The Demon King and I Read Online Free PDF Page A

chief of his clan. He’d died fighting in the Keepers War. Religion, something strange to associate with demons, was at the basis of many of their wars, much like here at home. The Keepers had tried to take over, but the other demon clans had banded together to keep their freedom.
    Tapping my fingers on the mouse, I clicked to the next page. Kildenren’s mate, Juliet Morrison, was listed with two children, Arath and Throe.
    I couldn’t believe what I read. It couldn’t be the same person. I put the cursor on her name. It was. I knew her as Aunt Juliet, who was human, and the last time I checked, she was very much alive.

CHAPTER 3
    My hands shook a little with the news and I sat back in my leather chair. How could she have left her children behind?
    Aunt Juliet’s only faults, up until now, were that she was too kind and had terrible taste in men. That happened to be something we had in common. She wasn’t my real aunt, but she and my mother had been friends since long before I was born. When my dad died a few years ago, it was Juliet who helped put the family back together. A generous and loving person, she was not the sort of woman to abandon children.
    The Morrisons were another family of Guardians, and for many years Juliet and her sisters had done the same thing the Caruthers did. All of the sisters had eventually retired to marry and raise children. Well, except for Juliet. She was the life of every party and refused to spend too much time with any one man. She’d also become a powerful mage. Not as strong as my mother, but she definitely had a way with magic.
    I picked up the phone and dialed Mom’s office on the off chance she might still be there. No answer. I wanted to call Juliet, but what would I say—hey, why did you leave your demon babies behind?
    I hated when I judged people before I had all the facts. If she had left her children behind, she’d had a reason. A good one. But I couldn’t just come out and ask her about it. I needed to talk to Mom.
    She didn’t answer when I called, which was weird since she never turned off her phone. Maybe she was in the sauna or having dinner at the club. They wouldn’t allow phones in there. Honestly, she could be anywhere in the universe. As a powerful mage, her services were always in need. She was also good at keeping up the Caruthers ruse. Most people in our circle of friends thought she was the successful, polished businesswoman she appeared to be. She was that and so much more.
    “Hey, sis, working hard or hardly working?” Bailey’s voice surprised me and I almost fell back in my chair.
    “Jesus, Bailey! You scared the hell out of me.” I’d been so wrapped up in my thoughts I hadn’t noticed his reflection in the window.
    “Ooooh, I scared the big bad demon slayer.” He licked his finger and painted an imaginary tick mark. “Chalk one up for Bailey Boy.”
    I cleared my throat, my eyebrow twitching. We don’t talk about our other jobs in public. Ever.
    “I know the rules, Gilly, but no one’s around.” He waved a long arm. “As usual you are the last one left. Have you seen Mom?”
    “No. I don’t know where she is. I just tried to call her phone. What are you doing here so late?”
    Bailey sat down in one of the chairs facing my desk. My brother is a good-looking guy. Oh, not by my standards, but twice he’s been voted the “Hottest Bachelor” in In Scene magazine. He has curly blond hair that always needs to be cut and he lives in jeans and retro T-shirts. Especially fond of any that sport shows from the Cartoon Network, he always looks like he’s just rolled out of the wrong side of bed.
    To me, he’s the world’s biggest dork. Smart, but a dork just the same.
    “I’ve been working on the new underwater camera for Claire. She needs it next week for the tiger shark shoot. I’ve got to work on the lens and focus options, but it’s close.”
    I almost asked Bailey about Juliet but my computer beeped and I glanced at the screen.