Demon Jack by Patrick Donovan Read Free Book Online

resignation.
    “Perhaps it is bullshit, though I prefer to view it as the will of Allah. I am glad that it seems you are aware of your options now and that we will not be forced into drastic measures,” Al Dossari said.
    “Don't think of it as a punishment, Jack. Consider it a chance to atone for past sins. You’ll be taken care of, given a place to live, a modest allowance of money for basic necessities,” Hernandez said.
    “Peachy.”
    Maggie stepped up beside me locking her eyes to mine. She didn’t say anything, just stared for a long moment before turning her attention to the three holy men.
    I tore at the situation, but I knew I didn’t have a way out. I sighed, running a hand through my hair, pushing it back from my face. The least I could do was try and figure out something useful from all this.
    For a minute, I thought about asking for drugs. They could, hell they should, at least do that for me. I wouldn’t be much use to them in the shape I was in now. I closed my eyes and wedged my willpower against my addiction, fighting it down the best I could.
    “I have one condition. One condition and one question.”
    Hernandez raised one bushy eyebrow and nodded.
    “Essie deserves a funeral. A real funeral.”
    The three men looked between each other, before Hernandez turned back to me and nodded.
    “That can be arranged,” he said.
    “Right. Now, why me? Why me specifically?”
    “Who said it was you, specifically, that we were interested in?” Al Dossari asked.
    “What's that supposed to mean?”
    “It means that we're not as interested in you, as we are your friend. It just so happens that you two are a package deal,” Hernandez said, matter of fact.
    Great. Alice.
    I tried to stand, and probably would’ve fallen if Maggie hadn’t helped support me. My stomach did flip flops, my head pounding. Every inch of my body felt like it was being scorched and doused with ice water, all at the same time. I ran a hand over my face and it came back wet with sweat.
    “Just so you’re aware, I’m probably going to be pretty pissed at you three when this is all said and done. Just keep that in mind.”
    Yavetta actually smirked. Bastard.
    “Come on, I’ll show ya to your room,” Maggie said and turned, pulling the door open. She cast a quick glance behind us towards The Three on the couch. For a moment, something flickered across her features. It was a quick tightening around her eyes; a hard stress on her lips and then it was gone.
    “I’ll fill ya in on your first assignment.”
     
     

Chapter 4
     
    My room was in the corner of the church’s legitimate basement. It was small, barely big enough to hold a tiny bed and desk. The foot of the bed was meant to serve double duty as a desk chair. The walls were bare, unpainted. A simple wooden crucifix hung over the bed. The light came from a single bare bulb suspended from the ceiling.
    “‘Ere ya are. Yer suite,” Maggie said.
    “Better than I’ve had recently.”
    I turned to face her and was struck again by just how naturally attractive she was. The light brought out the copper color of her hair and played over the slight dimple in her cheek. She walked past me, and I could smell her perfume. It reminded me of summer, of flowers warmed in the early afternoon heat. For a minute, I almost felt normal again, losing myself in those scents. A part of my brain revolted, though, hitting me in the face with rationality. She was a witch. Chances were, whatever this was that made her look so damn appealing, was every bit as much a spell as it was her natural looks.
    She pulled a manila office folder off the desk and held it out to me. I took it. At some point, she had removed the bandages she’d applied to her arms in the van. The cuts on her arms were gone, her skin a crisscrossing fishnet pattern of thin, pink scars.
    Given what I’d seen her do earlier, I wasn’t surprised.
    I didn’t so much sit on the bed as collapse into it. It was about as