55. Deal with the Devil

"We're being hunted down." Dante panted, leaning back against a wall. Ezekiel checked that his gun was loaded. The Star Immortal was treating his fight against the gangs as if it was a prince's wild hunt. And they were the boar that was going to wind up being roasted on a spit. Every night he just took little nips at them – letting their fear grow. Letting them wonder, when would he give the killing blow?

"We can't fight an immortal." Ezekiel muttered, shaking his head.

"You try telling the boys that."

Ezekiel and Dante ducked down as gunfire erupted around them. The lads were putting up one hell of a fight.

"Hello gentlemen." Purred a female voice.

"Woah!" Dante exclaimed. Ezekiel flinched and pointed his gun at the woman who had apparated in front of them.

The woman was stunning but it was her eyes that caught the Mad Dog's attention. Her reptilian snake eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Dante demanded. She grinned and there was something animalistic about her grin. She fixed her frightening gaze on Ezekiel and licked her lips.

"I believe that we share a common enemy." She moved fast, grabbing Ezekiel's collar and pulling him toward her.

Ezekiel felt Orion's arrow cut through the air, skimming his ear before slicing exactly where his head had been - only a fraction of a second before.

Lamia smirked at him. "And you know what they say, about your enemy's enemy..."

***

It was the end of the shift and Jaz had invited the team to stay and have a meal together. Most of the cafe crew were sat around the largest table, drinking wine and listening to music, but Zahira was in the kitchen with Jaz – watching him prepare dinner for them all.

"Wow," she breathed, watching his expertise.

"Impressed?" He asked. Zahira nodded. "I used to run a seafood restaurant, many years ago." He told her. "Before I decided to switch to cakes and deserts."

"Why did you switch?" She asked. The food smelt heavenly as he prepared it. Jaz shrugged.

"It's nice to change things after a while. It stops life from becoming dull."

"What made you pick the name 'Eros and Psyche'?" She asked.

"An old promise I made, a long time ago." Jaz replied, with a faint smile on his lips. "Want me to teach you how to do this?" He asked. Zahira nodded eagerly. "Fetch me that spatula from over there. Right, now watch carefully what I'm doing..."

A quarter of an hour later and dinner was served.

"Dive in, vultures." Jaz urged them, grinning as they drooled over his food. Sage topped up everyone's wine glass.

"This looks delicious." Ana praised, serving herself enthusiastically.

"Zahira was my very helpful sous chef."

"I didn't do anything." Zahira meekly protested.

Zahira helped herself to a little food and then Markus topped up her plate, seeing that she'd given herself less than everyone else.

"Eat up." He instructed her, smiling kindly.

"Thank you." Zahira murmured - feeling embarrassed.

After food, the group played a game of charades. Zahira was paired up with Ana, and felt shy every time it was her turn to act something out. Fortunately, Ana was very good at making guesses of what she was trying to do. Markus and Cesar were losing terribly. Markus hit his head in frustration. He'd gotten Cesar to say the word, witch. Which was apparently close but not quite right...

Markus pointed at Zahira and shook his head. He pointed at himself and nodded.

"Huh?" Cesar looked utterly confused. Markus pointed to Sage and shook his head. He pointed at Jaz and nodded. "Not... not a girl?"

Markus nodded enthusiastically.

"So, not a girl witch?"

Markus gestured for Cesar to continue on that train of thought.

"One word... like a witch but not female... Not a girl witch... oh, I know!" Cesar jumped up excitedly. "Witchcraft!"

"I give up!" Markus moaned. They'd yet to get a single point. The highlight so far had been Cesar's impression of a dinosaur to which Markus had guessed, monkey, dying monkey, dying whale, dying whale with teeth...

But the definite winners of charades were Sage and Jaz.

"You know it's cheating when one of your team mates is a psychic." Cesar grumbled playfully, winking at Sage.

"It's not my fault. I can't turn it off." Sage replied, casually sipping her tea.

Zahira had laughed a lot that evening. She wanted to stay behind to help with the clear up but Jaz had insisted that they leave it to him.

"This was my thank you to you all. Go off home the lot of you and rest."

"Also, you know that cleaning is Jaz's favourite part of a party." Sage teased.

It was late when they stepped out onto the street.

"Want to take a taxi back together?" Ana offered Markus since they both lived in the same direction. He shook his head.

"I'm staying around Cesar's place tonight."

"Really?" Ana questioned, intrigued. The two guys headed off together down the road. They could hear Markus teasing Cesar about potential giant murder-moths in the bushes.

Zahira's phone buzzed with an incoming call from Orion.

"See you tomorrow, Ana." She waved to her friend, before heading off in the direction of the bus stop and accepting the call. "Hello." Zahira greeted.

"Are you home?" Orion asked her.

"Not yet."

"Come over to mine."

"To yours?"

"Yes."

Zahira bit her lip.

"I don't know where you live..." She mumbled.

"I'll tell you. But it will have to be another secret between us. I don't want any of your gangster friends knowing."

"Ok." Her nerves tingled excitedly. Being Orion's secret girlfriend was making her giddy.

Orion lived in the penthouse apartment of a very posh building. The place had doormen that were dressed better than she was. Zahira clasped her hands nervously as she followed Orion's directions to the elevator and up to the top floor. The elevator had mirrors and she anxiously avoided looking in them. She already knew that she was having a bad skin day.

The elevator pinged on the top floor and Zahira stepped out onto a carpeted hallway. She approached the door to the apartment and knocked. Insecurity clawing at her insides.  The door opened to reveal a stunning lady, dressed in a fashionable suit with a low neck. The woman had fierce eye liner and a confident stare that studied Zahira rather dismissively.

"You must be Zahira." She commented, in a bored voice. None of this helped with Zahira's insecurity. In fact, it reached new levels.

"Yes?" Zahira replied, sounding bizarrely uncertain.

"Hmm..." The woman stepped back and held the door open for her.

Zahira entered the penthouse and was glad to spot Orion sat languidly on the couch. The place was huge with windows that looked out over the city, offering an almost panoramic view. Zahira shuffled forward and sat down on the sofa with Orion, who handed her a glass of wine.

The woman left them alone, retreating into another room.

"Who was that?" Zahira asked in a small voice.

"Sophia, my servant."

"Oh."

Zahira sipped the wine. She hadn't expected Orion to have a servant, and especially not one that looked so beautiful and glamourous. If he was around a woman who looked like that, the kind of woman who wouldn't look out of place to be dating an immortal. Then what on earth was he doing wasting time with her, Zahira wondered glumly.

Orion brushed Zahira's hair away from her eyes.

"You look nice today." He complimented. Zahira looked down at the casual dress she was wearing. It was navy and cut just above her knee, simple but one of her favourites.

"Thank you." She murmured. "You look nice too." She added, feeling rude not to say it back. She might have added that he always looked nice.

Orion laughed.

"You're strange, perhaps that's why I like you..." He mused, thoughtfully. Zahira concentrated on sipping her wine. Orion reached out for her and pulled her against him. "Should we watch TV?" He asked. Zahira nodded. It felt bizarre to be sitting on the sofa, cuddling up with Orion, but strange as it felt – she also knew that she didn't want to move away from him.

Orion played with her hair as he watched the screen, his face calm. Zahira's heart was fluttering. She couldn't focus on the TV at all, not with Orion's strong arm around her. She could hear his heart beating, slow and steady. He radiated warmth and Zahira sighed in contentment.

When the TV show finished, and an advert started, Orion tweaked Zahira's nose playfully. Zahira made a small, cute sound of protest that made him smile. He leant closer and kissed her forehead. Zahira closed her eyes and breathed in his masculine scent.  This man was heavenly, she mused. He kissed the tip of her nose and then, reverentially, her lips.

With swift movements, Orion repositioned them on the sofa so that Zahira was lying beneath him. He kissed her lips, making her blood rush with excitement.

"What about Sophia?" Zahira asked, anxious about the idea of Sophia walking in on them.

"She's gone to bed." Orion replied huskily, moving his kisses to Zahira's throat. Zahira gasped in longing.

"I can't stop thinking about you." He groaned against her skin. His hands were exploring, moving up past the hem of her dress. His large hand urged her legs apart and Zahira heatedly complied. His fingers stroked her and Zahira made a small sound of pleasure. "My sweet Zahira." He murmured in praise.

That night, Orion took her to the stars and back.

**

"There's no sign of the Star Immortal." Dante spat. "He left after killing three of our lads."

Ezekiel's face was grim as he was shown the bodies.

"He'll kill more tomorrow night," Ezekiel murmured. "Unless..."

"Are you going to take that woman's offer?" Dante asked.

Ezekiel's lips twitched and he scratched at his tattoo.

"I don't trust her." He growled. "She's a freak, like him."

Dante said nothing. He waited for his boss to make up his mind. Ezekiel cursed loudly. He hated the idea of teaming up with the demon Lamia. But they were dead men without her help.

"Get her the blood bags she wants. Steal them from the blood donation centre." Ezekiel ordered with a heavy heart.

"Yes boss."

If they were going to live, then they needed the devil on their side.