Free A Girl's Guide to Demon Hunting by Emily Miles Page B

Demon Lords, they would be the ones most likely to take her.”
    “Maybe where you come from but not in Vegas. Trust me; they like their life here way too much to throw it away over any single Guardian. And what is your plan, knock on their door and ask them nicely to come along?”
    “She’s right.” Jenny said backing me up. “Besides, if they wanted a Guardian they could just take Allie and they haven’t done that yet.”
    Great, she would have to use logic. I’d been hoping to avoid any mention of how I’d stayed alive so long. Although if I was to be honest, I think it would be a tad harder to take me than it was to get the blonde waif in the photograph.
    Father Henry managed to stop any further questions from Max by speaking up.
   “They’re right; plus if a Demon Lord did take her, the last thing you want to do is tip them off to your suspicion. It significantly raises the odds they would harm her.”
    Max seemed satisfied with his answer, at least more so than mine. I on the other hand gave Father H a suspicious look. When had he become a kidnapping expert?
    “Fine, then we find their nests and start searching there.” Max said.
    “No.” I said.
    Really, search a nest? Obviously he’d never actually been in one. It’s a lot like jumping in shark infested waters with a bloody chest wound. And maybe a T-shirt that says ‘Sharks Suck.’
   

    With a deep sigh Max turned his full attention on me, his voice mocking as he said,  
   “Listen little girl; I get it if you’re afraid but I’m not going to let you or your childish fear get in the way of finding Julie.”
    I’ve never seen Ace or Shooter move so fast. Before I could do more than take a step, they had leapt from their chairs and pinned me back against the wall. As I sputtered, too angry to actually form a coherent insult, Father Henry placed himself directly between Max and me, forming a human shield. Seeing the worry on Father Henry’s face as he looked at me, I held tight to my power and anger, not wanting to hurt Ace or Shooter with either.
    Father Henry lowered his hands when I didn’t explode in a rage and his worry seemed to fade a little. Looking at me he said, “I think everyone needs to just relax. We’re all a little stressed, especially Max. Allie, I’m sure Max didn’t mean that the way it came out.” I looked past Father Henry to Max, who didn’t show an ounce of remorse. D-bag.
    “Ah...Allie you should maybe think about breathing. Your face is turning red.” Shooter whispered to me. Tearing my eyes away from Max, who I’d been imagining ripping limb from limb, I looked up into Shooter’s deep green eyes.
    “There ya go; now just breath in and out, in and out. Now say with me, murder is bad. I won’t murder the giant asshole because my friends have plans on spending their hard-earned stolen money on beer and loose women and not on gas money to go bury the asshole’s body.”
    I felt some of my anger bleed away and my control come back at his goofy rambling. Loose women and booze; yeah right. Taking another calming breath, I gave Shooter a grateful smile and told him and Ace, “You can let go, I’m okay.”
    They both did as I asked but neither sat down. Standing by my side, they were ready should I lose it again. Jenny, knowing the greatest threat would be Pancake, had leaned down and grabbed hold of her collar. When she let go and sat up, Pancake of course took it as an invitation to jump up in her lap. 
    “You’ve got her phone number?” Jenny asked Max as if she was asking him to pass the salt.
    How she could stay so calm I had no idea. Upon closer examination, I saw her hand tremble as she moved it to pet Pancake. It was that more than anything that helped me settle down. I didn’t like her scared, not when it was something I could prevent. I cleared my head and pushed down