“Mayhap we should tend to our own funeral,” Pierce said, opening the drawer where I keep my magnetic chalk and sketching a large circle around Ivy and Lee. “The drug will be spent soon. It’s like watching a corned pixy.” Finished, he stood, examined the size of the circle, then picked up my splat gun from the floor, forgotten till now.

Lee stood indignantly in the uninvoked circle. “What do you want a gun for?”

“It’s a dash-it-all fine weapon,” Pierce said, looking at his pants pocket and frowning. “The demon set me to watch her, so I’ll be fine outside the circle, but I don’t set much store on a demon’s word.” Pierce snatched up his coat, shrugged it on, and dropped the splat gun into one of the large front pockets.

Looking doubtful, Lee invoked his circle, and a wash of purple-tinted ever-after rose up.

“Al-l-l-l-l-l-l,” I called, using my free hand to position my pinkie properly, squinting when I accidentally shifted my thumb off the right glyph. Damn it, this was hard, and I exhaled when I finally got everything in place. “Al!” I shouted, touching my awareness to the ley line out back. Power flooded into me, and I gasped. “Ooooh, that feels good!” I said, and Pierce flushed.

“Al!” I called again, glad the others were safe in a circle. “Get over here or I’m going to come over there and kick. Your. Ass.” Stupid, dumb demon, I thought, pressing my hand into the mirror. Trying to weasel out of our deal. “Talk to me, Al!” I demanded. “You slimy little no-good son-of-a-bastard demon!”

My eyes widened, and my pulse jerked faster as I felt my mind expand when Al picked up. A shot of clarity struck through, showing me with a frightening sureness how stupid I was being. Shit. What in hell am I doing?

Good God, Rachel, can’t you go five minutes … sweet sticky hell on a stick! the demon exclaimed, his thoughts reeling from anger to concern as he realized I was hopped up on something. Where … Your church? What are you on, itchy witch?

“I want my name back, and I want it now,” I said aloud. “And take your damned mark off!

“Hey!” I yelped as Al suddenly vanished and I was thrown back into the muzzy slop of my drugged haze. Putting a hand to my stomach, I set the mirror aside and used the table to pull myself upright. I didn’t feel so good anymore. “He’s coming,” I said. Whoo-hoo! Here we go!

Al popped in as if he belonged, used to my kitchen almost as much as I was to his. He frowned at Pierce, then did a double take at Ivy and Lee, safe in the protection circle. “Stanley Saladan?” the demon purred, smiling evilly, and the man’s face went ashen.