He shook his head. “Paimon won’t make that mistake again. If she hadn’t removed the chains, Lily would not have been able to.”
What he didn’t mention was that it shouldn’t have worked with just the cuffs on either. He didn’t know how that had happened, but he presumed it was a fluke that wouldn’t work a second time.
“Your human is no regular witch,” Raum mused.
“No.”
“Blood-born?”
“Must be.”
“That’s rare.”
Mist growled. “She’s mine.”
“Is she? Because it seems to me you’re hiding on the roof rather than claiming her.”
His claws dug back into the brick. “It’s for her safety.”
“Well, if you don’t want her, maybe I’ll—”
Mist swung his head around and snarled, simultaneously ripping the entire brick out of the wall and throwing it at Raum.
The demon ducked and then held up his hands with a smirk. “Just proving my point.” He stood. “If you’ve only got two weeks, maybe you should spend it with her instead of hiding on a roof. Just a suggestion. The rest of us will keep digging for info on the brands.”
Mist’s growl died in his throat. He’d done nothing to warrant their help. The contract they’d made only stated they had to provide him a place to live and assistance with understanding humans. There was nothing about helping him be free of Paimon.
It didn’t matter whether they succeeded. The fact that they were even trying… It meant something profound.
Raum nodded in farewell and then jumped off the side of the building, transforming into a crow as he fell. With a few pumps of sleek wings, he vanished into the fading light.
Mist went back to his gargoyle-like perch on the edge.
It didn’t matter what Raum or Lily said. She was better off without him in her life. He was still branded. He was still a slave. He still only had a few days of freedom left.
He told himself to spread his wings and fly away as Raum had, to leave the witch to live her life. He told himself to make the smart choice, the one that would save him the most pain later when things inevitably went south.
And yet, no matter what warnings he gave himself, he couldn’t seem to leave.
* * *
Meph appearedat Belial’s side just as he turned the corner at the end of the block.
Bel groaned. “I thought I told you to stay home.”
After Lily hung up on him, Belial had threatened Meph with creative torture until he told him where she lived. Then he’d threatened more torture if he or Raum tried to follow him when he went to pay her a visit.
So, of course, they both had.
He’d seen Raum perched in a tree in the neighbor’s yard, but he hadn’t noticed Meph until now, and that pissed him off.
“And I told you to be nice,” Meph shot back. “Big fail.”
Bel made a low noise in his throat. Okay, it was a growl.
Meph didn’t take the hint. He never did. “Did you have to be such a dick?”
“Yes, I did.”
