Wicked Whispers (11 page)

She bit her lip. Could she trust Zane? It wouldn’t be as though he was doing the tough part of her job, and it would give her more time to spend on answering the people who really needed her.

She nodded. “Okay. But make sure you don’t touch any of the ones from people who need serious help.”

Zane grinned. “Wouldn’t think of it.”

Murmur stood and strode to the door. “Let’s go.” He looked disgusted.

Ivy joined him. She ignored his expression. He could just get over himself.

Zane stopped her as she was about to leave. “By the way, let me know when you want those tips on how to keep people out of your mind.”

Murmur sent him a murderous stare.

“I won’t forget.”

Ivy didn’t elaborate. No use in putting Murmur in a worse mood by bringing the whole rat scene up again. She left the office. Murmur followed her and closed the door behind him.

She stopped. Ivy now had two unfinished job assignments. “I should go to my room and start working. Or maybe I should just pack. She won’t be happy when she sees how I answer her e-mails. Sparkle doesn’t strike me as a patient woman.”

Murmur laughed, a soft husky sound. It was so sensual that it made her stomach clench.

“She won’t fire you. If she wants to make us her latest sex tag team, she has to keep you around.” He sounded calmly certain.

“That doesn’t make sense. Why us? You’re a powerful demon and I’m… nobody.” Okay, that sounded pitiful, even to her own ears. She needed to work on her self-image.

Murmur looked sincerely surprised. “Nobody? Not true. You were courageous in the face of spiders and rats. You didn’t run from the castle after seeing your first ogre. I’d say you were brave for not panicking after dancing with your first demon, but I’m sure my natural charm convinced you that danger can be fun. You are an amazing
somebody
.” His smile challenged her to deny it.

Ivy couldn’t help it; she laughed. And that was exactly what he’d wanted her to do. She hated being predictable. She stopped laughing as she thought of the ogre. “Cinn said she thought I might have Sidhe blood in me.” Now why had she blurted that out?

He didn’t say anything for a moment, and then he nodded. “Why don’t we sit in the lobby for a while? I need to people-watch.”

Ivy blinked. That was a strange reaction to her revelation. Did she want to be with him? He was a demon, and he was manipulating her mind. So, no. Her mind didn’t hesitate. But she realized there were other parts of her chiming in with their opinions. The part of her that was shallow and unhealthily focused on his total hotness thought spending a little time with him wouldn’t be a bad thing. After all, what could he do in a crowded lobby? It would be a lot more interesting than sitting alone in her room reading e-mails and sorting through complaints.

She nodded. It was only a few steps to the lobby, and they found a small table tucked into the corner of the room. Ivy allowed him to buy her a drink. “I still can’t talk about the…” Nope, guess not.

He leaned back in his chair and stared at her. “Did you find out anything about your family?”

Evidently he didn’t intend to ignore her earlier comment about the Sidhe after all. “I talked to my father. He said our…” Damn, she didn’t know what to call it. Gift? Ivy didn’t think so. More like a curse. She didn’t want to see things like the ogre. “Our ability might come from his grandfather. No one knows much about him though.”

Murmur’s gaze followed a passing woman in medieval costume who was headed for the great hall. “I suppose she’d do. She’s young. She’s beautiful.” He sounded as though he was talking to himself.

“What?” Was he scoping out women while he was sitting with her? “Maybe you’d like me to leave so you could get to know her better.” She sounded as bitchy as she felt, and she didn’t give a damn.

He looked startled for a moment, and then he smiled. It was slow, and knowing, and filled with the promise of every forbidden pleasure she could imagine, and some she probably couldn’t. “Are you jealous?”

Ivy could feel heat flooding her face. She glanced down. She couldn’t believe she’d said something so stupid. “Absolutely not. I just don’t want to hold you up if you have something else you want to do.” No matter how professional and detached she sounded now, she didn’t think her explanation would fool him. “Besides, how can I be jealous of someone I only met yesterday?” She was beginning to think there was a stranger hiding inside her, one who said stupid things and felt dangerous emotions.

“You’re jealous.” He practically glowed with the joy of knowing.

Stupid man. No, stupid
demon
. She had to keep remembering what he was.

And just in case she might forget, a soft melody began to play a background to her thoughts. She opened her mouth to tell him to shut off the music, but it was so beautiful that she decided to let it stay. “Why are you playing music in my mind?”

He shrugged. “No reason. I just like it. It reminds me of you, all soft and sensual.” He didn’t look down as he reached over and put his hand over hers where it rested on the table.

Her hand evidently thought this should be a shared experience, because it felt as though he’d cupped her entire body. His fingers were warm and smooth against her skin, and she’d never known that one small touch could scatter her thoughts and send her heart into hyperdrive.

Control.
She took a deep breath. “Oh.” She didn’t want to be pleased by his answer. She really didn’t. But she was. Although she didn’t agree with the soft part. She’d spent years practicing to be hard and focused on her life goals.
Don’t just touch my hand. Touch my body, my hear—
No. Where had those thoughts come from? She shoved them away.

“And I wasn’t checking out that woman for me.”

He met her gaze directly, but then Ivy figured that all demons would be qualifiers for the Liars’ Olympics. Murmur probably had the medals to prove it.

His hand
. She couldn’t concentrate with him touching her. But she also couldn’t summon the will to pull her hand away. Maybe his music wasn’t the only addictive part of him.

“I need a woman for a particular job. She has to be young, beautiful, and enjoy traveling to unusual places.” Something about what he’d just said seemed to amuse him, because he smiled.

Ivy waited for him to tell her more, but after a few seconds of silence, she decided that’s all he intended to say. “Now that we’re just chatting, I have a few questions for you.”

He looked wary. The music stopped.

“Do you have to use your music for evil? I mean, what would’ve happened if you hadn’t just shut off the music in my head?” She couldn’t believe she was actually giving a demon the chance to assure her he wasn’t all evil.
Shades of gray
.

“The music is insidious and addictive. If you listened to it for long periods of time, you’d crave it more than any human drug.” His voice was hard. He made no excuses, didn’t try to sugarcoat the effects of his music. He removed his hand.

Ivy mourned its loss, but at least she could think straight once again.

She couldn’t help but respect him even as what he said horrified her. “How do you feel about that?” Jeez, she sounded like a shrink.

Murmur’s stare was cold, expressionless. “I’m allowed to feel rage, anger, hate, and any other negative emotion you can name. Positive emotions aren’t covered in the demon’s handbook.”

“But you do feel positive emotions. I’ve seen you smile, laugh.”

“Lapses. Nothing but unfortunate lapses.”

Ivy searched for sarcasm or humor in his eyes and found none. She sighed. “Well, that just sucks.”

He smiled. “See, another lapse. I seem to be having a lot of them around you. Don’t feel sorry for me. I get my kicks in strange and unusual ways.” He glanced across the table. “And here comes the strange and unusual now.”

Ivy followed his gaze.

Asima appeared sitting on the chair across from them. Only her head showed above the top of the table. One ear looked a little ragged, and Ivy could see a few suspicious bald spots. Sparkle had done some damage.

“Ohmigod. Someone will see you.” Ivy’s gaze skipped around the lobby. No one was staring.

“The back of the chair hides most of me. And anyone who does see me won’t care. Humans rarely care about things that don’t impact them.”
The cat seemed unconcerned.

“Why are you still here? Didn’t Sparkle make you leave?” Ivy scanned the room, certain that at any moment someone from management would bear down on them, lift Asima by the scruff of her neck, and deposit her outside.

“I’m still here because I’m the messenger of Bast, the Egyptian cat goddess. She who is the goddess of sensual pleasure, protector of the household, bringer of health, and guardian of firefighters would be insulted if her messenger was
to
ssed out of a castle she helped save at one time. Sparkle knows this.”
And if a cat could smile, Asima was smiling.

“Why are you here?” Murmur didn’t sound friendly.

Asima yawned.
“I saw the ogre, and I know that you compelled Ivy’s silence.”
She fixed her gaze on Murmur.

“And?” He seemed more relaxed now, as though he knew what Asima would say next.

“Isn’t it obvious?”
The cat sniffed her disdain.
“I’m here to make a deal.”

6

“Wait. You’re here to make a deal with
him
?” Ivy sounded outraged.

Asima managed a cat shrug.
“It’s nothing personal. You’d be much more entertaining. I could help you survive the slut queen’s tyranny. But I’m afraid you have nothing to bargain with.”

“Bargain with?”

Asima yawned.
“As in, you have nothing that I want, so why would I do a favor for you?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do?” Ivy’s voice rose.

Asima looked puzzled.
“What a quaint concept.”

“I don’t believe you.” But Ivy’s expression said she did and that Asima had better guard her tail when Ivy was in the room.

Asima shifted her attention to Murmur.
“Now, my gorgeous music demon, we’ll negotiate. Which means that I’ll state my terms for silence, and you’ll agree to them.”

Murmur smiled. He’d just gotten a crazy idea. Asima could solve his problem with Bain. If things worked out the way he planned, the bitch cat would earn an added bonus in this deal, one that might
not
entertain her. “Let’s hear them.”

He could see that Ivy wanted to yell at them and walk away, but he could also see the curiosity in her eyes. She’d stay.

“First, I want you to escort me to operas, ballets, plays, and other cultural events of my choice.”
The cat glanced at Ivy.
“There are so few in the castle who have any appreciation of the arts.”

Ivy crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the cat. “Don’t expect any sympathy from me.”

“How many ‘cultural events’ and for how long?” Asima would find that he’d done some horse trading in his day.

“Twelve and for a year.”
The cat’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

“Wait. If that’s all you want, I can go with you.” Ivy looked hopeful.

Asima gave the cat equivalent of a sigh before glancing at her.
“Of course that’s not all I want. My silence comes with an expensive price tag.”

“Six and for six months.” Murmur countered. He was enjoying this. “And you’re in human form when we go. I assume you can take human form.” He tried to look concerned. “You’re not ugly, are you? An ugly woman would damage my cool cred with other demons.”

“Shallow jerk.” Ivy.

“That offer doesn’t sound as though you care if I mention the ogre to Ganymede.”
Asima’s blue eyes narrowed to calculating slits.
“And I’m not only dazzlingly beautiful, I also know how to look glamorous without resorting to butt cheeks and nipple displays.”

Murmur tried not to look disappointed. Butt cheeks and nipple displays would impress the hell out of the faery host. “I’m keeping the ogre’s presence from Sparkle and Ganymede to protect someone else. Demons have no true loyalty, so if you get greedy, I’ll simply pack and leave. It’s always about protecting my own ass. I’m selfish and self-serving. Deal with it.” He forced himself to ignore the contempt in Ivy’s eyes. “It’s your choice.”

His loyalty comment bothered Murmur, because loyalty to Bain
had
brought him to the castle. He could understand why the Master wanted him back for a total refurbishing.

Asima hissed.
“Fine. Six glorious events within six months. Now, for my second demand. I want you to play my favorite musical pieces in my head when I command you to. Six months will have to do. I miss my music when I’m away from home, but a cat wearing ear buds makes humans act foolishly.”

“I’m curious. If you can take human form, why don’t you do it more often? It would make life a lot easier.”

Her hiss sounded impatient.
“I have several reasons. The only one you need to know is that Bast is a cat goddess, and she wishes her messengers to remain in feline form except for emergencies.”

Murmur grinned. “Do you have a lot of emergenices?”

She sniffed.
“Perhaps I stretch the rules more than I should, but I always make sure that only those who are deserving see me in all my amazing mortal beauty.”

He nodded as he bit his lip to keep from laughing. “So, any last-minute demands?”

Her expression turned sly.
“You also must agree to stop at my command. I’m aware of how dangerous listening to your music for too long can be.”

“Command, demand, you obviously like to be in charge.” He’d allow her that illusion.

She widened her eyes.
“Of course. Who wouldn’t if they found themselves in a position of power?”

“I’ll play the music, but you can’t interfere with my sleep.”

Asima flattened her ears and whipped her tail back and forth.
“Fine.”
She didn’t sound as though it was fine.