SEDUCTIVE SUPERNATURALS: 12 Tales of Shapeshifters, Vampires & Sexy Spirits (150 page)

“Contrary to popular opinion, it isn’t always about ‘size’,” I snapped, but she clearly didn’t get my sad, sad attempt at humor.

“Simply put, there are evil demons and good demons,” she said.

“
Good
demons?”

“Yes. Despite what you may think, that is not a contradiction in terms. Just as humans are divided into good and evil, so are the demons.” She sighed again and suddenly looked every one of her like two hundred years. “Not
all
demons are at war with humanity. Some simply want to live their lives and do what they can to blend into human society.”

I huffed out a breath. “Well,” I muttered, “Jett should try harder.”

“He’s young,” she said with a lift of one shoulder.

I couldn’t believe it. My own Guide wasn’t giving me all the facts. Jett was a ‘good’ demon? I was just getting used to the idea of demons at all. Now I find out there were good ones and bad ones?

“Just how the hell am I supposed to tell the difference without a damn scorecard?” I asked, but Jasmine didn’t have an answer.

* * *

Saturday evening and all was good. Joey had called to say I could pick up my car in the morning. My new outfit looked terrific—except for the thong Rachel had talked me into. Just couldn’t wear it. Drove me nuts, but later, I’d tell Rachel I
had
worn it and she’d be happy. I had killed a demon and survived and was well on my way to finding a way to deal with Logan. And the cherry on top of my personal sundae?

My date.

“I can’t believe you have a DATE.”

I only glanced at Thea. To be honest, I didn’t have time to get involved in one of our long ‘discussions’ that always happened whenever she wasn’t speaking to me.

Especially since she’d been at me for a half hour, ever since Jett suddenly decided he’d rather be in the safety of his own home. Hey, I’m reasonable. I hadn’t been crazy about the kid
before
I knew he was a demon. And I’m even willing to let him keep coming around—Hadn’t Jasmine herself told me that not
all
demons were evil? Some, like Jett, were apparently just annoying.

But like I said, no time for this. Devlin would be there to pick me up at any minute and I was having hair issues.

Not to mention, I was still shaky—this, long after I’d showered, shampooed and showered some more, just to make sure I’d washed off all the demon dust. YEESH.

I poofed my hair with my fingers and frowned as the few waves I’d been able to produce flattened out a moment later. Screw it. I’d just have to dazzle the man enough that he didn’t notice my hair. I almost laughed. Sure. Dazzle. Although, had to say, my outfit was excellent.

The red silk shirt Rachel had found dipped low enough to provide a peek at my boobs and the full, long sleeves covered the bruise I’d gotten while fighting my first demon. My black skirt was short, a couple inches above my knees and I was wearing my new black sandals with the three inch heels (and yes, I had needed the 8). My feet already hurt, but they made my legs look great.

And, while Thea was complaining about my treatment of the poor little Jett demon, I opened my Judith Leiber black satin evening bag and paused just long enough to stroke the smooth, expensive fabric for good luck. Then I dropped in my perfume, a lipstick, my house key and twenty bucks.

Lastly, I added a travel sized perfume spritzer filled with demon acid. You just never know.

“I was completely humiliated and may NEVER recover,” Thea was saying. “Jett was hurt. He couldn’t believe you could be so cruel.”

“Cruel?” I asked. “One little squirt? Kind of a whiny demon, isn’t he?”

“Mother,” Thea inhaled sharply and blew the air out in a rush, “you could have blinded him or something and you didn’t even
care.
”

With one final look in the mirror, I figured I’d done all I could and turned to face my darling daughter.

“Baby girl, the kid’s a demon.”

“You’re prejudiced.”

“Against demons?” I said with a shrug. “I can live with that.”

Good demon/bad demon. Didn’t really matter what Jasmine had to say, I was keeping a wary watch over the little creep demon.

She set both hands on her narrow hips. “Jett is COMPLETELY cool.”

“And as long as he remains cool, I’ve got no problem with him.” Well, so far only minor ones, like the piercings.

“You’re not going to kill him?” She looked at me warily.

Hmm. How to answer? When I’d first discovered the truth about the little twit, my first instinct had been the ol’ hand through the chest move. Amazing just how quickly I was getting to be okay with that maneuver. But Thea was right. She’d known him for months and he’d never been anything but irritating. Hardly a death penalty offense.

“No,” I said, as that mental decision was made. “But I
am
going to keep an eye on him.”

“God, MOTHER,” she said, “he’s not a criminal or something. He can’t help it that he was born a demon, you know. It’s not like he’s done something hideously wrong or something.”

“Yeah, I get that,” I said, totally patient and hey, good for me, “but when a demon wants to hang out with my kid, I’m going to be careful.”

“You’re being completely unreasonable.”

“Then my work here is done.” Hey, nobody ever said being your kid’s friend was easy. Besides, she already had friends. Time to be the mom.

The doorbell rang, thank God, preventing Thea from saying anything else. I grabbed my bag and headed for the door, with Thea and Sugar just a step or two behind me. I slapped a sophisticated smile on my face, opened the door and shouted, “
Logan
?”

He sailed past me into the house, wafting some delicious smells under my nose. “I brought Chinese.”

“HIM?” Thea squealed, appalled. “You got my FATHER to BABYSIT me while you’re on a DATE?”

“I didn’t—“

“You have a date?” Logan asked, one black eyebrow lifting right into his hairline.

“I don’t NEED a sitter, I’m old enough to BE a sitter,” Thea sputtered.

“I didn’t—“

“Who’s the date with?” Logan demanded, clutching his white sack filled with what smelled like egg rolls and beef and broccoli to his chest.

“I can’t believe how you’re treating me,” Thea said.

“I didn’t do anything to you,” I said to Thea then shifted my glare to Logan, “and I don’t think it’s any of your business who my date’s with.”

Logan put the bag of food on the coffee table, crossed really muscular arms across what I knew to be a hard, broad chest and braced his feet wide apart, like some caveman ready to tie up ‘woman’ and throw her into the back of the cave. “Who is this guy? Do I know him?”

“I don’t think so,” I said and looked at Thea, “I didn’t invite your father here. He just...came.”

A rustle of paper caught Logan’s attention and he grabbed up the food just as Sugar was readying to make her move.

“He’s not staying,” Thea said.

“No, he’s not,” I agreed, grateful that my daughter and I were finally on the same side.

“Yes, I am,” Logan said and holding onto the paper sack of delicious aromas, he grabbed my elbow with his free hand, smiled tightly at Thea and dragged me off a ways to hiss and whisper into my face.

“You’re going on a date? But we—“

“—kissed. It wasn’t an eternal commitment.”

“It was a great kiss,” he pointed out—apparently unnecessarily, as my blood started pumping the moment he leaned in closer. Oh yeah, I remembered the kiss and it seemed like my body was really more than ready for a second go round.

However...places to go, gorgeous guys to see.

“Yeah, it was, Logan—”

“Cassie—“

The doorbell rang again and I whirled around to face it. Saved by the bell. Again. “Crap. Logan. Thea. Go away.”

“
I
live here,” Thea announced hotly. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I want to meet the date,” he said, already narrowing his gaze on the door like he was ready to do battle. What was this? A testosterone infection?

“Are you serious?” The doorbell rang again and I glanced from Logan to the closed door and back again. “How’m I supposed to explain you being here?”

“Tell him the truth. That I’m Thea’s father and I’m here to—“

Thea shouted from the couch. “You will NOT tell someone that you’re babysitting me.”

“Oh for God’s sake,” I muttered, turning to open the door. The only way to get through this, was to face it down and then hustle Devlin out before he could figure out just how nuts my family really was.

He looked great. Tall and gorgeous, he was wearing a suit that probably cost enough to feed a small country and boy did it do amazing things for him. He smiled at me and my knees went wonky again. Wow. If he did that too often tonight, he might have to carry me on the date—not necessarily a bad idea.

“You look beautiful,” he said, stepping into the house and handing me a small bouquet of what looked like a dozen tea roses in several different colors.

“Thanks. And thank you for this, too.” I turned and watched Logan’s face freeze up at the same time that Thea’s eyes went wide and appreciative. Good to know the girl had excellent taste in men—Jett notwithstanding.

“Devlin, this is my daughter, Thea,” I said.

“Hi,” Thea’s voice sounded all crooney.

“And this is Logan Miller.”

“Thea’s father,” Logan pointed out.

Well, that wasn’t awkward.

“It’s nice to meet you, Thea,” Devlin said, then nodded at Logan and returned his cool look. Apparently Testosterone infections were highly contagious.

“Well, this has been fun,” I said cheerfully, handing my flowers off to Thea, “put these in water for me honey? And we have to go now.”

“Cassie—“

“MOM.”

“Bye you guys,” I said, waving wildly and nearly shoving Devlin out onto the porch before heartlessly closing the door behind me. No doubt Thea would make me pay later, but for the moment, Logan was her problem.

* * *

“I’m really sorry about the wine stain,” I said and stared up at Devlin as we danced.

“Don’t worry about it.” He tightened his arm around my waist and pulled me in close to him.

I could feel every line and ridge of his body and there was one particular ridge pressing into my abdomen that had my complete attention.

He’d brought me to Magic Nights and it was just as magical as I’d imagined it was. Music pulsed all around us, and splashes of neon shattered the shadows of the upscale club. People crowded the dance floor and conversations and snatches of laughter shot up from the mob like confetti at a party.

I couldn’t believe I was really there. I mean, I’d been seeing pictures of celebrities coming out of this place for years. And now I was here, in the center of it all, with the incredible owner of the place, no less. Was enough to make my head spin, but I couldn’t risk it. Didn’t want to miss anything.

In a shadowy corner booth, a couple were kissing and crawling all over each other, and I was pretty sure it was Brad and Angie. Yep. THAT Brad and Angie. Made me wish for a just a second that I was wearing my Team Aniston tee shirt. There were other famous people there too, of course. Actors and celebrities and one so called singer who should have stayed home with his wife and baby, but who was I to judge?

People clustered around the bar, and the wide mirror behind it reflected the lights and people until it looked as though there were thousands of us packed into Magic Nights. And hey, maybe there were. I
did
notice a certain goateed bartender, who kept trying to avoid my gaze and until I knew for sure he was the guy who’d slammed me, I was willing to let him get away with it.

Besides, there were better things to concentrate on. Like the feel of Devlin’s arms around me and the sigh of his breath on my neck.

If his idea had been to romance me, he was doing a hell of a job. He spun me in a slow circle until the faces and the lights surrounding us blurred like images from a dream. It had all been perfect, so far. At least, except for one blooper.

He had so thrown me for a loop—him with those dark eyes and whisper soft voice—I’d managed to spill half a bottle of four hundred dollar red wine down the front of his suit during dinner. Nothing like a good impression.

“I’ll pay for the cleaning,” I said abruptly as the memory jolted through my brain again. I was praying silently that the dry cleaners could get red wine out of Armani.

“No you won’t,” he said and spun me in a tight, close circle, “I’m keeping it. To remember the night by.”

My mouth twitched. He was just too good to be true. “Please tell me there’s something more memorable about all of this, than my klutzy moment.”

He looked down into my eyes and his dark gaze heated. “There are a lot of things and the night’s not over yet.”

My hoo-hah sent up a cheer, but I managed to keep a lid on things. For God’s sake, I told myself, shaking a mental index finger at me,
What are you thinking? Sex? On a first date
? True. How tacky is that? But what if, my treacherous hoo-hah whimpered, there
wasn’t
a second date?

I mean, how many times in my life am I going to go on a date with a guy like Devlin Cole? Millionaire, gorgeous, charming, gorgeous, funny, and did I mention, gorgeous?

Come on.

“So,” Devlin asked, his voice rumbling just below the music, his breath dusting my ear, “Logan Miller.”

Damn.

We hadn’t talked once about his brief time at my house. And I was sort of hoping we could keep that up. Apparently not.

“What?” I gave him a big smile and batted my eyelashes at him. He wasn’t distracted. Should have used more mascara.

“He’s your daughter’s father.”

“Yep,” I said, giving up on the whole avoidance issue—what was the point? “But we haven’t seen him in years. He just moved back to town recently and he’s been hanging around a lot, trying to get to know Thea.” And, I thought guiltily, checking out my tonsils to see if they’ve changed any.

God.

“So you and he are—“

“Hmm,” I finished for him. “Not really sure, you know? He’s just...”

“In your house,” he finished for me.

Interesting thought. Was he still there? Would he be hanging around waiting for me to get home so he could have me dusted for prints? Nah.