Torn (22 page)

And, of course, there was that other issue about the third piece. The issue that focused on Deacon and the fact that I didn’t trust him and feared he was playing both sides against the middle, looking for the relic as well so that he could wield the
Oris Clef
.

Antsy, I shifted my weight. “So I keep it, right? I mean, we know it won’t pop if I’m not wearing it . . .”

“You keep it,” he said reluctantly. “Do not take it off your neck.” He pointed to each of us in turn. “Tomorrow. Training. Time is drawing short.”

“Sure. No problem.”

As Clarence slouched out of there, I glanced down and wiggled my toes, intending only to hide my victorious smile, but at the same time pleased to find that they were all functioning again. This superhealing thing really was cool.

“You are well?” Zane asked.

I nodded, then reached over and squeezed Kiera’s fingers. “You really earned your keep this time.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Just doing the job.” She climbed to her feet. “And now I’m ravenous. Zane, we’re gonna grab a bite. With us?”

His eyes cut to mine, and he shook his head. “No, thank you,
chérie
. I am content to stay here.”

“Tomorrow,” I said, my heart twisting a little. I stood, then brushed my fingertips along his jaw, catching the stubble of his chin, and offered him a small smile.

“Indeed,
ma chérie
.”

“So we can eat, right?” Kiera asked, as the elevator climbed. “I’m totally starving.”

“I need to check on Rose,” I said. More specifically, I needed to make sure that Lucas hadn’t decided to peek out at Rachel. “I’ll just grab something at the pub. You want to go there?”

She shook her head. “And have Rachel put me to work? Nope. I’ll find something.”

“So who is that guy?” Kiera asked as we headed toward the pub. “The one who keeps trying to kill us?”

I looked at her sideways. “I thought you said he was a demon.”

“Nope. Got a whiff of him this time. No demon there.”

“Really?” I hoped I looked astounded. “Well, he’s not human—that’s for sure.” She was eyeing me suspiciously, and I didn’t much like it. “He was pretty impressive. Maybe he’s so high up on the demon hierarchy that he doesn’t register for you.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, when you figure it out, tell me.”

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I will.”

Fortunately, she let the matter drop, though she was still looking disturbed when she pulled up in the alley.

Since I wasn’t keen on working either, I had her drop me at the back door. My vague plan was to signal to Rose, have her tell Rachel I was there, tired, and was heading home, then ease back into the alley and onto the bike.

It didn’t work that way. Primarily because I didn’t even get the back door open before I was jumped by a demon who’d been hiding out in the Dumpster. And not only did he smell disgusting, he looked it, too.

In other words, this wasn’t a human-looking demon. This was a beast of the straight-from-hell variety, and he was coming toward me full speed. Wings flapping, claws slashing.

And as if that weren’t the worst of it, five other demons raced into the alley only moments after Kiera’s car pulled out.

Wasn’t that just lovely?

I pulled out my knife and prepared to get into it again, though I have to admit I didn’t much like the odds.

As the winged demon swooped in for an attack, the other demons lurched toward me, blocking my exit.

I was trapped. And that, frankly, sucked.

Figuring I had no choice but to blow through, I climbed onto my bike, and only then realized that I’d managed to lose my key somewhere. I was debating whether it would be better to search for the key or run for it when I saw Deacon on the fire escape of the opposite building.

At first, a wall of anger rose within me as I remembered the thoughts I’d snatched from my demonic opponent. Had Deacon come to betray me? Had he set up this ambush so he could get the first two relics of the
Oris Clef
from me?

I didn’t know, and I didn’t want to hang around to find out.

About that, though, I appeared to have little choice.

And every second, the demons got closer. Soon, I was going to have to dismount and fight.

“Lily!” Deacon called.

Something small and silver rose up from the ground and floated toward him. He snatched it out of the air, then turned it around and winged it back at me. I caught it, then opened my hand.

My key.

I glanced up at Deacon, more than a little astounded by this levitation thing. “Go,” he said. “Just go.”

I didn’t hesitate. I fired the engine, kicked the bike into gear, and took off down the alley.

The demons rushed in, but so did Deacon, and he was enough of a badass that he cleared a path for me.

I gunned it forward and realized that Kiera was racing toward me in her car.

“Get out,” I yelled to her, waving my arms to signal her to reverse the hell out of there. “Just back off, now!”

She did, her eyes going wide with surprise. I raced past her, squeezing the bike in between the wall and her car, then careening around the corner and racing on toward freedom.

Rose, I figured, could stay with Rachel just a little while longer.

TWENTY-THREE

I circled the block, tempting fate and speeding tickets, then parked in front of the pub. I didn’t think the demons would go inside. For one, I didn’t think Deacon would let them. For another, I was pretty certain Lucas Johnson would defend his turf.

I couldn’t be certain, though, and that was my sister in there. And I wasn’t leaving her alone with a demon battle going on in the alley behind her.

I burst through the double doors so violently that all heads in the bar turned to look at me, Rachel and Rose included. I signaled to them to follow me, and they rushed to my side at a secluded table near the kitchen.

“Demons,” I said, keeping my voice low enough that the few late-afternoon patrons didn’t hear me. “In the alley.”

“Are they still out there?” Rachel asked, sidling closer to me.

“No.” The answer came from behind us, and I turned to find Deacon standing in the door to the kitchen. “It’s safe.”

Rachel looked between me and Deacon.

“Where’s Kiera?”

I shot Deacon a significant look, afraid that Kiera had seen Deacon, whom she knew only as a badass demon, toss me my key, and had drawn the wrong—or, technically, the right—conclusion. “I don’t know,” I said, my voice dark.

“Right,” Rachel said briskly. “You know what? I’m shutting the bar down early tonight anyway. I can take Rose home with me.”

I hesitated, then nodded. “Sure. Thanks. I just need to have a little chat with Deacon before you close up.”

She nodded stiffly. “Sure. No problem.”

Beside her, I saw Rose blink back tears. I wanted to rage and to scream and to beat Lucas Johnson to a bloody pulp. That, however, was nothing new. Instead, I pressed a kiss to the top of Rose’s head. “We’re going to be okay,” I said. “I promise.”

And my sister—my sweet, trusting sister—nodded. And didn’t say one word about all the promises I’d already broken.

I couldn’t think about that now. I’d made a promise to keep Rose safe, and I’d blown it in a big way. But maybe, just maybe, I could somehow make it all come out right in the end.

To do that, though, I needed to know who my allies were. And right then, I feared I’d messed up on that one big-time.

I pointed a finger at Deacon. “You. Outside. Now.”

I followed him back out to the alley. Not only did I want privacy, but I wanted to see for myself that the demon hordes had disappeared. They had. All I saw when we went out back was the dank filth of a dark alleyway, the afternoon light filtering through the dust like a curtain.

“They’re getting more aggressive,” Deacon said. “Stay with me, Lily. You and Rose. We need to make sure you’re safe.”

“Safe?” I repeated, my temper snapping. “Is that what you call it?”

He wore the dark glasses still, but he cocked his head, as if I were a curious animal in a zoo.

“Dammit, Deacon,” I said. “Do
not
fuck with me.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You,” I said, slamming him against a brick wall and getting right in his face. Heat arced between us, and I hated myself for noticing it. For letting it weaken me. Because right then I needed to be strong. “You son of a bitch,” I said, my voice a low, vicious hum. “
You
want the
Oris Clef
. You’ve been looking for it all along. And I’m pretty sure you have the third relic, too.”

I realized then that my arm was burning, and glanced down, hoping to see that the tattoo was lit up, wishing that I could whip through the portal right then, right there, and retrieve the damn thing from wherever Deacon had hidden it.

The tat wasn’t lit, though, and I had no explanation why my arm was doing its skin-on-fire routine.

“I search only for the key to
lock
the gates, Lily. And you damn well know it.”

“I don’t,” I said as the air cracked between us. “I wish I did, but I’ve seen things, Deacon.”

“What things?”

“Dangerous things,” I whispered, pitching my voice low and bringing my body in close. I wanted him—so help me, I did—but right then I wanted the truth more. “Why doesn’t Clarence want you dead? Why did the demon I killed earlier believe that you’re on a quest for the
Oris Clef
? How did you know that we were in China?” My lips brushed over his ear, and I heard a low growl rise in his throat. “You’ve been playing me, Deacon, and I don’t much like it.”

The growl turned into a roar, and he grabbed my shoulders, whipping us around and slamming my back to the wall. “Playing you?” he asked, his hand skimming down my thigh, then gliding back up to cup my crotch. “Have I been?” His mouth closed over mine, and my knees went weak. I was held up only by his kiss and his intimate touch, and dammit—
dammit
—the man had me losing my head.

“Maybe I have been playing you,” he continued as soon as he broke the kiss. This time it was his voice that was low, edgy. “But only because I want you. Because I need you. And not to find the
Oris Clef
. If I wanted to, I could find that key all on my own.”

My heart was pounding in my chest. “What do you mean?”

He slid his hands up my body, bringing his hips in close. I could feel his erection, and I wanted him. Wanted him so desperately, and I hated myself for craving him. For needing him. He was darkness. He was danger. And yet somehow, when he touched me, the darkness inside seemed to fade, and the demons I’d absorbed backed off.

I needed that.

I needed
him
.

Right then, however, was not the time.

I needed answers, not lust, and I was determined to get them.

Before he could react, I reached up and ripped his glasses off. His eyes met mine, and I held on, my hands on either side of his face, holding him still. I felt the
snap
, had one moment of regret that I’d yet to learn stealth, and I let myself get sucked inside even as Deacon’s guttural curse echoed in my ears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snap.
I was out, and Deacon had backed off, his breath coming fast, his expression furious. “Goddamn it, Lily.”

“You don’t want it,” I said, the pieces I’d seen finally coming together. “You weren’t trying to find the
Oris Clef
. You were trying to hide it.”

“I worked for Penemue,” he said, his voice dark. “When he realized I was no longer loyal, he tossed me into the pit.”

I licked my lips. “That’s how you became a Tri-Jal.”

He met my eyes. “I deserve the mark of the Tri-Jal, Lily. The things I have done—”

“—you tried to rectify.” I took his hand. “Deacon. Do you know where the third piece is?”

He shook his head. “I’ve already told you, Lily. It’s too dangerous. The key restored is too dangerous to be in the hands of Penemue or Kokbiel.”

“I would never let them get it.”

“It is too dangerous even for you.”

“But—”

“I destroyed it,” he said flatly.

“I thought it couldn’t be destroyed.”

He looked me dead in the eye. “I managed.”

“I—”

But I didn’t get the chance to speak. Because at the end of the alley, I saw Kiera, her eyes wide, her expression one of utter betrayal.

I realized my clothes were askew, and that she’d seen me clinging to Deacon. Not the vision. But the wildness of our bodies. Of our touch.