How to Worship a Goddess by Stephanie Julian Page A

those of us who no longer serve much of our original purpose. After our meeting at Salvatorus’s a few months ago, he nearly caught me. I was this close,” she held her hand up, thumb and forefinger pinched together, “to being taken to Aitás by a tukhulkha demon.”
    â€œBlessed Goddess, Tessa, why am I just hearing about this now?” Shock rasped through Lucy’s voice. “What happened? Why didn’t you come to me? How did you get away?”
    â€œWell, I had some help getting away.” Tessa sent Hard-Ass an adoring smile that actually made the guy’s mouth quirk. “Cal and his father killed the demon before it got me into Aitás, but there were… complications and I spent some time, um, recuperating before I could get back to Cal.”
    â€œRecuperating from what? Tessa, were you injured?”
    â€œA little, yes, but…” She turned to Hard-Ass, who pulled her back against his thighs. Tessa didn’t seem to be able to complete what she was going to say.
    â€œWe’ve been keeping off the radar,” Hard-Ass picked up the story, “making sure Tessa isn’t targeted again. So far, she hasn’t been.”
    â€œSo we’re here to warn you. When I was,” Tessa slid a quick glance at Brand, “being healed…”
    â€œTessa, just say whatever you want to say.” Lucy sighed. “Brandon knows what I am, what we are.”
    â€œYeah, but does he know what that means?” Cal shook his head. “ Eteri don’t handle this stuff well, Lady. You know that.”
    â€œBrandon’s handling himself just fine.” Lucy’s voice had a note of haughty control Brand had never heard from her before. He liked it. Especially since it made Hard-Ass nod and shut up.
    â€œI bet that’s not all he’s been handling well.” Tessa wiggled her eyebrows at him and Brand felt his lips curve in an answering smile. “How did you and Lucy meet, anyway?”
    â€œI’ve been watching her all season so I finally decided to track her down.” He didn’t mention the fact that he’d done it twice.
    â€œSeason?” Tessa shook her head. “What do you mean?”
    â€œI play for the Reading Railers. So I asked the ticket office for her address.”
    Tessa’s eyes rounded in shock. “You gave out your real address for season tickets to a hockey team? Anyone could track you down. Oh, Lucy—”
    â€œI’m not that stupid, Sister.” Lucy sighed. “Brandon tracked me down through the County Recorder of Deeds. Apparently he’s resourceful.”
    â€œYeah, well, he’s gonna need to be if one of those demons comes after you, Lady.” Hard-Ass scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “Look, we’re not positive, but Tessa thinks she might have overheard something while she was… recuperating that makes her think Charun might be coming after you next.”
    Tessa nodded. “I would have come sooner but I only had this memory tonight. We came as soon as I woke. You haven’t been having any weird dreams lately, or thought about killing yourself? No visits from any tukhulkha demons?”
    Brand blinked, his mouth dropping open before he could stop it.
    Demon? Had she actually used the word demon? He needed a fucking glossary to keep up.
    Lucy shook her head. “No. No dreams, no demons.”
    â€œWell, maybe you better be on the lookout, Lady.” Cal gave him a critical look. “And maybe you want to get yourself some guards. Maybe have a few of your wo—uh, a few friends stay with you. I could arrange for my brother to stay with you for a while. He’s not a Sentinel but he’s damn handy with a sword.”
    â€œYou’re kidding? A sword?” Brand snorted as the image of Hard-Ass in a kilt swinging a sword around popped into his head. “What the fuck—”
    â€œYou have to separate a tukhulkha