was … a while ago.”
“That was 1933,” Archer said. “Great Depression years. Lots of tenebrae.”
Alyce straightened. “You were there?”
His eyes crinkled at the corners when he looked back at her. “Sorry—I must’ve missed you in the million-people crowd.”
“I am shorter than you.”
“I guess that’s why we’re feeding you.”
Sidney’s fingers twitched, tugging at her hair. “But … 1933?” His voice rose. “Alyce, how long have you been possessed?”
Alyce hunched under his agitated intensity, and Sera tsked. “Westerbrook, it’s never gentlemanly to ask a lady her age.” Her tone was teasing, but her half-shuttered gaze wasn’t.
Alyce closed her eyes. All the conflicting signals buffeted her. Why couldn’t they say and look and act just one way? Why did Sidney soothe her with his hands and chide her with his words? She already knew his mouth could be put to better use.
Fortunately, they were quiet again except for the rumble of the metal cage on wheels. She didn’t open her eyes until the light dimmed as they pulled into a building full of neatly aligned cars. When Sidney opened his door, she scrambled over his lap to get out.
Archer was already there, his hand braced on the door frame. His black trench coat fell around him like threatening wings, ready to flare.
She followed the shimmer of violet that chased around the dark lines on his hand. Devil-man.
“You wouldn’t leave before lunch, would you?” His voice dropped. “In the teshuva’s quest to atone for their sins, I think they become overzealous in their privation. But we are still human, if not
only
human. We deserve some pleasures.”
She tilted her head. “Even damned?”
“Especially damned.” He opened Sera’s door, and the mark across his knuckles flared as he held out his hand toher. She slid her palm across his and pulled herself into his embrace. Her long brilliant red coat flamed against the dark background of Archer.
Alyce watched from the corner of her eye. The aura that pulsed around them, invisible if she faced them straight on, deepened and darkened, shot through with lightning. Like a storm cloud just for them. Its energy tempted her closer and warded her off.
Not for you,
it whispered,
but somewhere … someone …
“Alyce?” Sidney stepped out of the car, breaking her trance. “Come on. They’ll catch up.”
Archer snorted, and the two fell into step behind. “You know where you’re going, Westerbrook? Liam told London about our secret diner, but you haven’t actually seen it yet.”
“I heard enough,” Sidney growled.
Alyce tagged alongside, but a thread of unease tightened around her. There was more to this lunch than any of them was saying. “I know a place where the old women save bread for the ducks. There would be plenty for all of us.”
Sera’s mouth drew down. “What you do for this city, Alyce, deserves more than stale bread crumbs.”
When they passed between the cars into a hallway of shops, Sera walked beside Alyce. “So, do you usually run away from the devils?”
Alyce looked at her.
Sera grinned. “The purple in your eyes says no.” Her smile flattened with gravity. “Then don’t run from us. Not anymore.”
“You are all so loud,” Alyce said. “So big. So bright to my eyes and impatient. Like the city.”
Sera paused beside a recessed foyer that displayed windows brilliant with colored glass. The lettering on the doorway beyond said MUSEUM . “We’re like the glass. Sharp and cutting when we’re in pieces, but together we make something breathtaking.”
Archer walked to the next door and yanked it open. “If by breathtaking you mean we stop things from ever breathing again, then yeah.”
Sera stalked up to him. “Ooh, badass.”
“I just prefer dark sunglasses, not rose-colored ones.”
“But your eyes are so pretty in purple.” She stood on tiptoes to kiss him. He tipped her chin up higher to deepen the kiss, and the ring on his
“That was 1933,” Archer said. “Great Depression years. Lots of tenebrae.”
Alyce straightened. “You were there?”
His eyes crinkled at the corners when he looked back at her. “Sorry—I must’ve missed you in the million-people crowd.”
“I am shorter than you.”
“I guess that’s why we’re feeding you.”
Sidney’s fingers twitched, tugging at her hair. “But … 1933?” His voice rose. “Alyce, how long have you been possessed?”
Alyce hunched under his agitated intensity, and Sera tsked. “Westerbrook, it’s never gentlemanly to ask a lady her age.” Her tone was teasing, but her half-shuttered gaze wasn’t.
Alyce closed her eyes. All the conflicting signals buffeted her. Why couldn’t they say and look and act just one way? Why did Sidney soothe her with his hands and chide her with his words? She already knew his mouth could be put to better use.
Fortunately, they were quiet again except for the rumble of the metal cage on wheels. She didn’t open her eyes until the light dimmed as they pulled into a building full of neatly aligned cars. When Sidney opened his door, she scrambled over his lap to get out.
Archer was already there, his hand braced on the door frame. His black trench coat fell around him like threatening wings, ready to flare.
She followed the shimmer of violet that chased around the dark lines on his hand. Devil-man.
“You wouldn’t leave before lunch, would you?” His voice dropped. “In the teshuva’s quest to atone for their sins, I think they become overzealous in their privation. But we are still human, if not
only
human. We deserve some pleasures.”
She tilted her head. “Even damned?”
“Especially damned.” He opened Sera’s door, and the mark across his knuckles flared as he held out his hand toher. She slid her palm across his and pulled herself into his embrace. Her long brilliant red coat flamed against the dark background of Archer.
Alyce watched from the corner of her eye. The aura that pulsed around them, invisible if she faced them straight on, deepened and darkened, shot through with lightning. Like a storm cloud just for them. Its energy tempted her closer and warded her off.
Not for you,
it whispered,
but somewhere … someone …
“Alyce?” Sidney stepped out of the car, breaking her trance. “Come on. They’ll catch up.”
Archer snorted, and the two fell into step behind. “You know where you’re going, Westerbrook? Liam told London about our secret diner, but you haven’t actually seen it yet.”
“I heard enough,” Sidney growled.
Alyce tagged alongside, but a thread of unease tightened around her. There was more to this lunch than any of them was saying. “I know a place where the old women save bread for the ducks. There would be plenty for all of us.”
Sera’s mouth drew down. “What you do for this city, Alyce, deserves more than stale bread crumbs.”
When they passed between the cars into a hallway of shops, Sera walked beside Alyce. “So, do you usually run away from the devils?”
Alyce looked at her.
Sera grinned. “The purple in your eyes says no.” Her smile flattened with gravity. “Then don’t run from us. Not anymore.”
“You are all so loud,” Alyce said. “So big. So bright to my eyes and impatient. Like the city.”
Sera paused beside a recessed foyer that displayed windows brilliant with colored glass. The lettering on the doorway beyond said MUSEUM . “We’re like the glass. Sharp and cutting when we’re in pieces, but together we make something breathtaking.”
Archer walked to the next door and yanked it open. “If by breathtaking you mean we stop things from ever breathing again, then yeah.”
Sera stalked up to him. “Ooh, badass.”
“I just prefer dark sunglasses, not rose-colored ones.”
“But your eyes are so pretty in purple.” She stood on tiptoes to kiss him. He tipped her chin up higher to deepen the kiss, and the ring on his
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