She sat down on the black, plush sofa and could have sworn she felt it squeeze her butt. If she wasn’t currently in the Underworld, she’d think it was just her imagination.
“So,” Nathaniel didn’t sit down. He stood stiffly by the huge Andy Warhol-like portrait of
Donovan hanging on the wall. “This is a new look for you, isn’t it?”
Donovan smiled. And wow, what a smile. “You like?”
He shrugged. “Whatever it takes, I guess.”
“Nathaniel, you’re so cynical.”
“I’m not cynical. I’m practical.”
“Blah, blah, blah.” Donovan turned to Val. “Don’t you get sick of hearing him whine about everything?”
“You have no idea.”
He laughed. “He’s always been a whiner. You need to teach him how to let go of his little job issues. Stop taking everything so seriously. You look like a lot of fun, Val. Do you mind if I call you Val?”
“Not at all,” she breathed, thinking that he could call her anything. Then she frowned at herself. His charm was very overwhelming, and she couldn’t help but let it affect her. “But
I’m not teaching him anything. We’re not together. This is just a one-time thing.”
“I’m a big fan of one-time things.”
“I just bet you are,” Nathaniel said under his breath. But this time Val heard him.
“Nathaniel, don’t be rude.”
“Would you care for a glass of wine?” Donovan didn’t seem to care that the other demon was being a jerk.
“I am a little thirsty,” Reggie said. “So I vote a rousing yes.”
Val looked over at Nathaniel.
He scowled at her. “You want wine? I thought you were in a hurry to find this key of yours?”
“Don’t be such a party pooper. We have time for one glass of wine.”
“Donovan would you just stop it, already? I thought you were on a forced leave of absence from tempting. She’s mine, not yours, so don’t get any ideas. Lay off the mind tricks, would you?”
Donovan said nothing, but grinned at him.
Val stood up, which took a couple of tries since the couch seemed to be pulling her back down. “I’m yours? Dream on, demon.”
He rolled his eyes. “I wish this was just a dream. All of it.”
Donovan watched their exchange with obvious amusement. “Lovers’ quarrel?”
“No,” they said in unison.
Nathaniel shot Val a look then glanced at Donovan. “The only reason we’re here is to ask you if you’ve seen Julian lately.”
“Let’s have a glass of wine, first. Then we can talk about whatever our lovely Val wants.”
“Do you have white?” Reggie asked. “Red always gives me a major headache.”
“No,” Nathaniel said.
Val smiled. “Where’s the wine?”
Donovan gestured toward a set of swinging doors. “In the kitchen.”
Val turned to Nathaniel. “Go get us a couple glasses, would you? You don’t have to have one if you don’t want to.” He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, she added a, “Now.”
His jaw clenched and he turned toward the kitchen.
“Wait a sec.” She stopped him before he’d taken a step. He turned back, looking surprisingly relieved. She pulled Reggie off her shoulder getting a short protest from her whiskered friend.
“Take Reggie with you.”
Nathaniel walked toward her and snatched the rat away. They locked gazes for a moment and she could see flames dancing in his eyes before he turned back and walked into the kitchen.
Val sank back down into the friendly sofa.
“Quite impressive,” Donovan said, coming to sit next to her. “You command him very well. I never knew he was into that sort of thing.”
“Actually he hates it. But he doesn’t have much of a choice.”
“May I take your coat? You look awfully warm.”
That sounded like an excellent idea. She peeled it off and handed it to him. He tossed it to the side of the sofa, and then stared at her chest. “And that sweater looks rather confining.”
Val looked at him, into his light green eyes that stood out like chips of emerald against his dark skin. He was playing with her mind, like hypnosis. That’s what he was doing—making it so she was finding it difficult to resist his charms. Demon mojo. Making her feel woozy, just as Nathaniel had.
Donovan was right about one thing, though. The sweater was very confining. She took it off.
There was still a white tank top underneath so it wasn’t like she was stripping naked for him.
“And that tank top.” Donovan stroked a warm finger down her now bare arm. “Let’s have that, too.”
Mmm. Right. Stupid tank top. She started to pull at it, but stopped herself.
She frowned at him. “Wait a minute. This isn’t what I came here for. I don’t have time for any demon mind games. I get enough of that with Nathaniel. Now, I’m here to find Julian and supposedly you might know where to find him. Now talk—”
He pressed his finger to her lips to quiet her. And then tapped against them gently.