Page 34 of A Demon Is Forever

“You know therules, we were all taught them, but we’re Valkyries, other than killing,scoffing ale and eating, breaking rules is like our sixth commandment. Do youreally want an anal retentive rule loving Valkyrie in charge of the Departmentthat enforces the rules?”

“They enforce therules?”

“Yes. Currentlythey do a bang up job of not giving a flying fuck. But if you put Mea incharge, all that would change.”

“Shit. Shit.Shit.” Shaw’s head dropped to the immaculately clean bar, thumping her foreheadagainst the wooden surface in time with her curses.

“Honestly, I don’tget you. You could be running Legal like a mini despot, having an awesome time.But you’re so negative. Between you and your sister, you really know how tokill a party mood.”

“You’ve seenMonroe?” Shaw straightened. “Did she mention if she was coming to family dinnertomorrow night?” Shaw loved her parents, but if Monroe was busy and Zuriforgot, which she often did, that would just leave Shaw to sit there and endurean awkward dinner with her parents and her tagalong Demon.

“I doubt Monroewill make dinner. She was sitting at the end of the bar, cleaning herakrafenas. And she had that look in her eyes? You know the one I mean.”

Yeah, Shaw knew thatlook, it meant her sister was getting ready for a big hunt. Crap. As a shiningstar in their Bounty Hunting Department, Monroe lived and breathed her work.“Did she say anything?”

“Only that she waskilling time waiting on some contracts to be signed off.”

“Contracts? As inmultiple?”

“Yeah. If I had toguess, I’d say it had something to do with the recent prison break at theKelburn Highland Prison for Wayward Souls and Assorted Deviants.”

“That can’t bewhat they call it.”

“Kelby for short.All I know is that it’s a nasty place loaded with assorted magical fiends andbeasties, and that a heap load of them recently broke out.”

“Monroe must besalivating in anticipation.”

“It was hard totell, given she pretty much only has one expression, but yeah, I got thefeeling she was a little excited… deep, deep down.”

Monroe did onlyhave one mode, hunting. To say she was only happiest when she was hunting,well, that stretched the definition of happiest somewhat. But the middleBengala sister was more focused, more alive, when she was on the hunt. Huntingwas her calling.

Shaw wasreasonably sure that when she wasn’t hunting, Monroe… existed. Ate. Slept.Trained. Cleaned her weapons. And waited - patiently - like a puma settled inthe branches of a high tree, until her gaze locked onto prey, and then… wham.The chase. The hunt. The prize. All over probably much too soon for Monroe’sliking, and then she was back to waiting.

Shaw wasdistracted as one of her sister Valkyries, Chendel, bumped her shoulder to gether attention. Dark haired, built and of course, gorgeous, Chendel was grinningbroadly. “We love your Demon. Can we keep him?”

Spinning aroundShaw discovered Kaleb had left the dance floor and now appeared to be holdingcourt, surrounded by about twenty of her brethren. All laughing and chatting upa storm.

“Can I havetwenty-three ales, please, Lex?” Chendel requested before shifting herattention back to Shaw. “He’s so funny… for a Demon.”

“Is he?” Shaw’sstomach roiled with uncomfortable heat suddenly. She could see those blindinglywhite teeth from here, as Kaleb beamed at the buffet of gorgeous Valkyrieshanging off his every word. Probably trying to convince one, if not more ofthem to head off to the nearest… linen closet for a heated encounter. Heavens,why was she thinking about linen closets? That was their shared joke. Shared?Like she and the Demon were entangled?

Nope, what washappening over there was none of her business. Determinedly Shaw turned back tothe bar. She wouldn’t watch Kaleb choose a bang your boots partner. Shecertainly had no intention of noting which Valkyrie he selected, or sick herLegal team on them to make their lives a living hell for the foreseeablefuture. That would be wrong, and petty. Not like Shaw at all, weird.

Chendel laughed,nudging Shaw’s shoulder again. “And boy, is he in to you. Asking all thesequestions about you. He even got Wynda to tell us a few stories about that timeyou were stationed at Gorleap Castle. You know how closed mouth she normallyis. Did you lot really play dress up with thousand year old tapestries?”

“We were bored,everyone was dead, and we had to hold that bloody castle for five months beforeCorporate could find the rightful heir.”

“Wynda says shehas pictures.”

“She what?” Shawwas fighting her way through the crowd in an instant. Seriously, what were herbrethren thinking? Valkyries were renown for being stalwart and sullen. Nowsuddenly there was a whole crowd, and Wynda of all females, willing to blabShaw’s most embarrassing secrets. It was that bloody Demon, with the bloodydimple and that twinkle in his Freyja damn blue eyes. He was like Valkyrie-nip.Or ale flavoured candy.

Pushing past broadshoulders, Shaw managed to bat Wynda’s phone from her hand just as she wasabout to hand it to Kaleb.

“Hey! Ah, Shaw, itwas just a bit of harmless fun.”

“Fun, right.” Shawreturned, growling in Wynda’s face. “Just remember I have pictures from thatnight too.” She grabbed Kaleb’s ear, giving in to the need to give it a sharptwist, ignoring his protest, dragging him out of the club.

Out front thesmell of motor engine oil and exhaust fumes tainted the air, whilst the neonsigns cast a mix of pink, yellow and blue lights over the chrome of thenumerous motorcycles lined up nearest the entrance.

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