I left the bathroom and found Rafe in the kitchen with two mugs. He passed one to me.
“Are these yours?” I asked, glancing down at the outfit.
“No, but I figured they’d fit you.”
“So what? You have clothes here for any random women you might bring home?” I was teasing, until I realized that it might actually be true. I knew very little about Rafe. Maybe kissing strangers and bringing them home to the loft was a normal night for him.
“They belong to another Watcher,” he said. “She spends time here sometimes.”
Of course, there was another girl. How could I think there wasn’t? Rafe was handsome and powerful and kind. She was probably another nephilim or a seraph—someone he wouldn’t be embarrassed to be caught kissing.
“I’m sorry we didn’t find the entrance to the gray market,” I said in an effort to change the subject.
He sipped his tea. “That’s okay. It was progress. Someone did not want us in that burial ground.”
“Gee, what gave that away?” The tea tasted like a blend of peppermint and nettles. Very soothing.
“Was it weird for you—fighting demons on the side of the nephilim?” he asked.
“No, we were defending ourselves,” I said. “It’s not like we were attacking others like me.”
His mouth twitched. “Let’s face it, Cassia. I don’t know that there are any others like you.”
“Do all nephilim have healing powers?” I asked.
“Nope. We’re a mixed bag like any halfling. My powers aren’t particularly strong. I can heal minor injuries, but I can’t raise the dead, no matter how nicely you ask.” He grinned.
I refrained from telling him that Sage could control corpses. I wasn’t sure how he’d respond to information like that—probably with fear and revulsion.
He drained the mug and set it down. “I’m happy to take the sofa if you want the bed upstairs.”
“Oh, I don’t want to put you out. I can even fly back to the hotel now. I feel much better.” A huge yawn escaped me and I covered my mouth.
“You’re exhausted. So am I. Take the bed.” He shuffled to the sofa and spread a blanket that had been draped across the back. “Tomorrow we’ll figure out next steps.”
“Next steps? But I helped you get into Pandora…”
“And now I have to help you follow your leads,” he said. “You don’t think I would shirk my responsibility, do you? Besides, I think you’re right. Having a demon on my team—even a half demon—might come in handy.”
“Why do you need access to the gray market so badly?” I asked. “What’s going on there that you need to stop?”
His expression turned grim. “A story for another day.” He managed a small smile. “Wouldn’t want to fuel your nightmares.”
“I appreciate that.” I flew up to the loft and prepared to settle down for the night.
“Good night, Cassia,” Rafe called.
Good night. It was a bounder greeting that we didn’t tend to use at the academy. I looked down at his angelic expression and something in my heart stirred. “Good night, Rafe.”
Chapter Eleven
I awoke early the next morning—too early given the time I finally drifted off to sleep. My dreams didn’t lend themselves to a peaceful slumber. The imagery was filled with glowing eye sockets and empty graves. One dream involved me getting sucked into a portal that had blades like a propeller. I wasn’t sure whether I ended up transported or skewered because I woke up drenched in sweat.
I flew downstairs to the bathroom and washed my face before heading into the kitchen. When I returned, there was no sign of Rafe on the sofa. I flew to the loft and called his name. A gentle breeze led me to the open door. I found him on the rooftop balcony with his wings spread wide, watching the sun rise. Ribbons of orange and yellow threaded through the faded blue palette of the sky.
“It’s pretty from down here,” I said.
He smiled, still focused on the view. “Down here? We’re on a roof.”
“I prefer a more aerial view,” I said. Of course, I couldn’t tell him more than that.
He cast a sidelong glance at me. “You want to stretch your wings later? It isn’t often I have someone to fly with.”
“You’d fly with me? Just for fun?” I’d never flown for fun at the academy. It was always in pursuit of training or practice.
He fixed his blue eyes on me. “Unless we spot a cloud demon or something, then I guess it won’t be for fun anymore.”
“Speaking of demons, if I wanted to research a mark, where would be the best place to do that?”
He frowned. “What kind of mark? Did one of the demons bear one?”
“Yes. I noticed it when I went to retrieve my dagger,” I lied. “I’d like to see if it’s significant.”
“Liesel,” he said.
“What’s Liesel?”
“Not what, who. She’s a Watcher like me. Those are her clothes you’re wearing.”
Oh, great. Now I needed Liesel’s help as well as her clothes. “And she has access to a library?”
He grinned. “Something like that.” He pulled his phone from his back pocket and sent a text. The reply was immediate. “We can see her after breakfast.”
“She’s in the city?”
He nodded. “The northeast section.”
“I suppose she’s on the group text.”
“That she is. We had to have a firm talk with her, though. Too many emojis were being used at the end of sentences. It was a problem.”
I grew mildly anxious about meeting another Watcher. What if she asked probing questions? What if she didn’t trust me like Rafe did?
“How about we fly there?” he asked.
“Not on an empty stomach,” I said. “It makes me queasy.”
“What a lightweight,” he teased. “Then again, I should have realized that from your reaction to the volcanic rock cocktails.”
“Hey! I’d never had alcohol before.”
“Doubt you’ve ever been in a kissing booth before either, but you managed that just fine.” His cheeks colored as he realized what he’d said. “I didn’t mean to suggest…”
I smiled. “It’s okay, Rafe. It was a compliment, right?” He thinks I’m a good kisser.
His shoulders relaxed. “Yes, it was a compliment…not that I think we should do it again. I mean, we won’t because it was only the enchantment that made us kiss in the first place. They really should put warning signs on those areas. What if you went in there with a sibling?”
Whatever buoyant feelings I’d experienced a moment ago were quickly deflated. “Yes, that would be uncomfortable.” I turned and reentered the loft now that the sunrise had lost its luster.
We ate breakfast in relative silence and I went to the bathroom to make myself presentable. I dragged Rafe’s comb through my hair, which was no easy feat considering how thick mine was in comparison.
Rafe knocked on the door. “Are you ready? Liesel’s texting me. She’s very impatient, as you’ll soon see.”
“Coming now.” I tidied up the bathroom before I left. It wouldn’t do to make a mess of Rafe’s home and give him a legitimate reason to dislike cambions.
We returned to the rooftop balcony and prepared our wings. “It’s not far,” he said. “About five minutes as the angel flies.”
He launched into the air, his muscular legs propelling him skyward. His form was perfect, not that I was surprised. Elder Sam always chastised me for sloppy flight form—my shoulders were too slouched or my wings were at the wrong angle. I had to tighten my core. The criticism was relentless, even though I knew he was only trying to improve my performance. It wasn’t as though I was going to make a career out of flying though. That was what I’d say to him after one of his critiques.
“What does my form matter? I’m going to tend bar somewhere far away when I’m older,” I’d say, just to agitate him. Elder Sam had high hopes for me when I left the academy, though exactly what those hopes
where I wasn’t sure.
Rafe and I soared through the air and I was reminded how exhilarating it could be. The sky was now a soft, cloudless blue and the sun was warm enough to be comforting but not so warm that I’d break into a sweat.
“She won’t mind that I’m wearing her clothes, will she?” Talk about awkward. At least I could change into my own clothes once I returned to the hotel.
“No, she’s very laidback. You’ll see.”
We landed on a second-floor balcony and entered the building through French doors. I was completely taken aback by the interior.
“It’s an actual library,” I said in amazement.
“Liesel specializes in knowledge,” Rafe said. “Each Watcher in the city has a specific skillset.”
“And here I thought two eyes was the only requirement.”
The sound of laughter tinkled behind us and I spun around. A statuesque young woman with sleek auburn hair and porcelain skin sauntered toward us. Her wings were stark white and she wore a one-piece peach-colored outfit that zipped up the front. As she came closer, I noticed that a thick strand of white hair framed the left side of her face.
“Hey, Liesel.” He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. “I’d like you to meet Cassia.”
Curiosity sparked in the Watcher’s green eyes. I realized that she had flecks of gold around the iris like Rafe did. “Never thought I’d see the day when Rafe was cavorting with demonspawn.” She noted my outfit. “And I do mean cavorting.”
“We’re not cavorting,” Rafe said.
“And don’t call me demonspawn,” I said.
“If I were you, I’d embrace the term. Make it your own.”
“We have our own term,” I said. “Cambions.”
“Cassia saw something last night that requires your excellent research skills,” Rafe said.
Liesel’s lips formed a thin line. “I’m not sure that we should be using nephilim resources to help her kind, Rafe.”
I fixed Rafe with a hard stare. “I thought you said she was laidback.”
“It isn’t to help her kind,” he said. “She and I got attacked by demons last night and she saw a mark on one of them. We think it might be helpful to know if it means anything.” He crossed his arms over his firm chest. “Besides, you owe me a favor.”
“More than one actually,” she said, “but I keep hoping you’ll forget.”
Rafe smiled at me. “Liesel had a run-in with a tree a few months ago. I helped untangle her wings.”
“That tree came out of nowhere,” she said. “And I might have been a teensy bit drunk.”
Rafe cleared his throat. “It was two in the morning, so my money is on yes.”
“Well worth the trouble,” Liesel said. “I met the most delicious young woman that night. Haylee. Two e’s, no y.”
“And I’ll bet you haven’t seen her since,” Rafe said.
“Of course not. She’s human. I’m only interested in long-term relationships with seraphim or nephilim.” She gave me a long look. “Which is a shame really.”
“Down, Liesel,” Rafe said.
“But she wears my clothes so well. It’s like we were made for each other.”
So it seemed that Rafe and Liesel weren’t an item after all. That was a relief, not that it mattered. Rafe probably felt the same way Liesel did—that only the nephilim or seraphim would be good enough for a real relationship. I should have expected as much.
Liesel padded across the wooden floor in her bare feet. “Tell me, Cassia. What did the mark look like?”
“It was small and blue and in the shape of a star.”
She crossed the room and sat down in front of a computer. “Doesn’t sound familiar.” She began to tap the keys. “What kind of demons?”
“Does it matter?” I asked.
“Of course it matters,” Liesel replied. “That’s how we’ll narrow it down.”
“We fought grave demons and amon demons,” Rafe said. “Cassia was pretty impressive. You should’ve seen her.”
Liesel arched an eyebrow. “Teamwork, eh? That’s not usually your style, Rafe.”
“We made a deal,” he said. “I needed her help to speak to Tommy…”
Her face lit up. “You spoke to him? That’s great.”
“Well, his information led us to the burial ground battle, so not sure I’d describe it as great,” Rafe said.
“Do you think it was a set up?” Liesel asked.
“No,” Rafe said. “I think we might have triggered a protective ward.”
Liesel launched an eyebrow. “Protecting the entrance to the gray market?”
“It’s not that surprising. They take great pains to move it, so why not protect their investment with a powerful ward? That’s how it stays the best-kept secret in the city.”
Although I begged to differ, I remained silent.
Liesel studied the results of her search on the screen. “Lots of references to marks that fit that description. I can give you a list. The books should all be here.”
“I’ll help,” Rafe said. “No need to be idle.”
“As if you ever are.” Liesel handed us each a slip of paper with numbers written on them. “Yours are going to be scattered throughout the right side of the library and Cassia’s will be on the left.”
“Separating us, are you?” Rafe smirked.
“It doesn’t take two of you to look for the same book,” Liesel said.
I was relieved to be searching separately from Rafe. I didn’t want him to be too invested in the research, not when I didn’t want him to know that the demon with the mark was actually me.
“So you helped Rafe get into Pandora,” Liesel said. “What’s Rafe helping you with?”
“I’m looking into a murder and a theft and the leads are in the city,” I said. “He seems to know the lay of the land thanks to his role as a Watcher, so it made sense to work together.”
“Our own little tour guide.” She smirked. “Then you’re only visiting? If you need a place to stay, my bed is king-sized. Plenty of room.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’m good right now.”
Her gaze flickered to the end of the row and back to me. “Sure looks like it.”
“It isn’t like that,” I said.
“So you two keeping telling me.” Her finger trailed down the spine of a book. “What was stolen? Tell me it was something cool like a scepter that brings back the dead.”
“It was a book.”
Liesel remained cheerful. “Does it at least have spells in it?”
“No, names.”
Her face fell. “Bummer.”
“The one advantage we have is that the book is warded,” I said. “Whoever stole it won’t be able to open it without great effort. It buys us time if nothing else.”
“I hate to think of books as a potential weapon,” Liesel said. “I prefer them as a means of escape.”
“Same.” I inhaled the scent of the leather-bound books and felt a pang of loss. “The library used to be my favorite room at home,” I said. I missed curling up on the sofa with a good book. I missed Mariska and Elder Bahaira and their ramblings.
“I knew you looked like a kindred spirit,” Liesel said. “Rafe likes books, too, though he pretends not to just to spite me. We have what you might call a sibling rivalry.”
“But you’re not siblings?”
“Not that we know of.” She shrugged. “You never know with those promiscuous seraphim.” My expression must have shown my surprise because she laughed. “What? Demonspawn think seraphim are the physical embodiment of morality? Not quite, honey. Seraphim love to travel here from Dominion and take their pick of willing bounders, just like the old days.”
“As I mentioned, I prefer the term cambion,” I said firmly.
Liesel seemed to ponder the statement. “Fine. Cambion it is. Or how about bianco diablo? Sounds sexier.”
“White devil?”
Her mouth quirked. “Suits you, don’t you think?”
“Only if you give her one too many volcanic rock cocktails,” Rafe said, rounding the corner. He carried a small stack of books.
“This was at Pandora’s?” Liesel asked. “Now I really want to go. Maybe you can bring me as your plus one next time.”
“Avoid the small alcoves past the velvet rope,” he warned. “They’re not what you think. You could end up kissing a gopher demon.”
Liesel grunted. “I doubt that.”
“No, seriously,” I said. “The club has an enchanted kissing booth. You don’t want to end up in there with the wrong companion.”
“Don’t be silly,” Liesel said. “An enchantment in a kissing booth is only activated if the parties already want to kiss each other. It removes the inhibitions, that’s all.”
Rafe and I fell silent. If Liesel noticed, she didn’t comment.
“Here are the books on my list,” he said. “Where should I put them?”
“The table near the computer,” she said. “What’d you do, use super speed to find them?”
“No, I just didn’t waste time flirting with our guest.”
Liesel flashed a mischievous grin. “I wasn’t flirting, was I?”
“Not at all,” I said. “You only unzipped your outfit as far as your navel.”
She threw back her head and released a throaty laugh. “Bianco diablo, indeed. She’s a keeper, Rafe.”
“I don’t know why you’re telling me,” he said. “Our relationship is strictly professional.”
“Yes, I can tell,” Liesel said. “I don’t suppose you wasted any time in kissing booths together in Pandora?”
Rafe averted his gaze. “We were focused on Tommy the Bull.”
“With each other’s tongues down your throats, I’m sure.”
I focused on the numbers on the spines and located a book on my list. “Here’s one.” I wanted to get back to research so that the uncomfortable knot in the pit of my stomach would dissolve.
“Here’s another,” Liesel said. She tugged it from its snug spot between two larger tomes and handed it to me.
“This is enough to get started,” I said. I took the books and went to the table where Rafe was already paging through one of his finds.
Demonspawn Academy: Trial One Page 11