Isaac leaned forward to get a better look at Shadrach’s face, who poked him in the ribs. Truthfully, hefeltdifferent. Lighter, like there were sunlit, fluffy clouds in his chest, soft and warm.
“Can’t a man be happy without getting the third degree?” Shadrach said, draping an arm around Isaac’s shoulders.
Wolf cracked a smile. “Glad to hear it. Now maybe you’ll stop ribbing the rest of us aboutourhumans.”
“Oh, not a chance. Now I’ll just say I have thebesthuman.”
“Debatable,” Wolf replied, looking at Ira, who smiled softly. “Highly debatable. Talon would protest the loudest, I think.”
“Talon always protests the loudest.” He waved a dismissive hand. Talon was pricklier than a cactus.
Wolf handed Isaac a steaming mug of coffee, and Isaac asked, “How’s Talon doing, by the way?”
It was nice of him to even ask, given how often Talon had threatened him. That was growth, right? Shadrach was proud of him.
“I went by earlier to check in with them,” Wolf said. “Talon’s doing a little better. It’s going to take him a few days to heal. Apparently those rounds did a fuck-ton of internal damage. There was a hole in his chest the size ofmyfist. He said one shattered his rib cage, and another nicked his spinal cord. Shit like that takes time, even for us.”
Shadrach whistled. Wolf was a big guy, and his hands were the size of frying pans. “That’s a big hole.”
Wolf nodded. “I’ve never seen him that injured before. Alex was distraught, of course. He’s doing better now that Talon is able to get up. He can see for himself that he’s getting better.”
“It takes a lot to bring down a demon,” Shadrach said. “Alex knows that.”
Wolf shrugged. “It’s one thing to know. Another to see.”
Shadrach chuckled. “You’ve been around Ira for too long. You’re starting to sound cryptic.”
Ira smiled, and Wolf rumbled out a laugh, pouring another cup of coffee. “You should know now, there’s no such thing as ‘too long’ around your human.”
Shadrach gave a euphoric sigh, turning his head to inhale Isaac’s scent. Wolf laughed, reaching over to thump him in the chest. It was morefamiliarthan they usually behaved with one another, and a growl tripped out of Shadrach at the unexpected touch.
“Oh, shut up,” Wolf admonished. “You’re one of us now.”
“I don’t see why that makes it okay for you to hit me.”
“Do you want coffee or not?”
“Yes, please.” Shadrach smiled beatifically, and Wolf handed him a mug.
“Anyway,” Wolf said, pouring coffee for them both and then one more for Ira. “Ira has something for Isaac.”
“For me?” Isaac asked.
“Yeah, come on.” Ira led them over to the sofa and sat, setting his mug on the coffee table and reaching for something hidden by the edge of the sofa. Isaac sat on the other side, cradling his mug. When Ira placed whatever it was on the cushion between them, Isaac froze.
It was Lilith’s black bag from the beach.
“Is that…”
“A million dollars,” Ira said. “I figure you earned it. You killed her. It was your plan that drew her out in the first place.”
“But…” Isaac’s face was slack with shock. “Shouldn’t Alex at least have half of this? I mean, he was kind of the key to the whole plan. It wouldn’t have worked without him.”
“You two could split it, if you wanted,” Ira said. “It’s up to you.”
Isaac cast a lost look at Shadrach, who offered him a patient smile and shook his head.
“This is your decision, killer.”
