to the bathroom and locking the door. She used her own brand of Sunshine soap, one of her favorite citrus blends, in the shower. The combination of orange, lemon, and pineapple along with touches of other fruits and spices made her feel energetic and ready to face the day most of the time. Knowing there was a sexy vampire right outside her bathroom door timing her before turning on the cameras might be more than even the Sunshine soap could handle, however.
She made it out with five seconds to spare. The stress of trying to hurry had her heart racing. She was wearing black yoga pants despite the fact that she was a yoga class dropout. Her V-neck knit top was a powerful red. Not trendy coral or dainty pink. No, this was kick-ass red and matched the polish on her toenails. Her fingernails were bare because she hadn’t had time to paint them yet—she had been too busy dealing with vampires and demons to do that. She reached for her good-luck cameo bangle from the nightstand drawer and slipped it on before touching her neck to make sure the necklace she always wore was still there. The slim chain was the only visible part; she kept the rest hidden beneath her top.
Damon watched her, tilting his head as if he could hear her pulse.
Ignoring him, she marched downstairs and poured some Frosted Mini-Wheats and skim milk into a bowl for breakfast.
Nick and Damon consulted each other and their smartphones while Zoe ate. Gram didn’t like getting up before noon.
“I’m leaving you in charge,” Nick told Damon. “I need to get back to the bar. Be safe.”
“I won’t hurt him,” Zoe said between bites of cereal.
“Very funny,” Damon said before returning his attention to his smartphone.
He ignored her after that as she waited for the cable guy to show up. She spent the time making notes about possible new combinations for her soap line. Mint and lavender was a possibility. She didn’t return to her workroom but stayed in the living room. She didn’t want Damon messing around in her work space. Not because she had something to hide but because that was her sanctuary.
Eight o’clock came and went. So did nine and ten. Finally at ten thirty there was a knock at the door. “Who is it?” she called out.
“The cable guy” was the muffled reply.
She hurried to open the door only to have Damon leap forward and jam a dagger into the man’s throat.
Chapter Ten
“You just killed the cable guy!” Zoe shrieked.
Damon was unremorseful. “He was evil.”
“He was only half an hour late,” she whispered. “That doesn’t mean he was evil.”
“True, but this means he was a demon.” Damon pointed down to the body, where the guy’s features changed from human to demonic before the body dissolved in a puff of smoke.
Zoe tried to stay calm while inside she was shaking like a puppy in a thunderstorm. “I didn’t know they could do that.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know.”
Obviously. Just for clarification, she had to ask, “This doesn’t mean all cable guys are demons though, right?”
“Right.”
“That stinks,” she said.
“You wanted all cable guys to be demons?”
“No, I was referring to the smell.” She waved her hand under her nose.
“The stench of hell.”
“And rotten eggs,” she said,
“That smell is sulfur, as in fire and brimstone—also known as fire and sulfur,” he explained.
Zoe’s head was spinning. “If you don’t mind, I need to sit for a moment.” She sank onto the couch. “I’m not used to dissolving demons before lunch.”
“Get used to it,” he said.
“How do you do that? How did you get used to it? Have you always been a Demon Hunter?”
“No. I was a minister once.”
Her jaw dropped. “Really?”
“Of course not. Do I look like a minister?”
“Then why did you lie?” she demanded.
“To see that look on your face,” he said,
“What look?”
“The one of wide-eyed amazement. You do it so well.”
“Yeah?” Zoe didn’t take
She made it out with five seconds to spare. The stress of trying to hurry had her heart racing. She was wearing black yoga pants despite the fact that she was a yoga class dropout. Her V-neck knit top was a powerful red. Not trendy coral or dainty pink. No, this was kick-ass red and matched the polish on her toenails. Her fingernails were bare because she hadn’t had time to paint them yet—she had been too busy dealing with vampires and demons to do that. She reached for her good-luck cameo bangle from the nightstand drawer and slipped it on before touching her neck to make sure the necklace she always wore was still there. The slim chain was the only visible part; she kept the rest hidden beneath her top.
Damon watched her, tilting his head as if he could hear her pulse.
Ignoring him, she marched downstairs and poured some Frosted Mini-Wheats and skim milk into a bowl for breakfast.
Nick and Damon consulted each other and their smartphones while Zoe ate. Gram didn’t like getting up before noon.
“I’m leaving you in charge,” Nick told Damon. “I need to get back to the bar. Be safe.”
“I won’t hurt him,” Zoe said between bites of cereal.
“Very funny,” Damon said before returning his attention to his smartphone.
He ignored her after that as she waited for the cable guy to show up. She spent the time making notes about possible new combinations for her soap line. Mint and lavender was a possibility. She didn’t return to her workroom but stayed in the living room. She didn’t want Damon messing around in her work space. Not because she had something to hide but because that was her sanctuary.
Eight o’clock came and went. So did nine and ten. Finally at ten thirty there was a knock at the door. “Who is it?” she called out.
“The cable guy” was the muffled reply.
She hurried to open the door only to have Damon leap forward and jam a dagger into the man’s throat.
Chapter Ten
“You just killed the cable guy!” Zoe shrieked.
Damon was unremorseful. “He was evil.”
“He was only half an hour late,” she whispered. “That doesn’t mean he was evil.”
“True, but this means he was a demon.” Damon pointed down to the body, where the guy’s features changed from human to demonic before the body dissolved in a puff of smoke.
Zoe tried to stay calm while inside she was shaking like a puppy in a thunderstorm. “I didn’t know they could do that.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know.”
Obviously. Just for clarification, she had to ask, “This doesn’t mean all cable guys are demons though, right?”
“Right.”
“That stinks,” she said.
“You wanted all cable guys to be demons?”
“No, I was referring to the smell.” She waved her hand under her nose.
“The stench of hell.”
“And rotten eggs,” she said,
“That smell is sulfur, as in fire and brimstone—also known as fire and sulfur,” he explained.
Zoe’s head was spinning. “If you don’t mind, I need to sit for a moment.” She sank onto the couch. “I’m not used to dissolving demons before lunch.”
“Get used to it,” he said.
“How do you do that? How did you get used to it? Have you always been a Demon Hunter?”
“No. I was a minister once.”
Her jaw dropped. “Really?”
“Of course not. Do I look like a minister?”
“Then why did you lie?” she demanded.
“To see that look on your face,” he said,
“What look?”
“The one of wide-eyed amazement. You do it so well.”
“Yeah?” Zoe didn’t take
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