Jenna Black - The Devil You Know

Once upon a time, I’d have sat next to him on the couch and had a good snuggle—which would have led to a passionate bout of lovemaking. Now, I felt like I was with a stranger, maybe even a hostile one, so I sat on the love seat instead, my hands folded in my lap.

“Do you know how to fire that?” I asked him, and his eyes widened in surprise. I guess he hadn’t been expecting the question. “If you don’t, then I’d be more comfortable if you gave it to me. Just in case my new friend manages to get in the building and breaks down the door.”

His mouth tightened into a grim line, but he put the Taser on the coffee table and slid it across to me. I was glad to have something to hold on to, even if my palm was clammy and my taped fingers made the grip awkward.

“So, what’s the story?” he asked, and his voice was now carefully neutral. It was his lawyer-voice, and I’d always hated it.

A part of me wanted to spill my guts, tell him everything, lean on him so I wouldn’t feel so alone anymore. And despite Andy, and Adam, and Lugh, I really was alone. I distrusted all three of them, to differing degrees and for different reasons. Brian had always been someone I trusted.

But I had done everything I could so far to keep the chaos of my life from dragging him down with me, and I wasn’t going to let my selfish desire for comfort ruin everything.

“There’s not a whole lot to tell,” I lied. “I ran afoul of a rogue demon, and he’s made it clear he’s planning to come after me. I found out tonight that the host I met him in had been abandoned in an alley, and I realized his best chance of getting close to me was through someone I know. Do you have any vacation time coming to you? Is there any chance you could get out of town for a week or two?”

Brian laughed, but it was a bitter sound. “You don’t learn, do you? I’m not the type to run and hide.”

Heat flushed my face, and I had to pull back the reins on my temper. “I understand that. I really do. But this guy’s a demon. And we have no idea what body he’s in. There’s no way you can protect yourself from that.”

“Why is this demon after you?”

It was the question I’d been dreading, the question I had no good answer for. I did the best I could, though I’m a lousy liar. “I tried to exorcize him. I failed, and he got away. Now it’s payback time.”

Brian rolled his eyes. “That’s bullshit. If a rogue demon had escaped confinement, it would be all over the news. I haven’t heard a peep.”

I did my best to improvise, but I knew my answer came too slowly, showing that I had to think a minute. “The police are trying to keep it quiet to prevent a panic.”

He stood up, shaking his head. “Either tell me the truth, or I walk. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a grown, capable man. I don’t need you to protect me.”

I knew it was a stupid thing to do, but I couldn’t help the snort of laughter. I tried to turn it into a cough, but failed. Brian glared at me, and I made a calming gesture with my hand.

“Sorry, but I’m an exorcist, and the bad guy’s a demon. There’s no one more qualified to protect you in this case than I am.”

“Bye, Morgan,” he said, spinning on his heel and striding for the door.

I surged to my feet, the Taser clutched in my hand. “Brian, please! We need to talk about this, come up with a plan, even if you’re not willing to get out of town.”

He held up his hand in a wave, not turning to look at me. Moving almost on autopilot, I armed the Taser and pointed it at his back.

“Brian, stop!” I said in my most commanding voice. When he ignored me and reached for the doorknob, I yelled even louder. “Stop, or I’ll shoot!”

That gave him pause, and he glanced over his shoulder. When he saw the Taser, the blood drained from his face.

I felt a tear drip from the corner of my eye and crawl down my cheek. Words couldn’t express how much I hated this. But how could I let him just walk away? He had absolutely no way to defend himself against a rogue demon. I doubted he could fire a Taser, even if he had one. I sniffled, but didn’t relent.

“I’m sorry if I’m offending your macho, he-man sensibilities,” I said with far more steel in my voice than I actually felt, “but if I have to save you in spite of yourself, I’ll do it.”

He blinked, hand still on the doorknob. “You dumped me, Morgan. I’m no longer your responsibility. Not that I ever was. If you’re going to shoot, go ahead and do it.”

He turned his back to me once more, turning the doorknob. My finger tightened on the trigger, and I braced my shaking hand as best I could with my other hand. The door swung open, and I willed myself to pull the trigger. Brian stepped over the threshold, and still I stood frozen in place, statue-still except for the tremors that ripped through me.

The door started to close behind him. It was my last chance. Don’t be such a baby, I urged myself. It’s for his own good, and it doesn’t matter if he hates you for it. Hell, that might even be a good thing.

After what felt like about three years, I finally found the will to pull the trigger. Just in time for the Taser probes to thunk harmlessly into the closed door.

I could have gone after him. I could have ejected the spent cartridge from the Taser and probably gotten to him while he was waiting for the elevator. The Taser could also act as a stun gun at close range, and Brian was too much on the straight and narrow to be much of a fighter. Of course, it would be a tad inconvenient if any of my neighbors saw.

Yet despite my conviction that it was the right thing to do, I didn’t follow him. Yeah, I’m a bit of a hard-ass, but let’s face it, there was no way I could stand to hurt Brian.

Remembering that Brian wasn’t the only person I needed the Taser for, I ejected the cartridge and reloaded. I tucked the Taser into the waistband of my jeans, even though that was very uncomfortable, then got out the vacuum cleaner to get rid of the cloud of confetti-like tags the cartridge ejects when it’s fired. Andy emerged from his room, and I could feel his curious gaze on me, but he didn’t say anything, even before the roar of the vacuum cleaner filled the air.

I was winding up the cord when I heard a knock on my door. My heart leapt into my throat, and I dropped the cord, reaching for the Taser. My nerves were completely shot, so when I yanked the Taser from my waistband, I fumbled and it dropped to the floor. I practically threw myself after it as the knock sounded again.

“Relax, kids,” Adam’s voice said from the hallway. “It’s just me.”

I grabbed the Taser anyway, my heartbeat still hammering wildly. I stayed on my knees for a moment, waiting for the adrenaline rush to calm. Meanwhile, Andy opened the door.

I looked up, expecting to see Adam, but instead Brian came flying through the doorway to land on his hands and knees. I blinked in confusion, finding the strength to stand up. Adam strode through the door behind Brian, his eyes narrowed.

“Look who I found trying to leave the building, completely unprotected and unarmed,” Adam said.

Andy had started to close the door, but Dominic pushed it open again, entering the apartment less dramatically than Brian or Adam had. The whole tableau left me completely unbalanced, but I did my best not to show it.

“If I’d known we were having a party, I’d have baked a cake,” I said.

Andy and Dom laughed, but neither Adam nor Brian seemed to think that was particularly funny. Adam glared at me.

“I thought you loved this guy,” he growled. “And you were just going to let him walk out of here for Der Jäger to chew up and spit out?”