“What are you going to do? Are you going to go?” Zab asked.
“I have to go. Nothing else to do. I need to buy us time.”
“Wow, you’re really going to go,” Bibbi said, sinking back into her chair.
“She’ll be fine. She’s tough. She can handle this,” Musso added.
Dusty jumped onto my lap, making little whimpering noises.
Zab got out of his chair and reached for newsflash papers. “We should probably call—”
“We should call no one. This was my agreement, and there’s nothing Hawk can do about it. I know. You don’t like it. She doesn’t like it,” I said, pointing in Bibbi’s direction. I looked at Musso. “I’m sure you didn’t like it either.”
He grunted.
“But it’s done, and I’m going to uphold my end and buy us time. Now I’m going to go get ready before dinner, since I have no clients anyway.”
All leather, the better for fighting? Or something a little softer so I didn’t appear to be picking a fight? Maybe something in between? I settled on leather pants, along with boots that had a good grip and a hard sole, and a fuzzy sweater that clung to all the right spots.
Everyone was eating dinner when I went downstairs, but no one was talking. The room grew quiet as I took a seat. There wasn’t any blame. It was hard to start a conversation that didn’t involve the only thing we were all thinking: I had an evening engagement with a demon.
No matter how many times I said that in my head, it never lost its bite.
Hawk wasn’t back, which wasn’t altogether unusual. No one really knew what he did most of the day. Considering some of the secrets I did know, that might’ve been for the best. Plus, I didn’t need anyone adding to my own chorus of doubts.
I took a scoop of stew and filled my bowl. I wasn’t particularly hungry but ate like it was my last meal, just for the sake of it. If the leather pants and boots ended up being more appropriate for tonight, I’d need the sustenance.
“Cute outfit,” Bibbi said in between bites of stew. “I don’t remember seeing that sweater before.”
She hadn’t. It had been an impulse buy, a little too fuzzy and a little too deep a neckline for what I typically wore.
“If he’s a warm-blooded—something or other—it should keep his attention,” she said, as she dipped a roll into the broth.
“Can’t hurt, I figure.”
“You’re not trying to date him, are you?” Gillian asked from across the table, looking like she’d been fed poison. “I mean, I heard you didn’t get many dates, but don’t you think this is a little bit much?”
“Of course she isn’t,” Bibbi snapped.
They continued to bicker as Oscar walked to the door and nodded for me to follow him. He was leaning on my desk when I joined him.
“You sure you know what you’re doing?” He scanned my outfit with a look that was more like fatherly concern than the roguish looks he gave me when Hawk was about.
I walked over and leaned on the desk beside him. “Of course I don’t. I barely know what I’m doing on a good day, but I’m going to figure this out the way I muddled my way through everything else.”
“Stakes are pretty high.”
“They weren’t when I was hanging on to a giant bat’s back?”
He half laughed, but he was still too somber for my liking. Or maybe it was the dimly lit room that was making things seem so bleak. I’d pretty much lay the blame on anything but what I’d gotten myself into at this point.
“As frightening as this sounds, yes, I think they were. We were there when you were on that bat, and whether or not you knew it, we would’ve stepped in if things turned. This? Going off with him alone? I’m not comfortable with this. I don’t know what this demon wants from you, but this isn’t just about Xest.”
“This is the first meeting. He’s not going to cross the line that fast.”
“I’m not sure why you’re so confident, but I hope you’re right.”
“So do I.” I straightened and grabbed my coat off the hook.
Hawk still wasn’t here. Why I thought he’d somehow know and show up was beyond me. He wasn’t psychic. Why it felt so weird to leave here and do this without a glance in his direction, a knowing look, something, was beyond me. I’d insisted Zab not tell him, and the guy might’ve actually listened for a change, as weird as that felt.
“Well, I’m going to head out,” I said. “Don’t want to be late, after all.”
Oscar straightened. “Let me walk you over?” He moved to grab his jacket, but I waved him off.
“No. Arriving with backup isn’t the look I’m going for. I’ve got this.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.” Not even close to confident. Closer to the realm of wishful thinking.
Oscar nodded, but his body seemed to be struggling not to follow me anyway. I hurried out the door to make it easier for him to stay behind.
I flipped up my collar and shoved my hands in my pockets, looking both ways before I got too far away from the safety of the building. Mertie’s words from the other day still lingered in my psyche as I waited for a horde of delusional witches and warlocks to chase me down.
I sped up but then forced myself to slow down. There was no way I’d allow a crazy horde of witches to chase me off the streets of Xest. I’d spent too much time fighting for the right to be here.
I turned the corner, and Hawk stepped out in front of me. I stopped just shy of colliding with him.
“You don’t have to go.”
Of course he knew I was on my way. Had to have been Oscar. Or Zab. Zab would’ve ratted me out to Hawk if he thought it was the right thing. Musso might’ve given Hawk a heads-up. Bertha definitely would’ve. Bibbi might’ve been trying to protect me. There were too many options. It was impossible to figure out who it might have come from. It was like searching for a water leak in a colander.
“Yeah, except I kind of do,” I said, walking again. I had enough jitters without having a second helping of the don’t-do-this speech.
He grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop beside him.
I glanced at his hand and then met his gaze, making my feelings of being detained clear.
He didn’t budge.
“I’m telling you if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. We can ride out the consequences.”
He dropped his hand, having said what he needed to say.
I should’ve walked away. Xazier would be waiting, but I was sort of stuck in place.
Hawk did have his upside. Problem was you were sometimes dragged up to that peak bound and gagged, whether you wanted to be or not.
I bit my lip, knowing I had to get going and having a hard time walking away. It was probably my destination. It had to be. It wasn’t Hawk.
I forced myself to take a step before I stopped again.
“I’m not concerned about tonight. He’s not going to do anything, at least not during this first meeting.” As I said it, I believed it in my gut. It was too early in the game for Xazier to show his full hand.
Hawk reached into his pocket, grabbed my hand, and placed a small ball in it. “If you get into trouble, wrap your hand around this and call my name. I’ll be able to find you wherever you are.” His hand stayed wrapped around mine for a moment longer than needed.