Green Flame Assassin (Demon Lord series, book 2) Read Online Free PDF

entering my personal code, the glass surface ghosted away.  I could have stepped through the frame, into my secret vault adjoining the wine cellar in the basement, but I dialed another location, holding it firmly in mind as I stepped through.
Talon City, also known as Underground, appeared around me.  There was no sensation other than what you’d get going from one room to another.  That was because the mirror used its own stored energy to power the transition spell.  The city lay somewhere inside a mountain on Europa, the sixth closest moon of Jupiter.  The streets were smooth granite.  A great shadowed space hung overhead, and beyond that oppressive darkness was a ceiling clawed out of frozen rock.  The street lamps created islands of light with dim murk swimming between.  Deeper darkness lay in the poorer parts of town.  The upper-class establishments furnished stronger lighting to advertise their wares, and discourage thievery. 
The shop I wanted was prosperous, but not pretentious.  Assorted creatures of the night passed Red Fang’s place, few of them casting more than a casual glance at the windows of the tattoo parlor.  I pushed on inside.  A little girl stood on a stool behind the counter so she could reach a wall calendar.  Her back was to me as she scribbled something there, unaware I’d entered.  The shop didn’t need a bell over the door.  It was dragon-owned.  Not even the most stupid criminal would risk running afoul of dragon magic.  Besides, dragons have a reputation for eating thieves.
I’d brought the girl here to be cared for after her mother had been killed.  The killer had been trying to get to me, but it’s not like I felt any guilt.  I’d only shown kindness to the girl because she had dragon blood.  Her being lost, alone, with nowhere else to go had nothing to do with it.  I certainly hadn’t brought the stupid, green, dragon toy because I liked her.  And I wasn’t checking up on her. 
I’m demon-raised after all.  There’s little true humanity left in me.
I threw the stuffed dragon onto the counter and continued to the backroom where I saw Red-Fang cleaning his tattoo guns.  They were disassembled, the pieces on a big metal tray.  He was wiping them down with a cotton cloth.  Rubbing alcohol scented the air.  Behind him sat a metal box the size of a microwave.  Its door yawned open, waiting for the tray.  The sterilizer would finish the cleaning with hot steam.  A book was propped open on a stand. 
  In human form, Red Fang read while working.  Without looking up, he said, “Hi, Caine.”  The old dragon didn’t have to look to see it was me, he could smell the magic he’d put in my skin.  “What brings you here so early?  Your tattoo design isn’t ready yet.  I’m still ironing out the last rune.”
“You can at least tell me what this one will do.”
“Nope, not yet.”  Red-Fang looked past me, yelling toward the front of the shop, “Juliana, bring me the calendar.”
So that’s her name.
She walked past me with the calendar in one hand and the stuffed dragon clutched to her side. 
Red-Fang looked at the toy, and smirked at me.
“What?” I said.  “I had nothing to do with that.  I’m a demon lord, remember?”
Juliana gave him the calendar   He marked a date a few weeks away, and copied the date onto one of his business cards.  I went up and took it for later reference.  He gave the girl back the calendar.  She turned past me, smiling, eyes flicking to my face as she went away. 
I looked back to Red Fang, scowling.  “Shouldn’t she be with your wife at home?  Kids are supposed to play.  Aren’t there child labor laws around here?”
“My wife lets her do whatever she wants, and Juliana likes helping me in the shop.”
“Really?”
“Aggie always wanted a daughter, so she spoils her rotten.  I’m just glad the child actually helps.  You should see my appointment book.  It’s never been so organized.”
I was