Chapter 16

Brooklyn

Darkness offered good protection, we were not battling supernaturals but that was the hand dealt to us and we made the most of it. The picture of Dominic ripping the Guardian in half played over and over in the back of my mind as I raced to reach the mansion so that I could start climbing the walls. We fell for the oldest trick and rushed outside where they kept us busy and only the two demons were left to fight the dozens of Guardians who managed to climb on the roof.

"I thought we had wards around the property for this reason." I made the comment to no one in particular but Dominic who shifted back to his two-legged form answered anyway.

"We did. We do?" sounding uncertain he reached a hand and snaked it around my waist so he could pull me to the side, and I don't clip the tree which popped up from seemingly out of nowhere in front of me. "Well, we should."

"Thank you."

"This is so adorable." Alice chirped from next to us when we reached the side of the house and squeezed my upper arm with excitement. My face heated up from her comment and I pretended I didn't hear her.

"I think Alice should…" I started but a thin finger stabbed me in the ribs and made me jerk away from my friend.

"If you say Alice should stay hidden in the house, I'm going to lose my shit, Brooklyn." She poked me again with the same finger, so I frowned at her.

"That hurts." I told her through clenched teeth. That finger of hers was like a thin sword stabbing me between the ribs. She successfully managed to shove it between my ribs for more impact.

"You'll hurt more if you try to leave me behind." She held that forefinger between us threateningly. "I don't know if you've noticed Brooklyn, but every time you leave me somewhere, you end up regretting it because I have a talent for getting into trouble. Tilting her head she smiled innocently, which I didn't buy at all. "Trouble finds me, actually, not the other way around. I shouldn't be left unsupervised."

"She's not wrong." Dominic piped in although no one asked for his input.

"Umm, hey guys," Alice shuffled closer to me and tugged Dominic by his t-shirt to crowd us. "I didn't want to say anything until later but look what I can do now." She lifted her cupped hand between us, and a red glow appeared low at first but was getting brighter with every breath.

Glancing from me to Dominic with wide eyes, she slowly closed her fist extinguishing the magic.

My heart jumped hard enough to punch me in the throat.

"Don't do that." I hissed at her, and snatched her hand tucking it into my belly. "What is the matter with you? Do you want to die? Or worse to be taken?" my neck hurt from twisting it this way and that to check if anyone had a chance to see us.

"You all have superpowers, Brooklyn." Getting in my face she sneaked her free hand between us to push her glasses up. "Why is it such a big deal that I can have some too? Maybe it's contagious and I caught it from you guys. Like a virus."

"Did you show anyone else?" ignoring the ridiculous blubber, I pushed her at Dominic. "You stay with her while I go help the demons. It sounds like Samir and Rowen are already there."

Sounds of shouts and screams echoed in the night from the roof with an occasional body, or a body part raining around us as if falling from the sky. When I saw Dominic's jaw clinch and a muscle started jumping on one side, I knew he wouldn't agree easily to my plan. I should've known he would be easier to deal with than Alice. Good thing the damn wolf shifter was left in the house.

"Who should answer first?" Alice twisted her mouth like she tasted something sour. "What? It's rude to talk over people."

"It has never stopped you before." I pointed out.

"Yeah, but that's you. I like irritating you." She grinned humorously at me. More like she bared her teeth ferally. "It makes you show emotions instead of keeping everything inside. Like right now. Look at that glaring face." She was talking to Dominic with that comment who was trying his best not to laugh.

I wanted to punch them both.

"We need to talk so I can explain everything to you later, Alice. Please, I beg of you, don't show this to anyone else until we do." Holding her owlish gaze, I beseeched her with everything in me. "What you showed us right now is demon magic."

"What?" she squeaked and jumped away from both of us, her hands stretched in front of her as if to ward us off. "Dear Lord in Heaven, please forgive my sins and deliver me from evil. I promise I will pray every day and have faith."

"You are not religious, Human." Dominic had enough of her antics it seemed, so he glowered at her all annoyed.

"Oh yeah, well I wasn't aware demons existed either, and do you know what that means?" widening her eyes, she wiggled her head strangely at him. "If demons are real, angels are real, and guess what? The One who made them is real too, probably all pissed off at me for saying He didn't exist."

"Alice," I started, but she shoved a finger in my face to shut me up. Dominic's eyebrows hit his hairline at the audacity, but I was not impressed.

More bodies dropped from the roof, Rowen right behind them. Slowing his fall with magic, he grunted when he hit the ground, and all the air was pushed out of his lungs, the sigils on his skin flickering erratically, and rolled to stop his fall. We watched him as he jumped to his feet, grinned at us, exposing bloody teeth, and lifting his robes in both hands, darted toward the front doors to go back up and fight with a crazed laugh.

The witch seemed to be as insane as the rest of us.

"You know what sucks though?" Alice said after Rowen disappeared around the corner. "All of you knew but no one told me. Great friends I have. Good for you."

"Demons are not what you think." Dominic was scowling down at her, but I knew he was wasting his breath. She was more stubborn than a mule.

"I don't want to hear it." She hissed at him, and I felt horrible seeing her in so much distress. "If my soul goes to hell, you are coming with me buddy. I'll make sure of it."

My snort at Dominic's horrified expression earned me a narrowed glance from my friend. Alice started praying again, popping an eye open every third word to check if we were making fun of her. I kept my face straight, so I wouldn't upset her more. We had a lot to talk about, but it had to wait until all the vermin were dead on the roof.

"Stay with her, I'll be back as soon as the Guardians are gone." I muttered to Dominic, who gave me a sharp nod in answer.

"I heard that." Alice called out after me when I started climbing the side of the house, clinging to bricks with the tips of my fingers.

I couldn't help but smile at her spunk. No matter what we are dealing with, she never allowed it to bring her down. Smooth like a piece of paper, she adjusted to whatever life threw at us and moved on. Maybe we could learn something from a human after all I decided as I reached the roof. Lifting myself up until my arms were straight and my waist was level with the top bricks, I swung my legs and rolled onto the rooftop.

"Lovely of you to join us." Samir grunted at me and punched a Guardian in the face so hard his skull caved in.

Lucky for me, I ended up on the quieter side of the battle where Samir was standing alone picking off stray Guardians who tried to sneak out and attack the others from behind. The two demons and Rowen were standing in a circle, back-to-back, fighting a swarming cloud of Guardians. It was hard to believe so many of them got onto our roof without any alarms going off. We had to remedy that breach when all this was over.

"You're welcome." My mouth twitched at his wide grin, and I joined the fight with vigor.

Two swords crossed a hair in front of my face as soon as I moved, the chill from the steel cooling the tip of my nose. My back was arched as I bent backward to avoid having my face cut off, and I took advantage of it hoping to disarm my opponents. Throwing my hands back, I peformed a backflip kicking the weapons out of the hands of my attackers. The blades clanged on the roof tiles, the sound making sounds loud enough that some of the Guardians from the other side who were fighting the demons and the witch, turned and rushed to help their buddies.

"You know I can make them go away or even fight each other." Begrudgingly, I offered, just as Samir twirled away from a kick aimed at his chest and jabbed his elbow in the Guardian's face.

"Where will the fun be in that?" my elder griped, and promptly shoved his fist into the Guardian's chest ripping his heart out. The organ plopped on the roof with a squelching sound when he opened his fingers, and it rolled out of his hand. "I needed this."

"The attack?" I executed a series of kicks and punches before snapping the necks on both Guardians, one after another.

"To kill something." With distaste, he wiped his bloody hand off on his pants. "Anything. Or I might kill that damn feline."

"I don't think killing my mate would solve your problems." Avoiding his knowing, amusement filled glance I threw myself at the next Guardian.

"I suppose it would not."

I still heard what he mumbled under his breath but chose not to comment on it. Good thing too, because the distraction cost me a dagger to my side, which could've been worse if I wasn't looking at the scum when he stepped out from the shadows. My cry of pain and surprise was echoed by a roar of a panther from the ground where I left Dominic and Alice.

Samir ripped the Guardian's head off clean with his bare hands, but it was too late. I could hear the panther crumbling bricks as he was climbing the side of the house.

So much for keeping Alice safe.

"It was about time he joined us." The ancient Atua smirked at the shifter as soon as his head popped up from the side. "I thought the only thing you're good at now is sniffing after Brooklyn."

I felt the vibration of the roof when the panther jumped next to me, his weight rattling the structure. He bared his sharp teeth as long as my forearm at Samir on a snarl with his ears pinned back on his head.

"Stop provoking him." I reprimanded Samir, who was smiling from ear to ear like a fool.

"It's so much fun though." He laughed and danced away from the swiping paw, which Dominic aimed at his head.

"Males." I snickered and found the next Guardian to kill.