by Michele Hauf
He stirred, and I lifted onto my palms as his eyelids flickered open. I’d never been so happy to see a wounded man’s stunned look before. Tears from my eyes splashed upon his bare chest.
“Sorry.” I swiped at the teardrops.
“Star.” He pulled me to him and I squeezed him tightly, never wanting to let go. Our naked bodies melded, finding home easily. “You okay?”
I nodded, unable to speak because now I was outright crying. Me? Yes, this alley cat was crying.
“Don’t cry, lover. I’m okay, too. The demon is gone. We’re both safe.”
“What about your brother?”
“I have to wait now. See if Navicrux does what I bound him to do.” He touched his cheek.
“Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You released the demon from me by opening my skin. Smart kitty. Thank you.”
He rolled over me and when my shoulders hit the blanket, he leaned in and kissed me. And we cuddled there, half inside the circle, for hours.
My phone rang and I wanted to ignore it because Star lying next to me was all I needed in this world. But she nabbed the cell phone from the floor near the sofa and handed it to me.
“Thoroughly?” came the weak male voice on the other side.
“Certainly?” I sat, wrapping Star about my waist as she clung like a warm rainbow after the storm. “Oh, man, it’s good to hear your voice. You’re out?”
“Landed in the Metro station near the Bastille Opera house. The police found me naked and beat-up. I passed it off as a mugging. Fuck, I ache. Thanks, brother.”
“It worked,” I said to Star, who hugged me effusively.
“Just wanted to check in,” Certainly said. “I’m so tired. I need to sleep for a year.”
“Yes, rest. I’ll stop by tomorrow and introduce you to the woman who helped me rescue you. Then I’m going to kick your ass for getting stuck in Daemonia in the first place.”
“Don’t kick too hard. I’m battered as it is. Hope I didn’t bring anything back with me. Feel…strange.” He yawned. “Need rest. Bye, bro.”
“He’s back and well?” Star asked.
“Back, but as for well…” To ponder the impact of spending a moment in Daemonia conjured images of insanity and madness. As for bringing something back with him, there was no telling if a demon had hitched a ride inside his body—until it was too late. “He’ll need strength.”
“Has he a wife?”
“No. Why do you ask?”
“Love makes a person strong.” She straddled me, and tickled her fingers along my hairline. “You make me strong, Thoroughly Jones.”
“You’ve changed me, Star. This dark magic…I don’t want to use it anymore.”
“But you said it’s required to keep the balance.”
“I’d like to walk the side of goodness now, if that’s all right with you.”
“Yes, lover. You’ll need to build up your stores of goodness, now that you’ve granted the demon a free day pass.”
“Good call. That is, if I’m not made a warlock by the Light first.”
It was the price I would pay. For Star.
She kissed me, and the kiss promised the future would be very good indeed.
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ISBN: 978-1-4592-0998-5
This Glamorous Evil
Copyright © 2011 by Michele Hauf
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Table of Contents
Letter to Reader
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Copyright