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Which said what exactly about her? It was too depressing to contemplate. She needed to get these bloody heaven things off her and get out of this basement. The how escaped her. Time dragged by, her ass cheeks grew numb, and she may have dozed off.
Footsteps sounded outside the door. “Hide,” Eddie whispered to the hounds. She was not letting the guardians get their hands on her lads. The hounds leapt atop the propane tank and disappeared into the darkness.
Yesterday followed.
Knowing they were there gave her a smidge of hope that the situation wasn’t one hundred percent dire.
A crack of light opened around the door. Eddie blinked at the suddenly bright light surrounding a tall, male figure. Chris snapped on the overhead light and momentarily blinded her.
“There you are.” He chuckled as if he’d made the most hilarious joke ever. “I hope your time alone has given you a chance to reflect.” He snort laughed. “Reflect? Get it? No light?”
Eddie had no idea how long she’d been down there. It would have to be way longer for that joke to even raise a titter from her.
Chris strolled closer. “I have a few questions for you.”
“I don’t know anything.” Eddie shifted closer to the wall. If she was in real danger would Xerxes and Cronus protect her? That would put them in danger. She tried to check out the darkness surreptitiously. “You even said so yourself.”
“Don’t be obtuse, Edme.” Chris’s tasseled loafer nudged her thigh. “I will get the answers to my questions.”
Oh, that was a good one. Straight outta the mouth of a Bond-level villain. “Don’t tell me, this will hurt you more than me?”
“No, Edme.” He chuckled, and the hairs on her nape sprung to attention. “This will most definitely hurt you more, but don’t think I will hesitate to do what needs doing.”
Well, that was reassuring. Fucking. Not. “I honestly don’t know anything,” she whined.
“Interesting.” He crouched beside her. “And most interesting of all is that rakshasa bite on your arm. Not only do you have one and are living to tell the story, but it’s healing.” He flashed his teeth in a parody of a grin. “Why don’t we start with that?”
“A what now?” She pulled her best clueless face. “A grasshopper bit me the other day.”
“Edme.” He clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Let us assume you are speaking the truth, which I highly doubt. When was the last time you were bitten by a grasshopper?”
Creasing up her face, she pretended to think it over. “I was bitten by a spider last autumn, but a grasshopper now...” She looked him dead in the eye as she asked, “What did you call it?”
Chris sighed and stood. “Very well.” He took a sparkly knife out of his pocket. “Let’s start with something simpler. Where is Deandra?”
“Right here, motherfucker,” Dee said.
Chris’s eyes widened, he half turned toward Dee’s voice. There was a loud thwack and he dropped to the floor like a stone.
Eddie got her legs out of the way just in time. She felt not one jot of sympathy for his head pounding into the concrete floor. Shithead had been about to carve into her with his unicorn-sparkly dagger.
“Hi, Eddie-girl.” Dee stood where Chris had been with a crowbar in her hand. “It looks like I got here just in time.”
“Well done.” Uriel sauntered up behind Dee and stared down at Chris dispassionately. “What a thoroughly unpleasant man.” She grimaced. “The other one is not much better, but we have him contained.”
Contained? What did that mean? Questions for another time. Eddie dropped her chin toward the collar. “They put this thing and cuffs on me. They said they were heaven wrought.”
Tutting, Uriel knelt beside her. “I told Gabriel that we should never have given the guardians heaven wrought weapons.” She pulled a face. “But Gabriel never listens.” She clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Gabriel always knows better than anyone else. It’s very infuriating.”
She reached behind Eddie’s neck, and the collar clicked open. She freed Eddie’s wrists next. “I’ll just hold on to these.” She wrinkled her nose at the collar and cuffs. “No need to tell Gabriel.”
Eddie was so fucking happy to see Dee. She scrabbled toward her and flung her arms around her grandmother. “Thank Christ, you’re here.” She didn’t know if you should say Christ in front of an angel but couldn’t find a fuck inside her to give right now.
“Oh, Eddie.” Dee’s wiry arms fastened around her. “Don’t cry, darling. I’m here now.”
Eddie was shocked to find she was crying. Sobs gummed up her throat and all she could do was nod. She had so many questions, but right now relief was uppermost in her mind.
Uriel cleared her throat. “I hate to be insensitive, but this piece of crap will wake up soon.”
