Gluttony. Lust. Envy.
Tony stifled a yawn and checked the various sins off the little list he'd had printed at Kinkos, every one with a neat little box next to it. So much easier than writing it out longhand, especially as he had the ancient demon symbols for each word printed there, too. The boss refused to learn anything newer than Hebrew.
The boss really preferred his languages, and humans, dead.
Tony thought humans were as intriguing as they were repulsive. Really, at least demons had an excuse for being awful to each other. They came from a dimension where everything burned, poked, scratched or tortured you. Humans had this amazing planet, and this supposedly loving God, and they screwed each other at every opportunity.
Literally and figuratively.
Sighing, Tony pushed his pen into his hair and scratched one of his horns. Really, he should get out of this bar and go to Starbucks.
The door opened, a large silhouette backlit in it.
As the door closed, the guy stepped out of the shadows. Tall, dressed head to toe in leather, with a full length duster, the man cut quite a figure.
Not that Tony was looking. Or admiring. Nope. Triple mocha latte was way more important.
Of course the long overcoat was making it hard to not look. It moved as the guy did. This guy was purely Alpha human male.
He was coming straight for Tony, too.
Shit. Tony folded his little notebook away, sitting up straight with his hands folded on the table. Might as well start out like he could hold out. Whether or not that was how it was going to end.
The guy sat one stool over from him, glancing briefly at him, before ordering a whiskey in a voice that was pure gravel.
Oh. Well. Good. Clearing his throat, Tony looked about to make sure no one had noticed what an idiot he was. Then he glanced back at tall, dark and leather, trying to read his sins.
The man's head slowly turned, eyes the color of the sky staring at him.
Tony recoiled, the weight of what this man had seen pushing against his chest like a giant hand. No. No, indeed. He didn't need to meet this person.
Those eyes narrowed, the man taking him in from head to toe. Tony had a hunch the man hadn't missed a single detail.
Very carefully, Tony got up, backing away until he knew he was out of arm's reach.
One eyebrow arched. "You got a problem with me?"
"No. Nope. No, sir. However, you are an... um. Big game hunter. I am considered big game. I think it's prudent if I leave."
"You're not on my list."
"Then you shouldn't have any quarrel with me leaving. Ciao." He turned and fled.
The guy's arm snapped out, one huge paw wrapping around his arm. "I said you're not on my list. That doesn't mean I wasn't looking for you."
Shit. What had he done? He couldn't think of anything that would make someone take out a contract or anything. "What do you want?"
"Information. I hear you're just the demon to find it." Those eyes pinned him where he was.
"You do? Where does one hear things like that?" Shaking his head, Tony tugged, trying not to have to do something drastic.
"We'll go sit at a booth and have supper and maybe I'll tell you." It was said as if it were a done deal.
"Supper. With you? That might be less than wise." It could be catastrophic.
"Not having supper with me would be even less so." Oh, that wasn't entirely friendly. Not at all.
"You think?" Jesus, Mary, and Beelzebub. He just wanted to do his job and go home and have a meeting with his magic fingers chair. Sighing, Tony shook his head. "Fine. Lead the way."
The guy pointed to a booth in the back and then, sure enough, led the way.
This is a bad idea, the little voice in his head said in a sing-song voice. Very, very bad. He was inclined to agree. "Are you buying?"
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