Demon Night

now—and I never thought you were bringing me in to a prison. It was just the appearance that reminded me of it, that first impression,” Charlie said, but his expression remained taut, and she had to close her eyes against the burning in them. She’d insulted him, soiled the help that he’d given her—and she didn’t know how to fix it. “I need to go call Jane.”
    Before she said something even worse.
    “What do you think now?” he asked before she’d taken a step.
    Her throat was so tight she could barely get it out. “That it doesn’t matter, anyway.” She heard his harsh inhalation, realized that by saying only half of it she’d just managed to make it worse, and forced herself to lift her gaze to his face and finish. “Because when we’re in the same room I don’t notice anything but you.”
    The tightness melted away, the color coming back to his features, warming his eyes. “Well, Miss Charlie, that’s because I’m so almighty tall.”
    Relief tore through her, weakened her knees. “Actually, I think it’s the suspenders,” she rasped.
    One long stride carried him close, his hands in her hair, but although she lifted her face to his, he only lowered his mouth to her ear and said softly, “You go make your call, because if I kiss you now there won’t be another chance for you to talk to Jane tonight—and I’ll lose the pile of money that’s just waiting for me on that table. I’m feeling so lucky I could probably cheat the devil himself.”
    “I’ve done that,” a familiar feminine voice broke in. Charlie turned her head at the same time Ethan did, saw the woman who must have been Lilith. Dark hair, dark eyes, and with a smile that Charlie could only call wicked. “And luck didn’t have a thing to do with it.”
    Ethan glanced down at Charlie, and she saw the flicker of frustration in his eyes before he said, “Don’t believe her.”
    Charlie blinked. Lilith was already turning around, gesturing for them to follow her. “She didn’t cheat the devil?”
    “She did,” Ethan said, taking her hand. “But luck rode real tight on her ass that day.”

    Ethan needed five minutes alone with Charlie, but Lilith and Castleford showing up early told him he wasn’t likely to get it just yet.
    He’d thought for certain he’d spooked Charlie in the bedroom by giving her an indication of how powerfully he felt, and that she’d grabbed at a quick excuse to run. But he’d jumped to conclusions about her before, and now he was thinking he had again, because her response at the poker table had been the same: needing to speak with Jane. He’d sensed her spinning uncertainty then, the desperation and fear; maybe she hadn’t been running to Jane as an escape, but for comfort.
    And it hadn’t taken much of a push for the rest to come out, to discover her emotions were running deep. So it might be she was just all around spooked, and feeling anything she laid on him was a burden. Might be that she’d been tiptoeing as carefully as he’d been, and he would have to ease her into looking to him when she was uncomfortable or hurting—particularly as she sure in blazes didn’t like accepting anything else he had to give her.
    Ease her into it…but he figured he’d have to push a bit more, first—and he’d be doing it just as soon as he finished up here.
    Jake settled into the chair in front of Lilith’s desk, but Charlie remained standing beside Ethan, her hands buried in her pockets. She didn’t waver beneath Lilith’s penetrating stare.
    “So you can get Drifter through the spell?” Lilith said as she sat on the edge of her desk next to Castleford.
    Sir Pup lay on the floor at her feet, and Charlie only blinked once when he lifted his three heads to study her before lowering them back to his forepaws.
    “Yes,” Charlie said slowly, raising her gaze to Lilith’s again.
    “Can you do it now?”
    Charlie was shaking her head before Ethan could respond. Castleford and Lilith had already seen recordings of them busting through the shield; they didn’t need a demonstration, particularly one that might trigger her bloodlust.
    “I haven’t fed yet,” Charlie said. “And Drifter hemorrhages every time, so I’d prefer not to unless we’re practicing, or it’s critical.”
    Lilith nodded, a smile curving her lips. “That last part sounds like something Drifter might say. I assume he’s told you how much this will benefit us.”
    “Yes.” Charlie’s response had a wry