But when Ash looked back at Nick, his eyes were still blazing red. "You're dead to me, Gautier. If I were you I'd kill myself to save me from the trouble of doing it later."
"Hey!" Tabitha snapped as Ash headed for the door.
"That was harsh."
"Back off, Tabitha," Ash snarled in warning. "Simi, return to me."
The demon turned into a fine, black mist before she laid herself over Ash's arm and became a dragon-shaped tattoo.
Ash immediately slammed out of Kyrian's house. Without hesitation, Tabitha ran after him. "Ash!" she snapped, pulling him to a stop in the driveway. "What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving before I kill Nick."
"You can't blame this solely on him."
"Like hell I can't. He slept with my Simi."
"Well, if you want to hate someone, then hate me. I was the one who left them alone together."
His eyes snapped fire at her. Literally. "Leave me, Tabitha. Now."
"No," she said earnestly. "If you want to hurt someone for this, then hurt the one who is really responsible. You and Nick are best friends. Don't think I don't know it. He loves you like a brother and you just crushed him."
"He slept-"
"I heard you the first time. And I also know how ill Nick was when he found out Simi belonged to you. Tell me something, Ash. Why didn't Nick know about her?"
His jaw worked furiously. "I didn't want any man to know about her. I knew the day would come when she would..." He winced as if the thought cut through him. "You don't understand."
"You're right, I don't. I don't know what happened to you tonight. I don't know what's after me. I don't understand what the hell you turned into a few minutes ago or why your eyes are doing the freaky fire dance now. What are you? 'Cause right now, I'm wondering if you were ever human."
His eyes flashed red to silver. "I was human, once," he breathed.
"And now?"
"Now it's time for you both to die."
The eerie, threatening words barely registered before something hot pierced Tabitha's stomach.
Tabitha gasped as pain engulfed her. She'd never felt anything like this. It was as if something had invaded her body.
Ash cursed as he threw his hand out and blasted her.
Tabitha screamed from the agony of his blast. It was as if something was trying to rip her apart.
Unable to stand against it, she started to fall, only to realize someone was holding her against a strong chest.
"I've got you," Valerius said as he picked her up in his arms and held her close.
Tabitha's heart soared at his nearness. She didn't know how he'd gotten there to catch her, she was only grateful that he had.
"Careful," she said between the teeth she had clenched to keep from moaning out at the pain that overwhelmed her.
Her eyes blurred by tears, she feared the ghost was now trying to move into Ash or Valerius.
"Forget it," Ash said.
The spirit laughed, then vanished.