Demons Prefer Blondes (Demons Unleashed #1)(45)

Making a quick upward thrust, her knee connected with the demon’s groin. Howling in pain he doubled over, throwing her to the floor. With a loud crack, her head slammed against the tile. Stars danced in her eyes and the room floated around her. Fear and adrenaline warred inside her. One part of wanted to cower and hide, the other part wanted to fight. To live. The curling iron had to be nearby. With frenetic abandon, she grabbed for anything she could find.

Jon loomed over her, fully recovered from his ordeal. Peals of sick sardonic laughter boomed from his mouth. The heel of his designer shoe came crashing down on her fingers, grinding into her knuckles. Pain ripped through her fingers up into her wrist. She bit back the tears. She wouldn’t show this bastard weakness.

“Looks like I’ve won, Lucy.”

A gust of wind whipped through the salon, sending bells jangling.

“No, Belial. You’ve lost this time.” The whiny voice she complained about only two days prior was now music to her ears.

An ax sailed through the air, thrown in an arc, with expert precision. A startled gasp gurgled in the demon’s throat. He fell on top of Lucy and vanished in a poof of dust. Only the silver ax remained.

It had to be her imagination. Wrenching herself from the ground as she brushed demon dust from her sweater, she glanced up. There stood Mrs. Gunderson in the entrance with sword in hand.





Chapter 12


“Mrs. Gunderson?”

Lucy shook her head and rubbed her eyes. She had to be imagining the stout woman whose ankles put an elephant to shame standing there holding a sword like a knight preparing for battle. Her poised, confident stance would give a fencing champion a run for his money.

Mrs. Gunderson? Yeah right! Maybe the shock from having the wind knocked out of her had made her delirious.

The woman shrugged and sheathed her sword in the scabbard strapped to her back. “Only when I’m in your shop, my dear.” Her voice, once high and whiney, morphed into deep and seductive tones. Damn these demons with their sexy sultry voices. Lucy might’ve been part demon, but her voice didn’t hold a candle to Mrs. Gunderson’s, or Kalli’s for that matter.

“I suppose your name isn’t Mrs. Gunderson, either?”

“Only when I’m in—”

“Yeah, yeah. You said that already.” Wow, she wasn’t that forthcoming with information? “What’s your real name? Bathsheba? Jezebel? Salome?”

“Infernati’s most wanted,” Mrs. Whatever said. She snapped her fingers, her plump elderly muumuu-sporting body morphing into a tall, lithe, vivacious brunette. Her long wavy hair cascaded in rivulets down her back. Tight black leather leggings clad her too-perfect legs. Clunky brown orthopedic shoes were now red spiky stilettos. Adjusting the clingy bright red sweater that broadcast all her assets to the mortal world, she smiled. “Ahh, much better.”

When your sole purpose was sex, you had to look the sexpot. There was no mistaking the succubus in her. “If you’re into the whole ‘come f*ck me’ look, I suppose.” Duh! She probably was.

“Oh, you have your father’s wit! Wonderful!”

Father? “You know my dad?”

Mrs. Sex-on-a-Platter gnawed on a perfectly manicured nail. “Hmm. I can’t say too much, I’m afraid. Belial’s lackeys may still be lingering.” Concern sparked her golden eyes. “Where’s your protector?”

“Protector?”

“The one who put up the enchantment.” She kept raking her fingers through her luxurious mane. Didn’t she know she already had the big sexy hair thing down pat? “If Belial weren’t so strong, it might have worked.”

How many demons would come out of the woodwork? Demons, demons, everywhere. And how did she know this woman was one of the good guys? After all, look at Kalli. She’d up and left just like that. Lucy couldn’t trust anyone. Heck, she couldn’t even trust herself.

She wasn’t ready to spill secrets. “So what brings you here? Obviously not pedicures.”

The brunette threw back her head in laughter. “You’re a smart one too. Then again, I always knew that.”

“Always?” Great, she had demonic stalkers too.

She grinned. “I wouldn’t go that far. Oh, and call me Lilith.”

“You all need to teach me that trick.”

Lilith arched a brow. “What trick?”

“The whole mind-reading thing. Or at least tell me how to block it.”

A frown creased her lips. “Only a few of us can do that, and even fewer Paladins. Tell me they didn’t send her.”

“Kalli?”

“Kalliope.” She scrunched her nose. “How much has she told you about herself?”

“Not much.” Lucy crossed her arms. “But if you’re worried about her protecting me, there’s no need to worry. She isn’t the one they sent.”

Lilith nodded. “Who did they send?”

“Me.”

Rafe’s voice teased her ears, her heart pounding. She loved that voice. She spun around to lock gazes. He stood tall, his hand resting on his waist. Was that a sword strapped to his side? “Where’s your fuzzy little friend?”

“Squeaky is protecting the chest, at your house.”

The demoness smirked. “Rafael Deleon, how lovely to see you.”