Personal Demons by Stacia Kane Page B

trust him. This was her life, and she was going to keep it.
    He took her silence as assent. “Good,” he said. “I have to go.”
    â€œWait a minute. You need to tell me the rest of what’s going on. You never told me who the personal demons are, or what their plan is, or what your plan is, or anything I need to know.”
    â€œAll you need to know right now is to stay with the boys. They’ll keep you safe. Oh, and I’ve ordered them not to touch you or bother you. If they do, let me know.”
    â€œYou had to tell them not to—”
    â€œWe’ll talk more later.”
    He left without saying goodbye.
    Â 
    T HE “BOYS” WERE still standing exactly where she’d left them.
    â€œAh, hi guys,” she said. “How are you?” It was kind of a stupid thing to say, but what was she supposed to say? What did one say to one’s demon bodyguards?
    The tall one—Maleficarum?—bowed, scooping off his hat to reveal two small but unmistakable horns on his head. So some of them did have horns. “At your service, m’lady,” he said. “I ’ope my brothers and I will please you.”
    The other two followed suit. Six tiny horns pointed to the ceiling from three shiny bald heads.
    â€œThank you.” She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I appreciate you being here.”
    â€œNo need to thank us, m’lady,” Malleus said. “Mr. Dante told us we was needed, and here we are. Ready to guard you. With our lives, you know.”
    â€œYeh,” said Spud.
    â€œWell, that’s fine. But I wonder if you could go wait in the living room, please, while I shower and change?”
    â€œSorry,” said Malleus. “But Mr. Dante said we was to guard you. Every minute, ’e said. So we can’t let you out of our sight.”
    â€œI’m sure he didn’t mean when I’m—” she didn’t want to say “naked” in front of them, so she substituted “—undressed. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with that. I’m sure you understand.”
    â€œMr. Dante said every minute, and that’s what we’re gonna do.”
    â€œI don’t think he wanted us to watch the lady when she’s all undressed,” Maleficarum said. “She don’t want you starin’ at her naked.”
    â€œâ€™e said every minute, Lif.” Malleus folded his arms across his beefy chest. “You wanna be the one wot tells him we didn’t do what he said? You wanna tell ’im we let her get done over or somefing? ’Cos I don’t. He’ll ’ave our heads, he will.”
    â€œI think he’ll be angrier if ’e finds out we been lookin’ at her naked,” Maleficarum said. “I think she’s ’is.”
    That was enough for Megan. “I am not ‘his’,” she said, drawing herself up to her full five feet two inches, “and you are not watching me shower. You may inspect the bathroom before I enter it. That is all.”
    Maleficarum narrowed his eyes. “And you’ll tell Mr. Dante you made us take our eyes off you?”
    Megan nodded. “Yes.”
    Malleus turned to Maleficarum and whispered something in his ear. Maleficarum turned back to Megan. “Could you put that in writin’, m’lady?”
    She glared at him.
    Malleus looked down. “C’mon, guys. Let’s check the bog.”
    The three of them trooped off into her bathroom, presumably to look inside the toilet and down the drains. Megan had to admit, the three demons seemed dedicated to their jobs.
    And to Greyson Dante. Who exactly was he?
    They emerged while she was still thinking. “Sound as a pound,” Malleus said, giving her what he obviously hoped was a reassuring smile. In his squat face it looked more like a leer. “You go ahead. We’ll wait ’ere.”
    She sighed. “Fine.”
    The bathroom, like