Page 12 of Reaper Unhinged
Now everyone was looking at me. I cleared my throat. “He’s a daemon. That’s what daemons look like.”
God, what was wrong with me? He didn’t need me to stand up for him, especially not in this situation where it was obvious Petra was trying to do something nice for him.
My brain was obviously fried from my trip to Purgatory. A wasted fucking journey where I’d only been able to save one core and almost got my backup killed. Urgh.
“The tea could come in handy,” Cora said. “Allow Keon to come out with us during the day.”
Keon’s brows shot up. “Yes, I want this tea.”
“It’s a deal then,” Petra said. “I’ll make you some tea, and you bring me roots from the Underealm the next time you go.”
We fell into silence, and my attention went back to Uriel, sleeping peacefully on the sofa. The guys had stripped off his jacket and shirt, and his side was swathed in bandages. Someone had slit his jeans, and Petra had bandaged his thigh wound.
He looked like a designer angel with his mussed dark hair and unwittingly stylish stubble. The knot in my stomach loosened as the last of the adrenaline that had flooded me dispersed.
It could have been so much worse, but, “It shouldn’t have gone down like it did. Uriel shouldn’t have been possessed. The fact he was means that he isn’t full celestial.”
Grayson padded over and handed me and Cora each a mug of coffee. “I have to head out on patrol,” he said. “We got a lead on a vamp nest, and we’ve been staking it out in the hope that the super vamps will attack.”
Yeah, we needed to make sure business as usual didn’t slide. I nodded wearily. “I’ll down this and get changed, then we can go.”
He smiled and leaned in to kiss my forehead. “I think you can sit this one out.”
I didn’t even have the energy to argue. “Thanks.”
He left with the pack a few moments later.
“The celestial didn’t know,” Keon said. “He wouldn’t have risked your life by going with you if he thought he could be possessed.”
“I know.”
“So, what now?” Cora asked.
“First thing tomorrow, I pay Cassius a visit.”
* * *
Grayson wasn’t backfrom the stakeout yet, and the bed looked too large and empty without him. I was bone-weary, and if I was going to face Cassius in the morning, I needed to be on form.
I changed into my sleep shorts and vest and was about to climb into bed when Cyril slid into the room.
“Where the hell did you come from?” I glanced about. “Don’t tell me this place has nooks and crannies too?”
“You’d be sssurprised,” he said.
There was movement behind him and then Delphine joined us. She was smaller than Cyril, but her body shimmered pink and coral with an inner glow that was pure magic. She was beautiful.
“I wanted you to meet Delphine,” Cyril said.
“Nice to meet you officially.” Delphine’s voice was a sibilant purr.
“Likewise.”
“Cyril speakss highly of you.”
Strange to think they chatted about me. “Um, thanks.” I sat on the bed, suddenly curious about this creature that lived on a daemon’s back. “So, Delphine, how does this work? You and Keon? Are you real?”
Delphine flicked out her tongue. “That would depend what your definition of real is. I belong to Keon, and I live because he livesss. We are symbiotic, and we are autonomous.”
