Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Winding her way through the cramped space, she paused at the slight give of the floorboard beneath her. Something caught her eye. A rumpled blanket. Beside it were candy wrappers, a flashlight, and some comic books.
Muffled footsteps coming from the other side of the attic.
Ella didn’t whirl around. She planted her feet and chanted beneath her breath as she sent out a wave of magick. It slammed the attic hatch closed, flicked the lock on the window, and further illuminated the space. Only then did she turn. A young teenager stood several feet away, poised as if to run for the hatch.
“You won’t get it open,” she warned, studying him. He was thin and pale with dull-blond, unkempt hair. He was also a demon. Imp, she sensed. “Just what would you be doing here?”
He jutted out his chin. “I’m not here to steal.”
“No?” She cast the candy wrappers a quick glance. “I doubt you bought that food.”
His cheeks reddened. “I was hungry.”
He was also in need of a wash and fresh clothes. “Which lair do you belong to?”
“I don’t belong to any. I’m a stray.”
She gifted him an impatient look. “Don’t lie to me. I’d rather not have to hurt you to get answers, but I will.”
He glared at her, but his shoulders slumped in defeat. “Jolene Wallis’ lair.”
“Want to tell me why you’re hiding out here terrorizing a human couple?”
His brows snapped together. “I’m not terrorizing them.”
“You used telekinesis to make them think their house is haunted. You made them feel unsafe in their own home. You were trying to scare them into leaving.”
He averted his gaze, his shoulders hunching.
She slanted her head. “You didn’t answer my question. Why are you here?”
He shot her a belligerent look. “My family wants to move away. I don’t.”
“So this is a protest. You ran off to make a point.” She heaved a sigh, and her demon rolled its eyes. “They’re probably worried sick about you. Something you know well, since they’re likely telepathing you.”
“If they are, I wouldn’t know. I’m not close to home, and I can’t receive telepathic messages over long distances.”
Neither could Ella, actually. “What’s your name?”
He hesitated. “Jacques. Look, I don’t know why … Wait, what are you doing?”
Having pulled out her cell phone, she scrolled through her list of contacts. “I’m going to call a friend of mine. I feel for you, kid, I do. But you can’t stay here, and I think you know that.”
It took a few rings before Levi answered simply, “Hey.” The reaper wasn’t what you’d call chatty.
“Listen, I have an imp situation. But I don’t have a way to personally contact Jolene Wallis. I was hoping you might, what with Harper being her granddaughter.”
“What kind of situation?” Levi asked.
She elaborated, watching Jacques’ flush deepen in what seemed to be embarrassment.
“Imps,” said the reaper with a disgruntled sigh. “I’ll get word to Jolene. She’ll probably send someone to pick the kid up.”
“Thanks.” Not wanting to bring more imps here—mostly because she didn’t trust that they wouldn’t nab some antiques to take with them—Ella gave him the location of the coffee shop on the corner of the street. “We’ll wait for them there.” She rounded up the conversation and tucked away her phone.
Sulkily, Jacques folded his arms. “My family’s gonna lose their mind.”
“Maybe, but they’ll also be relieved to have you back. Now, I’m going to go tell the humans who own this house that it’s no longer plagued by ghosts, since I can’t exactly tell them the truth. You are going to sneak out of here. I’ll meet you at the coffee shop. Ignore any temptation you have to make a run for it. Such a move won’t end well for you.”
He mumbled something under his breath but nodded in acquiescence.
In the backyard, she had a quick chat with the humans, informing them that ‘the spirits’ were at peace and had moved on. They were beyond relieved.
As she was walking to her car, her step faltered and her stomach dropped. Because something was tucked under her windscreen wiper.
Scanning her surroundings, Ella registered nothing suspicious as she crossed to her car. She snatched what turned out to be a folded slip of crinkled paper from under the wiper. Opening up the slip, she frowned. It read: You know what happened to the curious cat.
Like with the previous note, the ink shimmered with power. Another snare.
Ella bit back a curse, angry sparks yo-yoing around her belly. Her demon prowled to the forefront of her consciousness, tense and braced for battle.
Whether this was the work of whoever psychically assaulted her, Ella didn’t know. But it definitely wasn’t someone playing a simple prank—you didn’t follow a person around just to play jokes on them.
Fucker.
What bothered her way more than the note itself was that he’d touched her vehicle again. He’d been physically far too close to Ella twice. And she hadn’t known.