Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison

            Lee’s jaw clenched as the taller of the two young women pushed up even with him. Brow furrowed, he waved her softly spoken question away. “She lies,” he said. “But it doesn’t matter. As soon as Finnis resumes control of the city, there won’t be a place on earth that the I.S. can’t find Trent.”

            “Ahhh,” Trent said, desisting when Quen pointedly cleared his throat. The older elf’s presence made me feel better. Quen’s priority was Trent, and with that assurance, I could concentrate on grinding Lee under my boot.

            “Probably,” I said. “Good thing he has two realities to hide in. I’m surprised you survived Vivian’s ghost.”

            “Ghost?” the tall woman blurted as she turned to Lee. “She made Vivian a ghost?”

            Lee flushed. “Vivian is dead,” he said flatly. “I told you everything that comes out of her mouth is a lie.” But I could tell he was nervous, and a hand went to his middle as if covering a remembered hurt. “She murdered Vivian.”

            “Yeah?” I took a step forward. Trent grabbed my arm to keep me within Quen’s magical reach, and from the outskirts, an alarmed gasp rose. “I’m not the one her ghost attacked. Run the test,” I demanded. “See whose aura links to the pentagram that killed her.”

            “You’re the one with the chakra rings!” he shouted, red-faced.

            “Because I took them from your lackey!” I exclaimed, stumbling when Trent drew me to him. “This is pathetic, Lee. I nullified your pack of power-crazed Weres, and now you are tricking children into doing your dirty work?”

            “So you admit you attacked an incoming pack who threatened your power structure? Killing one alpha, and transforming another into an animal?” Lee said, his cheeks spotting red.

            “Perhaps a different tactic,” Trent whispered.

            “Murder by magic,” Lee taunted, finding strength in Trent’s reaction. “You can’t fight the coven.”

            But I had before. And I would again. Even if they were down to children pushed into their positions decades before their time.

            “Lee, I’m sorry about your daughter,” Trent said, coming right to it. “You need to stop this. Can we get a coffee? Talk this out?”

            Energy crackled over Lee’s fisted hands as the coven clustered behind him. “This isn’t about my daughter!” he shouted, his broken voice echoing on the buildings. “This is about Rachel using illicit magic to kill a coven member and you creating and distributing illegal genetic cures!”

            Lee knew I hadn’t killed Vivian, and his very anger said it was everything to do with his daughter.

            “Lee. Please. Stop this,” Trent implored, and my gaze went to the young people behind Lee. The tall woman in black was slowly pulling in line energy. I never would have noticed if I hadn’t been doing the same thing. That, and her outright hatred burring into me.

            “I’ve heard enough,” she said, my very passivity pissing her off. “I’m not here to talk,” she added, and then, without any fanfare, she threw a spell at me.

            It hissed through the air, glittering a bright red and purple. The media panicked, scrambling for cover as Lee spun to her. “What are you doing!” he shouted, clearly angry.

            “Got it!” I shouted, then yelped, ducking when Quen’s counterspell smashed into her charm. The twin powers coiled and hissed against each other, spinning violently across the emptying plaza to slam into a cab. The car lifted with an echoing boom, flipping end over end down the street until it hit a cement road divider and rocked to a halt.

            Cries of fear rose up, and even the vengeful crowd that had lingered ran for the buildings. Trent turned to Quen in annoyance, and the dark elf lifted a shoulder. “I make no apology, Sa’han,” he muttered.

            My focus returned to the young woman, her jaw tight and her stare fixed on me even as Lee reamed her out. “Hey! Bright eyes!” I shouted, and Lee’s harangue cut off. “Give everyone a chance to clear out before you exert your godly cosmic powers, okay?”

            Her expression twisted, and I felt another large draw on the ley line. “You murdered Vivian!” she shouted, her hands wreathed with unfocused power.