The Unlikeable Demon Hunter (Nava Katz #1)(100)

"Leo," I sighed. "Do I have a choice?"

Scowling, she jabbed a finger at me. "Fine. But if you die, I am going to screw all memory of you out of Rohan's brain."



       
         
       
        

I snorted. "Good luck getting him away from Lily."

"Let me have my revenge fantasy here." She shoved me and I fell backward against the sofa.

"Fine. I die, you screw, and I won't spend eternity haunting you." I tucked the letter in my pocket. "Before I meet my alleged demise, I think I better chat with Rabbi Abrams."



I found him in the kitchen back at the chapter house, almost as if he'd been waiting for me. Or waiting for his kettle to boil. I slid the amulet across the dark granite counter to him as he poured boiling water into his mug. "No, no, don't take this from me."

He pocketed the amulet, stroking his beard. "You leave me no choice. Shame on you, Nava. I'm incredibly disappointed in your behavior. Such mishegoss." His eyes twinkled at me.

I retrieved his honey from the cupboard. "Yeah, I'd be sorry, but what can I say? I'm the only Katz twin who deserves this. My brother's a loser and unworthy of the title."

He stirred the honey into his tea. "And to partner up with such a bitter witch."

"Desperate times, Rabbi. Desperate times."

He took hold of my hand, running his thumb over my glamoured Rasha ring, and spoke a few words. The ring transformed to its normal state. "There."

"Rabbi?" He looked at me. "Thank you."

He patted my hand. "Navela, you understand the danger?"

"I do."

"You still want to go ahead with this?"

I nodded. "You won't tell Ari, will you?"

"No. You should. You must."

Agree to disagree, Rabbi. I was the one in danger. My body, my choice. Ari would never be part of the ceremony if he knew. He was always conservative with his bets, whereas I could happily let it all ride on one hand and let the chips fall where they may.

"Alea iacta est," I said.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket to fire off a quick text to my brother that the ceremony was a go and that I'd phone him later with the details. By the time I'd finished, the rabbi had gone. But I wasn't alone.

Rohan watched me, lounging inside the room. I drank him in, freshly shaven with his sweater and black trousers molding to every muscle. His eyes were alight with amusement. "Why were you quoting Latin, Lolita?"

My hand tightened on my phone. "That name is done. Got it?"

Rohan gave a confused nod.

I stomped out of the kitchen and up the stairs to my room. Of course he followed me. He never knew when to leave things alone.

He stopped in the doorway. "The Latin?"

My head had started to throb. "It means –" 

"I know what it means. I'm asking why you said it."

"Is it any of your business?"

"Does it have to do with the scientist whose hotel room was trashed? Because if it does?" He crossed his arms, propping one hip against the wood. Settling in for the long-haul of being annoying and making this his business.

Really? Now he was concerned about that? About me? "Dr. Gelman gave me the instructions for the ritual. I'll be the one performing it."

"She's alive?"

I nodded. "Hiding out, but alive." I untangled the mess of blankets on my bed, hoping he'd see I was busy and leave.

"Good. What did Abrams want you to tell Ari?"

I smoothed out the top cover, keeping my back to him. "Eavesdropping is a nasty habit."

"Around you it's a requirement. Spill."

I plumped the pillow up. Pound. Pound. Pound. "There's a slight chance I could die."

"If you do the ceremony."

Still working on the pillow, I faced him. "Yes."

Rohan smiled, a glittering dangerous smile. I scooted backward a couple of steps. My knees hit the boxspring. "Ari wouldn't let you do anything to endanger yourself," Rohan said.

I flung the pillow at him. Rohan wasn't expecting that. It bounced off his face and hit the ground. "You rat me out and I'll never forgive you."

He pushed off the wall. I sensed that same wildness in him as the day we'd learned about the Brotherhood using demons. "I can live with that." His words were silky and more lethal sounding for it.

I stepped up to him, toe to toe. "You have no say in my life or my decisions."

It took everything in me not to smack his arrogant eyebrow lift off of his face.

"I'm in charge of you," he said. "Your main babysitter, remember?" Babysitter. Right. Just the poor schmuck stuck watching my pathetic ass.