Succubus Shadows Page 0,96

norm. All the constants in her world were disappearing.

"Brandy, I - "

"I have to go," she interrupted, heading back toward the gate, face stony. "Kayla'll be up from her nap soon. I'm supposed to keep an eye on her today."

Brandy disappeared around the corner before I could say anything. I stood there, feeling lost. I didn't know who I felt worse for: Brandy and Terry for knowing what was going on or the little girls for being oblivious. I felt bad enough for myself because there was nothing I could do. There was never anything I could do. I had powers beyond human imaginings, but they were nothing that could actually help humans.

I drove downtown with a heavy heart, trying hard - and failing - not to overreact. Brandy herself had said things were bad but that they were still learning the extent of it. Surely there were more tests, tests that would give some hope. And surely there was treatment. Humans could do that much on their own.

Jerome was where I'd hoped he'd be. Really, I decided, the Cellar was nearly as good as him having an office. Carter was by his side at the back table, both of them doing shots from a bottle of Jägermeister. Those two didn't discriminate among their liquor. I wondered if they were drinking away the hardships of the other day or toasting their success over it.

It must have been the latter because Jerome almost smiled when he saw me. "Georgie, out among the living and back to your petite self. Yet...so blue. Blue like always."

Yes, they'd been drinking. Angels and demons could sober up at will, and he was apparently indulging in the full effects.

"I got some bad news," I said, sitting opposite them.

"What, about losing Mortensen?" asked Jerome.

"How do you know about that?"

"I talked to Roman. He recapped your day - the old man checking in, you comforting your romantic rival...it was quite moving."

I scowled. "Great. You have Roman spying on me."

"It's not spying. I just demand answers from him. If it makes you feel better, he's never very happy to give up those answers."

"How often do you do it?" I asked incredulously.

"Not that often." A waiter set down a new bottle. "Mostly I wanted to see how you were recovering post-dream."

"Fine. I'm fine." I glanced at Carter. "No comments from you today?"

"Leave me out of this," he replied. "I'm just drinking." So he said, but he was also watching and listening very carefully. He was not letting the alcohol affect him.

I turned back to Jerome. "I've come to call in my favor."

The dark amusement in his eyes turned to suspicion. "What favor?"

"The one you promised me for helping save you from Grace, remember?"

Yes, no amusement at all anymore. "I just rescued you from another plane of existence from creatures who were torturing your mind."

I flinched but pushed on with my words. "You promised a favor, and I didn't call it in for that. Besides, you would have done it anyway so that you wouldn't get in trouble."

"That favor offer was brought on by the drama at the time," he countered. "I probably said all sorts of things."

"You promised," I repeated.

"I can understand you just fine without putting italics in your voice, Georgie," he snapped.

"You did, though," pointed out Carter. Demons could lie - and did - but certain deals they were bound to. Jerome had said he'd grant me a favor out on the beach, and it had been a true promise.

"Fine," he said irritably, gesturing for another shot. "What is it you want? And I don't have to grant it if it's something totally unreasonable."

"I want to know - "

"Careful," interrupted Carter.

I paused, and Jerome glared at the angel. Carter offered no other insight, but those gray eyes were still watchful - and cautious. Which was what I needed to be. Jerome had promised me a favor, and like all demons, he would try to find as many loopholes in it as possible. I had been about to ask where Seth was, but that wouldn't necessarily do me any good. I wouldn't be able to get to Seth.

"I want you to send me to Seth so I can spend a few days with him."

Jerome studied me, expression shrewd. "There's a couple problems. One is that you've kind of asked for two things. The other is that I'm not omniscient. I don't know where he is."

"You can find out," I said. "At least, if he's flown anywhere, you can find