Xtelle sniffed and looked away.
“So it’s unarmed?”
He nodded. “My demon nature cancels it out. Mother wouldn’t want any demon to have this little bit of her power—”
“I likesomedemons,” she interrupted. “At least your brother writes me.”
“—so unless she has a spell on it that triggers its powers when it’s under an actual attack…”
Xtelle sniffed again.
“…in my hands, it’s nothing but a crude lump of metal.”
“You’re a crude lump of metal,” Xtelle muttered.
“What was that?” Bathin leaned toward her, cupping his ear.
“This is dumb,” she said. “You’re both dumb. Go away.” She swished her tail and tossed her head making her mane float and flow.
“You wanted me to stop by. To visit, remember?” Bathin pressed. “Don’t you want me to stay awhile?” He made a big show of shoving her ring onto his pinky and her eyes got wide. Then they started to twitch.
“You’re a monster,” she hissed.
“Yes,” he said with a satisfied smirk. “I am.”
“Okay, so that’s all good,” I said, trying to take control of the situation before I had a domestic on my hands. “Thank you for cooperating, Xtelle. If you decide to leave Ordinary, Bathin will return the ring to you, no questions asked. Won’t you, Bathin?”
“I might ask a couple questions.”
“Blackmail me, you mean,” she said.
He hummed like he was thinking right along those same lines.
“No blackmail. Xtelle, if you decide to leave, just come to me. I’ll make sure you have all of your possessions to take with you.”
Bathin didn’t acknowledge me, but he did straighten up out of the slightly aggressive stance he’d fallen into.
“Fine,” she said.
“Fine,” Bathin echoed.
Dear gods, save me from demon family dynamics.
“Okay. We’re done here. If something else is delivered to you, any other weapon, anything from an anonymous sender, I want you to call me or the police department immediately, and please don’t burn the box.”
Bathin snorted. Xtelle just lifted her chin and nose in the air. “You may leave me now.”
I didn’t have to be asked twice. I left her bedroom, Bathin following. A second later she slammed her bedroom door. Six times.
I exhaled and scrubbed at the headache building behind my right eye. “Your mother.”
“Why do you think I left centuries ago?”
“Hey, still up for the bread?” Hogan asked. He and Crow were crowded up on the couch peering at a board game spread out on the little table.
“Give me a second,” Bathin said.
“We could use a third player,” Crow said. “I mean, unless you need me for the rest of the day, Delaney?”
