Page 110 of Demon Found

“Sorry, chica, looks like he moved out.”

I smirk. “Nu-uh. This is how Frank lives. His foster kids too.”

I make a beeline for the back of the house. The front door is never open. And if he’s aware of a threat, Frank bolts out the back. There’s no way he missed the roar of the bike.

Rounding the corner, Frank’s back comes into view as he hastily pulls the door shut behind him. Leaving any foster kids inside, no doubt. He looks smaller, less intimidating. Dirtier.

“Frank! Long time no see!”

He swings around, hands raised, ready to cast.

“Little Lorelei. Well, well, well. Did you change your mind? Want me to hook you up with Las Ratas after all, Skinny? I knew you wouldn’t last out there alone.” He rubs absently at the stub of his little finger.

The growl from behind reverberates through my chest. Turning, I swat Chano.

“He’s mine.”

By the time I turn back Frank is frantically jiggling the door handle, trying to get back in.

“I’m . . . I’m busy right now, Skinny . . . Lorelei. Why don’t you and your friend just go on your way?”

His whining tone, his immediate instinct to run away from his problems grates. I’m going to be his biggest fucking problem.

My power snakes out toward him, a tornado of malicious energy. I rip him away from the door, catching him up in the air, spinning him round. Higher and higher the twister grows, dragging him with it. Clenching my fist, I cut my magic off, dumping Frank a few yards from me. I want him close; I want to see the fear in his eyes.

He crumples to the ground, taking a long moment to right himself. His string vest is half torn off, and he struggles, pushing himself up on unsteady legs.

“Why, you little—” I steal the air from his lungs. His eyes bulge and his gray skin mottles.

“Don’t make it too quick, chica. You have an audience.” Chano rests a hand lightly on my shoulder, directing me toward the upstairs windows. Two small kids peer out, clapping and cheering. Shit, hedoeshave more foster kids.

I release my grip on the air, and Frank gulps in, wheezing and gasping.

I get up in his face.

“This is for all the shit you put me through. All the shit you’re still putting those kids through.” I jab my finger toward the upper floor. “You nearly killed me, hundreds of times. Well . . . now it’s time you learned what that felt like.”

In a flash, quicker than I’d thought him capable of, Frank shifts. His creepy little head and beady eyes stay the same, but his body morphs into a lion, wings spring out his back, and his tail whips toward me in a heartbeat. Jumping back with a shout, I barely avoid the poisonous quills slashing at my face. Son of a bitch. Fucking manticore asshole.

Screeching fire, I let my demon loose. My wings crack out, and my horns curl up magnificently. Stalking toward Frank I finally see what I wanted—terror in his eyes. With a tiny flick of my finger, I send purple flames racing across the ground toward him. They climb his clothes, singeing his skin while he flaps his hands. The scent of burning flesh tinges the air, and his howling is fucking music to my ears.

Chano comes up behind me, his tail lashing wildly side to side. “He broke a lot of your bones, chica. Can I return the favor?”

I give him a wicked grin. With a blast of water, Chano throws the smoking Frank at the wall of the house. He crashes into it, sliding slowly to the ground. Seconds later, he’s hurled into the sky on the top of a geyser. Chano snaps his fingers and the water vanishes. Frank plummets to the ground, smashing into it with a sickening crack.

Tutting, I stalk toward him.

“Would you look at that. Chano put all my beautiful flames out. Do you think you’ve learned your lesson? Or do I need to set you alight again?”

“I’ve learned.” Frank pants between screams of pain. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have . . . I didn’tknowyou were a powerful demon.”

Not the point. But he’s taken the bait. He’s gone where I wanted him to. He’s grasping at hope. He’s thinking he might get out of this alive. Mistake.

“Here’s the thing, Frank. It shouldn’t matter what I am, what any of these kids are. You don’t get to treat them like shit. Not anymore.”

He starts gabbling more apologies, but I’m done. This slimeball stole my childhood. And he doesn’t even have the backbone to fight me, groveling and sniveling like that might save him.

I press a finger to his forehead, lighting him up again with my pretty purple flames before spinning him toward the house on a gust of air. The kids have crept down to the back porch, and they dodge out of the way as I send Frank spiraling inside, his screams ripping the air.

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