I’ve got this one,Reidar informed him.
Keeping the human peering straight ahead, Obsidian stepped back as Reidar daggered the demon from behind. A flash of light followed by sludge the only evidence it had ever existed.
Obsidian released the hold he had on the male’s mind, sending him back in the direction he’d come. The male turned, gave the sludge a wide berth, then walked between him and Reidar, his eyes glazed, confusion contorting his face.
“Such a waste,” Reidar grumbled, his voice low. “That girl was what? Twenty-one? Twenty-two?”
Probably. And Reidar was right, it was a waste. The female had once been human, but at some point, she’d hit a crossroads. It was the only way a demon could occupy a vessel. They waited on the fringes, seeking a ride with an occupant worthy of their deception. Once they found one, they bided their time, slipping in only when the human opted for the wrong direction at the crossroads. And while Obsidian detested the idea of eliminating a human, the fact that they were doomed for evil eased the guilt somewhat.
Obsidian cast a sideways glance at Reidar. “Get anything more on Seraphina?”
The male sighed. “We now know what she looks like. At least until she takes another form.”
“As long as she’s with the brother, she’ll stick to the same one.”
“True. And from what I can tell, he’s moved her in with him.”
“Fucking hell.”
“That’s what I said. Poor fuck has no idea he’s shacking up with a demon. If only he could see her true face.” Reidar shivered dramatically as he stopped in front of the fountains. “Word came in a little while ago that a human female was found in the bushes at Caesar’s.”
Obsidian cocked an eyebrow, silently urging him for details.
“Her name was Vivian Matthews. Thirty-two-year-old female.” Reidar’s gaze slid past him toward the fountains. “Soul drained from her body. Second in a matter of days.”
The rough growl escaped before Obsidian could tamp it down. “Perfidious?”
“Has to be. I figure he’s sending you a message?”
That he knew where Penelope was, yes. Message received. Loud and clear.
“I know it’s a delicate situation,” Reidar said, “but I think we need to get her out of town. Take her to the mansion.”
If he thought it was possible, Obsidian would. Except he was not going to make Penelope feel as though she was a prisoner. And if she learned that he had whisked her off for her own protection and left her brother behind, he doubted she would ever forgive him. Not how he wanted to build a relationship with the female he intended to spend eternity with.
Turning his attention to Caesar’s, Obsidian paused. “I’ll be with her for a few hours at least. I want you to check on the brother, but make sure Seraphina doesn’t catch a whiff of you.”
Reidar’s grin turned wicked. “She’ll never sense me.”
“Then I want you to find a way to track Perfidious. We need to know his movements so we can eliminate him once and for all.”
“Will do. See you back at the house?”
Obsidian nodded.
The male strolled around the corner, concealed himself before vanishing.
Rather than do the same, Obsidian opted to walk to his destination. Penelope would be getting off work in a few minutes, and he had every intention of picking up where they’d left off the other night.
An hour later, he was walking Penelope into the hotel room. She’d been oddly quiet since he encountered her near the elevators where he’d asked her to meet him.
The moment they stepped into the room, she seemed to relax somewhat.
“Hungry?” Obsidian offered.
“Not really. Well, not yet, anyway.”
He nodded. He was starved, but it had absolutely nothing to do with food. From the instant he laid eyes on her again, he’d thought of that make-out session they’d had in her apartment. The ache he had for her had renewed, intensifying, and it took tremendous effort to ignore it.
