Mercy for the Fallen (18 page)

“Oh, tell us a story of the good old boys,” Nelo suggested and it took me a few seconds to figure out what the hell he meant.

“Are you talking about the Dukes of Hazzard?” 

“Are there any princesses of Hazzard?” Eve asked.

“No, they’re not that kind of Dukes exactly.  Unless you count Daisy, but… I don’t think that’s the right choice for tonight either.”  I shook my head.  Maybe if Sam was around they could reminisce over the old reruns, but I was more of a MacGyver kind of girl when it came to old action shows. 

“Do you think I’ll ever get my wings, Momma?”  The question came out of the blue and I honestly didn’t know what to tell her.  I went with my best impression of sounding like a sage adult.

“They only appear when you’re ready.  The first time mine came out, I was falling head over teakettle from the top of the Demon Lord’s castle.”

“Ooh, I want to hear that story!”

“It’s a good one,” Nelo nodded with enthusiasm.

“Maybe when you’re older.”

“I’m older now, Momma.  Remember?” 

How could I forget?  In the end I went with retelling the story of Sleeping Beauty, knowing it was one of her favorites.  If she’d grown too old for it, she gave no sign of it, listening with a faint smile until her eyelids grew too heavy and she passed out for the night.  I kept talking even after I knew she was asleep, finishing the story for Nelo.

“I like that one, Mistress,” he smiled in satisfaction once I said the magic words,
the end
.  “I like Bunny like this, she’s easier to talk to.  Will she stay big?”

“Yes, she’ll stay this big, or bigger,” I replied, smoothing the hair back from her forehead.  At least I hoped so.  Anything was possible in my crazy ass world. 

“Good.  Now I don’t have to worry so much about breaking her when we play.”

I probably should’ve explained that he didn’t need to be so careful with her now that she wasn’t a baby anymore.  Then again, having a demon be mindful of her safety wasn’t such a bad thing.  “Listen, I meant it when I said no falling asleep tonight.  Can you do that?”

“Oh yes, Mistress.  I’m not at all sleepy.  I’m awake at night always, you know that.”

“Good, because it’s important that one of us is with her at all times.  So as long as the rest of us are in another room, you stay with her.  That means if she gets up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, you follow her like a shadow, do you understand me?  Can I count on you?”

“Yes, Mistress.” 

“I know it’s a big responsibility.”

“I can do it, I want to keep Bunny safe.”

“That’s what we all want.”  I gave his hand a squeeze.  “Thanks, Nelo.  I’ll be in to check on her again before I go to bed.”

I found the guys standing around in the kitchen, a couple of long necks in hand.  While I could definitely use a beer, I wanted to keep a clear head, so I settled for a glass of water.  Something to eat would’ve been welcome as well, but the only things in the refrigerator, besides beer, were a couple of limes and a tub of butter.  I thought it best not to ask. 

“So…”  Remy set his empty beer bottle down on the counter, rubbing the condensation off on his jeans.   “Adamiel’s been fillin’ me in on your ass-puckerin’ escapades.  You must be beat.  Let’s go have a sit down,” he said solicitously. 

“Thanks, but I’m not sure I could sit still just yet.  Too much nervous energy, you know?”

“I do,” he nodded.  “I’d suggest what I always do when I get ta feelin’ like that, but I suspect you’d sock me for it.”

“I probably would.”

“Might be worth it.”  The dimples were back and I found myself smiling back at him. 

Adam didn’t exactly enjoy the mild flirtation between us, his brows drawing together into a single dark line.  “Hello, I’m standing right here.  Could we focus for a moment?”

“Oh, he’s harmless.  It’s his way of making me feel better.”  I’d already found out Remiel was all talk. 

“That’s what you keep tellin’ yourself, sugar,” Remy winked.

“Besides, what’s it to you?” I asked, quirking a brow at Adam.  “You’re not the boss of
my
world anymore.”

“Was I ever?” he muttered, tipping back his beer to take a long swallow.  “But before you two continue your love fest, I think we have a few things to discuss.”

“Poor Adam, he don’t like it when he ain’t top dog no more,” Remy sniggered, pulling another beer out of the fridge.  I was about to object if Adam followed suit, but he didn’t make a move for another. 

“He’s right though,” I admitted gravely, losing some of my good mood.  “We’re definitely at DefCon One, at least until we figure out a way to keep Luce from popping in unannounced again.” 

“We should be fine for a while,” Adam said.  “Who knows how frequently he’s even visiting Githa?  It could be a while before he even notices she’s gone.  And then, he won’t know where to look.”

Remy nodded in support.  “Adam’s right, ya know.  He ain’t got no way to track ya here.  Leastwise not while you’re holed up on my property.  It ain’t a permanent solution, but you can sleep easy tonight.”

“All the same, I’d rather not underestimate him again.”  Who knew what resources Lucifer had at his disposal?  “All it takes is a few moments of letting her out of our sight and he can snatch her away.  Nelo’s with her now, but that’s not a permanent solution.”

“I’ll watch over her while you sleep,” Adam offered, and I appreciated it, but sleep was the last thing on my mind.

“I’m not sure I could sleep right now.”

“Sure, you can,” he insisted.  “Have a nice hot shower, a stiff drink and you’ll drift right off.”

“And if ya need somethin’ else to carry you off to dreamland…” Remy stopped short of an open leer with the invitation, but only barely so.

“Remy…” Adam’s tone had a note of warning to it.

“She ain’t yours no more.  I’d say that makes her open game.”

“I’m not open game.”  I held up my hand, waggling the finger with engagement ring on it.

Remy looked suitably impressed.  “And where’s he at?”

“Not out of the picture.  I just need to figure out what we’re doing before I ask him to uproot his entire life for us.”

“You shoulda let him come along then.  A man likes to take a hand in his own fate when he can.”  He pushed himself away from the kitchen counter.  “I’m gonna take care of some errands. I wasn’t expectin’ company.”

“You don’t have to put yourself out like that,” I said, but he waved me off. 

“Don’t give it another thought.  This here’s the South, hospitality’s in our nature.”  What a different reception than I’d gotten in Tacoma.  “Get some rest now.  Your gal’s safe, don’t nothin’ need to be decided tonight.”

“I could use a shower,” I admitted.  The pond scum smell had ripened with my own sweat from having flown pretty much the entire day, and my scalp felt itchy.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Adam pledged again, and this time I nodded, trusting him to keep her safe.   

* * *

The shower was amazing.  I’ve never understood the mystical connection between a hot spray of water and revitalizing the body and soul.  It was almost better than being given a burst of restorative Grace.  I probably should’ve taken a quick one, washing the necessary bits and pieces so Adam could take one too, but instead I lingered until the water turned tepid and unsatisfying. 

A sluggish placidity had taken over my limbs, and as I stepped out of the shower into the steamy bathroom I felt calm and relaxed.  They were right, nothing bad would leap out to get us.  We had time to figure things out.  Soon I’d have Parker there with me, and we could figure out what to do long term. 

I hated that he’d have to give up his business to keep us safe, and I wondered if he could keep running it by proxy.  Maybe not through Finch, I couldn’t blame him if he didn’t want to use Adam’s guy, but there had to be reputable people out there to manage a business for an owner who didn’t have the option of being as hands on as Parker was with the club. 

I pressed the towel to my face and neck, inhaling the scent of April freshness and smiled to think of a guy like Remy using fabric softener.  A flicker of movement caught my peripheral vision as I lowered the towel to dry off my arms, and I let out a shriek as I noticed a figure standing there. 

“Whoa, relax, it’s me!” Adam stepped into the light, one hand outstretched, and the other clutching a plate covered with mini sandwiches. 

“Jesus…” I wrapped the towel around myself, fingers fumbling it horribly and almost losing it entirely as I tried to secure it.  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, advancing on him, my heart pounding with a heady combination of anger and embarrassment.

Adam blinked at my tone, taking half a step backwards before he recovered his usual swagger.  “You left the door open,” he retorted with an accusatory tone, setting the sandwiches down.

“And that makes it okay?”  I hadn’t exactly been expecting him to roam the bedroom after his promise to stay away and keep an eye on Eve. 

“I’m a guy.  Do you honestly expect me to turn down a free sample?”

“I wasn’t giving you a free sample,” I bit out.

Adam shrugged, completely unrepentant.  “What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to say you’re sorry for intruding on my privacy.  That is the standard response when one is in the wrong.”

He snorted at that. “I’m not sorry,” he muttered, before the tiniest spot of guilt crept in at seeing how upset I was.  “Oh, come on, it’s not that bad.  It’s not like I was perched outside your bedroom window with a pair of binoculars.”

“Watching someone without permission, whether it was premeditated or not, is still doing something bad.”

Adam gave a one sided shrug.  “You were the one to leave the door ajar.  I don’t know what you’re making such a fuss about.  It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” 

“You’re not really that much of an asshat, are you?  Do you seriously not get why I don’t want you creeping around in the shadows sneaking a peek at my goodies?”

“I wasn’t creeping around in the shadows.  I came to bring you something to eat.  Besides, I don’t have to watch at keyholes to sneak a peek.  Not when I can close my eyes and see your goodies any time I want to,” he smirked.

There wasn’t much I could say to that.  It wasn’t possible to police a man’s memory fueled imagination.  “Fine, then you stick to your fantasies and leave me out of it.”  I moved to close the bathroom door, but he was quicker, blocking the way with his body. 

“Admit it, you fantasize about me the same way sometimes.  Don’t you.”

A flush of guilt that went through me as I remembered that steamy dream, the towel standing between me and him feeling somehow smaller all of a sudden.  “That’s not something I spend a whole lot of time on, no,” I lied.   

“Your lips may say no but your eyes say yes,” he grinned, taking a step closer and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the cheesy response. 

“Has that line worked for you since prohibition?”

“Ouch, there’s my girl.”  His grin spread wider, obviously enjoying the argument. 

“I’m not your…”  I bit back the frustration, knowing it gave him a charge to get a rise out of me like that.  I took a step closer to him as well, not wanting to let him intimidate me with his presence.  “Let me simple this up.  What do my eyes tell you right now?”  I fixed him with a pointed look.

Adam closed the remaining distance between us, holding me with the power of his gaze.  “They’re telling me plenty.”  His grin was predatory, refusing to let me completely off the hook.  The air tingled between us, our breath mingling as he stood his ground.  I was the first to look away, flushing with a combination of anger and like it or not, attraction, followed by a quick side of guilt.  I should not be there having this conversation with him with nothing between us but a towel…

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I looked up at him again, my eyes pleading.  “Adam, we can’t…”

“Look, I’m trying, okay?” he interrupted.  “I’m more of an if-it-feels-good-do-it kind of guy.  I’m not used to this respecting boundaries stuff.”  His face wrinkled with distaste. 

“Try harder,” I returned, the corner of my mouth twitching into an almost smile at his expression. 

“I will, scout’s honor.”  Adam held up his fingers in a passable attempt at the Boy Scout sigil. 

It was hard to hang onto my anger with that little boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar look, and I decided it would be easier to let it go for now.  “I need to get dressed now.”

“Go right ahead, who’s stopping you?”  The smirk was back in place again.

“Out!” I ordered with a laugh, pushing against his abdomen.  I backed him through the bedroom until he froze in place, the glint in his eye leaving me to think he’d changed his mind about playing by my rules. 

“Adam, I’m serious, get out.”  And that’s when I noticed he’d
really
frozen in place, completely unresponsive and unmovable.

“That can’t be good…” 

Chapter Eighteen