Demon Revealed (High Demon #2)(27)
Author: Connie Suttle

"See?" Teeg grinned at me as we sat at a tiny table in a nearby courtyard to eat. I’d gotten fruit juice to go with my sandwich; Teeg had ordered a mixed drink.

"Thank you," I said. Teeg ducked his head and lifted a crisp he’d gotten with his sandwich. He knew what I meant—he’d worked hard to get the morning’s horror out of my mind. We went back to Teeg’s apartment when we finished eating.

The delivery van arrived almost when we did, and boxes and bags were hauled inside Teeg’s spacious apartment. I got what we’d left on the floor out of the way and everything was placed on Teeg’s kitchen island. He didn’t have a table—the island served double duty.

"This is your bedroom," Teeg showed it to me after the deliveryman left. The suite was very nice—the bed was big enough for two or three people, the closet held everything with plenty of space left over and I had my own bath.

"The apartments are all built that way—in case tourists want to rent them instead of staying at one of the casinos," Teeg explained as we tucked the last of the shoeboxes inside my closet. "I stocked you with towels and sheets," Teeg smiled. "Let’s get in the spa."

"You have a spa?"

"Out on the patio. All the upgraded apartments have one."

"I didn’t know you had a patio."

"I do. Put that swimsuit on, Reah, so I can see how knobby your knees are." He was laughing at me. I swatted at him but he moved away easily.

The swimsuit had been Teeg’s idea and he’d managed to get it into the pile of clothing even after I’d put it back. Twice. We carried a bottle of wine to the spa on Teeg’s patio. A high fence surrounded the small patio and a few tropical plants placed in the corners kept it from appearing so empty and stark. Teeg looked more than fine in the small suit he wore. I had to keep myself from staring.

"Here," he poured a glass of wine for me after I slipped into the bubbling water. "Now, tell me where this came from." He touched the spot on my shoulder where Nods had shot me. The swimsuit he’d picked out was strapless—he could see my shoulders just fine.

"Got shot a little while back." I sipped my wine.

"Ah. Did it hurt?"

"More than you know." I wasn’t about to tell him what happened after I got shot. That was between Tory and me.

I was wrapped in a towel later as I put something together for our dinner. Teeg had stocked a few things. I was going to the market as soon as I could to get everything else we needed.

"See, good things can come from nannas that are almost overripe," I said, slicing off a piece of the sweet bread I’d made. Teeg took my hand holding the piece of nannabread and ate it from my fingers. I think he sucked on the fingers, too, before he was finished. I stared at him.

"It is good," he agreed. He kissed my hand and gave it back to me with a smile.

I was ready to tell him it would be even better with a vanilla sauce I made and a particular type of wine, but that thought flew right out of my head, followed quickly by the breath from my body.

"I don’t want to move too fast," Teeg murmured. "If you want more, let me know." I stared after him as he walked down the hall toward his bedroom. I heard his door close a few ticks later. I got my breath back and swallowed with difficulty.

First day, worst day went through my mind as I walked through the gate in the wall. One of the guards nodded to me—I’d worn new clothes today—a pair of slacks and a pretty blouse I’d gotten with Teeg’s help the day before. New, comfortable shoes were on my feet, too. It never made sense to wear anything else while cooking. Teeg had given me a quick peck on the cheek before I’d gone out the door.

"Reah, I’d like something good for breakfast," Arvil plopped down on one of the barstools on the far side of the island. Who knew that killing people would work up an appetite? I made something good for Arvil’s breakfast and set it in front of him. Delvin came in with Milus and they got the same thing.

"Why don’t you check those fields on Twylec," Arvil told Milus as he sighed happily and pushed his plate toward me. Arvil was lying again. Did he think he was going to catch me that way? Did he test all his employees like that? I just placed his dishes in the dishwasher as if I hadn’t heard anything.

"Is that carpenter doing you all right?" Delvin sounded snippy.

"The contractor is fine, thank you," I snapped right back.

"Just make sure he keeps on being fine." Delvin stalked out of the kitchen.

"Don’t pay any mind to him," Milus said. "He doesn’t know what he wants. Spends his nights with those twins, if they’re here," he added. "Food was good, Reah." Milus handed his plate over and left.

"Reah, are you all right?" Xiri walked in and tied an apron around his waist.

"Yeah. I was going to ask you the same thing," I said, giving him a quick hug. I’d had to hug his middle—he was too tall for anything else.

"Dinner wasn’t that good last night," Xiri muttered.

"Well, it never is if somebody dies in your kitchen."

"Two somebodies," Xiri nodded.

Two things happened that afternoon—Haral came back from his errand and Arvil received guests.

"I don’t know what they are, but they’re not all humanoid," Xiri hissed as we put dinner together for an extra eight guests. The housekeeping staff added leaves to the dining table, making it considerably longer. Xiri had seen at least two of the guests when he’d gone to relieve himself. He didn’t describe them to me—Jazal had come into the kitchen demanding that a snack be brought to him, Anith and the twins out by the pool. Must be nice to wave imperiously and get whatever you wanted.

Tiny sandwiches, fresh fruit and drinks were placed on trays and Xiri’s two assistants and I hauled it out to the pool. I’d never seen Arvil’s pool before—it was huge, with a wide flagstone patio around it, a waterfall at one end and a spa on the opposite side.

Jazal had stripped down to a tiny suit, which he shouldn’t have purchased. If you had that kind of paunch, then you were better off buying something a bit larger and more concealing. Anith looked quite good in the sea-green suit she wore—it went well with her blonde hair and eyes. Kita and Lita went for basic black and dark glasses.

I served fruit drinks—all of which were liberally laced with rum. Snacks were placed by each lounge chair. "Bring another round of these," Jazal demanded after sipping his drink. I nodded, lifted the drink tray and went back to mix another batch. They had three drinks each before they were done. Honestly, they were all better people when they were drunk.