Drop Dead Demons (16 page)

I kicked out a window, dove through the shattered glass, front rolled onto the road, and ran for my life. 

I’d get home, grab a bag, and…then what? Where could I go? How could I hide? Not sure but they weren’t going to take me. Not without a fight.

“Aurora?” Jayden snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. “Aurora?” He studied my face. “She seems to have devolved into some sort of catatonic state. She’s very pale.”

Logan punched Jayden’s arm. “We weren’t going to tell her we knew!”

“How were we to solicit her help while pretending she’s not the Divinicus?” Jayden said.

“I don’t know, you said you
had a plan!”

“Yes. Confine her in the car then reveal we knew her secret.”

“Oh, for—” Logan groaned. “Blake could’ve come up with something better.”

My escape had been just wishful thinking brought about by my panic. Was I breathing? Didn’t matter. I had to
move
. This time I did get out the window, wind slapping my hair against my face, lines on the asphalt blurring underneath me.

The car screeched and fishtailed. Jayden grabbed my waist and hauled me back in, hanging over the backseat to strong-arm me into place.

“
Blake?
”
I could barely breathe. “Who else did you tell? Because you shouldn’t because,” I laughed, well, more of a rattling wheeze since air was scarce, “you sound crazy since Divinicus…es—or is it Divinic-i?—are always guys, and I’m pretty sure Jayden can now confirm I’m a girl, and I can blast demons which a Divinicus can
not
do which means I’m not it so you can call off that Mandatum extraction team because it will be a waste of their time.”

“She’s prattling,” Jayden told Logan.

“Because you scared her. Next time I’ll handle it.” Logan sighed and caught my gaze in the rearview mirror. “Aurora, I’m sorry about Jayden’s delivery.”

Jayden released me and returned to his seat with a huff. “My delivery was sound.”

“Aurora, only Jayden and I know. He figured it out when—”

Jayden cut in, “My suspicions were
confirmed
when she saved me during the altercation with Fiskick and Echo at the concert hall, but prior to that—”

“Yeah, we get it, you’re a genius,” Logan said, then told me, “I just heard the Kalifera call you Divinicus right before I killed it. But we didn’t tell anyone. The rest of the guys can’t know so they have plausible deniability in case we get caught hiding you and the Mandatum delivers consequences. We didn’t tell Cacciatori so there’s no extraction team, but we have to get rid of the threat of Rose. Does he know what you are?”

After a pause, I nodded. “Promises not to tell as long as I help get his sister.”

“Like he can be trusted.” Logan blew out a long breath. “And if he knows, the demons he’s working with probably know too. But if we find the demons, get his sister, we can shut this whole thing down. It’s a long shot, but…can you trust us and help track them?”

Well, gosh, such tempting options. I flopped in my seat and grumbled, “No.”

The hope in Logan’s eyes flickered out.

“Not because I don’t want to, but because I can’t. There’s no control. I only find demons when they’re within a certain range. And when I say
find
, I’m not searching, I just suddenly get the vision and know exactly where they are and how to get to them. Or, more often than not, they come after me. Like Fido.”

Logan squinted. “Fido?”

“The blood contract demon,” I said.

“You gave it a sobriquet?!” Jayden said. “Oh, Aurora, it’s dangerous!”

“How far is your range?” Logan asked.

I shrugged. “A few miles? Usually less.”

“I can work with that,” Jayden nodded.

I squirmed. “This isn’t working.”

Jayden pursed his lips. “Because you’re not engendering a tranquil state.”

“Because I look like Frankenstein.” I lifted my hands, dragging up the wires that were stuck all over my arms, head, neck, and chest with tiny sticky suction cups. Some blinked bright neon colors.

I was tipped back in what resembled a dentist’s chair in the secret room at the Ishida house. The space was separated for two functions. On the other end, the windowless, rectangular space housed an extensive array of the latest computer equipment. The monitors alternated different shots from the surveillance cameras around town, and a couple had random documents left open. The half where I sat was set up like a gleaming, stainless steel, NASA-worthy intergalactic space station lab.

The ceiling was two-stories high like in the game room, but instead of swinging gymnastic rings embedded above, several pipes from all the extraordinary machinery zigzagged across in neat lines. 

The odd scents from the rainbow of potions constantly bubbling in flasks atop Bunsen burners always wrinkled my nose. Glass jars held…specimens, and parts of specimens. Of the supernatural variety. I tried not so study them too closely because the bizarre and grotesque items along with claws, entrails, internal organs, and things with too many dead eyes — that I swear I’ve seen blink — freak me out. Call me squeamish.

Unfortunately, now I felt like one of them. 

Jayden gave me a perturbed glance, then opened a refrigerated glass cabinet and looked over the multitude of vials.

“Perhaps a sedative would help.”

“Nooope.” I started to get up.

Logan put a hand on my shoulder. “Jayden!”

“Fine.” Jayden grabbed a beaker, dumped out a thick, dark liquid into a sink, added water, then offered it to me, syrupy globs of olive green floating to the top. “Perhaps hydration would assist?”

“Ew.” I waved him off, keeping a wary eye on the two long walls. They both had sliding doors hidden within. One led to the game room, and the opposite one opened directly into Ayden’s bedroom.

“What if the guys walk in on us?”

“No one’s around,” Logan assured me.

“Relaxing is essential to meditation, Aurora,” Jayden said. “Your strain of Divinicus power never ceases. It constantly scans your environment in the…background of your mind.”

“Like on your computer,” I said. “The anti-virus is always running, but you don’t see it.”

“That would be accurate,” Jayden seemed pleased. “Currently, you only notice it when it locates a demon. A blip on your radar, in banal terms, and only with a demon at close proximity.  Today, however, we attempt to have you not only perceive the scanning power but actively search the environment, expand the parameter, and focus on a definitive target.”

“Gee, sounds simple.” We were dead in the water.

“Just try to clear your mind.” Logan started opening drawers. “We can set the brain scanner to help relax you.”

“It’s not a ‘brain scanner,’ but, yes, we could use the apparatus to induce a placid disposition. It should be here but…” Jayden swung out a cabinet and frowned. “Ayden’s been using it.”

He crossed the space and put his hand on a panel next to the door to Ayden’s room and pushed a button. The door in the wall
swished
open.

Jayden started to walk in. Then froze. The room wasn’t empty.

Ayden sat cross-legged on his platform bed surrounded by several ancient-looking books which were cracked open like he was studying for some test on archaic history. From a bowl in his lap he plucked a few corn kernels and tossed them into the air. Fire
whooshed
off his finger, the kernels popped into fluffy white puffs, he tipped back his head, and caught them in his mouth.

Wow. So much for his important, stressful, high-level Mandatum meeting thing. He was so full of it.

Logan’s eyes went wide, and he stepped his small form in front of me.

Jayden sputtered, “W-what are you doing here?!”

“In
my
room? Some genius you are.” Ayden continued fire-popping the kernels and catching them in his mouth. I’d be impressed if I wasn’t so ticked off. “Dad sent Mom into town for emergency groceries. Whatever that is. So if you want something, call her.”

“Dad’s home?” Jayden disappeared into Ayden’s room.

“Called from his office. I think. Why are you taking the brain scanner?”

“Yes, yes, carry on.” Jayden scurried back into the lab grasping some sort of helmet made of braided silver wire with spiral tentacles and spikes poking out from the top.

Yeah, that wasn’t going on my head.

Although I’d happily chuck it at Ayden. Big fat liar.

Ayden saw me and lurched up, forgetting the bowl in his lap. Kernels flew. “Aurora! What are you doing here?” He scrambled off the bed and headed toward us, eyes narrowing at his brother. “Jayden, whatever you’re trying, don’t you
dare
.”

Logan slammed his hand on the wall panel and the door
swished
shut on Ayden.

I glared. “You said he was gone!”

“He was supposed to be with—”

The door
swished
open and we saw Ayden briefly before Logan punched the panel and Ayden had to jump back so the door didn’t hit him as it closed again.

From inside his room, Ayden banged his fist on the wall. “Really?!”

“Lock the doors,” Logan ordered.

“I’m
really
relaxed now,” I said dryly.

“Place it upon her.” Jayden tossed the helmet to Logan, then typed on a keyboard. “It’s programmed.”

“Whoa.” I put up my hands. “What’s that—”

Logan plopped it on my head.

My breath sailed out of my chest. A gentle hum thrummed over my scalp and the world around me slowed. Ayden banging on the door went from rapid thumps to the slow, dragging beats of a gong. Logan’s movements seemed to lag a second or two. Very disorienting.

“It’s oookay. You’re saaafe.” Logan’s words were warped, slow, drawn out. “Nowww, close yourrr eyes and fooocus. Try thiiinking of Rose. See if yooou caaannn…” His voice faded.

Then Logan took a hatchet to my head.

At least it felt that way. Pain. Slicing through my skull. Exploding brain matter. I wanted to run but couldn’t move. Wanted to scream but couldn’t utter a sound. I was tethered to a torture device without means to escape. It was killing me.

“You must replace it on her head,” Jayden sounded annoyed.

The pain disappeared. Most of it anyway. A dull ache still shadowed across my skull. That I could handle. My eyelids, heavy as concrete, fluttered open.

“She was making weird noises.” Logan hugged the helmet to his chest, out of Jayden’s reach. “And you just said it was making her brain-dead!”

“I said the computers lacked any reading of neurological activity.”

“Yeah,” Logan said. “Brain-dead.”

“I’m not brain-dead.” I yanked off the suction cups and wires with a
pop-pop-pop
. “Ow! But I will be if you put that thing on me again. It
hurt
!”

“See?” Logan hugged the helmet tighter. 

“Who’s dead?!” Ayden’s voice muffled through the walls, followed by furious banging. “Open the door!”

Jayden brought his face close to mine and lifted my lids. “Describe the discomfort.”

“
Discomfort?
” I shoved him off and slid out of the chair, snatching the helmet from Logan. “Give me that thing and don’t you dare try that again!”

Red lights flashed. The computer screen filled with one giant red triangle flashing the word “OVERRIDE!” across the center. There was more thumping. This time, on the door to the game room.

Logan’s voice rose. “Ayden’s using the administrative password to get in.”

Jayden rushed to the other end of the room and starting punching buttons. “But Ayden doesn’t possess the administrative password. Only Mom and—”

The game room door
whooshed
open and a tall form stepped from the shadows.

“Father!” Jayden yelped.

Even without Logan giving me a frantic “Stay quiet!” gesture, I knew not to utter a word. How could we explain my presence in the secret room? With a brain scanner? But we were going to have to come up with something because as soon as the Ishida dad turned around we were blown.

Wind tornadoed the room. Papers flurried like snow. A gale force blast sucker-punched my gut and shot me into the air. My back thudded against the ceiling, head banging on a pipe.

Someone said loudly, “Ahhh, ahhh!”

Glass shattered below. I started to fall. Something glinted. A dozen hunting knives flew up, ripped through my clothes, and embedded into the ceiling, effectively holding me in place. I glanced over my body. The knives had hit only fabric, outlining my form but missing any flesh. On closer look I saw the lethal looking curved blades were white, glittering. Frozen water.

Ice blades. Jayden’s weapon of choice.

I still had the helmet in one hand. Gravity pulled down. Fabric stretched as my body sagged toward the ground. I tightened my abs and pushed my back against the ceiling, hooking my toes under a pipe and groping another with the hand not holding the brain scanner. I couldn’t do it forever, but with Blake’s psycho weight training, I should have the strength to endure for a while. Just had to get a handle on my vertigo.

“When did I become
father
?” Mr. Ishida rushed in and headed toward the computers.

There was no guessing where Ayden got those Himalayan cheek bones and T-frame physique. Mr. Ishida was a sharp looking guy. Raven locks were gelled straight back and ended in curls at the nape of his neck. He had a neatly trimmed jet-black mustache that curved into a thin, straight line down the sides of his mouth leading into a short beard that covered his sharp chin. 

His ebony suit and crisp, white button-down shirt looked custom fit, and gave him the look of a cool, collected CEO. Or nasty mastermind villain. Until he smiled. Then his coal black eyes twinkled, and he looked adorable and harmless.

“Father. Ha. Ha.” Jayden was taking great effort to
not
look at me, thumbs popping in and out of joint at a rapid pace. “Just a failed attempt at humor.
Dad
.”

“Not failed,” Mr. Ishida smiled gently. “I’m just distracted. Sorry.” He batted a few flying papers out of his face. “Logan, what is all this?”

“I—I sneezed.” Logan hid his panicked expression by whipping out his handkerchief and dabbing at his nose. The remaining papers fluttered to the floor.

“Oh. Bless you. Now, I’ve some business. I need privacy. What happened here?” Mr. Ishida bent. The beaker holding the water Jayden had offered me earlier had shattered on the tile floor. “No worries,” he said and splayed a hand over the jagged mess.

The glittering shards of glass trembled and twitched, then like metal slivers reacting to a powerful magnet, they jumped into the air and hovered below his palm. He rubbed his thumb against his fingers in a circular motion. The glass pieces swirled in the air with a soft
clink
, then fused together, reforming into its original state. Mr. Ishida turned his palm up and the now undamaged beaker floated onto his hand.

“Perfect,” he said after a close inspection, then tossed it to Jayden. “Be more careful, boys.”

Oookay. Mr. Ishida had…superglue powers? This was new.

“Hey, did you boys have something to do with the hot springs?” Mr. Ishida sat in front of the computer screens and started typing.

“What hot springs?” Logan said.

“They’re all over the mountain,” Mr. Ishida said. “Been dormant for decades, but Reece said all the ones on their ranch suddenly started bubbling up again. Take Ayden, go find Blake, and check them out. My business could take a while, so best if you’re gone. ”

Just freakin’ great. My muscles were already burning, and Jayden’s knives beaded sweat. How long before they melted?

Jayden and Logan jerked a look at each other. I couldn’t tell who was paler.

“No!” Logan blurted.

Jayden nodded like a bobble head, his hair bouncing erratically. “Perhaps your office would better suffice for business.”

And since we didn’t have enough of a crowd, Jocelyn Ishida, a stunning, petite female version of her one-year-older brothers, glided into the lab. She had the impeccable bone structure, flawless skin, and a glossy cascade of black-as-midnight hair, currently twisted into some complicated puzzle of braids. No wonder Matthias had a secret crush on her. Luckily, the poor girl hadn’t a clue.

“Hey, Dad, can I go to the movies with Ashley tonight?”

“Get out!” Jayden pushed at his sister.

“
You
get out.” Jocelyn pirouetted past her brother and skated deeper into the room.

Jayden grabbed at her.

My muscles screamed for release, and the ice blades were definitely starting to melt, the beads of water trickling down and hanging with quivering anticipation off the ends of the knives.

“Take it outside.” Mr. Ishida sounded exasperated and started pulling drawers open. “Jocelyn, you can go if you take one of your brothers with you.”

The pipes I’d been using to help hold me up suddenly wrenched. My added weight must’ve been loosening whatever was holding them in place so I let go. The ice blades kept holding me up, but the movement broke free several of the precarious droplets of water hanging off their edges.

Jocelyn and Jayden had been in a loud tussle directly underneath me, but she stopped and groaned at her dad. “Seriously? Ugh! They ruin every—” She flinched, then wiped at her cheek. “What the heck?”

She looked at her fingers, studying the water that had dripped from the melting blades and onto her face. Her head swiveled around.

“Nothing! Don’t!” Jayden tried to shove her out again, but she twirled away from him and then…

Jocelyn looked up.

“Hi,” I mouthed. Waved. Seemed the polite thing to do.

The knives pinged out from around my arm. My whole body lurched. I dropped the helmet. My hand flailed, reaching for the headgear before it clattered to the floor, but Jayden’s hands flicked and the knives flew back up, pinning my arm as they stabbed my shirt against the ceiling and froze solid once again.

The helmet continued its descent. I watched as it rotated in a slow freefall. I cringed, holding my breath. Logan dived for it.

He missed. 

Because Jocelyn caught it. 

She gaped at the helmet in her hands. Then back up at me. Then at the boys, who were so spastically gesturing for her to be quiet you’d think they were swatting a swarm of killer bees.

“Everyone out!” From a drawer, Mr. Ishida grabbed a circular piece of grey metal the size and shape of a crown. It had sharp scalloped edges on the top with spikes and some kind of studs or jewels on the side. What was with all the bizarro headgear? The cabinet shook as he slammed the drawer shut. “I’m intercepting a call. I need to shut down the Holocom before it comes through.”

A soft buzz thrummed the air.

Jayden practically stamped his foot. “A call from whom?”

How could this possibly get worse?

A woman’s breathy voice reverberated throughout the room. “Madame Cacciatori. Paris.”

That’s how.