Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

EVEREST

I’m loathed to go to work and leave Raven, but after we eat our lunch in the car, he takes me to the diner. He kisses me deeply, tongue snaking into my mouth before I reluctantly push him away and head inside. It’s an exercise in restraint that I don’t paste myself to Raven’s side and tell him to take me home and ravage me.

I’m floating on clouds when I step inside Mitch’s shitty little diner. Danae sees me and smiles, sauntering over to me after she finishes taking an order.

“Hey.” She sounds bubbly and happy, her eyes sparkling when she stands in front of me. “You look happy today. What am I missing?”

I smile back, wanting to tell her everything, finally having someone to confide in. Before I can, the door to the diner opens and my father staggers inside. It’s the first time I’ve seen him in public besides at a liquor store. He looks bad, his filthy shirt riding up over his sloppy belly. His pants are a few sizes too big, falling off his hips. He lazily pulls them up, but not before his holey boxers make an appearance. He could do with a haircut, the tangled locks falling into his eyes and matting to his scalp.

His eyes bounce around wildly until he sees me. I shrink in on myself, stepping away from Danae so she’s not in the line of fire if he charges over to me. It’s why I didn’t ask her to take me to the hospital before Raven came for me—my father will go through anyone to get to me. I don’t want my only friend caught in the crossfire of my family bullshit.

She’s not having it. Danae steps closer to me, almost hiding me behind her smaller body. “Do you know that man?”

Nodding—though she can’t see me—I whisper, “It’s my dad. Move away from me. He’s violent. I don’t want him to hurt you.”

Steel enters her tone as she squares her shoulders. “I don’t like violent men.”

My dad makes his way over to me, causing a commotion, all eyes darting to us. Dad points his finger at me as he staggers over and says, “You need to get your ass back home now. I haven’t eaten for the past two days. There needs to be food on that damn stove in the next hour or there will be hell to pay!”

I wince at his yelling and how embarrassing it is that he brought this to my place of work.

Shoulders sagging, I nod and step around Denae, but she puts her arm out, stopping me. I could easily push past her, but her willingness to stand up for me freezes me in my tracks.

Her voice hard as granite, she tells my father, “He’s not going anywhere with you. You’re a grown ass man. If you’re hungry, make your own dinner. If you haven’t eaten in two days, it’s because your lazy ass didn’t get up and go to the kitchen.”

My mouth gapes open as I listen to Danae. She has no fear of the man standing before me. I turn to look at him and realize … I shouldn’t either. He’s taller than me, but he’s not in great shape. He’s strong and fast, but he would get winded if I ran away from him. I could hurt him if I want. I …could hurt him. If I didn’t allow my fear to get in the way, I could do some real damage.

Pulling myself to my full height and taking a stand for only the second time in my life, I stare into his eyes. Dad’s narrowed gaze locks on mine, like he’s waiting for me to say something he doesn’t like. I accept the challenge. “No, Dad. I don’t live there anymore, and I won’t be going back to feed you. Go home and leave me alone. I want nothing to do with you.”

“You little shit!” he shouts and reaches for me. I dance out of the way, making sure he doesn’t hit me. I try to grab at Danae, but she’s already in motion. I might think I’m fast, but Denae is faster. She slaps his hand down and pushes him in the chest with one hand, causing him to stumble back into a table and fall to the floor. He holds his chest where she struck him, looking at her with wide, almost fearful eyes.

Her body radiates anger and she looks like she’s grown … bigger, even though her body size obviously doesn’t change. Her posture displays power and strength, like she dares my father to get up and do something about her attack. “You will not put your hands on him, you sorry excuse for a man. Get the fuck out of here before I call the police.”

My father scrambles to his feet, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His dingy shirt slides up, showing his hairy beer gut. I look away in disgust. “You have this bitch fighting your battles?” my dad asks, eyeing Denae, but making no move to step closer.

Gathering all the strength I can, I step around her. “No. I can do it on my own.” My voice shakes with fear, but that can’t be helped. I’ve been afraid of this man all of my life. It won’t go away in a matter of two days just because I’ve been away from him.

Swallowing hard, I mutter, “I’m not coming back home, Jack.” His eyes blaze with anger at me calling him by his first name. He’s never acted like my father, so he doesn’t deserve to be called dad. “Now, go home. I never want to see you again.”

He growls, but walks away, stepping around people that just came into the restaurant. “This ain’t over. You’ll be back. That man will get sick of you, and you’ll come crawling back like the fucking scum you are. Mark my words.” Jack stumbles out and I deflate, leaning against the counter.

Danae puts an arm around my shoulder, walking me to the back while people stare and whisper behind me. “I’m sorry you’ve been going through that. I fucking loathe abusive men. I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself.”

“ As am I. I will kill him for you, I promise,” Raven says through our mental link.

I sigh in relief. The comforting voice of my demon makes me smile, and I know things will be okay. He promised he’d kill them all for me. I just have to wait. All I have to do is tell him how I want it done.

“ I want to watch ,” I whisper back to Raven. I feel his approval and smile again.

Danae and I head to the break room so I can clock in and put on my apron. Once I have the garment in my hand, I duck my head and say, “Thank you. For standing up to Jack for me.”

She shrugs nonchalantly, like what she did was no big deal. “No problem, Ev.”

“You should get back to your tables,” I tell her, not wanting her to get in trouble.

She waves a hand. “They can wait. How are you? Are you somewhere safe?”

I nod, smiling so wide my cheeks hurt, forgetting about the shit show Jack just put on in front of everyone. “Yeah. I’m with my boyfriend. He took me away from the abuse. He saved me from the bullshit my father— Jack— put me through . ”

Gasping, Danae grabs my arm. “Did you … did you do what I said?”

“Yes. And my Raven showed up for me.”

Something crosses Danae’s face, but I can’t pin it down. It almost looks smug, but what would she have to be smug about? “I’m glad you’re safe. Maybe you shouldn’t?—”

She’s cut off by Mitch barreling into the room. He stops short when he sees Danae. “Hey, I didn’t know you were still here.” Mitch softens his voice when he speaks to Danae, dragging a lecherous gaze down her body. I grunt in disgust at his obvious ogling.

With narrowed eyes, Mitch looks at me. “Clock in and get to your tables. I’m not paying you to chat.” He storms out, probably angry he couldn’t tear into me more. I’m sure if Danae wasn’t in here, he would have tried to bully me before he left me alone.

Shaking her head, Danae removes her apron. “Looks like my shift is over. Someone else can take my tables. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

I nod and put my apron on and clock in. She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, then wipes her lipstick off before breezing out.

Mentally preparing for my shift, I walk to the front and go to my section to take orders. Sheriff Drake is sitting at one of my tables, and I inwardly groan. It’s almost like he only sits in my section so he can give me shit. He usually comes in during lunch, so I thought I would miss him today.

With a jolt, I realize that’s exactly what it is. He wants to talk down to me without interference—though that doesn’t matter because he’s the sheriff. What could anyone do to him? It’s a different story for me. He knows if I lose my cool, I’ll be fired. The sheriff has been doing this shit on purpose for years, and I’m only just now realizing it.

I swallow past a lump in my throat. I really don’t know why the sheriff hates me, other than I’m gay. The bigoted people around this city will always look down on me for it, even though it in no way affects them. For the most part, no one outwardly says anything to me. But Sheriff Drake makes no qualms about telling me how he feels.

Steeling myself, I walk over to his table, pen poised over my order pad. “What can I get for you today?”

“ If he says something I do not like, I will rip his tongue from his mouth.”

I grin, now loving the intrusive thoughts that happen to be Raven.

The sheriff doesn’t like that. “Stop smiling at me like that. Your kind ain’t my type. Fucking disgusting.”

Raven’s voice sounds delighted in my head, and I welcome it. “ Ripping his tongue out, it is.”

“ When his time comes, please do. I’d like to see that.”

Hiding my smile, I ask again, “What can I get for you today?”

Sheriff Drake grunts and rattles off his order—the same order he always makes. I’m not surprised at all.

I write it down anyway and start to walk away, but the sheriff’s icy voice stops me. “I heard your father was in here earlier, and you knocked him around. If he makes a report, I will haul your ass in and throw you in lock up. Won’t allow you around the other men we round up though, not with your deviance.”

I grit my teeth and march away, slamming his order on the counter. Mitch snarls something at me, but I keep walking, heading out the back door. I push it open, stepping into the alley and pulling in several deep breaths, trying to keep my anger under control. It seems like with Raven in my life, all my true feelings are bubbling to the surface.

I’m never angry. Usually, if I get upset, it’s dampened quickly, fear overriding the emotion. But now that I know I have Raven and no one can touch me when he’s around, anger sings through my veins. If I had the strength, I would snap Sheriff Drake’s fucking neck and blow this town. Well, after I killed my dad. Then I’d leave and never look back.

It takes a bit longer to tamp my anger down than I thought it would, but after many long minutes, I’m finally on an even keel. Mainly because Raven and I talk back and forth through our connection. He calms me down, letting me know that he will end all these men and all I have to do is bide my time. He tells me he’ll take me away from this small town as soon as I get my revenge, and I take comfort in that. It’s the only thing that has me going back to finish my shift.

When I step back into the restaurant, the sheriff has his food, another server having dropped it off. Mitch gives me the evil eyes but doesn’t say anything to me as he’s pretty swamped. I’m sure when he gets a free moment and I step behind that swinging door, he’ll give me an earful.

Work drags on, the sheriff making snide comments when I check on his table, but I ignore him. Nothing he can say to me will get me down, since I know he doesn’t have much time left in the world. He signed his own death warrant by talking shit to my face, in the past as well as the present.

Knowing I’ll see Raven in just a few hours doesn’t hurt either.

In the graphic novel I wrote for him, Sheriff Drake is nailed to the wall, both hands impaled with long knives. After listening to him cry and beg and plead for his life, Nightshade guts Drake, his organs falling from his jiggly belly and landing on the floor in front of him. I wonder if Raven can do that or if it’s too much trouble. I’m not sure where he would get the knives that are needed to impale the sheriff, but it’s nice to dream.

By the time my shift is over, I’m more than ready to go home. And not just for the night. For good. I don’t want to work here anymore. I can’t. I can’t take the abuse anymore. I’m not sure what I’ll do for money, but it can’t be here. If I work here any longer, I’ll snap and one of Mitch’s sharp knives might end up in his neck. I don’t know how Raven would be able to help me out of that jam.

If Raven hadn’t come along, I would have continued to toil at this shitty diner for shitty pay and even shittier treatment. The abuse was already normal at home and here at work, it was becoming an almost daily occurrence. Over time, I wouldn’t have tried to leave—I would have stayed and let Mitch abuse me for low pay just to keep me and my dad afloat.

No more.

Raven has awakened something inside me, reminding me I had a backbone when I thought it was gone forever. He’s helped me see that there is more to life than taking the punches thrown at me. I can walk away. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be fucking worth it.

After the last customer leaves, I walk to the cooks window and get Mitch’s attention. When he looks up at me with a scowl, I tell him bluntly, “I quit.”

His face morphs into anger. “You can’t fucking quit. I own you, understand?” He points his spatula at me, the tip shaking menacingly.

A few days ago, I probably would have shrank under his tone. Hell, I wouldn’t have quit a few days ago. Now, I’m not taking his shit. “No, you don’t own me.” Mitch’s face tightens with fury. “I quit, Mitch. I’ll finish my shift tonight, but I’m done.”

Without another word, I walk away and start my closing duties.

In a fit of anger, Mitch storms from the back, getting in my face. “You think you can quit? Feeling brave after that showdown with your father? Danae ain’t here to help you, and I’m not a falling down drunk like your dad. She wouldn’t be able to pull that shit with me.”

I’m not so sure. Something about Danae rings that no one can walk over her, her small size be damned. Mitch wouldn’t dare put a hand on her, as infatuated as he is with her. His eyes dance when he sees her, probably trying to get in her pants. Danae would chew him up and spit him out.

Raven growls in my head, rocking my brain against my skull. His anger flows through me, giving me courage to finally speak my mind. “I’m not feeling brave because of that. I’m standing up for myself against you. I’m quitting because you’re a terrible boss and a terrible fucking person. Beating on me because you’re bigger. You’re nothing but a fucking bully, and I won’t work for you any longer.”

He raises his hand as if to strike me, and I flinch and dance out of his way. I might want him to know how I feel, but I don’t want him to hit me.

Mitch’s eyes glow with triumph, like he beat me somehow.

I take off my apron and toss it at his feet. “Find someone else to abuse.”

The triumphant light winks from his eyes, and he looks so mad, steam could be pouring from his ears. He scoffs, storming away and pushing through the front door. “Someone lock up. I don’t need to take this shit.”

Surprised that he’s choosing to walk away and not smack me around, I go over to the door and lock it as he said. He spits on the window, shouting, “Clean that the fuck up, you ungrateful son of a bitch.” There’s no way I’m going to clean up his filth. The next poor schmuck can do that.

“So brave, baby. Do you still want to kill him?” Raven’s voice is like a soft caress in my head, giving me the strength I need to walk away from the door, ignoring that window, even though the fear in me is nudging me to go back and clean it.

“Yes, please.” There’s no way all of the other shit will be swept under the rug since Mitch has been this way for years. Just because he refrained from hitting me this time doesn’t excuse how often he’s done it before.

Besides, he has his own graphic novel. He’s going to die for how he treated me.

The other server wipes his tables down, then bids me good night. I wave, gather the trash and head through the back alley to throw it away in the dumpster.

“ Ready when you are, ” I tell Raven telepathically, since he’s picking me up from work.

“Be there soon.”

Since I already locked the front door, I walk through the alley to the front to wait for Raven. The night air blows around me softly, cooling my heated skin. The stars are shining brightly, twinkling overhead like guardians. It’s been years since I stood under the stars and just admired them. I think I’ll take Raven out one night so we can star gaze and?—

A thick hand wraps around my bicep and slams me against the wall of the alley, my head knocking against the cold bricks. I gasp in pain, seeing stars for a different reason. When my vision clears, Mitch’s blazing eyes greet me.

“The fuck are you still doing here?” he growls, spittle flying on my left cheek. “You quit, remember?”

Barely able to get the words out through my fear, I say, “I’m leaving now.” I have to fight through my terror to reach up and wipe my face.

“The fuck you are,” Mitch barks, clamping a hand around my throat and applying pressure. “You think you can fucking quit on me? I say when you’re done here. You do nothing unless I say you can. That includes fucking quitting.”

“Why?” I grit out around his hand squeezing at my throat.

I’m sure he knows what I’m asking. Why is he such a dick to me? Why does he dislike me?

“Why?” he asks sarcastically, shaking me roughly. “Because you took it. That first time I knocked you around and you came back to work the next day, I knew I could keep doing it. It was such a rush.”

My stomach roils. He beat me because it was a rush? I came back because I was trying to survive. He’s sick.

He’s not done. “Besides that, who else will take the low pay I offered you? No one is as stupid as you are, taking the first offer given to you. You’re not leaving so someone else can get more money out of me.”

He treats me like shit to protect his bottom line? Nothing is expensive in this small town, so it’s just greed. What a cruel, selfish person.

My fear ramps up as he squeezes tighter. “ Raven!” I mentally shout. “Mitch, please. I’ll—I’ll—I’ll…” I’m not sure what I want to say, but I don’t want him to kill me for quitting. The unrelenting grip he has on my throat is indicative of someone that doesn’t mind ending a person’s life.

One moment I think I’m going to pass out, dark spots dancing around my vision, the next, the weight around my throat is gone and I see Mitch hoisted in the air, thrashing against the strong hold Raven has around his neck.

I place my hands on my knees, coughing and trying to catch my breath. Hacking and sputtering, I drop to one knee as I drag in lungfuls of air. It takes a few seconds, but I climb to my feet, looking around for Raven and Mitch. When I spot them, my mouth drops open, and my cock stirs in my pants.

Raven is fucking magnificent. He’s in his demon form, his red-and-gold skin reflecting off the street light, his chest bare and his horns on display. His hands are elongated claws, digging into the soft flesh of Mitch’s throat and leaving blood trails down his shoulders and chest.

He’s taller too. Now I see what he means by closer to seven feet. I feel tiny compared to his hulking form. I fucking love it.

My eyes trail over Raven’s body as he continues to choke Mitch. I expect Raven’s voice to be rougher in this form, but it’s still the same. Still sweet when directed at me. “Want him dead now, baby, or shall we wait?”

“Now, please,” I say barely above a whisper, not believing I’m really going through with it. I’ve imagined it so many times, but I finally get the chance to get my revenge. At my word, Raven will end him. Graphic novel be damned, if he can kill Mitch now, I’ll be ecstatic.

With a growl of approval, Raven turns back to Mitch. “You made my sweet Everest’s life a living hell for no other reason but you could. Now I’ll kill you because I can.” Mitch’s eyes grow wide and he thrashes more, but he can’t get out of Raven’s grip. Besides being many feet off the ground, Raven has an iron grip on him.

Mitch looks at me with pleading eyes, begging me to call Raven off, but I ignore him. A look of regret crosses his face, but I ignore that too. It’s too late for him to regret his actions. He’s had years to treat me like a human being and he refused, because I was smaller and weaker than him—and because he’s a cheap fucker.

Not anymore.

I nod once at Raven when he turns to give me another questioning look. It’s now or never. I prefer now.

Raven brings his other hand up, moving the one from around Mitch’s throat to the side of his head, palming it like a basketball. With more force than I think anyone is capable of, Raven simultaneously squeezes Mitch’s head and smashes it against the wall behind him twice. Blood and brains erupt against the wall and after Mitch jerks once, his body hangs limp. He didn’t even get the chance to scream. Raven drops him to the ground in a heap, glaring at his body in disgust.

Like he didn’t just use a lot of strength to basically beat someone’s skull in while squeezing his brain through his ears, Raven’s breathing is normal as he rushes to me, taking my face in his bloody hands. His hands are much bigger in this body, making me feel safe. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner,” he says in a somber tone. “I should have been waiting for you when you got off.”

I smile up at him, not minding the blood at all. “You’re right on time.” I should probably be freaked out because of the blood and brain matter all around me, and there’s a dead body mere feet from us, but I don’t care. Mitch deserved what he got, and I’m glad Raven was the one that punished him.

Mitch is missing the entire back part of his skull. I should be afraid of Raven for causing that kind of damage, but I’m not. Far from it. I’m elated.

Raven protected me like no one else ever has. He made me feel safe, pulling Mitch off me before I passed out. Then how he deferred to me before he killed him? It made my heart flutter. He knew I wanted Mitch taken care of, and he could have done it without hesitation, but he wanted me to make the decision.

A funny feeling swoops through my belly, making me feel lighter than I ever have. What does it mean?

“Come on, baby,” Raven says as he kisses my lips gently. “Let me get you home and in the shower.”

Nodding, I tuck myself close to him, smiling at his form. “You look good like this.” God, I didn’t think he would look so fuckable as a demon. As a human, he’s hot as fuck, but I thought he’d be scary in his true form. Not only is he still handsome, but he also has more of a deadly and dangerous air in his natural form. I’d love to draw him like this.

He looks down at himself and grins at me. “My father told me I would shift involuntarily on this plane if I could not control my emotions. When I heard your shout for help, I got here immediately. I ruined one of the nicer shirts I purchased because it could not hold this body’s bulk. The pants are fine, though a little snug.” His sweatpants are hugging his thighs, close to bursting. I’m reminded of The Incredible Hulk.

I laugh, holding on to his waist as we make our way to his car. It’s on the next block over, parked haphazardly with the driver’s side door wide open. “How did you get here so fast if you didn’t drive?”

“When you called me, I pulled over and ran. I run much faster than humans. It was less than a second before I was there. I am glad I did. He would have tried to hurt you worse if I had waited a moment longer.”

As he’s been doing since the first night he rescued me, Raven opens my car door and settles me inside, buckling my seatbelt. He rounds the hood of the car but waits several moments before he gets into the driver’s seat. He’s back in his human form. I can’t figure out which I like better. Probably his demon form, since that’s who he really is, but this form cuts a pretty picture as well. “Let me get you home, baby. You have blood on you.”

I laugh, leaning back against the head rest as I take his bloody hand in mine. What am I going to do about my demon?