his gravelly, don’t-question-my-judgment tone, James said, “Today we are.”
Chapter Sixteen
Madison pulled back the curtain in her bedroom and scowled at Phoenix’s car, still parked across the street. Nothing incognito about his stakeout, she thought with a mental snort. She’d demanded they leave, and mentally prepared herself to face the demon and whatever he threw at them. Better they go down alone than take four innocent lives with them. Her conscience couldn’t take that outcome.
Stubborn. The trait would get Nix killed. Amos had warned them of his future stint in Hell, and Nix still refused to save himself.
Not a hair of James, Gage, and Zoe yet. She guessed they’d actually followed through with their plan to split up into teams and scope out the demonic activity in New York City and Washington State. Leaving Nix alone to fend for himself in Alabama with her and her demonized son. What a screwed up situation.
What a dysfunctional family for leaving him behind to protect himself. Not to mention a messed up way of life. She wouldn’t want to hunt down demons and other supernatural scary jokers. Uh uh. Not her cup of tea. Not that she’d experienced any less of a dysfunctional family.
Nix shifted in his seat. She wasn’t getting rid of him anytime soon, it appeared. Madison wasn’t normally this unreasonable, but the likelihood of their blood on her hands was more than she could tolerate. Offering protection regardless of her wishes saddened her, although it gave her the warm fuzzies, too.
Dang, stupid feminine emotions.
After Micah snuck out on her, it felt nice knowing Nix—even if he were practically a stranger—remained determined to stand by her through thick and thin. At least one man in this world believed in the promises he made.
Why couldn’t she have married a man with Nix’s convictions and dedication?
Guilt crept inside. Repaying his good intentions by letting him sleep in his car was a poor representation of southern hospitality. Maybe she’d been a wee bit out of line when she kicked him out of her house, but admitting any wrongdoing chafed her pride.
She released the curtain with a sigh and went to check on Amos. He lay curled up asleep in her bed, she hoped with peaceful dreams. She tucked the covers around him and wrapped a robe around her before going out the door barefoot. She could just make out the outline of Phoenix in the front seat with his head thrown back against the headrest, his hands rapping out a drumbeat against the steering wheel to the subtle sound of a rock song playing on his car radio.
A cool breeze prickled her skin, scattering goose bumps across her exposed flesh, an odd sensation on such a balmy evening. She tossed a glance around the neighborhood, expecting to find another pair of eyes on her. Nothing presented itself, not even a light from any of her neighbors’ homes. Yet, the way the fine hair on the back of her neck stood up someone or something unseen lurked nearby.
She knocked on the Charger’s window. Phoenix jerked and dumped coffee all over the front of his jeans. She laughed as he clambered out of the car, cursing a blue streak.
“Oh, yeah, in stitches.” He wiped at the wet stain on his jeans.
“Yeah.” She elbowed him in the ribs. “The big, bad demon hunter is scared of a lone woman. Sorry, but that is funny.”
He gave her a sarcastic grin and nodded in an overly dramatic way. Phoenix Birmingham…. He’d grown on her as he’d predicted. Three days and she could count herself a fan. Staked out in front of her home after she’d tossed him out of her house made her an even bigger fan. She’d probably be a smartass and jokester, too, if she lived his lifestyle. Being a Sherlock couldn’t be easy. Especially not with danger and intrigue as his constant companions, and death always on the fringe of life.
“Come on.” She tugged on his arm. “I have two perfectly good beds. There’s no reason for you to sleep in your
Chapter Sixteen
Madison pulled back the curtain in her bedroom and scowled at Phoenix’s car, still parked across the street. Nothing incognito about his stakeout, she thought with a mental snort. She’d demanded they leave, and mentally prepared herself to face the demon and whatever he threw at them. Better they go down alone than take four innocent lives with them. Her conscience couldn’t take that outcome.
Stubborn. The trait would get Nix killed. Amos had warned them of his future stint in Hell, and Nix still refused to save himself.
Not a hair of James, Gage, and Zoe yet. She guessed they’d actually followed through with their plan to split up into teams and scope out the demonic activity in New York City and Washington State. Leaving Nix alone to fend for himself in Alabama with her and her demonized son. What a screwed up situation.
What a dysfunctional family for leaving him behind to protect himself. Not to mention a messed up way of life. She wouldn’t want to hunt down demons and other supernatural scary jokers. Uh uh. Not her cup of tea. Not that she’d experienced any less of a dysfunctional family.
Nix shifted in his seat. She wasn’t getting rid of him anytime soon, it appeared. Madison wasn’t normally this unreasonable, but the likelihood of their blood on her hands was more than she could tolerate. Offering protection regardless of her wishes saddened her, although it gave her the warm fuzzies, too.
Dang, stupid feminine emotions.
After Micah snuck out on her, it felt nice knowing Nix—even if he were practically a stranger—remained determined to stand by her through thick and thin. At least one man in this world believed in the promises he made.
Why couldn’t she have married a man with Nix’s convictions and dedication?
Guilt crept inside. Repaying his good intentions by letting him sleep in his car was a poor representation of southern hospitality. Maybe she’d been a wee bit out of line when she kicked him out of her house, but admitting any wrongdoing chafed her pride.
She released the curtain with a sigh and went to check on Amos. He lay curled up asleep in her bed, she hoped with peaceful dreams. She tucked the covers around him and wrapped a robe around her before going out the door barefoot. She could just make out the outline of Phoenix in the front seat with his head thrown back against the headrest, his hands rapping out a drumbeat against the steering wheel to the subtle sound of a rock song playing on his car radio.
A cool breeze prickled her skin, scattering goose bumps across her exposed flesh, an odd sensation on such a balmy evening. She tossed a glance around the neighborhood, expecting to find another pair of eyes on her. Nothing presented itself, not even a light from any of her neighbors’ homes. Yet, the way the fine hair on the back of her neck stood up someone or something unseen lurked nearby.
She knocked on the Charger’s window. Phoenix jerked and dumped coffee all over the front of his jeans. She laughed as he clambered out of the car, cursing a blue streak.
“Oh, yeah, in stitches.” He wiped at the wet stain on his jeans.
“Yeah.” She elbowed him in the ribs. “The big, bad demon hunter is scared of a lone woman. Sorry, but that is funny.”
He gave her a sarcastic grin and nodded in an overly dramatic way. Phoenix Birmingham…. He’d grown on her as he’d predicted. Three days and she could count herself a fan. Staked out in front of her home after she’d tossed him out of her house made her an even bigger fan. She’d probably be a smartass and jokester, too, if she lived his lifestyle. Being a Sherlock couldn’t be easy. Especially not with danger and intrigue as his constant companions, and death always on the fringe of life.
“Come on.” She tugged on his arm. “I have two perfectly good beds. There’s no reason for you to sleep in your
Similar Books
