by J. P. Rice
I spun in a circle, my fists wrapped in a glowing purple shine with bits of silver dancing within it. “Anyone else? Anyone else have a problem with me?”
The embarrassed wolves lowered their heads in shame. I hated to do this in one of their establishments, but if you come at the queen, you best not miss. I stared at the fallen wolf, smoke rising from his crumpled body as his friends attended to him. He had missed.
The silence in the restaurant told me there were no more challengers so I transferred the berries into one hand and slid them into my coat pocket. Caesar and I sat back down.
“Sorry about that,” Caesar spoke quietly so nobody else would hear him, “But thanks.”
I nodded, knowing he was thanking me for not killing his friend. Caesar was in a tough spot since I was a pariah according to the other wolves. His pack probably expected him to kill me to avenge the fallen Cicero. I was an enemy. But a valuable enemy.
I also knew controlling a pack of wild beasts wasn’t easy. Hell, I could barely control myself.
My amethyst hands started to return to normal. “If it happens again, the next wolf isn’t getting up.” I gestured with my chin toward the wolves in human form helping my attacker back to his feet.
Caesar took a quick peek over his shoulder, glanced back and me and said, “Understood. I think you’ve proved your point.”
The server came back with our drinks and Caesar’s meal. Damn. That was fast. She slid a frosty mug of golden lager to Caesar and handed me the Iron City bottle. Then she placed a plate in front of the wolf, and he nodded in approval.
The server smiled and knocked on the table. She winked at Caesar, turned and headed toward the kitchen.
I zeroed in on Caesar’s meal. He had French fries and raw ground meat smashed between a bun. “What the hell is that?” I asked.
“Brûlée burger,” he stated proudly, smiling and patting his stomach.
“Still doesn’t answer my question.”
Caesar pushed the fries to the other side of the plate so none were touching the burger. “The chef makes a seasoned burger patty and coats both sides with sugar. Then he brûlées it with a blowtorch to make it nice and crispy on the outside. Sweet meat, he calls it. You want one?” he asked, thumbing toward the kitchen.
I sat back and took a swig of my beer. “No thanks. I like Pittsburgh rare, not raw.”
“Your loss,” he shrugged and picked up the top half of the bun. He squirted an enormous amount of Heinz Ketchup on the bun and closed it back up.
I couldn’t even imagine the strange flavors going on there. “I think I’ll survive. So when the hell will Octavius be back?”
“He should be back in the next few weeks,” he said and took a huge bite out of his burger. Ketchup spurted out the sides of the bun and painted the backs of his hirsute hands.
As he set down his burger and cleaned himself off, I said, “Should be back? No. That’s not good enough. He needs to be back within two weeks from today. That’s the limit on how long I can stall Jonathan. It’s more than fair.”
Caesar held a finger in the air until he finished chewing. “Come on. After what you’ve done to him, he needs this. You owe him that much. You rattled him.”
I peered around the room. I’d sent a pretty clear message earlier, but one could never be too careful. “What are you talking about?”
“Look. This stays right here.” Caesar leaned back and took a quick peek at our surroundings. With no one around, he still lowered his voice, “His head is all fucked up since you busted in and stole the spear.”
That was interesting. “Yeah, but I could only do it because I had the enchanted knife. And that was a fake spear too.”
“I know that. You know that. For some reason, he doesn’t,” said Caesar, as he jammed a handful of fries dripping ketchup into his mouth.
“So what, he’s running away?” I asked.
He grabbed his burger with one hand and held up his index finger on the other. It reeked of a stall tactic. He bit into his burger, chewed the food and swallowed. As he wiped his mouth, he spoke, “Sorry. Starving. He’s not running away. He’s just got to make a little trip.”
“Make a trip? I was under the assumption he was already in Florida.” What were these wolves trying to pull?
“He is,” he confirmed.
“All right. Let’s cut the shit. What kind of game are you playing here?” I asked, tired of the run around.
He sighed deeply, and I chugged some of my beer. He leaned forward and spoke in a bass-filled whisper, “You know about that company, the Lunar Express?”
I’d heard that name when I was staying in Hilton Head. “You mean the private company that makes trips to the moon?”
“Yeah,” he said and went silent.
He stared at his half-eaten burger.
I asked, “And?”
“You figure it out,” said Caesar. He crammed some fries into his mouth and turned away.
I rolled my eyes. “When is Octavius going?”
Caesar gulped from his frosty mug and swiped a hairy finger across his upper lip to chase away the foam mustache. “That’s where the problem lies. He’s supposed to leave in ten days. But the whole thing’s dependent on the weather. Then it could take fourteen days for him to leave.”
“What does he think will happen? That the moon will supercharge him?” I asked, incredulous. How was I supposed to keep a maniacal vampire under control for three weeks?
“That’s what it sounds like. I know it seems ludicrous, but who knows? It’s his money and he can do what he wants with it,” Caesar explained.
I didn’t even want to ask about the astronomical cost. “I didn’t mean it like that. Why aren’t you going?”
He played with his French fries and said, “Shit. I hate flying across the state, let alone going up there. Besides there was only one spot left on this one. Opened up late and Octavius dropped top dollar to prepare for the duel.”
I told him, “The trip and travel will probably fatigue him more than recharge his battery.”
Caesar scraped a little ice off the outside of his mug and stared at it as it melted on his sharpened fingernail. “Think whatever you want. That’s what he’s doing. So stall the vampire until he gets back.”
“Have you ever thought about what would happen if Octavius loses?”
Caesar sat up straight and answered immediately, raising his voice, “No. He isn’t going to lose to some puny vampire. I can tell you that.”
I hated to say it, but he needed to hear it. “Okay. Just saying there’s a possibility.”
“And I’m telling you there isn’t. Now drop it.” He took another huge bite from his burger.
Whatever, sensitive werewolf. My mind started to drift back to my main mission. I needed to find a demon cult to infiltrate.
Chapter 7
My mind drifted from the conversation I was having with the Sphinx.
Girlfriends. Girls who were friends. I’d studied American culture extensively through TV and movies and had a firm grasp on the word girlfriend. With confidence, I could say I’d never really had girlfriends until recently. The Morrigan acted more like a big sister than a girlfriend. I couldn’t show any weakness or open up to her. I had to act tough in her presence.
I’d opened up to my father, but it wasn’t the same. In the most dire situation in my life I’d run into Titania. She’d saved my life before we became friends. Then, I’d met the Sphinx, Kovana. We’d immediately hit it off, becoming fast and furious friends.
I never thought I would become great friends with the dragonfly I’d wronged. The grand painter of life had strange brush strokes sometimes. You couldn’t judge the work until it was finished. Without understanding the ultimate vision, you would assume the painter had ruined the piece several times during production. And then he or she added another stroke and it started to come together.
Two more quick swipes of the brush, couple of happy, little trees over here and the artist had c
reated the most amazing image ever. I’d met my girls under the strangest circumstances, and now I understood how the strangest of life’s brush strokes could turn out to be the most beautiful.
I could picture a buddy comedy starring Kovana, Titania and yours truly. Was Odd Girlfriends taken?
A wicked chill in the barn burrowed beneath my outer layers and ran down my back. I refocused on my conversation with Kovana.
“I can’t believe he’s going to the moon. Does he understand science?” the Sphinx said through her laughter. She suppressed it enough to go back to stretching for the upcoming flight. She concentrated on her legs, which surprised me. Why did she need to stretch her legs to fly?
I bounced on the balls of my feet, trying to counter the frosty temperature. “Octavius isn’t exactly book smart. He’s banking on magic.”
She smirked and shook her head. “Let me know how that works out for him.”
“You should come to the duel.”
She continued shaking her head, her angelic face waving from side to side. “I’m not really into blood sport. Or even the play by play. Just give me the final score.”
I’d forgotten about the Sphinx’s past where she had been forced to duel against many creatures. “Will do. Holy shit, is it freezing. You sure your wings will work in this weather?”
She smiled and extended her wings. She beat them a few times, kicking up a wind burst that slapped me in the face.
“I think we’ll be all right. I’m more worried about you.” The corners of her thin pink lips curled up. “Do you have something to cover your face?”
I nodded and unzipped my jacket. I reached in and produced a black ski mask with openings for the eyes and mouth.
“Nice,” she commented. “Maybe we can rob a bank on the way back.”
I leaned in and gave my girlfriend a hug. She couldn’t really hug back so she titled her head, and our chilly cheeks pressed together. As we broke the embrace, I thought about how I really enjoyed my time with the Sphinx.
To stay warm, I paced in the little barn on Mike Merlino’s property. The Sphinx and I were getting ready for a trip to Pleasure Island so that I could sip Goibniu’s youthful elixir. Mike had gone to his basement to get the carrying harness for us.
I shivered and my gloved hand trembled as I patted Kovana on the base of her neck. Then I dug my fingers into her golden mane and massaged her neck. She lifted her chin, closed her eyes and smiled at the ceiling. “Do you really think you can find the Harp?”
That was the million-dollar question. “I have to. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but it will get done. Nobody else, including ole Mikey, can handle this job. Hell, I don’t even know if I can.”
“So then why are you going?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.
I looked at the closed barn door. “You won’t say anything, right?”
“But of course. Pray tell.” Kovana’s long eyelashes flickered in anticipation.
I hesitated. Her association with Mike worried me. She lived with the guy and something could slip unintentionally during a normal conversation. The tangled webs of friendship.
“The Dagda,” I blurted finally. “He promised that if I can bring back his Harp, the Gods would let me into the pantheon. It’s strange. A few weeks ago, I would have jumped for joy over this news. But I have a lot of things going on in Pittsburgh now. And the mental price I will need to pay is a steep one.”
“Why do you feel obligated?” she asked and shivered.
I wrapped my arms around her neck and rubbed her mane, trying to warm her up. I spoke softly into her ear, “That stupid saying keeps ringing in my head. With great power comes great responsibility. I always used to think it was idiotic, but it is making perfect sense right now. If I don’t take the chance, Pittsburgh may cease to exist.”
“If the winter presses on, everyone will have to evacuate,” she agreed. “Food deliveries from outside Pittsburgh have already slowed and soon they will come to a stop. The roads are just too dangerous with the traffic lights malfunctioning. Then you throw in Frosty the Hitman, and nobody wants to come to Pittsburgh.”
I shook my head sharply. “I’d almost forgotten about Ice Heart terrorizing the city. I have a personal score to settle with that one. But I’d be satisfied if anyone ended his reign of terror.”
Mike entered the outbuilding with the light gray harness in his hands. He expelled a huge breath cloud as he swung the door shut. The enclosure didn’t provide much relief from the outside. He walked toward us with the nylon carrying device in his hands. It attached to the Sphinx’s body and left a carrying pouch below for the rider.
As Mike laid the harness next to the Sphinx, I wondered if I would fit with all my additional layers.
As he prepared the device, I reminded him, “We were just talking about Ice Heart. Looks like that might land on your plate.”
He looked up at me, his blue eyes gleaming in the dim barn. “I wish I knew what to do, or how to counter his attacks. How do you kill something that’s already dead and made of ice?”
“Very carefully,” I advised him. “Hopefully, I can get that Frosty Flute. If I can’t get the flute, I’ll try to find out some weaknesses to exploit. I’ll relay them to you. I’ve already talked to the Morrigan about keeping in contact through my Raven’s Eye.”
“Raven’s Eye?” he asked, confused. He started to attach the harness to the Sphinx’s body.
“Don’t worry about that. Just try to keep up, slim. If I find out any juicy tidbits, I’ll send it to the Morrigan and have her get the message to you. Same goes for the flute.” I deepened my voice and sparked a serious tone, “Don’t tell anyone, especially the Gods that I’m going. I can’t trust anyone, anymore.”
He turned to me and nodded. “I get that. I’m still trying to figure out if I should trust you.” He smirked.
“You shouldn’t,” I spoke through my evil laughter, “This business is savage.”
He shot me a leery look as I continued, “Enough joking around. Did you find a demon shelter?”
Mike nodded. “I did.” He dug his hand into his pants pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper. As he handed it to me, he said, “Here’s the address. It’s actually close to here. After you bring back the Harp, I’m going to shut that place down.”
“I agree completely. I’m just glad you haven’t done it yet.”
“I’m getting a list together right now,” he revealed. “The demon cult facilities will be closed soon. I promise you that.”
“Thanks for this,” I said, waving the piece of paper, then stuffed it into my pocket. “And don’t make any moves on those houses until I get back. It could raise the suspicion of the demons and put the operation in jeopardy.”
“Then you better hurry up,” Mike said snidely.
My blood began to boil and I went to look him in the eye to chew him out. I got even angrier when I noticed the smirk on his face. “Good one, blondie.”
“Blondie?” He stopped for a moment and rubbed his chin. “Thought it was Peach Fuzz?”
The kid could take a joke much better than most of the men I dealt with. I said, “You can be all those things. I’ve got plenty of nicknames for you, Pony Boy.”
“As much as I love a little verbal sparring,” Kovana hinted. “Let’s get this back on track. Are you almost done, Mike?”
“Yep,” he confirmed and rubbed his hands together for warmth. Then he grabbed the strap over Kovana’s left shoulder. “Just need to connect a few more spots. Couple more seconds and you will be ready for flight.”
With the harness attached, I slid into the sling on the underside of the Sphinx’s body. My head was right below her chest and I could see straight ahead, just like her. I felt Kovana’s heart racing against my back. She got excited to fly. Hell, so did I. I wasn’t looking forward to the weather, but all the rest should be a real hoot.
Mike opened the barn doors and the dull sunlight poured in. Kovana jogged outside, her body bounci
ng up and down, my face coming dangerously close to smashing into the ground. I didn’t really like our takeoffs either. I kind of forgot about this part.
Kovana sped up into a steady sprint. I covered my face with my hands. As the Sphinx went to take off, she crouched down, and the back of my gloves smashed into the solid ground. Her legs sprang up and we lifted off the ground, her wings beating rhythmically through the still winter day.
I’d learned the hard way to cover my face on our first flight. If the weather was better, we could enjoy a nice conversation. I envisioned this would be a silent trip. To be honest, I didn’t really need Goibniu’s elixir, I just wanted to hang out with Kovana.
Flying several hundred miles per hour in a sling under a mythical animal in the bitter cold was the most relaxing thing in my life right now. Kovana was the kind of friend where there weren’t any awkward silences. We just enjoyed each other’s company. Just being close to each other. She had been caged up for hundreds of years. I knew she enjoyed our long-distance trips.
As for me, I needed them. Girlfriends.
We flew for a while, the wind whipping against my ski mask, sneaking in the eyeholes, running down my face and hitting my neck. As we left Pittsburgh behind, I gazed at the white abyss spotted infrequently with faded brown patches.
“Holy shit. It’s them again,” Kovana cried out.
I lifted my eyes and saw two dragons dead ahead. The two beasts were screaming toward us, their mouths slightly agape, flames building in their throats. This didn’t seem good.
I called on my magic, but I wasn’t sure how much good it would do. Stowed away in this sling in heavy layers of clothing, I didn’t have much control over my body. Not to mention we were flying at a ridiculously high speed.
Undaunted, Kovana flew straight at the two obsidian dragons, which scared the shit out of me. She said, “Hold on tight. It’s about to get bumpy.”