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

As we passed over the lush green islands, I tried to guess which might be inhabited, and if there were homes, what kind of people lived in the middle of a small ocean. Most of all, I wanted to be down there, under the hot sun. I wanted to dip my fingers into the churning waters. I wanted, for once, to be free.

I brushed my fingertips against the cold glass of the window and glanced back at Dimitri. We’d moved on to the polite stage, which was worse than being mad.

The issue of the stolen magic hung in the air between us and would until we had the privacy to talk it out. Even then, things wouldn’t be completely resolved until we reached his study to learn once and for all if we had a problem on our hands.

Pirate had curled up in his Port-A-Pooch once he was convinced the gremlin was no longer a threat—at least not to us. Shortly after we began our descent, the thing had given an explosive fart before it began squeezing into the overhead bins. I could hear it as it moved its way down the plane, shifting luggage.

I ignored the banging and focused on the beauty outside my window. The islands looked so peaceful from twenty thousand feet.

Maybe my life would finally make sense here in Greece.

Things could be simple if I let them. First, we’d make sure the magic Dimitri used to find me was safe and then destroyed. Then I’d put away my mother’s box. Grandma would be here soon enough with an instructor who understood that sort of thing. At long last I’d have the time and the guidance to learn about my new powers. In the meantime, I could relax.

After the pilot turned off the “fasten seat belt” sign and bid us good-bye, Dimitri took the bag with my sleeping dog and wrapped his other hand in mine. I adjusted my sunglasses as we made our way down the staircase of the plane and onto the tarmac below.

“I feel like a visiting dignitary,” I told him jokingly, giving a presidential wave for effect.

He squeezed my hand. “You are,” he said, ushering me toward a pair of brunettes inside the glass terminal. They wore matching coral necklaces and expressions of excitement.

They sprung upon us in a flurry of hugs, cheek kisses and olive blossoms.

“For your hair.” A willowy sister with an upturned nose and a yellow sundress slipped a spray of tiny white flowers behind my ear. I inhaled the scent of unfolding buds and freshly cut grass. She admired her handiwork before throwing her arms around me. “Oh I am so glad to finally meet you!”

“That’s Diana,” Dimitri said with obvious pleasure as he gripped his other sister and held her tight. He squeezed his eyes shut and I stopped to enjoy the moment vicariously.

When Dimitri left Greece, he didn’t know whether he’d see his sisters again. Now he was home.

I hugged Diana and marvelled at the fact that this was the woman who’d ridden a monstrous horse named Zeus through a raging thunderstorm and straight into the family dining room.

“Diana.” Her square-jawed sister laughed, her bronze-coin earrings jingling. “Give Lizzie some air.”

Diana giggled and launched herself at Dimitri.

“I’m Dyonne,” said the sister in the bronze-coin earrings and khaki shorts. She offered me a hand and then dragged me into another hug, my neck pressed against her chunky necklace. “Oh who cares? You’re family now, right?”

I wasn’t so sure but found myself grinning anyway. Who could be polite and detached around these two?

According to Dimitri, they’d always been a little wild. I didn’t blame them a bit. They’d lived their lives under a demon’s curse, knowing they’d fall into a coma when they reached the age of twenty-eight, and die twenty-eight days later. Dimitri and I had saved them.

Diana broke away from Dimitri, admiration and a few unshed tears shining in her eyes. “Our rescuer, in the flesh. You’re officially forgiven for using my Han Solo lunch box for target practice.”

Dimitri’s mouth quirked into a sideways grin. “You said you’d forgive me if I rescued Princess Leia from the carob tree.”

“Bah.” Dyonne took a playful swipe that Dimitri deftly avoided. “You only did it because Princess Leia was wearing a slave-girl bikini.”

Dyonne turned to me, her short-cropped hair falling in layers around her eyes. “Good thing for us, our brother’s taste has improved.” She winked.

“I don’t know about that,” I said, feeling the color creep up my cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” she touched my arm. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” Her face glowed with pleasure. “I’m just so glad to have you both here. You don’t know how long we’ve waited to have him back, to be a nice, normal family, you know?”

I nodded. I did know. I was still looking for that.

“A dog!” Diana lifted a yawning Pirate out of his carrier and ruffled him thoroughly.

“Aw, that’s nice.” Pirate soaked up every pet. “Oh hold it. That tickles.”

Dimitri pulled Dyonne aside, but I heard each word he said. “Are there any new developments regarding the item in my study?”

Dyonne sobered at once. “Not that I can tell. I ran a few tests. So far, they look good. But you’re the only one who’ll know for sure.” She caught my eye and I detected a flash of worry, or perhaps guilt, before she broke away.

“The car’s waiting around front,” she said to everyone. “We’ll grab your luggage and head out. Christolo made your favorite, Dimitri. Pastitsio, with a cucumber and feta salad.”

Dimitri’s eyes lit up. He took my hand and picked up the pace. “Once you’ve had Christolo’s cooking, you’ll never want to leave.” He squeezed my hand.

“Ohh…” Pirate licked his chops. “I could go for some noodles right about now.”

I’d tell him later about the twenty-pound bag of Healthy Lite dog chow I’d shipped with our luggage.

On the way to and from baggage claim, the sisters informed me that my handsome Greek lover was allergic to broccoli, defended the entire family from a werewolf attack at age sixteen and had a habit of going out in rainstorms to rescue worms from the sidewalks. I also discovered the magic Dimitri used to find me could be very, very dangerous in the wrong hands.

“It’s okay. Dimitri can fix it,” Dyonne said, as if she was trying to convince herself too.

Dimitri slipped his arm around me as we sat in the backseat of his sister’s battered old Mercedes. I didn’t have to be strong all the time, did I? At least that’s what I told myself as I relaxed into the nook of his shoulder.

We passed olive groves and vineyards growing in endless rows along the side of the road, their flat green leaves turned up toward the sun. Meanwhile Diana pointed out landmarks, as Dyonne, with her Mona Lisa smile, focused on the road. This had to be the most naturally bright and beautiful place I’d ever seen. The radiant blue sky went on for miles. The air itself smelled sweet. No wonder Dimitri had been so anxious to return.

In addition to the rustic splendor, he had a family on Santorini, a home. I understood more than anyone the value of a place to call your own, probably because I didn’t have one.

I’d spent my time in Atlanta trying to fit in, be normal. And then I’d lived my first month as a demon slayer trying to do things the way others said they had to be done. I wanted to learn. There was nothing wrong with that. But at the same time, I wondered if I’d finally turned a corner. I wanted to live on my own terms. I wanted to decide for myself who I needed to be. And as I took stock of Pirate with his head out the window, I realized my true home might not be anything like I’d imagined.

Diana held her arm out to the breeze as we passed olive farms and small stone houses that looked as if they’d been there as long as the island.