Page 23

“You smell like spices, and witch, with just a hint of brimstone. It’s delicious.”

I lifted his hand and sniffed the back, over the tattoos there.

He chuckled huskily.

I tilted my head back. “I wondered if my demon powers would kick in and I’d be able to recite a list for you as well.”

“And?”

“Well, you smell like sex, mainly.”

“And what else?”

“Your cologne, it’s yummy.”

He grinned again. “I don’t wear cologne.”

“Oh.”

He motioned to the couch, and I sat. He sat beside me, draping his arm along the back. “So, are you taken, lovely?”

“No, I’m not. My mate rejected me.” My mind yelled at me to shut the hell up. I ignored it. I felt warm and happy and kind of sleepy.

His brow slid up. “And who is the fool who rejected you?”

“Jagger. He’s a hellhound. You probably know him?”

His eyes sparkled. “Oh yes, I know him.” He slid his phone from his pocket. “Before we get to the business of why you’re here, shall we take a photo and send it to him? Shall we see if we can make steam come out of his ears?”

“What kind of photo?”

“One that makes him jealous,” he said, those pale eyes still glittering. “A male who spits in the face of the fates, who rejects such a precious gift, should be made to suffer, don’t you think?”

I snorted. “He doesn’t get jealous over me.

I mean, he showed up when he thought I was hanging with someone dangerous, but it’s just the hound in him.

You know, like an animal thing, instinct to protect me.

It’s not actually because he wants me. Anyway, I’m pretty sure he’s gone back to Hell.

He won’t care about a picture. He won’t respond. ”

“Would you like to make a wager?”

“What kind of wager?”

“We send him a photo, and if he loses his shit, you win. If he doesn’t reply, I do.”

Hadn’t he been listening? That was the opposite of what I said. Why would I make a bet I’d lose?

Rune was dangerous, but only to demons who broke the rules.

There was no way Jagger would be worried about me being here.

I was part demon, Rune was the male in charge of demons in the city.

He was no real threat to me, not if I was behaving.

“I’ll definitely lose, and it’ll just hurt again when he proves he doesn’t care. ”

Rune tucked my hair behind my ear and snapped a picture, then held it up. I was staring up at him, my face all flushed and eyes bright, and Rune’s tattooed hand was against my cheek.

“He won’t reply,” I said again. “I don’t think we should send it.”

“Would you like to hear my terms first?”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

He chuckled again. “If he replies in a way that shows jealousy, I’ll give you whatever it is that you’ve come here for, and I won’t charge my usual fee. You’ll get the friends and family rate, how does that sound?”

“I mean, it sounds great, but it won’t work,” I said.

His lips twitched. “Don’t be so defeatist.”

“He literally rejected me in a room full of people. I am defeated.” I felt drowsy and rested my head against the back of the couch. “You obviously know I’m right because why else would a demon risk pissing off a hellhound. He could hurt you.”

He winked. “Only Lucifer can call me home. The hounds have no authority over me.”

“They don’t?”

“Nope. And you said yourself he showed up when he thought you were in danger, that it was an animal reaction, right? I’m a powerful demon, you’re here all alone. Some would consider that alarming. So you have just as much of a chance as winning here.”

I shook my head. “This’ll be an easy win for you.”

“Only one way to find out.”

“What happens if I lose?” I realized he hadn’t shared that when he’d given me his terms.

“No friends and family rates for whatever brought you here tonight. Full price.”

I didn’t know what Rune’s price was, but I’d come here prepared to pay it, so it wasn’t like I’d be losing anything.

“Shall I send it?” he asked, tilting his head to the side.

A sad, reckless, and yes, desperate little part of me hoped Jagger would get jealous. “Fine. Go for it.”

He typed something, then hit send. “Now we wait?—”

My phone rang.

Rune threw his head back and laughed, a deep pleasant sound that lifted goose bumps all over me.

I checked the screen. “It’s Jagger.”

“Are you going to answer it?”

Was I? It stopped—then started again. Rune laughed harder.

I got the feeling Jagger would keep ringing until I answered.

I tapped the screen.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he said before I could say a word.

“Jagger?” I said, even though I knew it was him. I felt kind of tipsy, honestly, and not totally myself. “Why are you calling me? I told you to leave me alone.”

“Get out of that apartment and get your ass downstairs, now.”

“What?” I rasped.

“He followed you here,” Rune said and winked.

I remembered the demon looking over my shoulder when I got here. Rune already knew Jagger was out there. “Why did you follow me?”

“Because you’re a reckless little idiot who obviously needs protection.”

“That wasn’t very nice,” Rune said.

“No, it wasn’t. That wasn’t very nice, Charming,” I said to Jagger. “And maybe you should stop talking to me like I’m one of the hounds you order around every day.”

“You think Rune is being nice, Sutton? For fuck’s sake. Leave that fucker’s apartment right the fuck now.”

“Stop cursing at me. You’re always cursing at me, and Rune is nice.” Rune winked. “He’s also extremely handsome in a scary, sexy kind of way.”

“Thank you, lovely,” Rune said, a wicked and highly amused expression on his face. “You’re rather beautiful yourself.”

Jagger growled, so loud I jumped. “If you touch her while you have her all hopped up on your fucking demon mojo, I’ll shred you and deal with the fallout from Lucifer later.”

Rune laughed again, dark and gritty. “If you want to wait outside for Sutton until we’re done with our conversation, feel free, but we have business to take care of, isn’t that right, beautiful?”

“Yep, that’s right…handsome.”

Rune almost busted a gut laughing, while Jagger snarled, then roared. I heard him through the phone and echoing from outside somewhere at the same time.

He was definitely here.

“I think you should hang up now,” Rune said.

“Oh, yes, you’re probably right.”

“Don’t you fucking dare?—”

I hung up.

“You won,” Rune said.

“I don’t know, was that really jealousy? I think it was more just a penis-measuring contest.”

Rune grinned wider, flashing his fangs again. “Penis measuring, huh?”

“Yep. I’m not sure I factored at all, honestly. Jagger doesn’t want me, but he doesn’t seem to want anyone else to have me either.”

“Then perhaps we’ll let him stew for a bit?”

I nodded and yawned. “Sounds good.”

“So, lovely, how about you tell me why you’re here?”

I blinked, and my eyes felt heavy. “Right, of course. The reason I’m here.”

Rune sat back and waited, and I forced myself to sit up straight before I fell asleep. “Well, I’ve got myself in a bit of trouble with a not very nice demon. His name’s Tarrant. Do you know him?”

Rune’s gaze sharpened. “Oh, yes, I know him. How about you tell me what’s been going on?”

I spilled, telling him everything. What Luke did, about Poe and Lars and all the drugs I’d been making for them. I couldn’t stop talking even if I wanted to. When I finally finished, he said nothing, just stared at me for a long time, a look in his eyes that made me squirm.

He looked…angry. Really, really angry.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out.

His head tilted to the side. “What are you sorry for?”

“I—I don’t know. You just look really angry.” My stomach was in knots, the vibes pouring off Rune made me want to hide under the nearest piece of furniture and curl into a trembling ball.

“I am angry, but not at you.” He rubbed his hand over his jaw. “Do you know my fee for those who come here for favors? Serious ones, like yours?”

I shook my head.

“I’m in the business of collecting souls, Sutton.”

My entire body froze. Of course he was. He was a freaking soul collector.

“But I offered you the friends and family rate remember?”

I nodded, while my heart thumped wildly in my chest.

“So instead of your eternal soul, I need you to do something for me.”

“What do you want me to do?” I rasped.

He studied me, and I bit my lip to stop the whimper from escaping. “You’ve already been associating with Tarrant, you’re already on their payroll, they think you’re one of them.”

“They’re blackmailing me.”

He shrugged. “You’re still on the inside, as it were.”

“Not really.”

“There’s only so much I can do when it comes to Tarrant.

He isn’t your average demon. He’s connected, closely related to one of the lords, Beelzebub to be exact.

Accusing him of something without proof would not be good for my position here in this city.

I’m close with Lucifer, yes, but I’m not a lord.

That puts me in a precarious position. I need proof of his wrongdoing before I can make a move, and that’s where you come in. ”

“Proof of the drugs? I can do that easily. I can just?—”

“No. Not the drugs. In the eyes of Lucifer, what he’s doing isn’t grounds for punishment.

It’s not forbidden. The only criteria for staying aboveground is leaving humans alone.

You’re not human, and neither is your friend.

This isn’t something I can get involved with.

If I had evidence that humans were somehow involved in his business, though… ”

“You think that they are? That he’s somehow messing with humans?”

He studied me again, his gaze sliding over my face as if he were looking inside me, assessing if I was worthy of the truth.

“I do,” he said. “I’m not sure in what capacity, but I think Tarrant has decided he doesn’t need to play by the rules.

I just don’t know what he’s doing and since he and I are…

well, we’re not exactly the best of friends, I can’t get close.

But you, lovely, might be able to help me with that.

You get the proof, and all your troubles will be over. ”

I chewed my lip. “That sounds kind of dangerous.”

“No more danger than you’re already in. It sounds like Poe has a soft spot for you, maybe you could use that to your advantage?”

“He makes me sick to my stomach.”

Rune grinned again, and a wave of tiredness washed over me.

“Yes, he has that effect on people.” He winked.

“If you do this for me, you can’t tell anyone, especially not Jagger.

He may have rejected you, but he still has the same instincts to protect you, and that could cause issues.

” He tilted his head to the side once again.

“You have a lot to contemplate. How about you rest for a while and think it over?”

I nodded. That sounded like a really good idea. Especially since I couldn’t keep my eyes open. “Okay,” I said, and the words came out slurred.

I slumped back, and then Rune scooped me up in his arms and we were moving. He laid me down on a cloud, and I sighed as he pulled something warm and soft over me.

“Night, lovely.”

“Night, Rune.”