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miniature devil when he did that. Only missing the horns. He relished being a demon way too much.
    “Just turned on my charm, took her out to a fancy dinner, then warmed up her bed real nice.” He laughed. “She was putty after that. Too bad I found nothing on Jessica.”
    “Gage.”
    “Hey, anything to help a brother out.” He turned and studied his reflection in the mirrored wall beside him. “Take the final step and you can do little things like that. Anything you want you can do.”
    “Back off. Four hundred years you’ve been telling me that crap.”
    “Just give in, David. You don’t know what you’re missing.”
    “No.” The claustrophobic box stopped with a jerk. The doors rolled open, and I marched out with Gage close behind.
    “Your momma was a whore, signing a contract for her first born just to get rich.” Gage laughed. “And she died during childbirth. How fitting.”
    I gave the lobby a peek. Empty enough. With blurring speed, I backhanded Gage’s face.
    “Hey.” His voice echoed off the vaulted ceilings and bounced off the tiled floors. He pinched his nose to stop the crimson flow. Tears welled, and he grumbled.
    “Told you not to ever mention my mother.” I strode to the valet and handed him my ticket. When he eyed Gage, I said, “He is fine. His disease is no longer contagious.”
    The overweight valet’s mouth curved downward, and he shuffled back.
    Gage moved in my path, one hand on his nose, but the other pointed, his finger aimed at my chest. I jerked it backward, crackling knuckles. His dark eyes flared with a challenge.
    My demon stirred. “Are you sure you want to issue challenge to me, Gage?”
    He held my gaze a long breath but diverted it to the slick, marble floor.
    “Wise choice.” I released his hand and sidestepped him, my heart strumming. What my mother chose to do wasn’t up for discussion with anyone.
    It hurt too much.
    Ten minutes later, I maneuvered the SUV, into a parking lot four blocks from Club Noir. We made our way to the establishment, bathed in the golden rays of the setting sun. The feverish heat, however, had not receded with the sun. Trickles of sweat slithered down my spine and dampened my neck beneath my hair.
    “You look more comfortable tonight than last.” Gage stared straight ahead, his jaw tight as we walked past the empty stores near the club.
    “I was not very productive yesterday, but Master’s plan to tempt me didn’t work. He’d rather me be demon fully or in solitary, wouldn’t he?”
    “Indeed.”
    “Why?”
    “You cannot be killed. Yet you choose not to join him.”
    “My contract demands I be his runner. Collect his demons for him. Not join him.”
    “What you are doesn’t make sense, but your mom made the deal with Lucifer himself. No one can override that. Not even Master.”
    No wonder Master threw me into solitary so quickly . I scare him . I didn’t try to hold back a smile.
    Gage pocketed his hands and threw a glance my way. “Is it terribly painful if you don’t gather the Mark you’re assigned to get?”
    My spine straightened like a rod had been shoved down my back. “Put it this way, I’d rather be in solitary a millennia to avoid the burn.” I pointed to the right. “Turn at this light?”
    “Yes. You’re learning the town.”
    “I went exploring during the day. It is very small, but relatively easy to navigate.” We turned the corner, following the sidewalk past a dimly lit hardware store. Cars buzzed by, and we passed an elderly couple strolling down the sidewalk.
    “I heard the first fifty years your flesh melted off, except for your brand, of course.” Gage laughed.
    I glared. “Glad to amuse you with my suffering.”
    “Your flesh truly burned off?”
    “Not literally. But yes. It felt like it was ablaze.”
    “I was in France at the time, but I heard gruesome stories.” He grimaced. “I didn’t believe it at first. But with Master, you never know.”
    I huffed.
    “And you didn’t grab