” She turned in her food chip and headed for a table with Tommy.

“I wonder if that will change though,” she said. “The restrictions on diets, I mean.”

“Why?” Tommy shoved a forkful of ham into his mouth.

“Haven’t you heard? We are being set free.”

“What do you mean, set free?”

“So, I was in Chicago and the coven lord there had set all her slaves free. About a year or so ago she uncovered a giant warehouse of humans that had been used in an underground blood market. She gave them a choice. Go free, or stay and be allowed to choose who they wanted to work with.”

A strange expression crossed his face. “You’re serious?”

“Totally. I was given the choice myself a dozen times, but they always sent me back.”

He chuckled. “I can’t imagine why.”

She slugged him in the shoulder. “All I did was talk to the other slaves. Tried to get them to stand up for themselves. Tell them there were places they could go for refuge. Like here. Apparently that wasn’t something the Vampires liked.”

He laughed again and then his smile fell.

“What?” she asked.

“You were in Chicago?”

“Yeah, why?”

He swallowed. “Nothin’.”

He pointed to a booth in the corner where Alexa sat with a baby in a high chair. She waved them over and they slid into a booth.

A tingle raced up Evan’s spine. Tommy refused to meet her eye.

“Hi,” said Alexa. “Wow. I can’t believe you’re sitting here. I’ve been listening to the boys bemoan your disappearance for so long it’s just so weird that you’re back.”

Evan swallowed, unsure of what to say. “Uh… thanks?”

“This is Petie.”

Evan looked over at the baby and every muscle in her body tensed. Dark hair and large round blue eyes. Just like Chéri.

“How old is he?” She cleared her throat in an effort to keep her barely contained emotions at bay a bit longer.

“He just turned a year last week.” Alexa spooned mashed up food into his mouth.

A year. Just like Chéri would be.

Petie smiled at Evan and gave her raspberries, spitting baby food all over his face.

Alexa laughed. “He loves to do that. I swear he gets more on his face and clothes than he does in his stomach.”

Evan couldn’t tear her eyes away from Petie. The chubby, happy baby face filled her with a bone-deep sense of longing to know where Chéri was
.

“May I?” Evan asked.

Alexa handed over Petie’s plate and spoon. “Be my guest. Do you mind watching him while I go grab a shower? I have work in thirty minutes.”

Evan smiled. “Not at all.”

“Great. Thank you so much.” Alexa picked up her own empty tray of food and stood.