Only By Moonlight (31 page)

“Maybe you should have a bland diet for a day
or so. Gina probably got too enthusiastic with the ingredients of
that drink she concocted. Jealously thy name is woman,” Neal said.
He looked at the tray of food, and then covered the plate with a
cloth napkin.

LaShaun felt tears sting her eyes. The smoke
from strong incense made them water. “What do you mean a day or so?
You can’t keep me here or get away with this. Being a lawyer, you
know the penalties for kidnapping. You’ll have to kill us because
we can identify you all.”

Neal sat down in a chair at the table and
crossed his long legs. He seemed at ease, as though they were
chatting over afternoon tea. Except LaShaun had no idea how much
time had passed. She glanced around the room. The source of the
loud ticking hung on the wall; a large clock with no hands. Heavy
draperies blocked any view from windows.

“You think...?” Neal shook his head slowly.
“I couldn’t give the order to kill you even if at some point I
thought it best. Three powerful men desire you. No wonder the
ladies, Gina especially, are so jealous.”

“I’d feel flattered except being drugged,
tied up, and married to a demon has me in a bad mood,” LaShaun
drawled. She glanced around the room looking for clues on breaking
out.

“You can’t get away. No, I’m not psychic,”
Neal said. “Few people really are in fact. I’m only a humble
servant.”

“Of Satan?” LaShaun gave an exaggerated sigh.
“Lord, not another annoying nest of devil worshipers. You can’t
swing a dead black cat without hitting one these days.”

Neal laughed so hard he bent double. After a
few moments, he stood and crossed to LaShaun. When his long fingers
stroked her hair, LaShaun didn’t move away. The contact would help
her get a read on him. She tossed her head. Her thick black hair
bounced away from her forehead as she glared at him. As expected,
her hostility only drew him closer. His breathing grew ragged.

Neal took in a deep breath and slowly let it
out. “I’m having a tough time resisting your enticing scent of
magical sexuality.”

“The boss would likely cut you, so be
careful,” LaShaun murmured as she gazed back through narrowed eyes.
“Why tie me up if I’m so harmless?”

“We both know you’re not harmless.” Neal took
a step closer when LaShaun didn’t make a hostile move. Still he
watched her hands.

LaShaun did something she’d sworn never to do
again, not since her affair with Quentin Trosclair. She whispered a
seduction chant an old woman, a friend of Monmon Odette’s, had
taught her. Well, Miss Dahlia had been more a colleague than a
friend. The woman had been at least ninety when LaShaun was only
fifteen. LaShaun remembered the words, and though she didn’t have
gris-gris to go along with them, she had one important ingredient.
Montgomery’s lust for her burned beneath his skin.

“You hid your desire well. Your lover must
scare you, but since she’s not here...” LaShaun let the words trail
off to a whisper.

“Krystal doesn’t stop me from having who I
want.” Neal lifted a hand to touch her just as the bedroom door
opened. He stepped back quickly.

Chase stood in the opening with Gina and
Krystal. “Thank you for being so attentive to our guest.”

Krystal walked around Chase. “We don’t want
you to be burdened with all the work, sweetie. So we came to
relieve you.”

Neal smiled easily. “I appreciate your
helpfulness.”

“Leave us,” Chase commanded.

LaShaun might have calculated her odds of
escaping, or using the signs of friction to her advantage. But the
sight of Chase tangled her mind into knots. He looked strikingly
handsome dressed in a vintage crisp white shirt and black close
fitting pants. In the flickering gaslight lamps on the wall LaShaun
might have sworn she’d stepped back in time. Chase walked around
the room. He checked the windows and tugged at the long straps
bound her yet allowed her to move a few feet. Then he sat down on
the bed and patted the thick coverlet.

“My sweet one,” he said.

“I know who you are,” LaShaun said after
watching him in silence for several minutes.

Chase nodded. Or rather the being inside him
did. “I admit though that I’m surprised you found out. I won’t harm
you. Come sit with me.”

“You’ve harmed me already.”

Her voice shook as she gazed at the man she
loved. Her body ached with warring impulses to caress Chase and
attack him. Her psychic instinct told her the being needed to be
destroyed. Yet how could she and not fatally wound Chase?

“You don’t have to choose. Your true love is
right here. Every man has demons. This way you’ll simply know
exactly what his are. You see?” Abiku spread his borrowed arms out
as though the logic made life simple.

LaShaun placed both her open palms on the
broad chest. The warmth and solid flesh sent a flash of craving
through her. “It’s so like a devil to wrap itself in a beautiful
body like my Chase.”

“Think of the fun we shall have, mon petite.
Let me show you even more pleasure than he could. His love is
strong, but I’m growing stronger.” Abiku shivered beneath her
fingers. “I’ve grown to savor the way human flesh joined together
feels.”

“I see,” LaShaun replied softly.

She lifted the hem of the long shirt and
straddled him. The being sighed and leaned his back against one of
the thick bedposts. He inched back farther on the bed to gain more
leverage. He shifted his hips beneath her.

“What could I bargain to make you leave him
alone for good?” LaShaun tickled the side of his neck with the tip
of her tongue. “You want power, riches… another body?”

“Hmm, all that and more,” Abiku rasped, his
breathing heavy. “But I don’t have to bargain. I will have you
both. Being in this body makes me weak to your charms. That I must
admit.” He fumbled to free himself from the slim slacks as his
passion grew.

LaShaun used sheer willpower not to strike
out when his hands went beneath her night shirt. To counter the
aversion, she stared at his body and not into his eyes. Abiku
moaned in a language she didn’t recognize when his fingers found
one of her nipples. Like a clanging bell, a string of phrases
sounded clearly in LaShaun’s mind.

“Seduce the seducer,” a chorus sang.

She covered her startled cry by pretending to
gasp with pleasure. In a quick motion, LaShaun lifted her hips and
let his fingers rip the fabric of her leggings down the center
seam. One more tear and she’d be wearing nothing else. Abiku bucked
against her and moaned louder.

“I love the flesh,” he said through gritted
teeth.

“Then taste it,” LaShaun replied.

Despite her actions, her mind focused like a
laser on what she must do next. The chorus in her mind grew louder.
Chase tore free of his pants in two quick motions. With fingers
like claws, he shredded the leggings and shirt LaShaun wore. It
seemed the sight of LaShaun in tattered fabric drove him even
wilder. He growled in an attempt to form words. LaShaun felt
repulsed even though she saw Chase.

“Be strong,” a voice said.

“Yes,” LaShaun murmured.

A glint to ravenous lust made Chase’s eyes
bright, but the glow really came from the demon. “I knew the power
of his strong body would rule your senses.”

LaShaun turned her head so he wouldn’t see
the fear in her eyes. Every part of her spirit rebelled at being in
union with Chase while he was controlled. But the chorus in her
head urged her on. So she lifted her body and lowered her hips on
his pelvis.

“Devour me,” Abiku’s accented voice
gasped.

He licked LaShaun’s neck like a man starving
for the taste of her. Through his guttural pleas as he called out
her name, LaShaun heard the phrases again. She spiritually grabbed
onto them until her mind cleared to the one true purpose. At first
she repeated them silently, but after a few seconds she whispered
the words.

“We are bound in truth and faith. Yes, we are
truly joined, but not in the darkness that attempts to enslave us.
We are bound by the pure love of our union before God,” LaShaun
said, her mouth pressed against Chase’s cheek. “We are united, we
are wed, but not with the unholy purpose. We did not willingly
choose this way.”

“Ah, ah, what is that? What...” The voice of
Abiku grew hoarse; his grunts sounded more in pain than
pleasure.

“We are joined in God’s love as we intended
with this token,” LaShaun yelled. “With these words I declare our
marriage is true and...”

“Stop this defilement!” The demon roared.

The true evil essence of the thing pushed to
get away from the power of her prayer. Chase’s skin felt clammy
suddenly. A blast of hot air swept the room causing the heavy
drapes to sway. LaShaun shivered in a second sudden gust of icy
cold. The bed shuddered and the rest of the furniture in the room
started to move. LaShaun wrapped her body around Chase. She
continued her vow despite the whirlwind. LaShaun ignored the way
the room shuddered. She had no idea how much time passed, but when
she finally opened her eyes Chase panted against her breast. Her
left hand tingled intensely. LaShaun gazed at her engagement ring.
The Ametrine sparkled even in the muted light of the room.

“Open this door,” Neal called.

“I told you not to leave them alone,” Marion
Saunders said.

“We don’t have time for your harping,” her
husband shouted.

The banging on the door intensified until it
vibrated on the hinges. LaShaun looked for anything to use as a
weapon. She intended to fight her way out no matter the odds. She
pulled back from Chase. He slid down to the bed when she let go,
his eyes half closed. Her feet hit the Persian wool carpet just as
the bedroom door rattled ominously. Though solid the wood, it
couldn’t withstand much more of multiple people applying such
force. LaShaun heaved in air and let it out to clear her head.

“You need to get dressed.”

LaShaun whirled around to find Chase fumbling
with the leather straps. He soon had one untied. With effort he
grunted, sat upright and managed to get the second strap loose from
her wrist. He braced himself with both hands on the bed. When Chase
started for her, LaShaun raced to the table. She broke the plate
and pointed the jagged piece of China at him.

“Who the hell am I talking to?” she
shouted.

“What’s she saying?” a voice asked on the
other side of the door.

“Me, but I don’t know how long before...” his
voice trailed off and his dark eyes looked glassy. Then he looked
at LaShaun again.

“I, I...” LaShaun fought to stay in control,
but she heard it in his voice. Only Chase remained in the room. At
least for now. Tears rolled down her cheeks despite her efforts not
to cry. No time, a voice barked in her head. This is no time to
fall apart.

Chase took a step toward her with his hands
extended. “I love you, and that’s forever. No matter what I said or
did, we are one.”

LaShaun trembled at the tenderness in his
gaze. Her heart told her no demon could mimic what she saw. “Don’t
leave me, Chase. Please. We have to fight him together.”

“I know, cher. I know. But do what you have
to.” Chase continued talking to her sweetly as he approached.

“No. No.” LaShaun shook her head. She tried,
but couldn’t bring herself to attack him.

Seconds later, Chase took the improvised
weapon from her shaking hands. LaShaun collapsed into his arms, not
caring if he killed her in that instant. The sweet touch she knew
well combed the wild hair from her face.

“We don’t have much time,” Chase rasped.
“Once I get you out of here don’t look back, no matter what.”

“Chase, I can’t.” LaShaun shook her head
frantically. “Don’t ask me to.”

“Listen, do you think I want to live not
knowing when I’ll black out or do things I despise? You might say
something supernatural is happening, but... inside me is something
dark. I went through hell in the war. Things I saw.” Chase squeezed
his eyes shut and opened them again. “Things I did, LaShaun. Don’t
let me become a monster. No matter why, don’t let it happen.
Promise me.”

She gazed into his dark eyes for a second.
“We’re married, but not because of the foul ceremony they
performed. Once we’re both free we’ll exchange holy vows.”

“Married?” Chase gripped both LaShaun’s
shoulders. Before he could say more wood splintered into the
room.

Chapter 18

Seconds later the door flew open and hung
crazily to one side. Neal rushed in first holding a thirty-eight
pistol. Harry Saunders waved an iron fireplace poker over his head.
Ted Waterman hung back looking much less eager to jump in. Gina and
Marion craned their necks to see around the men.

“What the hell happened to my room?” Marion
blurted out with her eyes stretched wide.

Neal scowled at her and Marion snapped her
mouth shut. He turned back to Chase. “Are you okay?”

LaShaun sank to her knees and whimpered. Or
pretended to. She looked up at Chase. At that moment she hoped he
could read her expression since he couldn’t read her mind. More
importantly, she hoped Chase was still Chase. He blinked a few
times and then stood straight.

“I hope you have a damn good reason for
interrupting our wedding night consummation,” Chase said. He held
out a hand to LaShaun. When she moved back, he reached down and
forcibly pulled her up. Then he yanked a decorative throw from a
chair nearby and draped it around her.

“We apologize for the intrusion, master,” Ted
Waterman wheezed.

Neal walked closer to Chase with the gun
still pointed at him. “Nice try, but I’ve been around long enough
to know better. The connection is weakened. It’s not him.”

Harry Saunders stepped closer with the poker
still raised. “We need to speed things up then. She’s still able to
block his energy enough that the possession is unstable.”