Wicked Whispers (27 page)

“Yes. Here’s the deal.” And he told her everything, including his decision to exchange Ivy for her as trade bait.

He waited stoically as she screamed, howled, hissed, and generally created the mother of all scenes. Finally, she began to run down.

“I’m a demon, Asima. We’re cold, ruthless bastards. Betrayal is what we do. It’s in our natures, so don’t take it so personally. Now for the good news—you have friends in the castle.”

That seemed to stall her next wave of feline fury.
“Who?”

For the first time, Murmur really looked at the cat. And what he saw bothered him because, well, it
bothered
him. He shouldn’t care about the shock and excitement in her eyes. No one should be that thrilled about having friends.
Except someone without any.

“Kellen was pissed off when he heard what we were planning. He said he was going to warn you. And Ivy thought what we were doing to you was wrong.”

If a cat could smile, Asima was smiling.
“They
like
me?”

Murmur wouldn’t exactly say that Ivy liked her, but he wasn’t about to burst Asima’s bubble of happiness. More kindness? When had he become capable of it? “Yes.”

Asima seemed speechless for the moment. He took the opportunity to introduce his plan.

“I haven’t spent my life believing in the goodness of others. If anyone did a favor for me, I expected to owe them. Nothing was free. Ivy told me once that maybe I should simply ask people for help instead of plotting and scheming. So I’m going to test her theory.”

Asima still didn’t say anything, but she was listening.

“Bain needs someone to trade to the faery host. I originally chose you because I knew they couldn’t keep you.” Wouldn’t
want
to keep you. “You’re too powerful. And even if you weren’t, they wouldn’t anger Bast by taking her messenger.”

“True.”

She had to know where he was going with this, but she hadn’t rejected him outright. Murmur was too cynical to believe she’d agree, though. Asima was like him in many ways. She lived by the a-favor-for-a-favor rule. But Ivy had wanted him to try, so he was trying.

“I’d like you to help us. Without someone to trade, the faery host won’t release Elizabeth. And if Bain tries to take her by force, there’ll be war.”

“And I should care why?”
Her question didn’t have its usual bite.

“Because your friends care. And because I think others at the castle might think differently of you if you tried
being
a friend occasionally.”

She hissed, and he hoped he hadn’t gone too far. But then she began to clean her face with one paw while she looked thoughtful.

“Do you think they might sometimes go places with me?”

“They might if you’d stop criticizing their tastes in entertainment. Maybe you could even go somewhere with
them
once in a while, show them you have eclectic tastes.”

Asima began to purr. She seemed to like the word “eclectic.” She finally met his gaze.
“I’ll do it.”

He widened his eyes.

She laughed.
“I shocked you, demon. You didn’t think I was
capable of changing.”
Her laughter faded.
“But perhaps I’m tired of being alone.”
She stared at him with those beautiful Siamese eyes.
“Perhaps you are too.”

He nodded and then stood. Murmur paused before leaving. “Thank you.” He closed the door quietly behind him.

Klepoth was waiting for Murmur outside his room. “We need to talk.”

Of course they had to talk. It was too much to hope that he could go into his room
alone
, lay on the bed that still held her scent, and spend some solitary time trying to figure out how he was going to untangle this mess Bain and he had created.

“Sure.” He unlocked the door and stepped aside so Klepoth could enter. “What’s happening?” Murmur experimented with a smooth wave of sound that should have eased his stress. It didn’t work.

Klepoth didn’t sit. He stood fidgeting. “Our master contacted me. He wanted to know how I was doing. I told him we weren’t coming home.”

Crap. Murmur’s music shifted from smooth and calming to a rock anthem with lots of guitar riffs. “We probably should’ve given ourselves a little more planning time before breaking it to him.” Like a year.

“Yes. Well, he’s really pissed off.” Klepoth avoided his gaze.

No kidding. “And?”

“He says he’s sending his legions to drag our asses back to the Underworld where he’ll personally oversee our torture for all eternity.”

“Wonderful. Way to hold a grudge.” Murmur wasn’t surprised to hear that the Master was sending his demons. He and Klepoth would be okay, though, as long as the legions didn’t show up on the same night as the Sluagh Sidhe. Things could be worse. At least the Master was staying tucked up in his comfy corner of the Underworld.

“Umm, he said he’ll be coming with them.” Klepoth finally met his gaze. Panic filled his eyes. “What’ll we do?”

How the hell am I supposed to know?
“Was he specific about when we could expect him?”

Klepoth shrugged. “It’ll take him three or four days to gather his forces. He could show up anytime after that.”

Murmur nodded. “I have to talk to Bain. Then we call up our own legions.”

“The Master can only depend on his personal demons. Other arch demons won’t help him. They’ll be hoping for an overthrow so they can swoop down and claim his territory and forces.” Klepoth brightened a little.

“We’ll have to draw him away from the castle. We’re already in deep shit because of the faery host. I don’t want to know what would happen if a demon battle broke out in the courtyard. Find a sparsely populated spot in Galveston, and we’ll figure out how to lure the Master there.”

“I’ll have the info for you by tomorrow.” Klepoth was clearly relieved to have something to do. He started to leave.

“Oh, and Klepoth? Can I count on you to keep Kellen safe?”

Klepoth paused with his hand on the knob. “He’s my friend.”

Murmur watched the other demon leave. That was the most human thing he’d ever heard Klepoth say. Were the same changes happening to him? Sure they were. He was practically overflowing with kindness lately. The thought didn’t horrify him as much as it should have.

As soon as Klepoth left, Murmur headed down to the great hall. He had to talk to Bain right now. The other demon wouldn’t be happy about Murmur interrupting his fantasy, but tough shit. This was important.

He stopped in the dressing room to throw on a wicked-vampire costume and then joined Bain in a darkened corner of the hall where he’d cornered the fifty-something fair maiden.

The maiden was really getting into her part, screaming for the brave knight to save her while Bain hissed and showed fake fang.

Under cover of the fair maiden’s terrified screeches, Murmur moved to Bain’s side. “The Master is coming with his forces.”

Bain’s fake hisses morphed into very real growls. “Why the hell is he coming here?”

More shrieks from the fair maiden.

Murmur let a little red glow show in his eyes. “I’ve come to help my vampire buddy drain you dry, my lovely.”

More squawks and screeches. Murmur did some head-humming to drown them out.

Bain snorted. “You don’t call me your ‘vampire buddy’ in a historical setting. Now tell me about the Master.”

“Klepoth and I have decided to stay on the mortal plane. Klepoth told the Master we weren’t coming back. The Master’s pissed.”

The brave knight finally arrived. Dacian. Murmur wondered what the fair maiden would have to say if she knew her rescuer was the real deal. He almost smiled. Almost.

Bain flung his black cape aside and reached for his fake sword. “And?”

“And I’d like your support.” He rushed on before Bain could reject him. “You don’t have to openly side with us, but you’re the Destroyer. You can do damage without tipping your hand.” He added what he knew Bain would be waiting for. “I’ll owe you a favor.”

“Are you crazy? No. Keep me out of this.” Bain snarled at Dacian, and the fair maiden screamed louder even as she copped a feel of the vampire’s ass.

Dacian looked startled, but he didn’t jump out of character. Murmur admired that, because he really wanted to shed his vampire persona and go all demonic on Bain.

Murmur didn’t wait around to see the brave knight defeat the wicked vampire. Bain had said it all with one word. He and Klepoth would stand alone. Murmur returned to his room to put out the call for his legions of demons.

A while later, he lay on his bed absorbing Ivy’s scent. He couldn’t describe it, but it reminded him of warm, low notes flowing into a slow sensual melody. He slept with that melody wrapped around him, keeping all his other worries away for at least a few hours.

Ivy woke the next morning wondering if the ogre had returned and was practicing his clogging routine on her head. Ugh.

She groaned and flopped onto her back. Turning her head, she glanced at Whimsy. The plant looked green, bushy, and disgustingly calm. Ivy activated her brain and searched for any incipient panic. None. She recognized the storm clouds banked on her personal horizon, but they seemed safely distant from her present. “Thanks, Whimsy. I know everything will come crashing down once I move away from you, but I appreciate the peaceful sleep.”

As Ivy climbed from the bed, she noticed her room for the first time. A big-screen TV that seemed to fill one whole wall was a new addition.

Sparkle sat on the couch, watching her from predatory eyes. “You’re awake.” Subtext:
It’s about time.

Ganymede lay on the coffee table, a bag of chocolate chip cookies open in front of him.

“I don’t think I’m in the mood for whatever this is.” Ivy dragged her aching body across the room to the coffeemaker. She’d hold thoughts of Murmur at bay until she had caffeine in her system.

“Of course you are. This will be epic, an effort for the ages. I’ve never attempted anything of this scope before.” Sparkle’s eyes were wide and excited.

Speaking of wide eyes… Ivy pried hers open enough to take in the total awesomeness of Sparkle’s outfit. She wore skinny jeans with a glittery pattern snaking down her long legs, and a silky purple top that shimmered and shone in the room’s light. Add in dangling purple earrings and sexy heels that looked obscene this early in the morning, and Ivy was officially impressed.

Caffeine. Now. Ivy concentrated on the brewing process and tried to ignore the cat and the queen of sex and sin behind her. She hummed to herself. Ivy was halfway through the tune before she realized it was one of
his
songs. Damn. She stopped humming.

“Well, aren’t you even a little curious?” Sparkle sounded offended.

“Before my first cup of coffee?” She rolled her eyes to stare at the ceiling. “Thinking.” Then she glanced back at Sparkle. “Nope.”

Ganymede chuckled in her head.
“My sugarlump has outdone herself this time. She can’t wait to show you. I added a few things here and there to give it that wow factor.”

Ivy turned to look at him. “You made up?”

“I apologized. That’s tough for a cat with pride. I admitted that she drove me crazy jealous with the freaking faery. Make up sex is the best.”
His purr was a contented rumble.

“Here? In my room?”
Eww
.

“Nah. We spent some quality time in the room behind Sweet Indulgence.”

“Then who was watching me?” Not that she’d needed someone.

“Zane sat with you for about an hour. Nice guy. Hated him at first. Shows how first impressions aren’t everything.”

“Zane?” Ivy looked at Sparkle.

Sparkle smiled her sly smile and offered Ivy a finger wave. “I’ve already told Murmur. He didn’t take it well. Other guests in the hotel complained about the marching band practicing in his room before nine in the morning.” She glanced down and then looked up at Ivy from beneath her lashes. “Men are so predictable.”

Ganymede flattened his ears.

“Not you, Mede. Never you.”

Ivy had the feeling Sparkle was telling the truth. While the two of them whispered sweet whatevers to each other, Ivy got her coffee and moved to a chair. Couldn’t put off whatever Sparkle had planned any longer. She settled back with a resigned sigh.

“Oh, good. You’re ready.” Sparkle almost clapped her hands in anticipation. “I created something amazing for you.” She paused for effect. “I made a music video.”

Ivy blinked. “What?”

“A music video. Of Murmur’s life.”

Ivy carefully set her mug on the coffee table. “I don’t understand.” She wasn’t prepared, emotionally or otherwise, for this. “How do you even know about his life?”

Something in Sparkle’s eyes shifted, and suddenly Ivy saw the ancient entity that was Sparkle Stardust shining in them.

“Mede and I are older than Murmur. I’ve been the cosmic troublemaker in charge of sexual chaos for millennia. You have no idea what I know.” Then she smiled. “But you will.”

Ivy couldn’t help it: she shivered. Did she even know this woman?

Then the old Sparkle was back. “I just want you to appreciate what you have.” She glanced at Ganymede, who had his head buried in the cookie bag. “Isn’t that right, Mede?”

“Gssomm.”

Ivy assumed that was a yes. “I don’t have a clue what you hope to accomplish.”

“More than you can imagine, Ivy.” And Sparkle turned on the video.

Murmur’s music filled the room—clashing chords, strident bursts of sound with no melody or rhythm. Just noise.

Ivy couldn’t look away. She watched a creature crawling from the darkness, naked, covered in blood and filth. His gaze fixed on her, eyes glowing red, filled with savagery and a lust for death. He flexed curved claws, red with gore, his need to tear, to kill, obvious in that motion. Peeling his lips back, he exposed pointed teeth in a smile that was no smile at all. He was primal, evil, and he terrified her.

“That was Murmur right after he emerged from the Underworld. The blood was his own. His master believed that a demon was made, not born, that a demonic nature had to be beaten into his minions.”