by Michael Todd
She crouched, ready to attack. “Strong? Maybe. Huge and slow? Abso-fucking-lutely. Come on, big man. You’re so strong and tough you have to beat up on women to get your kicks. Well, I’m a woman. Here I am. Come and get me, bitch.”
He tried to grab her, but she evaded him easily, slipping around him. He twisted, but she was already in front of him.
She darted in and out, each movement punctuated by a ringing slap made harder by a little boost from Pandora, who was determined to get her licks in on this bully. Each time it looked like he was going to fall, she slapped him open-handed again. “It’s not so fun when you’re the one getting roughhoused, is it?” She was getting really good at controlling her battles. She managed to throw a glance in the direction of the woman, who was no longer crying but was instead staring at Katie with a mixture of awe and hope.
Katie’s eyes blazed red as she glared at the scumbag. “You see?” she told the woman. “You don’t have to put up with weak shit like this from assholes like him.”
The scumbag squeaked and backed up a few steps. “You’re one of those fucking demon things, the kind that likes to take over bodies and do all kinds of screwed-up shit.”
Pandora laughed, taking over Katie’s voice. “You don’t know the half of it. Men like you are perfect for hell. They torture pricks like you first. They’ll string you up above the lava pits and flay you slice by slice while your flesh is scalded by the steam rising from below you. Then, when you think you can’t take anymore, they’ll heal you and start all over again. You won’t be able to die, because you’ll already be dead. Even demons don’t like woman-beaters.”
He grimaced and tripped backward, narrowing his eyes at Katie. “What was that?”
She growled. “What?”
“In your eyes, there was this flash of sparkling blue-green. I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
Katie was momentarily taken aback. She had no idea what he was talking about, and she could only assume it had something to do with the angel side of her.
He took advantage of her momentary distraction to throw a punch at her, but Pandora, sensing her distraction, took control of Katie’s arms and popped it away like it was nothing. She let Katie’s hand fly and bitch-slapped the shit out of him.
“Who the hell do you think has her back?” Pandora railed from Katie’s throat as he flew into the wall and landed on his back with a thud. “Motherfucker…just try to hurt my human!”
Katie looked down at the groaning man on the floor. She walked forward, her bootsteps loud on the old wood floors. She bent over him and hissed, “If you try to hurt any human I will be back, and if you hurt this woman again I’ll drag you down to hell personally.” She flashed the red in her eyes when the guy tried to get up and laid her best right hook on his jaw, and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Katie’s phone began to buzz loudly in her pocket. She fished it out as she stood up, and accepted the call. “This is Katie,” she answered chirpily.
“It’s Detective Travers. My partner Schultz and I want to know if you could meet us at the Starbucks on Pennsylvania Avenue, right near Madison Square Garden. We want to talk to you about a few things and get some clarification on the demons. We were hoping you could help us. We don’t often get someone with the experience and knowledge you have, so we’d like to take advantage of it—if you don’t mind, that is.”
“Not at all,” Katie replied. “I’ll be there in about twenty minutes, if you can hang on?”
“Perfect. See you then.”
Katie hung up and turned her attention back to the woman. She was scared, staring at the big lug on the floor next to her.
Katie held out a hand and helped her to her feet. “I know this is a lot for you to take in, especially after you’ve already been through so much, but I need you to focus for me for a second, okay?”
The woman nodded and wrapped her arms around herself.
“Do you want to live here, or somewhere else?”
The woman grimaced, favoring her injured leg. “I don’t have the money to go anywhere else. He hasn’t let me work or have any money.”
Katie shook her head and reached over, swiftly picking her up in her arms. She had to get out of there and over to the Starbucks, and didn’t have time to wait for her to limp around.
“You can come with me.”
The woman looked around frantically and then down at the guy on the ground. Katie really hoped this wasn’t a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome, where she wouldn’t leave her attacker. Either way, Katie couldn’t leave her there to be hurt.
“What’s wrong? What do you need?”
“My clothes, maybe a few other things.”
“Is there anything that can’t be replaced?”
The woman sighed and shook her head. “No, all of it can be replaced. He took everything that was precious a long time ago.”
“He won’t be taking anything else from you. Please trust me. I’ll make sure you get everything you need. For now, let’s get out of here. This asshole can take care of himself from now on.”
Pandora growled, He’s lucky I didn’t brand his ass.
Katie set the woman down when they were back on the street and supported her as she hobbled along. They stopped at the local CVS and Katie left her on the bench out front while she ran in to get some first aid supplies. She sat down beside her on the bench when she came back out and lifted up her sleeve to apply ointment to the burn before covering it with a square patch of gauze and some tape.
“Bring your injured ankle up here.”
The woman lifted her foot onto the bench, her head held low as people passed by. Katie looked at it for a moment, deciding it was probably sprained but not broken. She wrapped gauze tightly around it and then pulled on an ankle brace. The woman put her shoe back on and set her foot down on the ground.
“Try to stand up.”
Katie put her hand out, the woman wobbled a little but was able to stand. She smiled weakly and nodded. Katie threw the trash away and held out her arm.
“Come on, I want to take you somewhere.”
They headed to the store where Katie had taken the demon out of the eighteen-year-old girl. As soon as she opened the door, the woman behind the counter recognized Katie. She hurried over and shook Katie’s hand.
“It’s so good to see you! I tell you what. You made me a superstar that night. Business has been amazing! And people all over the world have messaged me to say how thankful they were to have people like you out there helping. They loved your angel glow.”
Katie chuckled awkwardly, unsure of what to say. She smiled and glanced at the girl.
The woman sensed her discomfort and put her hands together, resuming her professional demeanor. “What can I do for you today?”
“I would like you to pick out or help her pick out four sets of nice clothes for this lady, and seven sets of day-to-day wear. You can put it all on one bill for me. She will need everything from head to toe.”
“Oh, how fun.”
“Yeah.” Katie chuckled and handed the woman her credit card. “Here, this is my card. If I’m not back by the time you’re done, you can charge it. I have to go and talk to my police colleagues a few blocks over at the Starbucks on Pennsylvania Avenue. If you need anything, you can find me there. I’ll try to be back as fast as I can.”
Katie turned to the woman. “What’s your name?”
The woman smiled. “Angie. And thank you so much for saving me from him. I don’t know what I would have done without you. You’ve really done enough. This is all so expensive.”
Katie patted her on the shoulder with a kind smile. “I have a lot of money, and not a lot of reasons to spend it. You are one of my reasons. Now, try to enjoy yourself. I’ll be back really soon.”
The detectives stood to greet Katie when she arrived.
“Thank you so much for coming. I’m John Travers, and this is Detective Martin Schultz.”
Schultz held out a hand fo
r her to shake. “How d’ya do?”
“Nice to meet you, guys. I remember you from the station, but I think we missed introductions.”
“Yeah.” Travers chuckled. “You were being bombarded and we didn’t want to add to it, so we got your information from the system.”
“I see.” Katie smiled. “What can I do for you?”
The three of them took a seat at a table in the corner. Both of the cops had a coffee, but Katie chose to pass, not being a big fan of their brew. Travers looked at Schultz and back to Katie nervously.
“Schultz and I, we’ve been with the NYPD for almost twenty years now, so you can imagine all this demon stuff is a lot to catch up on. We were used to normal everyday robbers, murderers, drug busts…that kind of thing. This is a complete game-changer.”
“I can understand that.” Katie smiled, recalling when she had first found out about demons.
Travers shifted in his seat. “We’re responsible for finding the evil infected, not those who are infected but still okay.”
“We find the ones causing the problems,” Schultz interjected.
Travers nodded. “Right. We are wondering if there are ways to do that without causing a scene? I know it seems like a stupid question, but when lives are on the line, the last thing we need is mass panic.”
“No, I totally get it.” Katie nodded. “Actually, I just came off a job with the LAPDF, where we had to get rid of some of the demons that were running clubs. As you can imagine, in a club setting it’s vital not to cause mass panic. I don’t have any specific tactics to share, and no tricks of the trade, either. But what I can do while I’m in New York is work with you to find out exactly what’s going on.”
Travers sighed. “That would be great.”
“Now, these things get a little wild sometimes,” Schultz confided. “Will you be okay in a firefight? Have you done anything like that before?”
Katie struggled to keep a straight face. Pandora busted into laughter, giggling so hard she couldn’t even get any words out. Katie’s stomach was tight from Pandora’s outburst. She cleared her throat and nodded at the detectives.
“I’ve been involved in a few scuffles.”
The detectives looked relieved. She could have told them about the all-out battles she had been in, but she didn’t want to make them feel stupid. From all the media coverage they should have been aware of who she was, and they definitely should have researched her before they’d reached out to her for help. It seemed she had a bit more education to take on with the two of them.
“If we were facing a club scene like that, what would you suggest?” Travers asked.
“Get about ten officers to surround the club and send me in on my own. I go through and flush out the demons who are all scared of me because they are weak.”
Schultz furrowed his brow. “How will we know which ones are humans and which ones are these demons?”
Katie blinked at them for a long moment before answering. “The demons will be the ones running as though they’ve just seen God himself, of course.”
Schultz raised an eyebrow at his partner.
Katie held back a chuckle, thinking that maybe this could be a little more fun than she thought. She pushed back her chair and stood up. “I have something to attend to right now, but why don’t we meet at the station around eight thirty tonight?”
“Sounds good.” Schultz nodded but had a worried look on his face.
These boys are in for a treat. Pandora giggled.
Katie rushed back over to the store to find Angie all done and packed up. There were lots of bags of clothes on the counter in front of her, and she appeared to be much more relaxed than when Katie had left.
Katie smiled, running her hands over the fabric. “Boxed it all up. We’ll take a business card and call you to tell you where to ship it in a little while…and I like that outfit. Very nice.”
Angie did a little twirl to show Katie her button-up shirt and wide-leg black pants and blushed at the compliment.
They left the store. Angie followed Katie, clearly nervous about asking any questions.
Katie smiled at her. “What’s up, Angie?”
“Where are we going now?”
“Well, I get the feeling I might need my own place here. However, I’m not always going to live here, so I’ll have to find something large enough that you can use one of the rooms.”
Angie looked around the area, realizing how close they were to Madison Square Gardens. “It can get expensive in this area of the city.”
Katie shrugged. “I need something to spend my money on.”
11
Angie’s back was straight, her long, dark hair meticulously pulled back into a ponytail, her clothes pressed and perfectly fitted, and a hint of makeup brightened her eyes. She held her head a little higher than before. She and Katie had toured several different buildings in their search for a condo near Central Park. Early on, Katie had spotted a real estate office and steered Angie toward it.
She hoped to find a list of the condos for sale, but that wasn’t how it worked. The girls were instantly accosted by Iris Grey, a middle-aged woman with the kind of enthusiasm that you couldn’t help but get caught up in.
“Come on in and sit down. Welcome to my office. I tell you, I’m so glad you walked in today. I had the most horrific day coming in. Two appointments canceled, and I thought, ‘Iris, just trust in the Universe. It will send you a sign.’ And what do you know? You two lovely ladies just popped into my life. Tell me your names.”
Katie chuckled. “I’m Katie, and this is my friend Angie.”
“Katie and Angie, perfect names. I love it. Now, tell me what you’re looking for so I can show you exactly what matches your taste. There are tons of places to live in this city, but we only represent the best of the best. Award-winning designs, affluent and prized architecture, and amenities you don’t get even at the Waldorf.”
“I’m looking to be close to Central Park, three bedrooms minimum.”
“Excellent. And are you looking for anything specific regarding finishes, amenities, things like that?”
“A modicum of security in the building would be nice. A gym, and maybe a pool? And a view would be lovely.”
Iris tittered. “Oh, honey, I won’t show you anything without a view.”
Angie put her head down, stifling a laugh, and Katie did her best to keep the giggles at bay.
Pandora dissolved into stitches. Oh, I love her, she gushed. I didn’t know humans could be this funny!
The woman was very interesting, but Katie had come to expect that from the people in her life. She always seemed to attract those with alternative personalities. Iris wasn’t infected, which might mean she wouldn’t help her to find a place. Then again, it might not make a difference if she were scared enough of Pandora.
Iris got up and grabbed her purse. “We have a big day ahead of us. I hope you ate your breakfast, ladies. Almost all of them are within walking distance, so let’s go.”
As Iris guided them deftly through the streets, Katie and Angie almost had to jog to keep up with her brisk pace. Angie looked at Katie as they slowed down at a crosswalk. “Three bedrooms? That’s a big space for just you.”
“I want a room for me, obviously. But I also want a room for you, and one for anyone else who may come to stay with us. I have quite a few friends in the business. I’ll probably get a pullout couch as well. Hell, I’m sure there are plenty of hotels near here for the overflow.”
“That there are,” Iris chimed in over her shoulder. “There’s the Plaza, the Mandarin, the Lowell, the Dream Hotel. The list goes on and on, and you’d have your pick. I love it when I have clients who have friends. They’re so much fun to work with.”
Katie chuckled. If only she knew who my friends were.
All I know is that there’d better be some donut shops near whatever we pick. I’m not playing this game. Pandora was indignant, not really understanding the need to buy a condo in New York.<
br />
“What about donut shops?” Katie yelled ahead to Iris.
“Donuts? Oh, if you like donuts, this city has everything. Tons of little patisseries pop up constantly all over the city, and then there are, of course, Dunkin’ Donuts on just about every corner.”
Of course, there is.
“We’re not really Dunkin’ fans.”
“There are at least three family-owned bakeries within walking distance, and there’s a twenty-four-hour shop over in Chelsea, which is just a quick cab ride away—or you can have the complex call you a car. Most of the buildings we’ll be looking at have concierge service, so you can send someone out to get whatever you need.”
Pandora brightened. I love Iris! She knows exactly what a woman needs.
They walked down East Eighty-eighth Street, where Iris paused in front of a stately renovated brick building. It was very chic and clean-lined, yet it looked to have been in New York for decades. The complex had a doorman who nodded at each person as they came and went. He was a middle-aged man with the perfect gentlemanly smile and dark hair flecked with silver. As soon as he saw Iris, his eyes lit up.
“Ms. Iris, so good to see you.”
“You too, Robert.” Iris turned to Katie, her cheeks a little flushed. “Now, this is 12 East Eighty-eighth, one of my premier listings. This complex has been in existence since the 1920s, when everyone began to move to the Upper East Side. It was the last of the buildings to be created by the renowned Twenties architect Rosaria Candela. The building was not completed until the Thirties due to his service in the military, but he is the architect behind some of the most luxurious living spaces in New York, including the family home of Miss Jacqueline Bouvier.”
“I like it. It’s got spirit.” Katie smiled.
Iris ushered them through the front door, Robert smiling and nodding at each of them. Iris stopped in the center of the large marble atrium and spun around, arms wide. Katie pressed her lips together and chuckled quietly, finding Iris to be more than spirited. She was in love with the building.
