Death Mask. Alex Archer

Aurai was supposed to stay within sight of the dragon flies. Her skills with wind would help direct the tiny creatures.

      A strong breeze pushed through the walls of the alley where Demi and Selena waited, net ready.

      “They’re turning into the alley!” Aurai exclaimed.

      “Raising the water wall to discourage a retreat,” Gina said. “I’m right on their tails. You should see the wall…now.”

      “Now, Brigid!” Demi called out as soon as she saw the wall of water.

      “Fire in the hole.” Fire erupted in front of Demi, blocking her view of the flying dragons and the dragons’ views of her and Selena waiting to capture them.

      “They’re going for the fire,” Aurai said.

      “Get ready,” Brigid said into the headset. “They’re through!”

      Demi and Selena pulled the ropes and the net fell over the dragons, trapping them, dropping them to the ground.

      They fought and blasted out bursts of flames, but the net held.

      “Want me to douse them?” Gina asked, the wall of water hovering.

      Selena held up a hand. “No. They aren’t malevolent. Just malleable.”

      “You mean they’re friendly?” Brigid stepped closer and one of the dragons shot a stream of flame at her. She caught it in her palm and laughed. “Feisty little bugger, aren’t you?”

      “What do we do with them now?” Aurai asked.

      “You guys figure it out.” Demi tapped her headset mic. “Black, how’s it going with the demon?”

      Cal didn’t respond.

      “We shouldn’t have sent him off to handle a demon on his own.”

      “He’s a big boy.” Brigid leaned closer to the tiny dragons. “He can handle it.”

      “I’m going to check on him.” Demi took off at a jog.

      “I’m with you.” Aurai fell in step beside her. “I saw him a block away when we passed with the dragon flies.”

      “We’d better hurry. I’m not familiar with demon powers.”

      “I understand they’re as varied as witches’ powers.”

      “Great. No telling what he’s up against.”

      As a human, he had only a gun and his sharp mind to work with. Sometimes that wasn’t enough.

      Demi heard the ruckus before she saw the demon and Cal duking it out in an alley a block away. Or rather, the demon was kicking Cal’s butt, and Cal was doing his best to survive.

      “Can you whip up a distraction?” Demi asked.

      Aurai raised her hands and debris rose from the pavement. Slats from old pallets, rocks, nails, garbage whirled in a funnel, barreling toward the demon who held Cal up by the throat and then flung him against a wall.

      Cal hit with a thud and slid down, shaking his head. “Nice move, but I can do better,” he muttered, dragging himself to his feet.

      The demon laughed. “Give up, human. You’re no match for me.”

      “Hey, dirtbag!” Demi yelled before the demon could lift Cal off his feet and throw him again.

      The demon spun to face the two women.

      Demi stood with her hands fisted on her hips. “What he lacks in superhuman strength, he makes up for in intelligence and backup.” She channeled her inner connection with the earth and shook the ground the demon stood on; at the same time she sensed a stray vine poking out of the pavement and gave it a burst of energy.

      “Well, well. What have we here?” He sniffed the air. “I smell witches.”

      “Damn right you do.” Aurai flung her funnel cloud in the demon’s face, the garbage, boards and nails pummeling the bastard until he raised his hands and everything fell to the ground.

      “Enough!” he yelled, the sound reverberating off the walls of the surrounding buildings. He raised his hands like a master magician. “I’ll have my revenge and serve up two witches with it.”

      “I don’t think so. Not today.” Demi stepped in front of Aurai to protect her from whatever the demon had in mind. She flexed her inner witch and the vine extended, wrapping quickly and silently around the demon’s leg. When it was firmly in place, Demi yanked it with a thought.

      The demon’s raised arms flailed in the air as he crashed to the earth.

      “I’ll get you for that.” He waved his hand and Demi flew through the air, landing on her backside, the wind knocked from her lungs.

      “Like hell you will.” Before the demon could wave again, Cal swung one of the boards Aurai had stirred up in her whirlwind, hitting the demon’s hand.

      The demon screamed and rolled to his side, kicking out at Cal.

      Cal leaped over the downed paranorm and swung again, catching him on the chin. His head whipped backward and slammed into a wall. The demon lay still.

      Standing over the demon like a conquering hero, Cal said, “Don’t mess with my girl.”

      “And my sisters.” Aurai stepped over to the demon and nudged him with her toe. He moaned but didn’t wake. “You might be a demon, but you aren’t invincible.”

      Demi staggered to her feet.

      “You okay?” Cal asked.

      “I’d be a whole lot better if I had a day off.” She rolled her shoulders and rubbed her tailbone. “Think Chief Warner would give us some vacation time?”

      Cal knelt beside the demon, pulled his arms behind his back and slapped a zip tie around his wrists. “I don’t know. There’s been such a rise in paranormal crimes in the past few weeks, I don’t think he can spare a single agent right now.”

      “I’d like to get some rest, get a haircut and maybe a manicure.” She winked at Cal. “And other things.”

      “There’s nothing I’d like better than doing those other things with you. But duty calls.”

      “Damn duty and damn the department.” Demi’s restraint snapped. She and Cal had been so tired from working overtime and weekends for the past two months she couldn’t remember the last time they’d made love.

      “I think someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” Brigid joined them, carrying the net full of miniature dragons.

      “How can a person wake up if she’s not even getting any sleep?” Demi flung her hand in the air. “Or anything else.”

      As he called in their location for a pickup van, Cal glared at Demi. When he finished, he stepped close to her and said in a low tone, “It takes two to make it happen. I can’t make love to a sleeping woman. And I don’t appreciate airing our dirty laundry in front of your sisters.”

      Demi knew he was right, but she was tense and tired, so she wasn’t giving an inch. “I don’t keep secrets from my sisters.”

      “Maybe there are some you should,” Gina muttered, jerking her head toward Aurai, the youngest Chattox sister.

      Aurai rolled her eyes. “I’m twenty-one, not fifteen. Sex isn’t new to me.”

      Brigid frowned. “Oh yeah, who is he? I want to meet this man who’s taken my baby sister’s virginity.”

      Aurai laughed. “See? I keep secrets from the rest of you.” She gave Brigid a pointed look. “And, no, I’m not telling.”

      Brigid rolled a fireball in her hands, her eyes narrowed. “I have ways of finding out.”

      “Lay