Page 8 of Incubus with Benefits
Lily gave him a curt nod. “I’m fine. What happened?”
“They kicked in your door,” he said. “Your neighbor called the cops. They came, saw the mess, took a report. They just left. Said they can’t really do anything if they didn’t take anything of value, and to contact them if anything’s missing. Completely useless if you ask me.”
It was only now that he noticed me standing several steps behind Lily.
I stepped forward and offered my hand. “Julian. I’m a friend of Lily’s.”
He shook it, eyes flicking to me with the kind of look that said I hope you’re more useful than the idiots who just left. “Mr. Kim. I own the building and live on the top floor.”
“I saw the camera out front,” I said. “Did it catch anything?”
Mr. Kim snorted.
It was Lily who replied. “That camera has been on the fritz since last week.”
“Yes. They’re supposed to come in to fix it today.” Mr. Kim shook his head. “I’m sorry again. Your place is a mess. I didn’t touch anything. I thought you should see it first, but I did call someone to fix the door jamb and put in a new lock for you. They’re on their way. I’ll stay to watch the place so you can get back to work. But take a look and see if anything’s missing. Jen said they ran out empty-handed when she set off the alarm.”
“Thanks, Mr. Kim.” Lily started up the stairs, and I followed behind, my senses on high alert. But again, I felt no immediate danger.
Her door, the first one on the right, hung crooked on its hinges, the wood around the lock splintered and useless. I stepped in behind her, and the shift hit instantly.
The apartment was a mess, just like Mr. Kim had said. The furniture was overturned, and Lily’s belongings were scattered about like someone had been searching for something. But it wasn’t just the mess. The air was charged with magic; it clung to the walls, sharp and invasive.
Lily wrinkled her nose. “Something about this feels familiar. But I can’t place it.”
“Is there anything they might be interested in besides you? They were looking for something else too.”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure they were looking to take anything.” She pointed to a table where a prettily painted bowllay cracked, and several candles were broken in half. On the floor in front of it were shards of crystals that looked like someone had taken a hammer to them. Then she turned and looked at the area above her front door; the hook there was empty, and several bells lay on the floor.
“What am I seeing?” There was something important here, but it was over my head.
“They destroyed my shrine and my protection. My wards are down, and I hadn’t even noticed until now.” She looked shaken. “First my job. Now this?”
Lily went around her place, and while things were broken, nothing was missing. It was almost like they smashed one of her computer monitors and tossed her speakers clear across the room, just so it wouldn’t look like they’d come only for the magical artifacts. By the time we got to her bedroom, she was fuming and anger was curling off her aura in hot pink smoke.
“My shoes!” She ran to a wall of cubbies and the pile of footwear littered around it. Damn, there were plenty more where the pair she wore came from. One pair lay on the floor, heels snapped and the leather scratched.
My eyes drifted to the colorful, but broken, glass orbs and suncatchers on the floor by the window. More of her protective magic destroyed. I’d seen enough. This was definitely connected to last night.
“They targeted anything that might protect you. You are not staying here alone. Pack the essentials. You’re staying with me.”
“But I need to get this place cleaned.”
“I’ll send someone.”
“To go through my stuff?” She cocked a hip. “Hell no!”
“Okay, then we'll come back and do it later. But you’re not staying here.”
She looked like she was about to argue, so I pulled the coven card. I took out my phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling Prax, since I don’t have Penny’s number. We can let your coven decide.”
She deflated. “Okay, okay. Fine! I already know what they’re going to say.” Her looks turned sly. “And besides, I told them I’m still working on the ‘asking for it’ part.” She winked and stepped over a pile of shoes to get to her closet, where she pulled out a piece of rolling luggage. As she bent to pick it up, the hem of her dress shortened considerably. She grinned back at me.
The little cock tease. “Careful, Lily. I’m not the kind of demon you tease unless you’re ready to face the consequences.” I sent a smoky tendril of my soulstuff over to her, wrapping it around her legs.
