by Kat Cotton
“Shit, but you’re zombies. You can’t be killed.”
Not just the woman but the rest of the troupe turned to me, glaring like they wanted to kill me. I probably shouldn’t have said the “z” word.
“We’re not zombies,” Lilly said. “Zombies are horrible things”
“We do not deal with zombies here,” the woman said. “We deal in redemption. Some souls don’t have a clear path so they’ve given the opportunity to do clean-up work with demons before moving on. The soul remains intact and returned to their physical body. There is no reanimation involved. There are a number of other technical differences but I won’t bore you with that.”
She tried to stay impartial but the twitch of her nostrils betrayed her annoyance. I still wasn’t sure of the difference but I made a note never to use the word “zombie” again. Annoying the administration of Purgatory couldn’t be a good thing.
“Well, these redeemable souls, they can’t be killed. Is that right?”
“They can’t be killed by normal humans.”
“It shouldn’t be too hard,” Duke said. “Jayne has unique talents.”
“She has the talent of throwing up when she gets near the place. That might not work out so well for her.”
“Of course, they could just be regular demons. So, are we done here? You have one week.”
I wasn’t done. I had a million questions but suddenly, she clicked her fingers and the rest of the troupe disappeared. I stared around me and force on a smile. I didn’t want this woman to know how terrified I was. Facing her in a group had been bad enough, but alone... why?
“We need to have a little talk, alone,” she said.
Yeah, that’s exactly what I didn’t want. But I nodded.
“Relationships between my team and humans is strictly forbidden.”
I shrunk under her gaze. But Lilly? She relationshipped like heck.
“Sex is fine,” the woman said. “A one-night stand here and there, we all do it. It’s feelings, emotions, all that mushy stuff. My team members are transitory, you understand. They’re in your world for one reason and one reason only. To get the job done. They can’t form ties or have emotional connections. There are rules.”
I understood that only too well but one thing worried me about this discussion. I straightened myself up, looking her in the eye.
“If that’s the case, shouldn’t you have this discussion with the team, not me?”
She just sighed. “See you soon.”
Then she clicked her fingers again and everything went black.
Chapter 27
I LANDED ON THE GARAGE floor. Right on top of Duke.
That was exactly where I didn’t want to be. That woman hadn’t been fooling around with her warning. I jumped off him as quickly as I could and dusted myself off.
“We need to get this finale booked,” Duke said. “We need an excuse to stay here and work through this.”
Earnest sighed. “I guess we do.”
“Wait. I have to complete this crazy challenge and have knives thrown at me?”
“Around you,” Duke said.
“No matter what, I think we have other priorities right now. I refuse.”
“You can’t refuse,” Duke said.
He gave me a look that he thought would be appealing but he hadn’t just been warned off by a very scary lady. I folded my arms and stared him down.
“You can’t force me. We don’t need an excuse to stay here. Just pay for the damn town house. I don’t need the distractions. I know you want to get back to performing but that just isn’t possible now.”
“The finale will be simple. You don’t even have to rehearse for it.”
“No.”
Duke reeled a little. I don’t think he was used to people refusing him but it wouldn’t hurt him a bit to deal with that. Right now, all I wanted was to find a loophole out of this deal.
“She’s right, Duke,” Lilly said. “You can’t force her and this is an unprecedented situation. We need to focus on helping Jayne find this kidnapper.”
“Or find a way out of the whole deal. I’m going for a walk. I need to clear my head.”
“Need company?” Lilly asked.
“Nope. I want to be alone.”
Alone to contact Akira, I meant.
I walked to the cafe at the end of the street, grabbed a coffee, then went to the park. Hopefully Akira would’ve learned something. At least where that trailer was or other useful information. If I thought hard about this, I had to find a way to get the culprit without actually going there myself. I could make a plan and get Lilly and Nuno to carry it out for me or I could do something amazing like design a drone.
If I knew how to design a drone.
“Find anything?” I texted to Akira.
I could lure the culprit out and defeat them on my own turf. That could work. That would totally work.
“What the hell is in that place?” Akira texted back to me.
“The circus trailer?” I replied.
“Yep. I can’t get near it.”
Damn that took away one of my options. But at least he’d gotten close. He could give me a map to work with. I got him to send through everything he had. A hand drawn map and photos.
I still had no idea how I could do this without entering the circus grounds but the more I knew, the better.
“Why can’t you get near?” I asked him. “What security do they have?”
“No security. Something weird. Like a forcefield.”
Yikes. That really sounded freaky. They had to be hiding something major to use magic like that.
When I got back to the town house, Duke sat alone in the kitchen. He looked up as though he wanted me to join him but I kept walking. I went upstairs to lay down. Sooty tried to jump on the bed with me but, now that I knew he wasn’t a real dog, the way he kept burying his head in my cleavage become totally wrong and perverted so I pushed him away.
Instead, I stared at the ceiling. Beside me, the ticking of my alarm clock reminded me that I had limited time and no ideas. The best option, the only real option was to accept the damnation. Surely it wouldn’t be too bad.
After a while, Lilly knocked on the door and came in.
She sat on the end of the bed.
“It’s shitty you’ve gotten into this,” she said. “I didn’t realize things would get so intense. Maybe it’d have been better for you to have just packed up and gone. The Society aren’t known for being kindly.”
I smiled.
“You didn’t think to tell me that beforehand?”
She just shrugged.
“Maybe if you told me why you were so freaked out, I could help you,” she said.
I doubted that. I sat up a little, propping myself up on my elbows, and shook my head.
“Well maybe we could go out for a drink. Drinking always helps me think.”
I’d never heard anyone say that in my life. But screw it. I had limited time left in this world, maybe I should spend them getting drunk and having fun.
I grabbed my jacket to put on.
Lilly took the jacket from my hand. “I’ll find something for you to wear. You don’t want to look dowdy tonight. You might be in significant damnation soon, so you’d better look your best. A makeover might not solve your problems, but it might get you laid.”
Chapter 28
“SURELY IT CAN’T BE that difficult,” said Lilly after her second cocktail.
“Getting on to the circus grounds is just the first step,” I said. A very stressful first step that made me violently ill but a first step nonetheless. “Once I get in there, I have to find the trailer and break in. Although who even knows what’s in it. And I have to figure out who took Duke.”
The rest of it didn’t sound too difficult, though, once I got on the grounds without throwing up or freaking out.
“But you have all that power.”
Maybe the drinks loosened my tongue but I couldn’t resist telling her.
“If I
stay away from Earnest,” I said. “He’s been putting some weird potion in my tea to zap my strength.”
Lilly’s eyes opened wide. “You’re kidding. That guy is out of control. He’d do that so you couldn’t kill any demons yourself. He’s super competitive. He’d have taken one of our kills if he got the chance so he was just being a drama queen about the whole business.”
I ripped along the edge of my cocktail napkin. This stuff was complicated but I needed to understand it.
“I’m sure he can find more demons.”
“Do you really think the whole is full of random demons just hanging out waiting to be killed?” Lilly asked.
“Yes.” That’d been my life experience so far. “Like at that demon bar I went to. That was full of them. And other times, like when I just want to mind my own business, they attack me.”
“You attract demons. Like a demon magnet. It’s not so easy for us.”
“You think it’s easy! You try it. Hey, by the way, I’m sorry that I topped that demon in Duke’s apartment. I didn’t know you’d get points for it.”
“Actually, I think I killed him. But I’m not in any rush to leave this world.” Lilly grinned. “Tasty cocktails and tasty men, what more do I want?”
I wasn’t so sure about that. There was a lot about this world I didn’t enjoy. Maybe I needed to be relaxed, like Lilly.
“Speaking of tasty guys, maybe you should invite the cute crew guy to join us.”
Akira. That wouldn’t happen.
“Ah... I don’t have his phone number.”
“I bet you do. When he dropped your phone off that night, he’d have made sure his number was in your contacts. You can bet on that.”
“No, he didn’t — what are you doing?”
Damn it. I’d forgotten to put my burner phone away and Lilly had grabbed it. I had to get that phone off her. Now.
“Give it back,” I said, snatching for it. “Yes, I’ve got his number. I’ll call him.”
She handed me the phone with a smug smile. I guess inviting Akira to drinks wouldn’t be so bad and I’d put that phone somewhere safe once I’d called him.
Only Akira didn’t answer the phone. That was strange. I stared at the screen then called again.
“Maybe he’s out with someone else,” Lilly said. “You snooze, you lose.”
I shrugged, trying not to show my worry. Unless Akira was somewhere that made it unsafe to answer, he should pick up. I had no idea what was going on with his side of the investigation but with the demons destroyed, it seemed unlikely that he’d be in any danger.
A little while later, my phone buzzed. I got it out of my pocket while Lilly grinned.
“Oh, he’s still keen,” she said. “Ask him if he has any cute friends.”
It was Akira’s number but the message wasn’t from him.
“We have your friend.”
I gasped, covering my mouth.
“What is it?” Lilly asked.
“Nothing.” My voice came out as a strangled gasp that betrayed my words.
“Who are you? And where is he?” I sent back.
If someone had him, it’d be unlikely they’d just feed me that information, but then why were they telling me in the first place? People don’t just drop that kind of information on you unless they’re baiting you. Well, consider me truly baited because I couldn’t risk Akira’s life.
“Excuse me,” I said to Lilly. “I’ve got to step outside.”
She raised her eyebrows in a way that meant she’d definitely question me further.
“Cigarette,” I said, then put two fingers to my mouth to demonstrate. “Filthy habit. I’m trying to quit.”
With that, I rushed out. I needed to phone Larry and tell him. I didn’t want a string of messages on my phone in case Lilly got snoopy again, and an actual voice call would be more expedient.
My phone beeped as I hit the street. Another message from Akira’s phone. “You know where.”
Fuckity fuck. I did know where.
I leaned against the building wondering what to do next. If I called Larry, I’d be crossing that line of involving my past with my work and that was something I really didn’t want to do. Because one thing was clear, the person who took Akira didn’t just grab him at random.
They wanted me.
That meant they knew me. The real me.
The nausea rose in my stomach. I wouldn’t throw up. I couldn’t. Not here on a busy city street. Instead, I gulped in air while my hands gripped the brick wall behind me.
Everything seemed to rush around me yet at the same time seem distant. I had to pull myself together.
I’d gotten Akira into this mess, I had to get him out of it on my own.
Duke too? I’d thought that he’d been taken because he was whatever it was but maybe not. Maybe the reason he’d been grabbed was his connection to me.
Instead of calling Larry, I called Buzz.
“Hello, hello...” he said.
I tried to talk but the words stuck.
“I’m in trouble,” I said. “I’m in big trouble.”
I tried to tell him more but couldn’t. The words choked me.
“Akira... he’s been taken...” A coughing fit stopped me saying more.
“It’s okay,” he said. “I’ll be on the next plane.”
“No.” That’s all I could manage.
“I’ll be on the next plane,” he repeated. “I’ll send you my hotel details.”
I really wanted to tell Buzz that I’d be fine and I could deal with this myself but a wave of relief came over me just knowing he’d be here for me.
I had to go back into the bar. I needed water and I needed to sit down. When I turned around though, Lilly stood behind me. Had she heard everything?
“You need to tell me,” she said. “What’s going on?”
I caused trouble for everyone around me. I knew this day would come. My past would catch up with me. Now I had to deal with it. No matter how sick it made me and no matter what the consequences, I had to do this. I’d go to that damn circus and I’d sort this out no matter what. I owed that to Akira. And I’d get it done before Buzz got here and endangered himself.
Chapter 29
LILLY KEPT ASKING QUESTIONS all the way back to the town house but I wouldn’t tell her anything.
“Akira’s in trouble? How do you know that?”
I couldn’t answer that without blowing my cover. There was no reason I could have for knowing information like that about a casual acquaintance. And I had to do this on my own. I couldn’t get the troupe any more involved than they were already. I’d put them in enough danger.
When we got home, it was even worse. Lilly told everyone I was keeping a secret so I had all of them harassing me instead of just her. I tried to go to my room but Duke said we needed to talk. Without physically fighting them off, I couldn’t do a thing. Even Earnest got in on it.
“We need to know, Jayne,” Duke said. “You’re part of this team. If you’re planning anything, it involves us all.”
“Oh, I thought I was an outsider,” I said, glaring at Earnest.
“You’re part of the team,” Duke repeated.
“There’s nothing to tell. I had a vision, that’s all. It could mean anything. Lilly is just making a big drama out of nothing. That’s why I didn’t want to say anything. We have enough to deal with. The vision could mean literally anything.”
I couldn’t rely on anyone else. Not even Buzz. He might be on his way here but I intended dealing with things before he even got here. I just needed to get everyone off my case so I could do what I needed to do.
“Look guys, I’m really tired. I’m going to bed.”
Duke and Lilly exchanged glances but no one tried to stop me. I was grateful for that.
I knew there was no way I could leave this house on my own, not by going through the front door anyway, but I opened the window. I could easily get down onto the garage roof from here then out through the garage
.
Someone watched TV in the living room and the noise of it would block any sound I made. Once I got out on the street, I’d get a cab or something to the circus grounds. It wouldn’t be too difficult.
Buzz had messaged. He couldn’t get on a flight until tomorrow morning. He said not to do anything until then.
Sure.
I stripped off the fancy clothes Lilly had made me wear to the bar and I put on my jeans and leather jacket, slipping my wallet and phone the pockets. A weapon would also be handy but the only thing I had was a small pocket knife. That was better than nothing. I slipped it in my back pocket.
I looked around for anything else I needed. Hair pins. Of course. I slid a few into my hair.
The drop from my window to the garage roof was a piece of cake. Almost easier than walking down the stairs. From there, I had to get down into the courtyard. Not a huge drop, my only worry was getting caught. If anyone was in the kitchen, they’d be able to see me from the window. I grabbed the edge of the roof and slid down, staying close to the wall.
I tried the garage door, hoping it wasn’t locked. The handle turned easily.
I opened the door slowly, not wanting it to creak and alert the others to my movements. When the garage light turned on, I almost screamed.
“Told you,” Lilly said.
She stood in the garage with Duke, Nuno and Earnest.
Damn it. They’d been waiting for me. Was I that predictable?
“You were planning on doing something stupid, weren’t you?” Lilly said. “They have your boyfriend and you’re going to rescue him. There’s no shame in that but let us help. And, on the way, you can tell me how you managed to get together with him without me knowing.”
She thought I was dating Akira? That made it much easier to explain.
Nuno handed me a bottle of water and a bucket. For the trip? He assumed I’d throw up again. Probably a smart idea. Then they pushed me into the van.
“Look this is sweet and all but you don’t understand the danger you’re in. It’s not like we’re going on a fun adventure. This may get messy. I’d rather know you’re all safely out of it.”