arms and head loose from the freeze. I glanced back at Rafe and gave him an encouraging smile. Then I put my hands on my hips to show I still had attitude. "Well?"
"You're all about others, aren't you?" Caryon shook his head. "This may not work, Spyte. If she's really" - he shuddered - "good, how can she do the job?"
"There's only one way to find out. Tell her." Spyte dragged Penny out of his pocket. "This damned rat is showing potential. She actually gnawed a hole in my pocket and broke skin." His black eyes twinkled. "She was going for my family jewels."
"That's my girl. She probably thought that ripping them off and tossing them to me would be a nice parting gift." I nodded at her proudly. "Since you seem to be determined to keep her."
Caryon laughed. "Glory, Glory, you are such a hoot. Do you think we'd ever be afraid of you or your little fledgling?"
"You know, I'm thinking. If Glory won't do this job, maybe Miss Penny here will. I would like to keep her. You should hear her vocabulary. And she bit me, Car. Me! I'm really impressed." Spyte's gruesome mouth was a perfect O of surprise.
"It's an idea. A backup plan." Caryon studied Penny with an interest that made me desperate to snatch her away. If I could only move.
"Back up to this shoe, Caryon, and I'll shove it up your backside when you have the guts to unfreeze me." I gave him my best snarl. "Leave. Penny. Alone."
Caryon just smiled as he focused on me again. "I will if you take our deal. Lucifer wants you to gather souls for him. You know so many interesting people. Alesa gave him quite a list of potential donors. And he thinks you're in a good position to be a harvester for us."
"You're out of your freaking mind." I watched Penny lying in Spyte's hand as he stroked her between her ears. She was shivering. "Never."
"We can't make you do it." Caryon looked up at the night sky. "There are these aggravating rules in place. But we can bribe you, and Alesa suggested a really good one."
"I can't imagine what you could offer me that would tempt me to lure my friends and acquaintances over to the dark side." I wasn't really listening. I was trying to keep my mind blank since I knew they could read it, though I desperately wanted to get us out of there.
"Gloriana St. Clair," Caryon intoned with the voice of an announcer on a quiz show. "How would you like to be a size six?"
Chapter Five
"You have got to be kidding me. That's your bribe?" I stared at Spyte.
"Yes." He frowned down at Penny, who was gnawing on his thumb. "Alesa assured me that was one of your heart's desires. That's how we get people on the give-up-your-soul train. Dangle something they really, really want in front of them and - bam! - they're ours. Ouch?" Black blood began to ooze from the wound Penny had made.
"Penny! Don't drink a demon's blood. I'm here to tell you it can have bad consequences." I was relieved when I saw her back away from the droplets. Spyte tossed her to his other hand with a grimace.
"That wasn't nice, Glory. Demon blood is delicious." He sniffed, then stuck his thumb in his mouth to lick off the blood.
"Nice? You expect me to be nice to you? I've been a size six before, for about five minutes. It was nice. I even loved it. But I won't sacrifice my friends for it. No thanks." I put out my hand and realized I could almost reach Rafe's arm. "Please let us go now." I looked up at the sky. We had a few hours before dawn, but not so much that it didn't occur to me that these demons could leave me like this to fry when the sun came up. And Penny. What would happen to her? Fear slammed into me like a stake in the heart.
Caryon smiled. "Aw, Glory, don't worry. We aren't here to terminate you." He exchanged glances with Spyte. "Yet."
"You said you can't force the issue." I hated that my voice quavered.
"A technicality. Unfortunately." Spyte frowned when Penny began to dig her claws into his palm. "But we can offer incentives. You'll see. The first one is a surprise. Next time you're in your shop, or even at home, look around. You might see something unexpected." Spyte handed Penny