by Michael Todd
I don’t know if he feels the same way about that.
Well, I’ll make the payback short and sweet. I won’t drag it out. Much.
Oh, joy. How magnanimous of you.
I am an absolute fucking delight, and don’t you forget it.
The car pulled up in front of the hangar and left as soon as Katie and Calvin had finished unloading gear from the back. They put it on the plane and climbed aboard. Calvin sat down beside the window and buckled in while Katie mixed them a couple of drinks.
She’d stopped staffing the plane since she no longer knew who she could trust, but she was fine with that. It still felt weird for her to be waited on hand and foot. Besides, the last thing she needed was some demon hiding out on the plane and springing a surprise battle at ten thousand feet.
She wasn’t the biggest fan of skydiving.
She smiled to herself, thinking about her wings and wondering if they would save her if she were to jump from the plane.
Can we please not ever test that theory?
Why, Pandora? You scared of heights?
No. Pandora scoffed. But it’s still not my idea of a smart thing to do. What if one of those weird-ass feather sacks malfunctions and we plummet to the ground?
Katie rolled her eyes. They’re not robotic. I don’t think you have to worry about them malfunctioning.
Hey, I don’t put anything past that freak, Gabriel.
Hmmm. Well, we haven’t seen him lurking in the shadows recently. Maybe he’s chilled out on the stalker tendencies?
Not likely. I know how those angels roll. They act all sweet and innocent, but they are more conniving than demons. You’ll figure out eventually that the only difference between us is that they have prettier hair and eyes.
Katie put a whiskey and coke down in front of Calvin and sank into the chair next to him. She buckled her seatbelt as the plane prepared for takeoff and leaned her head back, enjoying the quiet for a moment. Calvin looked nervous or anxious, she couldn’t tell which one.
“You okay?”
“Just ready to be done with this and give myself and Sofia some peace of mind.”
Katie sighed. “That’s something I haven’t heard of or seen in a very long time.”
13
The plane sliced through the air, the ride smooth and free from turbulence. Soothing classical music played quietly over the speakers. Katie and Calvin had spread out to rest their feet on the other seats.
Katie glanced at Calvin. She’d been a little jealous when he went on vacation, but now that she knew what kind of trouble he’d gotten into she was starting to realize vacation time was not something that would ever come easily to either of them. She wanted to talk about the plan; to talk about New York, and everything going on.
Pandora had a different opinion. You’ve said it more times than I have—this thing is definitely bugged. It’s probably more bug than plane at this point. Big Brother, Big Demon, and likely even Big Cartel are all listening in. You should really think about making it more secure.
I would have to hire a guard for the plane. That’s not really feasible.
Fine, but don’t go spilling it all right now.
We don’t even know for sure if there are bugs.
Don’t be naïve. It’s likely enough for me to warn you to watch your back.
True, but I have to talk sometime. So, the guy who is after them is Manuel’s cousin Mateo. There was a chance Manuel’s younger brother would have been the one to succeed him, but the family must have won out against his claim.
Little bro is feeding the lizards, I think…
Katie wrinkled her nose. Maybe. Apparently, Mateo was closer to Manuel than the others and was livid when he found out about his death. According to intel he is just as savvy as Manuel, and has the same issue with obsession Manuel did. Right now, his obsession is centered on getting Sofia back to Mexico and dismantling Calvin.
Oh, that sounds brutal—dismantling. Makes me think of this time Lucifer found a demon hitting on me. Poor thing was just a twitching bundle of nerves by the time Lucifer was done with him.
He gets jealous?
Yeah, but not in a loving way. More like an “I own her and how dare you try to take what is mine” kind of way. Honestly, sometimes I thought he might as well have just cocked his leg and pissed on me to mark his territory.
Oh, P, no! Well, he’s not going to treat you like that anymore. You’ve got me in your corner now. But first, we need to make sure Sofia is safe. The plan as of right now is to get in, take Mateo down, and get the hell out of there. No muss no fuss, preferably. I don’t mind taking these guys out, but the fewer bodies there are, the less likely we are to create an international incident.
Probably a good idea.
Katie went silent for a moment, thinking about everything that was going on. You don’t think that maybe he’s found “The One?”
The one what? Easy lay? Girl in distress? Lady of the night? Please! A man like Calvin doesn’t need to settle down, or settle for anyone not up to his standards. He could have a Sofia for Monday night, Tracy for a Tuesday night...
Isn’t that a song?
Could be. I don’t really listen to music much.
Calvin noticed her faraway expression and cut in. “So, tell me about dropping a demon on the President.”
Katie grimaced. “Yeah, I thought the fucker wasn’t going to turn to dust in time, but it turned out okay in the end, so that’s all I am focused on at this point. Can you imagine the headlines if it hadn’t?” She shuddered at the thought of all that scrutiny.
Calvin frowned. “Not to mention the jail time.”
Katie’s eyes widened. “That, too. I wonder how long they’d have given me for crushing a President with a demon? I was too focused on avoiding the media attention afterward to consider that. Then work took over again.”
“What else have you been doing in New York all by yourself?”
Katie grinned. “I’ve done some club work like you and I did with the local precincts. Oh, hey, I actually managed to exorcise ten demons the other night. Not a single kill in the whole group. And did I tell you, I figured out that I’ve been subconsciously deciding whether to leave them their memories or not? I guess this angel shit has some advantages. I couldn’t do that before, but with the mob guy I decided to leave them so he could explain the kidnapping to his wife.”
Calvin held his hand up for a fist bump. “That’s fucking impressive.”
“Back to the ten demons the other night. You usually find at least one who has let their demon go too far. Maybe this twelve-step demon program is actually working,” Katie mused. “If people can keep control and not let the demon take over, this war might be over a lot sooner. Look at how much difference it’s made having the Damned soldiers! There’s hope for the infected people who just want to lead ordinary lives.”
Calvin nodded his agreement. “It kind of reminds me of the days when people were capable of holding their shit together even with the demons scratching at their souls. We’ve been operating from a position of weakness for so long now. That’s changing, and it’s mostly thanks to you, Katie. You too, Pandora. We might even end this with you two leading the fight.”
Pandora melted instantly. Awww! How am I supposed to stay mad at him when he says shit like that?
Katie shrugged to answer them both. “I guess, but the guys I’ve been taking out aren’t much better when they aren’t infected. They are a bunch of lowlife assholes. I’ve also taken some private security details, one of which was when I handled that mob boss I told you about. These guys were scumbags before they were infected. We don’t need people like them in control of their demons.”
Calvin raised a finger to argue. “What about that girl in the shop on that video online? She wasn’t evil.”
“How did you know it was me?”
Calvin gave her a look. “You’re the only one I know who can do something like that. That wasn’t a bad guy hiding behind his demon. You
’re doing some good in this world.”
“You’re right. I suppose that was the beginning of my new life. After the girl, I met Angie. She was in a bad way, Calvin. Her boyfriend’s favorite pastime was to drink, then beat her some.”
Disgust crossed Calvin’s face. “I hope you taught him it’s not nice to hit women?”
Katie wiggled her eyebrows. “You know I did. Are you ready to face Manuel’s cousin? He has that revenge thing going on inside of him. In my opinion, that makes him more dangerous than a demon. Revenge can make you do crazy things.”
Calvin shook his head. “It also leaves you open to making mistakes. Mateo is just a man. He won’t think like a demon unless he has one inside him. That revenge will blind him to reason, and in the end that will be his undoing.”
“What about you?” Katie asked. “Isn’t this revenge for you?”
Calvin shook his head. “I got my revenge on Manuel and almost died in the process. This is strictly protection. I’m keeping someone I love safe from further danger. If it means we have to burn it all and salt the earth before we leave, so be it.”
“Well, as long as you keep your head on your shoulders, I don’t think it will go that far.”
“Says ‘Ice Cold Katie.’ You are clinical out there. It’s like you’re so focused as you rip through the demons… It’s a little scary, honestly. I know I’d never want to see you coming at me on the battlefield.”
Katie frowned. “Yeah, well I’m learning that emotion can be necessary off the battlefield. Without emotion, I would have handed that little girl off and never discovered the demon in her dad. We’ve both changed. Would you believe this time last year that you would be in love? It sickens me that these wannabe big men are hunting Sofia like a fucking animal. So yes, we can be emotional, but when it comes down to it, you’ll see that I haven’t lost my edge. If anything, it’s sharper than before. Fuck those guys! They won’t be around long enough to ruin Sofia’s life.”
Calvin rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand. “Thank you, Katie, in case I forget to tell you later.”
Angie took a sip of her Sprite and flipped to the next page of the intel she had briefed Katie on earlier. She had skimmed through it, but she wanted to make sure she hadn’t missed anything.
Katie needed her to be on standby, so she didn’t plan on leaving the condo until after the job was done. The last thing she needed was to be caught out in the middle of a coffee shop if Katie needed her help to take down a bad guy.
She looked up at an unexpected knock on the front door. She frowned and walked over to press her eye to the peephole. When she saw who was standing there, she stepped back and her hand flew to her mouth to stifle the gasp that escaped. Her other hand went to her stomach to stem the rising nausea. It couldn’t be him, could it?
She peered through the peephole again, and sure as shit, her ex was pacing outside the door, grubby t-shirt and all. Katie’s lesson still darkened his face, the bruises thrown into relief each time he passed under the spotlight over the door. He looked so out of place in the hallway, like a visitor from another world.
What the fuck had she ever seen in that guy?
She looked closely at him and saw that he wasn’t the all-powerful monster she’d built him up to be when he’d kept her reined in. He looked desperate underneath the anger he was barely concealing, like a churlish boy whose mommy had just told him no. Her lip curled. Pathetic, and she would never let him or anyone like him take her power again.
Angie fastened the door’s chains, then grabbed the phone and called Security. “This is Angie. There’s an intruder at the door, and I need Security up here right away. I have no idea who the fuck let this asshole into the building, but he is dangerous.”
There was a brief pause while the person on the phone issued a hurried order. “I’m so sorry. Someone is on their way right now.”
“I want to know how he got in,” Angie told him.
“We’ll get to the bottom of it, ma’am. Just stay in the apartment until the guards have dealt with the intruder, please.”
“You better hurry, then,” she replied.
She hung up the phone when the knocking started again. “Angie,” her ex yelled from the hallway. “I know you’re in there. I can hear you. Open the fucking door.”
Angie clenched her fists. How dare he come here? Her fear was gone, replaced by a cold anger that spread through her, washing away all the little cuts he’d made to her psyche. She was strong, she was smart and capable, and she was valued—something he’d never made her feel. She was building a new life, one where his controlling bullshit had no place.
Her mouth twitched. His presence in her haven was unacceptable.
She remembered something Katie had taught her. She ran into Katie’s room and pulled out a pistol from the top drawer, but her resolve faltered for a brief moment when she felt the weight of the cold steel in her hand. There was no point in empty threats. Would she be able to go through with it if it came to it?
Meanwhile, the knocking grew more insistent. Angie knew the phases of his anger and the tactics he used to bend her to his will. He would move on to causing damage shortly if his verbal demands didn’t get him his way. She growled softly to work her courage up. “Get it together, Angie! Your boss fights fucking demons. You can protect yourself from one no-dick woman-beating asshole.”
Her hands shook on the gun as she made her way back to the hallway. She took a deep breath to calm herself and thought back to the training that Katie had given her. Her hands steadied as she went through the motions of readying it to fire.
“Okay, Katie said to do this first…then check this...and then the safety.” She clicked off the safety and raised the gun toward the door. She gulped and finished the safety mantra Katie had made her repeat until she knew it by heart. “Only put your finger on the trigger if you’re prepared to fire, and only point your weapon at a living being if you’re willing to have a death on your hands.”
Angie straightened her shoulders as the loud knocking became a constant pounding that rattled the door on its hinges. “Anyway, how does that asshole know that Katie isn’t here?”
The pounding stopped. “Please, Angie. I just want to make it up to you. Open the door, there’s a good girl.”
As if. This prick’s reign of terror was well and truly over. She refused to be a victim for another second.
She concealed the gun behind her leg and opened the door a little way. He shoved his foot straight in so she couldn’t close it again. “I just want to talk, Angie.” He pushed against the door, but the chains were enough to keep him out for now.
Angie scowled at him. “What are you even doing here? We have nothing to talk about.”
He pressed again with his shoulder. “I wanted you to know how sorry I was. The house is empty without you. Come home with me, baby. We can go back to how it was.”
Angie dismissed his apology. “What, when all I did was cook and clean for you? Spread my legs whenever you felt like it, and act as your punching bag whenever you had a shitty day? Yeah, no. I have a new life now; a good life. I can’t think of a clearer way to say this. There is nothing between us anymore, and you need to get the fuck out of here and never come back again.”
His face quickly changed, something Angie had seen again and again. “You ungrateful little slut! I fucking made you, and you think you can look down your nose at me? Oh, look at Angie, all shacked up with her bitch lover. Now you’re too good for the man who carried your sorry ass before she came along?. You might think you’re too good for me, but under the fancy clothes you’re just the same old weak, useless piece of shit you always were. You’ll be out on the streets as soon as she’s bored with you. Then you’ll come begging.”
Angie pulled the chain off the door, stepped forward, and rammed the gun into his gut. The air escaped him in a pained huff. He met her determined glare, and his eyes widened when he realized how deathly serious she was. She leaned in and whispered in his
ear. “You aren’t fit to lick the shit from the bottom of her boots. I should shoot your pathetic ass right here, right now for even talking about her that way.”
The elevator door dinged and two security guards stepped out, saving him. They approached with their guns pointed at the man and Angie took a step back, her pistol now pointed at her ex’s chest.
She nodded to him and looked at the guards. “This scumbag is not allowed back on the property.”
One of the guards answered while the other kept his weapon trained on her ex. “Of course, ma’am. We will take care of it right away. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
Her ex sneered. “What are you talking to the little slut like that for? She ain’t worth nothing.”
The two guards exchanged a look, and the one closest turned and laid him out with a sweet punch to the jaw.
“So sorry, ma’am,” the guard apologized. “But this asshole had it coming. I’ll understand if you want to report me.”
Angie smiled. “Thank you. I wanted to do that myself.”
They hauled her ex off by the arms and Angie breathed a sigh of relief.
She stood in the doorway with the pistol gripped loosely by her side until the elevator doors had closed, then went back inside and locked the door behind her. She put the safety back on the gun and set down it on the table by the door. As soon as it left her hand, the adrenaline left her. She pressed her back to the door and slid down to the floor. Her heart pounded so hard she could feel the throb in her ears. Her breath came fast and heavy, and her eyes burned as the tears began to fall.
She put her head between her knees and forced her breathing to slow until the hammering in her chest lessened. “Pull it together, Angie. It’s over now.”
She leaned her head back and wiped the tears from under her eyes, taking a deep calming breath. She stood up and straightened her shirt, fixing her hair and nodding to herself. She headed to the dining room to get her work done, proud of herself for standing up to the worst man she had ever known.
