Making up with Barry helped. Kanesha’s dad was the more scary aspect. And then there was Loki. Who showed up right after my shoot…with cayenne.

“Oh, for…”

He grinned. “I thought you might have a use for it. Besides, needed to warn you about something.”

I nodded. “What’s on the loose?”

“Your demon friend is back, for starters. He has the serious hots for you.”

I blushed. “Don’t worry, he won’t get anywhere.”

“Best not to. The Old Man wouldn’t approve, and he has his ways of making relationships he doesn’t approve of extremely awkward.”

I envisioned raven eyes through bedroom windows and laughed a bit. “I don’t know about relationships. So, just him?”

“He brought friends. They aren’t as nice.” Loki turned serious for him. “They won’t hurt you, but I don’t know about anyone else. They’re out to have fun, and demon fun always ends with somebody getting killed.”

My lips quirked, “And your fun?”

He just held up one finger and I shook my head. “Cayenne in the brownies.”

“Nobody was hurt.”

“Me being blamed for cayenne in the brownies,” I pointed out. “You in the reflecting pool.”

He mock backpedaled. “You wouldn’t do that to little me.”

“Yes. Yes I would.” And that was despite the fact that I liked him and felt attached to him. I’d still push him in there given half a chance.

“Mean woman. Here I am doing you a favor.” He grinned.

“I’ll watch out for them. Should I track down an exorcist?”

“Not many priests know how to do that any more. Check the Catholic churches, that’s your best chance. But it’s a bit of a neglected art. Unfortunate.”

“Not worried they’ll exorcise you?”

He laughed and turned around to walk backwards as I headed home. “Wouldn’t work. I’m not a demon.”

“If you’ve ever put anything in communion wine…”

“Oh, what a good idea.” He laughed again, then turned around the proper way. “Don’t worry. There are certain rules…but…hrm.”

I knew I wasn’t really giving him ideas. I mean, he had to have all of them in his very makeup as God of Mischief, but… “Just not when I’m trying to get a priest to help me.”

“Try St. Jacob’s,” he said, and then apparently saw something shiny in a nearby store and darted off like a cat with ADHD.

What was I to do with him?