by Kyoko M
“Hey, munchkin. How’ve you been?” I asked, drawing back to look at her. She’d definitely grown a couple of inches. Her hair was longer than the last time I saw it, held back by a pink polka dotted headband that matched her shirt. Her face was still round, but she looked more like her mother and less like a tiny Korean Cabbage Patch Kid.
“Good. Mom said you had to go overseas to see some family.”
I glanced at Lauren over the child’s head. It was a surprised, but grateful look. She nodded to me, not needing to say anything. Last October, I had been a wanted fugitive whom the government thought murdered a serial killer. Lily was too small to watch the news, so she hadn’t seen my face on it. I had always wondered if Lauren would tell her the truth or not. In the end, she decided to cut me a break. Thank God for her.
“Yeah, it was a long trip. I’m back in town to check on your mom.”
The child glanced around expectantly. “Where’s Uncle Mike?”
Guilt formed a cold lump in my stomach. “He’s…still out of town. He might drop by later, though.”
“Oh. Are you gonna stay?”
“I don’t know yet.”
She kissed my cheek. “I’m still happy you’re here. We missed you.”
“I missed you too, squirt.” I put her down, addressing her mother this time.
“Where’s You-Know-Who?”
Lauren smirked. We rarely spoke her ex’s name out loud when he wasn’t around. He was a chronic asshole and didn’t deserve to be acknowledged most of the time. “He dropped Lily off a few minutes ago and then went to get some brunch. The hospital food here is pretty awful.”
“Ah. So everything’s been quiet?”
“Yeah. They said they’ll keep me one more night just to be sure the bones are set properly and then I can head home.”
I winced. I needed to get her protection detail set up soon. My wallet wouldn’t be able to handle too many more nights in a hotel. Plus, I was due back at work tomorrow night.
I walked Lily over to her mom’s side and helped her onto the bed. The two cuddled together and Lily regaled us with tales of her previous school day. I heard the door to the room open and shut, tensing, but then a huge vase of flowers and a cluster of brightly colored Get Well balloons appeared. It took me a second to realize Gabriel was attached to them.
“Gabe?” Lauren said, her eyes widening with delight. “What are you doing here?”
He smiled, brandishing the gifts. “I’ve come to wish you a speedy recovery, of course.”
The archangel placed the items on the nightstand beside her. The flowers were pink, yellow, and white roses, all long-stemmed and in perfect full bloom. They made the small stuffed bear her ex-husband bought her look like something from the dollar store. Which, to be honest, it probably was.
He took her free hand and kissed it, and she giggled like a schoolgirl. I snuck a glance over to see her cheeks turning pink. Lauren had been nursing a crush on Gabriel since she met him, and God bless him, he had not a clue. She and I had a strict “no dating friends” policy, so she hadn’t asked him out. I got the feeling if that weren’t the case, she’d be all over him in a heartbeat.
He also gave Lily a smooch on the forehead and the child giggled the exact same way as her mother, which was adorable. Lily was one of the friendliest kids I knew, and she and Gabriel bonded the second they met a few years ago.
“How are you feeling, my dear?” he asked Lauren, taking a seat to her left.
“Better. Should be out of here by tomorrow. Not that I’m in a hurry. It’ll be hard to wait tables like this,” she said, frowning a bit.
“I’m sure your boss will cut you some slack. After all, no one can resist your charms.”
She waved a hand to dismiss the comment, but she was grinning. “Stop it, you. Jordan was just telling me what she’s been up to lately.”
He glanced at me. “Oh?”
“Yeah. I swear, sometimes I think she’s on a holy mission or something.” She added emphasis on “holy,” enough that Gabriel’s eyes widened.
Before he could pursue the matter, Lauren hit the button to call in a nurse and one appeared rather quickly. I got the sneaking suspicion maybe Gabriel had something to do with it. I caught the nurse’s appreciative glance in his direction after she came in.
Lauren dug a couple bucks out of her purse and held them out for the nurse. “Hey, would you mind taking Lily to the vending machine for a snack?”
“Not at all.” The nurse accepted the money, took the child’s hand, and led her out, giving us the space we needed to chat.
Gabriel tugged at his white silk tie. “Is there something you’d like to discuss, ladies?”
“Yes,” I said. “I told her the truth. Plus, she kind of knew already. The demon told her to give me a message.”
“Oh, dear,” he breathed, palming his face with his long fingers. “How are you taking the news?”
Lauren shrugged her uninjured shoulder. “I always knew Jordan was a weirdo. Not really that surprised, to be honest.”
Gabriel arched an eyebrow. “Most people would have an awful lot of questions. Are you sure you’re not in some sort of shock?”
“Relatively sure. I mean, the way she explained it makes sense to me—all those unexplained absences she had, the reason why she refused to date Michael for so long, the kidnapping charges, etc. Plus, my mom was Catholic. She’s probably up in heaven right now going, ‘I told you so.’ And anyway, I thought you weren’t allowed to answer most of the questions I would have in the first place.”
“True, but I am merely astonished at how well you’ve adjusted to this information.”
“Well, I am also on some exceptional painkillers.”
He chuckled. “Ah. There we are.”
“Besides, I’m more disappointed in you than Jordan.”
He gave a start. “Me? What have I done?”
“No wonder you never asked me out. You’re an archangel. No dating humans, right?”
He blushed scarlet. I laughed, unable to help myself. Lauren watched him squirm in his seat with merciless glee.
“N-No, it’s generally frowned upon. I apologize if I’ve hurt your feelings in the past.”
“Oh, come off it, Gabriel. I’m only teasing. You look like you could use a joke or two. I know you came to tell Jordan something.”
“Well, that’s partially true. You knowing the truth makes things a bit easier, though. I’ve hired a couple of my best angels to keep an eye on you and Lily until Jordan’s current mission is at an end.”
“Who are they?”
He shook his head. “It’s better if you don’t know. We wouldn’t want to accidentally blow their cover. They will keep a low profile and report back to me once a week. If anything happens, they will contact me immediately and I’ll come for you.”
She touched his hand, the smile softening around the edges. “Thank you.”
He squeezed her fingers in return. “You are more than welcome. In the meantime, you should get some rest. I need to borrow Jordan for a moment, if you don’t mind.”
“Not in the least.”
He stood and crooked a finger at me. I followed him into the hallway. We stood next to the payphone, keeping our voices low.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“I’m afraid I have some even worse news,” he sighed. “The demon we killed last night was only the first to accept the contract on your life. From what I’ve heard, they want you gone for a reason. I believe there is a larger scheme at work here.”
“What kind of scheme?”
“I’m not sure. The coins are definitely involved, though. I’ve put out orders for my men to keep an eye on you and the rest of the Seers until further notice.”
I scowled. “You do realize most of the angels are mad at me, right? I’m not so sure they’re going to want to protect me all that much.”
“True, but orders are orders. They will follow them whether they like it or not. Otherwise, they’ll have to deal
with me. I’m no Commander, but I don’t take it lightly if someone jeopardizes the safety of one of my friends.” The hard quality in his voice made me relax a little. I couldn’t trust many people these days, but I knew he meant every word.
“This scheme…do you think it’s an archdemon pulling the strings?”
He set his jaw. “Unfortunately, yes, which means you should definitely be on high alert, seeing as both Mulciber and Belial personally have it in for you.”
I rubbed my forehead. A stress headache pounded behind my right eye. “Goody gumdrops. What do you suggest I do about that?”
“Head back to your place tonight. That at least gives you the home field advantage. I want you and Myra to head for the safe house in Montpelier. You’ll have to stay under the radar until we locate Faust and get the rest of the coins.”
“Wait, you’re not going to come with us?”
Gabriel offered me a helpless look. “No, I am afraid not. With Michael missing, I am next in line for the position of Commander.”
“And that’s also why you wanted me to find Michael, isn’t it?”
He winced. “Yes. I would feel much better with him at the helm. However, that does not appear to be in the cards for now. I will just have to rise to the occasion.”
I smiled. “You’ve never met a challenge you couldn’t conquer, Gabe. You’re already kicking ass. Don’t doubt yourself now.”
He shuffled his feet, a shy gesture, and then cleared his throat. Centuries of victorious battles under his belt and he was still modest. I adored that. “I will do my best.”
The archangel then laid his hands on my shoulders, regarding me with those spring water blue eyes. “Be careful, Jordan. These are treacherous times. We can’t afford to lose you.”
“I will. I promise.”
Gabriel kissed my forehead, above my right eyebrow, and I almost cried right then and there. He had been doing that ever since he met me all those years ago. It was the only familiar gesture I still had left in my life.
“I’ll be in touch.” He nodded to me and left.
I took a deep breath and headed back to Lauren’s room. Lily had returned and was sharing a Kit-Kat bar with her mother. My throat tightened as I looked at them—a tiny family I wanted to protect more than anything, but couldn’t be near. Ain’t it always the way?
“So,” I said, after clearing my throat. “I should get going. I’ll call and check on you guys every day this week. Scout’s honor.”
Lauren sent me an even gaze over Lily’s head. “Alright. I’ll hold you to that, Amador.”
I went over and hugged her. She wrapped her good arm around me and tilted her face towards my ear. “Make it out of this in one piece. I’m not taking my daughter to your funeral. Promise me that and I’ll forgive you for lying to me. Deal?”
I drew back. “Deal.”
I kissed Lily on the forehead. “Take care of your mom, munchkin. Both of you stay out of trouble, y’hear me?”
“We will,” Lily chirped, waving as I walked away. I managed to make it to the door before the tears started streaming down my cheeks.
Go Team Amador.
CHAPTER FOUR
JORDAN
Traveling back to Chattanooga, Tennessee with the knowledge that there was a demon out there with my name on his To Do list was not a fun experience. I had to bury the energy that made me identifiable as a Seer so deep inside me that I was worried I wouldn’t be able to pull it back out. I wore a baseball cap and sunglasses from the airport back to my apartment and even stuffed my oversized grey duster—which I didn’t know until recently had made me recognizable to demons—into my suitcase. I caught the bus back to my place and checked every single corner of the hallway for explosives. Nada. For now, anyway.
I put the keys in the door, turned the knob, and then found myself staring at a hellhound.
He was damn near four feet tall with shaggy black fur that almost hid the bulky muscles of his shoulders, his haunches, and his barrel chest. His snout was long and narrow like a wolf’s rather than a dog’s. His ears were flattened against his skull. His upper lip slid back as a growl trickled out of his mouth, sending the hairs on my arms into frenzied attention. I caught a glimpse of the jagged rows of sharp, yellowed teeth beneath black gums.
“Oh, shut up, mutt. It’s me,” I muttered, kicking the door shut behind me.
Ace the hellhound paused and sniffed my boots. The growling ground to a halt. He glanced over me with his blood-red eyes and snorted, turning his back on me and returning to the den.
I shook my head and locked the door—using all five locks to make sure no one would get in behind me. Plus, our place was under two separate but equally powerful protection prayers. No demon would cross it unless he wanted to be lit up like a Duraflame log.
“Welcome home, roomie,” Myra said breezily from the couch, sipping on a Heineken. The hellhound hopped up next to her and laid his head in her lap. She began stroking his right ear, which he loved for some reason, and eyed the look on my face.
“I take it all is well in Albany?”
“Oh, of course,” I said, dropping my suitcase. “My best friend got her arm broken because of me, I almost got murdered in a hospital again, and oh yeah, there are demons trying to kill me.”
She paused, absorbing this information. “I bought you some ice cream sandwiches.”
“…do you ever stop being perfect?” I headed into the kitchen and grabbed said treat from the freezer. Dinner, schminner. After my day, I deserved dessert first.
Our apartment was tiny and had no decorations to speak of. The complex itself was a common spot for students at the University of Tennessee, meaning our rent was pretty low. Unfortunately, that also meant having to deal with partying coeds, but there were worse things in life. It was a basic carpeted two bedroom, two bathroom set up on the ground floor. Myra had the truck to cart us around in. I was still without a vehicle. After all, where I grew up, there had always been a bus line. Still, the nature of our work demanded reliable transportation so as long as I paid for gas and split the occasional cost of repairs, all was well. Though paying to repair the bullet hole I made with my Glock was going to be a pain in the ass. Never doing that again.
“So,” I said through a mouthful of delicious vanilla ice cream and soft chocolate cookie. “Gabriel said we need to head for the safe house.”
Myra arched a thick eyebrow. “What? Why can’t we stay here?”
“Not protected enough. Plus, it’ll lower the risk of civilian casualties. It’s a long drive to Vermont, so we’d better get packing.”
She drained the rest of her beer, patting the enormous beast to make him lift his head. “Alright, alright, I’m going. What’s the plan?”
“We regroup and try to find Faust while keeping our heads down. Gabe thinks the hit isn’t just on me, but all of us. Pack up your best toys and we can hit the road in the morning.”
“What about work?”
I winced. “I’ll just have to put in my two weeks’ notice. There’s no telling how long this is going to take.”
“Good luck with that.” She then clucked her tongue and the hound followed her to her room. I finished my ice cream sandwich and returned to the kitchen to find myself some dinner.
I worked as a low level cook at a Mexican restaurant in downtown Chattanooga. It paid enough to keep food on the table, and I genuinely liked cooking. The first time I went in there, I’d tried their salsa and found it a bit lacking. I was scribbling down what I thought would make a better recipe to try at home when the manager happened past. We ended up chatting for a while. He liked my idea and asked me to bring him a sample. After tasting it, he hired me on the spot. Plus, it helped I was bilingual, even if it was Castilian Spanish rather than the more common Mexican Spanish.
We hadn’t gone grocery shopping yet so my dinner consisted of a frozen burrito and what was left of the pico de gallo I made a couple days ago. After eating, I retreated to my room to gear up.
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br /> I cleared random clothes off my bedspread and started with the most important items: weapons. I had some nice guns on hand thanks to Myra’s friend at the Chattanooga Rifle Club. For a while, I had only needed my .38 Smith & Wesson, but the past year had gotten so rough that I upgraded to the Glock. Aside from that, I had a Mossberg .12 gauge, an M16 I’d swiped from a rather nasty demon a few months ago, and an M24 sniper rifle that Myra had loaned me from her Army days. Truthfully, guns had become a bigger part of my life than I would have liked, but it was for a reason. Using an angel’s feather meant getting up close and personal. A gun gave you a better shot at surviving with all your limbs intact, no pun intended.
Each gun had its own case. I checked all four of them to make sure their parts were clean and tucked them away. This much hardware meant we couldn’t catch a plane. I didn’t need to give the authorities another excuse to toss me in the slammer.
I grabbed the M16 and the .12 gauge to take out to the truck. As always, Myra’s car keys were on a rack in the kitchen, so I swiped them and went outside.
The parking lot was empty when I walked outside, which was perfect because the cases looked suspicious as hell. The complex had a U-shape like a hotel and we’d parked at the center. I kept a quick stride, my shoulders tense in the open area. An itchy feeling crept up my spine like I was being watched. Could be my own paranoia. Could be a demon. No way to tell until it was too late.
I was about four feet from the truck when I heard the unmistakable click of a firearm.
I dropped the gun cases and hit the ground on my belly. A sharp whistle pierced the air and then the silver Saturn Ion behind me exploded. I covered my head as charred bits of metal and glass bounced off my back. He’d been trigger-happy. If he waited a second later, he would’ve gotten me.
Ears ringing, I pushed to my knees and opened the case to the Mossberg. My eyes darted across the lot until I spotted a pair of legs across from me behind a burgundy Honda Accord. I saw the barrel of the grenade launcher tip upward, meaning he was loading another shot. Shit!
I loaded the shotgun and aimed at his kneecaps, hoping to get lucky. I fired twice, but both shots dinged off the tire. He ran towards the next car on his right, probably searching for better cover. I got up and tore ass over to the east wall. Where the hell was my back up? Gabriel said he hired someone to watch over us, but they were nowhere to be found. Swell.