The Demon-Eater: Hunting Shadows (Book One, Part One by Devin Graham Page B

escort the lord
away...?”
    Gabriel flicked his eyes toward the steward,
then narrowed them on the man.
    Demon. His blood ran cold as the steward—who was no more than a suit
of flesh for the Skin Crawler possessing it—, stared at him with
dead eyes. To be certain, Gabriel searched the steward's neck. He
knew not the reason behind it, but Skin Crawlers always possessed
through a slit they had made on one's neck, into which they could
slither in. Sure enough, he found the scar after a moment, thin and
partially masked by makeup.
    “ No, I can suffer a short conversation,” Renette said,
completely oblivious as to what she was speaking to. “After all, he
did help scare the others away for me.”
    There was a demon among
Lady Renette's servants. Did that mean there were two planned victims this
night?
    Gabriel leaned across the table, closer to
Renette.
    “ Actually, I was honest in that I needed to speak with you, my
lady,” Gabriel said in a soft voice. “But, perhaps, we should speak
away from...prying ears.” Discreetly, Gabriel eyed the
demon.
    I dare you to move against
me, he thought.
    Renette laughed out loud.
    “ You can't be serious, Lord William,” she scoffed. “We are
separated from absolutely every potentially prying ear, right
here.”
    “ Not every prying ear, my lady,” Gabriel said, turning his eyes
on her. Pointedly, he glanced to the demon disguised as a steward
once more. She seemed to understand his meaning this
time.
    Her amused grin gave way to a frown. She
looked worried.
    Good. Gabriel stood suddenly and held a hand out to her.
    “ Shall we dance, my lady?” Gabriel was already bringing up the
Memory of Hámon Givonni, a once-professional dance instructor, who
had been possessed during Gabriel's earlier days of demon hunting.
Shortly after discovering his ability to breathe in Skin Crawlers, he
discovered, also, his ability to take Memories of those the Skin
Crawlers had possessed.
    Consume a demon who had possessed a lawman,
and he could acquire snatches of Memory pertaining to the skill of
gun fighting—and learn the skill for himself. Consume a demon
having possessed a dance instructor, and he became rather competent
on the dance floor.
    Lady Renette, however, did not move to take
his hand. Her frown deepened.
    “ Lord William,” she said, after several seconds, “if you hope
to procure a meeting with my father by charming me in a
dance...there is no need. I have no such power over my father.
However, I will discuss the nature of his business to you,
freely—as I have done for nearly every other lord of some
impuissant house, seeking to better their position with a union.
Rather, those I have not pointedly tried to ignore. There is no
need in pretending to bear with you news of grave importance, and
looking to my servants as though they were—”
    “ Lady Renette,” Gabriel interrupted, cursing inwardly. He
flicked his eyes in the direction of the false-steward and his
heart sank, when he saw the man raise a curious eyebrow. Was he
piecing together who this William Baryon actually was? The
false-steward smiled so faintly anyone else might have missed
it.
    Flames!
    In his head, the others cackled
gleefully.
    Unexpectedly, Gabriel felt
a thrilling anticipation buzzing through his veins. His fingers
twitched, itching to reach for his revolver pistol, hidden in his
suit jacket. He was supposed to consume every demon and one of the creatures
stood a mere few feet away.
    But...he was, also, supposed to save the
nobles the demons were targeting. Gabriel assumed there would be
another demon somewhere near Duke Hort, being that he was the host
of the ball and those were always the presumed targets. Starting a
fight with this demon might do little more than quicken the duke's
murder. Not to mention, if he did it in the open for all to see, he
would have a flaming difficult time getting into anymore balls.
    Gabriel took his seat again, running a hand
through his lengthy, sandy brown