Page 31

I think about what he’s said for a bit, the waitress bringing my beer and our food. It’s a lot to mull over.

Eventually, after a few spoonfuls of chowder, I ask, “Is that why you were such a dick to Dex? You were in charge of him. Did you get bored with it all by that point?”

He bites off half the coconut shrimp. “I’ll have you know that Dex slept with my girlfriend. So, he was a dick first. And he was a pain in the ass. I was used to training people, not guiding them, and I definitely wasn’t used to having to guide someone as obstinate as he was. Not to mention dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” I frown.

“You know what I mean.”

“I don’t. He’s not dangerous.”

“To himself, I mean. That’s been proven.”

I study him closely to see if he’s holding anything back.

But before I can poke at him, the hairs at the back of my neck stand straight up, goosebumps rising all over my body, energy building in my gut.

I look over my shoulder to two tables down where a group of three old ladies are eating soup loudly. All except one. She’s staring right at me, black eyes that seem to stare right into my soul.

I quickly turn back to face Max.

Just in time to see the flames building in his eyes.

Oh shit.

Seven

“Ain’t gonna worry, just live ‘til you die.”

– In the Fade

Max is staring right over my shoulder at the old ladies two tables down, the flames in his eyes growing brighter and overtaking the green.

“They’re demons,” I whisper harshly, leaning forward.

“One of them is,” he says quietly. He glances at me. It’s unnerving to have him look at me like that when his eyes are on fire. It’s like looking into the pits of hell again. “Sorry,” he adds. “My eyes are doing that thing, aren’t they?”

“I’ll get used to it.” Though I also hope not. “How can that one be a demon? She’s a little old lady. Then again, I did have to fight a nun once.”

Max gives me a crooked grin that makes his eyes glow brighter. “I wish I could have seen that.”

“So what do we do?” I ask. “You can’t just walk over there and rip her head off. People will see. Unless…”

He shakes his head, eyes going back over my shoulder. “No. I’m not going to manipulate everyone in this café. I don’t have that capability and it would still make a mess. I say we just finish eating and leave when they leave.”

“Something tells me this isn’t going to be as easy as mugging her down some side street.”

“Nah, she’s on to us. She knows.”

“How?”

“Well, my eyes I’m sure,” he says. “And she’s looking at me. But they know when I’m around, remember?”

“Do you think she came through the portal because you’re here?”

“I don’t think so. She’s friends with those ladies. I guarantee they’ve been friends with her for a long time. They don’t know the truth. Maybe she sensed me and convinced them to come for lunch here, but I bet she’s local.”

“That’s a bit of a coincidence,” I tell him.

“Is it? Ada, they’re everywhere. In every town, every city, every country across the world.”

Motherfucking chills run down my spine. I knew demons existed everywhere, Jay and Jacob ingrained that in me, but these hybrids, these demons in a human disguise, this is something new. I always thought Michael was the only one.

“So how come you weren’t able to kill Michael?” I ask him.

Pain furrows his brow. “I tried. Some are harder to kill than others.”

“Could you have killed Michael? Could I have?”

“You did, didn’t you?”

“That was in Hell, or close enough.”

“Still counts. Anyway, next time we come across someone like him, we’ll be prepared. There are two of us, and anyway, I have a sword in the trunk.”

“A sword!?” I nearly spit out my beer, which I probably shouldn’t be drinking since we’re supposed to rip the head off that little old lady soon. I should be sober for that.

“Picked it up at a pawn shop,” he says. Then he straightens up in his chair, eyes glued to the demon lady over my shoulder. “They’re leaving.”

“I’ll get the bill,” I tell him, looking around for the waitress. “Though I know it takes forever to pay in this place, you have to go to the register.”

“Let me worry about that,” he says, spotting the waitress behind me. “Hello darlin’,” he says to her as she approaches, turning on the charm with that wicked smile of his. “We’d like to leave now. It was a lovely meal. Thank you for making it free.”

The woman stares at him for a moment, like she’s in a trance. “Your eyes…” she whispers.

“They’re contacts,” he informs her.

“Oh.” She blinks, then smiles. “Okey dokey. Hope you enjoyed your free meal. Have a good rest of your day.” Then she turns and walks off.