Page 51 of Hell’s Half Acre

Sorcha laughed at his empty threat. “Play nice.”

After turning onto the street, Luke literally made one single turn before they stopped a few blocks from their office at the corner of West Congress and Jefferson.

Sorcha frowned as he parked on the street. “Uh…is this really where we’re going?”

“Yeah.” He jerked his chin toward the building across the street to Byrd’s. “Right there.”

“Then why didn’t we walk?”

“Half a mile…in the heat which doesn’t bother me, but I know you hate.” He was right. She couldn’t stand the heat and humidity.

Still…

Unbelievable. While thoughtful, it confused her. “It took longer to get into the car.”

“Other reason I used my powers on the garage door.” He gave her a pointed stare. “Are we going to keep arguing about this or chase a demon?”

“Don’t go making sense while I’m looking for a reason to be pissy.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He swept past her to cross the street.

How weird that she’d never realized how close this was to their office. But then she lived on the other side of Savannah in a house she rented on West Victory. While close by way of car, her home wasn’t walking distance. Especially this close.

I’ve got to learn this city better.

And she had to hurry to catch up to Luke’s long strides.

Two uniform officers were already on site, but they weren’t inside the store. People were gathered and they seemed to be holding them back from the area as if waiting for backup.

As she and Luke approached, the officers turned toward them. “We need you to stand back with the rest of the crowd.”

Luke flashed his badge. “Keep taking care of the civs. We got this.”

The officers looked a bit skeptical, but Luke was such a commanding figure that few, if any, ever argued with his orders. She could only imagine how much more fierce he was in Hell where it was his natural element.

Helly and Envee stayed back with the crowd while Simi joined them.

The male officer started to balk.

“Undercover. She’s with us,” Luke said quickly.

Still skeptical, the officer returned to help keep bystanders back.

From this distance, the building looked quiet enough. Except for the shattered window that read Baking Savannah Sweeter.

“Are we sure demons are in there?” Sorcha asked.

Her answer came in the form of a shrill scream an instant before a body flew out the double doors and went careening away from them.

I hope that was a demon…

It wasn’t. By the looks of the hapless human and the school shirt he was wearing, he was a SCAD student in the wrong place. Before Sorcha could check on him, he got up, screaming, and ran down the street.

No sooner had he vanished than another body came flying through the doors. He, too, hit the ground hard, skidded, then rolled straight to Luke’s feet.

Simi visibly cringed. “Why they gots to tear up the Simi’s store? Can I eats them now, akri-Luke?”

“Depends.” Luke knelt down to the bleeding, blue-skinned demon who was trying to scramble away from him.