The Problem With Black Magic by Karen Mead

friends? Like I would miss that?” he said, striding into the room. It couldn’t be that easy for a man with a cane to swagger, but he managed it.
    “What’s the professor got to do with any of this?” asked Khalil, frowning. He looked a little calmer, but he still hadn’t taken his seat.
    “You’ll know all momentarily,” said Serenus, dropping into the seat around the table Khalil had vacated. “But first, I’m parched. Sam? Could you make me one of those frothy cinnamon things you do so well? You know what I mean.”
    Sam raised an eyebrow. “You want me to make you coffee…now?”
    “Really, I want you out of the room for five minutes, but I also want a drink; it’s actually one of those fortuitous two birds, one-stone situations,” said Serenus, leaning back in Khalil’s chair comfortably.
    To Cassie’s surprise, Sam got up without a word and walked out to the shop. Serenus’ eyes watched his retreating form, then turned to Cassie.
    “I’m afraid I have to ask you to be patient with him: most men spend their lives trying to convince the world that they’re far more formidable than they are. Poor Sam seems to have it totally backwards. For him, admitting his power is like confessing that he still wets the bed.”
    “So you knew Sam was a demon,” said Cassie.
    “Well of course, takes one to know one and all that,” he said, cleaning his glasses with a microfiber cloth.
    He snorted when Dwight and Jay inched away from him. “Oh, stop. I’m afraid I’m not a big, gr and one like your friend though, just a human with some demon blood in the background somewhere. I can’t do much more magic than any of you,” he said, shrugging. “I can sense magic, and I have a great nose for it, but I don’t generate any more of it than the most average human--less, in fact.”
    “So what did you need him out of the room for?” said Khalil quietly, no longer pacing.
    Serenus cleared his throat. “Listen, it’s not Sam’s fault-- like the good Mr. MacGregor here said, if he hadn’t done what he did, you would probably all be dead anyway. But the fact remains, you’re all in very big trouble.”
    “I think the vampire punching Dwight in the face was our first clue,” said Khalil.
    Serenus shook his head. “None of you will be safe until Sam successfully defends his claim to Cassie in court. He probably doesn’t realize it yet, but this is more than some undesirables breaking into your shop hoping to snag a quality familiar; right now, all of your lives are in danger. A human like Cassie is a very hot commodity among our kind, and you all will all be seen as potentially valuable by virtue of your connection to her. As well as all her friends, and family.”
    Cassie suddenly went cold. Oh my God, she thought, Hunter. He’s only ten….
    “When you say court, you mean like…special demon court?” Jay asked, and Serenus nodded.
    “The good news is, he can protect you,” said Serenus. “We can protect you. But he’s been running from what he is for so long, it’s not going to be easy for him to do it.”
    Cassie looked at Serenus, frowning. Something was bothering her about him, and she wasn’t sure what it was. If only she could remember….
    Jay looked as enthusiastic as Cassie felt uneasy. “So, Sam’s a really powerful demon right? He said most other demons can’t freeze time like that.”
    Serenus chuckled. “Demons are very patriarchal; half-demons’ powers depend partially on who their father was, partially on luck of the draw. It’s hard to say how strong Sam is per se, since he’s always refused to allow me to do anything to properly test him, but his parentage is…” he seemed to struggle for the right word. “…unimpeachable.”
    “So, who’s his father? Is he a named demon, like in the Bible? Could we look him up?” Jay asked rapid-fire questions, his eyes gleaming with keenness.
    Serenus gentle chuckle deepened into laughter. “Sorry, I’ll be happy to answer your