A Demon Does It Better by Linda Wisdom Page A

since I got here,” the witch explained, keeping her tone as casual as she could. “She worked at the same hospital I did. She has wonderful healing skills.” She refused to think of her friend in the past tense.
    Deisphe shrugged. “We worked different shifts, so I didn’t know Sera as well as Fiona did. Strange thing, though. She just up and quit. Dragon Lady was really pissed about it, since we were shorthanded at the time, and we were seeing a lot of cases of that Mage Flu that was going around.”
    “It didn’t make sense, since Sera was never late for a shift and always did more than her share of the work,” Fiona brought up. “You could always count on her.” She shook her head, refusing to believe what many would judge as careless and unprofessional behavior.
    “And especially when the Mage Flu was so prevalent at the time,” Deisphe said. “We were all working double shifts then.”
    “I don’t know why they call it Mage Flu when it doesn’t affect the mages.” Fiona accepted another deep aqua drink with ingredients that shimmered temptingly.
    “Perhaps because a mage’s arrogance is enough to make us all sick,” Heron joked. “It was a shame that Sera left, though. She was an excellent nurse, and so sweet too. Does anyone know where she went?”
    The others shook their heads. Lili was tempted to ask what they might know about her friend, but she didn’t think this was the time. After all, she didn’t know who she could trust.
    She sipped her drink and found the taste as sparkly as it looked. She vowed that tonight was a time for relaxation and laughter, which she hadn’t indulged in for some time, feeling that work was always more important.
    If you wish to be a true healer, you cannot think just of yourself. You cannot say “I’m tired, therefore, I will see to the ill on the ’morrow.” To keep your gift, you must honor it.
    “Perhaps I’ve taken my mother’s words too much to heart,” she murmured to herself, accepting a third drink.
    “I’m glad you came,” the Were said with warmth and sincerity.
    “I am too.” Lili tapped her glass against Deisphe’s. Her gaze happened to lift, and she looked beyond her companions to a tall dark-haired man standing at the bar. He stood sideways so that he was facing her, one elbow braced on the surface while a small glass filled with a black opalescent liquid sat by his arm. His gaze wandered over her face then downward until he reached her feet encased in a pair of pink leather heels. She could feel the warmth of the gold of her ankle bracelet. It had a broomstick charm, dotted with a sapphire. Her moonstone pendant gave off a soft glow and warmed her skin as if lighting up a welcome sign.
    “Ooh, look at the lovely eye candy,” Deisphe whispered in Lili’s ear as she realized what had distracted her new friend. “Think he’ll come over and join us?”
    “Let’s find out.” Lili downed her drink in one swallow and stood up. Her world tilted for a second before it righted herself.
    He still stood there when she reached the bar.
    “I was right. It was you I saw outside, when you should be somewhere else .” She didn’t care if her words sounded like an accusation. Even if she had to admit she didn’t want anyone to be incarcerated in such a place.
    Jared lifted his glass and raised it in a toast. “Hello, Dr. Carter, good to see you.” His cobalt eyes blazed a trail over the expanse of bare skin, lingering on her legs. “Nice outfit, by the way. I like it much better than those scrubs and lab coat you wear at the hospital. They cover up too much.”
    “How do you speak inside my mind?” she demanded, feeling the tingle of angry magick coat her fingertips. She might be a healer, but she could also lay someone flat with her power if she so wanted it. And right now, she wanted it a great deal.
    He leaned over, his breath tickling her ear. “You, of all people, should know. It’s magick, Doc.”
    Lili felt another kind of heat