Page 4 of All the Devils are Here

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I smiled when her name appeared on the screen. “Why do you always have a supernatural ability to know exactly when to call?”

“Because I’m incredible and being immortal gave me special powers,” she said without missing a beat. Then she laughed. “No, Laurent texted Alex and said you’d arrived, so I figured I’d check in.”

“I’m fine.”

My best friend paused. “I didn’t ask how you were, so now I’m thinking you’re very much not fine.”

I sighed. “Christine.”

“Meg,” she sang my name back at me. “What’s going on?”

I shook my head even though she couldn’t see it. “Nothing’s going on. I’m just tired from the flight, and Laurent was a little strange, so I’m just walking by the river.”

“Strange?”

I laughed once. “I think I woke him up. He answered the door all disheveled, barely wearing a shirt, and he clearly didn’t remember I was supposed to be here today. Then it felt like he just…” I sighed. “It’s nothing.”

“Hmm,” she made a non-committal sound. “I still think he’s into you.”

I heard voices in the background and Christine laughed. “I don’t suppose your royal majesties couldorderLaurent to get his head out of his ass and ask out Meg?”

Three years ago Christine had been a viral singing sensation that had taken the world by storm and led us to Paris for the revival of the operaJoan d’Arc. The three gargoyles who were her mates—and the kings of the gargoyle world—lived in the opera house at the time. Rival gargoyles had tried to kill her, but it backfired and my best friend was now an immortal badass that the world thought was dead.

It was easier to perish in the fire that had destroyed the opera house again then be the center of the world’s attention and risk her or her mates being discovered.

“They don’t have to do that,” I said. “He had a taste, Chris. Clearly, that was enough for him.”

“Stop it.” Her voice was sharp. “I know exhaustion can sometimes lead to pity parties, but that’s one I’m not going to let you have.”

I pressed my lips together. She wasn’t wrong, but I also couldn’t exactly protest and tell her I was right when she hadthreegargoyle mates that worshipped the ground she walked on. I didn’t begrudge her that. I was truly, truly happy for her.

Visiting with her and her mates over the last couple of years had been amazing—especially when I got to meet them in exotic places most wouldn’t be able to go to.

But I also wouldn’t lie and say I wasn’t jealous. I absolutely was. With Christine halfway across the world, and the fame of being asurvivorof the opera house, I was lonely. Thankfully, the attention had mostly faded. It wasn’t nearly the level Christine had had to deal with, but even my small amount was enough.

Having someone to come home to and spend time with would be nice.

“You’re right. I’m sure a good night’s sleep will help.”

Or, I added in my mind, a good night under someone. If there was one thing it was easy to find in Paris, it was men willing to show a woman a good time. If Laurent wasn’t willing, then someone else would be.

I ignored the stab of guilt in my heart at the thought, though there was nothing to feel guilty about when all we’d ever shared was one kiss.

One fucking hell of a kiss.

“Okay,” Christine said. “I have to go. But maybe I’ll talk to you tomorrow? We’ll be there before you know it.”

“Sounds good.”

I ended the call and looked out at the smoothly flowing river. Both Christine and Laurent had asked if I was all right.

And I wasn’t.

I was broken, and I didn’t know how to fix it. Everything had been fine until the new creative director of the ballet came storming through Manhattan and decided to change everything about the way the company did things. From the way our ballets were choreographed to the people in the company itself.

He claimed it was a new direction that would revive the company and bring in new audiences and new sponsors. And maybe it would, but I wouldn’t be there to see it. After secretly observing our entire season and evaluating all the company members, those he was interested in keeping were offered an audition to keep their place.

I wasn’t offered one.

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