Pale Demon (The Hollows #9)(60)
Author: Kim Harrison

The fleeing elf skidded to a halt between Trent and me, his back arching as all his muscles seized. Mouth open in a silent scream, he reached behind him as if trying to touch something. Gurgling wetly, he collapsed, his back scraping on the sticky floor.

Horrified, I broke my bubble and pulled myself out of the stall, looking at the man contorting under the charm meant for me. His lips moved as foam bubbled at the corners while he tried to speak the countercharm. "Sorry," I said, wincing. "Maybe you should have tried to kill me with something that didn’t hurt so much." A soft pop sounded, and Trent’s face turned ashen. I think the guy had just dislocated something.

Groaning, the man collapsed, but it had been the curse breaking, not the man’s spine, and he lay on the floor, gasping for breath.

"Maybe you should leave now," I suggested, and he rolled to his hands and knees. Reaching for the sink, he pulled himself up. Grime from the bottoms of a thousand shoes coated his back, and sweat glistened on his neck. Panting, he looked to the door as it creaked open, becoming even more frightened.

I looked as well, and a heavy spike of fear slid through my ribs and into my lungs. Ku’Sox. "Damn it, Trent," I said as I edged over to stand by him. "I told you I have this. I do not need any help!"

Ku’Sox stood before the closed door in a blue-gray, trendy suit, his pale eyes gleaming as he adjusted his silver tie. He had upgraded, it seemed-eaten an executive on Hollywood Boulevard, maybe. With one hand, he opened the door. Music drifted in, along with muffled conversation and kitchen clatter. The assassin didn’t need to be asked twice. Soft shoes squeaking, he fled.

"You’ll never make it in time," he said to Trent as he slipped past Ku’Sox.

"Oh yeah?" I shouted as the door started to close. "You don’t know nothing!"

Silence fell as the door clicked shut. Crap.

"As compared with you, who thinks she knows everything?" Ku’Sox said, smiling.

My thoughts flashed to him as an ugly stork, in his beak a pixy fighting for life even as the demented demon tossed his head to shift him headfirst down his throat. Stifling a shudder, I nudged Trent’s bubble to get him to take it down, but he didn’t, his face set in grim determination. No fear, though. Stupid man.

"Hey, hi, Ku’Sox," I said, mouth dry. "Uh, no hard feelings, okay? Al had you beat before I got there."

Instead of the expected threats, the demon nodded as if I’d answered a question. "I thought it was you Al had slipped into," he said, blue eyes slitted. "If it had been Newt, I might have been hurt. You are full of unexpected talents…Rachel. I can call you Rachel, can I not?"

He came in another step, and I backed up, hitting Trent’s bubble and slipping backward when Trent took it down. There was a new caution in Ku’Sox, and that gave me hope, even as my palms started to sweat. Damn it, Jenks, where are you?

"I should have guessed," Ku’Sox said, sniffing as he took in his image in the mirror and his nose grew a shade narrower and his tan deepened. "Even Al knows better than to let Newt hold his energy field. She might have snuffed him for the fun of it." Blue eyes meeting mine, he frowned. "This alliance with Al doesn’t bode well for your future. I will take drastic measures if you persist in it. It’s all in the early training. I should know, having been…trained. Get us young enough, and we can do anything. Wait too long, and we never break our bad habits."

I took another step backward, teeth clenched. I was going the wrong way, but this guy scared the peas out of me. "I’m not being trained, and Trent’s not in any danger," I said, proud of the way my voice didn’t crack. "You can go now. He’s safe."

I had held Al’s energy field? I thought even as I looked for a way out of this. I’d assumed it had been the other way around, but maybe not.

"Go?" Ku’Sox shifted his shoulders, watching his reflection as his suit broadened and he became wider across the shoulders. The scent of carrion seemed to tickle my nose. "Going is an excellent idea. We shall start your rehabilitation right away."

"No, wait!" I said, my hands raised to fend him off, but it was too late and he wrapped an arm around my waist and tucked me under his arm. "Watch it!" I cried out when my head almost hit a urinal as he spun. I was still connected to a line, and I smacked him with it.

Ku’Sox trembled, shuddering in what could have been pain but what I was betting was pleasure. Maybe it was both. "More than adequate to get started," he said as he headed for the door. Trent stood at the sink, helpless as Ku’Sox picked me up like a kitten and walked away. Maybe he’d get it now. It only looked like I was safe around demons.

Fingers scrabbling for the edge of the stall, I managed to stop us for a half second. "Still think you can find a way to control this? Then tell him to stop," I said to Trent, then yelped when my fingers burned as Ku’Sox yanked me off the stall. My butt hit the door, and the music got loud as we left the men’s room. Three steps later, Ku’Sox swung me up, putting me over his shoulder. I was helpless. If I threw anything at him, I’d get it back in spades.

"I won’t let you jump me," I said, his shoulder cutting into my lungs and making it hard to breathe.

He slowed as we entered the restaurant, seeming to enjoy the music and high spirits. "To the ever-after? Why would I want to go there when we have the sun here?" he said, adjusting my weight to make my breath huff out. "There must be a boat somewhere in a sea of salt. I’m going to pick you apart, find out how much of a pain in the ass a natural-spawned demon is going to be to raise properly, or if I’d be better off destroying you all in the womb, so to speak."

Oh, that didn’t sound good. "I’m not a demon," I said, jamming my elbow into his back, wondering if I grabbed a knife off a passing tray and hit his kidney hard enough, he might drop me. The blood was pooling in my head, hurting.

"I’ve tasted you," Ku’Sox said softly. "You’re like me, only natural born. With a mother and a father."

Even over the noise, I could detect his jealousy. And why was no one saying anything? Maybe men toting women out of the back was normal here. I hit his back harder, and he tightened his grip.

"You might be strong enough to give me pain," he said, heading for the door. "You might not be. I want to know before more of you show up."

"Let me go, you freak!" I shouted, feet kicking as we started to pass tables, but everyone thought it was part of the show and only clapped. Where is Trent? Washing his hands?

"I’m not a freak," he hissed, pinching my middle until I gasped in pain.