Free The Necromancer's Seduction by Mimi Sebastian

going on with the demons and the portal breach, but
     it seems suspicious that the deaths are happening at the same time.”
    She crossed her arms and looked to the side. “Let’s trust the demons to deal with
     their business.”
    I frowned and questioned her with my raised eyebrows.
    “Yeah, don’t give me the can’t-trust-demons look. I repeat, let the demons do their
     thing while we concentrate on finding this killer. You coming to the coven later?”
    “That’s the plan. Ewan is supposed to pick me up at three thirty and take me over
     there.”
    She slanted a look at me. “Oh, I see. How do you feel about that?”
    My face heated. Same way I feel about jumping into a lava pit.
    When I didn’t speak, she said, “I’m very disappointed I missed Ewan’s fight with the
     Frerac. How often do you see real medieval sword and sorcery action?”
    “It was lovely, all the blood and guts flying around. Demon creature trying to eat
     everyone.” My mind knew better than to romanticize the attack. My stomach and heart
     remembered the fear, but another less obvious part of me shared her excitement.
    “Exactly. I’ll see you at the coven.”
    I walked her to the door. Before stepping outside, she turned to me, and we hugged.
     But not like before. Not like the firm hand-pat-in-the-middle-of-the-back hugs of
     before. The touch of her hand on my arm was a touch too careful. My head didn’t extend
     fully past her shoulder, held back by fear perhaps, fear of whether our friendship
     would survive.
    * * * *
    It was three o’clock, and at least four outfits lay strewn on my bed. I stood in my
     only pair of black lace bra and panties and cursed Ewan March, telling myself that
     I don’t care what he thinks. I poked farther into my closet and found an old black
     dress with a plunging vee neck. I pulled it on, liking the way the fabric swayed with
     my body.
    Maybe I do care.
    I zipped on my black wedge boots, threw on my silver necklace, and left the room so
     I wouldn’t try on another outfit.
    I sat outside on my front steps to wait for Ewan and watched a man on the sidewalk
     across the street stop, look around, walk, and scratch at the brick wall next to him
     as if he were looking for something wedged in the mortar. I loved the city. Never
     a dull moment.
    A black Land Rover pulled up alongside the curb, blocking my entertainment. The door
     opened, and Ewan emerged.
    I stood and breathed to diffuse the current that hit every nerve at once. He wore
     dark jeans and a white shirt, loose with the top buttons undone. His casual attire
     only heightened the strength hidden beneath. I don’t know how demon power works, but
     every time Ewan is close, his power sends static electricity skittering over my skin.
    I walked over to the passenger door he held open, stopped next to him, and suddenly
     found it hard to breathe. Close proximity to Ewan was doing me no small favors, neither
     was his broad smile that enhanced the smooth planes of his face. He smelled like spice
     and musk. His eyes locked onto mine, holding me, daring me to move. I slipped inside
     the car, seeking to bury myself in the leather seats. A moment later he settled into
     the driver’s seat and pulled away from the curb. For a large SUV, the vehicle felt
     too small. I glanced at Ewan, noting his profile, his hands, his arms. I peered at
     the arm injured by the Frerac. I couldn’t see a bandage or anything to indicate he’d
     suffered an injury.
    “How are you feeling? Your ankle okay?” he asked.
    I couldn’t help the twist I gave my ankle in response to his question. It felt tender
     but fine, as did the rest of my body, no worse for the Frerac’s toxin. At the moment
     I felt more threatened by Ewan’s gaze—a gaze that contained a faint trace of that
     primal force he’d released to defeat the Frerac. This was stupid. I could brush off
     flirting students with ease, but I was tongue-tied with the demon. Not knowing what
     else to