Page 37 of Demon

They stopped a few yards from the cabin, and he looked at Xavier, who’d gone still and closed his eyes. Waiting was killing him, but he forced himself to be patient because the sorcerer, the strongest one he’d ever known, would be able to sense more than they could see.

Xavier opened his eyes. “We have to hurry. He’s trying to ward the house, but right now the wards are still weak, and Ican break them.” He held up his hands, then looked at Callan. “When I say go, run a straight path to the front door, and do not hesitate.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lonnie

This insane wizard hadn’t even tied him up. Just zapped them in the worst possible way to someplace totally unfamiliar. And by zapped, Lonnie meant he’d been spun and stretched in what turned out to be seconds, but felt like much longer. It had left him completely disoriented and slumped on the wooden floor.

“They’re going to follow,” Roman said as he crouched in front of him and tucked some of Lonnie’s hair behind his ears. His touch was gentle, like he cared, and all Lonnie could do was blink through blurry eyes at him. Once he came into focus, Lonnie was surprised. This preternatural didn’t seem scary at all. He had movie star good looks with light blond hair and green eyes, his features softened with affection. “I have to get wards in place to keep them out. Then I’ll take you somewhere they can’t find us. We can finally be together again.”

“Again?” Lonnie frowned. “I’ve never seen you before in my life.”

“We were together in your past life. I got curious after we started chatting online and popped in to see what you lookedlike. Imagine my shock when I realized who you are. I’ve missed you so much, Greg.”

Yep, totally insane. “I’m not Greg,” Lonnie insisted.

“But you are. Look.” Roman pulled a folded photo from his pocket and opened it for Lonnie.

It was an old, black-and-white picture of a man who looked eerily like him, wearing cuffed jeans and an open black button-down over a white T-shirt. Prickling alarm brushed over the surface of his skin. The guy could have been his identical twin, down to the shoulder-length hair.

Roman ran his finger over the image. “I couldn’t believe it was you, but I started following you, and there were too many similarities to ignore. Even your hair is the same color and length.” He gave a nostalgic chuckle. “He got a lot of shit from people back in the fifties with that hair. I loved it, though.”

The mix of pronouns only cemented Lonnie’s fear that this wizard wasn’t playing with a full deck. “But you obviously know we’re not the same person,” Lonnie couldn’t help but point out.

Roman lifted his eyebrows. “You’re reincarnated, but I know a spell to bring back your memories. You loved me so much and you’ll remember that then.” His brows drew down. “But you should have noticed me. Should have remembered me.” Lips curling into a vicious snarl, he spat out, “And you should not have been fucking that demon.”

“That demon is my boyfriend.”

“That demon believes you’re his mate. His true soulmate. Has he been giving you gifts?”

Lonnie couldn’t stop the surprise from showing on his face. Not about the gifts but about what Callan believed. Was that true? Callan thought Lonnie was his soulmate? He knew the lore about them, but this still shocked him.

“Thought so. Demons are very traditional when it comes to courting a mate. But none of his gifts could be as good as theSesshomaru I gifted you. The person who owned it didn’t even have it locked up. I was able to pop inside their house and grab it without them seeing a thing.”

“You stole it?”

“It belongs to you,” Roman gritted out between clenched teeth. He stood and looked down at Lonnie. “I have to get the wards in place. No doubt that filthy demon is on his way, and he’ll have Xavier with him. I’ve beat Xavier before and will again, so don’t you worry.”

Fuck, this guy had serious issues, obviously thinking Lonnie was willing to be there. “Callan is not filthy, and I hope he is coming to get me. If I am truly his mate, I couldn’t be more happy about that. I’m not Greg, so why don’t you just let me go?”

Roman chuckled. “Where are you going to go? The closest town is miles away.”

“Then take me back. It’s not too late for you. You could just say you’re sorry, that you got it wrong.”

“But I haven’t. There’s no doubt in my mind you are my Greg.” Roman positioned himself in the center of the room and lifted his hands into the air. His eyes were closed as he began muttering under his breath. Whatever kind of magic he was using sent that prickly awareness over Lonnie’s arms again, and he shivered.

He looked around for some kind of weapon. It was a small cabin with a kitchenette in one corner. There was nothing on the one counter, but there could possibly be a knife in one of the two drawers.

Could he actually stab someone?

Yes. Yes, he could. If it meant getting away from this crazy wizard, he would happily wound him. He watched Roman for several moments before he began to inch across the floor as silently as he could.

He was a few feet from those drawers when the front door suddenly splintered into pieces and Callan burst into the cabin. His normally fierce expression had amped up to pure wrath as he frantically scanned the area. His gaze landed on Lonnie, and relief briefly flashed in his dark eyes.

Lonnie didn’t wait, jumping up and running to Callan immediately. Callan gripped his arms tight, looked him over, then shoved him behind him. Lonnie clutched his shirt as several more preternaturals stormed into the cabin. He recognized Finn and Emory. The third was that huge one he’d seen inside Protective Solutions. They all moved to stand at Lonnie’s back and sides in a protective circle.

Roman slowly opened his eyes as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “You know I can pop over and disappear with him at any time, so this is the height of foolishness.”

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