Renegade (17 page)

“Yep,” I said and drove away.

The Vile

I watched them from the darkness… beneath the cloak of shadows. They were so caught up in what they were doing they didn’t even know I was lurking… planning… plotting.

It appeared these two had an alliance of some sort. The light one seemed to be wary of the dark one… Perhaps the dark one held more power. He was definitely more corrupt. Living in hell and being bound to Beelzebub made sure of that. I was impressed with the way he managed to stir everything up when he invaded that gluttonous Prince’s castle. He could be an asset to my team, to my twisting.

The light one, he appeared more stable, more able to resist the temptation of the twisted part inside him. Yet, I knew it was there, could be cultivated, could be stirred… could be used.

Perhaps I had been too hasty in tossing hellhounds out of hell all those centuries ago. These two sure looked interesting and so full of evil possibilities.

Why, even at this very moment they were dumping a dead body in an alleyway. It wouldn’t be my first choice for disposing of a body, but it would do. A satisfied smile curved my lips as I watched. Tomorrow, when the body was discovered, just a little more hope that the world wasn’t as bad as it seemed would slip away. One more person—perhaps more—would be swayed to my side, toward the darkness. With a little more urging on my part, I would have more warped citizens roaming the earth and causing even more corruption.

I rubbed my hands together in anticipation.

Someday I would gain enough power here to completely take over. It might take hundreds or thousands of years, but I was a patient man. I would enjoy every corruption, every perversion between now and then. I would savor the taste of goodness’ death and I would feast on the souls of the dead.

Yes, these two hellhounds with their uneasy alliance would be a perfect fit for my plans. It might take a bit of coercing to get them to agree. But I didn’t mind the work. It would all pay off in the end.

And me?

Well, I would have two very loyal and nasty hounds to do my bidding.

Heven

I heard Sam’s truck coming up the drive and rushed down the stairs and out onto the porch to meet him. I heard Kimber following, probably wondering how I was going to tell him Beelzebub had gotten free, but I didn’t look back at her.

Yes, I needed to tell him what was going on, but I also just wanted to see him. Sometimes amidst chaos it was nice to feel grounded. Sam grounded me. His love was like a weight that kept me tethered to reality. It keep me from spinning away into the unknown.

He pulled up next to Kimber’s car. I know he noticed the condition it was in, but to his credit he didn’t jump out asking me if my inner pyro had been at it again.

I was just about to greet him when the passenger side door opened and Riley stepped out. He looked the same as always—dark hair that had grown and now fell into his very dark, piercing eyes and a body that looked hard as ever.

“You came after all,” I said as he moved around the truck. He didn’t look at me. He was busy staring at the charred remains of the VW Bug.

“Who barbequed the car?” he asked as Kimber came out on the porch behind me.

“Kimber and I had a disagreement,” I said shortly.

Riley laughed.

Sam lifted just one of his eyebrows in silent inquiry.

I shook my head.
Don’t ask,
I told him.

“As you can see, I’m still in one perfect piece,” Kimber announced, coming to stand beside me. I stifled an eye roll.

Riley snorted. “I’ve seen better,”

Kimber made a sound in the back of her throat. “Please. You wouldn’t know beauty if it hit you over the head.”

Riley grinned and motioned to himself. “Hell-O, definition of beauty is standing right here.”

Kimber wasn’t amused.

I was. Riley was exactly the kind of torture I’d endure seeing Kimber put up with.

She turned to me. “Why is he here?”

“I think you know why,” I told her.

“I’m starving,” Riley said. “Please tell me you have food.” He came up the steps, brushing by Kimber, causing her to stumble. “Watch it, Red. Don’t get in the way of a man and his meal.”

She let out an outraged wail and the next thing I knew Riley was lifted off his feet and pinned against the roof of the porch.

“What the hell?” Riley said, flailing his arms and legs to no avail.

Sam appeared at my side instantly, staring up at Riley with a grim expression on his face.

“Kimber. Put Riley down,” I said.

“Apologize,” she bit out, looking up.

Riley crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her.

“Fine.” She growled. “You might be able to catch a few bugs up there for supper,” she shot out, then went inside, slamming the door behind her.

“What a witch,” Riley mumbled.

“She has her powers back?” Sam said, ignoring Riley.

I nodded. “They came back when she was here earlier. We were arguing…” I glanced up at Riley and then back at Sam, lowering my voice. “About Cole.”

“Why Cole?” he asked.

“I might have told her he was in love with someone else.”

Sam sighed.

“I can hear you, you know,” Riley said dryly. Then he raised his voice so it would carry inside. “Ain’t no wonder Red’s having issues in the man department. No one wants to date crazy!”

Something inside banged and then Riley hit the ground with a sharp smack.

I looked at him. “Do you think you could maybe stop instigating her? We have to live here with her and she’s already mad enough.”

“Live
here
?” Sam asked.

“I asked her to stay with us for a while.” I explained. “I thought it would keep her away from Cole. Plus, now that she has her powers back, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on her.”

“Good luck with that,” Riley said, then went in the house.

I didn’t hear any yelling so I thought maybe Kimber had gone up to her room.

“I thought he’d never leave,” Sam said, pulling me into his arms. He rested his chin on the top of my head and I let out a sigh.

“Glad you’re home,” I mumbled against him.

“Yeah, me too.”

“What did you do with the body?”

“I left it in the alleyway behind the gym.”

I pulled back, searching his face. “Do you think that was a good idea?”

Sam shrugged. He looked tired. He opened his mouth to explain and I put my fingers over it.

“Forget it. It doesn’t matter. You did what you thought was best.”

“I love you,” he said against my skin.

I smiled and pulled my fingers away. “Love you.”

Inside, cupboards banged and I heard the refrigerator door open. I sighed and went in the house, Sam following along beside me. I grabbed his plate from the oven and Riley tracked my movements, scowling when I handed it to Sam.

I smiled. “Relax there’s more.” I shooed him over to the table and began to make him a plate.

“So when did he get out?” I asked Riley.

“Who?”

“Beelzebub. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To tell us he escaped.”

Sam shook his head. “He didn’t know.”

“What have you been doing down there, Riley?”

“Causing trouble,” he said, but then he glanced away and I knew he was doing more than that.

“Did you find the souls?”

“What is this, twenty questions?”

I took that as a no and handed him a heaping plate of warmed macaroni and cheese. He attacked the plate with single-minded precision.

I put the rest of the bowl in the microwave to heat, knowing he was going to eat it all.

What’s he doing here?
I asked Sam.

I’m not really sure.
He glanced at Riley.
Maybe he was just hungry.

“I’m going to call Cole and Gemma. They need to know about Beelzebub.”

Sam nodded while I made the phone calls. When I hung up, I said, “They’re coming over.”

Riley still hadn’t looked up from his almost empty plate. I sighed and brought the bowl with the rest of the noodles and slid it under his nose.

“I love you,” he said, not bothering to look up.

Sam bristled, but I laughed. “How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”

“I had some—” He began, then seemed to stop himself and shrugged. “A while.”

I looked at Sam. He shrugged too.

I rolled my eyes.
Men
.

“Have you even tried to find the souls?” I asked, sitting down next to Sam.

“They aren’t just sitting out in the open,” Riley replied. Then he set down his fork. “But I have an idea.”

I nodded.

“And let me tell you, the Devourer is a real pain in the ass. I don’t know how you get him to do anything.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What did you do to him?”

“More like what did he do to me…”

“I’ll bring extra Sinckers next time I go down there. You probably traumatized the poor thing.”

“It’s a giant dragon.” Riley pointed out. “With a brain the size of a peanut. He doesn’t get traumatized.”