“You know, I’d worry about there being a special place for liars in hel ,” I whispered to her. “But I’m pretty sure the assassins’ level is so much worse, it’s not even worth my time to stress over it anymore.”
Her only reply was a twitch of her inky ears to let me know she’d heard. At least she hadn’t spoken, or worse, sung out a reply. And once we got to the lounge I realized I hadn’t needed to freak about Monique at al . She’d taken off for the night, leaving Cole and Kyphas to play a game of backgammon. Wel , that seemed to have been the original idea, because the game board and pieces were al set up on the table where the cake had been. Which meant Monique had probably taken it back to the—
Kitchen raid! shrieked Teen Me. She’d been lounging in a hammock she’d strung between Granny May’s clothesline poles. Now she rol ed off with such an utter lack of grace you’d have laughed out loud to learn her track coaches occasional y referred to her as an “athlete.” I want the icing! That’s all I want! Just the icing! You eat the cake part! she said, glancing over her shoulder at Gran, who had just begun to hang a sheet on the line.
Granny May looked over the tops of her glasses at me.
You see what I had to put up with?
I shushed them both. Because though I’d thought Cole and Kyphas were bent over the instructions to the game at first, I knew differently when he pul ed the sheet of paper they’d both been holding out of the demon’s hands.
As he studied the paper I backed to the stairs, leaving Astral in the room to send the signal that played out like a holograph three feet in front of my eyes. I sat on the bottom step, turning Vayl’s cane between my fingers as I watched Cole slide the paper in his, giving Astral enough of a view to show a hammer with a double-thick handle that ended in a sharp point.
“So this is the Rocenz,” he said, sitting back on the couch and shoving his feet out in front of him until the toes of his shoes hit the table.
“Yes.” Kyphas leaned toward him, resting her elbows on her knees to show off the remarkableness of her cleavage. And, of course, his eyes tracked to them like radar. Smiling wickedly, she said, “I thought you’d already seen it.”
He shook his head. “Vayl told me about it, but I missed the slide show. So it’s two tools that are, what, magical y joined at the hip?”
“You could say that.”
“And how do you separate the hammer from the chisel?”
She scooted closer to him. “I have no idea.”
“Sure you do. It was forged by a demon, right?” She nodded. “Lord Torledge created it.” She looked down at the picture. When she looked up again I thought I saw her eyes flash bright yel ow. But I could’ve been mistaken. A second later they were back to hazel.
Cole let the picture rest on his thigh and laid his arm across the back of the couch. He seemed so relaxed that I wouldn’t have been surprised to see his eyes flutter shut. “Is he stil around? Pounding out new weapons for hel to lose track of?”
Kyphas sat back. Now it was as if Cole had his arm around her shoulders. She said, “He’s stil working. And I know where you’re going with this. He does know how to separate the parts.” She turned toward him, pressing the side of her breast into his chest. “I can find out for you. If…”
“If?” He dropped his free hand to the expanse of tanned skin between her neck and shoulder. Watched his fingers push her sleeve down her arm, then move across the dangerously low neckline of her blouse.
She gasped. Reached up for his face and pul ed him to her. Their kiss was so fiery that I turned away. My stomach rol ed. Everything about this moment was wrong. But I couldn’t do anything to make it better. I stepped back.
Then I heard Kyphas say, “I can give you everything you want, Cole. You have only to ask. The Rocenz. The key to unlock it. You can save Jasmine. You can have me.”
“I want that. But I’m not as convinced as everybody else is that this tool is going to work.”
I recal ed the playback I’d seen of the Hart Ranch hand, Zel Culver, using the hammer and chisel to carve the name of the earthbane, Thraole-Lulid, into the gates of hel . The tool had performed as promised, diminishing the monster to a pile of gore.
Kyphas’s next words pul ed me back into the conversation. “I don’t make agreements I can’t keep, Cole.
Jasmine can defeat Brude with the Rocenz.”
“Al you want in return is my soul, right?” Yel ow lit her eyes. “I could take it without your permission. The Rocenz is more than just a primitive demon-kil er, after al . It was designed to do much more intricate carving.” She smiled as her eyes darkened. “But I’m not that kind of girl. I like my souls freely given. And when you think of it, it’s a smal price to pay for eternal ecstasy.”
Cole transferred his hand to the back of the couch. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not?” No, I wasn’t wrong. That was real pain in her voice.
His voice was hard as flint as he said, “Jaz would never forgive me if I sold my soul for her. And I couldn’t live with that. In fact, I couldn’t live with you. Yeah, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever kissed. But you’re not her.”
“I could be.” Was she… begging… a little now?
“No. Jaz may cross the line once in a while, but at least she knows where the line is.”
“Line?”
Cole rose, bringing Kyphas up with him. My cue to backpedal. “Exactly.”
“You should reconsider.” Harshness now, clear warning in that hel born tone.
“What’re you going to do to me, Kyphas? And before you answer, let me just remind you how many burn wards would’ve written you off the last time you came after a member of Vayl’s Trust.”
She snorted. “Vayl is no threat in his current state.”
“But Jaz is. I’m not saying I know a whole lot about Vampere politics. But as his avhar, she’s gotta be perfectly capable of stepping in and kicking your ass out the door.
Or, to be more specific, enforcing the contract you signed promising you wouldn’t hurt anybody under Vayl’s protection.”
I could only see her profile in the silence that fol owed, but it was enough to show the frustrated color that had risen in her cheeks. Even though Astral picked up minute sounds, I had to lean forward to hear her whisper, “You have to know I would never wil ingly hurt you.” His laugh was so sharp it should’ve drawn blood.
“You’re a demon. That’s who you are.”
She stepped toward him. Her eyes were wide, intense on his as she said, “It’s not who I want to be. Not when I’m with you.”
She reached forward. Pressed her hands against his chest. “You confuse me. You enrage me. But I’m tired of pretending that you’re nothing but meat to me. I’l do anything. I’l be anyone you like. If you only kiss me again.” Anticipation curled the corners of my mouth. And now for the final cut.
I nearly gasped out loud when he pul ed her into his arms. Their lips met in a kiss so fiery I was surprised their clothes didn’t melt off. When Cole grabbed her by the hips and her legs wrapped around his back I tore off the fake lashes, Astral’s cue to get the hel out.