Definitely worth a holy moly or two if you went for the bad-boy type, which Faith didn’t.
Even so, she couldn’t take her eyes from the vision of raw masculine power until finally the elevator doors closed behind him and she breathed again. Someone coughed and she turned to see the receptionist watching her, a flash of amusement in his eyes.
“What?” she muttered.
He shook his head. “Nothing, Detective.”
“Good.”
“Would you like to take a seat? I can get you some coffee, tea…a double brandy?”
Obviously, she was looking as shell-shocked as she felt. She sniffed and mustered her dignity. “No, thank you. I’ll just wait over here. Come along, Jessica.”
…
Piers Lamont, current head of the Order of the Shadow Accords, glanced up as Asmodai slipped into the room. “You’re late,” he snapped. “And who the fuck invited you anyway?”
“I did.” Christian rose to his feet, probably sensing an imminent fight. Oh goody. Asmodai had been bored recently, restless. This might actually be just the diversion he needed, and with the added incentive of a chance to get close to Tara. After casting him a blatantly disinterested glance as he’d entered, she’d pointedly turned away. She was stubborn. Like him.
“We have representatives from all the main races,” Christian continued, his tone reasonable. “I asked the Demon Council, and I guess this is who they thought most appropriate. And they’re right. Of all of them, he’s the one who has had the most contact with mankind.”
It was strange to hear Christian defending him. At one point Asmodai’s whole existence had focused on destroying the vampire and everyone he loved and cared for. But if his daughter loved him, then Asmodai would put aside his own need for revenge.
Asmodai turned back to Piers. “I’m sure Rosamund is pleased to have me here,” he said and tensed himself for Piers’s attack.
The other man didn’t like him. He hated the idea that Asmodai had had Roz under his protection for centuries. That he’d slept with Roz. Well, maybe not slept, but they’d been lovers a few centuries ago. Asmodai didn’t blame him; he actually thought Piers was showing amazing restraint.
It occurred to him that he’d been celibate for over twenty years, and maybe he was ready for a little recreational fun. Certainly not with Roz, but an image of the detective he’d just met flashed up in his mind and the heat caught fire. How strange.
Roz answered him. “Piss off, Ash.” She turned to Piers. “Ignore him—he’s trying to wind you up.”
Asmodai chuckled. She knew him too well.
“Could we get back to work here?” Piers snarled, showing the tip of one sharp white fang. “Ryan you were saying…?”
Ryan was the Order’s new human-liaison officer. An ex-detective with the metropolitan police, he had inadvertently gotten involved with the Order’s business and been offered a choice: be killed, be mind-fucked, or join them. Not so strangely, he’d decided to join them. He was okay…for a human.
Now he rose to his feet, shoved his hands in his pockets, and scowled. “Let me get this straight,” he said. “You want me to set up meetings with various organizations, government, military, and so on, and see how receptive they are to the somewhat improbable idea of your existence?”
“Yeah,” Piers replied. “That about sums it up.”
Ryan didn’t appear impressed. “You know they might just toss me in the loony bin and throw away the key.”
“If they do, we’ll come and get you out…eventually.” Piers grinned. “But you’re going in as an employee of CR International. That should at least get you a hearing before they fit you for the straitjacket.”
CR International was Christian’s company—set up after he’d left the Order over twenty years ago—and very successful. Propping himself against the wall, Asmodai let the conversation wash over him while he studied Tara. Perhaps his gift would please her.
She hated him. And while she bore no resemblance to him physically, he had quickly discovered that she was as unforgiving as any demon.
“Do I go to these meetings alone?” Ryan asked.
“No,” Piers replied.
“So…?”
Piers looked around the room and a small smile settled on his face. “Asmodai will go with you. He’ll be your partner. He can dress up smart and play nice and human. It will do him good, teach him restraint.”
“Hey, I am smart.” Asmodai peered down at himself. He was dressed pretty much the same as Piers in black leather pants and a black T-shirt, a leather duster coat covering him almost to the ankles.
“Right,” Ryan said. “I’m going in there with a fucking demon. Great. Just great.”
“It could be worse,” Asmodai replied. “You could be going in there with a fucking fairy.”
“Good point,” Ryan murmured.