A Demon Does It Better Read Free Page A

her feet, but she fell back before she could gain her balance. She chose to ignore her awkwardness.
    “Hades if I know,” he said, looking around. “You have a nice place. Do you have the sports channels?” He picked up the television remote control.
    Lili pushed herself off the floor again and this time managed to remain upright. A wave of her hand sent the remote flying out of his hand and into hers. “This house is heavily warded against unwanted intrusions,” she ground out. She tamped down the traitorous lower part of her body that felt all too warm and gooey at the moment. Cleo was right. It had been way too long between dates, not to mention her pretty much nonexistent sex life.
    His grin flashed white with a hint of feral. “Let me tell you, I wouldn’t be here, in this room, unless you’d been thinking about me.” His intense gaze started at the top of her head with its messy topknot down to her bare, freshly polished toes. She resisted the urge to curl her toes.
    She backed up until her knees hit the couch cushion. At least she had something soft to land on when she fell backward. Damn! She had been thinking of him!
    No way she could miss the darkness slithering around his ankles with an intention all its own. She didn’t know a lot about demons, but she had no doubt those shadows doubled as reliable transportation.
    “It’s you!” Not one of her better moments, since she was usually a lot more coherent, but what did one say when a demon suddenly appeared in your family room?
    He nodded. “Don’t worry. I’m just as surprised as you are. This hasn’t happened before.”
    “Stalking is a crime among the preternatural too.” Magick sparked at her fingertips as she readied her defensive power.
    “I was invited.”
    Lili frowned. “Were not.”
    “Was so.” He grinned again, settling back in the chair. “You don’t happen to have any wine around, do you? Perhaps a nice Burgundy or Bordeaux?”
    She gestured toward her teacup. Plus, she preferred white wine. “So sorry you don’t have time to stay.” She lifted her hands, fully prepared to give him a good push out the door. Or through it.
    He cocked his head to one side. “Why did you call for me?”
    “I didn’t call for anyone.” Lili only hoped Cleo would remain asleep in the bedroom. No telling what the cat would say if she saw Mr. Cute Hottie sitting here.
    He stared at her, his dark eyes intense and probing. His mouth twisted as if in pain.
    Then Lili noticed the shadows wrapping tighter around his legs.
    “I’m sorry, I guess this will be a short visit,” he told her. “I’d hoped to stay longer.”
    “And I hope to strengthen my wards to prevent this,” she said.
    He flashed that bone-melting smile again. “It won’t work, my Greek beauty. Witches are gifted, but a demon does it better.”
    Lili barely blinked her eyes, and her surprise company was gone from her sight. Only the slightest hint of sulfur in the air told her it hadn’t been her imagination.
    ***
     
    An hour later, Lili had the wards surrounding her house humming stronger than ever. But she still checked all the corners as she reheated her cup of tea and settled back on the floor. As she sat down, she glanced at the picture lying on the coffee table. Her heart hurt as she viewed her friend.
    “Where are you, Sera?” she whispered. Her eyes closed and her senses flared, but to no avail. Not that she expected to pick up anything, since her friend had never set foot in her cottage. “What happened to you? Why can’t anyone sense you?”
    She picked up the photograph and flattened her palm against the glossy surface. While she wasn’t a Seer, she could sometimes pick up a sensation when it was a close friend. This time she felt nothing but a dark void. It was as if the object of the photo never existed.
    Lili stared at the image of her friend laughing at the camera. She refused to believe Sera could disappear from everywhere like that.
    Sera’s pale blond,