Demon Girl (Keeley Thomson Book One)

by P. S. Power

  “Say, do you know a Charles Thomson...” The demon asked carefully. “We've a man by that name at work.”

  “Oh yes,” Sherry smiled hugely, sizing the man up a bit.

  “My... husband. Are you friends?”

  “Hardly know him. He's new still, but we're all one big happy family at Coretechs. We should all get together sometime for drinks or something?”

  Sherry blushed slightly, below what a normal person would notice, but Keeley got it. She stared at Finias with a smile on her face and thought at him.

  'Dude, you are not hitting on my mother in front of me.'

  The demon, the other demon, Keeley realized, the thought sounding odd in her own head, laughed suddenly and put his hand out to Sherry, but not Keeley.

  “I need to run, really just dropping by to deliver these things.” He waved generally at the stack of papers Keeley had.

  “I do hope we'll get a chance to meet again.” This he directed at Sherry with enough eye contact and sexiness to his voice that no one missed the meaning of.

  Gah.

  Then, without making any other sign that he wasn't who he'd said, the demon left, driving away in a dark blue sedan. Sherry stood in the door for a minute.

  “Is... someone else here?” She pointed at Freida.

  Oh, right. Keeley hadn't actually explained yet. She decided to go with the truth.

  “On loan. From Darla. She said to tell you we could use it for the flowers. It's insured, universal coverage, so that part isn't a problem.”

  “Oh... well, that was nice of her.” Taking a deep breath, tensing and then looking down the woman spoke in a rush. Sounding suddenly... anxious.

  “So, um, is Darla your, um... girlfriend?” The voice that came out was tiny. Very small and soft.

  Keeley wanted to blink, but couldn't. She wanted to breathe and blurt out “no” loudly, but she had to relax first and managed to fix her mom with what she hoped was just a level and not an angry expression. She'd never done anything to make her mother think she liked girls had she? Yeah, she didn't date a lot, not at all, yet, but that didn't mean she played for the other team... Not as far as her mom should expect at least. For her own part, well, she'd never thought about it really. She avoided everyone as a rule.

  “Um, noooo.” Keeley managed a smile then, forced one into being, but the mortified feeling was being beaten back and she almost managed pleasant before she spoke. After all, her mom didn't know that Darla was her half-sister, did she?

  “Just friends. Um, if it comes up in the future, say if you're trying to set me up, I actually prefer guys, at least as far as I know. But even if I didn't I think I'd go after someone like Hally, you know the red-head from the other day? She's cute, and really sweet, don't you think? Plus, I think she likes me, you know, as in a little more than a friend?” It was true enough, so Keeley just held her face as innocent in look as possible.

  “Oh, I... Just “lending” a person a car like that, it's not normal is it?”

  “That's what I said. But she hasn't tried to get me into bed yet, so...” Keeley shrugged, hands coming up.

  It was early, but going to the library was a good excuse to get the heck out of there, one which Sherry was fine with until she got to the part where it was Hally she'd be meeting.

  “The red-head from the other day? The one that might like you?” Her mom said, sounding half shocked, half amused.

  “Don't worry, just tutoring. Though I suppose she might feel grateful later... I should be home before nine. Her parents are strict like that.”

  “Um...” Sherry smiled then. “Well, have fun honey. Remember, I support you no matter who you are. Or who you date.”

  Keeley laughed and waved goodbye, taking the pile of papers with her, just in case she met up with Darla at all. She wondered if the job offer was real?

  She'd have to check.

  Chapter eleven

  Hally, as Keeley had suspected, didn't really need math help.

  They drilled, sitting in the back of the library, for half an hour before they even saw another person, an older man that Hally waved to.

  “That's George. He lives here. During the day I mean. I think he has a house, but this is where he is most of the time. He's nice. He used to let me sit on his lap and read to me.” She raised her eyebrows and frowned a little in Keeley's direction, daring her to say something about it.

  “It wasn't creepy. Everyone always tries to make out like it was bad, but he's just lonely. His wife died about ten years ago and he doesn't have anyone in his life. We should visit with him some time.” She sounded pleased by the idea.

  Keeley smiled.

  “Alright, first we need to finish prepping you for the test. But you know all this stuff. Let's just go over it a few more times so that you know you know it and we can debate the merits of you doing the extra credit problems. You should, since you're going to get a hundred percent anyway, it will help bring up the rest of your grade.”

  “You think so? I mean really? I always feel so scared during tests and this is a big one...”

  “No problem. Scared won't make the knowledge go away. We'll just keep practicing until even terror won't make you freeze up.”

  For all that Hally's parents were staunchly against drugs, they didn't mind their daughter carrying around a cell phone, drug dealing icon or not, which made a soft vibrating noise at just after eight. They were getting ready to leave, so it wasn't a big problem. George smiled at them and Hally waved for a second, as Keeley watched her answer the phone.

  “What?” The girl yelped into the phone, making everyone else jump. The library wasn't huge, but it had three rooms filled with books and the Librarian came from the front to scowl at them a few moments later.

  “God, yes, right away. We're coming, I'm with Keels.” She ran for the door without saying anything.

  It didn't take a genius to get that something had gone very, very wrong. At the front door Hally turned suddenly and jumped when she realized that Keeley had followed, carrying all the books and papers, a little less than neatly.

  “Oh... It's Rob... He's, there's been an accident, or, well, Eve didn't know, but they're all at the hospital. General, I said we were going, is...”

  Keeley ran.

  The red-head panted up behind her after a moment, getting that they were going. Not that Keeley knew how to get there, but the other girl did. So with only a small handful of traffic violations they got to the emergency entrance of the place and parked next to Darla's little red sports car. Then they ran again.

  It was Gary that they saw first, and who saw them. He fairly tackled Hally and held on as if trying not to drown.

  “It's...”

  He had bandages on, and a black eye, but didn't seem out of it, but he couldn't explain anything. The boy couldn't make himself speak it seemed. Eve just stood and after a second walked over and hugged her. Darla talked on her own cell phone.

  “Gay-bashers. This time we know for a fact it was some guys from Wilson. They... really hurt Rob. They beat up Gary, knocked him out before he saw anything, but Rob, the only thing he managed to say was “devils”, Wilson high, the blue devils... Yeah, we need to get them for this.” She sounded more than angry. Violence simmered just under her skin, which looked hot and flushed.

  The room was too warm for her clothing, even Keeley felt it, a bit of burning that wasn't natural, a response to the emergency and the fact that the hospital was just kept too warm. Why they did that she didn't know. Maybe for patient comfort?

  Eve was dressed in blue jeans and a black button up shirt with no sleeves. It didn't look rich, but she pulled it off alright. It looked like she was ready to go and throw down with the entire Wilson High football team if she had to. The evidence seemed pretty damning, at least if you didn't know a giant lesser demon that really did look like a devil was out wondering the streets, trying to hurt anyone too close to Darla.

  It was a good plan, Keeley understood, after a few moment's
thought, Eve still clinging to her. Attack everyone around the demoness until she just left town to protect them. Except she wouldn't leave would she? No, she'd hunt the thing down and make it pay. If she didn't Keeley would.

  It would probably be Darla though.

  Which was good, because, Keeley reminded herself, the lesser demon was just out of her league at the moment.

  The blond got off the phone and passed out her own hugs, except that for some reason Eve wouldn't let go of her, so Darla had to join in with them. It was a bit strange, but Keeley could deal. It was just a hug and there was no new information in it really. The girl was upset, but that was so clear the contact didn't make a difference at all. That Eve had a crush on Rob, that was something she hadn't understood before, the data was there, it just hadn't been important.

  Hally had to get home before nine, and as Darla pointed out, sitting in the waiting room wouldn't help anything. The others stayed, but Hally's parents wouldn't have taken Hally being in the hospital as a good enough excuse to be late she said, which got a real nod from Darla.

  “They're a little intense, afraid that their daughter is going to become a crack-whore if she gets even a fraction of a chance. Which is silly. Hally is an incredible daughter.”

  One that still needed to get home.

  Well, Keeley could do that.

  “I feel so awful just leaving like that, Rob's my friend and I can't even be there for him.” The tears fell, thick and heavy. Keeley had never done well with tears. What was she supposed to do now? When she parked the cream colored van and stopped the engine she reached over and patted the girl's hand, which turned into a tight hug. A desperate one that caused the red-heads breasts to push up against her a bit. Not sexual, thank god, just warm.

  She patted her back for a bit and asked if she wanted her to walk her in. Hally clearly did, but shook her head.

  “My parents, they'll just pester you about drugs and stuff and nothing you say will be right. It's probably better if I just go in alone...”

  That wasn't going to work though, because both the Yorks walked out just then, half smiling, half looking ready to search Freida for contraband. Sighing Keeley just got out and walked over to them. She held out her right hand to shake, first with Mr. York, whose name was Devon, only it wasn't really, and then with Ginger, Hally's mom. It was a made up name as well, to match her hair. That made sense, the made up names, since both of them were fugitives wanted for murder.

  They hadn't done it, but the state thought they were guilty and the only man that could save them was the actual murderer, a man named Monroe, who had no reason to at all. That was the real reason for their extreme care about Hally's friends. They didn't do drugs, true, but that was all about legal issues, keeping a low profile. Everything they did got filtered through that. The need to hide.

  “Hello, I don't think we've met...” Mr. York spoke smoothly, but then a con man would have had to be smooth, wouldn't he? That's what they used to be. Now he sold insurance, which was still close to the same thing.

  “I'm Keeley.” She looked at both the parents and shrugged, realizing that even though she didn't know the reason, Hally had the right of it, nothing she said would have been right for them. Not the truth at least and she didn't have time to sell them on anything else that would have worked.

  “Um, Rob, one of Hally's friends, and his boyfriend Gary, they were jumped earlier, a hate crime we think, because they're gay.” She kept going before they could ask any questions.

  “Hally was with me at the library. We were going over her math test for this Friday, which she should do really well on. But we stopped by the hospital on the way here, we don't know anything about how bad Rob is hurt he's still in surgery. I'm going to get some food and take it back with me.”

  The Yorks looked worried, vastly worried, suddenly.

  “You were at the library?” Ginger said, looking at Hally hard, as if not believing her.

  “Yes. Eve called. I, this is so horrible. Rob's so nice and Gary was hurt too, why would anyone do this?” She cried, which got her father to hug her as Ginger moved on Keeley, ready to question her about potential police involvement.

  “Are you on the cheer leading team as well Keeley? I don't recognize you from...” She paused, as Hally gave her an exasperated look.

  “No mom, she's just a friend. Plus she's really smart and is tutoring me in math. We went to the library instead of here because every time I bring a friend over you give them the eighty-seventh degree and make everyone all uncomfortable.” She didn't stamp her foot or let go of her father though, so uncomfortable parenting style, conmen or not, they were close. Keeley nodded at the woman though.

  “But in answer to your question, you don't recognize me from anything, because I'm new to Raintree. My dad got a job at Coretechs and we moved from Washington this last summer.”

  “Oh?” Ginger said, her own hair shoulder length, compared to Hally's which was about half again longer.

  “And is this your van? It looks pretty nice for something a teenager would have.”

  Keeley blinked. “Wow, you really do go in for the whole questioning thing don't you? Well, it's on loan, from Hally's friend Darla? Her grandmother is her caretaker while her dad's in Japan and she's given her several vehicles. It's so I could get to the tutoring tonight. I also don't do drugs, don't smuggle illegal aliens across the border, have never killed anyone or even been accused of that and haven't even jaywalked within the statute of limitations. Not in this state at least. I doubt the officials from my home town will insist on extradition.” Keeley smiled as their expressions both got tense.

  “Sorry to dump everything on you and snap like this, but I really need to get back to the hospital and honestly I want to take Hally with me. I don't know my way back, but we needed to let you meet me first. I promise, I'm not normally this much of a pain. Honest.” She held up her right hand.

  “Do you all want to come? We may need to stop for something to eat first...”

  “Well, Hally has school in the morning...” Devon spoke quietly, but Ginger sighed and shook her head.

  “She does honey, but she also needs to go and be with her friends. We have to let her grow up sometime.” The woman smiled at Keeley.

  “I personally was planning to wait until she was thirty-five, but...”

  The two adults looked at each other and nodded slowly.

  “Alright,” Devon York looked at his daughter hard.

  “But you still have school in the morning and if you stay up all night, don't think that means it's alright to skip. Keeley, same goes for you, even if we aren't your parents, no skipping just because you stay up all night and make sure you get in touch with your parents.” The tone was bossy, but under that scared. They so didn't want Hally questioned by the police. Her identity wouldn't hold up to scrutiny if someone really dug.

  Keeley got that. She couldn't let them know she did without them freaking out, but it made sense now.

  “Alright. I agree. We're going to be at either General or Hally will be back here. We may all invade in the middle of the night though, but...”

  “That's fine. Call if you need us?” Ginger York looked at her daughter, who looked to be in shock, but managed a nod.

  As they drove away, very carefully and exactly, Hally turned to her, eyes wide. Keeley watched the road, but could make her out in her peripheral vision, which was neat. The girl wasn't in sharp focus, but she didn't have the edge of her glasses over her either.

  “How did you do that?” The words held awe, pure and unadulterated. “Even Darla wasn't able to manage them like that I...”

  “Darla,” Keeley said while nodding gently. “didn't have an emergency like this. They're people Hally, it's obvious that they love you and don't want you to be hurt, that's all. Won't they be surprised when we all descend on their living room later? I bet they thought I was kidding about that.” She wasn't. The lesser demon wouldn't be looking for anyone at Hally's house, so it woul
d make a good safe haven for Eve at least. Gary might have been marked though, so that couldn't be allowed.

  The food was easy, all greasy and high fat, but Darla's credit card paid for it. The hard part turned out to be her own parents, who wanted her home the second she called to tell them about everything. It felt a little out of place. No, extremely and absurdly out of place.

  “I... OK, dad. Um, I need to pack up here, so, half an hour?” Keeley had never had a curfew after all and it was still before midnight. An emergency too, so it was a surprise when her father growled at her.

  “Now. If you're not home in fifteen minutes you're grounded for two weeks young lady.” Then there was a click as he hung up on her.