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“More of…?”
She rolled her eyes, clicking her tongue with irritation again. “My blood, you slow-as-fuck asshole.”
“Your terms of endearment are truly the sweetest…and, might I add, quite on the nose, little bird.”
She growled at me—which was quite honestly far too cute for someone so lethal—and took hold of my neck before yanking me towards hers. “Just shut up and drink. You said it. We’re short on time, so get to it. Reese is bound to be banging down the door if you don’t send those coordinates soon.”
It bore repeating, but I was absolutely enamored with this creature. It even took me by surprise how much I forgot myself around her; how the more time I spent with the vicious little rebel, the more the mere thought of losing her put a feeling in my chest I couldn’t name. I’d planned for everything, every detail. But nothing prepared me for the feeling I got around Lady—the way I yearned to keep her by my side.
The urge wasn’t something I ever thought I could feel again.
But I wasn’t given long to ponder it all. Her intoxicating scent infiltrated my nose, and I’d never been so thirsty. My fangs sharpened and my pants grew tight.
How am I ever to deny this adorable seductress?
14
Double Tap, Bitches!
WE TOOK THE STREETS LESS traveled until Nova parked some ways off our target. The plan was to carefully make our way over. If Rift was nearby, my blood would muddle his ability to track Nova, and we’d aim for a quick in and out of the tunnel to hit the asshole where it hurt—his heart.
It really wasn’t something we could overthink because we were both unsure of how long or how much Rift could sense between the two of us. If it came down to Nova keeping him occupied, it’d be up to me to deal the critical blow to the demon’s heart.
Honestly, we were the ones with the advantage here, and if we did this right, we’d make quick work of this first but most powerful of the three. Then there were only two more that stood between us and Lucifer. You know, assuming we survived that long. But I was really only here for the promised beatdown, and I didn’t care how we went about it. I’d leave the clever planning to the fallen angel currently beside me looking like a damn celebrity.
After taking more of my blood, I noticed the difference in Nova’s complexion. It wasn’t as haunted as before. Not as horror-villain-inspired-by-Tim-Burton. His skin projected a robust golden sheen I’d never seen on him, and the word heavenly came to mind a time or two when I stole a glance at Nova.
It gave me an odd sensation in my belly to think it was my blood that had done that to him, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that when I took the proverbial step into new territory by offering it to the demon myself, something shifted between us—something we’d never outrun or overthrow. But I wasn’t one to dwell on superstition, so I put it out of my head and instead focused on how to take down a fuck-old demon comically named Rift.
The second I was out of the car, we both were on guard. I checked every corner and caution took over my senses, as I took note of the thinning crowds at the nearby restaurants and bars. It was nearly closing time and people were ordering their last shots or haphazardly stumbling to their Ubers.
We’d do a loose circle around the location where Rift kept his heart to see if we could sense him in the area, and then we’d determine if he could sense us at all. It was Nova’s intention to engage Rift if we were found, and I’d make my way over to where he’d hidden his heart.
So, it was on that note that I took my leave of the fallen angel with a single nod. His gorgeous smile beamed before he blended into the sidewalk traffic and was gone from sight. Luckily, no one seemed to care that I looked ready to fight. I’d found very few reacted to it these days.
Thank the hostile political climate, but very few people cared why I had a spiked bat clipped to my back. They only took a wide path around me when they noticed or whispered under their breath. I neither cared nor worried about it. The less they wanted to be around me, the better it was for them.
My boots thudded on the cement as I scanned each establishment and person I passed. One look and I already picked Reese out of the crowd, her legs kicked up and a beer in one hand. Her vibrant blue hair was hard to miss.
Beside her was a backpack that she’d likely put all her weapons in, and nothing about her said she was out to find trouble. Her badass punk ensemble was something even I’d want to wear. The girl had serious style. And as she sat there, idly chit-chatting with some of the people nearby, she looked like everyone else there to have a good time.
Something I didn’t bother to aim for tonight.
Our eyes met and her lips liftedinto a smug smirk, then she looked away and talked to a nearby woman with an enthusiasm I couldn’t be sure was totally fake. When she rose to her feet and whispered in the woman’s ear, I smirked and walked on, leaving her to it.
The rest of the team was likely hiding in the crowd somewhere, but I barely remembered what the rest of their faces looked like. It didn’t occur to me that I might have to recognize them in a crowd, but they all wore a necklace with Nova’s crest on it. So if I sensed a demon, I’d look for that first.
We still had to watch out for demons loyal to Lucifer. It wasn’t only Rift after us, and he’d be stupid not to bring help. So, I looked for every demon face in the crowd, trying to determine if they were friend or foe.
It wasn’t that I thought I needed to prove myself to Nova, but I wanted to show him I was just as capable on my own as I was with his help. I put every bit of training over the last however many years into this little stroll downtown to make sure I didn’t leave a single stone unturned.
Tonight would be a test of every skill and every ability I owned.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up when a familiar figure loomed in a group of loud women near one of the bars we passed. Pausing, I gripped the dagger on my belt, not sure what I’d seen before he was gone. Searching the crowd, I slowed. I looked for the familiar eyes that had first stolen my focus, and when I didn’t find them, I strolled closer.
A few men whistled at me as I passed. I ignored them until one thought it was a great idea to put his hand on me.
“Hey, sweetheart. Need some company? You look lonely.”
