“Yeah, that’s not a handy power,” Nix said.
I nodded. “Exactly. I don’t want this. And when I took the demon’s power, it didn’t look the same as when Cass stole powers using her FireSoul gift. I didn’t even try to do it, and it happened anyway.”
Nix frowned. “How’d it happen?”
I explained how the soul seemed to get stuck to me when I killed the demon.
“Yeah, that sounds different than stealing powers with our FireSoul ability,” Cass said. “It might be some combo of your death power and your FireSoul power.”
“That’s what I think. The first time I stole the Ubilaz demon’s power, Draka helped me. This time, I did it on my own.”
“So your power is growing,” Cass said.
“Mutating, more like,” Nix said.
“Great.” I swigged the wine. “I’m a monster mash. Perfect.”
“Hang on. Do you think that’s why that group of demons showed up outside the shop yesterday?” Nix asked.
The memory flared, forgotten in my pain and stress. We’d been hanging out at our shop, doing inventory of our most recent acquisitions, when a group of demons had appeared outside on the street.
“I’d assumed they were just there to rob us, like normal,” I said. “But yeah, now that you say it…possibly.” I rubbed a hand wearily over my forehead.
Stealing other supernaturals’ magic could make a Magica amazingly powerful. Unless it backfired. Like now.
The door to the cafe opened and Roarke returned, his clothes now clean and dry. Had he changed in the alley?
Resourceful.
I had a brief flash of myself hiding behind the dumpsters to take a peek and could feel my face flame red. For fate’s sake, what was I turning into? I was embarrassed by my own brain.
He approached and handed me a warm sweater. “We need to get you out of those damp clothes.”
“You wanna help her?” Cass asked with a grin.
I kicked her, not subtly, and met Roarke’s gaze with an awkward smile. “We need to figure out what the heck is going on with these demons first.”
He took the seat near me. “Any ideas?”
I tugged on his sweater, trying to ignore the sandalwood scent of it that made my heart race. How much truth should I tell? I was having a hard time trusting him, but I wanted him to trust me.
Anyway, he knew almost all of the story. The only secret I really wanted to keep was that we were FireSouls, since that one put my deirfiúr at risk. So I told him about unintentionally snatching the soul of the Ubilaz demon and our theory that I’d inherited his powers with it.
His gaze darkened with worry as I finished. “That’s not good.”
“Nope. I’ve got crazy new powers and no idea how to use them.”
“You have to learn to control it. Then you can probably repress whatever power it is that attracts the other demons to you.”
“Yes.” I could feel the desire in my chest like a physical thing. “But I suck at controlling my power. You saw me back at the lake. It’s like one moment I have control of it, and the next, a wall slams down in my mind, killing my control.”
That familiar sickening sense of failure rose, suffocating the desire to learn control.
I sucked in a ragged breath and shoved it away.
I had to keep trying.
“Your new power could get you killed,” Roarke said.
Great point. How was I supposed to be some great Guardian if I couldn’t even survive my own powers?
Cass tugged a wide golden bracelet off her wrist and passed it to me. “Try it.”
It was the one she wore to help dampen some of her powers. I took the dampener charm from her and slipped it on my arm.
“Now try to isolate the Ubilaz demon’s power and repress it,” Nix said.
I nodded, then set down my mug of wine and tried to identify the Ubilaz demon’s power within me. I’d spent most of my life with only one power, so trying to figure out how to navigate the magical world with multiple powers was pretty weird. Every supernatural dealt with their powers differently, and most had been taught by their parents.
Not me. I had no idea who my parents were. Or if they were even people, considering what my weird powers were.
But I closed my eyes and gave it my best, focusing on my body and the magic that vibrated within me. I tried to envision them as different colored lights. The Ubilaz was an orange light, I decided. Not a nice one. A sickly orange. I tried to grasp it, but it felt slippery to my imagined touch. No matter how I tried, I couldn’t get ahold of it.
“Does it feel like it’s working?” Roarke asked.
“It’s not,” Cass said.
My eyes popped open to see her pointing out the window.
“We have visitors.”
I turned to look out the window. Three demons had just appeared on the sidewalk, their eyes riveted to P & P.
Damn. I jumped to my feet.
This was my mess, so I’d clean it up.
The demons were muscle-bound lunks with massive horns and dark green skin. Their fangs were at least six inches long, and I’d bet my next paycheck that they dripped poison.
Customers turned to look at the demons, their brows raised. It wasn’t the most unusual sight, so no one freaked out, but it still wasn’t normal. Folks were on the alert.
Roarke stood beside me. “Let me take care of this. They’re fugitives from the Underworld. My responsibility.”
“I got it!” Claire called from the bar.
“No, I’ll take care of it.” I stepped forward.
“Seriously, let me.” She grabbed a sword from beneath the counter. “This is my place, and I’ll take care of it. Anyway, I’m itching for a fight.”
“How about one each?” I drew the short sword from the sheath at my back and hurried to the door.
“No.” Roarke’s voice was low and firm. “Unless you want to collect another power, it’d be better if you didn’t kill one.”
Double damn. He was right. That added a whole separate layer of complexity to this nightmare. And I hated it. I cleaned up my own messes—especially if they were demons. But now?
I didn’t want to steal that demon’s power.
“Fine.” The word tasted like dirt in my mouth. I stepped back.
Roarke headed to the door, but Claire beat him to it. She politely held the door open for him and said, “No one ever said we couldn’t maintain our manners while sending demons back to hell.”
I grinned, the first real smile I’d felt all day.
Roarke hurried onto the street, followed by Claire, and they made short work of the demons.
“This sucks,” I muttered. I might have miserable control over my magic, but killing demons was my thing. I was good at it.
Now I couldn’t even do that without possibly stealing their powers?
“You could try killing them remotely,” Cass said. “I mean, it’s something to consider. They’re going to be after you, so you need a defense mechanism.”
Like my Elsa powers. Shooting ice from my hand was remote. Even better, the weapon melted after it finished its grisly job. I’d just have to perfect its use.