by Jen Pretty
“You out catching lightning bugs, Har?” he asked with a snicker.
“We were just making out in the park, is that against the law?” I replied.
Derrek's eyes slid from me to Nick and back again. “Yeah, Har. This is a public place.” His eyes returned to Nick. “And who might you be?”
Nick put on a good old boy smile and stretched his hand out towards my nemesis. “My name is Nicholas Farley. I’m from New York. Just out visiting Harlow.”
Derrek shook his hand with a suspicious look on his face. “How do you know Harlow?”
“That is none of your business Derrek.” His eyes didn't leave Nick, as if he thought Nick was a threat.
“We met through a mutual friend.” Nick’s smile never faltered.
Derrek looked him up and down and finally noticed the gargoyle in my net. “What the hell is that?”
“A firefly,” I said, straight-faced. Ha. Actress of the year.
“Looks more like a garden gnome. If you stole that from old lady Gertrude's garden in front of the library, you better put that back. I could arrest you for mischief Harlow.”
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch. This one is mine. I didn't steal it from old lady Gertrude.”
He scratched his head. “Well, why do you have it in a net?”
“I’m just taking it for a walk. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to be on my way.”
“Fine, but I’ll be stopping by if Gertrude finds her gnome missing.”
I passed him, dragging Nick along behind me. “Sure, you just do that.” We left the park and walked back towards my house until Derrek disappeared around the corner, then I hustled Nick to the bank to secure the gargoyle back to his spot.
I climbed up onto the dumpster in the alley and then onto the roof. Nick passed the net up to me, and I crept along like a ninja till I got to the front corner. I fished the gargoyle out of my net, setting his stone ass in place. Usually, they sort of locked up into stone when I set them down, but this one was already stone. I stood him in his spot, but he kept tipping over.
“What's wrong?” Nick whisper-yelled up to me.
“He won’t stand up,” I whispered back. I started to panic. I had never left a demon off the bank. It was only one story high, and people would notice him missing from the front corner. Derrek might put two and two together if he thinks really hard. Probably not. He’s pretty dumb, but what if he did and then came knocking on my door?
The heat started in my belly, I didn’t think it would help, but I let it flow out. I collapsed to the tar and rocks of the roof, my hand still resting on the little gargoyles head and as the heat intensified my eyes slid shut and that was it for me.
I opened my eyes again and I was laying on the smelly old couch in the garage, the sound of Linc's grinder screaming away like an angry cat.
I brought my arm up and rubbed my forehead; at least I didn't have any shitty dreams. “Hey Harlow, you feeling better?” Nick was at my feet. My feet were resting in his lap and he was rubbing them in his strong hands. I wanted to pretend I wasn’t, but I also really needed to use the little girl's room. Chugging that coffee this morning had been a bad plan.
I pushed off the couch and Linc noticed, clicking off his grinder.
“Did I fix the gargoyle?” I asked.
“Yeah, he moved a bit and then froze to his place, matching his buddy on the other corner.” The other one was always in his place in the morning. He was a good gargoyle.
“Well, that's interesting.” I stood, wobbling a bit and then staggered to the washroom.
I happened to catch my appearance in the mirror and was so frightened by my reflection, I almost peed my pants. My hair looked like it had been through a hurricane. It was falling out of its ponytail and standing straight up in places. “Sweet Jesus.” I did my business and then pulled the elastic out and combed my hair back down. Little leaves and twigs fell out. That’s what I get for racing through the park and rolling around in the dirt with Nick. Small price to pay, I suppose.
On my way back out, I stopped in my room and grabbed all my dirty laundry. If I was going on another adventure, I would need clean clothes. I had more clothes than last time I took off to places unknown, so had to cram the washing machine full.
“That’s a lot of clothes for one load,” Nick said from behind me, making me jump.
“Yeah, well we have to go soon. I need clothes.”
“Actually, we need to go in 20 minutes to catch our train,” Nick said, downing the last of the coffee in the mug he held in his hand.
“Crap!” I ran back to my room and dragged out my good suitcase. I wedged my net and shampoo in, then opened my closet to pull out the last of my clean clothes. I had gym shorts and a pretty red silk dress I bought but never wore. It was a bit low cut and showed a lot of leg. I folded them up and put them in my suitcase. “I don’t have any good clothes,” I said as Nick walked in my room. He crossed my room and looked in my closet while I was rooting in my dresser. Pretty sure I wouldn't need a swimsuit, but since my bag was empty, I threw it in there.
“What’s this?” he asked. I turned around and realized he was holding a box from Julian.
I snatched it away, tossed it back into the closet, and slammed the door. “That’s nothing.” I zipped up my suitcase, but when I turned around, Nick was rooting through my closet again. “Hey, get out of there.”
“These are all from Julian,” he said, his expression dark.
“So what?”
“Why didn't you open them?”
“Because I didn't want to. Let’s go. I’m all packed.”
“Harlow.”
I sighed. “I don't want to talk about it.”
Nick nodded. “Maybe later.”
Sure, if later meant never.
CHAPTER FOUR
My goodbye with Linc was quick as usual. He told me not to get dead, and I appreciated his snark. The walk to the train station took us past Len’s, but he wasn't open yet. I would have to call him from the train to let him know I was leaving.
I looked up at the bank as we passed. The little gargoyle sat there, perfectly normal. I made a mental note to ask Linc if he comes back to life tonight. If my superpowers worked both ways that would be good to know. I wondered if they worked on half-demons. I could freeze Julian and make him stop sending me stuff.
My suitcase rattled along the sidewalk as I dragged it behind me. Its small wheels rolled best over smooth surfaces, not the old cracked sidewalk of my town.
At the train station, Nick took out his cell and tapped away on it until a voice called boarding for our train. He hadn’t brought a suitcase, so he went ahead to find our seats while I struggled to get mine on the shelf of the luggage area inside the train. I should have just brought my net and left the rest at home. What the hell would I do with a swimsuit? I hadn’t tanned in so long, I would scare small children with my pasty skin.
Nick was reading a train information pamphlet when I plopped down beside him. I took out my phone and settled in for a long ride.
“Do you want to talk about what's in your closet?” he asked.
“Why would I want to do that?” I tapped on my fun bird-tossing game. I don't know who came up with it, but it was hilarious.
“Because we will be sitting in front of the man who sent them in about six hours and maybe you haven’t quite come to terms with what happened last time you saw him?”
I chucked a bird towards a pile of blocks and ignored the psychiatrist beside me. I didn't have to come to terms with anything. What did that even mean, anyway? A nice lady pushing a cart stopped by and I got a tiny cup of coffee, half of which spilled on the tray table when the train did a little jerk thing. I thought about slurping it up, but Nick tossed a napkin at it. Wasteful.
It wasn’t long after that my phone rang. I checked the name. Len.
“Hey, Len. I was going to call you.”
“I should hope so. Lincoln stopped by and said you was out of town for a
bit. Where you headin’?” Len didn't know about the gargoyles and demons. I was mostly sure. At least he never mentioned them around me.
“To New York with Nick,” I said. Len had seen me at my worst in New York when he flew in to check up on me in the hospital. He had been my emergency contact, but I had since switched it to Lincoln to keep Len out of the demon stuff.
“Well, youse two be more careful this time,” he grumped. “I don't want to get no calls that you in the hospital again.”
“I promise. I’ll be careful.”
“Yeah, all right. I gotta make the dough. Be good.” Len hung up.
The train rattled on, and eventually I fell asleep.
A loud snore startled me awake and I looked around to realize it had been my snore. Nick bit his lip stifling a laugh. I scowled at him and his giggles spilled out, attracting the attention of a few other passengers. I got up and stomped off to the tiny little bathroom on the train, stumbling a few times with the rocking movement. When I returned, I plopped down in my seat beside Nick.
He had his phone to his ear and he looked bored. “Uh huh,” he said. “Yeah, okay.” Then he hung up and looked at me.
“Your buddy is sending a car to pick us up at the train station. Apparently, he can’t wait to see you.”
Great.
I pretended to sleep for the rest of the ride. Luckily, we were nearly there and when I opened my eyes again, the city laid out before us. The tall buildings reflected the late afternoon sun.
The train sounds were drowned out by city sounds as we wove through New York to the train station. My stomach fluttered, but I couldn’t decide if I was nervous or excited. The big city was a spectacle. The sheer size of it was overwhelming. When I imagined all the people that lived in the city, it seemed incomprehensible — over eight million people. But only one of those eight million made me queasy.
My throat had healed and barely a scar remained from the demon’s nails. Four tiny half-moons ran down the left side of my neck and one on the right. I ran my fingers over the slightly raised bumps.
“There are no demons here,” Nick whispered.
I sighed. No, just half-demons which are nearly as bad.
When the train rolled to a stop, everyone stood and made their way to the front of the train. Nick took my hand and squeezed it. It should have been reassuring, but it wasn’t. I wanted to sit back down and let the train take me home, but Nick dragged me down the aisle towards where I had stored my bag. He stepped off while I struggled with my suitcase. The netting they used to keep the luggage from falling off while the train was moving snagged the buckle on my suitcase and a nice older gentleman jimmied it until it came loose.
“Thanks,” I said.
He smiled, gave me a nod, and we disembarked. The ground felt weird as I stepped onto the stationary platform. I was still rocking along with the train.
Nick waited on the platform, and I dragged my suitcase along the underground corridors and up a massive ramp into the busy Penn Station, which I now knew was in Manhattan.
In the station, travellers scurried about in the vast space. I followed Nick’s back as we made our way up to the street with the smell of food making my stomach growl. None of the sandwiches the train offered looked particularly appetizing, but now I was paying for my pickiness. I tripped on the escalator as the step I was standing on disappeared into the steel grate at the top and I thanked God I didn't have a loose shoelace or something. I had heard the stories of escalators eating people when they got caught. That didn't sound fun.
Out on the street, the pretentious black limousine with the same driver stood at the curb. He opened the door when he saw me, then raced over and grabbed my suitcase from me, stuffing it in the trunk. Nick and I climbed in the limo, and the driver shut the door before racing around and getting behind the wheel.
My heart was racing so fast I could hear it in my ears. I practiced the slow breathing exercises Linc had taught me and closed my eyes, but I shivered. It seemed any time I stressed now I would shake like a leaf. It didn't happen too often at home, but now it was almost violent. I didn’t want to go back to the building where I had nearly died.
“Calm down, Harlow.”
My breath rushed in and out so fast I thought I might pass out. Nick slung his arm around my shoulders, but he couldn't stop the tremors.
“Stop the car,” I said with a squeaky voice. The car didn't even slow down. “I said stop the car!”
“Harlow, just wait,” Nick said.
I pulled at the door, but it was locked, and I couldn't get it open. My heart was going to explode. I didn't want to be here. Maybe there was another train leaving soon and I could be home by morning. Finally, the car pulled over and I kicked the door until the driver came around and opened it. I tumbled out onto the pavement and lay there trying to remember how my lungs worked. I was sure I was dead, but when Nick looked down at me and the sun was setting behind his head, making him look like an angel I knew I was still alive. There was no way I was going to heaven. I looked past Nick to realize we were in front of the building they had wheeled me out of on a gurney last time I was in New York.
“I can’t go in there,” I said through chattering teeth.
“There are no demons, Harlow. You know that. You are safe here. I promise.” Nick reached down and pulled my amulets out from under my shirt. My hand came up automatically. I had put them on tougher chains, so they weren't as easy for some demon to rip off of me. My sculptor stone was with them, warm from pressing against my skin. I took another deep breath and pushed myself up to sitting.
A greasy looking old man with a grey beard and wearing several layers of mismatched clothes stared at me like I was crazy. I took a few more deep breaths.
“Let’s go grab a coffee instead. Julian can wait a few more minutes,” Nick said, taking my hand and pulling me to my feet. He exchanged a meaningful look with the driver who pulled out his phone and made a call. I assumed to Julian.
Nick and I walked up the street to a small cafe tucked in between a clothing store and a sandwich shop. I kept practicing the deep breathing but continued to shiver until long after I was hugging a paper cup of strong black coffee.
“Okay, times up,” Nick said. I squinted at him over my cup. It wasn’t empty. “You can bring it with you, but we need to get moving, Har. I need your help on this.” He reached across the small table and took my hand — the one not holding my coffee out of his reach.
“Fine, but if I die, Lincoln will kick your ass.”
Nick sighed. “You won’t die, Harlow. We’re just going up to talk to Julian. Believe me, if he talked to me, I would be more than glad to leave you at a hotel and go chat with him, but he won’t, and I'm sure it's because he’s in love with you.”
I gasped. “That’s not true. I have done nothing worth loving in my whole life.” I meant it as a joke, but it struck close to home and Nick looked a bit sad. Fuck. Well fuck, I’m just a ball of sunshine today.
I stood up and Nick led the way. I kind of wanted him to hold my hand; he was warm and sweet and smelled good. But I also saw his point. I needed to do this and stop Collin from doing whatever he was doing.
I gripped my cardboard coffee cup a little too hard, and the top popped off, but luckily it was almost empty and didn't spill. I kept sipping it until we passed a garbage can, then tossed it in and pulled up my big huntress panties.
I could do this.
The doors to the glass fortress of death, I mean office building, stood before me. It was now or never. Nick grabbed my hand and dragged me through before I was ready, but then I was inside, and there weren't any obvious demons. People walked in and out, their shoes echoing on the hard tile floors. The soft ‘bing’ of elevators punctuated the low chatter of the busy office building. Nick put a hand on my back and pressed me forward when I slowed.
We stepped inside an elevator, and the doors slid closed. My breathing got away from me again, and I was gasping like a fish out of water.
The doors slid open to the same scene as last time I stepped off on this floor. People were hustling around shuffling papers and looking busy. In the far corner where Collin once sat with his black bat wings out behind him now sat a familiar head of dark hair. He lifted his chin and his eyes caught mine.
I froze like a gargoyle at dawn.
CHAPTER FIVE
The elevator doors started to close again, but Nick's arm pressed it open, then he grabbed my hand and pulled me forward. The doors slid shut behind me and I was surrounded by half-demons again. My palms were sweaty but I reached up and twisted my amulets, making sure they were all there.
Everyone accounted for, I took a step forward towards the half-demon leader of New York. Julian. I walked closer and my fear transformed into anger. It was slow at first, I hardly noticed the shift, but then rage took over, and I was stomping towards that bastard who let me get my ass kicked by a fucking demon. I wished I had my net. My new one was tougher than my old one and could inflict some severe damage on the jerk face.
Elaine, the secretary who had been working for Collin when I was last here, stepped in front of me. A smile lit her face but I could tell she was nervous. “Can I get you anything? Coffee?” she asked.
I slid past her, ignoring her question because my manners were crap when I was mad and stomped to the small glass office. I slammed open the door and strode inside like I owned the place.
“You fucker!” I said. “How dare you summon me! Do you think I am at your beck and call after what you did? You are no better than that asshole Collin! Now you tell me where he is before I find something hard and start breaking your glass walls!” I eyeballed the glass. It looked pretty thick; I would need something heavy duty. I’d seen people throw chairs through glass. I wondered if I was strong enough to do that.
Julian slowly rose from his chair to his full height. I had forgotten how tall he was. Shit. I took half a step back.