Page 28 of Minions and Magic
Fear about what I’d do when I had to accept I’d lost everything I wanted.
Chapter 15
Glenda
“Men suck. Demons suck.” I downed the tequila shot and slammed it on the bar.
“Hell, yeah!” Adrienne followed my example, not even flinching as she threw the shot down her throat. My sister had answered my plea for help, showing up at Pistol Pete’s dressed in her tan Perkins Wildlife Control shirt and followed by one of the biggest vultures I’d ever seen.
I hadn’t asked. And now I really wasn’t in any condition to ask. Clearly my tolerance for alcohol had gone way down over the years, while Adrienne’s had held up. She was drinking me under the table. And that buzzard was eyeing me with a judging expression I really didn’t appreciate.
“What?” I snapped at the bird. “I’m not drunk. I’m just…relaxed.”
I swear the vulture raised an eyebrow. Did vultures have eyebrows? Maybe I should Google that. I got out my phone, but my fingers didn’t seem to be working right and I ended up with a whole lot of links for Vulcan stoves and articles about Leonard Nimoy.
Hmmm. Vulcan stoves.
“So what exactly did this demon do?” Adrienne ran a finger around the rim of her shot glass.
“Nearly destroyed my career. I’m going to become a celibate. No dating. No sex. Just cooking and work. Maybe I’ll take up stained glass or something if I need a hobby. Or go back to rock climbing.”
Adrienne jerked her head toward me. “Your career? He messed with your appliances? Your cooking?”
The expression of horror on her face was vindicating. She understood.
I’d always considered myself equally close to all of my sisters, but in my moment of need, I’d decided to call on the ones who wouldn’t be in a position where they felt they had to defend their demon mates. Ophelia’s dude Nash wasn’t technically a demon, but she was working tonight. Sylvie’s Eshu was some weird not-a-demon-but-a-demon, but he also had loose lips and was well known for causing a roller-coaster of chaos. Plus Sylvie was a therapist and I really didn’t need her analysis of my childhood, commitment issues, and sex life right now.
That left Adrienne and Babylon. Adrienne had arrived at the bar first, with the vulture in tow. Babylon said she was on her way.
“He sabotaged the gnome birthday party catering job,” I told my sister. “Coriander in the slugs. They all ended up vomiting. Ruined the whole event and probably ruined my reputation. I’m going to do my best to make it up to them, but it will probably take years before any of the supernaturals in Accident trust me with any specialized dietary needs.”
Adrienne sucked in a breath and gestured for the bartender. “Sheesh, Glenda. That’s horrible. Why would he do that?”
I shrugged, tears blurring my vision. “Because that’s who he is. He’s a crossroads demon and he torments humans who have made deals with him. We had a wonderful two days cooking and talking and laughing and…you know.”
“Sex?” Adrienne saluted me with the empty shot glass, a sly grin on her face.
“Yes, sex.” I felt my face heat up at the thought. I’d slept with him. We’d done a whole lot more than sleeping. I’d actually had sex with someone on top of one of my stainless steel prep tables—that’s how much this demon had enthralled me.
The vulture made a grunting noise and Adrienne rolled her eyes. “Oh shut it, Drake.”
“Drake?” I frowned down at the judgey vulture.
“I named him after the singer,” Adrienne confessed. “Isn’t he cute? He’s been following me around for the last few weeks. Last night I woke up to find him perched on the headboard of my bed.”
That was super creepy. I gave the vulture another glare then turned to the bartender, ordering a second round of shots. Or maybe it was the third?
“Anyway, I was stupid enough to trust him. It was just like all the other guys—they fall in love with my food—and you know I can’t resist a man that loves my food.”
“He’s hot?” Adrienne prodded. “Everyone is in love with your food. It can’t just be that.”
It wasn’t. “Yes, he’s hot. And he showed up at my house two days after I met him, trying to get me to make a deal with him, to wager my soul. I refused, and he ended up staying all day and helping me cook. We had…we had so much fun.” My voice hitched thinking of how I’d felt working with Xavier by my side. We’d talked. We’d laughed. And the sexual tension had grown with every passing hour. I’d been such a fool.
“He came back the next day and helped again,” I continued. “That’s when we ended up in bed. All night. He was gone this morning, and I got everything loaded and ready for the gnome party. We were the only two who touched those slugs. It had to have been him who added the coriander. I caught him trying to tamper with my ginger cake the first time we met, so I know that’s his thing. I’m such an idiot to have trusted him, to have slept with him.”
Adrienne patted my shoulder. “Glenda, don’t be so hard on yourself. I’ve slept with all sorts of losers. It happens. I’ll help make things right with the gnomes. I took care of a mole problem for them last year and they owe me one.” The vulture grunted again and my sister reached around to toss the bird a peanut. “You were right to kick him out, though. Good riddance. If he shows up again, I’ll give him a case of lice he’ll never forget.”
I grimaced. “Actually he’s going to be at the werewolf barbeque.”
