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  Chapter Five

  Bruno & Serena

  “Do you hear that?” Serena asked. She was leaning against the bike, her lithe body worshipping the sun. It stirred his cock. He had wanted to stop along the way to indulge her on that tumble idea. However, they hadn’t had a chance. Once they got to the tavern they had waited outside, taking in the surroundings. There was nothing around them. He hadn’t heard anyone or smelled anyone else inside of the tavern before. How they got inside was a mystery.

  Bruno strained and heard muffled voices coming from inside the tavern. The sun had begun to beat down on them. He wanted to get away from it and find some water. They hadn’t entered the tavern because he wasn’t sure it was a good idea. The evil that permeated the space was enough to take his breath away. Maybe, somehow, this evil masked the presence of the others who are inside. Maybe that is the reason why I didn’t smell them. If they are human, then nothing would have stopped me from noticing them. If they’re other demons, I will vanquish them. He put a finger to his lips and motioned for his mate to follow. Bruno advanced slowly to the door. Stepping carefully, he made sure to disperse his weight the best he could so the boards wouldn’t creak on the porch. The closer he got to the door, the more a chill ran down his back. Something supernatural was definitely inside.

  When he peeked in, he saw a man in white choking a woman. Instinct took over. Bruno’s nails hardened into claws. The wolf would not be contained seeing an innocent being harmed. He eyed the others in the tavern and saw a man to his left and then another couple, a blond man and a woman, to his right. The couple had horrified expressions on their faces.

  “Van, let her go. She’s an innocent. You were the one who said that we should never punish the guiltless. This isn’t her fault. You said yourself that we had to let things play out. We could warn them all not to come here, but they have free will. Now release her. We have to hear her story,” the blond man yelled.

  Bruno smelled the fear wafting from the woman held captive. He licked his lips at the spicy dread. It made him desire to tear into her body and taste her flesh. No. It might be close to the full moon, but I will not succumb to the beast. The Lord has granted me salvation. I am one of his servants. It is the evil of this befouled place that is influencing me. I will not give in.

  “She’s not blameless. Her soul’s been touched and marked for a consort of hell. The rising must not happen, and she’s a key part of it. She was the one who pulled the demon back from hell. She’s his bitch,” the man in white yelled.

  Bruno slid in behind him. The man to his left caught his eye and nodded. He growled and kicked the man in white in the knees. He fell forward and released his grip on the woman, who was caught by the other couple. Bruno wrapped his claws around the man’s neck and sunk them into his flesh. His captive didn’t struggle to get away.

  “Are you okay?” Bruno asked the freed woman.

  She wheezed while rubbing her throat. “Fine. Thanks. What the hell is all of this about? Who are you people?”

  “That’s what I want to know,” Serena stated behind him.

  Bruno glanced at his mate. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Her entire being was tense. The atmosphere of the place was affecting her too. A small growl came from her lips. She glanced at him. He sensed her tension rising from being in the building.

  “This is all a big misunderstanding,” the man in white said. “Bruno, you really need to let me go. If you can do that, I can explain everything. Valerie, I apologize. I acted rashly. Emera is right. I shouldn’t have attacked you. Why don’t we all sit down, have something to drink, and cool off? We still have one more couple to wait for, and they should be here by nightfall. It’s going to be a little while. I know you’re all antsy and tired from traveling.”

  Bruno quieted his raging wolf. He took in a deep breath and centered himself. He thought about the strength of his faith and sensed the evil retreating from him. His claws receded. The wolf remained close by if needed, but he was able to think rationally again. When he was, Bruno noticed that the man in white seemed familiar. Where have I seen him before? He sifted through his recent memories, and a light went on. He was at the diner. How did he get here so fast? What in the hell is he doing here with these others? I didn’t see another car outside? Maybe he is also being affected by the evil which is permeating this place? How is all of this connected with the demon? Do all these others have a role to play too? Is the woman he held captive really an innocent, or is she just playing the part? He said she was marked for hell? How could he know that? She doesn’t seem evil. He stepped back and released the man. He drew himself up and straightened his suit.

  Valerie huddled next to the man with red hair. Bruno sniffed. They were both human. He smelled the air again and examined the other couple. The pale-skinned woman and her tan-skinned companion’s scents didn’t sit well with him. They had a clean fragrance, almost if they didn’t belong in the realm. They were not completely human. The man in white, Vangelis, Bruno reminded himself of his name, waved his hand over one of the tables. Bruno felt the atmosphere ripple around them. A warm breeze blew through the tavern.

  Food and water appeared on the tabletop. He sniffed. Everything smelled real. Maybe it was real. The couples paired off. Bruno slipped his arm around Serena’s waist and held her close. Feeling her near helped to calm his nerves. The warmth of her flesh and her heady scent calmed his wolf. She squeezed his hip and then walked over to grab a bottle of water. Serena cracked the seal and brought it to her lips. He was aware that the others were watching her too.

  “It’s cold. And it tastes good,” she said, reassuring him.

  He nodded and surveyed the contents of the table. Among the sandwiches were roast beef, ham, tuna, turkey, and a couple of cheeseburgers. He fished out a cheeseburger and pulled down the wrapper. It smelled like beef. His mouth watered. He sunk his teeth into the thick patty. Once he got into it, he noticed there was bacon on it too. Bruno finished the burger and then grabbed another one. The human couple went next and took a couple of sandwiches and a couple bottles of water. The last two helped themselves to sandwiches and drinks also. Silence filled the bar while they all ate and drank. Bruno studied everyone and wondered who else was supposed to show up. If their gathering was all part of the demon’s plan, then where was it? He didn’t sense the creature near, but there were other things within the tavern. He couldn’t see them, but their cold presence raised the hackles along his neck and spine. Once in a while, out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a shadow moving where no shadow should have been. Staring at the stage, Bruno saw the transparent form of a woman dancing, but before he could focus on her, she was gone.

  Van stood up and cleared his throat. “Now that you’ve finished eating, I’m sure you want to know why you’re all here. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m an angel. I’m also a Demon Catcher, like Emera and Keenan over there. I’m their boss, actually. I’ve contacted all of you in some form or another and advised you not to come here, but fate is fickle and here you all are, as Keenan said before you all ate.”

  “Ahh, Van? Shouldn’t we wait for the others to get here before you go into all of this? I really want to know why you tried to strangle me. If you are the same angel who has been coming into Kennedy’s dreams, then why would you try to kill me?” Valerie asked.

  “She’s right. You should wait for the others. Once they get here then we can discuss why we’re all here. All about the demon and what we have to do about him,” Keenan chimed in.

  The angel threw up his hands. “Fine. I’ll wait. Keep an eye on everyone. I have some things to do.” He disappeared.

  Why did he disappear? If he’s truly here to help, then he should have remained. Bruno sighed and scanned the room. He noticed that Valerie was looking intently at him. Something about her rubbed him the wrong way. It wasn’t because she had been called out by the angel. It was something else. The irritation rolled through him. He licked his lips. His craving for human
meat rose once again. The wolf paced inside of him. His muscles bunched and then relaxed. Bruno hadn’t realized how jumpy he was. That wasn’t a good thing. If he wasn’t careful, something was going to set him off. He began to pace around the tavern. The more he walked, the more he felt like a caged animal. Soon a full moon would be rising and the beast would be out.

  Serena draped her arm around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. “You okay, love?”

  “I want to play with the humans.”

  “Don’t get us into any trouble, love.”

  “Don’t worry. Nothing too troubling.”

  Bruno met Valerie’s gaze and smiled. “See anything you like? I wouldn’t mind getting into something with you and your boy toy. I think we could make a great foursome. Maybe even the other two would want to join in?” He rubbed Serena’s arms. His mate chuckled and nipped his throat. The human was attractive and if she didn’t mind it rough or the idea of becoming a wolf, then he might consider a tryst with her with the hopes that Serena wanted to join in. His pack needed to be replenished, and he was keeping his options open. The more mates he had, the merrier. He would even take the other male. Their pack would be stronger with more members, and the human seemed like he would be a good fighter. He sniffed again and smelled gunpowder on him. I bet he’s a cop.

  The human woman blushed. “Ahh. Thanks for the offer. I didn’t mean to stare, but I’ve been dreaming about you, all of you, for several months. You’re a werewolf.” Valerie walked closer. “You ate your last congregation, and then you lost your pack because of the demon.”

  “How do you know that?” he said in a growl.

  “Down, boy. I’m psychic. I see ghosts and other things. And you. You’re Emera, fallen-angel-turned-seductress, but you got tired of taking souls. You only see heaven when you’re tied to the rack and whipped. Keenan there is your long-lost love. Where’s Sebastian?”

  Bruno glanced at the other woman. She shifted uncomfortably. Emera ran a hand through her locks and smiled a little. “Sebastian’s in hell, I hope. Serves him right, that bastard. If you’ve dreamed about us, tell us who else is coming here? Why are we all here? What did Vangelis mean about you being marked for hell?”

  Valerie shrugged. “No idea on why we’re all here. I assume it’s all because of a demon. Although I don’t know for sure. The other couple coming is Nathan and Josephine, his mate. Nathan’s a ghost hunter and a vampire. His friends were murdered when they came to investigate this tavern. He wants revenge. In my dreams I saw glimpses of all of your lives. I didn’t think they were real. No offense, but who believes in werewolves and vampires? Or fallen angels and Demon Catchers? I would’ve never thought it possible. And then the dreams were cut short when he started appearing.” She looked down at the floor and ran her hands over her arms.

  “Who started coming into your dreams?” Serena asked.

  “It doesn’t matter who. Just that he saved my sister and—”

  “Did he have red eyes and whisper in your ear while you slept?” his mate asked.

  Bruno turned and saw the intent in her gaze. He hadn’t asked the specifics of what had happened to her when she was alone. Serena hadn’t opened up about them. He didn’t want to pry into her privacy. Glancing back at Valerie, she had tears in her eyes. Her boyfriend wrapped his arms around her and whispered something in her ear. She shook her head as she took a deep breath. When she spoke, her voice shook. She glanced at him, and Bruno saw the hurt which crossed her face.

  “Yes. That’s what he looks like. He told me he was trapped, and I could bring him back into this world. He comes to me in my dreams. There he is, my master. I…God, I can’t do this.”

  Bruno slammed his fist into the table. “You invited him back into this realm? Knowing I lost my entire pack, that he tormented my mate and possessed the most ancient of our pack? He’s a demon from the bowels of hell. Why would you do that?” He lunged at her and found himself only inches from her throat. Valerie cowered against the bar. Serena locked his arms behind his back. He hadn’t thought about his reaction. He had just reacted, and that scared him. This was the way he had handled killing his congregation. Thinking about all he’d done, a bout of guilt rolled through him. He hadn’t wanted to hurt them, but they had found out about him. He would have moved on, but it was so close to the full moon. He lost it.

  “What choice did I have!” Valerie screamed back. “The djinn was going to possess my twin sister and then take me for one of its kind. Next would have been my young niece. I freed him to save her. I didn’t know he was a demon. I figured at first he was something made up from my subconscious. Something which made me think I needed to be punished. Then things changed. My sister changed. I didn’t know. What was I supposed to do? Leave my sister to release an evil into the world or let out another one? Tell me, what you would have done in my situation?”

  Bruno growled. He stomped outside. The anger inside of him welled up. He stared at the barren landscape. It wasn’t doing anything to help calm him. He gripped one of wooden support beams and heard it creak under the strength of his grip. He closed his eyes and tried to find his center. He thought about everything he had been through, losing Neb, seeing Serena suffer, watching his brother’s possessed body pantomiming being alive. He shook his head. His mother and his whole pack were extinguished, and that woman in there had let loose the demon. He growled. Bruno needed to rip and tear into something. He needed to bite into something. The floor creaked behind him. He whipped around and saw that Serena had walked out. She kept her distance. The demon was out.

  “How could she do it?” He turned to look at her. Her eyes burned in the sunlight creeping through the holes in the roof above them. He sensed Serena’s irritation through their mental bond.

  “She had to save her family, love. You would’ve done the same thing given the same set of circumstances. I did the same when I told Terrance I would mate with him to save the little ones. You even said a prayer for his soul once he was dead. Family is an important thing. Come on. You can’t blame Valerie. She didn’t know about this. It’s like she said. She had to focus on the lesser of two evils: the demon in her dreams, even though it did try to drive me insane. It was also very seductive. It came to me a couple of times portrayed as you. At first I thought it was you, but then I knew I was dreaming. Still, evil can be very persuasive and for her it got under her skin.”

  He ran a hand through his hair and craved a shower to rid his body of the travel grime, but the sun was still high overhead and out in the middle of the desert he doubted he would be getting a shower anytime soon. He pulled Serena into his arms. Her warm body helped to calm him down. Closing his eyes, he breathed in her heady scent. That calmed him even more. Her hands ran along his arms. The feel of her relaxed him and helped to push the wolf out of his nature.

  “I know you’re right. I would’ve done the same thing. I overreacted. It’s just all that we’ve been through. I was hoping the demon would’ve stayed in hell. I guess we knew this was coming, or I wouldn’t have been pulled to this godforsaken place. I didn’t mean to snap.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Bruno. I’m sure they will understand. We’re all under a lot of pressure.”

  He nodded and nuzzled her neck. Their moment of bliss was over. He had to go back inside and learn more about the others. While he did, Bruno began to mull over how he was going to send the demon back to hell again.

  Chapter Six

  Nathan & Josephine

  Nathan had driven until a half hour before sunrise. He wanted to push on, but being a vampire, he had to stay out of the sun. Even stopping that close to dawn, he was pushing it. Josephine, being younger, hadn’t built up immunity to the light in any fashion. She was already starting to singe with the cresting sun on the horizon. With the gold band of the day pushing out the night, they pulled over and booked a hotel room for the day. It wasn’t anything fancy. Just something to sleep in while the sun ruled over the land. Once the sun had set, they began
their journey again.

  The hotel was only an hour from the tavern. While he drove, Nathan had tried not to focus on the coming night. He knew something was building in the atmosphere. Before he and Jo had left, they were happy. He had almost forgotten about the demon slipping into the reverie of showing his new mate how to survive being a vampire. That and enjoying the night through her eyes. They shared so much that it seemed impossible to think he hadn’t turned her ages ago when they first met. Now while they wound down the old dirt road, his anticipation rose along with his concern. Nathan didn’t want Josephine to get hurt. However, she wasn’t going to stay behind at the hotel.

  Josephine squeezed his thigh. “We’re almost there.”

  “How can you tell?” Nathan asked.

  “I can feel it.”

  He nodded. The closer they got, the more the atmosphere smothered him. Nathan was itching to see the tavern. Something was there waiting for them. His other senses told him that there was movement all around them. He glanced out the windows at the old building. It seemed to be falling apart. The building was larger than he would have imagined. The rising moon put the tavern in its shadow, and the desert was alive around them. It’d be nice to come out here and ghost hunt when I don’t have to worry about demons. This place is buzzing with activity. I can understand why the other team wanted to investigate here. The desert is amazing. I’d love to come here with Jo and hunt one night. I’m not sure how she would feel about digging her own grave to sleep in. Well, we could fly. I’ll have to ask her once we get this settled.

  When they pulled up and parked, Nathan noticed a motorcycle close to the door and spied another car behind the building. He glanced at Josephine, who flashed him a small smile. He read her apprehension through their bond. They pulled the car to a stop near the front door and shut off the engine. Sitting on the porch of the tavern was a biker dressed in leather chaps and a black T-shirt. His arms were covered in a variety of tattoos from wolves to religious icons. His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and his gray eyes held a wisdom that made Nathan wonder. Next to him was an African beauty with gold-ringed eyes. She stayed near the biker. I bet she’s feisty. Nathan licked his lips and imagined how she would taste. After a moment, he got out of the car. He rolled his shoulders and stretched out his muscles. Now that he was outside, the power of the night filled him. The heat of the day was just dying down, but he could already feel the coolness washing over the barren landscape. He breathed in the scent of the clean air and noticed a hint of sulfur on the breeze.