Demon Seed Read online

  Will nodded.

  He laughed. “That’s my girl.” He picked up the remote and started channel surfing again, leaving Will alone with his swirling thoughts.

  * * * *

  A little after nine that evening, they all retired to bed. There was no chance of anything inappropriate happening that night between Kal and Will. Still seething with anger, Kal grabbed a pillow and blanket and went downstairs to the living room, where she curled up on the couch to watch TV. Will tried to go with her, and she flatly refused him.

  All he could do was lie in bed upstairs and listen for her thoughts. He felt her, her grief and anguish and deep, dark anger fighting for dominance inside her.

  She held it in. She hadn’t cried anymore. It worried him, because he knew how upset she was, emotionally volatile, unstable in that her normally steady nature felt like it had been upended.

  Will finally drifted to sleep.

  * * * *

  Kal knew Will was asleep. She wasn’t ready to face him yet. She was still mad at him and Ryan for withholding the information.

  She pulled the blanket tighter around her and closed her eyes. “Aidan, vado tu appareo.”

  After a few seconds, when Kal realized she was still on her parents’ couch, she opened her eyes. Aidan knelt in front of the couch with a concerned look. Typical, he wore neon green silk boxers with pink plaid Christmas stockings printed on them.

  That was almost enough to make her smile.

  One of these days, she would ask him how many different crazy pairs of boxers he had.

  “What’s wrong, sugar?” He brushed the hair from her face.

  “My dad’s dying. Cancer. He won’t get treatment.”

  Aidan motioned for her to move over. She made room for him on the couch and he slid under the blanket with her. “I know, sweetie. Will told me this morning. I’m so sorry.”

  She cried on his shoulder as he held her and hummed that same strange, soothing tune to her. When she settled down a little while later, he rubbed her back.

  “Why aren’t you in bed with Will?” he asked.

  She sniffled. “I’m still mad at him. Ryan found out that night at the shoot, when he did whatever he did to my dad. He knew about the cancer and he told Will, and those two jerks didn’t tell me.”

  “Will loves you. He wanted to protect you.”

  “I’m still mad at him.”

  “You said that already.”

  “I still mean it.”

  Aidan sighed. “Hold on.” He disappeared, then returned a moment later and gathered Kal into his arms. “I’ll need to get you back here in the morning before your folks wake up.” He took her back to his place.

  * * * *

  Around midnight, Will awoke. He vaguely heard the TV downstairs.

  Sensing Kal wasn’t in the house, Will’s heart raced as he sat up, threw the covers off, and stood. He started to reach for his amulet when he noticed the note written in Aidan’s sprawling script covering his cell phone on the bedside table.

  She’s okay. I’ve got her. - A.

  Will heavily sat on the bed and stared at the note. Kal was his soul mate. He should take care of her. He felt torn between wanting to hover and giving her space. What was right? He didn’t know.

  He closed his eyes and finally found her with Aidan.

  Well, that made sense. When they’d had a fight after her parents unexpectedly showed up in Florida, she’d reached out to Aidan. And since she was pissed off at both him and Ryan, Aidan was the logical choice.

  Will returned to bed and knew he wouldn’t sleep. He also knew he shouldn’t disturb Kal.

  At least she’s not with Ryan.

  * * * *

  Kal closed her eyes and cuddled with Aidan. “I tried to call you the way I do Ryan, so you could bring me here instead of coming to me.”

  “I know, sugar. I wanted to find out what was going on first. I wasn’t doing anything. It’s okay.”

  “You can do that, right? Bring me to you like Will and Ryan can?”

  “You? Sugar, you’re as good as family. Of course I can. You’re my soul brother’s soul mate.” He kissed the top of her head and left his chin resting there. “Like my baby sister.”

  She quietly lay in his arms for a long time. “How did your sister die?”

  Aidan fell silent for a moment. “Chloe was murdered. Some asshole crossed over from off-Earth, we’re not sure from exactly where. He spotted her and wanted her, tried to take her. She tried to fight back, but…” He sighed. “I didn’t get there until after the fighting was over. We couldn’t save her.”

  “Do you ever have contact with him?”

  “With who?”

  “Chloe’s husband. Do you ever talk to him? Or is he still even alive?”

  Aidan sat up. He looked confused. “What the home are you talking about?”

  Kal felt bad. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

  “Pry?”

  “About her husband.”

  He stared at Kal. “I thought you knew. Didn’t I tell you that before? I could have swore I did.”

  She shook her head. “I know she died, but you hadn’t told me how, or what happened to her husband.”

  He took a long time answering. “Honey,” he softly said, “Chloe was Ryan’s soul mate.”

  Chapter Nine

  Kal stared at Aidan, stunned as his words sank in. “What?” The shock of the revelation slammed home. “What do you mean? Ryan? Our Ryan?”

  Aidan nodded. “Ryan was my brother-in-law. Chloe’s soul mate. That’s why Hades bound Will and me to him as soul brothers. He was badly injured by the guy who killed her, and had just lost his soul mate. He would have died. Or at the very least succeeded in killing himself if he’d tried. Will was my cousin by blood, and he was really young, younger than me and Chloe, and way younger than Ryan. We used Will’s power to heal Ryan and keep both of us alive.”

  Kal almost confessed Ryan’s secret. The pieces fit, finally.

  She completely understood, and her anger at Ryan for withholding the information totally evaporated.

  “What’s the matter, sugar?” Aidan asked.

  Still stunned, she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I guess I missed that connection somehow.”

  “I didn’t realize you didn’t know. I figured with everything that had happened you knew that.” He sighed. “That’s why it was so hard for me and Will when Ryan walked away from us after Will met Abby.”

  Kal felt numb. It made perfect sense. At first she thought Ryan’s self-imposed exile was simply Ryan trying to protect himself from seeing Abby with Will. If Abby had been Chloe, Aidan’s baby sister, it really complicated things. Because Ryan didn’t have to keep his secret only from Will, but from Aidan as well.

  It also explained why Ryan had never confided in Aidan about his reasons for leaving.

  She desperately wanted to confess and knew she couldn’t. She wouldn’t betray Ryan’s confidence.

  * * * *

  At some point, Kal dozed. She awoke the next morning curled in bed next to Will in her parents’ house.

  He was lying on his side, propped on one elbow, watching her. Kal fought the urge to be mad at him and at Aidan for bringing her back like this.

  Will laced his fingers through hers and kissed her hand. “I’m sorry,” he softly said. “I wanted you to enjoy your time with him as long as you could. If there had been any other chance, you damn well know Ryan would have acted.”

  “When did he tell you?”

  “That night at the shoot when your dad showed up with Jeff.”

  Kal contemplated her answer. Was she really mad at Will? Honestly? Or at Ryan? At her father for refusing treatment?

  At God?

  Well that last option was pretty stupid, since there wasn’t “a” god, apparently. At least, not one like she’d been raised to worship.

  Although that would have made laying blame a lot easier.

  Unbidden, an image of Bobby Martine
z came to mind, his sad, soulful eyes. How he’d missed his mom. On top of that, she recalled the bombshell Aidan unintentionally dropped on her.

  Kal pulled her hand free without comment and climbed out of bed. Will didn’t try to stop her. She dressed, used the bathroom, and walked downstairs to make coffee. She needed time to deal with this. She felt guilty for all the times she wished her father would just shut the heck up and behave. Kal never dreamed her time with him would be so short.

  She nearly dropped the coffee can when she realized he wouldn’t be around to meet any grandchildren.

  Her tears and grief hit again. She slid down the cabinet and cried. That’s where she was when Will raced downstairs and found her. He sat next to her and pulled her into his arms as she sobbed.

  Laura Martin came downstairs a few minutes later and watched for a moment from the kitchen doorway before walking over to them. She sat on Kal’s other side and they both held Kal while she cried.

  * * * *

  Kal had pulled herself together by the time her father walked into the kitchen. The doctors had put him on medicine to help with pain. That’s all the treatment he would accept from them.

  Will noted Kal’s puffy eyes. The Reverend sat at the table and tapped the chair next to him. “Come here.”

  She sat.

  He gathered her hands in his. “Honey, I love you. I know I’ve been hard on you, and on Will.” He glanced at his future son-in-law. “I want you to be happy. I promise you I will walk you down the aisle on your wedding day. Do you hear me, little girl?”

  She forced a smile. “Yes, Daddy.”

  He squeezed her hands. “Maybe it was a divine revelation for me. I don’t claim to understand the Lord’s plan for our lives. I do want you to know how proud I am of you.”

  Kal nodded but Will spotted her barely restrained tears.

  While her mom cooked breakfast, Kal excused herself and went upstairs.

  Will followed her a few minutes later and found her gone again.

  He sighed, waited a moment, then returned to the kitchen to keep her parents occupied until she returned.

  * * * *

  Kal softly shut the bedroom door behind her and closed her eyes. “Ryan, vado tu appareo.”

  She appeared in his Columbus office. He was sitting behind his desk and playfully held up his arms in front of him, as if warding off an attack.

  Kal smiled. “I’m sorry.”

  He stood and walked over to her. “I understand, love.” He gently touched her chin and tipped her face to his. “You realize you’re the only person I would ever tolerate that kind of behavior from, don’t you?”

  “How’d I get so lucky?”

  “Because I’m very fond of you. It’s no secret that I feel guilty for how things played out to bring you together with Will, regardless of the happy outcome.”

  “I’m the teacher’s pet?”

  Ryan laughed. “Something like that.”

  She tightly hugged him. “Why didn’t you tell me Chloe was your soul mate?”

  His body tensed against hers. “Do we need to discuss this now?” Even his voice sounded strained.

  “No, but if you had told me I would have understood what was going on a lot sooner.”

  He pulled away from her and walked to the windows. “It’s in the past,” he quietly said. “It cannot be changed.”

  “I won’t tell them,” she promised. “Will and Aidan. I won’t tell them.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m still going to get the three of you back together as friends.”

  He turned. “Very determined, are we?”

  “Yes. I’m not going to let you martyr yourself anymore, Ry.”

  A little late for that, love, he thought.

  * * * *

  Will didn’t say anything to Kal when she returned, even though he smelled Ryan on her. Kal’s mom kept her busy with wedding preparations. By late afternoon, Kal seemed to be holding it together on the outside, at least. It was difficult for him to read her true emotions because it felt like she’d constructed a shell around her soul. Will took a few minutes to visit Ryan while everyone else was downstairs.

  Ryan looked up at Will’s arrival. “How is she?”

  Will sat in one of the chairs in front of Ryan’s desk. “I don’t honestly know.” He chewed on his lip for a minute. “Please keep me posted.”

  Ryan sat back and frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “She talks to you. It’s like Abby all over again. Don’t try to bullshit me and tell me you don’t feel it, too. Maybe it’s because she was Abby, I don’t know. Please, promise me you’ll give me a heads-up if there’s stuff I need to know to help her.”

  Ryan eventually nodded. “I won’t betray her confidence if she asks me to hold it.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to.”

  “All right then.” His voice softened. “Did she tell you about yesterday?”

  Will shook his head.

  Ryan smiled. “She came after me again. When she showed up this morning, I did manage to get a smile out of her, though.” He looked thoughtful. “She’s not Abby, Will. Not anymore. She’s not the same person. I do think she sees me as a safe outlet, good and bad.”

  “She chewed me out for not telling her about her dad.”

  “At least she didn’t take a swing at you over it like she did me.”

  Will laughed. “Did it hurt?”

  “Arsehole.” But Ryan smiled.

  Will grinned. “Good. Glad she nailed you.” He extended his hand across Ryan’s desk. Ryan shook with him. “Seriously. I trust you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Will sat back. “I get the impression she’s bound and determined to have the three of us kiss and make up.”

  Ryan hoped his face remained neutral. “Do you?”

  “Oh, stop that. I know that look. It hasn’t been so long I don’t recognize that.” He imitated Ryan’s accent. “‘Do you? Is that right? You don’t say?’ Please. It’s bullshit.”

  “She might have mentioned something along those lines.”

  “I told you, I’ll get along with you for her sake. Don’t expect me to become drinking buddies with you or anything. And don’t think it makes up for what you did to me and Aidan.”

  “Understood.”

  Will returned to Kal’s parents’ home, leaving Ryan alone with his thoughts and memories.

  Chapter Ten

  Jeff helped Purson pack all the gear they’d need for that night’s investigation. Cabrio would come in early to help with loading and rigging. Gery was taking care of a few last-minute things.

  Aidan walked into the back room and surveyed the cases of equipment, then turned to Jeff. “You okay?”

  Jeff nodded. “Just nervous. I’ve never run the base by myself.”

  “You’ll be fine. Trust me, it’s no big deal.”

  “Easy for you to say.”

  Aidan clapped Jeff on the back and gently squeezed his shoulder before letting go.

  Purson finished packing one of the FLIRs. “How is Kal?”

  “She’s in shock, I think. I don’t envy her. Will’s got his hands full. He volunteered to come in tonight and help out, but I told him it was okay. She needs him more than we do right now.”

  “We could use the help. It’s a big freaking building.”

  “I made other arrangements.”

  Purson immediately picked up Aidan’s nervous tone. “What other arrangements?”

  Aidan mumbled something.

  “Oh, fuck no. Do not tell me you did that!”

  “What? He volunteered to help. We cut tonight’s shoot as the second act of an episode with an investigation with Will in it, it’s no big deal.”

  Purs crossed his arms. “I don’t want to put up with the shit weasel tonight.”

  “What do you have against Ryan?”

  “Nothing, except that he’s a total asshole. My loyalties lie with you and Will. I don’t give a shit that Ryan’s my b
oss. He can take a flying fuck as far as I’m concerned.”

  “And how far are you concerned in that regard, Purson?” Ryan asked from the doorway.

  “Oh, see, and that’s another fucking thing,” Purs said. “You pop in and out like that. It’s bullshit. How about a little fucking warning?”

  Ryan held a Starbucks cup. “I’ll remember that sentiment next time I need someone to run over to Tavares, Purson.”

  Jeff nervously laughed. He knew Will and Aidan had reached some sort of detente with Ryan, and he didn’t have anything personal against the guy. If anything, Kal was now on pretty good terms with Ryan, even if she walked on eggshells regarding the topic around the other men.

  Aidan looked decidedly uncomfortable though. “Hey, he’s going to help Jeff, okay? You and me and Gery and Cabrio will run the investigation.”

  Purson angrily jabbed a finger at Ryan. “You aren’t the one who had to sit there and listen to poor Kal when that fucking wraith had her, you goddamned asshole!”

  Ryan’s face darkened. “If you wish to have a private conversation about this, I will be more than happy to oblige you, Purs. Until then, keep your fucking opinions to yourself.”

  Aidan stepped between them. “It’s okay, Purs. Seriously.”

  Purson glared at Ryan before storming out.

  Aidan breathed a sigh of relief, then turned on Ryan. “You know, sometimes you’re a real dick when you don’t need to be.”

  Ryan was wide-eyed innocence. “What?”

  “You could have given me a chance to break the news you were coming tonight.”

  “Considering it’s my network, I didn’t think that was necessary.” He sipped his coffee.

  Aidan rolled his eyes and dropped the topic.

  Cabrio arrived even earlier than expected. Aidan kept Gery and Purs away from Ryan. When he had a private moment with Ryan, Aidan glared at him. “And keep your fucking hands off Jeff.”

  “Since when have you ever known me to swing that way, Faust?”