Ashael’s gaze raked me with a thoroughness that made Ian’s scent sharpen with anger. Good, I thought crossly. I still wasn’t over the stunt he’d pulled with the waitress yet.

“Stunning,” the demon drew out.

“Impatient,” I countered. “Do we have a deal or not?”

Ashael waved away Mao, then waited until she closed the screened door behind her before he spoke. Guess his trust of her had its limits. “Meet my terms, and we might,” Ashael replied.

“Greed is natural for demons, but do try to restrain yourself,” Ian said mildly. “Dagon’s death is all you’ll get.”

Ashael shrugged. “You’re going to kill Dagon anyway, so that’s no incentive for me. But there is an ancient relic I’m interested in. Fetch it for me, and we have a deal.”

Ian eyed him with all the wariness I felt. “Prove to me you can deliver us to Yonah first.”

Ashael dumped the contents of his teacup onto the platter. Then he used his fingernail to slice open his wrist. When the cup was full of his blood, Ashael closed his eyes. He didn’t speak, nor did his hands move, but magic flowed out until it made my skin crawl. When it crested, Ashael opened his eyes.

His blood rose from the cup, stretching to form the head of a middle-aged bald man with a Roman nose and deep-set eyes. When that head turned to see all three of us and his expression showed surprise, I realized the creation wasn’t merely a magic-infused molding. This was a blood-coated conference call.

“Yonah,” Ashael said to the head in Aramaic when he turned back to him. “I might be sending two sojourners to you.”

Yonah looked back at Ian and me. “Are these the sojourners?”

Ashael flashed a cold grin our way. “If they meet my test.”

Ian moved until he was facing the head. “If this is the true Yonah,” he said, also in Aramaic, “tell me the name of the red-haired demon-branded bloke who met you a few years ago inquiring about refuge.”

“Nathanial,” Yonah replied at once.

Ian nodded as if satisfied. “Tell me about this relic,” he said to Ashael.

The blood-formed head turned back into liquid that splashed down onto the platter. It reminded me that I was hungry, not that I’d feed from demon blood. Aside from my repugnance for their species, demon blood was also a vampire inebriant.

“It’s an ancient horn,” Ashael replied. “Guarded, of course, though the guards are vampires, so it should be easy for you to get past them. That’s why you’re going alone, Ian.”

“Like hell he is,” I said at once.

Ashael sighed. “Ariel—”

“Veritas.” My voice was sharp. “I don’t know how you heard that other name, but I don’t answer to it.”

Ashael inclined his head. “Veritas, then. You might not like this condition, but it’s nonnegotiable. Besides, with the added benefit of Dagon’s power, Ian should have little trouble overcoming half a dozen or so vampire guards.”

Ian’s expression didn’t change, but he was still holding my hand, so I felt his temperature rise a notch. “See that, do you?” he asked in a careless tone. “Didn’t know your powers included spotting evidence of a demon brand.”

Ashael smiled. “You’re not branded by Dagon anymore. Somehow, you have his power another way.”

Ian’s temperature spiked again; something that wouldn’t be possible for a normal vampire, but Ashael had just confirmed he knew Ian wasn’t normal. More significant, Ashael confirmed that a demon’s power signature was as unique as we’d hoped. Now we really needed Yonah to do that tracking spell.

“Why do you want Veritas to stay here?” Ian asked, as if nothing of importance had occurred.

Ashael’s smiled vanished. “I don’t trust you. Yes, what I know about Veritas means she has every reason not to betray me, but I can see you keeping the horn and selling Yonah’s location to the highest bidder while leaving her to pay the price.”

I let out a contemptuous laugh even as Ian bit out, “That won’t happen.”

“Prove it,” Ashael stated. “Steal a priceless artifact and give it to me instead of keeping it for yourself. Then I’ll know you value her more than your infamous tendency to add yet another treasure to your vast collection of rarities.”

“Done,” Ian replied, letting go of my hand.

I muttered a curse in Sumerian, then picked up Ashael’s cup and drained the demon’s remaining blood from it.

Ian gave me an amazed look. “What are you doing?”

“Getting drunk,” I replied tartly. “I can’t take more of your eagerness to get killed while sober.”

He snorted. “A few vampire guards will hardly kill me—”

“If this was this easy, Ashael would’ve done it himself,” I interrupted. Damn demon’s blood should have hit me with the potency of a bottle of tequila. Instead, it only felt like a few shots. “He’s lying about the danger and you know it.”

“Of course he is,” Ian said in an exasperated tone. “But I can still handle it.”

He probably could. I was the one who couldn’t take this, and I didn’t know how to make my constant, irrational fear stop. I hated being this out of control when it came to Ian! If I could rip my feelings out and murder them, I would.

“Is this the part where you’re telling me to stay back only because you want me to follow you?” I asked in a harsh tone. Better to be angry at him than feel the borderline-panic coursing through me.

“If I’d told you Ashael needed to know what you were before he’d grant us passage to Yonah, you would have shown him whether you wished to or not,” Ian replied, not flinching from my anger. “By telling you that Ashael would spot your nature on sight while also telling you not to come, I made it your choice to reveal yourself to him. Not mine.”

My emotions ripped right down the middle, making me want to slap Ian, then kiss him until neither of us could think. He’d shamelessly manipulated me, but he’d done it to protect me. How could I, of all people, fail to understand that?

“She’s a real bitch,” I muttered.

Ian gave me a wary look. “Who?”

“Karma. Has to be a woman. Nothing else is that vicious, patient, or effective.”

A smile tugged Ian’s mouth. “How drunk are you, luv?”

“Not nearly drunk enough,” I said grimly. “But if you’re doing this alone, I need to give you something. In private.”

Ashael rose. “I’ll give you both a moment—”

“Not that kind of privacy,” I interrupted, not looking away from Ian. “Take me where no one can see or overhear us.”

Ian pulled me into his arms, saying, “Be back shortly. Don’t go anywhere,” to Ashael.

Then he teleported us out of there.

Chapter 18

I’d seen Mount Fuji many times, but I’d never been to its summit. The snow was up to my knees, clouds turned the horizon into an endless expanse of white, and the cold slammed into me like a train smashing into someone tied to its tracks. Still, this more than met my requirements. No one was near us.