Page 80 of Hopelessly Teavoted
Vickie watched Azrael whip his head around at the same time the ghost did, one face earnest and handsome and soul-crushing and the other terrifying and breath-stopping.
“You,” growled Azrael, but she could hear the relief beneath the anger. She could feel it herself.
“Me,” said the devil, the air around him shimmering.
Lex was leaning against a column, his black hair in stark contrast with the pale marble of the stone and his face. Preternaturally violet eyes burned into Vickie. He might not be for her, but damn, he was handsome.
Lex was equal parts threat and delicacy, wrapped in silky, expensive black clothing and a magic Vickie didn’t quiteunderstand that had become the root of all that she was. She imagined this was the way vampires felt about the creatures that sired them. It was a longing about creation.
It was not the same as love.
Azrael frowned and moved toward the devil, but Lex drew a soul prison from his pocket.
“NO,” screeched Tina, and Vickie felt the necklace heat to burning, and then ash, but the macabre ghost was already being sucked into the trinket.
“That’s better,” purred Lex, waving a hand, and the box disappeared.
“What the fuck,” started Vickie. “Where were you? I thought you said you’d be here when I needed to reap souls.”
Lex flicked a speck of dust off the lapel of his jacket. “It’s not like we arranged to do this one,” he said. “And besides, I was here. I just got a little distracted. You’re not the only person I’ve cut deals with.”
Vickie rolled her eyes. He looked ever so slightly disheveled, as though he’d cleaned up quickly and missed a few spots of hair left angled a few degrees away from perfect.
“You owed me three souls, Victoria, darling. That’s two.” The timbre of his voice stroked velvet against her ear, a sensory overload as grating as it was seductive. He was trying to distract her from asking about what had delayed him.
“Fine. Thanks for showing up, I guess.” Vickie glared at Lex, who closed his eyes for a moment, cocked his head as though listening, and then straightened and nodded.
Victoria couldn’t bear to look at Azrael now. She could feel his anger simmering even without touching.
“Ah yes, beautiful. It seems she supplied the greater Vermont area with drugs. Her dealing led to five overdose deaths, one dreadful beating, two executions—at her own hands, I might add—and several assaults. She wasnota nice woman, pet. But she didn’t know who her boss was. Some volunteer youth pastor, maybe?”
“That’s what she said,” Vickie started.
“I’ll fucking kill you,” began Azrael, lunging unwisely. “Cursing me. Literally objectifying me, and then waltzing in here late and throwing around sobriquets.”
“Objectifying would be so hard to resist when you look like that.” Lex blew him a kiss and smiled wickedly. “As for killing me, you could try, handsome. I’d wager you can’t do it, but I might enjoy the attempt.” He winked.
Looking between them, Lex smiled widely now.
“Oh, come now, nothing’s permanent. Victoria could still find the third soul in time to meet the terms of the bargain, and I’m sure a pair of clever witches like you and your sister can figure out a way around the teeny-tiny complication of turning to ashes on Halloween.”
Azrael swallowed and didn’t meet Vickie’s eyes.
“Oh,” said Lex, running a finger across Azrael’s jawline. “But you’ve already figured it out, I surmise.” He winked, grinning evilly. “What’s the holdup, then, lovers?”
“Stop it,” said Az, but he was blushing.
“What does that mean?” She looked from Lex to Az.
“He means the soul seal. The soul seal could circumvent the curse.”
“Bingo,” said Lex, reaching for Az again. This time he was quick enough to duck.
“My dearest pets, it seems the two of you have more truth-telling to do, on top of a villain to catch. I’ll pop back in if I can find anything helpful. In the meantime, be good.”
He winked again and withdrew a closed fist from his pocket.
“No!” Azrael moved to snap, but before his fingers connected, Lex vanished in a flash of musky smoke that smelled of bergamot and ginger, and covered them, once more, in brown dust.
