Her bright red hair was pulled into a tight braid down the back of her head, not a strand out of place. Her face was like porcelain, her narrow brows perfectly arched and her lipstick red. All contrasted exquisitely with her inquisitive emerald eyes. And the dress she wore was a tight sheath wrapped about her slender figure in a dusty purple color, as if a bunch of roses bound with ribbon.
She was gorgeous, in a tidy way. He shouldnt think to muss her. But oh, to unloose that hair and watch it fall over the purple satin and down her narrow back. CJs oft-ignored sensual desires hummed for attention.
What are you looking at? she asked as she turned the hearse down the alley, their destination.
Perfection. He turned and faced forward, not sure if hed meant it as a compliment. Was that your sister who answered the door when I arrived? Libertie?
Yes, Libby left for the witches bazaar. You ever go there?
The one behind the Moulin Rouge? No, its a bunch of old hags selling mandrake and love spells.
Times have changed, CJ. Now theyre into cyberspellcraft and digital conjuring. When was the last time youve been?
Decades. Digital conjuring? What the young witches wouldnt think of next. He hated to admit he didnt know about a particular magic.
She nodded and pulled the car over to park. You said you know many magics. Is digital one of them?
It would be as soon as he could dig up some information on it. Cyberhacking, hed heard of, but to use the computer to digitally conjure magics? Truly, hed been stuck in the archives too long.
Im adding it to my arsenal soon. So this is it? How does the Mistress of Neat like you find herself on the cleaning end of a spattered werewolf? And are you always dressed so elegantly for such a messy job?
When Ive a call, I wear simple clothes under my hazmat suit. And this isnt elegant. Its my normal dress. Cleaning is my passion, she said in a tone that invoked more sensual means to passion for CJ. She opened the car door. Come on. Lets see if your dark and weary soul attracts anything.
Certainly wont be an uptight witch, he muttered as he stood up from the car and closed the door.
What was that? She pursed her gorgeous lips and eyed him narrowly over the top of the car. Did you call me uptight?
He braced his forearms on the top of the car and smiled at her. I did, oh, Beauty of the Bizarre and Unnatural Cleaning Jobs. But now youre going to cut me down for the comment and make me feel like the dirt you think I am, right?
She tilted her head, considering. Not worth it. I havent made up my mind about you.
So not a derelict.
Thats apparent. Youve a job working for the Council. I assume youve a home. Derelicts cant usually claim as much.
Your home is a fascinating study in white and roundness, he said, moving around to the front of the car to lean against the front quarter panel and watch her walk the bricked-in area in small paces. That spell room of yours. It was so...
You said sterile.
To a fault. Tell me why someone who is so into cleaning chooses white? I mean, wouldnt it be easier to keep a darker color clean? Or even wood or steel?
It appeals to me, she said without looking at him. Arms held out, she walked the area as if trying to capture something in an invisible net held between her arms. It gives me satisfaction to do a job well.
I can say the same.
What does your job involve, CJ? Ive always thought librarians
Im an archivist, and I handle all the records for the Council. That includes all grimoires written throughout the ages, all spells and potions, objects of magical means and nature, contained creatures of mysterious origin, etcetera, and so on. I also keep the database on the paranormal nations.
She paused, bent over, the gorgeous lines of her body playing deep shadows in the folds of the dress at her knees and hips. Mmm, the woman needed to be bent over the end of his bed...
All of us? she prompted, whacking him out of the sudden and illicit fantasy of foreplay on his big, comfy bed.
Witches, werewolves, vampires, demons, familiars, mermaids, trolls, imps, shape-shifters. The whole lot.
No faeries?
Absolutely not. The sidhe can take care of themselves, and more power to them.
Thats quite a monumental task, keeping track of us all.
And I do it well. CJ spread a hand over his gut and cast a glance skyward. Daylight waned due to what he suspected would be rain before evening. A twinge in his elbow confirmed the weather prediction. That is, when Ive not a soul full of demons trying to take over my body and fucking with my magic.
Are those spell tattoos on your hand?
Yes. He tucked his hand along his torso. Ive quite a few all over. You ever hear of Sayne?
Yes, hes an ink witch who travels Europe. Ive never thought it an effective form of magic.
My tattoos are powerful. Much like your grandmothers nail.
Sure.
He sensed Vika wasnt warming to him in any way. And why should he care? He only meant to use her to see if another exorcism was possible. And yet, CJs interest continued to stray to the woman beneath the sexy gown, and her sure voice and the confident tilt of her head. Tidily gorgeous. Not his type of woman at all.
You dont have a type, Certainly Jones.
True. But it was high time he got a type. One of the things he realized hed been missing after his return from Daemonia was a life. A life shared with others. And if on his bed? Hell, yes.
So, you feel anything? he prompted.
No, but you could walk around and help. See if the soul is attracted to you.
CJ wandered the enclosed area, focusing, eyes closed, to see if he could sense or feel the same brightness he had last night. What he did sense was the demons inside him chuckling and writhing in accusatory glee. Idiot witch, they screamed at him. Just wait until nightfall.
Perhaps by nightfall Vika will have exorcised another demon from him. It had to be possible. He wanted nothing more than freedom from the bastards inside him. And if he needed a stray soul to do so, hed stand here all day waiting for the little bugger to attach its intangible essence to him.
So when youre in the light the demons dont bother you? she asked over her shoulder as she strolled along the brick wall blocking in the small parking area.
Mostly. The incandescent stuff only works for so long. Daylight is iffy when the sky clouds up. He glanced skyward. Many gray clouds. Should he be here? A few months ago, I discovered prismatic is the best kind of light to deter demons, keep them back, if you will.
And what happens when the demons take over? Do they do it all at once?
Fortunately, no. Usually theres an inner struggle I feel, as if the lot of them are ripping at my insides, and then one comes to the fore. Takes over my very being. Im aware of what its doing and not. Depends on how strong it is. The damned lust demon took me out to a nightclub last month and I ended up
Yeah, he wasnt going to finish that one. Hed never had sex with a dryad before. Wasnt sure how it had gone down, and he didnt want to think about it now. At the least, it had broken his dry spell with women. If she had been a woman. Yes, shed been female. It was too wrong to think any other way.
So youre not in control of your body when the demon comes to the fore?
Not one hundred percent. Its different each time. Some are more powerful than others. I can fight the demon, but it looks like Im spazzing out, and sometimes its easier to surrender. I never stray too far from home.
Which is where?
In the fifth. I live in the DeMarck Building.
I know that place. Gorgeous iridescent tile work on the outside?
Thats the one.
You said its been six months since you returned from...that place?
She didnt want to speak the name Daemonia? Probably for the better. Smart woman.
Yes. I do have one good demon in me, though. Its a protection demon. I let that one out because it has a tendency to paint protection sigils on the walls and floors of my home. Havent noticed theyd done much good, though. Theyre wearing me down. He stopped and put his head into his hands. Its getting so hard, and Im tired. I want them gone.
Maybe you shouldnt have gone into the place of all demons in the first place. Why did you go there, and what did you do? You must have pissed off someone or something, or apparently, a whole host of demonic somethings. Whatever it was, you probably deserve the punishment.
I dont need the admonishment right now.
But she was right; he deserved any bad karma coming to him because of what hed done. But as long as hed gotten there before Ian Grim, that was all that mattered.
It was always about Grim.
Im sorry, I Well, no, Vika said. Its what I feel. A guy goes into the place of all demons, hes got to expect retribution.
Do you always follow the rules, Vika? Live by the book? Make sure your life is as clean as it can possibly be, from outside to soul?
She lifted an indignant chin and nodded minutely.
You ever have any fun?
Of course I do. She cast him a glance through her lashes, which stirred CJs passions again. But I suspect my idea of fun and your idea of fun are vastly different.
I suspect so. Were very different souls.
Thats no understatement, she agreed.
He gave his arms a waver across his chest. Not feeling anything.
You havent gone over there. She pointed toward the end of the hearse. You know, there are other methods to casting out demons.
Tried them all. Even ventured into a Catholic church and had the priest lay his hands on me. I suspect he got frightened when the chaos demon starting chewing on his cross. I was spitting out marble for hours after that one. Think I chipped a molar.
So the demons inside you are impervious to exorcism? Thats remarkable. Ive never heard of that.
I suspect because theres a whole gang of them inside me. Theyre not particularly friends, but I think they band together to hold the fort, if you know what I mean.
And theyve come directly from Daeer, the place of all demons, instead of being summoned here through a conjuring, so I suspect that makes them stronger, as well. A witch can only control a demon they have conjured personally.
Exactly. Yet they cant access my magic, which is a good thing. Just wish I had more control over it.