Speak of the Devil
Page 1
Table of Contents
ALSO BY JENNA BLACK
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
About the Author
Praise for
THE DEVIL INSIDE
Nominated for the 2007 Romantic Times Reviewer’s
Choice Award for Best Urban Fantasy
Finalist for Love Romances and More Café’s Best
of 2007 Awards for Best Book All Around
“An exorcist with an attitude, Morgan Kingsley is sure to win Black a legion of fans.”
—Kelley Armstrong
“A sassy heroine who’s not afraid to do what it takes to get the job done or to save a loved one’s life. Add to that a sexy hero, great secondary characters, and a story line that keeps you reading, and this one is definitely a keeper.”
—Keri Arthur
“[Black’s] got a winning heroine, a well-crafted contemporary world where demonic possession is just a part of life, and a nice balance of mystery, action and sex, making this light but engaging novel an urban fantasy series kickoff full of promise.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Talk about your odd couples! The delicious irony of trapping a sexy demon and a cranky exorcist in the same body gives rising star Black lots of room for conflict and action. It’s inventive in the extreme! 4½ stars. Top pick!”
—Romantic Times
“The plot is nonstop from the first page and the romance is sprinkled throughout….A wonderful new addition to the genre, The Devil Inside is an intriguing story and Morgan Kingsley an engaging heroine. I can’t wait to see what the next book, The Devil You Know, has to offer.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“With characters you can’t help but love, and those you love to hate, Ms. Black begins her new series with a story line that’s full of action and surprises. It’s sometimes dark, often loving and completely sexy.”
—Darque Reviews
“5 Ribbons. The Devil Inside is nail-biting, powerful and passionate all in one… a fast-paced, nonstop adventure that I’m sure everyone will love as much as I do.”
—RomanceJunkies.com
“A dark, edgy, and erotic paranormal. [Black’s] writing is intense and she really makes her world come to life. I was hooked from the beginning….A truly sinister tale that reaches out and grabs your attention. Ms. Black has created a spine-chilling new series.”
—FreshFiction.com
“An outstanding beginning to a new supernatural series! The book starts out with action and only gets faster. I never noticed the story to slow down at all. The plot slowly unfolds to reveal that more is going on than anyone can possibly guess. I sincerely believe the author to have a major winner on her hands with Morgan Kingsley. Five stars.”
—Huntress Reviews
Praise for
THE DEVIL YOU KNOW
“A gritty and gutsy tale…. Wonderfully written with complex characters, an intricate plot, and intense demon encounters, this book will keep readers enthralled. For an intense thrill ride, pick up a copy of The Devil You Know.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“A suspenseful, sexy paranormal that you will love!”
—FreshFiction.com
“The Devil You Know is an exciting and thrilling ride that will have readers eagerly waiting for the next chapter in Morgan’s life.”
—RomanceJunkies.com
“Every bit as exciting as the first. … Amidst the intense action, the romance, and the fight to survive, The Devil You Know will endear many of its engaging characters and have readers looking forward to the next demonic adventure.”
—Darque Reviews
Praise for
THE DEVIL’S DUE
“Twisted plots, evil demons, sex, control, and love are woven into this well-written and intricate fantasy.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Black and urban fantasy are a match made in heaven—so to speak! 4½ stars.”
—Romantic Times
“If you enjoy action, mystery, and sex, this urban fantasy is replete with them all.”
—SFRevu.com
“The Devil’s Due is the BEST book in the Morgan Kingsley series so far, and it gets better and better with each book. The writing was flawless, and I was blown away by this latest installment.”
—NightOwlRomance.com
ALSO BY JENNA BLACK
The Devil’s Due
The Devil You Know
The Devil Inside
Watchers in the Night
Secrets in the Shadows
Shadows on the Soul
Hungers of the Heart
To Dan, for… everything.
Acknowledgments
My thanks to Wendy Rome, who helped me figure out how to make up laws—and lawsuits—to govern exorcists. Morgan hates you for getting her into so much trouble, but I’m very grateful! Thanks also to my wonderful agent, Miriam Kriss. And a special thanks to all the fabulous people at Bantam Dell who’ve made working on the Morgan Kingsley series such a joy: publicist Alison Masciovecchio; editorial assistant (and sender of all things good) David Pomerico; and most especially Anne Groell, editor extraordinaire!
Chapter 1
“I don’t need a lawyer,” I told Brian once again.
He looked more mulish each time I said it. “Yes, you do!” His voice had risen a tad, but he was still calmer than I was. I suspected I was red in the face by now.
Arguing with Brian is almost always a losing battle, but that never stops me from trying. “This case is bullshit. People have tried to sue exorcists before and gotten laughed out of court.”
That was a bit of an exaggeration, but still… The general public doesn’t know why most hosts are catatonic after their demons have been exorcized, or why a small percentage are actually brain-dead. And there was absolutely zero evidence that the exorcist’s performance had anything to do with it. But that hadn’t deterred Jordan Maguire Sr. from filing suit against me when my exorcism on his son didn’t go quite the way he’d have liked.
“I don’t think you understand lawyers,” Brian said with a sardonic grin. “The fact that no one’s been successful in a suit so far is more of a plus than a minus for some of them. If they happen to succeed where everyone else has failed, they make a big splash. If the suit fizzles, there’s no harm done—but it’ll still be a major pain in the ass for you.”
“Yes, but—”
“It’s not just going to go away, Morgan.”
I think I was beginning to believe that, but that didn’t stop me from hoping. I had more than enough problems in my life without dealing with a lawsuit. I felt a whopper of a headache coming on. “Why can’t you just defend me yourself?” I’m afraid I sounded a little whiny, but I couldn’t help it. What’s the good of dating a lawyer if he can’t defend you when some asshole decides to sue?
“Because you need a tort defense attorney, not a corporate attorney.”
I
plopped down on Brian’s couch and rested my head against the back, staring at the ceiling. If Maguire’s goal was to make me miserable, he’d succeeded. But there was a reason I was violently opposed to hiring a lawyer, and it wasn’t anything I’d said out loud—yet. See, a couple of months ago, my house and all my worldly possessions had burned to the ground. It was going to take me approximately forever and a day to recover from the financial devastation, even when the insurance company finally coughed up every cent they owed me. There was no question it was arson, and the official investigation had ruled that I was not the guilty party. However, since the fire had been started inside my house while I was still in it, the insurance company had launched its own investigation. My theory was that they were looking for excuses to delay paying me, but it turned out that mentioning this to the insurance investigator wasn’t the way to win friends and influence people.
Add to that the fact that the U.S. Exorcism Board had suspended me when the lawsuit was filed, and I was already on a strict diet of ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches. I didn’t want to think about how much I’d have to pay a lawyer to defend this suit.
“Look,” I said, “I know this isn’t your area of expertise, but I’d feel a hell of a lot more comfortable with you defending me than some stranger.”
Brian sighed as he took a seat on the couch beside me. “You wouldn’t find it so comfortable if I bungled the case.”
“You wouldn’t!” I protested, raising my head to give him an indignant look. Brian is competence personified, and I’m not just saying that because I’m in love with him.
He frowned at me. “Yeah, I would. Not because I’m an idiot, but because I’m not an expert. Believe me, this thing could get ugly fast, and I’d be out of my league.”
“But—”
“What percentage of hosts end up catatonic after an exorcism?”
It was my turn to frown. “I don’t know, about eighty percent. Why?”
“Okay, how many end up brain-dead?”
I could tell from the intense way he was looking at me that he wasn’t going to answer my question until I answered his. “Maybe about two percent? I don’t have the exact figure.”
“Let’s say you’ve got the figures exactly right. What percentage of the hosts that you personally have performed exorcisms on are catatonic, and what percentage are brain-dead?”
I didn’t feel like sitting still anymore, so I jumped to my feet and started pacing. “How should I know? You think I keep a tally or something?”
Brian stayed seated and watched me pace. “I bet the U.S. Exorcism Board does.”
“Well, I’m probably right around the average.”
“What if you’re not? What if it turns out three percent of your exorcisms end in brain death?”
“I—”
“You’re the most successful exorcist in the U.S.,” he interrupted, in full lawyer mode now. “You get called in to exorcize demons other exorcists have failed to cast out. Is it possible these demons who are extra powerful do more damage to their hosts’ brains?”
My chest felt kind of hollow all of a sudden. Because I myself was possessed by Lugh, the king of the demons, I knew a lot of things that your average human being didn’t know. Like that the reason most hosts are catatonic or brain-dead is that illegal or rogue demons—those who possess unwilling hosts or commit violent crimes—are much more likely to abuse their hosts than legal ones. Brian knew this, too, but most humans thought it was a total mystery why most hosts were fried, and that was just the way the demons liked it. It was certainly within the realm of possibility that I’d exorcized demons who’d been extra abusive.
“You know Maguire’s attorney is going to look into those statistics right off the bat,” Brian continued. “And if your numbers don’t exactly match the national average, he’s immediately going to have fuel to attack you.”
Yup. Definitely getting a headache. I pinched the bridge of my nose. But Brian wasn’t finished hammering home his point.
“What about your exorcism ritual?” he asked.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “What about it?”
“Is it exactly like everyone else’s?”
“Of course not,” I said through gritted teeth. “There’s no standard procedure. Each exorcist has their own ritual.” Brian already knew this, so I wasn’t expecting my answer to satisfy him.
“But there are some things most exorcisms have in common, aren’t there? For example, isn’t it common practice to create a circle of protection around the person to be exorcized?”
I rolled my eyes. “A lot of people do that,” I admitted, “but it doesn’t actually do anything. It’s just something that helps put the exorcist into the trance state.”
“Did you create a circle of protection around Jordan Maguire?”
Oh shit! It didn’t take a genius to figure out where he was going with this. I’d always had a more no-nonsense style than most of my fellow exorcists. My ritual is very simple, relying only on lighting a few vanilla-scented candles. For me, that’s all it takes to induce the trance state I need to be in to perform an exorcism. Sometimes, when I’m really stressed out or upset, I’d set up the candles in a circle just for the reassurance of the more traditional ritual, but I usually just put them wherever it’s convenient.
“Like I said, the circle is just symbolic.” But even I could imagine how this could sound to a layman when delivered with proper flourish from a sharklike attorney.
“And what were you wearing when you performed the exorcism?”
“What?” I cried, giving him an are-you-crazy look. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
“Were you wearing a suit? Or at least dressed in business casual?”
“No! That’s not my style, and you know it.” I didn’t specifically remember what I had worn that day, but the outfit had likely included low-rise jeans. I was pretty sure I hadn’t gone with my leather look. But whatever I’d worn, it would be captured for posterity on a digital recording of the procedures.
Brian frowned theatrically. “Then you don’t really take these exorcisms seriously, do you?”
“Of course I do!” I could tell from the heat in my cheeks that my face had flushed nice and red. And my voice had grown steadily louder.
“You expect me to think you take an exorcism seriously when you don’t bother to create a circle of protection and you show up wearing jeans?”
It was all I could do not to kick the coffee table. Or Brian’s shin. “That’s just ridiculous. I told you, the circle is just for show. And what does it matter what I wear?”
Brian nodded sagely. “You’ll make a wonderful impression at your deposition when you start shouting like that.”
Okay, now I really wanted to go after his shins.
“You wouldn’t be getting so worked up if you didn’t see my point,” Brian said. “Like I said, this isn’t my specialty. Imagine what an expert can do. You need someone who can anticipate questions like these—and worse—so you can be prepared to answer them reasonably. I’m not the man for the job.”
My palms were sweating, so I wiped them on my pants legs. Yeah, he’d definitely made his point.
I blew out a deep breath, then sat beside him on the couch again. I clasped my hands between my knees and stared at them. “I don’t even want to ask how much this will cost me,” I said.
“No, you probably don’t.”
I swallowed hard and forced myself to look at him. “How much is this going to cost me?”
“Depends on how ugly it gets and how long it goes on. Your attorney will probably charge somewhere around two-fifty to three-fifty an hour, and then there will be all kinds of other expenses, like hiring expert witnesses and—”
“Just give me some kind of ballpark estimate.”
The sympathy in his eyes told me more than I wanted to know, but he verbalized it anyway. “It could easily run fifty to a hundred grand, and that’s kind of on the low side.”
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I’m pretty sure my face went completely white. I’d known it was going to be bad, but not that bad. I couldn’t possibly afford that kind of money. Not even close. I was real grateful Brian didn’t start in on me about having let my liability insurance lapse. It wasn’t something I’d done on purpose. It was just that with my house burning down and various people trying to kill me and my loved ones, I’d been a little slack on the day-to-day stuff. I was lucky if I remembered to pay my rent.
“You know I’ll help you,” Brian said softly.
The gentleness in his voice made my eyes burn. I suck at accepting help of any kind, and Brian knows it. To accept that kind of money from him was absolutely out of the question.
“I don’t think you’re going to have much of a choice,” he continued, as if he’d heard my thoughts.
I really hated that he was right. Again.
I felt like complete crap after my conversation with Brian. I’d been hoping for a little action when I went to his place, but talk of the impending lawsuit had spoiled the mood.
Brian had given me the names of a couple of attorneys he thought would do a good job for me. This being Sunday, I’d have to wait until tomorrow to call one. I’d promised Brian I wouldn’t wait any longer than that, but I’m an expert at procrastination, and I was betting something would come up and give me an excuse not to.
After giving up all hope of a roll in the hay, I left Brian’s and went back to my apartment, where I busied myself with such exciting tasks as cleaning the toilet.