Medusa's Dagger: A New Adult Urban Fantasy (Aya Harris Collection Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

webbed across their surfaces. But, Kenneth Manor was home to more than thirty families and random singles like myself. Only we could love the way the halls smelled like cigarette smoke, and how the pipes occasionally burst in the walls.
    Usually, when I came home in the evenings, the lobby and halls would be deserted. It was supper time, and most families would be sitting down to dine on lasagna or blood or whatever their pallets desired. This time was different. When I opened the door to the lobby, it looked like nearly everyone in the building had decided to congregate for a meeting. The vampire family from third floor, the centaurs from fifth, the banshees from first, and even Mr. Price, our resident grim reaper, was in attendance. I could hardly make my way to the stairs. It was so crowded.
    “What’s going on?” I asked Mr. Price.
    His pale complexion and foreboding expression was what you’d expect from a creature that made a living off of death and destruction. His grey eyes rolled in their sockets, until they managed to lazily land on me.
    “The Yonas have been taken,” he said in a low grumble. “There was no note. No warning. I’ve heard through my coworkers that Mr. Yonas already bit the big one.”
    I ignored his look of glee and pressed him for more information. “Any news about the other three? Have they found the boy yet?”
    “No, they haven’t. And I doubt they ever will…” Mr. Price’s voice trailed off.
    I realized then why I had always avoided him in the laundry room. If I was ever in need of a severe case of depression, I could spend five minutes with Mr. Price and I’d be sure to find myself ready to jump off the nearest roof.
    “Way to keep positive thoughts,” I told him, pushing my way through the rest of the crowd.
    Nearing the staircase, I saw a flash light up the room. Surrounding the stairs were at least six reporters. A few of them had notepads and recorders in their hands. Another had a big camera with a giant flash. Perched a few steps up was a news reporter with big teeth, a giant mic, and a cameraman standing next to him. I recognized the reporter instantly.
    Ian Welch was a bigwig at the local station, always the first on the scene for crime beats. Last year, he won an award for reporter of the year. There were even rumors that Good Morning America was interested in snapping him up for national news. Anyone else would call him lucky. But then again, luck didn’t have much to do with the deal he’d made with the demon he hosted in his body.
    The air around him shimmered, and for a moment, I caught a glimpse of his demon side – an ugly rotten creature with crooked fangs and bloodshot eyes. A second later, the shimmer was gone, and Ian Welch stood in his place again, perfectly gelled hair and all.
    I didn’t know what kind of deal Ian had made with his demon sidekick. Probably gave up his firstborn or the last twenty years of his life. Who knew?
    But when it came to demon deals, the law was clear. Anyone was free to make their own decision, as long as it wasn’t coerced. Most of the Fortune 500 Company CEOs probably shared their fleshy real estate with demon buddies. I could never understand it, but then again, I didn’t have the desire to run the world like the suckers that made deals with the devil.
    “Miss, can we speak with you?” Ian called out.
    I looked behind me, but there was no else he could be talking to.
    “Miss, I’d like to speak with you,” he called again.
    I back pedaled and bumped into one of the centaurs roaming the lobby. Being featured on the evening news was the last thing I needed at this moment in time.
    “Um… No, thank you.”
    Ian motioned to his cameraman. They sprinted down the stairs and surrounded me.
    “Surely you’ve heard about the kidnapping in your building,” Ian explained.
    His cameraman fiddled with the giant black piece of equipment as I eyed it suspiciously.
    “I just want to ask you a few questions for KYZA news. I’m