there was no sun in the demon realm.
He pictured Valia sitting next to him, the sunlight glinting
off her red hair, casting an orange glow over her soft skin. Did she love the
sun as much as he did or did she prefer the light of the moon? Was she snooping
through his things or lying on his scratchy sheets? He frowned at that. She
thought him poor and lacking class. Hell, maybe by her standards, he was.
He examined the other shops around the pizza joint. Van’s
Linens and Lingerie, Shay Jewels, Perfect Perk, The Donut Hole, Yum Subs. He
didn’t know how long he’d be waiting here and he’d only have one more full day
with her after tonight. Too bad there wasn’t a grocery store. He’d love to see
the look on her face when he brought her fresh kiwi and pineapple.
He shook his head. He didn’t need to be thinking of her. He
needed to take care of business, but who knew how long he’d be waiting around
for this mystery demon. He didn’t dare port away to a grocery store, but he
could at least make use of the linen store. He’d show her he wasn’t poor and
classless.
He found himself striding toward the linen store before he
realized he’d made up his mind. He stopped at the double glass doors and marked
his view of the front of the pizza place. Clear. He stepped inside. There were
only a handful of shoppers inside. Good. He didn’t dare go farther into the
store and lose his vantage point.
Shit. What was he doing? This was ridiculous. Just as he was
about to leave, a petite saleswoman said, “May I help you with something, sir?”
“Sheets. I need sheets,” he said only sparing her a sideways
glance before returning his gaze out the door.
“Okay. If you’ll follow me—”
“No. I’m waiting for someone. Pick some out for me. The
softest you have.”
“Um, well… I’ll need to know size and if you prefer Egyptian
cotton or satin and thread count. There are so many choices.”
“Queen. The best you have.”
“Well, that’d probably be our fifteen hundred count Egyptian
cotton. Do you have a color preference?”
“Green,” he said without hesitation. He loved the way she
looked in green. “Light green.” He spared a quick glance around the store and
at the bewildered saleswoman. “And one of those dresses in green.” Without
looking, he pointed to the left wall.
“The lingerie?” At his nod, she asked, “What size?”
Hell, he had no clue. Size sexy-as-hell. He glanced at the
saleswoman again. “Your girth, larger breasts, six inches taller.”
In his peripheral vision, he saw her blush before she walked
away. She returned five minutes later. “Sir, will any of these work?”
She held up three items for him. He quickly scanned them and
chose the short shiny one. He was shocked when the woman announced his purchase
totaled $257.14. He was out of his element. Luckily, he always carried at least
one thousand dollars with him when on assignment.
With his purchases stowed in a handled, brown bag with Van’s
Linens & Lingerie printed in curly script, he made his way back to the
bench to watch and wait. He supposed the shopping bag helped him blend in. Just
another shopper.
A sense of unease crept through him and he had the almost
uncontrollable urge to port to the demon realm to check on Valia. There was no
way for him to know if she was in danger, but he would swear he felt her fear
and it ate at his guts. He fought it, tried to stay focused, ignore the tricks
his imagination was playing on him and within ten minutes, the unease lessened.
She was safe as long as the rod was in place. His desire to continue his
revenge must be making him delusional.
After the sun went down, Rydin entered the pizza place,
picked a table that gave him the best view of people coming and going, and
ordered a beer and a slice of pizza. He was shocked that all of the employees
were demons of various kinds.
Three hours and five beers later, his target walked through
the door and headed behind the counter
He pictured Valia sitting next to him, the sunlight glinting
off her red hair, casting an orange glow over her soft skin. Did she love the
sun as much as he did or did she prefer the light of the moon? Was she snooping
through his things or lying on his scratchy sheets? He frowned at that. She
thought him poor and lacking class. Hell, maybe by her standards, he was.
He examined the other shops around the pizza joint. Van’s
Linens and Lingerie, Shay Jewels, Perfect Perk, The Donut Hole, Yum Subs. He
didn’t know how long he’d be waiting here and he’d only have one more full day
with her after tonight. Too bad there wasn’t a grocery store. He’d love to see
the look on her face when he brought her fresh kiwi and pineapple.
He shook his head. He didn’t need to be thinking of her. He
needed to take care of business, but who knew how long he’d be waiting around
for this mystery demon. He didn’t dare port away to a grocery store, but he
could at least make use of the linen store. He’d show her he wasn’t poor and
classless.
He found himself striding toward the linen store before he
realized he’d made up his mind. He stopped at the double glass doors and marked
his view of the front of the pizza place. Clear. He stepped inside. There were
only a handful of shoppers inside. Good. He didn’t dare go farther into the
store and lose his vantage point.
Shit. What was he doing? This was ridiculous. Just as he was
about to leave, a petite saleswoman said, “May I help you with something, sir?”
“Sheets. I need sheets,” he said only sparing her a sideways
glance before returning his gaze out the door.
“Okay. If you’ll follow me—”
“No. I’m waiting for someone. Pick some out for me. The
softest you have.”
“Um, well… I’ll need to know size and if you prefer Egyptian
cotton or satin and thread count. There are so many choices.”
“Queen. The best you have.”
“Well, that’d probably be our fifteen hundred count Egyptian
cotton. Do you have a color preference?”
“Green,” he said without hesitation. He loved the way she
looked in green. “Light green.” He spared a quick glance around the store and
at the bewildered saleswoman. “And one of those dresses in green.” Without
looking, he pointed to the left wall.
“The lingerie?” At his nod, she asked, “What size?”
Hell, he had no clue. Size sexy-as-hell. He glanced at the
saleswoman again. “Your girth, larger breasts, six inches taller.”
In his peripheral vision, he saw her blush before she walked
away. She returned five minutes later. “Sir, will any of these work?”
She held up three items for him. He quickly scanned them and
chose the short shiny one. He was shocked when the woman announced his purchase
totaled $257.14. He was out of his element. Luckily, he always carried at least
one thousand dollars with him when on assignment.
With his purchases stowed in a handled, brown bag with Van’s
Linens & Lingerie printed in curly script, he made his way back to the
bench to watch and wait. He supposed the shopping bag helped him blend in. Just
another shopper.
A sense of unease crept through him and he had the almost
uncontrollable urge to port to the demon realm to check on Valia. There was no
way for him to know if she was in danger, but he would swear he felt her fear
and it ate at his guts. He fought it, tried to stay focused, ignore the tricks
his imagination was playing on him and within ten minutes, the unease lessened.
She was safe as long as the rod was in place. His desire to continue his
revenge must be making him delusional.
After the sun went down, Rydin entered the pizza place,
picked a table that gave him the best view of people coming and going, and
ordered a beer and a slice of pizza. He was shocked that all of the employees
were demons of various kinds.
Three hours and five beers later, his target walked through
the door and headed behind the counter
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