Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison

            “Jeez Louise,” I muttered. “I thought Vivian was my friend.”

            “She is,” Bis said. “But you put her in a hard spot. Ms. Vivian has her coven responsibilities and her friendship with you.” His tail tightened across my back, almost in a hug. “I think she’s afraid.”

            “Of what? Me?” Depressed, I fiddled with my bootlaces. Two friendships on the skids. I had to do something about that.

            “What you might cost her, maybe?” Bis’s brow furrowed. “You’re asking a lot. She’s had to smack too many dark magic users around to find the truth. And now you aren’t talking to her.”

            Vivian doesn’t trust me? I thought as I reached to touch a gnarled foot planted firmly on my shoulder. True, I hadn’t been very forthcoming, but she knew me. Doesn’t she? “I shouldn’t have hung up on her,” I said. Bis was right. She was afraid to trust me. But then again, I was afraid to trust her. Depressed, I put my chin on my knees and listened to the night. Vivian thought my silence hid dark magic, and I was too scared to trust her to keep the rest of the coven off my back. I had to do better.

            My head lifted and I waved to a neighbor as he drove slowly past, headlights gleaming. “I’m going to show her the curse I used on Pike’s brother,” I said, my gut tightening. “It doesn’t matter if I was tricked into using it or not, I did it. I’m scared to death that she won’t be able to keep the rest of them from putting me in Alcatraz. It’s an illicit curse. They only need the proof.” I forced my jaw to unclench. “And I’m going to give it to them.” Because I was not going to be afraid of the coven. And I was not going to be afraid to trust that Vivian could protect me. Saturday. She is coming on Saturday.

            “Stef is the one who added the ingredients that made the curse illegal,” Bis said.

            “She made a mistake,” I said. “No one deserves Alcatraz for a dumb mistake.” Vivian might be the only witch who could bring me in. There was a reason neither one of us used magic when arguing. I had to trust that she would speak for me, keep me from Alcatraz. But as I stood, slowly to keep Bis from losing his balance, I felt a little ill.

            “I’m glad you’re telling her,” Bis said. “Is David okay? Jenks told me he took a beating.”

            “He’s on the mend. Trent’s on-call physicians are university grade.” I looked up at our sign, my worry easing as I read vampiric charms, llc. tamwood, jenks, and morgan. “I would have stayed the night, but I want to try to get past Hodin’s door.”

            “That would be wizard if the invocation phrase was in Hodin’s room,” he said, surprising me until I realized Jenks would have told him.

            “Easier than trying to beat the information from Walter or that mage guy.” I hesitated, hand on the handle. “Ah, Al says the ring we got today is both the cure and curse. If I can’t get into Hodin’s room, I’m going out tomorrow to look for Walter after Trent takes the girls back,” I said, and Bis made a low, gravelly sound.

            “Glenn told me. He dropped the finding amulet off about an hour ago. It’s inside.” His grip on my shoulder tightened. “If Walter is smart, he is long gone.”

            “Maybe,” I said. But though Walter was wickedly smart, he was far more determined, and another flicker of worry rose and fell. “You on sentry duty?”

            “Yep.” He flushed a warm pink, his entire pebbly skin glowing. “Cassie put the pack a block out. No one will bother you tonight. Yell if you need me,” Bis said, sounding like Jenks as he pushed off to leave the stray strands of my hair swirling.

            “Thanks, Bis,” I called after him, feeling good at the faint snap of disconnection as he left me. Someday, I thought as I opened one of the wooden doors and went in and soaked in the sounds of home.

            “Hey, it’s me!” I said as I leaned into the door to shut it. The foyer was dark, but the sanctuary beyond was bright with light and noisy with a nature documentary. We might spring for blinds at some point, but until then, the stained glass worked.

            “Hi, Rache.” Jenks rose up from an end table before the TV. Getty was with him, and the smaller, dark-haired, dusky pixy dusted cheerfully. She was surrounded by colorful paper, ribbon, and cutout snowflakes. I had no clue what she was doing, but the woman was always busy. “Glenn dropped off that finding amulet.”

            “Great. Thanks,” I said as I saw it on the end table. I shrugged out of my jacket and took it in hand. The simple wooden disk briefly flared green as it connected to my aura, and then it went dark. Tomorrow, I thought as I dropped it in my bag and left both on the end of the couch.