Free Demons Amongst Us (The Book of Demons Saga #2) by Raquel Dove

training she requires will take years .  Many, many years.”
    “Years?” Alex said , her voice raised a couple of octaves.  “We don’t have that kind of time.  We need to get back now.”
    “Alexandra,” AnnaBeth said sharply, “you are nowhere near prepared to face the darkness that awaits you there.”
    “Well,” Alexandra shot back, “I’ve faced them before, and I think this time around I can do much better.”
    “You do not understand,” AnnaBeth said, “the Magi are the least of our problems.  They have resurrected their master, Alexandra.  Even if you had been training since birth, as you should have been, you would be no match for him.”
    “How do you even know they have resurrected him?” Alex said, hoping AnnaBeth was somehow wrong.
    “The dream,” AnnaBeth said.  “The one you told me about.  It was him.  Calling out to you, reaching for you.”

Chapter Eighteen
     
     
    The silence was deafening.  Alexandra’s heart thumped rapidly in her chest.  The only thought in her head was how she was way under qualified to be doing this.  They were also terribly underprepared.  Sure, they had managed to get a hold of the museum blueprint, and knew where all the pertinent security measures were, cameras, guards and the like.  But still, she had never stolen anything in her life, and Balthazar’s reasoning that the diamond truly belonged to him anyway did nothing to ease her anxiety.  She followed behind Balthazar, keeping close to him and trying as best she could to not make a sound.  He seemed to be far more comfortable doing this and Alex couldn’t help but feel a slight jealousy of him for that.  He was always so confident, in even the most stressful situations. 
    They hid in the shadows around the particular museum building they were about to break into, dressed in all black to help them blend into the night.  They crept along the long side of the front of the museum, coming right up the front steps.  Balthazar could smell Alexandra’s fear, could feel her looking wildly around as if they were about to get caught.  She was so busy looking around she nearly ran into him when he stopped to turn around.  He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his body.  He bent his neck, bringing his lips to her ear.
    “Calm down,” he said softly, “there is no one around.  I would smell them if they approached.”
    He pulled back to look down at her and she nodded her understanding.  He could hear her heart beat already calming and he felt rather pleased with himself.  There was a beautiful stained glass window that sat high above the columned entrance to the museum that was to be their entry point.  Even though Alex was prepared for the leap, it still nearly took her breath away as Balthazar used his demonic abilities to jump up on the small ledge that ran under the window.  Alex clung tightly to him, praying that she wouldn’t fall.  Balthazar tightened his grip on her, sensing her fear of falling.  His concentration was split between the task at hand and his overall concern for Alex. 
    Balthazar lifted a claw to the beautifully colored glass and began to slice easily through it.  The grating sound made Alexandra’s skin crawl and she clenched even tighter to Balthazar, trying to block the sound out.  Once he had made a large enough cut in the glass, he gave it a light push, using his speed to catch the pane before it shattered on the floor inside.  He set Alexandra down inside and was glad when his senses picked up that her fears were once again lessened. 
    Once inside the building, they were only a short distance away from the room that held the Hope Diamond. 
     
    #
     
    As Gary turned the corner of the first floor of the Natural History Museum of the Smithsonian he let out a wide, lazy yawn.  He was two weeks away from retirement and he was more than ready to leave this job behind.  It was quite possibly the most dreadfully boring assignment he had ever