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I swallowed. Maybe I was having a nightmare? “So…what do I do?”
The doorbell rang and Cruise walked over to a screen to peer outside. “Fuck. Really?”
“Who is it?” A wave of dizziness made the room spin, so I abruptly sat down on the couch before I fell over. I needed tosleep so badly, I knew, blinking my dry eyes. I also knew my demon wouldn’t be gone for long. She would find a way to push through whatever barrier they used to keep her out. I had to be awake while she wasn’t if I wanted a shot in hell of surviving her.
Cruise groaned. “Your demon friend.”
My…what?I blinked. “Danvers?”
Nathan groaned. “He is the worst of the worst, and he’s triggering your demon to act up more than normal. I can’t…how did he find you?”
I shrugged, trying to focus past the dizziness. “I have no earthly idea. I didn’t tell him, not that I can remember, at least. I don’t know what I say sometimes. Maybe I gave him the address?” I couldn’t think of any reason why I’d tell him where to find me. Why would I? Besides, how would I have known to tell Danvers to look for me here if I came up missing?
Cruise headed upstairs without another word. Ryker walked over to me, kneeling by my side, but he spoke to Nathan rather than me. “Addalee is the kindest person I know, end of story. She takes care of everyone else, putting herself last time and again. It doesn’t surprise me to hear she carries angel blood. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve never met anyone else who made more sense to be an angel.”
Nathan rubbed my shoulder. “Yes.”
“So how does she get the demon out?”
He shook his head, looking away. “I’ve never been possessed, so honestly, I don’t know. That’s where Cruise comes in, since his training is in exorcisms. He studied this, and I’m here to make sure you’re safe. I want to feed you energy and keep you calm until we’re sure you’re safe.”
The door swung open, and Cruise reentered dragging Danvers behind him. I shot to my feet, despite the dizziness.
Danvers wilted, passing out on the couch I just vacated.
Cruise snorted. “The herbs hit him hard, I guess. I thought…maybe he could use a demon break, too.”
I pressed my fingertips against Danvers’s throat, checking for a pulse. His heart beat steady under my touch, his throat rising and falling with his every breath.
I asked, “Did he just pass out?”
Cruise gestured, blowing out a long breath before he explained, “He said,I’m here for Addalee. She’s my friend, and I’ll always track her. Then, he stepped inside, and before I could do anything, he passed the fuck out.”
Nathan stared down at the steady rise and fall of Danvers’ chest. “He’s exhausted. The tiredness in him is the extremest I’ve ever seen in all of my years of working with the possessed. I don’t know why he killed his aunt, but I don’t get the feeling Danvers is a bad guy, if he wasn’t possessed. He doesn’t set off my sociopath alarms.”
I put my hand on Danvers’ forehead. “He has nowhere to go, which was why he was in my tent. He wanted to stay in prison, since his demon liked it there. Can we help him?”
“We can.” Cruise stood next to me. “The same way that I helped you. For just a few minutes, we can treat him like a human. Then we can see if that helps. In the meantime, we need to focus on you. Come with me. I have a room set up already.”
I stared at Ryker for long seconds, his face so familiar despite the surroundings and circumstances. “What if I’m too broken? What if I’m too destroyed? What if it’s over?” I hated that my voice trembled, but I needed to ask.
“It’s not over, “ he promised. He leaned down to kiss my cheek, his lips lingering and his breath hot against my cheek. “You probably won’t be able to do it today. For now, focus on getting started. Focus on how. That’s what they told me, and I believe in you.”
I blinked fast, bunching my hands into fists. He wasn’t listening to me, not really. “I’m not special,” I said, trying again to explain.
“What if you are?” Nathan answered, squeezing my shoulder again. “What if we’re not wrong? What if we’re right, and then you can help people? What then?”
I opened and closed my mouth for a second, but if he was right… Of course, I wanted to help people.
“Okay, listen…” I began.
An alarm screamed to life, echoing in the house, and we all jolted at the jarring noise. Cruise and Ryker ran for the door as Nathan headed to stare at the video monitors. “What the hell? How is this possible?” he asked, clicking things on his screens.
“What is it?” I ran over to him even as Danvers moaned on the couch. “Nathan?”
“It’s the hunters. How could they find you here?” He shook his head. “Danvers. They must’ve tracked him. If they did, they don’t know you’re here. Maybe you can just stay here, hide from them until they give up on looking.” He chewed on his lip. “Maybe, if we give them Danvers…” Nathan winced. “It physically pains me to think about turning anyone over to their care, and I’m not sure I can bring myself to do it, even if it would keep you safe.”
“You can’t, because it’s the wrong thing to do. I won’t do it, either. Danvers stays with me. Whatever happens. I won’t sacrifice someone else for my own safety. If I do that, I might as well give up and go full-force demon. Not going to happen.”
