“I was fine. I felt like I was sheltered — like someone was looking out for me, protecting me. Then I was returned here with the knowledge that I had to redeem myself for the mistakes I’d made in life before I’d have the chance to go to a better place. It could take me a long time to do that.”
Eden knew who’d been protecting her mother. Lucas had. But only because he was using Caroline’s soul as a bartering tool to get Eden to do what he wanted. Still, she was glad her mother hadn’t had to suffer. She stood up, knowing they had to wrap this up. The sun was setting. “You know I’m here for you.”
“I know, honey.” Caroline stood as well. “I’d like to spend more time with you while I’m here. If that’s okay with you.”
“I think that could be arranged. But you’re going to have to let the subject of Darrak go. Him and me — we’re together. For better or for worse.” Eden inwardly cringed. That phrase made her think about his proposal again.
She threw her coffee cup in the garbage as they made their way toward the door. She waved at Nancy and saw the sparkle of her engagement ring as the barista waved back at her. She looked so happy.
The air felt cold on her face as they left the café.
Caroline looked disturbed. “You deserve better than to be possessed by a demon, Eden. It’s nothing I ever would have envisioned for you.”
“Sometimes life doesn’t always go the way you envision it. It’s a lesson I’ve recently learned.”
Caroline grasped Eden’s hands in hers. “This is bad, Eden, and it has to end. I can see that even if you can’t.”
“Mom, please. I need to get back.” It was the same thing over and over and her patience was wearing thin. By the look of that sun, Darrak was going to start to lose form very soon.
“I’m not the only one who cares about you, Eden,” she said tightly. “This — what’s happening right now — this is an intervention.”
She really didn’t like the sound of that. “What are you talking about?”
“Eden,” a familiar voice said from behind her. “Don’t get upset.”
She swiveled to see Ben Hanson standing ten feet away.
Shit. This was the last thing she needed right now.
“What do you want, Ben? I thought I made it very clear the last time I saw you that—”
He cut her off. “I know. I approached everything the wrong way then. I was motivated by my own hurt feelings. But Eden, this is so much bigger than that — I see that now. It’s made me change my life, and I wouldn’t do that simply out of some misplaced emotion toward a woman I’d been on a single date with. It’s just taken me this long to get the right kind of focus.”
Eden hissed out a breath of frustration. “I swear, Ben, don’t come another step closer to me. I think you know what I can do if you push me too far. I’d rather not go there, especially not here.”
Actually, there weren’t that many cars in the lot. And the café had been practically deserted, apart from Nancy, the baker in the back kitchen, and maybe one other customer. No witnesses nearby if she had to use a little bit of magic to protect herself.
“So what is this? You and my mother have hooked up in order to grind some sense into me about Darrak, right?” She looked back at Caroline. “You know Ben’s with the Malleus, don’t you? They’re not all that friendly toward drifters like you. I’ve seen a Malleus member take one out before. No redemption for you, then. No fluffy set of wings and a chance to hang out with my father again. Just a one-way ticket to the Void.”
Caroline shook her head. “Ben and me — we want the same thing. We want to help you.”
“I guess you don’t understand what I’ve been telling you, so let me go ahead and spit it out one last time.” Eden glared at Ben and felt the crackle of black magic move down into her hands just in case he tried anything funny. “You need to leave me alo—”
She gasped at the sharp stabbing pain in her shoulder and staggered forward. She’d been thinking it would be Ben who tried something. He’d shot her full of tranquilizer a couple of weeks ago so he could kidnap her and present her to his boss for an unpleasant Q&A. But Ben didn’t have the tranquilizer needle this time.
Her mother did.
Caroline’s eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t want to hurt you, but this is for the best, honey. When you wake up, you’ll realize that.”
“No, wait…” Eden fell forward, but Ben was there to catch her before she hit the ground. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Your mother’s right,” he said. “This is for the best.”
And then the world disappeared.
THIRTEEN
“I’m going to find that goddamned werewolf who mauled me,” Andy said, taking a deep gulp from his silver flask. Darrak had no idea what he kept in there, but it seemed to be working. The man was quickly getting plastered. “And I’m going to make him into a rug. A nice furry rug for in front of my fireplace.”
“You don’t have a fireplace.”
“I’ll have one specially installed.” He paced back and forth and pointed at Darrak. “This is all your fault.”
“Probably. Everything else is, why should this be any different?”
Andy stopped pacing. “You sound kind of whiny today.”
“I know. But thanks so much for mentioning it.”
“You got it all, you know that? No reason for you to be a baby about it.”
Darrak laughed dryly. “I’m feeling sensitive at the moment. You’re going to make me cry if you keep being a meanie like this.”
“What’s the problem?”
“I think you have more important things to think about than my issues, Andy.”
“Maybe, but I’m trying to take my mind off them. What’s up?”
“Nothing, really.” Darrak stared out at the sinking sun over Eden’s parked car. “I went from being a fearsome archdemon with a plan of one day overthrowing Lucifer, to being the amusing sidekick for an unlicensed female private investigator. The woman I’m in love with is feeling a bit blah about me, and I can’t say I blame her. What do I have to offer someone like Eden? Pain, frustration, misery… maybe some hot sex now and then—”
Andy held up his hand. “I don’t want to hear about it. Seriously.”
“Sorry. But it’s true. I’m already a big fat nothing, and I’m slowly coming to the realization that it’s all downhill from here.”
“I’ll tell you exactly what you need to do, Darrak.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
Andy sank down in his chair. “Damn, I don’t know. I’m not good with giving advice. Sorry.”
“Helpful. Thanks.”
“Women.” Andy took another swig from his flask. “More trouble than they’re worth.”
“You said it.” Darrak focused on him for a moment. “It’s going to be okay, you know. You don’t have to be scared.”
“I’m not scared.”
“You’re terrified.”
“A real man would never admit something like that.”
“I can guarantee you that nothing bad is going to happen. Well… other than turning into a werewolf, that is. Any minute now.”
Andy paled. “That’s pretty bad.”
“I have a feeling you’re going to be one of the good ones. This is not the end, it’s only the beginning. It’s not what you are, it’s what you make of it.” He grinned. “Make the most of it, Andy. Being a werewolf is going to give you a hell of a lot more than it takes away. Werewolves are cool.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Nobody tells you what you are, you define your own rules. Your own guidelines. You’re a good man, I already know that. There’s no way you’re going to hurt anyone. That’s what you’re the most afraid of, aren’t you? Doing to someone what that bastard did to you.”