Page 346 of Castings & Curses

She loved Kate.

Even if she had to leave her behind to protect her.

"That was not wise, Devi." Storms brewed behind the demon’s eyes. Power skittered in the shadows and her dark hair moved with unseen wind. “You have something of mine and I will take it.”

“What are you talking about?” Devi searched her memory for acceptable spells that would banish her back into the box, but her mind would not focus. The siren’s call of the moon rippled through her body and she began to lose control as her muscles contracted and began to reform.

Shit.

Not now.

Her cat screamed, coaxed to the surface by Gambian.

No.

She wants to control you.

Stay.

Please.

Devi bent over, gasping as she fought the change with everything she had.

“Did you think I would let you leave me in that box? James is dead because you wouldn’t take your place.”

“No.”

“How many more have to die before you accept your fate? You belong to me, pet. And I won’t take no for an answer.” She scooped up the blood-filled vial and it vanished into her suit pocket.

There had to be a way to toss the bitch back to the bowels of Hell. She just had to find it.

Clutching the table, Devi grabbed the salt and pried open the spout with shaking hands.

“No means no. I’ll put you back in that box a hundred times for what you did to me and my parents. Not to mention James.” She flung the salt in an arc, and the demon howled.

Gambian screamed. “You dare!”

“I dare anything to keep my people safe.”

“The night isn’t over. We’ll be seeing each other again soon.”

“I’m counting on it.” With that, she dug a surprise of her own from her pocket, but before she could douse the demon with holy water, the bitch had vanished into the night.

CHAPTER4

Devi knewthey were close to the crime scene by the people gathering in the street. Nothing ever happened on the privileged side of town. Tragedy was for someone else. Someone less fortunate. She could read the confusion in the wide stares of the neighbors as she and her very temporary partner got out of the car and made their way up the driveway to the uniform on scene.

Gambian had promised she would be busy, and so far, she was racking up the bodies.

One crime scene down, and already a second one. She gazed up at the moon, wincing. When this was over, she owed her cat a run in the woods. No creeps. No demons. Just her and a damn good run. But for now, she was still on loan and desperate to find Gambian before she destroyed every witch in Bixby until she got to Kate. And that wasn’t going to happen.

“Officer.” Cappelli reached him first and flashed her badge. Devi followed close behind, grinding her teeth. The woman had the personality of a wet dishrag and she was grinding it in that it was her town, her case.

Fine.

Let her try and put a roundish demon in a square box—again—and see how that went.

Speaking of the box…the damn thing was in the trunk of Cappelli’s car, reeking of sulfur and shooting off enough energy to give her a headache.

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