Raven stood. “Well, I can see how I rate around here.” He turned and gave Abbi a full hug, which she returned. “Be careful and besmart, Bun Bun. I’ll do what I can to help you.”
“Are you back from vacation?” she asked, leaning to stare up at him.
“Let’s say no, if anyone asks, okay?” He grinned.
“Or maybe I shouldn’t lie?”
He raised his hands like he wasn’t going to stand in her way, no matter what she did.
She shook her head. “Delaney’s going to find out.”
“Not if you and he,” he jerked his thumb toward the demon, “keep it on the down low.”
“What about them?” she asked, waving at Lula and me.
“If they want to tell Delaney I’m doing a little…volunteerwork outside of town, then bring them to Ordinary. Say,” he snapped his fingers, “they could bring the spellbook with them. Wouldn’t that be a hoot? Don’t you think that would be a hoot, Bathin, if everyone came to Ordinary with the spellbook of the gods?”
The demon rolled his eyes. “We get it, Crow. You want them to bring it to Ordinary. They gave you their answer. Let’s go.”
“Some kind of demon you are. Where’s all the negotiation and temptation?” Raven started toward the door, the bigger man behind him. “Where’s the wheeling and dealing, the stealing of souls and making of bloodshed? Love’s made you soft, my man.”
The demon smacked the back of the god’s head, and I held my breath, ready to get the hell out of there before the fight began.
Raven just ducked and laughed.
“Toodles, Gauges,” he called over his shoulder. “Remember, not every god and asshole is against you. I’m the god, by the way.” He spun to face Bathin and stepped backward through the doors. “You know what that makes you, right?”
“It makes me sorry I was curious enough to follow you here.” He gave Raven an extra shove, which only made the god laugh harder, and followed him out the door.
As soon as the door swung shut, the god and demon disappeared, not even a footstep of dust left stirring.
“Okay.” I exhaled, trying to get my heartbeat and breathing aligned. “Okay. That’s done.”
Lula stood. “I need some air.”
“Give me a minute, I’ll take care of the bill.”
“No, just…I’ll meet you outside.”
I shifted to stand, but she was already moving.
“Lula?”
“I’m fine.” She strode to the door and slipped out into the heat of the day.
I stared after her, then dug money out of my wallet, counted it, and left it on the table.
“Something’s wrong,” Abbi said quietly.
I tugged at my shirt, unsticking it from my sweaty skin. A rush of damp air brushed over my stomach and chest.
Hado pranced across the table toward Abbi, the crow feather in his mouth. She scooped him up, and the kitten disappeared into her backpack.
“Which something is wrong?” I asked. “The god or demon?”
Abbi took my hand, and it was hard to remember she was not the child she appeared to be, but a powerful deity in her own right.
“Crow’s nice,” she said. “Nice when he’s on your side. And Bathin gave me a stone.”
