Vengeance of the Demon (Kara Gillian 7)

“Hey! You guys okay?”

We whirled to see the birthing class instructor hurrying our way, face twisted in concern.

“What happened?” she panted. “Was anyone hurt?”

“Some asshole racing through the parking lot almost hit Jill,” I said, and it didn’t take much effort for me to put on a glower for the instructor’s benefit. “Good thing Steve pulled her back in time.”

“Good thing indeed!” she said, turning a look of approval onto Steeev as he stood there radiating Badass Manly Man. “Did anyone get the tag number? I can call hospital security and let them know, unless you want to report it to the police?”

“I got the license plate,” I said and rattled it off. “If you could pass it on to the appropriate authorities, that would be great.”

She went off to make the call, and Steeev herded Jill to our car and stuffed her into the passenger side while I climbed into the back.

“One of you better explain why you think they were trying to kidnap me,” Jill said as soon as Steeev pulled out of the parking lot.

“Because Zack outed himself at the Farouche plantation,” I said, mentally kicking myself for not having thought of this earlier. “He named himself as Zakaar when he confronted Rhyzkahl, and word must have reached Katashi.” Though the Mraztur knew of Szerain and Zack, the demons and lords had been oathbound to not speak of it which explained why the baby had only now become a target for Katashi.

“But why come after me—” Jill stopped. Blinked. “Oh. Now they know . . .”

“Now they know you’re carrying the child of a demahnk,” I finished for her.

Jill’s expression went flat and cold. “They’re not getting my baby,” she said with fierce certainty. “Steeev, drive to my house.” Her house, where Zack was staying. Was.

Shiiiiiiit. She was going to flail me. “Zack’s not there,” I said. “He’s gone. He left with Ryan and Sonny yesterday.”

The seat belt and her belly kept her from pivoting, but she flipped down the visor and snapped the mirror open to scour me with an angry gaze in the reflection. “Gone where?”

“I don’t know,” I groaned then related the phone conversation—what there was of it. “I swear I wasn’t intentionally keeping it from you,” I continued. “But the Sheriff’s Office called me right after that, and then you were gone this morning . . . I’m so sorry. It completely slipped my mind. I promise.”

Jill flipped the visor back up, but not before I caught a glimpse of the hurt that slashed across her face. I knew it wasn’t because of me, but that didn’t make me feel any better. From her viewpoint Zack had ditched her right before she needed him the most.

Damn it. “Jill,” I said, “I can’t imagine any scenario where he’d distance himself from you and the bean unless it was to keep you safe.” But what did I know? He was a demahnk playing at being human.

She remained silent for several seconds, and when she finally spoke her voice was soft and sad, echoing my thoughts. “He’s not human.”

The weight of those three words hung in the air. She hadn’t said them to describe Zack but to affirm her recognition of his “not human-ness” and all it entailed. She was accepting—though she hated to do so—that she couldn’t expect him to act as a human would. And, whether any of us liked it or not, she couldn’t depend on him in the same way she could a human.

She let out a soft sigh and stroked her hand over her belly. “I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

I knew she didn’t mean the baby, but I had to clear the somber mood. “That’s cool, I’ll do it for you. C’mon, shove that belly up against mine and we’ll squeeze her through the belly buttons. I’m in good shape. I can carry her for a while.”

She let out a weak laugh. “Yeah. We could get it on video and be an internet sensation.” She rolled her neck on her shoulders and lifted her chin. “No matter what happens, I’m getting an awesome baby out of all of this.” The good ol’ fierce Jill strength returned to her posture. “No way am I giving her up. To anyone.”

“Damn straight,” I said, and even Steeev gave a firm nod of agreement.

We turned right at an intersection where we should have turned left to get to my house. “Where are we going?” I looked behind us in sudden worry. “Is someone following us? Are you trying to lose a tail?”

Steeev shook his head. “No, but it is imperative that you both consume ice cream.”

I laughed. “I knew you were the perfect syraza for this job.”

Chapter 17

While Steeev navigated orange and white-striped barriers around road construction, I called Bryce and filled him in on the recent excitement. He listened in silence until I finished then said, “Put her on, please.”

“Hey,” Jill said into the phone after I passed it forward. Then, “Yeah, I’m good.” A pause. “Thanks. That means a lot.” She hung up and handed it back to me without another word.

I put my phone away and kept my questions to myself.