by Sadie Hobbes
“I know it sounds crazy. I have never seen anything like it before. But she did. She held him off. She fought him off. And she won.”
Everyone was silent. Graham didn’t know what to think. He was glad to see that Marcus was home and safe, although he was beginning to doubt exactly how healthy he was. Maybe all of this focus since Helen’s death had put a strain on his mind. He wouldn’t be the first one to go a little nuts when demon hunting. There was one guy he’d come across in Germany who had raved about invisible demons talking to him. Before that, he’d been one of the top hunters in the nation.
“I promise I’m not crazy. She really did protect me. And then, somehow, she even got me back to her apartment.”
Donovan wiggled his eyebrows. “Now you’re getting somewhere.”
Marcus gave him a look of reproach. “Where she lives with the two wards that she’s taken on.”
Donovan looked properly chastened.
Marcus continued. “Although she didn’t specifically say so, I could tell that going out and taking on demons wasn’t exactly news to her two wards. Although it looked as if it made them uncomfortable, so she tried not to mention it.”
Mary piped up. “Perhaps she’s your Masked Avenger.”
Graham’s gaze darted toward her. He hadn’t even thought of that. Despite the eyewitnesses, he’d been looking for someone like either him or Donovan—over six feet tall, lots of muscles, trained in warfare. Although whoever it was had been protecting Blue Forks, a female from Blue Forks hadn’t even entered his mind except for Bertha down at the café. She looked like she could take on a legion of demons. Although her fighting skills left a great deal to be desired.
Not that he didn’t know any tough female warriors. It’s just that they trained for years to have that skill. And no one down in Blue Forks would have the time for that. They were too busy working to survive.
“All the victims and witnesses said that the Avenger was a small female,” Franklin reminded him.
Graham nodded his head slowly, his mind struggling to accept that fact. He honestly thought that the witnesses had been mistaken. It had always been night when the attacks had occurred. He knew from experience that demon attacks happened so fast that it was hard to see what was going on. He thought perhaps the demons were just very large, making the Avenger look smaller in comparison. But if Marcus was right … “Her eyes. What color are Addison Baker’s eyes?”
“Blue,” said Marcus. “The most brilliant shade of blue.”
Chapter 11
Addie
I had put in a full day and was more than ready to end it when four o’clock rolled around. Thankfully, Mrs. Uriel was out and therefore couldn’t hold me over again. The extra money from the last two days would be good, but I needed a break.
As I stepped outside of the Uriel property, my gaze shifted toward the Michael estate. I wondered how Marcus was getting on. But being that Graham Michael was looking for him, I was sure that he would be all right.
I really wanted to go see for myself. But a Demon Cursed did not just invite themselves over to a home in Sterling Peak. So after one last look at the Michael estate, I turned toward the bridge. As promised, Beth had packed some extra tarts for the kids as well as the leftover chicken from last night’s dinner. We would eat well tonight.
I was halfway down the hill when Sheila pulled her golf cart to a stop next to me. “Want a ride?”
I grinned as I climbed in. “Two times in one day? To what do I owe the pleasure?” Then I frowned. “You’re not taking back Saturday night’s invitation, are you?”
Sheila laughed as she started us down the hill. “Absolutely not. Marjorie is so excited. She’s working on a new masterpiece to show you.”
I watched Sheila from the corner of my eye. There was something about her tone. “All right, spill it. What’s going on?”
“I just thought I should give you a heads-up. I dropped Marcus off at the Michael estate.”
“Is everything all right? Is he okay?” I flashed on him dropping into a faint. Maybe something had been wrong with him. I should have checked him closer.
“No, he’s fine. In fact, according to Marcus, he’s fine thanks to you.”
I groaned. He hadn’t bought my story I’d just come across him in the dark, in the back of an alley, in the rain, right after someone else had saved his life. I can’t imagine why. It’s so convincing.
Sheila watched the road with one eye, me with the other. “Yup. I’m afraid the Masked Avenger has just been unmasked.”
Sheila had known about my daily activities almost since they began. But she understood why I wanted to keep it a secret. I couldn’t let anything endanger Noel, Micah, and my living arrangement. And being it wasn’t exactly legal, I certainly didn’t want anything official happening.
“What will happen now?” I asked.
Sheila glanced around before lowering her voice. “I can’t say for sure. I do know that the Seraph Force has been awfully curious about you, especially Graham. I just wanted to give you a heads-up and warn you that he’ll probably reach out to you, and soon.”
I groaned again. “Is there any way you can stop him?”
Sheila gave a good-natured laugh. “Have you seen the size of that man? I’m not sure that anyone could stop him. And most girls would be quite happy to have his attention.”
“Yeah, I don’t need his attention, not any of it.”
“Well, I’m afraid you have it.”
I slumped down in the seat, trying to figure out if there was anything else I could have done. I supposed I could have knocked the professor out before I took out the demon. Or better yet, the demon could have knocked him out. That would have been helpful. I sighed. “No good deed, huh?”
“I’m sure you’ll be fine. He’ll probably just stop in to say thank you. After all, I doubt he even believes it.”
I perked up at that statement. “That would be great.”
“But I wouldn’t count on it. He might not believe it right now, but he will eventually come around. And he will probably try to recruit you for the Seraph Force.”
I was already shaking my head.
Sheila ignored it. “It would be a great thing for you and the kids. The guy has a lot of pull. He could make you guys an official family and then you guys could be over here in Sterling Peak.”
I shook my head, even though the idea had a lot of appeal. “You guys already have enough security. The people in Blue Forks don’t. Have there been any more discussions of starting patrols over there?”
Sheila frowned. “Graham mentioned it at the last Council meeting, but they tabled it. I haven’t been able to speak to him directly about it since then. Sasha Gabriel still has a lot of sway on the Council, and I don’t think he’ll support extending security over there. But Graham is receptive to the idea. He’s not like the other ones.”
Sheila slowed the cart and waved for the men to move the barricades. Once they were clear, she drove onto the bridge.
I sighed. “Well, hopefully this will all blow over. I’m sure he’s got too much on his mind to worry about some no-name over in Blue Forks.”
Sheila pulled the cart to a stop. “I told you, Graham isn’t like the other ones. He’ll want to talk to you.”
I climbed out of the cart, thinking of all the parties I’d seen with Graham’s peers. They seemed much more concerned with getting underneath someone’s skirt than with considering the weighty issues of the day. And the Seraph Force focused their attention on Sterling Peak. The only time they seemed interested in someone from Blue Forks was if they’d broken the law or if they needed to scratch an itch. And as soon as it was scratched, they disappeared.
It was tempting to imagine living on the other side of the bridge. But the decision to let me keep Noel and Micah wouldn’t be up to just Graham, and I couldn’t take that chance. There were too many potential downsides.
I shook my head. “No. I think he’ll already have forgotten about it. I don
’t think I’ll be hearing from Graham Michael anytime soon unless it’s a request for more champagne at one of the Angel Blessed parties.”
Chapter 12
Graham
George, the guard for the Uriels’ side door, still had callouses on the palm of his hand from his training back when he was a member of the Seraph Force. He’d been a decent soldier back in his day—consistent, dependable, and strong as a bear. His grip showed that while his hair may have grayed, his strength had waned little. “Thanks for talking to me, George. I really appreciate it.”
George’s mouth disappeared into his mustache as he smiled. “Any time, Graham. And that Addie, she really is a good person. I mean, for her sake, it would be great if she got a job on your estate. Sure would be a loss for the rest of us, though.”
“Nothing is set in stone yet. But I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me.”
“It’s nice how you take an active interest in the hiring of your staff. Not a lot of people do.”
Graham smiled. “If she’s going to be working with my staff, I need to make sure she’s on the up and up.”
“You couldn’t find anyone better than Addie. She’s completely trustworthy, just an all-around good person.”
“Thanks, George. I appreciate it. Have a good one.”
“You too, Graham, you too.”
Graham turned toward his estate with George’s words echoing through his head. Trustworthy. A good person.
It was not the first time Graham had heard those words. Every single staff member that Graham had interviewed at the Uriel estate had said the same thing. Everyone seemed to love Addie. Not just because she was friendly, but because she was also genuinely helpful and kind.
And she’d helped out more than one individual without being asked. In fact, the story George had told him was the last in a long line of good deeds. A few months back, the granddaughter of Beth, the Uriels’ chef, had been sick for two days. She needed a special medicine, but Mrs. Uriel wouldn’t give Beth the time off to go one town over to get it. It was a four-hour walk one way. Addie had gone on her day off to get it for her without even being asked.
Each of the staff had some story like that. But none of them suggested that Addie was the Masked Avenger. In fact, all of them seemed to suggest that she was just sweet. That sweet image simply didn’t go along with the person who Marcus had described. It worked with a woman helping a man down on his luck. It just didn’t go along with her also being a demon-fighting army of one.
Graham didn’t know why he was fighting this so hard. Maybe he’d just built up an image of what the Masked Avenger looked like, and the woman Marcus described simply didn’t fit the bill.
Graham walked around the side of the house and let himself in through the smaller side door. He hated the front entryway. It was just too much. But his parents loved it, especially his father. He loved the look that crossed people’s faces when they saw it for the first time. They were awed, jealous, and most importantly, intimidated.
Stepping into the kitchen, Graham caught sight of a familiar pair of leather boots propped up on the edge of the table. “Don’t let Mary catch you with your feet on her table.”
Donovan quickly swiped them off. “Don’t tell her.”
Graham grinned. There wasn’t much that put fear into Donovan, but Mary being upset with him definitely did. Although Graham supposed it wasn’t really fear, more that he didn’t want to disappoint her.
None of the members of the Seraph Force did.
Mary and Franklin had been like surrogate parents to all of them. They’d never had kids of their own, but they’d been with Graham’s family since before Graham had been born. Whereas Graham’s parents had been cold and standoffish, Graham’s childhood memories were of hugs and laughter in Mary and Franklin’s kitchen. Graham might not have a lot of warm feelings toward his own parents, but he was forever grateful that they had brought Mary and Franklin into his life.
Pinching a croissant from the plate on the table, Graham took a seat across from Donovan. “So what did you find out?”
Donovan wiped his hands together, croissant crumbs falling onto the plate in front of him. “Not much. She is a woman of mystery. The first record of her only goes back about twenty months. I don’t have any record of her before that.”
That didn’t necessarily mean anything. It wasn’t unusual for Demon Cursed to slip from town to town, leaving no paper trail behind them.
“Any record of her having wards?”
Donovan shook his head. “Not legally. But that doesn’t rule out the possibility that she’s doing it unofficially.”
People did sometimes take on wards illegally, but usually there was some familial connection, they had something to hide, or they just didn’t want the Blessed in their lives.
Graham couldn’t blame them for that. Abuse was rampant within the system. Taking children away from someone over money was not unheard of. And taking in wards unofficially seemed to fit the profile that the staff at the Uriel house had provided.
It wasn’t her taking on two wards that he was having trouble with, or her helping Marcus and escorting him back to Sterling Peak this morning. It was the idea that somehow this slim young woman had taken on a demon in hand-to-hand combat and won. And if she was actually the Avenger, then she had done it several times. That was the issue Graham was having trouble with.
At the same time, Graham couldn’t help but wonder if maybe that was just him being a sexist. He’d met more than a few female warriors in his time that he wouldn’t want to go up against. But they’d had extensive training. This woman was twenty-four at best. And if she’d had extensive training, she would probably be doing something other than serving the Uriels.
“None of this makes sense.” Graham stood, wiping his hands off.
Donovan was in the middle of reaching for another croissant. He raised his eyebrows. “Where are you going?”
“To talk to Addison Baker.”
Chapter 13
“You didn’t have to come, Marcus.”
Graham scanned the street as he walked. Darkness had fallen about an hour ago. He’d planned on heading right to Addison’s home after speaking with Donovan, but he knew he couldn’t arrive empty-handed. After all, she did help out Marcus last night. So he’d asked Mary what he should bring. Once Mary learned what he was doing, she’d insisted on filling a few packs, which had taken a while. It was dark before he even stepped outside. He thought for a moment about postponing until tomorrow, but he really wanted some answers.
But Graham also didn’t like being in Blue Forks after dark with Marcus. Marcus had a brilliant mind, but he was not much of a fighter.
“What are you worried about? He’s got you, and more importantly, he’s got me.” Donovan slapped Marcus on the back. “He’ll be fine.”
Marcus stumbled forward a little bit with a wince.
Donovan tagged along, for which Graham was grateful. If a demon showed up, Donovan would get Marcus to safety while Graham handled the situation.
Hopefully.
Straightening, Marcus glared at Donovan. “Yes, well, I wanted to express my thanks again to Addison. Without her help… well, I would’ve been in a lot of trouble. And I feel the least I can do is make up for some of the food that I ate. I don’t think she had much to share, and yet she didn’t hesitate.”
Graham felt a twinge of guilt at his words. He knew that people down in Blue Forks struggled. Yet Graham had made precious little headway in getting anyone in Sterling Peak to change the way things happened. Truth be told, Graham rarely thought about the plight of the people down in Blue Forks, except for their physical safety. Their comfort in their everyday lives wasn’t one of his chief focuses.
And Marcus was making him realize that perhaps it should be.
They’d turned onto the principal street, or at least what would pass for a principal street. Half the buildings were left over from before the Angel War. The recent constructions, if possib
le, looked worse than the older ones. They were made from whatever scrap material people could hobble together.
He’d never really contemplated how people lived over here. Part of him had always thought they deserved to live this way. That they’d deserved this. After all, they were Demon Cursed. His entire life, all of Angel Blessed society told him either directly or indirectly, that they were paying a penance for their birth.
But his travels had shaken that belief. Mary and Franklin had shaken that belief. They were Demon Cursed too. He’d somehow come to believe that the prejudices didn’t apply to them, but until he’d met Marcus, he’d never really expanded that view beyond them. Those prejudices had justified treating people as second-class citizens for no other reason than where they’d been born.
It had opened his eyes. And it was making him really uncomfortable.
Marcus paused, looking around. He pointed to a two-story brick building. “I think it’s that building over there.”
According to what information Donovan had found, Addison Baker rented the second floor. It was a two-bedroom apartment. There was another two-bedroom apartment on the first floor.
Marcus had moved down the street and stopped across the road. Graham and Donavan stopped next to him. The old brick building was in decent shape, at least for a building in Blue Forks. It looked like it had once been a dress shop. There was still the faded outline of a dress on the side wall. But the front door had long ago lost its paint. Part of the door jutted out, warped by water over the year, leaving him surprised it even closed. It certainly wouldn’t keep anyone out.
The plumbing was no doubt wretched, and the walls were probably peeling paint. He’d been in buildings in Forks before, but usually that had been while running down someone who’d done something that made them deserving to live in such a place. This was the first time he’d be visiting someone who lived here.