A Barrel of Whiskey - (An Urban Fantasy Whiskey Witches Novel) by SM Blooding Page B

experience. Paige was used to flying under the radar. Not being on it.
    “This is Detective Paige Whiskey.”
    The blonde woman quirked her lips to the side, assessing Paige. “I heard you were fired in Denver.”
    Paige nodded. “I was.”
    The frumpy man glanced up, wrapped up his call, and hung up.
    “What happened?” asked the black man with the pale eyes.
    “Governor was possessed by a demon and killed a woman, leaving DNA behind. He died of a heart attack after the demon left.”
    The Hispanic woman folded her arms over her chest. “Are you working with the same exorcism we are, then? I thought there was supposed to be something special about you.”
    “I don’t use exorcisms.”
    “But I do,” Dexx said brightly, taking a step forward. “Dexx Colt. Demon hunter. You’re all doing, basically, what I do. Only, you get paid to do it. Which would be…?” He shook his head and clasped his hands together. “Amazing. Hey, you never said. Does this whole job offer idea come with me getting a job?”
    “You didn’t ask,” Henry said. “Get me that resume and we’ll talk.”
    “Fair enough.”
    “Are you serious about this, Chief?” Blondie asked, her expression showing exactly what she felt. Disdain.
    Paige knew what was going on here. This was their turf. Working on the strange and occult, that made them special. In comes someone, a big name with nothing else standing behind her, wanting a piece of their action?
    Well, if the cat really was out of the bag, there was no sense in keeping everything a big secret. Was there?
    Taking in shallow breaths, she smiled and called to the air, feeding it with her playfulness. It gobbled it up like a starving child. What do you want us to do? the air asked.
    Play.
    She pointed her attention to Blondie’s hair.
    A wind picked up, flinging papers everywhere. The air tugged on Blondie’s hair, slipping it this way and that.
    Blondie kept her cool, blue gaze settled on Paige.
    How boring. Paige redirected her focus to Mr. Light Eyes.
    His purple tie beat against his face.
    He flung himself back, flailing at the thing as if it was possessed.
    “Enough,” Dexx murmured.
    Paige sighed and released the air.
    The wind died down with an almost audible mew of disappointment.
    Mr. Frumpy sat glued to the back of his chair, his mouth open, his eyes wide, his arms splayed.
    Mr. Light Eyes frowned, brushing his tie back in place, standing behind his chair.
    Ms. Kick-Ass rose from the corner of the desk and faced Paige directly, her head tipped to the side, her long, wavy, luxurious hair flowing over her shoulder.
    Paige was a little jealous of that hair. Holy buckets!
    Ms. Blondie stood and put her hands on her hips, her right hand sliding comfortably on the hilt of her gun.
    Paige raised an eyebrow. “Not bragging or anything, but, uh, I do add a kind of flavor to the investigation you’re all lacking.”
    Blondie raised her chin.
    Kick-Ass pressed her full lips together.
    “Unless one of you is hiding something.” Paige licked her lips. “Shapeshifters? Any of you?”
    Dexx raised his hand.
    Paige rolled her eyes internally. “Witches?”
    He urged her to raise her hand.
    She gave her head a slight shake. “Vampires?”
    Frumpy turned concerned eyes to his partners, a look of confused concern racing along the wrinkles of his expression.
    “No? Are any of you a demon?” Paige dropped her tone on the last word to bring an air of spook to it. “No? Hmm.”
    “Mundanes,” Dexx said, his tone chipper. “That’s so cool.”
    “Look, Detective,” Blondie said, taking a step forward, her arms unfurling. “We were doing just fine before you arrived.”
    “Right. Except you were shredding your victims with an exorcism.”
    “You killed the last guy you exorcised.”
    “He had a heart attack. Big difference.” Not really. The demon she’d faced off with had been powerful. She didn’t want to see what would happen if they’d faced off with him.
    Kick-Ass raised a