Ever since Susie bonded with her Philosopher’s Stone and sent Lady Nyx back to Hell, Hellburn has been completely demon-free. Well, Daraxandriel’s still here but she doesn’t count. I’m in my final year of high school, I finally quit my job at the Dairy Queen, and my main character in Legends of Lorecraft just hit level 50. Life doesn’t get any better than this. I should be happy, but I’m not.

Something’s wrong with Susie. She’s wearing real clothes and makeup now, she’s suddenly popular at school, and she even talks to us at dinner sometimes. Mom’s thrilled that she’s finally growing up but it’s like there’s a completely different person inside Susie’s head. She left the coven and avoids the other witches, almost as if she’s afraid they’ll notice something she doesn’t want them to see. Near as I can tell, she isn’t possessed or cursed, but she isn’t the same surly, amoral, antisocial sister I grew up with.

Thinking back, I think it all started when she got her familiar, Max. I don’t even know where the damned thing came from, Susie just showed up with her one day. I’m not all that fond of cats in the first place but Max gives me an uneasy feeling whenever she watches me with those weird pale blue eyes, which is all the time. She spends more time around me than with Susie, like she’s just waiting for me to let my guard down before she kills me. I need to figure out what’s really going on before Susie – or Max – does something we’ll all regret.