CHAPTER 8
Jericho dressed himself and Delphine immediately. He started to launch himself at the gallu, but Delphine caught him and pulled him back. "You can't. One scratch or bite where your blood mingles with their spit or blood and you're under their control. Think about it."
But it wasn't in him not to fight.
Growling with rage, he covered himself in black body armor. "They better be able to penetrate Kevlar."
Delphine was stunned as he went for them. He caught the first one with a punch so hard, it lifted the gallu three feet into the air and sent him slamming into the wall behind him. The second one tried to take a bite out of Jericho, but he caught the gallu by his shirt and flipped him over his shoulder. In one swift move, he pulled his dagger out and went for the third.
Delphine gasped as the one on the floor got up and rushed toward her. Without armor or her powers, she was defenseless. She looked around but there was nowhere to go. No way to outrun him.
She was trapped.
Just as the gallu would have reached her, he rebounded off an invisible wall. It took her a second to realize what had happened.
"Ha!" she said triumphantly as he smacked it with his fist. Jericho must have used his powers to shield her.
The gallu wasn't happy as it opened its mouth to show her two rows of serrated fangs. She lifted her chin and gave him her best "neener, neener" smile.
"Sooner or later, you're mine," he promised.
She scoffed at him. "Careful, baby, I bite back." Just not today and not without her powers. Lucky for him because when it came to fighting, she seldom had an equal.
Jericho, on the other hand, was in his glory as he beat them down. She'd never seen anyone enjoy a fight more. At least not until five more joined the first three. Undaunted, he kept going, but she wasn't so audacious.
Even the strongest of the strong could be overrun and killed when this badly outnumbered.
One bite. One scratch. He would be gone forever.
"Jericho, please!" she begged as they attacked him at once. "It's not worth the chance. I don't want you to get hurt. Please stop."
Jericho hesitated at the anguish he heard in Del-phine's voice. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the concern on her face as he punched one gallu and then scissor-kicked another. Her hand was splayed against the invisible wall he had around her. Her brow was taut as her eyes begged him to listen. She looked so upset.
Most of all, she cared...
For him.
Such a simple, unbelievable thing. Only Nike had ever shown that to him and never with the kind of passion that Delphine was showing now. It gave him pause.
A shadow crossed in front of him. It was Noir.
Noir looked around at the gallu with a disgusted sneer. "Do I have to do everything for you bastards? Stupid, worthless dogs. Hold him down and bite him. How hard is that?" Noir sent a blast straight at Jericho's chest.
There was no way to avoid or deflect it. Jericho cursed as it sent him reeling and skidding across the floor. The pain of it caused him to drop the shield around Delphine.
She kicked the gallu back as it ran for her.
Jericho rolled to his feet. His instincts were to attack the gallu in front of him and then go after Noir. Instead he dodged the gallu and went for Delphine, who had no way to protect herself.
The moment he touched her, he teleported them out of the room and back to his apartment to keep her safe.
Or so he thought.
Noir and the gallu followed them and flashed into the room right behind them.
Jericho looked at Delphine's panicked expression. And he knew what he had to do. There was no other way.
Delphine's heart sank at the number of gallu at Noir's command. Where had they come from? They didn't stand a chance against them.
But she didn't have time to think about that as Jericho faced her. She was waiting for him to right them. Instead, he pulled her closer to him. Before she could ask him what he was doing, he reached for her neck.
And pulled her collar off.
Stunned, it took her a minute to realize what he'd done and why. He didn't want her hurt. He was putting her safety above his own.
Warmth spread through her.
"Go," he said, his eyes tormented. "Get to safety."
"What about you?"
"They're just going to follow me wherever I go." He kissed her lightly on the lips. "Leave." He gently pushed her away, then turned to confront the demons.
Nothing had ever touched her more than what he was doing.
For her.
She met Noir's gaze and saw his next intent plainly. He was going to use her to get at Jericho. Every part of her wanted to stay and fight, but she knew she couldn't. She was a liability he couldn't afford to have.
There was no way to win this.
But she wasn't going to leave Jericho at their mercy. Not like this. He was way too outnumbered and even with armor, he wouldn't be able to hold them for more than a few minutes.
Rushing Jericho from behind, she wrapped her arms around his taut, muscular body and teleported him out of the room and to Olympus.
The moment he realized where he was, he turned on her, his face a mask of fury. She could tell he'd rather be eaten by the gallu than spend one second in the Oneroi hall. "'What did you do?"
"I saved you."
His expression was furious. "Saved me. my ass. I can't be here. I don't want to be here."
"I know." she said, trying to soothe him, "but it gives us a breather from Noir. He can't come here and he damn sure can't bring the gallu into our domain."
Jericho growled at her. It was true, and he knew it. However, it didn't change the fact that this place brought back vivid memories that he wanted to keep buried.