“What’s your name?”
“Bael.”
“I’m Danica.”
He smiled. “I know.” His eyes turned blurry and distant and I backed up against the wall of the elevator.
“Are you reading me?”
“The sight happens occasionally,” he shrugged. “I can’t see anything around you except pain.”
Sounded about right.
A thought occurred to me and I reached for the knife I’d found in Tataka’s apartment.
“Is there somewhere safe we can put this? It’s important to whoever is killing the demons, and this tower is more secure than my apartment building.”
Bael studied the knife, then my face. Finally, he nodded, pressing the button for the 18thfloor.
The elevator doors opened a few moments later, revealing a long, gray-on-gray corridor which led to a metal door. Bael gestured for me to follow him, and my shoes squeaked as we strode toward the door. Bael stopped, lowered his face to a scanner, and waited until it blinked green. The doors slid open, revealing another corridor and another door.
This time, I could feel the wards from several feet away. I automatically stopped, and Bael glanced at me, nodding at my arm. “Your bond to Samael will allow you to get through the second level of security.”
I ground my teeth a little at that, but trailed after him as he mouthed an incantation and the doors slid open. The ward felt achingly familiar. Samael’s magic.
The room was vast, silent, and filled with safes. From floor to ceiling, they gleamed silver, each of them guarded with personal wards.
Bael held out his hand for the knife and I gave it to him, watching as he strode over to the left side of the room.
“Safe 383 is empty. If you need to access it, just let me know.”
“Thanks.” I’d had Selina examine it and she’d taken multiple photos. If the witches wanted it badly enough that they’d almost killed me, this was the safest place for it.
Bael held his hand up, and the main ward surrounding the safes let him through. Then he placed the knife inside, shut the door, and closed his eyes, setting his own ward around the safe.
His power reminded me of Samael’s, but it was… different. Sharper. Once he was done, I followed him back through the metal doors and to the elevator. A few moments later, the elevator opened to a floor I’d never seen before. “Gym is that way,” Bael pointed to a corridor on our right. “Sauna, steam room, basketball court…”
I blinked at the thought of the demons playing basketball.
“No wings,” he said, and I poked at my shields, ensuring they were tight. “We like the challenge.”
I’d pay to see a bunch of demons running around and fighting over a ball while they fought not to get their wings tangled. I’d pay good money to see that.
I followed him down another hall to the left, until he pulled open a door. The breath left my lungs as Samael’s eyes met mine.
He was standing next to the window, dressed down in a black sweater and gray sweatpants. I forced my eyes up from the bulge that proved he was a lefty. His eyes stayed on my face, and I forced myself to walk closer.
“How do you fit your sweater around your wings?”
His mouth quirked. “You’re a witch in my lair andthat’swhat you want to know?”
I squirmed. “Just curious.”
Samael nodded at Bael who turned and strode out, shutting the door behind him.
“Perhaps one day, if you’re avery goodlittle witch, I’ll show you.”
I rolled my eyes at that. The sooner I had this stupid mark removed, the sooner I’d no longer have to spend any time with the huge, lethal pain in my butt.
