Chapter Nine

Simon

"I'd like to speak to Simon Snow, please."

"Speaking."

"Thank God. It's Damien."

It takes me a second to place the name, but when I do, my heart misses a beat. I stand, folding my laptop shut. "Let me go outside."

"Where are you?"

"Starbucks."

I'm trying to keep calm. Baz, behind the register, is looking at me, but I motion for him to get back to his customers.

"Can we meet?" Damien says.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Lucrezia's not with me."

"Still."

"Simon, I fed an hour ago. I'm safe."

I hesitate. "What's the rush?"

"There's no rush. I just want to see you."

I'm outside now, attempting to wrangle my laptop into its bag. "You're a-" I lower my voice. "A vampire."

"Not by choice." He pauses. "You live with the Pitch boy."

"That's different."

"I haven't tasted human blood for ten years."

"Baz hasn't tasted human blood for his entire life."

There's a gust of air, and a thump, like he threw something. His voice is tight. "Nicodemus."

"What?"

It's been a month since the incident, and we haven't heard a word. Baz is starting to get restless again.

"Nicodemus," Damien says again. "I know where he is. I know what he wants to do."

I'm silent.

"Hyde Park. West parking lot. Thirty minutes."

And he hangs up.

I go back inside to clear the rest of my stuff off the table. Coffee, scone, napkins. I toss the rest of the scone in my mouth. It doesn't take long to get to Hyde, but I want to be there before Damien. I want the edge, for once.

"Snow."

It's Baz. Behind me, scowling.

"What?" I'm defensive. I can't help it, really.

"Who were you talking to?"

I push my chair in. "Um..."

He follows my gaze to the bulge at the bottom of my laptop bag, and when his gray eyes widen, I know he knows what it is. He barely manages to keep his voice at a whisper. "You have your wand? Snow, what the fuck are you doing?"

"I…" I flush. "I keep it with me. I have, since the bar. Just in case."

He rubs a hand over his jaw. "Just in case?"

"Just in case my magic comes back again. Just in case I can get rid of my wings."

His lips curl. "That's what this is about? Your wings?"

He spelled them tidy earlier, under my shirt, but they're already starting to lash around. "So what?"

"I like your wings," he says.

"I hate them."

"They're endearing."

"They're terrible."

He reaches around me to touch the jut of my tail. I have to wear all my jeans low, now, which Baz finds incredibly amusing. "So if you were in danger and your magic came back, you'd spell your wings away first? And then fight whoever's after you?"

"I have some of my priorities straight, Baz."

He smirks. "That's not very reassuring."

I think he likes this, the way I talk about everything now. The way I say magic and power all casual. The freedom it gives him. He doesn't have to be so careful around me anymore.

"So?" he says, letting go of my tail. (Which is good; some of the Normals around the table were starting to give us odd looks.)

"So what?"

"So, whoever you were talking to."

I look at the phone. Hyde Park. Thirty minutes. I have twenty-five to get there.

"You looked worried," Baz says.

I sigh. "I was worried. It was Damien."

He squints. "The bloke from the fight? The vampire mage who put you to sleep?"

"Yeah."

"That's who you were talking to."

"Yeah."

"And?"

"He knows something about Nicodemus. Where he went, and what he's going to do next. Damien asked me to meet him at Hyde Park."

Baz grabs my shoulder. "You can't do that."

"Why not? He convinced Lucrezia to let me find you."

Baz flashes white fang, his fingers digging into my shoulder blades. "I don't trust him. I trust him less than Lucrezia. He had no reason to let you come look for me."

"He's softhearted," I say.

"He's a vampire."

"I want to find out what Nicodemus is planning. I want to make sure you don't get hurt again. Let me go."

"I'll go with you."

I meet his gaze, and he sneers, finally releasing my shoulder. My wings stir the neck of my shirt. "It'll make him angry," I say.

"I can protect you."

"I can protect myself!"

"Not very well."

I glare at him. He folds his arms, infuriatingly calm and smug.

"Fine," I say. "Fine. But bring your wand. And keep quiet."

"Since when are you the boss?"

"Since I nearly died trying to save you from yourself."

I pause.

"Twice."