Мишель Роуэн - Something Wicked

“Ooh, point for Darrak.” Theo grinned. “Maybe you’re not as whipped as I thought. If he didn’t tell you that, I guess he didn’t tell you about the dude I strangled out back, either.”

Eden felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Theo killed Graham. She knew it.

She looked at Darrak. Why didn’t he tell her? Why would he keep this from her?

“Don’t make a big deal about this,” Darrak told her. “Not now. Please.”

Don’t make a big deal about murder? About a demon who sucked the life energy out of anyone he wanted and who was about to do the same to a dozen more? About Theo snuffing out Graham’s life like he meant nothing?

If she made a big deal, if she freaked out right now and ruined this, they wouldn’t get the chance to break Darrak’s curse. It pained her to bite her tongue, to restrain her power, even though she was shaking inside with anger and disgust, but that’s exactly what she did.

For now.

“Later, then,” she said quietly, her throat tight with trying to keep herself under control. “But these people have to leave here so they can have a chance to recover.”

Darrak glanced at the backs of the zombies’ heads. “Is there another way for Asmo to feed today, Theo?”

“Sure.” Theo sat down on a leather armchair near the dance floor and put his feet up on a glass table. “One fully energized human — or almost human — will be better than twelve nearly drained ones any day.”

Darrak’s eyes narrowed. “Eden is not on the menu.”

Theo sighed wearily. “Well, I guess that will be up to him, won’t it?” He looked up at the ceiling. “Asmodeus? We’re ready. Let’s do this.”

If Theo thought he could serve her up on a platter, then he had another think coming to him. Theo knew she was a black witch. She’d sworn not to use her power again — and she really didn’t want to if she could help it. But she would if she had no other choice.

The air began to crackle with more electricity — but it wasn’t because of her. It raised the fine hair on Eden’s arms.

“It’s over,” she said. “I’m leaving. And I’m taking those people with me. This needs to stop right now.”

Theo looked at her. “Oh, Red, it’s way too late for that.”

The lights in the club flickered. The ground trembled. The buzz that had been low frequency before grew louder and louder.

Darrak and Eden exchanged a glance before she forced herself to look away.

He’d lied to her again. He’d brought her here where a demon lay in wait ready to drain anyone who came into his path.

“I don’t care what you say,” she snapped. “I’ll stop this. I’ll—”

She suddenly realized she couldn’t speak or move. She was frozen in place.

And a demon lord with a big appetite was about to arrive.

“This is perfect,” Theo said. “I was concerned about Lucifer figuring things out, but it doesn’t really matter. Asmo will protect us until we can figure out a new plan.”

Darrak couldn’t stop looking at Eden. It was Asmo who had frozen her in place. A glance at the other humans showed that they were unmoving as well. The best way to deal with potential prey was to paralyze them and ensure they couldn’t fight back.

“He’s coming,” Theo said.

He was right. Darrak could feel it. The building felt alive, throbbing with energy, and. . kind of lusty, too.

Suddenly, the club grew darker, the walls literally turning black. But it wasn’t really the walls — it was smoke. Black smoke coated every inch of the club and bled down to the floor. It looked like ankle deep, thick black mist that rippled and undulated.

Eden’s gaze widened nearly imperceptibly, and Darrak could tell she was afraid.

It bothered him.

But he couldn’t go to her. Not now. There was no time.

Asmodeus was about to have his awakening. Now Darrak wished he’d brought some of that fiesta dip. It seemed like an event worth celebrating. The beginning of the rest of Darrak’s existence would begin after this short break.

Please stand by.

“Welcome, my lord,” Theo said with reverence. He stood up from his seat.

“GREETINGS, ALL,” a deep and booming voice sounded. It echoed through the club. “I’M GLAD YOU COULD JOIN ME TODAY. THIS IS GOING TO BE SO AWESOME!”

Asmo had always been one of the more enthusiastic demon lords.

“Welcome, Asmodeus,” Darrak said as well.

“DARRAK! IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME. HOW’VE YOU BEEN, PAL?”

His eyes flicked toward Eden, standing so still and silent. “I’ve been better, actually.”

“RIGHT? TRUST ME, I KNOW. I FEEL YOUR PAIN, MAN. I MEAN, LOOK AT ME RIGHT NOW. IT SUCKS TO BE BODILESS.”

“Not for long,” Theo said. “It’s your time, what we’ve been building to. Take form now, Asmodeus, and show us your magnificence once again.”

Theo had always been a bit of a brownnoser.

“YEAH, ABOUT THAT. THERE’S A TEENY BIT OF A PROBLEM.”

“What?”

“I CAN’T TAKE FORM. JUST TRIED. NO LUCK.”

Theo frowned. “Then what should we do now?”

“PLAN B. I’LL TAKE A PERMANENT BODY. NOW THAT I SEE I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE, I’M COOL WITH IT.”

“Oh. . uh.” Theo wrung his hands. “Great. Well, whatever works, right? As you can see I’ve assembled a nice assortment of humans here for you. Please, feel free to take your pick.”

Darrak had moved to stand between Theo and Eden so he had a better view of the lounging zombielike humans. He realized for the first time that one of them was Nancy.

Why was she still here? Wasn’t she with Stanley last night?

But Stanley worked for Theo. It all came back to Theo, didn’t it?

Darrak pushed away the sinking feeling he felt at seeing the familiar face.

“I’VE TASTED ALL OF THESE ONES BEFORE.” The smoke gathered and moved toward the group like an anchored storm cloud. “AH, THIS ONE I’VE ONLY NIBBLED ON.” Darkness covered the body of the man sitting next to Nancy like a shroud. There was a slight, strangled cry, and then the darkness moved away. Nothing of the man remained.

“OOPSIE. GOT A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY. I’M SO HUNGRY!”

“It’s not a problem,” Theo said tensely. “There are plenty more where he came from.”

The same thing would have happened to the women who disappeared. It bothered Darrak more than he’d like to admit. Asmo took the lives of humans as if he was Forrest Gump sampling from a box of chocolates.

“HMM. . WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE? SHE’S NEW, ISN’T SHE?”

Darrak thought he was referring to Nancy, but the smoke had shifted direction. It approached Eden instead.

“No,” Darrak said, but it was too quiet, so he said it again, louder. “No. Theo, I told you. He doesn’t get to touch Eden.”

Theo shrugged. “What Asmo wants, Asmo gets. Just accept it, Darrak.”

“Stop him.”

“You think I have that kind of control?”

“If he harms Eden, there’s going to be a problem.”

Theo smiled and placed a hand on Darrak’s shoulder. “Come on, just chill.”

Darrak pushed his friend back from him. Hard. Theo staggered back, surprised, but then fire appeared in his narrowing gaze.

“Don’t do that,” he warned.

“Stop Asmodeus now.”

“No.” Theo shoved Darrak.

Darrak held his hand out to his side and summoned his fire. He turned to the smoke gathering at Eden’s feet. Her expression hadn’t changed. She looked almost serene, but there was a slight tension to her forehead and her eyes moved back and forth.

So not as serene as she looked at first glance. Terrified. And Darrak would be willing to bet that she had no access to her black magic at the moment, if she was tempted to use it. And he wouldn’t blame her at all this time if she did.