"Like taking on Demon Hunters," I said.
"Just like that," Smith agreed. "Now, walk behind me and pretend you're supposed to be here. The demons on duty on the door right now are a pair of cranky assholes."
"What did you do to piss them off?" I asked,
Smith grinned. "Long story. I'll fill you in later, if you're lucky."
I grunted. "I'll bet your full of those. Long stories."
"Or full of shit maybe?" Kannen suggested.
"Hey, be nice." Smith waved a finger at him, turned and marched toward the door. "If it wasn't for me, you'd be in it up to your eyeballs. Who do you think told them to admit you in the first place?"
"You?" Kannen guessed. "I thought it was my pretty face."
"That might not have hurt," Smith agreed.
"How did you know we were coming?" I asked.
Smith held up a hand. "Good evening, gentlemen." He didn't slow as he walked past a pair of demons. Both followed his passage with their eyes and a matching set of scowls. Neither said anything in reply, nor did they seem to notice me or Kannen.
The cool of the early morning air hit me in the face as I stepped out into the night. The familiar smell of tar and car fumes replaced that of stale sweat and spilled beer. I sucked in a breath and exhaled.
When we walked a block or two and I determined that no one was following us, I stopped and pressed my fists to my hips.
"All right, Smith, who and what are you?"
19
He smiled, unperturbed by her sudden questions. "I'm Smith," he replied easily. "That might be all you need to know."
I cocked an eyebrow. "Oh no, there's much more I want to know. Let's start with your first name."
"John."
"John Smith?" Kannen snorted. "Pull the other leg, why don't you?"
Smith shrugged, a half smile on his lips. "What can I say, my parents had no bloody imagination. If it helps, my middle name is Rastas."
"It is not." Kannen snorted.
Smith hesitated. "No, it's not."
When he didn't elaborate, I asked, "Are you a wizard?"
"Ten points to the Demon Hunter." Smith gave me a slow clap. "You wanted to know how I knew you were coming."
"Magic?"
"Actually Malachai called and gave me a heads up." Smith grinned.
I frowned. "He didn't say anything to me."
"Of course not. How would it have looked if you'd been keeping an eye out for me?"
"I suppose you have a point," I conceded. Still, the idea that Malachai went behind my back irritated me. Did he really think I was incapable of pretending not to know Smith?
I reminded myself what was at stake and pushed my ego aside. We needed to focus on other things right now.
"Why did Haigwood's eyes go black? I've never heard of anyone being possessed by a shade."
Smith looked troubled. "Neither have I," he admitted. "Shades are assholes, but they're not usually hands-on like that. For one thing, they have no hands. At least as far as I can tell."
Kannen snorted. "What do you know?"
Smith turned to him, eyebrows raised. "I know how to ensorcel a piece of obsidian to prevent your girlfriend from becoming a psychopath. You're welcome."
I flushed. "We're not… it's not like that."
He rolled his eyes. "Oh please, it's obvious to everyone but you two."
I glanced at Kannen, who smiled and shrugged. "She is pretty cute," he said.
"We really don't have time to talk about this right now," I muttered. My face felt red and hot.
"Mate, take my advice and make time," Smith replied. "Life is too fuckin' short not to." For a moment he looked lost in thought, blue eyes tinged with sadness. He shook his head and the moment passed.
"You'll be wanting some obsidian for the rest of your team. I could make your headquarters curse-proof, but it takes a lot more time and power than I can spare at the moment. Ensorcelling stone is quick and easy, if you can find the right stone. Luckily, I know a girl."
He stretched out his arm so his sleeve drew back to reveal his watch—an oversized analogue designed when people only used watches to tell time.
"She'll be open soon. In the meantime, let me shout you breakfast. I need some grease to soak up the alcohol." He made a face, his tongue protruding as though he didn't care for the taste it had left in his mouth. "And coffee. Lots of coffee."
"Black Cats and Grimoires," Kannen read aloud. "Very subtle."
Smith chuckled. "What's the good of a magic shop if no one can find it?"
"Let's see… how about security from the people who don't know actual magic exists?" Kannen crossed his arms over his chest and gave Smith a speculative look.
"Bah! The only thing they see is the fake stuff. Decks of cards with TV show images printed on the backs and shit like that. The good stuff is kept out the back."
Smith pushed the door open. A bell tinkled as it opened and closed behind them.
"Rachael, you here, mate?" Smith called out.
A dark-haired woman popped up from behind the counter. "Smithy, you old bastard, are you still alive?" She gave him a lopsided smile and a quick hug. The black dress she wore fell to just above her knees, over knee-high striped socks and short boots.
"Just barely," he replied, eyes wide as if he'd just escaped from a near miss. "These are my new friends, Juliet and Kannen." He pointed to each in turn.
I gave Rachael a nod. "Nice to meet you."
"Are you a witch too?" Kannen asked bluntly.
Rachael put a finger to her lips, but smiled behind it. "I am, but don't go around telling anyone."
Kannen shrugged and wandered off through the shelves. "People really buy this stuff?"
I grimaced, but Rachael was unruffled.
"I hope they do. My rent here would suck otherwise. Some day I'll find a spell to avoid paying it. And tax." She wrinkled her nose.
Smith raised a finger. "There's—"
I gave him a dark look. "Wouldn't that be stealing?"
He lowered his hand.
"So, we're looking for more stones which can be ensorcelled?" I gave him a side-eye and turned to Rachael.
"Oh, that's what that is," Rachael said. "I thought I sensed something when you walked in."
"You can feel this?" I glanced at Smith before I drew out my pendant. "Who else can?"
"Only other witches," Rachael assured her. "And no specifics. You could have had any number of spells embedded in that."
"Like what?" Kannen asked. He had been flicking and swishing a plastic wand. Now he stood with it in his hand, head cocked with curiosity.
"Stones can contain protection against any number of things," Rachael replied. "Dark magic, potions, mind control, humans."
"Humans?" I echoed. "How does that work?"
"It doesn't." Smith scoffed. "There's no remedy for humankind."
"I think I should take offence on behalf of my entire species," I replied.
"Probably." Smith grinned. "Now, about those stones…"
"Ahh yes." Rachael gestured toward a door which I was almost certain hadn't been there a moment ago. "I keep those in the back section. Feel free to peruse."
I nodded my thanks and followed Smith through the doorway.
The front section of the shop had looked like a toy shop. The back looked like an apothecary. Drying herbs hung from racks to one side. Bottles and jars lined shelves, each labeled by hand. Most of the contents were green or brown, leaves or ground powders of various kinds.
"This is more like it." Kannen stepped in behind me and fingered a jar marked as "dried chicken feet."
"I've heard this stuff can cure a hangover when it's mixed with…" Kannen moved his pointer finger across the shelf. "Ah, there, liquified frog eyeballs."
I shuddered. "Really? People drink that?"
"Gods no, you smear it on your forehead." Kannen looked at me as though I was some kind of savage.
I shook my head and continued to scan the room. It was bigger than I first r
ealised. The whole back section consisted of books of all shapes and sizes. Each section was clearly marked: "spells and glamours", "relics and rarities", "wands and wishes."
"Ah, I've found them."
When Smith didn't elaborate, I moved over to the shelf in front of him. It held containers of stones in various sizes, shapes and colours, each with a hole for a chain or necklace.
"Any chance Haigwood shops here?" I whispered. None of the stones looked like the ones around his neck, but stranger things…
Smith's eyebrows shot up and lowered again in a blink. "Here? No. I'd trust Rachael with my life. In fact, I have in the past. Whatever the fuck he's up to, it's nothing to do with her."
"But she could have sold him the stone and he had someone else put a spell on it," I pressed.
He shook his head. "I suppose it's possible. There's no way to know what will be done with a stone after it's sold."
"Stones don't hurt people, witches putting spells on stones hurt people," Kannen remarked.
Smith smiled, but appeared troubled.
"Can she trace her sales?" I asked.
"She could, but anyone making a purchase for nefarious purposes is probably not going to use a credit card. At least not their own."
"I don't suppose you had a chance to take a photo of it. She might remember if Haigwood bought it." I picked up a piece of jade, looked it over and put it back.
"The opportunity never arose, but it's an unlikely scenario." Smith drummed his fingers against the shelf. "If Haigwood did this, he would have sent someone in his place. That someone could be at the bottom of the harbour by now."
"But?" I prompted.
"But I think it was a gift. I don't think he has any idea what it does."
I shrugged. "In the meantime, what kind of stone do we need to protect the rest of my team?"
"Obsidian is best for this." Smith pointed toward a container. "Onyx will do in a pinch."
"Anything black?" I surmised.
"Not necessarily. Black diamond will backfire badly." He grimaced. "Horrible stuff, diamonds. Most spells bounce right off. I learnt that the hard way."
"Oh? Do tell," Kannen said from the other side of the shelf.
Smith hesitated. "Suffice to say, never put a love spell on a diamond. The fates know my reflection is extraordinarily handsome, but it's far worse when you're under a spell."
Kannen choked out a laugh.
"Lucky for me," Smith continued, "it was a short-term spell. Wore off after a week. Now I'm back to my regular level of self adoration." He batted his eyelashes.
I rolled my eyes and picked up four pieces of obsidian. "Can you spell these?"
"Of course." Smith took them from me. "Back at DHHQ though. I think we have some talking to do."
"Yes, starting with how you know Malachai." I tucked my pendant back under my shirt and followed him toward the counter to pay.
"Oh, that's easy, we used to work together," Smith replied. He pulled out his wallet and handed a couple of notes to Rachael. "Don't worry about a bag."
My mouth formed an O. "He never mentioned you."
Smith pressed a hand to his heart. "Wow, you know how to hurt a guy, don't you, mate?" A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"As a matter of fact, I do," I replied, smiling slightly. "But you'll keep for another day."
"There you are." Rachael handed Smith a receipt. "Happy ensorcelling. Do come again." She extended a smile to all three of us.
"There's nothing I like better," Smith replied. He winked while I rolled my eyes again.
Before I stepped back out into the street, I looked back toward the rear of the shop. The door was gone, replaced by what looked like a solid brick wall.
"Don't try pushing a trolley through it," Kannen said. "No one gets through magic walls like that without help from the witch who erected it."
I nodded. It certainly looked solid.
"Amazing," I muttered.
20
"I have a bad feeling about this," Kannen muttered.
I murmured my agreement.
The morning was already hot and the air felt charged with electricity. People should have been heading for work, or sightseeing, or…something. The groups who gathered around Pitt Street Mall looked lost and agitated. A woman leaned against a window, eyes glazed. A knot of young men and women gathered together and talked in low but furious tones.
I stepped around them. If they noticed me, they gave no sign. I eyed a couple of them as I passed. A dark-skinned man was arguing with a man of Asian appearance.
I couldn't make out what they were talking about, but it was heated.
"You're a fucking idiot…"
"Take a look at yourself if you think—"
I didn't see the first swing, or the blow that connected, but the dark-skinned man staggered back, holding his jaw. He narrowly missed bumping into me. Only my last minute sidestep prevented a collision.
Shit.
The man growled and threw himself at the other man. A moment later, the entire group exploded into swinging fists and kicking legs.
I jumped back a few steps. "Smith, can you do something before someone gets killed?"
Smith grimaced. "Not without using a shitload of power."
"I'm happy to take that chance," I said. Preferably before someone got killed.
"You might be, but I need it for these." He held up his hand, full of the stones needed for the rest of the Demon Hunters. "Can you do something?"
I sighed. I wanted to avoid stepping into this mess, but it seemed I had no choice. I glanced toward Kannen. He gestured for me to go first. I smirked at him.
Hands raised, I waded into the middle of the all-out brawl.
"All right folks, time to settle down." I narrowly missed being hit in the head by a young woman with a pink ponytail who swung a fist in my direction.
"Hey, I said stop." The obsidian around my neck warmed against my skin. It grew uncomfortably warm, then hot. I leaned forward to get it off my chest before it burned a hole in my skin.
"Fuck off," the young woman growled. She gave me a shove.
I threw my hands out and stepped back a few paces to avoid falling on my ass.
"Why you little—" My anger was all mine this time, not the whammy. I forced it aside. "I can call the police if you prefer?"
"Don't care," the girl replied, her chin stuck out in defiance. "They won't do nothin'."
She might be right there, and I certainly wasn't going to press charges over it.
"You should go home before you get hurt," I said, my voice even.
"Are you threatening me?" A knife appeared in the girl's hand. She slashed out with it, but only connected to the air.
"Okay folks, break it up." Kannen sauntered toward them, his eyes glowing.
The girl did a double take and dropped the knife in surprise. "What the bloody hells are you?"
"Your worst nightmare," Kannen said sweetly.
The young woman let out a squeak and turned and ran.
Kannen grinned. "I've always wanted to say that." He crouched to pick up the discarded knife. When he stood, he scowled. "Hey!"
"What?" I followed his line of sight. The woman who had been leaning against the wall was surrounded by several people.
"Give us your phone," demanded a man with bright red hair.
The woman stared at him as though she didn't comprehend his words.
"She's fuckin' stoned, Darren," his long-haired companion said. "Let's just take it." He grabbed the woman's arm.
I followed Kannen as the demon pushed his way through. "Get your hands off her," he hissed.
"Piss off," Darren said.
"Yeah," his companion said, "what are you gonna do?"
"Break your arm?" Kannen suggested, his tone dark.
Darren looked him up and down and scoffed. "As if you could. Get lost, fucker."
Kannen still had the knife in his hand. In a heartbeat, it was at the other man's throat.
&nbs
p; "No one calls me fucker," he growled.
Darren jerked, then stood still, eyes wide. "What the hells?"
"Kannen." I put a hand on his arm. The stone went cold. The fear in Darren's eyes was real, the irrational bravado gone.
"I didn't mean to… I wasn't going to…" The smell of warm urine filled the still, stifling air.
Kannen grunted in disgust and pushed him back, away from himself. "Don't go around harassing women, all right?"
I hadn't seen him put the knife away, but his hands were empty now.
"Okay, okay." Darren put his hands up and backed away, toward the street. "Come on, Jase."
His friend gave the woman leaning against the wall a funny look, then hurried after Darren.
"What just happened?" he asked before they walked out of sight.
"That is a good question." I shot Kannen a questioning look. "What was that?"
"I hate bullies. Looks like the crowd is dispersing."
The group, which had been speaking heatedly only moments before, was now gone. People walked up and down the mall, the mood now a normal hustle and bustle. The woman remained where she'd been during the entire incident. Her eyes were no longer glazed and she stood upright, but she didn't look like someone who had almost been mugged. She looked—as though nothing strange had happened at all.
"Hey," I said softly, "are you okay?"
The woman blinked. "Hmmm? Oh, yes, I'm fine. Thank you." She nodded vaguely and started to walk away.
"You humans are a strange lot," Smith remarked, all but talking in my ear.
I managed to contain a startle. "You shouldn't creep up on well-trained, armed Demon Hunters."
"If you were that well trained, I wouldn't have been able to," he pointed out.
"I'll pass your comment on to Malachai," I said dryly. "I'm sure he'll value it greatly."
"Of course he will. We didn't part on bad terms, we just didn't work well together."
"Maybe he couldn't compete with your ego." Kannen grinned.
"That makes sense," Smith replied, "it is rather healthy." He favoured Kannen with a sly smile. "The truth is, I had my own path to follow."
"It happens," I replied. "Where were you during all of this?" I gestured around the mall.
Hunting Darkness (City of Darkness Book 1) Page 12