Metal Up Your Ass

by Michael Todd

  I like that girl more every day, Pandora declared.

  Stephanie led the group as they headed outside. She was giddy; excited to show those bastards a good time.

  A very good time. Well, at least for her.

  “Oh, shit. That’s a lot.” She stopped to reassess as the numbers caught up, then shrugged. She was there to kick ass and not take names, and that was exactly what she was going to do.

  The four girls lined up and looked down at the possessed, who were surprised to see defenders.

  Stephanie twirled her knife in her hand.

  She looked at Katie and flashed her a huge smile.

  If she is feeling fear, she hides it well, Pandora commented. She could do with a little fear. Fear helps the body sense threats.

  Katie nodded as Stephanie let out a battle cry that echoed across the grounds.

  With that she sprinted into the group, slashing her knife from side to side. The feeling of warm blood on her hands did something to her, and her eyes flashed bright red.

  “Come here, demon babies. I got your soul right here,” Stephanie called, jumping onto a demon’s shoulders and twisting his head to snap his neck.

  “That’s going to leave a mark!” Ella called.

  Stephanie jumped down before his body even collapsed and moved on to the next.

  The demons snarled and growled, backing up as Katie, Ella, and Charlotte entered the fray on both sides of Stephanie.

  Stephanie had sprays of blood on her face and she laughed as she ran forward, her short sword high in the air. She swiped low, taking two demons out at the knees and jabbing her sword into their chests.

  She pulled the sword out with a grunt and wiped the black blood from her face, slightly disgusted by the taste of blood on her lips.

  She raised her fingers to her nose and breathed deeply as she felt the adrenaline rolling through her. She was angry—very angry—and she wasn’t going to let those bastards win, no matter how many of them there were.

  She rolled across the ground and sprang to her feet, turning away just as a demon swiped across her arm. She gasped and clenched her teeth totally pissed at what had just happened.

  “You cut my fifty-dollar motherfucking hippy shirt, you bitch,” she growled at the female human standing there. Stephanie smiled, tossing her knife in the air. “Time to go night-night, little girl.”

  She lunged forward to cold-cock the girl and she went down like a fucking sack of potatoes. Stephanie laughed and stepped over the girl, determined not to kill any humans but definitely not letting them get away with that shit. She looked around and sighed; more demons were coming at them from the sides.

  “There are a lot of these fuckers!” she yelled. “Workout time!!!”

  Katie laughed as Stephanie went pure postal on demons and humans alike, then ran up behind her teammate and grabbed a demon by the ear, dragging him away. She flipped him around by pulling on his ear and shook her finger in his face.

  “Sneaking up on a girl is not very nice,” Katie told him. She pulled her knife out of its sheath and tossed it in the air. “And what do we do with not-nice demons?”

  Katie rolled her neck, opened her mouth, and yelled with her and Pandora’s combined voice.

  “We fucking kill them!”

  She caught the knife by the handle and plunged it deep into the demon’s chest. The demon screamed in horror before bursting into ash. Katie smiled, still holding her knife.

  Behind you.

  Turning quickly, Katie kicked another demon in the chest.

  He flew backward, knocking down several others like dominoes. Katie shook her head at the stupidity and ran straight for the group, diving into them and wrestling one to the ground. She sliced her knife across his chest and he screamed as she plunged it into his heart. He crumbled to ash beneath her and she stood up, brushing off the dust.

  She was getting a workout. Dodge one demon, kick at another. Evade the counter and stab a third. Every time a demon ran toward her she had to block or evade, and occasionally stab at their weak points. With Pandora she was beating ass, but it was tough. They were being overrun.

  Help would hopefully get there fast.

  Ella was overwhelmed by the sheer number of demons who had shown up for the party.

  Normally she would fight two or three demons, but this was an all-out war. They just kept coming. She took a deep breath and ran screaming into a new group, her swords slashing.

  She mowed through a group of demons like she was cutting through vines in the jungle. Their screams echoed around her, but she liked it. She wanted it, and she could taste the bloodthirst on her lips.

  Use martial arts, Melneck urged. I’ll help.

  Ella, out of breath, nodded and sheathed her swords. Immediately she started a kata, flowing from one move to another.

  With every punch and kick, Melneck increased her power tenfold. Her fist hit the side of a demon’s head and knocked it clean off his shoulders. As she followed the blow through a demon’s claw caught her on the collarbone and ripped the skin open. She snarled at him and he smirked at her.

  “You motherfucker, that was where my next tattoo was going!” She punched him in the nose and watched the surprise on his face as the blood shot out. “Now I gotta pick a new spot, because nobody wants a tattoo over a fresh wound.”

  “I. Don’t!” She punched him.

  “Think.” She punched him again.

  “That shit is funny!” She punched him over and over, following him as he stumbled backward. He held his nose as blood rolled down his face.

  When she’d had enough, she punched him as hard as she could, knocking him to the ground, and he came to a stop at Stephanie’s feet. Stephanie smiled and swung her sword, slicing his face in half.

  Ella shrugged and turned back to the fight. “I always liked Two-Face in the comic books.”

  There were so many.

  “I couldn’t have picked some other night to face my fears?” Charlotte groaned as she looked at all the demons.

  The other girls were putting a dent in the enemy, but they continued to arrive from somewhere.

  A female demon, her teeth sharp and her red eyes wild, ran straight at Charlotte. There were scars across her face as if she had been slashed.

  “Dammit!” She raised her pistol. “Time to learn how to shoot.”

  She aimed at the woman, closing one eye and squinting the other. She let out a deep breath and pulled the trigger, and a hole formed between the demon’s eyes as brain matter and blood sprayed out the back of her head. Her body, dead before it hit the ground, flew backward to land on some decorative rocks.

  Charlotte shook as she glanced around. They looked like humans, but she knew deep inside that whatever was human was already gone.

  “I didn’t kill a human, it was a demon. I didn’t kill a human…” She kept the mantra going.

  The humans had left their shell for the demon to use.

  Charlotte aimed away from the other girls and just started spraying bullets into the crowd of demons. She managed to shoot three, including the one who had come at her. She liked fighting the bastards; tonight had completely changed everything.

  She had wanted to see the demons get their justice.

  Now she didn’t give a shit anymore. It might have been the adrenaline or it could have been frustration from years of seeing the results, but tonight, at least, she was making a dent.

  She was part of the battle for humanity, and that was good enough for her.

  The girls cleared the area and stepped back against the fence, wiping the blood from their faces as they gazed around.

  They breathed deeply, exhausted.

  Slowly they all looked up; nine more demons, snarling and growling down at them, lined the roof edge just one floor above the dining room window.

  Katie pulled out a sword and crouched, and the other girls followed her actions. “Don’t suppose they would choke on that fucking lemongrass?”

  “Dammit, I’m
out of bullets here, folks,” Charlotte complained. “Not to sound like a whiner, but can I get another clip or magazine or doohickey full of bullets to shove up the ass of this pistol?”

  Ella snickered as Katie handed her a magazine. “It’s the handle.”

  “Ass, butt, handle…take this enema, you metallic sonofabitch,” Charlotte griped. “My hands sting already.”

  Before they could move, though, shots rang out and the demons fell over the edge to land in the bushes under the window.

  There were a few screams from inside the building.

  “You girls didn’t leave anything for us,” Eric griped, joining them and looking at the demons.

  “You were slow.” Stephanie shrugged as she pointed to the piles of ash. “Early bird catches the worm.”

  The guys helped them tend their wounds.

  Katie’s were basically healed, and Stephanie’s weren’t really bad. Eric put some stitches in Ella as she winced. Charlotte watched Eric work.

  “You did good.” Eric opened his case and grabbed a bandage before turning back to Ella. “I saw you fighting.”

  “Yeah.” She winced a bit when he pulled the stitches closed. “But I need to do a hell of a lot better. Just wait…next time I’ll be just like them.”

  Eric, Derek, Charlotte, and Ella looked at Stephanie and Katie, who were standing at the edge of the grassy area as the sun began to peak over the horizon.

  “Feel like a hero?” Katie asked Stephanie as orange light outlined the mountains in the distance.

  “Kinda?” Stephanie answered.

  “How about being a badass chick?”

  “Yeah.” Stephanie nodded. “I like that quite a bit.”

  13

  Charlotte, Katie, Stephanie, and Ella were more than happy to bring their battered and bruised asses back to Vegas.

  Even Eric and Derek were glad they didn’t have to participate in another fight like that for a while. At least they hoped it would be a while.

  Katie and Charlotte took the chopper back from Arizona, and the rest of the team flew back on the jet. They arrived shortly after the jet landed and choppered everyone back to the base. Ella chose to go with them, since the plane was going to need a little maintenance before it took her home.

  When they landed at the new base Damian, Korbin, and Calvin were waiting outside for them.

  Katie sighed, knowing she was going to have to explain the women who were claiming she shot at them, but at the point when no one would move she really hadn’t cared about the repercussions.

  They got out of the helicopter and stretched, then made their way over to the tent in the center of the grounds.

  “Welcome back.” Korbin smiled. “I’m glad you’re in one piece. I heard it was a hell of a fight.”

  “I hurt in places I didn’t think I could hurt.” Ella rubbed her shoulder and smiled at Calvin. “Hey, buddy.”

  “Hey there.” He grinned. “Girls sure did show you a good time, didn’t they?”

  “Don’t we always?” Stephanie answered and patted Calvin on the shoulder as she walked past him. “Never a dull day in our world.”

  “That’s for sure.” Katie chuckled as she threw her bag over her shoulder. “I’m hungry. We got anything to eat in this new joint?”

  “There’s food inside.” Korbin smiled. “We pretty much have the whole place set up to stay here now.”

  “Good,” Katie said. “I could use a shower and a cup of tea. How about you, Charlotte? You want some tea?”

  “Why not? I got no place to rush off to,” she agreed, catching up with Katie.

  “Welcome to your second home,” Katie replied, putting her arm around Charlotte. “You handled yourself well, and that is a gold star in my book.”

  “Wait…” Korbin called after them, his eyes narrowed. “You did what? I thought you were hiding in a closet?”

  The girls kept straight faces and rushed toward the doors.

  “Hey,” Korbin yelled. “Wait!”

  He stomped after them.

  “Lord.” Stephanie sighed. She was standing with Calvin, Derek, Eric, Damian, and Ella. “I guess I should go help put out the fire on that one. Ella, it was a pleasure, as always.”

  “Whelp.” Derek sighed, watching Stephanie walk toward the building. “I am about to go play with my gadgets, but it was a real pleasure working with you, Ella. You did well out there. Have fun in New York.”

  “Stay alive, my friend,” she ordered, leaning in and giving him a hug.

  He nodded at the others and headed toward the IT entrance. Ella put her arms up in the air and stretched, yawning loudly.

  “Well, I guess I should be heading back,” Ella said, looking at the pilot who was waiting in the helicopter.

  Calvin took out his tablet and hit the Send button on a message. “Yeah, we’re just waiting for the plane to refuel, and we can get on our way.”

  Ella eyed him. “Uh, I am grown, and I fight demons, I don’t think I need a chaperone.”

  “Good, cause I’m not one,” Calvin replied. “I am just doing the honors since you helped our team. Korbin likes to know his people are taken care of, get home safely, and are happy.”

  “’Cause I’m a girl.” She rolled her eyes.

  “That’s my cue.” Eric turned to walk away, waving a hand over his shoulder. “Have a safe trip back, Ella!” Damian followed him toward the building.

  “Thanks.” Ella smiled as she waved at them.

  “Not because you are a woman,” Calvin explained. “Because you are important.”

  “So who’s riding back with you?” Ella asked raising her eyebrows. “I mean, you’re important to Korbin.”

  “He knows I can handle anything or anyone,” Calvin told her, heading toward the chopper.

  “Oh, because demon attacks on a jet in midair happen so often.” She smirked. “Sure, I can see it. One minute you’re relaxing in your chair and the next minute a demon is popping out of the air vent trying to wrestle your soul to hell.”

  “Come on, trouble,” he directed, opening the chopper’s door and pointing inside.

  “Okay.” She paused in the doorway with a sly smile. “Let me ask you this: are you in the mile-high club? Cause I hear that ninety-eight percent of black men—”

  “Get in the chopper,” he ordered, staring at her.

  “That’s what I thought.” She smiled as she sat down. “The rumors are true!”

  After they finished talking to Korbin, Katie silently followed Stephanie down the corridors that sloped down to the main living quarters.

  Katie hadn’t been in her new room yet, but they would have made it comfortable for her.

  She wasn’t really the type to complain, and she knew she could change things around if she wanted. Katie wasn’t sure she would see the old base again. It was all for the best, though. She had never been good with goodbyes, especially when they were inanimate objects like a house or room. She glanced at Stephanie, who was smiling.

  “Why do you look so happy?”

  “I just think it was amazing how quickly I got Korbin to drop his attack on us for letting Charlotte fight.” She giggled. “Though I’m sure she is getting a good lecture right now.”

  “You do have a way with Korbin,” she agreed, stopping as they passed a window just above ground-level.

  Katie went up on her tiptoes to peer out. Sand blew wildly through the air, and the fence swayed slightly with the wind. Stephanie smiled and waited for her.

  “They finished the giant chain link fence with razor wire,” Katie said. “Things are definitely coming along.”

  “That they are.” Stephanie nodded and opened the door leading to the main area.

  I don’t think a chain link fence and a little razor wire is going to keep demons out, Pandora snorted.

  It’s not for the demons, it’s for the idiot humans so they know not to trespass, Katie explained. Once you cross it you get blown to bits, and I really don’t want chunks of little Johnny in m
y morning coffee.

  Oh, castle-style fortifications… How quaint, Pandora exclaimed. Though I’m not really sure if any of that would help much against T’Chezz.

  The next morning, Katie was more than happy to get out of her new bed and spring into action.

  She had definitely slept better on a mattress that wasn’t a hundred years old and didn’t have springs that beat into her spine all night long.

  She knew Korbin had replaced their mattresses on purpose; if the team slept well, they would be more apt to work out in the new training center. Why she hadn’t complained at the old base when that one damned spring had started to annoy her, she wasn’t sure.

  It wasn’t like she couldn’t have just purchased a new mattress and had it delivered.

  She left her room dressed and ready and headed down the corridor to the training center, which was about a five-minute walk and on the left. She felt like she was living in a submarine, but in a lot of ways she liked it.

  As soon as she stepped in she squinted from the sunlight shining through the ceiling, which was tinted glass. and when you looked up, you could see the sand blowing across it. If you were walking around outside you wouldn’t even see it until you were right on it. It was a pretty cool idea, most likely born from Stephanie’s brain.

  Katie took a lap around the track to warm up and grabbed her quarterstaff, gripping it tightly and moving it in sharp, thoughtful motions. She had been practicing with it for a while and had actually gotten pretty good with it. Eric and Derek came over to her and motioned to the floor.

  “You wanna spar with us?” Eric asked.

  “What, both of you?”

  “Yep.” Derek smirked. “Unless we’re too much for you.”

  “Right.” Katie laughed. “Get your asses out there. Let’s see what you two idiots are made of.”

  Katie and the guys entered the ring, and Derek took several playful swipes at her. Katie smiled charmingly and waited for him to stand up before slashing her staff at his ankles, which knocked him to the ground. She quickly moved over him and thrust her staff toward his face, stopping just an inch from his nose. He put his hands up and laughed as Katie pulled it back and helped him to his feet.