“She was luminous, Kerry. She looked nothing like the old lady in that cell!”
Gigi was still awe-struck over seeing Parvenah in the fullness of her power.
“She’s the peri queen.” I half-smiled. “I imagine she was very beautiful.”
“Yes, beautiful, but it was more than that. She had such a presence. I can’t describe it, but it felt … heavy to be near her. I know that probably doesn’t make any sense.”
“It does. I felt the same way when I met Mumtaz.”
“Mumtaz? Oh, the div king. Did you hang out with him? I thought you said he wasn’t nice.”
“He’s not. I met him once and, no, I didn’t hang out with him. You don’t hang out with someone like Mumtaz. But, yeah, I understand what you mean. He and Parvenah are not like us. They are,” I searched for a word and came up with, “otherworldly.”
“Thank you for asking me to help.” Gigi’s eyes glittered. “I’ll never forget that. Do you think I would feel the same way in the presence of an archangel?”
“Shoot, I dunno. Let me know if you ever meet one.”
She laughed.
“Why did they look at you like that?”
“Who?”
My nose had caught a whiff of something Diabolical and distracted me for whatever she was prattling on about.
“The people with Josef. They looked at you like you had sprouted horns or a second head. How come?”
“Gigi, I wasn’t a nice person before.”
We were only a block away from the safe house, and the scent grew stronger the closer we got.
Lots of Dark things in the city. No need to worry Gigi. Yet.
“So they knew your reputation and were surprised you turned over a new leaf.” She nodded her head, as if she’d made a decision.
They were probably wondering why Josef hadn’t brought a kill team along, but whatever she wants to believe.
I spiked up a little as we stepped through the front doors of the apartment building.
“What is it?” Gigi lowered the volume of her voice.
“Something Diabolical came in here.”
I followed the smell across the lobby to the central elevator, and she trailed along. I felt her gathering her power around her like a cloak.
“Recently?” she whispered as I pushed the call button.
“Within the last hour or so. Listen, when we get on the elevator, ’port us up to our place. And have the pass key ready. If the trail leads there, you’ll need to open the door quick. Idon’t think the management will understand a door torn off its hinges.”
“Okay.”
“It’s probably nothing.”
I didn’t want to scare her, but I didn’t believe that, either. Not with my kinda luck.
“Okay.”
The second the elevator doors closed behind them, Gigi touched my hand and we flashed to right outside our apartment. The stench was strong enough to make my eyes water and, the second she flung open the door, I raced in. Stumbling to a halt, I took in the scene with wide eyes.
