I fix him with a look. “Let me refresh your memory. I grew up in the Nether. I’ve been surrounded by demons my entire life and know how they work. I’ve killed more than my fair share, paid the price each time, and find them to be useful. So don’t fucking question me.”
He opens his mouth and closes it twice in a row before sighing heavily. “Okay, Oakley. You’re right, and I’m sorry. But can we at least make sure you’re bathed, rested, and cared for before diving headfirst into more danger?”
I think about it. “Fine.”
Mostly because I want to see Silas open his ruby eyes before we get to deal with more enemies.
Nearly an hour later, we take a back entrance into a hotel where Baelfire made a reservation for their biggest suite using cash Everett provided. They usher me to a metal door that slides open and reveals…a tiny room.
I frown in confusion.
Baelfire bursts into laugher as he reaches up to cover something above the door inside the little room. “It’s an elevator. Never seen one, huh?”
I haven’t, but I vaguely recall Lillian telling me about them. She told me about many things I still haven’t been exposed to in the mortal world. Honestly, most of what I know about the human world comes from Lillian, watching movies with Kenzie, and random tidbits I picked up at Everbound. There are still cavernous gaps in my knowledge about this world, which I dislike.
Although, I guess I’ll be exposed to a lot more now that we aren’t on lockdown inside an isolated, gothic castle.
We all step inside, but I tip my head when Baelfire continues covering something up with his hand. “What are you doing?”
“It’s a camera,” he explains. “Humans have them everywhere. Don’t want them getting footage of you.”
Interesting. I’ll have to keep an eye out for those.
Once we reach theactualsuite, I’m impressed. It has two rooms with king-sized beds connected to a shared space with a TV, couch, mini kitchen, and glass wall with a view of Hastings.
Even though I’m good with this setup, Everett makes a face at it.
“Don’t mind him. He’s used to being hand-fed caviar and pissing in golden toilets,” Bael rolls his eyes as he goes to deposit Silas on one of the king beds.
“It’s just kind of small,” the elemental argues, pushing open the bathroom door. It seems clean and spacious to me, but Everett frowns.
Baelfire laughs from the other room. “That’s what Maven’s gonna say when you finally whip out your?—”
“Shut the fuckup, dragon.”
I turn and lay several simple but effective protective wards on the front door. I do the same thing to the windows. Just as I feel myself lagging, Crypt wraps his arms around me from behind, murmuring gently in my ear.
“Time to rest, love.”
“I still need to bathe. Silas needs to be cleaned up, too. I need to track down clean clothes and food and get that phone and some means for disguising you four—” I begin listing everything on my to-do list in my head, fighting a yawn.
He hums. “Sounds likewehave plenty to do while you rest.”
Before I can argue, Baelfire appears on my left side and scoops me out of Crypt’s arms.
“I call bathing her.”
Crypt smiles cruelly. “So long as you give a sponge bath to the fae, too. Fair’s fair. Don’t miss his tender bits because, against all reason, Maven likes those.”
Baelfire shudders and starts to protest, but Everett pipes up as he approaches. “I can get food and clothes for all of us.”
“You’ll get recognized,” I argue, trying to squirm out of Bael’s strong arms. Godsdamn it, I’m way more exhausted than I realized because my attempts are pathetically feeble. They all watch in amusement as I give up, sighing and letting my head hang back over his arm.
“Fine. But we’re rearranging things. Baelfire will go out to get food, clothes, and a basic burner phone because he’s the least likely to get recognized—orfrighten the hell out of people and spread unnecessary rumors,” I add when Crypt opens his mouth.
The incubus laughs. Bael nods in complete agreement.
“Crypt can keep watch until we know whether the coast seems clear.”
