Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(100)

“It’s me again, my little *cat. You’re not answering your cell either.”

A cell phone? Where the hell was he hiding that?

Now she was worried. It wasn’t like Farquhar to miss Inanna’s calls. She dialed the number that appeared on the caller ID.

“Farquie?”

In all her excitement over the show, she’d completely forgotten her sidekick. What kind of human was she?

“No, it’s Serah. Farquhar isn’t here.”

Inanna gasped. “Oh shit. Farquie’s going to be pissed.”

“I already know you can talk and that you’re imps, Inanna.”

“Oh. Whew,” Inanna murmured.

“I talked to him earlier when I was fighting a demon. I told him to stay home. He obviously didn’t listen to me.”

Serah sighed. How could she have done this? “He spends all his time with you, so I assumed you two were together.”

“He cares for your safety,” Inanna purred. “You stay home. I will go out and look for him.”

“Is it safe?”

Inanna laughed. “No one will suspect me. I’m just a stray Persian, far from my home.”

“If you say so.”

“I’ll call you back when I learn more. I have a good sense of smell, you know. Who needs a bloodhound?”

“Okay,” she said, a huge lump in her throat. “Inanna?”

“Yes?”

“Be careful.”

“Always.”

With that the call ended. Serah slumped to the floor.

Matthias appeared in the doorway, concern flashing in his dark eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“We totally forgot Farquhar. Now he’s gone.”

“What do you mean gone?” Matthias leaned down and pulled her up into his arms. She rested her head on his chest, her tears trailing down.

“Inanna said she’s been calling him all day and he never answered or called back. It’s not like him. I was so engrossed in our plans, I let one of my friends down.”

“Did you not tell him to stay put?”

Serah nodded.

“Did he listen to you?”

She shook her head, a sob bursting from her mouth.

“I know you aren’t going to like what I’m about to say, but I’m going to say it anyway.” He cradled her head to him, his hand softly stroking her hair. “He made his own decision. Whatever happened to him isn’t your fault.”

He raised her chin so that their eyes met. “I’ve also tussled with the imp. He knows how to hold his own.”

Matthias was right. Despite his size, Farquhar could indeed fight with the best of them. “I know, but I still worry. What if it was Salome? What if she’s the one who got him.”

“Salome isn’t one to just kill a captive. She likes to make spectacle of things. All Infernati do.”

“I hate them. They need to die.” She clenched her fists. She had to end them. Now.

Matthias shook his head, his voice soothing. “No. That’s what they want. You can’t give in to the anger. If you do, you will lose. You could die. I will not let that happen. I—the world needs you too much. I need you too much.”

“You need me?” Serah glanced up. His onyx eyes burned. What did he mean by that?

“I just feel I have a purpose when I’m with you. I feel like I belong. I feel good.”

She nodded. “You need me to live so your mission is a success. I understand.”

“It’s more than that. I like you.”

Like me? He wouldn’t even let her call him by his new nickname. He may have been trying to keep his distance because of the mission, but he sure had a strange way of showing it.

“Could have fooled me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“‘Call me Matt?’” she ground out, pulling from his embrace. “Does that ring any bells?”

“You don’t like me making nice with your friends?”

Serah growled, louder than she had ever growled before. “I don’t mind that. But you could extend the same courtesy to me if you like me as much as you claim to.”

“I didn’t think you cared for me.”

Serah pounded her fists into his chest. “Are you for f*cking real? I don’t just fall into bed with men I don’t like or hardly know.” She shoved him away. “I feel connected to you.” She sighed. “And not just because of our past, either.”

“I know, I feel it too. But you deserve better. I saw the way you and Daniel worked together. You need something like that in your life. Not a hardened assassin without a soul.”

“I doubt that.”

“Doubt what?”

“I doubt you don’t have a soul. You’ve shown it plenty of times.” She shrugged. He was probably right. He apparently thought he was too broken to be fixed. But with a little glue, a statue could always be put back together.

“We’re a lot alike, you and I.”

Bemusement flooded his face. “How so?”

“We blame ourselves for our pasts. Well, I’ve got a news flash—it’s the past. I’ve forgiven myself. Heck, I’ve even forgiven you.”