Demon's Kiss by V. J. Devereaux Read Free Book Online

The thought that he might not fly again
was nearly as much torture as the cat-o’-nine-tails.
    “Be ready in the morning, demon,” Templeton said as he
tossed the bloodstained whip to his subordinate and glanced toward his other
minion to indicate that he should stop chanting. “I will have a use for you
then.”
    He and his people stepped through the shimmering gateway and
left. It closed behind them.
    In an instant, Gabriel was on her knees at his side as he
struggled unsteadily to his feet, lifting one of his arms over her shoulder.
Pain shot through him sharply and he did not know if he could have gained the
scant comfort of the bed without her aid.
    “Asmodeus,” she whispered.
    “No, my angel,” Asmodeus said, but she put her fingers over
his lips.
    Don’t speak, not aloud. It is no more than Templeton
would expect me to do, being one of the good guys. Asmodeus, you should know
that his people can watch and listen to us from a distance.
    She used her mind to send images of hidden cameras and
listening devices as she helped him to the bed.
    When he had conjured the smoke, he had only done so to
conceal them from the watchers. But this. Shock went through him, along with a
bitter understanding. Suddenly much made sense.
    So, that is how he knew.
    Knew what? she asked.
    That I could contact my brothers on the other plane. His mouth tightened. Thinking myself alone, I spoke aloud to them. They
would have come to rescue me but they would have come here, where they would
have been trapped as well so I forbade it. Templeton wanted it, wants it still.
To have all of my people trapped here and at his bidding. I would not call my
brothers though he asked.
    It would have given Templeton an army, a terrible army.
    Templeton had beaten him into unconsciousness again and
again, but he had not broken. He would not condemn his brothers—Ashtoreth, most
particularly—to this kind of hell, not again. Even now he could feel Ash
calling to him in frustration, worry and fear, but Asmodeus blocked him.
     
    Gabriel caught the image of it from his mind and she
suddenly knew how he had gotten the other, older marks on his back.
    In spite of herself, as tough as she thought she was, as
many horrors as she had seen in her career, tears stung her eyes once again.
    “Dear god,” she whispered.
    So many of them.
    You know him? Asmodeus asked, his lambent eyes
shadowed, dimmed. Templeton?
    She nodded grimly as she eased him down. I’ve been
investigating him for years. I know he’s dirty, he’s swindled thousands of
people and he’s used less subtle means of persuasion to convince companies to
sell to him. I just couldn’t prove it.
    A significant glance around at the mercenaries hidden in the
shadows was enough.
    When I bring him down, it’s going to make Enron look like
a walk in the park. But every time I’ve gotten close, witnesses have changed
their testimony, disappeared, or died.
    She suddenly went a little cold and looked at Asmodeus.
Something inside her cried out in rejection at the very idea of it. Asmodeus
must have sensed her fear.
    No, my angel. Daemonae do not kill without reason. I do not kill without reason. Were I to get my hands on Templeton, I would be
sorely tempted to mete out the harshest form of judgment but even then I would
not kill in cold blood. I had nothing to do with those losses.
    Asmodeus… She caressed his shoulder in apology, wary
of the lash marks. Is there anything I can do?
    No. He averted his gaze.
    She caught his thoughts anyway, just an inkling of what he
would not ask, and she looked at him steadily as a glimmer of understanding
went through her.
    That pride of his was so much a part of him.
    Asmodeus , she said, quietly but firmly.
    He swore softly, vehemently, under his breath in a language
she could not understand but the meaning was clear enough.
    She swatted his shoulder lightly, impatiently. Stop that.
    In surprise, Asmodeus looked at her, a little startled at
her action.
    What do