Angie Fox - ADS 03 - A Tale of Two Demon Slayers

It was the size of a hamster, with dirty white scales and black claws. Its teeth were sharp and uneven. I’d say they were crooked, if I knew anything about dragon dentistry. In fact, one particular snaggletooth stood out nearly sideways. The dragon gave a tiny roar, which I had to admit was kind of cute, before it turned those teeth on my already-abused sneaker.

“Go for the laces!” Pirate instructed. “Those are the tastiest.”

I resheathed my switch star and planted my hands on my hips. “You said you never touched my shoes.”

“Whoops,” he said, not sorry at all, his eyes on the beast. “Can we keep it?”

“Of course not. I don’t know what to do with a dragon.” Not to mention the fact that we already had the biker witches tearing up Dimitri’s estate. We didn’t need to start adding mythical creatures.

“But I need a pet!” he said, like the four-year-old he was.

“You are a pet,” I reminded him.

“Exactly,” he said, as if I was just catching up. “So I know how to treat a pet.” He made two full circles before plopping his rear down in front of the dragon. “First rule: no Healthy Lite dog chow.”

The dragon lolled out a snakelike tongue and licked Pirate on the nose.

“No,” I said. No pets. No tearing up the estate. And while I was at it, no flying imps, no scheming griffins, no more attacks and no Amara.

If I could only have had half of what I wanted, I’d have been in pretty good shape. As it stood, there was a distinct possibility the world was indeed scheming against me.

“Get rid of the dragon,” I told Pirate. If I could have controlled one corner of my life, that would have been it.

Pirate’s ears flattened and his shoulders slumped. “Sure. Fine. All I wanted was a pet, but I don’t need no pet.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Never mind where the poor dragon is gonna go because I sure don’t know and I don’t think he’s got any friends and—”

“Pirate,” I interrupted. “Diana said something earlier about the ASPCC.”

His ears perked up. “The ASSP-what?”

“The All-Species for the Prevention of Cruelty to Creatures. I’m sure they’ll take good care of him.” They certainly wouldn’t insert him into the middle of the trouble we had going.

Pirate cocked his head. “But will they love him?”

“Pirate,” I warned.

He left with the dragon. I felt bad about it. I did. But I had my hands full enough with whatever was threatening me and this estate. Not to mention the biker witches. They’d switched to Merle Haggard. And karaoke. If I leaned out the window just so, I could see the smoke from their fire. I said a quick prayer that they’d started it in a fire pit.

In the field out back, I watched Dimitri join Amara. At least she’d left her clothes on this time. Maybe she realized he wasn’t interested in her lacy pink bra, or maybe she figured she’d get to him later.

Soon she’d have him on her home turf, with her perfect griffin clan—the family he’d chosen to join.

They shifted together, their bodies shuddering and expanding. Massive forearms ripped through Dimitri’s black T-shirt as claws erupted from his hands. Lion’s fur raced down his back as red, blue, purple and green feathers grew into tremendous wings.

When they finished, two beautiful griffins stood side by side.

Dimitri called to her in a language only they understood, and she responded, spreading her silver wings and launching herself into the night. Dimitri followed and I watched them, majestic and proud, until they faded into the gathering darkness together.

That night, I dreamed of Diana’s Skye stone. She kept it on the dresser in a room draped with roses. It shone like a bright summer’s day, even in the darkness.

It wasn’t as brilliant when Talos held it. I wondered what would happen if I touched it. Even more, I craved it.

I reached for the stone and was shocked to find that it shimmered against my fingers. I took it, cradling it in my palm and luxuriating in the warmth and power it sent flooding up my arms.

This energy was mine.

I raced from the room, through the house and out to the back gardens. Two of the Red Skull witches had fallen asleep in wrought-iron porch chairs, their chins against their chests. I rushed past them, out to the far edge of the garden. I ducked around an ancient oak and down a narrow path, over a bridge and to a secluded spot where the knapweed and wild orchids buzzed heavily with insects. I buried the stone at the base of a wild pomegranate tree growing crooked against a rock.

Soon it would begin. Fire would rain down. The earth would split and I would be the only demon slayer—the most powerful one of them all.

The sun was barely over the horizon when a pounding at the door had me sitting straight up in bed. My head ached. I hadn’t slept well, which meant I’d probably been having bad dreams. This one hovered at the edge of my consciousness, barely out of reach until Pirate flipped over next to me, taking the covers with him. “Lizzie, there’s someone at the door!” His paws dug into my hip as he made a mad dash off the bed.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, shoving my way toward the bedside clock. Usually when someone woke me up at five thirty in the morning, our world had just gone to h-e-double hockey sticks.

I stumbled past the sleeping dragon, unlocked the door and found Talos on the other side, his black hair an unruly mess and his narrow face etched with concern.

“Diana’s Skye stone is missing,” he said, wasting no time on niceties. “Tell me you know something about it.”

“No,” I said, concerned and mildly annoyed as he glowered down at me. “What do you know about it?”

He’d taken it the night the sky had turned green. What was to say he hadn’t stolen it a second time?

He had the nerve to look offended. “It wasn’t me. I gave my word I wouldn’t touch it again.”

Oh, well wasn’t that a comfort? “And your word is…?”

“Everything to a griffin,” he said. “I don’t think you understand the severity of the situation. Diana needs the stone to focus her power and recover her magic.”

Not to mention protect us all.

I didn’t need the hand-puppet version. I knew what was at stake.

“I’ll be ready in one minute.” I left him in the hallway while I changed into black leather pants and my lucky purple bustier. I threw my hair back into a ponytail and slid on my black leather boots.

I’d been trying so hard to be on vacation. Now it almost felt good to get back into my work clothes, like I was no longer in denial. This getaway had been over before it began and I might as well admit it. I hitched my demon slayer utility belt around my waist and fastened the crystal buckle. No telling what we’d have to face today.

“Okay,” I said, pleased at how Talos took a step backward when I opened the door. “Take me to Diana.”

“I can’t,” he said, stiffly. “Diana and Dyonne have gone to their private retreat. We dare not interfere.”

“Fine.” They could handle it their way; we’d hit it from our end. “Come on,” I said, slapping Talos on the shoulder and heading down the hall toward the stairs. “We’ll enlist the witches.”

He gave a slight gurgle. “Do you think that’s wise?”

“Probably not,” I answered truthfully. The Red Skulls tended to complicate things wherever they went, but I’d bet my last switch star they knew more about Skye magic than I did.

“Truly. You’re a demon slayer! What of this internal locator system you have?” he asked as we hurried down the stairs

He said it as if I were a human metal detector. “It’s more like a sixth sense for danger, and it only pings when something is about to attack me.”