Page 55 of Hell’s Half Acre

His demons were smart enough to recoil from her. They tried to vanish back into Hell, but Shaddix wouldn’t let them. As always, she was about control and complete and utter torment.

“Who wants out of there?” she asked.

Envee stepped back farther into the closet, trying to hide herself behind the others.

Dohlar was the idiot who pushed his way forward. “I want out.”

“I have to pee!”

Luke rolled his eyes at Treacle. She was always saying weird things just for attention.

His sister ignored her. “I’ll let you out, but I want you to run amok in the human realm. Can you do that?”

“Yes!” they said in unison.

Envee, Treacle, Trinket, and Fyre were the only ones who didn’t agree.

In his cat form, Trinket huddled in the corner, knowing Luke’s sister couldn’t stand hellcats. If she saw him, she’d kick him just for shits and giggles.

Shaddix opened the door. “If Luke finds you, tell him nothing. You have no idea who did this. If you betray me, I’ll spend the rest of eternity personally overseeing your torment. Understood?”

His demons vanished instantly.

Except for Envee, Holler, and Trinket.

Shaddix started for Trinket.

Hissing, he struck out at her with his claws and scratched up her arm. Then he vanished, proving he wasn’t stupid.

Hugging her arm against her chest, Shaddix glared at the other two. “Not a word to Luke. I mean it. I’ll rip off your wings and eat them in front of you.” Then she was gone.

Envee left the closet, looking about as if she were afraid it was a trick. She glanced at Holler over her shoulder. “What are you waiting for?”

“Don’t know.” Holler didn’t move until Envee stepped through the doorway. “Where are you going?”

She looked back at him and smiled. “Ice cream.” Then she vanished.

Luke pulled back from those memories. Before he could stop himself, he snapped the demon’s neck and let Holler collapse at his feet.

Sorcha gasped, reminding him that she was here.

Shit.

Luke toed Holler’s body. “Get up, asshole. I don’t want my partner thinking I killed you.”

Rubbing his neck, Holler stood up and glared at him. “Why not kill me? It’d hurt a lot less.”

“Exactly.” And with that, Luke used his powers to return the beast to their closet…

In Hell.

After this breach of faith, Holler would be banished from the human realm.

But what really bothered him was that Envee and Trinket had lied to him. It was what Hell creatures did.

Why are you surprised?

Because he’d been in the human realm for too long. While creatures here could be every bit as treacherous as those in Hell, they weren’t all like that. Some were actually decent.