Armageddon Rules Read Free Page B

scaly, with morning breath that could smelt copper. The cost in toothbrushes alone made finding a cure a necessity.
    Grimm rubbed his palms together, avoiding my gaze entirely. “My dear, I was thinking quite the opposite. When Liam finally gets in, the three of us need to talk. I take it from his tardiness he played poker again this weekend?”
    The mention of poker set my teeth on edge. A year ago I’d introduced Liam to the dwarves. They started a Friday-night poker game that stretched into Saturday. The last few months, Saturday stretched into Sunday, and last night, I think Liam came home after three in the morning. “Yes.”
    Grimm was smart enough not to inquire further.
    “Would you mind doing me a favor? I need to know something about the future. I could take a test, but I trust you more.” My nerves made sitting still impossible.
    “Of course. Now, let me see, I believe you are wondering if you contracted hepatitis from eating at that foul Italian restaurant. The answer is no.” Grimm smiled and nodded.
    I forced myself to look at him. “I wanted to know if I was pregnant.”
    Ari made a squeak that sounded like she was trying to communicate with the rats. Her eyes went wide with excitement, and her lips with a grin she could only have because it wasn’t her.
    Grimm didn’t leave the mirror for even a second. “Ah, a different form of infection. No, you are not. Really, if you were worried, you could have asked sooner.”
    Relief, mixed with a sadness I couldn’t pinpoint swept through me, making my arms weak and my hands shaky. “I’m sorry. The pill isn’t one hundred percent, and I worry about passing on Liam’s curse.”
    “I thought you wanted a baby.” Ari found her tongue when I’d rather she held it.
    “I do,” I said. “One day, I’ll have a family of my own, but it has to be when I’m ready. When both of us are ready.”
    “I’ll have Rosa make an appointment with your doctor. Perhaps an implant would suit you better.” Grimm started to fade out.
    “No. I need to be certain.” Grimm’s obsession with skimping on magic drove me crazy.
    Grimm looked at the floor. “I think the pill will do fine. Are you taking the ones I gave you faithfully?”
    “Like clockwork, but you aren’t listening.” I stood at my desk, trying to stay calm. “No offense, but you aren’t human, you aren’t a woman, and you’ve never been pregnant. I need your help until we are ready. Once we figure out that curse, we can talk.” I pointed my finger at him the same way I ordered our contractors around. “I want you to put that brain of yours to work. Find a foolproof way to keep me from having a cursed baby that doesn’t involve separate beds.”
    Grimm looked past me, at Ari. “Marissa, we will talk about this later, in private.”
    “Now. She lived in our apartment for three weeks. She knows.”
    Ari rolled her eyes. “I know. The neighbors know. Passengers on overhead jets know.”
    I’d been practicing my “I’m the boss, keep your mouth shut” stare for more than two years. It worked. Ari covered her mouth and looked at the floor.
    I turned back to Grimm. “Why won’t you help me?”
    Grimm threw up his hands. “I’ll make an appointment with a specialist in Kingdom. Even I can’t get you in for a few days, but I assure you, the auguries say you will not get pregnant before then.” I let him go this time.
    “Sorry, M.” Ari gave me a pat on the shoulder, knowing how much I wanted a family of my own. Then she left me alone in my office, where I dove into a pile of paperwork that threatened to ruin my happily ever after, or at least my evening.
    *   *   *
    THE ALARM CUT into my paperwork, a wailing screech like someone making howler monkey sausage using a live monkey.
    Grimm popped up in my mirror, something he didn’t usually do without permission. “Marissa, I’m detecting a buildup of infernal energy across the river. It’s early, but I’m afraid it might manifest