"Oh, trust me," Kat said with a short laugh, "the fighting stop s as soon as food comes into the picture."
"Food?" Simi stopped her tirade instantly. "Where's some: food?"
"Is it good food?" Xirena chimed in.
Simi rolled her eyes at her sister. "Is there such a thing as bad food?"
"Well, yeah, there's Daimon. They're kind of gamey tasting and they stick in my fangs."
"Oh, that's true," Simi agreed. "But I have this one kind of barbecue sauce from New Orleans that can kill that gamey taste. It makes them really good eats. Rank Daimon meat right up there with human and opossum."
Xirena looked thrilled. "Is that that sauce I saw in your room with the woman with a leather whip on it?"
"Oh no. That's Pain and Suffering, but that one's good, too.
This one got a man who's breathing fire like a fat dragon, only he's not fat, he's-"
"Excuse me, demons?" Sin asked, interrupting them.
They looked at him as if he were about to be added to their menu.
And coming under their full attention was a big mistake. As soon as Xirena's gaze met his, recognition lit her black eyes. "You a Sumerian."
Her eyes flashed yellow as her skin mottled with red and black and black wings grew out of her back.
He braced for the fight, but before she could attack, Kat stepped in front of him. "Calm down, Xirena. Sin's on our side."
Xirena spat on his floor, which irritated the hell out of him, and he was sure housekeeping wouldn't appreciate it, either. "Death to all Sumerians."
"They're not all bad," Simi said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Akri knew this one Sumerian who was a fisherman for a long time. He's really nice to the Simi. He used to feed me these tasty balls of fish all soaked in olive oil and wrapped in grape leaves. Then he'd let the Simi eat fishcakes and the eyeballs. Fish eyes are very tasty, especially in olive oil"
Xirena growled at her, "Sumerians are all enemies to the Charonte."
Simi put her hand on her hip and cocked her head. "Well, that's just stupid. You can't hate an entire race 'cause one or two of them are mean. What you got against the Sumerians anyway?"
"They created the gallu demons to kill us."
"OOOO." Simi's face brightened. "l like them gallu demons. They so crispy when you burn-them. Akri used to let me eat them by the dozen. And he never cared, neither-not like when I'd eat people. But then all them gallu went away and the Simi couldn't eat them anymore. I really miss them. They were so yummy."
"And now they're back," Kat said, gaining their attention again. Xirena's expression looked as if she'd just stepped in a manure factory.
Simi just looked excited. "Can I eat them?" Sin nodded. "Bon appetit."
Kat gave him a chastising glance over her shoulder. "Yes, Simi. But we need you and Xirena to help us fight them."
Xirena jerked her chin toward Sin. "l think we should feed the Sumerian to them. He would deserve it."
Kat tsked at her. "Xirena ... "
"l told you, Katra," Simi said in a singsongy tone, "she all kinds of mean. You should have her eat your earrings when you're not looking. And they were the good ones, too. Covered with diamonds ... they sparkle a lot."
Xirena glared at Simi. "Well, you would be mean, too, if you saw how them gallu killed us, and eating them won't be easy without your akri there to shield their powers. They are evil demons who can kill us." She looked at Katra. "Will the cursed god help?"
Kat hesitated. She wished, but that wasn't an option right now.
"We're going to try and do this without his help."
Xirena's eyes widened. "Why would we do that?"