by Alexia Purdy
Thalia startled on her bed, dizzy. Her stomach lurched as she opened her eyes and was blinded by the sunlight coming in through the window. She barely remembered getting home the night before. It was all a blur after she had killed Ariuk. A memory resurfaced about heading out to seek Ereziel to ask him if he knew anything more about why the man would be connected to her past, but she had turned back to the bar after a few blocks. She had drunken away her sorrows at the local watering hole until the night turned hazy and she’d blacked out.
Recalling several men approaching her for a good time, she sat up, regretting it immediately and grasping at her temples. Realizing she was in her apartment alone, she relaxed back into her pillow, relieved she had refused their advances. The last thing she needed was to find herself in some stranger’s digs without remembering his name. She’d had enough of those to last several lifetimes.
It wasn’t that she was in the mood to get her heart broken again, it was just that certain things wore her out more than others. One of them was trying to maintain a relationship when her life was full of secrets. Her immortality was a hindrance. No one wanted to watch their lovers grow old without them. She had a rule: never stay after the first night and always leave first. It kept everyone at arm’s length, but she liked it that way.
After showering and getting dressed, she headed back out to pick up some supplies. Her apartment was bare of the things needed for a hangover. Her head pounded, and her stomach rolled as well. She must have mixed too many drinks last night. Too much liquor and too much cheap beer made for a lasting morning after. She wasn’t much of a drinker; she only did it after a kill. It was a way of coping, to keep her sanity when there was so little of it left.
There was a diner around the corner from her building, and she shoved open the heavy glass door and made her way to a booth. Slipping onto the smooth, creaking bench, she settled her head between her hands as she stared at a menu to keep from looking at anything else. The room was spinning at an uncomfortable tilt.
“Rough night?”
Her eyes flipped up to find Adam, the usual waiter this time of morning. He smiled broadly, flashing his bright, bleached teeth at her. She yawned. She wasn’t in the mood to chit chat. She wasn’t the kind of customer to strike it up with anyone. Sometimes she made an exception with him, but this morning she really wasn’t in the mood. Even so, she had to keep up appearances. She liked the diner; it was convenient.
“Yeah, it was a pretty rough night. Hitting the bar wasn’t such a great idea.”
Adam chuckled as he placed a steaming cup of black coffee in front of her. Her usual. “Well, sometimes life gets you down and tramples the crap out of you, but you get back up. That’s what counts, right?”
She nodded, smiling and managing to not roll her eyes. He may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was nice to look at as he walked away to let her peruse the menu. He wasn’t a very engaging conversationalist, but, she had to admit, neither was she. And his smile always warmed her cold, dark, and irredeemable soul. It reminded her that humans could be quite comforting to be around. Even though she hadn’t been human for many years, she had to remember her life as a mortal. Emotions, love, and feeling safe and comforted were human traits and tended to dull with immortality. The only way to feel anything nowadays was to mingle with those who had no problem feeling everything.
After Adam returned to take her order, she brought her cell phone out from her pocket and checked the messages. There were none, unsurprisingly, and she didn’t expect to have any. Her phone never rang, nor did she ever call anyone. Without friends, family, or even old acquaintances, it stayed silent. Needing something to do, she flipped through the news and noted several incidents of high crime in the vicinity.
Clicking the screen off, she found herself disappointed for the first time in years. Maybe she should make some new acquaintances. She pulled up Ereziel’s number but hesitated at tapping to call. It wasn’t uncommon for the archangels to have cell phones nowadays. In fact, they loved it. It kept them in contact with everyone they knew, and they knew a lot of people, for they were immortal. Timeless.
Instead, she decided to text Ereziel, hoping he was around and would answer quickly. She needed to get to the bottom of this mystery about Ariuk’s locket and find out why he’d been a mark. After sending the text, she tucked it away as Adam slid a hot plate onto the table in front of her. He gave her a snappy wink before moving on to help another customer. She shoveled her food into her mouth, barely chewing, as her thoughts floated over last night’s events.
The look in the Ariuk’s eyes had been unsettling, as though he’d been thrilled she was killing him and putting him out of his immortal misery. Or was he relieved to be free of the locket? What a strange man. She’d never met an immortal like that; crude, ready for death. They all had something going for them, some business, side hustle, pseudo-family, or anything really. Maybe she saw too much of herself in him. Loneliness, loss, suffering. The worst part was that they were nothing alike. He had committed crimes most of his immortal life and she, well, one could say that she was also a criminal, but her motives were virtuous. The demons she killed… they were the worst of the worst. She did everyone a favor ridding the world of such creatures. How could anyone accuse her of any wrongdoing when her mission was righteous?
She sighed, pushing her empty plate away and waving down Adam for her bill. She left him a hefty tip and tried to escape before he scampered back over but didn’t move quickly enough. He looked surprised, if not a touch disappointed, by the fact that she was already leaving.
He held up a pot of coffee. “You want any more? I just made a fresh pot.”
“No, thanks. I think I wolfed my breakfast down too fast. Might make a trip back up.”
“I got a cure for that. You want to try my special hangover smoothie? All natural, and it makes you feel like million bucks.”
She lifted an eyebrow, giving him a cynical look. “Um… what’s in it? My stomach is in a bad way.”
He eyed the empty plate, looking incredulous. “Well, I promise it’s nothing weird. Works wonders. Trust me.”
She watched him as he went back behind the counter to throw some ingredients together: orange juice, ginger ale, some herbs, and other miscellaneous stuff. She decided she might as well drink the concoction. She’d known Adam long enough to know he was pretty close to perfect, someone a woman could settle down with; hardworking, strong, stable. Someone who was completely incompatible with her lifestyle.
He was also a mortal, putting him in her book of people to definitely stay away from. The thought made her sad, for she would’ve liked to have someone to talk to about things. She had never considered having children or having a worthwhile relationship as a mortal; she’d been too young to worry about such things, having only been seventeen when she’d died. As an immortal, there was no way she could have children, let alone a husband. She was damned to live a solitary life.
“Here you go. Bottoms up. Let me know how it pepped you up the next time you come in. I’m always willing to mix it up for you.” He smiled, his cheeks crimson as he spoke to her while he fidgeted. He acted confident, but she could read the signs of his insecurity: picking his nails, running his hands through his unruly, red hair. She often wondered how serious his crush was. She could tell he had more than just platonic feelings toward her, but she always turned down his advances no matter how much he looked like he wanted to ask her out every time he saw her. There was no point. The answer was always no.
She threw back the smoothie, feeling it coat her belly in a cool, syrupy way. “Wow, that really worked fast. My stomach feels better already.”
“I told you. I’m pretty good at these things. I used to bartend, and that was one of our secret remedies. It will revive anyone.” He winked again, giving her his wide, award-winning smile. His red hair shined in the morning light. His smooth skin was peppered with freckles across the bridge of his nose and cheeks, and she found hersel
f staring at him. She looked away but not without feeling his disappointment as a soft sigh left his lips.
“Thank you, Adam. I’ll see you around, okay?”
He nodded. “Of course. Any time. You know where to find me.”
She stood and waved shyly before heading out of the diner, feeling his eyes glued to her back as she stepped out into the street. His gaze remained on her until she turned the corner, and she propped herself against the wall, her heart beat racing. She liked that he wanted more from her, but she didn’t care for the unjust feeling that there could be nothing between them. Maybe it was time to make more room, settle down, and find something close to that thing called love. Even immortals had hearts. Even immortal hearts could break or become truly lost and lonely. Maybe it was time to remedy that.
But first she had some errands to run before marching off to find her boss.
Chapter Three
The park was pleasant even though there were plenty of people bustling around. Kids were tossing breadcrumbs to the ducks or buying cotton candy off the vendors while squealing with delight. People were perched by the fountain enjoying the warmth of the sun peeking out from the clouds above. The weather had been fluctuating lately, but it was growing warmer day by day as the summer tiptoed toward them. She recalled that the forecast had predicted rain and a temperature drop, but for now, there was no sign of the storm.
Thalia loved the scents filling the park, from the greenery and hedges to even the damp mulch. She let the warmth of the sun spread across her back and ease into her aches as she made her way through the park, fighting the crowds. The outskirts were lined with benches along a path. As she passed one, she barely noticed the homeless man beneath the sheets of newspaper spread out on top of him. She stopped as she heard him mutter something. “Nope, you can’t buy your way into Heaven. Doesn’t work that way. Not for your kind.”
Thalia slowly turned toward the man, who remained sleeping, eyes closed, and snoring softly as if he hadn’t just uttered the suspicious words. Why would he say those things? She peered around to see if there were any demons about, manipulating him in his most vulnerable state. Sure, possession was possible, though most possessed fresh corpses. Glancing around, she saw nothing strange, but she felt icy pinpricks gathering across her skin.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered. Shaking her head, she continued down the path, eyes wide open and scanning the horizon with her paranoia turned all the way up. She was on her way to visit her weapons dealer, Matt Timothy Hannigan. She pushed the words of the dreaming homeless man out of her mind. Matt was working on a special sword for her, and she couldn’t wait to feel it in her hands. The sword had rare qualities; it was an angel-killer.
Matt was one of a few metalworkers she bought weapons from, and when he’d told her he’d developed a blade which could slice through anything and anyone, even angels and high demons, she’d been more than interested. It wouldn’t kill archangels, he’d said, but it could hurt them. That was the kind of weapon she needed, especially since Ereziel had recently been adding more powerful demons and corrupted angels to her hit list.
She rarely went to see Matt. It wasn’t because she didn’t like him. However, it took months for him to create a weapon for her, so the visits weren’t frequent. It also didn’t help that the blacksmith was a bit of an irresistible temptation for her. He liked to madly flirt with her even when she’d adamantly turned down his advances, time and time again. With both him and Adam as prospects, she certainly wouldn’t be lonely if she could ever give in and start dating.
It was not a choice she could make, nor did she want to. There was so much at stake, so much to lose, and the pain from her last heartbreak would have been enough to send her to a nunnery if she’d been mortal. Love was unattainable for her, and tempting fate was a dangerous proposition.
As much as she tried to act like she didn’t enjoy Matt’s company, it was the very reason she dreaded visiting him. The closer she got to caving in and going on a date with him, the farther apart their visits became. That was probably his game plan; wear her down until she couldn’t resist anymore or just stopped coming around.
The problem with Matt was that he was a mortal, even though he was gifted and probably had some latent magical powers of some sort. It didn’t change the fact that he wouldn’t live forever. Whatever gifts he had, passed down to him from his parents, he would die. That alone kept her from saying yes to his requests for a date. All that aside, no one else could forge swords like his. There was a magic in his fingertips, and she was afraid to discover what else his skilled hands could do for her.
Matt’s forge wasn’t far from her apartment, even though she avoided it. She loved that he always had a nice cache of shiny, new weapons and gadgets she could use against demons and angels alike, and even on the others who didn’t fall into either category. Any immortals who reeked of evil were marked. Besides being an excellent craftsman, Matt was talented in the use of these weapons, and he helped her familiarize herself with their uses. A session with him always left her exhilarated and flushed, for more reasons than one.
Thalia pushed against the heavy metal doors of the forge and peered around. There appeared to be no one there, but the smell of fire and metal tainted the air, which told her there had been some recent metalworking going on. Tools were spread across several tabletops. Barrels of water sat alongside anvils, sledgehammers, chisels, and tongs of every size.
The place was a chaotic mess, but she knew Matt had his own system of organization. She loved the smell of the place and the warmth of its atmosphere. Even the sharp scents of sweat, metal, and blood brought nothing but sweet memories to mind. It was as though it wielded its own magic and left her with something to crave. If asked, she’d deny it adamantly, but she couldn’t help visiting at least once a month. One hit a month. That was all she allowed herself. It kept Matt out of her thoughts and out of her blood.
“Matt?” Only her heartbeat rang out in her head. Heat from the forges, still crackling with fire, spread against the leather of her jacket and warmed her as she walked past them. Listening for any footsteps, she scanned the room. Maybe he’d stepped out for lunch. Maybe he’d fallen asleep in the back room. Poor guy. Being a mortal had its disadvantages. He would tire, need a nap, eat a ton, work, then sleep and repeat. Even though Thalia had to eat and sleep too, she didn’t require as much as he did.
She was far stronger than him, but he was quite a slick fighter. Sparring with him was a favorite activity for her. Humans were delicate creatures, but some were stronger than some of the immortals she had met. They were also far more inspiring and lovable than she wanted to admit.
“Matt?” she called out again. A rustling and the clink of metal had her whipping her body toward the door of the office, where Matt emerged, smiling radiantly at a woman who was accompanying him. He glanced Thalia’s way before turning back toward the woman.
“I’ll see you next week then?” k¨1¨2
“Yes. Thank you, Matt. I look forward to seeing the merchandise. I’ll see you in a week.”
He watched the woman walk away, dimples forming at the corners of his mouth. She threw an inquisitive look Thalia’s way, giving her the once-over before grinning and heading out, her heels clicking as she left.
Sometimes Thalia forgot she wasn’t his only customer, but that lady was silently judging her with her fancy hairstyle, designer clothes, and perfect makeup. Thalia had never felt more ordinary in her leather jacket, black T-shirt, and dark jeans. If there was ever a moment she had felt jealously, this was it.
Chapter Four
“Hey there, stranger.” Matt nodded her way, grinning sheepishly. “I didn’t know you were in town. How are you?”
He reached her quickly, and she folded into his awaiting arms, feeling the warmth of his body. The taint of metal, grease, and burning leather clung to him like a second skin. She loved inhaling the comforting aroma. It relaxed her, which made her wonder if he had a little bit more m
agic than he cared to admit. Maybe he was part something otherworldly, but there was no telling what.
“I’m fine. I didn’t leave town, though. In fact, I’ve been around a little too much, I think. There’s some strange stuff going on around here, and I’ve been getting a lot of bounties lately. More difficult ones.”
He lifted an eyebrow, curious and knowing full well what she meant. She was there for weapons. New and innovative ones.
“You mean your ancient birdbrain boss has been sending you on a thousand errands lately? That man needs to find somebody else to do his dirty work or do it himself.” He clicked his tongue as he waved her toward the back of the shop, where he kept the weapons he’d made especially for her. “I’ve been working on a new cache of goodies. You can use these on those special errands of yours.”
“Awesome. Where are they?”
“Listen.” He paused, playing with her fingers, for he hadn’t let go of her hands since they’d hugged. “I’ve been really concerned about your safety lately. I was thinking that the farther away you stay from your enemies, the better. I’ve made some throwing weapons.”
Thalia kept her eyes down, watching his fingers toy with hers. She had to admit that she liked the way he thought and agreed to check out the throwing weapons, but hand-to-hand combat was more her thing. Fighting magical beings was dangerous in and of itself; she couldn’t be killed, as far as she knew, but she’d suffered many injuries in her line of work. Still, fighting at a distance felt like cheating herself of the adrenaline rush.
“Yeah. You’re right. The farther away I am from an enemy, the better. What do you have for me?”
“Well, to start”—he opened a tied-up leather roll, displaying many short blades of different lengths and sizes—“throwing knives and stars.”
“Ah, a touch of the Orient. I’m interested.” Throwing blades weren’t her specialty, but she could see how they would help with distance kills.
