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Back For a Few Demons More Save as PDF
Chapters (48)
  1. Title Page
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. ONE
  5. TWO
  6. THREE
  7. FOUR
  8. FIVE
  9. SIX
  10. SEVEN
  11. EIGHT
  12. NINE
  13. TEN
  14. ELEVEN
  15. TWELVE
  16. THIRTEEN
  17. FOURTEEN
  18. FIFTEEN
  19. SIXTEEN
  20. SEVENTEEN
  21. EIGHTEEN
  22. NINETEEN
  23. TWENTY
  24. TWENTY-ONE
  25. TWENTY-TWO
  26. TWENTY-THREE
  27. TWENTY-FOUR
  28. TWENTY-FIVE
  29. TWENTY-SIX
  30. TWENTY-SEVEN
  31. TWENTY-EIGHT
  32. TWENTY-NINE
  33. THIRTY
  34. THIRTY-ONE
  35. THIRTY-TWO
  36. THIRTY-THREE
  37. THIRTY-FOUR
  38. THIRTY-FIVE
  39. THIRTY-SIX
  40. THIRTY-SEVEN
  41. THIRTY-EIGHT
  42. THIRTY-NINE
  43. The Undead Pool: An Excerpt
  44. Chapter 2
  45. About the Author
  46. Also by Kim Harrison
  47. Credits
  48. About the Publisher

I wondered what Mrs. Sarong had planned for sunset, then dismissed it. I didn’t like the two of them fighting, but I liked this cooperation even less. Perhaps it was time for a little personal CYA. “The focus is hidden,” I said. Sort of. “It’s in the ever-after,” I continued, and they stared at me, Mr. Ray’s fingers twitching. Liar, I thought, not feeling a twinge of guilt. “Neither of you can find it, much less get it.” Lie, lie, li-i-i-ie. “If I go missing, neither of you gets it. If any of my friends or family go missing, I’m going to destroy it.”

Ever the one to test the limits in as crass a manner as possible, Mr. Ray harrumphed. “And I should take you seriously because…?”

I stood, wanting them to leave. “Because you were ready to hire me to do something you couldn’t. Kill Mrs. Sarong.”

Mrs. Sarong smiled at him and shrugged.

Just a bit more, I thought, and maybe I can sleep tonight. “And because I have a demon who owes me a favor,” I added, my pulse quickening.

No, a small part of my mind whispered, and I stifled a surge of fear for what I was doing. I was accepting that Minias owed me. I was accepting his bargain. I was dealing with demons. But the thought of these two people descending upon my life, setting fire to my church and burning it to the ground in search of that stupid statue filled me with a more immediate fear. Fear for myself, I could deal with. Fear for others, I couldn’t.

“If something happens I don’t like,” I said, “he’s going to come looking for you. And you know what?” My pulse pounded, and I held the table for balance as vertigo took me. “He likes killing things, so he might be a little overzealous about it. It wouldn’t surprise me if he took you both out to be sure he gets the right person.”

Mr. Ray’s eyes dropped to my wrist, my demon mark clearly visible.

“Make your calls,” I said, ready to dissolve into the shakes. “Calm your people. And keep your mouths shut. If the word gets out I’ve got it, it will decrease your chances that you’ll find a way around my demon and get it yourself.” I took a moment and captured their eyes. “Do we have an understanding?”

Mrs. Sarong stood, her purse in her tight grip before her. “Thank you for the drink, Ms. Morgan. It was a most enlightening conversation.”