Touched by Fire (Demons of New Chicago #1) - Kel Carpenter Page 0,63

put together what they meant. What I was. Who I am.

I tucked the towel under my arms and walked toward the buffet of food.

A pile of clean glass plates and actual silverware sat on the cart. I took one and piled chicken and green beans on my plate. If I could eat my weight in it, I would.

“You should try the tea,” Nathalie said, blowing on hers. “It’s really good.”

I nodded, while taking my first bite of gravy-smothered chicken.

I could have orgasmed on the spot.

My eyes closed, and I savored the way it melted in my mouth. I was never a foodie, in the traditional sense. I ate because my body needed food, and if I’d grown up in a different America, during a different time, I might also be different. But even not being one, I could treasure it. Processed food tasted like shit by comparison.

“Eat up,” Dominatrix said. “When you’re done, I’ll dress you, and then we’ll start on your hair and makeup.”

“You’re up, Nat,” Catholic schoolgirl said.

They were getting awfully cozy.

“Sure, sure,” Nat said. “Just one more sip.” She gave the cat-eared woman an affectionate grin and took a long drink before setting her mug down. She stood up and went to the bathroom. The door shut, and I heard the water turn on.

Silence settled over the three of us while I ate.

The cat twins alternated between silently sharing looks and staring at me.

I had eaten two chicken breasts, half the green beans, and a portion of fruit when Dominatrix finally said, “Your tattoos are interesting.”

“Mhmm,” I hummed, starting in on my third serving of chicken.

“I’ve only seen ones similar to them once before,” she continued. I paused in my eating and set down the fork.

When I lifted my eyes, they were both staring at me with knowing looks.

“Are we going to have a problem?” I asked, reaching for a napkin to wipe my mouth.

“Has Lucifer seen them?” she asked. There was a new light in her eyes. A dangerous kind.

I noted when picking up the utensils that knives weren’t among them. Not even butter knives. I could do a lot with a fork, though. If I needed to. I placed my hand next to it, but didn’t pick up just yet. “No.”

The cat twins nodded like they expected as much.

“It’ll be difficult to find a dress that covers them,” the Dominatrix said slowly. “But I think I can.”

My lips parted. “Why?”

She gave me a bitter smile. “Why are you here?”

Secrets. It’s crazy how mine were displayed on my skin like the pages of a book. For a decade I’d worn turtlenecks and kept my flesh a secret from those that might know. My only partners were humans who were clueless, and they’d just assumed I liked tattoos.

“He thinks I betrayed him,” I said.

“That doesn’t answer the question,” Catholic schoolgirl called Sasha said. She crossed her lean legs and put her arms over the back of the couch. “Why are you here? If you are what we think you are . . .” She trailed off and Dominatrix picked up. “You could kill him. Couldn’t you?”

Were we really having this discussion?

“If I say yes,” I paused, and lifted an eyebrow.

“I might be able to find a dress that hides those marks,” Dominatrix said with a tilt of her head.

“And if I say no?”

“Why would we stick our necks out, then?” Sasha said, tilting her head as well. It was eerie.

I sighed. When they put it that way . . . “There’s a chance I can.”

They both smiled. “That’s good enough for us,” they said in unison. Dominatrix extended a hand to me. To help me up. To bargain.

I’d made a lot of dumb bargains that led to this point.

I wasn’t sure if this would be another one, but I didn’t have a lot of options.

I took her hand, and she smiled as I got to my feet.

“Now, let me see you.” She pulled at the towel and I let her. It dropped to my feet, and Sasha let out a whistle.

“If I thought you wouldn’t kill us afterward, I’d try to bang on that bed over there.” Unlike her vulgar sister, the Dominatrix walked around me in a circle, cataloguing me with a methodical interest.

“You two seem to have it good here with Lucifer. Why do you want him dead?” I asked.

Dominatrix stepped away from me to go rummage through the clothing rack. “Do you know why he calls us his pussy cats?” she asked from across