table and fitted with a stun belt, just in case, but from the moment I walked into that execution chamber, all I saw was resignation.
Adam came with me, to bear witness and provide moral support. Moral support for Dominic, not me, in case you were wondering. Dominic was a typical demon host—meaning he was gorgeous. Coarse, wavy hair of Italian black, with large, expressive hazel eyes framed by thick lashes. Not as muscular as some hosts—like, say, Adam—but I’d bet he’d have a wiry strength to him even without his demon’s help. There wasn’t a mark on Dominic’s body, at least not on what I could see of it. He’d had to do a lot of healing over the last couple of days. He’d turned himself in to Adam after the attack. Adam had taken pictures, which he’d shown me. I could have lived without seeing those pictures. The containment center guards didn’t much like Adam coming in there with me, but there wasn’t much they could say about it. He outranked all of them. I didn’t like that Adam pulled up a chair and held Dominic’s hand while I laid out my candles. It made Dominic look too much like a victim, and me too much like the villain.
I tried not to think too much as I took up my place on the opposite side of the table from Adam. Dominic didn’t even glance at me, his gaze locked with Adam’s. “Take care of Dominic,” Dominic said, and I blinked in momentary confusion until I realized it was the demon speaking, asking Adam to look after his host. The intensity with which they looked at each other made me think they were more than just friends, and the anguish in the demon’s voice suggested he genuinely cared about his host. But I told myself to mind my own business.
The exorcism went smoothly. Dominic didn’t scream or curse, and I dispersed the demon aura on my first try.
When I opened my eyes, Dominic, sans his demon, lay on the table 42 / 226
Jenna Black, The Devil Inside (2007)
Morgan Kingsley #1
crying, still clutching Adam’s hand. The tears suggested that his brain might be functioning, but I questioned him anyway as the guards came to unlock the restraints.
“Do you know who you are?” I asked, leaning over him, trying to keep my voice soft and gentle. I’m not real good at soft and gentle. I know, you’re shocked to hear that.
He looked at me with watery, miserable eyes and nodded. “He didn’t do anything wrong. All he wanted was to defend himself, and you killed him for it.”
Oh yeah, he knew what was going on all right. And I had never felt so guilty for exorcizing a demon before.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my throat tight and achy.
Dominic seemed about to say something else as he sat up, his upper body now free from the restraints. But Adam rose from his chair and sat on the edge of the table beside his friend. Or was Dominic just Adam’s host’s friend now? Too confusing. I decided not to think about it.
“She did what she had to do,” Adam said. He did soft and gentle a lot better than me, which was kind of surprising considering he usually had a pretty hard edge to him. “We have to operate within the bounds of the law. Even when the law is wrong.”
That last was directed at me, but I managed to swallow my natural retort. This wasn’t the time or place to discuss the role of demons in American society.
Dominic gave a moaning sob. Adam wrapped his arms around him and rocked him like he might a heartbroken child.
I got the hell out of there and wished Adam had found someone else to do the exorcism.
My mood lifted when I met Brian for dinner. Of course, it’s hard for your spirits not to rise when your boyfriend answers his door wearing nothing but a cute little bow tie and holding a long-stemmed white rose between his teeth.
I grinned at him as I slipped into his condo, closing the door behind me.
“I see you got the flowers.”
“Yes,” he said around the stem in his mouth. “They’re lovely.”
I laughed and plucked the rose from between his
Adam came with me, to bear witness and provide moral support. Moral support for Dominic, not me, in case you were wondering. Dominic was a typical demon host—meaning he was gorgeous. Coarse, wavy hair of Italian black, with large, expressive hazel eyes framed by thick lashes. Not as muscular as some hosts—like, say, Adam—but I’d bet he’d have a wiry strength to him even without his demon’s help. There wasn’t a mark on Dominic’s body, at least not on what I could see of it. He’d had to do a lot of healing over the last couple of days. He’d turned himself in to Adam after the attack. Adam had taken pictures, which he’d shown me. I could have lived without seeing those pictures. The containment center guards didn’t much like Adam coming in there with me, but there wasn’t much they could say about it. He outranked all of them. I didn’t like that Adam pulled up a chair and held Dominic’s hand while I laid out my candles. It made Dominic look too much like a victim, and me too much like the villain.
I tried not to think too much as I took up my place on the opposite side of the table from Adam. Dominic didn’t even glance at me, his gaze locked with Adam’s. “Take care of Dominic,” Dominic said, and I blinked in momentary confusion until I realized it was the demon speaking, asking Adam to look after his host. The intensity with which they looked at each other made me think they were more than just friends, and the anguish in the demon’s voice suggested he genuinely cared about his host. But I told myself to mind my own business.
The exorcism went smoothly. Dominic didn’t scream or curse, and I dispersed the demon aura on my first try.
When I opened my eyes, Dominic, sans his demon, lay on the table 42 / 226
Jenna Black, The Devil Inside (2007)
Morgan Kingsley #1
crying, still clutching Adam’s hand. The tears suggested that his brain might be functioning, but I questioned him anyway as the guards came to unlock the restraints.
“Do you know who you are?” I asked, leaning over him, trying to keep my voice soft and gentle. I’m not real good at soft and gentle. I know, you’re shocked to hear that.
He looked at me with watery, miserable eyes and nodded. “He didn’t do anything wrong. All he wanted was to defend himself, and you killed him for it.”
Oh yeah, he knew what was going on all right. And I had never felt so guilty for exorcizing a demon before.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my throat tight and achy.
Dominic seemed about to say something else as he sat up, his upper body now free from the restraints. But Adam rose from his chair and sat on the edge of the table beside his friend. Or was Dominic just Adam’s host’s friend now? Too confusing. I decided not to think about it.
“She did what she had to do,” Adam said. He did soft and gentle a lot better than me, which was kind of surprising considering he usually had a pretty hard edge to him. “We have to operate within the bounds of the law. Even when the law is wrong.”
That last was directed at me, but I managed to swallow my natural retort. This wasn’t the time or place to discuss the role of demons in American society.
Dominic gave a moaning sob. Adam wrapped his arms around him and rocked him like he might a heartbroken child.
I got the hell out of there and wished Adam had found someone else to do the exorcism.
My mood lifted when I met Brian for dinner. Of course, it’s hard for your spirits not to rise when your boyfriend answers his door wearing nothing but a cute little bow tie and holding a long-stemmed white rose between his teeth.
I grinned at him as I slipped into his condo, closing the door behind me.
“I see you got the flowers.”
“Yes,” he said around the stem in his mouth. “They’re lovely.”
I laughed and plucked the rose from between his
Similar Books
