Free 1305 & 1306 The Oracle & the Vampire (The 13th Floor) by Christine Rains

jeans, and cocky grin. But he was something more. Even if she had the shotgun, she didn’t think it would hurt him.
    “Yes, me again. I thought you’d be happier to see me since I brought you such a lovely treat last time we met.” The flames danced between the stranger’s fingers. He continued forward, one slow step at a time. “And who’s your friend? Trying to earn your merit badge helping the elderly?” He smiled at Harriet as his eyes flashed red. Then he laughed, wilder than the west wind. “A pretty little white witch, tormented with a curse that would make any demon proud. And here I thought my night couldn’t get any more entertaining.”
    Demon. The word chilled Harriet to the bone. Blackness surrounded him. No, not surrounded. He oozed darkness as if he alone created the night.
    And the fire. He was the one that would kill Kiral.
    Never taking his eyes off the demon, Kiral nudged her with his elbow. “Go. Please.”
    “I won’t leave you.” Harriet rasped. Especially not after his tale. Perhaps she was behaving a bit like a silly schoolgirl, but it’d made her giddy. She was his angel. She wasn’t going to leave him to this vile creature.
    “How touching.” The demon fluttered his eyes as if he had tears in them. His feigned pout couldn’t win against his maniacal grin. “You can go, witch. Really. I only want the vamp. He and I have some unfinished business.”
    “We have no business. I don’t want what you’re selling.” Kiral’s body was rigid, like a statue of a lost god. Even his soiled clothes didn’t take away from his magnificence.
    Selling? Harriet didn’t know what that was about, but business with a demon could only mean a few things.
    “I’m not selling anything anymore. I still can’t believe you passed up that tasty dog treat. I had picked him just for you.” The demon played with the fire, lazily swirling it around his hands.
    Selling. Dog treat. Was this the dealer Kiral mentioned earlier? And Marc saved the vampire from him. This didn’t bode well for Marc or them.
    A dozen visions pounded into her mind at the same time. The horrific images brought her to her knees, and she let out a strangled cry. A strong hand was tugging her to her feet even before she stopped screaming.
    “Lots of dying going on tonight, isn’t there, witch? And you have your own personal TV screen to view them all. I must say I’m a bit jealous.” The demon chuckled and then lowered his voice. “Does it turn you on? Their futile struggling, the blood, the light winking out in their eyes. I’m getting hard just thinking about it.”
    Bile rose in Harriet’s throat. Beside her, Kiral growled.
    “As much fun as it would be to share a moment with you, I really need to gather up your undead protector. My, he’s being much braver than the last time I met him. Just putting on a front for you. Trying to impress the ladies.”
    Clearly this demon liked to hear himself talk. He wasn’t rushing in and leaving them as ashes in his path. That meant he wanted Kiral alive. Did he have some other purpose for the vampire? No, it was getting too close to dawn.
    “What do you want?” Kiral snapped.
    Harriet scrambled for a plan, any plan. She had nothing with which to fight a demon. Nothing of this scope came to mind when she had her vision of Kiral’s death. She really thought she could just sweep in, unchain him, and save him from the sun. Foolish didn’t even begin to describe her childish daydream of rescuing him.
    “I want you.” The demon pointed at Kiral and then waved his fiery fingers in the air. “Not like that. You’re too pretty for my tastes. I want you to come with me. It’s as simple as that. I won’t force another treat on you or harm a hair on your head. Promise.” With one finger, he drew a cross over his chest.
    “And if I don’t?” Kiral’s voice was flat.
    “I burn you crispy, but leave you alive so you can kiss the morning sun.” The demon grinned, and when his eyes