Chapter 21 - Cliff

The following day, I greeted the first afternoon of August with a grumpy mug and a whopping three hours of sleep. Coffee failed to rouse me from my hazy state. I hoped that we would make a break in our investigation of Jillian's attic faster than my tummy could eat my precious muscles.

My stomach gurgled. "Robyn, we've been at this all day."

Robyn chucked one of the boxes aside. Dozens of them cluttered the attic, along with patchwork blankets, extra coats, and a full-sized dining set complete with seven chairs.

I helplessly watched my mate sigh at the open box and whisper, "You clever bitch."

I snorted. "That's an adjective."

"I'll give you an adjective."

"Go on, then."

She cut her eyes away from me, crossed her arms, and stomped toward the round window on the other side of the room. "Stubborn."

"You said that one yesterday."

"Thick."

I bit the inside of my cheek. "You handle it just fine."

"Clifton, not now."

"Uh oh, that means trouble."

She stretched her arms over her head, wiggling her fingers at the ceiling. "I'll give you—"

Light winked from the ground next to her tennis shoe. "Look down."

"What?"

"There." I pointed and charged toward what I saw, not once looking away. "It's under the board, Robyn. Look ."

She snatched her foot up as though to stomp on a bug. But when she spotted what I spotted, she dropped to her knees and pulled on the board. It creaked as it peeled back inch by inch, snapping once my mate got it loose.

She squeaked with triumph as she tossed aside the board and procured the shiny object I had seen—a leather journal with a brass clip holding the cover closed. She traced the design—a simple star—with the tip of her almond-shaped nail. "Looks like something that has been around for a while."

Curiosity got the best of me as I reached for the journal. "Let me have it."

"She's my best friend," Robyn argued while holding the book out of reach. "I should be the one to read her private thoughts, okay?"

"I concede to your argument."

She nodded curtly. "Thank you."

Quietly and with great care, she opened the journal and sat with her back to me, scooting so I couldn't peek over her shoulder even if I wanted to read Jillian's thoughts. I wasn't sure how interesting they would be. My earliest impression of her didn't feel spectacular. She was just a regular girl.

"My Gods and Goddesses," Robyn gasped. She dragged her nail along a string of sentences scribbled in black ink. "Jilly has been possessed for a month or longer. She's been…" She leaned forward. "…put up for decimation ."

I rubbed my forehead. "That's not a good word."

"This is all just…" She held up the book and thumbed the pages. "…just crap ."

"Let me see the book, Princess."

Robyn limply handed off the journal, staring out the round window that overlooked the front yard. Children cackled down the street somewhere. Since Jillian's house was closest to the cul-de-sac, it was much quieter than anywhere else. Each member of the pack seemed keen on avoiding the old Alpha's home.

I didn't blame them.

Countless pages chronicling the demon's day were written in rather neat script. I expected the same madness as Moe, yet Jillian—or whoever was inside of Jillian—had a strong grasp on reality.

I touched the page. "It says here she uses a pouch spell to hide any signs of possession in bodies."

Robyn sighed. "Makes sense."

I kept reading. "She writes a lot about you." I coughed once. " Robby loves her trivia and debates. I'm not partial to them, but I'm enjoying the way our words dance. "

"Sounds like she's in love with me."

"Sounds like Jillian has been trying to break through."

Robyn spun around to face me. "What?"

"Like right here where she says, Nobody else wanted to hear what I had to say, but Robby stuck around until I stopped talking. "

She studied my hand that held the journal. "Oh yeah—there was this long meeting Sonya held in the community center. Everyone got a turn sharing in the circle. Jillian was last, and everyone wanted to leave early to head to dinner together. I stuck behind with Sonya to listen to what Jillian had to share."

"What did she share?"

"One of the most typical stories for women—she was walking back to her car when she got cornered by two men."

I reached for her hand. "Did she get hurt?"

"No, I mean, she was possessed back then, right? So, she fought them off. But the emotions she shared…" Robyn faded into a shrug. "I guess emotions like that aren't things a demon would discuss."

"That's why I think Jillian tried to reach out to you."

She sniffled, rubbed her palms together, and then dropped her hands into her lap. "I don't think there's any name in there."

"No, but it's worth keeping for our records."

"You're not keeping my best friend's journal."

I caught her wrist before she could grab the book. "Princess, I have a rotten feeling about this demon. We just dealt with demons back in West Virginia. I find it odd that I'm running into demons again. That's sus."

She raised her brows. "Demons in the south? You don't say."

"They attacked my sister. They wanted to use her."

"I don't like the sound of that, Cliff. We should get back to Bill's."

I hopped to my feet and held out my hand to her. "Agreed, Princess."

She hoisted herself up with my hand. "I'm sorry about the way I snapped at you about her journal."

"Hey, don't sweat it. You're protecting your best friend. That's admirable, Princess. I love that about you."

She timidly grinned. "I just feel like this might be my fault. I heard what that thing said about getting a hold of my inheritance. They're up to something."

"That's what it sounds like."

She clenched my hand hard. "I'm scared, Cliff."

"Hang onto me, and everything will be alright." I brushed her knuckles against my lips, planting liberal kisses. "I've got you."

Without another word, we left Jillian's home, locking the place up before crossing the street, passing the gazebo, and walking diagonally through Sonya's yard to get to Robyn's house. I spotted the street off to the left of the house, where I challenged Bill to a fight to the death. I noticed the sun bouncing off the windows.

On the porch were two giggling children playing with bouncy balls while my sister fretfully bit into her middle nail. I didn't like the sight of that.

I leaned against the banister of the porch. "You alright, Faye?"

She perched her chin on her hand. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah, do you want Robyn to watch the kids?"

"No." Faye glanced worriedly between us both. "I have to talk to you both."

More stress. That was just what we needed. I nodded patiently and knelt next to the girls while Robyn fetched Sonya. As soon as the kids were set, I wandered inside with my mate and my sister, feeling a void crater growing in my chest. This house wasn't bad, but it wasn't my house, and it certainly didn't belong to Robyn either. Bill had been a business acquaintance and nothing more, yet I felt guilty about using his space.

We hadn't moved houses. Our unpredictable situation made it hard to guess where it would be safest for us. "What's going on?"

My sister drifted toward the wall of pictures and leaned her shoulder against the nearest one of a lake. "I had a dream."

I nearly choked on my next breath. "Sit down. Get cozy." I fixed up the recliner near the couch for her and then draped a faux fur blanket over her legs. After tucking the sides underneath her knees, I reclined on the couch. "Go on."

Robyn poised her hand on my thigh. The warmth from her palm bled through the fabric of my jeans and reminded me that she was at my side.

Faye folded her hands one over the other, focusing on them with a blank stare. "I was in my bed at home. A shadow came through the window and materialized next to me as Jillian. She said her name."

Robyn gripped my thigh. "What is it?"

" Urkod ," Faye replied nervously. "She said she wants my next baby."

I gaped at my sister as I shuddered. "Why?"

"I don't know, but now I'm worried."

"Like we weren't before."

She abruptly laughed. "I need a second opinion. Sonya mentioned a witch named Angora earlier. Do you know her?"

"Not intimately."

My sister nodded. "I'll give her a call and see what we can brainstorm."

"How can I help?" Robyn pressed into my knees to lean over me. "I want to do something. Give me something to do, please."

"Honestly, I think you should rest after that Wolfsbane poisoning. You're still not fully healed."

Robyn sniffed. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You need to lay down."

My mate groaned, "Shove it, Faye."

I held my hands up between the two women. "Time out."

"That's it. I'm getting Sierra and getting out of here." Faye launched the blanket from her lap and slid from the recliner, marching quickly to the foyer.

I jumped over the back of the couch to catch my sister at the door. "Faye, wait. Please , don't leave us in the lurch here. I know it's hard, but I need your help. We need your help. All three of us."

She inhaled deeply, held it, and then exhaled slowly as she took my hand. "I'm sorry. I'll call Angora and have her step in."

"You have to be here."

"It's too much. I don't want Sierra to be in danger again. Goddess, what was I thinking bringing her up here?"

Thunder rumbled through the door. I caught my sister by the shoulders and rubbed my thumbs into her collarbones. "Faye, look at me."

Reluctantly, she did as I asked.

"Breathe." I inhaled loudly. "You're more than your power. You're in control of your power. You know you have a handle on it…"

Her eyebrows relaxed as she mimicked my breathing. We did a few rounds of loud breathing together, sending the thunder dancing in another direction. On the other side of the door, the girls were babbling together as Sonya spoke to them about storms.

I smiled. "Sierra can handle it, too. Do you hear her out there?"

As though it were planned, Sierra bubbled with laughter.

"She loves the thunder," I reminded my sister, "and that means she doesn't mind the rain."

Faye slumped into me, hugging me tightly with her face shoved into my chest. She squeezed me like a boa and hiccupped as she scrubbed my upper back. "Thank you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"If Sonya can keep watching the girls, we can go check on Jillian." She stepped back, wiped her face, and peered around my left side. "Robyn? Can you come with us?"

Robyn stood at attention next to the couch, twiddling her fingers together. "Yeah. Of course. I mean, thank you for asking."

"I'm sorry I barked at you."

"Hey, we're all wolves here."

I chuckled. "Yeah, that's true."

Faye gestured to the door under the stairs. "After you."

Shadows clung to the corners of the hallway under the stairs, leading into a dimly lit basement that smelled of crisp soil. Foam crates covered the walls, giving the cement space a chic asylum appearance with Jillian chained up inside a cage, dead center.

Despite the black that inked out her eyes, they looked wild, like twin mirrors reflecting my concerned curiosity right back to me. She gave me a wide smile, revealing a row of teeth that had somehow sharpened in the last couple of days. She shimmied her shoulders, a feat not easily accomplished while wearing heavy-duty chains and padlocks.

She nipped her lip, drawing a tiny river of blood. "Wolves taste better when they're scared."

"If you keep destroying that body, I'll destroy you," I warned.

Faye held up her right hand. The demon woman straightened her back and cleared her expression, looking alert.

"I know your name," Faye stated, "and I have a good plan to use it. Stay still."

The demon growled. "I wouldn't go poking around in here if I were you."

Faye glared at her. "Why?"

"Jillian likes me too much, yes," the demon reported, "and her soul has gotten used to me being around. We've become friends, roommates ."

While wearing a fierce countenance, Faye waved her hand in front of her, palm facing the demon, and whispered something in Latin. She halted and turned to me, promptly ceasing her chant. "I'm afraid that's true, Cliff. Jillian bonded with the demon."

Robyn pushed me aside to get to Faye. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means if I banish the demon," Faye explained shakily, "then I'll end up banishing Jillian, too."

My mate visibly shuddered. "W-what? No…" She stumbled away from the cage. "That can't be true. You have to be able to save her."

"I'm sorry, Robyn. I can't do it." Faye folded her hands in front of her apologetically. "I mean, I can do it, but nothing would be left. She would just be an empty shifter husk."

I glanced at Jillian, watching the demon woman who watched us with wide onyx stones for eyes. The gloss shimmered in the dim lights spelled above the cage to never turn off. She blinked, looked at me, and grinned. "I guess I'm sticking around."

"Don't get comfortable," I spat. "You're not welcome here."

"Jillian seems fine with me."

Robyn stomped toward the cage. "Yeah, well, we're not. And we'll figure out a way to get her away from you. Just you wait."

"Oh, I'm shivering with anticipation," the demon teased. "Hit me with your best shot, Princess ."

Chaos erupted as Robyn flung a fist into the cage. Faye and I dove into action to capture my mate, dragging her back up the stairs and to one of the bedrooms above. Faye retreated to the porch to check on the girls while I wrestled my mate down to the dusty bed. Silk curtains hung over the headboard, a romantic thing if it hadn't been for the demon downstairs.

"I'm sorry," I wheezed as I pinned her wrists. "I'm just trying to protect you. I'm sorry. I love you. I'm sorry…"

I stroked her cheek, feeling the tears there, hating the way that demon made her cry. I swore then and there that I would do everything in my power to ensure Jillian's survival.

Even if that meant losing a piece of myself in the process.