Page 16 of City of the Lost
He held it up, crusted with blood but completely healed.
“I can’t believe you punched a machine.”
“What did you expect me to do? Give it a hug?”
What? Wait. Had he just made a joke? My lips parted in a grin. “Look who grew a thense of humor.”
He cut a glance my way, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. An honest-to-God, genuine fucking smile. My heart stuttered and then began to beat a little faster, because damn if it wasn’t the most glorious thing ever.
“Would you like a cup of tea?” the little old lady called from the porch.
I blinked, tearing my gaze from Azren’s face. “No, thank you, Mith Finch.” The thought of anything hot on my tongue right now made me cringe. “My colleague isth on his way as we sthpeak. We’ll get you all sorted.”
She nodded but didn’t make a move to go back inside. Couldn’t blame her, really.
Azren had his face averted now, back on alert. Back on sentry duty, but that smile ... wow.
Noir was on his way, and the house would soon be warded. The little old lady was gonna get the star treatment at no cost, and to be honest, the poor biddy deserved it. That thing, whatever it had been, could have killed her. Question was, why hadn’t it?
5
“Wila bomb, you made it!” Mack lifted me off my feet in a crushing hug and rained kisses on my forehead.
“Urgh, quit your slobbering, you monster.” But I hugged him back.
He set me on my feet. “Come on, you’re just in time for the killer honey ale chug.”
Azren shot me a quizzical glance.
“It’s a potent, fermented concoction. Popular by those who don’t value liver function.”
“I can only take three pints before my knees give out,” Mack said. “But Wila here holds the Hunter and Prey all-time record for five pints.”
Yeah, he was right. “Not tonight.”
Mack pouted. “Oh, come on, Wila. I’ll split my winnings with you.”
It was a common misconception that with my stature and my female hormones there was no way I’d be able to hold my drink, but Mack and Tay had discovered quite quickly how false this assumption was. Alcohol didn’t affect me like it did most neph. In fact, it barely had any effect at all, so chugging several pints of killer honey ale in quick succession was like drinking several pints of weak ale, all it did was get rid of my inhibitions and lead to bad decision making—like the night I’d banged Tay.
So, it should definitely be a no, but Mack was fluttering his lashes at me and doing the totally adorable imploring eyes, and seriously, I’d learned my lesson the last time, right? I’d be careful this time ...
“Pwease ...”
I bit back a laugh. “Fine.” Shrugging off my coat, I handed it to Mack and then cut a path through the revelers. Fergus waved excitedly from behind the bar, his tiny face flushed and bright-eyed. Yeah, he’d had plenty of killer honey ale.
Mack’s hand at the small of my back propelled me the rest of the way to the bar, and before I knew it, several tankards had been lined up and people were shouting out bids. Fergus cackled. Of course, he knew the score. He’d been there the last time I’d kicked arse at this game.
I held a finger to my lips and dropped him a wink.
Azren leaned up against the bar to my left and folded his arms. My attention was immediately drawn to his toned, muscular forearms and then up to his biceps straining under his black T-shirt. I tore my gaze away. No ogling the Shedim, Bastion.
Mack held up his hands. “Quiet. Okay, we have our next contender. Bids are in.”
“She’ll be down by one,” someone shouted.
I bit back a smile. The bar hadn’t been half as busy the last time, and those that knew the score were wisely keeping their mouths shut, ready to cash in. Mack rang the bar bell, and I picked up the first tankard.
A minute and a half later, six tankards down, the world was pleasantly fuzzy. Time to tap out. With a belch worthy of a groundhog, I slammed the final tankard onto the bar.
