Page 31 of King of Night

My phone dings with a text; it’s Lucas just checking in.I called him as we walked back to Abby’s house.I didn’t tell him about the run-in with the demon yet.He has the ability to day walk right and if he knew a demon approached me, he would show up.

And we can’t have that.

Penny comes over and lays down next to Juliet on the blanket, gently touching her wispy hair.She’s so careful, babbling the word “bay-bay” over and over.It’s freaking adorable, and Abby and I both gush over our daughters for the next hour or so.I leave when Penny goes down for a nap, getting back to The Taproom not long before they open for the day.Lucas, Eliza, and Eamon will have to stay in the back, pretending like the windows aren’t enchanted and the diminishing daylight is harmful.

“Hello lover,” I tell Lucas, giving him a kiss.“Can we talk?”

“What did you do now?”He puts his hands on my shoulders, nuzzling his head against my neck for a moment before he takes Juliet, cradling her against his chest.

“I didn’t do anything this time.Not yet.But I kinda sorta might have booked us a date.”

“A date?”Lucas looks at me skeptically.

“With a demon.”

ChapterFourteen

“I’m going to need you to elaborate on that,” Lucas says, tone level.I am so freaking thankful for his ability to control his emotions way better than I can.

“The demon from last night…she…she possessed someone and talked to me.”I hold up my hand before he can interrupt me.“I don’t trust her, but she knows how to do the angel banishing spell.I haven’t had any updates from Tabatha, which means they’re not making any headway on it.If I know how it’s cast, I can ward against it.Or use it to make other angels take a road trip.”

“It’ll hurt you.”

“Yeah, but the alternative could be worse.You can’t deny that.”

Lucas looks at me, dark blue eyes searing into mine.He doesn’t want to admit it to be true, unable to support any sort of concept that could possible hurt me.“When are we meeting this demon?”

“She calls herself Drea and she said she’ll here around opening.And of course I will put safety measures in place.Demon traps, salt lines, vanquishing potions, and protection charms—the works.I even raided Abby’s spice drawer to make something for luck.And plus, I have this.”I hold up my hand, conjuring a brilliantly mixed ball of raw energy and hellfire.I don’t mean to smile as I look at it, eyes wide as I watch the flames flicker inside the white lines of energy.Fuck, it feels good to hold this.

I flatten my hand, letting the ball grow brighter.It sizzles with energy, illuminating the office.The flames inside start to take on a purple hue and I quickly close my hand.Hellfire burns red.Underworldfire burns blue.When you combine the two, it creates a beautiful shade of purple and soothes my soul just by looking at it.

I blink, getting hit with the sudden thought that this is exactly what I’m supposed to do: unite two Hells.

“Continue with your elaboration,” Lucas says and I look up, catching just the slightest bit of worry on his handsome face.“Why are we meeting with this demon instead of kill it?”

“She wants to help me stop Paimon.”

Lucas just stares at me, as if he’s waiting for the punchline to the joke.“And you believe her?”

“No, not fully.”

“But a little?”He raised his eyebrows.“Callie, my love, let’s be realistic here.”

“I know, I’m trying.And it’s realistic to think not all demons would want to bow down to Paimon.And we’re not going to become best friends after this, but if I can get any sort of intel on how to take that motherfucker down, we should try, right?His projection is strong.I don’t know how to fight him and win.”

Lucas continues to stare at me, taking a long breath in and letting out an annoying sigh.Dammit.He doesn’t need to breath.I’m really pushing it with him.

“At the very least, I can lock her in the basement and we can torture answers out of her.We know how to bind a demon inside a body now.”

“I heard someone mention torture,” Eamon says, appearing in the doorway of the office.“I can be of service.”

“You’re still here?”I roll my eyes.

He fakes being insulted.“That hurts.I thought you cared.”

“Don’t want to risk that,” I reply in a level tone, but Eamon isn’t paying much attention to me anymore.He’s looking at Juliet, who’s awake, trying to focus her fuzzy eyesight on her father’s face.I smile when I look at them, heart so happy despite the shit show going down around us.

She’s the reason I’m doing this.For our family.I just really hope it’s worth it in the end.If we can defeat Paimon, it will be.

---