said. “Apology accepted. And listen, I can promise you this—once we find Omen and whatever other shadowkind these assholes have trapped, I’m going to burn everything that belongs to them to the ground just like I did your collector’s house. That’s the least they’ll deserve.”
The corner of Thorn’s mouth quirked up, just for a second, into what might have almost been a smile. “I look forward to that day,” he said in the same sober tone. “I’ll take my leave of you so you can rest and prepare for tomorrow’s plans.”
“You do that,” I said, but my grumble was half-hearted. He stepped out, closing the door behind him with a click. I sank down on the bed, my heart suddenly heavy.
I was in this ‘til the end. I hadn’t the slightest doubt about that. The only question was how much of my life from before would end up in tatters before this mission was over—if I was left with any life at all.
24
Snap
Thorn came striding into our room from Sorsha’s looking oddly irritated and invigorated at the same time. His jaw was tightly set, his eyes as dark as ever, but he moved with an almost eager purposefulness.
Ruse looked up from the sagging armchair where he was mashing buttons on the little box that controlled the bigger box of the TV and raised his eyebrows at our companion.
“Have a nice chat?” he asked, managing with the lilt of his voice to imply that they might have engaged in all sorts of intimacies other than talking. I supposed that was part of his particular talent. It made me want to squirm where I’d been sitting on the edge of the bed, even though he hadn’t directed it at me.
Thorn glowered at him. “We did, actually. And someone had to confirm her room contained no hazards. We’ve brought enough woe down on her head already.”
“But you have to admit she’s handled herself just fine.”
Thorn paused for a moment. “Yes. She has.” He swiveled on his heel abruptly. “I’m going to keep up a patrol of the nearby streets until we can leave in the morning. Stay alert and ready to defend yourselves and the mortal one if need be. And you, figure out how we can safely follow Meriden without our former vehicle.”
That last bit was clearly aimed at Ruse. If I’d had more experience with the mortal realm, perhaps I could have helped more with making plans, but as it was, I wouldn’t be of much use to any of them until we were right at the scene.
That was all right. I’d contributed my share, just as Omen had expected I would. I hoped when we found him he was in well enough condition to be pleased with his choices.
It did mean that at the moment I was left with little to do but stew in my thoughts. After Ruse had given Thorn a coy wave good-bye, the incubus’s gaze traveled to me. Another itch traveled over my skin. He was an expert in all things to do with bodily pleasure. Had he already picked up on a change in the energies between me and Sorsha?
I’d rather not give him time to notice if he hadn’t yet. I got up from the bed, shaking out my limbs as if stiff from staying in place too long, and said, “I think I’ll retire to the shadows.”
Ruse shrugged. “Up to you, but you’re about to miss some very excellent TV.” He gestured at it. “Late at night is when you get to observe all the things mortals think no one will want to see but feel the need to put on the air anyway.”
True or not, there was something I wanted to observe more. Or rather, someone. The strange vibe with which Thorn had left Sorsha’s room niggled at me. He’d been hard on her before—he was hard in general. Had his spirits been lifted because this time he’d managed to affect her with his criticisms?
I slipped into the shadows that lay here and there across the room, but then I hesitated. I’d gotten more of an eyeful than I’d been looking for the last time I’d peeked in on our mortal companion. But I knew where my two colleagues were now. I could retreat in an instant if need be.
With a tingle through my being, I leapt from the foot of the bed to the darkness that framed the adjoining door. Then I was peering from that space into Sorsha’s room, so