Page 124 of Finders Reapers

“Valentina?” Jamal stopped and cocked his head to the side in question.

I tried to smile, but it came out as a wince. “It just feels so senseless,” I whispered. “Why would they kill that guy? He was a hermit, living in the middle of the desert. He didn’t speak to anyone. He didn’t even have an internet connection.”

“We have some theories,” Maddox informed me, and that was the first I had heard of it. “But Charon is keeping very tight-lipped about it.”

“Willing to share?” Both my brows raised as I waited for him to elaborate.

Maddox shook his head. “Cleaning house.” He grunted. “The devil isn’t coming back. Getting rid of the souls that are bound to him, and to his circle, is a good way to ensure that the balance of power shifts away from Pride.”

“Hell politics,” I surmised with a nod.

“Something like that.” Maddox put his hand over his eyes as he squinted at the setting sun. “We should make a move. Get a good night’s sleep before we head back in the morning.”

Chapter 15

I couldn’t help but think that for all of the destruction Purgers had been causing in Las Vegas and the surrounding areas, I hadn’t seen or heard much about them at all.

I had no context. Little snippets of conversation that I wasn’t expected to pay attention to—whether it was because I was a woman or new to the team, I could only guess.

The images of demons that had scattered Anderson Reynolds’s floor clung to the backs of my eyelids as I settled down in the backseat of Fletcher’s truck as we traveled back to town.

I knew what Purger’s looked like. Their canine forms with their needle-like teeth as long as my entire hand. The fur manged in places, and the bone exposed as it rotted away. I would have called them demon dogs if I didn’t know their true names.

I had dreamed about them in the first few days after I had died.

Lobby Todd was a Purger—a fact that none of the guys seemed concerned about. They hadn’t even questioned if he was the demon that had been in their hotel suite. The demon that had attacked Maddox and injured him.

It felt like an elaborate trap. Pins springing into place, slowly securing a cage. Evidence. Proof. Everything was a multi-step plan to try and shunt Mr. Bub from the office.

I had no one clue what the hell was going on. I was along for the ride. A ward to be babysat for reasons that were getting more and more flimsy.

Was this temporary?

I groaned and sank down deeper into the buttery seats of Fletcher’s truck. Jamal had taken over driving, and he gave me a concerned look through the rearview mirror. Whatever facial expression I had to reassure him clearly didn’t work. Then again, I didn’t even think I could reassure myself that everything was going to be okay.

I was in deep with the guys, and no matter how much mental energy I spent on whatever conspiracy I had been trapped in, those guys were worming their way into my hearts.

We pulled off the road and passed a sign that revealed that we had arrived at the Death Valley Inn.

It was strange. I had lived in Las Vegas ever since I was ten years old, and I had never spent so much time in the desert.

The sun had gone down and left a chill on the air that I had never found anywhere else. The sound of the rustling wind through the shrubby trees. Every sound was amplified by the rocky ground.

The path was well lit, and we parked easily enough before meeting up with Maddox and Rome to check into our rooms.

Maddox stood at the front desk, arguing politely but lowly with the woman behind it. She kept shaking her head and pushing a single key card across the front.

Rome had both of his hands in his pockets as he rocked on his heels, bored.

After a few more hushed whispers, the woman produced another keycard. I heard the word ‘single’as we approached.

“What’s going on?” I asked as we got closer to Rome. Fletcher and Jamal were on my heels.

Rome glanced over his shoulder, but before he could answer, Maddox huffed and marched over to us.

“We’ve got two king-size beds in one room and a single in the other.” Maddox declared angrily as he brandished the keycards.

“Yes!” Fletcher pumped his fist. “Dibs on the single. No offense,hombrecitos, but I’d prefer to be in my own company this evening. I’m sure you understand.” He reached out to snatch the key card from Maddox’s fist.