For a Few Demons More

'Jenks!' I shouted, not wanting to walk down that aisle alone.

And suddenly he was with me. 'Got your back, Rache,' he said, his wings snapping with excitement, flying backward with his arrow still aimed at Quen. 'Let's go.'

Bag on one shoulder and focus under an arm, I guided Trent down the stairs, holding his elbow so he wouldn't trip and sue me for unnecessary roughness. Da-a-a, da-a-a, da, dum. I got the bastard now, echoed in my thoughts in a mockery of the wedding march. Someone's phone snapped a picture, and I grinned, imagining tonight's front page. I could hear sirens in the background, and I hoped they were the FIB, come to hustle me off the street, and not the I. S. to arrest me. I didn't actually have the warrant, but my contact did.

Forgotten by the altar, Ellasbeth made a frustrated sound of anger. 'Trent!' she cried, and I almost felt sorry for the woman. 'This is outrageous. How can you let her do this? I thought you owned this city!'

Trent halfway turned, and I steadied him on the steps with a hand on his shoulder. 'I don't own Ms. Morgan, dear. I need a few hours to sort this out. I'll join you at the reception.'

God, I hoped not.

As we passed Piscary, I slowed. 'Would you meet me at the FIB?' I said, pulse pounding and breathless. 'I have something for you.'

The undead vampire kissed the underside of Ivy's wrist, making her shudder. 'You are utterly inhuman, Rachel. Almost as cold as you are audaciously contemptible. It's a side to you that is… delightfully unexpected. I'm most interested in what you have to say.'

Not knowing what to make of that, I nodded and pushed Trent back into motion. He was indignant, apparently figuring out that I was going to give the vampire the focus. Hell, Piscary 'insured' four-fifths of the city, and David's company picked up the rest. It wasn't hard to figure out I wanted to be added to the list. Seeing Trent's understanding, I smiled. Bastard.

'Trent!' Ellasbeth shrieked. 'You walk out of this church and I'm gone. I'm on the plane and I'm home! I agreed to marry you, not this… this circus you call a life.'

'I don't have much choice—dear,' he said over his shoulder. 'Will you curb your hysterics and tend to our guests? This is a minor glitch.'

'Minor glitch!' I was walking sideways, nearly missing it when she threw her bouquet at the holy guy, screaming. 'Quen! Do something! That's what you're paid for!'

My eyebrows rose. I was almost to the door, and no one had tried to stop me. Shock was a wonderful tool when used correctly.

Quen looked up from his phone. 'I am, Ms. Withon. I've already established that Morgan is acting within the law, and I'm calling Trenton's trial lawyer.'

Al was laughing, tears streaming down his face. His hand was against the altar for balance, and the flowers on it were turning black. Being in Lee's body let him touch it with impunity, but he was still a demon, and clearly his presence was being noted.

When we reached the entry way, it hit Trent that I was really tagging him. 'This is ridiculous, Rachel,' he said, as I bitch-kicked the door open. Moonlight spilled in through the fog shining on the cement steps. 'This is my wedding day. You are way out of line.'

'Hauling your ass in is justice,' I said, squinting from the flashing FIB lights. 'Killing Brett was out of line. He didn't know anything. All he wanted was someone to look to.'

I shoved Trent through the door before the heavy wood could arc closed, then pulled the damp, cool night air smelling of garbage and exhaust deep into me, relieved to see those FIB cruisers. Officers were all over the place, securing the area before anyone could follow me out.

'Hey! Hi!' I called while I waved, wanting to be sure they knew I was the good guy. 'I got him. He's all yours! Just tell me where to put him.'

I headed toward the nearest cruiser, pushing Trent before me. 'Trust me, Trent,' I said when we found the pavement. 'You'll thank me for this someday.'

'I didn't think you cared about my happiness, Ms. Morgan,' he said as an excited officer touched his cap and opened the door for him.

'I don't,' I said shortly. 'Watch yourself.' I put my hand on the back of his head, feeling a jolt of ever-after try to surge to him, checking it just in time. Shaken for my lack of control, I shoved him into the car and slammed the door shut. It was noisy, and I blinked when I realized the bus was still there. I waved, and everyone waved back, the driver tooting the horn. Satisfied, I stood a little taller and slicked my hair back out of my eyes.

Damn, when I was bad, I was good.

Thirty-four

The hem of my lacy bridesmaid dress whispered over the cracked gray tile in Edden's office. Sitting hunched in the chair before his desk, I nervously bobbed my foot. The FIB captain had taken possession of my elbow the moment I crossed the Federal Inderland Bureau seal inlaid in the floor of the lobby, dragging me into his office and telling his guide, Rose, to keep me here before stomping out in search of coffee, his son, Glenn, and a first impression that didn't come from me. That had been ten minutes ago. Unless he was grinding the beans himself, or waiting for Glenn to get back from Detroit, I figured he'd come in knowing more than I did.

The jitters had started. It was growing noisy in the lobby, voices raised in protest and demand. By the sound of it, the entire wedding party was out there. I glanced at Jenks, perched on Edden's pencil cup. He looked unusually nervous, having opted to stay with me instead of hanging with Edden as was his habit when we were at the FIB. Leaving the present on the floor, I stood to shake out my dress and went to peek past the blinds. I was getting the distinct idea that Edden hadn't known I was going after Trent Kalamack this evening.

'Maybe we should've gone to the I.S?' Jenks said, his wings making a distracting hum.

'The I.S!' I said, turning to gape at him. 'Are you crazy?'

It sounded as if Mr. Ray was close to losing it, and wincing, I reached for the blinds, jerking my hand back when the door scraped open.

Edden stomped in, the muscular, almost squat man so close to my height that it didn't matter. He was in his usual khakis and white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, but the outfit had lost its just-pressed look sometime between dragging me in here and getting the two waxed-paper cups of capped coffee he had sandwiched between a hairy arm and chest.

Feeling guilty, I let the blinds slip from my fingers. The lacy dress made me feel stupid, and I tucked a wayward strand that had escaped my elaborate braid behind an ear and stood with my hands clasped before me like fig leaves. I felt about as vulnerable as if I had been naked, too. Edden had been instrumental in helping me save my butt when I'd quit the I.S., but he had his own bosses to please, and he didn't look happy. Of all the humans I'd met, only his adopted son, Glenn, and my old boyfriend, Nick, were more comfortable with my being… not human.

His round face creased, he set both coffees on the desk and dropped into his chair on the exhale. Captain Edden was not tall, and the first hints of a soft widening of his waist added to his comfortable, late-fifties look. His military background showed in his quick mannerisms and slow decisions, only accentuated by the black hair cropped close to his skull. Lacing his stubby fingers across his middle, he stared at me in annoyance. His mustache was showing more gray than it had last time, and I couldn't help but cringe at the accusing look in his brown eyes.

Jenks clattered his wings as if in apology, and the captain glanced at him as if he ought to have known better before turning his disapproving attention back to me. 'Would you be more comfortable running my department from my chair, Rachel?' he said, and I shifted forward to take a coffee just to have something between him and me. 'What did you think you were doing, arresting Kalamack at his own wedding?' he added, and I sat down, the focus between my feet.

As if this were good news, Jenks brightened, flying up to land closer to the FIB captain to look satisfied and relieved. I thought it totally unfair that though Jenks and I were partners, I'd be the only one to suffer for any trouble we got into. Pixies were never held accountable for their actions. But then they usually didn't involve