Page 48 of Hell’s Half Acre

A dog returns to its vomit.

Just like a human predator who returned to their crime scene and even tried to “help” the police solve the crime they committed. It was so common that they even had a term for it…RO—Returning Offender.

Damn. I am learning at IA.

That scared him more than the thought he might never return to Hell. He was acclimating to the human world.

Panic swelled up inside, but he quickly tamped it down. If Shaddix had her way, he’d be banished forever.

“I need to know what lies she told. Will you help me?”

Terrabeth glanced back toward her partner. Several heartbeats went by before she nodded. “Help me feed the killer to Vedrana and I will help you return to Hell.” She held her hand out to him.

Now it was Luke’s turn to hesitate. Making deals with demons was never wise. The fine print was killer, and they never told the truth.

But in this…

“Deal.” He shook her hand.

And with that, he launched his wings and fell back into the darkness where he drifted like he used to. This was the silent succor he’d missed. Being able to fly where no one bothered him.

But he was being hunted by others of his kind. His banishment extended to this realm, too, as he’d learned the first time he’d come here after being kicked out.

Sighing, he twisted through his bliss and headed for the portal that would return him to the human realm before a Necos came for him.

As was normal, he manifested in his small bathroom.

Where Sorchas was.

He assumedshe’d be asleep or at work.

She was coming out of the shower, and he was almost on top of her as she wrapped his black towel around her naked body.

Chapter

Eight

Instinctively, Sorcha reached for her gun to shoot the intruder.

Until she realized that she didn’t have her weapon with her inside the bathroom.

And it wasn’t an intruder. It was Luke.

“What are you doing here?” they asked at the same time.

Sorcha would be amused if she wasn’t standing virtually naked in front of him.

He turned around immediately and offered her his back. “I didn’t realize you were showering.”

For one second, she thought he was being polite and considerate.

And then she caught sight of him in the mirror, staring at her.

“Really?” she snapped.

That annoying smile curved his lips. “Son of the devil, love. There’s only so much I can manage.”

“Out!” She pushed him toward the door.