“Damn, who shit himself?” Steve walked around the corner, then stopped. “Ah, demon. Explains the swamp ass smell.”
Daniel turned to look at them both. “Go back and let Slade know what you found inside. I’ll be back in a few days.”
“What?” Kent frowned, confused, then watched as both Daniel and the demon disappeared. “Dammit.”
“Yep, that’ll happen,” Steve said, nodding slowly as he stared at the spot where Daniel had just been.
“What the hell do you mean...that’ll happen?” Kent glared at Steve. “What the fuck did happen?”
“Daniel took him back to the demon realm,” Steve said as if discussing the weather. Then he looked at Kent. “You haven’t been there yet. Lucky you. It smells worse there than Swamp Ass, let me tell you.”
Kent had to admit this demon shit was still new to him. He’d had a few run-ins with them and heard about the Demon Realm, but yeah, he needed to up his game with these fuckers.
“Why did he take him there?”
Steve started toward the SUV. “Because it’s Daniel.” He chuckled. “That’s the simple answer. No one knows why Daniel does what he does, but my take? Daniel wants answers. If he doesn’t get what he wants, that demon is going to meet a grisly death that isn’t fit for human eyes.”
Kent followed him, jaw tight.
“Let’s head back,” Steve said, reaching the SUV, sliding into the passenger seat. “But first we gotta get something to eat. I’m sohungry I could eat the ass end out of a demon, and after smelling that bastard should tell you how hungry I am.”
Kent slid into the driver’s seat and glared at him. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“You just now asking that?” Steve snorted. “Listen, if you don’t have a sense of humor after what we see day in and day out, you’ll go crazy. You best get that surgical procedure done, my friend, because if you keep your head up your ass, you’ll lose your mind real quick. Especially if Daniel ever takes you to the Demon Realm.”
Kent started the SUV, not excited about that possibility. He liked it here in the Human Realm, whatever in the fuck that meant. This shit was seriously messed up, and he’d seen some messed-up shit.
Steve shook his head, his face twisting. “There’s some fucked-up stuff down there, man. Fucked me up for weeks. And that swamp-ass-looking thing we just saw?” He glanced back to where Nix had been. “Let’s just say he’d win a beauty contest down there.”
“Can’t wait,” Kent said sarcastically, but he knew Steve was right.
If Daniel disappearing into the Demon Realm with that ugly fucker had thrown him this hard, Kent had a lot to learn.
And something told him he’d better learn fast.
CHAPTER 7
The nausea had finally subsided, but Becky remained still as she lay on the metal examination table in the medical room at the compound. She kept her eyes closed, listening to Sloan’s deep voice as he quietly talked to Slade. She couldn’t make out everything being said, but she could hear the worry in Sloan’s voice.
Her eyes slowly opened, landing on Sloan, who was looking straight at her.
“Hey, how you feeling?” He took two steps toward her, gently cupping her cheek.
“Better,” Becky said, not wanting to see the worry in his eyes. In truth, she felt like shit, but mostly because of what she was putting him through. Yeah, she was a giver, a pleaser, and never wanted to be a problem for anyone. Especially her mate. “Just needed to lay still for a bit.”
“No more nausea?” Slade came closer, observing her.
She shook her head, glancing away from him. She didn’t want to speak or look at either one of them because these men could sniffout a lie by just looking into someone’s eyes. Okay, so it was half a lie. She didn’t feel like she was going to projectile vomit like she had before, but the nausea was still swirling around, waiting for one wrong move.
As she had laid on the table, her mind drifted back to another time when she had felt exactly this way. Her stomach rolled, but not with nausea this time. A sick kind of dread crept over her as she opened her eyes again, looking at Sloan from beneath lowered lashes. She knew this feeling. The sudden nausea, the way food turned her stomach just by looking at it, and the need to stay perfectly still until it passed.
God help her, she knew this feeling all too well.
“Becky?” Sloan’s deep, questioning voice had her looking up at him.
“I’m fine.” She jumped at his voice then sighed. She sat up praying her nausea didn’t rise to her throat and onto the floor. Swinging her legs over the side of the table, she started to get down, but Sloan stopped her. “Sloan, I just want to go home, take a shower, and brush my teeth. I’m fine, really. You have things here to take care of and?—”
“I’ll get your things from the office, and then we’ll go.” Sloan cut her off.
