Steal the Day (Thieves #2)(56)

“Great Nemcox, we have not one but two souls for your pleasure this evening,” Mary Jo stated grandly, her hands gesturing toward the altars. “I’ve used my special divining necklace to bring an angel to feed your hunger.”

The demon turned his head toward the altars, suddenly very interested in what was on the menu. I strained to try to see him. His dark eyes looked at Dev, and then he took a deep inhale, scenting the air. I expected him to leap onto the altar and begin the bloodletting, but that great horned head was thrown back, and a menacing laugh filled the air.

“You really are a stupid bitch,” the demon said in a very familiar British accent. My heart sank. He was walking my way. “There are absolutely no angels here. You managed to bring me something even better.” The demon smiled down at me, his fangs shining brightly. “Zoey Wharton, what a surprise. Long time no see.”

Of all the demons in all the planes, Mary Jo had to sacrifice me to Stewart. He was the one demon who had a personal beef with me, well, besides Halfer. He’d tried to ruin a job I ran earlier this year, and Daniel had broken his neck and then shot him and then Dev had killed him, too.

“Hey, Stewart.” I tried a bright smile. “Nice to see you survived. I knew you would pull through.”

“No thanks to you, love. I don’t suppose you brought along your sweet little puppy, did you?” Stewart had been very impressed with Neil. Not that it helped us since Stewart had then sicced a weretiger on him. “And where is that nasty vampire you married? Felicitations on your wedding, dear. So sorry I haven’t sent a gift yet. I’ll have to remedy that. Let’s see who you did bring with you.”

The demon jumped from my altar to the one holding Dev.

Dev looked up at him and laughed. “I don’t think that’s Stewart, Zoey. He looks weird.”

Dev had never seen Stewart in his demonic form. Unlike Halfer, Stewart couldn’t change forms at will. If he wanted to look human, he had to possess some poor sap. He liked to call it his meat suit. It usually ended poorly because Stewart didn’t take great care of his clothes.

Stewart grinned as much as someone with enormous fangs can grin. “Maybe I should have a little of what he’s having. Hello, Fae creature. Your mind is so open right now. You’re a dirty, dirty boy. He’s about to die and would you like to know what he’s thinking about?”

I could guess. Stewart was an empath. He picked up on emotions and could magnify them for his own use. It was important to remain calm around Stewart or he could learn things you didn’t want him to learn.

I needed to bring his attention back to me and away from the never-ending porno that likely played in Dev’s brain. “Leave him alone, Stewart. You deal with me.”

One of the witches slapped me hard across the mouth. My head snapped back and hit wood. Pain ripped through me. I managed to maintain consciousness, but I could feel he’d drawn blood.

“You do not talk to the Dark Lord, bitch,” he snarled.

Stewart looked at the witch, his face darkening. “Don’t you touch her.” Stewart hopped off the altar, stalking the witch who struck me. His cloven hoofs stirred up dirt. He hauled the witch up with one hand, and I could see the witch start to choke, his legs twitching. “She’s worth a hundred of you. She’s a companion. Do you know how rare a creature she is, you mundane idiots? Even the ridiculous Fae creature is worth more than all of you put together. Her value is immense, and if one of you harms her again, I will kill the lot of you.”

Stewart let the witch drop to the ground, but I didn’t think he would get up again.

“Thank you.” I was polite because I needed him. I didn’t do defiance when courtesy would work just as well.

“Don’t thank me, love,” he replied shortly. “If anybody is going to hurt you, I want it to be me.”

“Great Lord.” There was a tinge of hysteria to Mary Jo’s voice, as though she was just figuring out I had told her the truth. “How can you choose some human slut over your devoted followers?”

The demon rolled his dark eyes. “Yokels,” he muttered. He waved his hand. “Witches, silent.”

The witches found themselves robbed of the power of speech. They touched their throats trying to speak but nothing would come out.

He looked back down at me. “So, I was looking forward to seeing you at the ball, love. What were you going to wear? I was thinking Brad Pitt. I don’t know though, he’s getting a bit long in the tooth. If I wanted to be terribly ironic, I could wear that boy from the Twilight films. Note, dear, I am using the past tense since you won’t be going to the ball anymore.”

“You aren’t going to kill me, Stewart,” I said with a surety I wasn’t feeling.

Stewart smiled and walked slowly around Dev’s prone form. “He thinks I am. It’s just now penetrating his drug-addled brain. He’s very upset.” Stewart ran a finger over Dev’s sculpted chest. “He really is lovely, dear. You have excellent taste in men. You are f*cking him? These images I get from him aren’t just his fantasies? You must tell me what you’re doing to these men to keep them in line. This one could screw anything he wanted. He’s descended from an actual sex god, but he follows you around like a pathetic lapdog, and then there’s the vampire. He should have killed this one the instant he looked at you with those covetous eyes of his. Yet the Green Man lives and shares your bed. Seriously, companion, what’s in those pants of yours because I need some of that.”