Free Keeley Thomson (Book 3): Mistress of Souls by P.S. Power Page B

lesser fashion.
    It wasn't her territory after all. She was just kind of squatting while she learned enough to survive. It was a normal enough way to do things. Now at least. Originally the only Demons that survived long at all were the ones that came out of their mothers ready to fight and with enough ability to make them dangerous to anyone stupid enough to take them on.
    Keeley preferred the modern way, which allowed Demons like her half a chance to survive. It wasn't assured at all, but it was something. About one out of ten managed it.
    She turned to Quince and made herself smile, head pulsing once as she did, pain trying to split the whole thing in two.
    "Hi." She tried to keep walking, but the being that looked like a teen boy reached out and grabbed her arm. It sent his life through her again, which hurt this time. It wasn't his pain though, just that the part of her that could understand his being in totality was already damaged. The pain told her where that was though, or nearly. It gave her something to work with. Focusing on that spot more tightly she felt the pain slowly start to ebb as Quince talked.
    "So Daryl wanted me to ask if you had a date for the big Halloween party? He knows that you're working on it, but he really wants to go out with you sometime."
    Keeley shook her head, the pain nearly gone.
    "I can't date right now. Too busy and... my dad just left. For good. It isn't a good time. Please let him know that I'm sorry? I don't want to be rude, I just can't..." Dumb by Demon standards or not, the Durg nodded, seeming to get the general idea.
    "I'll let him know. Probably better not to anyway. He's my brother, but he doesn't know how to treat a woman and never has. That means a lot of them want to date him, but it never ends well when they do. I actually like you and wouldn't want you to get hurt. Emotionally I mean." He patted her shoulder gently, but not in a way that seemed sexual. More like how someone might handle a dog or a horse they didn't really know. Remote, but not overly connected on an emotional level.
    Then he walked away without looking back.
    It was painfully clear that he had no clue what she was. Darla either, as far as that went, even though those two had gone to school together for years. Then the older Demon had totally missed that Quince was an Acadian Apple, which meant that he was not only a Durg, but an ancient mercenary.
    Too bad all his brothers were kind of marked for death. They weren't all nice people, but it would be handy having a combat group waiting in the wings in case anything ever happened. Given the way things were going, it probably would in the next few months.
    Darla actually showed up at lunch, after having been missing since she'd left Keeley's house the day before last. It wasn't a personal slight, or even because of an emergency, but rather the dinner Keeley had set up for her and the Chief. She really needed to make some calls and see how that went. Deborah was kind of her project after all.
    So was Barb now, as long as her sister didn't feel it was stealing her property or anything. Darla slipped in between them on the bench, being a lot cozier than was normal for her. The other girl just smiled, and scooted a little to make room, bumping into Hally, who winced a bit and scooted as if Barb had a contagion. It really wasn't nice of her, but it was largely subconscious. If anyone mentioned it to the redhead she'd probably say she hadn't meant anything by it at all, if she could even realize she'd done it.
    Her sister spoke warmly though, leaning into her shoulder a bit.
    "There you are Keeley. I was beginning to think you were hiding from me, didn't call or anything. Is everything going well for you?" It was the kind of thing she liked to ask when she already knew the answer. Or thought she did.
    Keeley nodded.
    "We should chat and catch up. Out in the van maybe? I have something in there to show you. It won't take long, but let's eat first?" She badly needed