officers would make of her during the Equal Opportunities training. The smile widened. “But the cap would be useful for hiding your horns.”
Sophie smirked back, her eyes shark-like. “I don’t have them anymore,” she said, pulling her hair loose to prove it.
If looks could kill, Max’s favourite waitress would have sent Sophie up in smoke.
“What?!” said Max staring in shock.
“Yes,” she said, looking very smug. “I had a horn-ectomy. There are so many plastic surgeons down below these days. I thought about having my eyeballs re-coloured, too, but why interfere with perfection?”
Max’s eyes were glued to Sophie’s perfectly horn-free head. He swallowed. If Level Twos were getting their horns removed, it would make his job of detection that much harder. Even auras could be cloaked sometimes.
“Oh don’t worry, Max, darling,” said Sophie with a lofty smile. “I had a special dispensation because I was being sent to help you. The horns will grow back after a few months. Anyway, it’s totally illegal to have a horn-ectomy without a permit.”
“No problem then,” said Max, raising his eyebrows, “because you demons always obey the law.”
Sophie smiled to herself. Her lack of answer could have meant anything. It was darned creepy to have a Level Two demon for a partner.
They decided to start their search for the main Brood nest by visiting some of Sophie’s old haunts.
“Now, you’re not going to get trigger-happy on me, are you, Max, darling?” said Sophie, looking wary. “There are some of my best friends inside.”
“I won’t start anything if they don’t,” said Max, annoyed at being told how to do his job by a demon.
“Just let me handle the talking,” said Sophie. “Some of them aren’t as liberal and multicultural as me and they’ll think it’s degrading to have a conversation with a human. Oh, don’t look at me like that, Mr High-and-mighty! Don’t tell me you’re not just a tad racist when it comes to demons. I’ve seen you look down that long nose of yours at me.”
Max laughed out loud.
“Sophie! I’m hurt! Would I do such a thing? And, yes – when it comes to brain-eating demons, I do tend to rather err on the side of caution.”
“Hmm,” sniffed Sophie. “Just try and stay low key.”
The building was an ordinary-looking café named – appropriately – Beelzebub’s Baristi . The quiet murmur of a dozen conversations halted the moment Max stepped over the threshold.
“I told you to stay low key,” hissed Sophie.
“I’m not exactly wearing a flashing blue light on my head,” said Max.
“Well, just try to look less human,” hissed Sophie.
“Got any suggestions?” said Max crossly.
Sophie ignored him and spoke to the bartender.
“So nice to see you again, Kurt, sweetie.”
Her seductive voice made Max want to hurl. It seemed to be having a similar effect on the bartender.
“What?” said Kurt, fiddling with a bottle of what definitely wasn’t tomato juice. “What do you want? Why are you here?”
“Official business,” said Sophie, waving Max’s Warrant card with a flourish.
“Hey! How’d you get hold of that?” said Max. “Hand it over and don’t touch it again – that’s an order.”
“No need to be so touchy, I just borrowed it.”
Sophie rolled her eyes.
“Okay, listen up. Has anyone seen any Brood lately? Come on, speak up or I’ll tear out your livers and then the Plod will terminate you.”
Max groaned inwardly. Sophie really needed to hone her interrogation techniques – and he really didn’t like being called a ‘Plod’.
“So it’s true,” said a demon at the back of the room. “You’re working for a human, and such a young one. How humiliating for you, Sophie, darling.”
She had dark skin and jet black hair. Her eyes sparkled with demonic amusement.
“Olivia, how lovely to see you again,” snarled Sophie. “You really do look amazing, considering your age.”
She obviously didn’t
Sophie smirked back, her eyes shark-like. “I don’t have them anymore,” she said, pulling her hair loose to prove it.
If looks could kill, Max’s favourite waitress would have sent Sophie up in smoke.
“What?!” said Max staring in shock.
“Yes,” she said, looking very smug. “I had a horn-ectomy. There are so many plastic surgeons down below these days. I thought about having my eyeballs re-coloured, too, but why interfere with perfection?”
Max’s eyes were glued to Sophie’s perfectly horn-free head. He swallowed. If Level Twos were getting their horns removed, it would make his job of detection that much harder. Even auras could be cloaked sometimes.
“Oh don’t worry, Max, darling,” said Sophie with a lofty smile. “I had a special dispensation because I was being sent to help you. The horns will grow back after a few months. Anyway, it’s totally illegal to have a horn-ectomy without a permit.”
“No problem then,” said Max, raising his eyebrows, “because you demons always obey the law.”
Sophie smiled to herself. Her lack of answer could have meant anything. It was darned creepy to have a Level Two demon for a partner.
They decided to start their search for the main Brood nest by visiting some of Sophie’s old haunts.
“Now, you’re not going to get trigger-happy on me, are you, Max, darling?” said Sophie, looking wary. “There are some of my best friends inside.”
“I won’t start anything if they don’t,” said Max, annoyed at being told how to do his job by a demon.
“Just let me handle the talking,” said Sophie. “Some of them aren’t as liberal and multicultural as me and they’ll think it’s degrading to have a conversation with a human. Oh, don’t look at me like that, Mr High-and-mighty! Don’t tell me you’re not just a tad racist when it comes to demons. I’ve seen you look down that long nose of yours at me.”
Max laughed out loud.
“Sophie! I’m hurt! Would I do such a thing? And, yes – when it comes to brain-eating demons, I do tend to rather err on the side of caution.”
“Hmm,” sniffed Sophie. “Just try and stay low key.”
The building was an ordinary-looking café named – appropriately – Beelzebub’s Baristi . The quiet murmur of a dozen conversations halted the moment Max stepped over the threshold.
“I told you to stay low key,” hissed Sophie.
“I’m not exactly wearing a flashing blue light on my head,” said Max.
“Well, just try to look less human,” hissed Sophie.
“Got any suggestions?” said Max crossly.
Sophie ignored him and spoke to the bartender.
“So nice to see you again, Kurt, sweetie.”
Her seductive voice made Max want to hurl. It seemed to be having a similar effect on the bartender.
“What?” said Kurt, fiddling with a bottle of what definitely wasn’t tomato juice. “What do you want? Why are you here?”
“Official business,” said Sophie, waving Max’s Warrant card with a flourish.
“Hey! How’d you get hold of that?” said Max. “Hand it over and don’t touch it again – that’s an order.”
“No need to be so touchy, I just borrowed it.”
Sophie rolled her eyes.
“Okay, listen up. Has anyone seen any Brood lately? Come on, speak up or I’ll tear out your livers and then the Plod will terminate you.”
Max groaned inwardly. Sophie really needed to hone her interrogation techniques – and he really didn’t like being called a ‘Plod’.
“So it’s true,” said a demon at the back of the room. “You’re working for a human, and such a young one. How humiliating for you, Sophie, darling.”
She had dark skin and jet black hair. Her eyes sparkled with demonic amusement.
“Olivia, how lovely to see you again,” snarled Sophie. “You really do look amazing, considering your age.”
She obviously didn’t
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