“I’m pleased to see you.”
“Are you? And why’s that?”
“Because now I not only have one fallen one waiting in the wings for me to take out my frustrations on, I have a backup. Which is good since I’m extremely frustrated.”
Instead of cowering at the intensity of his slightly wordy threat, Lisa took a few steps closer to the stage. “Come and get me.”
Julian grinned, then leapt off the stage.
“Excellent.” The mayor clapped his flippers. “At last, some decent entertainment!”
Reggie finally reached Val and she took the key from between his teeth. The chain was long gone so she slid it under her tank top and into her bra for safekeeping. She picked Reggie up and stared at Lisa, who was standing in front of the extremely frustrated blond demon.
What could she do to help her?
There was too much to lose if she did something stupid. Well, stupider than normal, anyhow.
Too much. She had the key. Her only hope now was to go back to Lloyd and hope he had the power to open a portal for her to get back home.
“If anything goes wrong here,” Lisa had said only moments ago. “Promise me you won’t look back. That you’ll just run.”
Val had promised. But it still didn’t make it any easier.
Keeping as low to the ground as she could, she ran back to the mansion’s doorway and slipped inside. Turning her head one last time, she saw Julian standing only inches away from the girl who seemed so small and delicate in front of him. So brave. So foolish. But Val wasn’t going to let Lisa’s sacrifice go to waste.
“We’re out of here,” she told Reggie.
“Not a moment too soon.”
The key would only work for a fallen one? In that case, only a matter of minutes remained before Val could put the last two months behind her once and for all. Everything would be the way it was supposed to be. Barlow and herself officially out of danger’s way. A perfect ending.
She felt the tears on her cheeks. Yeah, really perfect. But she wouldn’t think about that right now.
Focus. Have to focus.
She turned the next corner and skidded to a halt.
Nathaniel leaned against the wall, smoking a cigarette.
Val’s mouth dropped open.
He smiled. “Miss me?”
She just stared at him. “Nathaniel, is it really you? I thought . . . that you were . . .”
“In trouble?”
“Well, yeah.”
He shrugged.
She exhaled deeply, feeling a huge weight lift from her shoulders, leaving behind a giddy lightness. “I didn’t know what happened to you. But you’re here. You’re okay. And you look .
. .” She smiled at him. “You look great.”
“Thanks.” He flicked his cigarette away.
She moved closer to him. “I was so worried. But I should have known you’d handle yourself just fine. Now, we’re getting out of here. I’ll explain everything later.”
Nathaniel glanced at Reggie, then back at Val. “Where are we going?”
“Home. And we’re going, like, now. Come on.” She reached for his hand, but he pulled away and crossed his arms.
“Aren’t you going to command me to come with you?”
“Huh?”
His eyes narrowed. “Command me. Like the well-trained puppy you’re used to. Or perhaps you’d prefer to force me to tell you the truth?”
Val blinked. “We don’t have time for this—”
“Did you happen to know that every time you commanded me to do something it caused me pain? And you want to know something? I don’t care too much for pain, angel.”
Uneasiness settled over her. “Yeah, well, I promise to make it up to you.”
He smiled thinly. “Yes, I just bet you would.”
“Remember that thing I just said about no time? I kind of meant it. Now come on. Don’t be difficult.” She tried to grab his wrist but he twisted away from her
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Val glanced nervously over her shoulder. There was only a matter of minutes, if that, before somebody would be along the hallway. “Excuse me?”
“It’s over.” He smiled and cocked his head to the side. “But it was fun while it lasted. For, oh, ten minutes or so.”
She frowned. “What—?”
His gaze moved to the rat. “Reggie, you would have been so proud of me. All it took was a few flowery words and—well, let’s just say she’s certainly no angel underneath it all.”
Val’s mouth opened but she couldn’t find the words to speak.
“Don’t talk about her that way,” Reggie said, low and edgy.
“What way? I’m only speaking the truth. So typical. Honestly, they’re all the same. Women.
When a man tells her what they want to hear, they’ll give it up. Anything. Cease being themselves and become a plaything.” He shrugged. “Not that I’m complaining, of course.”