Page 11 of Protected in Darkness
“I knew I smelled ’em,” Reidar grumbled, appearing at Obsidian’s side.
Yes, theimpietanshad a unique odor. A stench so powerful it seeped through your nostrils and coated your tongue. One that was closely related to the sulphur family, only more poignant.
“Where’s Perfidious?” Obsidian asked Reidar.
A few quick steps and theimpietanswere at the center of their oddly formed circle.
“Gryffyth’s keeping an eye on him. He’s getting his drink on right now. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was in Vegas to check out the sights.”
Or so he wanted them to believe. Perfidious always had a plan, even if it was to appear as though he didn’t.
“Would it be too much to ask to find a formidable foe tonight?” Reidar shrugged his shoulders, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Last ones all but impaled themselves on the blade.”
As though they heard him, three more appeared, heading toward them at a jog.
Great. “That better?”
“I could take all six with my hands tied behind my back and my eyes closed,” Reidar challenged, a glint in his eye.
“I could always time you,” Taayin told him. “Just to make it more interesting.”
“If it wasn’t closing in on Miller time, I might take you up on that.”
“We gonna dance?” Obsidian prompted the demon closest to him.
Its dead black eyes narrowed, confusion marring its forehead. Even if it were capable of speaking, the thing had no idea how to answer the question.
“Fists or blade?” Reidar asked.
“Fists’ll be more entertaining,” Taayin mused. “Blades’ll get us home faster.”
As though bored, Reidar planted his feet wide, tossing one of his custom-made, four-and-a-half-inch push daggers into the air and catching it over and over, the light from the strip bouncing off the silver blade. The good news was, he hadn’t started juggling them.
Obsidian kept his eyes on theimpietansas they began the shifty dance, twisting around, assessing. They glanced between themselves, probably trying to determine who would die first. Then again, Obsidian wasn’t sure they were capable of determining even that much.
“Hey, T,” Reidar called out conversationally. “Remember that redhead from the bar the other night?”
“By bar, you mean strip club?” Obsidian asked.
“Ta-may-toe, ta-mah-toe.”
Taayin smirked. “Which one?”
Since the Angels of Darkness were forbidden to have interactions with humans, Obsidian had to assume this redheaded stripper was either a vampire or a fairy, the only other species willing to tangle with an angel. He figured vampire, knowing Reidar’s taste in females.
“The tall one. Big green eyes, even bigger…” Reidar crudely cupped his imaginary breasts.
“Oh, I remember.”
One of theimpietanspaused, looked over its shoulder, then stood there as though it had no idea what it’d been about to do. They tookdumb assto an entirely different level. Sometimes Obsidian wondered why the fuck themesonneireven bothered turning them.
“She’s been blowing up my phone,” Reidar continued as though they were out for a leisurely stroll. “Said you told her I had a surprise for her.”
Taayin chuckled. “Did she?”
Reidar stood tall, squaring off with one of the idiots closest to him. “You care to enlighten me on what you told her?”
Theimpietanin front of Obsidian glanced down at the eight-inch black steel tactical dagger in his hand before lifting its eyes to his face.
