Chuck sat up quickly and stared at him with wide, horrified eyes as he put the car into gear and pressed the gas. “Malachi!” she squeaked.
“Kidding! I know how to drive!” he smirked. “Just wanted to distract you. But I meant it, Chuck. I’m here. I’ve got you.”
“Jerk,” she murmured softly. “Thank you, Malachi. Sorry, I spaced out there. I appreciate you being there for me.” Lightly stroking her fingers over his forearm, she frowned. “Do… do you think Bennett knew? Was he acting? Or was he just as shocked as I was?”
Absently patting her hand, Malachi shared his thoughts. “I think he’s lying. He may not have known what his son intended, but he knew he was around. It’s why I was sensing darkness on him. The darkness that’s onNathan—that faint haze—is the same as what’s cloaking Blake. So, he’s definitely been around him. Had to be for it to rub off on him like that. I don’t knowwhyhe’s lying, or to what extent.” Glancing over through the darkened car, he watched lights from the passing streetlamps play across her face, her expression turning troubled.
He had to fight the urge to pull over and take her in his arms. The best thing now would be to get her home and tend to her wound further. Then he could wrap her up with him and never let go. His stomach churned, sour with acid as he thought about how close he came to losing her. If she weren’t such a fighter in her own right, Blake might have succeeded in his mission.
“I’m impressed by you, Chuck,” he murmured, the corners of his lips twitching at her startled gaze. “Don’t act so surprised, I am capable of that, you know. I just… well, I’ve been around for a while, and most women I’ve known would either be dead or have fallen completely apart by now. You not only escaped, but you’re also working through the facts and trying to figure this out. For the love of Satan, you’re fucking bleeding and still trying to solve the mystery.” He shook his head. “Anyone else, I’d think they’re crazy. But it’s you, so I know it’s because you’re so strong. And relentless. It’s impressive.”
“Thanks, Mal, that means a lot to me.” She grimaced and glanced at her arm. “Speaking of bleeding, how did you even know to come out there?”
Tightening his grip on the wheel, he eased the car to a smooth stop at a red light. Turning to gaze at her fully, he explained, “I felt you. I felt your fear. Your pain. I thought my heart was going to burst right out of my chest. I knew something was wrong, and then I was hit with this… I don’t know… tsunami I guess, of your grace. The only reason I would feel that is if you had either performed a miracle, you smote someone, or your blood was spilled with a forsaken blade. I knew the first two were unlikely, so I had to get to you.”
A honk came behind them as the light turned green, and he didn’t immediately move the car. Malachi glanced in the mirror and gave a small apologetic wave, turning back to leave when the person behind them laid on the horn and began gesturing rudely. Growling, Malachi’s eyes flashed with Hellfire, and he raised one hand. Snapping his fingers, flames suddenly billowed from under the hood of the offending driver’s vehicle. Dismayed cries and bellows filled the air as Malachi slowly pulled away from the light and continued on his way.
“Malachi!” Chuck scolded. “You can’t do things like that!” She watched behind them as the driver frantically ran around waving his arms for help.
“Pretty sure I just did, Chuck,” he retorted dryly.
Snorting and shaking her head, she rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Yeah, youcan,but that doesn’t mean youshould.”
“Well, just because he could honk at me, doesn’t mean he should have!” Malachi protested. “He was a dickhead, he deserved it!” He smiled innocently at her. “At least I didn’t take his soul,” he offered, batting his eyelashes.
Blinking several times, Chuck finally barked out a short laugh. “Demon. Right.” She sighed, “I guess you’re getting more comfortable being your true self around me, aren’t you?”
Shrugging, he hummed, “Eehhh. I’ve always been like this. You just couldn’t always hear me.”
“You heard me, though,” she murmured, frowning now. “You heard that I was scared. I guess maybe heard isn’t right. You felt it. You somehow sensed I needed you. Why is that, do you think?”
“I guess it was just all that grace coming through. It was like an instant sunburn. My skin suddenly felt like it was on fire, prickling and tingling allover. I was filled with this sick sense of dread. I knew. I justknewsomething bad was happening to you. And I couldn’t stand it, Chuck. The thought of you being hurt.” He shook his head as he pulled into her driveway and parked. Turning to face her in the dark shadow of her house, he reached for her, cupping her cheek in his hand. “No one… better lay a fucking finger on you, Chuck.”
Smiling and laying her hand over his own, she replied. “Careful there, demon-boy. If I didn’t know you weren’t capable of it, I’d think you were developingrealfeelings for me.”
Pulling her slowly to him until her nose was touching his, Malachi whispered, “But I am capable, and I’ve got all kinds of interesting feelings for you.”
Swallowing hard, Chuck shrugged. “Yeah, I’m sure you think you are. Well, let’s feel what it would be like to go inside and re-bandage this cut.”
Letting go quickly as if her skin had scalded him, Malachi snatched his hands back. Chuck lurched forward slightly, no longer being supported. She frowned, perhaps realizing her words had caused his reaction. Nodding in silence, he turned off the car and exited, hurrying to her door to offer a hand she didn’t need but accepted anyway. He wasn’t even sure she would take his hand, knowing how poorly he had misread her. He’d begun to think she wanted him in more than a sexual way before tonight, that she cared for him and wanted his feelings in return. But the way she’d pulled back from him, he figured seeing his demon form earlier must have changed her mind. Maybe she was trying to let him down gently.
Confusion swirled through him, causing a deep ache in the pit of his stomach.I completely suck at reading women,he thought in disgust. His inner voice quietly corrected him,not all women, just this one.Shushing his reasonable side, he steadied her and helped her into the house. When she didn’t move fast enough for his liking, he simply scooped her in his armsand carried her to the bathroom, ignoring her protests. Dodging Reena and her worried yips as she trotted underfoot, he deposited Chuck on the edge of the counter by the sink.
“Mal,” she started, huffing out an irritated breath and shoving a hand through her soft brown hair. “I can clean up a simple cut.” She insisted in exasperation, making him feel like he must be nagging her.
“Not this one,” he snapped, his embarrassment and irritation about having rejected feelings causing him to be shorter than necessary. Her expression almost mirrored his own frustration.
Teeth grinding and eyes narrowed, a grimace stretched her lips as she poked him in the chest. “I’ve had more cuts than I care to admit. What’s so special about this one?” she demanded.
“The blade,” he explained, trying to remain patient. “It’s designed to bypass your angelic defenses and wound the way an Earthbound blade couldn’t. The bleeding may have stopped, but your grace is still escaping.” His voice was flat and cold. Detached as he tried to create distance between himself and the nearly overwhelming urge to hold her tightly.
“How do you know?” she retorted, her voice full of irritation as well. “I don’t see anything.”
Slamming his hands to the counter on each side of her, his eyes flared with flames, and he growled. “Because I can fucking see it. Demon, remember? Not of this world. Different, ugly, scary. I may not be capable of saying some words, but I can see fucking angel grace when it’s smearing around like a slaughterhouse.”
“What the hell, Mal?” she shook her head. “So, bandage it up and let’s move on with it. Why are you so wound up?”
Trying to keep from yelling, he closed his eyes, focusing his power until his hands started glowing. Gently laying them on her skin, he kept his thoughts trained on closing the metaphysical wound and not on how softshe was. When he finished closing the laceration, his hands dropped to his side like lead weights, and he stared at her. “All healed. Now it’s just an ordinary cut so you can clean it and put as many bandages as you want on it. And you may think I don’t haverealfeelings or that I know what it means to give up your life for another person, but reality check, Officer Charles. I do have real feelings. Very strong ones when it comes to you. I’m sorry if that’s inconvenient for your plans in life. I can fix that burden easily enough. I’ll just go back to being the creature you think of me as.”
