“I came to keep you safe. This is not a lie. If you end up possessed by the one that is running loose, even I will have a hard time trying to dig him out of you and dragging him back down, Ayda. Neither Michael, that wolf, or your witchy friend, nor the Almighty HIMSELF will be able to extract him from your body.” I rolled my eyes, not taking what he said serious. “You will be lost Ayda. No one, in Heaven or Oblivion, could bring you back this time. That little piece of your soul that remains, in your heart, will become dust on the floor of the Abyss. I do not joke on this.” His words echoed along the shelves of books and smacked me right in my chest. It was the first time I had ever heard seriousness, and fear, in the Devils voice. I was suddenly lost in thought at that moment. Did he really not know how the possession of an Other happened, or, if he knew and the Almighty sent Michael to threaten Lou into fixing this mess, he was playing the false hero. The only thing I was hav
“Move Ayda, this mf’r took you once, I won't let it happen again, even over my dead body!” She snapped at me, but I still reached up, trying to pull her arm down as I explained that I’ve had enough violence for 10 nights. “Ohh..I can definitely oblige your request, foul women!” Lou spat on the ground towards Reggie as I begged her not to do anything. “ENOUGH!” Cash roared over the chaos of Reggie, Lou and I yelling at each other. “Who in God’s name let him in here!” Reggie shouted at all of us, ignoring Cash. Only one thing was missing now, and it was Michael popping in. I laughed to myself at the thought, but suddenly my amusement became reality when I heard his voice the moment a flash at the desk happened, and then loud snap could be heard that made my ears pop. “Oh, so you guys decided on a get together and failed to invite me I see. For shame on you!” Michael said after he suddenly appeared sitting on the desk. I started yelling at him to leave, 3 was already a crowd
“Who was it?” Cash asked with a hint of anger in his voice. “I..I really don’t know! One day I got a text asking if I was able to procure a necklace. The person that text me said sit was an heirloom of sorts, that it belonged to her great grandmother. She said it was once lost, but she had old photos showing the necklace existed, and she believed it to be the one from an upcoming auction.” Reggie explained, looking at us with scared eyes. “Did you not question it?” Cash asked slightly sarcastic. I shot him a threatening look and he just shrugged. “When she told me the amount that she would be willing to bid, and then saying she would send me the difference, I honestly did think it was too good to be true. I asked her to meet with me first, using the excuse I wanted to do a palm reading, but she said she was out of the country, and if I wanted the money, I would have to trust her. The necklace in the picture she texted me was most definitely on the neck of an Indian grandma, I
“Are you going to stand there all night?” Cash’s words broke into my thoughts on what I was planning to do. I turned to see him standing there with the old butler, waiting for a response. “No, I suppose not.” I said to him as I headed for the door, giving Kelpson a quick smile. “Wait a moment.” Cash said suddenly making me stop. He turned to Kelpson and started giving him a to do list. “Tomorrow, have someone come and redo the library. Digitize the catalog, and contact security to have the camera’s checked from the last six weeks. I want a list of every individual that came in here. If they entered the library, the camera in the hall will have picked that up. Also, inform Pharel to return after he has seen to it the Witch is safely settled. Then find me any secure place that can accommodate us for the time being inside West City.” I wasn’t sure if the old butler caught all of that but it seemed so as he just nodded in agreement. “One last thing, have the Witch see me before
“Head to your room, we will talk later.” Cash suddenly softened his reply, I could tell he felt her sincerity also. Hands still on her face she headed up the main stairs, before finally wiping the tears away, trying to calm herself. “I don’t like her, but she is stuck in a seriously crappy situation.” I said, watching her head to the spiral staircase that went to her rooms. “Yea, no kidding.” Reggie said, momentarily in thought. “Pheral, take the witch and go now. I want to be back to West city before noon tomorrow.” Cash said, surprising the heck out of me. Pheral nodded and then headed towards the door with Reggie. “Alright sister, I will see you soon, be safe. Don’t let the big bad wolf bully you.” Her voice was a soft whisper as she hugged me. “I won't, you be safe too. Text me please!” I said to her in response. “Oh, really quick, when you get home and settled, can you text me the info that you remember on when whoever it was contacted you?” I asked her, suddenly remember
His sun kissed features stood out against the baby blue collared shirt and dark colored slacks. I was again reminded how attractive he was. With his arms crossed, anyone could see how defined they were. He smirked at me because I was staring at him. I felt embarrassed as my cheeks warmed to a candy apple red. It didn’t last long though as I shivered from the breeze that was getting cooler and wouldn’t let the heat of the sun warm it. “The car is warm, if you’d hurry up.” He said to me as I was still standing there staring. I snapped out of it and walked to the car. He opened the door for me and took the bags from my hands. I sat in the heated seat feeling warmer in seconds. Once we had pulled away from Cash’s home, wolves ran alongside us, racing and yipping with each other. “I was hoping to say goodbye to Dandaline. I didn’t want to leave with any misunderstandings.” I commented trying to break the silence. “She will be fine without your goodbye.” The comment was harsh. I didn’
I was at a loss for words. Any normal female would be putty by now, laying in the floor board of the car. I was moved, but not to tears. I was suddenly burdened, and realized that it would take more than just a verbal rejection to get this wolf off my back. “Uh..yeah..well..how about we stop here, and when this, mess, people trying to kill you, is all done and over with, we will revisit this very uncomfortable for me, situation?” I whispered back. I didn’t want him to shut down, but I couldn’t accept, wouldn’t accept, either. Cash looked at me wide eyed a moment longer and then leaned back facing forward in his seat. He started nodding. “Alright. Deal. When this is all said and done, people trying to kill me, as you put it, we will talk about this again. I will not take your request as a rejection. Keep that in mind.” He said calmly, though his hands were now gripping the steering wheel, tight. “Deal. For now, let's focus on the who’s and what's.” I said quickly right as Cash op
I didn’t understand the relevance of Cash’s question so I just answered honestly. “Yeah, he has his moments. Sometimes I forget he’s even an Angel.” I chuckled a bit in response. “Hmm.” Cash nodded. After that last bit of conversation, we drove in silence. His mood swings were getting a little to overbearing, and I wasn’t sure I could be cooped up with him when we got back to West City. I had to stay by his side and suffer in silence for a while longer. It made me wonder if he was this moody when he was being the boss at Cornell Plaza. “Are you going back to work when we get to where ever it is we’re going?” I asked, knowing it was only about an hour until we would see the turn off for West City, so I wanted to know what to expect. “I will work remotely for the time being. I believe it is safer for both of us.” His response was automatic, so I figured he had already thought it through. “Where are we going anyway? We can’t head to your place, and I don’t have the extra room
I turned to Steve, his attitude had pushed me a little too far, and I exploded, “Look, I’m so close to saying screw it and putting you back in the metal box before both our asses become kindling for Angel’s fire. You seem to think proving you innocent is my purpose in life, but you’re wrong, STEVE. I am only doing this because I can’t live with a guilty conscience or the possibility of one!” I was huffing, trying to gather my breath. Rarely did I snap like that, but my cool mindset had flown over the railing and tumbled down several flights of stairs. “I don’t know where the guy is, but this was our only hope, Steve, so please, just be quiet and let me breathe.” He stared at me momentarily and cocked his head before looking at the door marked 2C. I looked, too, and the door was opened with an older man staring at us. “Mr. Arubergy?” He nodded and stuck his head out, looking around. “Come in, come in, hurry now,” he said, waving at us to be quick. “Please remove your shoes. I a
Steve's sudden question made me jump, and he grasped my hand harder, saying, “It’s worse than this. Unlike vampires who can sleep for eternity in solitude or fairies who can use their magic to fill nothingness with light and valuables, demons can only wait and listen, hoping to hear what’s happening outside the nothingness.” A slight shake in his voice made me feel horrible all of a sudden, but I couldn’t play into it no matter how bad I felt, “Well, do the crime, and you’ll eventually do time, Steve. I didn’t make those rules back then, but I still have to follow them today.” “Be lucky you didn’t end up with Groves. He had a basement full of tiny glass boxes that held his bounty captures. They could see out, and he would play reruns of commercials 24/7 on a black-and-white box t.v. for them to watch. Talk about torture. At least Reggie would talk to all of you,” Trixie piped in, obviously not feeling bad for Steve. “Sorry if I don’t seem grateful, but in all respect, I wasn’t supp
After my threat of turning his human body into a skunk, Steve complied, and we headed in my care to Corner of Bliss café. The silence was tolerable other than his constant shifting in the passenger seat, looking around. Finding a place to park was tricky, Corner of Bliss was a hopping little café with free Wi-Fi, and it’d been around long enough to have a mass number of Others that were loyal and frequented the place. Of course, humans always found their way there but were welcomed just the same. “Good morning, dears. What can I... get you?” Beth's pause was expected, she was something Ayda and I could never figure out, so I wasn’t sure if she would sense something about Steve. “Just two coffees, please. Is Trixie still here?” Still staring at Steve, she smiled and nodded toward the café window. Trixie was leaning across the booth’s table and chatting up the new waiter. I can't say I blame him. The guy was gorgeous. “Thanks,” I said while she was staring at Steve. “I don’t thin
I sat up feeling stiff, sore, and sleep deprived as the sound of my phone dinging by my bed woke me, followed by clanking sounds from the kitchen. I checked it and saw that it was Pheral who had messaged me. “Good morning, beautiful. I miss you. Everything is the same here, one meeting after another. I may never see the day when I am free of the pack. I’m sorry.” His message hit home, and I held back my tears. I missed him, too, and my heart ached for his hugs and sweet words when we were alone. Never leave the pack? I may end up threatening Cash to let Pheral go as he promised. Taking a deep breath through my nose, I caught the scent of smoke, and when I heard Steve yell, “Bloody Hell,” followed by the sounds of water, I shot out of bed and went straight into the kitchen. “What are you...” I was asking, but before I could finish, he stammered, “Can’t you see I’m making breakfast?” Seeing burnt eggs in the pan and black toast on a plate made me laugh uncontrollably. “Why a
“He’s in Heaven,” saying it in such an evident tone, Steve shrugged and then looked at Michael. We stared at him with our jaws open before I asked, “In Heaven, how do you know?” “Last I heard, he was dying, and an Angel promised him a one-way pass straight upstairs. But, of course, that was back before I got stuck with that killer driving us around and murdering people. So I assume that’s where he must be,” Steve answered, but it didn’t help us because it wasn’t like Heaven was next door, and we could just knock asking to borrow a dead necromancer. “If it was that simple, Michael could have someone up there locate one of the souls of the women that were murdered and ask her personally. But, unfortunately, there’s a lot more to it, paperwork and approvals. Heaven isn’t just chaos and paradise. They are structured, Steve, so a dead necromancer would be hard to locate without going through the proper channels. And keep in mind, Heaven gets word a demon, especially one that was sentenc
After busying myself around my house and battling dust bunnies, Trixie arrived. “Girl, you don’t even know the chaos that went on while you were kidnapped! That Angel was the only one to keep me informed until Zin finally came to the club two days ago, looking like someone had kicked his puppy. He said Ayda had been transported to Hell, but he wouldn’t elaborate. So what’s going on? How are you, and why didn’t you let me know you were safe?” I hugged him after he shut the door and sat on the couch. “I’m fine, as you can see. But sit next to me, and I will give you the full rundown,” I responded, patting the seat next to me. Trixie was a woman’s hottest wet dream, but he preferred the silent solid type equipped with three legs instead of one. He was carrying a bag and pulled out a beer before lying on the couch next to me. “Alright, spill it, don’t leave out a single detail!” From point A to point Z, I told him about the kidnapping, the wolves and shifters that saved me as
It took about a half hour before Michael popped back in. “Alright, you ready?” I just looked at him and asked, “Where’s the body, Michael?” “I couldn’t bring it with me. It’s at the hospital.” I jumped from the barstool, “At the hospital!? Why didn’t you just snag one from the morgue?” He shook his head, “I can’t do that. If the body is dead, the demon won’t last in it. It’s like a zombie who can’t eat brains.” “Good point, I didn’t think of that. Fine, let’s go to the hospital,” I replied while tucking Steve’s box under my arm. Michael looked at the box again nervously, “I can’t believe I am doing this. If Ayda found out, she’d skin both of us.” “Hush. That’s why she won’t find out. We don’t even know if what Steve said is true.” The Angel shook his head and placed his hand on my shoulder. I closed my eyes, knowing I was about to feel nauseous. I felt the pull of his power, and in the next instance, I could smell antiseptic while the sounds of a hospital filled my ears. I g
“He wasn’t a lower demon, you keep saying ‘Two lower class demons’ every time we talk, and I keep telling you he wasn’t. You’re a poor listener.” Suddenly the fairy piped in, “I’ve heard him say it. He’s right, sweetie. You really don’t listen.” “It’s true, it’s true, he has said it! But all she does is say, ‘If the shoe fits, wear it!’...I don’t even have shoes,” the vampire said, giving his two cents with a whine. All of a sudden, all three of them started talking, and my head was about to explode, “ENOUGH! Look, Steve, all you ever said was that he was stronger than you. Never once did you say he WASN’T a lower class. Fuck, if you knew he wasn’t, then you should have said he wasn’t! How the Hell am I supposed to know what you meant?” I stood there trying to decide. This was so out of the blue I suddenly wished Ayda was here. “You better not be fucking with me, or I’ll turn you into a pair of socks for a monkey!” I returned to the shelf where I kept my relaxing bedtime smoke a
It was dark, and damned streetlights were flickering in and out as I came up the side road by my house. It usually would annoy me, but I stayed feeling content anyway. Ayda was learning to open up. She needed to. Plus, I was safe from that crazy bitch that kidnapped me. Through it all, I’d found the sexy man, or wolf, of my dreams. I was never into dating, let alone sleeping with Others. I was quite against it. However, when I met Pheral for the first time, it was like love at first site. Or was that lust? Either way, his tall, dark, and quiet demeanor swept me out of my striped socks. Did I mention he was sexy? With those almond shaped exotic eyes, he could melt the polar caps. When I pulled up along the stone walls shielding the houses, my heart held a beat, hoping he was there, but I knew he wouldn’t be. Pheral’s boss, and pack leader, Cash, took on their pack as the new Alpha in charge. Pheral was helping with the transition. He isn’t an Alpha, or a Beta, just another wolf. “A