Given the blanched horror of the desk clerk, who I already had strike one with from earlier today, his explanation probably involved alleys, knees, and hourly rates.
Fatigue clawed up the back of my neck, pounding my temples with a tight ache that radiated in my teeth. Cutting diagonally across the lobby, I rubbed my scratchy, dry eyes. Was I really still on day one of my trip? The thought of my pillow incited drooling.
I should have gone straight to the elevator, but I stupidly looked into the lounge. Reflexively checking out the action. Rohan stood at the bar, his rich laughter carrying clear as a bell. In high flirtation mode, he was surrounded by female admirers. Lily wasn't among the throng.
I dug my nails into my palms, having gotten the kick in the ass I needed to keep heading for my room, but Rohan looked up at that moment. His smile slipped.
One of the women, her sweet girl-next-door looks undercut by her aggressive stance, leaned in to say something, resting her hand on his arm. He tilted his head, as if listening to her, toying with his Rasha ring, but ran his eyes over me again, his expression guarded. He pushed away from the bar, shoulders squared. I couldn't hear what his groupies said, but it was clear from their body language that they didn't want him to leave.
I shook my head, motioning for him to stay. Rohan watched me a moment more, then relaxed. Whatever he said in response to the woman had her touch her fingertips to her chest as she tipped her head back and laughed.
Oh, please. I hit the call button.
Boots thudded against the floor, closing in on me. Every step was inordinately loud given the din of chatter in the lobby. Stuck here as my stalker closed in, I stabbed at the button, willing the elevator to descend faster.
The footsteps stopped behind me. "Was it Samson?"
I turned around to face Rohan. "No. Rabbi Abrams asked me to do something."
His brows raised in silent questioning.
"Can we not? I mean, not tonight? I'll fill you in tomorrow, but now," I pushed the button again. "I'm fine."
"You're not." His hand snaked out and pushed up my sleeve revealing the kaleidoscope of yellow and purple bruising.
I shifted uncomfortably under the weight of his all-seeing amber eyes before looking away. Except that landed me on the full glory of the women waiting for the rock god's return. Given their smirks, they didn't expect me to be any great hold-up.
Head groupie caught me staring. She turned with disinterest to her phone.
I ignored the bitter burning in my throat. "Gathering back-ups, are we?"
He clasped his hands behind his back. "Actors Samson thought I'd mesh with." He glanced over at them. "Gifts."
"They're people, Snowflake." Standing up for the sisterhood even if I wanted to return them to sender.
"Not in this reality. We're all commodities and Samson is continually taking inventory."
Peachy. The elevator finally decided to grace me with its presence. I held the door open with one hand. "I need to sleep."
"We can talk tomorrow, just … don't lie to me, okay?" Rohan folded my sleeve back down, his touch so gentle, I barely felt it, even with the sensitive bruising. "Sweet dreams, Nava."
A second of tenderness and three short words and damn sunlight infused my soul.
"Ro," the woman who'd dismissed me called out in a lilting British accent, "my friend got us passes to that VIP room I was telling you about. Let's roll."
"Your wish is my command, Poppy." Between one blink and the next, Rohan swept all warmth away from me to dazzle this Poppy chick with the full force of his charm. He gave her that same cavalier smile bestowed on me in the elevator before we'd dashed to my room.
Dark, malicious tendrils slithered up inside my chest. We might all have been commodities but damned if I was going to be tossed in the junk drawer.
I didn't watch him go back to the bar, shuffling instead into the elevator and down the hall to my room like the walking dead.
It took me three tries to undo my buttons. Stripping my clothes off, I stood under the hot spray, head bowed, watching the combination of human and demon blood circle down the drain in wary fascination. My bathroom morphed into a steam room, fat water droplets streaking down the walls, before my trembling stopped.
With my last iota of energy, I called Ari from the hotel phone, since mine was dead. It went straight to voice mail. "Hey Ace, tell Abrams I made contact. All good. Adventures galore tomorrow. Can't wait." I think I injected the right note of enthusiasm into my voice to sell the lie. "Crashing now. Stay alive or else. Love you."