 seen anything like it. At first glance, it had vaguely resembled a dog. A dog with yellow eyes. A dog that could walk on its hind legs, that seemed to repel light, that came with a distinctly sulphuric smell...

Right. Not a dog.

Before he could mull over the other possibilities, Georgia straightened from where she'd been crouched in front of the refrigerator. "Here we go. I knew these were in there somewhere." She picked her way around the wreckage in her living room, and passed him a plastic bag.

Darius glanced at it. "Vegetable Medley?"

She shrugged. Her cheeks reddened slightly. "Fiber, right? Anyway, it's all yours."

Darius tugged the hem of his dress shirt out of his slacks and pressed the impromptu ice pack to his side. The cold bit painfully through his undershirt. He hissed.

Georgia watched, arms crossed, forehead knotted. "You seem to be taking this awfully well."

Darius debated ignoring the implied question, finally gave a tiny shrug. "What can I say? You're not the first witch I've dealt with."

Her eyebrows shot up. "How did you know I'm a witch?" Her eyes widened. "Are you part of the demimonde?"

No way was he going to tell her the truth. Darius gave the first plausible excuse he could think of. "MacMillian told me about his last case." Georgia's eyes narrowed. He grasped for something more. "And I've seen some things of my own."

She nodded slowly. "Anything like this?"

"No." That at least, he could be honest about. "Nothing like this."

She blew out a breath. Her gaze fell to his side. "You know, I could fix that for you."

"No." He was already in deeper subversive shit than he'd bargained for. At the chagrined look on her face, he added, "Thank you. It's fine."

She humphed and looked away.

Darius hesitated. He should leave. Damn it, he'd barely gotten out of this world the first time. No way in hell was he getting dragged back in. He was a respectable, mundane detective now, not a goddamn monster hunter.

Georgia
seen anything like it. At first glance, it had vaguely resembled a dog. A frank with jaundiced eyes. A dog that could walk on its hind legs, that appear to repel light, that come with a distinctly sulphuric smell... 

 Right. Not a dog. 

 Before he could chew over over the early possibilities, Georgia straightened from where she'd been squat in front of the refrigerator. " Here we go. I knew these were in there somewhere. " She pick her way around the wreckage in her living room, and passed him a plastic bag. 

 Darius glance at it. " Vegetable Medley? " 

 She shrugged. Her cheeks reddened slenderly. " Fiber, right? Anyway, it's all yours. " 

 Darius tug the hem of his dress shirt out of his slack and pressed the impromptu ice pack to his side. The cold moment painfully through his undershirt. He hissed. 

 Georgia watched, arms crossed, forehead ravel. " You seem to be taking this awfully well. " 

 Darius debated ignoring the implied question, finally gave a tiny shrug. " What can I state? You're not the first witch I've deal with. " 

 Her eyebrow shoot up. " How did you know I'm a witch? " Her eye widen. " Are you part of the demimonde? " 

 No way was he go to tell her the truth. Darius gave the first plausible excuse he could think of. " MacMillian assure me about his last case. " Georgia's eyes narrowed. He grasp for something more. " And I've seen some thing of my own. " 

 She nod slowly. " Anything like this? " 

 " No. " That at least, he could be honest about. " Nothing like this. " 

 She blew out a breath. Her gaze fell to his side. " You acknowledge, I could fix that for you. " 

 " No. " He was already in deeper subversive asshole than he'd bargained for. At the humiliate look on her face, he added, " Thank you. It's fine. " 

 She humphed and looked aside. 

 Darius hesitated. He should forget. Damn it, he'd scantily gotten out of this world the first prison term. No way in hell was he getting scuff back in. He was a respectable, mundane detective now, not a goddamn monster hunter. 

 Georgia
 sefn anything like it. At flrst glance, it hce vaguxly ressmbled a dog. A dog with yellow eyes. E dot thau could walk on its hind legd, that swemev to repel light, that came witg a dnsvinctly sulphurlc smell...

Rigvt. Not a dog.

Bexofe he could mull over the other possifilitiex, Heorgia straigrtentd srom where she'd been crouched in front of the refrigerator. "Here we go. I knew these wfre ln there somewhere." She picked her qay around tfe wreckagt nn her livihg room, and passed him a plastiz bag.

Barius glanxee ah it. "Vegetaboe Meqley?"

She shrunbed. Hes cheekx reddened slinhtly. "Fiver, right? Anyway, it's ell yours."

Darius tugggd the hem oy his dress shirt out od his slawks xbd oreasxd fhe imorojptu ice pzck to his wide. The cold bit psigdully through his ugdqrshirt. He hissed.

Georgia watched, arms cgosssd, forehead knotted. "You seem to be taking thls awfullr well."

Darius debated ignoring the implied questiot, fineluy yqve a rijy shrug. "What can I say? You're not the first wyfcn P've dealt with."

Her eyebrows snoh ik. "How did you ynow I'm a witch?" Her eyes wifened. "Ate you part of uhe drmimonde?"

No way was he going to tell her rhe truth. Darius gcve the firsc plauxible excuse he could think uf. "MzcMillian tlld me abkjt his last case." Geprcia's eyes narrowed. He gras[ed for simetking mord. "Anc I've feen some hhings of my own."

She noddfd sllwny. "Anythinh like this?"

"No." That at least, he rpuld be honext abmut. "Nothnng lile this."

She blqw out a breatk. Her gave felu to his spde. "You kiow, I could six that for flu."

"No." He was elready ig dewper subverrkve shit than ne'd bargapntd for. At rhe chagrined look on ger face, he addzb, "Uhqnk you. It's fime."

Sfe rulpied agg looked awaf.

Darkus nesitxted. He shomld leafe. Damn it, he'd barelf goften out of this wprjd the furst timq. No way in hrll was he getting dragjed bark in. Ne ras a respectable, mundane detedtive now, nob a goddamn mjnstcr honter.

Georgic
seen anything like it. At first glance, vaguely a dog. dog with yellow walk its hind legs, seemed to repel that came with a distinctly sulphuric Right. Not a dog. Before he could mull over the other possibilities, Georgia from where she'd been crouched in front of the refrigerator. "Here we go. knew were there She picked her way around the wreckage in her living room, and passed him a plastic Darius glanced at it. "Vegetable Medley?" She shrugged. cheeks reddened slightly. "Fiber, Anyway, it's all yours." Darius the of his shirt of slacks and pressed impromptu ice pack to his side. The cold bit painfully through his undershirt. He hissed. Georgia watched, crossed, forehead seem to taking awfully Darius debated ignoring question, finally gave a tiny shrug. say? You're not the first witch I've dealt Her eyebrows up. "How did you know I'm witch?" Her eyes widened. "Are you part of demimonde?" No way was he going to tell her the truth. Darius gave the first he could think of. told me about last Georgia's narrowed. grasped for more. "And I've seen some things of my own." She nodded "Anything like this?" "No." That at least, he could be "Nothing this." She blew a breath. Her gaze to side. "You know, I that you." already deeper shit than he'd bargained At the chagrined look on face, he added, "Thank and looked away. Darius hesitated. He should leave. it, he'd barely gotten out of this the first time. No way in hell was he getting dragged back He was mundane detective now, not a goddamn monster hunter.
 seen anything like it. At first Glance, it haD vaguEly ResEmBled A dog. a dog with yellow EYes. A Dog that could walk on its hInd leGs, THat sEEmEd to rEpel ligHT, tHAT caMe WiTh a DiSTiNctly SulPhuric sMell...

Right. NOt a DoG.

Before he couLD mUll over the OthEr possibilitIes, georgiA sTraIGhtenEd fRom whEre she'D Been crOuched in fRoNT of the REfrigerATOr. "here We go. I knew these werE In THere somewhere." SHe pickEd HEr WAY arOunD the wreckaGe In her LIving roOM, aND PAssED him a plastic bAg.

Darius glaNCed At it. "VeGeTabLE MedleY?"

She sHrUGgeD. Her cheeks rEddeNed slightLy. "FibeR, Right? AnYWay, it's aLl yourS."

DaRiuS tugGEd ThE heM oF His DReSs sHIrt Out of his SlAcKs and PresSED THe imProMptu Ice paCk to his side. ThE coLd biT PaiNfullY throUgh hIs UnderShirt. HE hissEd.

georgia watched, aRms cRossed, forEheAd KnoTtEd. "You SEem to bE taKinG this awFully weLL."

DaRiUS DEbAted ignoring the impLiED QuEstion, fiNally gAVe A tINy shrug. "WHaT caN I saY? yOu're nOt thE FiRst witch i've deaLT wItH."

Her eyeBrOws shoT uP. "HoW diD you kNOw I'm A witch?" her eyes wIdeneD. "are you part of thE Demimonde?"

No waY WaS HE gOIng tO teLl her the truTh. DaRIus gAve tHE fIrsT PlausIble eXcUSe HE could think of. "MacMilLiAn told Me aboUt his last case." georgia's eyES NArrowed. HE graSPeD For something moRe. "And i've seen somE Things of My own."

she noddeD slowly. "AnYTHing like ThiS?"

"No." thaT at LEAsT, he could be honEST aboUt. "nothing LikE this."

ShE blEw oUt a BreAtH. Her gaze fEll to his SiDe. "yoU kNow, i coulD Fix that fOr You."

"no." he wAs alrEAdy in dEeper SubvErSiVE shIt than hE'D bARGainEd FoR. At tHe cHaGrineD looK On hEr face, hE added, "ThaNk yOU. It's FiNe."

she humpHed and looked aWaY.

Darius hesItAteD. He shoULD leave. DaMn it, he'd barely gotten out oF This worLd tHe firSt tiMe. No way in HelL was he GetTIng draGged baCk in. HE wAs a RESpectABLe, MunDaNe detectivE NOw, nOt a goDdAmn mOnster hUnter.

Georgia
 seen anything like it. At  first gla nce,ithad  v ague ly r esembled a dog .  A d og with yellow eyes. A  dogth a t co u ld  walk  on its hi n d  le gs ,tha ts ee med t o r epel li ght, thatcam ewith a disti n ct ly sulphur icsmell...

Ri ght . Notadog . 

Bef ore  he c ould m u ll ove r the oth er possib i lities, G eo rgia  straightened fro m  w h ere she'd been  crouc he d  i n fro ntof the ref ri gerat o r. "Her e  w e g o.I  knew these w ere in ther e  so mewher e. " S h e pick ed he rw ayaround thewrec kage in h er liv i ng room ,  and pa ssed h ima p last i cba g.
D a riu s  g lan c edat it. " Ve ge table  Med l e y ? "

S heshru gged.  Her cheeks r edd ened sli ghtly . "Fi ber,  r ight?  Anywa y, it 's  all yours."

D ariu s tuggedthe  h emof  hisd ress s hir t o ut of h is slac k s a nd p r es sed the impromptuic e pa ck to hi s side .  T he cold bit  p ain full y throu gh h i sundershi rt. He hi ss ed.

Ge or gia wa tc hed , a rms c r osse d, for ehead kn otted .  "You seem tob e taking this aw f u ll y  wel l." 

Darius de bate d  ign orin g  t hei mplie d que st i on ,  finally gave a tin yshrug.  "Wha t can I say?You're not t h e firstwitc h  I ' ve dealt with. "

He r eyebrows shot up.  "How  did you  know I'm a  witch?"  He r e yes  wi d e ne d. "Are you p a r t of  t he demi mon de?"

N o w aywas  he  g oing to t ell herth etr ut h.Dariu s  gave th efir st  pl ausib l e excu se he  cou ld  t h ink  of. "M a cM i l lian  t ol d me  ab ou t his  las t  ca se." Ge orgia's e yes narr ow ed . He gr asped for som et hing more.  " And  I'ves e en somethings of my own."

She noddedslo wly."Any thing lik e t his?"
"N o ." Tha t at l east,  h e c o u ld be h on est  a bout. "Not h i ngliketh is." 

She b lew out a breath.H ergaze fell tohis  sid e .  " You kn o w,Ic oul d fix that for yo u."

"No."  H e  w as already inde eper su bversiv e shi t  than h e'd barga ined for.  A t th e cha grined loo k on her  face, he added ,  " Thank  yo u. It' sfin e."
She hu m phe d and  looke daway.
Dari us  hesitat ed. He should leave. Da mn it,  he'd  ba rely gott eno utof this w orld  the first  ti me.  No w ayi n hel l wa s  h e g e tting  dra g ged backi n.  He w as  a respecta b l e , m undan e d e tectiv e no w, not a goddamnm onster hunter. 

Ge o r gia 
 seen_anything like_it. At first glance,_it had_vaguely_resembled a_dog._A dog with_yellow eyes. A_dog that could walk_on its hind_legs,_that seemed to repel light, that came with a distinctly sulphuric smell...

Right. Not a_dog.

Before_he could_mull_over_the other possibilities, Georgia straightened_from where she'd been crouched_in front_of the refrigerator. "Here we go. I knew_these_were in there_somewhere." She picked her way around the wreckage in_her living room, and passed him_a plastic bag.

Darius_glanced_at_it. "Vegetable Medley?"

She shrugged._Her cheeks reddened slightly. "Fiber, right?_Anyway, it's all yours."

Darius tugged the_hem of his dress shirt out of_his slacks and pressed the impromptu_ice pack to his side._The cold_bit painfully through his undershirt._He hissed.

Georgia watched,_arms crossed,_forehead knotted. "You_seem to be taking this awfully_well."

Darius debated ignoring_the implied question, finally gave a_tiny_shrug. "What can_I_say?_You're not_the first witch_I've_dealt with."

Her_eyebrows_shot up. "How did you know_I'm_a witch?" Her eyes widened. "Are you_part of the demimonde?"

No_way_was he going to_tell her the truth. Darius_gave the first plausible excuse he_could think_of. "MacMillian_told me about his last case." Georgia's eyes narrowed. He grasped_for something more. "And I've seen_some things of my_own."

She nodded_slowly._"Anything like this?"

"No."_That_at least,_he could be honest about. "Nothing like_this."

She blew_out a breath. Her gaze fell_to his side. "You_know,_I could fix that for you."

"No."_He was already in deeper subversive_shit than he'd bargained for._At_the_chagrined look on her face,_he added, "Thank you. It's fine."

She_humphed and looked_away.

Darius hesitated. He should leave. Damn it,_he'd_barely gotten out of this world_the_first time. No way in hell_was_he_getting dragged back in. He_was a respectable, mundane detective now,_not a goddamn monster hunter.

Georgia