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<h3 id="id_Toc366658809" class="block_8">Chapter Nine</h3>
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<p class="block_11">The walk to Jackson Square took five minutes. Wide open space with a fountain in the center, only a dozen or so trees around the perimeter, and sidewalks heading in every direction. It was difficult to ambush anyone with people milling around, cell phones clicking pictures and recording videos. As I made my way across the square, a group of young women approached me. My friend yanked my arm, turning down the invitation on my behalf, and dragged me to his house.</p>
<p class="block_11">“That was rude.” I wouldn’t have taken them up on their offer, but I could’ve gotten their numbers for later on. </p>
<p class="block_11">“If any bodies turn up tonight, and we’re playing instead of watching, we’d both be pissed in the morning.” </p>
<p class="block_11">When did he start to prioritize anything above womanizing? “I wasn’t going to take them up on the offer, tonight.” </p>
<p class="block_11">He clearly hadn’t thought of that. Gratification delay wasn’t his strong suit. “You’re an arrogant ass.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Seven hundred years. I’m still here and playing.” I bowed to him. </p>
<p class="block_11">He scoffed. “We need a plan.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Demons don’t follow plans.” </p>
<p class="block_11">He was offended. “I’m part demon.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Dragon brains and demon skills. I know. That doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”</p>
<p class="block_11">Silence settled between us as the sun began to set.</p>
<p class="block_11">“Angie didn't call back.” He scratched his head. </p>
<p class="block_11">“She does need time to work, Wretch. The morgue has been busy for days. Give her a break.”</p>
<p class="block_11">“I’m worried, Cim. Not that she didn’t take time off, but that someone wouldn't want the coroner around right now.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“You think Narran would target her?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“It’s a possibility.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Can Nitha can use her powers to travel in a human’s body?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“It’s a very old type of magic most demons don't use anymore. She can reanimate the body and travel. That would allow her to vanish and materialize at will until the body disintegrates.” </p>
<p class="block_11">I got where he was going. “Because it’s not her face on the surveillance cameras so it doesn't violate the law.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Precisely, I don’t think that’s it, though. This is an elaborate spell, and he may think we know what he’s doing. Otherwise, he would’ve killed Angie to keep us out of the information loop. He wants us to know. Or Nitha told him to leave our information routes open. They aren’t hiding.” </p>
<p class="block_11">His worry started to get to me. “If she had any idea how devious you are, she would’ve married you instead of Narran.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Seven hundred years ago I might have done it. She was very sexy then.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Crazy. You forget the crazy part,” I said.</p>
<p class="block_11">“No, I don’t. She wasn't deadly yet.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I wonder how things went in London yesterday. Did she know about the women he kept downstairs?” I doubted it. </p>
<p class="block_11">“All of the females he kept had been freed. The demons and shifters were dead. The humans were missing. He called Laythe and accused her of arranging it, but she denied it. She told him it was probably one of the human captives’ families who took advantage of his extended absence.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“That makes sense.” Laythe likely contacted the families as soon as she knew Narran was in the states. Her disgust toward her family penchant for human torture was one the reasons Wretch and I trusted her.</p>
<p class="block_11">“George.” Wretch stared at me. </p>
<p class="block_11">“Yeah.” </p>
<p class="block_11">He smiled. “Gorilla.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Yes.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“That’s new.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“And?” I liked the idea of a large primate in the club.</p>
<p class="block_11">“He can throw demons across a football field. Maybe through a wall.”</p>
<p class="block_11">“Probably.” Definitely.</p>
<p class="block_11">“So I’m thinking.” </p>
<p class="block_11">This would be good. “Yes?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“We need a bodyguard.” He glanced across the room. </p>
<p class="block_11">It wasn’t the first time we’d had this argument. “We?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Even you, great dragon, can't see behind you.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“You wound me.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Fuck you.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“No.” </p>
<p class="block_11"><span class="calibre1">“A bodyguard.” He was the first shifter I’d met capable of stopping a demon coming at me. This had possibilities. </span></p>
<p class="block_11">“Does he have family?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“How would I know?” </p>
<p class="block_11">Wretch started to pace. “His application for the job should list contact information.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Never read it.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“You need to add a question on there in case you do read it.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Shifter?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Yeah. How did he get past Grace?”</p>
<p class="block_11">“She said he smelled like an ape, and she hired him.” </p>
<p class="block_11">He coughed. “You worried?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“No. I trust Grace to make the best decision for the club. She didn’t know he was a shifter. I’ve never heard of a gorilla shifter before.”</p>
<p class="block_11">“He’s the first one I’ve seen. There was a family of them in Africa a long time ago. Now, about Nitha. I have a plan.” Wretch’s subject changes used to leave me reeling. </p>
<p class="block_11">Now, I follow along. “Kill on sight.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Yes. Nitha, her sons, Narran. That family line dies.” It was his family he wanted decimated. </p>
<p class="block_11">“We start with--”</p>
<p class="block_11">“Take out Narran and the kids first.” Ordering the death of cousins came too naturally to him. </p>
<p class="block_11">“Laythe will be pleased.” She had the same aversion to children Wretch did. </p>
<p class="block_11">He smiled. “I thought about offering her the job of killing Nitha.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“We're doing well on the poetic today.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Shut up.” </p>
<p class="block_11">A shadow moved in the courtyard, and Wretch disappeared. I shifted flying up to the roof. The smell of sulfur was strong. Someone had spied on us. I closed my eyes opening up my dragon senses. The sounds of tourists covered any noises the person made when they left. I could smell two different colognes demons used. The 1980’s would be proud demons loved both Polo and Drakkar.</p>
<p class="block_11">I went back to the courtyard. Wretch appeared on the phone. I held up two fingers. He nodded pointing to his nose. Laythe sounded angry on the other end of the line.</p>
<p class="block_11">“She is on guard.” He hung up. “Offered to fly to London tonight and kill her sister. The Court told her they would contain Nitha. She was ordered to stay here until the council finished meeting.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“You need to check the video.” </p>
<p class="block_11">He was ahead of me and on his way to his office. I followed him.</p>
<p class="block_11">“Here they are.” He pointed to the screen on the wall. </p>
<p class="block_11">Two young demons I recognized from the card game stood on the roof for around ten minutes and then vanished. “They played poker with me the other night.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Spelled you naked?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Forced me to stay human and then jumped me. My clothes were ripped off. It was easier to run without them.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“They have to be plants for Nitha and Narran.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“You think?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Smartass.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I’ve been on an extended vacation not back from a lobotomy, you arrogant prick.” I walked into the bar.</p>
<p class="block_11"> I longed for the days when all I had to worry about were rogue demons. We both knew Wretch needed to take the initiative and fly to London. He was a very skilled fighter in hand-to-hand combat. One of the many reasons Nitha didn't offer to take him on, again. Without her powers, the demon would lose that fight every time. At full power, it was a draw, and the best demon that day would win. His only chance was to disable the power.</p>
<p class="block_11">“Wretch?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Huh?” He stared at his phone.</p>
<p class="block_11">“Is there a demon spell to disable all powers within a given radius?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“We can look it up.” </p>
<p class="block_11">I don't think he heard me. Something else had his attention.</p>
<p class="block_11">“What is it?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I need to go to London.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Adam and I will handle the situation here. You get her out of the way.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Are you sure?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I'm not a child, Wretch. I'm a seven hundred and fifty two year old dragon. There’s a jaguar and a gorilla running the club. I’ll have the local alpha at my side. Laythe will owe us for centuries if we kill both her sister and handle the crisis here quickly. The Court won't be able to breathe down our throats for decades. This isn't the normal rogue demon shit. This is her own family threatening her, and we're next on the list.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I can get some help from the other demons in London. They were sure she would never get her powers back and didn’t take the time to kill her.” He hadn’t faced Nitha without me in four hundred years. </p>
<p class="block_11">“Neither did we. Why was that again?” I was pissed I didn’t get to drop her in the river.</p>
<p class="block_11">“I gave Laythe my word her sister wouldn’t be killed by one of us. I never said we couldn’t hire someone else to do it.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Why didn’t you?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I tried. No one wanted the job.” </p>
<p class="block_11">Murder for hire was common in the demon community. “Did they think you were lying about her powers being removed?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“No. They all saw the email from the Court. Still they didn’t trust it. I offered the job every six months or so to other demons, even a few dragons. They all said no.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“So here we are?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Here we are. In case you need to get in here, or I don’t come back.” He fumbled in his pocket. </p>
<p class="block_11">“That won’t happen.” I realized it was a real possibility.</p>
<p class="block_11">He pulled me to the control panel for the security room and showed me the number code to get in. “Promise me, if anything goes wrong, you get Grace, Angie, George, Adam, and yourself into the room before demon hoards come looking. Demons can't appear in this room, I spelled it myself.” </p>
<p class="block_11">That was new. Nitha scared everyone.</p>
<p class="block_11">“I promise. You come back alive and in the same basic form as you are now, and I’ll be here with demons, extra crispy, with hot sauce.” </p>
<p class="block_11">His laugh was cold.</p>
<p class="block_11">The goodbyes at the club took a little while. Grace was angry I didn’t give her enough time to bake a cake and throw a party. George didn’t quite understand the level of danger and still had the detached look of assessment on his face. Then Wretch was gone. Vanished in a moment and for the first time since I met him, I was afraid I might not see him again.</p>
<p class="block_11">He would vanish and reappear at demon stations across North America, then Iceland, Greenland, then Britain. Demons can’t appear across an entire ocean so they set up rocky ledges in isolated areas. It still took less than an hour to travel to London. I went with him once and threw up at every stop. </p>
<p class="block_11">My cell phone rang and rolled to voicemail before I got to it.</p>
<p class="block_11">Wretch left a curt message. “Keep your phone on you at all times. No excuses. I may need you. I won’t call unless I’m about to die.” </p>
<p class="block_11">Shit. Thanks for that. I put the phone in my pocket and grabbed food from the kitchen. Grace answered the phone in the shop transferring it to me in the office.</p>
<p class="block_11">“We have a huge problem. Where is Wretch?” Angie sounded flustered.</p>
<p class="block_11">“Overseas for a while. How can I help?”</p>
<p class="block_11">“Great timing. Four more bodies wheeled in the last hour. All of their internal organs are missing. So is their blood.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Vampires aren’t real, Ange.” This was New Orleans, though. Tourists thought they were everywhere. </p>
<p class="block_11">“I know that. The cops and EMTs want to believe it. The college students who found them are already posting pictures online because they think it was a Mardi Gras joke.” </p>
<p class="block_11">I could almost smell her fear through the phone. “Even if they blur out the faces their family and friends will recognize them and when they find out their deaths were made public.” I sighed. Technology moved faster than intelligence. “I’m coming. I’ll bring Adam.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“He’s my next call, I’ll tell him to meet you on the roof.” </p>
<p class="block_11">It was dark outside. The air was humid and sticky. I walked quickly through the streets. I called Wretch and was surprised when he answered the phone.</p>
<p class="block_11">“Busy killing anyone?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“Shut up. She’s locked away somewhere. No one will tell me anything.” </p>
<p class="block_11">I was relieved he may not have to face her. “We have four more bodies. I’m on my way to meet Adam at Angie’s office. I’ll let Angie fill Mike in. I’m surprised we haven’t heard from him yet.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I didn’t plan on being in London.” He put me on hold to check his messages. Modern technology allowed him to talk and check, but we didn’t use speakerphones since we never knew who was nearby. “Yes, he called.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I’ll get in touch with him if I need him.” </p>
<p class="block_11">Mike was a werewolf, a member of Adam’s pack, and the Chief of Police. His force was made up of thirty percent paranormals and the rest humans. His help, and his loyalty kept us out of trouble at times when we deserved to be in jail.</p>
<p class="block_11">He kept a lid on the leaks in his office to make sure we could do our job without being targeted by the police or ending up on the evening news. The rumors he started kept me from being grounded. </p>
<p class="block_11">As Wretch put it. “How the hell do you think you can fly around at night and the cops don’t shoot your ass out of the sky?” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I have been shot when I fly. I’m bullet proof.”</p>
<p class="block_11">“And the police chief announced the next day that the big ugly bird over the swamp was killed and captured by his men. He said it was a condor that escaped from the zoo.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I resent the ugly part.” </p>
<p class="block_11">Mike loved it when we retold that story. He said his pack would wait for me to fly overhead and then howl so the humans would close their doors and windows. How nice of them. </p>
<p class="block_11">“You should move into the warehouse for the time being. That will make sure Grace and the club aren’t in the firing line.” </p>
<p class="block_11">“I’ll call you if this gets worse.” It would. My gut told me that, loudly. </p>
<p class="block_11">“Thanks. I’m heading to the spa.” </p>
<p class="block_11">I’d envy him except his proximity to Nitha gave him leeway. </p>
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