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A choking noise erupted from behind her, and Mariah spun to see Nicholas holding his sides as tears rolled down his face.
“I can’t!” Harcourt blurted and dragged Nicholas out, where the two men broke into gales of laughter.
Benedict
“Get out of my inn!” Benedict seethed.
He felt the creature stirring within his belly. His emotions were shot, and his control was virtually non-existent. He was so focused on Mariah that he didn’t take note of who was with her.
“Blah blah,” the annoying girl retorted, and his eyes narrowed.
“Leave!” Benedict blasted, and the air slapped at the women before him. To his sheer surprise, one in a dress denoting his own time stomped forward, and a tiny hand smacked him across his face.
“Enough! Behave yourself!” Emile Harcourt commanded, and the creature died as Benedict stared in shock at a woman long dead.
“Emile?” he asked, his legs weakening, and he dragged a chair out and sat heavily.
“Bene, my dear friend. Use your infamous self-control!” Emile chastised as she crouched by his legs.
Benedict frowned as he slid a purple finger forward and poked her. Emile was solid.
“What trickery is this?” Benedict scowled, glaring at Mariah.
“No tricks involved. I stand before you, a human woman again,” Emile said, standing up as Benedict gazed shocked at her.
“Not possible. You’d have died over two centuries ago,” Benedict stated as he shook his head. “Did this colouring contain a drug?”
“No. I have a story to tell you, and you will listen calmly and rationally, Bene dear. I think we’re all aware there’s more to this world than we ever guessed,” Emile said.
Mariah watched as Emile told him what Melisandre had told her.
“The entire Rakehell Six were murdered? Alongside Harcourt and Henrietta?” Benedict finally spoke.
“Yes, but we came back, Benedict. We were given a second chance. It’s now our mission to make life less complicated and better for people,” Emile replied, reaching out and taking his purple hands.
“I can’t come back if that is what you’re suggesting. I am imprisoning a great evil here. Should I return, nobody will keep it locked away from innocents. My dear frenemy, I would love to have the second chance you did. But I would decline it because that is my duty as God’s Scourge,” Benedict replied.
He frowned when he realised Emile seemed to know what he meant. He opened his mouth to ask when he saw Mariah hovering and listening. With a flick of his fingers, three buckets of dirty water that Mariah had left the night before appeared over her head and tipped all over her.
Mariah shrieked as cold water covered her from head to toe, and Emile jumped away from the splash.
“You and I, madam, are at war!” Benedict declared and disappeared.
Mariah
Mariah spluttered and tried wiping her face as Emile and Melisandre gazed in horror. Silently, Mariah turned on her heel and headed to the apartment. There was no faint outline of a ghost to be seen as she gathered up Benedict's clothing and shoved them into her washing machine. She popped two tablets in and then stomped to the industrial-sized one behind the bar. Emile, Melisandre, and Bea watched as she put more of Benedict’s clothes in and dropped another few tablets before storming off.
Benedict wanted a war? Well, he’d get one!
Emile.
“Excuse me while I shower,” Mariah called over her shoulder.
“These men never learn!” Emile said dryly.
“He’ll get his tush kicked. Mariah looks like she can handle herself,” Melisandre agreed.
“Please tell Mariah I’ll return. Nicholas, Harcourt, and I will take our leave and do some research. I doubt the Nortons are all guarding the same evil. That makes little sense. They each must have discovered a threat at their inns. We shall see what we can find,” Emile replied.
