demanded.
“You have an appointment.”
“You’ve got that right.”
“With the mediator.”
Fuck! How had the bastard wrangled that? This thing was so cut-and-dried, it couldn’t be any simpler. “Why are you even bothering?”
“You know, I asked myself that question, given the circumstances. But I figured better safe than sorry.”
“I’m moving on her tonight.”
“No, you’re not.” The angel reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll, which he tossed at Ash’s feet. “You’ve been stayed pending our meeting with Nicolae. Until then, you are barred from claiming her.” As Ash glared in speechless outrage at his plans being thwarted before his very eyes, one corner of the angel’s mouth hiked up. “Again, not that I really think I needed it. But you are hanging around quite a bit, so I figured your superiors would eventually start to get antsy, and you’re all so…unpredictable. I’m just covering my bases, you understand.”
“You are one cryptic bastard. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You are one delusional demon if you can’t figure it out.” He turned to go. “We’ll be seeing you two weeks from tonight—Nicolae has other engagements for a while. Be there or be prepared to forfeit.”
“Other engagements,” Ash grumbled. “Hopefully death is one of them.” He watched as the winged figure arrowed toward the heavens, swift as a shooting star.
The scroll lay at his feet. He picked it up and unfurled it, giving it only a cursory glance. All looked in order—he really couldn’t move on Madeleine pending the outcome of the meeting.
Damn angel was talking crazy, though. He’d often thought they were whacked out of their heads anyway, thinking there could be any good left in this world worth fighting for. This one seemed especially mad.
The mediator. Shit. It wasn’t that Ash was concerned, really…but sitting in that study with his careful work under scrutiny was a place no demon wanted to be. It was rare, but there was always the chance for disaster if Nicolae saw something in the contract that made his gray mustache twitch.
But…this gave him a reprieve, too, at least for a short while. He didn’t have to worry about taking Madeleine right now.
Wait, what? Since when was he worried ?
The sudden absence of a weight in his chest proved to him he had indeed been worried about it. Even more troubling, the thought of spending tonight with her, unhindered by the duty that must be done, was…thrilling. No cares. Just him and Madeleine.
Such a simple concept, but the enormity of it rocked him to the core. How would it feel not to have that damn contract looming over every moment he spent with her? He felt almost peaceful.
Snap out of it, idiot. The contract was the reason she would be with him, for eternity. Not an eternity she would enjoy, but one in which he could do with her soul as he pleased. She wouldn’t be here, walking this earth beyond his reach, tormenting him any longer. The moment he claimed her would be the moment he’d find true peace. He should be angrier, far angrier, about what had just been done to him. But, try as he might, he couldn’t muster more than mild annoyance at the angel for being one step ahead.
How could he, when he knew Madeleine was probably arriving at her little apartment at this very moment, thinking of him, waiting for him, anticipating the night ahead? Everything else faded into the far distance. He didn’t understand it, but neither was he fighting it.
The promise of one night of peace for his kind, with no scheming or agendas—just pleasure—was far too precious to question.
It was all he could do to kill time, to allow enough of a delay in his arrival that she’d believe he’d run his imaginary errand. His shields were still raised from his conversation with the angel, so prying eyes were no concern. He paced the parking lot, he watched the people coming and going from the restaurant. Couples arm-in-arm. Laughing
“You have an appointment.”
“You’ve got that right.”
“With the mediator.”
Fuck! How had the bastard wrangled that? This thing was so cut-and-dried, it couldn’t be any simpler. “Why are you even bothering?”
“You know, I asked myself that question, given the circumstances. But I figured better safe than sorry.”
“I’m moving on her tonight.”
“No, you’re not.” The angel reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll, which he tossed at Ash’s feet. “You’ve been stayed pending our meeting with Nicolae. Until then, you are barred from claiming her.” As Ash glared in speechless outrage at his plans being thwarted before his very eyes, one corner of the angel’s mouth hiked up. “Again, not that I really think I needed it. But you are hanging around quite a bit, so I figured your superiors would eventually start to get antsy, and you’re all so…unpredictable. I’m just covering my bases, you understand.”
“You are one cryptic bastard. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You are one delusional demon if you can’t figure it out.” He turned to go. “We’ll be seeing you two weeks from tonight—Nicolae has other engagements for a while. Be there or be prepared to forfeit.”
“Other engagements,” Ash grumbled. “Hopefully death is one of them.” He watched as the winged figure arrowed toward the heavens, swift as a shooting star.
The scroll lay at his feet. He picked it up and unfurled it, giving it only a cursory glance. All looked in order—he really couldn’t move on Madeleine pending the outcome of the meeting.
Damn angel was talking crazy, though. He’d often thought they were whacked out of their heads anyway, thinking there could be any good left in this world worth fighting for. This one seemed especially mad.
The mediator. Shit. It wasn’t that Ash was concerned, really…but sitting in that study with his careful work under scrutiny was a place no demon wanted to be. It was rare, but there was always the chance for disaster if Nicolae saw something in the contract that made his gray mustache twitch.
But…this gave him a reprieve, too, at least for a short while. He didn’t have to worry about taking Madeleine right now.
Wait, what? Since when was he worried ?
The sudden absence of a weight in his chest proved to him he had indeed been worried about it. Even more troubling, the thought of spending tonight with her, unhindered by the duty that must be done, was…thrilling. No cares. Just him and Madeleine.
Such a simple concept, but the enormity of it rocked him to the core. How would it feel not to have that damn contract looming over every moment he spent with her? He felt almost peaceful.
Snap out of it, idiot. The contract was the reason she would be with him, for eternity. Not an eternity she would enjoy, but one in which he could do with her soul as he pleased. She wouldn’t be here, walking this earth beyond his reach, tormenting him any longer. The moment he claimed her would be the moment he’d find true peace. He should be angrier, far angrier, about what had just been done to him. But, try as he might, he couldn’t muster more than mild annoyance at the angel for being one step ahead.
How could he, when he knew Madeleine was probably arriving at her little apartment at this very moment, thinking of him, waiting for him, anticipating the night ahead? Everything else faded into the far distance. He didn’t understand it, but neither was he fighting it.
The promise of one night of peace for his kind, with no scheming or agendas—just pleasure—was far too precious to question.
It was all he could do to kill time, to allow enough of a delay in his arrival that she’d believe he’d run his imaginary errand. His shields were still raised from his conversation with the angel, so prying eyes were no concern. He paced the parking lot, he watched the people coming and going from the restaurant. Couples arm-in-arm. Laughing
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