Demon Hunters 1: Blood Sacrifice (Stand Alone Series) (Demon Hunters.) (14 page)

Blake’s lips slowly curved into a smile. “No, Allie Cat.” He put the mug near the lantern.

Alyssa frowned. “Are you okay?”

Blake nodded.

“What’s wrong?”

Blake’s arms tightened around her. “I could only listen. Listen and hold you. And wait. It’s been a long night, Allie Cat.”

“How many more nights have we got?”

“Not again. You don’t have to go through this again. Each night’ll be more difficult.”

“How many nights until the month is up, Blake?”

Instead of answering, Blake lifted her left hand and turned it so she could see the pulse at her wrist. There was a demon mark one centimetre in length. Alyssa looked uncertainly from her wrist to Blake.

“Welcome to the club, Allie Cat.”

“But… I…why?”

“Your body might have been in sanctuary, but your soul was out there with him. Don’t do it again, Allie Cat. Please.”

“I have to do something. I can’t sit by and let him bring Nathan to us each night. One of us will end up getting shot.” At the sound of footsteps, Alyssa looked over Blake’s shoulder to see Scarlett walk towards them.

Scarlett picked up the lantern and the mug. “Time to move out.” She looked from one to the other for a moment before she turned and walked back to Riley and Alex.

Alyssa tried to rise to her feet, but her body was exhausted and wouldn’t cooperate. Blake stood and helped her stand. He guided her to the front passenger seat of his vehicle and pulled the visor down to reveal a mirror.

“Have a look, Allie.” He pulled the hair away from her temple and Alyssa adjusted the visor so she could see. The skin was slightly blistered. She turned her head and pulled her hair back from the other side of her face.

She turned to Blake. “He had his fingers there.”

Blake had to lean forward to hear her words. “Are you listening to what you’re saying? He can harm you, my Allie Cat.” Blake rested his fingers where Retribution had clamped his. “Don’t give him another chance.”

Alyssa closed her eyes. She couldn’t watch him a second longer without giving in to the plea and pain she saw in his eyes. She felt his lips meet hers and she hungrily kissed him back, her hands encircling his neck. Heat raced through her veins and pooled in her stomach. She pressed herself close.

“Allie Cat,” Blake murmured. “We have to stop.”

“Later.” She moved forward the fraction that separated their lips. She gave herself over to sensation and was startled when Blake’s hands moved to her arms and untangled them from around his neck. When she frowned, Blake smiled slightly and glanced to his left. Alyssa looked over to see Riley stride towards the vehicle. She turned back to Blake, closed her eyes and dropped her forehead to his chest.

Blake lifted her head with a finger under her chin. “What’s wrong?”

“I hope your brother and cousins aren’t going with us on our first date.”

Blake stared at her for a few seconds before he began to laugh. “Don’t pull away, Allie. I wasn’t laughing at you. Well, not exactly. I guess I’m relieved to see you being… you. Come on. Let’s get in the vehicle. I’d say Scarlett and Alex have already locked up and returned the key.” Blake took her arm and guided her to the back door.

Alyssa shook her head. “You hop in first. I want the window seat.” She ignored his knowing smile.

Alyssa sat on one of the camp chairs next to Scarlett while Riley and Blake changed a rear tyre. Alex was at the front of the vehicle with the small laptop perched on the bonnet. He glanced at his watch and then at the laptop. Alyssa closed her eyes. She didn’t want to see what was happening. They’d driven west most of the day so as to put plenty of distance between the church and themselves. They’d taken turns at driving and sleeping in the vehicle. None of them felt rested.

“What I’d really like to do is go to the nearest motel with a large bathtub and soak in it until my skin wrinkles,” Alyssa said.

“Mmm. Sounds good.” Scarlett waved at the flies that hung around.

“At the moment, even a shower would be good. I feel like I sweated every litre of liquid out of me when we stopped to get the first flat tire fixed.” Alyssa opened her eyes, yelping as water was sprinkled on her. She glared at Riley who grinned, a bottle of water in his hands.

“Feel any better?”

Alyssa wiped the droplets of water and sweat from her face. “No, but when I get the energy to move, I’m going to tip that bottle over you.”

“Come on, Riley. Give me a hand to get the tyre back under everything,” Blake snapped.

Alex walked towards them, the laptop closed and tucked under his arm. “No need to rush. Even if we left this very second and sped the whole way, we’d be about half an hour too late.”

Alyssa leapt to her feet. “What are you talking about, Alex?”

“We can’t make it to sanctuary in time.”

“No! I don’t want to hear that. We’ll have to drive faster. I’ll drive.” Alyssa walked towards the driver’s seat.

Blake grabbed her by the arm before she reached it. “Allie Cat-”

“No! I don’t want to hear it. We will make it to sanctuary.”

Alex came to stand beside them. “There’s a rest area about three quarters of an hour from here. We can make a stand there.”

Alyssa stared at him. “Stand?”

“We won’t leave you unprotected.”

“Alex.” At Blake’s tone Alex nodded and moved away from them to help pack everything in the vehicle. “Walk with me, Allie Cat.”

Alyssa shook her head, but allowed Blake to take her hand and walked beside him on the narrow road. They walked in silence and Alyssa had begun to think they’d continue to do so when Blake stopped and faced her.

“You won’t tempt him tonight. You’ll make a circle with the salt and you’ll pray all night. We’ll stand between you and the demon.”

“You’ll get in the circle with me?”

Blake shook his head.

“What aren’t you telling me, Blake?”

“You need more than just the circle to keep him out. His tie to you strengthens.” Blake touched her wrist. “And his power increases.”

Alyssa raised her hands and placed them on Blake’s chest. She felt his heart beat beneath her palm. Her eyes clashed with his. “What are our chances of surviving tonight?” When Blake continued to watch her without answering, she turned away. “That’s what I thought.” She started to walk off, but Blake gripped her shoulders and pulled her back against him. He wrapped his arms about her and rested his chin on her head.

“You will survive the night.”

“How?”

“I’ll make sure of it.”

Alyssa froze, her breath caught in her throat. She tried to turn and face him, but his arms tightened around her. “Tell me you’re not going to do what I think you’re going to do.”

“Is that what you want to hear?”

“Blake! Let me go!” Alyssa pulled away from him and took two steps back. “You won’t exchange yourself for me. Promise me you won’t.”

“I won’t watch you die. I can’t go through that again.”

“I’m not going to watch you die either. Promise me!”

“Allie Cat-”

“Promise me!”

Blake shook his head.

“Then I’ll offer myself to him the moment he arrives. I won’t have you dying for me. Do you hear me? What makes you think I want to see someone I care about die anymore than you do?”

Blake reached out to her, “Allie Cat-”

Alyssa stepped back again and shook her head. “No!”

Blake rubbed his palm against his forehead. “Be reasonable.”

“You be reasonable. What makes you think my life is more valuable than yours?”

Instead of answering, Blake pulled Alyssa against him. “Shh, Allie Cat.”

“Promise me?” She sniffed.

“I promise. But you have to promise to hold out tonight. Fight him. Don’t let him take you. Promise?”

“I promise.” Alyssa lifted her head off his chest and smiled at him weakly. “I don’t suppose I can convince you to join me in celebrating life before we face death?”

Blake chuckled. “Nice try, siren.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead.

Alyssa looked up at him through her eyelashes. “Is that the best you can do?”

“Not at all.” He continued to smile down at her. “But it’s the best you’re getting for the moment.”

“Hmph.” Alyssa started to turn away, but Blake pulled her back into his arms, his lips a breath away from hers.

“Get through the night and I’ll show you better.” He pulled back as she moved forward, smiling.

“Deal.”

Blake glanced up the road to where his family sat waiting in the vehicle. He waved them forward and they stood in the middle of the road, watching the vehicle drive towards them. Once again Alyssa took the window seat.

The rest stop was only thirty-five minutes away. Alex ignored the speed limit in favour of having more time to prepare. He parked the vehicle at the edge of the rest area, where it was nearly surrounded by trees. Then he and Scarlett walked the rest area and removed any large, loose objects.

Riley pulled out the table and chairs while Blake set up the camp stove. Knowing the drill, Alyssa looked through the tinned food and pulled out several tins of the same flavour stew. Riley handed her a saucepan. Within minutes dinner was warming and Alyssa sat in a camp chair, watching as Riley held a mirror for Blake while he shaved.

He’d removed his shirt and Alyssa watched the muscles move under his skin as he ran the razor over his face. When they stopped moving, she looked up to find his eyes on her. She grinned at him. He shook his head, but she was sure he was trying not to smile as he finished shaving. As soon as he’d finished, he swapped places with Riley. Alyssa checked dinner. Finding it hot enough, she ladled it into their shallow bowls and put a loaf of bread and a tin of butter on the table.

She stared at the table. It all looked ordinary. The four original camp chairs, and a folding stool they’d bought at a service station along the way, sat around the table. Thin lines of steam hovered above the bowls of stew and cutlery sat at each place. Ordinary. It was far too mundane to possibly be a last supper.

Scarlett was the first to join her, a brief touch on her shoulder. “Thanks.”

Alex sat across from Alyssa and pulled some bread out of the bag and placed it by his bowl. Riley and Blake came to the table, both with shirts on again. Once they were all seated, Riley said grace and Alyssa bowed her head too. She watched as they ate and wondered how they could be so calm.

Blake placed his hand over hers where it rested on her lap. Eyes collided. “Eat up, Allie Cat. You’ll need your strength for tonight.”

“Oh, no,” Scarlett said.

Alyssa turned to see what had caught Scarlett’s attention and watched as a vehicle pulled into the rest area.

Riley rose from the table. “I’ve got it. Who wants to come?” When both Alex and Scarlett rose to their feet he laughed. “The more the merrier. Let’s take it slow. Give them a few minutes to use the restroom before we chase them away.”

“How will he convince them to leave?” Alyssa asked.

Blake shrugged. “He’ll figure it out. Now eat up, Allie Cat.”

Alyssa stared up at him. She reached out and ran her hand over his smooth cheek. It was the first time he’d shaved since she’d met him. She couldn’t decide if she liked the scruffy look or the clean- shaven look best. Both suited him in her opinion. Blake pulled her hand away to drop a kiss in her palm. Then he closed his hand over hers so her hand closed too.

“Eat, Allie Cat.”

Alyssa held his gaze a moment longer before she turned to her food, the feel of his lips imprinted on her palm.

Alyssa had nearly finished dinner when Riley, Scarlett and Alex arrived back at the table with Scarlett scolding Riley.

“Pride is a sin, Riley.”

“But you must admit I got them moving.” Riley sat at the table again. “And I don’t think you should be lecturing me on pride.”

Scarlett glanced at Alyssa. “I have trouble admitting I’m wrong. That’s different.”

Riley grinned and glanced first at Alyssa and then at Alex. “Unlike Sir Perfect over there.”

Alyssa’s jaw dropped. “Oh, you didn’t.” She dropped her head into her hands.

Blake pulled her hands from her face. “We share everything.”

“Why?”

“If we’ve done nothing to be ashamed of then there’s no reason we can’t share everything, is there?”

“But-” she glanced towards Alex, then back at Blake. “Every little thing?”

Blake smiled wryly. “Almost. Some things are too traumatic to share with anyone but our priest.”

“But… I mean… what about…”

Blake took pity on her, “Some questions family’ll never ask.” He turned to Riley. “You want to tell us how you managed to shift the visitors on so quickly?”

Alyssa turned to Riley, trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks. She busied herself eating the rest of her meal.

Riley grinned. “I invited them to our dusk to dawn prayers. And told them we wouldn’t be the only ones attending.”

Alyssa grinned. Not so long ago she’d have disappeared quickly too. She finished her last mouthful of dinner and handed her bowl to Blake, who gathered the dishes. She rose and folded her chair up, putting it away. Within minutes they had everything packed and Riley gathered firewood while Alex shaved with Scarlett holding the mirror for him.

Alyssa stayed at Blake’s side. If this might be their last day, she wanted to spend every second with him. She thought of Erin and wished she’d known when she rang her earlier that this might be her final hours. Then she was relieved she hadn’t. She was glad their last conversation had been upbeat. And she’d even managed a phone call to her mother without arguments. That should’ve given her a warning her world was about to end.

“You want me to roll the swag out for you? There’s at least an hour before he gets here.” Blake caught her lock of crimson hair in his fingers. He let it spill out to fall amongst the darker strands.

Alyssa caught his hand as he was about to pick it up again. “I don’t think I could sleep.”

“I’ll roll it out and you can rest then.”

Alyssa shook her head and her fingers tightened on his hand.

“I’ll stay with you.”

“Okay then.”

“Dangerous situations create strong, but temporary attachments between people.”

“If we survive this, you’ll soon find returning to a normal life won’t change my feelings. The only thing the situation has made different is how fast I moved.” She grinned. “Not that I normally have much patience with starting off slow.”

Blake stared at her for a few seconds before he nodded. “I’ll get the swag.”

Alyssa watched him as he pulled the swag out of the vehicle and rolled it out on a grassy spot. Alyssa joined him and sat on the edge of the swag. “You’ll stay with me?”

Blake nodded. “Yes.”

Alyssa lay on her side and looked up at him. “There’s plenty of space beside me.” She laughed at his expression. “No attempt to try and change your mind. You look tired.”

Blake stared at her, finally nodding. She watched as he lay on his side behind her. They both barely fit together on the swag. He tucked an arm under his head, the other he draped over her hip.

Alyssa lay her head down and closed her eyes. She sank against his warmth and drifted off only to be startled awake an hour later as Blake whispered her name in her ear. She stretched and turned her head to look at him. It was too dark to see more than shadows.

“Did you get any sleep, Blake?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” She reached out to touch his arm and quickly drew back from the heat of him. “Blake?”

“He’s close. Maybe ten minutes.”

Alyssa reached out to his arm again. This time when she felt the heat, she wrapped her fingers around it. “Your mark.”

Blake took her hand in his right hand. “Like calls to like. He’s growing in power, Allie Cat. Even a week might be too long. I’m guessing Nathan’s giving him some of his own blood in exchange for telling him where we are.”

“Can he do that?”

“Does he strike you as the sort of person who’ll be deterred by pain?”

“No.”

“It won’t give him the same strength of power as yours, but every degree Retribution’s power increases, the harder he’ll be to fight.”

“Why won’t his blood give him the same power as mine? Isn’t blood… well, blood?”

“No. It’s more to do with the agreement struck than the type of blood. Your blood called him forth and sealed the bargain. Your blood is what he needs to complete the bargain with the most power for him.” Blake rose to his feet and held out his hand to help her up. “Time to prepare.”