“Party pooper,” Flix interjected.
“But he was outvoted by the prison’s governing council,” the angel continued. “Something about it being good for the inmates’ mental health.”
“So what exactly happens at this little fiesta?” The only thing I’d enjoyed about my time in the Underworld were the clubs. The demons sure knew how to party.
Hayden tossed a handful of some brightly colored kid’s cereal into his mouth and grinned. “The official portion of events takes place in the rec room. They decorate it, bring in an old CD player and supply some food and beverages.”
“But the real party happens later,” Flix interrupted. “It’s like an all-night happy hour. The inmates are free to roam the penitentiary grounds, including the boneyard, till morning.”
“Which means you, Azara,” said Hayden, pointing his plastic spoon, “will likely be locked up in your cell for the night with a certain broody dragon.”
“No!” Flix and I grumbled in unison.
After everything that had happened lately, a night to escape was exactly what I needed. Our little jaunt into the Underworld had proven useless; Thax was nowhere to be found. I’d tried numerous times to portal back into his underground fortress in the Nether Lands with no luck. Talon, Logan and his Guardian Gargoyle team were on the hunt, but without the official help of the SIA tracking my cousin was proving difficult. Logan wanted to enlist my grandfather, Lucifer’s help, but he too was MIA.
“Don’t shoot the messenger.” Hayden’s broad shoulders lifted, grazing his soft, bouncy curls. “Maybe I’m wrong, but feel free to ask Talon yourself. He wouldn’t be caught dead there, so that doesn’t bode well for you.”
“He’s never going to let you go,” Flix muttered in my ear.
“Maybe we can find a way around that.” I lifted my gaze to the wolf watching me from across the table. “Hey Vander, want to take me to this moon fest?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and stretched out, unfolding his long legs under the table. “Moon and fest just happen to be two of my favorite words.”
“Perfect.” I grinned at my pixie friend.
Vander waggled a finger at me. “I said they were my favorite words; I didn’t agree to take you. Hayden’s right. There’s no way T will go for it, and he’s been ten times grumpier lately. I don’t really feel like getting my furry ass scorched.”
He was right. Just when I thought I’d been making progress with the surly dragon, our relationship had taken an unexplained step back.
“Come on…” I shot him my best puppy dog eyes.
“Only if you can convince Talon. I’d be happy to escort you.”
Flix made kissy noises at my ear, a beaming smile curling his pink lips. “You got this, girl.” He stood and motioned for me to follow. “Don’t worry, boys, set-up will be fully guarded by the new gargoyle C.O.s and it was already okayed by the warden.”
“We don’t answer to Logan,” said Hayden. “We answer to T—"
Vander shot up and waved a nonchalant hand at the angel. “I’ll go with them, Hayden. Tell T she’s in good hands.”
Hayden’s lips pressed into a tight line, but he nodded anyway. “Make sure she’s back before happy hour.”
“Will do, boss.”
After an hour, the bleak rec room had been transformed into a cheesy nightclub with a hodge-podge assortment of decorations complete with a sparkling seventies disco ball. Flix scanned the room, his deep green eyes sparkling in delight.
“It looks awesome,” Valeria squealed, her translucent wings fluttering behind her back.
Rainbow track lighting illuminated the walls, bouncing off the glittering disco ball hung in the center. An old boombox sat atop a table at the far corner with a collection of old CDs beside it. Streamers hung from the ceiling and black balloons floated overhead. It was too bad we couldn’t use magic. This whole place would’ve been bedazzled and shimmering in faerie dust in minutes. Even I could’ve conjured something up with my limited magical skills.
Valeria ticked her head at Vander who sat on the floor, leaning against the far wall. “Do you think Talon will let you come with the wolf tomorrow?”
“Probably not, but I’ll make it happen one way or another.”
“You do remember that the dragon is like obsessed with you, right?”
Heat flushed my insides, as it often did at the mention of Talon. Like every inch of my body remembered him even though my brain didn’t. I shrugged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, you used to deny it back then too,” Flix interjected.
I’d been wanting to pump my pixie bestie for more info on Talon, but for some unexplained reason it felt wrong. Somehow, I knew I needed to abide by his wishes and give him the time he requested.
“So I never told you what the deal with us was?”
They both shook their heads. “Despite the begging,” Valeria added with a coy smile. “He is all kinds of dragon delicious, and we were desperate for the details.”
So was I. How long could I wait for him to come around?
“Psst.” Flix dipped his gaze to the lower pocket of his jumpsuit. A small glass container filled with a purplish liquid stuck out the side. “I’ve got a big stash of homemade Fae wine in my cell. If your dragon bodyguard does let you out, come by early for a few drinks. I’ll bring some to the party too. It’ll make the festivities ten times more festive.” He winked.
I bet it would. And the idea of getting lost in a bottle of the fabled wine sounded perfect right now. “I’ll be there.”
Once every last decoration was hung, Vander and I walked back to block one. I’d even skipped training in preparation for the big event tomorrow. Now I just had to convince Talon to let me go.
We turned the corner and met a wall of black jumpsuits. Vander’s arm slapped over my chest, pushing me behind him. A growl snaked up his throat and echoed across the corridor.
“Relax, wolf.” A small man in yellow parted the sea of black and marched straight up to Vander. “I’m here to deliver a warning.” He ticked his big head at me. “Delacroix overheard some information about your girl.”
“What?” he snarled.
“He’ll hand it over for a price.”
“What does he want now, Dembrat?”
The name clicked in my head, and I scanned the ugly elf. There was something familiar about him.
“The full support of the Triad.”
“For what?” I asked.
“In whatever Delacroix may need. In exchange for intel on the dark lord’s hunt for his missing cousin.”
A carte blanche deal was never a good idea in my opinion. It left way too many openings.
“Does Thax know where she is?” Vander’s hold on me tightened.
“Agree to the deal, and I’ll tell you.”
“Don’t do it,” I hissed. I may not have remembered much about Delacroix, but the hair on the back of my neck was bristling. Making a deal with the hellus demon was a bad idea.
Vander turned to me with a reassuring smile. “Talon would do it, I know he would. He’d do anything to keep you safe and so will I.”