Lover Arisen (Black Dagger Brotherhood #20)(45)

And then he realized all he was hearing was the hissing of the extinguisher. No more screaming. Backing off the handle, he stopped the stream, but remained braced as he wheezed in the white cloud of chemicals swirling around the stacks of old books. As it dissipated, it revealed…

The shadow was gone.

“Erika!”

Conventional fighting and survival rules would have him popping two new magazines into the butts of his autoloaders, calling for backup, and doing a quick search of the aisles to clear the shop. Instead, he kept the extinguisher with him and jumped over the counter. Landing on the far side, the “old man” he’d shot was nowhere to be found. Big surprise—and there was a quick shot of satisfaction that the demon had had to clothe herself not only in that Mr. Rogers’s cardigan, but in the loosey-goosey skin of the elderly human.

“Erika!”

There was no way she’d gone out the front.

Balz bum-rushed the closed door of the cluttered storeroom, and as he ripped it open, he saw the body of the actual shop owner on the floor. A pool of blood had emanated from his head, and something had been dragged through the congealing plasma, leaving a trail, as if from the heel of a boot or shoe.

“Erika…”

As true terror gripped him, he let go of the extinguisher’s nozzle and went for his shoulder communicator—

Fuck. He hadn’t put it on because he wasn’t on rotation.

He took out his cell phone. His hand was shaking so badly that it was hard to get the thing to work. A voice command. He needed to do a—

“Call Vishous,” he ordered.

Under any other circumstances, he would have hit up Xcor, the head of the Band of Bastards. And if he had the chance for a second ring-a-ding-ding, that male was up next. But this was not a lesser he was dealing with. This demon was something else—

“Why, thank you.”

Balz jerked his head up.

Devina was standing in front of a leaning tower of plastic bins, the look on her beautiful, evil face like that of someone about to buy a new car: delight, excitement, and a good dose of self-satisfaction. In her black skinny jeans and a skintight black turtleneck, her body’s curves were set off to perfection.

And left him completely cold.

“I dressed up for you, by the way.” She swept a hand over her hip. “Do I look like a thief? Well, except for the footwear. But honestly, those soft-soled shoes you wear when you steal shit are not my thing—”

“Where is she,” Balz said in a low growl.

“Where is who?”

“Hey, Bastard,” came V’s voice out of the speaker. “What’s doing?”

Keeping his eyes on his enemy, Balz lifted the phone closer to his mouth. “I have the demon right in front of me. I need you here right now.”

“You bought Marlboros?” Vishous cursed. “I can’t believe you’re slumming like that—”

“What?”

“—after my shit. Listen, I’ll bring you some more. I’m going into a meeting with Wrath and the brothers. Soon as I’m out, I’ll hook you, true?”

Balz raised his voice. “I need you! You know where I am downtown! I have her in front of me—”

“Sure, I can do food—”

“I don’t need food!”

“Meeting’s starting. See you soon.”

As the connection was cut, the demon smiled. “He seems like a real prince of a guy. And it’s Uber Eats just with fangs, right? How chef’s kiss perfect.”

Ignoring her lip-press/finger-flare, Balz stepped over the body of the shopkeeper. “Where is she.”

“The only female you need to be looking for is me.”

“Fuck you.”

“That’s the plan.”

With a perfectly steady hand, Balz palmed his remaining dagger. “I’m never fucking you again.”

He put the blade right to his own throat, and pressed the sharp edge in over his jugular. Following a bloom of pain, he smelled more of his own blood and became aware that his shoulder was killing him.

“Never again,” he repeated.

The demon narrowed her gleaming black eyes. “You’re not going to do it. All it gets you is Hell for eternity and me left alone with your little friend. Not that I won’t enjoy my time with your girl.”

“She has a protector stronger than me.”

“Does she.” Devina waved her fingers beside her face and went ooooooooooo. “I’m so scared.”

“You should be. Lassiter will take care of her—”

“You think he’ll waste time on a human? Fine, so where is he right now?” Her tone was bored. “Will you just stop. You’re not going to kill yourself. Don’t you know you shouldn’t bluff with something like me—”

“I’m not bluffing. She’s an innocent, and if you hurt her because of me, she becomes one of his own.” Devina’s stare narrowed and he nodded. “I kill myself and she’s free for two reasons. No more ties to me and no way you’re going to get at her.”

“I thought you said she didn’t mean anything to you.” Devina cocked an eyebrow. “Or did you think I couldn’t hear you then?”

“Have fun with that fallen angel.”