The Price of Exorcism by Dakota Brown (sneezy the snowman read aloud .txt) 📗

I did see Billy's car in the parking lot, along withtwo others that I thought belonged to Rebecca and Mandy. They'd be helping withthe incoming order which should be here pretty soon. I used to come down forthis, but I'd handed more and more of the daily tasks off to Billy. He seemedto like it, and it freed me up to deal with this demon stuff. Not that I'd everreally anticipated getting back into it, but here I was, neck deep and soon tobe submersed.

Mal parked and we got out. Aaron pulled in right afterus. I left my bag in the car and Mayhem trotted on my heels as we all headedinside.

Billy looked up from the table he was sitting at,going over the order invoice with the delivery guy. He raised his eyebrows insurprise and held up a finger. I nodded and sat down at another table withAaron and Mal while Billy finished his task.

After a moment he accepted the documents and thedelivery guy headed back to the kitchen where I suspected Mandy and Rebeccawere already working on getting stuff into the freezer.

"What's up, boss," Billy asked, sitting inthe chair I kicked out for him.

"I unexpectedly have to go out of town for a bit.I will be out of touch completely at times. Didn't want to leave you withoutbackup, so if you need help with anything, call Mal."

Billy looked even more surprised. "Out of town?"

"Yeah, Sabian needed some assistance withsomething. Gonna go help him out."

"Oh. Demons?" Billy straightened, before hisgaze flicked from Mal to Aaron then back to me. He knew Mal was involved in theoccult, but he didn't know much about Aaron.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah. We're forgettingabout demons, right?"

Billy chuckled. "Sure, right, boss." Hegestured at the shop logo, recently redesigned into a pizza with an upside-downpentagram on it.

I shook my head. "Anyway, Mal's going to helpout. He'll give you his number in case you have a customer you need help with."

"Is he coming over for quote night? You're alwayshere to judge that."

Just then the 80's pop we all loved blared to life.Louder without the extra background noise.

Mal winced. "Death by stereo," he muttered.

Billy and I both gaped at Mal for a moment beforebursting out laughing, though probably for slightly different reasons sinceBilly had no idea Mal was a vampire. Mal looked a little embarrassed, but hesmiled.

"Quoting that movie is nearly cheating,"Billy declared after a moment, gesturing at the vintage eighties movie posters,several of which featured that particular gem.

Mal grinned and Aaron just looked a little confused.

"You're going to have to bring Aaron for quotenight, Mal," I suggested. "He needs a bit more indoctrination if hedoesn't know what movie that is from."

Mal sighed. "I'll inflict it on him while you'regone."

"Hey!" I punched him lightly on the arm. "It'sone of my favorites."

"I know." He shook his head, amusementglinting in his eyes.

"Mandy really wants to know if vampires are real,by the way. She keeps bugging me to ask you," Billy added.

I groaned. "I'm not answering that."

Billy laughed. "I keep telling her she doesn'tactually want to meet one if they are."

"Truth, mate." I doubted most of them wereas good natured as Mal was. I really did need to quiz him some more aboutvampires in general, but it hadn't come up with everything else going on.

"Okay, next question. Are you going to be back intime for the party?"

"Aww, fuck," I muttered. "That's nextweek, isn't it?"

"Yeah, boss."

We had a party for the staff every few months. I'dcook all the pizza and they showed up and ate it. We would clear a space on thefloor and we'd all rock out to the music and generally have a good time.

"I don't know. Mal is a hell of a cook, though. Ibet he could handle a pizza oven."

I glanced at the vampire. He looked dubious.

"Have you ever even tasted a pizza?" Billy askedMal.

Mal's eyebrows rose. "Uh."

Shit. That question caught us all off guard. I'dreally hoped they hadn't paid enough attention to notice that Mal never ate anyof the pizza whenever we were here.

"I'm pretty sure I can take a few lessons fromthe staff if it looks like Chris won't be back in time. I'll manage. Aaron canhelp."

"Hell, yeah," Aaron agreed.

"It won't be the same without you, Chris,"Billy lamented. "I'll just tell everyone you're off fighting demons thoughand they'll be cool with it."

I sputtered.

He winked at me as if he were joking, but I knew hewasn't.

Speaking of demons, that insane tug toward Ezra flaredup full force and I twitched and glanced at the door moments before the bellschimed.

He had dressed down slightly for the first time I'dever seen, wearing black jeans and a deep red silky looking button-down shirt Ikinda wanted to run my hands over. He held sunglasses in his hands as if he'djust taken them off, and when his gaze met mine, I tried not to get lost in hiseyes.

My ovaries clenched and I had to fight to get abreath. Down girls, I thought to my traitorous parts. You'veseriously got enough dick already.

Clearly, they disagreed, and I shifted uncomfortably.

Mal put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently insupport. I appreciated it.

"Yeah, wards or not, he's definitely a demon,"Billy muttered just loud enough that I could hear him.

I burst out laughing, his words breaking the spellEzra had on me. "You're not wrong."

Billy gave me a searching look when I glanced over athim as if trying to decide if I were being literal or figurative. I put on mybest poker face and let him keep wondering. There was no way I was confirmingthat, either.

Ezra nodded greetings to both Aaron and Mal, though itdidn't escape my notice that yet again he stood out of reach of my half angel.Probably just as well. We didn't need Billy seeing any more fireworks if Aaron touchedthe demon. I kind of wondered what would happen, but not enough to actuallywant to find out. Their natures certainly clashed, though.

"Well, we should let you get to work, Billy. Justcall Mal if you have any troubles and he'll be by now and again to check