by T. G. Ayer
Renfru's outer appearance was human and attractive. In reality, he had deep red skin the same shade as the blood in Evie's veins. His own blood, like all demons, was black, like oil, thick and slick. Deep grooves patterned Renfru's face, as if he'd been cut and scarred some time in his youth. Evie and the rest of her classmates were equally surprised to find that demons had similar childhoods and growth patterns to all the races of Nephilim. Patrick had called them the Black Ones, meaning the Black Nephilim. Ash and Ling were not impressed at being categorized with demons, but were they not all children of the angels anyway? The thought made Evie want to shudder but she controlled the urge and focused on the mark.
A cupboard door slammed inside a dark corner of the shack. Renfru turned and walked straight at Evie. She spun around just in time to avoid being body-slammed by the marching demon. He headed outside, moving to the left of the house. A pile of firewood sat next to a fat log. A gleaming axe leaned against the log. Renfru returned seconds later with an armful of firewood. Before he could take a step toward the house, Evie pounced.
A roundhouse kick to his torso had him lying flat on his back, surprise and fear clear on both his human and un-glamored faces. Firewood went flying in a dozen directions. In a smooth move, Evie grabbed the axe from beside the log and sped to Renfru before he could take one step away. She held it at his throat, at the same time slowly removing her glamor. Renfru's face tightened, surprised and shocked at seeing first a magically flying axe and then a girl appearing right in front of his face.
"Don't move. Don't even blink," Evie whispered, her face an inch from his. "It's your lucky day, Ren. All I want to do is to talk."
Renfru blinked at her in spite of Evie's instruction. She refrained from killing him for his error and listened to his thoughts. They came to her in erratic bursts. ‘Who is she? What does she want with me? Is it about the groceries?'
Evie shook her head. "Get up and get inside." She moved off him and allowed him to rise and walk toward the house, all the while holding the blade to his neck. And she was not surprised when he charged away, despite the viciously sharp blade at his neck. She heard the thought before he moved- ‘Stupid bitch. I'll show her-'. Typical male, no matter the species. Always had something to prove. Especially when it came to being beat by a girl.
Evie thrust upward on a surge of wings, flapping fast to avoid the sweep of the demon's blade-edged fingers. Stupid, she'd been so focused on Marcellus and his motives, she'd forgotten Renfru was a Ciaptus demon, whose fingers and toes were edged with razor-sharp blades, sufficient for self-defense and much easier to carry around than a sword or a pistol. The human glamor he'd used to cover his real demon self also hid those deadly fingers and equally deadly bare feet.
Any slower and Evie would have had a neat set of five thin, deep cuts on both her legs. Now, just out of reach above Renfru, she was getting impatient.
Renfru, on the other hand, stood, ten fingers raised in the air, as if deep within a strange trance, staring at her as she hovered above him. She heard him draw in a shocked breath, heard him say ‘Shit, she's a fucking angel'. Evie drew her blade from its sheath at her side and threw it. The blade shimmered through the air and landed on target, on the ground right between the demon's legs. She lowered herself down in front of him, confident he knew any attempt to attack her would not be easy.
"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Your choice." As she spoke, her wings retracted and disappeared behind her.
"Fine. What do you want?" he answered petulantly, though his eyes flashed and his thoughts were more in line with running for his life.
Evie was happy to remain outside in spite of the moisture-laden air. The night was peaceful with only the cicadas and frogs for company. Somewhere nearby, the low snore of an alligator's bellow drifted to the pair who faced each other in the centre of the clearing.
"Today you get a second lease on life, pal. Do you have anything metal on you?"
"Huh?"
"Look, I don't have time to play games. You need to listen closely—do you have any metal on you?" Evie repeated the words, slowly enunciating each syllable.
"Yeah, course I do."
"Hand it over."
Renfru looked about to utter another "Huh" then thought better of it. He pulled a cord from his neck on which hung a strangely entwined snake which he flung in Evie's direction. Then he dragged his belt from the loops of his pants and threw it at her feet. Two heavy lead rings followed. All items were glamored and had lain on the real Renfru, invisible to any inquisitive eye. Anyone watching him now would think the sudden appearance of these items was some sort of magic trick.
"Is that it?" Evie asked. Renfru hesitated. His eyes flicked to the stump of wood where she'd found the axe, his thoughts about something hidden and his hopes she wouldn't find it. Something he'd hidden in plain sight perhaps? "What else?"
The demon shook his head. "Nothing else." He folded his arms, bulky muscles tightening as if that would convince her to believe him. Evie gave him one last disgusted glance and walked to the stump. She circled it for a moment, studying the footprints around it, the worn patches of grass and the smoothness of the sand in places where it had no business being so smooth.
Then she walked over to the stump, placed her palms on one worn edge and pushed it over. She'd seen the alarm on his face when she'd studied it. Now, her instinct had paid off. Peering inside, she saw a package, wrapped in black cloth and placed in a hollow beneath the twining roots of the stump. She squatted beside the hollow and retrieving it, looking over at the now stricken demon.
He moved his weight from one foot to the other as if contemplating running away again. His eyes flicked from the wrapped object within her hands to her face and back again, sweat beginning to bead his forehead. But she couldn't get a hold of any coherent thoughts. Seemed he was too terrified to think.
Evie rose and walked back to Renfru. She eyed his face, now pinched with his mouth turned down at the corners. He looked like he was about to toss his cookies. Whatever this little package was, so safely hidden in the tree stump, must be quite important. The loss of his jewelry and belt certainly hadn't upset him this much.
Evie weighed the object in her palm, and the familiarity of it made her stomach tighten. It weighed almost the same as the disk hidden in her fireplace back in Greylock. Just the thought made Evie grab the cloth and throw the folds of fabric open as fast as she could. At last she paused and drew in a breath at what lay tucked within the dark silk.
Inside lay a twin of the disk she had hidden in her room. The same as the one Ling had tucked away in the armory. Evie's heart clenched. This had to mean something. And in that moment she made a decision and prayed that what she intended to do would not be revealed to Marcellus.
Renfru scraped his foot on the sandy ground, bringing Evie back to the present. She noted the sick cast to Renfru's face as his eyes flitted between the disk and her face.
"What is this?" she asked, keeping an eye on his face, his expression.
"Nothing important." He turned his eyes away from Evie's face.
"You expect me to believe that? When the look in your eyes tells me you're so sick with fear you might just throw up? What are you so afraid of?"
"You have no idea what you're dealing with." Renfru's eyes shrunk with fear. They were set too close together anyway, and he ended up looking like a bright red meerkat.
"Then why not tell me?" She stared at him, determined to get her answer. His shoulders bowed and she sensed him losing a little of his fight.
"I can't. I don't have clearance." He wrung his hands together and paced a small spot. He was either plotting his escape or worrying about his fast-approaching death at the hands of his boss.
"Clearance? I take it this trinket is pretty important Down Under?" Evie pointed to the ground.
He didn't reply. Didn't seem to find it very funny.
"Look, I was sent here to kill you. Do you understand that? That'd mean going back home,
you know?" From what Evie had learned, most Earth-side Demons got the taste for living the Upside life and given the chance to return home, would run screaming to the nearest hills.
"Do what you have to." He shrugged, but Evie was not convinced of his nonchalance, especially when his thoughts were fearful: ‘If you take that Seal, I'm dead anyway'
"Seal? Is that what it's called?" Renfru's face filled with shock. He'd be wondering how she knew. But she didn't have time to waste. "Seal for what?"
"Look, just kill me, okay? Better to die now than to wait for the boss to find out I let the Seal slip through my fingers."
"What is this Seal for? What does it do?" Evie closed the distance between them. "Listen, Ren, someone wants these Seals badly enough to kill for it. That means you and all your demon buddies are in permanent danger until this guy finds all the Seals. So I could do with some help here."
"Check with Baltazar. He has the authority to talk if he feels it's necessary."
Evie's heart sank to her stomach on hearing Baltazar's name. She'd taken the Seal he'd had in his possession after she'd sent him back down to his maker. Seemed she'd just killed a potentially vital source.
"Baltazar's dead," she said flatly.
"What? How do I know you aren't lying... to get me to talk?"
"Because I was the one who killed him. Yesterday." Guilt flooded her veins. Her instinct may have been right. Baltazar may not have been the right demon to terminate.
"You killed Baltazar?" Disbelief fractured his glamor and now, the demon stood before her in all his gory glory. Looking as if he'd just lost his best friend.
"Yes. He was my last target." Evie shrugged, trying to pretend it wasn't a big deal.
‘And I'm your next.' Renfru's eyes were round with fear.
"That was before I found out there was something strange about these Seals."
Ren's fear was palpable but he must have considered her words meant she wasn't going to kill him just yet. "You have Baltazar's Seal?" When Evie nodded, Renfru asked, "How many do you have already?"
"Does it matter?"
"Of course, it matters! What do you think you are playing with?" Renfru stared at Evie, outraged.
"I don't know. That's why I'm asking you," she said patiently.
"I can't tell you. And now that you've killed Baltazar, you're gonna have to speak to someone higher up than him." Renfru shook his head, his shoulders rounded as if bearing the weight of the world upon them. Evie raised her eyebrows to urge him on. "The only problem is the next guy up is the Boss."
"How is that a problem?" Evie raised an eyebrow, staring the demon down.
"Because he doesn't take uninvited guests lightly," he said. ‘Though in your case he might think twice before he kills you.' Renfru thought and managed a sneer.
Evie smiled and said, "Trust me, I can handle him. I don't want trouble. All I need is information."
"Fine. It's your head." Renfru smiled. Rows of yellow teeth peeked at Evie, pushing the demon higher up on what Ash would call "the ick list."
"Look for Baa'ruk in the French Quarter."
"Does he use his demon name then?" Renfru may have been trying to get her on the wrong track but she was paying attention.
"Goes by the name of Lacroix, Barry Lacroix." Evie smiled at the play on the demon chieftain's real name.
"Thanks." She turned to leave. Over her shoulder she said, "Oh, and you might want to move."
"Why?" Renfru stepped toward her, hands in the air, indignant. Evie wished she could say it was a joke.
"I was sent here to terminate you. I'm going to have to tell my boss you were gone when I got here. And when he does find out you're still alive, he'll send others to check and to complete the job. So for both your and my sake, you'd better clear out."
Evie left with the music of Renfru's curses, both demon and English, trailing after her.
Chapter 8
Evie followed Renfru's information on his Boss's nighttime haunts. Her own sense of smell would confirm his presence anyway, but it helped that she had a general starting point. Lafayette Square was dark, lit only by a few hesitant streetlamps along the main pathway. It didn't take long to pick up his scent. Higher-level demons had a stronger, viler odor than their lackeys.
Evie also knew that scent meant power. He would not be an easy mark, so she followed with care, keeping an eye out on the path before her. The oaks dotting the park whispered at her as she passed. Perhaps there were secrets they wished to reveal, but Evie was not faery to understand the trees, so she left them to their whispering and walked on.
Lacroix's scent led her through the trees until the statue of Henry Clay loomed above her. In the darkness, Henry was just a huge metal blob. In the shadow of the towering tribute, Evie paused, searching the gloom. Just before she reached St. Charles Avenue, she saw a flash of white, ghostlike in the edgy shadows. The specter turned and led Evie down the street. Soon the sounds of laughter and nightlife filtered onto the street and Evie found herself entering the French Quarter.
By now she'd gotten a good look at her target. His human glamor was that of a blond, dreadlocked albino. And when Evie strained to look past that milky outside, she found herself surprised. Baa'ruk must have had a deep respect for his melanin-challenged condition, especially since his demon self was equally as blond as his human persona.
Evie absorbed this experience as calmly as she could. A visit with an albino demon would be the hottest discussion topic in their Demonology class. But, right now she felt like a lamb trotting to the slaughter as Baa'ruk strode ahead, forcing her to follow him along Bourbon Street, then down a darkened alley.
Chapter 9
Evie followed the trail which Baa'ruk laid for her. Head of the Earth-side demons for the Southern Zone meant he would have to be one wily fellow. And seeing as she hadn't had the forethought to request an audience, she could hardly expect anything other than an unpleasant welcome. Renfru had been kind enough to warn her that she wouldn't be getting the red-carpet treatment.
He turned into a small courtyard dominated by a massive marble fountain. Evie followed warily. There were any number of places he could have hidden within the closed-off yard, and he could pounce on her at any moment. She edged into the courtyard, glamor still intact, and saw nothing. She moved farther inside, scanning the balconies overlooking the whispering fountain and seeking his thoughts with her mind. She was startled to find nothing. Seemed this demon was strong enough to block her.
Interesting.
When a strong, firm hand closed around her throat, Evie felt no fear. Even when the damned ugly demon came kissing-close to her face and bathed her with his fetid breath. This encounter was what she'd wanted. Although, maybe she hadn't wanted to end up in this particular position—held by the neck against a wall, a foot off the ground while her dead weight cut off the oxygen to her brain.
The hand at her throat didn't allow her to defend herself. Or speak in her defense. So drastic action was required, or she would be dead before she got any information from her captor. Evie shut her eyes and concentrated. A fullness spread along her back. Her shoulder blades rose and pressed against the skin of her back as her wings poked through the glamored slits in her upper back. In an instant, both Evie and Baa'ruk were enveloped by a pair of shimmering white and silver wings. Foot-long feathers sent wisps of silvery white dust floating around them.
She had hoped for a strong reaction. Perhaps the fear of God? Or maybe shocked, awed reverence.
Certainly not an ear-shattering fit of sneezing.
The head demon now stood, hands over his nose, mouth slightly open, eyes scrunched up in silent expectation of the next bout of ground-shaking sneezes. Little blades of grass peeking out from between the flagstones, shivered in the wake of his thunderous sneezes. Evie flapped her wings, which was unavoidable when folding them up behind her, and in a blink, both magnificent silver-tipped wings were gone.
Of course, she felt bad that she'd now started another fit o
f sneezes with a second breeze of wing dust. And of course, the whole thing wasn't really that funny especially when she'd so recently almost met her maker. But Evie couldn't help it. The first giggle that escaped her was tentative, mild. The next second she was having a full-blown giggle-fest.
At last, both sneezes and giggles faded into a calmer standoff, with Baa'ruk studying her with red, teary, amused eyes. His hand lay on the dagger at his belt, but the action now implied habit rather than threat. The red hue to his face, faded until his complexion returned to a natural milky colorlessness.
Baa'ruk had lost control of his glamor during his sneeze-fit and for the second time in one evening, Evie saw what truly lay behind a demon's glamor. But this time, what she saw made her feel strange. She'd seen glimpses of his true self when she had tailed him through the city streets, caught snatches of the pure white skin and pale blonde hair. Now, face-to-face with him, she remained amazed. And still uncertain how to assess her reaction. She wasn't repulsed at all.
Fascinated. That's what she was.
She reached out again, teasing his mind, trying to find a crack or little opening in his defenses but he was blocked solid. She gritted her teeth, annoyed.
In the background, the fountain trickled water from an upper bowl into a larger, lower one. The water would be tepid and unrefreshing, but the sound itself was cool.
Baa'ruk smirked, studying her as she stared at him.
