Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
Elijah
T he ceremony wrapped up below us, but I focused on Kainda. This far back from the large fire, the air was unbearably cold. I enjoyed myself, even immersed in a magical culture surrounded by witches in the dead of night, all because of the demon hunter next to me. She felt nice pressed along my side, and not just because the woman radiant heat like a freaking furnace.
Kainda stood as soon as the ceremony officially finished. “Let’s head back, we need to get some sleep. Tomorrow we’ll head out and get this hunt on the road.”
“What is our next step?” Following her down the risers and back up the path toward the coven buildings.
She shivered as her arms wrapped around her middle, continuing through the trees. Her silence so unlike her spoke volumes. She planned to ditch me once we left. Well, she could try, but I didn’t intend to let her succeed. The thought of letting her go after Uttu alone caused me to shake with dread. I knew I didn’t have the skills to aid in her mission, but I didn’t want to say farewell, yet.
“E?”
“Yes, Kainda.”
“Remember when I told you, you were a projector?” She smirked at me over her shoulder, not breaking stride.
“Yes.”
“Well, you’re thinking so hard, I’m picking up the gist of what you’re thinking.” The teasing look fell away. Her eyes looked sad, lips pressed together unsmiling.
Heat filled my cheeks, her hearing my thoughts unsettled me. Quickening my strides, I pulled her into me. “I didn’t need any magic to figure out you didn’t plan to take me on the next leg of your hunt. Care to discuss it with me. Maybe we can settle on a compromise.”
“Elijah, you’ve got no experience hunting demons or training to protect yourself. You’ll be in the way, and I’ll be worried about Uttu getting to you when I need to be focused on ending her. Besides all of that, you’ve escaped her once. Do you really want to risk getting captured by her again, if this fails? You’ve lived through her torture already, and it nearly broke you. I’m the safer option to try to take her down because I don’t have a dick. She doesn’t want to hurt women.”
I couldn’t argue with the woman when most of her assessment proved correct. I didn’t have the training Kainda did, but I had enough common sense to stay out of her way. And while I had no desire to ever end up in Uttu’s clutches again, I wanted revenge. Fear wouldn’t keep me from making sure that demon never had the chance to hurt anyone else, I wouldn’t let it.
“My Y chromosome does make me a bigger target to Uttu. But you’re overlooking the biggest advantage you’ve got.”
An adorable, frustrated growl escaped her clenched teeth. “And just what advantage is that, E? Because from where I’m standing, you’re insisting on making this a suicide mission for yourself.”
“Uttu has been drawn to me. I’m different for her than her other victims. Look at the difference in her behavior. She didn’t kill me, instead she held me hostage for months and tortured me. When I was rescued, and escaping, she screamed after me that I was her fly. There is this evil connection she has to me that we can use against her.”
Kainda pulled me off the path as we exited the trees. She stepped from my side, tilting her head back as far as it would go without her spine bowing. The position exposed the smooth expanse of her throat where a groan of frustration rumbled even as I thought she looked beautiful under the starry sky. After a long moment, she looked at me with a new determination in those hazel eyes.
“If you’re dead set on coming with me, then fine. But I’m not responsible for what happens to you. And to be clear, I’m in charge. If I tell you to do something, you’d better hop to it. For the record, E, I don’t want you to go with me.” She turned and walked toward the bunkhouse.
I followed her, watching her every hypnotic movement. Even exhausted, Kainda still moved with sure, purposeful motions. Strength and grace all in one. She’d kick my ass if I ever said as much. Here’s to hoping I wasn’t projecting at the moment.
“Yes, you’re projecting again.” She grumbled before jogging ahead of me to the bunk house, giving me a one finger salute as a parting shot.
I kept my pace slow, sensing she needed some space and a moment alone to think. Probably because I needed those same things. None of the last twenty some odd hours had turned out how I’d expected. And somehow I knew life as I knew it pre- and post-attack continued changing, never returning to normal. No matter what happened next, a new version of me would pick up the pieces and get back to living instead of existing in a sedative haze.