Chapter 3 #3
A person who was once so sweet to me. Who fucked me into the mattress and made me feel sexy and intelligent and intriguing.
I swallow.
“Uh, is this a decision the team has made as a whole?” I ask weakly, not looking away from Gideon. I can’t; I’m afraid to. If I take my eyes off him, he might… attack?
I’m such an idiot.
I squeeze my eyes shut, and when I open them, make sure I’m looking somewhere else—specifically at Andrew elbowing Gideon again.
The lucifer clears his throat. “We voted on potential candidates,” he says, and there’s a thread of amusement there as he looks from me to Gideon and back. “Not everyone voted the same way, but nobody used their veto.”
I must look confused, because Lily explains. “We each have the ability to veto an option when we put things to a vote. But we have to be able to justify the veto with evidence, or we lose the right next time.”
I nod. Okay. So Gideon just hates me personally but doesn’t have any professional reason not to want me on the team.
Maybe he’s antihuman. I wouldn’t blame him if he was—his job is to protect the community from humans, so he’s probably uncovered some nasty shit.
Plus, having humanity designate his whole species as minions of evil probably doesn’t help.
And there’s the whole thing that happened during the species wars where humans began “summoning” demons—forcing teleportation, basically—and enslaving them, and now no demon will ever share their full name. But then why hook up with me?
“We wouldn’t be interviewing you if everyone on the team wasn’t willing to work with you,” Elinor assures me.
There’s an awkward silence.
“Why don’t we talk about the job?” David suggests, and I grasp that idea gratefully.
Over the next half hour, they lay out the exact specs of what they do and how I would need to support them. I’ve got to admit, it’s a peach of a job. Interesting, fast-paced, well-paid…. There’s potential for travel too.
Honestly, there are just three things holding me back. First, I would need to leave my current team. They’re a huge pain in my ass, but they’re mine, and they’ve become family.
Second, this is a high-profile team. While the previous administrator didn’t get as much attention as the investigators, there were still eyes on her.
There was information about her life online, and people talked about her in the context of the team.
Do I really want that? Especially since I am human?
Will that factor add to people’s interest? Will it piss them off?
And third… the scowling asshole sitting across the table.
“So what do you think?” the lucifer asks, and I look up to see six pairs of eyes fixed on me.
“I’m very interested,” I admit. “I… Could I have some time to think about it? And… have you considered what the community reaction might be to having a human on the team?” I didn’t really want to ask that, since it makes the community sound antihuman, but it’s a valid concern.
To my surprise, Elinor crows triumphantly and holds her hand out to Andrew. “Pay up, bloodsucker! I told you he’d consider all aspects.”
Andrew grumbles as he digs a twenty out of his wallet, but there’s a tiny smile playing around his lips.
They seem to have great team chemistry. Well, I’m not sure about Gideon, since he hasn’t spoken yet.
At all. Not once. Not a single comment the entire time the others were telling me about the job.
“We have considered it,” David says. “There’s the possibility that there will be some backlash, but we think the fact that you’ve worked here for so many years will weigh in your favor.”
“We might have a PR rep do some careful spin, though,” Lily admits, and I push down the wave of anxiety that causes. A PR rep? “Spinning” details of my life? Do I really want that?
“Tell you what,” Andrew says, propping his forearms on the table and leaning forward.
“We blindsided you with this, so you probably want to think about it. Plus, you don’t know us, and we only know you from your employment profile.
Why don’t we all go out for lunch?” He glances at the lucifer.
“Not you, Percy, sorry. You have that lunch with the save the vapid debutantes society or whatever.”
The lucifer winces. “It’s the Young Women of Society association,” he corrects in a pained tone.
Lily snorts. “Not a single member is under the age of one hundred and fifty, because their aims and purpose haven’t changed in about that many years. Go along now, sir, and flatter the wealthy women so they’ll donate money to good causes.”
As the others chuckle, the lucifer turns to me and says, “Do you see what I have to put up with?” There’s a twinkle in his eye, though, that makes me think this kind of banter is normal—and that he agrees with Lily and Andrew about the… whatever they’re called.
He gets up and comes around the table, and I scramble to my feet as he offers his hand. “It’s been good to meet you. Lunch is on us. Spend some time getting to know these vagrants.”
“Uh, thank you. It’s an honor to meet you.”
He saunters from the room, and I turn back to the table to find the others have all stood and are watching me with expressions ranging from sunny smiles to a dark glower—bet you can’t guess who that is.
“Are you ready?” David asks.
I guess I’m going to lunch.