Playing with Fire

I smiled back. ‘‘Kind of mind-boggling, isn’t it?’’

‘‘Unprecedented, but it won’t be the last time, you’ll see,’’ she promised, gathering up her things as I headed toward the door. ‘‘I’m taking a vow. This blackmail is the last time I will cause you any trouble. From here on out, things are going to change. I’ll be the best twin you ever had, see if I’m not!’’

It’s kind of scary how declarations of that sort come back to haunt you.

Chapter Three

‘‘This is ridiculous. I can’t… oooph… urgh… can’t get in… ow! Stop pulling my hair; that’s not going to do any good!’’

‘‘Sorry. I was just trying to help.’’ Cyrene stood in the open doorway and frowned at me as I struggled to enter. ‘‘I didn’t have any problem walking through it. What do you think the matter is?’’

‘‘It’s… warded… gah.’’ I gave up trying to shove myself through the ward, panting with exertion.

‘‘Warded? Oh, one of those drawn spells that Summoners and Guardians use? The sisterhood doesn’t hold with those.’’

‘‘There are a lot of other beings in the L’au-delà, Cy. Even if the naiads don’t see the use in warding places, most of the rest of the Otherworld does. Diviners, oracles, Guardians-they all use wards. Ow.’’ I stopped and rubbed my head where it had hit the wood of the door. ‘‘Why couldn’t a mage have taken the house? Arcane magic has no effect on me, but this… Someone who really knows wards drew this one. I can’t get through it.’’

‘‘Why can I get through it?’’ Cyrene asked, puzzled.

‘‘You’re not bound to a demon lord,’’ I said succinctly, and backed up a few steps to survey the front of the house. ‘‘Why would a rental agency ward a house?’’

‘‘To keep dark beings out? Not that you’re a dark being, but you work for one… which I’m really, really sorry about…’’

I made an impatient gesture to cut off yet another apology, and examined the windows. ‘‘I just don’t understand why a rental agency would take that sort of precaution. I wonder if it has something to do with Dr. Kostich living next door? Perhaps he arranged for the wards?’’

‘‘That could be,’’ Cyrene said thoughtfully. ‘‘Although why would he care about this house?’’

I shrugged and continued my examination. The property consisted of a two-story stone house, covered in pink and red flowering bougainvilleas and climbing ivy, flanked on either side by a tall white fence. I eyed a fig tree branch that hung over the fence. ‘‘I don’t suppose it really matters. I need to check out Dr. Kostich’s garden. You stay put while I go take a quick look.’’

‘‘I’m not going to stay here while you have all the covert fun! I’ll go, too.’’

I gave her a little push back into the house. ‘‘Fine, but you don’t have to climb the fence with me. Go out to the back garden. Use your flashlight, and don’t turn on any lights in case a security guard is doing a drive-by. I’ll meet you out back.’’

Her brow wrinkled. ‘‘May… what if the people who rented the house show up?’’

‘‘It’s after midnight, and it’s a good hour’s drive from the airport, so I think it’s safe to say that no one will be arriving here tonight.’’ I grabbed the keys from the front door and tossed them to her. ‘‘I guess it’s good we borrowed these, given the trouble the wards are posing me. I’ll have to return the keys to the rental agency in the morning before they notice they’re gone.’’

It took me a couple of tries to get over the tall fence, but I managed it without damaging much more than my ego. I limped through the back garden, a wonderland of citrus, olive, and fig trees that bordered immaculately groomed lawns, a small swimming pool, and long terraced stretches that led down to the shore. The night air was heavy with the scent of lemon and orange blossoms mingling with the tangy breeze that lifted from the sea a few hundred yards away. It was a tiny bit of paradise, and I paused for a moment, breathing deeply and wishing to the depths of my soul that I could turn my back on everything and live quietly in this beautiful garden.

‘‘Fish pond!’’ Cyrene squealed, disturbing my thoughts as she hurried off to commune in the ways of the naiads, something that overtook her whenever she was near bodies of freshwater. I sighed for a moment at the fact that I’d never be able to live in such a beautiful spot as this, but cut short the pity party when my watch made an almost imperceptible peep.

‘‘No time for dallying, May,’’ I told myself as I flicked on a penlight and examined the brick fence that divided the property from that of Dr. Kostich. Midway down the fence, a small wooden gate was set into an archway, clearly put there so the neighbors could visit with ease.

‘‘No wards. Hmm. Interesting.’’ Dr. Kostich may have been concerned enough about his neighbors to see to the warding of the house, but he obviously didn’t fear intrusion via the gate. There was a small padlock on this side, but it didn’t require much finessing at all to open it. I let the padlock drop to the ground as I shook my head at the door. ‘‘Just a few arcane protection spells… ineffectual at best.’’

‘‘Totally lame,’’ a male voice agreed behind me.

I shadowed immediately, spi

A large furry black dog gazed at me with its mouth slightly opened, its tail wagging gently in the balmy evening breeze.

I looked around quickly for the dog’s owner, but my eyes slowly returned to it as I realized the truth.

‘‘Yup, that’s right, you’re not seeing things. I’m a demon. Sixth class, if that helps. Whatcha doing?’’ The demon dog took a step closer to me, snuffled my legs, then tipped its head to the side. ‘‘Wow. Doppelganger. I’ve only seen one other of you guys. I didn’t realize there were two of you in Europe.’’

‘‘There are three of us, actually. One is in France, and one is in Rome,’’ I answered, my gaze trying to pierce the shadows cast by the trees. I didn’t see anyone else out there, but if there was a demon here… ‘‘Who are you, demon?’’

‘‘Now, you know, I could refuse to answer that, since you didn’t summon me and all, but Ash gets a

‘‘That’s not pertinent,’’ I said firmly, thinking as fast as I could. If there was a demon here, someone must have sent it… but for what purpose? And who had set the demon to watch the gate? Dr. Kostich? That didn’t make any sense-mages could technically summon demons, but I’d never heard of one doing so, not while they had arcane abilities at their fingertips to achieve whatever they wanted. ‘‘Who sent you, Effrijim?’’

‘‘No one sent me. I’m just doing my walkies,’’ the demon answered, sniffing my legs again. I stepped back, pulling the shadows tighter around me. I knew it would do little good-experienced demons could sometimes sense even those who shadow walked-but it made me feel less open to prying eyes.

‘‘Your… walkies?’’

‘‘Yeah, you know, walkies. Constitutional. Pinchin’ a loaf,’’ it said with a particularly a

I opened my mouth to point out… well, I didn’t know what to point out, so many thoughts were tumbling through my mind. Instead I shook my head at my own folly, and with a firm look, asked the demon who its master was.

‘‘Aisling. She’s inside, if you want to have a chat with her, although she’s a bit cranky because Drake made her come home early from the theater,’’ the demon answered, nodding toward the house. I spun around, alarm skittering down my back at the sight of the house Cyrene had crept through-now aglow with lights.

‘‘Agathos daimon,’’ I swore under my breath, reaching for the switch on the radio pack strapped to my belt. ‘‘Psst! Stop swooning over the fish pond and get over here. Carefully! The people who rented the house are here, and… and… oh, just get over here.’’