Chapter 5 Kai
Asta got a call saying Rome had finally reported back to Heaven. How he got an angel to report to him I’ll never know, but I don’t care to ask. Neither Talian nor Bast is home, but they both read my message.
It’s not like we haven’t been looking for the little mortal as it was, but now with the possibility of them being separated, it feels like we actually have a chance to find her.
A whole lot of fucking work for one mortal.
If Bast wasn’t about to go off the deep end, I’d say we should cut our losses, but the last time I suggested that, he almost killed me, and not in the usual way.
No, somehow that bastard got his hands on angelic steel, one of the few things that can truly kill demons.
I’m pretty sure I know where he got it, too.
Not that I can confirm it, even seeing as Ruin is just as insistent that we're out there finding her.
It’s exhausting.
Which is why I didn’t think anything of walking into a random coffee shop in Missouri.
“Hey, welcome to the Cozy Cup!”
I stand frozen in the little storefront, staring at her as she smiles up at me in greeting.
I know it’s her even before I look up; the sound of her voice is etched into my brain. The way she moaned and called my name that night, I fell prey to her replays in my mind.
I’m one hundred percent certain it’s her, yet when our eyes meet, I don’t see even a flicker of recognition.
Ouch.
I know I wanted her gone, but I can’t deny that some part of me hoped she would be fighting to get back to us… I mean, Bast.
She should have been trying to get back to him if they were mates, right?
Or did she not feel the pull since they hadn’t cemented their bond?
Fuck if I know; demons aren’t supposed to have mates; we're damned to spend eternity alone. It’s part of our punishment.
So how the fuck had Bast gotten her?
“Did you need a minute to order, or were you ready?” Her voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I scowl at her, annoyed at my train of thought.
I’m not supposed to give a fuck about her.
She’s one mortal in a sea of them, just the same.
I need to distance myself from her, which means getting her back to Bast.
“Very funny, let's…” I cut myself off as I look her over, spotting the shiny silver ring on her left hand. “You’re married?”
Her brows gather in confusion, and she cocks her head to the side, seemingly taken aback by my question as I am.
It only lasts a moment before she looks down, following my line of sight to her ring.
“Oh, yes.” Her smile returns even bigger than it was a moment ago, and I quickly look away. She hadn’t even been this cheery when she was living with us, and I’d already found her insufferable. “He’s amazing. This shop has always been my dream, and we put everything into it...”
I can hear the admiration in her tone, and when I look up, her smile is tender, loving…gross.
“Is your husband here now?” I ask, daring to hope he is.
I’m not sure if I could take Rome, but fuck if I’m not willing to try.
“Oh, um, no. He’s away on a business trip right now.” I knew her answer even before she spoke from the way her shoulders slumped and her lips pulled down in a frown.
I didn’t think she could be much stupider than when she moved into an apartment full of demons, but I guess I was wrong. The last thing she should be doing is letting some would-be random stranger off the street know her husband is out of town, leaving her and her business alone.
I take a second to look at the selection, but I already know what I want. “Let me get a large black coffee with whip and caramel.” I finally walk to the counter as she quickly moves around to fill my order, and in less than a minute, I’ve paid and have my coffee in hand.
Now's the part where normal people would leave, and I probably should, but don’t.
“Let me get a cinnamon roll too,” I tell her, sliding the ten-dollar bill she’d just given to me as change back to her. “Keep the change.”
“Thank you!” She smiles at me for a second before moving to grab my diabetic-inducing treat, thankfully not something I have to worry about as a demon.
I already regret my decision to stay.
The little mortal I know would never look at me like that.
What the fuck did he do to her?
At first, I thought maybe she was faking not knowing me. Afraid of facing repercussions from Rome, but the longer I spend in her presence, the more I see it’s genuine.
How?
With my pastry and my coffee, I move to one of the few booths in front of the window and have a seat.
I feel her eyes on me for a moment before she once again busies herself doing some task.
Pulling my phone from my pocket to appear busy, I shove a bite of the pastry in my mouth and almost gag on how sweet it is.
Fuck, I should have looked for something else, but this was the first thing I saw, so I went with it.
Asta would fucking love this, I think, shaking my head.
With her distracted, I let my mind wander, pressing against her subconscious only to find a wall.
One I’m very sure was not there the last time I saw her.
Weird.
Not everything is locked down, though, and while I let my fingers scroll aimlessly on my phone, I slowly sift through what I can access.
Every last bit of it is a lie.
I hadn’t dug into her head when she was living with us, more interested in avoiding her than anything else. But regardless of that, I know this isn’t right.
If it were, she would have no reason to fear Rome. He built the perfect lie and trapped her in his web.
Fuck.