When the male stepped back, Asmia led the way inside, coming up short when she got a good look at Orianna’s digs. For whatever reason, she’d expected … something else. Based on the smell, the carpet hadn’t been cleaned since it was laid down probably two decades ago. The paint on the wall was probably at one point white but over time had turned a dingy yellow and had the faint scent of … cigarettes.
“She’s fine, but I can’t say the same for Reidar,” Echo said, dumping the small stack of boxes onto the counter. “Why don’t you take the bedroom. I’ll get what’s in here.”
Asmia slowly spun around the space. “I don’t think there’s a bedroom.”
“Okay, the bathroom then.”
Asmia nodded. After she’d formed the box and taped the bottom, she carried it with her to the bathroom. As she moved through Orianna’s private space, she glanced around, attempted to picture the female living here. It wasn’t easy.
Granted, she didn’t know Orianna well. They’d talked on occasion, but Asmia was the one keeping her distance. Not because she didn’t like the human. She seemed nice enough. But as had been the case for weeks, Asmia wasn’t feeling much like entertaining.
She perched the box on the closed lid of the toilet, then began filling it with the few things she found in the medicine cabinet. Next came toothbrush and toothpaste, followed by shower essentials. By the time she was done, the bottom of the box wasn’t even covered. Girl lived simply, that was for sure.
She returned to the living room—or was it a bedroom?—and headed for the drawers in the table. When she uncovered Orianna’s personal toy, she wrapped it in one of the threadbare towels and discreetly tucked it into the box. Next to join the personal items were the few outfits Asmia uncovered in the one and only closet in the space.
“She travels light,” Asmia said as she pulled out two pairs of shoes, three pairs of socks, a couple of skirts, three T-shirts, and two pairs of jeans, which seemed to be the extent of Orianna’s wardrobe. Not even a coat.
Once the closet was empty, Asmia lifted her box and got to her feet. She closed the closet door and turned to check on Echo.
“Where’d you go?” she called out, clearing the few feet to the small galley kitchen, expecting to see him kneeling to empty the cabinets.
Nope. Not there.
Seeing that the bathroom door was open, she headed that way, intending to tell him she was done. Before she got there, a ruckus sounded out in the corridor.
“Echo?”
As she headed for the open front door, she wished she had a weapon of some sort. Probably would’ve made sense to come armed considering all that was going on these days. They weren’t safe outside of the mansion, certainly not with the demons circling Darkness. Yet she’d been so eager to get out of there, she hadn’t thought about bringing anything with her.
With an odd sense of trepidation, Asmia stuck her head out into the hallway. She glanced left, then right, but saw no one.
Relieved that there were no humans being attacked in the hallway, she spun around to grab the box, intending to give Echo shit for abandoning her. He could’ve at least told her he was leav—
“The lovely Asmia graces me with her presence.”
The voice drew her up short, had fear replacing the air in her lungs. With dread washing over her, Asmia slowly pivoted, her brain working overtime to identify something she could use as a weapon. Considering the closest thing was the vibrator in the bottom of the box, it wasn’t looking good for her.
A dark-haired male with bright blue eyes was standing in the doorway, blocking the exit. She didn’t recognize him, but she sensed the evil within. Definitely not human despite the meat suit he wore.
“Do I know you?”
“You’ve no idea who I am, do you?”
Hearing the menace in his words, she swallowed hard, then willed herself out of there.
Nothing happened.
Asmia tried again, desperate to dematerialize. The only thing that happened was her panic ratcheted up a notch or ten.
“Sorry, gorgeous. It won’t work.”
The male stepped closer, his eyes locked with hers. It was then she saw past the facade, beyond the glittering, clear blue eyes, and into the soul of the demon.
“Perfidious.”
He smirked. “In the flesh.” He chuckled, tugging at the lapels on his fancy suit. “Well, technically, not my own, but it works nicely, don’t you think? I’ve upgraded since last I saw you.”
Asmia tried to back away, but her feet wouldn’t move. He was holding her there with the power of his mind.
