Holy Toledo.
I covered my ears. The piercing screech made my ears feel like they were hemorrhaging. There was no reasoning with this demon, and I think I had just pushed him to the point of no return. I was going to die for sure.
Gritting my teeth, I waited for the killing blow. He raised his larger-than-life hand, and I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to witness him knocking me into next week. But the blow never came.
The second I closed my eyes I heard someone call my name. The husky timber of Chase’s voice glided over my heart.
“Angel!”
His voice yelled again, and this time it shattered the otherworldly illusion Alastair had woven. I concentrated on Chase’s voice as he called my name again and again. Warmth started to bloom in my chest and grew as his feelings seeped inside me. It wasn’t like that last time when I was overwhelmed. This was more controlled and shooed away the chill that had coursed through my blood.
Slowly I pried open my eyes. Looking over my shoulder to where Alastair had been, the spot was empty. The only thing left behind was a burnt hole charred into the fabric. My mom was going to be pissed when she saw that, but in the scheme of things, it wasn’t really that big of a deal. No one had died—I hoped. And that thought had me jumping off the couch. Wasting not another moment, I sprinted to the door. Lord only knew if Alastair would rear his ugly head again. Gripping the door handle, I sighed in sweet relief when it turned.
Chase caught me as I tumbled through the door. I took a huge gulp of fresh air, and it tasted of pine, water, and Chase. He swooped me off my feet, barely giving me time to secure my arms around his neck.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered close to my ear.
I didn’t doubt it.
There was a lot more commotion outside than I remembered. Red, white, and blue lights swirled in the dark twilight. I looked over his shoulder and saw white smoke billowing from the front windows and the chimney.
My house was on fire.
“Chase, what happened to my house?”
A flicker of pain unfurled in his eyes. “When Alastair took you,” his hoarse voice broke halfway, “the fire started, blocking all the windows and doors. He was keeping us out.”
And just like a demon to play dirty. A lump formed in my throat, and a sadness I didn’t know I could feel for a house pitted in my gut. “Great. Now I’m homeless.” And to think that old house used to creep me out, which was not to say that after what I just went through it still didn’t give me the heebie jeebies.
He carefully set me on my feet, my front brushing down his. A small spark ignited in my eyes. Even after a shiteous night, Chase could make my toes curl. “I think you will make an adorable hobo,” he said, flicking the end of my nose.
Distracted by the flashing lights in front of me, I realized he dropped me in front of the medic. After one quick glance inside the ambulance with all its gadgets, gurneys, and torture devices, I turned to him and professed, “Negatory. Not happening. I don’t need any medical treatment.”
With the pad of his thumb, he smeared a streak of soot from my cheek. Undeniably, there had been injuries, but nothing that wouldn’t heal by morning. Chase had a gash above his eye that was caked with dried blood, a split lip, and probably a bunch of other injuries I couldn’t see.
“Humor me,” he replied, jaw set and concern shinning in his eyes.
An argument was on the tip of my tongue, but as I stared into his face and those defined cheekbones, I knew that I wouldn’t refuse this simple request, even if doctors made me squirmy. I patted at my singed clothes. “I must smell like an ashtray.”
He chuckled, and I could tell by the look he was giving me, he wanted to be anywhere but surrounded by people. “Imagine what your lungs look like.”
I scuffed my foot, looking down at the ground. “This is stupid. I’ll be just peachy in an hour,” I said barely above a whisper.
He tipped my chin up. “Angel, they don’t know that.” He nodded to the cops, the firefighters, and the paramedics all attending to the scene.
True.
Hopping up on the back of the ambulance, I gave the young paramedic a pointed look and nervously rubbed my hands over my holey jeans. “Here’s the deal, you stick me with a needle and I’ll blacken your eye.”
The sandy haired guy smiled warmly. “I’ll be gentle.”