Read Online bedeviled & beyond 02 - bedeviled & bedazzled by sam cheever - Free Book Online

color of choice, however, was the shadow version of Abrine’s. He was solid black to his dead brother’s unchanging white.
    The yin and yang of nightmares.
    “My partner and I are here as representatives of King Dialle the First.”
    The demon king sat up a bit straighter at that pronouncement and his featureless, black face tilted as if in question. I remembered the same gesture from his brother. When one didn’t have visible facial expressions apparently one had to use body language to show surprise.
    I waited, knowing what would come next.
    “You dare come to me as King Dialle’s representative.” His face may not have shown any emotion but his voice sure did. “I asked for a neutral party to carry my message. How did you get past the Guard of Dis?”
    Knowing I couldn’t really get away with lying, I decided to see how some halfling attitude might work. I merely shrugged my shoulders and tried to look bored. “I really don’t know, Alcott. Perhaps you should take it up with him—it. For now, we have business to discuss. I assure you that I will carry your message to King Dialle the First just as you present it to me.”
    I stopped talking and waited. My negotiating modus operandi is, he who talks first loses. Barely breathing, my power twitching near the surface of my skin, I watched and waited for his reaction. I had just stomped on the exposed baby toe of arguably the second most powerful being in the dark world. Not a smart thing to do if you are really only a lowly halfling. Raging small woman syndrome aside.
    I was running the risk of seriously pissing off the bogyman, but I had no choice. The only thing demons respect and understand is strength, which in their world is thoroughly mixed up with pure obnoxiousness. Any attempts at discussion or the application of fairness to an issue are construed as weakness.
    Alcott’s featureless countenance faced me for a long moment. I hoped my badass expression was still firmly in place. My mental drawers shifted and Emo was in but there was just heavy breathing. Apparently he was just in for support and had nothing to say. I couldn’t resist, Demon got your tongue, partner ?
    Very funny Astra. We are a razor-sharp demon hair away from becoming gargoyle kibble. I’d appreciate it if you’d pay attention to your work.
    I thought a rigid salute at him and said, Yesir !
    Alcott chose that second of course, when I wasn’t exactly paying attention, to signal the attack. Emo’s heavy breathing in my mind turned into a mumbled narrative as the first wave of gargoyles and their demon handlers moved out of the shadows on the edges of the large room. Even as he reached for the set of long knives he kept strapped to his thighs Emo’s mind was on chastising me rather than the work ahead.
    You just had to slap at the bad guy and piss him off didn’t you, boss? You can’t just do what you came in here to do and leave can you? Oh no, you want to fight the stinking nasty gargoyles because, in your feeble little mind you think it’s fun don’t you?
    I was too busy taking a battle stance and readying my weapons to respond, but trust me, he would get a formerly pointed earful when we were back at the office. Assuming of course that we ever made it back to the office.
    “The one on the left is mine.” I told him in a low murmur, even as I turned to look at the demon on the right and his eight foot long, drooling charge on the straining end of a steel chain. The gargoyle on the right, seeing me looking at him, figured he was my target, leaving him open to an unexpected attack from Emo. It was one of our favorite tactics when dealing with creatures of lesser intelligence.
    Emo blew out a nervous breath and turned toward the one on the left. “Have I told you I hate gargoyles, Astra?”
    I smiled. I couldn’t help it. “I think you might have.”
    Then all hell broke loose and we found it difficult to talk for a while.
    Keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the gargoyle and its