Once You Go Demon (Pure Souls) by Killian McRae Read Free Book Online Page B

familial and playful jab in the shoulder. “He was worth it. But you already know that.”
    Riona looked at her in confusion; not because she hesitated to agree, but because she didn’t.
    “I am old, Keystone,” the shopkeeper continued. “I am a crone. Death will find me soon enough. But if Jerry Romani were to come my way again, I still have another eye to give.”

Chapter 7
    Jerry watched as Riona emerged from Bunny’s shop. Sending her into Salem had been a risk to the vow he’d made not to squeal what he knew the second he was back on Earth. Like he’d have had a chance. Unbeknownst to the bitch squealers, also known as the Council of Seven, he’d gotten that memo from Big Boss Himself. The archangels had also reminded him when he had come horns to halos with the bastards, that there was nothing to be gained by confusing Riona with his “half-baked theory” of her lineage.
    But Lucifer didn’t raise no dummy. Any demon who knew his shit and paid close enough attention to that witch could figure out the truth. Given that his miraculous resurrection and raising from Hell was contingent on staying on the angelic asshats’ good sides, he wasn’t about to screw things up by blabbing. However, there was no reason he couldn’t point her in the right direction and still claim innocence.
    Jerry knew Bunny would recognize the magic woven over the dagger as something exotic, something not placed upon it by any back alley enchantress. The question was, would she know exactly how exotic? Judging by the red cheeks polished to a glow and scowl on Riona’s face, probably not. Oh well, there were surely other ways of tipping her off. If there was one thing he’d learn from centuries of service, it was that opportunities, despite the famous cliché, were hardly ever once-in-a-lifetime. There was something more going on here, Jerry suddenly realized as she marched across the street like she’d been ordered by Patton to take the opposite sidewalk at any cost. Riona looked … determined, despite also looking flustered. And while he generally liked associating things that started with F with Riona, this was an exception.
    But then, he found himself smiling. Riona was angry. No, Riona was pissed . And while that might not be a good thing for most situations, pissed was not overwhelmed, distraught, or depressed. Pissed was an actionable emotion. Somehow, getting shafted on the quest for knowledge rekindled Riona’s chutzpah. 
    The witch had spent the several weeks since Marc’s death and Jerry’s own return in a perpetual demonstration of “going through the motions.”  She moved, but only in circles. Mostly, he let her stay there, because who was he to come out and tell her that she of all people shouldn’t grieve? She damn well knew that Marc wasn’t really gone, he was only deterred, and that she better get her shit together in a hurry because when that priest came back, he wasn’t going to be her friend. She was going to have to toast his ass, because Marc would be the Devil’s quickest route to twisting her soul into a pretzel before throwing it into Hell’s stoves to bake.
    Fucking, hell yes . “That’s my girl!” he exclaimed to no one in particular, fist pumping the empty air.
    Jerry caught himself only a moment later. His girl. She wasn’t, and despite what Ramiel and Dee thought, Jerry didn’t jump on to the ‘Jerry must be the risen soul of which prophecy bespoke’ bandwagon. Oh, sure, he might tease and flirt. And hell yeah, if she happened to give him a ‘come hither’ stare, was so going to have her ‘coming hither’ in about two minutes flat. But reality and he still broke bread in the morning. He loved Riona enough to know that, after the way he had betrayed her, he would never deserve her. What’s more, she’d never want him.
    “Taxi!”
    The blue car that pulled up to the curb drew Jerry’s attention away from his cup of Tart n’ Cherry with lychee and rainbow sprinkles. Riona