whiskey witches 01 - whisky witches (41 page)

“One more dead. Four critically injured.”

“Then go look after them until the medics show up. I’ve got Dexx.”

Dexx’s mouth opened. His body jerked with another loud breath. His feet flailed on the floor before he closed his eyes.

“Peanut,” Balnore said. “You can’t do anything for him.”

That wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

“Get Lucius out of here and go deal with your people.”

My people. She let out a breath as an instant wave of dread entered her chest. Brian was going to want to know why there were so many dead people in his town. Shit.

She went to the desk, but Lucius was already gone. She spun, her side aching with the movement. “Lucius?” she called. “Luce.”

No answer, just a smear of blood along the wall that disappeared out the door.

Paige went to the door as the sirens closed in.

A red and white box truck plowed into the parking lot, lights going. Two men jumped out of the cab and one out of the back. The driver walked over to her. “Are you injured?”

“Not bad.” She changed direction and led them into the mill. “Detective Paige Whiskey, Denver. The scene is clear. Everyone injured was shot. There are four critically wounded.”

The medics ran to attend the others.

“Where were you shot?” the first medic asked.

“I’m standing,” she said, her eyes glued to the bodies littering the floor.

The man nodded and hopped into a run toward the nearest victim. He shouted questions to his partners and talked into the mic on his shoulder. They had it under control.

“Whiskey,” Brian called from the door.

The shine of headlights hit her in the face when she looked at him.

“What in the hell happened here?”

She moved to meet him half-way. “Followed a lead that turned into a trap, sir.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t say.”

“Sven was here.”

“You didn’t call it in.”

Paige shrugged. “Demons. Did you want your guys or New Roads facing that?”

“I see your point, but, damn it, Paige. We’ve got protocol for this for a reason. Why so many dead?”

“Possessed. They were shooting at us, as forensics will prove. We defended ourselves.”

“That’s Mrs. Gardner. When I was sixteen, she was my English teacher.”

Paige rubbed her forehead with her good hand.

“And that over there? That’s Bob. He’s our mechanic. He just installed the new brakes on my wife’s car last week. And that over there? That’s Ray. He and his wife are on the church committee.”

“Sir—”

“Do not ‘sir’ me!” He pressed his fingertips into his closed eyelids. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to snap. How the hell do I explain this?”

“I don’t know.”

Brian’s jaw clenched as he folded his arms over his chest.

The paramedics wheeled a man out on a stretcher, calling to another person on the floor.

Brian’s nail beds went white with the pressure he was applying to his arm. “This has got to stop, Detective. The body count is higher than it’s ever been in this parish. You have no idea how to bring Sven in.”

“We think we discovered a way to kill him.”

“You think. Right. And kill. Not try. Not jail. Kill.”

“Unless you know of a better way to deal with demons.”

“No. I don’t.”

“Well, unfortunately, this is it.”

Brian stared at a space above her head. “Tell me something good came out of all this.”

“The good news is that the people who are lying here . . .” She rolled her jaw, the coppery smell of blood assaulting her nose. “ . . . are no longer demons.”

Brian’s eyes widened. “That’s the good news?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Sven. Where the hell is he?”

“Gone, sir.”

“Gone? Gone where?”

“We don’t know. I’ll find him again.”

“Before or after he sends you another love note?”

She flinched, lowering her gaze.

“You’re done here, Whiskey.”

“Sir? The key is still missing.”

“I don’t care. I have the killers, Whiskey. They’re in jail. Sven will leave when you do. Your job here is done. It’s time for you to leave. Your boss reminded me your time was up anyway.”

“Sir—Brian. That’s not a good idea.”

“You had him.”

“Well, yeah. We found him.”

“You had him holed up in his base location, Detective. He’s jumped. He’s gone. He’s not coming back here. So where is he right now? Tell me and I’ll keep you here to find the key.”

“Why the sudden change in attitude?”

He pointed to the ground, the muscles rising in his neck. “My kindergarten teacher was just murdered along with a half dozen other civilians! That’s what changed my attitude. Death follows you, Whiskey.”

She didn’t know what to say.

He ground his teeth and backed away. “You’re done here, Whiskey. Go home. We don’t need you any longer.”

“But, Chief—”

“Peanut,” Balnore called, “you might want to get over here.”

“Get your team gathered.” Brian clenched his fists and took another step back. “Get out of my town.”

“Peanut, now.”

Brian walked toward one of the victims and knelt beside her, a frown furrowed in his forehead.

Paige could only stare. She had seriously fucked up. How in the hell was she going to fix this?

P
AIGE FOLLOWED BALNORE’S
command, her heart a heavy stone in the pit of her stomach.

Dexx’s fingers clawed at the cement floor, his head thrown back, his mouth wide open.

“Medic,” Paige cried as she ran toward him, sliding on her knees to his side. “Medic, we need help over here.”

A woman in a blue uniform with the symbol of her profession sewn onto her arm knelt beside her She opened her tackle box. “What happened?”

“He fell,” Paige said, “from there.”

The medic glanced in the direction of the landing and turned her attention back to Dexx. “Adam,” she shouted. “Need your assistance.”

A man finished what he was doing with one of the gunshot victims and gave instructions to the third medic.

The female medic smiled at Dexx. “What’s your name?”

His mouth opened, pain flashed across his features, but the only sound that came out of his mouth was a wheeze.

“His name’s Dexx,” Paige said.

The medic gave her a crisp nod. “My name’s Jill.”

Adam sat beside them. “What do we got?”

“Fall victim,” Jill said. “Hold the c-spine. Dexx, do you know where you are?”

He jerked his head.

“Tell me. Where are you?”

“Mill. St.—” Gasp. “Francis—” Wheeze. “—ville.”

“Okay, that’s good.” She took the stethoscope from around her neck. “I need you to take in a deep breath.”

Dexx’s eyes closed and his jaw clenched as his body revolted.

Adam placed an oxygen mask over Dexx’s mouth and nose.

Jill listened, a frown covering her features. “Diminished breath sounds on the right side.”

“What does that mean?” Paige demanded.

“There’s jugular vein distention,” Adam said.

Jill nodded, her hands going immediately to her tackle box. “Sorry, Dexx, but this is going to hurt.” She pulled out a huge freakin’ needle and uncapped it.

Paige looked away. She did not need to see that. She heard a rush of air through a small tube. Dexx took in a gulping breath. She turned around in time to see Dexx’s body relax.

“Okay, Dexx, I’m going to—”

Jill’s words disappeared as something pushed at Paige. Her gaze flashed, blurred and then re-defined. She looked up.

A uniformed police officer walked through the door. He paused as his gaze met Paige’s.

The force of the push intensified.

Demon.

Paige’s breathing grew rapid as she concentrated on keeping the demon back.

The police officer stumbled.

Brian glanced up at him and then toward Paige, the whites of his eyes gleaming.

The demon clawed through her defenses, taking control of her hands, her arms—

She reclaimed her body by sheer force of will.

“Bal,” Dexx shouted through the oxygen mask. “Demon.”

“I need you to stay calm,” Jill said to Paige. “If you can’t—”

Her legs. Her feet.

Paige fell back.

The demon gained an inch, then another.

She cried out.

“What the hell?” Adam shouted.

“Tie her down.” Jill turned her concentration on the neck brace she was trying to put on Dexx.

“No,” Balnore said. “That isn’t—“

The demon flexed her fingers, moved her arm, wiggled her toes. It found the source of her gift, encircled it, fought for control of her tongue, her mouth, her lips.

No!

A bright flash of white light, sent everyone stumbling.

The demon was suddenly gone.

The police officer fell back against the wall, his hand going to his head. “Chief?” he sked, his voice distant. “How did I get here?”

Paige sat up, blinking. What the hell had just happened here?

Brian glared at Paige as he walked toward the officer.

Balnore’s face lost color as he stared at a space behind Paige’s shoulder.

Adam crept toward Paige with a purpose.

She batted him away, twisting around to see what was behind her. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” Adam said calmly, dodging her flailing arms. “You had a seizure.”

Jill sent him a frank look.

“It’s nothing.” Paige scrambled to her feet. What could scare the shit out of a demon like Balnore? “Adam, I’m fi—” She stopped mid-word.

A little girl with bright pink pigtails and a dress so white it seemed to glow stood a few short feet from her.

Adam gained ground. His latex-covered hand gripped Paige’s arm. “We need to check you out. See if you’re—”

The girl raised an ebony eyebrow, her head tipping.

Adam stumbled back, a thick frown furrowing his forehead. He looked at Jill, his hands open. “Where are we?”

Jill blinked. “Shit. Goddamn it. Help me get him on a stretcher. I’ll check you out in the ambulance.”

Adam followed her orders. “I remember—”

“We’ll get this figured out,” Jill interrupted. “Help me get him on the ambulance.”

Paige stopped paying attention to their conversation. She had more pressing matters to attend to, like who this new threat was and why she’d helped.

Balnore rose gracefully to his feet, his arms spread as he took a step back.

The little girl took a step forward, a sweet smile on her face.

Paige looked from the demon to the girl.

The medics loaded Dexx onto the gurney.

“Wait. Where are you taking him?”

Jill set her tackle box at Dexx’s feet. “Trauma like this? Baton Rouge.”

“Hey,” Dexx shouted, his hand reaching out as far as the restraints would allow. “I’m—”

“No you’re not,” Paige shouted. “I’ll come for you as soon as I can.”

“You’re—”

“Shut up,” Paige barked. “Get better. Go.”

Dexx continued to protest as Jill and Adam rolled him out the door.

Paige focused on Balnore. “What’s going on?”

“She’s an—”

“Angel,” the little girl said, erupting in a peal of giggles. “I’ve come to help you.”

“Help me?” Paige turned toward the angel too quickly. She jerked to a halt and winced, letting out a harsh breath, her hand going to her side. She bit down on the pain. “How are you going to help? You’re what? Seven? Eight?”

The angel laughed. “You honestly think I am so young?”

“Well, you look—”

The girl grew in height, her features maturing to an age closer to Paige’s, though her hair remained pink and in pig tails. Her dress lost its frills, morphing to silk, flowing around her ankles on a soft breeze. “I am ageless.”

Paige took a step towards Balnore. “I already told Raphael I don’t want his help.”

“Yeah, well, if I were you, I wouldn’t want his help either.”

Paige frowned. “Who are you?”

“Name’s Roxxie.” The angel took a single fluid step towards Paige. “I’m not here to hurt you. I merely wish to help.”

Paige drew closer to the comfort of the demon. “I kinda doubt that.”

“You have wounds.”

“And we’re fine.”

“I can help.”

“We’re fine.”

“I won’t hurt you.”

“We’re fine.”

Roxxie let out a long sigh and took a step back. “Do I scare you?”

“You’re an angel,” Paige said. “I’m the rogue demon talker. Yeah, you scare the living shit out of me. Okay?”

A cell phone rang, the tone echoing in the gathering silence. Paige heard Brian’s voice, but couldn’t really make out what he was saying.

Paige didn’t know what to do. “Please, if you want to help, leave.”

“I can’t. Well, I can. Eh—” Roxxie rolled her large black eyes. “Okay. So I can, but I don’t want to. Heaven is so boring.” She drew out the word. “I need excitement, something different, and right now? You’re the excitement.”

Paige’s expression grew wide. “Seriously? Roxxie, I don’t need this right now.”

Roxxie sent her a smile of angelic innocence.

“You need to—”

“Who are you talking to?” Brian asked as he approached.

Paige frowned at him. “Chief.” She pointed at the angel. “You can’t see her?”

Brian raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “I need to apologize. What I said earlier was in haste.”