She led Caleb to the dining room. When she turned the corner, her eyes widened at the table full of food. Azrael’s stomach rumbled. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten.
“I didn’t know what you liked, so I just made a few different things. I hope that’s okay.” Lance fidgeted with the tablecloth.
“It looks great. With how hungry I am, the more food, the better. Thanks,” she said, taking a seat. For the next fifteen minutes, they ate in awkward silence.
One more thing to add to the list, he can cook.
Azrael wolfed down the hamburger, had a helping of penne pasta and garlic toast, and even tried some of the chargue salad, a traditional dish of Demonium she hadn’t tasted since she was a kid. She sat her water to the side, reached for one of the open bottles of wine sitting on the table, and read the label. Three hundred years old, seriously? I bet he has a wine cellar. That’ll be next on my list to find.
She poured herself a glass and lifted it to her lips. As for taste, there didn’t seem to be much difference between a five-year-old bottle of wine and a three-hundred-year-old one. She finished the glass in a few gulps and reached for the bottle again.
Lance crinkled his nose. “You do realize expensive wine should be sipped, not guzzled. Also, this brings me back to your alcoholism.”
“Expensive wine? Heck, yeah. Hand me that bottle, Az,” Caleb said, wiping his mouth on his napkin before holding out his hand.
She handed him the bottle and gave Lance a smirk. He shook his head, but she thought she saw the corner of his mouth twitch up.
Lance leaned back in his chair. “So, since Caleb is up, I think this might be a good time to come up with some options about what we are going to do about Blais’s threat. I was thinking this solution will work temporarily, but since Azrael is not willing to summon him, we need to consider a permanent option to keep her hidden. I was thinking—”
“Whoa, wait just a minute,” Caleb said, cutting in. “Can we just back up for a second? Admittedly, I’ve been a little out of the loop, but I think Az has caught me up for the most part. You can’t just expect us to go along with any plan you make without you explaining what the hell is going on.”
“I explained what was going on,” Lance replied. “Blais and I used to be in business together. He’s a killer. I’m going to kill him. I don’t understand what part of that is hard for either of you to grasp.”
“Well,” Caleb tapped his fork on the plate, “where do I start? How about the part where our landlord, who owns a bunch of run-down apartments, lives like a king in Demonium? What type of business were the two of you in that you need a front to hide your riches?”
“We sold amulets, treasures of sort. I hunted them down, he sold them. No, it wasn’t legal, but we were both young and successful enough we didn’t care. I own the apartments to pay the taxes here. Since I’m no longer running an illegal business, I need to focus all my resources on trying to hunt down Blais. Satisfied?” Lance crossed his arms over his chest.
“So, you’ve contacted the police about these murders, you’ve got someone trying to track him down, and from what you’ve said, you’ve tried to hire people for magical assistance. Why the obsession? I understand he was your friend, but you’ve done all you can. Why not leave it in the hands of the authorities?”
Lance leaned forward and propped his arms on the table, studying his fingers. For a moment, he said nothing. Caleb shared a look with Azrael, and she shrugged.
“I’ll admit, it is an obsession,” Lance said, his voice low. He looked at both of them. “Blais was always there for me. He watched over me, fought for me. I looked up to him, practically worshipped the ground he walked on. It was always just the two of us.” Lance paused and leaned over, grabbing the bottle of wine. He poured himself a glass and took several large gulps before continuing. “Then I met someone and fell in love. He killed her because of me.”
The room rang silent. Although his face showed nothing of what he was feeling, the agony hanging in the air was gut-wrenching.
When Lance set his glass down, he narrowed his eyes at her and Caleb. “What, no more questions?”
“I’m sorry,” Azrael whispered.
He flinched. “Don’t be. It’s my fault. My burden to carry. Not yours.”
“I’m sorry, too, whether you want me to be or not,” Caleb added.
“I don’t deserve your sympathy, trust me. Now, can we get back to the planning?”
They both nodded.
“Well, since you are refusing to summon Blais, and since I can’t stomach the idea of having to permanently house the two of you for roommates, I think our best option is to find some people here in Demonium to cast a protection spell on the both of you. I’m willing to help you start up with new identities, but then you will be on your own.”
“Wait. You’re saying we need to go into hiding? Permanently?” Azrael asked.
“At least until Blais is dead. I see no other option. He will do everything he can to make good on his threat, Azrael. I know Blais.”
“So, our choices are to summon him and maybe die or spend our lives in hiding? Gee, how gratuitous of you,” Caleb said, sarcasm dripping from every word.
“I don’t know what else to do. I really wish the two of you would stop trying to pin me out to be the bad guy. I’m trying to help.”
“Could you summon him? Or maybe some protection demons for us?” Caleb asked, directing his question at Azrael.
“As for protection demons, very unlikely. The closer you are to a person, the harder it is to do a summoning spell. Your desires cloud the purpose. Even then, protection demons aren’t infallible. I don’t think I could summon Blais either. If he’s that powerful, he’s probably blocked himself from summoners. It would take an extremely strong witch to get past that.”
“Which you are. Hell, Az, you summoned Lance from nothing.”
Azrael could see the gleam in Lance’s eyes. She didn’t want to give him any hope she’d be willing to do it or could do it. “Do I need to point out the stink demon incident?”
“She has a point there,” Lance said, shifting in his chair.
“That’s not fair. There were other circumstances involved there. She was distracted. She summoned you while your friend tried to kill her.”
“Now he has a point,” Lance remarked. “What kind of circumstance was it that led you to summon the stink demon?”
“Ugh, don’t ask me that.”
“It would be nice to know so I can get a better idea of what we are up against.”
“It’s stupid,” she said, putting her face in her hands. “My ex came by and took a picture of me while I was trying to summon.”
“That’s it? An ex taking a picture?” Lance asked, disbelief coloring his tone.
“It was the same ex who took a nude picture of her and sold it to the Demonium Times as a centerfold,” Caleb said, leaning in and folding his hands over the table. “You know the one I’m talking about.”
Lance picked up his wine and took a drink. “Can’t say that I do.”
Really? I’m calling his bullshit.
She removed her face from her hands and locked her eyes on him. “It’s the one you keep on your nightstand, Lance.”
Lance choked on his wine and began to cough. She watched him from across the table, fighting to keep the smirk off her face. When he got control of himself, he glared at her.
She glared back.
Lance shoved his chair back and stood. “I’m going to bed.”
“Why? Because you don’t want to admit the truth?” Caleb challenged.
“No,” Lance said over his shoulder as he walked out. “Because if I don’t leave, I’m going to strangle the both of you myself.”
~*~
Azrael kicked the covers off and flipped on the lamp with a sigh. Pillow top mattress, expensive sheets with a thread count she imagined cost more than a month’s salary for her, and she still couldn’t get her brain to shut down. The lamplight cast a relaxing glow, but it didn’t reach the far dark corners of the room, didn’t dispel her fear of being watched. It was quiet. Dead quiet. Azrael shivered.
Lance said it was safe here.
“Lance says a lot of things but doesn’t bother to explain them,” she mumbled, reaching down to pet Smellicious. The stink demon rolled over and snorted. Azrael stood and stretched. Closing her eyes, she recalled the image of Lance sitting at the table, his face pained.
“Ugh.” She opened her eyes and kicked the nightstand, then winced at the pain shooting up her calf. Served her right. She should have listened to Lance when he told her she was a bad judge of character. Taken it as a warning, cut and run.
“Not a choice anymore,” she mumbled. “I must be suicidal.”
Smellicious groaned and lifted his tail. Whatever he’d digested for dinner seemed to amplify his already unbearable odor. Azrael ran to the window, eyes watering, choking back a gag. The panes were sealed from years of being shut, but after several hard pulls, she was finally able to push it open. She shoved her head out the window, breathing deeply.
“Like I needed another thing to keep me from sleeping.”
It was either close the window and suffocate or leave it open and worry about Blais getting in.
“Or…go bunk with Caleb.” Azrael shut the window and tiptoed across the hallway.
She opened the door to Caleb’s room. He was sprawled across the bed, his mouth slack. She pulled back the covers and slid in beside him.
Caleb opened his eyes. “What’s going on?”
“I couldn’t sleep. Mind if I bunk with you?” she asked.
“That’s fine,” he mumbled, his eyes slipping closed again.
Azrael scooted in and laid her head on his chest. The rhythmic beat of his heart lulled her to sleep.
~*~
The door swung open, slamming into the wall, waking them both.
“Have you seen—?” Lance stopped mid-sentence, eyes narrowing to slits. “Sorry. I couldn’t find Azrael, and I thought something might have happened.”
Azrael slid out from beneath Caleb’s arms, dragging the blanket around her as she sat. Lance was standing in the doorway, hands on his hips. “I couldn’t sleep, so I came in here.”
“Yeah, well, the next time you two want to sleep together, maybe you could warn me. I woke up to find your room empty. I can’t protect you when I don’t know where you are.”
Before she could comment, he pivoted and slammed the door shut behind him.
“Was that fear or jealousy?” Azrael asked, sagging against the headboard.
“Baby, it is way too early for me to psychoanalyze anyone, especially Lance,” Caleb grumbled.
Azrael slipped out from beneath the covers with a sigh. “I guess I better go deal with that.”
“Please do.” Caleb covered his eyes with his arms. “Also, please let your boyfriend know seven in the morning is way too early for his pissy outbursts.”
“Oh, trust me, I plan on it.”
Azrael stormed out of the room and down the hallway. If Lance was concerned about her, he was sure going about showing it the wrong way. She’d had enough of his hot and cold bull crap. When she made it to his room, she threw open the door without bothering to knock.
“What the hell is your problem?” she asked, hands on her hips.
Lance was pacing the floor, running his hands through his hair. He stopped to stare at her. His sweats hung low on his hips, a white T-shirt clinging to his muscles. “I don’t know,” he said, running his tongue over his teeth. “I just…I couldn’t find you. I thought you might be dead. I can’t go through that again.”
Softening her stance, Azrael studied his face. He looked different. Vulnerable. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize—”
“It’s not your fault,” he said, cutting her off and shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have barged in like that.”
She tugged on the hem of her shirt but kept her eyes on him. He’s afraid. Afraid and sad. “Do you still love her?”
“Yeah, I don’t have much of a choice,” he answered, licking his lips.
“I’m sorry. I really am,” she whispered. “I know this is going to sound shallow, but have you tried to move on, tried to forget this obsession with Blais and find happiness?”
“Of course I have. You think I like living this way? Even if I did try, what would happen? We barely know each other, and if you hadn’t summoned me, you’d be dead.”
Azrael shuddered. He was right. She couldn’t imagine living a life in which anyone you got close to was in danger of dying. Maybe I have judged him unfairly. What was he like before all of this? What type of man would the woman he loved see? The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. “Did she love you, too?”
Lance’s face fell. He stepped across the room and sat on the bed, leaning forward on his elbows. “I thought she would—that she could—but later, I wondered. I think she saw through me. A man she couldn’t love. Didn’t want to love. I never got the chance to find out, though.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that.”
“No, it’s fine.” Lance licked his lips. “You know since we’re being honest with each other. You and Caleb. Are you two…?” He let the words trail off.
Azrael grinned and shook her head. “Together? No. Caleb’s like super gay, and we’re more like brother and sister anyway.”
“Most brothers and sisters don’t kiss and sleep together, Azrael.”
“We’re more comfortable with each other than I think most people are. Remember how I said I took care of him after he was hurt?”
Lance nodded.
“Well, that included changing his catheter and giving him sponge baths. You really find out what you’re willing to do for those you love in those types of situations.”
“Yeah, I guess I didn’t think about that. I wasn’t meaning to pry. I just didn’t know if I should be expecting to walk in on the two of you, um, together.”
“Oh, no, we’ve never had sex together.” Azrael frowned. “I mean, we’ve had sex together, just not with each other.” He gaped at her, and heat blossomed on her cheeks. “I, um, I mean, we haven’t had intercourse with each other. There was this guy once who liked us both and—”
Lance shook his head. “I don’t need the details, okay?”
“Okay,” she said, biting her lip. “You know, since we’re still being honest with each other, it’s your turn again.”
“What?”
“The magazine.”
She’d expected a glare, maybe a brush-off, not the answer he gave her.
Lance stared directly into her eyes. “You look like her. The woman I loved. When I first saw you, I couldn’t breathe. I thought you were a ghost come back to haunt me, but then you opened your mouth and ruined everything. She was refined, graceful. You’re—well, honestly, you’re kind of a mess and spastic, but you don’t look that way in the photo. Sexy and sophisticated, but vulnerable. In that photo, you’re more her to me than you. I know that sounds rude and horrible, but I’m trying to be honest. It’s confusing.”
“No,” Azrael whispered, shaking her head, trying to ignore the knife twisting in her heart. “Actually, for the first time, something you said makes sense. Thank you for telling me.”
It’s not me he’s attracted to. It’s a dead woman.
“You’re angry with me.”
“No, not at all.”
Lance stared at her for a long time. She struggled to keep the hurt expression off her face.
“Okay then. I wanted you to know that I plan to take the stink demon into town today to work with a demon whisperer about that smell. I’ve seen her train one before. While she’s doing that, I’m going to see what I can find out about protection spells for the two of you.”
“Can I go?” It had been ages since Azrael had visited Demonium, and she didn’t relish the idea of being cooped in.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. The house is safe, but not out there.”
“Please. We’ll be in public, and he won’t attack us there. Look, I’ve had a really bad few weeks and need a break. It’s been years since I’ve been to a Demonium market.” Lance didn’t say yes, but he sighed. She knew he wasn’t going to argue further. “So, when are we leaving?”
“Around noon. First breakfast, then I have a few things to do.”
“Sounds good. You want me to cook?”
“No. The last thing I want you near is an open flame or my food.”