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He had reason to hate Selene, to mistrust my family, and although I felt sick over what Selene had put him through, she and I were not the same person. All that rage he was directing at me belonged to a ghost. I’d done nothing to deserve his hatred.

It was probably a bad move, but I was feeling seriously overwhelmed and angry about everything that was going on right now. I sure as hell didn’t have time to deal with a psychotic wolf shifter, so I lifted my hand and waved, giving him a wide, beaming smile. “Hi, Draven!” Though I doubted he heard me over the traffic.

His eyes narrowed, and I grinned wider, gave him another overly enthusiastic wave, and climbed into my Toyota. He started toward me, moving quickly, darting around cars.

I wasn’t sticking around for whatever poison he wanted to fire at me this time and quickly started my car. As I pulled out onto the street, I realized my heart was pounding, my palms were sweaty, and there was this flippy, zip-zappy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Exhilaration? Excitement?

Maybe Draven wasn’t the only one who’d lost their damned mind. This was not a game—playing with that male was a seriously stupid thing to do. But he brought out a side of me I thought was long dead, a side that I should let stay dead.

It wasn’t like I’d done anything wrong. I told him I’d stay out of his way, and I’d planned to, but he wasn’t staying out of mine.

You’re asking for trouble.

Trouble was the last thing I wanted, so why the hell had I done that back there?

I turned up the music and tried not to think about the surly alpha, or my task, or Rose—or what the hell had happened to our cemetery.

I failed, but I did sing at the top of my lungs, the best stress relief there was besides sex, and since I planned on being celibate for the rest of my life, there would be a lot more loud-car-singing in my future.

I left the city and headed for home. The busy streets and people and cars slowly thinned until I was driving along a forest-lined road, one I knew like the back of my hand. When I took the next bend, the steering grew heavy, then I was bumping along and the wheel jerked in my hands.

Shit. Flat tire.

I quickly pulled off the road so I didn’t damage anything. Shoving the door open, I grabbed the spare from the trunk, leaned it against the side of the car, and hauled out the jack. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a flat, but, thankfully, I still remembered how to change a tire. Arthur had taught us when we got our driver’s permits.

I’d taken off the wheel nuts when I heard a car approaching. I kept my head down and hoped whoever it was could see I had things under control.

When the car slowed, I cursed under my breath, then plastered a polite smile on my face and stood.

The car stopped behind me, and both front doors opened. Two males climbed out, big, muscled, and both with black, cold eyes. My internal alarm shrieked. Demon.

Now, not all demons were scum or dumber than bricks, but the way this pair looked at me, I knew I was in trouble because some were just plain evil. I preferred the demons who behaved like wild animals over this kind. I understood acting on instinct. Demons like this were smart and cunning and vindictive as hell.

“Iris, right?” the tallest one said.

He knew my name. Not good. Not at all. “Nope, I think you have me mixed up with someone else.”

The demon smirked. “I don’t think so.” He tilted his head at the creep beside him. “He made sure we had the right witch before we fucked with your tire.”

The other one nodded.

Someone had sent them after me. I planted my hands on my hips and carefully slid free the knife sheathed against my back. I was no Willow with a blade, but I knew how to use one if I had to.

The one who liked to talk took a step toward me, and the other one grabbed his arm. “She’s mine.”

Smirky scowled but backed up. “Fine, but I get the next one.”

The scary, quiet one aimed his black eyes at me and stomped forward. I backed up, colliding with my car. When he reached for me, I slashed his arm with my blade. The demon cursed, and his friend threw his head back and howled with laughter.

“Stop playing with our food,” he said as I swiped at the big demon a second time.

He jerked back, then swung his ham hock of a fist at me, knocking the blade from my hand. I wasn’t sure I could outrun these guys, and my blade was now on the other side of the road. I dove for the tire iron, snatching it up. He growled and came at me. I swung the iron, getting him around the side of the head, ringing the fucker’s bell good, going by the way he swayed a little before he came at me again.

His friend was still laughing. So glad I’m amusing you, asshole. The demon faked left, then right, then grabbed for me, and I cracked him across the head a second time.

He growled and spat out several teeth. As each one pinged off the road, his friend laughed harder still. My fear spiked. Even if I could somehow take out the demon in front of me, there was a second guy to deal with.