by Leo Romero
The Guild was quiet. A couple of hunters were loitering around on the couches, drinks in hand. I wasn’t really into potions personally; I found they messed with your head too much. A shot of Ambrosia now and then was okay to mellow the mood, but you could get seriously jacked on some of the potions available here. I guess it depended on your style of hunting. If you were more of a stealthy type, then a potion to regulate or mask your breathing would be helpful or a Potion of Lightfeet would come in handy. But there were drawbacks. You could get hooked, and if you found yourself in a situation where there was no potion available and you were getting hard withdrawals, you were in trouble. If you were an all-action type, then a Juggernaut Potion was like a hit of crack mixed with the hardest steroids. But you could get outta control on that stuff. Some situations needed calm and if you were a juggernaut, calm went out the window. I only used potions as a last resort. The good thing about the Guild was that they didn’t judge. They just wanted bounties brought in on behalf of the big Kahuna. We just wanted our wings back. And to get by on a day-to-day in the meantime. To be fair to the Guild, they at least tried to equip you for the task, but for the most part, you were left to your own devices. As long as you sent the demon back to the nether reaches of Hell without breaking any Divinity Laws, then you got your reward, whether it be cold, hard cash or a few more points scored with the Big Kahuna. Either way, we were ‘winners’.
I trudged toward the stage and climbed the steps with a sigh. The bounty board looked to be pretty light in terms of assignments. What was up? People didn’t wanna summon demons anymore? A hunter was perusing the wanted posters, puffing on an e-cig. Her twin pistols sat on her hips like obedient dogs. I glanced back at Aurora and cocked my head toward the board before approaching the hunter. “Hey, Belinda.”
Belinda met my stare, her auburn hair in a neat ponytail. “Hey, Gabe,” she said with a faint smile. “How’s things?”
I sighed. “Peachy.”
“Heard you let Crustus slip through your fingers the other night.”
I huffed. “No, I never let him slip through my fingers.”
“So what happened then?”
“A slight...oversight on my behalf.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Seriously. I was about to take him down when he hit me with a sucker punch and slid away like an eel.”
Belinda’s focus remained on the wanted posters. “Well, isn’t that a shame. Who’s the chick?”
“Aurora. She’s gonna be helping me.”
Belinda finally met my stare. “Gabriel Stone? Is that really you? Since when do you do partnerships?”
“Since around ten this morning.” I nodded toward the board. “Anything juicy?”
“One or two. Got a plant demon here for a thousand, a mirror demon for two.”
“A mirror demon? Haven’t seen one of those in a while!” I quipped.
Belinda shot me a wry grin. “Ha ha, Stone.”
I chuckled as I moved past her and around the other side of the board. “Stay safe, Belinda.”
“You too, Stone.”
I led Aurora between the dancing poles and around to the opposite side of the board. She was gazing around, no doubt her head full of questions. And one cue, out they came.
“So, what’s going on? Where are these demons coming from?”
“Hell,” I replied matter-of-factly. I stopped by the board and looked at the scant wanted posters.
“And what do they want?”
“Earth,” I said, scanning the posters for anything worthwhile.
“What for?”
I sighed and turned to face her. “Lucifer, or Satan as he’s known these days, wants the Earth. The Big Kahuna doesn’t want that to happen. Lucifer thinks his best shot is to flood the Earth with his minions, but they can’t just jump up here and start wreaking havoc. They gotta be summoned. So they have to trick humans into summoning them. Demons are always looking for tiny tears and splits between our world and theirs they can squeeze through. Just so they can cause a ton of havoc before someone like me comes along and hands their ass to them. Sometimes it’s just dumb kids messing with Ouija boards, others it’s more nefarious with a clear agenda behind it. Either way, the Big Kahuna has sent us here to keep things in check, make sure the demons don’t get a stranglehold on Earth.”
She nodded slow as she gazed at a wanted poster. It was for a mannequin demon that had been spotted in South Side Chicago. She frowned. “Mannequin demon? That’s not very scary.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you met her in a dark alley.”
“But, a mannequin?”
“Yep. The demons can’t just come up here in their true form. They have to enter the form of something already here. So, you get demon possession of inanimate objects like mannequins, dolls, hey I even saw a frickin chair demon once. Mean bastard he was as well, you underestimate them at your peril. Thing is, the longer a demon stays on Earth, the more time there is for transmutation to take place as the demon tries to fit in with its surroundings, which usually means taking on a human form. So Mr. Chair Demon’s four legs soon become human-like arms and legs. Our friend Crustus was raised into the body of an unfortunate lobster, a low level summoning, but the asshole’s been loitering around for so long, he’s now a six foot plus lobster-humanoid with pincers for arms, and a long lobster tail and human upper body and head—apart from the antennae popping outta his forehead.”
“So, why don’t they just summon them straight into humans in the first place?”
“Ain’t that easy, kiddo. It takes a lot of power and knowledge to do that. For the most part, the people doing the summoning are amateurs—low level necromancers and kids. The height of their powers is to summon a demon into a mannequin or a slipper. But more powerful and adept necromancers and dark arts users can summon stronger demons into stronger forms. That’s when you get living tissue demons. Plants, animals. People.” Something caught my eye, and my attention went straight to it. “Hello,” I said, pulling the wanted poster off the board.
WANTED: Fire demon. Reward $15, 000 and 10 feathers.
“Just like this.”
Aurora lifted her inquisitive face up to get a look at the sheet. My mind was already doing summersaults. Fire demons were demons in human form, meaning that the demon had possessed a human being and was using pyromancy as its favored weapon of choice. Summoning such a demon into human form could only be performed by high level necromancers and dark arts users. This was a heavy assignment. Whoever summoned a fire demon had no doubt done it for a very good reason, and with a very high understanding of the risks involved. Whoever it was better have a plan for sending it back, or we could be in deep trouble. I knew it would be dangerous to go after a fire demon, but the fifteen big ones and the ten feathers which counted toward getting your wings back was way too tempting.
I let out a whistle. It was the big score I needed. It would cover my expenses for the month as well as give me the money to pay for the best birthday party Chicago had ever seen. But a fire demon? Could I face him? Was I strong enough? Armed enough? Going after this score was risky, but would facing this demon be worse than facing Lucy if I didn’t get her her special birthday party?
“You thinking about it, Stone?”
The voice snapped me out of my train of thought. I looked up to be faced with a guy in a Stetson, his hazel eyes gleaming with intelligence. His handlebar mustache raised as his lips formed a sly grin. His famous whip was curled up like a snake by his side, half hidden by his trench coat.
I met his stare. “Ramirez,” I said in surprise. “I heard you’d got trampled by that horse demon over in Lawndale.”
He grinned. “Heard wrong, I’m afraid, Stone. I’m alive and kicking. Can’t say the same about our horse demon friend though. Heard you let Crustsus get the better of you.”
I let out an irritated huff. “Well, you heard wrong as well then, buddy!”
“Wrong information?” he asked.
I gave him
a vehement nod. “One hundred percent.”
“Looks like veritas is in short supply around here.” His eyes fell on Aurora. “New partner in crime?”
“Something like that,” I retorted.
“Take it from me, little lady,” said Ramirez. “You trust this guy at your peril.”
Aurora gave me a concerned look.
I frowned and shook my head. “Hey, I’m the good guy. He’s the one you wanna watch.”
Aurora crossed her arms over her chest. “I think you’re both full of crap!”
Ramirez let out a hearty laugh. “You got yourself a live wire there, Stone.”
“Haven’t I just.”
Ramirez glanced down at the sheet in my hand. “You going after that score?”
I took a deep breath. “Thinking about it.”
Ramirez turned his mouth down. “Good luck. That’s a major cockroach that needs exterminating.”
“You not going for him?”
“Fools go where angels fear to tread, Stone. And I’m no fool.”
“Yeah, but fools and angels need money.”
“That’s true. Well, if you do decide to go for him, you might wanna go have a little check on the Russians and the triads.”
“Russians and triads? You think they know something about this?”
Ramirez gave me a small shrug. “Maybe. All I know is that there was one helluva battle going on between them over in Lincoln Park, in the park itself. Police and media have been trying to cover it up, don’t wanna cause a stir.”
I rubbed my chin. “Really? Why would the triads be fighting the Russian mafia?”
“You’re asking the wrong guy. All I know is they got beef and that beef got roasted the other night, if you catch my drift.”
My eyes lit up. “Oh, I see.”
Ramirez nodded. “Good seeing you, Stone. Good luck.” He looked at Aurora. “Nice to meet’cha, little lady.”
“Likewise,” she retorted, her arms still tight over her chest.
Ramirez sauntered off, hands on hips. When he was gone, Aurora got in my ear. “I don’t trust that guy!” she whispered.
“That’s cause you’re smart,” I told her.
“So, what was he on about with the triads and the Russians being roasted?”
“Our demon friend here has been summoned as a fire demon.”
She shook her head. “Yeah and?”
“Well, the Russian mafia are bear shifters.”
“Are they now?”
“Yeah. And the one thing bears are scared of more than anything else is fire.” I rubbed my chin. “Hmm, Lincoln Park? I know someone down there who’ll maybe give us a few more clues. Come on.”
I dashed down off the stage, a sudden sense of urgency overcoming me. Aurora followed up. “We need to get a trail on this guy quick,” I said over my shoulder, pointing at the sheet in my hand, “cause the longer he stays on Earth, the more his power will increase and he’ll be tougher to take down. I just hope—”
“Stone!” A voice to my right erupted, making me pull up sharp and spin to face it. Staring at me was a face like etched granite, knobbly cheekbones, eyes burning with incandescent rage. I groaned to myself. Samuel. A grade A asshole Enforcer.
“Get over here!” Samuel ordered.
With my top lip curled up, I approached the table he was sitting at. “What is it, Samuel? Whatever it is, can it wait? I’m about to get on the case for this—”
“Sit your ass down!” Samuel grunted.
I met Aurora’s concerned stare. “Don’t you just hate it when people won’t let you get on with your job?” I turned to face Samuel. “Okay,” I said, pulling up a rickety chair and sitting down opposite him.
He glared at me with his dark, angry eyes. “What’cha got there?” he asked.
I lifted up the sheet in my hand for him to see.
He burst into laughter.
The noise was like scalpels on my ears. I faced Aurora, my top lip curled up again.
“You’re going after that demon, huh?” Samuel said once he calmed down.
“Something like that, yeah. I’m taking on the case since no one else wants it.”
“No one else wants it cause that sucker’s already taken out two angels.”
I met Samuel’s stare, concern rising inside me. I gulped. “Two?”
Samuel nodded slow, his tongue pushed into his cheek.
“Well, occupational hazard,” I said, not wanting Samuel to see my discomfort at that news.
“You can’t take on that case,” Samuel said, shaking his head with an air of confidence.
I straightened in my seat. “Says who?”
“Me!”
“Well, with all due respect, that means nothing to me. I’ll bag this sucker by the end of the week, and you’ll be handing that cash and those feathers over with that grin wiped right off your ugly mug!”
“Tough guy, huh? Okay, Mr. I-let-a-lobster-demon-get-the-better-of-me.”
I grumbled under my breath in response to his jibe.
“I’ll tell you what. You catch this guy by the end of the week, and I’ll throw in an L45 form.”
I arched a brow. “An L45?” Now that had my attention. An L45 was like a day pass into Disneyworld. You got your wings back and thus re-entry to Heaven, for one day only. I gave Samuel a skeptical look. “For real?”
Samuel bit his bottom lip and began nodding slow and deliberate, the corners of his mouth up in a smile. “Oh yeah,” he said. “You know why? Cause there’s no way your chump ass is gonna even find him, never mind take him down. He’ll make mincemeat outta you, and I’ll be more than happy to see that. One less asshole in my life. So, by all means, go ahead. Give it your best shot.”
I leaned in close to Samuel, my mouth spreading into a nasty grin. I hated this SOB, and I wanted him to know it. “Listen up and listen good, you bastard. I’ll be handing over the crystal residues from this fire demon by the end of the week, and you better have that L45 form ready and waiting to send up to Heaven. And if you don’t…”
He licked his lips. “What?”
“I’m gonna take Bam Bam, shove her right up your ass, and unload her. And then I might let Excalibur have seconds.”
“You wish, Stone!” Samuel growled through clenched teeth. “I’ve been waiting for your ass to get fried for longer than I can remember, and this time it looks like it’s finally gonna happen.”
“Bite me, loser!”
Samuel leaned back. “No way to talk to an Enforcer, now. You talk to all your superiors that way?”
I grinned. “Only the ones I love.” I stood. “Let’s go,” I said to Aurora, turning my back on Samuel. I walked off, not saying another word.
“See you around, Stone,” Samuel said after me.
I gave him the finger without breaking stride.
Aurora came running up by my side. “Why does that guy hate you so much?” she asked me.
“Eh, he’s a crummy card player.”
“So, what now?” she asked.
“Now?” I met her stare “Now, we go find this frickin’ fire demon.”
Chapter 4
On my way out of the Guild, I grabbed a bottle of Ambrosia from Jerome, which cost me a small fortune, but would come in handy. I could feel Samuel’s laser stare on me the whole time. Man, that guy had such a hard-on for me. But I was gonna shove it all back down his throat by the end of the week.
I led Aurora back out onto the streets. Brutus was still by the door. On seeing me, he puffed out his chest and stepped up to us. “Hey, Stone. You pull that crap again and I’ll break you in two,” he said in his knucklehead voice.
I chuckled. “Come on, Brutus. It was just a joke. Can’t we have a little laugh now and then?” His mouth remained scrunched up like he’d sucked on a lemon, his face trembling with ire, his eyes glimmering with anger.
“No hard feelings, huh?” I said, holding out my hand for him. “I mean...” I trailed off, my jaw dropping, my eyes widening as I
stared past him. “Oh, crap! Isn’t that a shadow demon heading our way?”
A knowing smile spread across Brutus’ cheeks. “Nice try, Stone. Think I’m dumb enough to fall for the same trick twice in one day?” He threw his arms across his chest. “Uh-uh, no way!”
“No, I’m serious, Brutus. You’d be dumb not to look.” I lifted a trembling finger. “It’s almost behind you!” I exclaimed.
Brutus frowned, uncertainty playing across his face. He gulped, then spun around.
I erupted into laughter. “Gotcha again!” I said merrily as I made a dash for my Harley, Aurora giggling as she darted up behind me.
Brutus whipped around in a full circle, confusion stamped all over his face. When he laid eyes on me getting the bike started up, he balled his hands into fists and thumped the air like a crazed orangutan. “Stone!” he growled like an enraged orc.
“Later, Brutus!” I shouted over my shoulder as I zipped away. Brutus tried to give chase, his hulking frame pumping as hard as it could, but he was soon a memory. I pushed down the throttle and the cold wind was rushing past us once more.
I moved through the streets with a steely purpose. A fire demon roaming the streets of Chicago for some reason or another was more than enough for any fallen angel to get their rocks off, but with fifteen big ones at stake for sending his ass back to Hell, my enthusiasm just went supernova. If what Ramirez said was true about the fight between the Russians and the Chinese, I had to check out Lincoln Park for any leads or clues that may be connected with this demon’s whereabouts.
We made it to Lincoln Park and I left the Harley on the street outside. We entered the park itself and the essence of Nature flooded my senses. Being half angel, I’m more sensitive to the Big Kahuna’s creations than an average human. The music of Nature sang in my ears. The twitter of birds the vocalist, ticks of insects the drums, the wind rustling through blades of grass the chimes of percussion instruments, the squeal of squirrels the electric guitar. The aroma of foliage and grass now surrounding me was a pleasant scent in my nostrils—Nature’s own air freshener. The trees were scattered with the last blaze of fall leaves, auburn, gold, teak. Their almost bare branches swayed on the mild zephyr swirling through the park grounds, dancing to some tune only they could hear. And it was one tree in particular I was seeking out. I led Aurora to Old Gnarly, the oldest, mightiest oak in all of Chicago. He’d stood for over three centuries, old and wise. I looked up at the tallest of his branches adorned with the gold and maroon leaves of fall as they scraped the sky, the tips of his fingers almost appearing to claw at the clouds. His trunk was cracked and gnarled, thick with extreme age, the carvings of kids in love his tattoos.
