Page 12 of Total Eclipse of the Moon
"Relax and let me use my power to find them."
Shane took a deep breath and felt the demon merge with him. Its power enabled him to feel the energies of everyone around them, not just paranormal creatures. The hostiles were up the street. How he knew, he didn't question.
"We're doing this, Baku. You and me."
"We have to put her somewhere safe."Weirdly compassionate statement for a demon.
Shane scooped up Madeline and walked inside the restaurant to the back where there was a small, empty office. He put her in the desk chair and knelt in front of her. "I'll take care of those coming for you. You stay here. I'll be back in a few minutes."
She nodded a slow movement of her head and whispered, "Until next time."
"Finally, we get to kill."The demon was back to cackling."Let me show you what I can do."
"All I have on me is one knife. Too public here for a knife fight."
"We don't need the knife."That sounded ominous. "Let me show you how weak humans are."
As he fought to retain some control sweat pooled on his forehead and dribbled into his eyes."You can do your thing, but I still pilot this ship."
There were three men dressed in aloha shirts walking toward him. He overheard one say with a British accent, "Target confirmed to have entered the restaurant."
"Do it for Madeline,"the demon said in a cool tone that lacked all sense of taunting or intent."Let go."
He released his hold on the demon. A darkness consumed his head. With little effort the demon focused on all three humans at once. In seconds, the humans gasped, struggling to breathe, and fell to the ground with blood pouring from their eyes and noses.
"Turn around and walk away,"Baku directed."They're dead. See? I'm better at this than you when I’m in charge."
"I'm not sure we needed to kill them. We could've voice-coerced them into leaving."
"So much more fun this way."
"That was wrong. Very wrong."Case and point why he couldn't let Baku run the show."Can we do that to nonhumans?"Sure would make fighting inhuman evils easier.
"Only humans. Felt good, didn't it?"
It'd been too easy. Too disturbing.
"I like being in charge."The demon cackled.
Shane pulled out his phone and dialed Antonio. He wheezed out, "Need you to pick me up. Demon gaining control. Hurry."
Shane didn't remember getting into Antonio's rented sedan. He woke up to a radio blasting pop music. "Why's the music so loud?"
Antonio puffed a cigar as he turned into the airport parking lot. "You breathed easier when I played loud pop music."
"That's weird."
"Agreed. Guess your little witch didn't cure you, huh?"
"We have to go back. I left her somewhere insecure at the restaurant."
"No." He parked the car in a spot designated for rental car returns.
"We're going back for her," he ordered. "She was vulnerable with people after her."
After another long drag of cigar, the vampire blew smoke in Shane's face. "I hate being awake during the day even if it was dusk when you met her. It requires me to wear so much clothing to avoid the sunburn. I also hate sweating. It's so fucking hot down here." He fanned the front of his shirt.
"Flipping hot. No more cussing. We talked about this. There's no reason to use foul language."
