Chapter Ten
As soon as our bedroom door closed behind us, Jake grabbed me and started kissing me. Not just kissing—pawing at me. He yanked up my shirt, then unbuttoned my jeans.
“Wait,” I gasped and pulled away. “What are you doing?”
“If you're going to leave me to spy on those demons, I want to be with you first,” Jake said.
We'd always been honest with each other, sometimes brutally so, but that shocked me.
“Wow.” I backed away. “I don't even know how to respond to that.”
“You can respond by undressing.” Jake stalked forward, and I caught the glimmer of someone else in his eyes.
“Michael?”
“He's gone,” Jake said. “It's just you and me.” He grabbed me and pulled me into his arms. “Come on, Indie. I need you. I need to be inside you at least once before you go to them. I need to know you're mine.”
“Jake, sex doesn't make me yours,” I said gently as I took his hand and laid it over my heart. “This does. You're in here. Have some faith in that. In me.”
For a second, Jake softened. But then that look flashed over him again, and he picked me up.
Before I could say anything, Jake had me on the bed, grinding his erection between my legs as he kissed me. I tried to turn away from his kiss, but he moved with me. Finally, I pushed his face away.
“What the fuck, Jake?” I snapped.
Panting, he hung his head, then whispered, “Please, Indie.”
I would have given in, but that's when Jake lifted his head, and I saw it again. I saw him again—Michael.
“Get off me!” I shoved at him. “I see Michael in your eyes. Get the fuck off me!”
Jake rolled away instantly, and I scrambled off the bed.
“Indie.” Jake got up and came after me. His face twitched and then his voice changed. “Come here.”
“Fuck off, Michael,” I said.
“You're going to let Jake fuck you, little girl. You're going to moan and spread your legs and fake a fucking orgasm if you have to—anything to make him happy. Because if you don't, he won’t let you leave this house. And if he doesn't let you leave this house, you'll never do what you're meant to do.”
“So you want me to spy on them too?”
“Of course I do! Why wouldn't I?”
“Because you don't like him.” I stepped closer. “You don't like Silas.”
Michael jerked back. “He's God. I have to like him.”
“I don't think so.” I smirked. “Why don't you like him, Michael? Are you tired of doing his dirty work? Or do you simply hate being bossed around? He treats you like a slave. I've seen it. He makes you go out and do all the hard work, convincing people he's the real deal.”
“Shut up,” Michael growled.
“Are you sure you want to fight the hounds? Maybe you should come with me. Join the other side.”
“Shut up!” He grabbed the front of my shirt and tore it down the center.
We both stared down at the ripped fabric for a second, then looked up at each other. I backed away.
“Get over here, bitch.” Michael grabbed me and wrestled with me until he got me over his shoulder. “I think I'll fuck you first, just to make sure that you know who's in charge. Then I'll let Jake out of his cage so he can have his turn.”
Oh, hell no. Not today, Satan!
When he tossed me on the bed, I was ready. I rolled off the other side and ran. Michael came after me, but I reached the door first. Bolting down the hallway, I heard Silas open his door.
“What's going on here?”
“Stay out of this,” Michael growled.
“Stand down, Michael!” Silas shouted.
I felt the vibration of Silas's voice through the air and light came from behind me, creating a shadow of my body on the carpet before me. But I didn't stop running, and I didn't look back.
“Let her go,” Silas said. “This will work out better for us.”
I didn't like the sound of that, but I didn't care. I was in flight mode, and I wouldn't stop until I had that fucked up log palace in my rearview mirror. In my head, I kept saying one word—no.
No. No. No. No. No, means no, asshole. No.
People called out to me as I thundered down the stairs to the first floor, but I ignored them. There were always people around, no matter the hour. I pushed away a man who tried to grab me and linebackered another out of my way. It's amazing how powerful fear can make you.
Then I was at the front door. I barreled into the night, cold air slapping me in the face and chest. The chest bit spurred me on. I had parked my car nearby. It took me mere seconds to get in the driver's seat.
Then I panicked. Keys! Oh, fuck, I needed the keys! As if in answer to a prayer, a lump in my jeans pocket reminded me I had stuck my keys in there earlier when Jake had given them back to me after he parked. I would have thanked God for that minor miracle, but I wasn't sure who he was. So, I just put the key in the ignition and turned it.
I reversed just as Jake came running out of the house. I saw him race after me as I drove away. I put on speed, my heart racing in time with him. I was afraid. Of Jake! Fuck. Even if all Silas said was true and the hounds were evil demons, I couldn't go back there. Because the man I loved was buried inside himself. Michael had admitted it. He caged Jake when he came forth. And if he could do that, then Jake wasn't in charge. Michael didn't have to rape me to get that message through. I got it. Clear as day. Understood. And as much as I wanted to help Jake, I was done with this bullshit. No more angels.
The question was—did I still want to deal with demons?