I sighed. I knew when I was shoveling shit uphill.
“Fine,” I grumbled. He could make me go, but he couldn’t make me have a good attitude about it.
Vas laughed under his breath as Lia purred in his arms and I strode to my closet, grabbed the first dress I saw, and ducked back into the bathroom to change.
I threw on the bare minimum of makeup. Not because I wanted to impress Samael, but because I thought of it like a shield I could raise. At least that’s what I was telling myself as I stroked mascara over my lashes.
I opened the bathroom door in time to hear Vas let out a very un-masculine ‘yip’ as Lia sank her teeth into his thumb.
“Watch it, cat.”
I strapped on my knives, including the Mistilteinn Dagger. Maybe I’d get to interrogate a demon or two tonight. That’d make the experience worth it.
I’d chosen a plain black dress with spaghetti straps that swirled above my knees when I walked. I wasn’t planning to need to fight tonight, and if I had to, I’d be putting on quite the show, but at least it wouldn’t restrict my movements. I grabbed a pair of flat black boots and a small purse and nodded to Vas.
“Let’s go.”
Vas had flown to my apartment, and after a cramped elevator ride, we walked toward my car. I glanced around me at the night-darkened parking lot, soaking in the warm spring air as the steady thump of music leaked from the bars a few blocks away.
“You could fly me,” I suggested, and Vas raised one eyebrow as he shoved his hands in his pockets. He glanced up at the night sky and sighed.
“I believe Samael would very much prefer to be the one to introduce you to that pleasure,” he said, and I gaped at him.
He shrugged. “Your first time flying is an experience like no other.” The hint of a smile crossed his face and his eyes turned distant. “Something tells me that Samael has claimed all of your firsts.”
I glanced down at the gold stain on my forearm.
“That’s cute,” I said, stalking toward my car. If I didn’t already have enough motivation to solve these murders and break the bond, that little tidbit would light a fire under my ass.
Both of us were silent on the way to the tower. Me, because I was seething, between panicking about the overly possessive demon I’d somehow become tied to, and Vas, because for some reason he’d decided not to fly, and was once again hunched in my passenger seat. His wings were probably around him in a way that couldn’t be comfortable.
He shifted, a feather brushed my face, and I sneezed.
“Apologies.”
My mood brightened slightly. If he didn’t want to fly above me, I wasn’t going to feel bad about his current predicament. At least I wasn’t the only one having a shitter of a night.
To Vas’ credit, he only cast one longing glance up at the roof of Samael’s tower when we arrived. It must suck to have to use the elevator when escorting me. Especially since he could land on any of the numerous balconies jutting from the huge building. But at least Samael’s elevator was built for wings, and Vas stepped inside without a word.
My phone beeped and I glanced at it. Cara.
No poison found on the bolt. Sorry :(
No poison? How the hell did that arrow take down a high demon then? Unless the arrow that killed Vercan was coated in something that the arrow that killed the lesser demon wasn’t? I frowned. If only I’d been able to get my hands on the arrow in Vercan’s body.
I wanted to call Cara back, but I couldn’t do that until after I’d at least shown my face at Samael’s table.
I sighed. “How many people attend these dinners?”
Vas shrugged. “It depends who’s in town and who’s away on business for Samael. But in general, anyone who is bonded to Samael is expected to attend.”
I gaped at that. “You’re bonded to him too?”
“Not the same way you are.” He glanced down at my arm and his lips twitched. Glad to see someone was amused by my little situation. “Our bond stems from an oath we swore to Samael before we came through the portal.”
“How many demons swore the oath?”
“Twenty.”
