Up in Smoke - Katie MacAlister [16]
My lips tightened in a thin line for a moment before I answered, “Fine. But you can’t be surprised that I’m worried about you running around the mortal world.”
He shrugged and flicked a minute bit of lint off his arm. “Your dragon no doubt informed you that accessing this world via you strips me of most of my power. You may tell him from me that he is correct . . . and that despite the situation, I will have no difficulty in escaping any surveillance he attempts to use upon me.”
“You can try,” was all I said as I followed him out to the street. He stood looking up and down the road, rubbing his hands with pleasure, his black eyes positively dancing with happiness.
“Magoth—” I said, but before I could complete the warning I intended on giving, I realized just where it was we were. I spun around to gaze in growing horror at the large cream-stone building behind us. “Dear gods—that’s Suffrage House.”
“Yes,” he said absently, whipping out a pair of designer sunglasses and positioning them carefully on his face. “I thought it too much of an irony to miss that my first steps into this world should be undertaken from the headquarters of the Otherworld. You do not approve?” He shrugged again. “Adieu, my adorable one. I have no doubt we shall meet again, but until then, think of me often.”
A taxi pulled up as Magoth was speaking, depositing a man on the sidewalk. I didn’t pay him much attention as he paid the driver, but just as I was going to unburden myself to Magoth of a few choice thoughts, the man glanced our way, did a double take, and froze for a few seconds on the steps leading up to the building.
I may not win a Nobel Prize for overall intelligence, but I did have a few wits about me. Although my first instinct was to assume the man was simply reacting to my unusual outfit, it didn’t take me a second to realize his interest was focused on me rather than the few shreds of clothing strapped to my body. I turned to bolt, but Magoth was in my way, causing me to lose a few precious seconds.
“Change your mind about the threesome?” he asked as I slammed into him.
“Mei Ling!”
I ducked under the arm Magoth was reaching toward me, hoping I could get far enough away from the man to slip into the shadow world, but my hope was in vain. Before Magoth had the chance to utter an indignant squawk at the elbow I shoved in his belly in order to get him to move aside, the man leaped on me, throwing me to the ground.
“Mei Ling! You dare show your face here? Dr. Kostich will be very happy to see you. Guards! Guards! I have the thief Mei Ling! I have captured the thief!” the man bellowed as he hauled me to my feet, one arm twisted behind me, the other wrapped around my neck.
Chapter Four
“You could help me,” I snarled to Magoth as my captor, most likely a thief taker, dragged me toward the front doors of the building.
Magoth raised one ebony eyebrow in a perfect gesture of disbelief. “And ruin the fun you’ll have escaping this latest predicament? I wouldn’t think of depriving you of that enjoyment, sweet May.”
I grabbed the hand that had a death grip on my throat, and threw myself to the side, trying to pull the man off balance, but he must have had martial arts training, for he stayed solidly on his own feet as he dragged me step by painful step closer to the entrance of Suffrage House. “I’m going to remember this, Magoth.”
“The memory of our parting will stay forever green in my mind, as well,” he said, deliberately misinterpreting me. “You may wish to watch out,” he added to my attacker. “She bites.”
I was just in the process of twisting my head to try and get a grip on the man’s arm, but paused to glare at Magoth, who simply blew me a kiss and sauntered off down the sidewalk.
“You’re only making