Mental note, figure out what to do about the garthia plant. The unseelie would fight beside us, and unlike the demons, they couldn’t just fly over the wall. It wouldn’t help if they ended up stuck behind the gates.
Pischiel was studying my face again. I turned us so we were facing the palace. “It must be time for lunch. I’m starved.”
* * *
SAMAEL
My office door slammed open, and Vas stalked inside.
I took a slow, deep breath.
Don’t kill him. He is young.
I lifted my head. “I suggest you—”
“Daimonion went after Meredith,” he cut me off, and I surveyed his face. Vassago was known as the most laid-back of my demons, the most “human.” And yet, anyone who saw him now would never describe him either way.
“Meredith,” I mused. A muscle ticked in Vassago’s jaw, and I watched it with interest. “The witch who owns—”
“The bar of the same name.”
I steepled my hands on my desk. “Is she dead?”
“No. Daimonion sent one of his men, and he couldn’t get the job done.” Was that pride in Vassago’s voice?
“I was expecting Daimonion to strike at one of the people on the outskirts. Perhaps Hannah or Selina. But he couldn’t resist the opportunity to play with you at the same time.”
“This is not agame.”
I raised one eyebrow. Vas cursed and stalked to the window, staring down at the city.
I forced myself to tamp down my impatience. “I apologize. I was unaware you had… feelings for this witch.”
He shook his head. “It’s okay. I know you’re just getting into his head. And my feelings are… complicated. Mere wants nothing to do with me.”
I smiled for the first time in what felt like days. “I wouldn’t know what that is like.”
A laugh rumbled from his throat, and he shoved his hand through his hair, turning to look at me. “I want to bring her to the tower.”
“You believe she’ll come?”
Vas’s expression hardened. “She’ll come willingly, or I’ll drag her.”
This was interesting, indeed. I’d never seen him so… tense.
“Let me give you a word of warning. Do nothing that will make your female hate you. Even temporarily.”
He frowned. “She’s not my female. The suggestion would make her sneer. But she’s not safe right now. I’m going to go bring her back here. I’ll give her a room near mine.”
I nodded. Vas stalked out, and I flew down to the conference room, finished with my calls for the day. I never would have thought that warring with Lucifer would require so manyconversationswith those who may join us.
The sheer willpower it took to hold myself back, tonotthink about Danica alone in the underworld, so I could function, could plan our strategy… it was exhausting.
I opened the balcony door, making eye contact with Nathaniel.
The werewolf Alpha was holding it together better than I was, although I could see the concerned expressions amongst his pack. I absently studied the way his pack interacted, noting which of his people were the most dominant. I didn’tthinkI would war with the Alpha in the future, but both of us were long-lived. It made sense to be prepared.
There were four dominants whom Nathaniel relied on during this time: Hunter, Ryker, Xander, and Naomi. I hadn’t yet determined the rank of each in the pack, and I had a feeling this was a strategy the pack employed when surrounded by strangers. The dominants were busy ensuring the pack had their needs met so the Alpha could devote his time to Kyla.
