“Does he remember... ?” She trailed off, unable to actually saydrinking my bloodout loud.
Raum shook his head.
Meph said, “And we’re not about to remind him either.”
“Works for me. Did he eat?” Why did she care?
“Ash doesn’t eat much.”
“Why not?”
“We don’t have to eat to survive, but demons love indulgences, so we choose to because it’s fun. But Ash doesn’t taste anything, so he doesn’t get any enjoyment out of it. He only eats when Bel makes him.”
“Oh.” Poor Ash.
Eva finished her breakfast and went into the kitchen to wash her plate just as Belial appeared, holding her cell phone. He took one look at her standing by the sink and smiled.
“Hey, assholes, look at this. Eva’s washing dishes. You should come here and take notes. Or better yet, help her.”
“I hate dishes,” Meph complained. “I like to kick back after eating. That takes all the fun out of it.”
“You know what really takes the fun out of it? Me punching you in the stomach.”
Eva couldn’t stifle her grin. The crazy brothers were growing on her.
“Here’s your phone.” Bel set it on the counter and then crossed his bulky arms. “Your mom seems cool.”
She dropped the dishcloth and turned to glare up at him, pretending she wasn’t still severely intimidated in his presence. She summoned all her courage for her next words. “She is cool. And if anything happens to her because of this, I will study witchcraft for as long as it takes to learn how to trap you and force you to experience burning agony for the rest of all time. Is that clear?”
Belial nodded encouragingly. “Very creative and descriptive. I like it.”
“I’m threatening you. You’re supposed to be cowed, not impressed.”
He patted the top of her head like she was a toddler and went into the other room to speak to Meph and Raum. “We’re going to meet Eva’s mother, and we need to leave now. One of you go get Asmodeus and tell him the plan.”
“You go,” Raum said.
“No way,” Meph replied. “I already went out there, and he tried to stab me with a lit cigarette.”
“He shouldn’t be outside at all,” Bel grumbled. “He knows the wards don’t extend onto the deck.”
“I tried to tell him that, but he wasn’t exactly in a listening mood,” Meph said.
Bel sighed. “He’s extra moody today.”
Raum dropped his voice to a whisper. “Give him a break. His human’s going to dump him.”
Eva winced. She may have underestimated their hearing, but she was pretty sure they underestimated hers as well. She continued washing dishes as quietly as she could, straining to hear.
“He’ll be fine,” Bel whispered, “we just have to get him to play music and figure out how to make the curse lift. Women will swarm him again, and he can go back to being the Prince of Lust if he wants.”
“You’re sure that’s how it happened?” Meph asked.
“It’s the only explanation that makes sense.”
Eva stared at the soapy dishwater, recalling the events of that night. Was that why those women had approached and Skye had suddenly noticed him? Because playing music somehow counteracted the curse?
“You’re forgetting something important,” Meph whispered. “He had a crowd of women after him, but he didn’t want any of them. He just wantedher.”
