"Known it and not especially liked it." I kissed his firm chin. "Can you try to work your way through it without using your fists and fangs?" I angled my head when he leaned down to deepen the kiss. Why not? I enjoyed kissing him and needed a reminder while standing in my almost empty living room that Jerry was my guy. He pulled back first and smiled.
"Yes, I will definitely try to stay civilized. Though when other men put their hands on you, I want to break out a claymore and use it on the nearest man who even looks at you." He patted my bottom. "Patience, lass. I'm obviously a work in progress."
I pushed away from him. "I get that, but how many years should I give you? Two or three hundred?" I knew my smile was rueful as I kicked off my high heels and walked toward the bedroom. "Any word from Ray?"
"He's asleep now, finally resting." Jerry followed me. "Not sure I'd bother him. I took him another bottle of synthetic about an hour ago. He had the shakes and obviously was in the throes of some night terrors. Mortals call them delirium tremens. I looked up alcohol withdrawal on the Internet."
I turned and caught Jerry's grimace. "Seriously? You've been taking care of him?"
Jerry shrugged, obviously almost embarrassed. "Never thought I'd feel sorry for the bastard, but this might do it. He's got a rough road ahead. But clearly he needs to find another bed. This apartment is getting too crowded." He gestured at the couch. "Sit. You want a bottle of synthetic?"
"Sure, why not? Thanks. Not sure I can kick Ray out yet though. Not until he's over this stage. I still feel like his mentor, you know. And the paparazzi are lurking out there, waiting for a photo op." I sat on the couch, resisting the urge to check on Ray myself. Jerry had actually taken care of everything. I smiled at him as he brought me the cold drink, poured into a goblet. Nice.
"Then I'll move him back to the couch before it's time for us to go to bed." Jerry sat close beside me and slipped his arm around me.
"I got something started tonight to satisfy the demons. Freddy's been reaching out to his father. You can imagine how that's freaked out CiCi. We're going to see if Simon is actually interested in defecting. If so, we need to find out how to take out his goddess. That would end the EVs permanently. Then they can all sign over to Lucifer's team. I'm sure the demons have some incentives to offer them. I called Rafe and told him about it."
"All right. You brought it up. Let's talk about this demon thing." Jerry lost his smile. "How are they forcing you to work for them?"
I realized Jerry had gotten the shorthand version of what Rafe and I were doing. The full story wasn't going to go over well. And that was an understatement. "They can't force a good person to do the Devil's handiwork."
"Then you're out of it. Simply refuse and walk away. Let the shifter take care of Destiny and his goddess. Hell, Glory, you remember what it was like out there. No way are you getting anywhere near that cesspool again." Jerry snugged me closer.
"I can't abandon Rafe, Jerry." I knew he was going to hate this. "He can't refuse them. He used his demonic powers when I told him I wouldn't sleep with him again. Flew off the handle."
"Not against you." Jerry's arms tightened around me. "I've seen what the man can do. You wouldn't be here right now if he did."
"He burned a bush. That's all. It was freaky at the time, but I know in my heart that Rafe would never hurt me." I touched Jerry's tight jaw. "Take my word for that."
"So he's got to get them Destiny. Let him. It's none of your business." Jerry grabbed my hand. "You're risking your immortal soul trucking with those creatures."
"No, I'm not. I'm only making sure an evil person gets what he so richly deserves." I knew I'd never persuade Jerry to cut Rafe some slack. "And helping someone I care about at the same time. Let it go, Jerry. I'm doing this."
"It's insane. You know you can't trust these demons. They'll do anything to seduce you to their side." Jerry looked really worried. "We don't have any guarantees we'll live forever, Gloriana. Call me old-fashioned, but I