The Devil's Tail - The Devil Chronicles Book One - ROUGH DRAFT

Chapter Twenty

"It's nothing personal, sweetheart," Abe gripped around Daniel's neck. "Now, what do you have?" Turned toward the window, his grip grew tighter and he flipped out a knife and pressed it against Daniel's chin.

"Nothing."

Abe grazed the skin with the sharp edge of the blade. "Nothing?" His voice tasted like sour candy wafting in the air. "That sweet little piece of yours had a Devil's Mark. Is she holding on to stuff for you?"

Daniel broke free from the chokehold, slicing his chin on the blade. "She's not 'a little piece.'"

Abe cocked his head. "Daniel –right?"

Wiping his chin, he held the sting in his fingertips, like a bumblebee that lingers hours later. "It took you long enough to remember." He smiled, rubbing his fingertips together as blood dripped onto them.

"Well, I wasn't one for acquaintances."

"I wouldn't call suitemates acquaintances, Kazmi."

"To each their own, Danny boy. I wouldn't call another Devil a traitor, but you fit the bill." He flicked the blade in his hand, opening and closing it from its handle.

"Her name is Marty."

"So, she has a name? How cute. Now, how far did you get?"

Daniel gritted his teeth, careful not to get blood spilling. "First, that's none of your business. Second, that's impolite to even belittle us to just sexual beings."

Abe tripled over, laughing. "No. No. You know what I really meant." He narrowed his eyes. "The Crown."

"I have leads here and there. She didn't help if that's what you're asking. It's foolish to have a regular teen wrapped up in our world."

"But someone has clearly put her –" Abe stepped closer, his pocket knife dancing in his fingers before his face "—someone put her in harm's way. An Evian in our warfare is a causality waiting to happen."

Daniel reached for the blade and ripped it from Abe's hands. Daniel's fingers sparked tiny flames of orange, singing Abe's fingertips. He stepped back, wincing.

"She won't be a causality. I'll see to it that she is protected. As far as who that person –Devil—is, I have a few theories. And if anyone is a traitor to our cause, it's them."

Abe leaned in, grinning. "Are you suggesting –?"

"We raise all hell," Daniel whispered.

Levi and Shkeesha sat on a bench, outside of the main ballroom.

"I texted her to meet us here. That should –"

Shkeesha raised an eyebrow. "It should what? Have her not trust her? Get her kidnapped by another Devil. You said you saw Hosana –"

"Hosana may not be a problem. I doubt she'll go after Marty. All humans look the same to them."

Shkeesha sighed and slumped in her seat. "I wouldn't go that far. But regardless, Marty doesn't look like a mere human. She has a Devil's Mark." Shkeesha pulled her body pillow close to her chest and fiddled with a loose thread on its seams.

Levi scrunched his eyebrows before standing up. "Come on. Let's get in line."

"What line --?" She stopped mid-sentence, her mouth gaping open. The sign in front of the room displayed the schedule: 2 pm – New Discoveries of Ancient Cryptics, Hosted by University of Memphis' Department of History, Dr. John Reiling; International Society of Monster Hunters, Dr. R. J. Holden; Cryptic Expert, Dr. Carter