large colorful paintings, one by one, as he walked down the concrete floor. “This is a nice space. I can see why Daniel was so taken with it.”
He was referring to the day Audray had lured Daniel to this spot while Joshua was going for the angel. Audray did her part to delay Daniel, but in the end, Claire recognized Joshua inside the likeness of Daniel’s body and stopped just short of having sex with him. This would have turned Claire into a dark angel, like Audray and Josh. Just like Angela, Daniel would have been next.
Audray returned him a murderous glare. “It was a necessary prop,” she said. “But after leasing it, I realized it was perfect, and Beau agreed.”
“Well, I do too. Speaking of Beau, how’s his health?”
“Poor. I think he’s ready.”
“Good. You speak to him about it?”
“Actually, no. Peter said he would help.” Josh darted a quick look at the vixen. She tilted her head to the side but did not smile. “I think it would go better with Beau if helped me. Peter can be a little . . . scary, if you know what I mean?”
Normally, Joshua would have taken offense at not being considered the scarier of the two dark angels. Today, he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Perhaps he was grateful Audray was able to stand up to the new director. For now. “Why, thank you, my lovely.”
“No problem. You available tonight?”
“Of course. For you, especially.”
“Please. It’s just that it’s my first. I want you to help me with the first one.”
Josh was surprised she hadn’t turned anyone before now; she had been so dark in human form. “Nothing would please me more,” he said, “then to have you need me. In fact, the more you need me, the more I like it.” Audray actually blushed, and he could feel some of his old charm return. He couldn’t recall ever seeing her do that before.
He was pleased. The prospect of turning Beau Bradley tonight buoyed his mood and sent his sense of doom to a cold, albeit temporary, grave.
On the way over to Beau’s house, Josh was curious about her encounter with Peter. He pumped Audray with questions and soon got a chilling reply.
“He’s awfully interested in you. That bother you at all?” she asked as she looked out the window. The landscape flashed by at almost one hundred miles an hour. “And Josh, could you possibly slow down?”
He laid off the gas a bit, chuckling to himself. “Not like we can be killed.”
“I don’t mind the immortality. I just prefer to avoid the pain.” She sighed as she played with a lock of her long tress. “Has to concern you, though, doesn’t it?”
“What?” Josh had gotten distracted by how lovely her hair smelled as she twirled it between her fingertips.
“Peter. What do you think his agenda is?”
“I’m sure his agenda is to make the Underworld the most powerful place in the universe. He’s made lots of changes.”
“I also hear he vaporized the old Director. Why?”
“I’d ask him. Hard to second guess that one.” Josh knew it had something to do with the fact that Silas had been a close friend and a confidant of his. Josh had actually gotten him elected.
“So you’re not worried?”
“Audray, why should I be worried?”
“Because he hates you.”
“What makes you say that?” Josh’s fear surprised him. He worked to make it look like curiosity.
“He asked me about your ‘legendary fuck-up,’ as he called it. He asked me why everyone still thought your powers weren’t waning, why no one thought you were washed up.”
His stomach started to churn. He tasted buttermilk and raw eggs.
“Well, I would say that it’s because it isn’t true. I’m not washed up.” The conversation was ruining his day. “You know, come to think of it, I don’t even know what Peter’s track record is. Up until that thing with Daniel, I was undefeated, and who else do you know of who went up against the big man himself?”
Audray nodded, but the frown didn’t leave her face. Josh
He was referring to the day Audray had lured Daniel to this spot while Joshua was going for the angel. Audray did her part to delay Daniel, but in the end, Claire recognized Joshua inside the likeness of Daniel’s body and stopped just short of having sex with him. This would have turned Claire into a dark angel, like Audray and Josh. Just like Angela, Daniel would have been next.
Audray returned him a murderous glare. “It was a necessary prop,” she said. “But after leasing it, I realized it was perfect, and Beau agreed.”
“Well, I do too. Speaking of Beau, how’s his health?”
“Poor. I think he’s ready.”
“Good. You speak to him about it?”
“Actually, no. Peter said he would help.” Josh darted a quick look at the vixen. She tilted her head to the side but did not smile. “I think it would go better with Beau if helped me. Peter can be a little . . . scary, if you know what I mean?”
Normally, Joshua would have taken offense at not being considered the scarier of the two dark angels. Today, he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Perhaps he was grateful Audray was able to stand up to the new director. For now. “Why, thank you, my lovely.”
“No problem. You available tonight?”
“Of course. For you, especially.”
“Please. It’s just that it’s my first. I want you to help me with the first one.”
Josh was surprised she hadn’t turned anyone before now; she had been so dark in human form. “Nothing would please me more,” he said, “then to have you need me. In fact, the more you need me, the more I like it.” Audray actually blushed, and he could feel some of his old charm return. He couldn’t recall ever seeing her do that before.
He was pleased. The prospect of turning Beau Bradley tonight buoyed his mood and sent his sense of doom to a cold, albeit temporary, grave.
On the way over to Beau’s house, Josh was curious about her encounter with Peter. He pumped Audray with questions and soon got a chilling reply.
“He’s awfully interested in you. That bother you at all?” she asked as she looked out the window. The landscape flashed by at almost one hundred miles an hour. “And Josh, could you possibly slow down?”
He laid off the gas a bit, chuckling to himself. “Not like we can be killed.”
“I don’t mind the immortality. I just prefer to avoid the pain.” She sighed as she played with a lock of her long tress. “Has to concern you, though, doesn’t it?”
“What?” Josh had gotten distracted by how lovely her hair smelled as she twirled it between her fingertips.
“Peter. What do you think his agenda is?”
“I’m sure his agenda is to make the Underworld the most powerful place in the universe. He’s made lots of changes.”
“I also hear he vaporized the old Director. Why?”
“I’d ask him. Hard to second guess that one.” Josh knew it had something to do with the fact that Silas had been a close friend and a confidant of his. Josh had actually gotten him elected.
“So you’re not worried?”
“Audray, why should I be worried?”
“Because he hates you.”
“What makes you say that?” Josh’s fear surprised him. He worked to make it look like curiosity.
“He asked me about your ‘legendary fuck-up,’ as he called it. He asked me why everyone still thought your powers weren’t waning, why no one thought you were washed up.”
His stomach started to churn. He tasted buttermilk and raw eggs.
“Well, I would say that it’s because it isn’t true. I’m not washed up.” The conversation was ruining his day. “You know, come to think of it, I don’t even know what Peter’s track record is. Up until that thing with Daniel, I was undefeated, and who else do you know of who went up against the big man himself?”
Audray nodded, but the frown didn’t leave her face. Josh
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