Cedric snapped his chair forward and sat up. “He can take it up with me. I’ll tell him I didn’t want you here either.” There was something mischievous in his eyes, like he almost hoped Jerome might pick a fight. Uneasily, I remembered Nanette’s words. You’re being played from every angle and don’t even realize it.

“Okay,” I said finally. “Thanks.”

Cedric glanced toward the door, his expression lightening. “Ah, Kristin’s back.” A few moments later, I sensed the imp’s signature as well. I stood up, and he gestured me to the door with a smile. “Have a good drive. And grab a donut on your way out.”

Chapter 5

Jerome was waiting for me in my apartment as soon as I stepped through the door.

“You have some nerve,” he growled.

I set my suitcase down. Normally that tone of voice would have set me hiding, but I was in no mood to listen to him now after my long drive—or rather, lack of a drive. There’d been an accident that had put traffic at a standstill, and I’d sat in my car for a very long and very annoying time.

“Look, Cedric told me to,” I said, crossing my arms as though they might actually shield me from him. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You’re not supposed to do what he says.” Jerome sat on the arm of my couch and flicked his cigarette over a nearby ashtray, which I took as a great courtesy on his part. “You’re supposed to do what I say.”

“He told me to go home. He didn’t have anything for me to do until the Satanists had their breakfast meeting.”

Jerome’s glare momentarily faltered. “What are you talking about?”

“What are you talking about? I’m talking about Cedric sending me home early.”

“And I’m talking about your failure to notify me of his little stunt last night.”

Last night? I racked my brain. Last night I’d been killing time shopping and destroying a man’s self-esteem. To my knowledge, Cedric had done nothing after I left except continue his quest to destroy Wikipedia’s informative empire.

“What’d he do?” I asked. “I didn’t even see him.”

Jerome didn’t answer right away, his face thoughtful. I realized then he was reassessing his initial anger. It wasn’t my early return that had upset him.

“There was a vampire brawl last night,” he said finally. “Somehow, a few of them thought their hunting ground lines had been rearranged. So they started roaming into others’ areas . . .”

“. . . and bad things ensued.” Vampires were as territorial as demons in some ways. Vampires had specific areas that they guarded to stalk victims and were very touchy about other vampires using them. The archdemon of a region usually drew up vampiric lines and enforced them through force and will.

“Unfortunately, yes. Grace and Mei are still sorting it out.”

A panicked thought suddenly struck me. “Are Cody and Hugh okay?”

He shrugged. “A little bruised and battered, but nothing that won’t heal on its own.”