Interlude

DECEMBER 14-2

“Hi, I'm Bill Gannon,” Bill said, extending his hand to her.

“This is Lindee Strong, Sabrina's cousin. I called her, since I knew she'd be worried,” Hobart said, taking in her quiet gape. “She usually isn't at a loss for words.”

When Lindee recovered, she said, “Damn, it figures that Sabrina would know someone so gorgeous.”

Both Bill and Hobart chuckled. “I'm just a friend.”

“Will we be able to see her? Speak to her?” Hobart asked, going back to the subject.

“That will be up to the doctor. Even I haven't been allowed in as I'm not a relative.”

“They'd let me in, I bet,” Lindee said, cracking her knuckles.

“I would say that they would,” Bill agreed.

“What happened to her?” Lindee asked.

“It's a long story and I'd rather not have to repeat it, if you'll indulge me just a few more minutes. The other two should be here any minute,” Bill said.

“Who else?” Hobart asked.

“Andrew, for one. I also thought I should tell the vampire mogul in charge, since it happened in his hotel. I was a little surprised that Tremayne is gone and someone else in his place.”

“You called Tremayne about this?” Hobart said.

“Well, yes. Or at least I tried. But he wasn't there,” Bill said. “It was someone named Stefan.”

Hobart dropped his head, hands on slim hips. He seemed disappointed about that.

A ping of anger jumped through Bill, and the unusually strong emotion seemed displaced. He really didn't know where the anger had come from. He stood for a moment trying first to gain control of his emotions—because he suddenly just wanted to beat the guys brains in—and then to understand why. The why part wasn't coming through. He glanced up at Hobart, noticing a tattoo snaking up around his neck.

He'd had s*x with her… in their animal state.

Wait. How did I know that? Where had that come from? Bill stepped away, looking at his watch, or pretending to. He knew Nemesis could sometimes tell him things with telepathy. This is just like her, giving me information that she feels I need. I really don't want that much information, okay?

Sorry, my sweet. I thought I'd better give you the inside scoop on that, Nemesis' voice said in his head.

Not now, Bill said to Nemesis through their telepathic connection.

Bill ascertained that there was no romance between the Were and Sabrina at all. Friendship, yes. And like that, his anger lifted. Just a little. The man had been indignant and slightly disrespectful. Disrespectful of him? Maybe. Yes, he was showing signs of impatience. But the man had no real reason to respect him. Not yet. Not until he heard what had happened and how he had gotten Sabrina away from the demon.

“I'm sorry I'm a bit late, but the traffic was horrible!” The new man's voice made Bill turn to the doorway. The man who rushed in was a trim six foot, handsome with sandy hair with some gray at the temples with bright blue eyes. One wouldn't be able to guess the man was elf.

“Andrew, thank you for coming.” Bill stepped toward him and shook his hand.

“Nothing, not even the worst Christmas shopping mania, could keep me away,” he said with a smile, running fingers through his sandy hair. “How is she?”

“We're waiting to hear from her doctor,” Bill said. Someone else walked in and they all turned.

A man strode in with steely eyes, and a frown etched on his face. Broad shoulders filled out his expensive black suit. Black silk tie and shirt made him look mobster-like. Although he stood around five ten, his carriage shouted power and danger in the same breath. Olive complexion, black hair, Bill guessed his heritage as possibly Italian. He aimed a deadly look toward Bill, as if daring him to give him bad news. Vampire, obviously.

“Mr. Capella?” Bill said, and almost put out his hand. But this was a vampire. With no desire to touch him, Bill let his hand drop to his side. But he dared to stare right back into those violet eyes of his.

“I want you to know I hold you completely responsible for Sabrina's condition,” Capella growled.

“As well you should,” Bill countered. “And then you should thank me for rescuing her from a very powerful demon.”

That got everyone's attention. Sabrina's cousin made a sudden gasp.

Bill looked to Hobart and Andrew. “These two gentlemen were present when Sabrina was abducted from the fifth floor of Tremayne Towers.”

“That's true,” Andrew said, turning to Capella. “We were trying to apprehend the witch, as I'm sure you recall, who was sending all those demons at Sabrina. We did finally capture her, but because of the confusion—” his blue eyes darted toward the others “—we didn't see the demon who took Sabrina. Bill, here, was somehow able to follow her and bring her back.”

“So I've been told,” Capella said, folding his arms across his heavy chest. “Now, tell us what happened and where you had to go to get her back.”

Bill took a breath before he began his story. “As Mr. Morkel has just indicated, I followed her to somewhere that was all red sandstone, and the sky very dark. When I arrived, Sabrina was climbing a cliff, and a very large demon, the likes of which I've never seen nor heard of, was pursuing her—eh, believe it or not—with his two tails.”

“Tails?” The question came from all four of them.

“Two?” Capella said, eyes squeezed as though he knew exactly which demon he described.

“Yes. Two very large serpent tails, and large bat-like wings. With one tail he reached for Sabrina,” Bill explained. “She tried to escape, but we were in a canyon of some sort. When I tried to help her, he grabbed me with his other tail and began to crush me. Meanwhile, he grabbed Sabrina and pulled her down, whereby she fell, and I'm pretty certain she hit her head on the rocks.”

“Oh, no!” Lindee said, hands to her mouth.

“How did you get her away from him?” Hobart asked.

“First of all, Sabrina made an effort to kill him with the dagger. The dagger melted before it came into contact with him.” Bill paused. How did he know this? He was pretty certain he hadn't seen it. Or had he?

“The dagger is no more?” Andrew asked, looking utterly horrified by this aspect, and Bill wasn't sure why.

“It's gone,” Bill said and shrugged.

“How did you get her away from that demon?” Capella demanded. “Not that I'm buying any of this crap.”

“Yes. Especially since the one you described is the most powerful demon on Dark World, his name is Naamah,” Andrew said.

“Was. Past tense. I annihilated him,” Bill said, and crossed his arms in front of himself daring any of them to contradict him. He sent Andrew Morkel a bold glare, and then turned to Capella with the same glare.

Andrew and Hobart exchanged glances of astonishment.

“How would you be able to do that, Mr. Gannon? Are you some sort of magical creature? If so, what are you? A genie?” Capella shook his head, chuckled to himself. “No one could go up against Naamah, not even my father could, and he has been in Dark World a number of times.”

“Apparently I've been imbued with powers that are inarguably greater than even the most powerful demon in Dark World. Otherwise I couldn't have destroyed him, could I? Perhaps you should consider this before you go off on me, Mr. Capella.”

“A threat?” Capella laughed huskily and looked around to the others, as if to mock Bill. “So, what sort of magical being are you?” Capella asked, challenge still in his voice. “Not an elf, surely.”

“Excuse me,” Andrew interrupted, giving Bill a long, steady look. “Since I'm the only magical creature in the room—” He broke off and looked around to see that they were indeed alone in the waiting room. “I can tell you that he is not a magical creature. No. He is something more than all the components gathered here and then some.”

Bill had a new regard for the elf. He smiled and nodded to him. “Thank you, Andrew.”

“In order for you to have slain Naamah, you would have to have the powers of—dare I say it?” Once again Morkel looked around and his voice went down in decibels to a near stage whisper. “A god?”

Bill's eyes flicked over Andrew. My goddess! Is that it? Is that what I've become? Nemesis has turned me into a god? A chill went through him, and it was akin to the realization of something monumental. Of course. How else could he have killed—utterly destroyed—that ugly beast in Dark World? He did his level best to hold a poker face, and not stumble back with the weight of the news.

“When will we be able to see Sabrina?” Capella asked. Clearly, he was a most impatient man.

“First of all,” Bill said, hands palms out to him, “you have to understand, Sabrina has lost her memory. All of it. She didn't know me, and she didn't even know her own name when she came to before I got her to the hospital. I'm certain she will not recognize any of you.”

The room as a whole gasped.

“That's true, what he said.” Everyone turned to the new male voice that entered the waiting room. Hands stuffed in the large pockets of his white coat, a stethoscope sticking out of one, the doctor strode in from a different hallway.

“Everyone, this is Doctor Phillips,” Bill introduced. “He has been taking care of our Sabrina.”

“I'm happy to announce Sabrina is awake. She is out of her coma,” the doctor said with a warm smile.

A sigh of relief went through the crowd.

“Oh, thank God!” Lindee said. “When can we see her?”

The doctor held up his hand to halt the questions. “Aside from all the contusions on her body, her head is what concerns us the most at this point. Yes. She has lost her memory, and has trouble with her balance. I'm keeping her here for a little while longer for observation and rest. She had a cut in the back of the head which required six staples. Just so you know, we've bandaged her head, and it looks much worse than it is.” Dr. Phillips looked at each of the people gathered in the waiting room. “Now, as to her memory. Her memory is still lost. I answered her questions—the ones I could—and told her where she was, why she was here—uh, to a point, of course.” He looked at Bill. “Eh, I understand that one of you is a werewolf?” he looked at Hobart—“a vampire”—he looked at Capella—“and I see we have a member of the fae.” He turned and smiled at Andrew. “In any case Sabrina's memory is gone. It is as though she was in a coma all her life and only now came to. I must warn you as sternly as I possibly can, to not tell her what any of you are. At least right now. It may shock her so deeply she may go back into a coma again.”

“Well, I'm just a plain old human, and I'm related. Do I get to go and see her?” Lindee asked, fists to hips, looking ready to barge right through the doctor.

Dr. Phillips beamed and chuckled his answer. “Yes. Yes, of course. You all may go in for a short while. Let me take you all back to her room.” He reached out to Lindee. “What is your name, my dear?”

“Lindee,” she said, stepping over to him. “Lindee Strong. I'm her cousin.”

“Well, then, you will go in first. I'd like Sabrina to see you first, without the others, just for a minute or two. I want to see if her memory might be jarred a little bit at the sight of you.”