Page 32 of Mastering Mayhem

“Borrowed.” I laughed dryly, my gaze locking on the jewel-encrusted dagger lying on the nightstand. “I suppose you borrowed that too?”

“Oh, I have no intention of returning it. Consider it an early wedding present.”

Wedding. The word on his lips made my insides twist into knots. None of us would get to experience the elusive happily ever after fate wanted us to believe we would have. There would be no weddings. No settling down, no starting families. Nothing.

So, stop thinking about it, Em.I pushed the thoughts from my mind.

“Thank you.” It was all I could think to mutter. Truth be told, I’d considered stealing the dagger too…before I’d blacked out.

Gah!I’d wasted so much time sleeping. We needed to get moving, but… “I’m starving. Do we have any food?”

“I will order room service while you get dressed. When Shade recovers, we will take the van to Worcester to meet Chaos and Ash.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’m going to take a quick shower.” I licked my lips, remembering the last shower I’d taken. When Mayhem had taken me.

“As much as I would love to join you,” he said as if reading my mind, “we are on a schedule. I’m afraid I would keep you here all day if we became intimate now.”

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, but he was right. He’d keep me there all day, and I would enjoy every second of it. “Will you order me a burger with extra fries? And the biggest Coke they have.”

“Of course.” He smiled and strode out of the room.

I tossed my dress and underwear onto a chair and padded to the bathroom, cringing at my reflection in the mirror. My mascara had run, giving me raccoon eyes, and my hair looked like a squirrel had nested on my head again. Lovely.

I showered, using the expensive hotel conditioner to work the tangles out of my hair, and dressed in my normal fireproof black pants and shirt. After putting on my boots, I strode into the living room to find all three guys sitting at the table.

“How are you?” I asked Shade as I sank into a chair next to my demon.

“Better now. That’s the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in.”

“I know, right? I forgot where I was and that the rest of the world existed when I woke up this morn…this afternoon.”

“Room service,” a woman called over the intercom.

“Come in.” Miles pressed the button, and she pushed in a cart draped in white linen, with four plates covered in silver domes. He gave her a tip, and she went on her way.

I devoured my burger before moving on to the mountain of thick-cut fries and washing it all down with a quart of Coke. The guys did the same, and we gathered our gear to load the van. Mayhem hit the button for the elevator, and I cast a longing glance at the penthouse.

“One day, we’ll stay in a place like this on vacation,” I said. “No beasties to fight. No mysteries to solve. No artifacts to steal.”

“No veil to mend,” Shade added.

I sighed, trying to ignore the way my heart wrenched at his words. That was the one part I was not looking forward to. There had to be a way to mend the veil with the demons on this side. How could I live if there wasn’t?

People cast us strange glances as we filed out of the lobby, which was fair. Dressed in all black and carrying duffel bags rather than designer suitcases, we certainly didn’t look like their normal clientele.

A sense of calm washed over me as I climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. This van was one thing I could manage while my life spiraled out of control. I could turn the wheel and press the pedals and take my team to the roadside motel in Worcester, where my sister and her demon had set up to spy on Hazel.

According to Ash’s texts, Adrian, or whoever would be his delegate, hadn’t arrived to claim the amulet. With any luck, we’d be there before the exchange went down. Hazel would be lucky if we were. I doubted Adrian planned to pay her a penny.

Most likely, she’d pay him with her life.

12

MAYHEM

It took three and a half earthly hours to reach the town they called Worcester. The sun sank behind the horizon, painting the sky in shades of deep orange and purple before it disappeared, making way for the moon to reflect its light in silver hues.

The motel in which Chaos and Ash had spent the night resembled a dumpster compared to our New York penthouse, but they assured us Hazel resided in the room next door. Ember parked the van on the opposite end of the building, out of sight from the main road…and Hazel’s view. Miles and Shade placed a ward on the vehicle, and we gathered weapons before creeping quietly to room one-twenty-seven.

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