Devil May Cry (Dark-Hunter 11)

Maybe, but Deimos was still family, psycho though he was, and she didn't want to see him killed. "Deimos, swear you'll leave us alone."

"Never."

Sin's biceps bulged as he tightened the cord even more. Deimos was dead. She knew it and it broke her heart.

Suddenly a woman's voice echoed from the open doorway. "Damien! A gallu just dragged off a young woman on the street. Her mother's screaming for help."

Sin's face went white as he heard those words. Kat saw the indecision in his eyes. He looked down at Deimos, cursed, then let go of the cord and ran for the door.

Deimos fell forward, onto his hands and knees, coughing and gagging as he unwound the cord from around his neck.

Kat cringed as she saw the blood from where the cord had cut into skin. No doubt Deimos would carry that scar for the rest of eternity. Shaking her head in pity, she ran after Sin, who was on the street now, chasing after the gallu.

The demon ran into a side street, dragging a young woman behind it.

All of a sudden, the demon stropped as if it'd ran into something invisible. Sin pulled the woman from the demon's arms and kicked it back. He handed the woman off to Kat, then turned to fight the demon as the woman collapsed against her.

Just as the demon reached Sin, it burst into flames.

Kat gasped.

Deimos stepped out from the shadows. "They are filthy bastards, aren't they?"

Sin tensed, waiting for Deimos to attack him. Honestly, he was getting a little sick of it. But to his utter consternation, the Dolophonos looked past him to the woman who was sobbing hysterically against Kat.

"Is she all right?" Deimos asked.

"Shaken, but she doesn't appear to have been hurt. I think Sin got to her in time."

Deimos stepped around Sin and placed his hand on the woman's head. She fell back, unconscious. He caught her against him, then gently laid her down on the sidewalk as her mother came running over them.

"Crystal?"

"She's fine," Deimos said quietly. He looked over at Sin. "He saved her."

Tears of gratitude were flowing down the mother's face as she looked at Sin. "Thank you. Thank you both. I don't know what he would have done to her had you not helped us."

Deimos nodded, then he placed his hand on her head to erase her memories of them. Like her daughter, she collapsed, and Deimos placed her carefully on the ground.

He looked at them over his shoulder. "We have exactly one minute before they come again. They'll think it was a mugger who left them and run."

Sin eyed him suspiciously. "We're not going to finish our fight?"

Deimos shook his head. "Contrary to public opinion, neither the Erinyes nor the Dolophoni are the lapdogs of the Greek pantheon. I don't follow orders unless I see a reason to. I was willing to kill you only because you desecrated human remains and didn't appear rational. Now I'm willing to spare you because you chose the welfare of an innocent human over your own..." He glanced to Kat before he spoke again. "And over that of someone you care for. In my book, that makes you worth forgiving."

Sin was still stunned by his turnaround. It didn't seem logical. "So you're bowing out of this?"

Deimos scoffed. " 'Bowing out' implies a chivalry I lack. Let's just say, lucky for you, I didn't find what I needed to. The Dolophoni only kill for a reason, and that reason has to be justified to Themis or we're executed." He wiped at the blood on his neck that was left by the cord Sin had used to choke him. "Killing you isn't worth my life. But you still have an enemy who wants you dead. Watch your back."

Kat smiled at him. "Thank you, Deimos."

"Don't thank me, Katra. I didn't do a favor here. I just did my job." He faded into the darkness.

Sin gave her an arch look as the mother and daughter began stirring.

Kat held her hand to her lips to silence him before she flashed them back to his casino where they'd left the gallu bodies.

Damien was there with a questioning look. "You're still alive. Good. Any chance you want to help clean up the mess?"

Sin gave him a wry glare. "That's why I pay you the big bucks, Damien."

"Thought so, boss. Just checking." Damien's smile faded as he turned away from them and started mumbling under his breath.

Kat had a feeling it wasn't complimentary to Sin. "I can't believe Deimos is off your tail. I have to say I've found a new respect for him. I really, truly thought you were dead when he appeared."

"As I recall, he was the one about to die. Maybe I scared him off."

She laughed. "There is that. Seriously, though, he doesn't scare that easily and I wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't allowed you to pin him as a test to see what you'd do. It's not like him to give up a death hunt."

"You think he was lying then?"

"No," she answered honestly. "He's the son of Alecto. She's the Erinys in charge of unceasing anger, and his mother's fury, pardon the pun, runs thick in his veins. But in addition to that, the Furies are also called the Eumenides-the kind ones. They are vindictive but fair. Like Deimos said, I think you proved yourself to him."

"Good," he breathed. "That's one noose off my neck. How many are left?"

She thought about that for a minute. "Counting your brother... couple of dozen. At least."