Jenna Black: The Devil Inside

Honestly, I wasn’t stupid enough to think I could take out four men-at least one of whom was a demon-even if my hands hadn’t been cuffed behind my back, but at this point, I had nothing left to lose.

I managed to stomp his instep and incite a curse from the man who’d cuffed me, but then Andrew crossed the distance between us and grabbed me. My struggles were useless as he dragged me up the stairs.

The stairway exited into a parking deck. My captors pulled off their hoods before venturing out, but the deck was deserted at this hour of the morning. I considered screaming for help, but Andrew was dragging me toward a black SUV only a couple of yards away. Even if someone heard me-unlikely-we’d be in the SUV and out of here before help could arrive.

We all piled in, with me sandwiched between Andrew and another of his minions. Andrew appropriated the Taser his flunky had used on Adam, pointing it at me and smiling pleasantly.

“In case Lugh has any ideas,” he said.

I tried not to think about their plans for me. And I tried not to think about what might be happening to Brian, and Adam, and Dominic. The goon squad here had let them live, but they were still in hostile territory.

A tear snaked down my cheek, and I couldn’t wipe it away. I ground my teeth, willing myself to stay strong. Pain gathered behind my right eye. Apparently, Lugh had ideas, but with Andrew’s Taser, he would be as helpless as I was. That didn’t stop him from trying, and I mentally cursed him. I was going to be in plenty of pain soon enough. I didn’t need this.

Another tear leaked out of my eye. This time Andrew noticed.

“We’ll make it as quick as possible,” he assured me.

“Fuck you!” was my incisive rejoinder. I would have sounded a lot tougher if I hadn’t sniffled like a baby afterward.

He continued as if he hadn’t heard me. “And your friends will be fine. They can’t identify us, so they’re no threat. We have no reason to kill them.”

Except that Adam, at least, would have recognized Andrew’s voice. Andrew seemed to read that thought on my face.

“Your policeman friend might recognize my voice, but that wouldn’t be enough evidence even to arrest me, let alone convict me. Not when the only thing he could see of my face was my lovely green eyes.”

“And what about Shae? They’ve all seen her up close and personal.”

Andrew shrugged. “She’s a mercenary bitch, but she’s not a killer. And, by the way, she didn’t know she was driving you straight into us. She was trying to uphold her end of whatever bargain you made. It’s just that you’re all so predictable, it was child’s play to intercept you.”

I didn’t dignify that with an answer. Instead, I huddled around my small hope that the boys would be okay. I reminded myself of Val’s fanatical ravings about how the demons were good for mankind, etc., etc. The humans, at least, believed they were fighting for a good cause, no matter how misguided they might be. I supposed it would be harder to hold on to the illusion that they were the good guys if they went around slaughtering people who were no threat to them.

We drove first south, then west, leaving the city behind. I didn’t know where they were taking me, but when we entered the Brandywine Valley, I figured we were probably nearing our destination. The Brandywine Valley is full of farms and vineyards. Quite scenic, and a great place for a peaceful Sunday drive. Unfortunately, the picturesque landscape also meant it was easy to find a place with the kind of isolation you’d need to burn someone alive without being interrupted.

We eventually arrived at what seemed to be an industrial-sized farm. We entered the farm via a gravel road. When we got to the end of the road, there was a small cluster of other parked vehicles waiting for us.

The drive had lasted long enough to slow my adrenaline rush, but now it was back full force. My heart pounded frantically, and my mouth was so dry I couldn’t swallow. Lugh started pounding on the inside of my skull again, making me wince. But even if I knew how to let him take control, what could he possibly do when Andrew could Taser him into a mass of Jell-O?

My high heels and the gravel parking area didn’t like each other much. The moment my feet hit the ground, I tottered, and would have fallen if Andrew hadn’t held me up.

“I like your new look, by the way,” he said as he steered me around a couple of the parked cars. “But you need to practice walking in high heels. You’re pretty clumsy.”

I tried to stab his foot with my stiletto heel, but missed. He retaliated by backhanding me. I fell on my butt on the gravel, seeing stars. I tasted blood, and gathered what moisture I could to spit at him. It was a feeble attempt, and didn’t even annoy him.

He dragged me back to my feet. “I was hoping that would convince Lugh to come out and play,” he said as we resumed walking.

I could see our destination now. We were heading behind a huge barn, where seven or eight people stood clustered around what I presumed was the modern version of a classic witch-burning stake-a basketball hoop set into a concrete base and surrounded by hay, kindling sticks, and fireplace logs. My footsteps faltered. Pain stabbed through my eye, and I gasped.

“You should let him in, Morgan dear,” Andrew said, still dragging me where I most definitely did not want to go. “He can’t save you, but he can protect you from the pain.”

One of the men gathered around the stake broke off from the crowd and approached us. At first, it was so dark I couldn’t see his face, but when he came closer, I got a good look.

I must have looked comically surprised, because Jeremy Wyatt-founder and head fanatic of God’s Wrath-laughed at me. I shook my head, trying, but failing, to make sense of things.

Why would a man who advocated burning all demons alive have anything to do with a plot to overthrow Lugh and allow demons to take over unwilling humans at will? True, God’s Wrath believed that hosts couldn’t be taken over unless they were somehow unworthy, unclean people, but still…

“Surprised to see me, Ms. Kingsley?” he asked, still laughing at me.

His eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, and suddenly pieces of the puzzle started to fit together. “Have you been living in Jeremy Wyatt since the beginning, or are you a new arrival?” I asked. I didn’t suppose it much mattered, but if I could get him talking, that would put off the whole being-burned-at-the-stake thing I wasn’t looking forward to.

He smiled as if delighted with me. “Jeremy and I joined forces almost two years ago now.”

Long after the fanatical bastard had started his little hate group. “I guess Jeremy is just another sinner like the rest of us,” I said. Apparently, these demons were really into irony, possessing the people who would most hate to host them.

“What better way to tilt the scales in our favor?”

I didn’t get that at first-fear wasn’t the best catalyst for clear thinking. Then I understood. “God’s Wrath isn’t just targeting random demon hosts. You’re targeting people who host demons who support Lugh!” Like Dominic.

“Indeed. That is, in fact, why I chose Jeremy to host me.” He laughed. “His true believers would be so thrilled to know the cause I’ve been using them to fight for. But perhaps once Lugh himself is no longer agitating, these killings will become unnecessary. It breaks my heart to have to destroy my fellow demons, but it has to be done.”

Apparently, Lugh really, really objected to that. The pain in my head brought me to my knees.

“Is he trying to come out?” Wyatt asked Andrew as I gritted my teeth and tried to remember how to breathe.