10 AS THE CROW FLIES #2
She spun around to find a dark outline filling the frame of the door she had indeed left wide open. She couldn’t see his silhouetted face, but she still knew it was him.
“It only works if the door’s closed,” he said.
“I was letting in some fresh air.”
“Someone could have found you.”
“I was keeping an eye out.”
“It’s not safe.”
“I was being careful.”
“You were being stupid.”
She set the bustier down and planted her hands on her hips. “We may be temporary allies, but that doesn’t give you the right to insult me.”
There was a pause.
“If you think that was insulting, remind me to never let you hang around my brothers.” If she wasn’t mistaken, there was humor in his voice.
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him to seal the ward, and looked around. “I like what you’ve done with the place.”
“Things needed a little sprucing up. And you certainly have no shortage of decor.”
He was silent for a moment, still taking in her decorating efforts. “I’d never used it like this before.”
“The treasure you stole?”
He nodded.
“Why not?”
His shoulder lifted briefly. “I just took it, threw it in a pile, and went to get more.”
She laughed. “Well, if you ever need a decorator again, call me up. I could do this all day.”
The silence fell again, and she wished he would come closer so the fire would illuminate his face. As it was, she could only catch the faintest shimmer of his gold eyes.
Then she remembered what she should actually be asking about. “Did you discover a way past the wards?”
“Yes and no.” He finally ventured in, walking over to sit on the edge of the cot.
“Care to elaborate?” she finally asked when he didn’t speak again.
“I found the perimeter wards. I don’t know how to break them, but I don’t think we need to.”
“Why not?”
“Rather than breaking the ward, we’ll find a way to get in without setting it off.”
“Is that possible? Wouldn’t it defeat the whole purpose of the ward if it were easy to do that?”
“It’s possible, but not easy. All magic has a loophole.”
“So what’s the loophole in this case?”
Raum leaned onto his hands behind him. “It’s rare and expensive as shit, but we happen to be sitting in a cave full of treasure, and since there’s only two of us, I think we can swing it. It’s not useful in an invasion since it costs so much and wears off after only a couple hours.”
“Dare I ask what it is?”
“It’s a spell, inscribed on a stone and worn as an amulet. It’s risky to buy because the seller can’t be trusted as far as you can throw her, and as soon as you ask for it, it’s pretty obvious you’re planning a raid. Word spreads fast.”
They hadn’t even made a plan yet and already nerves were chewing a hole in her stomach. “And where do we acquire such a product?”
“The Blood Market.”
A chill raced down Sunshine’s spine, and she stiffened.
Slowly, she forced her muscles to unfreeze, swallowing hard.
Raum was looking at the fire and didn’t seem to have noticed her reaction, and she wanted to keep it that way.
The last thing she needed was for him to find another excuse to leave her behind.
Especially when she would be sorely tempted to stay.
“The Blood Market is busy,” she managed to say. “People will see us.”
Raum nodded. “We’ll wear the cloaks. And we’ll need to do something to cover your scent.”
“My scent?” She raised her arm to her nose and sniffed. “I don’t think I have a scent.”
“It’s more like a psychic scent. Most demons couldn’t detect it, but some can. You don’t smell like anything to me, but if Mist sniffed you, he’d probably know exactly what you are.”
She dug her fingernails into her palms to keep her hands steady. “How do I disguise my scent?”
“You won’t like it.”
“Why not?”
He was looking at her now, golden eyes brighter than anything in the treasure pile. Would she ever get accustomed to the intensity of that stare? “You could stay here.”
“I’m not staying here, Raum.” Despite how badly I want to. “What do I have to do?”
“The easiest way to make you smell like a demon is to kill one and cover you in its ashes.”
Her stomach lurched. “ Kill? As in … permanently kill?”
He nodded.
“Can’t you just use the blood?”
“You’d rather be covered in blood than ashes?”
She grimaced. “No.”
The corner of his mouth pulled up briefly. “The ashes are more effective anyway. The scent lasts longer. Trust me, it’s the worst thing you’ll ever smell.”
“Valefor,” Sunshine said before she could stop herself, remembering how Belial had burned the demon to ashes before her eyes.
Well, she’d been perched on top of the building across the street watching through the window, but the effect was the same.
And she’d certainly been able to smell it once Iris had opened the window.
Valefor hadn’t broken any rules—even the human he’d kidnapped had been a witch and therefore not under Heaven’s protection—and his death was unsanctioned.
Those complicit would face punishment if they were caught.
It was yet more leverage she could hold against Raum and his brothers if she so chose.
Raum’s brow furrowed. “You saw that?” He’d mentioned Valefor when they’d taken the hellgate to his former lair, but he’d avoided mentioning how he died.
She shifted on her feet. “I told you I was watching you, didn’t I?”
He didn’t answer, but his stare didn’t waver. The silence dragged on, until he suddenly twisted and lay down on the cot, kicking off his shoes and lacing his hands behind his head.
“We’ll go in a few hours when I’ve had some rest. Haven’t slept in two days.”
“Does the Market stay open at night?”
“Days are twice as long as Earth and nights are three times as long, but demons usually sleep every twelve hours or so. So nothing in Hell is dependent on the time of day. It’ll be open.”
“That sounds confusing and awful.”
“It’s Hell.”
She stood in silence and waited for him to say more, until she suddenly realized he planned on sleeping right then. In fact, he might’ve already fallen asleep.
She looked around, suddenly uncomfortable. If she was wise, she would get some rest as well.
She looked at the bed—the narrow bed—and winced. She wasn’t that tired. She would lay down on the rug by the fireplace for a bit to stretch out her back.
The floor was hard and uneven, and the rug only provided so much padding, but she studiously convinced herself she was fine where she was. She had no need to share the bed with Raum. That would be ridiculous.