bad business for a death dealer to go into, though how he obtained permission to leave the demon plane is questionable, which is why Emil and Tobias asked me to sit in.
Mortifer demons feed on death and the dead, which is generally frowned upon on the human plane. But unclaimed bodies, or ones destined for cremation, might go unnoticed with some bites taken out of them.
While the contracts K&B Financial offer absolve the company of accountability for their client’s actions, they still have to file the contracts with the demon clerk’s office. If it comes back that Victor Hesse gained access to the human plane illegally, they’ll be out financially.
If I fail, it’s not a life-or-death situation. The bank’s insurance covers any profit loss. It’s a good test for me, and all I have to do is sit in a room with someone who craves death as much as I crave sex.
No big deal, right?
Ms. Turner, the hussy, opens the door again and usher in a reed-thin man with sunken cheeks and sallow, gray-tinged skin. Wispy gray hair floats over the top of his head from left ear to right ear in a vain attempt to hide his baldness. The plaid gray suit he wears could have come from the fifties, complete with a fedora tucked under his arm.
Milky-blue eyes sweep the room, lingering on me for a moment before they settle on Emil. “Mr. König, Mr. Braxton thank you for seeing me.”
His voice crackles like bones breaking, and a shiver raises goose bumps on my arms.
As if he senses my discomfort, those creepy eyes shift back to me. “A succubus. I was not aware K&B Financial had one on staff outside of the security division.”
So much for my stellar disguise.
“You’re well informed.” Tobias’s knee presses against mine under the table in reassurance. “This is our intern. We’re still in the trial period to see if we’re a good fit.”
“How very… industrious of her.” Victor Hesse’s eyes stay fixed on me. “It’s rare to meet a succubus who chooses to work when there are so many… alternatives available to your kind.”
Another chill runs through me as the milky depths of his eyes pull me under. It feels like sinking into cold slime before the suffocating smell of grave dirt fills my nose. Metallic and rancid with meat left out too long, it wiggles into my brain with the persistence of maggots determined to feed. Lungs disintegrate, no longer capable of holding air, and flesh slurps free from bones that grow brittle and crack with age, while in the distance, a banshee keens.
Tobias’s hand lands on my thigh, white-hot, and jerks me back to my senses.
Victor Hesse blinks slowly, his lids a death shroud sweeping down before they lift once more to reveal his dead eyes. “Industrious indeed.”
“Please, have a seat, Mr. Hesse, and we may get down to business. You’re seeking a loan to take over a funeral home.” Emil flicks the papers in front of himself to draw the other man’s attention. “We will, of course, have to verify your registration.”
“I assure you, the council is well aware of my current location.” His stick-thin fingers trace the back of the chair. “However, I don’t believe K&B can fulfill my requirements.”
A muscle in Tobias’s jaw tics with irritation. “We haven’t even begun discussions for a contractual loan, yet you dismiss us so easily?”
“Much can be determined within the first minute of meeting a person.” He turns to the door, where Ms. Turner still hovers, and the woman stumbles to get out of his way. One step out into the hall, he glances back, his gaze sweeping the room one last time. “I hope our meeting was as informative for you as it was for me. Good day.”
Ms. Turner’s wide eyes jump to Emil, and her voice comes out squeaky, “Sir?”
“That will be all for now.” Emil shuts his folder. “Please, close the door.”
She bobs her head as she reaches into the room, grasps the handle, and quietly closes the door.
As soon as the latch sounds, I turn to Emil and Tobias. “Did he just cancel the meeting because he didn’t want to have a succubus here?”
Tobias rubs his chin. “He did seem fixated on you.”
“I don’t believe he ever planned to sign a contract.” Expression troubled, Emil reaches for his glass of hot water, and steam rises from it as ice creeps over the sides. “Were you able to read anything from him, Adie?”