20. Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
Rory
The air was thick with tension. Zeke was on edge. And who were these men? What did they want with me?
The only person who held a grudge was Ernesto, but as far as he was concerned, I was still in London. So again, who were these men, and what did they want with me?
I’d done as Zeke said and put the bike between me and them. Not that I thought it’d make much difference. One leap and they’d be over it, but maybe it’d give me time to get away.
What the fuck? I stared in open-mouthed amazement as the two men standing in front of me transformed, no longer men but devils with horn and tails. Black leathery wings sprouted from their backs. Their clothes had disappeared, but I had no clue where.
Within seconds, the world as I knew it changed.
“What the—” I didn’t even get time to finish my sentence. Where Zeke had once stood was another devil. Dark grey feathered wings fluttered in the warm breeze. A tail, black and grey stripes. It resembled a snake and moved like one too. Slithering and serpentine, like a cobra about to strike.
What astounded me was his size. He’d grown both in height and bulk. I gasped, and he turned. It was Zeke, all right. I’d know those eyes anywhere, except now they glowed yellow, and thick grey horns sprouted from his head.
How? What? Who the fuck?
Sheer terror had my stomach churning. The food I’d eaten sat like a rock, a sour taste in my mouth. My heart beat so fast I thought I’d die of a heart attack. I stumbled backwards, desperate to get away but also drawn to the situation unfolding in front of me. A nightmare in broad daylight.
I half expected thunder and lightning, but the air was still and warm as if this whole thing wasn’t happening.
Zeke’s voice rang out in the quiet area where we stood.
“I’ll ask you again. Who sent you? I caution you to tell me the truth. I may be only one demon, but you won’t want to cross me. I’ve got centuries on you.”
Centuries? What the actual fuck was he talking about? He was forty if he was a day.
No, this wasn’t right. None of this was right. I rubbed my eyes, convinced I was hallucinating. I’d not drunk much. Maybe there were magic mushrooms in the meal, except I knew I’d eaten none.
It was time for me to escape and make my way back to the villa. I’d pack up and be gone. Maybe I’d go to Ernesto’s and collect Carlotta. Either way, I was leaving Italy and never returning.
“Stay where you are, Rory. There may be others about.” It was Zeke, but not Zeke. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, and the longer I stared, the more magnificent he appeared. What on earth was I thinking? He was terrifying.
He towered above me and the others, his dominance clear, and just when I thought they would back down, the larger of the two demons put his head down and ran straight at Zeke.
He effortlessly dodged the head-on assault, sidestepping him. The other did the same, and again, Zeke moved aside. The demon sprawled in the dust on the ground.
Whoever they were, they were no match for Zeke. His assailants nodded to each other and, with a roar, tried again, but to no avail. Zeke was all over them, punching and kicking, fighting for all he was worth.
But no matter who they were, it was all too much for me to take, and while they fought it out, I backed silently away. The sound of grunts and groans gradually faded away as I made my getaway.
I had to get back to the villa, but without transport, it’d be difficult. I looked around for a taxi. Anything to take me away from here.
I spotted a tour bus and sprinted to it.
I jumped on and sat in an empty seat, my head bowed.
Hopefully, no one would ask me who I was or what I was doing here.
When the bus pulled away, I silently cheered.
As we passed the space I’d last seen Zeke, I craned my neck, but no one was there, just a lone motorbike.
I should have been concerned, worried even, but I would never forget what I’d seen. How could Zeke have lied to me all this time? But hadn’t I known something was off?
Thankfully, the nausea I’d felt had passed. Panic replaced it, as did concern for Carlotta and me. Who the fuck was Zeke, and what did he want with us?
The bus drove down the mountain and finally stopped at a place close to where we’d been staying. I could walk to the villa, but a taxi was easier. Knowing Italian from all the years I lived here, I could easily tell the driver where I was staying.
In no time, we’d arrived. I asked him to wait and headed to the door. It was ajar. I pushed it open and stepped quietly into the villa.
I heard nothing, but that didn’t mean I was alone. Whoever it was could have been anywhere. I checked every room, relieved when I found no one, but the place was a mess. Not at all as we’d left it. Clothes were strewn about the place, kitchen cupboards opened, glass shattered on the floor.
What the fuck?
I wasn’t about to stick around and find out who’d done this. I grabbed my case and sifted through the clothes, picking out mine and throwing them haphazardly into it. Next, I emptied the bathroom and finally packed up my backpack.
It had taken less than five minutes. I wasn’t hanging around. Next stop, Ernesto’s place.
“Rory.” Zeke ran into the villa, back to normal, but with a cut on his face, red blood dripping from it.
Why had I assumed he’d have green blood or some other colour? I never imagined demons having red blood. Probably from stories I’d read as a child.
I pushed past him, but he grabbed my arm.
“I sent the taxi away. We need to talk.” I shrugged out of his grasp and turned to face him. I was livid now, all fear gone.
I laughed. “Talk, right? Why don’t we do that? Why don’t we talk about what you really are? Let’s talk about how you’ve deceived me. Let’s talk about the fucking wings that appeared on your back or the horns, and let’s not forget the tail. Noooo, how could we forget that?”
Rage and anger filled me, and all the thoughts I’d had since leaving him threatened to spill.
“It’s not what it looks like.”
“Really? What does it look like, Zeke? Because I thought you were someone I could fall for. Someone I could share my life with, or at least some of it. But now? I don’t know who you are.
I’m not sure I even want to know what you are.
And don’t get me started on how I trusted you with my daughter’s life. ”
Spittle flew from my mouth, and my head pounded with an oncoming headache.
“It’s hard for me to explain.” He held out his hand but, after a look at my face, retracted it.
“I don’t care, Zeke. You could tell me you were sent from the heavens to look after me, and I wouldn’t believe you. How about… yes, this is a funny one. You’re my long-lost fated mate, and you’re here to claim me. Yeah, that’s really fucking funny.”
He opened his mouth to speak and closed it. His gaze dropped to the floor as if the mosaic-patterned tiles held his interest.
Oh, please. That would be the fucking cherry on the top of this complete fuck-up.
“You can’t be serious. Is this what this is all about? You’re my fucking mate? Since when was that a thing?”
Surely, that only happened in stories and fairy tales. Real life wasn’t like that, but since when had demons and devils been a part of real life?
There probably were things we weren’t meant to know about. God, how would everyone react if they knew demons and fuck knew what else walked amongst us.
“I can’t explain it.”
“Try harder.”
For the first time, his face reflected indecision and doubt. Was he ever going to tell me about this?
“It’s not like I wanted it.”
“Oh, forgive me for not being what you want.”
“That’s not what I meant. Fuck this.” He lashed out and punched the wall, plaster crumbling to the floor.
Ordinarily, I’d have shied away from violence, but I stood my ground, and despite all that had happened, I knew Zeke wouldn’t hurt me.
“Can we sit and talk about this civilly?” He walked to the terrace, stepping over the evidence of the break-in. Neither of us had mentioned it, but this conversation was more important.
He sat facing me, his hands clasped before him, forearms resting on the table.
“I wish Mal were here. At least he could help me explain. He’s far better at this type of thing than I am.”
“Is he a demon too?”
“Yep, although he’s older than me.”
“Centuries or just a few years? And doesn’t he have a husband? Is he a demon?”
“No, Jason is human.”
“And he’s okay with it? How did he react when he found out?”
“You’d have to ask him that.”
“Oh, I intend to.” What the fuck was I talking about? Was I even considering this? Moments ago, I’d been ready to leave in a taxi, never to return or see Zeke again, yet here I was, willing to listen to his side of the story. “You should start at the beginning.”
“It’s a long story.”
“I have all day.” I folded my arms. This would be good.
He sighed. “I’m a demon.”
No shit, Sherlock. I’d already figured that one out on my own.
“I’m old. Like really old. I’ve been around a long time, longer than you can imagine.”
“I get the picture. Get to the mating bit.” That was the part that interested me.
“Supposedly, we all have a fated mate. One we’re meant to be with, and my demon…”
“So he’s a separate entity?”
“No, he lives inside me.”
“Like a parasite?”
“No… will you just let me finish.” He stood, walked over to the stone balustrade, and sat. “It’s like a consciousness, not a physical being. But I can call on him, like I did earlier, and he’ll show himself. Wings and all.”
“Okay.” I understood. Maybe.
“But he can recognise his mate, and well, you’re it.”
“Charming. I’m an ‘it’ now.”
“You’re twisting my words, Rory. Will you please let me finish with no more interruptions?”
“Have at it.”
“We’re one and the same, but he often has a mind of his own. I can hear his thoughts, as primitive as they sometimes are. To him, you’re his mate. His fated one.”
“And to you?”
“It’s complicated. It would be foolish of me to go against the wishes of my demon.
He can make my life hell if he wants to.
I’ll admit I didn’t want it at first. I was furious when I found out I had a mate.
I’d never wanted one, you see. I was content with fucking around with whoever I wanted to whenever I wanted to. A mate makes that difficult.”
“How? Surely, you can go do what you want. Just ignore him?”
“I could do that. It’d be painful and might lead to my death if he deemed it necessary.”
That didn’t sound great. I wasn’t sure I wanted Zeke dead.
“When did he realise I was his mate? We’d never met.”
“It was at Ernesto’s place. He gave me a file on you with pictures. The moment I touched it, I knew something was up, and when we met in London, it confirmed both our suspicions. It wasn’t what I wanted, but as I’ve got to know you, I’m not averse to the situation.”
“You’re not selling this, Zeke. Do you want to be my mate or not?” Where did that come from? I didn’t want a mate either.
“I’ve had weeks to think on this. I’ve spent time with you and with Carlotta. I could have walked away and suffered the consequences of my actions. Suffered the pain my demon would almost definitely inflict on me, but I chose to stay. I chose you as my mate.”
“Without my consent.”
“It’s not a matter of consent.”
“I bloody well think it is.” I bristled, ready to walk out again.
“That came out totally wrong. You, too, have the choice. What I meant was I don’t need your consent to see you as my mate, but you have to want it, to agree to it. Does that make any sense at all? I’m not explaining myself well.”
I saw his point. “So, to you, I’m your mate. To me, you’re Zeke. A guy I’ve shared my bed with and have kissed on numerous occasions. I’m under no obligation to take you as my mate.”
“In a nutshell, yes.”
Hmm, still so many questions to ask. I’d seen so much today it’d been a lot to take in.
“Show me.” Not that I was falling for his bullshit. I needed to see his demon again.
“Show you what? My demon?”
“Yeah, I want to see him again.”
“Okay. You’ll need to step back a little, though.”
I did as he asked and stood by the door leading into the villa. He checked his surroundings and slowly removed his clothes so he was standing in his underwear, folded them neatly, and placed them on the table.
He seemed apprehensive, shy even, and that wasn’t the Zeke I was used to. Had I been inconsiderate the way I’d spoken to him? Perhaps, but I felt I had due cause.
He’d misled me and my daughter. But had he really? How else would I have reacted to the news I had a mate? My actions had been impulsive, but the sight of three demons fighting in the street had petrified me. I’d almost lost my lunch and pissed myself. Thankfully, neither had happened.
At least now, I was in control. I knew what to expect.
Or did I?