Just like before, the man’s head jerked sideways, and two teeth flew out.
He teetered in front of me. I yanked my dagger out of his shoulder and sprinted for the door, leaping over a fallen chair and swerving around a table.
Out of the corner of my vision, I caught sight of the Devil. He punched the last guard standing and sprinted for me. I increased my speed. Thanks to the shoes, I was fast, if a bit awkward. I reached the door just as the host stepped out of an alcove.
The polite man who had welcomed us to the club was gone. He now bore the fiery eyes and furrowed brow of someone out for blood. He raised a massive spiked club, and I skidded to a stop just out of range.
The Devil hurtled past me, fast and powerful as a freight train. The other man swung the club, but the Devil caught it in one hand. He took a spike to the palm without flinching and slammed his fist into the man’s jaw, sending him toppling backward.
Blood dripping, he pulled his hand free of the club and stepped around the body. “Come on.” He yanked open the door, and I sprinted through it, racing down the stairs.
He hurtled after me, and I looked back to see if any guards were following. There were none.
For now.
“They’ll recoup and follow.” The Devil held out his hand for mine.
I grabbed it, and he pulled a stone from his pocket, smearing blood on his trousers. He threw the thing to the ground, and the familiar silver smoke poofed upward. When he dragged me into the vapor, my stomach pitched as the ether spun me through space.
My feet met solid ground, and I stumbled. Gasping, I pulled my hand away from the Devil’s and looked around. “This isn’t Guild City.”
In fact, it looked like the same town. There were the same beautiful four-story buildings and cobbled main street, along with the scent of the mountains and the cool breeze.
“It’s not. We’re staying here.” He pointed to the gorgeous building in front of me. The Crescent Hotel was written in gold over the white exterior. “Come. We should get off the street before someone sees us.”
I followed him up the stairs and into the fabulous lobby. It was gorgeous, with a marble floor gleaming under the sparkling light of two crystal chandeliers.
The huge wooden desk was manned by a beautiful woman with sleek red hair and a bright expression. Her eyebrows rose when she spotted us, and she inclined her head. “Welcome, Devil.”
“Thank you. The rooms are ready, I presume?” The Devil’s words were so smooth and cultured that I couldn't believe it was the same man who’d just torn through a room full of guards like a lion going after a steak buffet. His hand was dripping blood on the floor, but the hotel clerk studiously ignored it.
She hurried out from behind the desk and waved for us to follow. “I will show you straight to your rooms.”
We followed her through the lobby and up a lift done in mahogany and gold accents. Within a minute, we were ensconced in a beautiful suite with a view overlooking the city and mountains beyond. Moonlight gleamed brightly over the scene.
“Please ring if you need anything.” The woman disappeared.
I turned to the Devil. “You were prepared.”
“I thought we might need to stay to learn more information.”
“Hmm.” Again, I got the feeling that he knew more about this than he was letting on.
His gaze flicked over me, and concern flashed on his face. “Your arm.”
Fresh pain blazed. I looked down at the gash made by the guard’s dagger. Adrenaline had driven it from my thoughts, but the Devil’s words reminded me.
“Ouch.” I resisted clapping a hand over it like I might with a smaller cut. This was ghastly. “I might need treatment for this.”
“I can take care of it.”
I looked at him, surprised. “What? Really?”
He nodded.
“You’re not a nurse. Or a doctor.”
“No. But I have healing powers.”