Chapter 14

14

Just as Irealized I’d been saved by none other than Detective Williams, Cain finally finished off the last demon. Instead of grunting and squealing, silence filled the devasted shop. A quiet broken by the crunch of Williams’s steps as he fully entered.

Fuck. A. Duck. What bad timing. Only one thing to do. I meant to throw myself at Cain and tuck myself into his coat of invisibility. Sure, to Williams it would look like I’d suddenly disappeared, but better than dealing with his questions. Only Cain thought it a good idea to jump down the fucking hole in the floor, leaving me with nowhere to hide.

Williams came to a stop in the middle of the store, gun still drawn but thankfully not aimed at me. “Imagine finding you here,” Williams drawled.

It led to me huffing, “This isn’t my fault.”

“Says the woman standing amidst the chaos.” Williams shook his head as he looked around. “You seem to have a thing for murder scenes.”

“Hold on a second. You’re the one who shot my boss. Not me! I didn’t kill him,” I pointed out.

“No, but you are at the center of this. Or are you going to claim that message isn’t about you?” He craned to look at the ceiling with its damning words.

“I have no idea who did this.”

“Don’t you?” Williams asked with a smirk.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I muttered. A glance at Enzo on the floor showed the monster within him already dissipated, leaving my boss’s body deflated and mishappen. What would the coroner think? At least Williams couldn’t see Cain or the carved demon bodies he’d left scattered. That might have been harder to explain.

“Where have you been?” Williams queried as he knelt to eye Enzo’s poor destroyed body.

“I needed a change of scenery.” Not exactly a lie.

“It would have been nice to know, seeing as how you’re a key witness to a few investigations.”

“I’m not guilty.” Maybe if I kept saying it, he’d believe it.

“I know you’re not. However, there are those in the precinct that have some questions about your seeming involvement.”

“Wait, you don’t think I’m to blame?” Color me surprised.

“Of course not. The demons are the true culprits. However, it is bad luck you keep being in the same place as them when shit happens.”

It took me a second to filter what he’d said. “You know about the demons?”

“Yes.” He rose, picking up a handful of discarded kitchen towels. When he took a step towards me, I moved back, unsure of what he intended. He sighed and held out the towels. “For your wounds.”

He gestured toward my clawed-up arm, where I’d been using my other hand to staunch the bleeding from the damage Possessed Enzo had done. Begrudgingly, I took the towels from Williams and used them to clean myself up as much as I could, then wrapped the final one around my arm as a makeshift dressing.

“Thanks,” I offered meekly once I’d finished.

“You fucking idiot.” Williams’s gaze didn’t go to me but past. “Why would you bring her here? You knew this was a trap.”

Hold on a second. He was speaking to Cain. How could he see him?

I whirled to see the big man out of the hole in the floor and shrugging. “It was daytime. Didn’t figure we had much to worry about.”

“You almost got her killed,” Williams muttered.

“Only because you were late,” Cain countered.

In that moment, I realized a few things. The first being Williams knew about reapers and demons. “You fucking asshole. You mean to say you knew what killed those people this entire time? You made me feel like a fucking suspect, and meanwhile, you knew? Knew the truth?”

An unapologetic Williams shrugged. “I couldn’t avoid bringing you in. It would have raised too many questions not interviewing someone at the scenes of the crimes. Then, add in the fact people were watching and the interview was recorded, I had no choice but to pretend.”

“You had a choice to pull me aside and let me know it was a sham!”

“Just doing my job.”

“Of being an asshole perfectly,” I growled.

Cain snorted. “He’s our inside man on the force. Him and Wendell, although I get the impression the latter got into trouble.”

“Wendell’s dead,” Williams stated flatly. “His body was found in much the same state as this one.” He nudged Enzo’s limp leg.

“Fuck,” Cain huffed. “Been a long time since we had a corposse come through a doorway.”

“What’s a corposse?” I asked, pissed but damned if I would let them talk and not explain.

“A demon that can take over a human body. They’ll wear it until it’s no longer useful or the body dies from the trauma of hosting.”

“Poor Enzo, worn like a suit.” And yes, it made me think of Men in Black. “Why would a demon do that?”

“Demons, as mentioned, are not very smart. Nor do they like sunlight. Wearing a human allows them to move around during the day and even use some of their host’s higher functions, like speech and”—Williams glanced overhead—“writing.”

“Fine, so the demon chose to possess my boss. Why? Why write my name? Why do they want to find me?”

“Because, as someone with both sides of the magic, a messovenata, you scare them,” Cain replied.

“Me? My useless ass just about died.”

“So it is true you have both witch and reaper magic?” Williams queried.

“Supposedly. Kind of wishing I didn’t,” I grumbled.

“There you go whining again.” Cain sighed.

“You weren’t the one almost killed by your possessed boss, so shut the fuck up,” I snapped. I was quite done with this whole demon thing.

Williams couldn’t have grinned wider if he tried. “Did you finally find someone who doesn’t find your brooding charming?”

“Fuck off, Vance.”

Cain glared, and I blurted out, “You know each other!”

“Have since we trained together. Poor Cain. He never could keep up with me on the track,” Williams confided.

“And you sucked with a blade,” Cain countered.

“Some of us prefer modern weapons like guns. Fighting from afar is less messy and dangerous.”

“Wait, you’re a reaper too?” I eyed Williams, who looked nothing like Cain.

“Not every single man who can see demons remains in the castle,” Williams explained. “To ensure we’re readily available, reapers are stationed around the world, mostly watching over the bigger cities. Keeping an eye on local incidents. Stepping in when needed. Being with the police force allows us to smooth over messy situations.”

“Like you did for me?” I groused.

“In my defense, you were an anomaly. A woman claiming to see demons? It didn’t seem possible.” He didn’t sound one bit apologetic.

“Well, guess again.”

“If it helps, I was attempting to divert attention elsewhere, but this will bring the focus back on you.” Williams lips pursed as he surveyed the mess.

“No one knows Sadie was here,” Cain pointed out. “We can leave discreetly.”

“Won’t matter. This message implicates her, not to mention there is no way to hide that something burst out of this body.” Williams grimaced.

“Only one thing to do. Set a fire to hide the evidence,” Cain suggested.

“Wait, you can’t burn Enzo’s body,” I protested.

“Why not?” both men asked.

“Because what about his family? No body means they won’t know if he’s dead or alive.” I don’t know why I argued. I wasn’t even sure if Enzo had family. He certainly never spoke of them.

“His bones will survive, and they’ll be able to do tests to confirm it’s him.”

A valid point, still… it seemed kind of cold.

“Should we toss Wendell in here to handle both situations at once?” Cain asked as he reached down to grab an unbroken bottle of lighter fluid meant for use with a fondue pot.

“His car is a mess, so no point in dragging him inside since we’ll have to get rid of it too.”

“Where is it?” Cain asked.

“It’s parked at the end of the alley, under an invisi-tarp.”

I almost snorted at the dorky name. “You do realize my boss dying in a suspicious fire along with a cop is just going to make your precinct look at me harder?”

“Even with no body, they’d be suspicious of you because you seem to be at the heart of the recent troubles. But don’t worry, once you disappear, I’ll make sure the investigation steers clear of you,” Williams stated.

I blinked. “Excuse me. Disappear where?”

“The castle. I think it’s best if you return and don’t leave.”

“Agreed,” Cain replied with a nod.

Both men concurred as if it were a done deal, but I was a woman who’d already had much upheaval, and I didn’t appreciate strangers deciding my life for me.

My hands hit my hips, and Cain muttered, “Uh-oh, here we go.”

“Fucking right, uh-oh. Who says I want to move into the castle permanently?” Funny how my usually timid ass had no problem standing up to the hunks.

“It’s safest,” Williams declared.

“Says you.”

“You’ll get the training you need.”

“If I want it,” I countered.

“Why wouldn’t you?” Williams sounded baffled.

“I don’t know, but I don’t like you deciding for me.” It reminded me of growing up. My parents decided everything for me. Clothes, who I could hang with, what I was allowed to eat. They controlled everything, but I reclaimed it once I left their house by no longer letting anyone tell me what I should or should not do.

“Don’t bother arguing. She doesn’t listen to reason,” Cain confided as he poured the liquid alcohol over Enzo’s corpse.

“Fuck off. I am allowed to have a say in my own life. A life that’s gotten completely fucked up in the last few days. Ever occur to you that I’m struggling to deal with so many changes at once? Not to mention, I can’t just disappear. What about my stuff? I mean it’s all well and good your castle gave me some clothing, but I’d like some of my own things. Nor do I intend to ditch my personal mementos.” Few as they were. At my age, I’d decluttered most of my past life. I’d not been close to my parents growing up, and that rift widened when I went to college. I had few friends. Few memories either. I’d been working to pay the rent and stay afloat for years.

“We’ll send a team to pack up your place,” Williams stated.

Cain nodded. “I don’t need strange dudes pawing through my underwear drawer. I can pack my own shit.”

“Does this mean you agree to go to the castle afterwards?” Williams asked directly.

“For now. But I want my own things.”

“Fine,” Cain huffed. “However, you’re not going there alone.”

I’d never admit the relief I felt at his statement. “When can we go?”

“Maybe tomorrow.”

“How about right now?”

“We should get you back to the castle so someone can heal up those wounds.”

“I’m fine.” I crossed my arms, holding back the wince of pain it caused the injured one. I wasn’t about to let these two men use some scratches to justify making decisions for me. “Shall we?”

I spun on my heel and took a step forward. I might have made a more graceful exit had my foot not slipped on the broken dishes. Cain caught me before I could faceplant and swung me into his arms to carry me outside, not via the front but back into the alley.

My lips pursed as I gritted out a begrudging, “Thanks. You can put me down now.”

He let me down slowly, his arm around me as if worried I’d fall again. I just might because I felt a little faint and swayed into him, head tilted, lips pursed. Sue me for finding him attractive. A one-sided deal, apparently, since he scowled.

I pushed away just as Williams exited to join us. “I poured more of the fuel in the store. Place should burn nicely. I just need a light.”

“Don’t look at me. I don’t smoke.” Cain rolled his shoulders.

“Me either,” I chimed in.

“Fuck.” The detective glanced at me. “Got any matches inside?”

“We’re not a strip club.” In the movies that seemed to be where most of those matchbooks originated. I wouldn’t know. I’d never been adventurous enough to visit a titty bar.

“What about a lighter for the fondue shit?” Cain asked.

“Backorder,” I offered with an unhelpful shrug.

“Can’t you magic up a flame or something?” Cain waved at me.

“Sure,” I drawled. “Let me snap my fingers.” Click. “Maybe wiggle my nose a la Samantha and conjure that right up for you.” I scrunched it, and Cain sighed.

“Are we sure she has magic?” Williams murmured in an aside to Cain.

“Excuse me, standing right here.” I planted my hands on my hips. “And I am getting sick and tired of being talked about and over as if I don’t count. This is not the Middle Ages where women are supposed to sit down and shut up. I am a person who can make her own decisions and answer for herself.”

“You keep making that obvious.” Cain rolled his eyes.

I slugged him, and when the detective chuckled, I punched him too. Then I stalked back into the store, shadowed by annoying and annoying-er.

“What are you doing?” Cain asked as I found a mostly intact griddle box and pulled out the contents.

Rather than reply, I plugged the small appliance into a socket and put it on high. Then I drenched some cardboard in some of the spilled liquid alcohol and set it on the element. It immediately smoldered.

Cain whistled. “Smart.”

“I know.” I stalked back out into the alley with my shadows and turned to wait. It didn’t take long for a wisp of smoke to appear.

“Shit, we need something for Wendell’s car.” Cain darted in and emerged with another bottle and a burning piece of cardboard. “I’ll be right back.” He stalked to the end of the alley.

Williams tucked his hands into his pockets. “If it’s any consolation, I wouldn’t have let them arrest you.”

“Again, would have been helpful if you’d said something earlier.”

He shrugged. “I’m discreet. Forgive me?” The man had the nerve to offer a charming smile with a dimple.

A stronger woman might have resisted.

I was not that woman.

Cain came striding back and stated, “The car is on fire.”

With that business taken care of, I announced, “I am going to pack a suitcase. Who’s coming along?”

“Me,” Cain growled.

“Me, too,” Williams added.

“Lucky me,” I murmured. And I wasn’t being entirely sarcastic. Escorted by two hot men, both capable of protecting me. The only thing that would make this better? If they got naked and chose to worship me, because I could have used the stress relief.