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“The whole speaking in tongues thing is definitely reminiscent of the council’s work,” I said, “but it isn’t like them to leave so many loose ends. They’re efficient and effective and hate when things lead back to them.”
“That’s what I said.” Hayes threw his hands into the air.
“What’s your take on this?”
“I think this is the work of a lone wizard.” When I didn’t immediately tell him he was wrong, he continued, “Maybe something domestic. A lover’s quarrel. Or nasty break up.”
“That does seem like a likely scenario,” I agreed. We stopped at the door to their office. “In which case, the woman wouldn’t want to be found. She’d be safer lost than under protection. The culprit could even be banking on the police helping him find the woman.”
“Shit. I didn’t think of that,” Cooley said.
“I’ll look into it discreetly and keep you two updated. Do me a favor and keep this suspect—” I gestured down the hallway “—locked up until tomorrow morning?”
“Sure thing, Eamon.” Cooley didn’t even ask why. Instead, she gave me a final nod before I turned and left the precinct.
I walked several blocks down the street and turned into a quiet alleyway. Then, making sure there were no cameras or witnesses, I morphed my physiology, turning into the man currently being detained. I wasn’t able to make myself smell like him but hoped that the people I planned on questioning would be too drunk or high to notice.
Then, checking my phone for the locations of the attacks, I went out in search of answers.
Isentthereportoff to the EA and leaned back in my chair, cracking my knuckles. I’d classified the case as “low-threat” and left the name Danie out of it. I did include Hayes’ hypothesis as an avenue I was investigating. The EA often ignored domestic issues unless they spilled out to affect the general public.
I’d learned a lot from my little excursion today. I’d gotten lucky and found the information I needed at the first place I checked. I kept most of it out of the report, though, offering just enough to keep the EA satisfied that I was working on the case. It was the last bit of work I’d needed to finish before joining Tansy, Shelby, and Sybil on the rooftop patio.
The three were enjoying themselves at the Tiki bar, and I had a perfect view of them from my window. I hadn’t realized Sybil had invited herself over until I walked into the penthouse. Since she came with a six-pack for me, and wine for Tansy and Shelby, I didn’t mind.
I’d never understood the theory behind working magic while under the influence. With the number of times witches did it, I was surprised the EA didn’t get called in constantly for magical mishaps. Some witches even ingested psychedelics while they worked, claiming they helped open the channels to their minds.
Drinks and substances never seemed to affect performing magic negatively the way they did operating heavy machinery. If anything, they made spells stronger and more accurate, as long as the witch was only tipsy and not rip-roaring drunk.
I guessed it was the same as me phasing out or floating off the ground by accident when I was really drunk; a hard thing to do as a demon since we processed alcohol better than humans, but still very much achievable. Unlike human magic users like wizards and witches, though, my magic was inherent, a part of my nature. It wasn’t a separate force I could control.
Tansy’s tinkling laughter had me peering out my home-office window at the three ladies lounging by the thatch-covered bar next to the pool. The hut had been Gunnar’s idea at first, but it had grown on me over the years.
She was laughing with her face in her hand, her cheeks flushing red. Next to her, Shelby was making a rude gesture at Sybil. Tansy was relaxed and happy, which in turn, made me happy.
From our conversations, I’d gathered that she didn’t have many friends. She hadn’t been allowed to spend much time with the ones she made at school. She’d lost touch with those, too, as they moved away. She was also relatively new to Darlington, having only been here for a few months, and she’d spent a lot of it with Dean, hidden away again.
I knew Dean was technically a victim of the old hag who inhabited his body, but I couldn’t help but hate him all the same, especially with everything I’d found out about him today. Tansy had tried to look up ways to separate Amrita’s spirit from Dean’s body but had found none. She was a good person, but I was no such thing. I didn’t care if the man lived or died, as long as Tansy was safe.
Just because I cared about my friends didn’t mean I cared about anyone else. The rest of the world could burn, as long as my friends and any potential mate were happy. A demon’s mate. Some would call that an oxymoron, but I knew better. There were plenty of mated demons. We just kept that on the down-low, so it wouldn’t destroy the ultimate bad boy reputation we so carefully crafted.
That reputation kept us safe. No one fucked with a demon. No one sane, anyway. Wizards were far from sane. They were the reason we had such horrible PR to begin with.
Tansy swiveled around on her stool, and we made eye contact through the arched, floor-to-ceiling window. She grinned and waved at me, gesturing for me to go over. The three had a bunch of containers and bottles on the counter.
Too lazy to go through my suite and out the back door, I dematerialized and walked right through the window.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that,” Shelby said, with a shake of her head.
“Come help us choose a container,” Tansy said, holding up a pink antacid bottle and a jar of olives.
“For what?” I asked, thoroughly confused.
“For Mother. I was going to get a special container for this, but I decided she didn’t deserve one. I just ransacked your fridge and looked for anything expired.” Her face was flushed, and her words were slurring just a little.
“I helped,” Shelby said. She pointed to the pink, triangular bottle. “I learned not to eat Grayson’s food, so I don’t need that anymore. That man likes it spicy.”
Tansy giggled.
