by Michael Todd
Timothy’s demon sniffed the air and laughed. “This hottie used to be a madam!”
Timothy gasped and began to fan himself. “Girl, my demon just told me you used to be a madam.”
Stephanie smiled. “Sweetie, that is only the beginning. Let me just tell you...”
2
The helo landed on the base’s landing pad, its rotors slowing down after the pilot shut off the engine. Katie stepped out and sand hit her black leather boots. She ducked as she cleared the landing pad, then waited on the side with her bag in her hand as Damian thanked the pilot and caught up with her.
They were both exhausted, Katie more so after the change she had gone through. However, after the two of them rode the elevator down and the doors opened on their waiting friends, she was happy to see them dressed to go out. Time with her family was exactly what she needed.
Stephanie clapped for everyone’s attention. “We’re headed to Torn Asunder. A little booze, a little food, and a whole lot of family.”
Korbin smiled as he tucked his blue button-up shirt into the back of his pants. “Go get ready. We’ll wait here for you.”
Katie nodded and glanced at a guy standing near the back, doing a double-take when she realized it was Timothy. He looked different now; clean shaven, hair cut, and wearing actual clothes instead of the jeans and issue white t-shirt he’d had on when last she had seen him. He looked at her and smiled, raking his hand through his former-but-now-missing long hair. Katie laughed and nodded in approval as she headed off to change her clothes.
Nachos, Pandora stated. I’m in the mood for some of those fucking terrible-but-I-have-to-eat-one-more Torn Asunder nachos.
Sounds good to me, but they’d better not go to my tits. These things are getting hard to carry around.
Katie dressed in a pair of jeans and tight black V-neck shirt before meeting the others in the garage, all loaded up ready to go.
They jumped into the SUV and headed out, Damian taking his spot behind the wheel with Korbin next to him. Stephanie sat in the middle section between Katie and Timothy, and Calvin sprawled in the back seat, leaving Eric squished into the corner giving him the stink eye.
They talked and laughed all the way there, and took one of the few empty tables inside. Everybody ordered a drink and Korbin took the stage for the first time ever.
He cleared his throat and tapped the mic, clearly uncomfortable with public speaking. “I just wanted to get up here and talk for a moment about the most recent battle. Luckily for us—this time—none of the Damned lost their lives, but we did lose one of our allies. To give us a chance to reflect on that, I’m gonna put Katie on the spot and bring her up here. Katie?”
Katie sighed and made her way to the stage with a beer in her hand. She stuck her tongue out at Korbin as she passed him and he chuckled.
She took the mic with her free hand and looked out at the faces in the crowd. “Damn! Things have been crazy over the last few months. So many lives lost, but so many saved as well.”
“Hear, hear,” someone yelled from the small crowd.
“One thing we’ve never done is honor those fallen heroes who fight with us without any of our advantages. In my opinion, their bravery makes them all the more deserving of a tribute. I’m talking about the men and women of the Armed Services who fight the demons with no special powers and no super-strength, just the weapons in their hands and the courage in their hearts. So many of them have made the ultimate sacrifice, yet still the teams keep going out there and kicking ass!”
The crowd cheered and raised their beers.
Katie raised hers in salute. “This is to all of those who have served, fought, and died for the cause. You are the heroes this world needs: the unselfish, the brave, and the mighty. This is to all of you who have died by the claws of demons. Joseph Campbell once said, ‘A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.’ You will never be forgotten.”
Everyone clinked their glasses together and drank to the memories of their brave allies.
Katie got down off the stage and sat back down at the table with Calvin and Korbin. Korbin patted her on the back and nodded, tapping his glass to hers. The waitress arrived with trays of food and set a giant plate of nachos in front of her.
Katie could almost feel Pandora rubbing her hands together and drooling.
Three tables down an argument broke out, and everyone but Timothy picked their plates and lifted their drinks into the air. He watched the fighting for several moments, then glanced down at the tape holding up their table. He lifted his plate and drink just as the fight came to them and two guys crashed through their table.
Katie, Calvin, Stephanie, Eric, Damian, and Korbin cheered, nodding in approval at Timothy for paying attention. The two guys stood up, one helping the other to his feet. The blond looked at Timothy and smiled ruefully.
“Sorry, man.”
Timothy gave him a cheeky wink. “Oh, it’s all right, sweetie. You can fall into my lap any time.”
The guy gave him a funny look and walked back to his table. The crew looked at each other and burst into laughter and the bartender scurried out and set another table over the broken one.
Timothy put his plate down and nodded. “Bet he won’t land on this table again.”
Stephanie patted him on the back. “We got us a smart one here, ladies and gents.”
Calvin held up his glass. “Quick thinking on that plate. Mine was a pile of ass-nachos the first time it happened to me.”
“Mine was ass-spaghetti,” Korbin raised his glass chuckling.
Katie laughed. “I don’t remember what it was, but it left me hungry—and that is never a good thing to do to me or my demon.”
Korbin nodded in agreement.
Stephanie slapped her lover in the stomach. “Don’t let this one fool you. He is a grumpy asshole even without a hungry demon.”
“Truth.” Calvin chuckled, raising his glass.
They laughed and talked for the rest of the evening, bringing Timothy into the family and enjoying the normality for as long as they could.
They knew that it wouldn’t be long before another call came and another soul was lost, but all they had was right now. Everything that had happened to that point had forged them into the family they were, following each other to hell and back every time.
They weren’t going to take that for granted.
Moloch’s wicked scaled claws ran gently over the tiny flickering souls that lined his office fireplace and they collectively shrieked like the crackle of a fire on a cold night.
It was everything he could do not to rip a hole in the building. He was livid—completely appalled by how the battle had gone—but given the clearing throats and chattering teeth behind him blowing up would only frighten his remaining troops—and he needed them to go back out there.
Trenton looked at the survivors, bruised, bloody, and clinging to the last bit of bravery as they stood in the pits of hell. Sweat poured from their foreheads, and they clasped their hands together tightly. He shook his head, half disappointed in their weakness, the other half ready to get back out there and fix what they had screwed up.
“Your Eminence, if I may—”
“You may not!” Moloch roared. He slammed his fist against the wall, causing pieces of stone to crumble to the floor.
Trenton took a step back toward the others. He knew that pushing Moloch would do no good. It could even possibly get him and his brothers cast into the depths of hell forever.
He wasn’t ready to die, not when there was revenge to be had. And now he had a reason to hate. He had a reason for revenge, and he wanted to go after it.
Moloch sighed and calmed himself, then straightened to tower above the others. He turned to the Enlightened mercenary and stroked the long black hair coming from his chin. He had to remember that no matter how little he cared for them, they didn’t need to know that.
“I take part of the blame for this.” Moloch put up
his hand to stop Trenton from interrupting. “I underestimated the Damned. This other team is playing with a heavyweight. They are not just some humans Damned by low-level demons. They are strong—stronger than any of you—and some of them rival even the highest-level demons like T’Chezz. We will need to do some research before we plan another battle, but for now I will send you back to prepare. This time you will train harder and longer, eat only what is necessary, keep to yourselves, and stay off of the radar.”
Trenton waited for a moment to make sure Moloch was finished. “How will we know when it is time?”
“I will come to you.” Moloch stood in front of Trenton. “I need you to listen carefully. You will get your revenge—the desire for which I can smell coming from your pores—but you will not move on these Damned until I say so. Then and only then will you have a chance of defeating these mercenaries and their human allies. Do you understand me?”
Trenton lowered his head. “Yes. How can we reach you if we need you?”
“I will be watching you, and I will appear if I think you truly need my guidance. Now, I am sending you survivors back, and I will send the demons into new bodies once I pull them from the depths of hell. In the meantime, do not share this information with anyone. I do not need another reckless following to dispose of.”
Trenton looked up quickly, thinking about everyone who had gathered to call Moloch down in the beginning. “Dispose of?”
“Of course,” Moloch sneered. “You didn’t think they could see me, know what our plan was, and still live, did you? Don’t worry, their souls are securely and specially placed down here with me, right where they wanted to be. Now go!”
Moloch stretched his arms wide, tearing a hole in mid-air to create a portal back to Earth, and the survivors walked through.
He walked to the fireplace and smiled at the captive dancing souls. “Isn’t that right, my puny human souls? I put you right where I promised—in this little box for my pleasure…
“For eternity.”
Moloch’s deep laugh carried through the halls of the building and out to the dark fiery lava fields.
Back on Earth, Trenton swore he heard that deep menacing laugh as he brushed the soot from his pants.
That laugh was his only ticket to revenge, and Trenton knew it.
Katie whistled as she walked into the kitchen carrying three pink pastry boxes, which she set on the table. She then pulled out three bottles of water out of the fridge and loaded them into her pack. It was a beautiful clear day outside so she wasn’t going to waste it training in the deep recesses of the tunnels.
She needed air and freedom, and she needed to be alone with her thoughts—"her thoughts” meaning Pandora, in this instance.
She zipped her bag and turned to grab the donuts, finding Calvin and Eric in back of her. Eric snuck to the side and opened a box, but Katie lunged forward and slapped his hand. He yelped in surprise.
Calvin put his hands up in surrender and was about to back away when her eyes swiveled in his direction. He advised Eric, “I wouldn’t touch her donuts if I were you.”
“He knows me well.” Katie flashed Calvin a smile and picked up the three boxes, then paused for a moment. She sighed and put one back on the table and nodded at Eric.
“Where you goin’ this morning?” Calvin grabbed a donut, eating half in one bite.
“Going to the cliff to get some practice in, but I need my sugar fix.”
Eric lifted an eyebrow. “With that much sugar you will be practicing for the next three days non-stop.”
Calvin grinned. “That or she’ll come back with even bigger boobs.”
Katie laughed shaking her head. “This is just a snack for Pandora, and she will make sure I work off every ounce of it before I come back here. She doesn’t play when it comes to training.”
Damn right, and by the way, the big guy could use some training. He gets out of breath in a heartbeat.
Katie smirked as she glanced at Calvin.
“What? What did she say about me?”
“Noooothing.” Katie laughed.
“Oh, hell no! You tell that Pandora she better back off or face these guns!” Calvin pushed up his sleeves and flexed his muscles, which by most standards were pretty impressive.
Pandora giggled, having gotten exactly what she’d wanted. Katie just shook her head and laughed.
Calvin slowly put down his arms. “I gave her exactly what she wanted, didn’t I?”
Yep, Pandora snickered.
“Yep!” Katie yelled back as she strolled down the tunnel toward the elevator.
You should cut him some slack, Pandora. He’s like your biggest fan, and he hasn’t even seen your gigantic boobs.
Nah, messing with him is the best. He hasn’t seen my gigantic boobs and I haven’t seen that gigantic black-man schlong, so I guess that makes us equal. Maybe next time I take you over I’ll take advantage of his weakness.
No. Absolutely not! So help me, if I wake up in bed with him you will never come out to play again.
I don’t know, it might be worth it. I mean, seriously—everything is bigger in...a black man’s pants.
It’s Texas. “Everything is bigger in Texas,” Katie corrected.
Shit, then what are we doing here?
Katie laughed and walked into the training area, going to the weapons case and pulling out her staff. She made sure the latch was tight and pushed it into the new backstrap she had ordered. The leg straps were just too bulky, and they slowed her down. This was much easier to maneuver.
She picked up her boxes again and headed to the elevator, whistling as she went. When the doors opened to the outside she smiled, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face. She took her keys from the box inside the garage and slid her hand across her truck’s paint.
Katie patted the vehicle. “Hey, girl, sorry I haven’t been around for a while to take you out, but today changes all that.”
I still miss the car.
I still miss the simple life, but you can’t always get what you want.
Pandora smirked. Bet me.
3
Katie stuck her hand out of the open window as she cruised over the sand dunes and savored the wind blowing through her hair as she made her way to the mountainous part of their land. She couldn’t help but think about her old teammate Jeremy and how badly he would have freaked if he’d seen Pandora take over.
He would have melted into a puddle at her feet in two seconds.
Katie smiled, putting her hand back on the wheel as she approached the upward slope. She drove the truck up far enough to find a good place to park and hiked up the rest of the way.
When she got to the top with her bag and the two boxes of donuts she was ever-so-slightly out of breath. She set everything down and put her hands on her lower back, arching her back. She couldn’t even see her toes anymore. Her boobs were too big and her bra straps were pulling.
If you are going to make my boobs this big, would you at least keep up with the maintenance? I’m gonna need metal cables to keep these suckers up soon, and my back is killing me.
Picky, picky, Pandora grumbled. Hold on.
Pandora sniffed around for a moment and out of nowhere Katie felt almost complete relief. Her breasts were lighter and perkier, although they didn’t change in size at all. She nodded, impressed, and bounced up and down on her toes, and her tits stayed firmly in place.
That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Why didn’t you do that from the beginning?
You are an impossible human. Now, give me a donut and pull out your staff—it’s time to rock ‘n roll.
Yes, ma’am!
There was a small pause and a snicker. I said “staff!”
Katie chuckled to herself and grabbed a glazed donut from the box. Pandora tsked at her, so she returned it and took a cream-filled one instead. “Okay, but if I puke it’s on you.”
Technically it’s on Mother Nature, but I got this. Don’t you worry.
Katie ate the d
onut, rolling her eyes as Pandora oohed and ahhed at the taste. When she was done, she licked her fingers, picked up her staff, and held it out in front of her with both hands. She swung it and started moving through her warmup kata.
She was surprised at how fluid and easy it felt.
The first time she had tripped all over the place, hitting her ankles with the staff. Now she could move without thinking of what was next, as if her body were programmed. It was a freeing feeling, and one that could not be explained.
She felt at one with her staff.
After about thirty minutes of warmup Pandora kicked in, giving her new moves to practice to take her to the next level.
To be really good at this you have got to focus. Clear your mind, stop thinking about all the demons you are gonna kill, and stop thinking about blades that retract. Just let the movements take you.
Katie closed her eyes and slowly let out her breath, becoming aware of the pole in her hands. She wove around the rocky terrain in offensive moves, just practicing how to attack fluidly with the weapon. When she was done with that, she stopped to grab the next donut and chowed it down.
Now, I’m going to teach you the Chatan Yara No Kon Sho, which is a simple kata. I’ll move you along the first time, then I want you to take over.
Did you have anything to do with making this up?
No comment.
Katie nodded and stood up straight with her staff vertical at her side. Her arm pushed the staff straight out and turned it in her right hand, then she lunged to the left, breathing steadily.
She took the top of her staff in her left hand and quickly twisted it down, jabbing outwards with a grunt. She turned the staff in a circular disarming motion before stepping forward with one foot in front of the other to stab outward repeatedly. She stepped back, twirling the end of the staff around again before twisting to the right. She repeated the series to the right, and then jabbed outward. Her feet moved quickly as she batted the staff ends front and back like she was swatting an opponent in the ribs. She raised the staff over her head and thrust it downward, imagining a demon head beneath it.