Gods and Demons

by BR Kingsolver

  The damage Nieminen and Bronski had caused was still not solved. The conflict within the military almost led to a civil war before the anti-paranormal Army commanders who took control of DC stood down. Congress was in an uproar, and there was talk of impeaching the President.

  Outside DC, the anti-paranormal, anti-witch sentiments that had caused such pain and upheaval two years before had risen back to the surface. Conspiracy theorists refused to believe the paranormals were innocent, and I’d read some truly tortured logic trying to tie the anti-paranormal Human mages and paranormals together. Some places in the South had declared martial law again.

  In the aftermath, the government wanted a lot of my time because they had a lot of questions. After I figured out that many of the people I talked to didn’t believe the answers, or didn’t want to believe the answers, I stopped having time for them. I had a business to run, and I had lost a lot of money while running around chasing the statue. It turned out that saving the world didn’t pay very well, and the insurance company didn’t want to replace my Honda.

  The morning following the dinner party, Isabella said goodbye. She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me. “I’m going to miss you. Come visit me in Colorado.”

  “I will. I’ve seen pictures of the aspens in the fall. That’s a slow time for me, so I usually travel in the colder months.”

  I dropped her off at the airport and drove back to the nursery. I was gradually chopping down the pile of paperwork, and my employees were earning a lot of overtime as we ate into the backlog.

  One afternoon when I pulled into the compound, I saw a dark green BMW waiting for me.

  “Hey, what’s up?” I asked as Miika pushed away from where he was leaning against his car.

  “Isabella told me that you’re a fan of Irish music,” he said.

  “Yeah, I am. Do you like it?”

  “I do. I was wondering if you’d care to have dinner with me Saturday evening, and then go listen to some music?”

  I found myself smiling, a feeling that had been rare the past few weeks. “Sure. I’d like that.”

  “I’ll pick you up at your place. About six thirty?”

  “Sounds good.”

  I watched him drive away. It had been a long time since I’d been on a date. I hadn’t dated a Human in a couple of decades. I had never dated a halfling, but he was damned good looking, and he was even a hair taller than I was. Whistling an Elven tune, I headed to the office to check my messages.

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  Other books by BR Kingsolver

  The Chameleon Assassin Series

  Chameleon Assassin

  Chameleon Uncovered

  Chameleon’s Challenge

  Chameleon’s Death Dance

  The Telepathic Clans Saga

  The Succubus Gift

  Succubus Unleashed

  Broken Dolls

  Succubus Rising

  Succubus Ascendant

  Other books

  I’ll Sing for my Dinner

  Trust

  Short Stories in Anthologies

  Here, Kitty Kitty

  Bellator

  BRKingsolver.com

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