Page 3 of Ancient Magic

“Course we did. We’re a professional crew.”

“So you keep saying.”

“We weren’t the ones who were an hour late,” Gunther snapped, glancing around the empty theater. “I don’t like being out in the daylight. Too many eyes watching.”

The leader scowled, as if he wasn’t used to being chided. “You’ll be out when I tell you to be out. I’m the one paying the bills.”

“But you aren’t, are you?”

The scowl deepened. “Aren’t what?”

“Paying the bills,” Gunther groused. “You keep promising that we’re going to be living large, but so far we’re out there risking our asses with nothing to show for it.”

“You’ll get what’s coming to you.” An ugly smile curved the male’s lips.

Gunther snorted. “When?”

“Soon.”

“The bill is adding up. Are you sure you’re going to have enough money to cover it?”

“I told you. You’ll get paid.”

“Yeah, well, it’d better be in the next couple of days.” The demon cupped his hand between his legs. “My bitch needs some new bling or her pretty mouth isn’t going to be wrapped around my cock. And then I’m going to get real fussy real quick.”

Maya and Skye shared a glance of pure disgust as the demons obediently laughed at Gunther’s crude joke. The man on stage, however, appeared less amused.

“If you’re unhappy with the situation, I can find another crew.” The leader deliberately paused, flicking his hard gaze toward the gathered demons. “Better yet, I could ask your buddies if they want to choose a new leader. I’m betting they’ll decide to get rid of you. It’s a better option than walking away with nothing after all their hard work. What would you bet?”

Gunther shuffled his feet, smart enough to back down from the threat. “Chillax, dude,” he grumbled. “If we’re not going to get paid, then why did you call us here?”

The leader folded his arms over his chest. “I need someone who isn’t a member of your crew to perform a separate task.”

“What’s my cut of the pay?”

“That’s between you and whoever you hire, but I have rules.”

“What rules?”

“If he gets caught or squeals about our extracurricular activity, you all die.”

There was a sudden burst of chatter between the gathered crew. Gunther ignored them. “Caught by who?”

“Anyone.”

“That’s a little vague.”

“Make sure they don’t get caught.”

Gunther hesitated. Was he debating whether or not to accept the responsibility for an outside contractor? Maybe, but he wasn’t going to back down.

“Okay, but it’s going to cost more,” he abruptly warned. “Say...double our normal rate.”

“Whatever.” The leader shrugged. “Put it on my bill.”

Gunther visibly jerked, caught off guard by the male’s ready agreement to his demands. Skye wasn’t. The demon on the stage possessed a cold brutality she’d sensed before. He would kill the entire crew once they’d completed the job. And he would kill them without remorse. Like a snake striking an enemy and slithering past the corpse.

“Fine.” He forced out the word. “Anything else?”

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