Ashmedai glanced down at himself. Yes, he’d finally returned to the apartment and opened the box that had been left for him. He appreciated that it was all black, but he wasn’t sure how it was better than his old cloak. The trousers and shirt were more restrictive. The hooded coat he now wore didn’t sweep the floor like his cloak but hung around his knees. The material was supple and soft, the hood deep like he preferred, allowing him to mask his face with shadows like he did with the cloak.
“That coat’s nice,” Daniel said, approaching to give it a closer look. “Custom made?”
He still reminded Ashmedai of Nicolas, but looking at him no longer hurt.
“Of course,” Shadrach replied. “What do you think, Ashmedai?”
He passed a hand down his front. “It’s fine.”
“You’ve done well this week,” Talon said. “Nathan is going to reach out to Sloan, tell him we took care of their sin eater problem. If he’s honorable, he’ll release the kids.”
“And if he isn’t?” Ashmedai asked, because Talon looked doubtful.
“That’s where your human comes in,” Talon said in a surprisingly gentle tone. “If Sloan doesn’t honor his end of the agreement, we’ll need another way to find thekids. I don’t suppose any of you have heard from Nicolas lately?” His gaze swept to Daniel, the most likely choice.
Daniel shook his head, cracking open a soda can and taking a sip. “He texts to let me know he’s doing okay, but he hasn’t given me any details about how the… infiltration is going.” He scrunched his nose at the word.
“James,” Ashmedai said, and all eyes turned toward him.
“What?” Daniel asked.
“They put him in someone’s squad. Named James. They work him hard. He patrols and trains with them.” A growl made his voice rattle. “Bruised and sore each day. They like to make him hurt. Says he’ll earn their trust if he sticks it out.”
“Jesus,” Daniel muttered.
“How do you know that?” Talon asked, dark eyes sharp. “I thought you two weren’t speaking right now.”
Ashmedai ducked his head. “See him at night, in the dark.”
Daniel raised his hands to interrupt him. “Please, no more. I don’t want to hear what goes on between you two in the dark.”
“Sometimes we talk,” Ashmedai said, feeling strangely defensive.
Talon chuckled. “Sometimes,” he repeated with a knowing look at Daniel, who groaned. “So I guess he didn’t send you away permanently after all.”
“No. Felt my absence as I did his.” Strange heat—embarrassment—crawled through him at the memory of the way he’d behaved after Nicolas sent him away. How he’d raged and tore up the apartment they’d graciously given him, like a child throwing a tantrum. He’d gone back on his word and continued to kill despite his promise to do otherwise.
Compelled to say something to make up for those shameful actions, he blurted, “I’m sorry.”
Daniel turned to face him, and Talon straightened, dark brows lifting slightly as though in surprise.
“I behaved rashly. I was hurt. I lashed out. You were all right; he didn’t push me away forever.”
Daniel beamed at him, and Talon’s mouth curled at the corners.
“We’ve all been there,” Talon said, waving a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry about it.”
Daniel said, “I’m glad you two worked things out. How did it happen? Did you go see him?”
“Yes. Followed him on patrol one night. Caught him alone. I only wanted to see him. Wasn’t sure how he would react to me.” He shuffled in place. “He hugged me.”
With a sigh, Daniel flopped down so hard on the sofa he bounced Alex and nearly upended the laptop from his legs. “It would be romantic if it wasn’t about mybrother.”
Alex patted his shoulder and then went back to typing.
“I take it James is one of Sloan’s people?” Shadrach asked. He brushed his fingers through his hair only to have a stubborn black lock fall right back across his forehead. Beside him, Isaac watched the motion with a hunger Ashmedai recognized.
“Yes,” Daniel said firmly. “Very much so. His squad have been one of the main groups grabbing people for any little infraction to becleansed. If Nic can get their approval, that’ll be a big step toward earning Sloan’s trust.”
