Wayward Devils (Souls of the Road #4)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

K enny was done singing about his poker game, and now Jerry Lee Lewis wasn’t faking about all the shaking.

Jerry wasn’t the only one shaking. Raven’s words were an earthquake, juddering solid ground out from under me, tumbling logic down into the rubble of old fears.

I didn’t want to believe him.

Lula could touch the book. I understood that. I’d seen it with my own eyes. But that I could wield the magic of the gods? That I could wield the power of the gods?

No. That had to be a lie.

“Bullshit,” I said. “You come here, find us licking our wounds, make nice with Abbi, and then tell us we’re the problem? Fucking horseshit.”

The god blinked. “You are not the problem. You are in fact, the only damn solution I can see.”

“What solution?” Lula squeezed my hand to calm me.

“Yes, Crow,” Bathin challenged, turning his way. “What’s this easy solution you’ve dreamed up?”

“I didn’t say it would be easy. But it’s the only way I see this not ending in destruction. Brogan and Lula must find the book and take it somewhere safe. Somewhere out of the reach of demons, immortals, gods, or anything else that wants it.”

“Sure,” Bathin said. “Easy. Except there is no safe place.”

“There is.”

“Where? With you?”

Raven tapped a finger on the table. “ I don’t want it. And no other god should have it either. Including At?. Including Cupid. It draws attention and creates chaos.”

“Puts you out of a job,” Bathin muttered.

“Puts too many people I care for in danger,” Raven said pointedly.

Bathin sniffed but didn’t argue.

“Get the book,” Raven said. “Just like you promised Cupid you would. But instead of giving it to him, or keeping it for yourself, or, hell, selling it or whatever else you might have decided to do with it, bring it to the one place in the world where it will be safe, untouched, unused, and will actually remain hidden.”

There it was. He was just the same as any of the other gods. He wanted control over the book.

“Where is this safe place?” Lula asked.

“A small town most people drive through without stopping. A place gods cannot meddle with, cannot change, cannot enter without getting approval from the woman who guards it. A woman with the power to block gods and monsters from entering.”

“Where is this mystical Brigadoon?” I asked.

“Oregon,” he said. “A town called Ordinary.”

“Where the gods vacation?” Lu asked.

He nodded. “Gods put down their power to live there as humans. Supernaturals stay there too. Everyone follows human laws. We even have a handful of demons who haven’t gotten themselves kicked out yet.”

Bathin shook his head. “It’s…one of the safest places I can think of to keep something as powerful as the book. You’re thinking of Myra’s library?”

“That was my first thought. She’ll keep it, I know that. But it might put her at risk too.”

“No one can find the library without her,” Bathin said. “No one can open it but her, and she has to do it willingly. She doesn’t let anyone in.”

“Well, except Than,” Raven said.

Bathin shrugged. “It’s his love of tea and literature that won her over.”

“C’mon. All the Reed sisters adore him.”

“Who is Than?” Lu asked.

“Is he Death?” I asked. Images of the near-death I’d recently experienced, of the god, Death, in a shirt with a map of Oregon on it came back to me.

He had told me he was on vacation, and therefore refused to accept my death. He had sent me back to life instead.

Back to save Lula from At?.

“He is the god of death,” Raven said.

“Is Myra a powerful sister?” Abbi asked.

Raven tightened his arm. “Yes. She helps Delaney guard the town and keep the mean gods and monsters out.”

“Oh!” Abbi said, bright and energetic again. “I’ve seen her. I’ve seen them. They’re nice.”

“Most of the time,” Raven said.

“If you don’t break their rules,” Bathin added.

“What happens if a god breaks their rules?” Lula asked. “If they broke into the town? Broke into the library?”

“They can’t,” Raven said.

“They could,” Bathin corrected. “The town, if not the library. I found a way into the town.”

“All right,” Raven agreed. “There can be ways a god could break into Ordinary. There can be ways a demon can try to enter Ordinary without Delaney’s permission. How’d that work out for you, Bathin?”

“Got my ass kicked.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “And I fucking fell in love which was…not an ideal situation.”

“And who won?” Raven coaxed with a grin. “At the end of all the shit you pulled, who won?”

“The Reed sisters. Delaney, Myra, Jean. And every single god and supernatural who lives there and protects the town like it’s the last scrap of meat on the bones of the world. It’s a place with people, with family, like no other on this earth.”

“Truth,” Raven said. “Bring it to Ordinary. I promise it will be safe.”

“We don’t have the book,” I said. “We don’t have any idea where it is. And I’m not promising either of you shit.”

“Reasonable,” Raven said. “I hate making deals with gods too. Just…think about it, okay?” He turned his attention to Lula, raised an eyebrow waiting for her agreement.

She held so still, she wasn’t even breathing.

I wondered if she was going to haggle with him. Ask for something, like the continuing of our lives, a cure for her half-vampirism, or the whereabout of the monsters who had attacked us and made me spirit and her thrawan all those years ago.

I squeezed her hand, letting her know if she wanted to make another deal, I’d be there with her, no matter the price we had to pay.

She squeezed back and exhaled, remaining silent.

“All right then.” Raven’s fingertips fell into a blunt rhythm on the tabletop.

The sound of the diner came flooding back, the hiss of meat on the grill, soft chatter, the trill of John Denver singing about country roads taking him home.

I hadn’t realized the world had gone a little foggy, a little distant while we’d been talking, until now.

Gods.

“I’ll get out of your way,” Raven continued. “But if you need anything…”

“With no strings attached,” Abbi added.

“…with no strings attached.” Raven gave her the stink eye. “Where’s the trust? Call on me.” He placed a single glossy black feather on the table.

“Or me.” Bathin placed a small object the size of a walnut next to the feather.

It was a stone, white with spots of black and a slight opalescent shine over pewter shadow.

“Oh.” Abbi reached for it, paused to glance at Bathin, who nodded. “This is a good rock,” she said.

“It is,” he said. “If you need me. That rock is going to be the best way to contact me.”

“Can I keep it?” she asked.

“You can. As long as you promise to use it if you need to.” He held her gaze for a moment.

Whatever that stone was (other than a stone), whatever magic or promise it required, I’d find out from her later.

“In the meantime,” Bathin said, “we’ll do what we can to find the book.”

“What?” I asked, startled.

“You didn’t think we came here just to tell you to do what you were already doing, did you?” he asked.

I blinked. “We don’t need—”

“Of course you don’t,” Raven cut in. “The last thing you need is a couple meddling devils digging for the gold you promised Cupid. We won’t get in your way. You have my word.”

He placed his hand over his heart and gave me what I assumed he thought was an innocent look.

“When we find a lead on it…” Bathin said, rising from the chair.

“If,” Raven added, giving Abbi a little kiss on the top of her head. “Come see me, Bun Bun,” he whispered. “It will be fun.”

“ When we find a lead,” the demon insisted, “we will contact you.”

“Through the stone and feather?” I asked. “That sounds like something we don’t need.”

The demon shrugged. “Throw them both away. It didn’t take a feather or stone to find you here.”

“I’m keeping the rock,” Abbi insisted. “I like it.”

“Hey, what about the feather?” Raven asked.

“I’ll give it to Hado. He can eat it.” As if he’d been summoned, the little black cat popped his head out of the backpack she wore and mewled.

Raven chuckled. “Gasp, I say. Don’t eat it, but yes, he can have it.”

Hado clambered up out of the pack, balanced on her shoulder and leaped gracefully onto the table, landing directly on the feather. The cat batted it, bit it, and growled a tiny growl.

Abbi laughed.

Raven stood. “Well, I can see how I rate around here.” He turned and gave Abbi a full hug, which she returned. “Be careful and be smart , Bun Bun. I’ll do what I can to help you.”

“Are you back from vacation?” she asked, leaning to stare up at him.

“Let’s say no, if anyone asks, okay?” He grinned.

“Or maybe I shouldn’t lie?”

He raised his hands like he wasn’t going to stand in her way, no matter what she did.

She shook her head. “Delaney’s going to find out.”

“Not if you and he,” he jerked his thumb toward the demon, “keep it on the down low.”

“What about them?” she asked, waving at Lula and me.

“If they want to tell Delaney I’m doing a little… volunteer work outside of town, then bring them to Ordinary. Say,” he snapped his fingers, “they could bring the spellbook with them. Wouldn’t that be a hoot? Don’t you think that would be a hoot, Bathin, if everyone came to Ordinary with the spellbook of the gods?”

The demon rolled his eyes. “We get it, Crow. You want them to bring it to Ordinary. They gave you their answer. Let’s go.”

“Some kind of demon you are. Where’s all the negotiation and temptation?” Raven started toward the door, the bigger man behind him. “Where’s the wheeling and dealing, the stealing of souls and making of bloodshed? Love’s made you soft, my man.”

The demon smacked the back of the god’s head, and I held my breath, ready to get the hell out of there before the fight began.

Raven just ducked and laughed.

“Toodles, Gauges,” he called over his shoulder. “Remember, not every god and asshole is against you. I’m the god, by the way.” He spun to face Bathin and stepped backward through the doors. “You know what that makes you, right?”

“It makes me sorry I was curious enough to follow you here.” He gave Raven an extra shove, which only made the god laugh harder, and followed him out the door.

As soon as the door swung shut, the god and demon disappeared, not even a footstep of dust left stirring.

“Okay.” I exhaled, trying to get my heartbeat and breathing aligned. “Okay. That’s done.”

Lula stood. “I need some air.”

“Give me a minute, I’ll take care of the bill.”

“No, just…I’ll meet you outside.”

I shifted to stand, but she was already moving.

“Lula?”

“I’m fine.” She strode to the door and slipped out into the heat of the day.

I stared after her, then dug money out of my wallet, counted it, and left it on the table.

“Something’s wrong,” Abbi said quietly.

I tugged at my shirt, unsticking it from my sweaty skin. A rush of damp air brushed over my stomach and chest.

Hado pranced across the table toward Abbi, the crow feather in his mouth. She scooped him up, and the kitten disappeared into her backpack.

“Which something is wrong?” I asked. “The god or demon?”

Abbi took my hand, and it was hard to remember she was not the child she appeared to be, but a powerful deity in her own right.

“Crow’s nice,” she said. “Nice when he’s on your side. And Bathin gave me a stone.”

“That’s important?”

She nodded. “It’s magic.”

“I assumed. Is that the problem? The magic stone?”

She shook her head.

“Then what’s wrong?”

“Lula,” she said. “Something’s wrong with Lula.”