motioned to Serah and Squeaky. “Privately.”
Serah took the hint. “I can go check on the guys.” She looked over at Squeaky, who cowered in the corner.
“Do I have to?” Squeaky eyed Serah as if she were a lion ready to pounce. “With her?”
“Yes.” Rafe’s answer was firm, leaving no room for refusal. He pushed the reluctant chimp toward Serah. “Go.”
Lucy wagged a finger at Squeaky. “And no monkey business . Gerardo and Frankie aren’t to know a thing. Got it?”
“Yes,” Squeaky said with a little mope.
Serah grabbed his hand. “Don’t worry. I don’t bite, unless you piss me off.”
He squeaked with a visible gulp as Serah led it down the back hallway.
“Is this some sort of mockery?” Rafe paced the expanse of the shop. “A chimpanzee? What are the Fore-Demons up to?”
Kalli plopped down into a dryer seat and flipped open a magazine. Wrinkling her nose, she set it back down. “You know Squeaky was chosen long before he took on the body of a chimp.”
“Even his name leaves something to be desired.” Rafe raised his chin in an arrogant display. “I’m insulted.”
Talk about proud. Poor Squeaky to get saddled with him. “I think it’s a cute name.” She had only just met the little guy, but even with his high-pitched voice, she liked the chimp.
Kalli nodded. “It’s a lot easier to say than Quetzalcoatl, don’t you think?”
An Aztec god? No way. “You’re shittin’ me.”
Rafe’s eyes widened in equal surprise. “Preposterous.”
“I shit you not.” Kalli extended her legs and crossed them at the ankles. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover?”
Rafe pursed his lips and scratched the growth of hair on his chin. “Why is a powerful demon-god acting as a lowly imp?”
Kalli smiled. “That, my friend, is a question for your familiar.”
“Always a well of information, aren’t you?” Rafe rolled his eyes.
Kalli ignored Rafe and turned to Lucy. “Where’d you find this guy?”
Lucy shrugged. Rafe might’ve had the social skills of a toad, but he still had a gentle side. She caught a glimpse of it earlier. “Discount Demon Mart.”
Kalli threw her long multi-colored dreads over her shoulder. “A little rough around the edges, but he means well.” She turned to Rafe. “So what else is on your mind? You’ve been sporting that scowl long before Squeaky arrived.”
“He’s mad because I forced him to sit in a cramped car seat.” It was more than that. He’d been acting like an ass since that sizzling and oh-so-delicious kiss. She licked her lips, wishing they were his instead. She should’ve smacked Serah for interrupting their tongue-wrestling match. Now she’d never experience such ecstasy again.
The demoness arched a brow. “Your succubus is in need.”
“That’s why I need your help, Kalli.” Rafe crossed his arms and took a seat in one of the seats. “Look outside.”
Scads of men waited patiently—and some not so patiently—outside the windows and doors for the salon to open. From the looks of it they weren’t all here for haircuts.
Her eyes widened. “Are you sure she’s only half succubus?” Raking a hand through her rough locks, she shook her head. “We need to contact Lilu. She may be bred of one of his higher court. What of her mother?”
Oh! There was no way she would introduce these demons to her mom. She’d have her committed in a heartbeat. Heck, she was ready to commit herself. If it weren’t the fact that she and Serah were seeing the same things, she would’ve already done it. Delusions of grandeur, indeed.
“You don’t need to meet my mom. She’s a devout Catholic. Goes to church every Sunday. Wouldn’t she spontaneously combust upon entry?”
Rafe scowled, but Kalli broke out into giggles.
“I take that as a no?”
“Humans and their silly superstitions.” Kalli motioned Lucy to sit next to her. “The Infernati, yes, but demons such as us are blessed by angels. If
Serah took the hint. “I can go check on the guys.” She looked over at Squeaky, who cowered in the corner.
“Do I have to?” Squeaky eyed Serah as if she were a lion ready to pounce. “With her?”
“Yes.” Rafe’s answer was firm, leaving no room for refusal. He pushed the reluctant chimp toward Serah. “Go.”
Lucy wagged a finger at Squeaky. “And no monkey business . Gerardo and Frankie aren’t to know a thing. Got it?”
“Yes,” Squeaky said with a little mope.
Serah grabbed his hand. “Don’t worry. I don’t bite, unless you piss me off.”
He squeaked with a visible gulp as Serah led it down the back hallway.
“Is this some sort of mockery?” Rafe paced the expanse of the shop. “A chimpanzee? What are the Fore-Demons up to?”
Kalli plopped down into a dryer seat and flipped open a magazine. Wrinkling her nose, she set it back down. “You know Squeaky was chosen long before he took on the body of a chimp.”
“Even his name leaves something to be desired.” Rafe raised his chin in an arrogant display. “I’m insulted.”
Talk about proud. Poor Squeaky to get saddled with him. “I think it’s a cute name.” She had only just met the little guy, but even with his high-pitched voice, she liked the chimp.
Kalli nodded. “It’s a lot easier to say than Quetzalcoatl, don’t you think?”
An Aztec god? No way. “You’re shittin’ me.”
Rafe’s eyes widened in equal surprise. “Preposterous.”
“I shit you not.” Kalli extended her legs and crossed them at the ankles. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover?”
Rafe pursed his lips and scratched the growth of hair on his chin. “Why is a powerful demon-god acting as a lowly imp?”
Kalli smiled. “That, my friend, is a question for your familiar.”
“Always a well of information, aren’t you?” Rafe rolled his eyes.
Kalli ignored Rafe and turned to Lucy. “Where’d you find this guy?”
Lucy shrugged. Rafe might’ve had the social skills of a toad, but he still had a gentle side. She caught a glimpse of it earlier. “Discount Demon Mart.”
Kalli threw her long multi-colored dreads over her shoulder. “A little rough around the edges, but he means well.” She turned to Rafe. “So what else is on your mind? You’ve been sporting that scowl long before Squeaky arrived.”
“He’s mad because I forced him to sit in a cramped car seat.” It was more than that. He’d been acting like an ass since that sizzling and oh-so-delicious kiss. She licked her lips, wishing they were his instead. She should’ve smacked Serah for interrupting their tongue-wrestling match. Now she’d never experience such ecstasy again.
The demoness arched a brow. “Your succubus is in need.”
“That’s why I need your help, Kalli.” Rafe crossed his arms and took a seat in one of the seats. “Look outside.”
Scads of men waited patiently—and some not so patiently—outside the windows and doors for the salon to open. From the looks of it they weren’t all here for haircuts.
Her eyes widened. “Are you sure she’s only half succubus?” Raking a hand through her rough locks, she shook her head. “We need to contact Lilu. She may be bred of one of his higher court. What of her mother?”
Oh! There was no way she would introduce these demons to her mom. She’d have her committed in a heartbeat. Heck, she was ready to commit herself. If it weren’t the fact that she and Serah were seeing the same things, she would’ve already done it. Delusions of grandeur, indeed.
“You don’t need to meet my mom. She’s a devout Catholic. Goes to church every Sunday. Wouldn’t she spontaneously combust upon entry?”
Rafe scowled, but Kalli broke out into giggles.
“I take that as a no?”
“Humans and their silly superstitions.” Kalli motioned Lucy to sit next to her. “The Infernati, yes, but demons such as us are blessed by angels. If
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