Demon's Grace Ch. 28-31

"It's ok to come back?"

He smiled wide, "Honey, absolutely. It will be nice to talk shop with someone who has the same perspective as I do."

I smiled sadly as he hugged and ushered me downstairs.

CHAPTER 30

Despite words of caution, nothing eventful happened to me for the rest of the night or even during the day. I simply went window shopping and enjoyed the sunshine. People lazed around Pioneer Park and others hurried around in work clothes during lunch hours. I watched it all thinking about the banalities of life and wondering what Ezra and Taurin were doing.

By the time night eased its way in I was feeling feisty. I debated about showing off the mark Ezra gave me and decided against it. I pulled on a tight fitting red cotton shirt and black jeans. My combat boots and heavy eyeliner finished my outfit.

I walked into Zanzibar's and went immediately to the basement level. When I ordered a drink the bartender told me the first one was on the owner. I gave a half smile and walked over to the platforms to sit down. The place was already crowded and heat rose in waves from the undulating bodies.

I watched as Regina strutted in with her usual leather, her black braids held up high in a ponytail. She was almost as tall as Vi with her heeled boots on. I sipped my drink as I watched Vi's head twitch in subtle quick movements as if dissecting the smells on the air. He stilled completely and smoothly turned his head right to me. His hair was flowing loose around him much as mine was. He didn't smile and the visage on his face was almost challenging. I raised an eyebrow and saluted him with my glass. He acknowledged me with the slightest nod and turned back to Regina. She was steadily ignoring him, which probably wasn't too hard for her since she already had three men crowding her.

I decided to ignore him too and watched the dancers. I went to the other bar that was away from the demon and ordered another drink. I stayed there and contemplated my to do list. Challenge a werewolf for Taurin. Fulfill the warrant for Oldavai. Figure out how far Dr. Bardellis was willing to go to kill Ezra. I sipped my drink distractedly. What else? Figure out what to do with Regina, or at the very least pawn her problem off to someone else. Then there was that third Council member that had yet to try to knock off Taurin. And what about that other name that was after Ezra. I thought hard, but couldn't remember it.

I watched the ice clink around my glass as I swirled the liquid. The music faded and my vision focused on the wetness of the ice. I kept moving the glass in a circle and the ice cubes seemed to merge and move into each other. I stopped and brought my face closer to it. Indistinct movement appeared and threatened to erupt from under the ice. The rhythm of my breath increased and came out foggy.

"Ice demon's," came a whispery voice to my right. My head snapped up and I was looking into human looking brown eyes of a demon. I noticed that the air was doing that sparkling thing again. I turned my attention to the smell of the demon, it was rock dust. I studied him quickly and didn't see anything that distinguished him from anyone else. Black clothes, black spiked hair, exactly my height. Then there was the slightest touch on my back and I spun to my left. The air glittered in my vision.

Another demon stared into my eyes. "Ice demon's," he whispered. This one was taller than me and classily dressed. He had a scent and look to him that reminded me of Taurin. His hair was just as long as Taurin's too, only it was a strawberry wheat color.

"Pretty Icelander," I said, remembering Shorn's words.

The demon smiled smugly, "We are."

"I was repeating Shorn's words," I said, hoping to take that smug look off his face. It worked better than I thought. His white face actually paled more.

"Dove," came a southern drawl in front of me and I turned my head to Zanzibar. I watched him take a deep breath. "You weren't kidding. It's all in the eyes."

"What?" I inquired.

The Icelander demon next to me laughed and leaned in close, "Your eyes, love. Careful, or an inexperienced demon hunter might mistake you for a demon, even if you are a woman." His finger stroked down my arm, causing me to grimace.

"Excuse me." I slammed the glass on the bar behind me and headed for the restroom. I kept my eyes downcast as others passed me. When I was alone, except for another woman in the stall, I leaned in close to the mirror and studied my eyes. It was all in the eyes. They turned the color of glaciers that I'd seen in magazine pictures. Only it wasn't just the iris, the whole eye had been iced over in that opaque bluish color of Taurin's. It seemed to move and breath inside of me, constantly shifting hues and tones, this was no flat color.

"Oh fuck," I whispered.

The toilet flushed and I hurried out of the restroom, eyes downcast. I looked up briefly and made my way to Zanzibar, who was on the outside of the bar now. I leaned up against the bar and Zanzibar pushed a drink in my hands from my right. "Here," he said.

I downed it and placed my head in my hands. He rubbed my back and murmured comforting words that I didn't even hear. The Icelander demon leaned over and arched his face around Zanzibar's. He smiled at me, "It will go away, love."

I glared at him and debated telling him to fuck off or ask him how he knew. His hand stretched to me and he touched the back of my hand with the lightest touch of his long fingers. His face more serious, "It will go away. Don't look at any ice right now."

Zanzibar pushed his hand away from me. "This is Severin. He's a frequent pain in the ass at my bar," he explained.

My warm breath fogged in the chilled air surrounding me. "I can't handle this right now." I smacked the palm of my hand on my forehead. Zanzibar gently took it and placed it on the bar.

"Shhh. You'll get used to it."

I rotated my neck as I looked at the man next to me as he continued speaking. "It's going away even as we speak. Cole, a round." He pointed to the bartender and made a circling motion. A shot glass with multi colored liquids in it appeared in front of me. The three of us picked up the glasses. "To new and exciting times. May they be gentle when they put us to sleep."

I gazed thoughtfully at Zanzibar as he clinked his glass to mine and smiled. My gaze caught Severin's and we downed the shot at the same time. Zanzibar held up two fingers and signaled to Cole again. Another shot, different colors. "I'll take care of you." Zanzibar told me with a wink. "Now it's your turn," he continued as he picked up his shot glass.

I shrugged and moved the shot glass in circles on the table, "Ok. Never forget the beauty no matter how much horror you see."

Zanzibar quirked a grin to me. Severin looked at me and smiled slyly, "If I had you in my sight I would never be able to forget the beauty, no matter how much horror I dished out."

I gave him a exasperated look, said, "Fucking demons," and downed my drink.

"Amen to that," Zanzibar agreed and followed suit.

I swung around to look at the dancers and felt my attitude hitch up a notch or two. I took off my sword and handed it to Zanzibar. "I think I'll dance. You have to take pleasure where you can find it right?"

He chuckled, "Right. Just leave your killing pleasure out of my bar."

I looked up innocently. "I don't want any trouble," I said sweetly.

"Well, hell," I heard him murmur as I sauntered away.

I moved to the rhythm of the music. I stomped, swayed, and swung my hair around. My body heat went up and I felt sweat drip down my temples and still I didn't stop. All around me I smelled the scents of demons. The displacement of air caressed me everywhere, but no one touched me. I felt alive and ready to move into an even more seductive dance. The music accommodated me and I moved with heavy lidded eyes.

I turned and found Regina in front of me. We danced around each other as if it was the last night for us to ever dance. Then someone reached through that invisible boundary of air around me. I smelled sand and heat as I swung around with my dagger already out. It was Vi. He backed up enough that he didn't get nicked with the blade.

"I believe this is my dance," he said indicating Regina.

Regina hugged my waist from behind. "You can dance Vi, but only with both of us."

I rolled my eyes, I did not want to dance with him. I turned to tell Regina this, but she gave me beseeching eyes. I sighed and placed the dagger back in its sheath. Vi moved to get closer to her, but she kept maneuvering me between them as we danced. He smiled evilly. I decided to ignore him and not let it ruin my night. So I danced and in the end Vi had no choice but to dance with both of us. He touched and guided with ease. As we continued his eyes faceted over and he started to glow softly from beneath his skin. The smell of the air around us was all Vi.

Vi slowly turning demonic didn't stop me, but Taurin definitely did. His scent was so familiar that it didn't register as anything threatening. I turned and he was so close I fell into him. He grabbed my face and kissed me, harshly. It surprised me, but I didn't object much due to the alcohol haze. My libido hitched and I couldn't get enough of sucking on his bottom lip. I pulled my face back, but my shorter body stayed comfortably merged into his. His hands anchored at my hips, thankfully, kept me from indulging in a drunken sway. I felt the air move into my back and I knew that Vi had reached for me. The hard look in Taurin's eyes as he looked behind me confirmed it.

"Watch your reach, little demon," he whispered. He transfered his look to me. "Somebody's been drinking," he stated blandly and guided me off the dance floor. I smiled up at him as he sat me down on a stool. He stood in front of me and placed his hands on the bar on either side of me. I registered the heat in his iced over eyes.

"I enjoyed watching you dance until Vi started to get a little too possessive. I like that my brothers want you."

"Your brothers," I whispered. "Other demons?" I'm sure his eyebrow rose in surprise from my ability to deduce his meaning while drunk.

"Yes, IshaDove. How are you enjoying your vacation from us?"

I stared into his eyes wearily. "Is that what this is?"

"Did you even eat today?" He asked.

"Not much, I guess."

He nodded his head and called the bartender over, "Water."

"Taurin, I don't want to go home yet."

"Are you begging me?" He cocked his head and grinned as he handed me the water.

I put it down forcefully and scowled, "No, fuck you. Excuse me, I gotta go to the bathroom." He laughed as I slowly made my way to the restroom.

Regina followed me in shortly after. As we washed our hands she leaned into me and her braids brushed my face. She whispered, "I need to see you tonight. Alone."

"Why," I asked as I watched both of us sway slightly in the mirror.

"I need to show you something, but it needs to be without Vi and without that demon you're with." She scowled when she mentioned the demons.

I shrugged, "Ok, but how are you going to do that?"

"Where are you sleeping?" She glanced at her watch.

"Hotel."

"Can you get away from it?"

"It?" I asked in confusion.

"That demon."

I nodded, "Oh. Yeah. You?" I totally felt like I was missing something here. It might have been the alcohol, but I didn't think that was the whole reason.

"Yeah." She paranoiacally watched women come in and out of the restroom.

"Are you ok?" I asked, getting more worried.

She looked at me, "Yeah. You'll come right?"

"You haven't told me where."

"Down by the water. Underneath the market. 2 a.m. That's a little over an hour."

"That's a little vague."

"Don't worry. You'll find me."

"Ok."

We walked out together and separated soon after. I reached Taurin and drank the water that was still waiting for me at the bar. "I think I'm done here. I just puked in the bathroom."

He studied me, of course he didn't believe me. "Really?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving."

"I'm going with you."

He moved closer to me and I had my dagger up against his throat. "No. I don't think so." My sheath came sliding into view on my left.

Zanzibar was behind the bar with a stoic look on his face. "I think you need to listen to the lady." I grabbed my sword with my left hand and put the dagger away.

"Dove, I called you a cab."

"Thanks Zanzibar." I turned my attention back to Taurin. "Just go."

He gave me a calculated look, "I will go and we will be back. I hate to admit it, but you don't listen to me."

I snarled.

He stepped away from me and swung his arm out gallantly. I didn't even look at him as I hurried to the stairs. When I reached the hotel I changed into more comfortable clothes, but kept my weapons on. As I watched the time tick slowly by I drank tons of water. I was ready to leave way before I needed to, so I went.

CHAPTER 31

Regina was right, I was able to find her. She left me markers that glowed on the pavement when I walked over them. When I turned around they had vanished completely. The full moon made sure that I didn't trip over anything as the last of my drunkenness clung stubbornly to me.

She was standing in a power circle waiting for me. I stopped just on the edge.

"What's with the circle," I asked suspiciously.

"Come in. It's to keep Vi from finding me." She hurriedly motioned to me with her hands.

"Oh," I said warily as I stepped into the circle. It slammed closed around me. My heart jumped and I turned around and tested the barrier. "It's awfully tight Regina." I couldn't get through it.

"Can you walk out?" she asked hopefully.

"Uh,Why?"

"Try to get out, please," she pleaded.

"I can't get out, Regina," I said slowly.

"Then you must be saved," she said resignedly as she looked down at the ground.

I eased my dagger out and tapped it on the back of my thigh. Talk about being gullible. Taurin would have a field day with this one. "What are you talking about?" I asked calmly.

"This is a demon circle. It's for demons and I know you're not a demon, but my senses tell me that there is something demonic in you."

"Well, I'm bound to a demon Regina, just like you." My heart was racing, but I kept my voice under control.

"No." She started to pace. "You see. I thought that too, at the beginning. So, I tested it with another demon hunter who was bound to a demon and he could walk freely in and out. He never knew that I was testing his soul."

"Testing his soul?"

"Yes. I have been chosen by God to save demons' souls."

"Oh." I couldn't bring my thoughts together, but I knew I had to keep her talking. "So, how do you know that you were chosen by God to save souls?"

Her face lit up and her eyes got wide as she looked at me. "He's beautiful, Dove. An angel was sent to me. He tells me what to do in my dreams."

I wanted to laugh and say 'are you serious?', but I didn't, she was dead serious. I could see it in her fanatical expression. "What do you do Regina?" I moved closer to the boundary of the circle to see if I could find the pattern. She didn't seem to notice. I constantly shifted my eyes from the boundary to her. She was gesturing with excitement.

"He taught me how to use my magic to take the evil out of the demon."

"Oh shit," I breathed.

"Yes! I take the demon out of the demon!" Her eyes glowed with the inner fire of good intentions.

"Are they happy that you take the demon out of them?" I asked, desperately stalling for time.

"Oh yes! Well...They would be, if I could succeed without them dying. Some of them just start screaming so I have to kill them. Others kill themselves within moments." She looked at me with genuine sad eyes.

Talk about your lobotomy! "Regina, I'm not a demon. How can you take the demon out of me?"

She looked down and frowned, "I know you're not a demon. I can't understand it. But, I can take out your evilness. Your evil is greater than Zanzibar's so I figure that if I can give you to the light then I can do it for him too."

"Oh fuck," I breathed. I was at a loss for words, but thankfully she wasn't done talking. I searched frantically for something familiar on the pattern of the cage using my power.

"My angel wants you. He wanted me to hand you over, but I can't corrupt him with your evilness so I am going to purge it out. It will be a surprise for him."

Oh fuck. "Regina, don't do this, please," I begged. My grip tightened on the dagger. "I'll go to church, I'll pray to your angel."

She came closer to me, "Dove, I don't think it will work. It will be ok, you'll see." She spoke gently to me as if I was a child. The image was ruined since she held her ritual anathem threateningly at me. Very unwitch like, as far as I was concerned.

It wasn't going to be all right. I was going to have to kill my friend or she was going to kill me. If she didn't kill me it was going to be something worse, this I knew for sure. I breathed deeply and touched the unseen pattern behind me. It flared and burned my fingers, but I didn't let go. With my mind I followed the string, but I knew it was going to take too long. I grimaced in agitation and pain.

"Hold out your palm."

I just looked at her.

"If you don't, I'm going to make you."

I took my hand off the boundary's line and held it out to her. She gripped my wrist and slashed my palm. Blood flowed over my skin and into the creases. It tickled over her fingers and trailed down my arm. I kept my other hand hidden behind my back. Regina started chanting and I drew a blank as to what to do. I angrily told myself to snap out of it and immediately looked for Ezra's link in me. It hesitated briefly, but let me wrap itself around my spirit.

I worked quietly in my mind, chanting and building power until I felt it consume me. Regina screamed in pain and jumped away from me. I hadn't even realized that I had closed my eyes until I opened them and saw my body consumed in flames. She held onto the wrist of her burnt hand and I recognized her healing spell.

"Regina, you may not have me. I'm sorry," I told her.

I flung the dagger straight to her. It flew true to pierce her chest and she dropped like a stone. Neither her labored breathing or blood spilling from her mouth roused any emotion from me.

"Dove...," she gestured me down to her. I knelt my flaming body close to her. She shied away as she talked, "My angel, said.. would come for you... save you...," she coughed up more blood, "save you from demons. Not...for me..." She died with my dagger in her.

I gathered Ezra's fire into my left palm and stared at the blue flames, even as they started to burn my hand. I placed it down on Regina and kept it there until she was nothing but ash. My hand fisted around the red healed slash where she cut me. Focused on the fire, I watched until I could no longer see or feel its flicker between my fingers. Eventually it registered that someone behind me watched me. I turned, scenting heat and sand. Vi was staring at me from outside my cage, his face blank of any judgement.

"I guess I'm going to have to kill myself for killing her," I joked with sarcasm.

He narrowed his eyes at me, "Can you get out?"

I looked suspiciously at him, "Why, so you can kill me for ruining your mission?"

"I thought about it," he said nonchalantly.

"Eeeyah, that's a reason for me to want to get out."

"What did she tell you?"

"How'd you find us? Regina packs a mean spell."

"I did it the old fashioned human way, I followed her. What did she tell you?" He asked forcefully.

"No. You tell me what your story is."

Vi growled in frustration and slammed his palms up against the invisible boundary. They sparked and flared where he touched.

"You will tell me."

"Sure."

"You lie."

"Fine. Forget it, you can't stay here all night." I sat down on the ground and tossed rocks.