Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(47)

“Hey,” the woman in the minivan shouted out the window. “Watch where you’re going.”

“Sorry. The light malfunctioned or something.” Malfunctioned, all right. From the undertones of sulfur, she knew exactly what caused the malfunction. Maybe she wasn’t near as bad a driver as she suspected.

“No problem. It did seem to change a little quickly. Stupid city lights.”

The little boy in the passenger seat wasn’t so nice. He stuck out his tongue and flipped Serah off.

Serah rolled her eyes. Kids. Cute when they needed to be, devils when they wanted to be.

“Timmy!” the woman shouted as she rolled her window back up.

Serah put the car in reverse and pulled out of the minivan’s way. The minivan pulled forward. Timmy flipped her off again, with both hands this time.

Daring little brat.

Serah smiled and waved sweetly at the little boy. “Wow. Some people’s kids,” she mumbled to herself.

Oh well. Not everyone is born an angel—or demon for that matter. They probably grew into it. She watched as the van proceeded up the road. Mother wagged her finger at her son. Maybe mom could keep Timmy on the right path—unlike the demon who seemed hell-bent on terrorizing her on a regular basis.

She stuck in the Bluetooth headset into her ear and pressed the button on the side.

“Call shop.”

“Calling shop,” the automated voice replied in her ear.

“Please enjoy the music as we locate your party.”

Serah controlled her laughter. If she was having a party she would sure know where it was. If only she were really going to a party. It would be a heck of a lot easier. Too bad Lucy wasn’t here to share in their little inside joke. It was silly, but she really valued their off-the-wall friendship.

Heck, they still used paper-rock-scissors to settle decisions. Then again, the last time they did that was the night she wished she could forget. Lucy, the chest, a legion of demons. She needn’t say more.

“If only I’d picked rock instead. This whole thing would’ve played out so much differently.” Lucy’s inner succubus might have remained untapped. Serah sighed. Her inner whatever-it-was wouldn’t be sending signals to all the demons within a ten-mile radius. They’d be normal—or as normal as they used to be. Then again, would Lucy have Rafe?

At least something good came out of the whole ordeal. Lucy and Rafe had found each other. Seriously, if she could go back in time, she’d tell that man at the secondhand shop what he could do with his weird chest of wonder.

“It’s a steal… my ass.”

But knowing how meddlesome Lucy and Rafe had become, Serah figured she’d see them soon enough. Heck, they’d probably be there bright and early with the rest of the crew.

The music ringtone continued to play in her ear. What was taking Edie so long? She looked down at the clock. She was usually there at least an hour early.

“Tasteful Elegance. Speak.” The deep gravelly voice had the same effect on the phone as it did in person. Her pulse quickened and her breath caught. Damn, even when he was rude, he sent her hormones flying.

She finally found her senses. “Seriously. That’s not how a business phone should be answered.”

“I saw the number on the display as I answered it.”

“It’s still rude.”

“How can I help you? Is that better?”

“Yes. Much. Where’s Edie?”

Matthias sucked in a breath. “There was a situation.”

Oh God! They decided to move on to her employee instead? This had gone too far. She took a sharp sweep around the turnabout. Her tires squealed again. She didn’t care. The quicker she got to her shop the better.

“What sort of situation? Worse than demons changing traffic lights?”

“What? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. What’s going on?”

“Edie saw my Peragrans. I had to run some damage control.” He paused. “Your situation sounds more urgent.”

“It’s handled.”

Matthias growled. “I can be there in two seconds if you need me.”

She wasn’t completely helpless. Did no one trust her? “If you want me to accept this thing you think has been bestowed on me, then you have to let me handle my own situations. All that happened was that I accidentally ran a red light and almost got sideswiped. Almost being the operative word.”

“I want you safe, Serah.”

Want her safe, or need her safe? She refrained from asking and bit her tongue instead.

She flicked the signal to turn into BigBob’s Coffee shop. “I appreciate that. Do you like coffee?” She contained her snort. Did demons drink coffee? Rafe didn’t. He said it tasted like burnt sandpaper. She didn’t bother asking how he knew what sandpaper tasted like.

“I’ll take an extra large Toffee Temptation with a double shot of espresso and energy boost.”

Her eyes boggled open. That combination would have a human bouncing off the ceiling and walls. “Seriously?”

“You were right. BigBob’s coffee is better than Starbucks.”

He never ceased to amaze her. From his massive gladiator physique and strong chiseled face, to his odd tastes in coffee. Did they have coffee shops in limbo? With these demons, nothing surprised her anymore.