Karen Lynch

, “When you light a candle, you also cast a shadow,”

know who – or what – was coming and going from a place while I was there.

A pretty blonde waitress came over to take our drink orders, and her red lips curved into an inviting smile when she looked from Chris to me.

“What can I get for you gentlemen?”

We ordered whatever they had on tap and a couple of burgers. The waitress lingered at the table for a moment before she went off to put in our order.

Chris leaned back and ran a hand through his blond hair. “I’d call that a good night’s work.”

“Yes.”

My eyes swept the bar. At a corner table a young couple was making out, oblivious to everyone around them. I wouldn’t have noticed them if I hadn’t caught the gleam of silver in the male’s eyes. Incubus. Most of the sex demons were careful not to harm humans when they fed from them, but there were some who loved the thrill of the kill. I wasn’t sure yet which way this one swung.

A laugh drew my attention back to Chris. I shot him a questioning look.

“You are so predictable, my friend.” He inclined his head toward the incubus. “We haven’t had our first beer, and you’re already looking for your next fight.”

“Just keeping an eye on things.”

The waitress returned with two glasses of draft and set them before us.

Chris picked up his beer and drank deeply. “Relax. I saw the two of them in here last night. If he was going to hurt her, he would have done it by now.”

He was right. An incubus intent on killing his victim would do it within a few hours. He

was tired of this overbearing, He-Man routine, and it felt good to know that he wasn’t as invincible as he let on.

One wanted to be part of my life, and the other wanted to run my life. One was sweet and easy to be with, and the other caused a maelstrom of conflicting emotions to twist my stomach in knots.

worried, but I tell him if Sara say she get medicine, she will.” He gave me an ex‍

I left the kitchen

I left the kitchen

interrupted us. “What do you w