The Unlikeable Demon Hunter (Nava Katz #1)(69)

“Hello?”

“Let me in!” I scanned the area for any out-of-place twitch or suspicious person.

It seemed like an eternity before the door buzzed open. I cracked it enough to slide inside then shut it tight, wrenching on it a couple of times to make sure it had locked behind me. With one last look around the lobby, I stumbled into the elevator, hit three, and crashed on my ass to the floor.

I managed to shove my foot into the open door when it reached Leo’s floor, but couldn’t get up on my own, mostly because everything spun so violently, I wasn’t sure which way was up.

Leo ran over to me, hooking her arms under my pits. “Your face,” she gasped.

“Demons took Ari.”

I let her drag me inside. My adrenaline gave out, leaving my legs shaking, and my stomach doing dry heaves. I collapsed onto the round, red brocade chair by the window that she’d brought with her from her bedroom when she moved out. The stories this chair could tell.

“You need to go to the hospital.”

“No time.” I filled her in on what had happened.

“Shit, Nav, that was a kapasca demon. Psychopathic serpents. If he’d managed to haul you back to the water?” She shivered.

“How do I find Asmodeus?”

“I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “No clue even where to begin.”

“You got him a message.”

“Not directly and no one is going to give up his hideout.”

My hopes deflated, leaving me with a gut-level queasiness. I’d been positive Leo would know how to find him. I pressed a hand to my head.

“Got any Tylenol?” If she couldn’t help, I had to patch myself up and find Rohan. My accelerated healing powers weren’t accelerating fast enough. That, or my concussion was a lot worse than I thought.

“Not Tylenol,” she said, handing me a tablet and a glass of water a moment later. “Paracetamol.” She took the glass back from me, helping me to sit up.

I didn’t question her having the meds on-hand. Leo was a bit of a hypochondriac.

She gave me the bottle in case I needed another pill later. “I’ll put out feelers.” It was a start.

“Can you drive me back to the chapter house first?” I asked.

She hesitated. “Why don’t you just call them?”

“Because the stupid Fallen Angels never bothered to give me their cell numbers.” I seethed. “I promise not to let anyone hurt you. Or find out you’re a demonette.”

“No worries.” Leo grabbed her purse, patting it. “Custom made iron switchblade. Very effective. Even on Rasha.” She smiled evilly. “Remember that.” Then she grabbed her keychain from where she was using it as a bookmark in one of her crim texts.

I groaned at the distinctive logo, pressing a hand to my throbbing head as the sound sent a fresh wave of nausea through me. “Not the Vespa.” Given the one second delay between my brain and my body, I’d fall off the damn thing.

“Mom’s got my car. This is the fastest way unless you want to wait around for a taxi,” she said. She tossed me a spare leather jacket that was too short in the arms and too tight in the boobs, but would keep me warm and protected from any road rash.

The ride back wasn’t too bad, with only two stops for me to throw up–once in a box hedge, and the other right into the gutter like the classy kitten I was. We pulled up to the chapter house gate. Tossing her my helmet, I got off the bike to hit the buzzer next to the scanner panel.

“Yes?”

“Yum,” Leo mouthed at me, at the sound of Drio’s Italian accent.

I squeezed my right fist open and closed twice rapidly, our code for giant anal sphincter.

Her face fell.

“It’s me, Drio. Let me in.”

“Qui?”

“Nava. Quit screwing around. We don’t have time.”

“Bella, I assure you,” he purred, “You and I have all the time in the world.”

Leo shivered. “Could he just be one–” She opened and closed her fist once, indicating a partial anal sphincter personality. “I could deal with that level of douchery.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” The sentiment applied to the two of them.

There was a pause from the intercom, then Drio said, “I’ll be out in a minute.”

Leo parked the bike, while I leaned up against the gate in a pose I hoped conveyed nonchalance rather than assisted standing.

Drio finally arrived but didn’t open the gate. Asshole could have flash stepped outside instead of making us wait. Though he did darken at the sight of me. “Who hurt you?” he asked, pointing at my face.

I rattled the bars which failed to rattle. “Let me in and I’ll tell you.”

“Tell me and I’ll let you in.”

Was he really going to do this now? “Where’s Kane?” He’d let me in.

Drio braced a hand against the bar. “You’re not his type, bella.”

“What’s your type?” Leo piped up.

He rounded on her with an interested gleam.

“Not the time,” I hissed, smacking her across the top of the head. “I know who has Ari.”

Drio straightened up, all flirtiness gone, and opened the gate. “You better come talk to Rohan.”