information I can share with you. Then we can draw up a plan.”
I felt a warm breeze against my neck as she was talking to me. The breeze turned into a light touch and moved to my left ear. I could make out the softest of whispers: Be careful .
T aylor! My jaw must have hit the floor as Alexandra introduced me to her daughter. Taylor? By the look of her gaping mouth, Taylor was just as surprised.
“Taylor, this is Faustine, the sovereign demon of London,” Alexandra introduced formally.
“You’ve got to be flipping kidding me,” Taylor laughed.
“Manners, Taylor,” Alexandra said, shooting her a death glare. “Bow.”
“Mom!” she protested angrily.
“It’s okay, Alexandra. I’m here on a social call, not formally.”
“I take it, by the insolent reaction from my offspring, that you two have met?”
I nodded.
“Well, fill me in,” she demanded, as we sat down to a breakfast of black-and-blue steak, seared on the outside, practically raw on the inside. Yum.
“Mom, got anything else? You know I can’t stand steak!”
“That’s just silly talk. You’re a demon, sit down and eat. Stop being so petulant in front of our guest. You’re embarrassing me,” Alexandra growled under her breath. The room immediately felt dark . Alexandra’s fingers had fused together, and her eyes were practically firing red flames at her daughter.
“Mom! Stop! I’m sorry,” Taylor pleaded, as I sat glued to my chair in silence. Bad scene.
As if she suddenly remembered that I was watching, Alexandra reverted back into her normal–for me–self and smiled sweetly.
“Mother-daughter issues,” she said, by way of an apology.
I smiled sympathetically, though I really had no idea what she was talking about. I guess Mom and I had been separated through the development of that kind of a relationship. I wondered if it would kick in, now that I was home. I had to make sure that I did everything within my power to prevent it. My life was complicated enough.
This could be my first go at diplomacy. I needed all the practice I could get. I bet I would have to deal with some whoppers soon. I smiled at them both. “Taylor, this is awesome!” I exclaimed with false enthusiasm. “I’m so glad I have someone I can talk to!”
She didn’t look too enthused.
I smiled even wider. “I’m a bit confused, though. How come you don’t have red eyes? And you seemed in awe of mine when we first met... What was that all about?”
“Taylor is not a full demon. She is only part demon. Not even a half demon really,” Alexandra explained. “Her father is a warlock, and she retains most of his genes, even though I’m her mother. She has almost no demon qualities. Sad really, or she would be a demon princess, just like you.”
“But, why were you surprised about my red eyes when we first met?” I asked Taylor again.
“Because I’ve only ever seen them in demons, and I had no idea you were one at the time,” she explained. “I should be angry with you. I spent ages online last night trying to find contacts like the ones you said you were wearing. L-O-L at the whole Milan thing. Half the school wants contacts in that shade, now.”
I chuckled. That would be so cool, a great way to make myself totally anonymous. “So, Taylor, are you a witch? Or a female warlock, is there such a being?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know for sure yet. Given the option, I’d rather do the witch thing; warlocks don’t get good press.”
“I’m trying to get Edith, the witch sovereign of New York, to take Taylor under her wing and teach her, but I’m getting a bit of resistance at the moment,” Alexandra shared.
“Why?”
“Because I’m new, and she doesn’t trust me yet.”
It all made sense now. New . I remembered Dad always mentioning the Demon King of New York, not the Demon Queen . “How new?”
“About a week.”
“Wow! That’s really new. Almost the same as me!”
“Except that I’ve been sworn
I felt a warm breeze against my neck as she was talking to me. The breeze turned into a light touch and moved to my left ear. I could make out the softest of whispers: Be careful .
T aylor! My jaw must have hit the floor as Alexandra introduced me to her daughter. Taylor? By the look of her gaping mouth, Taylor was just as surprised.
“Taylor, this is Faustine, the sovereign demon of London,” Alexandra introduced formally.
“You’ve got to be flipping kidding me,” Taylor laughed.
“Manners, Taylor,” Alexandra said, shooting her a death glare. “Bow.”
“Mom!” she protested angrily.
“It’s okay, Alexandra. I’m here on a social call, not formally.”
“I take it, by the insolent reaction from my offspring, that you two have met?”
I nodded.
“Well, fill me in,” she demanded, as we sat down to a breakfast of black-and-blue steak, seared on the outside, practically raw on the inside. Yum.
“Mom, got anything else? You know I can’t stand steak!”
“That’s just silly talk. You’re a demon, sit down and eat. Stop being so petulant in front of our guest. You’re embarrassing me,” Alexandra growled under her breath. The room immediately felt dark . Alexandra’s fingers had fused together, and her eyes were practically firing red flames at her daughter.
“Mom! Stop! I’m sorry,” Taylor pleaded, as I sat glued to my chair in silence. Bad scene.
As if she suddenly remembered that I was watching, Alexandra reverted back into her normal–for me–self and smiled sweetly.
“Mother-daughter issues,” she said, by way of an apology.
I smiled sympathetically, though I really had no idea what she was talking about. I guess Mom and I had been separated through the development of that kind of a relationship. I wondered if it would kick in, now that I was home. I had to make sure that I did everything within my power to prevent it. My life was complicated enough.
This could be my first go at diplomacy. I needed all the practice I could get. I bet I would have to deal with some whoppers soon. I smiled at them both. “Taylor, this is awesome!” I exclaimed with false enthusiasm. “I’m so glad I have someone I can talk to!”
She didn’t look too enthused.
I smiled even wider. “I’m a bit confused, though. How come you don’t have red eyes? And you seemed in awe of mine when we first met... What was that all about?”
“Taylor is not a full demon. She is only part demon. Not even a half demon really,” Alexandra explained. “Her father is a warlock, and she retains most of his genes, even though I’m her mother. She has almost no demon qualities. Sad really, or she would be a demon princess, just like you.”
“But, why were you surprised about my red eyes when we first met?” I asked Taylor again.
“Because I’ve only ever seen them in demons, and I had no idea you were one at the time,” she explained. “I should be angry with you. I spent ages online last night trying to find contacts like the ones you said you were wearing. L-O-L at the whole Milan thing. Half the school wants contacts in that shade, now.”
I chuckled. That would be so cool, a great way to make myself totally anonymous. “So, Taylor, are you a witch? Or a female warlock, is there such a being?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know for sure yet. Given the option, I’d rather do the witch thing; warlocks don’t get good press.”
“I’m trying to get Edith, the witch sovereign of New York, to take Taylor under her wing and teach her, but I’m getting a bit of resistance at the moment,” Alexandra shared.
“Why?”
“Because I’m new, and she doesn’t trust me yet.”
It all made sense now. New . I remembered Dad always mentioning the Demon King of New York, not the Demon Queen . “How new?”
“About a week.”
“Wow! That’s really new. Almost the same as me!”
“Except that I’ve been sworn
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