Free Demonsense (Demonsense series Book 1) by Sara DeHaven

well.  
    She began adding energy to the house wards, tried to weave it in carefully and not disturb Kevin’s or Daniel’s working. But she could feel the wards failing even as she worked. They needed more people on their side, and they didn’t have them. She frantically tried to call to mind some of her rusty defensive spells, had just formulated her intention, visualized a blue wall of water and started saying the words when the wards failed.  
    She saw Daniel stagger out of the corner of her eye. Her Demonsense was a terrifying jangle all along her nerves as she finished her spell and cast it before the house.   She barely had time to draw in a breath before she felt the demon come in contact with her spell. Her skin crawled, and she felt the demon’s rage, sensed it trying to apply brute force to the defensive spell. It was holding.  
    But it wasn’t enough. There was only one demon, but she could feel energy from all the people out there, and the air was alive with spells. She glanced at Daniel, saw he was gesturing rapidly, but with great precision. She felt energy building around him, and to her Reader sense, he was limned with light. She couldn’t imagine a spell one person could cast that could defend against so many powered. She could only pray he had something in his Keeper arsenal that would do the trick. He glanced her way and said tightly, "Drop your spell."  
    She obeyed, and felt a surge of energy from him directed outwards, something complex, fierce and dark. And then, right behind it, a stronger pulse of magic, huge and even darker. It felt for a moment like the universe was holding its breath, then the force outside dissolved. Bree cast out her senses, and she felt the powered outside, including the demon possessed one, retreating. Kevin staggered to his feet and she saw him gesture to re-set the wards. She didn’t know how he had it in him, but she felt the wards go back up.  
    Daniel gasped and leaned forward, head bowed, hands on his knees. Bree could hear her own harsh breathing. She felt light headed.  
    "I'll go check on Steve and Hunter," Kevin said, and disappeared down the hall.   Bree swayed on her feet as she cast her Reader sense and Demonsense out as far as they would go. The attackers were definitely gone now.
    Kevin reappeared, saying, "They're okay. Hunter's a little shook up, but Steve is reading to him. We figured going ahead with the usual routine was best." He collapsed onto the couch. Bree walked carefully over and joined him. Her Reader sense was still fully activated by the stress of what had just happened, and she didn't have the energy to shut it down. They both regarded Daniel blankly across the room. Finally, Kevin managed to choke out, “Okay, I’ll know if they attack the wards again. But Daniel, please. Did you see what that was?”
    Daniel straightened slowly, looking as if he was trying to keep his balance, and turned to face them. “One demon, embodied. A lot of powered, six altogether, as Bree thought. As far as I can tell, no one I know.”
    “No one you know,” Kevin repeated, anger creeping into his voice. “Tell me, Daniel, why would people like that come to my house? I’m a goddamned computer programmer!”
    A shadow of pain crossed Daniel’s face, but he sounded relatively calm as he answered, “I realize I’m the only one here likely to attract that brand of attention. But I’ve never done Keeper work out here, not even a little side work. I don’t have a single Keeper contact in Seattle. So I don’t see how I could possibly be involved in this kind of local trouble. I’ve only been here two weeks,” he concluded a little plaintively.
    “Can you be sure something from back east didn’t follow you here?” Kevin asked, scowling.
    Every one of Daniels’ tells were screaming to Bree of tension and distress as he said, voice low, “Kevin, you do not seriously think I would show up at your house if I thought for one minute that some trouble