Lilliana led her to a small but elegant dining room, where atable with the promised refreshments had been set out.A tall brunette femalewearing jeans and a skimpy black tank top entered from an arched doorwaycarrying a tray of finger sandwiches.
“It’s all ready,” the female said as she placed the tray onthe table.“I know you didn’t ask for the sandwiches, but I like making them.”
“Suzanne likes cutting food into tinier food,” Lillianaexplained, a note of affection in her voice.“When it’s her week of kitchenduty, everything we eat is miniature.”
Suzanne jammed a fist on her hip.“If it’s bite size––”
“It’s the right size,” Lilliana finished with a teasing rollof her eyes.
“Very funny,” Suzanne muttered.“Now, if you don’t mind, I’mgoing to go check on my human.”
Jedda took a seat.“Her human?”
Lilliana poured tea into two delicate, gold-rimmed teacupsshaped like human skulls.Sheoul-grawas thestrangest, most disconcerting mix of normal and horrifying.
“Remember when I saidMemitimarecharged with guarding humans calledPrimori?”Lillianaasked.
Jedda nodded, recalling Lilliana saying thatPrimoriwere humans, and sometimes demons, who were in someway important to the fabric of existence.
“Well,”Lillanacontinued,“Suzanne just got her firstPrimori.We’re veryproud.”
Grinning, Suzanne held out her wrist, revealing a small,round mark.“This is anheraldi.Itrepresents his life.If it burns, he’s in trouble.He’s fine right now, but Ishould still check on him.”
Lilliana leaned close to Jedda and said in a conspiratorialwhisper, “Suzanne has a crush.”
“I do not.”Suzanne’s cheeks flamed hot, betraying her.“Butheisto die for.He just needs to dump thenecrocrotchskank he’s with.”
Lilliana’s smile faltered a little.“Don’t get involved,Suz.You know better.”
“I know, I know.”Suzanne gave a cheery wave as she startedtoward the door, probably anxious to avoid a lecture.“Sex with humans is bad.But come on, give me some credit fornecrocrotch.”
“Necrocrotch?”A blond malemunching on a bag of chips came out of the kitchen with another male whose longhair, a couple of shades darker, swung loosely around his shoulders.Both weredressed in leather, their chests, waists, and hips slung with weapons.“Sweet.I’mtotally borrowing that.”
Lilliana gestured to the two males.“The mouthy one isSuzanne’s full brother and mentor,Hawkyn.The Fabiowannabe is Cipher.He’s Unfallen.”
“I call them the Unholy Alliance,” Suzanne chirpedaffectionately.
Cipher frowned.“Who’s Fabio?”
“He’s a cover model from the––” Lilliana cut off as Cipherpuffed up like a rooster.
“Cover model?Fuck, yeah, I could do that.”
Hawkynpunched his buddy in theshoulder, and they squabbled good-naturedly as they left, leaving Jedda tomarvelat the momentof normalcy in this incrediblybizarre place.She would never have guessed that people who lived in anunderworld purgatory could be so...well, happy.
“I’mouttahere, too,” Suzannesaid.“MyPrimoriis waiting.”
“Just be careful,” Lilliana called out, but all she got forher effort was a flip of the middle finger as Suzanne disappeared around thecorner.
“Suzanne seems like an odd name for an angel,” Jedda musedas she stared after theMemitim.
“Memitimare raised by humans, sothey usually have common human names representative of thetimeperiodand region in which they were raised.Suzanne is relativelyyoung.”
“Wow.”Jedda shook her head as she stirred honey into hertea.“Are any of theMemitimyour children?”
Even before the question was fully out of her mouth, shekicked herself for asking it.Lilliana had explained that there were scores ofMemitimbaby-mamas, but it had only just occurred to Jeddathat Lilliana might be one of them.Or not.Either way, it could be a touchysubject.
Fortunately, Lilliana didn’t appear to be bothered by thequestion.“Azagothand I don’t have any childrenyet.”She dropped a cube of sugarinher tea.“This isour time, and we’re enjoying it.”
