It was full of weapons—swords, stakes, bottles of holy water, ropes, blades, and stangs. The double-ended blades of the stangs were each coated in a different metal to kill different types of demons. These were Aegis weapons.
Suspicion confirmed: Wraith had walked right into the middle of a fucking Aegis stronghold.
He slammed the lid shut and stalked into the kitchen, where Serena had set two colas out on the small dining table.
“I found drinks and canned goods. Some pasta—”
He slapped his hands down on the counter on either side of her hard enough to make her jump. “When is the rest of the crew showing up?”
Caged in, she looked up at him in surprise. “Crew? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do.”
She ducked beneath his arms and jammed her hands on her hips. “I don’t like your tone.”
“I don’t like being lied to.”
“And I still don’t know what you’re talking about,” she shot back.
He believed her, but by now his nerves were frayed and he was juiced. He was a freaking demon standing in the middle of Demon Slayer Central. “I thought only Val was coming.” Which was going to be a difficult situation as it was. He’d have to get into the guy’s head again and do some creative memory reconstruction when it came to the real Josh.
“Well, gee. I’m so sorry I forgot to mention we’d be joined by people who can help us. Why does it matter?” She put her palm on his forehead. “Are you okay? You’re acting strange.”
Oh, hell. He was making her suspicious by flying off the handle like this. “I’m fine.”
“You owe me more than that, Josh. We’ve shared too much for you to shut down now,” she said, throwing his words from earlier right back at him.
Fuck. She was right, and it only pissed him off. Mainly because his lies were sitting on him like a two-ton lava beast, and guilt was practically leaking out of him. Maybe he should tell her the truth. If she knew what he was… what? She’d only hate him sooner.
Gods, this was fucked up.
He didn’t answer her because his tongue felt glued to the roof of his mouth, and eventually she rubbed her temples and shook her head.
“Serena? What’s wrong?”
“Headache,” she muttered. “I need to lie down. Do you mind?”
Yes, he minded. He minded so much his heart was ripping in half. Because somehow, he knew that once she was down, she wasn’t getting back up.
Serena had just put on a tank top and shorts and was looking at the bed like a lover when her cell phone rang. Feeling unreasonably weak, she dug it out of her backpack and flipped it open
“Val?”
“Where are you?” he barked.
She sighed. “Hello to you, too.”
“Where are you?”
A sudden spike of dread made her legs wobble, and she sank onto the bed. “I’m at the house you sent us to. Why?”
“Us. So you aren’t alone?”
“Josh is with me.”
There was a moment of tense silence, broken by the sound of someone near him whispering. David. “Serena, listen to me very carefully.”
“You’re starting to scare me.”
“Good. Are you somewhere private? Where you can’t be heard?”
She glanced at the closed door. “Yes, but what is this about?”
“In the smallest room at the back of the house, there’s a chest full of weapons. As quietly as you can, I need you to arm up, and then lock yourself in the bedroom and wait. We should be there in a matter of hours.”
Goose bumps crawled over her skin. “Val?” Her voice was trembling as hard as she was. “What’s going on?”
“I just spoke with Josh,” he said, the chill in his tone sending her into an emotional tailspin, “and the man you’re with isn’t him.”
Twenty-four
Wraith turned off the stove burner and searched the cupboards for a bowl. He’d made Serena soup, and he wanted to get it down her before she fell asleep.
His pocket vibrated, and he checked his phone. E. “What?” he said, as he poured soup into the bowl.
“You need to come home. Get to the nearest Harrowgate.”
“Not happening.”
“Wraith, listen to me. You’re in danger. Byzamoth is going to come after you.”
Wraith went taut. “I thought you said the charm can only be transferred through sex. If he thinks he can take it from me that way… ah, well, I don’t play for that team, and even if I did, man, you should see him when he morphs—”
“He doesn’t want to have sex with you.”
Wraith dug a spoon out of a drawer. “I’m oddly crushed and relieved.”
Eidolon’s voice sounded frayed with annoyance, as usual. “He needs charmed blood. Once he figures out that Serena is no longer charmed, he’ll want yours.”
“He’s not getting that, either.”
“Dammit, Wraith, you need to come to the hospital where he wouldn’t dare try to get to you.”
Wraith peeked down the hall to make sure Serena was still in her room. “I’m at full strength now, bro. I can take him.”
“He’s immortal.”
“He can still be hurt.”
“It’s not worth the risk. We spoke with Reaver. The charm is ineffective against fallen angels. Come to the hospital.”
“I’m not leaving Serena.”