by Brux, Boone
“I don’t feel like such a wuss now that I know the movie scares actual demons.” I mimicked Mara’s shudder. “And I’m not proud of this, but I don’t know if I would have stayed in the house after finding my kid floating three feet above her bed, looking and speaking like that.” It was my turn to hold up hands in defense. “Just sayin’.”
“I would have left a trail of fire behind me,” Mara added. “Anyway, those demons do exist, but they’re usually bound to the lower realms of Hell because they’re so hard to control.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to ward off the creepy chill running up my spine. “What do you mean…usually?”
She shrugged. “Well, nothing is a hundred percent certain.”
“Great, there goes my peaceful night’s sleep.”
“Don’t worry.” She placed her hand on my shoulder, sending a wave of warmth through me and extinguishing the icy fear. “You’ve got friends in high places.” Her hand slipped away and she smiled. “And now low.”
“A year ago I would have never believed I’d be friends with a demon.” I nodded. “That’s pretty cool.”
“Damn right it is.” Pursing her lips, Mara scanned the casino area again, and then sighed. “Come on, we’d better finish looking for Charon or I’ll never hear the end of it from Cam.”
“Our bossy partners—yet another thing in common,” I added.
Mara nodded. “Isn’t that the truth?”
“Geez, there’s a lot of spirits around here.” We veered to the side, avoiding a group of old lady ghosts. All of them sported blue T-shirts, Bermuda shorts, and fanny packs, and I had to wonder if they’d died all at once on one of those elder’s trips, or if they’d made a pact to meet here after they’d passed. “Why hasn’t somebody reaped these people?”
“I was wondering the same thing,” Mara said. “There seems to be a lot more spirits than usual, but that’s not our problem right now.”
“Right.” It wasn’t like I had an overwhelming urge to reap the loitering ghosts. Being an overachiever wasn’t really my style. Though I could multi-task the crap out of homework, making dinner, and holding a conversation with one of my kids, when it came to reaping I took it one assignment at a time.
We wove our way in and out of the table area, along the back walls near the giant slots and through the bars, but saw no sign of Charon.
When we finally made it back to the meeting point, Nate and Cam were already waiting. “See anything?” Cam asked.
“No.” I rubbed my temple, trying to relieve the dull, irritating headache. “Relatively speaking it’s pretty quiet down here.”
“We didn’t find him either.” Nate shoved his hands in his front pockets. “What now?”
A yawn pushed against my lips and I was helpless to prevent it from slipping out. Covering my mouth, I stopped fighting it. “Sorry.”
“You poor thing. You must be exhausted.” Mara turned to the men. “I don’t think we’re going to have much luck here tonight. Why don’t we let Lisa get some sleep?”
“Good idea.” Cam’s smile was filled with understanding and patience. It became clear why he was the Archangel of Tolerance. “We’ll put feelers out tomorrow at the conference. Maybe someone knows where the best party is.”
“Thanks, guys.” Relief washed through me. I’d gotten my second wind before dinner but the big cheesy meal put the kibosh on any delusions of rallying. “I promise, after eight hours of sleep—maybe ten—I’ll be a new woman.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Nate said. Before my annoyance flared, he added a wink, silencing my retort. “Go on. Get some sleep.”
“See you in the morning.” I gave a quick wave and headed up the escalator.
The others made no move to follow me and I suspected they were still going to search for Charon. I mentally cheered them on, but was grateful I didn’t have to participate. A hot shower, three ibuprofen, and a soft bed—the perfect combination to end the evening.
The elevator at the far end opened and I stepped in, punching twenty-six. As the doors slid shut, the silver tip of a walking stick jutted through the crack, stopping the doors from closing. A hand slipped in and pushed the elevator open again. Instinctively, I moved back to the corner, making way for more occupants.
A handsome man decked out in black glided into the elevator. Though not overly muscular, his presence filled the car. My gaze darted to him and then back to the wall. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“Thank you for waiting,” he said. A black goatee framed his white smile and his dark eyes tracked up and down my body before turning to the number pad and pressing the thirty-seventh floor. “Can’t stand waiting if I don’t have to.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Me too.” Thirty-seventh? I could have sworn the floors above the doors had been twenty-six through thirty-six. Then again, I was tired and had probably read it wrong. From his elegant appearance, no doubt he was a high roller and probably stayed in one of the luxury suites the hotel saved for its rich guests. “Been lucky at the tables?”
“Very.” He turned toward me, giving me another assessing stare. “I love Vegas. Home away from home.” With a casual toss of his head, he flipped his hair back into place. Except for the single strip of gray that framed his face, his hair was completely black. Same with his goatee. A thin band of gray ran down his chin but the rest of his beard was the color of coal. “How about you?”
“I haven’t had the chance to try my luck yet.” My shoulders lifted with a tiny shrug. “Maybe tomorrow.” The elevator dinged and a second later the doors slid open. As I strode out, I said, “Good night.”
“Good night…Lisa.”
At the sound of my name, I spun toward the elevator. He touched his walking stick to his temple and bent in a shallow bow seconds before the doors pinched closed. How had he known my name? Conspiracy theories raced through my mind. I’d never seen the man before. When I turned back toward the hall, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.
“Idiot.” I still wore my lanyard and convention badge. “Of course that’s how he knew my name.”
Even as I pulled the cord over my head, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had been off about my contact with him. Too tired to contemplate the twists and turns this trip insisted on taking, I headed to my room. Hopefully, Tandy had found other digs. If she hadn’t, I just might have to reap her ass.
Chapter Four
“Tandy?” When she didn’t answer I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Hallelujah.”
Though bolting the door wouldn’t keep out the paranormal, it would stave off the drunks and housekeeping. Before prepping for bed, I gave my mother a quick call. My daughter, Bronte, had been acting weird for the past several months, ever since she had been in a car accident. Maybe it was normal teenage stuff, but I wanted to keep a close eye on her just in case.
The only person more lovingly invasive than me was my mother. When I found out I had to come to Vegas, she had been the only one I felt comfortable leaving the kids with, which shocked the hell out of me. Normally, I leave them with my friend Vella, but I didn’t need a fun-loving sitter—I needed diligence. My mother and I rarely agreed on how to parent, but I knew she’d be a dog on a bone if she caught the scent of anything fishy going on with the kids.
“Your father took the children to the movie and should be home any minute.”
“Really?” My father had never taken me to a movie—ever. “Whose idea was that?”
“His,” my mother said. “Some science fiction flick he’s wanted to see. I can’t stand those shows, and they all seemed really excited to see it.”
“Well, that’s nice,” I said, trying to not let jealousy lace my words. “And how is Bronte?”
“She’s great. Almost like she’s turned a corner with everything.”
Her announcement about my daughter’s state of mind sounded slightly boasting, as if staying with my paren
ts had been the magic ingredient to turn Bronte around. I gritted my teeth and inhaled, forcing myself not to read anything into my mother’s words. “That’s great, Mom. It’s nice to not have to worry while I’m gone.”
“How is your trip going?”
“Good.” This was always the tricky part. My parents didn’t know about me being a reaper. Keeping that fact from her had sharpened my avoidance skills to a fine point. “Classes start tomorrow,” I said. “They should be interesting.”
“Well, don’t work too hard and be sure to relax. You deserve it.”
“Thanks. I will.” I feigned a yawn, which morphed into a real one. “Listen, I’m exhausted, so I think I’ll hop in the shower and then hit the hay.”
“I’ll tell the kids you called,” she said.
“Thanks for taking care of them. I really appreciate it. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
After hanging up, I headed for the shower. Hopefully, there wasn’t a limit on how much hot water I could use. The sprays pummeled my body, easing the tension of the day and turning my muscles to noodles. Oh yeah, I was going to sleep good tonight.
***
The alarm erupted at seven o’clock the next morning. I jerked awake, rolled over, and fumbled for the off button. Once I’d silenced the timer’s annoying shriek I clicked on my lamp, flopped to my back again, and nearly jumped out of my skin.
Tandy floated a foot above the bed, her translucent image curled in a fetal position. Damn it. I’d really hoped she’d shack up with Big C—or anybody else but me. Nothing woke a person up fast like finding a ghost hovering over their bed. Her body drifted toward me and I pressed into the mattress. I filled my lungs with as much air as I could and then blew. Like a balloon, she glided in the opposite direction and off the other side of the bed.
“Oops.”
Completely awake now, I tossed back the covers, grabbed my clothes for the day, and locked myself in the bathroom. My hair stuck out in all directions from falling asleep with it wet. Luckily, my style was short and spiky. With a little help from some styling gel and hairspray, I tamed the platinum mess to an acceptable level.
The rest of my routine, including getting dressed, took another ten minutes. Low maintenance—I’d never change. When I stepped out of the bathroom, I stopped. Tandy hovered near the ceiling vent and I was momentarily torn. Did I pull her out of the path of the blasting air conditioner and tuck her in, or let her float around the room? After a second, I grabbed my purse and badge. She’d be fine.
On my way downstairs, Nate texted me the name of the restaurant where he was having breakfast. He’d claimed a table in the corner and was already set up with coffee.
“Morning.” I slid onto the bench and tossed my purse beside me.
He glanced up and smiled. “Morning. Sleep well?”
“Like the dead, and apparently with the dead.” I waved at the waitress, indicating I wanted coffee. “How about you?”
“Not bad. We decided to check a few of the smaller casinos on Fremont Street.”
“Any sign of Charon?” I pushed my silverware aside to make room for my caffeine fix.
“No, but we really didn’t think there would be.” Nate rubbed his hand over his chin. “He’s fat with gold right now and I suspect he’s at one of the top hotels.” He paused, allowing the waitress to set me up with coffee and refill his cup. After she left, he continued. “We’ll start checking those after the conference classes.”
“Classes?” The creamer pitcher halted halfway to my cup. “We’re actually going?”
“Sure.” He picked up a folder and handed it to me. “Here’s your conference information. There are tons of classes. Go to the ones that interest you. The only thing that’s mandatory is the business luncheon today.”
GRS was printed in bold black letters across the folder, but no other defining description had been added. Probably in case a non-GRS person got a hold of it. I pulled out the schedule. “Dealing With the Difficult Client. Your Porter, Friend or Foe?” I looked at Nate. “Seriously?”
“You’d be surprised how good some of these workshops are.” He reached across the table and pointed to the nine o’clock class. “This one is great for newbies.”
“Is Following the Rules Really That Important?” A sniff of indignation snorted from me. “Did Constantine make you point that one out?”
Sure, at times I was a bit of a rule-breaker, but only when I knew—well, was fairly certain—my actions wouldn’t upset the balance of nature. And most of the time I had been right. Mostly. With a porter like Hal sometimes it was necessary to bend the letter of the law a bit.
“Actually, no.” He folded his arms and rested them on the table. “Constantine didn’t think you’d go to any of the classes once you found out about our mission with Charon.”
“He knows me so well.” I straightened, envisioning the biggest Bloody Mary they made, and some morning gambling. Instantly, my mood brightened. “So, I don’t have to go?”
“I didn’t say that.” Nate scowled at me. It was an expression I knew all too well. “Even though we can’t force you…” He hesitated, pinning me with a fatherly stare of disapproval. “You definitely could use the extra training.”
I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t a mature reaction, but I didn’t care. It felt right. “Why do you always make it your mission to suck every drop of fun out of my day?”
“Probably because we have very different meanings of the word fun.” He leaned back, allowing the waitress to set down a plate of dry toast and a bowl of fruit.
“That’s for sure. For instance you actually know how to use Pi, while I’m good at eating pie.” I finished pouring cream in my coffee and then stirred it in. “You find volcanology fascinating, whereas I always wanted to be a Vulcan.” I squinted at him. “Similar, but different. Mine are fun. Yours are a snooze fest.”
“Would you like to order something?” The waitress held her pad at the ready.
“Yes, please.” I held my hands out and made a gesture with my fingers that was supposed to indicate rolling a tortilla, but probably in no way looked like that. “Do you have anything like a breakfast burrito?”
“We’ve got the Southwestern Burrito Deluxe.”
I clapped. “Perfect. I’ll have that.”
“It’s really good.” Her eyes brightened. “Sausage, bacon, or ham?” She scrunched up her face. “Though why anybody would put ham in a breakfast burrito is beyond me.”
“That is a crime against breakfast wraps everywhere,” I said. “Sausage, no green peppers, extra onions and cheese, and can I get extra salsa and sour cream on the side?”
“You got it.” After scooping up the menu, she spun and strode to the kitchen window, immediately attaching my order to the rotator.
“I thought you’d still be full from last night’s dinner.” Nate asked.
“Hello, have we met?” His ability to indirectly insult me with a simple statement was a true skill. Impertinent, but not outright offensive. “This body is a super reaping machine. It requires constant fuel in the form of white carbs, alcohol, and cheese.”
“One day you’re going to drop from a heart attack.”
“When I do you can reap me and get a new partner.” I gave him a tight smile. “One who gets as excited about daily fiber as you do.”
That drew a smile from him. “Mara can really put away the food too.”
“I love that about her.” I sipped my coffee and then set the cup back down. “I wish I could eat anything I wanted and look like her.”
“She doesn’t always look like that.” Nate bit into his toast and slowly chewed. “Her beauty comes at a high price.”
“You mean being a demon?”
He nodded. “I don’t know a lot about Mara, but I heard she was offered a job at GRS because she saved Cam’s life. But like I said, I don’t know any details.”
“I would sacrifice myself for that man, too.” I tried my best not to sigh, but a tiny w
hisper of one slipped out. “Lucky demon.”
Nate swallowed hard, staring at me for a couple of seconds, and then took another determined bite of toast. Jealous? If he was, it was because he wanted Mara as a partner, not because I found Cam heavenly.
A few minutes later the waitress arrived and set a platter in front of me. It had to be the world’s biggest breakfast burrito, reaching end to end on the oval plate. I smiled at her, true happiness filling me. “Thank you so much.”
“Enjoy.”
“You can’t eat all that,” Nate said.
“Is that a challenge?”
He harrumphed. “No, because if I say yes, you will and then crash in a food coma.”
“But I’d be so happy.” I shrugged and dug into my meal.
We ate in relative silence, both of us sifting through the offered classes and planning our day. Maybe I’d go, or maybe I’d end up at the penny slots off in some corner. Who was I kidding? As much as I wanted to bail, I wouldn’t. Somehow Constantine would know and harangue me about it.
After eating, we headed to the Expo and Convention center. Even though I’d decided to make an appearance at the class on following the rules, I didn’t want Nate to know I’d caved. He’d give me a smug smile that made me want to slap the cute off him.
“I’m going to hit the bathroom first.” I inched toward the escalator. “So…I guess I’ll see you at lunch?”
“All right,” Nate said, while scanning his conference sheet. Then he looked up. “Text me. Maybe we can hook up with Mara and Cam at the luncheon.”
“Sounds good.” At least if the luncheon speaker was boring I could sit and stare at Cam. “Later.”
With that, I pivoted and took a dizzying amount of escalators to the fifth floor of the convention area. The place was massive and surprisingly the GRS Expo took up a lot of the event space. Reapers had flown in for the convention from all over the world. Whether to attend classes and network, or as backup help if things started to go sour with this Charon situation, I didn’t know.
