Whiskey Witches, F.J. Blooding [ap literature book list .TXT] 📗

earth, the wind, the water, the bloody fire. You did this, infused me with it. Sven doesn’t stand a chance.”

“And you stayed in the cell of your own volition? Why?”

“To see the look on his face.” The tattooed demon grinned. “Really, it was worth it.”

Paige took a step toward the bars, peering inside. “What happened two hundred years ago?”

“Asking the same question won’t brook a different response. I said it wasn’t your business and I meant that. Sincerely. Now, then, if you don’t mind, I have places to be.”

“Lucius.” She empowered his name with her will. “You will stay.”

He swiped his hand, clearing the air. “No. Actually, I won’t. You see, it’s not only the fact you’re broken. You’d probably be able to control other demons. But me?” He shook his head. “Not me. You created me with your will. I am you.”

With her gifts? What had she done when she’d released him from her body? How had she managed it?

“I don’t know how, and no, I don’t have your gifts.”

“How did you know what I was thinking?”

“Because, love, you were thinking with your face. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really do have to be off.” He headed down the hall.

“Where are you going?”

“To find my brethren. I need to know where they hide. They were not destroyed, for if they were, they would be reborn.”

“Lucius!”

He disappeared in a cloud of shadowy smoke.

Dexx pursed his lips, pointing his finger in the direction the demon had disappeared to. “What just happened?”

“I’m losing my touch.” She spun on her heel and walked into the main room of the precinct. Maneuvering around desks, she entered the conference room. Low book shelves and file cabinets cluttered the space, leaving little room for the long table and hard-backed chairs.

Special Agent Scott stared at the whiteboard, reviewing a few of his notes. He looked up, his thumbnail between his teeth. “What did you find out?”

“Nothing.” Paige perched on the end of the table. “Not a damn thing. Except that he doesn’t follow my command.”

“Why not?”

“He’s a different kind of demon?”

“Are you sure?”

She didn’t know anything anymore. What was she even doing there? Gods! “Pretty sure. Yeah.”

“Hmm. Well, maybe you have to command him differently?”

“Yeah,” Dexx said, joining her on the edge of the table. “Maybe command him with an accent and call him ‘love’. I bet he’d like that.”

“No.” Her heart raced. Everything was so out of control. “I need to think of something else. He changed because of my magick. I don’t know. Anyway. Evidence. Were we able to process anything?”

“A lot of its still in the lab, but we were able to—”

A commotion rose in the precinct.

Paige stood and headed for the door. “What’s going on out here?”

An officer stepped aside.

Paige froze.

Eddie Lopez, victim number three, stood in the doorway, a confused frown on his face. “Can someone tell me where I could find my car?”

“What the hell?” Dexx stopped next to her.

“He’s still dead. He’s dark to me.”

“It never rains…” She walked to Eddie. What the fuck was this now? Shit? Would the crazy never stop? “Mr. Lopez, hello. How are you feeling today?”

“Fine. Why?”

Dexx slipped something from his pocket.

Paige kept between them and Eddie. “How’s your day been so far?”

“I don’t understand. What’s going on?”

“Can you humor me? What did you do so far today?”

“I don’t know you. Duke, who is this person?”

Paige kept herself in the center of his attention. “I’m Detective Paige Whiskey. Please answer my question, sir.”

Eddie narrowed his brown, alert eyes. “I just got back from the game.”

“What game?”

“The softball game. My nieces were playing.”

“Oh. Did they win?”

“No, but softball isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about playing.”

Every twitch, every flicker of expression seemed genuine. What the hell? “What else do you remember?”

“Going home. Why? What is this about?”

“Where did you wake up, sir?”

“In my bed. Why are you asking these questions?”

“When did you wake up in your bed?”

“This morning. Would someone tell me what’s going on here? This is ridiculous.”

His timeline wasn’t jiving. Did he even realize that? “Do you remember being kidnapped, tortured?”

He started to shake his head, then stopped, his gaze dimming for a moment. The X’s that had been carved over his eyes flashed a burning orange for a fleeting moment.

“Where did you wake up, Eddie?” Dexx asked, stepping closer to the man.

“In the morgue. I woke up in the morgue.”

“How did you get here?” Paige asked.

“I—” He closed his eyes, then reopened them. “I hit the doctor in the head. Then I searched for some clothes. These aren’t—these aren’t my clothes.”

They appeared to be a bit frumpy, but that didn’t matter. Not these days. Paige couldn’t judge a person by the clothes they wore. At least, she hadn’t figured out how yet. “Why are you here?”

“For my car.”

“What are you going to do with your car?”

“Go home.”

“Why?”

“I—I don’t know.”

This wasn’t getting her where she needed to go. She needed a different tactic. “Was anyone else with you in the morgue?”

“Yes.” He spoke as if he were in a daze or a trance. “Sven. Sven was there. He told me—” His eyes lit up. “He told me to find you. To give you a message.”

“And what’s the message?”

He paused, staring at the ceiling in thought. “The time’s not right for us, m’dear. But one day soon, you’ll come to me. A love like ours cannot be shared. For all who dare, beware.”

Paige’s face contorted in painful confusion. “What the hell does that mean?”

“I don’t—” He stopped speaking. His abdomen split open and a rush of swallowtail butterflies filled the room. Each butterfly seemed to grow out of him until nothing was left. Not his clothes. Not his skin. Nothing.

Paige stared in stupefied wonder. What the…hell?