Chapter 7

Vance announcedthe invasion of a mega monster, and all I could was gape stupidly at him.

"We need to get you to safety." He grabbed me by the hand and tugged. I emerged into the main part of the warehouse, ready to run, only I stumbled to a stop to ogle the monster in the kitchen.

When they told me a gigacerta was a giant lizard I don't know what I expected. Certainly not a mega-dinosaur-sized creature tossing its head and huffing smoke from its nostrils. Its dusty skin appeared a shade of gray mixed with brown layered in scales. Its eyes glowed bright orange, as if lit from within. The claws on its front paws might have been as tall as me.

For a moment, as I watched Cain bravely defy it, I felt an urge—a brief one—to join him in fighting this monstrous creature. The barbed tail swung, barely missing Cain, who leaped nimbly over it, scythe in hand, looking happier than I recalled seeing him.

Sick bastard enjoyed almost getting maimed, and my tiny moment of bravery passed.

Vance yanked me in the direction of the exit door, but I protested. "What are you doing? Cain needs help."

"Cain is fine. You're my primary concern right now."

It would have been flattering if he meant me as a person and not the fabled reaper witch.

I tugged my hand free. "What if there's worse waiting out there?"

My comment caused Vance to pause and stare with a frown at the door.

I poked a little harder. "That thing is here because of me. What makes you think its intent wasn't to flush me out into the arms of a waiting demon army?"

His jaw hardened. "It's a question of lesser evils."

"There is only one dinosaur monster in here. Who knows what's out there? Not to mention, if this is an ambush, shouldn't you handle the threat you know about before running headlong into another?"

An uncertain Vance glanced at the ongoing battle. Cain had been joined by some of the reapers left behind, but the monster didn't seem to care they outnumbered it. It swung its tail, wagging it like an excited dog, and sent three of them bowling.

"They need help. Their swords and stuff ain't doing shit."

"An elephant gun might penetrate its hide," he mused aloud.

"Then go get it," I urged.

Before he could argue about protecting me again, Emilia cleared her throat. "I'll take Sadie to the roof. It's full sun outside so we can see them coming and the exterior walls are too smooth to climb."

"Go, but barricade the door once you get on the roof. Once we handle the monster, we'll come for you."

While he ran to grab a gun, we bolted for the stairs. Not exactly the best idea in my mind. That big-ass monster looked capable of bringing down the building. At the same time, I had been serious about a possibly worse scenario waiting beyond the doors.

A roar had us both looking over our shoulders to see the monster shaking its head, pissed, most likely because Cain had dug his scythe into the underside of its neck. He held on to his weapon and swung like a pendulum as the angry gigacerta tried to fling him off.

We lost them from sight in the cramped stairwell, pounding up those steps fast enough I almost collapsed at the top. Emilia urged me through the door, and while I heaved and tried not to wail like a baby at the stitch in my side, she waved her hands over the door, somehow melding it to the frame.

"Cool," I huffed. "What kind of magic was that?"

"Earth. I can basically revert materials to their base state and, while they're in flux, fuse them together.

"Neat."

"Not terribly handy in a fight," she admitted.

"Couldn't you, like, melt the ground under demonic feet and then harden it again?"

"If I could see them, maybe."

The comment had me frowning. "I thought you could. You had no problem seeing the monster downstairs."

"Only because a gigacerta isn't like the demons. It doesn't have camouflage fog. No need since it tunnels underground to attack its prey. Guess our Regina didn't account for them when she set the wards on the warehouse. Our next location we'll have to be more thorough."

"Wait, we're going to move again?"

"The warehouse has been compromised," Emilia stated matter-of-factly.

"Because of me." I sighed.

"Seems likely. One gigacerta to distract the bulk of the forces, a second sent to render your safe spot vulnerable."

The comment had me leaning over the rooftop to glance below. I didn't see anything, but that didn't mean shit. The demons most likely hid, and I cowered once more. Even if Vance hadn't sent me off, I'd have had nothing to offer in the battle.

A fight once more caused by me.

I ignored the tiny violin playing to say, "Do it."

She didn't ask what. "Are you sure? There's no going back once we do."

"I'm sure. I'm tired of being the cause of so much trouble." I held out my hand and wondered if she noticed my slight tremor. "Strip me of my magic."

"If you insist." She placed her fingers on my skin, and I tingled. As promised, it didn't hurt. I didn't feel a damned thing, so when she said, "Done," I blinked and replied, "Are you sure?"

"You are magic-free."

I glanced at my hands as if they had somehow changed. They looked the same. I felt the same.

I pursed my lips. "Vance and Cain are going to be pissed."

"Not their body, not their choice," Emilia sassed.

"I'm sure they'll have an earful to lay on me, though."

"Only if you see them."

"Pretty sure I won't have a choice. Only one way off this roof." I indicated the door.

"Not exactly. How do you feel about heights?" Emilia queried.

"Depends on why you're asking."

"I can create a bridge to the building next door. It's got a fire escape on the far side. You could avoid them entirely."

The cowardly offer appealed. "You can do that?"

Emilia snorted. "I'm capable of much more than Nova allows."

"Why don't you come with me if you hate it here so much?"

Her lips turned down. "I can't because I don't want to get rid of my magic, and if I keep it, the demons will come after me. But you're free. You can live out there for the both of us."

The distant sound of gunshots and a following bellow that shook the building had me girding myself. "I should get going before the monster is dead and they come looking."

"Agreed." It didn't take Emilia long to create a bridge for me using some of the furniture, which she melted down and reformed into a plastic-looking board that spanned the warehouse and the building next door, a span that had me questioning my sanity. It had to be a good forty or fifty feet across, and narrow.

If I lost my balance and fell… they wouldn't be able to put Sadie back together again.

My other option? Dealing with Cain and Vance. The former would be disgusted with my choice. As for Vance… I doubt he'd be impressed either. Heroes like them wouldn't understand the point of view of a scared and ordinary woman.

With my heart in my throat, I set foot on the bridge, each shuffling step making me gulp and tremble.

Don't look down.

I made it across, and before I could turn around to thank Emilia, the bridge collapsed. I gaped as she waved.

"Go. I'll hold off the boys so they can't catch your trail."

Suddenly, I wondered if I'd been hasty. A bit too late for regrets.

There was no turning back, so I set off across the roof and found the fire escape. As I climbed down, I sweated and quivered. My body did not like the exercise. Once I hit the ground, I leaned on the building for a second, catching my breath.

I couldn't stall for long, though. Even if the demons could no longer sniff out my magic, Cain and Vance would come looking for me. Or would they? Why would they bother now that I'd given up my power? I could just imagine Cain's disapproval and even hear his gruff voice saying, "You're a coward for giving up."

Was it craven to want to live?

A thunderous roar startled and reminded me I couldn't stand around playing the what-if and regret game. I booked it as fast as my feet would go out of the industrial area, looking for a street with some traffic.

Once I found it, I ran into a dilemma. I had no money to my name and no destination. I couldn't go home, as I no longer had one. I didn't have any friends I felt comfortable crashing with. Where could I park my ass while I figured shit out?

The idea I came up with sucked, but I didn't have another.

I hitched a ride with a woman who lectured me on the perils of hitchhiking and then told me it wasn't too late to save my soul and repent. She dropped me off with a "Jesus will save you" pamphlet, which I stuffed into a grimy pocket as I headed up a generic stone slab walkway to a house that appeared shabby, the vinyl on it faded, the front door scuffed.

I rang the doorbell and waited.

It opened to reveal a worn-out woman with short gray hair, who uttered a flat, "Oh, it's you."

I pasted a bright smile and said, "Hi, Mom."