“Sorry, can’t help myself. She’s kind of hot. Is she yours?”
“You need to leave this shell today.”
Richard shrugged noncommittally. “But I like this body. This guy’s got a lot going on. Good job, pretty fairy wife… and she’s filthy rich, too. My current host probably didn’t even know he had access to her bank account or the secrets she’s been keeping from him.”
“That’s her business.”
“Maybe.” Richard grinned. “Have you seen my new girlfriend? She’s so hot it burns. Who made the rule you’re only allowed one woman these days? Not fair at all.”
Eden watched their exchange cautiously. She didn’t like this guy’s attitude, and not just because he threatened to cut off her nose. She was very fond of her nose exactly where it was, but even aside from the violence she now sensed something else. Something… Other about this guy. Was it only because she knew there was more than meets the eye about him or was she starting to get more sensitive about that sort of thing?
“You’re in way over your head,” Darrak told him. “If you don’t release this human’s body it will not end well for you, I can promise you that.”
Richard’s brow creased. “Why are you so pissed off about this? I’m playing with a few humans. So what?”
Darrak clenched his jaw but didn’t respond to that.
“I was about to carve some sense into this one”—he jutted his chin in Eden’s direction—“until you stopped me. Humans need to know they’re inferior to us.”
Darrak tightened his grip, and his fiery gaze flicked toward Eden for a split second. “You’re damn lucky you didn’t hurt her.”
Richard snorted. “Oh? And what would have happened if I had?”
“I would have torn your arms off.”
He didn’t sound like he was kidding. In fact, Eden had never heard him sound more serious about anything since they’d met, even during the “don’t take the elevator without me” conversation. The violent edge to his voice made a shiver race down her spine.
“It would suck to be armless,” Richard agreed. “Then I’d have to shift into a brand-new body when I’m perfectly happy with this one. But, no arms? Definitely a deal breaker.”
“This isn’t funny.”
Richard didn’t look terribly concerned, but his expression turned curious. “There’s something different about you, demon. Didn’t sense it until just now, but you’re weaker than you should be, aren’t you?”
“What part of ‘leave this body now’ are you having trouble understanding?”
“All of it.” Richard broke Darrak’s hold easily and shoved him back. “It’s been a while since I saw my last demon face-to-face, but I’m sure hellspawn are way more fun than you’re being right now. Does this bitch have your balls in a knot? I’ve never seen a demon so whipped before. I almost feel sorry for you.”
“Darrak…” Eden said cautiously, remembering how strong the drifter was when he held her against the wall. “Maybe we should go.”
He didn’t look at her. “Not yet.”
Richard shook his head, looking at Eden and Darrak each in turn. “You both need to stay out of my business.”
“Or what?” Darrak growled.
Despite the smile on his face, Richard’s expression was chillingly unfriendly. “Or I’m going to find your little human girlfriend when you’re not around and have some fun with her. Before and after she’s dead.”
Darrak’s fist moved too fast to register as he punched Richard squarely in the face. The drifter staggered backward and whacked his head against the side of the building. Blood gushed from his nose as he slumped to the ground. Darrak’s eyes were ablaze, his arms flexing, and he moved forward to grab Richard’s throat and lurched him back up to his feet.
“I’m going to kill you.” The words were coated with fury.
Eden grabbed his arm, which felt like a steel bar. “Whoa. Hold on, Darrak. Stop. Don’t hurt his body. If what you’re saying is true, you’ll be hurting the real Richard, not the demon inside him.”
“He’s not important enough to be a true demon,” Darrak hissed through clenched teeth. “A drifter is nothing more than a migrant spirit. Worthless troublemakers, that’s all they are. More garbage for the rest of Hell to clean up in our spare time.”
“Forget about him.”
“He threatened you. Right in front of me.”
His body shook with anger and Eden grabbed his shoulders and then touched his face to force him to look at her. Finally, he let go of Richard.
“Hey,” she said. “Come on. You’re starting to scare me.”
His chest heaved and he blinked those fiery eyes. “He was going to hurt you.”
“But he didn’t. You hurt him, instead. I’m okay with that, really. But I don’t want you to kill him.”
Richard took the small window of opportunity, scrambling to his feet and running away from them without saying another word.
Darrak tensed as if ready to pursue the fleeing drifter.
Eden tightened her grip on him. “Where do you think you’re going?”
He looked at her with confusion. “I need to go after him.”
“No, you don’t. My shoes were meant for a surveillance duty today, not for running, and we have to stay close to each other, remember? We’ve figured out what the problem is. And it’s a big, really freaky one. But, case solved. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. I’ll let Fay know.”
He swallowed and seemed to relax the longer they stood there. “You’ll tell her that her husband’s possessed by an evil spirit?”
She forced a smile. “I had no idea how much we had in common. Maybe we’ll become best friends.”
“I’m not evil.”
“So you keep telling me.”
He looked at her. “Do you finally believe me?”
“Aside from the threats of death and arm removal I just witnessed… I’m…” She swallowed. “I’m starting to. Yeah.”
“You are?” He looked surprised.
She nodded. Her hand now rested on his chest and she could feel his heart beating. It was reassuring that he had an actual heart somewhere in that very human-looking body of his. “How can you be evil? You’re totally my guardian angel.”
He snorted at that. “Now let’s not start using the A-word. That’s just insulting.”
“It’s just an expression, not a full-out accusation of having wings and a halo.”