Page 106 of Demon Heart: The Complete Series

She didn’t. “I’ve never been wrong, and I’d like to tell my dad I wasn’t wrong this time.

” She glanced left and right, then pulled out a phone.

“Hello? Michelle here. I need a favor. Right. Yes, the street is secure. No idea of casualty numbers yet. Yes. Yes.” Nod, nod, a creased forehead.

“I need transport into London. I know. Yes. It’s important. ”

I turned to face Margarite. “You’re still with me?”

“Yes. When we can serve.”

“Absolutely,” Lizard Guy said.

“You’re still waiting, right?” I asked.

“For your restoration,” Margarite answered, pointing at the dagger. “It blocks our help, but not our presence.”

Oh, goody fucking gum drops.

“Thanks.” Michelle hung up the phone. “Come with me. I’ve got a car for you. The queen is in London at a secret location. We’ll find out where when we link up with my colleague I just spoke to.”

Excellent news. “Thanks so much.”

“Don’t know how long she’ll be in the city for, though.” She looked me up and down. “Can you use a car?”

“Hope so.”

“Okay. Follow me and?—”

“Please! I’m not like them!” Two agents dragged a guy from a house across the street.

“What’s going on?” Eric wondered.

The guy in stripy PJs looked my way, showing off his white demon eyes.

“Please! I’m not?—”

One of the two men punched him in the stomach. The demon let out a grunt and bent over. The other man kicked him to the ground, pressing his boot on his spine to keep him down.

“Watch him,” the puncher ordered. Other agents surrounded the demon, guns trained on him.

Puncher came over with purposeful strides.

“Clive,” Michelle said, her tone clipped. “What’s going on?”

“You fucking blind?” he retorted. “Demon. Hiding in a house. Thinks he can live like decent folk.”

Clive was one of those humans gunning for war with the demons.

Just like you, Margarite…

He narrowed his hateful eyes at me. “What’s this? You dead?”

“I—”

“Demon!” He brought out his gun, popping off a shot into Lizard Guy’s head.

The bullet bounced off the demon’s head.

Right. Indestructible dead minions. Got it.

“What the fuck is this, Michelle?” the dickhead bellowed. “Why isn’t he dead?” Then his attention fell on Margarite. “Your Majesty?” He lowered his gun, bowing his head. “Is it still Your Majesty?”

Margarite simply smiled at him.

“You’re hurt,” he said to her. “What’s going on?”

Other agents gathered round, too many guns in my face. I mean, they weren’t effective on me or my followers right now, but that didn’t stop them being dangerous.

“It’s complicated,” Michelle answered. “Stay out of it.”

Clive’s nostrils flared. “Like fuck I will. You’re hanging out with demons and a deposed queen?”

Pfft! What about me?

“Stay out of it,” Michelle warned, a bite in her voice.

He brought his gun up again, pointing it at his fellow agent. “I expected better from you.”

Michelle didn’t seem too rattled. “Likewise. Put the gun down. These people are trying to put things right.”

He laughed, some of the other agents echoing him. “Whatever you say.” He smiled, revealing a gold tooth in his even set of gnashers. “Let me show you what happens to demons who can be killed. Guys!”

At Clive’s call, the agents riddled the demon’s body with bullets. It was supposed to be shocking, an act to rattle me. I didn’t even blink, so over this bullshit.

The dickhead offered me a smirk.

I kept up my indifference, shrugging for good measure. “What do you want me to say?”

His smirk dropped, and he took a swipe at me.

I folded my arms. “Uh-huh.”

His glowering could burn a hole in the planet’s atmosphere. “You lucked out, mate.”

“I’m not your mate. I’m your hope. Now stop pissing around and leave us to our business. Because our world is going to hell in many handbaskets, and I’m the only one who can stop it.”

I think…

“That right?” he answered. “How do I know you’re not one of those witches in league with the demons? So many are coming out of the woodwork.”

Seriously? “Believe what you want. But there are demons who don’t want this, either.”

He spat on the ground. “Fuck demons.”

I shrugged again. “The more time you waste, the more damage will be done.”

Man, I really hated it when I made a point, only for something to crop up to illustrate the damn thing.

Another flying demon tore across the sky, a dragon fresh from an epic fantasy novel. Ruby red, eyes like white fires. On its back rode another monarch—a pale-skinned queen with hair to match her mount. Her copper crown set with rubies looked like spiky fire on her head.

“What the fuck?” Clive bit out.

My thoughts exactly, Clivey.

“Prepare to burn!” she screamed.

What was with these breakaway monarchs all of a sudden? Had there been a sudden mutiny over in the demon realm? Unless this queen acted on Ismael’s orders.

The ADU agents fired, the queen flattening herself to the dragon’s body. Bullets bounced off the scales as the dragon turned, positioning itself at the other end of the street.

Shit. Here it comes…

“Time to run,” I said to Michelle and Eric—for their benefit more than mine.

“Fire the fucking bazooka!” Clive bellowed.

The demon queen howled with delight as fire bloomed in the dragon’s mouth. Michelle and Eric barked orders to run, the pair of them dashing into an alleyway between two houses.

I followed, glancing over my shoulder to see the fire exploding down the street in a wave of terrible heat.