Free Stone Cold by Devon Monk Page A

finally tracked them down.”
    â€œAnd gave them to Terric?”
    He nodded again. “I might have scanned copies for myself.”
    I grinned and slid him a sideways look. “I forget how underhanded you can be. You make me proud. Going to give me a peek?”
    â€œI’ll send them over later today.”
    â€œGood. So, when are you going to ask Terric out?”
    â€œWhat? Did he say something about me?”
    â€œNo,” I said. “You like him. He likes you. Ask him out. Worst he can say is no.”
    â€œHe did.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHe said no.”
    I glanced back at the house. “Recently?”
    â€œCouple months back. He says he’s not interested in a relationship. That he likes me as a friend.” He winced. “So that’s that.”
    â€œReally?” I was tied to Terric’s emotions. I knew he most certainly didn’t only like Dash as a friend. I wondered why he was lying to him. “My bad, then. Sorry. I don’t mean to meddle.”
    Dash chuckled. “You always mean to meddle.”
    â€œNot
always
.”
    He just raised an eyebrow. “Think we’ll find Davy alive?”
    â€œI don’t think he’s dead. Eli was having too much fun with him. Davy’s
useful
to Eli or his bosses in some way.”
    â€œYou’d think things would be different,” he said. “Magic gets healed so people can’t use it to destroy. And instead of considering that a blessing, or a warning, people just find a new way to use magic to destroy.”
    â€œWe are determined little bastards, aren’t we?”
    Terric stepped out of the house and Dash pushed away from the car. “That’s my cue. You take care of yourself, Shame. Go kill something, okay? You’re not looking so hot.”
    â€œIs it that obvious?”
    â€œTo me it is. You were practically salivating over Allie back there.” He glanced over at me. “Lots of terminally ill who wouldn’t mind an end to their contract.”
    â€œI’ll keep that in mind. Also, you are a twisted, twisted man, Dashiell Spade.”
    He looked away to Terric, then back at me again. “I’m a pragmatist, Shame. You have a need for death. There’s a merciful way to deal with that.”
    â€œSure,” I said. “I’ll get right on it.”
    â€œOne of these days, you’ll listen to me. See you.”
    I watched him stride off to his car, watched him not turn to look at Terric, who was headed our way, watched him get in and drive off as if he couldn’t feel Terric’s eyes following him.
    â€œYou told him no?” I asked when Terric was close enough.
    â€œAbout what?”
    â€œDating.”
    Terric paused with his hand on the door handle of the driver’s side. “Of all the things to pay attention to, it’s my love life? You seriously need a hobby, Shamus.”
    â€œI’m just saying, you like Dash.”
    â€œCrocheting, stamp collecting.” He snapped his fingers. “Porn.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHobby. Get one.”
    â€œHave one. It’s bothering you. So, why shouldn’t you date Dash?”
    â€œWhy do you think he deserves that?”
    â€œWhy doesn’t he?”
    Terric stared at me. The warmth and humanity drained away like a wave receding, revealing the stone cold inhumanity beneath. Apparently he had about as much control over the magic inside him as I did.
    Death pushed so hard I could feel the cold of it behind my teeth. It wanted that. Wanted the magic roiling inside him. I took a deep, steadying breath, but the corners of my vision went shady and my heart thumped hard enough it was a bass drum in my ears.
    We’d just used together too much. I wasn’t going to do that to Terric again. Not so soon. Not ever, if I could help it.
    This was getting ridiculous. My control was in the sewer today. Okay, lately.
    â€œBecause he doesn’t