Chapter Four

What the hell?

Who are all these people and what are they doing in my house?

 
Get out! Get out!

Wait! What is this? That’s my woman, standing next to a man

A tall, beefy man who is touching her

Damn it all to hell and back!

Why was I so stupid?

Just one more night, I’d said, maybe two

Then she would call my name, give me physical form

If I’d followed my instinct and given her my name, I’d be inside her right now

The contract would be sealed

Instead I waited

And now there were humans here

Human’s who obviously want to get rid of me

GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!

GET AWAY FROM MY WOMAN!

One of the men walked toward the stairs stopped and looked around, as if he’d heard him, but he knew that wasn’t true.

What he’d probably heard was…her

Worthless slut, did I tell you that you could speak?

Go back to your corner, which is all that you’re good for

That’s it, whimper and cry

It makes me happy

The man who’d noticed the noise stopped after going up two stairs, his gaze now focused on the ceiling.

That’s right, human, I’m here

Don’t think you can take over

This house, and that woman, belong to me.

 
* * * *

Franco always loved watching Martin work. How he would have loved to have a gift like his friend’s. It would have been better than being able to read minds. Knowing people’s innermost thoughts wasn’t always pleasant, unless it dealt with Tempest. Damn but that woman was fine.

He imagined himself above her, her legs wrapped around his hips as he buried himself deep inside her. True to the fantasy she’d had about him, he’d love to bury his face between her thighs, too, licking her sweet clit until she screamed in pleasure. His cock throbbed at the idea and he wanted to kick everyone out, toss her on the bed and make the dream come true, right now.

He gazed back at her. She stood in the middle of the room, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders in loose curls. Her brown eyes focused on Martin. Franco gazed down her body, at her full breasts and lush hips. Damn he loved a woman who wasn’t a stick figure.

Easy boy, easy, he said to himself as more images of her naked body continued to flood his mind. First things first. Deal with the demon, then you can get the girl.

“Well?” Her question was full of concern.

“I feel a woman,” Martin replied. “She’s scared, though, and won’t talk to me. She died here, on the stairs.”

“What?” Tempest all but screamed the word. “They didn’t disclose that when I bought the house.”

“It was an accidental death, I’d say in the fifties, or the sixties,” Martin explained. “Although I’m pretty sure your demon had a hand in it. I can feel her hovering around the edges of the room. But I can also feel a darker, more evil presence. I would say that’s your guy.”

Franco wanted to gather Tempest in his arms, to soothe the fears that were racing through her body. She was yelling inside her mind, telling herself that this couldn’t be happening. And she was afraid that since the incubus had tried to possess her that the demon somehow had a hold on her. He needed to let her know that wasn’t the case. They could fight this. And win.

“Get rid of it,” Tempest said. “Do whatever you have to do, exorcism, or whatever! Just get rid of it.”

“I can’t,” Martin’s voice sounded very tired. Franco knew he did that sometimes when he tried to contact spirits. “This is beyond my capabilities. I deal with ghosts, not demons. And the ghost I feel won’t respond right now. Once the demon is gone, maybe before, depending on its hold on her, I can help cross her over. But until then…I’m sorry.”

They can’t help you. No one can.

Franco shivered, fixing his gaze on each person in the room. The voice was deep, and menacing, and it didn’t match one person standing nearby. He’d never been able to read people who weren’t in the room with him before. Was there someone else among them? In the house?

You’re mine, you little bitch. Get rid of them. You have some punishment coming your way. The thought slammed into his brain and this time he had no trouble deciding where the feed was coming from. It came through Tempest, but it wasn’t her. It was…

Oh holy shit. He could hear the demon inside Tempest’s mind.

Franco watched her carefully, seeing how she would react to the demon’s declaration of punishment. He was shocked to see that she didn’t react at all. Had she heard it? If she had, she was sure being very calm about it.

How was this happening? He’d never been able to hear ghosts when Martin, or one of their other mediums, talked to them. How in the hell was he hearing the demon? This was something that had never happened to him before and he wasn’t sure how to proceed. If he let the demon know he could hear it, they were letting go of what could turn out to be a perfect card to play at just the right time.

“Hey Dev, um, could I speak to you for a minute?” He tried to keep his tone light. He didn’t want to distress Tempest any more than he wanted to tip his hand to the demon. “Outside? In the garden?”

Everyone was looking at him now and a barrage of “What the hell?” expressed in various forms hit his brain. So much for keeping things light and not alarming people.

“The garden’s out that way,” Tempest said, pointing toward the backdoor. “What’s going on?”

“Outside first.” Franco crossed to Tempest and put his hand on her shoulder, turning her toward the area she’d indicated. He knew there would be no way she wouldn’t come now. Better to accept it and not waste time arguing.

He led the way, smiling to himself as the group fell into line behind him. He hoped the garden would be far enough. When they reached the doorway, he heard a sharp, enraged “NO! Get back here you slut!” and he knew it would be. The incubus was tied to the house.

Just to be safe, once they were all outside, he went to the stone wall that marked the back of the garden. When everyone gathered around him, he took a deep breath, trying to figure out a way to say what he needed to without sending Tempest over the edge.

He listened to see if he could hear the demon again. He couldn’t. Good.

“I heard the demon, and he’s not a happy camper.”