Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend (21 page)

“I thought you didn’t eat eggs.”

“I changed my mind. I’m a growing girl, and I need protein.”

“My usual,” Sybil told her.

Maggie set up the orders. She almost inhaled her coffee, grateful for the caffeine, while Courtney, for once, sipped delicately.

“Where’s Mick? Sharing a cell with something nasty, I hope. The asshole,” Courtney muttered. She looked up in time to see Maggie and Sybil exchange looks. She set her coffee cup down. “He’s dead, isn’t he? Did…” she gulped, “did one of you kill him? Did he do something that made you do it?”

“He is dead, Courtney.” Maggie knew she couldn’t soften the truth, and it was better the girl know now. “But not by my hand or Sybil’s. I think something had been placed within him so that if he tried to tell us the truth, he’d be destroyed.”

Courtney looked down at the table, her fingers loosely wrapped around her coffee mug. “He lied to me. And he planned something horrible for me, didn’t he?”

“Yes, he did,” Maggie admitted.

“That’s why you showed up, pretending to be my cousin. And why you met Mick. You didn’t trust him, did you?”

“He was only using you, Courtney,” Maggie said gently. “I’m sorry.”

Courtney stared at the food that was set in front of her. “It’s not over, is it?”

“Let’s eat first.” Maggie poured warm syrup over her sourdough pancakes. She thought that the girl would pick at her food. Instead, she didn’t stop until her plate was empty.

“Men are scum,” she pronounced, on her third cup of coffee.

“Always,” Maggie and Sybil agreed.

Courtney glared at both of them as if they were teasing her. She relaxed when she realized they were serious.

“So did he like have a heart attack and keel over? Choke and turn blue?” She gurgled with laughter. “Blow up?” She stopped when she saw their faces. “
He
blew up
?”

“Like an overfilled balloon. But he choked and turned red and purple first.”

Courtney paled and then turned a soft pea-green color. “You’re not kidding, are you?”

“I decided I’d tell you the truth from now on,” Maggie said, still working on her pancakes.

Sybil waved her hand over the table, and a small glass filled with pale-pink fizzing liquid appeared. “Drink this.”

“What is it?”

“It’s perfectly safe and will settle your stomach.”

Courtney picked up the glass and sniffed the contents. Judging it had to be safe, she downed it quickly. Her color soon returned. “That was really good. So what else aren’t you telling me?”

“Mal will have a stroke,” Sybil murmured, concentrating on her breakfast of fresh berries and yogurt.

“He’s too mean to die,” Maggie mumbled, her mouth full of pancake.

“Now what?” Courtney persisted.

Maggie winced at the higher pitch. “Just let me finish my breakfast. We’ll get out of here and walk around. I have a baby to see.”

By now, Courtney was fidgeting in her seat like a five-year-old child. It wasn’t easy for the witch to ignore her, but she did her best. Not even a restless teenager was going to interfere with her meal.

Sybil finished her food first. “I have appointments this morning,” she told them and then smiled at Courtney. “You’re in excellent hands, sweetie. Maggie may be grumpy at times, but I wouldn’t trust anyone else with my life.” The scent of lavender and vanilla lingered in the air after she left.

“What does she do?” Courtney inquired. “I can ask that, can’t I?”

“She’s a counselor.” Maggie decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to say interrogator.

“Like a psychologist?”

“Sort of.”

“But you had her talk to Mick. Not that he probably didn’t need a shrink’s help,” she grumped. “No offense to Sybil, but she looks like Mick could run over her.”

“There was a book about a woman named Sybil who had multiple personalities,” Maggie said, now finished with her food. She stood up. “Our Sybil doesn’t have as many faces as that one, but she can handle the nasties without blinking an eye. Now for some walking. I haven’t trained in a while. If I keep that up, I’ll turn into a slug.” She laughed at Courtney’s look of horror. “Not for real.”

“How many live here?” Courtney looked around as they left the dining halls.

“About two hundred in all. Five teams of four Guards who cover this part of the country and points south, along with family members and support staff.”

“And Guards protect everyone,” Courtney guessed. “Even humans like me.”

“You’re a special case. We generally keep the peace among other races.”

“So what’s Declan?” She skipped ahead and walked backward in front of Maggie. “I’ve already ruled out vampire and shape-shifter, and he’s too gorgeous to be a troll or gargoyle. No pointed ears, so not an elf like Sybil. What else is there?”

“He’s a demon.” She enjoyed the girl’s reaction.

“You mean like—?”

Maggie nodded. “Actually, he’s half fire demon, and the other half is human. If you want to know anything more, you’ll have to ask him.”

“I think that’s enough for now. And you’re a witch, complete with wand and cauldron.”

“We’ve updated our look since those days. No pointy hats, ugly black dresses, or striped stockings now. Even my warts are gone.” She waved her hands over her face.

Courtney rolled her eyes. “Ha, ha.”

“You’re taking this all very well,” Maggie commented, waving at Meech, who had appeared across the main courtyard. “You’ve had a lot to process in a short amount of time.”

Courtney turned around to walk beside her. “When I was little, my mom used to read me this book of fairy tales that came from around the world,” she said softly. “She said that there were many things out there that I might not understand, but if I allowed myself to believe in the impossible, I could have the universe in my hand. There weren’t that many supernaturals around, but I knew that didn’t mean they didn’t exist.”

“Yet, you didn’t believe me when I first told you what I was,” Maggie teased.

“You didn’t look like my idea of a witch. And I wasn’t thinking pointy hats or warts, either.” She skipped to one side when a ferret raced up to Maggie and handed her a small scroll.

“The report you wanted,” he told her.

“Thanks, Bickie.”

He glanced at Courtney and raised his eyebrows. “Hey, babe.” Then he was off.

“Terrific. My former boyfriend was a psychopath, and now a ferret is hitting on me.” She mimed gagging. She stopped when Maggie turned the scroll to ash. “What did it say? It was about me, wasn’t it?”

She shook her head. “No, it was about Mick.”

“You said you’d always tell me the truth.”

“And I’m already regretting that notion.”

“So what did it say about Mick?” Courtney pressed. “He wasn’t human, was he? Not human like me.”

“No, he wasn’t,” she said slowly. She drew a deep breath. “I don’t know how anyone missed it, but he had a few drops of demon blood in him. So he lied to us. That’s how he got into the club without anyone stopping him.”

“I was dating a demon? What did he plan to do with me?” Her voice continued to rise in pitch.

Maggie gripped her arm. “But nothing happened. You need to remember that. And nothing will.”

“I don’t know what can be any worse than Mick blowing up, unless someone’s trying to kill me.” Courtney stopped short as the realization of what Maggie
wasn’t
saying sunk in. “
Ohmigod!
Someone wants to kill me?”

Courtney bent over with her hands on her knees. “Why would anyone want to kill me?” she gasped. “I can’t breathe!” She started to wave her hands around, eyes bugging out, her mouth open to take in air her body seemed to be rejecting.

Maggie conjured up a paper bag and forced it over Courtney’s nose and mouth. “Just breathe in and out,” Maggie instructed.

The girl pushed it away. “Who wants to kill me? Why?”

Maggie returned the bag to its position and kept her grip tight. “Just breathe.”

“Is she all right?” One of the healers paused in her morning yoga workout and came over. “I can take her to the infirmary.”

“She’s hyperventilating.”

“Poor thing.” The healer gently rubbed Courtney’s back in long, soothing strokes while murmuring therapeutic words under her breath. A few minutes later, Courtney’s color returned to normal and she was breathing more naturally.

“Are you feeling all right now?” the healer asked, touching the teen’s forehead and cheeks with delicate fingertips. The diminutive shaman turned to frown at Maggie. “What did you say to her to cause this, Maggie? Humans are very fragile.”

Maggie held her hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry, Shayla. It’s not my fault.”

“Do you want to come to the infirmary with me and be checked out?” the healer asked Courtney.

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.” She managed a wobbly smile. “This is all new to me.”

Shayla didn’t look convinced. “Well, if you start feeling faint or anything, you make sure to have Maggie bring you to see me.” She shot the witch a warning look. She walked over to pick up her yoga mat and towel, and walked away.

“I haven’t had so much attention since the school expelled me.” By now, Courtney’s face was pink with embarrassment.

“Shayla is very caring and an excellent healer. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have piled so much on you at one time.”

“I asked for it. Where are we going now? The dungeon? Do you have torture chambers here?”

“Something a lot more positive. I think even you’ll like it.” Maggie headed for the bungalows housing mated couples. She stopped at one where a large female with bluish-white skin sat on the front step, rocking a tiny cradle.

“Maggie!” the female called out, her broad smile revealing jagged yellow teeth. “How wonderful you came to visit.”

“Hi, Reesa, I came to see our shared baby,” she said. “I’m sure you already know about Courtney. Court, this is Reesa, Meech’s mate. And this is Atisha.” She touched the side of the cradle.

Courtney leaned over. “Wow, she’s cute.”

Reesa laughed. “Thank you. Her hair’s coming in nicely. I imagine you thought she’d look more like me.” Shimmering, sleek white fur covered the baby’s face and body.

“Uh, yeah.” Courtney perched on the step, fascinated with the cradle’s contents. She reached out a tentative finger, laughing when the baby latched onto the digit.

“Don’t let her put—”

“Ow!” Courtney stuck her injured finger in her mouth.

“A baby’s teeth are very sharp,” Reesa explained. “Let me get us some coffee. I assume you also drink it?”

Courtney nodded around her finger. “You could have warned me,” she hissed once Reesa was out of earshot.

“I tried. It happened to me once, except my finger was almost taken off.”

“It’s a good thing I’m off guys, because no way I’d want a baby now. Even if this one is cute.”

Maggie and Courtney visited with Reesa and Atisha for an hour, Maggie enjoying the short time of normalcy. They hadn’t experienced much of that lately, and she hoped it would cheer Courtney up to spend time with a family. Judging by the teenager’s smiles and laughter, it was working.

It was even working for Maggie.

***

“You really are going to throw the witch under the bus, cuz?” Wreaker waylaid Declan the moment he stepped inside the club.

After he’d left his father, Declan had escaped his apartment and driven as fast and as far as he could in hopes of blowing the meeting out of his mind. It wasn’t until he’d discovered he was halfway to New Orleans that he stopped to grab something to eat.

He had always known his sire was greedy for power. He would never have been surprised if Victorio traded him at a moment’s notice, as long as it pushed his father further up the career ladder.

Except this time, a human girl’s life was forfeit. Declan had always watched his back before. Now he’d be even more cautious.

“Don’t you have a woman to ravage?” he growled, heading for his office.

“Been there, done that. What else did Victorio say?” Wreaker’s question was couched in a casual manner, but Declan didn’t miss the sharpness in his cousin’s eyes.

“Just that the girl is more important than I thought.” He noted that Snips was rapidly coming their way.
Did he know all this already? Was he one of Victorio’s drones?

“That kid was too cocky. When things got tough, he had no clue how to handle it. No wonder his inner grenade went off.” Wreaker slid into the office ahead of Declan. He immediately went to the bar and fixed himself a drink, and then sunk into a chair. “Once the blood thins, anything can happen.”

“He didn’t give off any kind of hint he was demon.” Declan glanced at the report Snips handed him, relieved to see there were no problems, even with the portal that the loyal Anton was still guarding. “Still no word about Alexi?” he asked in a low voice.

“None. We fear he is truly gone.” Snips cast a disapproving eye at Wreaker, who grinned back at him. “It is thought the missing drone is behind Alexi’s disappearance. That he took him back through the portal. But we can find no reason why.”

‘There’s always a reason. You just need to find it.” Declan signed several forms. “My cousin is not to associate with any females while in the club, nor to have the use of any of the private rooms,” he said only for the imp’s ears.

Something passed for a smile on Snips’s face. “It shall be done.” The imp left as quietly as he’d arrived.

“How can you work with that thing?” Wreaker shuddered as he took a healthy swallow of alcohol. “He gives me the creeps.”

“He’s efficient.” Declan searched in the office-size refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of Coke. “I’m very busy, Wreaker. What do you really want?”

The incubus’s usual laid-back demeanor changed to the greedy creature he really was. “I don’t want to be left behind. I want to share what you’ll receive.”

“You’re blood. You will.” Declan welcomed the cold carbonation down his throat.

“You forget how much Victorio hated his sister—all the way up to the day he killed her. He tolerates me barely. But if you put in a good word for me, I’d have a chance.” Wreaker waited.

“You’d have a better chance than I do. At least you’re pure-blooded.” Declan didn’t want to think about what was ahead. Time was growing short. Victorio had hinted at that. He also had strongly suggested that his son make sure Maggie abandoned Courtney. Declan doubted that would happen. It was apparent that the comely witch was mother hen to her teenage chick. For someone who didn’t consider herself maternal material, she was doing a damn good job of it.

Wreaker pushed his hair away from his face. Declan realized he didn’t look as smooth and sexy as usual. Signs of dissipation showed on his features, and his eyes were heavy with fatigue.

“You look like shit. Aren’t you getting your quota of women?”

“Fuck off.” Even that was said with a weary sigh. “I might not know the whole deal, but I know enough that if the Mayans finish that ritual, there will be hell on earth for sure. Did you read up on the god of destruction, cuz? He doesn’t even have a name. There’s little information in the records. Not even any drawings on temple walls. All that’s known is when he’s revived, the world will never know any kind of peace.”

“You afraid you’ll lose your sex partners?” Declan was tired and well on his way to cranky. Only memories of his time spent with Maggie kept him from snapping Wreaker’s neck.

Of course, that could change at any moment.

“I’m afraid of losing the only family member I like,” Wreaker admitted. “You, of all people, know that Victorio can’t be trusted. It’s obvious that you have more than just the usual hard-on for the witch. Thinking with your dick can get you in all sorts of shit. I’m talking about the kind that can get you killed.”

He drained the glass and set it down on the table with a thump. He stood up. “Just remember, it’s family who stands behind you. She won’t.” With that, he walked out.

Declan leaned back in his chair.
They only stand behind you if it protects them from being in the line of fire.

***

“You never think of them having kids,” Courtney chattered. “And that Frebus is so adorable. He’s like a real, live teddy bear, except with sharp teeth.” She looked around with open delight. “This place is so cool.”

“O’Malley, when did you turn into a tourist guide?”

Maggie turned to face her boss. Mal managed to share his glower between her and Courtney.

“Courtney, this is Mal, the head man around here. He keeps us all in line.”

“I wish,” he muttered around his cigar. He frowned at Courtney. “You’re not what I expected.”

“Cuter?” She’d developed enough immunity during the day that the grumbling gnome didn’t frighten her off. “So I understand you’re a gnome, but where are your little red cap and blue jacket?”

Maggie closed her eyes, not wanting to watch Mal fly into one of his usual snits.

“Girl, you need a good education in our worlds,” he rumbled. “I’m not one of
those
gnomes. You’ll never find me in someone’s garden—and no way I’d wear one of those damned red caps.” His gaze fell on the medallion hanging around her neck, and he leaned forward to finger the metal. “It’s not active.”

Maggie ignored his accusation. “Of course it is.” But she examined it and saw that he was right. “It was active when I picked it up for her.”

“I already heard about lover boy turning into confetti. Take her to the infirmary and have her tested. Then both of you come to my office.” He ambled off, the smoke coiling behind him.

“What a nasty little man. And what did he mean by having me tested? Tested for what?” Courtney dug in her heels. “Mick turned into confetti? So when he blew up, he blew up in pieces? Ick!”

“I don’t know. Yes, he did, and ‘ick’ is a good description for what happened. Let’s see Shayla.”

“You keep putting off telling me why someone wants to kill me. Are you ever going to tell me?” Courtney followed her like a good little puppy.

“Yes, but I thought you’d like a nice day first. Plus, I have an idea Mal will lay it all out.”

“Terrific. A nasty cigar-smoking gnome looks happy that he’ll be giving out bad news to an innocent teenager. How great will that be?” She continued dragging her feet even as Maggie gave her a gentle nudge to quicken her steps.

In no time, Shayla performed a few tests and then took Maggie aside.

“Mal wanted proof that Courtney has Mayan blood,” she said in a low voice. “She does, but there’s also something else in her blood.”

“Please don’t tell me she’s sick or something!” Maggie rarely experienced fear, but she did right now.

Shayla smiled. “Oh, no, but I saw a very faint trace of demon in her blood. It’s probably why her medallion isn’t reacting the way it should.”

“How could that happen?” Maggie kept her voice low.

“Why not? I have Aztec and Irish blood in my veins. You’re Scotch-Irish and Nordic. Courtney’s merely a blend the way so many of us are. And think about it. That might be another reason why the demons want her so badly for that ritual.”

“Do you realize how Mal will react to this?”

“He’s already received the report. I suggest you waste no time going over there.”

“Where are you dragging me now?” Courtney appeared in the doorway.

“To the cigar-smoking gnome.”

“Gross.” But she followed Maggie. “Do you actually do any work here?”

“I’m doing it now. You’re my job.” What she wouldn’t give to roust a nest of revenants or even a man-eating crocodile. They descended into the Dungeon.

“At least I’ll finally get the whole story.” Courtney stepped inside the Grecian temple and looked around with her mouth open. “How cool.”

Maggie didn’t bother looking at her boss. She was too busy looking at Declan seated in front of Mal’s desk. She didn’t need to be psychic to know he was worried about something, but the small smile he gifted her with held the memory of their time in the dream realm.

“Kid, you’ve got an interesting bloodline,” Mal said without greeting, gesturing to two chairs by Declan. “You have any idea of your ancestors?”

“Dad once started a family tree. The papers are in the storage unit. Why?”

Mal looked at each one of them and then focused on Courtney. “What has O’Malley told you?”

“That she’s a witch, Declan’s a demon, and from everything that’s happened, I figured somebody wants to kill me. Although I don’t know why.” She moved around in her chair.

“You better let me tell her, Mal,” Maggie spoke up. “You’re not exactly the most tactful.”

“Shit, I’m more tactful than any of you,” he groused, lighting up another cigar. He offered one to Declan, who politely refused.

Maggie looked at the girl’s face. The sullen, smart-mouthed teenager was gone. In the space of twenty-four hours, Courtney had grown up. The last thing Maggie wanted to do now was relate things that no child should learn, but she knew it had to be done. And better from her than from Mal.

“Just tell her!” he barked, causing Courtney to jump.

“Yeah, tell me, Maggie.” Her dark eyes pleaded for the whole story. “And don’t leave anything out.”

“Do you know who the Mayans are?” Maggie began.

“Sure. We went to Mexico when I was little and took one of those corny tours where you see these big stone temples and stuff.” Courtney laughed. “So, what, you think I’m some long-lost Mayan priestess or something? Is that why you wanted blood tests?”

“Not exactly, although you do have some Mayan blood in you. But we already knew that, and that was why Mick chose you. There’s a small cult of Mayan priests who’ve been around for centuries. They plan to bring back one of their gods.”