“What?” he asked.
“Nothing.” Eden cleared her throat and decided to focus on something else. Something a bit safer. “Andy, you seem rather chipper today.”
“I am chipper,” he confirmed.
“So. . you’re okay with all of this? Everything that happened to you?”
He blinked. “You mean being bitten and mauled by a werewolf, infected with lycanthropy, and at risk of becoming a werewolf, myself?”
“That would pretty much cover it, yes.”
Andy pressed his palms against the edge of his desk and stood up from his chair. “I’ve decided it’s not going to happen to me.”
Eden frowned. “Not going to happen?”
“That’s right. It’s all about mind over matter. I don’t want to be a werewolf. Therefore, I won’t be one. Easy.”
Eden and Darrak exchanged a glance.
“Not sure it works that way, Andy,” Darrak said. “But if you just—”
Andy held up a hand. “Anyway, like you noticed, I’m feeling terrific today. Better than ever, actually. Nothing like a brush with death to make you really start to appreciate life.”
It didn’t help that all of his wounds had healed, leaving no scars or marks behind. Denial would be much trickier with stitches, broken bones, and bite marks.
No, Andy had healed up perfectly. In fact, he looked younger than he had before. He could easily pass for forty now, instead of nearly fifty. His blond hair looked healthier. His skin was less lined — even when he smiled the wrinkles that used to fan out around his eyes had lessened significantly. His body looked fit and lean.
“You look good,” she admitted.
“I’ve never felt so good in my life. You know what this means, right?”
“That you’ve been infected with lycanthropy and you’re due to turn into a werewolf in two weeks?” Darrak asked, then glanced at a desk calendar. “Actually, make that twelve days.”
Andy’s expression tightened. “No. It means that we should go out and celebrate.”
“Celebrate?” Eden asked.
“The fact we’re all alive and well. The fact we’re together. Friends you can trust are few and far between.”
Eden glanced at Darrak. He hadn’t spoken about Theo, but she knew his friend’s death had hit him hard. Theo had killed Graham, so she wasn’t sorry he was gone, but she did empathize with Darrak’s pain.
“You’re right,” she said. “Friends are something to celebrate.”
“How about breakfast? I’ll treat. There’s that buffet around the corner I’ve been meaning to try. I’ve never been so hungry in my life, and Nancy’s coffee and donuts aren’t going to cut it this morning. Besides, she called in sick today so the coffee probably won’t even be as good as it normally is.”
“Sounds fantastic,” Darrak said. “Buffets are all you can eat?”
“They are.”
“Do they have chocolate donuts?”
“They might have some chocolate croissants, which, trust me, are even better.” Andy grabbed his coat from the rack and put it on. “Then we can discuss our case load. We’ve all been slacking this week so things are building up. A couple of fairy clients have been calling nonstop. Fairy folk are very persistent. Anyway, I’ll meet you outside.”
The bell on the door jingled as he left the office without giving them a chance to say anything in reply.
“Denial,” Darrak said.
“Big-time denial.”
“Twelve days till the next full moon.”
Eden nodded. “I have it circled on my calendar. And until then?”
“He should be okay. But you might want to invest in a leash and muzzle. Possibly some doggy treats.”
Eden smiled despite herself. “Great.”
As she turned toward the door to follow Andy, Darrak grabbed her wrist.
“Eden. .” he began.
She looked up at him. “That’s my name.”
“When the wizard master gets back from his tropical vacation, we’ll talk to him. And we could also try summoning another demon to help—”
She shuddered. “No more demons.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Lucas said there’s no way to break the curse. We’re stuck like this.”
“He’s been known to lie,” he said. “Demons tend to do that a lot.”
“Oh, I’m well aware of that.”
The Malleus couldn’t help them, she’d already seen what they considered “help.” She hoped she’d never hear from Ben or Oliver or Sandy ever again, but she wasn’t holding her breath. She’d continue to be aware of anyone approaching her carrying a syringe full of tranquilizers.
She’d told Darrak what Lucas said about her not having a death sentence from his possession anymore. While he knew what he was drawing on was celestial energy, he was unaware that it was turning him more angelic with every passing day.
He wouldn’t like that very much.
All she knew for sure was that they’d keep looking for a way to break Darrak’s curse. Even if it took forever. After all, being immortal, she did have time on her side now.
Darrak drew closer to her until she could feel the warmth from his body. He was still extra-hot after his fire- filled brush with destruction yesterday.
He was pretty hot to begin with.
“Okay,” he said. “No more demons. Besides, they’d never understand what we have between us.”
She raised her eyebrows and looked up at him. “Oh? And what’s that?”
Darrak slid his arm around her, his hand coming to rest at the small of her back. His lips twitched into a wry smile. “Something that scares the hell right out of me.”
Eden couldn’t help but grin back at him — her personal demon, who was now just a little bit angel as well.
“That makes two of us,” she said.
