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.”
“I’d like to. And I can answer your questions on the way.”
She took a couple of steps out, but came to a halt, and glanced around. “You know we were talking about those government-issue cars. Well they’re exactly like these. You don’t work for the government, do you?”
“No.” He headed for the nearest vehicle, opening the door for her. The keys were in the ignition and he got in next to her and turned on the engine then sat back while she punched her address into the sat nav.
As he pulled out of the parking garage, he caught the gleam of red eyes in the shadows of the alley opposite. Ash ignored them and they drove on in almost comfortable silence. He cast a sideways glance. She was staring out of the window but turned to him as if she could sense his gaze.
“I love the city at night,” she said.
“Do you come from London?”
“No. I was born up north, but I’ve lived here since I was twelve.”
“What happened when you were twelve?”
For a few seconds he thought she wasn’t going to answer. Then she seemed to give a mental shrug. “My mother died, and I was put into foster care. I wasn’t doing so well and they thought a change of scenery might help me forget.”
He could sense something dark behind her words. Was this the thing that had changed her, made her what she was? “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was a long time ago.”
“Some wounds never heal.”
He could sense her stare in the dim light. “Do you really believe that?”
Did he? If she’d asked him a year ago—before he’d found Tara—he would have said no. He hadn’t been able to even think about Lily without being engulfed in a black rage—not good for a demon. He still felt the stab of pain in his heart at the thought of her. He’d never loved before Lily. And he never would again.
But recently, he’d started thinking about her—remembering the good times—without the taint of darkness. Maybe he was healing. Even being here with this woman now, proved that.
Because he wanted her. His cock jerked at the thought and he pushed the urge down. He wanted her, but he had no illusions she would be a pushover.
No doubt, he could possess her mind long enough to make her believe she wanted him in return. But he’d rather she came to him of her own free will. Much more satisfying. And it wasn’t as though he didn’t have the time.
“Maybe not,” he said.
“Anyway, aren’t you supposed to be telling me about Christian Roth?”
He shrugged. “There’s not a lot to tell.” Actually, there was, but not a lot they were allowed to tell. It occurred to him to wonder why this organization was investigating Christian and not Piers who’d been head of the Order for the last twenty-odd years. Maybe it was because Christian had chosen to live among men. He’d probably been too successful. “Christian is a businessman. A good one.”