“Of course. Anything you desire.”
“You’ve been summoned against your will and are currently trapped inside that circle there.
Are you angry with me right now?”
“Furious.”
Val’s eyebrows went up.
He frowned deeply.“What . . . I didn’t mean that. Yes, I did. I’m furious right now. I want to—” He clamped a hand over his mouth.
“What?” she prompted, though an unpleasantly cold chill had gone down her spine at his answer. “What do you want to do?”
His eyes narrowed and he lowered his hand from his mouth. “I want to tear you apart.”
“Yikes,” Reggie said. “Are those actual flames in that dude’s eyes?”
Val swallowed hard. He wasn’t lying now. This was the truth and nothing but the truth. But it didn’t change anything. He could be as mad as he wanted to be about this situation—he couldn’t do anything about it.
“You need to let me out of here right now,” Nathaniel said, though his expression hadn’t gotten any friendlier. “You don’t know what you’re doing. You’re in way over your head, little angel. I have given you the opportunity to come with me and you need to realize that it’s for the best. Your best. My best. There is no room for argument. And there is no time for these games. None of this means—”
“Shut up.” His words filled her brain up so much that she couldn’t concentrate. It was like having every TV channel on at the same time with the volume turned up to maximum.
He didn’t say another word.
She began pacing back and forth between the sofa and the bookcase, all eight feet of it.
“Okay, Nathaniel, let’s get something straight. I don’t like you. But I’ve summoned a demon for a reason, and just because the demon I’ve ended up with is you doesn’t change my plans.”
He raised a dark eyebrow, but said nothing.
“I need you to help me find a demon named Julian. I believe you two know each other. He’s stolen something from a friend of mine. Something important. I need to get it back. This is nonnegotiable. There’s no time to waste. I want to leave immediately for wherever you, as a fellow demon, think he might have gone. Once I get the item back, I will release you. After that I don’t want to see you again. Ever. Am I making myself perfectly clear?”
He glared at her. Then nodded his head.
“And don’t even think about trying anything funny. This summoning spell binds you to me.”
She squeezed the crystal in her pocket tightly. “You have to obey me. And as we just proved a minute ago, you can’t lie to me.” The thought almost made her smile. “Got it?”
Another nod, this time slower and even less friendly than before.
“Now, Reggie.” Val pulled him off her shoulder so she could see his furry face. “It’s probably best if you stay here. When Claire wakes up you need to talk things through with her. You have to get her to reverse your spell.”
His little beady eyes got very wide. “Are you kidding me? I know her. I figure she’s got at least another two days before she feels open enough not to turn me into mincemeat. Besides coming with you gives me even more of a chance to prove to her that I’m not just a big loser.
That I’m actually brave and noble. And other crap like that. I’m coming with you guys.”
“No, you are certainly not coming with us.”
“Pleeeaaase?”
Val frowned and moved him closer so she could look him right in his little black eyes. “It’s easier this way. Trust me.”
“Pleeeaaase?” He tickled her with his whiskers that time, and she rubbed her face.
“You’d rather come with me to track down a demon who-knows-where, than stay here until your girlfriend wakes up?”
“Without question.”
Val studied the rat for a moment. He seemed very serious and sincere. Maybe it would be a good thing to take him along. She didn’t want to be alone with Nathaniel if she could help it.
Not that she was nervous about being one-on-one with the painfully gorgeous demon, giving him the access to now try to tempt her constantly without a chance for her to catch her breath.
Not that she’d ever give in to temptation, that is. But was that a good enough reason to put
Reggie in danger, too?
She glanced at the demon, then at the rat, and sighed.
It was better to be safe than sorry.
“Okay, you can come.”
“Hooray! I think.”
She turned to Nathaniel who was tapping his foot impatiently.
“Nathaniel, this is Reggie. He’s coming with us.”
“Hey, Nate,” Reggie said. “Is it okay if I call you Nate?”
Nathaniel crossed his arms and looked away.
“What’s with the silent treatment?” Val asked.
Nathaniel glanced at her and pointed to his mouth.
She was confused. “What?”
“Oh,” Reggie said. “You did tell him to shut up a minute ago. Since he’s compelled to obey you, I guess that’s what he’s doing. He can’t talk.”
Hmm, Val thought. I think I’m going to like this.
With a motion of her hand, she said, “You may talk again.”
Nathaniel gritted his teeth. “You are going to pay for this, Valerie. You have no idea how dearly.”