“The cults are pretty harmless so far,” Hunter Do-hun said. “They're mainly about worshiping Angels. They're grateful that all the violence has ended, and they've attributed the end of it to the Angels.” He chuckled. “If only they knew the truth.”
“They can't handle the truth,” Kill said in his best Jack Nicholson impression.
I snorted a laugh. Surprisingly, Hunter Do-hun laughed too.
“No, they can't,” Sever said with a confused look at Kill.
“It's a movie, Brother,” Kill said. “One of Tom Cruise's best. We can watch it when we get home.”
“I think his best movie wasLegend,” I said.
“The one with the unicorns?” Killian chuckled. “You would.”
“He had long hair and a short skirt,” I said. Then I added, “And the legs to pull it off. Mel Gibson was far less impressive in a kilt.”
“You like men in short skirts?” Hunter Do-hun asked with a big grin.
“I married an Angel, didn't I?” I shot back.
Hunter Do-hun burst out laughing. Despite the suddenness of it, he angled his head politely away from me as he did.
“We do not wear skirts,” Sever said.
“Neither does Tom Cruise,” Kill said. “He was wearing a long tunic.”
“And Angels were pteruges.”
“Tear rouges?” I asked.
“Close enough. That's the name of the pieces of Roman armor that resemble skirts.” Sever leveled a stern look on me. “They are not skirts.”
“Touchy, touchy,” I said.
Sever sighed. “I think we should scry the others and tell them about King Astaroth.”
“Ah, so you've finished processing, eh?” I looked back at him.
“Yes.”
“Well timed,” Hunter Do-hun said. “We're here.” He pulled into an underground parking lot behind the lead van and parked beside it.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
“Ha! So, we were right!” Daxon pointed at Star through the crystal of my phone.
“Dude,that'syour response?” Killian asked. “We tell you the guy has been suffering under the Call of Anu, and you're happy to be right?”
We were in one of the many bedrooms in the Council's apartment building. It was on the tenth floor, and there was an incredible view of the city outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, but Sever, Killian, Star, and I were focused on the slice of enchanted crystal in my hand.
“Sorry,” Daxon said, then cleared his throat. “And there is no such thing as the Call of Anu.”
“Maybe not, but he's suffering under something similar,” Killian said.
“Sure.” Daxon rolled his eyes. “It's called lust.”
“This is not simple lust,” Star snarled. “I'd have no problem getting over that. I mean, for fuck's sake, I took a lover who looks like her.” He waved a hand at me. “And no matter how much I bed her, I can't . . .” He cleared his throat. “My apologies.”
“Aha!” Daxon pointed again. “You admit you chose that woman because of the resemblance.”
