In the Demon's Company (Demon's Assistant Book 2) by Tori Centanni Page B

because no one answers the buzzer. Anna is dejected, her shoulders stooped and her arms hugging her midsection. Her eyes are bloodshot and her face is puffy.
    Xanan finally opens the door. He’s wearing an apron covered in clay dust and holding a pick. Anna makes a strangled sobbing noise when she sees it. He glances from her to the tool in his hand and then back to me. “This isn’t a place to bring friends,” Xanan says. “It’s a place of business.”
    “We need to see Az. Is he here?”
    Xanan huffs out a breath. It hangs in the air. It’s cold outside in the wet, gray fog, but it doesn’t feel any warmer inside. He inhales through his nose and then his gaze falls on Anna, his eyes narrowing.
    “Upstairs,” he finally says.
    I push past him. Anna follows me, and Gabriel takes the rear. Azmos is in his office. I open the door without knocking. He closes his laptop and pushes it aside, shoving his sunglasses back down over his eyes when he spots Anna.
    She glances at me, unsure, and I pull out a chair for her.
    “Dare I ask?” Azmos asks. The adrenaline has faded out of my veins, leaving me shaky and tired. Gabriel flops down into the seat next to Anna, who asks where we are. No one answers her. A cold gust of air brushes over me and I see Xanan leaning in the doorway, his apron discarded. He wears only a black t-shirt and black jeans, and his blue eyes are fixed on Anna. I shiver and pull my coat tight, zipping it up all of the way.
    I explain about Gabriel’s muddied vision and how we hoped to find this other demon and ask some questions. I tell him about Anna, and how the other demon attacked her. Anna folds her arms over her wounded middle. Azmos remains still, hands folded over his desk, expression inscrutable.
    “This demon woman knows you,” I say. “Her name is Vessa.”
    Azmos sucks in a breath, hands sliding over the shiny wood surface. He doesn’t speak but he also doesn’t look surprised.
    “She has eyes like yours,” I say.
    He shakes his head. He’s gone a little pale and his finger taps on the desk. “I suspected as much. Though until recently, I had believed there was no way she could be alive.”
    “Who is she?” Gabriel presses. Azmos doesn’t answer. He stares behind us, at Xanan. I turn in time to see Xanan shrug in response to some unvocalized question.
    Azmos stands.
    “Wait, you have to help her,” I say, gesturing to Anna. “This Vessa person didn’t make a deal with her to help. She attacked her. She wouldn’t have died without demonic intervention. Doesn’t that make her an exception?”
    “It’s not that simple, Nicolette,” Az says. Anna makes a sound that’s between a whimper and a sob. “I am sorry but I can’t help her.”
    “But she’s going to kill me,” Anna says softly.
    “She already did,” Az says, voice equally soft. He nods at Xanan, who steps toward Anna.
    Even before he reaches for her, I know what he’s going to do. I push myself in front of her chair, spinning to face him, and stand there, arms extended like a human shield. “No. She’s an innocent victim. Vessa isn’t waiting for people who are about to die. She’s putting them in that position herself.”
    “It can’t be helped, Nicolette,” Xanan says. He even sounds sort of sad about it. Behind me, Anna lets out a sob.
    “There has to be a way. Have Azmos take over her contract. Have him use his power to save her.”
    “That’s not possible,” Xanan says, softly but firmly.
    A memory nudges at me. “You said you’d let Mrs. Crane live if she gave you info!” I protest. “Anna gave you intel.”
    Azmos raises an eyebrow in... what? Disbelief? Surprise? My heart plummets to my feet.
    “That was before we knew who was behind this,” Xanan says, “and before the balance was so far out of whack. I’m afraid circumstances have changed.” Xanan’s voice is as cold as his icy breath. “Now move.”
    I stand my ground, as though a squat, short teen girl is any match for