She sputtered, and if he didn’t know better, he’d almost say she looked worried. Probably because she didn’t want her contracted demon servant splatting on the concrete. Regenerating a flattened skull would take a while.
“I’m going to talk to my brothers and get changed. Then you can flash us back.”
“Just be quick about it.”
He wasn’t going to be, just to spite her. He was going to take the longest shower he possibly could, until Bel yelled at him for using all the hot water.
“Did you get the robes?”
“No.” She shot him a look. “I was planning to go while you inevitably take forever in your apartment because you know it will irritate me.”
He almost smiled. “I can’t cheat, remember? It’s all in the contract.”
She rolled her eyes. The sweet, charming angel blatantly rolled her eyes. This time he smiled for real.
She blinked, staring at him like she’d never seen him before.
His smile evaporated, and he shifted again and swooped off the edge of the building down to his bedroom window. Like Mist’s in the room beside him, he always left it open a crack when he went out in case he felt the need to return via flight. Mist’s window was currently closed, which usually meant he and Lily were there.
Perching on the sill, Raum slipped through the crack and shifted into human form once he was inside. The first thing he did was pull his phone out of his pocket—it was working again—and text Caro, letting her know he probably wouldn’t be able to come into the shelter next week.
She was understanding, but he still felt like an asshole. He’d made a commitment, and he knew she needed him. Luna, the traumatized stray, needed him.
This is the angel’s fault, he reminded himself.That’s why I have to get rid of her.
He plugged his phone in to charge and barely spared a glance at the room that had so depressed him a couple days before. He dug through his dresser for clean clothes. Though he normally preferred sweats or anything he could work out in, today he chose a pair of wyrm leather pants.
Wyrm leather was capable of growing or shrinking with a demon shifting forms and was one of the most common fabrics in Hell. He figured the pants would come in handy on his mission.
Tucking his clothes under an arm, he went into the hall and heard voices in the main room, so he detoured there before hitting the shower. He stepped around the corner and stopped in his tracks.
It was a disaster zone of epic proportions. The liquor shelf had been emptied out, and bottles were spread around like the aftermath of a frat party. There were cans lined up on the counter and the end tables by the sofa. Bel’s normally spotless kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off.
Mist stood at the sink, washing dishes. Considering he was in demon form—seven feet tall, dark gray skin, wings, and a whip-like tail—it was a strange sight. Lily was stacking dirty dishes into manageable piles by the sink for Mist. Across the room, Iris was tossing empty bottles into a big recycling bag. Everyone looked like shit.
Mist blinked glowing yellow eyes at Raum. “Good morning.”
“What happened here?”
“Iris and Meph took it upon themselves to attempt getting Belial intoxicated enough to lose consciousness.”
“But—” Raum rubbed his eyes. “I thought you guys were at the club.”
“We were,” Iris said, wiping her brow with the back of her hand and lowering the bottle bag. “But when we got home… After-party, you know.” She rolled her eyes at the look on his face. “I know it was stupid, but I felt bad for Bel. He wanted to come out, I could tell, but he refused. So we brought the party to him.”
“Where’s Meph?”
“Still sleeping, the fucker.” Her eyes narrowed in the direction of Meph’s room. “I tried to wake him up, but he didn’t even twitch an eyelid.”
Raum snorted. “Convenient.”
“Yeah. For him. We want to get this cleaned up before Belial wakes up.”
“Wait. Bel’s asleep?”
At this, Iris grinned. “Oh yeah. He passed out hard.”
Raum’s brows shot up.
