“Your girlfriend’s a demon,” Penelope told her brother.
Oliver glared at her. “Fuck you, Opie. I know you don’t like her, but watch yourself.”
She cringed when he used the nickname she detested.
Obsidian snarled, silverware dropping to his plate with a clatter. “I suggest you change your tone.”
“Or what?”
Obsidian snapped his fingers and suddenly Oliver couldn’t open his mouth. His eyes bugged out as he attempted to separate his lips.
“Please don’t.” Penelope squeezed Obsidian’s arm. “He doesn’t mean anything by it.”
Obsidian peered over at her, eyes blazing with fury. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him so angry.
“The male lacks respect,” the man at the far end said, his blue eyes as hot as Obsidian’s. “It was too kind, as far as I’m concerned.”
There was a rumble of agreement from the others.
Well, she couldn’t very well argue with them. For some reason, Oliver wasn’t her biggest fan. And she seriously doubted this debacle was going to change his tune anytime soon.
The man at the end of the table turned his laptop toward Oliver. “This your girlfriend?”
Oliver squinted toward the screen, nodded.
“Did you happen to catch the headline on that article?” The man pointed at the top of the screen, which was still directed at Oliver. “Stripper found dead in bathroom stall at club. Died of natural causes. Fiveweeksago.”
Obsidian snapped his fingers, giving Oliver control of his mouth once more.
“That’s not possible,” Oliver blurted, his voice pitched higher than before. “She’s in my apartment right now.”
“No,” Stygian said, drawing out the word as though he was talking to a child. “Seraphina consumed the female’s soul, took on her appearance. It’s one of their tricks. You, my friend, have been getting down and dirty with a demon.”
For the first time, Oliver looked surprised, maybe even a little ill.
“And since Lucifer’s orders are to kill Penelope so he can acquire her soulandObsidian’s,” Stygian continued, “we assume Seraphina inserted herself in your life for leverage.”
“Lucifer?” Oliver nearly choked. “The devil?”
“Yes,” Stygian confirmed, but his attention returned to Obsidian. “I think it’s safe to say, they’ll make their way here.”
“At the same time,” the man at the other end added, “Lucifer’ll likely double his efforts to find the otheramsouelots.”
Obsidian’s gaze turned to the man sitting beside Eclipse. “Søren? Any word from Michael?”
The man looked up, pinned Obsidian with a cold blue stare. “He’s refused our request.”
“Request for what?” Penelope asked, curiosity getting the best of her.
“For reinforcements,” Stygian noted with a shrug. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try again.”
Clearly bad news based on their expressions.
“I do have a suggestion,” the man at the end said.
“Go ahead, Mordecai,” Obsidian urged.
Mordecai took a deep breath, exhaled slowly. “I think it might be beneficial if Obsidian and Penelope hole up here for a little while. We can take Gerran, Gryffyth, and Alden, split them up, help the others locate theiramsouelots. At the same time, you won’t be without backup. With Reidar and Taayin here, you’ll have more than enough support.”
