Ferris wheel? That’s Navy Pier.”
The concrete pier and dark water flashed before eyes that had begun to throb. “Is there some kind of glass structure, like a green house near there?”
She thought for a moment. “The Crystal Gardens, but I think it’s closed for renovations.”
“So it’d be a nice place to hole up for a while.” He smiled as his internal heat began its familiar thrumming in his muscles, the edgy energy prowling through him in a never-ending search for a way out. “Perfect.”
* * *
“I don’t suppose there’s any point in saying you can’t go.”
Ella didn’t even bother looking up from the task of digging through her duffle bag. “Smart man.”
“Full moon tonight. Just like I’ve been seeing.” With a short sigh Nate checked the gun holstered at the small of his back, then aimed the remote at the TV. The screen showing the local weather for clear nighttime skies, perfect for moon-watching, went black. “I know you can handle your own in a fight with a regular human being, Ella. But this isn’t anywhere near normal. You get that, right?”
“I’m not an idiot.” Ah, there it was. She snagged up a plastic baggie containing a small can of pepper spray and stuffed it into her hoodie’s slash pocket. Jacob wasn’t a strong advocate of any sort of weapon that could affect both the target and the user, but she figured if push came to shove she’d want to have as many weapons as possible within reach. “I did some research on demons and how to kill them—or, I should say vanquish. Apparently no mere human can actually kill one of these suckers, did you know that?”
“Yes. Which is why I want you to stay out of this.”
“It also takes a tremendous amount of energy for demons to simply exist in our world, so much so that it risks being sucked back into hell if it tries to physically go toe-to-toe with anyone, so they piggyback on people and make them do their dastardly deeds just for fun.”
Nate pursed his lips. “One of the Nephilim out of the west coast, Zeke, described something like that. A demon made some guy go berserk in a crowd, then flew the coop when Zeke showed up to pound him into the ground.”
“Maybe your friend would have been more careful if he knew that just about everyone who goes up against one of these things loses their life in the struggle,” she went on, forcing the words out as if they didn’t rip bloody strips off of her. But there was no way she could ignore that some vital part of her would die if anything happened to Nate. “That’s what happens if a person goes one-on-one with it. I’m pretty positive, though, that if we tag-team it, the odds are going to tip in our favor. If we work together, we can weaken it to the point where it can no longer survive in this realm.”
“Wow. You really did do some research on this, didn’t you?”
“Ignorance is akin to being powerless.” Zipping up the duffle bag, she shoved it into the bottom drawer of the bureau before kicking it shut. “I’m not going to be powerless and I’m not going to hide. If you try to take this thing on all alone, it’ll kill you.”
His face was like granite, and just about as readable. “I know I’m the weakest of my bloodline. I know I’m crippled and my powers are useless when it comes to a knock-down drag-out. But don’t underestimate me. I’m tougher than you think.”
“This isn’t a matter of being tough. It’s a matter of logistics. Two people are better than one and if you go through with this all alone, that’s the basic math that you’ll be going up against.” When his expression didn’t change she framed his face with her hands, gently brushing a thumb over the corner of his mouth in the hope of thawing that icy mask. “I don’t doubt your strength, Nate. You’re the most powerful man I know.”
His mouth twisted with a bitterness that hurt her. “Right.”
The loving caress turned into a gentle pinch. “Idiot.”
“Ella—”
“You’re an idiot if you think you’re weak.” She let the irritation flow full and bright, because it dulled the edges of the fear that she’d lose him just when she’d discovered he was the most important person in her life. “Even if I didn’t already know how strong you are, your heart and strength of will is what’ll defeat