Dancing With the Devil Read Online Free Page B

the
fragments of glass hovering between him and Cephiel. The street behind Cephiel
was dark except for the weak light coming from the lamppost on the corner.
    “Put down the glass,” I told Zayfeer. I wasn’t a big fan of
Ceph’s, and had, once or twice, plotted his demise, but there was no way I was
letting a strange angel who’d been in purgatory shred him to pieces in front of
my shop.
    An awkward silence ensued, Z and Ceph staring daggers at
each other in a Mexican standoff. Behind me, the smoke column gurgled and
burped and I cut my eyes between that and the warring angels, expecting a new
set of demons to rise from the pit at any moment. Mikayla watched, too, fear
rolling off her and her magic boogying along with it.
    As I watched, Zayfeer’s sword hand twitched.
    “Get down!” I yelled.
    But the glass shards suspended in air didn’t hurtle
themselves at Cephiel. Instead, one by one, they reformed the window,
skittering over one another until they found their place in the puzzle and
locked in. The last splinter, a piece so small it would have fit on the end of
my pinkie, darted over the rest until it located its original home. Once there,
it wiggled into place and the whole window hummed. A sigh of relief?
    My old window was back, good as new, and Cephiel was now cut
off from us.
    His lips formed a tight, straight line as he glared at
Zayfeer. The ill-wind angel chuckled and said, “Man, you sure got screwed with
him for your guardian angel.”
    “Tell me about it.” I made my way over to the door and started
to unlock the deadbolt.
    “Wait.” Z held up his free hand. On his palm was a sigil
that looked vaguely familiar. I stared, but couldn’t figure it out. “He’s going
to send me back to purgatory.”
    “And?”
    “You said you’d keep me around if I helped with the demon
problem.”
    “I changed my mind.”
    He scooted close, eyes pleading. “Let’s make you a deal,
broker. You stop Cephiel from sending me back and I’ll do something for you.”
    The guardian angel in question stood on the other side of
the door. “Let me in, Amy.”
    No doubt purgatory really was the best place for Zayfeer,
and I was going to need a guide, so one way or another, he was going back. But
curiosity toyed with me. “What will you do for me?”
    “The Mark.” He nodded at my forehead. “I can get rid of it.”
    He had my full attention. “How?”
    He sheathed the sword, gave me that annoying grin. “Magic,
of course.”
    Great.
    Cephiel banged a fist on the door. A low growl came from the
smoky pit and Mikayla screamed.
    Hells bells. How many more visitors were we were going to
get tonight? Not the best time to be making deals with a rogue angel, but…
    Reckless and foolish, here I come.
    I gave Z a nod.

Chapter Six – Heaven’s Terminator
     
     
     
    A flying demon came out of the pit, spread its wings and
started to take off. Zayfeer decapitated it in one swift move.
    Body parts fell to the floor. Z used the sword to prod them
back into the pit.
    Sighing, I unbolted the door. Cephiel charged in, pointing a
gloved finger at Zayfeer’s face. “How dare you use that sword.”
    Z stood his ground, a debauched angel with nothing to fear. “It’s
mine, why wouldn’t I use it?”
     “He stopped several demons from escaping the shop with that
sword,” I told Ceph as I relocked the door. “Cut him some slack.”
    Grabbing Ceph by the coat sleeve, I tugged him toward the
pit and smoke column. “Lucifer made that hole, opening the gate to purgatory,
when the Mark sent him to Hell. You need to close the hole and get Luc back.”
    Cephiel made a big deal of removing his gloves and unbuttoning
his coat as he eyed the smoke and jagged opening. Underneath the coat, he wore
a tux.
    I pointed at the monkey suit. “You going somewhere?”
    His cheeks colored. “Yes.”
    “Where?”
    He looked everywhere but at me.
    “You have a date.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous.” He waved me off and made a