Bones and Blades (Smoke and Shadows Book 3), page 6
I lifted a hand, “Hi Ben!”
“Cam! Twice in one day! What a pleasant surprise!” Ben exclaimed, heading in my direction too confidently. The large bag in his arms obstructed his view of his feet, which meant he didn’t see the bristles of the broom he stepped on or the handle come flying up to hit the black plastic bag. Leaves exploded out into the air, covering Ben in a riot of oranges and browns before drifting back down to litter the courtyard. I winced and tried to hide a smile.
“Dangnabit!” Ben exclaimed, kicking at the leaves and almost tripping over the broom, which was lying in wait under the leaves to attack the clumsy necromancer once more.
“Here, sir, let me help you with that,” Magnus said, hurrying over to support Ben’s elbow until the old man’s feet were free of both leaves and broom-y-traps.
Mama jerked her chin at Magnus. “Who’s that then?” she whispered to me.
“My guard dog for the day. Call him Magnus,” I said.
“I’ll call him whatever he wants me to call him,” Mama said under her breath. She eyed the werewolf appreciatively as he bent over to help Ben lift handfuls of leaves back into the plastic bag.
“Mama!” I swatted at her playfully, missing on purpose. It wasn’t hard. All I had to do was swing my arm at shoulder height and there was no way I could make contact with the older lady, even if she was on tiptoes.
“What? I can appreciate a fine-looking man when he wanders into my home. Speaking of wandering in, the witch from down the street brought in a couple of bushels of late season apples yesterday. You inspired me and so I’m whipping up some more treats to send over to the shelter. I have some fresh apple fritters with a sweet vanilla glaze if you’re hungry.”
I winced, forgetting that I hadn’t told her about the fate of her previous offering. “Look, Mama, we’ve got to talk. Somewhere private.”
Mama read the serious expression on my face and immediately slid the gardening gloves and apron off. “Well, come on in then. I’ll put the tea on.”
I took a glance over my shoulder before following Mama into the house. Magnus was busy sweeping the mess of leaves into a neat pile as Ben tried to help him, but the old necromancer ended up scattering more leaves around the otherwise pristine courtyard in a chaotic whirlwind. I thought I saw the werewolf’s shoulders shake in silent laughter of as he bent to re-do his work from a moment before. I suppressed a chuckle of my own and followed my nose into Mama’s warm and welcoming kitchen.
Mama placed a large plate on the table piled high with gorgeous apple fritters generously drizzled with icing and dusted with a fine spray of powdered sugar. She slid a mug of hot cinnamon tea large enough to swim in over to me. I inhaled the fragrant steam and let out a soul-deep sigh of contentment. Sitting at Mama’s kitchen table was one of the happiest places I knew.
“Tell me what’s going on, child,” Mama said, settling in with her own cup of cinnamon tea.
Rather than prevaricate, I jumped right in and told her everything. The demon and the Danishes. The djinn king. Meridiana, and her mysterious boss. The plan to go demon-hunting with the werewolves, the magical sigil, and some blessed blades I didn’t actually have in hand yet. All of it.
“You see,” I said as I concluded my story. “I’m worried this demon is tracking me. Through the sigil now, if nothing else. Which means there’s a chance he could track me back here. You need to be ready. Maybe leave town for a bit?”
Mama nodded seriously. “Thank you kindly for the warning. I appreciate it. I’ll tell Ben we’re battening down the hatches until this mess with the demon blows over. We’ve got enough wards around the property to keep out most evil, and the local witches are kind enough to top up the magic when the wards run low.”
I sighed in relief. I hadn’t realized Mama’s defenses were so solid, but it was reassuring to know.
Mama took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “When it comes to stirring up trouble, you don’t mess around.”
“I didn’t stir up anything! This all landed on my doorstep, whether or not I liked it!” I protested.
Mama leveled me with a mom-look hyped up on disapproving steroids over the top of her tea mug. A tiny part of me withered and returned to its room with no dinner. “You didn’t have to agree to the Collective’s deal. Besides, you can still hand the demon issue over to them. From what you said, Damon is trying to work on that angle for you.”
“I’m not sure he can convince them to take action fast enough on the demon front,” I protested. “Besides, they didn’t give me a much of a choice in hunting the rogue spirit, which might be the demon after all. To be fair, I’m running out of time on that front as well and the clock has sped up now that I’ve activated the sigil. It will continue to draw me towards the spirits and vice versa until I can send them back across the veil.”
“Or they send you over,” Mama pointed out.
“I’d rather that not happen,” I said sincerely.
“Me too.” Mama leaned back in her chair. “You acted rashly, activating the sigil before you set the battle ground, that’s for sure.”
I frowned at her. “I thought he was tracking me! I wanted a way to see where he is and now I can,” I said, flashing the inside of my wrist at her. A sigh of relief escaped me as I looked at the magical tattoo. The colored dots were nowhere near me, thank all the gods.
“But he is also being drawn to you now. Hasty mistakes are often confused for decisive action in the heat of the moment.” Mama’s tone was cool and logical, but I still bristled.
“What was I supposed to do? Just sit around and wait for him?” I demanded.
Mama folded her hands on the table and met my eyes directly. “Child, if you are going to insist on going after creatures older, meaner, and more dangerous than you, you are going to have to use every weapon in your arsenal. And, no, I don’t just mean guns and swords. You need to think ten steps ahead, consider all the angles, and bend the situation to fit your strengths while emphasizing your enemies’ weaknesses.”
“Well, I found out one of the demon’s weaknesses is a kid’s swing to the head,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
“This isn’t some low-level vampire or an uppity witch. You cannot afford to take this lightly or you will not be walking away from it,” Mama said sternly.
She wasn’t wrong. I sighed. “I hear you, Mama. Do you have any tips for fighting a demon?”
Mama continued, “Like I said, you could try force, but I don’t think you have enough might to make this situation right. Trickery is always an option, but my best advice? You need to be clever. Find the demon’s linchpin as quickly as you can and pull with every fiber of your being.”
“I didn’t follow that last part. What do you mean?” I asked.
“You need to search for your enemies’ weaknesses and unabashedly exploit them,” she said seriously.
“Minimum effort, maximum results?” I asked.
“Something like that. Although, I would recommend maximum effort and catastrophic results. For your enemies, that is.”
“I don’t know, Mama. I don’t think I’d look good in red spandex,” I said with a small smirk as I thought of the irreverent, but hilarious pseudo-superhero movie.
“As long as your enemies wear their brown pants, you’re fine wearing whatever you want, child,” Mama said with a wink.
I choked on my tea. Who would’ve thought a kindly old lady who loved to bake could also quote the most foul-mouthed mercenary-slash-superhero ever to grace the silver screen?
Thankfully, Ben’s loud voice echoed through the entryway to the kitchen, giving me a moment to collect myself. The old necromancer bustled in, a whirlwind of disaster. Magnus followed close on his heels, barely saving Ben from a disastrous headfirst collision with a giant pumpkin. I dove to save the apple fritters, because, well, priorities.
Goliath, the lanky necromancer’s reanimated familiar, appeared from under Ben’s mop of wild white hair and leaped onto the table as the old man regained his balance. I swear the little mouse shrugged at me as if to say, “What can you do?” before curling up on a napkin and tucking his nose under his tail.
It was hubbub and chaos for a few minutes in the kitchen until Mama got everyone settled with cups of tea and fresh plates. Mama and Ben asked Magnus the normal, getting-to-know-you questions. Magnus batted them away easily and with charming cordiality. After about ten minutes of friendly banter that uncovered nothing terribly significant about his past, Magnus excused himself with a wave of his phone, saying he needed to check in with the Pack. He walked out into the courtyard to make his calls.
As soon as the kitchen door latched quietly behind the departing werewolf, Ben jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “I like him. He would be good for you.”
I shook my head in bemusement. “I thought we kept you from hitting your head! Getting into a relationship right now is not my idea of a good time. Demon first. Dating later.” I glanced at the tattoo again. All three dots were on near the outer ring of the compass, far away from me, which was a good thing for the time being.
“I’m just sayin’! That werewolf? Now, he’s a handsome feller. You’re a purty girl. Sometimes you have to say screw the timin’ and just go for it!”
“Ben!” Mama said, putting her hands on her hips. “We’ve talked about this! The last time you tried to set someone up, it was with a ghost!” She turned to me, cupped the wrong side of her mouth and loudly stage whispered. “Don’t mind him, now. He means well. I find smiling and nodding works wonders.”
I pasted on an overly bright fake smile and nodded like a bobble head at Ben. He glowered at us both and grumbled as he collected the used dishes, clattering them into the soapy water in the sink. “One time! It was one time and now I can’t be trusted with anything woman related…” He continued muttering, but the sloshing water made it impossible to understand him.
Mama grinned lovingly at the old necromancer before returning her gaze back to me. She rescued a brown paper package from Ben’s splashing and handed it to me.
“What’s this, Mama?” I asked, fingering the string tied tightly around the parcel.
“Oh, this and that from my medicine cupboard. If you are intent on confronting demons, I’ve always found that it is best to have an extra line of defense. Even if it is just ointments and the like.”
“That’s so kind of you. Thanks! But how did you know to make up a bag?” I asked as I tucked the precious package of healing unguents and poultices under an arm as I stood. Mama was legendary in this region for her healing concoctions. Her thoughtfulness was touching. Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to use them.
“I had a feeling,” Mama said with a soft smile as she walked with me. She pushed the door open. “Now, go make that demon regret he didn’t wear his brown pants today.” She winked at me, but I could see the tension that added to the crinkles next to her eyes. She was nervous for me.
I was nervous for me.
But I didn’t own brown pants and never would. Red spandex all the way, baby.
Chapter 9
Magnus watched me from where he lounged in one of the comfy wicker chairs in the courtyard as I said my goodbyes to Mama. I tipped my head towards the gate and Magnus followed me outside, watching carefully as I tucked the package of Mama’s healing supplies into the Rebel’s saddlebags.
“What’s that?” Magnus asked, jutting his chin towards the disappearing parcel.
“How was your call?” I countered, noticing the lack of a phone in his hand.
The wolf shrugged. “Fine. Damon is still tied up with the Collective. Will is all set to meet us later tonight. Besides, I thought you might like some privacy with your friends,” he said, slanting his eyes back towards the cheerful yellow house. Mama and Ben had already disappeared inside. “They seem like a really lovely couple.”
“Yes, they are,” I agreed quietly. My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. I dug the phone out of a pocket and glanced at the caller ID. Logan, my job broker. I saw a series of missed texts from him. I must not have heard the notifications on my bike. If he was this insistent on getting in touch, it couldn’t be good. I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled noisily. When it rained, it didn’t just pour. It rained cats and dogs. No, scratch that, it was more like tigers and hyenas. Magnus raised an eyebrow. I held up a finger, silently asking for a moment as I thumbed open the call.
“Yes, Logan. How can I help you this fine morning?” I said brightly.
“Cameron. Tell me you aren’t going after a demon.” He nearly spat out the last word.
“Good news travels fast, I see. Wait. How do you know about it, anyway?”
“The wolves. That Julius is a talker. Apparently, he was bragging to one of my agents about it.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. I hadn’t told the wolves to keep our activities a secret, but I hadn’t known word would travel this fast.
Logan’s voice echoed over the phone as he raised his voice. “What are you thinking? You’re already contracted with the Collective to take down an escaped spirit. And time is fast running out on that job. Do you really think you should add anything else to your plate right now?”
“You sound worried, Logan. I’m touched. It’s unnecessary though. I’m handling everything. Don’t stress.” I tucked my free arm under my elbow and casually strolled away from Magnus in hopes of a semblance of privacy. I figured the werewolf could probably overhear my end of the conversation easily, but I wasn’t sure I wanted him to hear Logan’s side, too. Thankfully, the werewolf stayed where he was.
“I know you may not believe me, but I care about you. I don’t want to lose an agent. You’re spreading yourself too thin by trying to take on both fights. It’s too much. Even for you. Ask the Collective for help with the demon, if nothing else. I don’t want the next rumor I hear to be about your death.” Logan’s voice shook a little. A small smile spread across my lips as I shook my head. I hadn’t expected the reaction from my stoic job broker.
“You don’t have to worry. I promise,” I said, attempting to reassure him while giving nothing away to the werewolf behind me.
“Really?” Logan’s tone brightened. “What have you got planned?”
“Oh, this and that,” I said breezily. “I’ll fill you in later. However, you don’t need to worry. I’ve got this, Logan.”
Logan was astute. He stopped pressing the point. He must have finally realized I wasn’t alone. “Fine. But I still think you’ve bitten off more than you can chew,” Logan grumbled.
“Thanks for the input. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to run. Let’s talk later, shall we?” I said cheerfully. He mumbled a farewell before disconnecting. I tucked the phone away before returning the few paces to Magnus and my Rebel.
“He’s not wrong, you know. Whoever he was,” Magnus said as I approached.
“It’s not nice to eavesdrop,” I said, frowning at the wolf.
He shrugged, obviously not bothered by my lackluster scowl. “You could play this another way. Leave the demon alone, stay in your lane, and let the Collective handle this while you figure out whatever you’ve got going on with the spirit your friend mentioned.”
“What, and just leave this demon to roam around New Orleans? To terrorize everyone, including my friends? No thanks. Not my style. Besides, the demon might be the spirit they want me to take care of, anyway.”
Magnus considered me carefully. “Do you really believe that?”
I didn’t, but also didn’t want to admit it. My silence spoke for me, though.
Magnus shook his head. “I’m not trying to belittle you, Cam. There’s more than one way to solve a problem. More than likely, someone will take the demon out. Eventually. Why does it have to be you? Or today, for that matter?”
I thought about what he said. He had a point. I could take a risk and ignore the demon threat. Maybe there was still time. Or the demon didn’t care that I had a connection to the djinn. However, if Meridiana was right, the demon would blab to someone in the Abyss. Someone who was no doubt bigger and badder. Then I could really be up the river Styx without a paddle. Or even a boat.
I rubbed my eyes with both hands, giving myself a break from the intensity of Magnus’ polarized gaze from behind his sunglasses. If I didn’t act to take out the demon soon, he’d probably end up making a mess in New Orleans. Trashing the town, hurting innocents, destroying pastries, not replacing the roll when he used the last part of toilet paper, and generally messing up people’s day. Besides, I wasn’t one to just sit around and wait. I’d much rather wade into a fight with my eyes wide open and my fists swinging. I returned my gaze to Magnus’.
“Come on then. We’ve got us a demon to kill. And then you’d better suit up, Ray, because we’re busting ghosts after that.”
“Who’s Ray?” Magnus asked.
I rolled my eyes. If he wasn’t into watching classics from the 80s, there might really be no hope for him. “Look, I’ve got a stop to make before heading to City Park. If you want to just meet me—”
“Not a chance,” Magnus interrupted. “I’m not leaving you on your own today.”
I shrugged casually, but part of me was really glad to have the werewolf watch my back. A sudden thought occurred to me. What would Meridiana, the succubus, say when I turned up for our meeting with a handsome wolf in tow?
Chapter 10
Against my express wishes, Magnus insisted on walking me to the middle of Jackson Square. But the werewolf came with some benefits. Like a lockable storage compartment on his bike. I stowed my bag of weapons and the package from Mama, thankful that I didn’t have to lug either through the middle of tourist-central New Orleans. I fished out a small satchel and tucked an extra pair of knives inside. I’d taken Mama’s warning to heart. I needed to outmaneuver my opponents rather than waiting and reacting.
It didn’t take us long to reach the center of the small square. We stood facing the triple spires of the iconic St. Louis Cathedral with the statue of Andrew Jackson riding his bronze stallion behind us. I adjusted the strap on my satchel to a more comfortable position as I looked around for Meridiana. The demoness was nowhere to be seen. I glanced up at the towering white church. I always thought that it looked like it could’ve been the inspiration for any of the cartoon princess castles. Magnus looked out of place as he stood with his arms folded over his gray t-shirt and low-key glowered at anyone who stared at us for too long as they hurried by the beautiful old building.
