Martinis with the Devil, Part Two

by A. A. Chamberlynn

  “Mmm. A friendly crowd tonight,” I remarked to one of the angels. It stared back at me impassively. Apparently humor was just not an angel thing. In fact, it seemed Eli was one of the few to show any emotion at all. I wondered where he was. Not that I wanted to see him or anything.

  I visually checked everything to make sure all looked as it should. Technically, I wasn’t in charge of the overall security; the angels and Seattle PD were taking care of that. But what can I say, I have trust issues. When I felt like things were as good as they were going to get, I went back inside and got the HR. He seemed as serene as he ever did, despite the fact that he was about to speak in front of thousands of people, angry people who just wanted to yell at somebody. Not that I could exactly blame them.

  “You ready?” I asked.

  He nodded and followed me out into the waiting crowd. Behind the microphone he seemed to possess an almost heavenly glow, though the HRs were human. It made me wonder, though. I took a position two feet to his right and slightly behind, hands clasped behind my back like they do in movies. Of course, in movies their hands aren’t behind their backs to be closer to their swords. So, I had a good reason for my pose.

  The crowd quieted substantially, though there were a few raised voices. The HR waited until even those had died down. “Thank you all for coming tonight. As you know, I’m here to discuss the riots that occurred two nights ago. What happened was tragic, and my prayers go out to all those that were injured and killed. It was a sad evening for us all.” He paused, head bowed for a moment. “So many things have changed in the last decade. We’ve discovered new races living among us, and realms other than Earth. I am pleased that these changes have occurred peacefully for the most part.

  “As one of the representatives of the realm of Heaven, I want you to know that we are doing all within our power to work with the government to resolve any conflicts peaceably. We are putting all possible resources into this effort. Whether human, vampire, angel, witch, shifter, faerie, or any other supernatural being, we all share this planet together.”

  A murmur of approval floated up from the crowd. I cast my eyes around, watching the sea of people. The wind whistled in my ears. Except… usually I could smell leaves, or asphalt, or salt on the air. I glanced up at a nearby tree. The leaves were still. My gaze whipped skyward, just in time to see a dark shape slicing through the darkness towards me. I rolled to the side, pulling my blade as I did, putting myself between the HR and the assailant. Someone in the crowd screamed.

  A thump sounded as the figure hit the pavement, and from out of the shadows stepped Alexander.

  CHAPTER TWO

  He wore his usual smug smile as he stepped forward into the light. A smug smile that told me if he’d wanted the HR dead, he’d have moved quicker than the human eye could follow and cut him down without a single witness. Except me, of course.

  A mob of angels whooshed in around the HR, trapping me inside the nucleus of the circle. “He’s an assassin! Grab him!” I yelled, hoping some of the angels on the perimeter would take Alexander down. But my voice was drowned out by the uproar of the audience as people panicked and tried to trample down those around them.

  Slowly, inexplicably, Alexander began to rise into the air above our heads, well out of the reach of any of us. My mouth dropped open. Could he fly? I’d never known a vampire that actually could.

  “Fellow citizens, both human and supernatural,” he called down to us. “What happened the other day is, as the HR stated, a tragedy.” He paused and cast a look out into the audience like it pained him to discuss it. “What he didn’t say, and doesn’t want you to think about, is that this sort of thing will happen again. And again. And again.” The crowd began to murmur, and I could see shock on the faces all around me. “Supernaturals are tired of being treated unequally, and we will demand change. The HR and the realm of Heaven cannot protect you from the chaos that is coming.” One final dramatic pause. “You may want to consider whether you are placing your faith in the right people.”

  And then suddenly he was gone, evaporated into the night like a bad dream. A moment of stunned silence, and then the crowd broke into pandemonium.

  As screams of anger and fear filled the night, I suddenly saw Eli striding out of City Hall. Where he’d come from and how he’d been able to react so quickly I had no idea. “Get him out of here,” he called to me as he approached and then breezed past me to the front of the crowd.

  As I began to usher the HR and his tight group of angel guardians back into the building, I heard Eli address the crowd. “Everyone please remain calm. The HR and the realm of Heaven are doing everything in their power to maintain a peaceful society. Do not let the words of one disgruntled citizen sway you…”

  The doors swung shut behind us, slicing off his words. “Well, that was unfortunate,” said the HR.

  I bit back a laugh. Unfortunate? If that wasn’t the understatement of the century, I didn’t know what was. I also bit back the spew of vicious thoughts running through my head, thoughts about what I would do to Alexander when I finally caught him. To think he’d been right there in front of me and then gotten away again was infuriatingly frustrating. And then that thorn of doubt speared me sharply—what if I couldn’t beat him? I’d never run up against something I couldn’t beat, not until now. Which was maddening all on its own.

  “Eli will calm them,” I said, instead of all that.

  The HR cast his eyes over to me as if to read my true feelings, but I’d put on a cold mask of impassiveness. I was really, really good at that when I wanted to be. After a moment, he looked away, his own expression unreadable.

  We headed out the back of the building to the awaiting cars. Just as I was about to get in, Eli jogged up behind us. “Zyan, do you have a sec?”

  I looked over to the HR. “Not really.”

  “It’s okay, Zyan,” the HR said. “Speak with Elijah. He can take you home as well.” He signaled to the driver and the gray sedan pulled away from the curb.

  Eli got right to the point. “I’m sorry I lost my temper the other night. I still stick by my opinion, but I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.”

  “Thanks, I guess.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “So, where were you tonight? And how did you know to show up at just the right moment?”

  “I was looking for your sister,” he said. Not harshly, but with no attempt to sugarcoat it, either. “And as for the latter, angels can communicate telepathically with each other. I heard the commotion and jumped through the interdimensional roads.”

  “I see.” A moment of awkward silence. “So, anything else in the works for tonight?”

  “No.” Another silence. “So, where do you want me to drop you off?”

  I pondered it for a moment. “My apartment I guess. I’ll change and go in to Noir for the night.”

  “Yeah. The Seattle nightlife has been suffering without your famous cocktails.”

  I couldn’t tell if he was trying to compliment me or illustrate once again how trivial my life was. I shrugged. “Maybe.”

  He stepped forward and grabbed ahold of my arms, then we were whooshing through that tight space between dimensions. That space that was nowhere, nothing, between. The next moment we stood in my hallway.

  “So I take it no luck with Anna?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral. Like Switzerland, baby.

  “No.” He kept his eyes off me. Was there something more neutral than Switzerland? If so, he was it.

  “Oh. Okay.” I reached for my keys and stuck them in the door.

  “Wait, Zy—”

  The door swung open from the inside. We both turned to see Donovan standing there, holding two glasses of wine. “Um, hi,” I said.

  “Hi, gorgeous,” he responded.

  “One sec,” I told him, then turned back around to Eli. “Sorry, you were saying?”

  “Nothing,” Eli said. He offered a tight-lipped smile. “You two have a good night.”

  “You, too,” Donova
n said with a broad smile.

  This was somehow really awkward. But why? Confused, I stepped inside and shut the door. Donovan hooked me in an intense gaze.

  “Soooo, what are you doing here?” I asked.

  “Quinn let me in.”

  “And?”

  “And, I came over to make you dinner. You’ve been stressed lately, with all this vengeance and long-lost sister and assassination business.”

  I realized he was wearing an apron. A muscle-bound, Irish panther wearing an apron. I hid a smile. “So, since when are you this sweet?”

  Donovan pretended to be hurt for a moment. “I told you—I’m going to do whatever it takes to win you back. So, I’m going to start by showing you my romantic side.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Do you have such a side?”

  “Yes. And to show you I’m serious, I won’t let you have sex with me tonight, even if you really, really want to.” He grinned.

  “That’s you being romantic? Awfully presumptuous…”

  Donovan just chuckled and headed back into my kitchen. I followed, feeling like this was all a bit surreal. “So, what are you making the soul sucker for dinner?”

  “Spring lamb, extra bloody, with mash and whiskey sauce, of course.” He looked entirely too pleased with himself as he stirred the contents of a sizzling sauté pan. I took a sip of my wine, watching him covertly from under lowered lashes.

  “Alright, well, it seems like you have this under control. I’m gonna feed Malakai and take a shower.” I turned to the fridge, taking my wine with me.

  “I already fed Malakai.”

  “You fed the dog?” I knew I had an incredulous look on my face.

  “Yeah. Us beasts have to stick together. Me and Mal are good buddies now.” His eyes danced at my obvious discomposure.

  “Um, okay. Thanks.” I walked to my room and closed the door. What the hell? Donovan had always been a nice guy—well, other than that pesky cheating thing. And that Irish bad boy thing. But not like this… this was just weird. And I have to say I felt like Quinn and Malakai were in on some sort of ex-boyfriend reunion conspiracy. Traitors.

  I showered and put on a rather small silk robe before heading back out to the kitchen. When Donovan saw me, he almost did a double take. I smiled, smooth as snake skin. “How’s everything heating up?”

  “Fine. Uh, what’re you wearing there?” His eyes were having a hard time staying on the stove.

  “Oh, just what I always wear around the house.” I blinked innocently at him. It was true. I did always wear this robe. “You said we were just going to be friends, so you don’t mind, right?”

  He took in an unsteady breath. “I never said we were just going to be friends. I said I was going to show you my romantic side. The side we never got to before.”

  I stepped in closer, drinking in his scent. “Because we were too busy doing other things…” My eyes turned up to his with all the pull the gaze of a professional seductress could have.

  The next step forward was his, which closed the distance between us. One finger reached up and traced the edge of my jaw, then traveled down to pull the robe off my left shoulder. His lips hung poised just over mine, so close I could feel their warmth, and the electric buzz of his shifter energy. With his free hand, he untied my robe with practiced ease and it fluttered to the floor. His fingers brushed down over my hips and around to the small of my back…

  “I knew you couldn’t do it,” I said, my lips turned up triumphantly.

  Donovan blinked, like someone waking up from a dream. “What?”

  “Your whole bullshit line about being romantic and not having sex with me.” My hands were on my hips now.

  “Oh, come on! You were totally seducing me!” He threw up his hands in a gesture meant to indicate how helpless he was against my feminine powers.

  “So, what happens when some other hot chick starts seducing you?” I narrowed my eyes and held him tightly within their hazel glare.

  “Other women aren’t as pretty, and—and cunning—as you are,” he said, trying to lay a charming smile on me.

  I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.” I dipped down and grabbed my robe. When I straightened, I gave him a condescending pat on the shoulder. “Sorry, D, but you’ve got a lot of work to do before you’re even going to have a chance at getting me back.”

  Contrary to the disappointed look I expected, he wore a small smile. A hopeful smile. “So, there’s a chance then?”

  Shit. Now he’d never give up. “Uh, that’s not exactly what I meant…”

  “It is exactly what you meant.” He thought he had the upper hand now.

  “Think whatever you want,” I said, trying not to sound too pouty. “And when’s this food going to be ready?”

  “Just a couple minutes, my lady.” Donovan made a low bow, turned back to the skillet and started stirring things around.

  It was more like five minutes later by the time he had plated everything up and we were eating on the sofa. “This is really good,” I said with my mouth full. “Who would’ve thought you could actually cook.”

  “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me,” Donovan said enigmatically.

  “Like?”

  “Like… I enjoy writing haiku.”

  I giggled. “You’re joking, right?”

  “No. It’s sort of fun. And relaxing at the same time.” He grinned.

  “Tell me one.”

  “Uh…” He looked up at the ceiling, thinking. “The night she is black. But not cold or unfriendly. In darkness comfort.”

  “Wow… that’s impressive and astonishing. Did you just make that up?”

  “No, that’s an old one. The basic rules are easy—just three lines: five syllables in the first, then seven syllables, then five again.”

  I gazed at him like he was a stranger. “What other crazy things are lurking about in your psyche?”

  “Well, I guess you’ll have to spend more time with me to figure it all out.” He took a bite of the lamb.

  “Maybe so.” I sat in contemplation for a few moments, chewing my food. “So, why do you want me back so badly?”

  Donovan laughed. “Is it really such a mystery? Why do I need to explain it?”

  “Well, you had me before and it wasn’t enough. And admittedly, our relationship wasn’t exactly deep. Mostly physical. So, is that all you’re after now, or what?” As I found myself trying to sound nonchalant, I realized I actually cared about the answer.

  He was silent for a moment before answering. “We were together over five years ago. Not very long in immortal years, I know. But for me, a lot has changed. I don’t just want the next pretty thing that walks in front of me. I want the whole package. Someone that’s smart and tough and funny. And not just anyone beautiful, smart, tough and funny. I want you. I realized over these past few years that you’re one of a kind, and I let you go. So, when you walked back into my life a few days ago, I knew I couldn’t let you walk back out again.”

  I sucked in a deep breath. After all our playful banter, I hadn’t been expecting such a serious response. Even though I’d asked. “Well—okay.”

  “Is that all you have to say?” He smiled a little, but with a vulnerability folded into it.

  “No, I just—” I struggled for the words. Actually I had no words. I was blank.

  At that moment, my cell phone saved me, chirping from somewhere in my bedroom. “Hang on a sec.” I jumped up and practically fled to my room. I didn’t recognize the number on the screen, but flipped it open anyways, relieved for the distraction. “Hello?”

  “Hello, Zyan.”

  I froze, my blood coming to a stop in my veins.

  Anna.

  “I want to speak with you. Alone. Meet me outside the carousel at Pier 57 in twenty minutes.” Her voice was neutral, revealing nothing.

  Had she reconsidered what I’d said? Was she ready to roll over on Alexander? My heart pulsed like a mad thing in my chest. “I’ll be there.”

>   The line went dead.

  I turned off my phone and stood there in the darkness for a moment. Eli would want me to call him. But Anna would know he was coming and bail. I didn’t really have to debate it—my choice was clear.

  Slowly, I changed clothes and then walked back out into the living room. Donovan shot me a questioning gaze.

  “That was Eli. Something’s come up. I’m really sorry, but I’ve got to go.”