A Demon Does It Better by Linda Wisdom Page B

Mortimer.” She wrinkled her nose. “He smells like the unaired interior of a very old armoire. Why can’t the heads of hospitals be young and hot instead of ancient?”
    “Dr. Ferdinand smelled like snuff and loved silk knee breeches,” Lili reminded her, speaking of the sorcerer who was in charge of the hospital in Chicago that she had just come from.
    “Nasty thing, snuff. And it was so bad for my allergies too.” She stood up on all fours and fluffed out her tail. “All right. While you’re facing the dragon, I’ll be down the hall making nice kitty with the clerk. I already know I got the better deal.”
    Lili thought of the fierce-featured dragon-shifter. “I’m sure you do.”
    Ten minutes later, the witch wasn’t sure whether to thank the Fates or curse them when she was paged to go immediately to the ER.
    “Bridge Trolls,” she muttered, diving into the fray that was quickly turning the area into a war zone. “For once, I thank you for creating trouble.”

Chapter 4
     
    “You’re supposed to be a calming influence there, not stirring up trouble!” Lili scolded as she and Cleo entered her small house through the kitchen.
    “I didn’t stir up anything,” the cat snapped as she prowled the kitchen before settling her furry butt on the floor next to her dish. She tapped her front paw in a time to feed me staccato. “You have no idea what atrocities that clerk wanted to do to me! No self-respecting cat should endure such indignities.”
    Lili was ready to accuse the cat of acting like a drama queen, but that would only extend the argument. Then the cat’s reply would be the same, along with a larger measure of disdain until she yowled with ear-splitting displeasure.
    She pulled out the container of gourmet kitty food from the refrigerator. A brief nuke in the microwave brought it up to the proper temperature. No cold food for the sovereign kitty.
    “Do you know that clerk used baby talk on me? Baby talk, for Fate’s sake! She even wanted to put a pink bow on me!” The cat looked disgusted as she nibbled her dinner. “She’s lucky I didn’t do worse than inflict a few scratches on her.” She sniffed her food. “Are you sure this is king salmon? That fishmonger in Inderman didn’t look entirely reliable.”
    “He’s been there for four hundred years. He’s very trustworthy.” Lili ducked into her bathroom for a quick shower and then changed her clothes. Her light flannel pajama pants and tank top were perfect for an evening of relaxation.
    Cleo called out from the kitchen. “We have company.”
    “Who—?” Lili thought of the bottle of wine she had planned to crack open to accompany whatever she pulled out for her meal.
    “Friends,” Cleo said brightly as the doorbell chimed.
    Lili hurried to the door and squealed with delight to see two old friends on her doorstep.
    “We come bearing dinner.” The lovely blond and her male companion held up white Chinese take-out cartons.
    “Love the outfit, babe.” The man grinned and winked at Lili.
    “Rea, Adam!” She hugged them both and stepped back. “I am so glad to see you.” The empath and witch were the two friends she’d missed the most after she had left San Francisco.
    “You look good, Lili.” Adam carried the containers into the kitchen. “Hey, Cleo. We brought something for you too.”
    “Ooh, I love you.” The cat purred her pleasure.
    “You’ve got the place looking great,” Rea said, looking around the family room furnished with comfortable-looking pieces meant for lounging, not just for looks.
    Lili loved the one-story cottage she had purchased back in the 1930s when she returned to San Francisco for a visit. Over the years, she had allowed friends to use her house when they needed a refuge. It had been updated over time, and now it was time for her to add personal touches to her space.
    This time she arranged the living and dining rooms into one large family area and updated the kitchen with modern appliances