Page 42 of Malice

Bringing both hands up, I shove the wall of energy at the demon. It pushes against it and then dissipates into the air, thinning out so I can’t see where it’s going. Heart in my throat, I inch closer. A lot of people in the crowd need medical attention, and right now they’re all being looked at like suspects.

The security guard groans and blood drips down his forehead. I cross the street, looking for the demon. Judging by the way it’s jumping bodies, it’s a mid-level demon, capable of human possession but lacking active powers of its own.

The cops yell for the security guard to put his hands up, and two cops move closer, guns drawn. I feel it right before I see it, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up, prickling right along with the little wound on my hand.

I turn, throwing my right hand out in front of me, but I’m too late. The demon goes right into the body of one of the police officers.

Chapter

Sixteen

Oh, shit.

The cop’s body stiffens as the demon takes over. He almost drops his gun and stumbles a few paces back, shaking his head. Then the demon gets its footing, having fully taken control of the officer and looks at the gun in his hand.

“Johnson,” the officer next to him says, looking at his partner. Johnson, the possessed cop, raises his gun, bringing it to his own head. His eyes are black and he slowly grins.

Fuck, no. This isn’t happening on my time.

“Hey!” I shout, throwing a hand out in front of me, pushing the cop’s hand back. Energy hit his hand hard, bending his wrist back almost unnaturally. The gun falls from his hand, clattering to the ground next to his partner, who’s just standing there looking stunned. Using my other hand, I flick my fingers to the side, moving the gun several feet away from Johnson. A demon with a gun in a crowd is a fucking disaster waiting to happen.

“I heard you’re looking for me,” I go on. “Vaelric sent you, I’m guessing?”

The demon presses against my magical hold and I bring my other hand up, straining to hold up the invisible shield. Using this kind of magic is becoming more natural but still takes a fair amount of concentration.

The demon pats the utility belt around his waist, contemplating using another weapon but then turns at the last second and runs, going behind the bar into a dark alley. Okay, then. I guess this demon isn’t powerful enough to take me on. I should be flattered, but I really don’t feel like going on a wild goose chase in a dress—again.

“Dammit, I’m in heels,” I huff and take off, going the other way to try and head it off, leaving the cops and everyone on the patio looking at me incredulously. Water splashes up from a puddle as I run, jumping over a bench. There’s another bar next to this one, hosting a drag show. The main theme from Phantom of The Opera plays inside, music echoing into the alley.

“You know,” I say once the demon comes into view. He’s run into a corner, stuck between two buildings and a tall chainlink fence. “I’m starting to take it personally that you went through all this trouble to get my attention only to run away like a little bitch.”

I slow, holding both hands out at my side, summoning energy around my fingers. “If Ricky sent you, then we should talk like civilized people. You know, at a bar or a restaurant. Hell, we could even go for a romantic moonlight walk through Uptown. But no, you have to go and cause a scene.”

The demon turns toward me, this time pulling a taser from his belt. He’s fast, but I’m faster and I throw a string of energy at the end of the taser gun. It meets it halfway between us, sparking and crackling before falling to the ground.

The demon growls and desperately reaches for another weapon but only pulls out a flashlight. I flick my hand, magically pushing his wrist back. The flashlight falls to the ground, enraging the demon. It decides to charge at me and I take a defensive stance right away, dropping down as he draws near, sweeping my leg out and knocking him off balance.

Several other cops finally arrive on the scene, coming to a sliding stop when they see me subduing the officer named Johnson. No one quite knows what to do and they just stand there for a second, and a second is all I need.

“Somnum,” I say, casting a sleep spell on the officer. The demon leaves before the spell takes hold, but at least Johnson isn’t possessed anymore. The demon rises in the air and whooshes away, going over the chainlink fence. It’s heading toward Tent City, and I can’t explain how I know that.

I just do.

“Hey, guys,” I say, getting to my feet. I toss my hair over my shoulder and smooth out my dress. “I’m okay. Thanks for asking.”

The cops look at each other and then I hear one of them say, “That’s Xavier Malus’s wife.”

Right…I am, and Xavier has the cops in his pocket. They won’t arrest me or even call this in, but—oh, fuck—they are all wearing body cams.

“Uh, thank you for doing such a good job protecting our city,” I try, flashing a cheesy smile. “I’ll let my husband know.” With that, I try to make a quick getaway but one of the cops stops me. Panicking, I contemplate casting a sleep spell on him. But then a scream rings out, and people come running out of the drag show in a terrified panic.

Well, I guess we know where the demon went.

Using the chaos to my advantage, I push through the crowd and fight my way inside the club. A petite woman dressed in spandex lies on the floor of the stage, body twitching as she fights the demon’s grasp. Not everyone is easily possessed, and the more emotionally fit you are, per se, the harder it is for a demon of this level to not only possess you but control you.

A few people run over to her, thinking she’s having a seizure, but most are too terrified to move. What the hell did the demon do in just a few seconds to scare everyone like this? I run and jump up onto the stage, dropping down to my knees by the woman. Her body goes still when I touch her wrist, and I get another flash of Tent City.

With a sudden gasp, the woman opens her eyes and the demon leaves her, this time going up into an air vent.