Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist (Maple Hollow #1)

“How about you let your friend answer for herself, hmm?” Ramona rumbled. “What do you say, darling?”

I turned to see Ramona take a step closer to Iris. Ramona stood over a head taller, so Iris had to look up into the demon’s eyes, but her firm stance didn’t waver.

“Iris?” I called.

“One date,” Iris finally answered, and I practically fell over standing still. “At a location and time of my choosing.”

“You’re a sharp one, witchling.” Ramona smiled with sly delight. “At a location and time of your choosing, so long as it is within a year from this night.”

“Fine.” Iris held her hand out to shake on it.

“Oh, little witch, you know that’s not how I seal deals.” Ramona tugged on Iris’s outstretched hand, pulling Iris in before dropping her head for a kiss.

“Holy shit,” Harlow whispered.

Lou whistled low. “Now, that is a thorough fucking kissing. Not that your girl seems to mind.”

Ramona finally released Iris, who stumbled back, wide-eyed and dazed. Though she also looked surprisingly satisfied with this sudden turn of events.

I grabbed Iris by the crook of her elbow and shoved her behind me. “You’re like a fucking doe in the headlights. Stay with Harlow. And stop kissing demons.” I turned to Ramona. “Deal’s been struck. Spill.”

Ramona sighed and thrust her hands into her trouser pockets. “Agnes is brokering an alliance with the demons.”

“An alliance about what?” I asked, and Ramona raised her eyebrows like she was going to demand another deal. “I think that kiss was worth a few more questions, don’t you?”

She snickered. “The vampires already have most of the monster clans on board. The demons will be next. Witches and wolves probably will come last as you’re the most . . . humanlike.”

She sneered at the description.

“On board with what?” Iris asked from behind me, and I watched Ramona’s ears perk at the sound.

“They want to make Maple Hollow exclusively for paranormal residents.” Ramona’s silver gaze found Harlow. “They say too many humans are making this town their home nowadays. Soon, it won’t be safe for us here.”

“Is this about the nutmeg?” Harlow groaned. “I told her I was sorry.”

“I, for one, found that quite amusing.” Ramona chuckled. “But, yes, you and your sister are certainly part of this equation.”

“That is ridiculous,” I spat. “Humans have always lived here alongside us.”

Ramona pursed her lips, her eyes perusing Iris’s figure again before returning to me. “If you want to know their reasons, talk to them. But that’s not really why you came here, is it?”

Lou took a step forward. “Did you have anything to do with my death?”

“No,” Ramona said boredly and, as far as I could tell, truthfully.

Murder wasn’t the demons’ repertoire, especially if a soul wasn’t on the line for them to take.

“Then who did?” Lou pushed.

Ramona shrugged. “That’s for you to find out.”

“Who is she talking to?” Harlow whispered to Iris behind me.

“It’s a demon thing,” Iris whispered back.

We were going to need to start coming up with better lies about this stuff. Not everything could be explained as a demon/witch/wolf thing.

“Is Lou’s death associated with this alliance at all?” I asked, trying to save the situation.