The Witch with No Name

“It’s not okay!” I shouted, and the light redoubled, making shadows in the small room. “Did you see Al’s face when he saw me? Saw the mystics?” I took my hands from his, and the light continued to glow within them. I didn’t know what spell it was since it wasn’t aura based. I guess when you’re line energy, it doesn’t matter. “They’re going to kill me.”

“No one is going to kill you,” he insisted. “Besides, I like the way your aura looks.” I tried to smile as he gave me a kiss, his lips finding mine with determination. “And the way you smell with them in your hair,” he whispered, fingers firmly at the back of my neck. “Why do you even care what they think about you anyway?”

My eyes closed, and I breathed him in, wondering how it could be so good and so bad at the same time. “Because they’re the only group of people who aren’t afraid of me.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” a low voice growled.

My eyes shot to the closed door, then the sink. “Al!” Shit, how long had he been there? I panicked, the light glowing like a neon sign of guilt.

Trent stood, tension pulling him ramrod straight. “Where are my girls?”

Al’s features creased as he scowled at Trent. “You are late. I told you I had to leave at six P.M. exactly, and it’s after that now.”

Trent took a step forward. “Where are Lucy and Ray?” he asked again, and Al finally took his eyes off me.

“In their beds,” he said, thumbnail running under the nail of his index finger.

“You left them alone?” I blurted out, and Al rolled his eyes.

“Nothing will happen in the time it takes to tell you to find someone else to watch them.”

I stood, setting the ball of light on the bed. “It’s not like you went to the bathroom, Al, you’re across the city. You can’t leave them like that! Even if they are sleeping!”

Al’s face was ugly when he pulled his eyes from the ball of light. “I’m three seconds away from them,” he said with a sneer. “It would take me longer to take a piss than to jump back to them. My God, you’re covered with elf shit. How can you stand yourself?”

I dropped back, ashamed and embarrassed. Trent stood beside me, a protective gleam in his eye. “We’re a little busy. You think you could watch them for a bit longer?”

Al ran his eyes up and down me again in disgust before turning to the sink and the still-running water. “I see how busy you are. No. I have to go to work.”

“Work?” I echoed, surprised. Seriously? Then I pulled my thoughts back from how much damage a working demon could do. “We’re stuck here,” I said, gesturing. “You can’t leave them until we get back. It’s the babysitter’s creed. You have to wait until the parents come home, even if they’re late.”

Al picked up one of the bugs between two careful fingers. “Ellasbeth is there,” he said, as if the bug was a mic. “She’s a parent.”

“Ellasbeth!” Trent’s hand fell from me. “Go back! Stop them! Al, she filed for custody on the basis that leaving them with you is child abuse!”

Al spun, the bug in his fingers crushed to nothing as the sting of that soaked in. “Just. So,” he said succinctly, the pain of betrayal simmering in the back of his goat-slitted eyes.

“Al!” I begged him. “You can’t leave them with her!”

“I don’t fucking care, Rachel!” he shouted, and I stumbled back. “I am a demon!”

I lifted my chin, frustration making me reckless. “Liar.”

Al’s eyes almost glowed in the light from my mystic-powered globe. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” Trent was edging toward me as Al came forward, and I stood firm. “Now either get your butt back there until we can get ourselves out of here, or get us out of here yourself!”

“Ah, Rachel . . .” Trent was wincing, and I stiffened.

Al was toe to toe with me, and my knees shook. I stared up at him, not willing to kowtow to him anymore. So I had mystics in me. I didn’t ask for them, and they were coming in handy.

“Get out of here yourself,” he said, and I stifled a jerk when he flicked a strand of my hair. “You are disgusting,” he said with a sneer. “Slimy with elf shit. Covered in them. How do you stand yourself?”

It wasn’t really a question, but at least he wasn’t throttling me anymore.

“And you should be glad of it,” Trent said.

Al spun to him, and I took a grateful breath of air when his eyes left me. “Glad?” the demon spat, and I swear the hem of his trousers shook with his anger.

“Yes, glad,” Trent said. “Landon is trying to shove the lot of you back into the ever-after and break the lines.”

A low growl of disbelief and dismissal came from Al. “Never happen.”

Trent eased forward to come between me and Al. “What if it did? The only magic will be Goddess based. You’d have to learn wild magic or stay helpless.”