03 Before The Devil Knows You're Dead-Speak Of The Devil by Patricia Eimer Read Free Book Online

Dad’s fiery lake.
    “That’s because you haven’t found the right girl yet.” I glanced over at Mal and saw him shudder, his broad shoulders rippling with the movement. “Give it some time. I’m sure the perfect woman is out there waiting. You need to get out there and find her.”
    “I am a centuries-old demon. I’ve seen millennia pass and haven’t batted an eye. If true love hasn’t shown up to tie a knot in my pointy tail by now, I think it’s fair to say she’s decided to skip me and hunt in more gullible pastures.”
    Malachi raised an eyebrow at me in challenge and we both snickered at the thought of Malachi dating. You were more likely to find an angel running an adult bookstore.
    “I wasn’t talking about the fact that your brother is married and with a child on the way.” Mom cut back into the conversation and I looked back to see that she once again had her makeup mirror up, liberally coating her eyelashes in mascara. For a moment I had to fight the urge to stomp on my brakes just so I could watch my mother jab herself in the eye with a mascara wand.
    “Then what were you talking about?”
    “I was referring to the lack of options that he had when it came time to choose a bride. Think about it. No other demoness wanted him, even though he’s the Crown Prince of Hell?”
    “It’s Tolliver,” I said.
    “You say that as if it’s understandable that he was forced to make himself a wife.”
    “I have to agree with Faith, Your Majesty,” Malachi said. “That’s Tolliver—his royal status had nothing to do with his lack of wifely prospects.”
    “No, his lack of suitable female companionship is a sign of a member of royalty who has disappointed his subjects. I’ve tried to tell your father this. How can he expect Tolliver to be successful as a leader when his own society’s women won’t have anything to do with him?” Mom argued.
    “How’s that conversation working out for you?” I tried not to roll my eyes at Mom’s less than subtle attempt at a power grab.
    “Besides, Tolliver doesn’t have any problem with the ladies. He simply didn’t like any that were available.” Malachi said. “Or at least he didn’t before he met up with Lisa.”
    “Your father refuses to see reason.” My mother pouted but I wasn’t paying attention to her any longer. Malachi’s comment was much more interesting.
    “What do you mean Tolliver didn’t have any problems with the ladies?” I glanced over at my dread demon and hit my blinker to get onto the exit for the mall. “He never brought home any female demons for the rest of us to meet.”
    “That’s because there weren’t any to bring home,” Malachi said.
    “You said he didn’t have a pro—”
    “I said he didn’t have a problem finding women who were interested in him. I didn’t say that any of them were the type of demoness you bring home to meet your sisters and your father. They definitely were not auditioning for long-term relationships. Hell preserve us, most of the women your brother dated probably couldn’t spell relationship.”
    “You’re getting off subject,” my mother said when we pulled off the exit and started down one of the side streets to the mall, brick storefronts and apartment buildings on either side of the busy, two-lane road. “Lilith—”
    “Lilith is way more into worrying about her future grandbaby than she is about what you’re wearing. After all, the next generation of Hell’s ruling class has come from her line,” I said.
    “That’s—”
    “No.” I didn’t bother to let her finish.
    “You really don’t understand—”
    “No, I really don’t care. Mom, you have to let this insane competition go. You’ve got to stop.”
    “Faith—”
    “Mom.” I glared at her. “I’m not getting in the middle of your rivalry with Lilith. Tolliver is happy. Lisa is happy. Everyone else is happy for them. Why can’t you go along with it? Why are you always—”
    “Faith!” Mom shrieked, her