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Chapter Eighteen
The food was good, but the company left a lot to be desired. Grant remained for a short while, but before long, he left me to fend for myself.
At first, I couldn’t seem to help but nurse a hurt from the fact that all four men didn’t have time for me.
They had spentso muchtime following me—even when I’d told them to get lost—and yet suddenly they were all too busy?
Then I watched, carefully, and noticed how each spared glances my way. The reality was that they were getting ready for a second round in a game that had killed so many already. Then I noticed how they watched their opponents, how the two teams circled each other, and I realized this was part of their game. They were sizing each other up, getting ready to go into the final battle where only one of them would walk out.
Feeling abandoned would have been petty.
Or so I told myhurt feelings.
“I can’t say I get the appeal.”
I turned to find someonefartoo close to me, and the blue jumpsuit he wore let me know who he was.
One for the team facing off against my team.
He was tall—at least seven feet—and looked similar to the man who had tried to plant me. Except, where that man had been twisted and burned, this one appeared quite nearly human in form, other than the size and the dagger-like claws that tipped his fingers.
He turned his head, as if surveying who was around, and it gave me a look at some of his back.
More ridged claws ran down his spine like some dragon, and they shone as they caught like as if made of silver rather than bone.
I took a step backward, wantingfarmore personal space.
He chuckled as he looked back at me, and when he spoke, I realized his teeth were every bit as sharp as the rest of him, and a long, forked tongue darted inside his mouth.
It was a miracle he sounded so normal…
Or maybe that was part of the translation Grant had mentioned.
“I’m not going to hurt you. Well, not here, at least. Harming Lucifer’s guest of honor would be a foolish mistake, and I’m far from foolish.”
“So what are you doing here?”
“Do you know how many of these I’ve been in? More than Hunter, more than any other being.”
“Why do you keep entering then?”
“Because the prize is worth it. Do you haveanyidea how valuable a favor from Lucifer is?”
“Not really, no.”
He curled his lips into a smile that was chilling because it showed the points of his sharp teeth. “He can’t release a soul from the afterworld for good, but he can allow one to move to a new level.”
“Are you working your way up the ladder?”
“No. Too many rules in the other levels. I tried that, but I ended up getting sent back here. No, I use my favor the same way every time. I get a ticket back to earth.”
“I thought you said he couldn’t release people.”
“He can’t. The tickets don’t last long. I can inhabit a newly dead body for a few weeks, perhaps a month at most, then I slip back here. Still, even a visit is worth it.”
“I’m not really interested in your vacation plans, so are we done?”
“Not even close. See, Hunter and I, we’ve never faced off before. He’s undefeated, as am I. I don’t like to leave things to chance, however.”
