Demons in My Driveway by R.L. Naquin Page A

dances the lines between demon, vampire and werewolf. Many aswang families settled in the demon world when given the choice all those years ago, back when the Covenant was created. Others chose the lands they thought they’d be most comfortable with. The ones who settled in the demon world became more demonic and wild, while those in the vampire world thirsted for blood, and the aswangs living with the were-folk became linked to the cycles of the moon.”
    I narrowed my eyes. “So, aswangs exist in all of the other worlds?”
    At the sound of my voice, the creature tensed, but Talia’s calming hand continued to keep him soothed.
    “Only the outer three,” Talia said. “Demon, Vampire, Were. But these worlds house simple creatures. Their needs are met in their home worlds. They do not venture out, and wouldn’t have the ability even if they wished it.”
    “We don’t have any,” Kam said. “Aswangs are a lot of things, but they aren’t djinn. Only djinn are djinn.” She smiled and patted the creature’s arm. It didn’t react.
    Fan-freaking-tastic.
Demonic were-vampires are after me.
I’m the luckiest girl alive.
I
should totally play the lottery today and take advantage of so much astounding luck.
    I stepped away from the aswang and sank to the top step of the porch. “So, portals to the demon world open near an Aegis, and an aswang comes out with an urge to kill the Aegis.” I lowered my head in my hands. “How the hell can we fight someone who can achieve something so huge and impossible?”
    Talia made a sound of disgust, and I lifted my head to meet her gaze.
    “Pull yourself together, Aegis.” Most of her eyes had disappeared into her face, but four remained, blinking and giving me the stink-eye. Stink-
eyes
. “Weakness gets people killed. I’d think you’d know that by now.” She pulled a cell phone from a hidden pocket in the scraps of her tiny outfit, then tossed it to me. In a display of uncharacteristic coordination, I didn’t shame myself by dropping it.
    I quirked an eyebrow and examined the phone. It didn’t look like anything special—a recent model smartphone with a purple cover. “Thanks?”
    “That’ll cross worlds.” She put an arm around her charge and guided him toward the portal. “I’m going to close this portal behind me like I did with the other five, but if another one shows up, you send me a text. Understand?”
    I nodded. “Thanks. Will you let me know if there are other portals besides those six? I’d like to keep track and figure out what’s going on.”
    She gave me a long, steady look. “I’ll let you know everything I know, as long as you do the same. Someone is hurting my people and threatening the peace of the Covenant. That’s unacceptable.”
    “I’ll keep you posted.” I moved toward her, meaning to shake her hand, walk with her—something. I hadn’t thought that far. The aswang tensed and I returned to my spot.
    She lifted her foot to step through the portal with the aswang, then hesitated and turned her head toward me. “Zoey, I’ll be back, I promise. Your friend Sara and I have business with one another.”
    Talia, Queen of the Demons, walked through the portal with her brainwashed lesser demon, and they both disappeared. A moment later, the portal folded in on itself and was gone.
    A scream erupted at the far end of the driveway, and in the distance, a winged figure in a blue pantsuit leaped into the air and flew away.
    Apparently, Pansy was pissed.

Chapter Six
    Two days passed before the next portal opened, spitting out a snarling aswang.
    The Gathering was still in session, and Bernice called me from England the minute she and Marcus heard the news.
    Her voice was shaky, and fear leaked through the phone in tight spirals. “Paula Camden was the only Aegis left in Canada.” Bernice took a deep breath to calm herself. “She was standing three feet from the portal when it appeared and the creature hurtled itself through, straight at her