“No, but I have more of an open mind than you do.”
Ash studied her and wondered why she was so adamant in her disbelief. There would be a reason for that. Likely, somewhere in her past, she must have encountered something and this was a defense mechanism. Her way of existing in a world that might otherwise be so terrifying she couldn’t continue.
They’d been working under the assumption that they remained a secret. Well, it appeared they’d been wrong there. And now Detective Faith Connelly knew more about them than was safe for her. “Perhaps she needs to meet Christian,” Ash murmured.
“No,” Ryan snapped.
Faith peered from one to the other and lifted one shoulder. “Actually, I don’t want to get in any deeper. I hope I’ve seen the last of these guys, but I don’t want to give them any reason to follow up. For all I know, they could have this place under surveillance.
The idea made Ash a little twitchy. The whole building was warded against any magical intrusion, but he wasn’t sure that would keep out modern technology. Something else to take up with the Order.
But later. Right now, they had to decide what to do about Faith. Maybe Ryan was right and there was no problem. Yet. She knew nothing for certain. They had to make sure things stayed that way.
Of course, the alternative was to recruit her. It would be a whole lot of fun to show Faith Connolly just how real demons could be.
“Anyway, that’s pretty much it,” she said. “I wanted to give you a heads up that these guys are watching you.”
“Thanks, Faith,” Ryan said. “I appreciate it—I know how hard this must have been for you.”
She gave a strained smile. “You’re one of the most honest people I know. Whatever they say, I don’t believe you’d be involved with this Roth character if he wasn’t straight.”
“He’s straight.”
“And while you’re definitely keeping some dodgy company these days”— she cast a glance at Ash— “we can’t always control who we work with.”
“Hey, I’m not dodgy,” Ash said. “I’m as straight as they come.”
“Yeah, right,” she muttered and got to her feet. “I’d better go. Would you call me a cab?”
Ash didn’t want her to go yet.
“Of course, and I’ll walk you out,” Ryan said. At that moment, his phone rang and he picked it up and listened.
“That was Roz,” he said. “Jess is staying over, and she wants to talk to me.”
Faith pursed her lips. “Well, see if you can get her to remember anything else.”
“You go,” Ash murmured. “I’ll see to Faith.”
She gave him a sharp glance. “Faith is actually quite capable of seeing to herself.”
Ryan looked from one to the other, speculation clear in his eyes. Something must have decided him because he nodded to Ash. “You can see Faith out. I mentioned there might be a job for her here. You could explain a little more of what it would be about. And maybe put her mind at rest about Christian.”
How the hell was he supposed to do that? Yeah, Christian Roth is a vampire, but as bloodsuckers go, he’s one of the good guys. Everything was relative he supposed. “I can do that.”
Faith opened her mouth, no doubt to argue, and shut it again. He suspected the opportunity to get some more information swayed her. He should perhaps warn her that curiosity could be a dangerous thing. Then again, maybe he shouldn’t. Not if he wanted a chance to spend some more time with her.
Which he did.
Maybe to discover if he could make her purr instead of prickle.
He liked a challenge.
“Let’s go,” she said and turned to Ryan. “Keep safe.”
“I will, and think about that offer.”
“Maybe.”
Ash strapped on his gun and pulled his coat over the top, then glanced up to find her watching him. He smiled.
He didn’t actually need a gun. Most things he could take on unarmed but he liked guns. And the Order’s policy was not to use magical methods when newfangled modern ones would be less noticeable.
There was still a lot of minor demon activity about. Part of Andarta’s plan for world domination had been to open the portals between worlds, allowing demons to travel freely from the Abyss to Earth. Though the portals were now closed, many still remained and they had a tendency to gather around this building, drawn to the magic of the wards. That was intentional, the Order was gathering them up and sending them back. Destroying the less willing.
He kept his distance in the elevator not wanting to spook her. Though he guessed she wasn’t easily spooked, not by people anyway. She had to be tough to have reached detective on the Metropolitan force and she must have seen some bad things.
The elevator opened onto the lower-level parking garage. She peered out but didn’t move. “Why are we here?”
“I’ll drive you home?”
“You don’t need to; I can get a cab.”