by Jen Pretty
I propped the pizza box on my hip and used my greasy fingers to turn the knob to the mechanic shop-turned-apartment I shared with Lincoln. The sound of his power tools buzzed from the garage as I set the pizza box on the table in the kitchen and then went through the door to summon Linc to the feast.
“Linc!” I waved my arms, staying back so I wouldn't get pelted with bits of stone as he carved the gargoyle. “Linc!” I squatted down trying to get in his peripheral vision. One time I threw a tool at him and he nearly lost a finger to the grinder. I learned my lesson — don't scare a man with power tools.
I moved closer and yelled as loud as I could “Lincoln!”
The grinder clicked off and he set it down. “Hey, Har. How was tennis?” He chuckled looking at the road rash on my face.
“Not fun. I made pizza.” I strode out to get another slice while Linc dusted himself off. Our kitchen always took the worst of the stone dust, but at least the apartment was small and easy to clean.
Linc sat down with me, his goggles and noise-reducing headphones left behind, but his face was half stone dust and half clean, making him look funny.
We ate pizza in silence, except for my yum noises.
“Did you stick to normal speed today?” Linc asked as we both leaned back, finally full.
“Yup. That’s why I messed up my face.”
“I have seen you mess yourself up at demon speed, too,” he said with a grin.
“Thanks for the reminder.”
Linc’s face went serious for a moment then he spoke again. “A package came for you.”
I slumped in my chair and sighed. “Another one?”
He nodded. “It’s in your room.”
“Shit.”
CHAPTER TWO
In my room, sitting on my bed, was a box. It wasn’t a large box; maybe it was a toaster or something I'd ordered online and forgot about.
I approached it cautiously until I was close enough to see the return address. New York. I picked it up. It was light, probably not a toaster. I opened my closet door and chucked it in, then slammed the door shut again, dusted my hands and grabbed clean clothes from my pile. After a deep cleansing breath, I sauntered back out and towards the bathroom.
“Did you open it?” my nosy roommate asked.
“No.” I shut the bathroom door behind me, ending that discussion. I had about a dozen boxes of different sizes and weights in my closet now. They were from the new leader of the half-demons, Julian. I hadn’t spoken to him in the three months I had been back. He kept sending me stuff. I had no idea what was in the boxes, and no interest in finding out.
I turned on the taps to the bathtub and let it fill with lots of smelly soaps, then took out my new phone and played some candy blasting game that was highly addictive. Five-stars, definitely recommend. The music was a nice little tune that got stuck in my head as I blew up little gumdrops and peppermints. I bought the phone with the money that Lincoln had been hoarding away from me. It came from some demon fund that a super-secret government agency controlled. It was more money than I had ever seen in my life, but I didn't have much to spend money on, so I bought a few things, and the bank account was still growing every month.
I set down my phone, stripped out of my dirty clothes and stepped into the hot water. My hip hurt from my fancy dive for the tennis ball, but otherwise I survived another lesson with the tennis bitch.
I sighed and thought about what could be in the boxes in my closet. My curiosity grew every day, but I was still afraid of Julian and all the half-demons.
My phone made a little whistle sound indicating I had a text. I considered leaving it until I finished my bath, but I had to know who texted me. It was amazing how fast I had become addicted to the tiny device. I stood up and stepped out of the tub, dripping water all over the tile floor.
It was from Nick, my demon-touched gargoyle-hunting buddy. Maybe buddy was the wrong word. If we weren't half a country apart, I think we would both be cool with a real relationship, but that wasn’t meant to be.
His text read, “How are things in Humber Falls?”
I smiled. He had been down in Florida this week chasing gargoyles after a hurricane blew a couple across the state.
“Just peachy, you back from the south?” I replied.
I was getting cold standing in the middle of the bathroom in a puddle, so I slid back into the tub, careful to keep the phone away from the water.
“Yup, but I heard from our friend, Julian. He has news.”
“What news?” I typed. The news he was likely to offer involved danger and demons. I hovered my thumb over the send button, biting my lip.
“Fuck,” I whispered out loud to myself and hit the send button, knowing full well I was stepping into a pile of steamy half-demon poo. That was a gross visual.
My phone whistled and I took a deep breath before looking at it.
Nick sent, “He will only talk in person, and only if you are there.”
I banged my head off the side of the tub a few times and wondered if I could hit it hard enough to knock myself out and drown peacefully here in my warm tub instead of at the hands of some killer demon. So much for my relaxing bath. I told Nick I would think about it and he reminded me this was kind of what we did. If he was going to be the voice of reason all the time, I might have to rethink our friendship.
I popped the plug on the tub, dried off and changed into some fleece pyjamas. It wasn’t cold, but fuzzy clothes were nice, and half-demons with secrets were not.
I strolled out to find Lincoln sitting at the kitchen table with a bottle of rum. He rarely drank.
“What's going on?” I asked in a suspicious voice.
“Sit down, Har.” He was very serious, almost sad. I sat down and grabbed the bottle, taking a few quick swigs before he spoke again. “The Demon Division have asked you and Nick to team up to take down Collin.”
Collin nearly killed me last time I saw him. Only Julian stabbing him stopped him, but he wasn't dead. He had run off and was probably doing dumb demon stuff now.
“Why do they need Nick and me? We are gargoyle hunters.” My hands shook and I wrapped my arms around myself.
“Because Collin is fast, Har. He can fly for fuck’s sake.” Linc stole the bottle back and took a swig. He gritted his teeth against the burn of alcohol before he continued: “Julian asked for you, and the Division agrees that since you and Nick took down a demon, you two can take down Collin.”
I stole back the bottle and staggered to my room without another word. Under my blankets, I drank until I passed out. It didn’t take long.
I startled awake in the middle of the night. My clock said one a.m. My heart was racing in my chest as I had fallen into the dream where I was being strangled by the giant demon again. He had me pinned to the ceiling and his sharp nails were cutting into my neck. I put my hand to my throat and everything was fine there. A set of tiny scars from that demon’s nails were all that remained but no new injuries. I collapsed back into my pillows and convinced my heart to slow down through the deep breathing exercises that Lincoln suggested. He was full of brilliant ideas.
Once my heart calmed down, I got up and stumbled into the kitchen in the dark to get a glass of water. I chugged it back, then caught my breath while I filled the glass again. Glancing up, I caught sight of a figure standing in the darkness. I screamed and threw my glass of water at it.
“Shit,” the intruder said. Direct hit, the glass hit the floor and shattered.
I backed up and slammed open the cutlery drawer, scrambling around until I found a knife. I held it up ready to fight to the death. “Bring it, bitch,” I said.
The robber-slash-murderer laughed.
“What’s so funny?” I hissed.
The lights in the kitchen flicked on, burning out my eyes. I dropped the knife and covered my face with my hands trying to stop the pain.
“Harlow, what the hell are you doing?” Lincoln asked.
“Shit, Linc. There’s a robber
.” I took my hands away and peeked through tearing eyes at a form I recognized.
“Nick, what are you doing here?” I asked as he crossed the room towards me. He crouched and picked up the knife I had intended to stab him with. It was a butter knife. Well. Not too stabby, really. Then his arms were around me, wrapping me up in hot man. “I came to get you,” he whispered.
“On that note, I’m going back to bed,” Linc said. He flicked the light out as he left.
Nick’s hot breath traced along my jaw until his lips met mine. He felt so good. He pushed me back against the counter; his body pressed to mine. His hand tangled in my hair and I folded into him for a moment like he was a cozy bed after a long night out chasing demons. Unfortunately, that thought reminded me of why he was here. The demon division had decided we should go chase down Collin, aka “Batman”.
Nick pulled away but pressed his forehead to mine. We were both a little out of breath. “It's good to see you,” he said in a low voice.
“You, too. Why didn't you say you were coming?”
I saw a flash of Nick's teeth in the moonlight coming in through the front windows. “I wanted to surprise you. Did it work?”
I laughed. “No shit. You are lucky I didn't have that knife in my hand when you scared me. I could have killed you if I’d thrown it.”
He kissed my nose. “I’m pretty tough. You want to get more sleep or talk about this job.”
I groaned. I didn't want to do either of those things. Taking his hand, I led him back to my bed. “If I have to talk about nasty demon stuff, I want to be warm.” I slid under my covers and moved back against my wall. Nick pulled off his boots and slid in beside me. The bed wasn’t big enough for two people, but that just meant it was cozy.
The moon through my window was even brighter, enough that I could see Nick’s features. His blond hair was longer, kind of shaggy, but soft when I reached out and ran my fingers through it. His stubbled face looked relaxed, but I was a mess. I hadn’t gotten over my fear of half-demons and now had a bigger fear of demons than before.
“Julian has information about Collin’s location,” Nick said. I wanted no part of that sentence and crinkled my nose. “Julian wouldn't tell me much without you there, but wherever Collin is, he’s been terrorizing the local half-demons and many have fled. Nobody knows what he’s up to, but it seems like he is making an army.” Nick’s hand slid across and took mine. “He must be stopped.”
I shook my head. “And how are we supposed to stop him? He isn't a gargoyle or a demon.” I hadn’t been practicing my new skill of freezing gargoyles and demons. The one gargoyle I froze in New York still hadn’t moved an inch. Nick was storing the dragon gargoyle in his warehouse and keeping me updated on it. I didn’t like the idea of freezing all gargoyles. The ones in my town weren’t evil. Plus, it took everything out of me when I did it. I was saving it for emergencies only.
“We’re faster than humans and half-demons. We only need to catch him. Julian will take it from there.”
Great, so Julian was going, too. Fun. Not.
I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep, not wanting to talk about it anymore. I wanted to snuggle the handsome demon-touched boy and forget about all the rest of the world.
Nick’s chuckle was a good sign that my fake snores weren’t cutting it.
I must have fallen asleep because when my alarm went off at way-too-early o'clock, I was alone.
CHAPTER THREE
I found Nick and Lincoln sitting at the kitchen table. Linc was already covered in stone dust, but they were laughing about something and drinking coffee. I stumbled to the coffee machine and poured a cup before joining them at the table and resting my head on my arm. Crappy sleep again, thanks to nightmares and an intruder in my house. Although I didn't mind the intruder in my bed. He produced a lot of heat.
“How are you doing, Har?” Linc asked with humour in his voice.
I groaned and tipped my head up enough to take a sip of my coffee. I really needed a bendy straw. The coffee wasn't hot, so I just forced myself up and chugged it. Go super caffeine; make me fly! I rinsed my mug and stumbled back to my room to change into gargoyle chasing clothes. My heavy leather pants and boots protected my lower half, but since it was late summer and the heat was getting intense, I pulled on a tank top and my amulets, including the sculptor stone Nick had given me. I grabbed my net off the wall and strode out, ready to take on anything.
“That net working well for you?” Nick asked. He bought it for me and had shipped it a few days after I left New York. My old net was still in the basement of what was now Julian’s building. I dropped it fighting the demon and had been too chicken to get it. Also, there was the matter of being strapped to the gurney and paramedics wheeling me out of there.
“This is an excellent net,” I said, spinning it in my hand. It was well-balanced and had a nicer handle than my old fishing net. “You coming hunting with me?” He had his boots on.
“Sounds like fun,” he replied.
Linc was back in his garage, power tool blaring.
Nick and I walked through town, chatting quietly about gargoyles we have seen and chased. There weren’t many people we could talk to about what we do, and text or talking on the phone just wasn’t the same.
The little devil from the top of the bank was off gallivanting again. I pointed it out to Nick and he got a grin on his face.
“You see that park over there?” I asked.
“Uh huh,” he replied.
“That gargoyle is in there. First to catch him wins?”
Nick’s smile split his face, his teeth glowing in the moonlight. “On your mark, get set-”
I didn't wait. I took off at full demon-touched speed. He was in my dust. I ate up the street and then skidded to a halt in the middle of the park and listened. It was eerie quiet. I couldn't hear Nick coming, so assumed he went around the other side of the park. Sneaky.
I walked on silent feet, my heart raced, but I took a few quiet deep breaths and slowed it down. I gripped my net, ready to bolt if I heard even the slightest grumble of rocks.
The night was bright enough I could see into the old maples and oaks. This gargoyle had a favourite tree, and if he was already roosted up there I would have to do some climbing to get him. I moved towards it, stepping out of the shadows and into the open area, still alert for the gargoyle and Nick. He was not getting my gargoyle before me.
The sound of a twig breaking disrupted the silence and I whipped around to see the little demon running across the ground like a jackrabbit. I sprinted after him so fast the wind whistled past my ears. My ponytail whipped back and forth along with the pumping action of my arms. I spotted Nick moving more quickly than humanly possible, aiming to intercept my gargoyle. Oh, hell no! I kicked harder, my feet slapping the ground. The gargoyle's noise of grinding rocks got louder as I got closer, but Nick was getting closer, too.
I jumped the last couple steps, net extended and scooped the little shit just as Nick jumped, too. He was too late. My net was over the gargoyle, but he was also too late to stop and we ended up running into each other in mid-air. His elbow hit my forehead, but he cushioned my fall, so I landed on his chest.
“Oof,” he grunted as my weight slammed down on him and we slid a few more feet before coming to a stop. I glanced down and saw the gargoyle still securely in my net.
“I win!” I shouted.
He laughed and pulled my face down to his. His delicious lips did delicious things to the soundtrack of an angry gargoyle protesting his confinement. I giggled and sat up.
“You okay?” I asked him. He looked a bit squished.
“Yeah, you are really fast.”
I held up my net containing the gargoyle. “It’s the net. I’m telling you, it’s the best thing for the job.”
He chuckled again and got to his feet, pulling me up with him. I slung my captive over my shoulder and we walked back toward the bank. We were beyond the park now, in the thicker treed area beyond the
park.
We walked in silence for a few minutes. Finally, he broke it, and I knew from the way he squeezed my hand that he was also about to ruin the fun night.
“Our train leaves at eight.”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “In the morning?”
“Yes.”
I sighed again. If I died on this little adventure, I was going to be so mad. I would come back as a ghost and haunt this Demon Division and Julian. Stupid Julian, dragging me back into the half-demon business.
“All right,” I nodded.
Nick pulled me back into his arms, stopping us in the middle of the park. The streetlights reached us here, but it was still dark out. The sun wouldn't rise for another hour.
Just as Nick let me go the “blip” of a police siren cut through the silence, making me jump. I spun towards the road to find Humber Falls finest standing beside his police car. Derrek. The life-ruining jerk was standing by the towns police cruiser, staring at me.
“Fuck,” I muttered. I looked over at the still very alive gargoyle and then back at the very human Derrek.
“Freeze it,” Nick suggested.
I didn't want to. He was a good gargoyle who hardly ever bit me, but he was thrashing about, and Derrek wasn't going to wander off. In fact, Derrek pushed off the side of the cruiser and was heading in our direction.
“Shit,” I whispered. “Sorry, buddy.” I put my hand on the gargoyle and searched for the warm place inside me. Derrek was getting closer. He would notice the little demon. I pulled hard on the small flame I found flickering in my insides and poured it towards the gargoyle.
The heat burned through my skin, making it feel tight and hot, like standing too close to the brick oven at Len’s Pizza. My knees started to buckle, but Nick held me up, and the gargoyle froze just as Derrek got close enough to see what I was doing.