Before he tugged it on over his head, I took a moment to admire his physique. Of course he had to be fit to work for Zeta, so he was toned in all the right places. A sprinkling of hair covered his chest, the same colour as that on his head and just as curly. I wanted to run my hands over it, to tangle my fingers in those curls. As for his lickable abs, well…they looked extremely lickable.
To my disappointment he pulled down his shirt. "There's not enough room to change my pants, but I look a lot less Zeta-ish now."
"Yes, you do," I replied. "Much more ‘starving student’, like the rest of us." I raised an eyebrow at the holes in his shirt, but I smiled to show I was teasing. He needed to look normal now, unobtrusive, and he did. Well, as much as he could when he was still as cute as hells. There wasn't much we could do about that, except go invisible. In a place as crowded as this, that wasn't always a good option, but we'd do it if necessary.
"That's what I was going for," he replied, a dimple forming in his cheek. "My parents would be so proud."
"They like scruffy?" Dyson asked, teasing as well.
Blake grinned, but it faded after a moment. "They like well-educated. They were disappointed when I dropped out. Especially when they found out why." He grimaced.
I winced. "Not the future they hoped for their young wizard?"
"Not so much," he agreed. "They're no fans of Zeta and were even less thrilled at the risk Corinne had dragged me into."
"Hey, you were a willing participant," she said over her shoulder.
"Consensual espionage is so much sexier," Leo remarked.
"Consensual anything," I agreed.
"Absolutely." He nodded.
"All right folks, here's where you get off." Corinne pulled the car into a parking space.
"What are you going to do?" I asked. She was more than capable of looking after herself, but she would still be alone, without any of us to help her if she needed it.
"I'll see you in a few weeks," she replied evenly. In spite of her calm, her voice wavered a little.
"Come with us now," I urged. "We can all just disappear off Zeta's radar." Nash did it. Matt too. Corinne could make a new life in Illusion Bay.
"I can't." She shook her head. "There are still paranormals who need my help. I won't abandon them." She got out of the car and started to pull bags out of the back.
Before I could move to help, Blake put a hand on my arm.
"She's made up her mind," he said. "Trust me, I've tried to change it. She's one stubborn witch."
"I heard that," she called out.
"You were supposed to," he called back. He pushed the door open and climbed out. I followed close behind.
"Hey, darlin', what do you say we ditch this lot and get lost in the crowds ourselves?" Leo jerked a thumb toward the others.
"Tempting," I replied dryly, "but I'll pass. You can come with us or not, but I'm going with them." I raised an eyebrow at him. I hoped he did decide to travel with us, partly because I enjoyed his company and partly because he still had the stone. I'd like to learn more about it, but more than that, I wanted to be sure it was in safe hands. That, as far as I was concerned, was ours. Yeah, okay, there probably were more qualified people to deal with it, but we were doing the best we could. Besides, Nash and Matt would have a better idea than anyone what to do with the stone.
"I wouldn't dream of being anywhere else, darlin'," Leo replied. "Besides, you need me."
"How do you figure that?" Corinne asked. She handed me my bag and closed the back of the car.
"Because I'm me, love, that's why," he replied. He stepped toward the sidewalk with a swagger.
"Are all demons as cocky as you?" I asked.
"Only the handsome ones." He gave me a wink that set my heart racing.
"It's kinda hot," Dyson said.
"Isn't it though, big boy?" Leo wiggled his eyebrows. He grabbed my hand with one of his and Dyson's in the other. "Come on, Curly," he said to Blake over his shoulder before he started to march toward the train station.
Blake shook his head and trotted to keep up.
I glanced back in time to see Corinne pull the car away from the curb. I nodded to her, but wasn't sure if she saw or not. I worried at my lip with my teeth.
"She'll be okay," Blake assured me. "She'll turn up in a week or two, probably with a few witches in tow. She won't rest until she saves the world."
Or dies trying, I added mentally.
"I know. She's pretty amazing, that cousin of yours." I clasped his hand in my spare one and gave it a squeeze.
"She really is. She's been like a sister to me." He gave me a squeeze back, but didn't let go until the crowds became too thick to walk in a line like we were.
The moment I let go of him and Leo, the crowds surged forward and pushed me with them.
I looked back, but only caught sight of Dyson's face in the press. He mouthed something, but I couldn't make it out as I was pushed forward again. I tried to stop and stand in place, but the crush of people almost dragged me off my feet.
I suppressed the urge to shift and tear my way back to the guys. That wouldn't be particularly subtle.
Instead, I went with the flow. They were carrying me toward the train platform anyway. Once there, I just had to find platform fourteen—no three quarters—and wait for the guys. All while hoping Leo didn't decide to choose now to show his demon face. That would clear the station in a matter of moments, but would also be lacking in the subtlety department. I suspected subtle wasn't his strong suit, but we needed it today.
The crowds thinned as I reached platform one. No doubt fourteen was right at the other end. Typical.
I glanced around, but saw no sign of any of the guys. I chewed my lip again, but started to weave through people toward the higher numbered platforms. Three, four, five.
I spied a doorway with a sign above it reading, "Through to platforms ten to fifteen
Figures, I was in totally the wrong place and according to the screen beside the sign, the train would arrive in less than two minutes.
"Fuck," I muttered under my breath.
I hurried forward and almost tripped over someone's bag.
"Double fuck."
"Watch where you're going," an older woman snapped. She brushed my arm in her haste to grab up the bag and hold it to her.
I would have argued, but the screen now said the train would arrive in under a minute.
"Sorry." I shot her a smile and continued toward the other end of the station at a trot.
Platform ten, eleven.
I ran a little faster, my bag bouncing on my back with each step.
Twelve.
Thirteen.
I spied fourteen just up ahead and sprinted around a group of school kids.
Shit.
There was the train. Where were the guys?
I skidded to a stop on platform fourteen just as the train door slid shut and the train pulled away.
Through the window I saw the frantic faces of Blake and Dyson.
I mouthed, "I'll catch up to you," and gave them a wave before they were drawn out of sight.
Fucking fuckity fuck!
9
"It's okay," I said under my breath. "The next train will leave…" I checked the board. "Tomorrow morning."
Crap.
I moved back from the edge of the platform and leaned against a pillar. I could call Corinne and ask her to come back and get me, but she'd taken enough risks on my behalf. I couldn't ask her to take another.
I winced at the idea of calling Nash and seeing how far away the guys were. He would come and get me, but he might tear Blake and Dyson a new one for leaving me stranded. Although it wasn't their fault, he would still be pissed. They must have assumed I'd boarded the train before they did.
No, it would be better to find somewhere to wait, and catch up in the morning. With any luck, I'd arrive in Illusion Bay before Nash. I admit, I also wanted to arrive before Matt. If I didn't, I would probably never hear the end
of it. As much as I adored him, he would never stop giving me hells. That was just as well, since I didn't plan on stopping any time soon either.
Okay, I better find a hotel then. I pulled out my phone and shot off a text to Dyson so he knew my plan. He responded a moment later with a string of sad face emojis and a thumbs up. There was nothing he or Blake could do but ride the train to its destination.
"There you are, darlin'. I guess I'm not the only one who missed the train, eh?" Leo's cheerful voice jerked me out of my thoughts. He held a train card in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
"I didn't know people still read those in paper form," I remarked.
He shrugged. "Something to do on the long train ride. I guess I'll save it for later." He tucked it under one arm and pushed the train card into his pocket. "Come on then." He turned and headed toward the exit.
"Where are we going?" I asked, without taking a step to follow him.
"I have a mate who lives hereabouts. He'll let us stay there and give us a feed. Don't worry, he won't bite."
"What about you?" I tried not to look as if I was looking toward the pocket where he stashed the stone. He could do a lot more than bite if he wanted to.
He stopped and looked back at me. "I'm not going to hurt you, I swear on my mother's life."
"Is she still alive?"
He hesitated, then broke into a smile. "No, she's not, but if she was, I would swear on it."
"Right." I eyed him sideways. Call me a cynic, but I wasn't entirely convinced.
He stepped back toward me, his gaze locked on mine. For those few seconds, the world melted away and it was just us. A witch-hybrid phoenix and a demon of dubious integrity but undeniable charm.
"What if I want you to bite me?" I asked.
His grin was back. "Then I'd bite you as hard as you want, darlin'. For the record, I don't mind a few teeth marks here and there. Now, come on. I don't know about you, but I'm ravenous. My mate does the best pizza you've ever had. Guaranteed."
My ears perked up at that. "Pizza, you say?"
"I do say," he agreed.
"Best ever, hmmm? That's a pretty high yardstick. I've had some epic pizza."
"Not like this, you haven't. It'll make you come back for more until we have to be rolled out the door. Don't worry though, we can work it off afterward." There he went, winking again.
"Fine, you had me at pizza." I pushed my bag up my shoulder.
"Pizza, the real universal language of love," he said with a dramatic gesture which almost connected with the face of an unsuspecting commuter. "Oops, sorry."
The commuter glared at Leo, but hurried on as a train drew into platform thirteen.
I smothered a laugh with my hand and hurried to catch up with Leo.
"I think we're supposed to be keeping a low profile," I reminded him.
"I never have been very good at doing that," he admitted. "That's why I have debts and Demon Hunters chasing after me. I tend to stick out, even with this face."
I couldn't argue with that. He was tall, handsome, and covered in more tattoos than bare skin. Guys like him tended to draw the eye. His accent and personality cemented him in my memory at least. I wondered what he was into, although at the moment I really needed to worry more about getting to somewhere Zeta wouldn't find us.
"For both of our sakes, try," I told him. "I'm not going back to a lab." I flushed at remembering the first time he saw me was when I was lying naked on the floor, having finally shifted back to human form. As far as I could recall, he hadn't stopped for a look, or anything else, but I was still embarrassed.
"Not going to happen," he said firmly. "Not on my watch. I have more than a few tricks up my sleeve."
"Me too, I guess." I was, after all, still a witch. I could tear the place apart with magic if I wanted to. Better yet, I could go invisible. That might go unnoticed now, with people hurrying past to catch trains or go about their daily…whatever they had to do. I would put that on the maybe pile for now. At the moment I felt safe enough. That is to say, I saw no one in a Zeta uniform.
Yet.
"Of course you do," he assured me. "You're a badass. I knew that the moment I lay eyes on you. That was in your phoenix form, by the way."
"How did you even get in there?" I asked. "Zeta should have the best security the government can afford."
"And then some, given the current government," he replied dryly. "Corinne and Blake aren't the only ones working things from the inside."
"Let me guess, you had a mate there?" I remembered he hadn't been alone.
"Something like that," he agreed. "I called in a favour."
"It must have been a big one, to get you into a place like that." Personally, when I was in there, I could only think about getting out. I couldn't imagine wanting to go back on purpose.
"It's always a big one. Go hard or go home."
"That stone must be important for you to take the risk of going in to get it. I assume Zeta would kill you if they knew what you are?"
He stopped and regarded me for a moment. "You don't pull any punches, do you, darlin'? If you want the stone, you only have to ask."
I hesitated for a moment. "Maybe not out here, surrounded by people."
He gave a curt nod and resumed walking. "For the record, yes, they would have killed me. My witch friend made us invisible for most of our harrowing journey through the building. To be fair, though, they would kill me because I'm me, regardless of my other face."
"You've pissed Zeta off in the past?" I guessed. Who hadn't he gotten on the wrong side of?
"I have a tendency to turn up in the wrong place and relieve them of items they believe are theirs," he said easily.
"There are more stones like that?" I don't know why I found that surprising, but I did.
"Loads. And they all do different things, depending on the magic put into them. Some control the minds of normals. Some can do the opposite and protect the wearer from mind control. Those are tricky, they let the wearer see right through an invisibility bubble. I heard of one used to trap demons inside." He shuddered.
I glanced over at him. "Trapped? How?"
"Trapped," he repeated. "As in, their consciousness is transferred inside." He waved a hand. "It's a long story for another time. We should hurry, I'd hate to be recognised out here."
"Are you really that notorious?" I asked, half teasing. I wasn't sure if he was just playing up to the role of badass demon.
"And then some." He grinned. "I like to live on the edge, it makes life more exciting."
"Hmmm," I said thoughtfully. "It seems I might be safer away from you then."
"Possibly," he agreed, "but then you wouldn't get pizza."
I pulled a face. "Fine, but this mate of yours better not want you dead as well."
"Oh no, not at all. He would probably like to see me inconvenienced, but not dead."
I snorted. "Is that much better?"
"Definitely." Leo nodded. "Death is usually a bit more permanent."
"Usually?"
"I know some demons who can reattach their own heads. Their brains are in their chests."
"That's an interesting place to keep it."
"Right? I keep mine in my groin."
I laughed. "I didn't doubt it for a moment."
"It just means my dick is smarter than average. It knows just what the ladies like." He wiggled his brows and gave me a cocky smile.
"Does it now?" Of course now my eyes had to go there.
"So they say," he replied. "But you're welcome to find out for yourself."
"Has anyone told you you're very forward?"
"If an adjective exists, it's probably been used to describe me." He stopped at the edge of the road and waited for the traffic light to change. "I prefer to concentrate on the positive ones. You know, handsome, intelligent, articulate…"
"Modest." I smiled.
"Never that," he said. "Life is too short not to embrace your best qualities." He eyed my breasts.
"Right." I licked my lips. "How far to this pizza place?"
"Just another few minutes walk." He nodded ahead of us. "A word of warning though. Johan's place is a little…different."
"Different how?" What could be more strange than anything I already saw over the last couple of years?
"It's… You'll see." He led me up the street to an alley. He stopped at a faded red door and tapped on it three times.
"Best kept secret in the city," Leo explained. "Johan's Pizza."
Hidden as it was, I didn't know how it was still in business. It wasn't the kind of place you'd stumble on while walking around looking for dinner. No sign suggested a restaurant, or a business of any kind, operated here.
The door swung open. The smells which rushed out contradicted my assumptions. My mouth watered immediately.
"Leo." The tall man who had opened the door looked unimpressed to see him.
"Johan, my old mate." Leo stepped forward and tugged me inside. "It's been a long time."
"Not long enough." Still, Johan stepped back and closed the door behind us. He gave me a quick look and a nod before he bustled away.
"He's not the chatty type," Leo said.
"You think?" I followed them down a short corridor and into a wide courtyard. Surrounded on four sides by buildings, none of which had windows on this side, the residents probably didn't even know it was there.
Paranormals sat at various tables around the courtyard. A couple had green faces and long noses. Another had a round face and reddish fur. Several looked like normal humans, but I would have bet anything they were demons or shifters, maybe witches or wizards.
"Welcome to Johan's. Paranormals only allowed," Leo placed his bag against the wall.
"I can't believe you'd step foot in here." A man almost as wide and he was tall rose from his chair and launched himself at Leo.
10
Leo stepped aside and the man staggered past a few steps.
"Gregor, you old fucker," Leo said cheerfully. He ducked as Gregor turned and swiped a meaty fist at his head. "They love me here, as you can see."
"Evidently." I stepped a safe distance away, although I could have had Gregor on his stomach, his arm twisted up behind him in a heartbeat if I wanted to. Failing that, my inner phoenix could tear him in two. "Do you owe him money too?"
Logical Magic (Academy of Modern Magic Book 3) Page 6
