Why You Should Never Rescue Stray Demons Chapter 78

**OZ**

Kacia drives like someone with a plan. Her hands are clamped around the steering wheel, her knuckles faintly pale where the pressure bites into them. She’s quiet, too quiet, and the silence isn’t the peaceful kind. It’s the kind that hums with tightly wound resolve and low grade fury. I don’t interrupt it. If there’s one thing I’ve learned recently, it’s that Kacia in mission mode is a force of nature best watched from a safe distance, and not just because her driving could give me whiplash. She takes corners like she’s got a vendetta against the road itself. I’ve fought monsters less terrifying than her foot on the accelerator. But I stay quiet, hands folded in my lap, letting her simmer in whatever storm is brewing beneath the surface. Besides, I'm pretty sure I know what’s fueling it. Annie. Sweet, soft-spoken Annie, with her floral couch and her wrinkled hands and her lonely smile. That woman gave us tea and stories and a look into the life her sons abandoned, and then we found out those sons might be draining people for blood. Kacia doesn’t handle that kind of betrayal well. She pretends to be jaded, but she’s not. Not really. She still wants to believe people are mostly good. She wants to help them. And when that doesn’t work? She wants justice. Preferably with a sharp edge. Still, I can’t help watching her from the corner of my eye. There’s a little furrow in her brow, sharp, concentrated, tinged with something that might be guilt or stubbornness or just frustration. It might be aimed at the drainers. It might be aimed at me. Possibly both. She’s still trying to keep me close. I haven’t exactly made it easy. And yet… She keeps trying. Meanwhile, I’m trying to remember all the reasons I decided I should leave. 

“Still not telling me where we’re going?” I ask, tone deliberately mild. It’s not that I don’t already have a guess, I just want to hear her voice. She doesn’t look at me. 

“Police station. Mikey should be there by now. We’re asking him to look into Annie’s sons. If even one of them’s involved, we need to know who, how deep it goes, and how to stop it.” She says determinedly. I nod slowly. 

“And if all three of them are?” I ask. She winces like the thought physically stings. 

“Then we figure out who’s calling the shots… And what we can do without dragging their mother through hell.” She sighs, but there’s a conviction in her voice that would be admirable if it didn’t make my chest hurt. She’s always trying to fix things. Patch wounds. Salvage what’s left.

“Fair enough.” I murmur. The station appears around the next corner, and she pulls in with mechanical efficiency, gliding into the parking space. Before I’ve even unbuckled, she’s out of the car, keys in hand, already halfway to the door.

“You coming?” She tosses over her shoulder. I arch a brow. 

“Do I have a choice?” I question dryly. She flashes me a wicked grin. 

“Nope.” She responds. And just like that, I follow her in, like I always do.

Mikey’s already behind his desk when we walk in, hunched over a keyboard like it personally insulted his entire bloodline. His tie is loose, and he’s sipping from a coffee mug so large I’m half convinced it was made for a troll. He looks up and grins as we approach.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite half-fae menace and her terrifying shadow. The two of you make quite the pair.” He teases. Kacia gives a casual shrug. 

“Oh, we’re not a pair.” She answers bluntly. Mikey blinks, surprised. 

“Still denying it, Kaci? I thought you were finally on board.” He says curiously. She lifts both hands, palms up. 

“Nope. I’VE got no problem with it. Oz here’s the one INSISTING he’s going to split the second he gets the chance.” She explains. Thanks for that, Kacia. I shoot her a look, but she’s wearing the world’s most innocent expression. Mikey turns his full attention on me, frowning. 

“Seriously?” He demands. 

“It’s not… Exactly like that.” I mumble, already regretting everything.

“It’s not NOT like that either,” Kacia adds with a smirk. She knows that she is throwing me under the bus and she just doesn’t care. I sigh. 

“You’re being unfair.” I mutter. She shrugs, looking pleased with herself. Mikey’s frown deepens. I need to redirect before this turns into a relationship intervention.

“How’s Angelo doing?” I ask, changing the subject with all the grace of someone hurling a smoke bomb and sprinting in the opposite direction. 

“He getting along okay with your wife? Sarah, wasn’t it?” I add, a little desperately. That does the trick. Mikey groans theatrically.

“She and Angelo have decided that my house is an abomination. They’re in full cleanse mode. I think they’re planning to burn it down and rebuild it out of ethically sourced driftwood and holy water. I barely escaped with my life.” He says with mock sincerity. Kacia laughs, delighted. 

“Aww, they’re getting along?” She asks. 

“Oh, famously. They bonded over lemon oil and a shared hatred of my spice rack. I’ve been hiding here all day.” Mikey deadpans. I almost feel bad for him. Almost.

Kacia sobers up a little. 

“Soo… We need a favour.” She starts. That gets Mikey’s attention. He straightens. 

“Of course you do. Hit me.” He says helpfully. 

“Annie, the woman we met earlier lived at that address you found. She’s a sweet older lady. We think her sons might be involved with the drainers. We need names. Can you look them up?” Kacia asks. Mikey frowns but nods, already turning to his computer. 

“She didn’t mention names?” He questions. 

“Nope. Just called them ‘my boys’ and showed us a couple of family photos.” She explains. He starts typing, eyes flicking across the screen. 

“Alright… Pulling up birth records. Here’s one. Elias Benton. Ring a bell?” He asks. It seems familiar. 

“Elias…” I echo. 

“One of the guys from the warehouse had that name.” I remember. 

“Sounds right.” Kacia agrees. 

“Can you look up his siblings?” She asks. 

“Yeah, hang on… Elias Benton, age twenty-nine. Two listed brothers, Nathan and Colton. Similar age range. I’ll print ID records for all three.” He says helpfully. We wait as the printer kicks into gear. Mikey eyes the screen, frowning. 

“Weird thing though, none of them have current leases or listed addresses. Nothing recent, at least. They’re staying off the grid.” He sighs. 

“They’re hiding…” Kacia mutters, flipping through the printed photos as they emerge. Mikey scrolls further. 

“Looks like only Elias is transferring money to Annie. No sign of funds from the other two.” He adds. 

“Elias is paying her bills?” I say, surprised. Mikey nods. 

“Consistent transfers. Not huge amounts, but regular. Might be the only reason she’s staying afloat.” He says with a frown. Kacia leans over, eyes narrowing. 

“Can you check where else his money is going? Purchases, anything strange?” She suggests.

“Let’s see… Not much in terms of card payments. Mostly cash withdrawals. Spread out over different places, corner stores, petrol stations, a couple of newsagents. Doesn’t look like a pattern.” Mikey explains and prints out a list. I glance at the list, unimpressed. It’s a scatter of mundane places. Nothing obvious. But Kacia suddenly stiffens beside me.

“That’s not random. Those locations, they’re all near magic shops.” She says, voice sharp Mikey raises an eyebrow. 

“Come again?” He asks. 

“None of the withdrawals are at major banks. He’s using places with cash-out options that happen to be near high-traffic magic zones. Potions stores, artifact dealers, black-market charm stalls. Most of them don’t take cards because technology sucks. And most of them don’t like to keep records. If he’s buying or selling anything magical, cash is the safest way to blend in.” She confirms. Mikey lets out a low whistle. 

“That actually makes a lot of sense.” He agrees. Kacia flips through the ID photos again, holding one up and squinting. 

“Elias. He was quieter than the others. Kept to the edges of the group. I almost forgot he was even there.” She says thoughtfully. I nod slowly. 

“Yeah. The loudmouths, Nathan and Colton, I’m guessing, did all the talking and posturing. Elias mostly stayed quiet. Observing. He didn’t speak to me, didn’t joke with the others.” I add.

“Doesn’t mean he’s not guilty.” Kacia says, but her tone’s uncertain. Mikey leans back in his chair. 

“You think he’s being forced to help them?” He asks. I shrug. 

“Maybe. Wouldn’t be the first time someone got roped into something shady. Especially if his brothers dragged him into it. But he’s still definitely involved...” I say, glancing apologetically at Kacia. I know that she wants at least one of them to be innocent, so that Annie doesn’t lose everything when they’re locked away. Kacia sighs. 

“Still… He might not be the one calling the shots. We need to know more.” She decides. Mikey nods and starts tidying the stack of printouts. 

“I’ll keep digging. If I can find anything, anything at all, I’ll text you.” He says, clearly picking up on her reluctance to place too much blame. 

“Thanks, Mikey.” Kacia says, sliding the photos into her bag. 

“We’re off now. Send Angelo my love.” She winks at him. Mikey groans. 

“I might have to stay at work until the house is clean. A pregnant woman and a brownie… It’s a terrifying combination.” He shudders. Kacia grins and grabs my sleeve, tugging me toward the exit. 

“Come on, handsome. We’ve got a trail to follow.” She says cheerfully. I follow her out, trying not to think about how natural that nickname sounds coming from her lips, or how badly I want it to mean more than just a tease. Damn it. She really isn’t going to make leaving her easy.