Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison

            “Vivian . . .” I slumped against the counter. My chest hurt. “You know I didn’t do this. I wanted answers, not his death. I’ve never killed anyone in my life.” Well, I had, but Peter had wanted to die, begged for it, and afterward, he thanked me.

            “What I know doesn’t mean anything. I have to prove it,” she said.

            “You’re still coming over tomorrow, right?” My voice sounded hollow, as if coming from somewhere else.

            “Yes.”

            And after that, I’d be in Alcatraz. That cookie had gone tasteless, and I threw it away.

            “I know you are a good person, but I also know how easy it is to be misled. Unfortunately I’m not the only one here who needs convincing. I’ll be bringing another coven member with me. I’m giving you this chance, so don’t squander it. We need to see everything. Everything, Rachel. You have to come clean if you want any hope of beating this.”

            Clean. That was funny, when what she wanted to see was a dark curse. “I understand,” I said, my gaze going to the French doors as Trent quietly opened them, his brow furrowed in concern. “I’ll be here with the curse that Brad Welroe is under.”

            “Thank you, Rachel. I’ll see you then,” she said, and then the connection ended.

            Trent’s sigh went to my core, and my stomach knotted. “I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. She is on your side,” he said as he gave me a hug. “She knows you’re a good person.”

            “The rest of them don’t,” I whispered, my face buried against his shoulder. “She’s bringing a plus-one. Can you be here? Two o’clock?”

            “Absolutely,” he said as his hand traced the outline of my hair. The compassion and love in his eyes hit me hard. “Quen can act as security at the festival if you want more prep time.”

            “No. I want to go.” My arms tightened around his neck, and I gave him a lingering kiss. “I don’t entirely trust you and Lee together,” I whispered into his ear, and he chuckled. “He’s very good at leading you to the top of a bad path, then leaving you to walk it alone.”

            “He is, isn’t he.” Trent’s voice was a soothing rumble, and I let go.

            “If I should cancel on anyone, it should be Lee.” I glanced at the clock over the sink. “I have to find something that says I didn’t spell Walter into a cardiac arrest. Something that links Walter to Hodin or the mage,” I said, my eyes going to Jenks as he flew in from the porch.

            “What about that ring?” Jenks said, his arms full of damp brown maple seeds. “Al said Hodin made it. They can match its aura resonance to the curse that took Walter out. Hey, Trent? Be a pal. Open the trash for me? Getty is trying to store these things, and they aren’t any good.”

            “He’s right,” Trent said as he opened the lower cupboard and Jenks darted inside.

            “About the maple seeds?” I said, and he grinned.

            “No, about linking the ring to the mage and Walter.”

            “I’d have to give it to them,” I said, unsure. “Parker or the mage might try to take it.”

            “Which makes it an even better idea.” Trent made a little hitch with his shoulder, his smile mischievous. “Let Parker harass Vivian, not you. I’d be willing to bet one of my best yearlings that if Parker tries to take the ring from Vivian that the coven’s focus will shift dramatically.”

            Jenks came out from under the counter and landed atop the faucet. “Sounds easier than trying to get past a demon’s ward,” he said as he brushed his gardening jacket clean.

            “Mmmm.” The memory of being thrown into the wall, smoke coming from my nose as I tried to dump a crapload of line energy, wasn’t that old. And I hadn’t even touched the door. Sighing, I checked my phone for the time. Too late to cancel on Lee. But then I paused, and Jenks’s wing hum got louder as he saw my expression blank.

            “She got an idea,” the pixy warned, and I spun to Trent, excited.

            “The lock on Hodin’s door is a ward, right? Maybe Lee can break it.”