Chapter 20
TWENTY
ANDREAS
“When you want something done, you gotta do it yourself.” I tilted my head back, looking up at The Emerald, the one place Kaso and I avoided at all costs.
“And we’re gonna do it ourselves from now on.” Kaso followed my gaze.
Like all buildings in New York City, this one was tall and imposing with dark stones and thick glass on the exterior.
It overlooked Columbus Circle, and I could see why they picked this location.
It was a strategic stronghold, with views of Central Park and all roads leading to it.
The sound of traffic, horns, and people yelling would drown out anything supernatural that could possibly happen.
New Yorkers didn’t stop and look at much and weren’t fazed by anything.
People could run down the street naked covered in grape jelly and that’s another day in the life of a city dweller. I knew that from experience.
I straightened my suit coat and turned to face Kaso. “You ready for this?”
“Listen, I want my Chanel, and I’m gonna do whatever it takes to get her. So, if we gotta go meet the good guys, then that’s what we’re gonna do.” He shrugged. “How bad could it be?”
“I mean, we could get ourselves exiled . . . potentially.” I grabbed the door and yanked it open. “But, you know . . . worth it.”
“Maybe we shoulda’ called him first, ya know, in case they exile us—”
“Too late now.” I nodded to the open doorway we stood in. “They know we’re here by now. If we get exiled . . . he’ll find us.”
We strolled into the lobby. It looked like any other building.
The floors and walls were a gleaming dark marble that I could see my own reflection in.
Gold accents covered the pillars and surrounded the elevators.
I smoothly walked through the crowd of people coming and going and entered the first available elevator.
I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew I needed to be on the top floor.
I hit the button and took a step to the side, giving Kaso space to stand next to me.
“How do you know that’s where we need to be?”
“Anyone worth a shit will be at the top.” I shrugged. “If not, we’ll just check every floor until we get what we want.”
“Yeah, I’m with you on that.” Kaso folded his hands in front of him and watched the numbers tick by above the door.
The bell dinged and the elevator doors slid open to a slight fae woman sitting at a tall desk.
A little earphone was perched in her pointed ear, and her fingers flew over the keyboard in front of her as she spoke into the microphone.
“Thank you for holding. This is Polly. How can I help you?” She gave a long pause, then nodded.
“I’ll transfer you now. Please hold.” She pressed another button.
I strolled up to the desk and rested my arm on it.
She glanced up at me with wide, dark eyes, then held her finger up, signaling me to give her just a moment.
I nodded and drummed my fingers on the desktop.
Impatience settled over me. I wanted to get this done.
I was all sorts of twitchy and restless.
Regan said all we left them was a mess. Well, no woman liked to clean up after a man.
As they shouldn’t. We were big boys, and we could clean up our own mess.
But to do that we needed to take this step, a step that would lead me closer to her.
The receptionist hit another button, then let a wide smile spread across her face. “And how can I help you?”
The interest was plain on her face, yet I only had eyes for Regan. She was the one I wanted, and she would be the one I would have. “We’re here to see the big angel guy in charge. Can you point me to his office?”
Polly leaned back in her chair and rocked it from side to side. “What brings two vampire brothers to The Emerald?”
“I believe that’s between us and the big guy upstairs.” I narrowed my eyes at her.
Kaso chuckled and shook his head. “What he means to say, Polly, is that our business is of a personal and private matter, and we would prefer not to speak on it unless we have to, so can you please let him know we’re here?”
“And you are?” She arched her eyebrows at him and pouted her lips.
“Oh, I think you already know.” He winked, and Polly practically melted on the spot.
Damn Kaso and his charming ass. I did not inherit that trait, but I had skills my smooth-talking brother did not. We were a perfect team.
“Just a second.” She held her finger up, then dialed her phone. “We have Kaso and Andreas here to see you.”
“Good girl.” Kaso smirked down at her.
I glanced away from her and rolled my eyes.
She giggled. A tinge of red heated her cheeks. “He’ll see you now. It’s the double doors at the end of the long hallway, just that way.”
“Thanks, darlin’.” Kaso turned from her, and I fell into step with him as we walked past rows of cubicles filled with all different kinds of supernaturals.
They were buzzing about with memos and talking with one another.
It was difficult to think they were all part of running this realm and all got along so well.
“That was smooth of you.”
Kaso gave a low chuckle. “What can I say? The suspenders are a thing.”
The office fell away when we entered a long, uninterrupted hallway. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
“I’ll work on that . . . glasses.”
I pushed them up my nose and chuckled. “What? Thought we decided before that I’m pretty too.”
“Yeah, yeah. You’re a regular showstopper.” He rolled his eyes.
I scoffed. “I’m pretty.”
“Sure you are.” He grinned down at me. “But I’m prettier.”
At the end of the hall was the set of double doors.
I felt the power radiating from behind them.
Before we could reach them, they flew wide open and a huge angel stood there waiting.
His ebony skin stood out against his pristine white three-piece suit and polished white dress shoes.
They matched the hulking wings spread out behind him.
A wide smile tugged at his lips, and a comforting warmth spread through my body. He opened his arms out wide. “Well, if it isn’t Cheese and Crackers!”
I paused and motioned to the two of us. “You know who we are?”
“I know who everyone is.” He snorted and motioned for us to follow him. “Come in, come in.”
He turned from us and stepped into his office.
It was an office that was fit more for a CEO than an angel.
At the center of the room sat a large wooden desk with a plush white chair.
But my eyes were drawn beyond the desk to the back wall that was entirely open and had views as far as I could see.
A terrace with greenery and a sitting area was just beyond the walls of the room, basking in the sunlight.
Cool air drifted in from the open doors.
The floors were made of rich mahogany that shimmered in the patches of sunlight streaming in.
In the center of the room, right in front of us, was a fluffy white area rug under an intricately carved wooden coffee table.
On either side were pristine white couches that somehow lacked a single stain.
This was all too much, and I was pretty sure he was the guy in charge but not the one we needed to be talking to. Though, it was fantastic that the rumors of such an angel seemed to be true and all that was left to make them a thousand percent true was a taco somewhere near him.
I cleared my throat. “So, uhh, you’re the taco guy . . . Araqiel?”
Araqiel threw his head back laughing. “Is that how they’re referring to me these days?”
I shrugged. “Pretty much.”
“I mean, I love a good taco,” Kaso said, “but I think we might be in the wrong place. We need the scary one . . . Zuriel . . .” He glanced toward me. “Right?”
I nodded. “Right.”
Araqiel chuckled. “I’m not even offended. Well, I’m a little offended. I think. Zuriel! Zuriel, should I be offended?”
The sound of flapping wings sounded from the terrace and the angel we were looking for walked in and glared at us. He wore a thick black sweater and matching black pants. His wings were spread wide behind him.
“There he is.” Kaso pointed at him with a grin. “Hey, Zuriel. Good to see you.”
The muscle in Zuriel’s jaw ticked as he looked us up and down. “The fuck are you two doing here?”
“Oh, you made him maddddd, which isn’t that difficult to do.
But this is gonna be so good.” Araqiel snapped his fingers and a huge bucket with red and white stripes appeared in his hands.
It was piled high with little taquitos. A cup of melted cheese and a cup of salsa were hooked on the side of the bucket.
He dipped one in the cheese and shoved it into his mouth, then took a seat on one of the plush couches. He waved us on. “Please. Continue.”
“You two are causing my Virtues a lot of stress.” Zuriel crossed his arms over his broad chest. There were very few beings I would avoid fighting with, and this angel was one of them.
He was huge with thick muscles, dark hair, and sharp eyes.
Power rolled off him in waves, and I wanted to take a small step back, but I forced myself to hold my ground.
“They’re stressed?” I motioned to Kaso and myself. “We’re stressed. Do we not look stressed to you?”
Kaso nodded. “Yeah, our life was great before we ran into them.”
Zuriel rolled his blue eyes. “And by great you mean I let you get away with all the shit you do because you stopped committing crimes several centuries ago?”
Kaso held his hands up. “Hey, we ain’t doin’ nothin’ wrong. We’re keepin’ things on the up and up.”
“Yeah, we’re those guys, the ones who help you. What do ya call them?” I paused, thinking, then snapped my fingers when it clicked. “Right, informants! You’ve gotten good stuff from us for a few hundred years.”
Zuriel pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m starting to regret that right about now.”
Kaso gave him an easy smile—the kind of smile that got us through these doors, the kind of smile that got him a chance with Chanel. “Heyyy, you know us. We’re good guys. Sure, we got a little distracted and lost for a minute there back in the day, but we cleaned ourselves up.”
Zuriel let go of a heavy sigh. He glanced toward Araqiel. “Really? I’m dealing with this . . . really?”
Araqiel chuckled and shoved another taquito in his mouth. “They don’t know yet?”
Zuriel groaned. “Somehow, no.”
Araqiel sat back on that white fluffy couch. His eyes danced from me to Kaso and back again. “I’m very entertained right now. It’s been a millennium since I’ve been this entertained. Don’t tell them.”
“I’m gonna tell them.” Zuriel motioned toward us. “Look at them.”
Araqiel’s face turned deadly serious. “Don’t you dare tell them.”
Zuriel made a sound of annoyance in the back of his throat. “It’s driving me nuts. You know how much of a mess I’ve had to clean up because they don’t know?”
“You know how long it’s been since I’ve had this much fun? Since they invented tacos.” Araqiel pointed his finger at him. “Don’t ruin my fun.”
Zuriel rolled his eyes. “But—”
“Who’s in charge here?” Araqiel barked. “It’s me.”
Zuriel’s brow furrowed. “Debatable.”
Kaso sighed. “It’s Christmas Eve, Z—”
Zuriel’s eyes snapped to him. “I can shove you down a chimney after them—”
Kaso chuckled. “That’s not entirely off topic—”
“Yeah, we’re here to provide holiday cheer and presents,” I interrupted my brother.
Araqiel pursed his lips. “Which one of you is Santa?” He dipped a taquito in salsa.
“Me,” we both said at the same time.
I scoffed. “As if we’d be lettin’ you handle such important deliveries.”
“This face has always been the face of our organization.” Kaso gestured to his own face. “That’s what being pretty is good for. Pretty privilege is real and has worked to our benefit.”
“Hey, I’m pretty. I’m gettin’ real sick and tired of havin’ to tell yous that.” I pointed to myself. “The glasses sell.”
“We’re too old for this debate, Brother.
We’re both pretty. We’re both smart. But one of us is better at the pretty skills and the other is better at the smart skills.
Boom. Teamwork. Brains and beauty.” Kaso rolled his pretty gold eyes and pressed his hand to his chest. “I am beauty. You are brains. Just like cheese is the tasty part and crackers are the functional part.”
“I’m tasty!”
“OH.” Araqiel barked a laugh and slapped the desk. “Oh, I just found my new taco: drama.”
Zuriel closed his eyes and sighed. Then he turned his stony glare back to us. “Do you see what you just did? No, you have no idea what you just did.”
Watching these two talk was like watching a tennis match. They went back and forth so fast I could hardly keep up with what they were saying. “I got no clue what either of yous is talkin’ about. I’m just standin’ here doing nothin’ but offerin’ our services.”
Kaso held his hands up. “Yeah, Papa, don’t preach, okay?”
A growl rumbled in Zuriel’s chest. “I’m going to kill you. I can kill you. You know that, right? I’m allowed to.”
Kaso shifted from one foot to the other and nodded. “Yeah, we just had an idea we wanted to share with yous.”
Zuriel curled his hands into fists at his sides. “I’ll let the Virtues beat the shit out of you, so take that for what it’s worth.”
Kaso pursed his lips and nodded. “I mean, I’m not saying I’m not into that.”
“Focus, shall we, Brother?” I stepped between the two of them. “The way I see it is yous could use all the help ya can get and just so happens we are excellent help. We’ve given you good intel and now we’re gonna do even better and just bring ‘em right to your door. No questions asked.”
“I have questions,” Zuriel countered.
I shrugged. “Just don’t ask ‘em, and it’ll be all good.”
Kaso wagged his eyebrows. “Santa and his head elf are gonna handle some deliveries. Ho, ho, ho—”
“Get out.” Zuriel pointed toward the door. “We’re done here.”
“You got it, boss.” Kaso gave him a little salute.
“Now.”
I wasn’t going to hang around to get a straight-up no from Zuriel. I grabbed Kaso’s arm and pushed him toward the door. “Later, boss.”
Before either of them could say another word, we were out the door and down the hall.
Kaso lowered his voice as we walked through the room of cubicles toward the elevators. “We’re doing it, right? You took that as we’re doing it?”
“Absolutely we’re doing it.” I nodded as we stopped just in front of the elevators.
Kaso hit the button and the door slid open for us. He stepped inside and shrugged. “He didn’t say no. The way I see it, it’s all good.”
The doors began to slide shut and excitement flooded my body. We had a new job to do. “That’s right. They didn’t say no.”