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“Okay,” I repeated.
I had the feeling that he was trying to convince himself, just as much as he was trying to convince me.
The elevator eased to a stop, and the doors opened at Acquisitions, where Charon’s office was located.
Maddox strode forward, down the center aisle and the rows and rows of desktop computers from various ages, each with people typing away. He walked past the break room before pushing open the door to Charon’s office with enough familiarity to say that he had frequently spent time there. Without a word, Maddox gestured for me to take a seat. He remained standing—I later realized that this was so he could pace.
Charon took his sweet time arriving, though it probably felt longer because I was bored. My adrenaline from coming face to face with a rotting dog monster had drained away, and I was a shivering mess.
The redheaded hipster, bearded with a topknot of unruly ginger hair, burst into the room. His face held no expression as his eyes met mine.
“Is that Valentina’s new skin?” Charon asked, cocking his head to the side.
I rolled my eyes and waved.
Charon eased himself into his ergonomic office chair on the other side of the desk. The ferryman knitted his fingers in front of him and placed his elbows on his desk. “I’m a busy man, Maddox Pierce.” He said, turning to the pacing man. “Get to the point of this meeting you felt so comfortable demanding.”
“Purgers.” Maddox spat.
Charon’s brow furrowed. “Annoying beasties. Can’t leave the forests between Lust and Gluttony.” Charon stated, bored.
“Beelzebub’s servants.” Maddox brushed his hand down his face and turned to Charon. “Purgers were waiting at our apartment.” He continued. “Now, can you tell me what the King of Gluttony wants with a team of Reapers that have a combined age of less than a hundred and fifty years old?”
Charon pressed his lips to his knitted fingers and closed his eyes as he exhaled slowly. “Is this about Richard?”
My eyes flicked between Charon and Maddox.
“You think this is about Richard?” Maddox said, his eyes turned cold.
Charon rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “Maddox, I don’t know what this is about unless you tell me.”
“Mr. Bub sent Purgers to my apartment, Charon!” Maddox lifted his voice, and I startled.
Maddox communicated in a low, gruff, and dangerous tone filled with warning. Even though I had felt the force of his anger before, he had never raised his voice. Whatever was bothering him had riled him up something terrible.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to stir up with Mr.Bub. I don’t care. You’ve asked me to protect my Grim, and I’ll do that. You’ve asked me to look into the contracted souls and Valentina’s death, and I’ll do that too. What I won’t do is stand around and let Mr. Bub’s minions trample over my life because you have some grand plan that you aren’t telling anyone!”
I eased myself to standing and reached out, folding my hand over his. “Hey,” I whispered. “It's okay.”
Maddox blinked, and I watched as he came back to himself. “You could have been hurt. You don’t even have your scythe yet.”
“You said that nothing can kill a Reaper,” I tried to smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes.
“Baring a few exceptions,” Maddox said pointedly. “A Purger is an exception.”
He did not take his hand from mine as he turned to Charon. “Beelzebub is up to something.” He warned. “We have three murders in LA, each with pinprick bite marks that I would bet my left nut belong to Purgers—demons that are supposedly too weak to cross from Hell to the Human Realities. Either Beelzebub is sending Purgers here to do his bidding, or he has lost control of them.”
Information hovered on the tip of my tongue. I wanted to tell Maddox that Mr. Bub had approached me, but something stopped me.
“Valentina must be protected,” Charon stated plainly. “I don’t have any desire to police Beelzebub. Hell is in turmoil, and his magic is one of the things that keeps the doorways open.”
Maddox’s jaw mashed together. “And the purgers in Las Vegas?”
“Beezlebub requires a large amount of food. He has some leeway.” Charon shook his head. “Keep Valentina out of his way, and I’ll tell him to keep his Purgers out of yours.”
I squinted. “Is there a reason that I shouldn’t be around Mr. Bub?”
“Beezlebub is Hell Sovereign,” Charon explained. “His magic is strong enough to cause some damage to you just by being in his presence. Beezlebub does not take measures to reign himself in.” That sounded like a reasonable explanation, but I had the feeling he had left something out.
