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I shoved h my hair "Okay, so how can I stop theht of you pursuing one with this ability"

"Well, it’s htened "Ah, yes, your duty to protect and serve" I could hear the sneer in his voice, his disdain not for what I did but for whom I chose to protect and serve Then he inclined his head "Yet I understand that this is a matter of honor for you"

"Yes I swore an oath" Which was true, though I’d never really thought about it on this level I’d been sworn in as an officer after graduating froht hand and done the I-state-your-naht twice about it, except that it was one of those things you had to do to be a cop But for demonkind, an oath was serious, and honor was paramount

But any hopes that he would bea matter of honor were dashed when he turned away and strode toward the diagrarauess now I knehether he was pissed or pleased But then again, it wasn’t hishim "Please How can I stop this killer?"

He spun to faceto stop this creature, save destroy it, and soon, before it grows too strong to be destroyed by any means that you possess"

I opened my mouth to ask how to track it down and destroy it, but he jerked his hand up to silence ree to rowled Then, with a shiood thing that I’d slept so well before the su, because I sure as shit wasn’t able to sleep after Rhyzkahl departed

I stared at the ceiling in er at myself Woo, boy, I sure showed Ryan, didn’t I? I showed him that I could call the demonic lord I showed him that I could sleep ho like shit now

Rhyzkahl was an excellent lover, there was no denying that He knew all the right ave me what I wanted when I wanted it--whether I knew it or not He did all of the right "afterglow" things too, like holding s

But he didn’the did for er plan

Then, to really cap the night off, I’dto be his summoner

And why the fuck did I feel like I’d cheated on Ryan? That was the most insane part of it all Ryan and I werea relationship We’d never slept together, had never even couilty only because Ryan had co a relationship with Rhyzkahl? Though, again, that wasn’t exactly a relationship either

I sighed Okay, so I really couldn’t suive hiram now I could call any demon I wanted, whenever I wanted I didn’t need the help of the deain leave ut?

I was definitely the hts continued to churn and whirl in si asleep, but whenthat fully similar to sleep

I blinked away the scuzz in ed to make out that it was the Beaulac dispatch number I fulanced over at the clock Five am Gah If I had slept, it wasn’t for more than an hour or so

"Detective Gillian, this is Corporal Powers in the radio room Mandeville PD called They found your business card at the condo of Elena Sharp"

I sat up "Why were they at her condo? What happened?"

"She’s dead Apparent suicide Want me to text you the contact info?"

"Yeah Thanks," I said, trying to shake off the numb shock Too convenient Too much coincidence It was all connected sori lot of Elena Sharp’s complex The detective I’d spoken to, Robert Fourcade, had been fairly accoiven hi Elena’s husband’s death, he had agreed to allow e out and showed it to the officerthe door "I’m Detective Gillian, froup "Right, you can go on in"

I stepped in, feeling a strange déjà vu, with crime scene superiave me "who the hell is this" looks, but a burly detective with dark-red hair steppedhis hand "I’m Rob Fourcade"

I shook his hand "Callot no proble other than a suicide"

Yeah, well, I could see and feel things Detective Fourcade couldn’t I gave hi and smiled "But you understand why I wanted to check it out, especially since her husband was murdered"

"Paperwork Loose ends I know the drill" I could tell that he felt that I astingall the way down here He jerked his head toward a back bedroom "She’s in there"

"I appreciate it" I headed down the hallway I hadn’t seen this part of the condo on my earlier visit The walls were bare; the only decorative touch was an elegant vase with dried flowers sitting on a table against the wall

The bedroom was more of the same Solid, sturdy, and beautiful furniture that looked like it would last through an apocalypse And lying across the expensive bedspread was Elena Sharp, quite clearly dead I took in the sight of the pill bottles on the nightstand, then stepped closer to take a h look at Elena

I shuddered to a stop as I neared the bed and felt the body I sucked inlack of essence was so profound that I literally had to grab the bedpost to steady myself This was far worse than Brian Roth and Davis Sharp Worse even than the Galloways I could feel the rending, the violence where this essence had been savagely ripped ahile she was still alive My fingers dug into the bedpost, and I fought to not puke