Page 19 of Devils Don’t Deal

“It’s like being inside a slimy shell,” I said, trying not to look impressed. Objects didn’t get to be impressed.

He raised a brow and slowly tapped his fingers. “Have you spent a lot of time inside shells? I understand that you can fairy-shrink.”

“Ah, I can do that, but not for very long. But now I don’t have to try to fit into a shell and get out before I get huge and explode it or get stuck, because I’m here, and this room is so perfectly shell-like.”

He sniffed. “If you haven’t been, how could you possibly know? I’m capable of making objects larger. We could expand a shell then check inside. Perhaps this room isn’t slimy enough.”

I gave him a flat smile. “I’m sure I don’t have time to examine the sliminess of shells when I’m working on my menu. Do you have any preferences?”

“I don’t derive a great deal of pleasure from food.”

I gasped, horrified and suddenly so sad for the poor devil. I patted his hand before I remembered that I was his object. He was warm, silky, and felt so good to touch. His hand curled around mine automatically, and for a second, we were like that, until I blinked and pulled away.

“Sorry. I don’t mean to touch you casually. There’s nothing casual about our relationship. It’s all strictly defined by the contract.”

He studied me like he’d never seen me before. “Agreed. You are far more tempting than you should be. I’m not a believer in resisting temptation, but our relationship is very clearly defined by our deal, at least until you meet the terms. I am a great believer in deals.”

I swallowed hard while his attention did something unpleasant to my insides. “So the woman in the pocket watch? Who is she? Will she want to kill me?”

His smiled and leaned back. “She will.”

Gulp. “Why?”

“Because she wants to kill everyone.”

I glowered at him. “And you just let her go? Part of our deal is keeping me alive, or have you forgotten?”

He waved a negligent hand. “She’s been in the wild woods for a long time. She’s much weaker than she was. And we live in a big world filled with responsible caretakers of humanity. One of them can worry about her.”

“Why would they worry? What is she going to do?”

He smiled, the most dangerous smile I’d ever seen. “She’ll get stronger.”

“And how does she do that? I’m thinking drink blood or something along those lines.”

He shrugged. “It’s none of my business.”

I held very still, staring at the devil while the obvious fact that he didn’t care about how many people the terrifying creature he’d released would kill struck me. He didn’t care at all.

I kicked him. Hard.

He blinked at me, looking more curious than hurt. “What was that?”

“Sometimes objects malfunction. I wouldn’t worry about it. Were we going to eat? I need to get back to The Rabbit Hole.”

He snapped his fingers, the door opened, and a white woman—as in powdered bright white from curling pompadour to toes and elaborately embroidered suit between—came in carrying trays loaded with the most beautiful food in each hand: soup and vegetables along with an enormous meat tray of steaming lamb mixed with sausages and bacon.

I dug in, feeding the rabbit bits of lettuce from my salad, using my claws and teeth to rip into everything. I didn’t try to be a delicate and charming companion. The devil had just released some murderer, and it wasn’t his problem? Seriously? I wanted to bite him.

That made it my problem, because she wouldn’t have been released if it hadn’t been for my debts. Fine. I’d figure out how to take care of her. I’d start by reporting her to Lieutenant Sato as soon as I got the chance. I’d have to bake her something nice again.

I glared up at the devil, who was staring at me with open fascination. Hadn’t he ever seen a fairy-goblin eat? Considering how many fairy-goblins there were…no, he hadn’t. It wasn’t pretty. “What happened to my strawberry shortcake?”

He raised a brow. “I ate it. It was filled with gratitude and respect. Did you intend it for someone else, perchance?”

I hmphed. “At least you didn’t stick it in a weird vault where you keep all your deal mementos. Wasting cake is a crime.”

His devilish smile was delighted. “I’m perfectly comfortable being a criminal.”