“So, they just came out of nowhere?” We’d found a cafe. Fortunately, almost all of the blood on Derek wasn’t, well, his, and demon blood doesn’t stick around once you’ve got rid of the demon.

“Yup.”

“We need to know why Hell wants you so badly.”

Zaid was studying Derek with his eyes slightly wide. I didn’t push them for an immediate answer.

“Could be you have natural talent.”

“Next to…”

“Don’t compare yourself to us. Zaid’s been doing this for years and I’m a goddess. You’ve got a solid fighting style, you move well…”

“…that’s not it.” Zaid blinked, and their gaze returned to normal. “That’s emphatically not it.”

“So, what is it?” Derek asked, frowning.

“How well do you heal?”

Oh no.

I didn’t think Derek could take being told he was supernatural. Worse, what if he belonged to a God other than the one he had chosen?

“Pretty…” He tailed off. “Am I human?”

I wasn’t about to answer that. I could tell Derek had a soul, but whatever scrying Zaid had done wasn’t something I could duplicate with a glance. With time, sure. I knew he wasn’t anything to do with Asgard.

“Derek…” A pause. Then I glanced at Zaid. “Tell him.” Because it was already too late to hide this and it was too late to have him be left in some kind of limbo.

“Not entirely. Recent efreet blood, I’d say.”

“I’m not a demon!” He started to rise to his feet, then slowly sat down.

Good. He had himself under control.

“Oh, not remotely a demon. Efreet have souls, have free will, are very much like men. Just stronger.”

“We need to track that one down who fancied Clara, even if he did have a taste for…”

Zaid shook their head. “I can find one who isn’t halfway to being a pedophile. Leave it with me. It might take a bit.”

“And the demons…”

“Mixed breeds are rare. Derek’s soul is…a bit of a prize. Heaven and Hell will both want him.”

I looked at Derek.

“Well…I’ll try and stay on the Heaven side of the line.” He narrowed his eyes. “Do you…”

I shook my head. “No, and besides, Thruor’s the one who harvests souls, not me.” I’d seen her do it. I almost thought I knew how.

You will never be my sister.

“Am I safe from her?”

“As long as you want to be.”

Mike. I mourned inwardly for a moment, then shook my head. “That guy in the dreadlocks. I need to find him.”

“Why?” Zaid asked. Not which guy in dreadlocks.

“I think he knew what Derek is. Which makes me wonder what else he knew.”

“Dreadlocks his most defining feature…I wonder if you bumped into Samson.”

“Is that his real name or does he keep his strength in his hair?”

Zaid laughed. “You know? I don’t entirely know for sure.