“You donated the crone genes. I thought it was a woman…”
“No, me. Mia was afraid they were going to put demon genes back into her. She feared that she would revert and become an assassin. I was at hand, so Raphael used me.”
Abigor nodded.
“Why all the questions when you could just read my mind?” Lazar asked.
“It’s your perspective that is important. Do you believe Mia is capable of killing a ship of demons?”
“Capable meaning, is she strong enough?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Without a legion behind her, no. But emotionally, maybe. Why would you think that Mia would attack a ship of demons? She maintains that there is honor in the demon class.”
“But it was working for the Cynosura.”
“What does a star have to do with Mia?”
“Ask her when you next see her. Thank you for the beer and conversation.”
“It’s good to put a face to a name. You see, Mia thinks that you’re an honorable entity,” Lazar said. “But I disagree. An honorable man would not hit a woman.”
“Do they know you’re a mind reader?” Abigor asked him.
“No one ever asked,” Lazar said honestly.
Abigor looked at Lazar and memorized him. If they ran into each other in battle, Abigor would not underestimate him.
Chapter Thirty-one
Mia enjoyed the heat of the sun as she lay on the poolside lounge chair. She and Mason has spent a long time in the pool, swimming, roughhousing, and floating on their backs looking up at the sky.
“Mia, why, when you’re swimming on your stomach, do you have your eyes closed?” Mason asked, toweling off.
“I don’t like looking at the bottom of the pool. That’s where the drowned stay.”
“Really?”
“Yes, if I don’t look at them, I can’t make eye contact. If they don’t know I can see them, they will leave me alone.”
“Are there ghosts around the pool?” Mason asked.
“Just Kevin. He’s sitting at the edge with his feet in the water, drinking out of his flask, and ogling the redhead with the tiny little top.”
“Speaking of tiny little tops, whatever happened to the swimsuit you wore in the ice queen poster?”
“Ask Mike, I don’t remember. I think the suits came from left behinds at his place.”
“Gross.”
“Did I look gross?” Mia asked, interested.
“No, but thinking of Mike with women capable of wearing what you were wearing…”
“He’s a good looking, charming guy. I’m sure he has lots of dates. He just has a problem with commitment.”
“He’s waiting for you.”
“It’s not going to happen,” Mia said. “That’s so old news. Tell me new gossip.”
“Sabine has her eye on Cid.”
“Interesting. I heard she was asked out by Tom Braverman. And we know she likes your brother.”
“Have you ever played the game Kill, Marry, Make Love To?”
“No, explain.”
“You pick three women, and I’ll tell you who I would kill, marry, or make love to.”
“K. Ordinary people or movie stars?”
“It could even be fictional characters.”
“K. Um. Emma Roberts, Emma Stone, and Emma Watson.”
“Emmas… I would make love to Emma Stone, marry Emma Watson, and - only because this is a game, and I really do think she’s hot - I would kill Emma Roberts. Now it’s your turn.”
“I sense a setup,” Mia said, closing her eyes.
“Mike, Burt, and Patrick.”
“Ouch. K. Make love to Burt, marry Mike, and kill Patrick.”
“Not how I thought that was going to go. Burt, really?”
Mia sat up and looked around before speaking, “Burt, really. Previous to being Mrs. Martin,” Mia qualified, “Burt was the best lover I had ever had. Why take a chance on someone else?”
“Burt?”
“Mason, if you don’t believe me, ask Audrey. We’ve compared notes, and whoa, the man knows how to…”
“My world is shattered.”
“My turn. Me, Audrey, and Sabine.”
Mason flopped back. “Now you’re being mean.”
“No, tell me.”
“Listen all the way through. Make love to Sabine, marry Audrey, and kill you because Murphy would bring you back.”
“Clever,” Mia said. “Does Sabine know you feel that way?”
“This is a game and bound by secrecy.”
“Agreed.”
“Your turn.”
“We can stop now.”
“I get another turn. Subject: villains.”
“Please no.”
“Abigor, Roumain, and Angelo.”
“Gee, two of them wouldn’t like being thought of as villains.”
“They are to Murphy.”
“Figures. Marry Abigor because he’s rich and he has 108 concubines which would give me all but four days off in the concubine rotation.”
“Reasonable,” Mason commented. He turned to his side to watch Mia’s face.
“I would make love to…
“Me,” Roumain said, stopping time.
Mia looked up at him. “It’s just a game. Don’t hurt the kid.”
“Abigor’s been at your house. He’ll be here soon.”
“Why?”
“He’s been tasked by Lucifer to act on Leviathan’s behalf.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Mia asked.
“You’re not a good liar, Mia. Here.” Roumain gave her the chain. “This may put him off the scent.”
Time resumed. “Make love to Roumain, kill Angelo,” Mia finished after sliding the necklace over her head.
“What’s this Roumain look like?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“I heard birdmen are hung like…”
“Mason!”
“So that confirms that. So Roumain must be…”
Mason had his hands stretched out when Kevin came over.
“What’s that?” Kevin asked.
“He’s telling me a fish story,” Mia said between her teeth.
“We were playing a game. Want to play?” Mason asked in the direction Kevin’s voice was coming from.
“Don’t,” Mia advised. She wrapped the gold chain around her throat a couple of times while Kevin was being tortured by Mason.
“Kill Mia because I could make love to her then, marry Audrey, and make love to Sabine.”
“Why do I always end up dead with you
