Part 3 (1/2)

My breath slipped from me, almost a groan. Trent Kalamack. The obscenely successful, smiling businessman, ruthless bio- and street-drug lord, elf in hiding, and pain-in-my-a.s.s-extraordinaire Trent Kalamack. Right on schedule. ”Why is it you show up only when I need money?” I sat straighter, but I wasn't going to get up unless it was to smack him.

Trent still smiled, but the faint worry pinching his eyes tickled the back of my brain. Trent wasn't especially tall, but his bearing made people take notice, as if his baby-fine, nearly white hair, devilishly confident smile, and drool-worthy, athletic physique gained from riding his prize-winning horses wouldn't. All that I could ignore-mostly-but his voice... his beautiful voice, rich in variance and resonant... That was harder-and I hated that I loved it.

Trent was Cincinnati's most eligible bachelor, still single because of me. He'd thanked me for that in a weird moment of honesty when he thought we might die in a demon's prison cell. I was still wondering why I'd bothered to save his little elf b.u.t.t. Misplaced responsibility, maybe? That I'd saved his life didn't seem to mean anything to him, since he had tried to make my skull one with a tombstone not three seconds after I got us safe.

Apparently my helping him get the ancient-elf DNA sample from the demons to repair his species genome had been enough to earn my right to live, but I was sure he was still mad at me for having messed up his city council seat reelection plans by tras.h.i.+ng his wedding. Rumors in the Were community had it that he was going to make a bid for the mayoral position instead. My gut clenched, and I winced as I flicked a gaze at him.

Where there had once been only irritation, there was now satisfaction in Trent's green eyes as he took Glenn's offered hand extended across his cluttered desk. My pulse raced-he'd called me a demon and tried to kill me. I wasn't. I was a witch. But he had a point-my children would be demons.

”Mr. Kalamack,” Glenn said, hiding his fl.u.s.ter. ”It's a pleasure.”

All trace of Trent's feelings for me were hidden but for the barest tightening of his eyes. ”Good to see you again, Detective,” he said. ”I trust Ms. Morgan is behaving herself tonight?”

Clearly uncomfortable, Glenn stopped smiling. ”What can I do for you, sir?”

Trent didn't miss a beat. ”I simply have something for Ms. Morgan to sign. I heard she was here, and I was nearby.”

He turned expectantly to me, and my bobbing foot stopped. I don't know what disturbed me more, that Trent wanted me to sign something, or that he had known where to find me. Had my grocery trip already made the news?

Tired, I s.h.i.+fted my hand to cover up a particularly big splotch of strawberry on my knee. ”What do you want, Trent?” I asked bluntly.

Trent's gaze noted everything before returning to Glenn. ”Coffee... perhaps?”

Glenn and I exchanged a knowing look. ”Why not,” the detective said blandly, maneuvering gracefully out from behind his desk. ”How do you take it?”

”Black, no sugar,” Trent said, and I thought longingly of the time when that would have been enough for me, but no, I was turning into a coffee sn.o.b despite my best efforts.

Glenn nodded before he s.h.i.+fted past Trent, the rims of his ears turning red when he rotated the rat back to the wall before he left. His footsteps sounded softly, and I held my breath and counted to five. ”What are you doing slumming?” I said as I swiveled the chair, trying to look casual.

”I'm here to help you.”

I didn't even try to stop my laughter, and in response, Trent moved and settled himself on Glenn's desk, one foot on the floor, the other pulled up slightly like a GQ GQ model. model.

”I don't need money that badly,” I lied, forcing my gaze from him. ”The last time I worked for you, you screwed things up so much that I got shunned. Nice of you to tell the press why I was in the ever-after, by the way,” I finished sarcastically, and his brow furrowed.

Guilt? I wondered, not able to tell right now. If he had told the press I'd been there working for him, things might have gone differently. I'd have told them myself, but I doubted that Trent would've backed me up, and then I'd have looked twice the fool. The public knowing he'd been caught by demons would have seriously jeopardized his political agenda. That I couldn't make a living anymore didn't seem to matter to him. I wondered, not able to tell right now. If he had told the press I'd been there working for him, things might have gone differently. I'd have told them myself, but I doubted that Trent would've backed me up, and then I'd have looked twice the fool. The public knowing he'd been caught by demons would have seriously jeopardized his political agenda. That I couldn't make a living anymore didn't seem to matter to him.

Yet I couldn't help but wonder. First the coven trying to talk to me, and now Trent? Fis.h.i.+ng for more, I rolled my neck against the top of the chair and looked at the ceiling. ”I'm not working for you, Trent. Forget it.”

The soft sound of a linen envelope against silk caught my attention, and I sat up as he extended an envelope he'd taken from an inner pocket of his suit. I looked at it like the snake it was. I'd gotten envelopes from him before. Slowly I leaned forward. My fingers didn't shake at all as I pulled the unsealed flap open and removed a heavyweight trifolded paper. Silently I scanned it, finding a casually worded, but probably more-serious-than-a-heart-attack contract that said I would work for Kalamack Industries and only Kalamack Industries. Forever. Forever. G.o.d, what was wrong with the man? Did he think everyone put money before morals like he did? G.o.d, what was wrong with the man? Did he think everyone put money before morals like he did?

I dropped my hand to dangle the paper inches from the dirty tile. ”I just said I wasn't going to work a job for you,” I said softly, too tired of his games to be mad. ”What makes you think I'll sign this? Be your witch? What happened to Dr. Anders? I've seen your retirement plan, Trent. Is she pus.h.i.+ng up rare orchids in your gardens?”

Irritation furrowed his brow as he stooped to take the paper. Immediately I let go of it, and the sheet slid under my chair and out of his easy reach. Trent pulled back, peeved. ”Dr. Anders is busy in the labs,” he said.

”You mean she's too old to kick a.s.s.”

A smile showed, real and unexpected. ”I prefer to say she is sedentary.”

My focus blurred, my expression slipping into disgust and anger, not at Trent, but at myself for having mishandled the last year or so to the point where I was shunned and broke, living through the grace of my friends. ”Trent...”

He leaned back against the desk, but I couldn't tell if his worry was real or contrived. ”You're in trouble, and you don't even know it.”

My thoughts went to the pin in my bag. Uncomfortable, I glanced out the open door, not wanting the office to hear this, but not wanting to be shut in a room with him either. If you only knew the half of it If you only knew the half of it... ”I'm sitting in an FIB office while my partner posts my bail,” I said tightly. ”I think I know I'm in trouble.”

”I'm talking about the coven of moral and ethical standards,” he said, and I couldn't help my start. ”We had lunch. Rachel, I swear I didn't tell them what you are. They already knew.”

The fear turned into a solid lump and fell to my gut. What I am? What I am? ”You slimy little toad!” I whispered as I stood. Trent was on his feet in an instant, but he didn't back up. ”You told them!” I exclaimed softly, hands in fists. ”You told the coven I could invoke demon magic!” No wonder they were trying to snag me! Snag me, h.e.l.l, they were going to freaking ”You slimy little toad!” I whispered as I stood. Trent was on his feet in an instant, but he didn't back up. ”You told them!” I exclaimed softly, hands in fists. ”You told the coven I could invoke demon magic!” No wonder they were trying to snag me! Snag me, h.e.l.l, they were going to freaking kill kill me! me!

The noise from the nearby offices filtered in. His eyes fixed on mine, chilling me. ”I wasn't about to lie to them,” he said stiffly. ”They already knew. And yes, I confirmed that you were a witch-born demon and that your children will be demons able to exist on this side of the ley lines. They knew my father made you, too. I don't understand it.” He frowned, clearly more worried about himself than me.

”You little b.a.s.t.a.r.d,” I growled. ”I never told anyone anyone what what you you are.” are.”

”Because if you do, you die,” he said, his chin raised and his color high. I could smell the scent of cinnamon and wine as his temperature rose. It wasn't as if Trent's being an elf was that great a secret anyway, but still he clung to it. Sort of like I clung to being just a witch when logic told me I wasn't.

”They're going to take you, Rachel,” Trent said. ”Dissect you to find out what makes you different. Unless... ”

His eyes flicked to the paper under my chair. ”I become your slave?” I said bitterly.

”Sign the paper, Rachel,” he said dryly. ”I lied for you. I told them I could control you, destroy you if necessary. It's the only reason they didn't murder you outright.”

Oh. My. G.o.d. ”Excuse me?” I said, furious. ”You told them you can control me?” ”Excuse me?” I said, furious. ”You told them you can control me?”

Trent shrugged. ”They're understandably uncomfortable with a demon running around this side of the ley lines.”

”I am not not a demon, you little cookie maker,” I nearly hissed. ”I'm a a demon, you little cookie maker,” I nearly hissed. ”I'm a witch. witch. And your dad didn't create me. He only made it possible for me to survive what I'd been born with.” And your dad didn't create me. He only made it possible for me to survive what I'd been born with.”

His eyes narrowed. ”A mistake that I'm honor bound to do my utmost to contain.”

”Oh really!” My boot heels clunked as I moved until only feet separated us, my hands on my hips. ”You want to contain contain me? Is that a threat, Kalamack?” me? Is that a threat, Kalamack?”

Trent arched his eyebrows and backed up a step. ”I'm trying trying to help you, though now I can't see why. You have a way out of this. Sign the paper. Become my legal responsibility. The coven will stop trying to give you a lobotomy. I might even get your shunning revoked.” to help you, though now I can't see why. You have a way out of this. Sign the paper. Become my legal responsibility. The coven will stop trying to give you a lobotomy. I might even get your shunning revoked.”

I was shaking, overwhelmed. I didn't believe him-I couldn't. He had turned my own people on me because he knew they were the only ones who had the finesse to bring me down.

”You planned this, didn't you?” I accused softly, very aware that a room full of FIB officers was just out of earshot. ”You told them what I'm capable of so they'd come after me; then you hold out your little safety net thinking I'd fall right into it. Playing both of us against each other so you can't lose. G.o.d, Trent, Ceri was right. You are are a demon.” a demon.”

Jaw clenched, Trent went to push the door shut. I leapt into motion and got in front of it, and Trent pulled back, stymied. ”I didn't tell them,” he said, so close I could smell his aftershave. ”But if you own me in the ever-after, I'm going to own you here.”

My mouth dropped open. ”Those are words on a paper! I made you my familiar to get your a.s.s out of there, that's it! Have I ever once even hinted at using you? Have I done the charm to forge a link between us? No! And I'm not going to!”

”But you could,” he said, and for an instant, I saw fear flicker under his anger.

Disgusted, I crossed my arms over my chest. ”I should have let you rot there, that's what I should have done, you ungrateful snot. Do you have any idea what I put up with from Big Al every week so you can sit at home and watch TV instead of playing blow-up doll to a demon?”

Stone faced, Trent looked at me, his tan pale and the hem of his slacks shaking. ”I will not be owned, Rachel,” he said softly. ”Not even on paper. And never never by a by a demon” demon”

I took a breath, exhaling when the sound of pixy wings broke the tense silence. Trent retreated, his head down as he calmed himself. The familiar cadence of Ivy's boots sounded over the ringing of a single phone, and I retreated deeper into Glenn's office.