Free Mercy for the Damned by Lisa Olsen

a website, honey?” 
    It figured he wouldn’t notice anything through the hangover.  “Take another look.”  He wasn’t that bombed that he couldn’t see my Grace, was he?
    “Well, hot damn, look at you…” his eyes widened in genuine surprise.  “There’s somethin’ I don’t see every day.”
    Glad I had his attention, I forged on.  “I don’t know how up you are on current events, but we could really use your help.”
    “What kind of help?”  It didn’t take much to hear the skepticism in his voice, and I talked fast before his curiosity ran out. 
    “I understand you know how to get in and out of Midian without going through the main gate.  I want you to show me how to do it.”
    Remiel grabbed a half empty beer bottle off the counter and took a swig.  “Shit, why don’t you slice open my belly and drag me around by my innards?” he replied sourly, sitting down on a beat up ottoman.
    “Ah, I’d rather find out how to get into Midian.” 
    “Did it ever occur to you I might not want to have anything to do with those fuckers?  I been tryin’ my damnedest to forget about them ever since…”
    “Ever since Lysha?”
    “Don’t say her name like you know me,” he growled, lurching to his feet and stretching to his full six foot plus height.  My hands came up to press against his chest, and I sent out calming Grace, making my voice as soothing as possible. 
    “No, I get it, I don’t know you.  I don’t know anything about you, except that you risked everything for her once, like I’m willing to risk for the man I love.”  I don’t know if it was the Grace or my reply, but Remiel’s anger fizzled out, his eyes dropping to look where my hands laid on his chest before he cocked a brow at me.   
    “You want me to show you a way to get into Midian without getting caught.  What for?  Are you in love with a demon?”
    “They’re holding my…” boyfriend seemed like a trivial word for what we shared, but I wasn’t sure what else to call him.  “…Adamiel, do you know him?” 
    “ Your Adamiel,” a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.  “Sure, me and him have raised the roof a time or two,” he chuckled.  “So, you’re one of Adamiel’s girls, are you?”
    I ignored the dig, it didn’t matter what Adam had done in the past. I knew how much I meant to him without having to justify it to a broken down hick of an angel.  “Can you help me get in or not?” 
    “Sure, I’ll help you, sugar.”
    “You will?” My face lit up in a relieved smile, finally we were getting somewhere!
    “For a price.” 
    Just like that my smile crumpled.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “It means, what’s in it for me?” He laid his hands on my hips and I shoved him away in disgust.  Even if I wasn’t in love with Adam, he wouldn’t have been my type, even if he did have those little muscles on the sides of his arms that drive me wild.     
    “Ugh, no way.”
    “Why not?  I got needs too, same as anybody else.  You might even like it,” he gave me a slow, sexy smile that was somewhat marred by the dirty hair hanging in his face.   
    “Not a friggin’ chance in hell.”
    “I also accept cash,” he sat down on the ottoman again.  “Twenty large.”
    “As in twenty thousand?” My brows climbed skyward and he grinned at my reaction. 
    “I don’t mean twenty bucks.”
    “Do I look like I have that kind of money?”
    “That ain’t my problem.  I’m sure there’s somethin’ you can do worth that kind of money.” His eyes traveled the length of my body and I felt the urge to shower.  Or possibly delouse. 
    I threw open the door, gratified to find Sam standing right outside.  “Isn’t there something you can do to make him talk?”
    “I may not strike at another angel,” he shrugged helplessly.
    “That’s something you could have told me before I took you along.”  Somehow I thought Parker might have had less scruples about it.