Friends With The Monsters

by Albany Walker

  “I think we should just confront her with what we know now. Vanessa is cunning. If we give her too much time, she will cover her tracks if she is, in fact, involved with the deaths, which I think she is.” Gunnar’s jaw is set firm. I think admitting Vanessa was able to do some shady shit on his watch has put a dent in his pride.

  “Sounds good to me. We can make her talk.” I examine my fingernails, thinking about all the things Aeson taught me about interrogation. I feel a pang in my chest. I need to find her.

  “Travel might be an issue,” Grim muses, his voice back to cool and collected. “I’m not being called to her, and I don’t know her residence.”

  “I have my bike here, so Dami can ride with me while you two take her car,” Calix offers.

  “Oh no, no, no.” I shake my head before anyone can agree. “You guys don’t know Betty, and she’s a bit finicky.” Plus, no one else has ever driven my car.

  Gunnar lets out a long-suffering sigh. “Her car is only a two-seater anyway,” he adds, and ignores my protests.

  “Who is Betty?” Grim furrows his brow like he can’t believe there’s something about me he doesn’t already know.

  “Her car,” Gunnar deadpans.

  I glare at him. “I told you not to talk about her like that. She’s a fucking beautiful machine.”

  “Still a car.” He widens his eyes, daring me to prove him wrong.

  I cross my arms over my chest. “One you won’t be riding in.”

  “I’ll ride Betty, Calix takes the bike, and you can meet us there, Berserker,” Grim decrees.

  “Ride in Betty.” I don’t know why I feel the need to clarify the distinction, but I do. I don’t think I like Grim and riding associated with another woman’s name, even if it’s my car.

  “Fine.” Gunnar stands up in a huff. “That way I can keep an eye on her while it takes you guys forever to get there,” he gibes, implying that us having to drive is such an inconvenience.

  “I’m ready.” I shrug. “Give us the address and we’ll meet you there.”

  Calix drags his phone out of his pocket. One of his legs is still bouncing, but it seems having a plan has helped a little with whatever is bothering him. “Go.” He nods his head at Gunnar with his thumbs poised over his phone.

  “It’s in Lakeview: 32059 Cheboygan Court.”

  I whistle. I know the area well—it’s where I grew up after all. Well, before my parents shipped me away. “That’s a long drive; we should have gone earlier. How are you going to keep her from going to the club?”

  “I forbade her from opening the club until my investigation was complete,” Gunnar tells me, assuming his word is law. I’m worried Vanessa might not feel the same.

  “Do you still have people watching her though, just in case?” I slide my foot into my heavy boot.

  “I do, but she won’t push me—not on this, and not now.”

  I nod my head and grab my other boot, hoping he’s right. “Who’s ready for a road trip?” I come to my feet and look around. Calix stands and slides his phone back in his pocket, Grim follows suit.

  “It says it will take an hour and seven minutes to get there,” Calix offers.

  I grin. “How fast is that bike of yours? I bet we can do it in under fifty minutes.”

  Calix sends me a smirk. “I already told you I can be as fast as needed.” He walks out of my bedroom backwards, giving me a wink before spinning around and rushing down the stairs.

  I dart my eyes to Grim. “Get us to my garage?”

  He stalks over and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me against him tightly. In a blink, I’m standing next to Betty.

  “Sorry, sweetie, no time for introductions,” I coo at my car. “Hop in, Loverboy.” Betty purrs to life before Grim is even in the seat. He looks around the small cockpit-like interior with a keen eye. I hit the button for the garage as Calix’s bike roars to life. With a mock salute, he hits the gas and peels out of my driveway.

  I chuckle; this is going to be fun.

  I trail Calix’s taillight almost the entire drive to Lakeview. I couldn’t push Betty the way I would have liked to. The most direct route was mostly freeway, which raises my chances of getting pulled over. However, we still beat the GPS prediction and made it to Vanessa’s house in under an hour.

  I slide out of Betty and glance up at the house. Another low whistle pushes past my lips. Nice digs. Even though I’m familiar with the area, I don’t know this particular street. The few houses lined up are all large and illuminated, so everyone that passes by can’t help but observe just how flashy they are. It’s an in-your-face display of money. A calm lake shimmers with inky waves behind the houses, I can even see the tops of several large boats bobbing and shifting with the movement of the water.

  Calix drags his helmet off and places it on his seat, then shakes his hair out, pushing it back from his forehead with his palm. His moves are purposeful and deliberate, not designed to entice. The fact that he’s not trying to be alluring makes it even more appealing. Sexy motherfucker.

  Grim sidles up next to me after he slinks out of my car, and I feel excitement bubbling up in my stomach. Not only do I get a thrill from being with them, but knowing I’ll be there for Vanessa’s downfall makes it even sweeter. Heaven help her if she has anything to do with Aeson’s disappearance.

  Gunnar steps forward from the shadows, joining our group, as we form a line and head up to the outrageously oversized front door. I mean, come on: unless she’s entertaining trolls every night or guiding fucking marching bands through the door, does it really need to be this huge?

  The massive entry opens before we reach the top step. One of the men I’ve come to assume works with Gunnar as security pulls it back and allows us entrance. Not a word is spoken between us as we enter a large foyer with ceilings so high, you can see the third-floor balcony up above.

  I open my senses, and I’m not sure if I’m surprised at how clean the house feels or not. I know Vanessa is smart enough not to bring her business home, but I would think some of her witchy magic could be felt just because it’s her house.

  “She’s not doing magic here,” I mutter to Gunnar, who’s on my left. He gives me a tiny head bob, letting me know he’s heard me.

  “Vanessa!” he bellows in the next second. “Stop fucking wasting my time and get down here!”

  As I glance to the right, I watch as Grim sends a narrow-eyed scowl at another man, who’s coming out of one of the halls splitting off the main foyer. I recognize him the moment his beefy face comes into view. He’s one of the men I’ve come to associate as Vanessa’s bodyguard. His other half comes from another hall, joining his companion to stand before us like a united front, much the same way we are.

  I can’t help myself. I step forward and give them a smile, but it’s not a smile many people enjoy seeing. “Hiya, big boys.” They stand stock-still in front of me, not even dipping their eyes in my direction. Instead, they keep their gaze on the men behind me. A small chuff of a laugh sneaks its way up my throat. I know the men behind me are deadly, I have no doubt about how this would play out if I allowed it, but I’m not patient, nor do I like the way they seemed to have dismissed me as a threat.

  Without moving a muscle, and my sinister smile still in place, I call the goon on the left’s soul to me. He blinks several times. It’s the first sign he knows something’s wrong. He reaches up and drags a thin cord out from under his shirt, fisting something as his chest starts heaving. “Did you think that would protect you?” I almost want to laugh at the faith he put in the little trinket around his neck. It must be some sort of witch-created protection spell.

  His cohort’s eyes dart to him, but he stands firm. I’m sure he’s wondering what’s happening. I think it’s time I show him. I release Lefty, not that I need to, and focus my attention on Righty. I reach for his soul, it’s much darker than his friends. “Oh, you’re a naughty boy,” I whisper, while he makes a gasping sound. His sins have eaten away at his aura. He
doesn’t have the stink of magic, but his crimes against others are abundant. “You like little girls, huh?” I seethe.

  Lefty’s eyes are wide as he looks around, either for an escape or maybe an explanation for what’s happening to them.

  My mouth begins to water, and I feel my first desire to eat in days. Only I don’t want his sins, I want his entire soul. One more quick draw and Righty crumples to the floor, his face as ashen as a corpse left in the snow.

  “Sorry about your buddy.” I lay a hand over my stomach as my shoulders pull back. “He was too tasty to pass up.” I purposefully lick my lips.

  Lefty takes a step backwards. His eyes jerking from the man on the floor and back up to me. He still doesn’t understand what’s happening.

  I feel a hand land on my shoulder. Grim steps up to meet me and he looks down, his eyes soft, without an ounce of censure. “Maybe you could let us talk to them before you consume their souls?” he suggests, like it’s really a question, like if I decide just to devour them all, it would only be a slight inconvenience.

  “Damnedest thing—I just couldn’t help myself,” I admit easily. This is a new development, but one I don’t have time to worry about now.

  I hear Vanessa’s heels clicking on the floor before I see her. She saunters into the room and doesn’t even acknowledge the corpse on the floor. “You called?” she asks glibly, cocking out her hip.

  Gunnar takes a step forward. “Watch it, witch!” he rages, his shoulders already growing in size. “I want to know who you’re working with.”

  Vanessa’s lips part and she lets out a small hiss of air. She surprised, but hiding it well. I’m not sure yet if it’s Gunnar’s knowledge that she’s working with someone else, or the fact that we don’t know who it is, that has her alarmed.

  “Why would I be working with anyone?” she blusters, but it’s far too late. I would know she was being deceitful, even if I didn’t sense the untruth.

  “Cut the shit, witch.” Calix shoulders his way up so he’s in line with us again.

  “You’ve never been one to work well with others, Berserker, but it seems you’ve found yourself some new friends.” Vanessa’s eyes linger on all of us, me the shortest. “Powerful friends,” she mutters, focusing back on Grim. I hate the way her eyes roam over him, greedy and hungry.

  I ball up my fists. Before this evening is over, she’ll be just as soulless as her bodyguard. There’s always room for dessert. “Vanessa, you look like a snack,” I purr the compliment, but the meaning behind it is so much more than she could possibly understand.

  She looks down and assesses her dress. “Not all of us can pull off the trailer trash look quite as effectively as you, Deanna.”

  I snicker—not only do I sense her lie, but I know for certain that I can make jeans and a white t-shirt look damn good. I roll my eyes and let my head loll to the side to stare at Gunnar. She’s reaching for straws if she’s trying to insult me. “Can we get this show on the road?” I turn my gaze back to Vanessa. “I’m getting hungry again.”

  “What is this, Drott? Who are these people, and why are you here?” Vanessa feigns, acting like she doesn’t know the reason for his presence.

  “Listen, Vanessa, this can only go two ways. You either tell me what I want to know, and you might be able to walk away from this with just your title stripped—” I clear my throat, that’s not happening “—or I get the information I need from you any way possible,” he continues, not realizing she’s going to die either way, but that’s okay, he’s not really lying since he doesn’t know I’m going to kill her yet.

  Vanessa clicks her tongue. Her demeanor shifts, and I hear several people I already knew were lingering start to come forward. None of them speak, they just line up around Vanessa in a silent show of support. A tremble works its way over Gunnar’s shoulders.

  Calix, who has been relatively quiet, lets out a weighty sigh. “Bad choice, witch.” And all hell breaks loose.

  Chapter 25

  Gunnar lets out a roar that I think could rival Calix’s when he is in his Nemean form. His shoulders grow bulkier, and his jaw and teeth transform even beyond what they did that day in his office. I watch him, transfixed; it’s eerily beautiful. Now, he looks like one of my baddies.

  I smirk and face the group of human-looking witches. A few hold their ground, while others are already looking for an escape. I want to take odds on the number that will flee at the first chance, but I know I won’t be heard over Gunnar and the shouts that ensue soon after. He reaches out—his span is nearly double what it would be in his more human form—and grabs a male witch, palming his entire head before tossing him to the side like a ragdoll. The thud he makes when he splats into the wall makes me think he probably won’t be getting up anytime soon.

  The real screaming starts then. I tip my head back on my shoulders and let the fear consuming them wash over me. I lower my eyes and growl, “Let’s not let him have all the fun.”

  Calix bounds forward and slams a man against the wall, he places his mouth next to the man’s ear and whispers. The stench of piss hits my nose, and I scrunch up my face.

  The woman from the club—the one who said she created the wards—is standing near Vanessa, with a furious look of concentration on her face as her lips move silently with a rushed fervor.

  I stalk forward, not in the least worried about Gunnar or the others behind me. I have one objective in mind—her.

  She doesn’t even seem to notice me when I step right in front of her. Her eyes are open, but unseeing, as she continues to chant. I pull back my fist and put all my effort into punching her square in the nose. Her eyes widen as her head jerks back. Her hands fly up to cover her face just before a river of blood starts pouring over her lips. That felt fucking good.

  I reach back again, but she ducks her head and cowers with her hands raised above her head. One punch—that’s way too easy. I wanted to enjoy this more. “Tell me about the Charmed ones,” I grate, pissed that she’s giving up so easily.

  “I… we…” She stammers, peeking up at me to see if I’m still going to hit her. “Antonio taught us the magic,” she blurts, and looks over my shoulder.

  I jerk my eyes in the same direction and see the back of Vanessa’s head as she and a few others disappear deeper into the house. “Hey!” I shout, and all three of the guys’ heads turn in my direction. Gunnar is holding yet another man by his shoulders, apparently shaking the life out of him, if the way the man’s head is lolling around is any indication. Calix’s fist is pulled back much like mine was moments ago, poised to strike, while Grim is just standing a few feet away from me with a circle of bodies all around his feet. Not a hair is ruffled on his head. I grin up at him, wishing I would walk over and kiss the hell out of him.

  I look away, but my voice comes out a little husky as I say, “Vanessa is leaving.” Who knew I liked carnage so much?

  Gunnar drops the lifeless man in his arms, and steps over another near his feet, charging after the witch. Grim is quick to follow.

  I put my attention back on the squealing rat in front of me. I sense Calix as he steps up to my back. “So, you were telling me about Antonio?” I question her, knowing Gunnar and Grim can handle Vanessa without a problem.

  The woman looks around the room at what I’m assuming might be her friends—or at least her associates—littered on the floor or trying to sneak away unnoticed. “He taught us how to siphon the powers and not take the kickback, how to disperse it through the seekers,” she confirms, solidifying what we’d already suspected.

  I reach for her and she flinches, turning her face away from me as I lock my fingers around her throat. “Where is Aeson?” My voice is nothing but a growl. Calix lays a hand on my shoulder when the witch’s eyes begin to bulge.

  I release the tips of my fingers, just slightly, and shake her in my hand. “The Brownie!” I demand.

  “I…” She coughs violently. “I think she was next.” She wheezes in another breath, tears filling he
r eyes. “Please, don’t hurt me,” she begs, and I tighten my hand again. She claws at my fingers and opens her mouth like a fish. “I’ll take you to her,” she croaks, beseeching.

  I release her, and she falls to the floor. I crouch with her as she holds her neck, swallowing. “If she’s hurt, I will scoop your eyes out with jagged spoons and cauterize the wounds. Then I will peel each piece of your flesh off and feed it to Theius.” As I stand, I deliver a kick to her stomach that sends her sliding a few feet across the marble floor. I’m disgusted by her. Calix pulls me back, as if he knows I’m tempted to kick her again.

  A scream from farther in the house has me looking in the direction that the others went. “Get up,” I snarl at the woman. With jerky movements, she rises to her knees, using the wall for support.

  “You don’t have to do this,” she offers.

  I get right back in her face. “How many times have you heard that? How many times have you ignored it just to get a magic you have no right to?” The woman’s face blanches, and she averts her gaze from me. She knows there will be no mercy for her. “The only thing you can hope for is a quick death,” I snarl, and shove her forward.

  She stumbles in front of us as we make our way to where I heard the screams. We have to step over bodies along the way. The hall leads to a solid wooden door. It looks expensive, but the way it’s hanging half off the hinges shows me she should have chosen something stronger.

  Grim is standing off to the side, his eyes already inspecting me as we walk into the room. Gunnar is facing off with Vanessa, her chin is tipped up in the air with a defiant set to her jaw.

  “You should have just told me, Vanessa.” Gunnar sounds disappointed in her.

  “You would have killed me either way, but now he knows you’re coming, and he’ll be ready.” Her eyes darken and thick, black veins start spilling over her skin, rushing up to her face. A sinister smile splits her lips and black goo drips from her mouth like sludge. A mirthless laugh bubbles up and her hand opens, dropping a small stone to the ground.