Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend

by Linda Wisdom

  “Just like in the ancient Mayan temples, there was so much dark magick smothering the place that our sorcerers almost died cleansing it. My best warriors were down for weeks. Some of them never recovered and were babbling idiots for the rest of their lives.”

  Maggie shifted uneasily in her chair. Even Elle paid attention, moving across Maggie’s skin from her spine to her shoulder and up her neck.

  “I do not like this,” Elle whispered in Maggie’s ear.

  “The idea of becoming a babbling idiot doesn’t sound all that great to me, either. Why didn’t you say all this in front of the team?” she asked.

  A computer flash drive materialized in front of Mal. He handed it over to Maggie. “Everything you need to know about the Mayans but were afraid to ask. The trouble is that there’s next to no intel on the Destroyer.”

  “The same one we’re going to prevent from being returned to this plane?” She palmed the drive and tucked it in her jeans pocket.

  “Let’s hope you succeed, because if this asshole is as bad as the last one, we’re well and truly fucked.” He waved them away as he shuffled off the chair and left the conference room.

  Maggie and Declan were quiet as they left the administration building.

  He looked around the compound, taking in the flurry of activity everywhere he gazed. “It’s amazing how much power this place generates and that you can keep it so well protected. How do you make sure visitors don’t go where they shouldn’t?”

  “How quickly you forget.” She inclined her head toward his visitor medallion. “They’re keyed to where you’re allowed to go. If you try to enter the wrong building, you’ll get a jolt that will make the last time feel like a love tap. We don’t allow that many visitors in here or provide guided tours, so you should be honored you’ve been here more than once.”

  “Do I get a prize if I’m here a certain number of times?”

  “Just the chance to live.”

  Declan grasped her arm and turned her to face him. “Why do you deny it, Maggie?”

  “Deny what?” She wasn’t about to state the obvious, even if he was.

  “Our attraction to each other.” His eyes glowed silver.

  She felt her breath hitch in her chest. “Not so. We’re the Hatfields and the McCoys. Capulets and Montagues.”

  “They were lovers.” He moved closer, until she could sense the heat and scent of his skin.

  She deliberately didn’t look at his face. “Yeah, and look how that turned out. Witches tend to stay among themselves. We don’t branch out because it never ends well.”

  “What about your friend Jazz who’s with a vampire? Stasi with a wizard, and Blair with a Were?” he pointed out.

  This time she looked up to meet his eyes. She felt the immediate pull but mentally dug in her heels to resist. He smelled so good and looked so good… although she wished he’d let go of the black wardrobe.

  “I see you’ve done your homework. Fine, there are times opposites do attract, but there were special circumstances. Jazz and Nick have been together off and on for centuries. Stasi deserved someone special, and Trev was meant for her—even if Cupid started it as a joke. Except the joke backfired on him. As for Blair and Jake, well, he’d been visiting her in dog form for so long it was natural they’d take that next step. That’s not us,” she maintained.

  Maggie, who could read the signs long before she was attacked, who knew how to avoid traps, didn’t see it coming until she was in Declan’s arms and his mouth was on hers.

  Wow, even better than in my dreams. How can someone taste this good?

  She wrapped her tongue around his, feeling his heat surround her while the world spun. Declan muttered strange words in the language of demons as he pressed light kisses around her eyes and back down to her mouth. She could feel her blood begin to boil.

  For one insane moment, Maggie thought about dragging him back to her quarters. The idea of the two of them in bed was incredibly tempting. Declan naked on her sheets would truly seem like a dream come true.

  “If you keep this up, I will have to spin a web to hide your activities,” Elle hissed in her ear. “Just remember to make his death swift when you are finished with him. I like him.”

  Maggie blinked rapidly and stepped back. Mortification sent red up her throat while she looked around. She was stunned to see everyone walking around acting as if they hadn’t seen her lose her mind for a few brief moments. She felt off balance and, for a second, thought about taking Declan down.

  He waited quietly, watching the varied emotions cross her face. “You can’t deny it now, can you? There’s something there, Maggie. What’s so wrong in pursuing it?”

  “I have a job to do. You’re a part of this as well. I don’t know what exactly you are to me, but all that matters right now is the operation ahead of us.” Despite her words, she gave in to her need to lean toward him. The heat of his skin called out to her, warming her better than any coat or blanket could. The idea of curling up with him on a cold winter’s night was very appealing.

  “And the way Mal made it sound, we could all be killed.” His eyes flared with silver flame as he watched her.

  “You’re a civilian. You can bow out anytime.” Her smile indicated she knew he’d do the exact opposite.

  “Or seize the day, as they say.” The sizzle in his gaze shot up her internal temperature. “Have dinner with me tonight. Not in the dream realm, but in the here and now,” he said. He named a popular place in the city. “Eight o’clock?”

  “Getting a last-minute reservation there is impossible.” Dinner with Declan in the real world. Definitely too good to turn down.

  Declan smiled. “Do you honestly think someone can resist me?”

  Maggie smiled back.

  “Eight o’clock and I will meet you there, because I’d hate for you to make the trip out here twice in one day.” She tapped him on the chest.

  “Very good. Oh, and Maggie,” he leaned over to whisper in her ear, “the only weapon you’ll need tonight is perfume.”

  For once, she was speechless as she watched him walk away.

  “I am going along, am I not?” Elle asked from her spot on Maggie’s shoulder.

  “He said no weapons, and you’re listed as one of my weapons.”

  “But I’m a fun weapon.” The arachnid tipped her head to one side and then reared up, showing the red hourglass on her tummy. “I make sex an unforgettable pleasure for my partners.”

  “It’s only unforgettable until they’re dead when it’s all over. This is why you have so much trouble finding dates on the Web.” She dodged a ferret racing along and headed for her quarters.

  “I know you won’t go without me,” Elle said, pointedly ignoring Maggie’s comment. “We must have Sybil help us choose what you’ll wear tonight. Her taste is ultra-romantic. And which perfume is Declan talking about?” Elle chattered away while Maggie walked.

  Except Maggie wasn’t hearing a word. She was still wondering how dinner was going to go without either her or Declan ending up as dessert.

  How would Declan feel about being covered in hot fudge with me holding a spoon?

  “Your thoughts are giving you away.”

  Maggie felt warm all over.

  “You have no idea.”

  Chapter 9

  Declan’s expectation that Maggie would be late and make an entrance was mistaken. She arrived at the restaurant at eight on the dot and attracted more than her share of attention as she followed the maître d’ across the dining area.

  Her sapphire-blue dress was short and flirty with a saucy ruffle along the hem and narrow straps a man would ache to lower as he kissed her golden shoulders. She’d arranged her short hair in loose curls that curved around her cheeks.

  He wasn’t looking at a witch who could take down a hulking creature without breaking a sweat. He was looking at a witch who was pure female calling to his male.

  She is mine.

  “You look lovely,” he told her,
standing up as she approached the table.

  “Thank you.” She smiled, but he was convinced she didn’t feel as confident as she looked.

  Declan dismissed the maître d’ and seated Maggie, inhaling the sexy scent of her perfume.

  “Have you ever eaten here?” he asked as she was handed her menu.

  “No, I seem to go more for burgers and chili dogs, but I always like trying something new.” She looked up as the sommelier presented a bottle of champagne to Declan and the glasses were filled. “Are we celebrating something?”

  “You having dinner with me.” He held his champagne flute up for a toast. “To a successful mission—and to more dinners.”

  “To seeing you wear something other than black.” She nodded toward his black shadow-striped silk shirt and slacks.

  “Did Elle accompany you?” He glanced at her bare arms.

  “Elle is always with me when I leave the compound.” Maggie laid her small bag on the table. The jeweled spider was artfully placed on the sapphire silk fabric like a brooch. Elle waved one foreleg at him demurely.

  “Don’t worry… she’ll behave.” Maggie set the menu down. “Do you have any suggestions?”

  “If you’d like, I’ll order. Is there anything you absolutely don’t like?”

  “Don’t order snails, and we’ll be fine.” She smiled, watching him as he spoke flawless French to the waiter and then turned to her to explain.

  “To start, I thought of gratinée de coquilles St. Jacques, which is scallops with a crust of bread crumbs and grated cheese. For the entrée, terrine de saumon aux épinards and riz spécial—salmon and spinach terrine and rice pilaf—and for dessert, custard with fresh berries.”

  He fancied a soft spotlight shone down on her. “If we’re meant to go into a battle soon, we may as well have a beautiful meal first. Perhaps get to know each other better.”

  “Tell me more about yourself as a child, Declan.” She sipped her champagne. “Were you, pardon the pun, a hellion as a boy? Did you create mayhem and mischief everywhere you went?”

  He suddenly wished he had something stronger to drink. If she had been any other woman, he would have brushed off her question and diverted her attention to another subject. But he knew Maggie wouldn’t allow that. She wanted a truthful answer, or she’d get up and leave.

  And for the first time, he wanted to speak the whole truth.

  “As you know, my father raised me,” he said quietly. “This was not the life you see on television. It was harsh. He wasn’t happy if I didn’t follow his rules and meted out punishment for the least infraction.

  “While I was embarrassed anytime I burned something down, my father was proud. He said it showed the power I had, and he wouldn’t have minded if someone died because of me. I’m grateful that never happened.”

  “Is Anna also half demon and half human?” she spoke softly enough that no one could overhear their conversation.

  “No, she’s my half sister but a full-blooded demon—and it appears she is a Seer.” He leaned back as a bubbling dish of coquilles St. Jacques was placed before them.

  “You never realized that was her gift, even with her nightmares?”

  “That’s the thing. Although I’ve always felt Anna was special, I only saw them as nightmares or night terrors. I never thought of visions because there aren’t any Seers in our family tree.”

  “What would I see on your branch?” She smiled after her first bite of savory scallops and immediately took a second one.

  “Warriors like yourself, some sorcerers, a few incubi, and more than a few succubae. One cousin owns an S and M club in Manhattan.” He preferred looking at Maggie to eating his food, but he wasn’t about to insult the chef by ignoring the delectable fare in front of him.

  “And what about you? What is your specialty?”

  “Business and finance. When I showed a flair for numbers, my father,” his lips twisted at the last word, “sent me to Cal Poly and then Wharton. He saw me as the next Donald Trump.”

  “And instead you’re running a nightclub.”

  Declan shook his head. “I own it. I made sure every i was dotted and every t was crossed to ensure there were no loopholes they could use against me.”

  “No offense, but blood always tells.”

  “I leave the dirty work to my cousins.” He paused while their plates were taken away and replaced with the main course.

  Maggie fingered her water goblet. “I admit you’re nothing like any demon I’ve met. Maybe it has to do with your mother’s blood, since I haven’t heard of many half-demons around.”

  “Most die before they’re a year old, if not at birth. My father considered me a novelty and portrayed me as such in his household.”

  “I worked for a physician in 1803,” Maggie said. “He had been under the eye of the Guard because supes in the area disappeared under suspicious circumstances and the not-so-nice doctor was the prime suspect. I didn’t realize he knew what I was until I woke up one morning strapped to a table. He didn’t know I was a Guard, so he didn’t kill me.

  “Somehow he figured out I was a witch, and he wanted to find out what made me one,” Maggie said softly. “I had no idea how he found out, since I never used my power around humans. By then, all that mattered was that I made sure he didn’t try to dissect me.”

  “What happened to him?”

  “His obituary read that he had a heart attack.” She held out a hand, the fingertips sizzling with power.

  “Seems we’re getting too serious here. So tell me, Maggie, what’s your sign?”

  Her laughter was just what he wanted. He saw it as the next step, because there was no way he was going to back down from this woman.

  ***

  Maggie had to admit that Declan knew his food. Every bite melted in her mouth, and a few times, she was positive her taste buds experienced an orgasm.

  At the end of the meal, she sipped coffee and nibbled on rich champagne truffles while Declan enjoyed a glass of cognac.

  “I enjoyed this. Thank you very much.” She noted the disappointment in the back of his eyes at the idea the evening was coming to an end. “I wonder if you’d like to do some surveillance work tonight.”

  “Not my idea of after-dinner fun. I thought we might visit a club—no, not mine—and listen to music or dance.”

  She reached inside her bag and pulled out a slip of paper. “Even if I have the address of the home Courtney’s staying in? I’d really like to get a look before I start playing my role.”

  He took the paper from her and studied the address. “I know where this is… not all that far from a favorite club of mine that plays excellent blues.”

  “Spy, then music. I can do that.” She lifted an eyebrow.

  “I’ll drive.” He gestured for the bill and guided her out of the restaurant.

  Maggie eyed Declan’s BMW 335 convertible with open avarice. “Very nice,” she said as he helped her into the passenger seat. She pulled the paper out of her bag and gave him the address.

  As he roared away from the restaurant and glided through traffic, Maggie noticed her hair wasn’t ruffled from the wind.

  “Protections for passengers,” Declan said, easily reading her mind.

  “Female passengers who don’t like getting their hair mussed.” She watched the buildings fly by, changing from city high-rises and apartment buildings to homey neighborhoods.

  “It’s a group home,” she said. “About ten kids live there. I also told Mal it’s better if I’m like a third cousin instead of an aunt.”

  “Here’s Oaktree Lane,” Declan announced, making a sharp left turn.

  “That must be it.” She felt the car slow down as they neared the two-story house. “Hide us from curious eyes, keep us silent, and do it now.” Maggie invoked a protection spell. Soft gray light floated over the car, starting at the hood. “If anyone senses anything, they’ll think it’s a dog,” she told him. “Just don’t try any fancy moves or rev the engine.”
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br />   “A couple of lights are on upstairs,” Declan commented, pulling over to the curb. “Did you think you could see her by parking out here, or do you have a spell for that?”

  “I have a crystal that works great for that, but this time around I just wanted to see where she was living.” Maggie studied the house. With the moonlight, she could see it was painted cream with burnt-orange trim and that the yard was well cared for with several bicycles lying on the wraparound porch.

  “Why her?” she mused.

  “Ravenna said she has true blood in her veins.” He switched off the engine.

  “If so, you’d think they’d want to make her some kind of priestess or something.”

  “I don’t have to tell you that blood sacrifices offer a lot of power. Since somebody’s planning to raise the Destroyer, they’ll need all the magick they can get. How do you know they won’t look for anyone else who carries what they call ‘the true blood’ if we manage to stop them?”

  “This is why I hate those who use blood magick. All they do is create chaos,” she murmured. She cocked her head and threw out her senses. “Do you hear that?”

  Declan stilled. “A window opening. Whoever is doing it is experienced, because very few humans could hear it.”

  “It sounds like it’s coming from the back.” Then she noticed a motorcycle rolling toward them with its headlight and engine off. She touched Declan’s arm, but he’d already seen their visitor.

  A sprightly figure ran from the rear of the house and down the lawn. The motorcycle rider hopped off his bike and grabbed her in his arms. After a long kiss, she climbed on the bike behind him. They rolled silently up the street at first, and then he switched on the ignition.

  “Do you hear it?” Maggie lifted her face.

  “Hear what?”

  Darkness momentarily surrounded her. “Drums,” she whispered. Seconds passed when she shook her head indicating there was only silence now.

  “Shall we follow her?” Declan asked, already turning on the engine.