Page 31 of Hellbound

Her phone buzzed immediately, giving Marian a start.

VALE:

YOURS. CALL IT A “GIFT.”

She frowned at her screen, forgetting her exhaustion as her heart slammed into her ribs.

MARIAN:

WHY WOULD YOU GIVE ME A GIFT? YOU’VE NEVER GIVEN ME ANYTHING BEFORE.

VALE:

“THANK YOU” WAS THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE. BUT IF YOU MUST KNOW, IT’S SO I NEVER HAVE TO LOOK AT THE RAGS YOU WORE TO MY OFFICE EVER AGAIN.

Her frown twisted into a sneer. She regretted starting this conversation already. There was a reason she preferred email. But a momentary lapse in judgment meant the demon had her cell phone number now. And Marian had a gift from Vale to go along with the odd flutter in her belly.

MARIAN:

AND YOU JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE AN ENTIRE OUTFIT IN MY SIZE LYING AROUND?

Marian had to wait a few seconds this time for his reply.

VALE:

GET SOME SLEEP, MEYER. YOU LOOK LIKE YOU NEED IT.

She made a sound of disgust and sent one last text before setting her phone down for the night.

MARIAN:

SHOW A LITTLE RESPECT FOR THE WOMAN WHO’S ABOUT TO DIE FOR YOUR GODDAMN KEY.

What a colossal waste of time that was. Now her blood pressure was spiking, and she had nothing to show for it. Asshole.

For a fleeting moment, Verinne’s offer appealed only out of spite. But at least Mr. Vale had distracted her for a bit from the next item on her to-do list.

Die.

CHAPTER TEN

Monday dawned without mercy. Marian awoke to a clear blue sky out her window. Another glorious California morning.

Rude, Marian thought to herself; by nightfall, she’d be in Hell.

She spent the day inside preparing herself for the journey and ruminating. Her nervous stomach couldn’t handle anything heavier than packet ramen. The few mouthfuls of noodles she’d choked down writhed in her belly.

Verinne had called while she was eating. Marian let it go to voicemail and listened to the demon’s insipid, crackling voice as she sipped broth from a coffee mug.

“Hey girl! Just wanted to touch base and see if you’d given my offer any thought. No rush, but I’d love to know one way or another … soonish. Ciao.”

Verinne herself was pursuing Marian now. Smells like desperation.

Marian couldn’t delete the message fast enough. She’d been too focused on her upcoming dive to give the demon’s proposal any more thought. The entire encounter left her with a foul taste in her mouth.

It was dark by the time Marian arrived a few houses down from the Inglewood address Lloyd Wertz had sent her. She was about to check the time when the sound of flip-flops slapping pavement made her look up from her phone.

Tori jogged down the sidewalk dressed in skintight eggplant leggings and a matching sweatshirt. Her vinyl backpack dangled from her shoulder as she waved at Marian. “There you are! I wasn’t sure where to park.”