Demon Tamer (Book 2)

1 - Normal-ish

The alarm has me flopping around like a fish out of water trying to find the mute button. Gods, it can't really be time to get up already, can it? A look at the clock shows it is indeed already 6am.

I've got to get up, get ready, and get Kit out the door by 7:30 if I hope to be on time today. Given that Luke has threatened me with murder if I'm late again, I suppose I'll have to try harder than usual. And honestly, it's not like I'm that late most days, but five minutes is apparently just as bad as three hours late in his book. Why I'm surprised is beyond me.

Then again, working with the most famous detective in Mystica has its perks if you can get over his pickiness.

We're still stuck together because Benedict decided that when I missed out on Luke's big arrest I proved myself untrustworthy. Which means the most trustworthy person in the precinct has to keep an eye on me until he decides I've proved myself once more.

Yeah, like that's ever going to happen. I've set my hopes that when we get a new person, Benedict will hate them more than me. Or at least, enough to forget about me. So, for the foreseeable future, Luke and I are Team Detective.

Honestly, since it allows me to work at home occasionally and get Kit to and from school, it works well for me. I just hate being seen as the weak partner. The one who ran away from confronting Jonas, the one who doesn't know enough to be trusted as her own detective, the one who needs a man to filter and guide her. Yeah, the precinct hasn't exactly been quiet on how they perceive me.

But, I try my best to push the negatives aside and focus on living a nice, quiet life. If I ignore the fact a hellhound is currently passed out at the foot of my bed, that I'm heir to the Witch of Darkness, and that my best friend and mentor growing up was a Knight of Hell that tried to destroy the world, it shouldn't be too difficult. Luckily, the hellhound is under a glamour as an inky black husky, my grandmother has been completely silent since the incident where she almost killed me, and Damien has been behaving himself in the wards I cast to contain him.

Doubly lucky is the fact that no one knows all of these facts. Unfortunately, a few people, namely Luke and my ex-coworkers Carter and Nova, have pieced together a few of them. Luke's the closest, since he knows who my grandmother is and that Kit has a guardian Summons. He doesn't exactly know Runsel is a hellhound and he's met Damien, but hasn't heard the full story of our relationship. Unless Damien spilled the beans, which I doubt.

Turns out demons are even more reluctant to spill secrets of the past than I am. Who would have thought?

Groaning, I roll out of bed and crash to the floor. Runsel springs awake and darts to the edge of the bed to check on me, but lets out a huff and lays back down when he realizes nothing's wrong. Given I wake up this way every day I'm not sure why he still gets startled but if he's taking his job seriously I can't exactly blame him. I have a feeling Damien gave him a stern lecture on taking care of Kit and me when they'd stayed with him. And, let me tell you, a lecture from a Knight is not something you forget.

I hop in the shower, turning it to cold to shock myself awake. Afterwards, still wrapped in a towel, I walk down the hallway to knock on Kit's door. I get a grunt in response so I head in.

She's wrapped up in her comforter like a burrito, only her rumpled hair sticking out. I peel it away from her face. One arm emerges to try to yank the blanket back so I take emergency measures and, with a tug, stand and take the blanket with me. She lets out a shriek as she unrolls into the cool air of our garage apartment.

"Cassie!"

I smile and pat her head. "Morning! Shower's open. I'll have breakfast ready when you're out."