“I think I was.”
“I think you were not.”
“Why do you do this to me?” I whine. “What if your illusion gets naked instead? We’ll pretend it’s not you.”
The illusion disappears like it’s afraid if it sticks around, I’ll talk it into disrobing.
But I’m drawn to Ellison. I find myself dropping off the roof and following him into that house that doesn’t feel as cold as it once did.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
DEUS
Ellison clears his throat and lifts the file as the vehicle we’re in rushes toward the scene. “The location is 521 West State Street, an apartment?—”
Landon lowers his book long enough to raise his hand.
“Yes, Landon,” Ellison says. They picked us up in a transport vehicle, which means that the back is done up in bench seats that face each other. It’s been a couple of days since the prison incident, and we all happened to be at Superheroes United when the call came in, since we were discussing what to do with Nolan. We barely got through the door before Valerie tossed us into the vehicle and sent us on our way.
“Can you give us the condensed version? Like how I used to read the SparkNotes in school?”
“Did you really not read the books for English class? You love reading,” August says.
“Honey. Honey, honey, bunny honey. Do you not listen to me? I am amoodreader. I can only read what I’m in the moodfor and I was never in the mood to be told what to read,” Landon explains.
August doesn’t seem to understand and just pokes his lucky doll with more vigor.
“See? They use cute pet names, why can’t I use ours? Why can I only use it in private?” I ask.
Ellison flicks his eyes over to me. “You act like I allow you to use it in private!”
“Ooh, pet names? How disgusting,” Landon says.
I clearly heard this wrong. “Dis… disgusting? You dare classify our love asdisgustingwhile you’re over there wearing underwear with August’sfaceon it?” I hiss. “I hereby curse your essence for eternity. Demons, I, your most trusted follower, beseech you to come hither and smite this cursed soul. Smite it, I say!”
“I would like to watch them try,” he says as he waves his hand and sends the medical kit flying at my head. I duck, but Lex, who is minding his own business, does not and is immediately smacked with it.
Lex’s head snaps up and his eyes lock on Landon’s. “Look at my nails!”
We all look at where Lex’s nail polish is swiped right up his hand.
“This woebegone soul was minding his walk of life when you clouted him across his pleasant face,” I say.
“I was painting my nails, but yes! What Deus said!” Lex waves his fingers some more to make sure we are aware of the issue.
“I… was very much aimingforDeus. It’s not my fault he’s so fucking fast!” Landon protests.
“The apartment building has seven floors, each with—” Ellison tries to slide in.
“CliffsNotes, SparkNotes, bullet points… shorten it, please,” Landon says.
“I can only get out five freaking words at a time! How can you possibly need it to becondensed?” Ellison snaps.
“Oh shit… I think I broke Ellison!” Landon says.
“Please… don’t take the credit for that. I broke him long ago,” I say, quite proud of myself. “It’s sexy, isn’t it?”
Ellison gets really close to my ear as his hand goes in my hair and jerks it back. “You will listen, and you will like it, do you understand?” Like what the hell! Landon is the one refusing to listen, not me!
