Dance with the Demon by Stacia Stark

2

Danica

It had been four weeks since my sister agreed to have that first drink with me. Now, we met at Meredith’s once a week, exchanging pleasantries and tiptoeing around the subject of our childhood. We were both trying.

But we had a long way to go.

I found it difficult to move past the fact that my sister had never gotten in touch— even after I visited to tell her mom’s death hadn’t been an accident.

And Evie? She couldn’t forgive me for not fighting harder to stay. For not running away from Austin and coming back to her. For staying away for so long.

“Sorry I’m late.” I slipped into a chair and Evie glanced up from her phone. She had a wicked smile on her face, and I raised one eyebrow. “What’s that look for?”

“This guy I’ve been seeing–” she frowned. “What’s wrong, Dani?”

At least she was calling me Dani again. That was progress.

“Nothing,” I attempted a smile, and my sister simply raised one eyebrow, glancing away. Her gaze landed on a group of werewolves who were taking shots at the bar. One of them tipped his head back and recognition swept through me. Matt. I’d met him when I interviewed his alpha a month ago. He was looking better than he had that day, but I had a feeling Nathaniel wouldn’t be pleased to learn that such a recently turned werewolf was drinking.

Meredith’s was a squat, brick building with a small outdoor area that was rarely used. Wobbly stools lined the beaten-up bar, the floors were scuffed and chipped, and the lights were dim. It was one of my favorite places in Durham.

I turned back to Evie. Silence stretched between us. I didn’t want to admit what was bothering me, but she had a right to know what was going on.

“I terrified a couple of kids today.” The words tasted like ash.

Evie’s face creased. “What do you mean?”

I took a deep breath. It was time to tell her the truth. “It turns out my father wasn’t human. Or mage. Do you remember that dark fae guy who was hanging around mom for a few years before we left?”

Evie’s eyes flashed at the reminder, but she put it away, frowning as she took a sip of her rum and coke.

“I don’t think so.”

“You were probably too young. Anyway, I think he might have been my father. My power is dark. Likely unseelie. Someone put a suppression spell on me when I was a kid.”

Evie gaped at me, her eyes wide. I almost laughed. She looked like a Disney princess who had just learned that the birds who helped her get dressed every morning were dead.

My sister took after my mom. Huge, aquamarine eyes, thick, glossy blonde hair, perfect skin, and curves in all the right places. When we’d taken family photos, I’d always felt like the odd one out with my dark hair and petite frame. Now I knew why.

“But suppression spells are only for witches who’ve been sentenced by the High Coven.”

“Yeah. Except they weren’t suppressing witch magic.” The magic I’d inherited from my mom was a trickle at best. “It was unseelie power.”

Evie tilted her head. “So, you’re like, uber powerful now?”

She kept her voice light, and I attempted a smile. “I don’t know how powerful. Ever since I worked that case for the demons…” both of our gazes dropped to the gold mark on my arm, and I ground my teeth.

“The suppression spell has been wearing away?”

I nodded. “Apparently these types of spells are usually reinforced every few years.”

“What has this got to do with the kids?”

Bile crept up my throat at the reminder of Gary’s kids. Their little faces, such a pale gray they were almost white.

“When I get… upset, I have a hard time controlling my power.”

Evie’s gaze turned knowing. I’d scared the shit out of her the first time I lost control of my power, holding a witch in place, and forcing her to answer my questions.

She cleared her throat. “You did that to the kids?”

“God no. But I threatened Gary– their father. In front of them. My power leaked out of me and rattled the roof. They were terrified.”

“You didn’t hurt anyone?” her voice was very careful.

“No. But I could’ve. I’m telling you now, so you know. If I ever lose control, run.”

“You won’t hurt me.”

“I may not know what I’m doing,” I warned her. I needed her to take this seriously. “This suppression spell… it hid my power from me all these years, and whenever a piece of the spell crumbles, my power overtakes me. It usually happens when I’m enraged, and it boosts my anger into a new stratosphere. It’s like my power is a river and I’m caught in the currents without a life jacket. Anyone close to me is at risk.”

“You won’t hurt me,” she said again. I sighed, and she gave the hint of a smile. Evie had always been able to out-stubborn anyone. Even me. “What are you going to do about it?”

I signaled for another round, and across the room, Mere caught my eye with a nod. “I’m going to find someone who can reinforce the suppression spell.”

She gaped at me. “What?”

“I don’t need this power. I don’t want it. It was helpful when I was working with the demons and being targeted by those crazy witches, but that’s done now.”

“If you have access to that amount of power, it can keep you safe.”

“Not at the expense of everyone around me.”

“I think you give yourself too little credit. Why don’t you find someone who can help you learn to control it?”

Samael’s face flashed in front of my eyes, and I closed them in a bid to make it disappear. It didn’t. When I opened my eyes, my sister was smirking at me.

“You were thinking about him, weren’t you?”

“Samael can’t be trusted.”

A couple of months ago Samael caught me in his tower, with one of his demons dead on the floor in front of me. He’d bonded me to him, and we’d made a deal. If I could find out who was murdering his demons— and kill them within two weeks– he’d let me free.

During that time, we’d gotten… close. Despite my hatred of Samael and everything he stood for, I hadn’t been able to help myself. We were drawn together like magnets, and at one point I’d been moments away from sleeping with him.

Then I saw the true Samael. The Samael who’d refused to release me from my bond over a technicality. After I’d saved his life, I might add.

Evie raised her eyebrow, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “Have you seen him since…”

“I made the mistake of saving his stupid life? No. He’s been suspiciously absent from my life. But you know what hasn’t been absent? This stupid mark.” I held it up and the gold seemed to sparkle in the light. I ground my teeth. The mark on my arm proclaimed that I belonged to Samael. And each time I dropped my shields even a little, I could feel his masculine presence down the end of that bond.

“Have you thought about asking him for help?”

“He can’t help me with this. Besides, he’s a demon. What does he know about unseelie power?”

Just the word “unseelie” made me shiver. I didn’t feel half unseelie. But I’d also been magically neutered for most of my life.

“Uh-huh.” Evie’s mouth twitched and I scowled at her.

“He’s dangerous. Besides, I have a new plan. I met a witch when I was investigating the demon murders. Her name is Selina. She was the one who was able to tell me my power wasn’t all witch. I’m going to see if she’d be willing to help me find someone who can perform a suppression spell. Otherwise, maybe she can train me to keep my control.”

In the meantime, I had to accept that I couldn’t be trusted around anyone who could piss me off. So basically the entire population of the world.

Evie grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Go to Gary and explain what’s happening with your power. Apologize. He’ll understand. And in the meantime, if you can’t trust yourself to buy things from him, let me know. I can go for you.”

I smiled. This was the least awkward conversation we’d had so far. Maybe there was hope for us yet.

“Okay,” I said. “But after what I did, there’s a pretty good chance he’ll just ban me from his store.”

“All you can do is try.”

“You’re right.” And now I itched to go talk to him.

Evie’s eyes gleamed. “Go apologize. I’ll wait here and order us another drink.”

Gary’s was just a couple minutes away, further down Main Street. “I won’t be long.” I got to my feet and scanned the bar. The werewolves were busy chatting up a group of light fae women. The goblins in the corner were speaking in hushed voices, and Mere was keeping an eye on the group of human mercenaries near the door. No one here would be likely to mess with my sister.

“I see what you’re doing,” Evie said mildly. “I can take care of myself.”

I grinned at her and strode out of the bar.

* * *

Danica

I squinted at my phone. Ten pm. Adult gnomes didn’t need much sleep, and Gary was known for keeping his store open until two am some nights. I turned right as I walked out of Meredith’s, heading down Main Street toward Gary’s small store.

High above me, I heard the rustling of wings. I surveyed the night sky. The sound had only lasted a split second, but I knew what I’d heard. I’d thought I was going crazy over the past few weeks but I wasn’t. Samael still had his people watching me.

I suppressed the urge to call him and give him a piece of my mind. The demon was leaving me alone for now. I had no desire to rouse his interest once more.

I slowed my steps as I approached Gary’s store. The lights were out, which was unusual this early.

Maybe I’d emotionally scarred his kids so badly that he’d had to take them home.

I pushed that thought away and pressed my face against the glass, peering into the darkness.

“Oh my god.”

I threw open the door and bolted across the small store, dropping down to Gary’s side.

Someone had bashed his skull in. His head was caved in on one side, blood leaking onto the floor of his shop. The rest of his body was so broken that it looked like little more than mush.

My hand shook as I pressed it to Gary’s neck, searching frantically for a pulse. I jolted as he opened his eyes. Still alive. I had no idea how, but I was keeping him that way. I pulled my phone from my pocket.

“I’m getting you help,” I promised. His eyes were dark with pain, and he opened his mouth in an attempt to say something. “Just rest, you’re going to be okay.”

I called an ambulance. He’d be taken to the paranormal hospital, where the doctors and healers would work together to save his life.

The operator was calm. “An ambulance is on its way, Miss.”

I left the phone line open as instructed. Gary was still attempting to speak. He would open his mouth, strain for a while, and then his eyes would slide shut.

His hand twitched, and I took it in mine.

“Did you hear that? The ambulance is on its way. They’ll heal you right up, and I swear I’ll kill whoever did this.”

“Boys,” he managed to get out. “Protect them.”

“I will.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

I took a frantic glance around. Where the hell were his kids?

“You guys can come out now.” I closed my eyes when there was nothing but silence. I’d terrified them a few hours earlier, and now their dad was dying in front of them.

“I know I scared you today, but I’m here to help. Your dad wants me to look after you.”

I returned my attention to Gary. Pride shone in his dull eyes. He’d instructed them to hide, and they were doing exactly as he’d said. He flicked his eyes to my left and I peered between the shelves lying on the floor.

The store was a wreck. Someone had almost killed Gary, and they’d ransacked his store. I turned back to Gary. His face was so broken it was almost impossible to recognize him. But his terror was clear. My instincts roared at me.

I needed to get the kids out.

I grabbed my phone, hung up on the operator, and called my sister.

“Evie. I need you to get to Gary’s now. Do you know where it is?”

“Next to that tattoo parlor everyone loves, right?”

“Yeah. I need you to take his kids and keep them safe for me. Can you do that?”

I knew she could. Despite my hatred of the witches, they’d always protect children.

“Of course. I’ll be right there.”

I hung up, and a tear slid from Gary’s eye as he stared silently at me.

“Who did this to you?”

He opened his mouth, and his eyes rolled back in his head as he passed out. Fuck. I turned and crouched next to the shelves in the direction he’d flicked his eyes.

Nothing. For a couple of kids who were like hurricanes every time I entered this store, they were now so quiet it was as if they weren’t here.

I cracked my shield and sent out a tiny tendril of power. There. In the corner of the store. I picked my way over the weapons and spells that littered the ground, ducking around the few shelves that were still standing.

Nothing.

I frowned. “Are you boys invisible?”

A tiny squeak, followed by a hushed ‘shhh.’

They were in the wall somehow. I ran my fingers over it, looking for some kind of trigger. Then I cracked my shields again.

It was warded. Heavily. Gary had paid a pretty penny for such a good ward. I didn’t have time to hesitate. I pulled out my Nim Cub, sliced my arm, and lifted my hand.

The ward snapped, disappearing as if it had never been there. As soon as it was gone, I could see the opening mechanism, hidden in the corner of the wall.

I flicked it, and the bottom half of the wall swung open, revealing two little gnomes, who blinked at me with wide eyes.

“You’re Cilibim, right? And you’re Ziprick?”

Gary had taken a human name when he first came through the portals. He’d said it was to help him integrate with the locals. But he’d given his kids Gnome names.

“I’m Cil, and he’s Zip,” Cil told me solemnly. “Is our dad going to be okay?”

“I’ve called for help,” I said, unwilling to give them false promises. “Your dad asked me to look after you.”

They exchanged a look, clearly wondering why their dad would trust their safety to a woman he’d kicked out of his store just a few hours earlier.

“I won’t hurt you. I promise.” It killed me that they were frightened of me.

The kids looked at each other again, their gray faces wearing identical expressions of distrust. Finally, they stepped out from their hiding place in the wall.

Sirens sounded in the distance.

“I need to check on your dad, okay?”

They nodded, following me back over to Gary, who was now unconscious. I was going to find whoever had done this to him, and when I did, they were going to pay and pay and pay.

I checked his vitals. Gnomes were lesser dark fae, and they were usually pretty fast healers, but Gary didn’t look any better. My chest clenched.

“Danica?”

I glanced over my shoulder. Evie’s face drained of color as she looked around the store.

“Who did this?”

“I don’t know. But I need you to take the kids and keep them safe. I’ll come see you after.”

Evie nodded, her mouth firming. Then she gracefully picked her way over the rubble lining the floor until she was in front of the kids. She knelt down.

“My name is Evie. What are your names?”

They told her and she grinned. “What cool names. I have some people who want to meet you. Will you come hang out with me?”

Cil shook his head. “We’re meant to stay with Danica.”

“I’m Danica’s sister. She’s going to come hang out with us once she’s looked after your dad, okay?”

They both looked at me and I nodded. “I’ll be there as soon as the healers are looking after your dad.”

Zip shook his head. “I want to stay with dad.”

“You heard him,” I made my voice firm. “He wants me to keep you safe.”

Cil narrowed his eyes at me, suddenly looking older than his years. “You’ll find the man who did this to our dad. And you’ll kill him.”

“Yes.”

Evie made wide eyes at me and I shrugged. They had a right to know the truth.

I knelt down next to Gary again. Still unconscious.

The sirens were getting closer. My gut told me to get the kids out. If they’d seen whoever did this, they could be in danger. I met Evie’s eyes, and she nodded. A few soft words later, and the kids were pressing gentle kisses to their dad’s cheek before filing after her.

I went still. Gary wasn’t breathing.

I leaned down and started CPR.