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Lauren?iu is mortified.
The first question that pops into his mind isHow can you say that? How can you do that?As if the King of Hell had slapped him or called him the worst name imaginable.
Lauren?iu shakes his head and tries to keep himself from choking on his words. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
Paimon stares and then blinks slowly. “That’s okay.”
Sharply, Lauren?iu retorts, “Is it?”
He’s not sure what he wants. He wants Paimon to fight, to grab him and tell him that Lauren?iu is his because that means someone cares enough to claim him. To catch him when he runs away.
Instead, Paimon says, “I’m not going to make you do anything.”
Lauren?iu steps back, setting a palm on the doorframe.
“I need Anthony dead. That’s all. I don’t need anything or anybody else. You care more aboutthisthan I do.”
“We agreed to stay here briefly. Because you wanted a chance to enjoy one final piece of Earth before we completed our quest.”
“Briefly,” Lauren?iu retorts.
Paimon gives a nod. “All right. I understand. You were very clear from the beginning.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to be sorry. I like that you’re honest, and you can say no.”
This doesn’t feel like a small rejection; it’s a crossroads.
Paimon’s tone doesn’t match his words. Extroverted Paimon, paradoxically easygoing and highstrung. Lover of art, music, wine, and sex, eager to chat about sonnets and chardonnay, but one to spend hours complaining about his stupid fallen angel companions he loves.
He’s entirely withdrawn, his back ramrod straight, his eyes without luster, his words formal with no innuendos or wryness. Now, they both have their masks, but this is different.
For once, it’s Paimon who’s shut off tohim.
Isn’t that what he wanted? He’s not sure. He wants more, but he’s not sure he can handle something that fragile. Love. No. Better not.
Paimon breaks him out of his spiral. “I’ll leave you Daisy. She’ll tell you where to go. It’s not very far now.”
“What about the deal? Will you come back to take me to Hell?”
“Unless God has a tantrum and finds some city to burn, one that hasn’t already survived fire, then I doubt it makes a difference. What can I do, get damned again? Go where you want. Take the kid. Use my cards. They won’t expire or run out.”
“What do I need to do for you?” Lauren?iu asks.
Sadly, Paimon tells him, “There’s no catch. I...” His voice catches, and shuts his eyes and rubs the space between his brows. “Lauren?iu, I really, truly I hope that your revenge is everything you’ve ever wanted. I mean that.”
In a blink, Paimon is gone.
Chapter 19
Paimon
One of the many lonely Kings of Hell spends hours on the edge of a gray cliff, above a murky, foggy abyss where pines poke out like black teeth.
For a long time, he’s in a daze. Like after he fell and drifted in a torpor of pain, numbness, pain, numbness.
Iftheywould’ve happened, it had to be with Lauren?iu taking the initiative, and he wouldn’t.
