Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett Read Free Book Online

his head.
    â€œI’ve told you before, it doesn’t get you stoned. It’s just calming. I don’t think God would count it as a sin,” I teased.
    â€œYou’re probably right, but I just don’t understand theattraction.” He waved the case away. “I have trouble staying awake as it is at my age—I don’t need anything to make me calmer.”
    I leaned forward while Lon flicked a sleek, engraved metal lighter for me. His hands were tan and muscular. From that and the golden strands of hair at his crown, I assumed he spent a lot of time outside. Maybe for his job. I scrutinized him while he exchanged a few pleasantries with Father Carrow. He had a reserved, proud look about him. Long, hollow cheeks sat between deep-set eyes and an angular jaw. Good bones.
    â€œSo,” Father Carrow said, getting to the point, “as I explained on the phone, Arcadia is looking for information on a rare Æthyric demon. Tell him what it looks like, dear.”
    I repeated what the Caliph had told me. “It’s an albino demon—white skin and hair, light pink eyes. Four arms, each with long talons. Twice the height of an average human. Long tongue that rolls up like a party favor and hangs outside its mouth, and a large set of spiraling horns.”
    I took another drag from my cigarette.
    â€œDo you know the class of demon?” His small eyes were narrowed. Distrustful. “I’ve run across drawings and descriptions of many albinos. It’s a congenital pigmentation disorder that could occur in any class. Just like humans.”
    His flippant attitude irritated me.
Famous photographer
, I thought.
Arrogant bastard.
Even though he was dressed casually in an ink-stained T-shirt and a denim jacket with a tear in the pocket, he was also wearing a wide silver watch on his left wrist that looked expensive.
Snotty, too
, I added to my mental list of his probable sins.
    â€œI don’t know the class of demon,” I replied with forced patience, “but I do have a little information about the seal.” Iperched my cigarette on the edge of the wrought-iron table and dug around in my purse until I found a pen and an old envelope that I tore up for paper. After sketching a few characters and letters, I slid the paper over to him and put the cap back on my pen. “I’m not sure how familiar you are with summoning seals, but I know them pretty well, and this symbol here”—I pointed—“narrows it down to about fifty or so classes of demon.”
    He studied it for a few seconds, then gave it back to me.
    â€œYou can keep it,” I said.
    â€œNo need. I’ve already memorized it.”
    Show-off. “Then the only other thing I know is that the demon uses his talons to gut his victims from breastbone to pelvis—rips the torsos open in one, clean swipe.”
    He gave me a blank look. No emotion whatsoever.
    â€œCan you help her?” Father Carrow asked as he cradled his paper cup filled with hot tea.
    â€œDon’t know.”
    â€œShe’s a good gal, Lon. I wouldn’t get you involved in this if I didn’t trust her.”
    Lon tilted his head to the side and slowly rolled his cigarette between thumb and index finger. “Why do you need to locate this demon?”
    Because my parents’ lives depend on it, and maybe mine too.
I couldn’t say that, though. I ran through several excuses in my head and answered, “I just do. It’s important.”
    â€œYou planning some sort of revenge against someone?”
    â€œJust the opposite.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?”
    For God’s sake.
    â€œThe demon … has some information that I need.”
    Lon stared at me for several moments until I becameuncomfortable and had to struggle not to look away. Then he pushed back his chair and got up. “I’ll think about it.”
    â€œThink about it?” I repeated in disbelief. “I’m