Deal with a Demon (Kindle Serial) Read Free

she had found the apartment — even included her brother’s nasty relationship with crystal meth. He laughed when she pointed out the crude red drawing on the ceiling above the bed. When she showed him the stunning array of occult paraphernalia lying around the bedroom he mumbled something about amateurs.
    Nic did not want to go back into the spare room. The first indication of how low Drew had sunk had happened when she’d looked in there before. But she needed something to shut up Arden the Demon Delusion. “This isn’t the worst of it.”
    “Show me.”
* * *
    Arden paid very close attention to the sway of her hips as he followed her through the dark apartment. She was a remarkable specimen regardless of the drab uniform she had on or the handgun tucked into the back of her pants. Small framed and toned like a runner, she wasn’t his usual choice for fucking. He normally went for females with lush curves and long blonde hair; in earth-speak: porn star.
    Nic. The perfect name for such a scrappy little thing. Maybe a nickname? Her brown hair was short and close-cropped in the back but longer in the front, and when she turned back to glance at him, it fell over half her face like a masquerade.
    But, the nerve of her to brain him with his father’s book. She’d moved so fast, giving him no time to react. Then she had the gall to demand answers of him, accusing him of being some drug pusher’s lackey? Judging by the chip on her shoulder, he’d guess she hadn’t been kissed enough. This project would be his last, but he would make damn sure he took care of that problem as soon as possible. And if he had the chance, he’d use his Gift on her to get her naked beneath him. Shit, he’d use it just to know how she tasted.
    He stepped into the room behind her, and before she flipped on the light, his night vision afforded him a disturbing view.
    The room had been worked by a professional.
    The floorboards had been scrubbed raw and there were signs scraped into the wood in primal slashes. Jars with murky contents and bundles of dry, rotten flowers lay in compass points inside the arc of candles.
    And in the center of it all, dominating the floor and stretching the length of the room, was a huge chalked circle with the symbol of his father’s Master drawn inside.
    “What does the star mean?”
    “It’s not a star,” he said. “It’s a pentagram. Someone used this room as a gateway.”
    She nodded and pushed her hair off her forehead like she was checking for fever. Sometimes humans reacted that way to seeing his kind; they think they’re the victim of some bizarre delusion. Her earlier dismissal of him had led to him having to cut himself. He hoped she was on board now because he didn’t want to have to show her another example of reality. Her smoky eyes shone with the light of a human teetering on the edge of madness. Another display like the one he’d given before might push her over the edge. He needed her lucid if he wanted to have any chance of getting to the bottom of this mess. “Any idea how long ago this happened?”
    “I was here two days ago, but none of this,” she motioned to the display, “none of this was here. Drew’s journal said something about a ceremony.”
    “I need to see the journal. Go get it.”
    Anger flashed in her eyes. “Don’t order me around.”
    “Do you want to help your brother?”
    She chewed on her bottom lip. He saw her internal debate in the way she kept looking between him and the mark on the floor. This was a female not used to being ordered around. He could fix that easily enough, but it might be more fun to watch her bend to his will. Nic might provide him more joy than he’d had since before—
    Nope. Not going to think about the past. His chance for a different life stood in the corner of the room deciding whether or not to do as he’d asked. Maybe he needed to change tactics. He offered her an innocent smile. “The journal might help.”
    She narrowed her