Kathy Love - Demon Cant Help It

He started to recite the Latin curse, willing the words to work. To restore his sister to him.

Jo watched Maksim, her mind not really wrapping around what she was seeing. Anything that she'd seen since wandering in here this morning. Part of her still thought it had to be a dream. That was the only explanation.

But she wasn't sure. She touched Maksim, felt his thick, scaly skin, his rock-hard muscles. For someone who had always pooh-poohed the occult, she was sure getting thrust headlong into it today.

Yet, she wasn't scared. Which as Maksim pointed out, made no sense. Kara terrified her.

Maksim finished the incantation, then closed the book and waited. Jo frowned. Nothing seemed to be happening. No flash of lightning. No eerie green smoke. No choking scent of brimstone.

"Did it work?" she asked.

Suddenly, Ellina was just there. Sitting cross-legged on the desk. Boris beside her, looking downright miffed. The cat leapt down off the table, found a patch of sun, and began to clean himself.

When Jo looked back from Ellina and the cat to Maksim, he, too, had returned to the Maksim she knew—and despite all the intense weirdness—loved.

"Ellina." Maksim stepped toward her. Ellina hopped down and flung herself into her brother's arms.

"Oh, I was really beginning to believe I'd never see you again," she said, her voice matching her beauty. Lilting and lovely.

"Me, too," he said, and Jo heard deep emotion in his voice.

Jo started to slip out of the room. The siblings need time alone. Ellina had been gone a long time, and surely she wanted to tell Maksim what had happened to her to get her in that predicament.

But Ellina stopped her. "Jo. Thank you."

"I didn't do anything. Just saw you."

"Which is more than anyone else could do."

Ellina hugged Jo, and Jo found herself hugging her back as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Okay, I really am going to leave now and give you two some time to catch up." Jo looked at Maksim, but he didn't look at her in return.

She knew what she'd just seen was insane and she should be terrified of the man—or the demon—or whatever he was, but she wasn't. She just recalled what she'd shared with him. How many times he'd protected her. He'd helped her. He'd made love to her with such tenderness and caring. She didn't care what he claimed to be. She'd already seen the real Maksim. Many times.

"I love you," she said to him, knowing he wouldn't answer her. But also knowing she couldn't leave it unsaid.

Then she left.

"I like her," Ellina said, after Jo exited.

Maksim didn't respond, nor did he look toward the empty doorway, though every fiber of his being wanted to look. To go after Jo. To tell her he loved her, too.

"So you have gone and fallen in love while I was away. I can't believe it." Ellina giggled, thoroughly pleased.

"Don't believe it, then," Maksim said. His sister was always annoyingly perceptive.

"So you are denying it?"

"Yep."

Ellina sighed. "That's silly."

"Well, you know me, silly to the bitter end."

"You are going to have a bitter end, if you don't get a clue."

"Where's that cat?" Maksim said, pretending to search for the animal. "I'm going to put you back in him."

She laughed, undaunted by his threat.

"How did you end up in a cat anyway?" he asked, glad for another topic than his feelings for Jo.

"I'm not sure, honestly. I was on my way to find Vittorio, to warn him about his mother. Do you know this woman, Orabella? She's Vittorio's mother and she's crazy."

Maksim nodded, albeit noncommittally. He wasn't about to reveal he'd had a relationship of sorts with the woman. Of course, only to find out what happened to Ellina, but that hadn't worked out terribly well.

"Anyway, I was on my way to find Vittorio, to warn him his mother had learned how to make demons do her bidding, when I suddenly found myself in a cat. And a male one at that. Not pleasant."

"Do you think this person is still a threat to you?" he asked.

Ellina shrugged with her usual blithe spirit. "No. I think it was a practical joke. Probably those twin brothers of ours."

Maksim had his doubts about that, but didn't bother to say anything.

"So are you going to go find Jo and tell her you love her, too?" Ellina asked casually.

"No."

"Well, that's silly, because it's clear you do love her."

"No, I don't."

Ellina placed her hands on her hips, suddenly reminding him of Cherise. The realization he wouldn't see her again made his chest ache.

"Okay. I do love Jo."

"Ha! I knew it."

"But for the first time in my existence, I'm going to do something unselfish. I'm going to walk away. Jo deserves better than me."

"How can you say that?"

"She does. I can't be a father to her child. Not a good father."

"Jo's pregnant? I'm going to be an aunt?" Ellina's eyes lit up.

"It's not mine. It's a long story."

"Oh." She seemed slightly disappointed, and he understood that feeling all too well.

"Why do you think demons can't be fathers? Our father was a demon." Ellina pointed out.

"And would you call him a good one?"

Ellina shrugged, giving him a look that said he had a point.

"Besides, I can't even read Jo's thoughts to tell whether she really wants me or not."

Ellina made a face at him, stating she thought he was a moron. "You don't need to jump in her head. She told you how she feels. And after seeing you all red and in need of serious lotion."

Maksim shook his head. "That's the other thing. I jumped in her head once, which was selfish enough given what I knew it could do to her. I knew I couldn't read her thoughts. Yet, I did it again—and for the same damned selfish reasons. I've hurt her. I'm the reason she could see you. And she's seeing her sister because of me. How can I tell her that I did that to her?"

"Easy. Just tell her."

Ellina had a way of making things sound so simple. But how could Jo forgive him for making her see the sister whose loss devastated her once. Now it was devastating her all over again.

"No. I'm doing this. It's what is right."

With that he focused, willing himself back to Hell, back to where he belonged. He disappeared in a puff of smoke and lingering scent of sulfur.

Three weeks later…

Jo attempted to focus on her work, but she kept thinking about Maksim. She was furious with him, frankly. Every day she kept waiting for him to come to his senses, but so far he seemed determined to be stupid.

While Jo had learned so many things from her experience with him. Not the least to let go of her fears. Fears of failure, fears of losing control, fears of the past.

She'd even confronted seeing Kara again—with the help of Ellina. Kara had come to her because she'd known all this time Jo blamed herself. She'd just been trying to contact her, even though her attempts had seemed scary at the time. They were just a little girl's way of trying to get her attention.

Now Kara was gone. Both of them at peace.

Well, except for the fact that the man she loved was being ridiculous.

"Hey," Ellina appeared in the doorway of her office. Since Maksim's departure, Ellina had stepped in to help Cherise. It was wonderful, but the kids still missed Maksim.

"Hey," Jo greeted the exuberant woman. Ellina seemed to have the energy of three people.

"I discovered something in my research last night."

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

"You and Maksim are bonded."

"Excuse me?" Jo said, confused and not sure she wanted to hear anything else that would make her feel awful about him letting their relationship go.

"You are bonded. That's why he couldn't read your mind. That's one of the ways it manifests."