Inner Demon by Jocelynn Drake

in front of me. If I could catch the killers, the city would be safe and I could turn my full attention to Trixie. Maybe then it would be time for me to part ways with Zyrus. It might not be too keen on the idea, but I didn’t think hanging around with a demon was good for my health.

 
    Chapter 7
    N ight had claimed the city when I crawled back to my apartment. The investigation at the crime scene had taken longer because of the changes made by the killer. I kept my mouth shut about the fact that they were now looking at the chaos created by two separate killers. The Low Town police didn’t need to chase after the other asshole. I was still trying to figure out how a pair of warlocks was going to take these lunatics down. Humans didn’t have a chance.
    When Serah dropped me off, she promised that she’d follow up with me as soon as possible. She was confident that we’d get closer to the killer now because she was sure she could establish a link between the victims and the killer. I just pitied them. How could you piss someone off so much that this was the result? The world had enough of pain and death already.
    Rubbing my eyes, I shoved my key in the lock and froze. Someone was in my apartment. I could feel them on the other side of the wall. Their energy was warm and inviting, though the occupants felt agitated, as if they were anxious about my arrival. Very carefully, I probed the room to find that Trixie was in the living room along with . . . her brother.
    My heart stopped for a second and I leaned my head forward to rest it against the door. I didn’t want to move forward. Hell, I wanted to back away and go hide at Asylum, where I could bullshit with Bronx and pretend that my girlfriend wasn’t leaving me. But they would have heard the key going into the lock. They could probably hear me breathing. I didn’t get the choice of acting like a coward.
    Turning the key in the lock, I stepped into my living room to find Trixie sitting on the edge of the couch with her hands folded tightly in her lap. Her brother Eldon was prowling my dining room and kitchen, a scowl on his face. I scowled back at him. We’d never actually gotten along. I think it had to do with the fact that I was a warlock and that I was the reason his sister had chosen to stay in Low Town rather than returning to her ­people. Of course, I was the one who had saved their race, so you’d think he’d cut me a little slack, but not this prick.
    Carefully closing the door behind me, I walked over to the dining room table and draped my coat over the back of one of the chairs. Eldon had stopped pacing and out of the corner of my eye I could see Trixie now standing beside the sofa. I wracked my brain for the perfect words to say: the words that would win her and convince her to stay. At that moment, I would have promised anything. If she wanted, I would give up magic. I would find a way to be a normal guy who did normal things that didn’t attract the attention of murderers, thugs, and the Towers.
    But the words I needed in that instant would be a lie, and we both knew it.
    â€œI thought you were going to give me more time,” I said softly, breaking the tense silence that had grown in the room.
    â€œIt’s too dangerous,” Eldon said in clipped tones. My head jerked up and I clenched my teeth, fighting the urge to snap at the man.
    â€œDon’t, Eldon,” Trixie sharply said, surprising me. But then I had no doubt that she could sense that I was just about to crack. Trixie always knew how I felt. “Just let me talk, please.”
    Without breaking his gaze, Eldon nodded stiffly. The elf leaned back against the wall across from me, folding his arms over his chest.
    â€œI thought it would be best if I left now,” Trixie said. Where her brother’s voice was like a sledgehammer beating against me, Trixie’s sweet voice was a blade, slicing through my heart as if to