Claimed by Her Demon Read Free Page B

desk, holding an ice pack to her face.
    “A? What happened? Are you all right?” Melinda dropped her bag and knelt by her friend.
    “I’m okay,” Adrienne said. Some guy in a mask grabbed me on the jogging trail.”
    “Oh my god! Did you call the police?”
    She nodded. “He punched me, and told me to give you a note. I gave it to the cops instead. It said: ‘Bitches who are snitches get stitches.’”
    Melinda sank into her own desk chair and held her head in her hands. “I’m so, so sorry. I can’t believe someone would do that to you. This is all my fault.”
    “It’s not your fault. You didn’t ask for this to happen. And if you hadn’t reported those creeps, they’d probably be dead. They’re all still in the hospital anyway, so it’s not like it was one of them seeking revenge.”
    “It was probably one of their frat brothers. They’ve got to be pissed that the fraternity has been suspended.”
    “Then they should stop attacking women.”
    “I still feel awful.”
    “Don’t, Mel. Seriously. I’ll be okay. May not get my slutty on for a few days, so you might owe me for that.”
    Melinda laughed. “I just don’t want you getting hurt for being my friend. If you want me to move out and stay away, I understand.”
    Adrienne rolled her eyes. “Stop being an idiot. I’d be bored to tears without you around. And anyway, I’m more worried about you. If they’re willing to do this to me, sooner or later they’ll make a run at you. Especially if there’s going to be a criminal trial.”
    “God, what a mess. Why do people have to be such assholes?”
    “Makes you wish there was a hell to send these fuckers to, doesn’t it?”
    Melinda thought back to the images in the art book. “Some people sure deserve it.” She moved to her bed and flopped down. “Guess you don’t want to go out tonight, huh?”
    “I got some popcorn from the union. They were selling it for a fundraiser. So we could watch a movie if you want. Or you could do that reading for me that you keep promising you’ll get to.” Adrienne smiled, even though her left cheek didn’t quite lift high enough.
    Melinda hadn’t used her cards since she read for Ramael. She wasn’t sure what would happen if she pulled them out now. But she also didn’t want to stop something she enjoyed because of one weird experience. And she did owe Adrienne.
    “I think I can do that for you.”
    “Yay! Maybe I should get punched more often.”
    Melinda just shook her head and reached under her bed for the box where she kept her cards and other Wiccan items. “You’re definitely weird, A. Definitely.”
    #
    Saturday morning was beautiful. Sunny, warm without being hot, low humidity. Perfect for a bike ride. Melinda had an old trail bike handed down by her brother. Usually she kept it locked to a rack. But today she needed an easy way to ride out of town. Since she didn’t have a car on campus, a bike was the way to go. She threw some water bottles and granola bars into her ubiquitous bag, pulled her helmet out of the closet, and went out the door before Adrienne had even woken up.
    The old farmhouse wasn’t far from campus. An easy thirty-minute ride got her to the overgrown gravel path that used to be a walkway leading up to it. She wasn’t entirely sure she’d be able to find the place, but she’d paid close attention to the roads when the police had taken her home. And sure enough, she remembered the way. She walked the bike up to the house, not wanting to take a spill on the path, and left it leaning against the porch. She hesitated a moment before stepping onto the sagging wood. Crime tape still fluttered across the open doorway. After taking a deep breath, she ducked underneath it and stepped into the dilapidated front room.
    “Ramael?” she called out. “It’s me. Melinda. I need to talk to you. I need your help.”
    There was a blinding flash of light. She closed her eyes against it, but it didn’t last long. When she opened