First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1)(28)
Author: Jeaniene Frost

If Spade didn’t come back in the next day or so, she’d have to start looking for Nathanial without him.

Denise had just started on her after-lunch, predinner meal when Alten cocked his head to the side.

"Someone’s here," he said. "I hear a car."

Her fork clattered to her plate. She jumped up, ignoring Alten’s admonishment to let Emma see who it was first, and almost ran to the front of the house. It took a minute, due to its massive size and the fact that the kitchen was on the second floor near the back. Still, Denise couldn’t rationalize having Emma set the dining room table when she was the only one eating solid food.

Emma had beaten her to the door. The salt-and-pepper-haired vampire smiled at Denise before looking again down the long driveway.

"It’s Spade," Emma said.

Denise shaded her eyes against the last rays of the setting sun, which shone directly behind the car rounding the final curve. She couldn’t see who was in it, with the growing dark and the tinted windows, but she’d take Emma at her word. If Denise didn’t think it would look too clingy, she’d be waiting on the driveway instead of in the doorway – but dammit, it had been five days! Five days with no call, no word, and no looking for Nathanial while she was locked up in the equivalent of a gilded Alcatraz. She had every intention of giving Spade a piece of her mind for this.

The car stopped and Spade got out, looking as suave and heart-stoppingly handsome as usual. He smiled at her as he approached, his dark brow cocked.

"Aren’t you going to invite me into my own home, Denise?"

She opened her mouth – and was knocked to the side. Stunned, Denise looked up to see Emma – sweet, petite, soft-spoken Emma – baring her fangs.

"Get away from here," Emma hissed.

That was when Denise noticed the smell, acrid and wafting faintly from the doorway. Spade’s teeth bared in his own snarl while the skin on his face seemed to melt until it reformed into Raum’s features.

"Let me in," Raum said, each word a furious growl.

Emma slammed the door, cutting off Denise’s vision of Raum’s rage-filled face. Alten pulled her to her feet without once deviating his gaze from Emma’s.

"Send up the flares," Alten said.

Emma ran off in the direction of the main hall. Denise looked around, waiting for Raum to appear any moment. Oddly enough, he didn’t. Outside, an unearthly howl seemed to rattle the windows. It was enough to make Denise’s heart kick into a higher gear while the brands on her wrists felt like they were igniting.

Alten took her arm. The vampire’s skin was cool through the sleeve of her blouse, his grip light but unwavering.

"Don’t worry. That’s a corporeal demon out there, so he can’t come in unless someone invites him."

"I thought that was just a vampire myth," Denise replied shakily, absorbing this information. That must be why Raum disguised himself as a little girl when he first went to her house, and she’d invited him inside. Carried him, even. "Now what? We can’t just wait and hope he goes away."

Alten didn’t have a chance to reply. Several booms went off, sounding like they were all around the house. Outside, Raum screamed, so high and loud that Denise covered her ears.

"Salt bombs," Alten said in satisfaction. "I always heard salt burned demons. Guess that’s true."

"I know you can hear me, Denise," Raum roared from outside a minute later. "Let me in right now or I’ll kill every last person related to you! I know where your family is. You can’t hide them from me!"

Denise started forward, but Alten’s grip turned to steel. "He’s lying," he said flatly. "Demons always lie."

She chewed her lip, torn. What if Raum wasn’t lying? What if standing here was the same cowardly complacency she’d shown with Randy that night, and it would result in the same lethal consequences? And what was Spade thinking, booby-trapping his house with bombs custom-tailored for a demon? They obviously hadn’t succeeded in killing Raum. They’d just pissed him off into a frenzy that might result in her parents’ death.

Outside, Raum continued with his screaming threats. Denise was getting more desperate. Before, she’d had an agreement with the demon. Now it looked like all bets were off.

"I have to go out to him," Denise said, tugging on her arm. "I have to tell him I’m still going to give him what he wants."

Alten didn’t budge. "You’re not going out there."

"You don’t know what our deal was!" Denise shouted, yanking harder on her arm. "I won’t let you get my family killed!"

Alten didn’t argue with her. He just clapped one hand over her mouth and picked her up with the other, carrying her, kicking, up the stairs. She could still hear Raum shouting about all the horrible, torturous ways he’d kill her parents unless Denise let him in. She couldn’t, though. She couldn’t even speak.

"I’m sorry, but I can’t risk you doing anything unwise," Alten said, ignoring Denise’s muffled, furious grunts against his hand.

Almost thirty minutes later, Raum abruptly went silent. Denise heard the screech of car brakes, then the sound of the front door flinging open.

Spade filled the door frame in her next few moments. His black hair was tousled, as if he’d been running, and his eyes were bright green. He nodded to Alten, who finally took his hand off Denise’s mouth and his arm from around her waist.

She shoved Alten aside and then went up to Spade, slapping him across the face as hard as she could.

"What have you done?"

Chapter Fourteen

It wasn’t the slap that angered Spade. As soon as he saw Denise gagged and restrained by Alten, he rather felt he had it coming. He wasn’t even concerned about her striking him in front of Alten. Alten presumed Denise to be his girlfriend, so a lovers’ spat wasn’t cause for leadership concerns within his line. But what made rage shoot through Spade was the strength behind her blow – strength no human should have. And the sting across his face was combined with the scent of his own blood.

A glance confirmed it; her hands had transformed, curved claws replacing her nails and her fingers twisted into something like talons.

Bloody demon would pay for what he’d done to her.

Quickly, before Alten noticed, Spade pushed Denise onto the bed and clasped her hands above her, hiding them between the pillows as his body pinned hers.

"Leave," he told him. "Keep watch on our guests."

Alten left, wisely shutting the door behind him.

Denise had gasped when he’d flattened her on the bed, then the scent of her anger rose and her flesh felt like it was scalding him. He hadn’t been imagining it before, Spade noted grimly. Her temperature did rise when she was upset, and right now, she was furious.