Sticks and Stones

Chapter Seventeen

He heard her coming in. Heavy combat boots hitting the floor. The jangle of door keys. Cas groaned. He didn't want to deal with this and did at the same time.

Ebony was a friendly face. And right now, a helping hand.

She squeezed his arm in passing, helping herself to the contents of his fridge.

"You're looking awfully spry for a man who's shunned his mate."

"I'm not letting life get me down. That a bad thing?"

"No. But I worry for you."

She sounded like Guido, which wasn't a surprise. The two of them were always together these days.

"You shouldn't," Cas assured. "I'm fine."

She returned to the breakfast bar with Tupperware, finishing the leftovers from a meal, making herself at home. As she stabbed a fork into pasta, she gave him a cautious look.

"Are you still keeping this from Claudio?"

"He'll want me to keep working at it. I'm not going to do that."

Claudio hadn't met Sofia. And even if he had, Cas had a feeling his mind wouldn't change. He was too enamoured with the thought of a mate. He wouldn't understand Cas' decision.

"So this still stays between us," Ebony surmised.

"Please. Best friend or not, he's not going to see this my way. Lord knows he'd nab her and lock her in a room with me till the two of us are loved up."

Which was never going to happen.

I'm living and learning.

"Last time I saw you, you were a wreck," Ebony said, looking him up and down for any sign saying he didn't have it together. "Luis gave me the update. How are you coping so well?"

No surprises there. Luis couldn't keep a secret to save his life. Caspian had told him about the pyramid. Luis knew better than anyone that there was no hope for Caspian building something with his mate.

"I'm busy."

"With what? You haven't called anyone in on a bounty."

"I'm seeing Claudio in a few days. He's got some work for me to do as Captain. Fallon said she's got something I can help with if I've got nothing better to do and I've opened my personal mission."

"So that's what you needed me for?"

He grinned at her, knowing she'd come with what he needed. "You're a star, Ebs. I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it. Cadmus owes me a favour."

Cadmus being a demon who took residence in the mortal realm, owning his own tattoo shop. On his new, personal mission, Caspian needed information. He had reason to believe Cadmus the hellfire tattooist had just that.

"And what does Guido have to say about that?" Caspian asked smugly. For years, Ebony and Luis had held a casual relationship. Only no one missed the looks Guido and Ebony had been giving each other.

"Don't ask. The demon will meet you at Morio's."

"Good. I've been asking Fal for advice."

This was Caspian's first solo, self-made mission. A righteous one at that. Naturally the first person he'd conferred with was the president of the do-gooders.

"So what's this personal mission you've opened?" Ebony asked.

"I'm taking down the Crusader. It's about time someone stopped him."