Nick choked, spinning slightly with his toes just touching the floor. “Little … bitch,” he gagged, face red and long hair brushing Al’s fingers. “You little bitch. I trusted you …”

“Jax! No!” I exclaimed, hands high as I got between Al and the pixy. He’d get himself killed. “Take the high ground and look for an opening. You can’t take a demon by the front!”

Al looked at me in question from over his glasses, but the small pixy had withdrawn in frustration, and that’s all I was after.

“It’s not what it looks like,” I babbled to Nick. “Al, let him go. You can’t snag him. He’s with me.” I looked at Pierce, but the man was standing in the kitchen beside the coffeepot with his arms crossed, an annoyed expression on his face.

It smelled like the demons’ mall that Al had taken me to once, the burnt amber mixing with the smell of green things, takeout, and brewing coffee. Al grinned to show his thick, flat, blocky teeth, clearly pleased as he held Nick up off the floor with one white-gloved hand. “No,” he said. “He owes me. Got a mark and everything. I need some help in the kitchen, and since the runt over there is babysitting you, this will have to do.”

I looked at Pierce standing in the kitchen beside the gurgling coffeepot. He wasn’t doing anything! But then … what did I expect him to do? It was Al.

Nick’s choking started to sound serious and his face went red. “Al, you’re hurting him!” I exclaimed. “One mark doesn’t give you the right to take him, and you know it. Let him go!”

“Make me,” the demon said with a snicker, and Nick’s legs started to twitch. “Let me jump you to a line, worm. It will be easier that way.”

Was I going to have to force Al to hold to his agreement every bloody time? “Don’t push me on this, Al,” I said, pulse fast as I rocked on the balls of my feet. I could hear Jax’s wings, and prayed he’d stay out of the way. “You agreed. No snagging people with me unless you have a prior claim, and you don’t have one on Nick! Let him go!”

“I was a fool to have … trusted you,” Nick said, gagging, hatred in his bloodshot eyes as spittle formed between his lips.

“This wasn’t my idea,” I barked at him. “I didn’t summon him, he just showed up! Al, let him go!” I tugged the demon’s arm, but nothing moved.

“Wah, wah, wahh,” Al said sarcastically. “You knew what you were getting into, little Nicky. When you invite a demon into your home, you get what you get.”