Author: Karen Lynch
Category: Paranormal
Go to read content：https://onlinereadfreenovel.com/karen-lynch/page,19,468303-hellion.html
I wondered if anyone else was thinking the same thing I was. If my bond with Hamid was part of the spell, then any strengthening of our bond should theoretically strengthen the spell. I kept my musings to myself. I was not going to discuss my bond with a bunch of warlocks and scholars as if it was just another part of this investigation. Plus, they might get it into their heads next that completing the bond would make the spell unbreakable and keep the barrier safe.
That thought led to a rather X-rated one about how Hamid and I would complete the bond. I shifted in my chair as I tried to put the image from my mind. Ever since that night in the shower, I’d been having these fantasies, each one more graphic than the last. To make matters worse, I couldn’t even find relief for all this pent-up sexual tension, because the thought of touching another male repulsed me.
Thanks for nothing, demon.
Solmi, it grumbled resentfully. At least, I wasn’t the only unhappy one. Misery loves company and all that.
“The only demon with enough power to open the barrier is an archdemon,” said Marie, yanking me from my thoughts.
Bastien clasped his hands on the table. “Impossible. If there was an archdemon on this side of the barrier, we would know it.”
An involuntary shudder went through me. An upper demon was powerful, but an archdemon was virtually indestructible. In its physical form, an archdemon was said to be impervious to earthly weapons, and not even a faerie could kill one of them. The only weapon that could destroy an archdemon was an archangel’s sword, and I didn’t see any angels walking around here.
I raised a hand to get their attention. “Could an archdemon have opened the barrier first from the other side and come through it?”
Charlotte shook her head. “The barrier can only be opened from this side.”
“How do you know that for sure?” I asked.
“It was created that way,” she replied. “The original breach only happened because someone on this side opened the barrier.”
“If an archdemon could open the barrier from their side, they would have done so long before now,” Orias explained.
“True.” I thought back to my demon studies and realized we’d only scratched the surface of that subject in school. It was no wonder our scholars dedicated their lives to it, because it would take a lifetime to understand it all.
“The only way a demon can cross the barrier without opening it is through a summoning, but that leaves them without a body,” I said more to myself than anyone else. “If the summoning is done incorrectly, the demon could possess the warlock, and that would give them a body.”
“To an extent,” Orias said, interrupting my thoughts. “The human body could house the demon, but the demon wouldn’t have all its strength and power without its own body.”
“Would it be strong enough to open the barrier?” I pressed.
Bastien’s smile was patronizing. “An upper demon cannot open the barrier.”
I rested my arms on the table and leaned in. “What would happen if a warlock summoned an archdemon?”
All chatter around the table stopped, and everyone stared at me as if I’d started speaking in tongues.
Orias cleared his throat. “No warlock would attempt such a thing. It would be suicide.”
“Our spells can control an upper demon, but containing an archdemon would be like trying to stop a volcano from erupting,” Bastien said. “It cannot be done.”
I looked from Bastien to Orias. “You’re saying a warlock wouldn’t try to summon one, not that they couldn’t do it.”
Orias pursed his lips. “It takes a very complex and powerful spell to summon an upper demon and bring it through the barrier. Using that same spell to summon an archdemon would be like a human sitting in a rubber dinghy and trying to catch a great white shark with a fishing rod. If they somehow managed to hook it, they wouldn’t be strong enough to reel it in.”
“What if the shark decided it wanted to come to the boat?” I asked.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Ever watch Jaws?”
“I see your point.”
The conversation shifted to persons of interest in the Chicago area they wanted to interview. Orias mentioned a local witch named Seraphine who had deep ties to the Chicago underworld. They’d been trying to set up a meeting with her, but she was distrustful of other magic users and hated warlocks.
It was decided that Hamid would talk to her if they could get her to agree to a meeting. He wouldn’t be my first choice to send to talk to someone who was skittish around most people, but what did I know? He was lead investigator for a reason.
I stayed in the room until the conversation returned to their favorite topic – the spell. There was nothing I could contribute to the discussion, so I excused myself from the meeting before they decided they wanted to do more tests.
I could feel Hamid’s eyes on me as I left the room, but I didn’t look at him. Other than asking me how I was feeling, he hadn’t spoken to me in the meeting. His absences and lack of interaction made it obvious he was pulling back and distancing himself from me. It was probably for the best, but I couldn’t help feeling a little melancholy. I was going to miss our sparring sessions.
Beth came out of the control room as I approached it. “What’s with the long face?”
“Meeting with the Council team,” I said, hoping she’d leave it at that. “Where are you off to?”
She hesitated before she said, “Chris and I are going to the wrakk to do the self-defense class.”
“He’s going with you?”
She grimaced. “He doesn’t want me going there alone after what happened.”
“I don’t think any of those Gulaks are coming back,” I joked.
“Yeah, but your attack freaked him out more than he wants to admit. He keeps saying it could have been me. I don’t want to stop doing the class, but I hate having him worry over me. So, he’s been coming with me.” She bit her bottom lip. “The boys asked when you’ll be back. I can tell them you –”
“Tell them I’ll see them soon and I hope they’ve been practicing with the staffs I gave them.”
Her smile returned. “I’ll let them know. I’d better go. Chris is waiting for me.”
“Have fun.”
I watched her walk away, envy gnawing at me. I wanted to be the one going to the wrakk today, not just to do the class but to stand on the spot where I was attacked and show the world that I was back and I wasn’t going out that easily.
* * *
“But it’s been three days since I left the medical ward, and I feel fine.” I stood in the doorway of Nikolas’s office and gave him a pleading look. “Come on, Nikolas. I’m going crazy, and I need to be on patrol.”
He sat on the corner of the desk with his arms crossed and an unyielding expression. “I’m sorry, but Xavier said you need at least five days before you can go back to work. I won’t risk your safety by letting you return too soon.”
“What about my mental health? Because I’m going to lose my mind if I have to be cooped up here much longer.”
I wasn’t exaggerating. Not only did I hate being idle, this forced “rest” was wreaking havoc on my sleep schedule. I couldn’t work out or do anything strenuous enough to burn off all the restless energy building up inside me, so it was taking me hours to fall asleep. Every morning, I crawled out of bed feeling unrested and in a worse mood than the day before.
He smiled sympathetically. “I know this has been hard for you, but it’s just two more days.”
I groaned and slumped against the doorframe. “You’re killing me. I thought you liked me.”
“I’ll tell you what. I could use a break from these reports. Why don’t we take the bikes out for a run?”
My head shot up. “Don’t toy with me, Nikolas. I’m a woman on the edge.”
He chuckled and reached into his jeans pocket to pull out the key to his Ducati. “I’ll meet you at the bikes in five minutes.”
I nearly ran down two warrio
rs in my haste to get to my room and change. Nikolas was waiting for me when I entered the loading bay a few minutes later, nearly jumping up and down in my excitement. It was crazy how I’d taken things as simple as riding my bike for granted. I’d never realized how much I enjoyed the freedom it gave me until it was taken from me.
Nikolas and I rode for a little over an hour. I would have stayed out all afternoon if he had let me, but I didn’t argue when he said it was time to go back. I planned to ask him to let me ride again tomorrow. Being difficult now wouldn’t win me any favors.
“Thanks for that,” I told him after we parked our bikes. “I really needed it.”
“Hang in there. You’ll be back wreaking havoc in no time.”
I laughed. “You know it.”
We parted ways at the door to the control room. Nikolas went inside, and I continued on to the living area. The room was empty except for a warrior named Rory who was reading on a tablet. I’d never been a big reader, and I wished now that I was. Anything to pass the time and break up the boredom of my current existence.
I wandered over to the tall bookcase in the living room to see if anything looked good. Sara had added it, saying it made the place feel homier and that everyone should have books in their lives. I shook my head in amusement when I saw the selection. Leave it to Sara to fill the thing up with mostly classics.
“Now this is more my style,” I murmured when I found a series of manga comics on the bottom shelf.
My hand paused reaching for the comics when my Mori did that annoying flutter to alert me that Hamid was nearby. I hadn’t laid eyes on him since the meeting two days ago, and I was surprised he was here in the middle of the day when he seemed to be going out of his way to avoid me.
“Where have you been?” he demanded from behind me.
I looked over my shoulder to see him standing in the doorway. His hard stare and drawn brows said he was angry, but I was at a loss as to why.
I stood unhurriedly. “I’ve been here. Where else would I be?”
“You weren’t here for the last hour,” he said.
“How do you know that?”
He strode toward me. “I received a notification from the tracker on your motorcycle that it was moving. Why were you out riding around the city when you should be resting?”
I planted my hands on my hips. “Why are you getting alerts from my tracker?”
The tracker was one of the conditions I’d agreed to in order to keep some semblance of normalcy in my life. I had one on my bike and one I carried with me. But he had said nothing about me being under constant surveillance, and definitely nothing about him getting alerts.
He stopped a few feet from me. “I am responsible for your safety. Since I cannot be with you throughout the day, I configured your trackers to let me know where you are.”
“I’m not an invalid who will fall and break a bone if I’m left alone,” I argued. I wasn’t sure if I was more annoyed that he was treating me like I was helpless or that he’d disappeared for days, only to show up now all concerned about me. “And you don’t get to tell me when I can come and go from here. That was not part of our arrangement.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “You are recovering from a near fatal attack and under the healer’s orders to not overexert yourself. What if you’d had a relapse out there with no one to help you?”
I breathed through my nose, trying to keep my temper in check. It was on a short fuse these days, and he was dangerously close to igniting it.
“I was not alone. Nikolas was with me, and he is more than capable of protecting me if I need it.”
“Nikolas rode with you?” he asked. “He knows you are –”
“He knows I am going out of my mind here,” I almost yelled at him. “He knows there is more to a person’s health than their physical well-being, something you obviously have no clue about. Maybe you would have seen that if you’d been around instead of monitoring your goddamn trackers.”
Hamid looked taken aback by my outburst. “What do you need? Tell me, and I will give it to you.”
I crossed my arms, hating the way my heart squeezed a little when his expression softened. I was starting to feel things for him beyond the physical attraction, and it scared me. I needed him to go back to being the arrogant warrior who stirred nothing but my anger. It was the only way I was going to come out of this intact.
“I don’t need anything from you,” I said coldly. “Go back to your investigation.”
I met his gaze, refusing to back down or look away. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but then he turned on his heel and left. I glanced over at Rory, but he was no longer there. He must have slipped out while I was arguing with Hamid.
Sinking down on the couch, I rubbed at the ache in my chest, which had only worsened. I didn’t understand. I’d gotten what I wanted, so why did it hurt so much?
Solmi, my Mori whispered sadly.
For the first time, I didn’t have it in me to argue with it.
* * *
I shifted in my bed for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. Groaning, I threw off the covers and sat up. I didn’t need to look at the clock to see that it was after 3:00 a.m. because I’d been checking the time every half hour since I’d come to bed.
It was no use trying to sleep. This was my reality until I was allowed to do the things that helped me burn off my endless store of energy. Resigned to my fate, I quietly dressed and left my room, not wanting to disturb anyone else’s sleep.
I slowed at Hamid’s room, although I already knew he wasn’t inside. I hadn’t seen him or felt his presence since our argument that afternoon, and I didn’t expect to after the way I’d told him to leave me alone.
Shame pricked me when I thought about the harsh words I’d said to him. He had been expressing his concern in his own way, and I’d taken my frustrations out on him. I had lashed out because if I couldn’t stop my feelings for him, I’d drive him away. It was immature and not one of my finer moments, and it had plagued me ever since.
I passed through the quiet living area and headed to the gym. Closing the door behind me, I went to the wall where the throwing knives were hung and selected a set. I positioned myself in front of the target and began unleashing all my aggression. It wasn’t as satisfying as sparring, but it would have to do.
I was on my fifth round when my Mori alerted me that Hamid was nearby and coming closer. Hoping he’d see the closed door and keep on walking, I went back to my throwing. I knew I had to apologize to him, but I wasn’t sure how to explain why I’d been such a bitch after all he’d done for me. Obviously, the truth was out of the question.
The door opened. I didn’t look because I knew it was him. For a minute, he stood there watching me throw knives at the target.
When I finished, I moved to retrieve my knives, but he walked over and pulled them from the target, where they were embedded up to the hilt.
“I’m not overexerting myself,” I said to his back.
“I know.” He faced me, the corner of his mouth tilted up. “I feel safer talking to you when you’re not holding weapons.”
“Smart man.” I bit back a smile.
He lost his teasing tone. “Can’t sleep?”
I nodded, because I couldn’t pretend with him. He’d spent enough time with me by now to know my sleep habits.
“Anything I can do?”
“No. A sedentary lifestyle doesn’t agree with me, and I’ve been pent up here a little too long. I’ll be okay once I can get back to a normal routine.”
His eyes grew troubled. “I’m sorry. I should have known how hard this would be for you.”
“Stop.” I held up a hand. “If anyone should apologize, it’s me. I’ve been in a foul mood, and I took it out on you today.”
Hamid hefted one of the knives. “Does throwing these help you sleep?”
“Not really. But it’s better than staring at my bedroom ceiling.”
“Then we need to mak
e it more interesting.” He came to stand beside me. “Closest to the center wins.”
“What do I win?” I asked, taking the knife he offered me.
“You can name your prize if you win,” he said with a cocky lift of his eyebrows.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Fine. But no engaging our Mori. That way the playing field will be a little more even.”
“I accept your terms.” He stepped aside and waved me over. “Ladies first.”
I moved into position, took aim, and threw. As soon as the knife left my hand, I knew it was one of my best shots. It hit the target almost dead center, and I had to resist the urge to let out a whoop.
“Not bad,” he said as he took my place.
“Not bad? That was a nearly perfect throw.”
He drew back his arm and released his knife without stopping to take aim. I could hear the scrape of metal on metal as the tip of his blade sank into the target next to mine. I didn’t need to walk over to the target to know he’d beaten me by a fraction of an inch.
“Show-off,” I muttered.
He handed me another knife. “Best two out of three?”
We threw three knives each. I could have thrown two dozen knives, and I still wouldn’t have bested Hamid. The man was a machine, never missing his mark once.
I slanted a look at him. “Are you sure you’re not engaging your Mori?”
“Are you calling me a cheater?”
“No,” I grudgingly admitted. “Will you show me how you can throw so well without even aiming?”
He chuckled. “I was waiting for you to ask.”
Over the next hour, Hamid patiently demonstrated his knife throwing technique, and I practiced until I felt comfortable with it. When we finished, I challenged him to another contest, and this time, it was my knife that took the center spot.
“Yes! Do you see that?” I jumped up and down. “I could kiss you right now.”
I turned to face him and stumbled into his hard chest. His arms wrapped around me, and I tilted my head up to give him a sheepish smile.