Locating addresses from Dante’s list of names required a little sleuthing here and there, but for the most part, I didn’t have much difficulty finding them. Unfortunately, once found, these magicians weren’t exactly helpful.

One of the ones I visited knew me. She was familiar with Hell’s local servants, and while she gave me a small degree of respect, she was as hesitant to answer questions as Dante had insinuated. Two of the other names were people who didn’t know me, and that immediately created a problem. With my succubus powers shut off, I had no immortal signature, and both of these people were the types who could sense that. Me coming in and claiming to be a succubus was met with scorn and disbelief. I managed to glean some information from them but nothing of any use.

Equally difficult was that not only could they not sense me, I couldn’t sense them. Admittedly, a succubus didn’t have the same ability to gauge human power the way a full-fledged demon could, but I could occasionally sense magic around a person or object. Today, I was completely blind. I had to rely on my strength to read people, but these dark magicians were as good at cons as Dante. They were well-versed in the art of concealing the truth.

It was almost noon by the time I visited the last name, a guy named Greg. I felt pretty discouraged by this point and even cracked and had a cigarette along the way. Greg had no storefront like Dante and mostly worked his spells out of his house, a small bungalow in Wallingford. When he answered the door, his disheveled state told me I’d woken him up. On the bright side, he recognized me, which meant I wouldn’t have to convince him I was a succubus.

“What do you want?” he asked suspiciously. He was built big and could have had an impressive physique if he’d ever gone to the gym. It was obvious he hadn’t.

“I wanted to talk to you about demon summoning.”

“I don’t know anything about it.”

He started to shut the door. I stuck my foot out to block it. “Wait. Do you know anyone who would?”

“No. And even if I did, what makes you think I’d tell you?” He tried to close the door again, then paused. He narrowed his already too-small eyes at me. “There’s something weird about you. No aura.”

I didn’t answer right away. “Maybe you’re losing your touch.”

This actually brought a small smile. “Not likely. What happened? Who got summoned?”

“No one. And even if they did, what makes you think I’d tell you?” I mimicked.