Meph glanced over his shoulder. “He’s not here.”
The demon was lucky he was behind the wards, because if she could have reached him, she might have strangled him. “You knew he wasn’t here, yet you didn’t feel the need to tell me thatbeforeI shared all that?”
“I was curious.” He shrugged. “You’re not so bad. I suppose I can get behind this demon-angel relationship. It’s taboo. I like it. Who knew Raum was such a kinky freak.”
She sputtered furiously. “There is nothing— It’s notkinky—”
“He went to take his hellrat back to the animal shelter. Eva gave him a ride.”
“He…what?”
“The wrinkly gray rat he had with him.”
“Luna is a dog,” Sunshine said, affronted. “Not a rat.”
Meph grinned suddenly. “You know, Raum said it the exact same way. You guys really are meant to be.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear you approve, but I really must—”
A summons rang through her mind, and she broke off.
Raphael.
Her heart skipped a beat. Why was Raphael summoning her? There was no reason for him to— Unless… But no. Only an hour or so had passed since their meeting. There was no way he’d found results so quickly.
She blinked back to reality and suddenly remembered the other urgent matter she’d come here to discuss. She’d wanted to tell Raum, but it wouldn’t hurt to warn Meph too.
“Listen to me now.” She leaned as close to him as she could get without hitting the ward. “You and your brothers are in danger. Heaven is very close to finding you. I would advise you to leave the city now.”
“I don’t think—”
“I must go, but I need you to tell Raum that he was right—”
“Wait, you’re not going to find him? After all that?”
She shook her head. “I’ve been summoned. But please, you must tell Raum that everything he guessed was right, and I was wrong. Tell him the dreams are real. Tell him I’ll find him as soon as I can, but right now, I have to take care of something. And for the love of the Spheres, be careful. I meant what I said about leaving the city.”
She had to find a way to sabotage Raphael’s research before he got any further. She should have accidentally lit the room on fire when she was there. She was a fool for thinking she would have time to plan.
“I have to go. Just…tell Raum. Please.”
Meph’s eyes were wide. “I will.”
* * *
“See you later!”Eva called to Raum as he climbed out of her tiny car and let Luna out behind him. Eva had offered to drop them off at the shelter on her way to see a show with her friend Skye.
“And don’t worry,” she said with a grin before he shut the door. “I’ll get to work softening up Bel so you can keep that dog.”
Luna’s tail wagged at Raum’s side as if she knew Eva was talking about her. Raum hadn’t said anything about adopting Luna, but when he’d gone downstairs to ask for a ride, Eva had taken one look at her and gotten hearts in her eyes.
Both Luna and Sunshine could get whatever they wanted with those big innocent eyes. The pair of them were a menace.
With another wave, Eva gunned it, and her little car shot off down the road. Maybe Ash was rubbing off on her. She’d been driving a little faster than she used to, especially for someone so adamant about not letting ‘speed demons’ drive her car.
What Raum really needed was his own fucking car. He couldn’t keep expecting to find rides to the shelter all the time, and he couldn’t always fly in crow form. Today was proof of that.
If he could have, he would’ve gotten more involved atAnge Gardien. Caro struggled with finances and overcrowding, and the kennels were in need of an upgrade. He’d join in on the management level to help her out if he could.
