Ramona drifted over. She was the only girl who changed her appearance on a daily basis. Some days, she wore a short blue bob and a teensy slip of a dress that matched. Other times, she went with a more voluptuous option. Long, flowing blonde hair with a red lip. Tonight, she wore something in between the two. She was a brunette with bangs, a golden gown, and a muted, natural lip. Stunning.
“I can help with that, hun. You know I love my wigs,” she said with an easy smile. “Unless you want to do something more drastic.”
“What, like, run? And hope for the best?” I shook my head. “No, this is part of his game, and he wants to see my next move. He knows Eisheth met Mia McNally. He’s bringing her here on purpose.”
She laughed, a sound that was deep and melodic. “No, hun. I meant we could give you a glamor. Sometimes, I get a little bored with my wigs and like to change things up. I must warn you, though, my powers aren’t as strong as River’s. Her glamors listen to her, going away when she asks. Whatever I give you, it’ll stay like that for years.”
“Oh.” I ran my fingers through my long strands. As loud as my hair was, I didn’t want to part with it. “Not tonight.”
She nodded and dragged me over to her station. The table hid beneath a hundred different products, wigs, makeup brushes, and magazines. Photographs lined the mirror. The smiling faces of the girls, clearly taken across the span of several years.
“Sit.” She pushed me into the chair and stood behind me, eyeing me up in our reflections. “We need to make you look as different as possible without Lucifer finding it strange. Ah, I’ve got it. Girls!”
Ramona clapped her hands, and everyone gathered around, even Pri. She’d rallied when she’d realized that we had a plot to pull off. Not just to save me, but everyone else that was a part of Az’s Legion. If I went down, they were going down with me.
“I’m putting Mia into a wig so that Eisheth won’t recognize her.” She pressed her thin lips together. “But Luciferwillnotice. That’s why we’reallgoing to wear wigs tonight. If all of us decide to ‘dress up’ then there’s nothing he can say about it. But it’s just this one time!”
The girls clapped their hands and started digging through Ramona’s wigs. Rolling her eyes, she got to work on my hair, choosing a bright silvery blonde.
“They’re going to destroy every single one of my precious children,” she said fondly.
I smiled as the girls bickered over a particularly bright pink wig. If they were going all out, then wanted the loudest color they could find.
When Ramona finished working her magic, she stepped back and let out a low whistle. “Damn. I amgood.”
My stomach dropped as I caught sight of myself in the mirror. She was right. Ramona was incredibly good at what she did. I didn’t even recognize myself, and I’d seen my face every single day for my entire life. The blonde locks flowed around a pixie face made rounder by carefully applied highlighter and bronzer. She’d swept deep purple powder around my eyes, which made them look more blue than green. My lips were fuller. My cheekbones higher.
Goodbye, Mia McNally. Hello, Sansa.
“What do you think?” she asked, tapping her makeup brush against the table. “You’ve been quiet for like five minutes now. Don’t tell me you hate it.”
“It’s perfect.” I grinned up at her. “You’re amazing. Has anyone ever told you that?”
“Every single goddamn day.” But she lifted her chin a little, clearly touched by the compliment. “See. I don’t need to use glamor to make a girl feel good.”
“Right.” I pushed up from the chair and wobbled in my heels. Mia McNally liked to wear boots. Sansa didn’t. “Let’s go put on one hell of a show.”
* * *
The club was already hopping by the time we made it out onto the floor. Raucous cheers went up when the cages lowered and we all climbed inside. I didn’t dare scan the crowd. Eisheth would be out there somewhere. And Lucifer. I needed to stay as calm and collected as possible.
The metal groaned beneath me as I hurtled up toward the ceiling. I clung onto the golden bars to hold myself steady, wondering how I would pull this off in heels. These things swayed at the best of times, and knocking my head again would be a great way to bring unnecessary attention onto myself.
The birdcage slowed to a stop and swung on its chain. Music blared from the speakers, hectic and upbeat. I tried to calm my racing heart and give in to the feel of the music. The melody pulsed into my ears, driving out my panic and fear. And so I moved.
As the songs ticked by, I finally worked up the nerves to let my eyes wander through the club. There, in the back left corner, Phenex and Valac stood with arms crossed over their chests. Relief came like a sigh. They were okay. Lucifer hadn’t gotten to them. Whatever had happened on that bridge, they’d both left unscathed.
I cast my gaze around. Stolas stood in the back right, alone. He looked as solid and unyielding as stone. Caim was down near the front. Bael stood near the door leading backstage, and Az was…
Sitting with Eisheth in a booth.
She leaned in close to him with a smug smile and tapped her red-tipped fingernail against his cheek. He responded with a grin of his own. I stopped dancing as a jealous rage whipped through me like a storm. My mouth dropped open. Blood curdled in my veins.
What the fuck was he doing? AzhatedEisheth. She’d destroyed one of his Legion, and now he was tucked into a dark booth with her?
“Hello, Sansa,” a voice murmured into my ear.
Shock punched me in the gut as I whirled from side to side. Lucifer had followed me up here, but where was he? Nowhere to be seen. Fisting my hands, I searched the club for any sign of him. He was doing that weird-ass thing I’d sworn Az had done when we’d first met. Speak to me from a distance. It must have been a demon thing. Eerie and creepy as hell.
