“You don’t have to explain anything to me. Not now, not ever. Whatever you do is okay by me.”
She smiles, gets up, and gets dressed. At the door she tugs up her pants leg and slides my black bone knife out of a sheath on the side of her boot.
“You gave me this to hold for you. Now that you’re home, I suppose you’ll want it back.”
“I stole Mason’s. Why don’t you go ahead and keep that one.”
She smiles.
“For real? No take-backs?”
“No take-backs.”
She slips the knife back into its sheath and pulls down her pants leg.
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Talk to you then.”
She blows me a quick kiss on the way out.
Once upon a time I saved the world and lost a girl. Then I saved Hell and lost another girl. This is getting to be a bad habit.
The hotel phone rings.
“Candy?”
The line crackles.
“That was a hell of an exit, Lord Lucifer. I wasn’t sure you were going to make it.”
It’s a man’s voice.
“Were you relieved or disappointed?”
“Relieved. Thrilled even. The worlds below and above would be much more boring without you.”
“Who is this?”
“Not Vetis. But you knew that.”
“You’re not speaking Hellion. You’re either a possessed mortal or a damned soul. I don’t think a soul could call up here even with heavy hoodoo, so my guess is a mortal.”
“Listen to you go, Deep Blue.”
“Did the hounds make it back all right?”
“The ones that didn’t follow you over the edge. More blood on your hands. You’re like death on a bender.”
“Your voice is familiar but so what? You’ll be someone different next time.”
“Chances are.”
“Then what do we have to talk about? Fuck off.”
I slam down the receiver and rip the plug out of the wall.
I should have known the moment I decided not to go back Downtown. I don’t have to. Hell will follow me here.