A Girl's Guide to Demon Hunting (21 page)

Chapter 41
Tip 237: When all else fails, aim for their wings.

    It was late afternoon by the time I got back to the café. Parking the Vespa between Jenny’s Porsche and Shooter’s van I went inside craving chocolate.
    Pancake greeted me at the door, her whole body wiggling in excitement. Scooping her up I let her lick my face as I walked into the café. Ace, Shooter and Jenny were sitting in our favorite spot.
    “Hey gu-” I found myself unable to speak anymore as I got a close look at them.
   Silent tears were making tracks down Jenny’s face, while Ace and Shooter were both holding ice packs; Ace to his forehead, Shooter to his eye. My power stirred and I put Pancake down, telling her to guard.
   “What happened?”
    “Lokess happened.” Ace said, moving the ice pack to his jaw.
    “They took Father Henry in for questioning and we tried to stop them.” Shooter said.
    “All six of them,” added Jenny.
    “When?” I asked as I sat down with them.
    “About an hour ago.” Ace said, “Lokess gave us this and told us to look it over.” He pushed a white folder across the table to me.
    “Said he’d be expecting an answer in three hours.”
    I opened the folder and began to read. The more I read, the less I liked it. It was a report on the kidnapping; a perfectly spun, obscenely false story filled with half truths and outright lies, all leading to the conclusion that I kidnapped Julie.
    “You can’t believe this?” I asked.
    “Of course they don’t. Unlike you they’re loyal.” Came the voice from directly behind me.
    Whirling around in my chair, my power rushed through me. Max was either not aware of my power or didn’t care as he came to a stop a few feet from us.
    “What are you doing here?” I demanded, standing up to face him.
    “That depends on you, but before we get to your future I believe you owe them an explanation.”
    “I warned you Max.”
    He closed the space between the two of us, frustration clear on his face.
    “I know Allie. I know about the deal you made, about Peaches. You told me you were willing to die for them, to kill for them. Don't tell me you're not brave enough to tell them the truth."
     My mind felt frozen. He knew, I didn't know how, Peter wouldn't say a word and the other Demons at the club had no idea. I guessed that didn't really matter, only that he knew and if he did I'd be willing to bet the other Guardians did too. 
"Damn it Allie, this isn’t just about just you. Did you read the rest of the document? They have three hours to turn you in or Lokess calls his contacts at the FBI and tips them off to Jenny’s illegal activities. It’s only a matter of time before he comes for Ace and Shooter. Jail is the best case scenario and we both know it. You can't stop them Allie, no one can."   
    I didn’t want to listen to this but more than anything I didn’t want Max to be right. As he spoke I felt guilt; thick, heavy and all encompassing. My stomach twisted into knots as I thought of Jenny in prison unprotected. 
    Ace and Shooter wouldn’t fare much better, not if The Council took them. They knew too much about the Guardians and even if they weren’t locked up they would spend the rest of their life under the oppressive control of The Council. Not that it would matter; they’d eventually be killed or captured trying to break Jenny out of prison.
    It wouldn’t be long before Peaches found out about Max and my role in helping him. My deal with her would be broken and I had no doubt about what she would do to me. Why did I ever think this would work? They lived in a black and white world; Demons were evil and they fought them. They didn’t deserve to be dragged into the shadows with me and I’ve always known it. I wasn’t strong enough to leave them and now it was too late to protect them.
    I’ve fought Demons; walked alone into nests and thought I was about to die more times than I could count, yet I had never been so scared than when I turned to face my best friends. The confusion I saw in their faces made the truth so much harder. For once I agreed with Max, they deserved the truth.
    “Remember when we first got together and we were getting our asses kicked by the Demons? I told you it stopped because we weren’t going after the Demons loyal to the Lords-the locals. I lied to you; it stopped because I made a deal with Peaches and the other Demon Lords. If I agreed to work for them, killing Demons they deemed traitors, the attacks on us would stop. We could still hunt so long as we focused on the visiting Demons and left the locals alone.
    I’m sorry I didn’t tell you or give you the option to say no. You have to understand we weren’t going to survive much longer, not the way they were attacking us. It was the only way I could keep you safe.”
    No one spoke or even moved after I finished. I knew what they must feel. It wasn’t the lie, it was the undeniable betrayal: I was working with the enemy, plain and simple. Unable to face them, I stared at a used coffee cup on the low table. My chest burned with the need to cry and my sight blurred as tears threatened to spill over.
    No one yelled or questioned what I’d said; they knew it was true. Yelling would have been better than the painful silence. The last little bit of hope that they would forgive me shriveled as the silence grew. I felt like a coward as I continued to stand there, unable to face the hatred I knew I would see if I could only bring myself to look. I spun on my heel and pushing Max out of the way, I ran out of the café.

Chapter 42

Tip 28: Survival is the sweetest revenge.

    The bright sun and noise of the city raked against my nerves as I walked through the parking lot. A hollow feeling grew inside me with every step I took and I knew I needed to get someplace private before I completely broke down.
    “Stop.” Max called, following me out into the parking lot.
    I changed direction and walked around the side of the café in a desperate attempt to lose him in the midday crush of people on the sidewalk.
    Max caught up before I made it to the street and with a gentle hand on my arm he pulled me to a stop. I tore my arm from his grip, not wanting to be touched, especially not by him. I refused to look at him, afraid if I did I would unleash my power and roast him alive. It took every ounce of control I had to keep my power quiet.
    “What do you want?” I asked, ashamed of the pain in my voice.
    “I told you. I want to give you a choice.”
    “Like you just did with my friends? Because it sure didn’t feel like a choice.” I said looking up at him, “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? They were all I had that was keeping me together, keeping me sane. Those people are literally all I have in this world and you’ve destroyed that. Let me make it perfectly clear for you: I want
nothing
you have to offer.”
    Not bothering to wait for his answer I walked towards the street.
    “Allie, I can’t let you leave.” He called after me. 
    I walked faster as his footsteps came closer. I was nearly to the street when I heard a blood chilling growl come from the behind me. At least it chilled mine; I knew that growl.
I spun just in time to see Pancake; jaw distended, eyes burning red, lunge towards Max. They hit the ground hard. Max sprang to his feet and backed away from Pancake who was stalking him like a lioness would her prey. She was one of the most disciplined beings I’d ever known, except when she felt I was in true danger.
    Before I could stop her, she leapt at Max. He jumped out of her path and sent a blast of power towards her with enough force to cause the air around him to shimmer gold. I couldn’t move as Pancake’s little body slammed against the café wall. She didn’t get up.
    I screamed and ran straight at Max.
    I had one and only one thought; to make him hurt as much as possible. In a blind rage I landed blow after blow, my power ripping through me, giving me strength and speed unlike anything I’d ever felt. It wasn’t that I felt the rage; I
was
the rage. Max just kept dodging with open handed blocks; part of me knew he was trying not to hurt me, knew he didn’t want this fight. None of that mattered to the part of me that was in control now.
    I landed a solid blow to his jaw and another to his kidney and he dropped, landing hard on his knees. I threw a hard inside kick to his head and he spun and hit the ground. Blood was trailing down his face from the impact. His shirt was shredded in places from my nails and red scratches showed on his skin. I couldn’t even remember doing that.
    The pain I saw was good but it wasn’t nearly enough; in the space of a single heartbeat my power was replaced with a deep burning. Dropping my hands to my side, I stilled. Once again I saw Pancake hitting the wall and I let the darkness free. On the palm of my hand a single blue flame danced on my skin.
    All my pain and anger had manifested itself in this single flame. Here it was; over a year trying to control it and here it was, a welcome guest. I imagined placing my hand on Max’s chest: the flame would catch as if he was doused in gasoline, his flesh would burn and his screams would rip through the air. I could end everything for him right now. 
    Taking a step toward him, I saw the life I always wanted flash before me. Every fiber of my being yearned for freedom. With one touch I could be free from all of this.
    Looking into his deep blue eyes I was shocked to find doubt. Where was the revulsion and fear? He had to know what I was, what I’d done, the proof was burning not six inches from him. Did he really think I wouldn’t do it? 
    Never taking my eyes from his, I reached my hand out until it hovered over his heart. The blue light of the flame made his eyes even darker and I swear he was daring me to do it. I felt my power surge as an even darker thought hit me: I would have his power. No Guardian had ever taken another’s power, not in the centuries of our existence. Max would be gone, never to bother me again and I would be safe with his shield. Safe...no more running, no more fearing The Council, no more deals with Demons.
    As the darkness grew inside me, the full gravity of what I had just now accomplished slammed into me. I’d managed to manifest my power. What I’d carried around inside me for the last two years was outside of my body. Which meant that what I was feeling, this heavy darkness swirling inside me, it wasn’t coming from my power. It was from me, from my soul.
I
was responsible for the darkness.
    Maybe that thought was what did it. I honestly don’t know. But I know I jerked my hand back and stumbled away. Sinking to the ground I felt the incessant burning fade and knew my Hellfire was locked away once again.
    The crack of a gun reverberated through the alleyway just as my brain registered a white hot burning in my chest. Automatically I turned to the source of the noise. It was Shooter, his tranquilizer gun still aimed at the center of my chest. Looking down I saw the small silver dart and yanked it out, wincing at the pain. He shot me; he actually shot me. Even at that moment, when I thought I couldn’t feel any worse, I was shocked to find I wasn’t part of the team anymore, I was the target.
    My skin began to tingle and my eyesight faded in and out as the drugs invaded my body. My mind felt hazy as Jenny ran past Shooter and straight to Pancake. She didn’t know. She didn’t know that sweet little dog was dead. I almost envied her that moment of not knowing.
   And then it didn’t hurt anymore. Even with the drugs pumping through my system and the fresh dart wound, I felt a warm tingle through my whole body as I watched Pancake’s nose move. As Jenny knelt next to her, Pancake lifted her little head and gave a soft bark. The drugs finally won, my eyes grew heavy as my body went limp and I saw the ground rush at me but it never hit.

Chapter 43
"Life isn't about living, it's about winning."
             
             
             
- Pride Demon motto

    I came awake slowly. My throat was dry and my stomach felt like I’d eaten too many cupcakes. Groaning, I tried to roll to my side only to find that I was unable. I opened my eyes and found myself sitting in the passenger seat of Max’s car. Okay, a day should really be allowed to get only so weird.
    “If you need me to pull over, let me know. Shooter said you might feel a little nauseous when you first woke up.” Max said from the driver’s seat.
    My memories returned in a flash and I knew exactly where Max was taking me, to The Council. Yet this knowledge didn’t cripple me the way I always thought it would. Besides, there was only one thing I cared about right then.
    “Pancake?”
    “She’s fine. I left her with Jenny. I’m sorry it happened,” he said and his tone made me believe him, “you have to know I would never hurt her on purpose. It was instinct; a mistake”
    I couldn’t answer as relief filled me with such force I thought I might be sick. I wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. I took some deep breaths and my stomach settled a little. I sat bent over, cradling my head in my hands.
    I don’t know how long I sat like that before I realized something wasn’t right. My whole body felt strange; it wasn’t just the drugs, there was something off. It took me a moment to realize what I was feeling or more specifically what I wasn’t feeling: my power.
    Something was wrong with my power; it wasn’t just laying quiet, it was gone. I broke out in a cold sweat and my stomach rolled as panic filled me. I sat up, staring at nothing while I tried to pull on my power. It had to be there somewhere, this just didn’t happen. But there was nothing. Unsure if I was going to barf or cry I turned to Max and thankfully did neither when I asked, “What did you do?”
    “It’s the cuffs.” He said, glancing at my wrists.
    I looked down and for the first time noticed the black metal cuffs that encircled each of my wrists. They weren’t linked like handcuffs, they almost looked like jewelry.
    “They’re made to block your power and before you bother asking, I’m not taking them off; at least not any time soon.”
    Relieved my power was still there, I couldn’t quite work up the energy to be pissed and honestly I was curious how they worked.
    “How?”
    “The metal is forged from weapons that were given to the original Guardians by the Pure. It prevents you from accessing your power; Guardian or Demon. For the first time in your life you get to experience what it means to be human.”
    “And what, you just had these lying around?”
    “No. After you freaked out when you met Nick and Sam, I had them delivered just in case. Turned out to be a good idea.” He said with a cocky grin.
    After I decided that wiping the smile off his face with my fists wouldn’t be worth the effort (plus, cuffs and all), I asked, “Are you delivering me to The Council?”
    “What?!” He seemed genuinely insulted, “No-"
    "But what about the alleyway, what I did?" I asked.
    "Allie, as a Guardian I am duty bound to report certain things. Now as far as I remember you were angry because I hurt Pancake and took your anger out on me. No more, no less. Which is not something that I have to report nor is it something I wish to speak of again, ever."
    "Sure, never again, got it." I said, feeling equal parts relieved and confused. "So if you're not taking me to The Council than what?"
   "I told you I was going to give you a choice. You were asleep when the deadline came so your friends made the choice for you.”
    “And what choice was that?” I asked.
    “All of you could either continue to work with me and find Julie or you would all be placed in protective custody until The Council holds an inquiry.”
    I might not be able to count Ace, Shooter and Jenny as friends anymore but at least I could always depend on their hatred of being imprisoned, even when it was wrapped up with a big beautiful bow and hidden in the guise of protective custody.
    "So that's it, I work for you or jail? Why is The Council even giving me a choice?"
    "The Council isn't giving you the choice. I am or more precisely Nick, Lokess and I are. Once Julie's safe then we'll determine how much or little The Council needs to know about you."
    I didn't know how to take what he was saying. I was safe for the time being? Great, nothing like waiting for the other shoe to drop. I leaned my head against the cool glass of the window as my stomach began to roll again. Looking into the dark night and seeing nothing I asked, “Where are we going?”
    “San Francisco. Nick believes there may be something there that can tell us who took her. You feeling any better?” he asked, taking his eyes off the road for a second to look at me.
    “Yes. I mean, no.” I stammered, caught off guard by the concern in his eyes, “I feel fine, just a little sick but I’m sure it’ll pass.” I was still trying to adjust to the fact I wasn’t going to jail. At least not now.
    “You still look a little pale; we’re going to stop at the next motel, we both need some sleep.”
    Max was as good as his word and he took the next exit that had a motel. The streets were quiet as we navigated them, following the signs for the motel. There wasn’t much here, not that I knew where here was; just a gas station, a closed diner and a single-story motel. I waited in the car while Max went inside the office to pay for a room. It didn’t take long and he was out with an honest-to-goodness door key in his hand. Wow, talk about living in the stone ages. I climbed out of the car and waited while he pulled a small duffle bag from the trunk and led the way to the room.
    It wasn’t much: a queen sized bed, a small nightstand and a little table with a TV. But it looked clean, there was a bathroom and it wasn’t a jail cell so I wasn’t going to complain.
Max, looking exhausted, went straight to the bed and pulling his shoes off he laid back against the pillows.
    “You mind if I take a shower?” I asked, not wanting to hog the facilities.
    “No, I took one before we left. Jenny packed you a change of clothes in the duffle bag. I’m just going to lay here and relax for a minute. You can have the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor.” He said with a yawn.
    I guess shower water wouldn’t rust super cuffs. 
    I spent most of the time in the shower soaping my wrists and trying to pull the cuffs off (I figured it was fair territory, I’d never actually promised to be good), unfortunately all I’d managed to do was bruise my wrists. When the water began to cool, I got out.
    After drying off, I pulled a pair of grey sweat pants and a pink T-shirt from the duffle bag. My heart clenched as I pulled the shirt over my head and I was surrounded by the lingering scent of Jenny’s lavender perfume. I missed them already.
    I went into the room to find Max shirtless in a deep sleep on the bed. I debated sleeping on the floor for about a second; who was I kidding? Fully clothed I climbed into bed next to Max and fell asleep.
    The incessant beeping of a car alarm in the distance pulled me from a deep and thankfully dreamless sleep and I cracked open my eyes to find Max watching me. In the middle of the bed our hands laid intertwined and I realized the warmth surrounding me had nothing to do with the blanket, it was his shield.
    “We should go.” He whispered in the space between us.
    “Yeah.” I agreed.
    Neither of us moved. As the minutes ticked by my gaze roamed over him. My breath caught and shame filled me as I looked at his wounds. A large bruise was forming along the side of his face where I'd kicked him. The black stitches from where I stabbed him stood out against his tan skin. Deep red scratches and bruises were scattered across his stomach and chest. My eyes welled with tears at the pain I knew he must be in, the pain I'd caused.
    “I’m…sorry.” I said, knowing it didn’t begin to make up for what I did to him; to everyone.
    He rolled closer until he was right next to me. Wrapping his arms around me, he pulled me close until my head rested on his warm shoulder.
    “I know.”
    I didn’t deserve his comfort, not after everything I’d done and yet I couldn’t bring myself to pull away. Yes, he was kind of a jerk but I needed someone to not hate me right now. Besides, here he was, after everything I’d done. My mind drifted to yesterday and the pain I’d caused my friends.
    It didn’t matter that I’d been trying to protect them. I hurt them and I had no idea how to fix it or if I even could. A dam inside me broke and my whole body shook. Saying nothing, Max just continued to hold me through the storm of my tears. When they finally subsided, I found his shield wrapped tightly around me, creating a soothing warmth. Eventually sleep called to me again and needing the escape I closed my eyes and drifted into the darkness. 
    We were back on the road around noon the following day. Never of us spoke of my meltdown or that we woke up in each other’s arms. As we sped down the interstate, I knew I should have been thinking of the future. Try to formulate a plan for when they did tell The Council. 
    Yet I couldn't think of a single thing not without also thinking of my friends. I knew it was stupid but if I could just talk to my friends, maybe I could fix us and the burning pain I felt around my heart would lessen. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask Max to use his phone when he switched on the radio and I lost my nerve.
    Without fully realizing what I was doing, I began to sing along with Max to ‘Walk This Way’ by Aerosmith, feeling my spirits lift as I sang the chorus. The song ended and Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ came on. I didn’t even try to sing, not that I didn’t want to but I was laughing so hard I couldn’t manage to get any of the words out. It turns out Max is tone deaf, as in make your ears bleed bad.
    I was shaking with laughter as he tried to sing the really high parts and wanting to take pity on both of us, I went to change the station. Max wouldn’t let me, swatting my hand away with a grin. It wouldn’t kill him to smile sometimes; it suited him. I felt something inside me shift for a moment as I realized that right then I felt like I did when Peter and I played board games. I felt normal.
   
   As the miles flew by we continued to sing along to the radio; Max was a huge fan of classic rock, knowing most of the words to the songs. I joined in when I could, smiling the whole time. By dinnertime I was starving and my throat hurt from all the singing. We stopped at an In-n-Out and ordered two burger meals and chocolate shakes. Back on the interstate, we hit a radio dead zone; enjoying the quiet I happily drank my shake as I watched San Francisco approach on the horizon.