by Trudi Jaye
What the hell?
The box starts shuddering and bumping as I remove the leather straps. I hold it cautiously in my hands, trying not to let it fall. There’s just a little catch holding it all in place now, the same kind you might find on a child’s music box.
I’m about to undo the catch when I remember I’m supposed to burn the bed sheets as well. I don’t know what will happen when I open the box, but it’s better to be prepared. I manage to push Blade to one side, roll up the dirty and pus-covered sheets and duvet, then roll him back over. Thankfully the mattress protector under the sheet means my actual bed has been saved from destruction.
I pull the sheets, duvet, and mattress protector off the bed, rolling Blade about in the process. He’s still unconscious, but his color is better, and he doesn’t seem as if he’s in as much pain. Soon there’s a big pile in the middle of my floor. I’m careful to keep the infected sections away from touching the floor, or my hands.
I’m just about to open the metal box when the phone rings.
19
“I just figured I’d remind you. Don’t touch the phoenix fire with your bare hands. Put it on top of whatever you want to burn, put a ring of salt around it, and then open the lid and run from the room. Make sure you’ve got a closed door between you and the phoenix flames.”
I open my mouth a couple of times, too angry to speak for a moment. “I-I almost opened it. You didn’t tell me any of that before!”
There’s a pause at the other end. “Well, it’s lucky you didn’t open it then, eh?”
I press the end-call button on the phone before I yell at him.
Placing the bowl on top of the pile of sheets and my duvet, I put the metal box on the floor next to it, and then go to the kitchen to find some salt. Seething to myself, I search the cupboards, so pissed off that I’m searching for the salt for several minutes before I realize it’s been in front of me the whole time. Fortunately, I have a new packet.
I return to the room and stand there, considering Blade lying on the bed and my pile to be burned on the floor. I can’t leave Blade in the same room, not now. I can’t use the other bedroom, it’s too full of flammable stuff I’ve been collecting, for both my demon research and my metal sculptures.
My lounge and kitchen are out. Which just leaves my tiny bathroom. It’s got a shower over the bath and a tiny sink and mirror. If I piled everything high on the floor, I might just be able to get a circle of salt around it. Dragging the blood-covered linen into the tiny bathroom, I place the little bowl of thorns on top. Then I carefully sprinkle the salt around it.
The bathroom door is wide open, so I’ll have a clear run for it when I’m ready.
Slowly, I pull the catch of the metal box to one side, my arms at a distance. Heat pulses at the closed lid, like there’s something inside that’s alive. I put the box on the pile, flick the lid back, and make a run for it, not looking back. I slam the door.
There’s a whooshing noise, and I squeeze my eyes shut, imagining my whole apartment going up in flames. But the door is firmly shut, and nothing comes out of the room but a lot of noise and rumbling that makes everything in my apartment vibrate.
I lean on the hallway wall across from the door, wondering if it’s about to explode. I sit there for a long time, watching the closed door and wondering what has happened to my life.
A groan from my bedroom reminds me of my patient. When I enter my room, he’s watching the door.
“You’re awake,” I say stupidly.
He nods slowly. “My head hurts. Can I get some water?”
“Coming right up,” I say, heading to the kitchen. I’m kind of glad to get out of the room. It’s my fault he almost died, and I don’t know what to say to him about that. He’s also mostly naked, and now that he’s awake again, all that muscled male skin makes me nervous.
When I return with his glass of water, his eyes are shut again. I let out a relieved breath and put the glass on the bedside table. I’m pulling up my spare blanket over him when his eyes open again, bright green even in the dim light of my room.
“Water,” he mumbles.
I pick up the glass and hold it gently over his lips so he can take a drink.
He nods to say he’s had enough, and I put the glass back on the table.
“Thank you,” he whispers.
“What for?”
“I would’ve died.”
I shake my head, embarrassed. “I almost called your boss too late. I didn’t want to do it. You almost died because of me.” I need him to understand how badly I messed up.
“But I didn’t die. And if you hadn’t acted quickly, I would’ve died a painful death at the hands of that demon.”
I shake my head, determined to make him understand how close it was. “You almost died,” I say again.
“I’m alive. That’s all that matters.” He closes his eyes, and I bite my lip, realizing I shouldn’t be arguing with my patient.
“Your boss told me what to do when I rang him,” I say instead. “I didn’t know about demon thorns.”
Blade grimaces and opens his eyes. “I should talk to Damien. Tell him I’m okay.”
“He’s already on his way,” I say reluctantly. I hesitate, but I can’t stop the words bursting to get out of me. “He’s a bit of an ass.”
Blade raises his eyebrows in surprise. “You don’t like him.”
“He almost got us both killed with the phoenix fire,” I say, pressing my point.
“He’s hands off. Likes people to think for themselves. He was probably testing you.”
“He can go test himself right up the wazoo, for all I care. I just need the correct information at the correct time.”
Blade gives a tiny half smile. “I bet he loved talking to you.”
I roll my eyes. “Let’s just say he and I have different views on how to communicate information.” I push my glasses back up my nose, and peer at his face. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better. We… uh… My kind… heal faster.”
“By your kind, you mean giant cats?”
“Shifters. People who can change from their animal form to human form and back.”
I nod, not sure what to say. I guess it’s not such a big leap to go from believing in demons to believing in giant cats. “I got a thorn stuck in my hand.” I hold out the finger in question. “Damien said I must have supernatural blood in me, just like you did. He thinks I might be okay.”
“You got a thorn in your hand? Show me.” Suddenly, Blade is all business. He pushes himself up and reaches for my glowing hand, and I let him take it. The blanket slides off, and one of his muscled thighs comes into view. He peers down, examining the finger closely. My skin is still a little red, but it’s not as swollen and seems to be healing itself nicely. It’s the glowing blue light around my hand and arm that’s worrying me more.
“Can you see the glow?” I ask quietly.
Blade glances up at me and then stares down at my hand again. He nods once, sharply.
“Is it the thorn? Or… is it the demon possessing me?” I say, almost forcing the words out. I don’t want to know his answer.
Blade hesitates, still staring at my hand. “It’s the demon possessing you.”
I let out a breath, but I’m not surprised. “I couldn’t feel it for a while, and I forgot about it while I was trying to help you,” I whisper, feeling sick. “But now, ever since the thorn got stuck in my finger, I can feel it inside me.” I can feel it watching. Waiting.
“You should be fine for a while,” he says. “Just let me know if the glow gets worse.”
“Will it get worse?” My hand trembles as I ask the question. “Will the demon take over?”
“I don’t know.” He doesn’t look at me, just keeps examining my finger. “Did it swell up when the thorn got stuck in there?”
I nod.
“But it’s gone down again?”
“Yep.”
“This confirms it. You’re some kind
of supernatural.”
I’d feel more excited if I didn’t have a demon possessing me. “What kind of supernatural? A shifter like you?”
Blade shakes his head. “There are lots of different supernaturals. Not just shifters.”
“How do I find out what kind of supernatural I am?”
“Given the number of demons you’ve attracted, I’d say you’re someone who has an affinity to them somehow. I don’t know what kind of super that might be, but it’s a bitch if you haven’t been given any defense mechanisms.”
I frown. “Well, I can catch them,” I say cautiously. “I figured that out on my own.” Mostly.
“What?” Blade sits up straighter, staring at me with his bright green eyes. He lets go of my hand.
“I don’t work at the university out of the goodness of my heart,” I say with a shrug. “I’m there for the audio equipment and the other devices the Professor has collected over the years. I’ve been researching them on my own, trying to figure out how to attract them.”
“You don’t need any help attracting them,” says Blade drily. “You’re doing that all on your own.”
I shake my head. “Not usually. That’s the first time…” I hesitate. My vision blurs and my throat feels tight. The connections are firing in my brain, and I suddenly see what I’ve been missing this whole time.
I’ve been blaming myself for somehow surviving random attacks by demons, and not trying harder to save Becca and my parents.
But what I’ve never thought about is why the demons were there in the first place. I put both hands to my face and try to breathe through my constricted throat.
“What’s the matter? You’ve gone pale. Is your finger hurting?”
I struggle to get the words out. “If you’re right, if I do attract demons…” I take a breath, trying to stay calm.
“What’s the matter?”
“That means my best friend’s death, and Mom and Dad’s deaths, are all my fault.”
20
“Did you personally give them the killing blow?” says Blade sharply. His eyes are fierce, daring me to disagree with him.
I shake my head. It hurts just to breathe.
“Then it’s not your fault.”
I try to nod, try to agree with him, but my fears come blurting out. “If I drew the demons to us, then just by being with me, they were in danger. No one can be around me without being hurt.” It was bad enough before, when I thought it was some kind of weird coincidence. Now I know it’s all my fault.
Blade’s expression is grim. “You didn’t kill them,” he repeats stubbornly.
“I may as well have.”
“It’s different, Hazel. Listen to me. It’s not your fault.”
“If I drew the demons to us…”
“Did you know that you had that power?”
“No.”
“Then how could it possibly be your responsibility? You didn’t know what would happen.”
“But if I—”
“No buts. Their deaths are not on you.”
I take a deep breath. I don’t really believe him, but I appreciate how hard he’s arguing with me. I glance at my watch, trying to distract myself. It’s well after five o’clock.
“Do you have to go out?” he says.
“Not really,” I say distractedly, a thousand thoughts churning around in my head. “I just have another sculpture to get started—” The doorbell rings, and I break off. “I better answer that.”
I take a few steps down the hallway, my mind still focused on this new revelation. All this time, and I never thought to question why the demons had attacked us. It seems so obvious now. I wish I’d—
Then I realize what I’m doing. I halt in the middle of the hall, glaring at nothing in particular. I refuse to feel sorry for myself. I square my shoulders and stride to the door. I’m not going to let this get me down. I have a mission in life, a purpose I mean to achieve. I don’t have time for self-pity, no matter how bad it might be.
I yank open the door and stare blankly at the man in front of me. He looks like no one in particular. Brown hair, brown eyes, the kind of person who might fade into the background anywhere. But something about him… “You’re his boss,” I say, scowling.
He smiles slightly and then nods once. “Damien Walker, at your service. May I come in?”
I hesitate, thinking of all the times this asshole hung up on me. I’m tempted to say no and slam the door in his face, but the desire to know more about demons overcomes my urges. I open the door wide enough for him to enter my apartment.
A week ago, the only people who’d been in my apartment in two years had been Nelson and me, and never at the same time. Now I’ve got a wounded guy in the bedroom and another dude in my living room. Mr. Fookes has been in here, and Nelson seems to have adopted me.
It’s making me nervous and edgy. I glare at Damien, who’s filling up the room with his personality, even as we stand here.
“What do you want?” I ask. I put my glowing hand behind my back.
“First, I’d like to see my agent,” he says gently. Gentler than he ever was with me over the phone.
I narrow my eyes at him, wondering what’s going on. This isn’t the abrasive guy who was on the call with me earlier. At least, it sounds like him, but he’s sure not acting the same.
Gesturing with my other hand, I lead him down the hall and into my bedroom. Blade is sitting up in the bed, looking like death warmed over, but still a thousand times better than he was a while ago.
“How you doing, Blade?” he asks. He looks just concerned enough to make me relax slightly. At least he’s worried about his agent.
“I’m good. Never been better.” Blade glances at me, then away.
“Did she get the thorns out okay?”
“Hazel got one in her finger.”
“So I heard.” Damien glances over at me. “She seems to be still standing.”
“You think she’s one of us?” Blade doesn’t mince words.
“I have a few theories on what she is, yes.”
“Spill.”
Blade might be the one who’s in the bed, half naked and groggy from a demon wound, but he’s certainly not acting like he’s at a disadvantage.
Damien appears amused. “First I want to know what happened to the demon.”
Blade shrugs, his eyes going to my face. “It knocked me out. It must have gotten away.”
I clear my throat. “Uh, that’s not actually true. I… uh… captured it.”
“You what?” says Damien. His eyes are huge.
“I managed to suck it into one of the bottles I found at the Professor’s lab.” I put my hand into the jacket that’s lying over the chair in the bedroom and pull out the small glowing bottle. I’d forgotten I even had it.
Damien strides over and looks down at the small bottle in my hands. “How did you manage that?” he asks softly. “You would have had to get really close to the demon.”
I shrug. “I’ve been researching demons. I was pretty sure the bottle would suck the demon inside it.”
“Pretty sure?” Damien seems even more stunned each time I speak.
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“What kind of research have you been doing?”
“Figuring out how to capture and kill them.”
Damien sits down abruptly on the chair. “How did we miss you? Where have you been hiding?”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
Damien looks over at Blade. “You’ve never noticed any kind of spike in demon activity around here?”
Blade shakes his head. “What is she?”
“I’m not exactly sure. What you’ve just told me changes things a little, Hazel. There’re not many supers who can do what you’ve been doing with demons.”
There’s something about the way Damien’s staring at me. “You have a theory, though, don’t you?” I say suspiciously.
He hesitates and then nods his head. “I did some research
before I got on the flight. I found some information about a rare breed of super.”
“Can you be more specific?” I ask sharply. This is like getting blood from a stone.
“They’re called chalices.”
“And what the hell is that?” I say, glancing at Blade. His expression is guarded.
Damien sighs. “It’s a lot more than I can explain at the moment. But basically, a chalice can draw in and destroy demons.”
I sink down on the bed. Blade moves his legs, giving me more room. If it’s true, it means I’m definitely responsible for my parents’ deaths. “They draw them in? How?” I whisper. The world spins around me, and I don’t know which way to look. I feel like I’m walking through quicksand, and at any moment I’m going to be sucked down into the depths.
Damien runs a hand through his short hair. “I’ve been trying to get more information on it from the mountain supers, but they’re being even more cagey than usual. It’s something to do with being able to harness their energy. But I don’t exactly get it myself.”
“What about being possessed by a demon? What do you know about that?” I ask.
“What?”
At the sharp look on Damien’s face, I wish I’d kept my mouth shut. In the midst of all these revelations, I’d forgotten this man is actually part of a government organization. He’s not my friend.
I have to be careful what I tell him.
Blade speaks before I get a chance to backtrack. “She was possessed by a small demon from an energy bottle they were hoarding at Stanford.”
Damien looks shell-shocked. Whatever he was expecting about this situation, this wasn’t it. “That’s…” He hesitates. “I don’t know what that means precisely.”
“She’s not reacting like a normal super who’s been possessed,” says Blade quietly.
I glance at him, startled. He didn’t tell me that. At least not since he said I regained control earlier than usual. “What does that mean?” The little demon inside me jumps around nervously, like it knows the answer, but can’t tell me.
Blade ignores me and keeps talking to Damien. “I haven’t had to…” His words drift off, and Damien nods as if he understands precisely what Blade is trying to say.