Black Magic Sanction

want my name back. No one knows mine but my mom, Ivy, and Jenks!'

'And me.' Al ran his finger across the front of the big-screen TV, har-rumphing at the dust. 'You should just scare the hell out of them. Consider this your chance to practice.'

'I don't need practice,' I said through gritted teeth. 'I need my name back. They're talking lobotomy. Sure would be a shame for your investment to end up dumber than a rock.'

Coattails furling, Al strode to the pile of electronics, picking up a camera and opening the back to take the memory card and slip it into a pocket. 'You are so cute when you squirm,' he murmured, looking at me over his glasses and dropping the camera so it hit with a crack.

'Al—'

'I'm giving you the chance to grow,' Al said as he sat on the couch, spreading his arms across the top. 'I'd be a poor guardian if I fought all your battles for you. They're paltry witches. You're demon kin. What can they do to you?'

Frustrated, I held my arms out, hands in fists and palms up. 'My knees are the size of grapefruits from dancing, maybe? And these shackle marks are from what?'

Al's red eyes slid past me to Pierce. 'Play?' he said, his voice dripping interest. 'Gordian Nathaniel Pierce's quirks are legendary. Why do you think I want the runt so badly? Size truly doesn't matter if you can do what he can.'

I looked at Pierce—his softly curling hair hid his face, but his jaw was tight and his hands shook as he measured out the grounds and plugged in the percolator. Male witches' anatomy generally didn't measure up to a human's, but witch women always came back.

' 'Course it might all be propaganda,' Al said as he pulled a watch from his fob pocket. His eyes met mine, and I shivered when he rose. 'Let me guess...,' he said as he started walking to me, each foot placed precisely. 'The little wizard summoned you to the West Coast with my name knowing he would get you, then fled here to summon you out of their grasp, probably whining some poppycock bull about how he lo-o-o-oves you.'

I retreated as Al advanced until my back hit the counter. 'Nick is slime,' I said, scared.

Al pressed close, far too close, and I held my breath, cringing. Not quite touching me, but almost, the lace at his throat shifted. 'The question is,' Al whispered, eying Pierce, 'Nicky wouldn't know you had my name unless someone told him. Who told him, Rachel?'

'The coven.' Al stank of burnt amber, and seeing me wince, he drew back, frowning. Knees shaking, I pushed from the counter.

'The coven,' Al echoed, mocking me. 'Yes. But who told them?'

I thought about Trent and dropped my eyes. 'The problem isn't who told the coven your name,' I said. 'The problem is someone told them I can invoke demon magic. Maybe it was you trying to force me into the ever- after.'

Al huffed, turning away. 'Rachel, Rachel, Rachel... Such thoughts of paranoia. And you say you don't need a babysitter.'

'I don't!'

He stood at the table, both elegant and derisive. 'Then start acting like a demon, itchy witch.'

'I'm not a demon,' I said, glancing at the clock. Crap, it was after six. Nick

'You could have fooled me.' Al's white glove vanished, and he examined his hand, the thick knuckles going white as he flexed his fingers. 'This entire situation is so... banal' The glove misted back into existence, and his attention landed on me. 'You must do better, love, if you expect anyone to take you seriously.'

'Is there a point to this?' My arms were over my chest again, and I forced them down.

'I bloody well hope so,' Pierce grumbled as he set a cup beside the chugging pot.

'The point is, you could excel if you would simply exert yourself!' Al complained.

My head shifted back and forth. 'I don't want to be a demon. I just want my name back so my life can go back to chaotic and weird instead of chaotic and desperate.'

Al took a breath to say something, and when he held it, head cocked, my face went cold. Dragonfly wings. A slow smile spread across Al's face as he locked gazes with me.

'Jax?' I called, not seeing him but knowing the pixy was here. 'I didn't call him. I didn't call him, Jax! You've got to believe me!'

In a sprinkling of falling green dust, a pixy darted into the kitchen. Jax stared at us with his mouth hanging open. His hand was over his bi-cep, almost hiding a new tear in his shirt.

'I didn't call him,' I pleaded, and the young pixy's wings hit a new high, his mouth moving, but nothing coming out. 'Jax, tell Nick not to come in!'

Jax darted to whatever pixy hole he'd come through. But it was too late, and I heard the knob turn. 'Nick! No!' I shouted, running for the door.

I gasped as I ran right into Al, suddenly before me. It was like running into a tree. 'Nick!' I shouted. 'Don't come in! Nick! Get out!'

But with a thump of furious music from downstairs and the smell of Chinese takeout, Nick came into the shadowy apartment. Jax was a streak of silver, his voice high and unrecognizable as he panicked. 'Get out!' I shouted, stumbling when Al vanished, reappearing behind Nick in the open doorway. Oh God. Can this get any worse?

Al shoved the door shut with one foot. 'Hi, Nicky.'

Yup, it can.

Nick spun, eyes wide. Dropping the takeout boxes, he scrabbled frantically for the slab circle in the corner. He didn't have a chance.

Al reached a white-gloved hand out and snagged him like an errant kitten, holding him up by the scruff of his neck and giving him a shake. 'Got you, you little wizard.'

Nick choked, spinning slightly with his toes just touching the floor. 'Little... bitch,' he gagged, face red and long hair brushing Al's fingers. 'You little bitch. I trusted you... '

'Jax! No!' I exclaimed, hands high as I got between Al and the pixy. He'd get himself killed. 'Take the high ground and look for an opening. You can't take a demon by the front!'

Al looked at me in question from over his glasses, but the small pixy had withdrawn in frustration, and that's all I was after.

'It's not what it looks like,' I babbled to Nick. 'Al, let him go. You can't snag him. He's with me.' I looked at Pierce, but the man was standing in the kitchen beside the coffeepot with his arms crossed, an annoyed expression on his face.

It smelled like the demons' mall that Al had taken me to once, the burnt amber mixing with the smell of green things, takeout, and brewing coffee. Al grinned to show his thick, flat, blocky teeth, clearly pleased as he held Nick up off the floor with one white-gloved hand. 'No,' he said. 'He owes me. Got a mark and everything. I need some help in the kitchen, and since the runt over there is babysitting you, this will have to do.'

I looked at Pierce standing in the kitchen beside the gurgling coffeepot. He wasn't doing anything! But then... what did I expect him to do? It was Al.

Nick's choking started to sound serious and his face went red. 'Al, you're hurting him!' I exclaimed. 'One mark doesn't give you the right to take him, and you know it. Let him go!'

'Make me,' the demon said with a snicker, and Nick's legs started to twitch. 'Let me jump you to a line, worm. It will be easier that way.'

Was I going to have to force Al to hold to his agreement every bloody time? 'Don't push me on this, Al,' I said, pulse fast as I rocked on the balls of my feet. I could hear Jax's wings, and prayed he'd stay out of the way. 'You agreed. No snagging people with me unless you have a prior claim, and you don't have one on Nick! Let him go!'

'I was a fool to have... trusted you,' Nick said, gagging, hatred in his bloodshot eyes as spittle formed between his lips.

'This wasn't my idea,' I barked at him. 'I didn't summon him, he just showed up! Al, let him go!' I tugged the demon's arm, but nothing moved.

'Wah, wah, wahh,' Al said sarcastically. 'You knew what you were getting into, little Nicky. When you invite a demon into your home, you get what you get.'