Dark Champion (Flirting with Monsters #4) - Eva Chase Page 0,92

a puff of smoke at him and turned tail. “I think she figured you’d disapprove.”

“Of keeping a shadowkind beastie like a cat? That is… a little unusual. But I’m sure she had her reasons.” The mortal woman flopped down on the sofa, her fingers curling into the patch of shag next to her. “What exactly is this shadowkind that’s captured her now?”

Since the incubus was the one who’d insisted on bringing the mortal on, I left it to him to make all the necessary explanations and slid onto the driver’s seat. There was a certain reassurance in maneuvering the massive vehicle with the power of my hands on the wheel. That was, until I noticed my new hangers-on were still, well, hanging on.

The skinny goblin who’d hassled me at the gas station in Greece was propped against a lamp post, ogling Darlene as we cruised by. Up ahead, I spotted a gargoyle on the top of a building that had shifted position just slightly to keep us in view.

Did the Highest really think that I’d deliver Ruby to them faster if they simply irritated me enough? Maybe we could enjoy some goblin shish kabob after we were done crushing Tempest and her schemes.

If I lived long enough after that to have a final meal. With the way these pricks were tailing me, chances were they’d figure out what Sorsha was during that battle and report my transgressions back to the Highest in a blink. And darkness only knew what kind of army they’d send after her while they were annihilating me.

I pulled up behind a dreary-looking business hotel where we’d agreed to meet and tried to tune out Ruse regaling Vivi with his extravagant tales of our adventures—the more intimate bits edited out. The incubus had some small sense of propriety. I wasn’t sure Sorsha would appreciate him filling in her best friend with even that much detail, but she could take that up with him when we got her back.

When, not if. Even if it was over my dead body.

It was less than an hour before our companions emerged from the shadows around the furniture. Antic kicked things off with a squeal, leaping onto the table in front of Vivi.

“The other human is here! I love your hair. Does it grow all twisty like that naturally?”

The woman looked a tad taken aback before she found her voice with a laugh. “The braided parts, no, but this?” She fluffed the poof at the back of her head. “That’s what God gave me.”

“It is good to have you joining us,” Thorn said, with a frown at the imp that suggested he didn’t approve of her frivolous questions, and turned to me. “Everything we observed fits the information Ruse’s contact conveyed to us. The building has been recently outfitted with iron and silver protections all through the outer walls—so much that we couldn’t get close enough to touch them while in the shadows. Snap was able to pick up impressions from the gate and from a few pieces of litter.”

The devourer nodded. “I also caught an impression of one of the workers talking about their boss bringing in a monster who could create fire. That’s got to be Sorsha.”

Between that and the extensive sprinkler systems we knew had also been ordered for installation in the building, I was inclined to agree with his assessment. I steepled my fingers in front of me. “All right. So, how do we get in? Are there employees guarding the place or coming and going that Ruse can con?”

Bow shook his head. “We didn’t see anyone go in or out while we were watching. There was a delivery that looked like food, but it was placed in a storage box embedded in the wall. We figure there’s got to be an opening on the inside for them to bring the supplies in.”

I grimaced. “And I assume that’s got those noxious metals all around it.”

“Naturally.” Gisele tapped her lips. “Do you think the sphinx is giving all the orders from the outside? How could she handle being surrounded by all that silver and iron?”

“It’s a big building. If it’s only the outer walls, she may be able to work in the center of the space with only mild discomfort. There might be an entrance on the roof or underground that allows her access without passing too closely to the protections.” I glanced at Thorn. “I assume you couldn’t examine the roof because you couldn’t get close enough to