Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
Istand there awkwardly, realizing I totally missed my cue to start singing. Squaring my shoulders and taking a deep breath, I grab the microphone from the stand and wait for the pianist to repeat my cue.
Narrowing my eyes, I search the crowd for the demon as I start singing the first verse. The rush of people who just filed in has filled nearly every empty space. It’s hard to make out exactly who’s in the crowd now, and everyone blends together into a blur of faces.
I’ve never been on a stage like this before. But as I keep singing, I realize it’s a lot less terrifying when I’m also trying to find a demon. Who knew demon hunting was the cure for stage fright? I catch a glimpse of the demon standing behind the bartender.
Without breaking from the song, I motion toward the left with my hand, trying to get Delphi’s attention. Other than me, she’s the only one who can see it, which means she’s the only person who can help me track this thing through the crowd.
Antonio starts moving in the direction I’m pointing, but then the demon whispers something into the bartender’s ear and disappears from sight.
“Dammit,” I nearly mutter, stumbling over the lyrics as I watch the bartender. She stands perfectly still as she overfills a shot glass with tequila, pouring until alcohol spills across the bar and drips onto the floor. Nobody else notices.
The demon darts out of sight again. I probably look like a crazy person, waving my hands around while singing in an attempt to direct Delphi toward something nobody else can see. She finally catches on and looks where I’m pointing, then rushes over, grabbing Mabel’s hand and dragging her along.
The spotlight shifts, shining directly into my eyes and making it almost impossible to see into the crowd. Mabel and Delphi run toward the back, chasing the demon as it heads for a swinging door leading into the kitchen.
Then suddenly something comes flying at them.
Mabel moves at vampire speed and catches it.
I bring one hand up, shielding my eyes from the stage lights.
It’s a fucking knife. The demon isn’t playing anymore.
I wave frantically at them, trying to signal for them to stop.
It’s not worth anyone getting hurt over.
The crowd is getting really into the song now, and several people are even singing along with me.
It’s a weird kind of rush being up here like this.
I’ve never had any desire to be a singer or performer of any kind.
I’ve spent my whole life wanting to avoid the spotlight.
But this?
This is surprisingly fun.
Antonio rushes over, stepping protectively in front of Delphi and Mabel. I see Mabel show him the knife, and concern crosses his face. He looks back at me. I shake my head in an exaggerated motion, hoping he understands what I’m trying to say. Stop going after it. It knows we’re onto it.
I can barely see what’s happening because of the stage lights, but I watch Delphi, Mabel, and Antonio pull back.
Antonio takes his phone out, and I can see the glow of the screen in his hand.
I keep singing, sweeping my gaze from one side of the room to the other.
The demon went through the kitchen doors and disappeared from sight.
Being onstage has officially lost its advantage. But I can’t exactly stop in the middle of the song and run away. Right? No sooner does that thought enter my head than something crashes at the bar.
People turn to look.
I keep singing, hoping I can distract them long enough for the demon to at least get out of here before it hurts anyone else. Then the doors at the back of the room open.
A single silhouette is outlined by the bright light from the hallway. Ryder moves silently through the room, stopping about halfway in and staring at me. Even with the harsh stage lights making it difficult to see the crowd, there’s no mistaking the look on his face.
I keep singing.
I get to the part about feeling nothing at all and make eye contact with Ryder as I sing it. Not intentionally. It’s just how the timing works out. But nevertheless, I can tell it guts him.
There was a time when I wanted this.
When I wanted him to hurt.
I wanted him to know he fucked up. To know he lost the best thing he would ever have. I wanted to remind him over and over that there was nothing better than me. No one better waiting for him somewhere else.
And not because I was a superior hunter. Because of the way I loved him. Because I was kind. Understanding. Patient.
But now…Now I don’t want to hurt him. I don’t want him to suffer the way I suffered, because his suffering isn’t going to lessen my pain. That was something I had to go through. Something I had to survive on my own.
And now, as I stand here looking out at the man I used to cry myself to sleep over—the man I once wished more than anything would just be brave enough to choose me—I only feel sorry for him.
Not because he lost me.
Because he was never able to choose himself.
The doors open and close once more. Theo, Xavier, and Zeke walk in. They immediately start toward the kitchen doors. Thank God Xavier and I are on the same wavelength. He pauses for one fleeting second, staring at me with a smile on his face before speeding toward the kitchen.
The song ends.
The crowd cheers. “Thank you, everyone,” I say. “And good night.” The pianist gives me a shocked look as I run past him and head backstage. I assume there has to be some hallway back here that’ll lead around the building so I can get to the kitchen without pushing through the crowd. I’m wrong.
The building is old and small, and all that’s behind the stage is a single-stall bathroom and two dressing rooms.
“Crap,” I mutter.
There’s an exit door at the end of the hallway leading into the alley behind the building. I’m about to pull my purse off my shoulder and dig out my phone to call Xavier when the demon comes rushing toward me.
“Took you long enough.”
I throw out my hand, telekinetically shoving it backward. It slams against the wall with a sickening thud, but the impact doesn’t seem to hurt it. The demon laughs. Its sadistic chuckle echoes off the walls.
Then I’m hit with a sudden wave of dizziness. I stumble back several steps, catching myself against the wall.
“Nice try,” I say through gritted teeth, forcing myself upright. I conjure another ball of energy and throw it at the demon. It hits square in the chest. The demon flies backward. And I’m hit with another wave of dizziness.
This time, I lose my balance. Right before I hit the floor, Xavier catches me. I have no idea how he got here so fast, but I’m not going to question a good thing.
“It’s over there,” I say, shaking my head.
“Are you all right?” Xavier rushes out.
“Yeah.” Though I feel like I just chugged way too many drinks. “The demon is manipulating the energy somehow. The spike in EMF is making me dizzy.”
“Where?” Xavier asks.
“To your left. Three feet.”
He gets me to my feet and speeds away, swinging his arms out in front of him. I take a slow, deep breath and release some of the energy swirling around me. Instantly, I feel better.
“Other left!” I shout. Xavier blindly swings in the opposite direction.
“Two feet back!” This time, as Xavier moves forward, Theo comes speeding down the hallway and collides directly with his brother.
The demon laughs and runs right past them, throwing open the exit door and disappearing into the alley.
As soon as it’s gone, whatever confusion it cast over me lifts.
Xavier speeds back over. I’m leaning against the wall, slowly sliding downward.
“Are you all right?” he asks, pulling me into his arms. My heel catches on a missing piece of tile, and I misstep, leaning harder against him to keep my balance.
“I’m okay,” I tell him. “But the demon knows I can see it. It did something that made me disoriented.” I point toward the door. “It ran outside.”
“How the hell are we supposed to fight something we can’t see?” Theo asks, adjusting his tie.
“I can see it,” I tell him. “And so can Delphi. This thing seems to have masked itself from humans somehow.”
“We’re not humans,” Theo replies. Then he tips his head, coming to the same realization I did earlier. Originally, vampires were human.
“We have to go after it,” I say, taking another breath to steady myself. “Who knows what it can—” I cut off when someone came running from the direction of the stage, screaming.
It’s the bartender. Her hands are covered in blood. Theo rushes toward her, fangs drawn, and catches her by the shoulders. She holds her hands up, and I can see tiny shards of glass embedded in her skin. I’m not bothered by much, but that looks fucking painful. I cringe.
“You’re okay,” Theo tells her, catching her gaze.
“And you’re calm.” Like Governor Richards, being influenced by the demon makes it harder for her to fall under a vampire’s command.
It takes Theo another attempt to get her spellbound, but finally her expression goes blank and she listens.
She calmly lowers herself to the floor to wait for the EMTs.
The rest of our group follows the bartender into the hallway, stopping when they see us.
“You guys okay?” I ask.
“We’re fine,” Ryder answers.
“All hell is breaking loose out there,” Antonio says, pulling a knife from a leather bag. He flips it around and hands it to me.
“I had no idea you could sing so well,” Mabel says, looking surprisingly unfazed by everything else happening around us.
“Oh. Well, yeah.” I shrug. “Just one of my many hidden talents.”
“You always crushed karaoke,” Ryder says. Xavier turns toward him. If looks could kill, Ryder would be dead on the floor.
“Okay, what’s the plan?” Delphi asks. “Because that demon is freaking me the fuck out.”
“Everyone take one of these,” Antonio says, opening the leather bag. He passes out knives, and we pour some of the vanquishing potion over each blade.