Devil's Paw (Imp Book 4) (12 page)

He vanished, and I sat my empty mug in the sink. What was going on? Gregory not trusting some of his own staff? My imagination ran wild, and, for a brief moment, I felt a pang of worry. Then I laughed and shook my head. That angel was billions of years old. Nothing would ever happen to him. Nothing. And it sent something surging deep inside my core to think he worried about me, protected me. Dead demons, a dead angel, and me as the most likely suspect, yet he still protected me. Dead angel. A dead angel in Mexico.

I frowned. The dead angel was an outlier, far outside the line of the other killings. How had a devouring spirit made it to Mexico from Maryland in such a short time, and why had he changed directions? What happened that he encountered and killed an angel? A non–Grigori angel? Should I also be looking in a radius around Parral Mexico? The events couldn’t possibly be unrelated. Two devouring spirits was improbable, three was approaching an impossible coincidence. Impossible.

~8~

N
yalla was oddly silent during dinner that night. I realized her English was still limited, and I’d been trying to translate for her as we showed her the culinary joys of Maryland seafood.

“Nyalla has been teaching me Elvish,” Amber announced with a fond look at her sister. “She’s drawn maps with the different kingdoms on them, and I’m learning all sorts of cultural stuff.”

Side by side, there was scant resemblance between the two. Nyalla’s hair was darker, more of an ash color, although her recent exposure to the sun was bringing out streaks of near white to frame a still–pale face. She looked like a slight, female version of Wyatt — attractive in a very human way. Amber, by contrast, eclipsed everyone in the room. It wasn’t just her exotic elven looks. Amber had a presence about her, an odd combination of elf aloofness and succubi sex appeal.

“She’s supposed to be learning from you,” I scolded the hybrid. “You’ll have millennia to learn about your mother’s culture. Just concentrate right now on getting Nyalla up to speed so she’s able to begin some sort of normal human life.”

Amber looked up from her oysters in surprise. “Millennia? I thought…. I just assumed I’d have a normal human life expectancy.” The girl frowned, a crease marring her perfect forehead. “I don’t want to outlive my friends, my family. I don’t want to watch them grow old while I remain young.”

Yeah, I worried about that every day too. “Millennia. Concentrate on helping your sister, and you can bemoan your terrible fate later.”

Amber nodded as she casually scooped a dollop of horseradish on her oyster and squeezed fresh lemon over it. I watched her for a moment, thinking that her acceptance of her extended lifespan, and the fact that she’d outlive all her family, was far too easy. Amber was good at hiding her emotions. She seemed fine, but I suspected this news had rocked her to the core. Vowing to spend some one–on–one time with the half–elf, I turned to Nyalla. The girl was wrestling with a crab claw, trying unsuccessfully to extract the meat from the shell.

“How are language lessons going?” I spoke in Elvish.

She smiled shyly. “Very well, thank you. And my most honored brother, Wyatt, has procured an identification card for me. He is going to teach me to navigate a human conveyance after sunrise tomorrow. I have already learned how to use the comp–pute–er, and how to spin a web on it. I can operate the cooking and personal hygiene systems, and now have a variety of suitable clothing. I am told I will be going to a spa bath with my elven sister after noon respite tomorrow.”

Okay. Computer, Internet, household appliances and clothing — check. Driving lessons and make–over/bonding time tomorrow. Progress.

“My name is Nina Lewis,” she announced in English with only the barest hint of accent.

“Very nice,” I told her. “Should I call you ‘Nina’ now?”

She shook her head and flashed a mischievous smile. “Friends and family call me Nyalla.” Once again, her accent was close to perfect. Her memory when it came to words and language structure was amazing, and she had a great ear for pronunciation.

“How did you learn my language?” She’d mentioned she knew a few words, and I was curious. It’s not like she could have spent a lot of time among demons.

The girl shrugged. “Demons make terrible messes at parties, usually involving bodily fluids that elves and other humans do not want to clean up. I would stand in the corner, ready to take care of any unpleasantness. I heard them talk among themselves, and, over the years, picked up some words and sentences.”

Wow. It was amazing that she could learn the basics of a language just by listening in at the occasional party. It was just as amazing that she would have bothered. Not many did.

My surprise must have shown on my face, because Nyalla gave me a quick grin. “I like to know what people are saying. Watching and listening to them helps me anticipate their wishes, and avoid punishment.”

That familiar anger toward the elves stirred in me. Assholes. How many humans there felt the same? Slaves. I clenched my jaw and struggled to put the anger back. It’s not like I could do anything about the situation, and I didn’t want the girl beside me to think my fury had anything to do with her.

Nyalla turned her attention back to the crab claw, twisting off the lower portion and peering with despair at the meat, still trapped within the exoskeleton.

“Here, let me help,” Wyatt reached across the table and took the claw from her, twisting it sharply in his hands. With a resounding crack, the shell split, freeing the pink flesh. He handed it back to her with a smile. “Dip it in the butter first.”

I pointed to the butter and watched Nyalla as she tasted it.

“Oh, this is wonderful! So much better in taste than appearance.”

Yes, so many things were.

“So are the oysters,” I told her. “Better snag a few before Amber eats them all.”

“She plans to go through the gate. I thought you should know.”

Nyalla’s tone was casual, as if we were discussing the weather, or the merits of the seafood before us. I stared at her. What gate? She couldn’t possibly mean…

“She has been having me draw maps, especially of Wythyn and Cyelle and has been asking me about how demons and elves transverse the angel gates. I suspect she intends to have revenge for her mother’s death.”

Nyalla continued to separate the crabmeat while I gaped at her like an imbecile.

“I do not want her to hate me for revealing her plans, but I also do not want her to get herself killed on some fool’s quest.” Her eyes turned to me, pleading. “I like her. You were right. In spite of everything, she is a kind and giving person, although she is very impulsive and reckless. She will not live for those millennia if she continues with her planned course of action.”

I wiped my hands on a napkin and got to my feet. “Come on, Amber. Let’s run over to Wyatt’s and get his Xbox. We’ll show Nyalla how to decimate an undead army.”

Everyone looked at me like I was insane.

“You hate to play video games,” Wyatt said. “And we can just go to my place and play if you want to.”

I glared at him. “Nope. All the beer is here, and I’ve got four televisions. Come on, Amber.”

She shrugged and flashed Wyatt a quick smile as she pushed back her chair. “Sounds fun. We’ll be right back. Help Nyalla with the oysters, but save a few more for me.”

We were barely five feet out my door before I turned on her. “You are not to cross those gates into Hel. Do you hear me? I’ll chain you in my basement if you so much as step a toe in Columbia Mall.”

“I love Columbia Mall. They’ve got a Sephora, and a Forever 21. Girl’s gotta have her shopping.”

She was definitely part demon. I jumped in front of her, halting our progress and forcing her to meet my eyes.

“I mean it. You’ll die. I don’t care how much Elvish you know, how many maps you’ve memorized, you’ll die.”

Her face set in that familiar mulish expression. Maybe it wasn’t genetic after all.

“They put a price on my head. They killed my mother. What do you expect me to do?”

“I expect you not to throw your life away like an idiot. You’re not even twenty. That’s an infant in both demon and elf lifespans. Save revenge for a few centuries.”

“I’m not going to be any more powerful no matter how long I wait,” she snarled, frustration in every word. “I can occasionally do lightning, that’s it. I haven’t been able to do anything else you’ve tried to teach me. Nothing. I can’t fix a paper cut, can’t change anything about my appearance. I suck as a demon; I suck as an elf, and I’m not human. I live in constant dread that I’ll run into the wrong person and I’ll be dead before I can even try to defend myself. At least this way my death will have meaning.”

I pulled out all the stops. “Your mother gave her life to protect you. Would you denigrate her sacrifice by throwing your life away? She wanted you to live, and you’d go and commit suicide? She risked everything for you — her reputation as well as her life. Ungrateful child.”

Amber’s eyes grew huge and filled with tears. Shuddering, she covered her face with delicate hands. “I don’t belong anywhere! I feel like I’m a fraud with Wyatt and Nyalla. I’m not their sister, not really. I don’t even have the power of a Low demon. The elves would kill me on sight. And now I find I’ll outlive every single person I care about? Watch them grow old and die right before my eyes? What kind of life is this?”

I wrapped my arms around her and felt her shake with sobs; her tears wet my shoulder. “I know you’re afraid of outliving your family, of being alone. I feel the same way. Don’t you think that constantly goes through my mind too? That I’ll have to watch Wyatt grow old and die while I live for thousands of years more? I know you’re feeling alone, but I’m here. I won’t leave you, and if the fates allow, I’ll l be around far beyond even your long life expectancy.”

Her sobs increased, and I rocked her slightly, holding her tight. “You’re part of my family now. Don’t throw your life away like this. The best revenge is to live well, and rub their noses in it when you’re old and powerful.”

She pulled away, rubbing red, swollen eyes, so vulnerable and unattractive in her usually perfect face. “I’ll never be powerful. I’ll just be a freak. A beautiful freak, constantly afraid that I’m going to be killed.”

“You’re just a baby,” I assured her. “I couldn’t do much more than lightning at your age either. Leethu formed you with great care. She speaks of you as her proudest creation. She’d never leave you defenseless.”

Amber hiccupped and wiped her nose on a sleeve. “Will I ever meet her?”

“Someday.” I smoothed her hair, gold and fine as a newborn’s. “And someday you’ll show the elves what a bunch of idiots they’ve been. Just be patient. Be patient and trust me to help you.”

She smiled up at me, her eyes already beginning to lose their red puffiness. I hugged her once more and thought how twisted it was that I was advocating patience — the virtue I’d disdained when my angel had said those very words to me.

“Come on, you beautiful freak, you. Let’s grab Wyatt’s X–box and take out our frustrations on hoards of undead. Loser runs out for donuts in the morning?”

“That would be you, Sam.” She laughed. “I’ve never known anyone so bad at video games.”

We walked arm–in–arm to Wyatt’s house and lugged the equipment back to mine. As Amber predicted, I lost terribly. Nyalla showed a surprising aptitude, coming in a close second to Wyatt. Video games led to movies, and by early morning, Amber was sprawled asleep on the floor, her hand half in a bowl of popcorn. Nyalla was huddled in a tiny ball at the end of a sofa, practically buried under a blanket.

“Wanna sneak upstairs?” Wyatt asked as I turned off the TV.

We were cuddled up on our own sofa, my head on his shoulder, my hand on his inner thigh, just mere inches from where I wished it was. I glanced over at the sleeping girls, longing to sneak upstairs to bed with my man.

“Can I talk to you in the kitchen first?” I whispered.

Wyatt followed me in, his eyebrows raised. “What’s up?”

I took a deep breath. There was no easy way to say this. “I had a talk with Amber on the way to your house. She’s got some crazy thought of running over to Hel and avenging her mother’s death and her unfortunate circumstances.”

Wyatt looked stunned. “But she seems fine. On spring break, when you were teaching her demon things, she was downright happy. Her grades are good, she’s applying for an internship. She goes clubbing with friends, and on dates. How long has this been going on?”

“I don’t know.” I rubbed his arm soothingly. “I think her plan gained some immediacy after Nyalla arrived. Don’t beat yourself up over it. I didn’t realize what was going on either. Amber is very good at hiding what she’s feeling and putting on a cheerful face. I think it’s an elf thing.”

“What can we do? I can’t watch her all the time. She’s a grown woman.”

I thought for a moment. “I’ll let the gate guardian at Columbia Mall know to watch out for her, and I’ll have Dar keep his ears open, in case she slips through. Other than that, just let her know how much she’s needed here, how family is more than blood.”

Wyatt pulled away and put his hands on either side of the sink, his head lowered.

“I didn’t want to worry you with this, but I know you’d never forgive me if something happened and I’d kept it from you.”

He looked up at me and nodded. “Thank you.” He sounded miserable.

I went to him again, wrapping my arms around him. We stood there for a few moments before he turned and reciprocated the hug.

“How did you find out?”

“Nyalla. She may have been hopeless at magic, but she’s got great intuition.”

“And she’s good at killing zombies too,” Wyatt commented in a lighter tone. “Maybe she has a future in special ops.”

I chuckled and looked out of the kitchen, at the girl curled up under a blanket. “Or in intel.”

“She sleeps better at your house.” Wyatt rubbed his face against my hair. “That’s no surprise; I sleep better at your house.”

“Shall we go get some sleep then?” I ran a hand down his back and tucked it in the waistband of his pants.