Jagged Embrace

Chapter 30 - Mason

A brilliant flash of white made Mason close her eyes. Damn angels. "You could have told me you were coming. I called you over an hour ago," Mason grumbled without consideration that Deva might be insulted.

Deva's face contorted in irritation. She flicked her impossibly long, white-blonde hair behind her. It flew up and cascaded down in a curtain of shining beauty. Mason glanced back at her desk.

"Yes, well, just because you cast a ritual to call me, does not mean that I must appear," Deva snapped in an uncharacteristically curt tone.

Mason was relieved. An annoyed Deva was much easier and less disturbing to deal with. She wouldn't bother to use her powers to fuck with Mason as much. She just had to be careful how far she pushed her.

"Actually, it kinda does. Not with everyone who casts the ritual, but I'm not an amateur. I know the true ritual," Mason pointed out and dared to raise her steady gaze to those white LED eyes.

Deva crossed her arms across her chest in a very human gesture. Maybe Mason's bad habits were wearing off on her.

"Be that as it may, you are still only human, my dear Mason. Your attempts at power can not compare to his." She drummed her long fingers against her arms.

Mason weighed her next words, careful not to push Deva too far. "Of course not. Compared to him, we're ants, right?" she asked in all seriousness.

Deva nodded in satisfaction. Mason was no fool. She would never compare herself to any god, especially the god.

"I'm just pissy because it took you so long. I have more than one person interested in the Gorgon's head."

"Yes, but, I am the most important interested party - am I not?" Deva asked.

Something in her tone sounded... insecure? Mason pinched her lips. She had to have heard that wrong. "On my list, of course. You're always first," she said offhandedly and stood.

It wasn't until she moved that she caught Deva's pleased expression. Too pleased. Weirdly pleased. So pleased that it began to make Mason uncomfortable. Mason hesitated and didn't realize until Deva was directly in front of her with her hands clasped in front of tightly, her bright white eyes hopeful.

"Do you mean that?"

Her stomach clenched. She wasn't sure how to answer. She couldn't lie. Angels had a sixth sense about lies, but she didn't want to tell the truth, either. Mason decided the safest route was to nod.

"That warms my heart, it truly does." Deva's lips tilted into a smile.

Mason felt peace and radiance blanket over her skin. "Great." Mason moved around Deva, careful not to touch her. "It's over here," she said and crossed the room to the metal table. She opened the box to show Deva the gorgon's head.

"You put a rare creature's head in a board game box?" Deva asked, unable to hide her shock.

The peace and radiance evaporated, to Mason's relief.

"It was a big game, had to order a special box to fit all the different waves in, it had a lot of miniatures. Course, I ended up having to split it out back down to wave one, two and three since the buyer flaked. Got left with this box," Mason explained with a shrug. 

"It is a board game box!" Deva repeated in horror and gestured to the box.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. The box is spelled to preserve it. When it got here, I was in a time crunch to get it preserved," Mason said, and then regretted her words.

"Do not get my panties in a bunch? You dare comment on my under clothing?" Deva's voice was no longer melodic, but sharp, like shards of glass.

Her glowing white eyes brightened and forced Mason to squint. Shit, Mason had gone too far and offended an angel. She hadn't known that was possible. Deva's gauzy dress was almost see through, and the clear outlines of her white under garments were always visible. Of course, when Mason thought about it, Deva was the only angel that had undergarments. The rest of the wingbacks were naked and covered in piercings.