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.This gentleman kindly allowed me to borrow his ship.No, there are, ah, other guests.Don't be upset with me.""That's never a good start, bonehead."Shax wiped a hand over his face."You wouldn't believe what they were doing on that ship, Ver.I mean, we've both seen horrible, but this was…" He broke off, waving a hand."And Ness was in such bad shape…and he wanted them rescued…it's just…""Don't fucking cry.If he's not—" Verin broke off when something weird and pink climbed up onto the arm of Shax's chair to hand him a tissue."What in all blazing fuck is that?""Thank you," Shax said to the thing before he blew his nose."Ver, Corny, this is Leopold.He's been an enormous help.""Leopold."Shax wiped at his eyes."Yes.What?""He looks like a hedgehog made out of cotton candy.""Or some nasty stomach medicine," Corny muttered."Ness says Leopold is a construct of his imagination.Rather vivid imagination if that's the case.""All right, so I run out the docking tube.How many damn guests are we talking?""Four, Ver.It's not as if I'm bringing in a platoon and the Brimstone was designed for a larger crew.We've always underutilized the space.Besides, at least three, including Ness, will need to go right to sickbay.""What aren't you saying, idiot? Don't play games.""Ah." Shax cleared his throat."There's…an imp.He's in dreadful shape, poor thing.""Annoying, but not a big deal.Go on.""There's a rather large nephilim.He's in considerably better shape, though he'll most likely need his own cabin.""Demonphobe?""Oh no.Very sensible.""Again, you're ducking and weaving, Shaxy.Knock it off.""There's an angel.Well, what's left of an angel…""Damn it.Not again.""And a grigori.""For fuck's sake, Shax! What in all hell's levels is wrong with you?""I don't know." Shax rubbed his hand over the back of his neck."She's lost her human and a good deal of herself.""So we're running a floating rest home for convalescent fucking wingers now?""I don't think there'll be much copulating from them.It's temporary.Bear with me.Please."Like I haven't put up with all your shit all these centuries? Verin let out a long steam-laden breath.Yelling at Shax could be fun, but his highness was clearly at his limit, hands and voice shaking, eyes doing that strange darting thing Shax picked up when he was exhausted.It must've been an interesting outing."I got your back, Shaxy.Don't blow a coil."The pink thing reached out a stubby paw and petted Shax's arm."Everything's all right.You did what had to be done.Brave, headstrong demon."Great.The pink thing talks.Just fucking perfect.Verin shut down the com and turned to Corny, who was staring blankly at the vid plate."I have no idea what just happened here.""Which words didn't make sense, cowboy? Or do I translate into words of two syllables for you?""Asshole." Corny swatted at him, but he laughed while he did it."Nephilim? Grigori? And what do you need me to do?""Nephilim are bastard kids with deadbeat angel dads and human moms.They're kinda bigger and meaner than the average human.Live longer too.A grigori…I guess you'd probably say guardian angel, but they're not like you see in storybooks.Ferocious.Dangerous as shit.""Sounds like a real fun shindig.""Yeah.Can always toss any idiots out the airlock if they get out of hand.You help Ivana get sickbay ready.I'll do the docking maneuvers.""You got it." Corny brushed a hand over Verin's right horn as he passed by, making him shiver."Gonna be harder for private moments for a bit.""We've got a cabin.The door locks.""Folks'll hear us.""Good."Corny's laugh wrapped warm and hard around his heart.Yeah, I'll put up with Shaxy's weird ideas, but the first being of any species that hurts my Corny? That fucker is dead.* * * * *The aftermath of a tricky, physical job was a lot like the adrenaline crash after a hard-fought battle.Shax's muscles ached.His head hurt.His eyes burned.All he wanted to do was curl up in a whimpering ball and go to sleep."But I'm not done yet," he murmured to the supplies he'd gathered in the larger storage room, the smaller one now occupied with two human prisoners.He turned to pick up a container and stopped when he caught sight of the pink blob beside him."Shouldn't you be with Ness?"Leopold shook his head."He is sleeping now.Angel, imp, grigori too.Not the nephilim.""No, I think Mac's talking to Corny while Ms.Ivana synthesizes the right blood proteins for him.Did you want to help?"The spiky head nodded."All right.Hold that tube steady while I pour.This can get a bit dicey, so I appreciate the extra hands.Er, paws."Leopold proved an able assistant, rather literal, but that just meant he followed instructions to the letter.Not a bad thing for a lab assistant.Once he was done the mixing, Shax screwed the tops on his creations and stretched his back."Now to get Ver to help with the second part of my evil plan."They found Verin with his feet up in the kitchen, steam curling from his nostrils as he sipped at his coffee."Damn ship's too crowded," he grumbled, though it sounded more weary than angry."I know, Ver.I'm sorry." Shax plopped down on the bench across while Leopold climbed up to sit on the table."Off!" Verin roared."No animal butts, of any color, on the fucking table!"Leopold scrambled off and landed on the bench with a thud."Shh, don't yell." Shax rested his head on his arms."My head hurts.Have you seen Ness?""Yeah [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]