"Not going to waste time arguing that." He took my hand. "You know how I feel. Better that I jump in here than let these two loose on you. I think I've figured out a way we can satisfy my deal and get Lucifer's bootlickers - "
"Hey!" Now Spyte shoved a shoulder between us, his eyes shooting off sparks.
"Chill, honey, I want to hear what our little bootlicker has to say." Caryon's smile was the stuff of nightmares. I shuddered and clutched Rafe's hand like a lifeline, even though Spyte stood with his back to me and face-to-face with Rafe.
"The day you get what I decide is too close to me or Glory here is the day you find out what hell is really like, you piece of shit." Rafe hit both demons with a glare that could have peeled the paint off the walls. Now I was really worried. For him. To my shock, Caryon merely nodded with what might have been respect and Spyte snorted but moved out of our space. Hmm.
"Go on," Caryon ordered.
I kept my mouth shut, trying desperately to stay out of this pissing contest. If I'd had the power of invisibility, I'd have been wallpaper. I was so clearly outmatched when it came to powers here. Even if I shifted into something tiny enough to hide or dangerous enough to attack them, they'd be able to stomp me, freeze me, fry me. The options were endless.
"As I was saying . . ." Rafe put his hands on my shoulders and gave me an encouraging smile. Like that was going to make me relax. Hah! "Glory, what would be the harm if we could at least bring them the one they're jonesing for?"
"Simon. He won't deal with us. What's his motive for changing sides?" I focused on Rafe, desperate to ignore the demons, who seemed to be crowding too close to me.
"I've been thinking about that." Rafe seemed to realize what I was doing. "Back off, creeps. Give Glory some breathing room."
"She doesn't have to breathe." Caryon scratched his earlobe. "I want to hear this."
"One soul? Not nearly good enough to satisfy Luc. And you know, Valdez, that if you don't bring this assignment in successfully, there will be hell to pay." Spyte managed a toothy grin, though he was obviously pouting. He sat on my table, the shirtwaist a mangled mess under him. I had a feeling the bootlicking comment had struck a nerve. Maybe he didn't like the taste of leather.
"What does he mean, Rafe?" I really didn't like the sound of Spyte's threat.
"Ignore him. Now Simon's got a son, Freddy. Do you think he wants a relationship with him?" Rafe had clearly decided to take his own advice and ignore the demons for now.
"Most men would." I was getting an idea and saw where Rafe was headed. "And Freddy is a good guy. Never would want to have anything to do with the Energy Vampires. Money and power aren't his thing."
"Sounds like a sorry excuse for a son to me." Spyte started juggling a fireball and I gasped when it danced close to my hair.
"Hush, Spyte. I think they're going to work for us." Caryon smiled. "Start with Simon. We already told you we want him. Pull him over to us and all will be cool. For a while, anyway." He flashed me with a little crackle heat from his red eyes. I jerked and blinked, my eyelashes stinging. Surely he hadn't . . . "But don't think you'll be totally off the hook. Especially you, Valdez. You can't just use your demonic powers and not pay and pay, now can you?" He winked.
"Simon should be enough for you. Let Glory help with this and then forget her." Rafe kept me close by his side. "What do you say, Glory? Are you up for getting Simon as Lucifer's plaything?"
"I hate Simon. Don't care where he ends up, as long as it's somewhere down below. But you and I both know, Rafe, that a deal with a demon isn't worth shit." I knew Rafe could feel me shaking from the truth of that statement. Example: Why were my eyelashes now crumbling crisps? That was a damned mean trick and totally undeserved. I shot Caryon a hard look and a pithy mental message. Of course both of these creeps were reading my mind.
"If you're looking for guarantees, Glory dear, you can forget it. And you can buy excellent fake lashes at your nearest drugstore.