Page 178 of House of Pain
Blaze clenched his jaw so tight it hurt but didn’t say anything.
Another laugh came, and their heads snapped to the stairs.
“He’s in the Dean’s office,” Jolene said, and she didn’t even wait for the rest of them, running up the stairs two at the time.
They followed her.
Nobody was in the Dean’s reception, and the door to the office was wide open, dim light coming from inside.
Val took a step forwards, but Blaze yanked her back.
“You have a spell that can banish him?” he asked, keeping his voice low. Val nodded. “And he doesn’t know it because it was a projection back in the tower. We have the upper hand then.”
“Yes,” Val breathed out. “But I don’t want him banished. I want him chained in our basement. If we banish him, we don’t find out who the fuck messed with us.”
Blaze glared at her for a moment, wanting to argue that catching a demon was not smart.
But Val was right.
They needed to know who was after them.
When they entered the office, Rogue occupied the Dean’s chair, his legs resting on the desk, crossed over the ankles.
Alecto wasn’t with him.
“Wonderful,” Rogue said, grinning. “Everything is going according to the plan, I see.”
“Where did you take Alecto?” Blaze gritted out.
“I didn’t lay a finger on Black.”
Fucking bastard.
Someone else was there with them.
“Where’s the Book?” Val asked.
Rogue opened a drawer, lifting their Book and tossing it on the desk.
“Where is Alecto then?” Andro asked.
“I’ll give you your Book back,” Rogue said. “Well, I’m not going to give it to you, but I’ll tell you where it is.”
Son of a bitch.
“This is another projection,” Blaze said. “Fuck him, let’s go to the Blood Lake.”
Rogue didn’t seem to be worried about them figuring out that detail. His smile didn’t waver.
“Wait,” Val said, gripping Blaze’s forearm. She then jerked her chin at Rogue. “Where is the Book?”
“So, you want the Book more than you want your Liaison?”
Blaze clenched his jaw. Rogue chuckled.
“Answer me,” he urged. “We don’t have all night.”
A beat of silence passed amongst them, and they exchanged a glance.
