She squeezed my arm. “You don’t need to pretend for me, Eden. I can feel all the emotions rushing your body. It’s a tornado in there.”
“The danger is so much worse than I anticipated,” I said. “I should’ve ripped the plant out of the ground when we first discovered it.”
“You couldn’t have,” Clara said. “The risk was too great based on the limited information you had. You were right to be cautious.”
“And look where my caution has gotten us. We now live in Stepford, Maryland.” I crossed the threshold and scanned the room for any sign of Chief Fox.
“There, by the jukebox,” Clara whispered in my ear.
He was studying the options and, more importantly, he appeared to be alone.
“Would a pod demon care about music choices?” I asked.
“Not from your description of them,” Clara said.
“He should know there’s an app on his phone, though,” I said. “A pod demon might feel the need to look at the actual jukebox.”
Clara offered a sympathetic look. “How about you go decide for yourself while I get our drinks?”
“Thanks, that would be perfect.”
I snuck up behind him and poked my finger in his back. “Play I Left My Heart in San Francisco or you’re under arrest.”
He twisted to grin at me. “That’s an actual song?”
My chest tightened at the sight of his twinkling sea-green eyes. Sawyer Fox was definitely still in there. I felt the tug of the connection between us—it was as strong as ever.
“Seriously? You don’t know this classic gem? It’s Tony Bennett.”
He turned back to the jukebox. “I’ll see if he’s here.”
I pulled out my phone and tapped the screen a few times. “Listen.” The song began to play.
“Oh, a slow song,” he said. His eyes sparked with interest. “Can’t let that go to waste.” He extended a hand. “Agent Fury, why don’t you show me the proper steps for this classic gem?”
“I don’t know…”
“Friends can dance, Fury. I’ll show you.” He made a few ridiculous moves that involved thrusting his hips left and right.
“That’s not called dancing on this planet, Chief.”
He slipped an arm around my waist. “How about this?” He maneuvered us around the makeshift dance floor, swaying gently to the music.
At least I knew if Demon Corinne entered the bar, there wouldn’t be a strong reaction to the chief with his arm around me. The current Corinne was closer to a robot than a living creature.
“Where’s Corinne tonight?” I felt compelled to ask.
“Don’t know,” he said. “Didn’t ask.”
So the chief would rather hang out alone in The Cheese Wheel than check in with the woman he’s dating. I guess he wasn’t kidding about the casual nature of their relationship.
“Is this where you’ve been spending your free time?” I asked.
“Here and the bay,” he said. “And the river, too. I love the water.”
“Same.” An image of the chief on a boat with his shirt off sprang to mind and I immediately shut it down. No need to torture myself with those steel abs that were currently pressed against me.
“Did you really leave your heart in San Francisco?” he murmured, and his breath tickled my ear.
“In a bag in the freezer,” I said. “I hope no one ignores the Post-It note with my name on it. They’ll be in for a nasty shock.”
He chuckled. “You have a macabre sense of humor.”
“I get it from my family.”
He was so close that I could feel the steady clip of his heartbeat. It was a mesmerizing sound and I never wanted the moment to end.
“Have you been sleeping with your windows closed?” I asked.
He arched an eyebrow. “You seem very interested in my sleeping habits, Agent Fury.”
My cheeks warmed. “You don’t seem to have any allergies.”
“I’ve been diligent, as requested. No matter how many times Corinne keeps coming by unannounced and opening them.”
I tensed. “Does she say why she’s doing that?”
“She insists I need more fresh air,” he said. “She’s oddly militant about it. I told her I patrol outside half the day every day, plus I take Achilles for a hundred walks.”
“A hundred?”
“Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it’s a fair number.” He nudged me. “You know how it is. You have Princess Buttercup.”
“I know, but she’s happy to trot around the backyard when I’m not home. I don’t think Achilles has the same temperament.”
“No, he likes company and affection and belly rubs.” His hand drifted to my lower back. “Much like his human companion.” He seemed to realize what he’d done and jerked his hand back to a safer spot.
“I think I could do with more fresh air,” I said, breaking apart. “Thanks for the dance. It was nice.”
Too nice. I couldn’t handle another second with his arm around me, not without doing something I’d regret. The chief was still himself. Mission accomplished. It was time to go home and get a good night’s sleep, so I could live to fight another day.
Chapter Fifteen
I left Clara in the bar to finish her drink. She and the chief both offered me a ride home, which I rejected. I wanted to use the walk home to think. How could I bypass the ward and get to the pods and, more importantly, how could I liberate the inhabited bodies?
As I moved toward the sidewalk, I heard the sound of a familiar voice. I squinted into the darkness and saw Bruce leaning against a car, talking on the phone.
“I told you to take care of it,” Bruce said. “I’m a professional and I expect the same level of care from those I do business with.” He listened for a beat. “See that you do.” He clicked off the phone and looked at me. I noticed that he wore another heavy metal T-shirt. He clearly had a musical preference.
“Is that you, Mr. Fendall?” I asked.
He seemed to notice me for the first time. “Agent Fury, I didn’t realize you were a fan of The Cheese Wheel.”
“It’s an old family favorite,” I said. It was true. The drinks at the bar were one of the few things my parents agreed on. I was pretty sure they discussed including visitation in the divorce settlement.
“Are you leaving already?” he asked. “Come on in and I’ll buy you a drink. Do my part in support of the FBM.”
“I would, but I’m exhausted,” I said.
“Maybe next time.”
As he started toward the door, a realization took root in the back of my mind and took its sweet time spreading to the frontal lobe.
In support of the FBM.
Bruce had the Sight.
Not only that, but he’d hidden it from me during my last visit. When I showed my badge and identified myself as FBI, he didn’t correct me.
I debated how to proceed. Why did he let me believe he was a garden-variety human? Was it because he had something to hide?
“Mr. Fendall, before you go, can I ask you something?”
“I haven’t bothered the Taskers, if that’s what you want to ask,” he said. “I’ve held up my end of the bargain.”
“And I appreciate your compliance.” I tried to maintain a friendly demeanor so as not to put him on alert. “Does the name Handel Gottsberg mean anything to you?”
“Never heard of him,” he said.
“Are you sure? You haven’t used his distribution company to handle any special supplies? Items that might be hard to find around here?” In the human world.
“Can’t say that I have.”
I pretended to think. “Interesting. Then how did you manage to transport the plant here all the way from Otherworld?”
“What plant?” Although his expression was placid, I noticed a subtle tic next to his right eye.
“The one on the Tasker farm,” I said. “Glowing spores. Produces pod demons that threaten our very existence. Hard to miss.”
He laughed awkwardly. “Glowing spores? Pod demons? Are you on any medication the public should be aware of?”
“There’s no point in lying, Mr. Fendall,” I said. “I know it’s you.” At least I did now. And here I’d blamed myself. Neville was right all along.
His jaw tensed. “Whatever you’re accusing me of—and I’m not claiming to understand—maybe you should take a closer look at Brimstone.”
“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” I asked. “You know Brimstone’s a demon, so you were hoping I’d write you off as a human and focus on him. It almost worked.”
Bruce’s expression crumpled. “He’s rich and ruthless. I didn’t stand a chance of getting the farm with him in the way.”
“You didn’t stand a chance of getting the farm anyway,” I said. “For that you needed the Taskers’ agreement and you’re never getting it.”
He cracked his knuckles. “That’s what the pod demon was supposed to help with, but so far it only seems to have taken over the wife. I need the husband.”
I closed my eyes and counted to ten in my head. Deep, calming breaths, Eden. “You brought pod demons to our town for the purpose of a real estate acquisition. Are you mental?”
No, I could tell he wasn’t mental. Just ignorant. Humans with the Sight could often see our world and assumed they also understood it, but that wasn’t the case. They weren’t steeped in our traditions. They didn’t have access to our knowledge. Great Zeus, even the supernaturals in this town were stumped when it came to pod demons.
“What do you mean that they threaten our very existence?” he asked. “Handel said if I planted one on the property, it would only grow there.”
“Yes, the pod will only grow there, but that one pod produces hundreds of spores in search of host bodies. My grandmother has been taken over by a pod demon. If I don’t get rid of it soon, she’ll die and so will countless others.” And now for the piece de resistance. “If the FBM gets wind of this, they’ll destroy the whole town. Did you know that? So much for Tin Soldiers then, huh?”
He gaped at me for a long stretch, processing the information. “Is it really that bad?”
“It’s really that bad, Mr. Fendall,” I said softly.
“I didn’t mean for this to get so out of hand,” he admitted. “I needed something that would remove the Taskers without actually removing them, you know? I didn’t want a murder investigation.”
“Well, congratulations. What you got is a lot worse.”
Bruce closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face. “I didn’t understand what a pod demon was. I thought they’d take over the Taskers’ bodies and then I could get them to sign away the land and nobody would be the wiser.”
“You didn’t realize that they multiply at a rate that puts rabbits to shame?”
“Handel said containment wasn’t an issue. I was misinformed.”
That was putting it mildly. “You were ignorant and stupid,” I said. “You’ve put the lives of everyone in this town at risk, including yourself. Do you realize that?”
“I do now.” His head drooped. “What happens now? Are you going to arrest me?” He frowned. “Wait. I’m a human. I don’t fall under your jurisdiction.”
“You’re a human with the Sight who brought a deadly pod demon to the human world,” I said. “Trust me. The FBM is interested in you.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t alert them about Bruce Fendall’s crime until after I’d taken care of the pod demon.
He held out his wrists. “If I cooperate, will you promise to request a lighter sentence?”
“Cooperate how?”
“I’ll give you Handel. You’ll never catch him if he knows you’re looking for him. He’s like a ghost. I’ll get his location.”
Even though Handel hadn’t intended to unleash deadly demons on the whole town, he’d twice played an integral role in a supernatural crisis in this town and deserved to be punished for his crimes.
“You have a deal,” I said. “Now listen. Chief Fox is inside. For the protection of the town, I’m going to have him arrest you right now on a different charge.”
“He doesn’t have the Sight, does he?”
“No, he doesn’t,” I said. “He’s from Iowa.”
Bruce laughed. “You think Iowa is a supernatural-free zone?”
“I assume so,” I said. “Everyone there seems so normal.” Plus there was no portal close by. No vortex. Nothing to attract supernaturals. Although if I were a Sighted human, I’d move there just to get away from the world that was hidden in plain sight.
“Don’t you think it would be helpful if the chief of police knew how special this town is?” Bruce asked. “It would make your job easier, I’d think.”
“Not if I have to protect him,” I said.
“Knowledge is power,” he countered.
“Knowledge can also be dangerous,” I said. “It makes you vulnerable. A target.” Like with the pod demons.
“That’s a paternalistic attitude,” he said.
“I’m not really interested in your opinion, Mr. Fendall,” I said. “You play along with me now, and I’ll help you when the time comes.”
Bruce nodded. “Nothing too terrible, right? Maybe I tried to sell you drugs?”
I pulled out my phone and texted the chief. “Drugs it is.”
The chief didn’t seem at all miffed to have his evening off interrupted. He thanked me and drove Bruce to the station for processing. I was so tired by then that I agreed to let Clara drive me home.
“Chief Fox looked good tonight,” she remarked. “He’s got some smooth moves on the dance floor.”
“I shouldn’t have danced with him,” I said, feeling sullen. “It just reminds me of what I can’t have.”
“Listen, I know you feel obliged to keep that protective wall between you,” she said. “I mean, you tried that with me, too, and you can see how that worked out for you.” When I left Chipping Cheddar to attend college and then work for the FBI, I’d let my friendship with Clara fade. It had been deliberate on my part. I’d hoped to distance myself from my family and, in turn, from my true nature and Clara was one more reminder of the real Eden. Now that I was back, however, it seemed pointless and stupid. Clara had always been a good friend and she deserved better.
“Clara, you know it had nothing to do with you…”
She silenced me with a look. “Of course, I know. I’ve known you forever and I know the truth about you, so I understood, but Chief Fox is oblivious.”
“Good. That’s how he should be. It’s safer.”
“For him? Or for you?”
I exhaled loudly. “Is this where you tell me to listen to my heart?” I asked. “Because you and I both know the world doesn’t work that way.” As an empath, Clara struggled with intimacy. She found relationships and the resulting emotions too overwhelming.
She pulled into the driveway and let the engine idle. “I think you should tell him the truth. Don’t let your family scare you into believing he’ll reject you, or you’ll endanger him. That’s their way of controlling you.”
“The ultimate pod demons,” I joked.
“This pod demon situation is pretty serious, huh?” Clara asked.
“Gee, what makes you say that?” The sarcasm slipped out before I could stop it.
She offered a sympathetic smile. “The fact that the Day of Darkness is tomorrow and you’ve barely complained about it. If I recall correctly, it’s your least favorite holiday.”
“It’s not a holiday,” I insisted. Not mine, anyway.
“Well, if you need a place to hide from the madness tomorrow, you can always come to my place.”
“I appreciate the offer, but with Grandma on ice, my mother is going to be on a rampage,” I said. “She won’t let a life-threatening pod demon get in the way of her special day.”
“I’m here if you need me,” Clara said.
“You’re the best,” I said. She really was. What a moron I’d been to cut myself off from a friend like C
lara.
I exited the car and plodded into the house, acutely aware of the weight of fatigue. Downstairs was quiet, so I climbed the attic steps and changed into shorts and a T-shirt before collapsing on the mattress. As much as I wanted to avoid sleep as a preventative measure, I was simply too exhausted.
I also wanted to escape the parade of thoughts marching through my mind. Sleep would give me a reprieve. The Day of Darkness had plagued me as a kid and escaping Chipping Cheddar had granted me freedom from the celebration until now. Dread crept from toes to my legs and then spread through the rest of my body. I yawned and my body begged to curl into a ball and rest.
“I’ll watch over you,” Alice said. She emerged from the wall and hovered beside the mattress. “If I see any spores, I can wake you.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to stage an all-night vigil.”
“Why not? I’m a ghost. It’s not like I have an early morning appointment.”
I fluffed the pillow beneath my head. “That would be helpful, Alice. Thank you.”
“Sweet dreams, Eden.”
“From your lips to the gods’ ears.” I rolled onto my side and let sleep take me.
Chapter Sixteen
I opened my eyes and relief swept over me. I was still in the attic. Still conscious. I turned to look for Alice in order to thank her and swallowed a cry when I saw the body next to me on the mattress.
It was mine.
I froze, uncertain what was happening. Alice was nowhere to be seen. I scrambled off the mattress and fled downstairs. The kitchen was surprisingly empty. There was almost always somebody in the kitchen, though our numbers had dwindled thanks to the recent departure of Anton and his family.
A quick glance at the microwave clock explained the absence of the wicked witches. Six o’clock in the morning was far too early for them to rise, even on a day as venerated as the Day of Darkness. Unfortunately, there was a body upstairs that looked like me that I couldn’t ignore. I was going to have to wake someone. But which someone? As much as it pained me to admit it, my mother was handy in a crisis.
Her bedroom door was open, so I slipped into the darkened room and hurried to her bedside. She wore an eye mask and I heard a slight wheeze as she breathed.
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