“Val? Where’s Mr. Moody? He-who-hates-the-rat? Demon-boy? Hello?”
She swallowed again and tried to find her voice. “He’s gone.”
“Do you know where he went? I thought he was bound to us. Well, to you, anyhow.”
“He was. I released him.”
She saw his whiskers twitch out of the corner of her eye. “You released him? Why?”
“Just had to.”
“You just had to release him? But he’s our ticket out of this hole.” His voice had gotten pitchy. “Remember? The whole bookcase-turns-into-dimensional portal deal? I kind of wanted it to be a two-way ride. It’s one thing to be stuck as a rat. I have to say I’m actually starting to enjoy it a little, especially the riding around on gorgeous women’s shoulders part.
The view from up here is spectacular, if you know what I mean. And I mean cleavage city.
But I’d rather be a rat at home, than a rat in the Underworld. Hey, maybe that will be the title of my autobiography. I like it. It’s catchy. Val?”
She shook her head. “We’re going to have to find another way out, I think.”
Lisa touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
Val felt a hot tear slip down her right cheek. That’s where it had been. Just building itself up until she had an audience for her eventual blubbering. Great.
“He’s gone.”
“Where did he go?”
“They summoned him back to . . . to Hell. And since he was still bound to me it was tearing him up—causing him major pain being pulled in two different directions. So I . . . had to release him. I had no choice.”
Lisa frowned. “I don’t understand. Punished for what?”
“Nathaniel’s been a bad boy, I guess,” Reggie said. “Geez, Val, what did you do, sleep with him, or something?” He laughed.
Val didn’t.
Reggie stopped, “Oh shit. You slept with him. Val! I’m shocked. And incredibly turned on at the same time.”
“Me, too,” Lisa said, then frowned. “The shocked part. I’m in no way turned on by imagining you having sex. Seriously. I draw the line at Angelina Jolie.”
“Oooh. Angelina Jolie,” Reggie murmured. “But, back on subject. What happened? You’ve only known him for a few days, right?”
She shrugged. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Did he force himself on you?” Lisa asked.
“No. If anything, I may have forced myself on him a little bit.” She almost smiled. “I’m not normally so . . .”
“Experimental?” Reggie offered.
“No.”
“Erotically inclined?”
“Reggie—”
“A naughty little monkey?”
“Could you please not help me? I’m happy you’re alive Reggie, but please be quiet.”
“Sorry.”
Her head ached. “Look, he said things to me. I said things to him. He told me that he loves me.”
Lisa’s eyebrows shot up. “He said that? And you believed him?”
Val frowned. “This subject is officially closed. I don’t want to discuss it any further with either of you. Got it?”
“It’s gotten,” Lisa said.
She waited for a response from the rat before she turned her head to try to look at him.
“Beyond gotten,” he said, raising a paw. “But for the record, I don’t think he was lying. Who could possibly know you and not love you?”
Val’s eyes brimmed with tears at that. “That is the nicest thing I think anyone’s ever said to me.”
“I know, I’ve used that line before. Works like a charm.”
She sighed. “You are a rat.”
“A rat who loves you.”
Val continued to follow Lisa through the hallways of the mansion. “I got the key, you know.
Nathaniel gave it to me.”
“You did?” Reggie said. “That’s great. And furthermore, then what the hell are we still doing here if we have the Key to Heaven?”
“You have the Key to Heaven?” Lisa repeated with surprise.
“I did, but Julian took it again. If it’s here in the mansion we have to get it back.”
“I’m getting sick of this stupid key,” Reggie said.
“Shhh,” Lisa commanded from over her shoulder. “Be quiet you two. We can’t let them know we’re here.”
“Who’s they?”