“Well, I am becoming accustomed to my crates of top-shelf champagne. Not sure how I’ll manage once all this over.”
My smiled grew. “You could actually purchase them yourself.”
Shock claimed his expression, although his brown eyes twinkled. “Buy them myself? Good god, I don’t buy anything,dear woman. I’m a trader. Unfortunately, crates of Dom Pérignon aren’t something I often come across in the electronics market.”
“Then you need to get better contacts.” I glanced at Tao. “Are you heading home?”
He shook his head. “I have a feeling if I do, the elemental might wrest control from me again. I seem to do better when I have company.”
I hesitated, wondering if his being here was actually safe for Stane, then mentally slapped myself. Stane was probably in more danger from my actions than from any possibility that Tao would hurt him. So I simply said, “Do you need anything brought here from home?”
He shook his head. “Whatever I need, I’ll borrow from Stane. I just don’t —” he paused, and half shrugged. “Keep in contact.”
“I will.” I squeezed his arm gently, and tried to ignore the heat so evident in his flesh, even through the barrier of his clothes. The elemental was far from finished with this battle.
Fear washed through me yet again, but there was nothing I could do but ignore it. And hope that fate had a better plan for him than an eternity locked in nothing but fire. I turned to Azriel. “Let’s head to Adeline’s, and see if she can help us.”
He nodded, caught my hand, and a heartbeat later we were standing outside Adeline’s front gate. I raised an eyebrow. “Why not inside?”
“Because she would not appreciate such an unannounced intrusion, and given we wish her help, I thought this wiser.”
“Good thinking,” I said, and opened the wrought iron front gate.
“Someone in this team has to do it,” he replied evenly.
It took a moment for me to realize I’d just been insulted. By Azriel, of all people. My gaze shot to his, and I saw the amusement lurking underneath the serious expression. “I can’t believe you just said that!”
“Is not such a comment almost expected in this world?”
I grinned. “Yeah, but it’s not something I expected from you.”
The amusement grew. “Alas, the more time I spend in flesh, the more human my tendencies become.”
“So I’ve got a lifetime of insults to look forward to?”
“Only if you do something that would warrant such a comment.”
“I’ve hardly done something now.”
“No.” His smile broke free. “But it seemed an opportune moment to practice.”
He touched a hand to my spine, gently ushering me forward. I snorted softly and headed along the tiled pathway that wove its way to Adeline’s front door. Her house was one of those beautiful old Victorians filled with character and age. Two graceful old elms dominated her front lawn, but underneath them lay a riot of colorful flowers that filled the air with perfume. It should have overwhelmed my olfactory senses, but it didn’t.
I made my way up the steps and walked to the front door. A little gold bell sat on the right edge of the door frame, its rope cord swaying gently in the breeze. I rang it a couple of times, and the joyous sound it made had me smiling.
Footsteps echoed inside; then the wooden door opened. Adeline Greenfield was a short woman with close-cut gray hair, weathered features, and round figure. She reminded me of the grandmotherly types so often seen on TV sitcoms, and it wasn’t until you looked into her bright blue eyes that you began to suspect she was anything other than that. Her eyes glowed with a power that was almost unworldly.
“Risa,” she said, opening the security door with a welcoming smile. “Perfect timing.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You were expecting me?”
“Of course.” She stepped aside and waved us in. “I’m glad your reaper chose to be polite, however. I do so detest visitors popping into my home unannounced.”
“Which suggests you get more than your fair share of visitors popping in unannounced.” I stepped past her.
“Just head for the sitting room, dear,” she said. “And yes, I do. Ghosts have no sense of privacy these days, I’m afraid. It’s the new generation. No manners.”
I smiled and walked down the hall, my footsteps echoing on the old wooden floorboards. The air inside Adeline’s house generally smelled of ginger and various spices, but underneath them this time ran the warm, rich smell of coffee. She reallyhad been expecting me, because Adeline didn’t drink it – she preferred tea to coffee. Her sitting room was cozy and dominated by a log fire. Embers glowed within the ashes and lent the room extra warmth. Two well-padded armchairs sat in front of the fireplace and, in between them, there was a small coffee table on which sat a teapot, a bone china cup and saucer, and the source of the coffee smell – a large mug of it, in fact.