Page 77 of Seph

“Deal. Shall we explore? Say we’re looking for the pool?”

“They don’t have a pool,” Simeon pointed out.

Emily gave a “drunken” giggle. “They don’t? Oh my God! That’s so silly of me. Can I swim in the big fountain, then?” She flopped her arm toward the window where lighted fountains lit up the wee hours of the Vegas night.

Simeon clapped, eyes wide at her complete transformation from competent hunter to drunken damsel. “You’re amazing. You fall over old Mr. Z like that, and you’ll be able to slice his nads right off. Use ‘em for stress balls.”

Emily pulled a face. “The first part? Yes, effective. The second part? No. Frivolous. And they might disappear or something. But...” she suddenly frowned. “Do you think he knows?”

“Knows what?”

“About the deal that Lilith made?” She chose her words carefully, even though she knew that if a god or goddess wanted to spy on them, there was little she could do about it. She hoped all the charms and enchantments cast by the coven in Pine Ridge were still in place.

A warm glow centered in her chest, almost as if in answer.They’ll take it in shifts. The witches, the warlocks, the people like Jakob Minegold who know how to use magic without having it in their blood... They’ll keep going around the clock until we’re home.She could picture them taking it in turns, casting their spells, making their potions, vampires donating blood, Calder plucking scales, werewolf parents bringing in their pups’ teeth.

“Emily? You zoned out. I hope that dessert wasn’t laced.” Simeon was suddenly in front of her, snapping his fingers directly before her eyes.

“If he knows about the deal with Lilith. Big Z knows today and tomorrow would be his last chance to make things work if Lilith was going to meet her deadline.”

“It’s been a long time, mortally speaking. He must know—but maybe he thinks that after so long, if no one’s been successfulyet, no one will be.” Simeon paced around their room, this one not so luxurious. He hadn’t wanted to call too much attention to themselves, and he’d paid in cash. “All for what? What’s one girl he couldn’t bed?”

Emily paced with him, clockwise to his counter, circling, lost in thought, alone, then speaking, and suddenly, the echoing worry inside her head was shared.

She was glad he was here. Glad he’d become her friend. And more.

“He’s a monster. A monster has something it wants. Something it has to have, to destroy, to prove that it can, to feed the darkness,” Emily whispered.

Simeon was silent. She saw his jaw flex as he nodded, and there was something red in the gleam of his eyes when he looked back toward the cityscape outside their window.

“Owning her. She was supposed to be his, one of his conquests, and his brother stole her. In a way, it’s good that Seph hasn’t returned yet. I think once Z was done with her, he’d let her go—and he’d make sure everyone knew exactly what he’d done. Humiliation and ownership of others? He loves that. The fact that people who’ve done it before end up in a pit in Hell? That he’s too powerful for people to fight against, even when he hurts them like this? That’s the darkness he likes to stroke.”

“You’re so smart. And the reason why breaks my heart,” Simeon suddenly whispered, reaching for her. “You’re right. You’re right. If Zeus,” he mouthed the word, “had her, he’d cast her out and brag about it, rub Mr. H’s face in it—that his wife, his only love, finally wantedhim. Would have had to be willingly, thanks to that vow on that particular river.”

“You’re right. And if he believes, even suspects, that this might be his last chance... He’ll definitely be here soon if he isn’t already.”

Simeon nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. “C’mere.”

“Sleep?”

“No. City planning permissions. Floor plans have to be filed. If we can’t get in, the Head of the Computer Science Department at NYU Pine Ridge will let us in. Genie can hack anything.”

“There’s a genie?”

“No, that’s her name. Short for Eugenia. Well, there is a genie, but he prefers the term djinn. He works at the college, too, but I think he’s head of student services or something, and he can’t hack like Genie can.”

“How do you know that she can—never mind. You want to see the ventilation plans?”

“And what’s on the other floors according to the plans.” Simeon brought out his cell phone and started to tap the screen. “If you had to hide someone, where would you keep her?”

“Least accessible point.”

As one, they looked up.

“Wanna bet the fifth floor is a penthouse?” Simeon asked, leaning his shoulder heavily into hers.

“Wanna bet the elevators in the halls don’t go to the fifth floor?” She rocked back into him.

“C’mon, drunken love of mine. Let’s go try to breach security and find a private elevator.”

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