Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(29)

“How about I use my talents for two million dollars? We are talking about dollars, right? Not some strange Heaven currency, because that does not work here.” I didn’t care what part of my nature she was attempting to call to. I was concerned about the part of my nature that was excited about doing the job I wanted to do and getting paid a shitload of money for something I would have done for free. “Where the hell does an angel get two million?”

“I merely requested it from one of my charges. He is a very nice man in Seattle,” Felicity explained. “He has more money than he could ever spend and doesn’t mind helping out good causes. I also got him to throw in a laptop and something called software. It will be delivered to your house tomorrow.”

“I’m going to need that in cash.” If she was talking about who I thought she was, I did not want a million lawyers jumping on my ass when I cashed that check.

Felicity smiled brightly, lighting up the room. “I’m so excited. It’s going to be so good to work together.”

“We’re not working together.” The last thing I needed was to babysit the physical embodiment of love. “I’ll give you progress reports, but otherwise you stay on the sidelines.”

“Absolutely,” she agreed.

“Now, how about handing over that Revelation thing?” The quicker I learned how to use it the better. We would be going to the party in a few weeks, but there was no reason I couldn’t start working with my ace in the hole.

“About that,” she started, and I knew I wasn’t going to like what she said next. “I don’t actually have that, but I know where it is.”

“How about using those powers of persuasion and getting it? Don’t tell me it’s on the Hell plane.” I planned on spending as little time there as possible, and planning two robberies there was just beyond my talents.

“Not at all. It’s in Arkansas.”

I rolled my eyes. “Close enough. I take it the current owner doesn’t wish to part with it?”

“She’s proven very stubborn.” Felicity held her hand out and suddenly there was a thumb drive in her palm. “I think you’ll find this has all the information you need. My charge taught me how to use a computer.”

“Great.” I took the drive and shoved it in my pocket. My two million was looking harder all the time, and I hadn’t thought it looked that easy in the first place.

She watched as I took a drink. I have to admit I’m not a delicate sipper of a good cocktail. I tend to down them pretty fast. The waitress was already on her way back with another one. “What is that like? It looks pretty. I have never tried alcohol before.”

Apparently the Heaven plane didn’t boast a hopping nightlife. I slid the fresh glass across the table. I was a little chattier now that I knew I’d have two million at my disposal. “Give it a try.”

She shook her head. “Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly.”

She looked back at the bar, and then seemed to come to some decision. She took a long swallow and came up choking. Perhaps I should have started her on something easier because the bartender knew how I liked my Cosmos and that was heavy on the vodka.

“You should probably take it slower.”

“That was strong.” She sputtered a little, clearing her throat. “I drank it the way you did.”

“Yes, but you didn’t start sneaking into your father’s liquor cabinet at the age of seventeen.” I thought of one really nice night when Danny and I tried making margaritas and ended up giving it up for tequila shots. I still can’t make a margarita. My dad had been pissed, and Danny had tried to take all the blame.

“You’re thinking of your husband.” Felicity leaned forward, her hand almost touching mine.

“Get out of my head.” I didn’t like anyone poking around in my brain.

She shrugged. “I can’t help it. When you love someone the way you love your Daniel, I can’t help but feel it. It telegraphs very loudly.”

“It isn’t really love, you see,” I started to explain. “I’m a companion, and he’s a vampire.”

“And what do you think a companion is, dear?”

I stilled because if I answered that question, I opened a whole new can of worms. Felicity claimed she could tell me what I was. Did I really want to know? Against my better judgment, I heard myself speak. “A companion is something like a slave.”

Felicity chuckled a little, but her face softened and I could practically feel the warmth of affection pouring off her. “I’m sorry, dear, I didn’t realize that the knowledge was gone from this plane. A companion isn’t a slave—far from it. A companion is just as powerful as a vampire.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, my superpower is—wait for it—tasting good. That’s a hell of a superpower. Someone call the Justice League and get me an application.”

“They really don’t tell you anything, do they? A companion is balance against the vampire. It’s why they’re attracted to each other. A vampire needs a companion and a companion needs a vampire. They balance each other. It is the way of this world. You realize you saved your husband the night he died? He is as he is because of your blood.”

“I don’t understand anything,” I admitted. An odd sense of vulnerability stole over me.