My eyes focused on the demon that Nick had summoned. Damn, it wasn't Al. This demon didn't look like most of the other demons I had seen. He appeared to be in his late twenties and was dressed in black pinstripe dress slacks that fit nicely around his hips and showed off his long legs. He also wore a white button down dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The clothes looked expensive but more casual than Trent's typical business attire. He had brown wavy hair that fell just below his ears. Crap, he looked good and I was drugged out of my mind. Focus Rachel.
The demon's eyes darted around the room and quickly fell on me. A large, toothy smile appeared when he must have recognized who I was.
"Good evening Rachel Mariana Morgan," said the demon and I felt myself shiver. Yep, he knew who I was. I had been relatively safe in the ever after when I was with Al but I had been warned that I was vulnerable.
"You have caused quite the stir in the ever after," he continued. "We think you will be much safer in the ever after with proper protection."
I was floating on a pink fuzzy cloud of tranquilizers and could only mumble. "Where's Al? I want to talk to Al."
The demon sighed and gave me a sympathetic look before turning his attention back to Nick.
Nick gritted his teeth. "Jarzebak, I will give you Rachel Mariana Morgan and in return I would like for you to remove one of my marks and return directly to the ever after without delay or causing harm to myself or anyone else."
"Done," said the demon and his smile widened. Nick dropped his circle and the demon strode over to me and scooped me up in his arms.
My head lolled and the demon frowned. "What's wrong with her" he asked. His goat slitted eyes narrowed at Nick.
Nick shrugged. "Tranquilizers. It will wear off in a couple of hours."
The demon looked down at me again. "Let me jump you," he whispered.
"No," I moaned. "I want to talk to Al." I brought my hand up and patted him on the shoulder, trying to get his attention. He didn't seem to be hearing me.
"You can speak with Al if you let me jump you," he reasoned. "He is still alive."
Still alive? Were they going to kill him? I remembered what Trent told me about Al thinking I was dead and shame washed over me. I had to get back to the ever after and see what was happening to Al.
"Okay, you can jump me but I want to talk to Al," I insisted.
And in an instant, I was traveling through the lines. I didn't have time to put a bubble around my thoughts and I could feel Jarzebak next to me.
"What is your relationship with Al?" he asked slowly.
"I trust him," was my only reply.
I could feel my body reforming and gasped as I popped into the ever after. The smell of amber flooded my nostrils and I took in the scene. We were in an elaborate room with typical creepy demon artifacts. I was on my hands and knees facing a large marble fireplace with a fire burning, casting shadows about the room. Above the fire, there were ancient looking sconces and grotesque statues of people writhing in pain. I turned around a saw a huge bed with black satin sheets and four thick pillars that rose towards the high ceilings. Damn, I was in a demon's bedroom. Even Al had never taken me into his bedroom. I heard the rustle of movement and spun around to see Jarzebak adjusting his clothing. Double damn.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing? You said you would take me to see Al," I slurred at him. The drugs still hadn't worn off yet. I remembered that a demon's bedroom was probably one of the few places Al couldn't reach me in the ever after since they were loaded up with protection curses. Fear clenched my gut.
The demon turned his attention to the fire and picked up a poker to start moving some of the logs around.
"I just wanted a few moments to chat before I returned you," he said calmly. "You see, the collective is starting to think that Algaliarept can't keep you safe." He turned his head to face me and I could feel his demon eyes searching me face.
"I was summoned out," I stammered. "There is no way to stop a summoning. Al can't be blamed for me being yanked out of the ever after."
"Oh, there are ways to stop a summoning," said the demon quietly. He was still searching my face, sizing me up. "Kill those who know your summoning name."
I sucked in a breath of air. "Don't you dare!" I shouted. "I'll kill you if you hurt anyone who knows my summoning name."
The demon lifted an eyebrow at me and then returned his attention back to the fire. "I'm not the one you have to worry about," he said. "Well, not really. Every demon in the ever after is thinking the same thing." The fire danced across his face and for a moment he looked older.
"Tell me," he continued. "Does Algaliarept know those who can summon you?"
Crap. I thought back to Al's last question when I had been summoned by the coven. "Who know's your name?" he had asked. Was he planning on killing them? I trusted him to some extent but I also knew he would go to extremes to keep me safe if necessary.
Jarzebak shifted after I didn't respond but my silence seemed to give him the answer he needed.
"Algaliarept is close to losing you, if he hasn't done so already. And then," he paused, "you will most likely be moved into Newt's care. That wouldn't be very fun, now would it?"
I felt my skin break out into goose bumps. Newt was crazy and might kill me.
The demon was watching me and nodding slightly, seeing my understanding. "Here is my offer to you, Rachel Mariana Morgan. If Algaliarept loses you as his student, I will try to place a claim on you to keep you out of Newt's grasp. I'll even consider less gruesome ways of keeping you from being summoned out of the ever after, perhaps a forget-charm instead of murder." His last statement was laced with doubt and I didn't trust him. "And," he continued, "all I ask in return is for you to agree with my request when the time approaches. You do have some say in the matter. Your request could be the difference in me securing a position as your protector."
My protector? Damn, he thought I needed a demon body guard. Maybe I did?
"Do you really think they will try to take me away from Al?" I asked. The fear from his words seemed to be sobering me up and I could follow most of our conversation.
He stood up with an eerie grace and moved to sit by an ornate comfortable looking chair near the fire. "Algaliarept is a capable demon who has survived much, but you seem to be getting yourself into a lot of trouble. I think it is only a matter of time before even Algaliarept can't worm his way out."
"What's in it for you?" I asked.
With that, the demon's face broke out in a huge smile. "Isn't it obvious?" he asked.
"I am NOT having sex with you," I sputtered.
"Oh, no need to worry about that. Yet," he continued. "Newt has already said that she would kill any demon that would mate with you. But, I don't think she will protect you forever. She has the tendency to forget things and change her mind."
The demon glided across the short distance to where I sat on the floor and picked up one of my hands and kissed it. His lips were soft and a felt a tingle of excitement stir inside me. He wasn't using magic but there was more than one way rile up Rachel.
I took my hand away and blushed. "I have heard your offer. Can you take me back to Al now?" I asked.
The demon sighed and dropped my hand. "Very well, very well. Shall we be off?"
Jarzebak offered me his arm and I took it. I felt the pull of the ley lines and we were gone.