point is, now there are more than imps chasing me.”
Milo frowned and rubbed his chin. “More than imps? Like what?”
“No, I mean it’s a demon, but he’s not an imp. Are there more powerful demons?” I wanted him to confirm what I believed.
“Of course. The hierarchy goes up to beings that are over whole cities, and they rule over their lower classes.”
I didn’t need to know that much information. “Well a higher one is after me, and I’m not sure how to handle him.”
He paced away from me, and I followed, looking around to be sure the demon I mentioned wasn’t nearby. I no longer sensed him or any danger for that matter.
At last, Milo faced me. “I have friends you might be able to stay with until this thing blows over.”
“No.”
“I’m not sure what else I can do, Rue.”
“You can hire me.”
His eyes widened. “I thought you didn’t want to be a tracker.”
“I don’t! But I also refuse to be a victim. It seems to me the best way to get these demons off my back is to give you the whatever-it-is, and they can chase you.”
He chuckled. “You’re all heart, cher .”
I shrugged because it was either me or him, and he was the one dealing in questionable goods. If he were shipping cheese, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. At least, I hoped there was no cheese monster in New Orleans. I could almost see the headlines. “Is there a giant rat living in Goth—” You get the picture.
“Very well,” Milo said. “Let’s go.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Go where?”
“To my lair.”
“What?”
He chuckled at my expense. “I’m kidding. I told you I’m in the shipping business. It stands to reason I have an office, right?”
“Yes, I’m just a little on edge.” I glanced at the sky. There was plenty of night left before morning.
Unfortunately, Fae don’t travel as fast as vampires. Rather, Milo didn’t. I walked with him to a car he had waiting around the corner. I hadn’t been in one for several months, preferring to enjoy my own steam.
“Don’t you have a faster way?” I asked as we climbed into his vehicle.
Milo turned over the engine, and it purred. The interior of the vehicle smelled new. Business must be good. “Are you saying you’re faster?”
“No. That would be bragging.” I smirked but didn’t really believe I was faster than a car hurtling at sixty miles or more per hour. Milo wasn’t driving nearly as fast as that.
“We have spells that allow us to travel great distances, but a few city blocks seems hardly worth the energy.”
“Using a spell drains you?”
“To a degree.”
I settled back in my seat, arms folded, eyes on the road as I watched for enemies. The willies wouldn’t release me after meeting up with the strong demon. Maybe tomorrow night I would feel more like myself.
“Aren’t you going to buckle up?” Milo asked.
“I’m already dead.”
“It’s the law,” he countered.
I rolled my eyes, amused, and did as he suggested. We drove where Milo’s offices were, and I followed him to the building’s entrance. As we neared the door, he muttered words in a language I didn’t recognize, and he flicked out his first and second finger toward the door. The air vibrated around me, but I saw nothing.
“Was that for my benefit?” I asked, and grabbed the door he held for me.
“Yes, you wouldn’t have been able to enter without some effort.”
“Effort? I thought your spells don’t work on a vampire.”
His eyes flashed annoyance, but then he masked it. “Who told you that?”
“You.”
He thought about it, and I wondered how many lies Milo told me that he couldn’t keep straight. “You’re not impervious, and I said you would have to put in effort . This spell was pretty powerful stuff. A baby like you might take half the night.”
I reserved comment and belief. Something told me to take everything Milo Beuron told me with a grain of salt from now on.
“Welcome to my humble company, Rue. Make
Milo frowned and rubbed his chin. “More than imps? Like what?”
“No, I mean it’s a demon, but he’s not an imp. Are there more powerful demons?” I wanted him to confirm what I believed.
“Of course. The hierarchy goes up to beings that are over whole cities, and they rule over their lower classes.”
I didn’t need to know that much information. “Well a higher one is after me, and I’m not sure how to handle him.”
He paced away from me, and I followed, looking around to be sure the demon I mentioned wasn’t nearby. I no longer sensed him or any danger for that matter.
At last, Milo faced me. “I have friends you might be able to stay with until this thing blows over.”
“No.”
“I’m not sure what else I can do, Rue.”
“You can hire me.”
His eyes widened. “I thought you didn’t want to be a tracker.”
“I don’t! But I also refuse to be a victim. It seems to me the best way to get these demons off my back is to give you the whatever-it-is, and they can chase you.”
He chuckled. “You’re all heart, cher .”
I shrugged because it was either me or him, and he was the one dealing in questionable goods. If he were shipping cheese, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. At least, I hoped there was no cheese monster in New Orleans. I could almost see the headlines. “Is there a giant rat living in Goth—” You get the picture.
“Very well,” Milo said. “Let’s go.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Go where?”
“To my lair.”
“What?”
He chuckled at my expense. “I’m kidding. I told you I’m in the shipping business. It stands to reason I have an office, right?”
“Yes, I’m just a little on edge.” I glanced at the sky. There was plenty of night left before morning.
Unfortunately, Fae don’t travel as fast as vampires. Rather, Milo didn’t. I walked with him to a car he had waiting around the corner. I hadn’t been in one for several months, preferring to enjoy my own steam.
“Don’t you have a faster way?” I asked as we climbed into his vehicle.
Milo turned over the engine, and it purred. The interior of the vehicle smelled new. Business must be good. “Are you saying you’re faster?”
“No. That would be bragging.” I smirked but didn’t really believe I was faster than a car hurtling at sixty miles or more per hour. Milo wasn’t driving nearly as fast as that.
“We have spells that allow us to travel great distances, but a few city blocks seems hardly worth the energy.”
“Using a spell drains you?”
“To a degree.”
I settled back in my seat, arms folded, eyes on the road as I watched for enemies. The willies wouldn’t release me after meeting up with the strong demon. Maybe tomorrow night I would feel more like myself.
“Aren’t you going to buckle up?” Milo asked.
“I’m already dead.”
“It’s the law,” he countered.
I rolled my eyes, amused, and did as he suggested. We drove where Milo’s offices were, and I followed him to the building’s entrance. As we neared the door, he muttered words in a language I didn’t recognize, and he flicked out his first and second finger toward the door. The air vibrated around me, but I saw nothing.
“Was that for my benefit?” I asked, and grabbed the door he held for me.
“Yes, you wouldn’t have been able to enter without some effort.”
“Effort? I thought your spells don’t work on a vampire.”
His eyes flashed annoyance, but then he masked it. “Who told you that?”
“You.”
He thought about it, and I wondered how many lies Milo told me that he couldn’t keep straight. “You’re not impervious, and I said you would have to put in effort . This spell was pretty powerful stuff. A baby like you might take half the night.”
I reserved comment and belief. Something told me to take everything Milo Beuron told me with a grain of salt from now on.
“Welcome to my humble company, Rue. Make
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