we did. But you were badly hurt. We healed you as best we could. How are you this morning?”
He did a quick check. His left shoulder was stiff, his right leg ached and he felt weaker than usual, but overall . . . “Tired. But okay. Are you sure he’s dead?”
Addie flashed a quick grin at Jett. “Well, he appeared to be, once Jett removed his head from his body.”
“That generally does it.” He took a deep breath and wondered what they weren’t telling him. “Do you think I’ll be able to stay?” When he thought about it, he really should be dead. He wasn’t a hellhound anymore, though he sensed he could still take the shape, and he’d long ago outlived his span of human years.
Addie squeezed his hands. “I don’t know. We didn’t get an answer, though we were summoned. But you’re still here, and that’s got to be a good thing.”
So far, anyway. It certainly beat the alternative.
* * *
They’d had a wonderful, quiet day. No calls for service, no word from the boss. Az gained strength throughout the day and even fixed an amazing dinner for all of them. If only they’d known whether or not they could celebrate. Instead, the threat of Azrael being taken away hung over everything they said or did all day long.
They’d gone to bed, the four of them discovering just how many different combinations they could find for making love. Then they’d ended up in the big underground pool and found even more ways to touch and be touched, to share the sense that what they had was special. That it was a link that should forever remain unbroken.
Addie’d been totally exhausted when they finally decided to actually use the bed for sleeping. Jett carried her back to their room with Az and Locan following close behind. Az yawned and crawled between the sheets with Locan on one side and Addie on the other. She felt Jett snuggling close to her back and sighed. If only they could stay this way forever, the four of them so perfectly attuned, one to the other, but she should have heard something by now. They all should have.
It was an uneasy sleep for her, though the guys didn’t seem to worry. They slept soundly. Of course, someone had to worry.
The room was still dark when the voice in her head woke her. Groggy, she struggled into wakefulness, listening to the coordinates. Jett and Locan were stirring, as was Azrael, and moving as if they’d always prepared for battle as a foursome. Each of them dressed and gathered up their weapons.
Azrael stood between Jett and Locan, his sword grasped in his hand.
Addie buckled her sheath over her shoulder and slipped her sword into the scabbard before glancing at Azrael. “Can you shift between dimensions?”
He frowned and then shot her a grin. “I can.”
Hope blossomed. “Okay. Looks like we’re headed to Kansas City, Missouri. Got your coordinates?”
Azrael, Jett, and Locan nodded.
“We’re good to go.” She reached for Jett’s hand. He took hold of Locan’s, who grabbed Azrael. Az held on to Addie’s free hand, completing the link. She glanced at him and winked, just as that familiar voice popped into her head. From the grins on all three men, Addie knew they were hearing the same message, and it wasn’t just a repeat of coordinates.
You win. Take the hellhound.
A quick kiss for Jett and another for Locan. Then she laid a big one on Az. “He’s all ours, boys! Let’s go.”
They materialized in the empty bleachers high above home plate at Kauffman Stadium, except they weren’t entirely empty. A demon stood a couple of rows below, but he was already engaged in battle, surrounded by Ukopach and his fellow video demons, who buzzed the beast like small bees.
The little demon glanced up as Addie drew her sword. “I got coordinates too, Addie! We’re helping!”
She rolled her eyes and looked at the guys, wondering what they’d think of this new twist. “I think the boss might call this payback.”
“I think you’re right,” Jett said.
He did a quick check. His left shoulder was stiff, his right leg ached and he felt weaker than usual, but overall . . . “Tired. But okay. Are you sure he’s dead?”
Addie flashed a quick grin at Jett. “Well, he appeared to be, once Jett removed his head from his body.”
“That generally does it.” He took a deep breath and wondered what they weren’t telling him. “Do you think I’ll be able to stay?” When he thought about it, he really should be dead. He wasn’t a hellhound anymore, though he sensed he could still take the shape, and he’d long ago outlived his span of human years.
Addie squeezed his hands. “I don’t know. We didn’t get an answer, though we were summoned. But you’re still here, and that’s got to be a good thing.”
So far, anyway. It certainly beat the alternative.
* * *
They’d had a wonderful, quiet day. No calls for service, no word from the boss. Az gained strength throughout the day and even fixed an amazing dinner for all of them. If only they’d known whether or not they could celebrate. Instead, the threat of Azrael being taken away hung over everything they said or did all day long.
They’d gone to bed, the four of them discovering just how many different combinations they could find for making love. Then they’d ended up in the big underground pool and found even more ways to touch and be touched, to share the sense that what they had was special. That it was a link that should forever remain unbroken.
Addie’d been totally exhausted when they finally decided to actually use the bed for sleeping. Jett carried her back to their room with Az and Locan following close behind. Az yawned and crawled between the sheets with Locan on one side and Addie on the other. She felt Jett snuggling close to her back and sighed. If only they could stay this way forever, the four of them so perfectly attuned, one to the other, but she should have heard something by now. They all should have.
It was an uneasy sleep for her, though the guys didn’t seem to worry. They slept soundly. Of course, someone had to worry.
The room was still dark when the voice in her head woke her. Groggy, she struggled into wakefulness, listening to the coordinates. Jett and Locan were stirring, as was Azrael, and moving as if they’d always prepared for battle as a foursome. Each of them dressed and gathered up their weapons.
Azrael stood between Jett and Locan, his sword grasped in his hand.
Addie buckled her sheath over her shoulder and slipped her sword into the scabbard before glancing at Azrael. “Can you shift between dimensions?”
He frowned and then shot her a grin. “I can.”
Hope blossomed. “Okay. Looks like we’re headed to Kansas City, Missouri. Got your coordinates?”
Azrael, Jett, and Locan nodded.
“We’re good to go.” She reached for Jett’s hand. He took hold of Locan’s, who grabbed Azrael. Az held on to Addie’s free hand, completing the link. She glanced at him and winked, just as that familiar voice popped into her head. From the grins on all three men, Addie knew they were hearing the same message, and it wasn’t just a repeat of coordinates.
You win. Take the hellhound.
A quick kiss for Jett and another for Locan. Then she laid a big one on Az. “He’s all ours, boys! Let’s go.”
They materialized in the empty bleachers high above home plate at Kauffman Stadium, except they weren’t entirely empty. A demon stood a couple of rows below, but he was already engaged in battle, surrounded by Ukopach and his fellow video demons, who buzzed the beast like small bees.
The little demon glanced up as Addie drew her sword. “I got coordinates too, Addie! We’re helping!”
She rolled her eyes and looked at the guys, wondering what they’d think of this new twist. “I think the boss might call this payback.”
“I think you’re right,” Jett said.
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