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“Lucifer lets you just back out?”
“Only before a round starts. Once it’s going, everyone is stuck until the end.”
Just when I felt like I had a handle on things, they changed.
Hunter tore his gaze from mine and looked back to the woman. “Sorry, Mella, but no shows for me.”
“But I haven’t seen you in one foryears.” She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, before exchanging it for a salacious grin. “Of course, we could have our own show, couldn’t we? You could put those skills of yours to other, more fun uses.”
Oh, I was going to give her a piece of my mind. Howdareshe try to pick up my… well, whatever Hunter was—right in front of me!
Before I could, though, Hunter answered. “Sorry, Mella, but I don’t do those shows either, anymore.” He cut a glance my way, a loaded look there.
She sighed but nodded, then took the orders.
Once she’d left, I glared at Hunter.
“What?” he asked as if he hadnoidea why I might be annoyed.
“Have you screwed everyone here?”
“Not everyone,” he said, then pointed at a man at another table. “Not him. Wait, never mind.” He turned his head as if getting a better view. “From this angle, I think maybe I have.”
I sat back in the booth, the ease of my relationship with Hunter suddenly not quite so easy.
“Come on, you can’t be mad I’m turning peopledown.”
I was pretty sure I could be annoyed, at least, so I didn’t answer.
Mella brought the drinks a few minutes later and gave the entire table one hell of a show as she leaned over.
Though, from my glance around the table, it seemed I was the only one who noticed.
She left, probably since she didn’t seem to be getting anything she wanted and tried at another table.
“I don’t think I should drink anymore of that alcohol,” I said, recalling how I’d passed out against Kase the last time.
Hunter nodded. “This close to the palace, it isn’t smart. Lucky for you, this is one of the few places where I could get you safe water, so enjoy it.”
I hesitated as I took a sip, glad to see it was in an actual glass but not sure I entirely trusted him. I didn’t think he’d give me something that would hurt me, I just wasn’t sure he knew what water actually was. I recalled whatever he’d put into the waterskin for me, and while that had worked in a pinch, it certainly wasn’t what I’d consider water.
Yet, when it hit my lips from the large cup, I could have cried with joy. It was not justwaterbut cold and entirely pure-tasting. I sent out an apology to water for all the times I’d passed on it before, the times I’d thought I’d rather have coffee or something else.
I took big gulps, finally able to fully quench my thirst.
The men drank their items, though none of them ordered water. Then again, supernatural metabolism meant they didn’t get hit hard with alcohol like I did.
Plus, Grant handed out more tablets.
“Do you really think Lucifer will just have the bridge ready?” Grant asked.
“Well, he’s the one who sent for her.” Troy leaned back in his seat. “Why send for her and make it more difficult for her to get there?”
“Why have her arrive all the way out at the boundary anyway?” Grant asked. “When I come here, I portal directly to where I’m headed. Only an idiot would go to the boundary then walk.” He cut a look toward Hunter, then grinned. “Well, I mean, you do that.”
Hunter blew a kiss back. “I do it because I can’t make random portals like a lazy mage. I can only cross the boundary line.”
“How do you end up where you want, then?” I asked.
