The Demon Deception by Mark Harritt Page A

then slowly
put the tip of her finger in her mouth, looking innocently at him
as she did so, more seduction. He wondered if she even knew she was
doing it.
    “When and where?” she asked.
    He slid a piece of paper across the table to
her, “That has the information on it. We have a fortnight to get
there. Here’s the phone number I’ll be using for the duration of
this assignment. Text or call, and I’ll pick you up on the way.
Bring whatever you need. I’ll be bringing resources with me as
well.”
    She sat with her finger in her mouth,
alternately sucking it, and licking it, “So, two weeks from now. Do
they not understand, that we’ll be as interested in killing each
other as we will in stopping this ‘incursion’?”
    Eli smiled, “I think we can assume that once
we’re finished with this mission, and the incursion is stopped,
that hostilities can commence again.”
    She continued to suck on her finger, “I hope
you’ll be a gentleman, and give me notice when you decide when the
dance will commence anew.”
    An expression of innocence appeared on his
face, “Of course. When have I not been a gentleman towards
you?”
    Genuine mirth played across her smile at this
statement, neither one foolish enough to believe that the other one
would play fair, whatever ‘fair’ might be. If either one could
achieve the upper hand, they both knew that the situation would be
exploited.
    The meeting was over. She slid across the
bench seat, moving slowly, seductively, her décolletage wiggling as
she did. Eli sat with stone face though he did enjoy the view. He
would never let her know that, though.
    She stood, and used her hands to straighten
her coat. In actuality, it was just a chance for her to accentuate
her curves with her hands. She did it with a wiggle that drew the
eyes of every man in the room. There was a group of four at the
front of the room that were entirely too interested in her
movements. One of them, a large man with prison tats scrawled
across his skin, stood up and walked over to Lilith. The man’s
tattoos and attitude indicated a brutality that would be used if he
felt the need. His muscularity indicated time spent in the prison
yard lifting weights.
    The man walked up and put his arm around
Lilith’s waist, “hey, pretty lady, how’s about you come over and
spend some time with me and my friends. I promise you, we can show
you a good time.”
    Lilith giggled, and wiggled again. The thug
pressed his case. “I think you should come on over. My boys and me
would be real interested in talkin’ to you.”
    As the thug talked, his hand slid down.
Lilith looked over the table at Eli, and put one hand over her
mouth, aping surprise, “I guess he’s serious. I think you may have
to defend my honor.”
    The thug sneered at him, “Little man, if you
know what’s good for you, I suggest you sit there and shut up. I’ll
crush you if you get up.”
    Eli kept sipping coffee, and continued to
sit. Lilith’s eyes darkened, hellfire flashing, “If you want my
cooperation, I suggest that you do your bit here.”
    He sighed. He knew it would come to some kind
of confrontation. It always did when it came to Lilith. He reached
for his gun, but Lilith swayed, blocking any shot that he might
have. He considered shooting through her, but he didn’t think the
bullet would penetrate far enough to kill the thug. He started
sliding across the seat. The thug stepped around Lilith, and put a
hand in his shoulder, “I said stay out of it little man. You won’t
like what hap . . .”
    He grabbed the thug’s hand with his right
hand, his fingers on the outside of the hand, his thumb in the meat
between thumb and forefinger. He twisted with the right, and used
his left hand to give more leverage. He continued his slide out of
the seat, turning tightly, the hand and arm of his adversary coming
with him as he turned, and the body following. He stopped, turned
in the other direction, and the thug flew through the air.