One frosty, silent bus ride later, Michael and I arrived at my apartment. I took the longest bath possible to avoid the upcoming argument and redid my own bandages. They weren’t as neat and perfect as when Michael or Raphael did them, but they did the trick. The time alone gave me a moment to cool off and at least attempt to act like an adult.
A succulent smell greeted my nostrils when I left the bedroom. Something with tomatoes and broth. My stomach growled comically loud in response.
Michael stood in front of the stove where a big silver pot sat. He ladled some kind of soup into a bowl. Even though I was sort of mad at him, I still wanted to eat the food he’d made.
“Is that for me, or do I have to apologize first?” I asked.
“The great and powerful Jordan Amador knows how to apologize? I’m shocked.”
I contemplated kicking him in the shin. No. I was going to be mature about this if it killed me. “Well, if you get down off your high horse, maybe you’ll be able to hear it.”
“I really should have believed you when you said you weren’t a people person.”
“Yup.”
Sighing, Michael handed me the bowl. I dug up a spoon from the drawer before heading to the kitchen table to eat. The soup was indeed tomato-based, but I tasted a hint of basil among the shrimp, clams, and mushrooms in it. I hadn’t tasted anything this good in months. Maybe I should apologize.
Michael sat across from me and we both ate in stagnant silence. When the last bit of soup disappeared, I decided to make the first move.
“How’d you find me?”
“Your phone went straight to voicemail, so I checked the grocery store and the surrounding area. When you didn’t turn up, I thought about where you might go to blow off some steam. Then I remembered you had a gym membership.”
“Am I that predictable?”
He allowed a small smile to grace his lips. “Only to me.”
I glared at him. “Ego isn’t a good look on you.”
“Thanks, that’s sweet.” The amusement bled out of his face, leaving it serious but with a softer look than before. One thing I did like about Michael is that he didn’t seem to hold grudges, even when I was in the wrong. Not that I’d ever admit it out loud.
“So what’s really going on here, Jordan? You know it’s dangerous to put that much strain on your body.”
“I don’t think it’s something I can explain to you.”
“Try me.”
I lowered my gaze to the table. “Look, can we just drop it for now? I’m not really in a sharing mood.”
“Fine,” he said, and the annoyance in his voice made me feel guilty. “There’s another reason I was looking for you. There was an incident this morning that I think we should look into.”
“What’s that?”
“A local museum was robbed. The thief took nine different pieces and killed two guards, injuring a third.”
“I’m assuming there are ghosts involved.”
Michael shook his head. “No. This has the mark of a demon on it.”
A chill trickled down my spine. I met his eyes, hoping he hadn’t seen me shiver. “Which demon?”
“I don’t think it’s Belial,” he replied in a gentler tone, and I relaxed a bit. “But I do think it’s something we should investigate, in case there’s something bigger in the works.”
“What makes you think it’s a demon’s work?”
“The items that were stolen are part of a new exhibit of cursed weapons. Scythes, sickles, machetes, spears, you name it. Most of them were imported from Europe. Some things can gain power when they are the cause of several deaths. You’ve probably heard of myths like James Dean’s car or the Hope Diamond, right? If an object is directly responsible for a large number of deaths, eventually it can become powerful enough to harm even an archangel. We can’t let them get out of the city, or any of the angels stationed on earth are in danger.”
“So what’s the plan?” I asked.
“I think we should talk to the injured guard and see what he has to say about the break-in, and then find out if anyone tried to fence the stolen property.”
I eyed him. “That sounds like something only the angels would need to do. Why do you need me?”
“The questioning I can handle, but talking to someone who fences stolen valuables isn’t my department. Demons in that bracket won’t talk to me, but they might talk to you.”
“So I’m a honey trap, then?”
He paused and then flashed me a winsome smile. “If you don’t mind.”
“As long as I don’t have to wear heels, I’m fine with it. When is this going down?”
“We’ll talk to the guard tonight, just to make sure the demon doesn’t try to make a move. I’ve ordered someone to watch over him, but better safe than sorry. We can start looking for potential criminals once we’re sure the demons are involved.”
Michael and I both stood, gathering our respective jackets. “Now there’s a phrase I don’t hear often enough in my life.”
The archangel held the door open for me with a grin. “Welcome to my world.”