Page 23 of Hellbound
“I hear the food here kills humans so fast.”
Marian grabbed her mug and raised it to her lips.
“I can think of worse ways to die. Like double crossing a demon.”
Another bright laugh. “You’re, like, so funny. And I am obsessed with the nineties grunge look you have going on. But seriously, John Vale is a liar, and a bunch of us agree that he’s dangerous.”
It took every ounce of Marian’s composure to keep her eyes from widening. He killed me last night, so yeah, that checks out. But he’d brought her back, too. She took a long sip of her still-too-hot coffee while she pieced together her reply.
“Who is ‘we?’ You have a rule where only one demon can be present at a public function. You all hate each other.”
Verinne offered a dainty shrug. “Sometimes we unite against a common enemy. Like Kennedy.”
Kennedy? Which Kennedy? Nope. Don’t touch that.
“So, you formed a ‘we hate John Vale’ club? How petty.”
“You wouldn’t understand. You’re mortal. Young—” The demon hesitated as her eyes fell to Marian’s frown lines. “—ish. You have no idea what it’s been like trying to coexist with him. He acts like he’s on an island all by himself while he pretends not to meddle in our affairs. He’s a total scammer.”
Marian arched a brow. “Didn’t you used to be the head of a multilevel marketing scheme?”
For the first time since Verinne sat down, a crack appeared in the plastic of her Barbie-like face. Her smile faltered—not quite a frown, but a flaw. There, then vanished by a blinding smile.
“That was a long time ago.”
Marian took another swig of coffee. “Ten years. Must be a blink for a demon. You went by Cassandra Foiles then. Didn’t you have to pay back a buttload of money?”
The demon tossed her hair over her right shoulder with a brittle laugh. “You do your homework. I’m impressed. Most divers don’t care about that. They just want a check.”
“Oh, I want a check. But I also want to know why you think Vale wouldn’t launch me into the sun after screwing him over for a demon who, when we last spoke, couldn’t afford me.”
Verinne’s warm brown eyes darkened. “A lot’s changed since then. My company’s doing very well, as you’ve probably seen on the Morning Show.”
“I don’t have a TV.”
Verinne blinked slowly. “My past might be a little sketchy, but whose isn’t? I’ve accepted that Earth is my home, and I want to play by human rules now. I don’t want to keep starting over like Vale insists we do every few decades; it’s exhausting. If I’m going to be stuck here, then I want to enjoy my life while I figure out why I’m here in the first place. But I’m tired of the bullshit and the in-fighting. We should be working together. I seem to be one of the few who believe that.”
The demon’s voice dropped an octave as she spoke, and the smiling mask fell away to expose something far more somber.
Marian couldn’t help the pity that crept into her heart. She knew all too well what that brutal cycle was like. To have nothing, then something, then to lose it all and start over. Except Marian currently had nothing. The same couldn’t be said for Verinne.
“You paying me to find whatever you think he’s after is more cloak and dagger, though.”
Verinne shook her head. “This is different. I won’t keep what you find a secret. We all deserve to know what he’s seen.”
Marian unconsciously tore up an empty sugar packet as she turned the demon’s words over in her head.
You promised Mr. Vale. And you promised yourself you wouldn’t get involved in their grudges.
After a lengthy silence, Marian replied. “I’ll think about.”
Verinne’s gaze hardened.
“I can protect you from him, if that’s your concern.”
Wave after wave of nausea lapped at Marian as she imagined herself on Mr. Vale’s bad side when his good side already left so much to be desired. She shoved her mug to the middle of the table and scooted to the edge of the booth. “I said I’ll think about it. I’ll call your guy when I’ve made a decision.”
Verinne grabbed her purse and quickly followed suit. Her affable mask returned.
