Deceptive Dime Store Demons, page 16
I landed hard on my back, but I shook off the jolt to see Nick toss his burned staff to the ground. Brenna advanced again.
Were Thorn and Farley okay? I searched for them until I spotted father and son preparing for another attack. Beside me, Aggie gingerly stood, shook her head, then bumped her flank against mine. Bella and Erica took longer to get to their feet.
We had little time to recover.
I hurried back into the fight. Behind me, Aggie, Bella, Erica, and my group picked up the pace.
Across the field, Nick launched fireballs from a mahogany wand. Smoldering rocks screamed as they sailed across the clearing. The blasts bounced off the giant like pebbles.
Mademoiselle Midnight’s message to me rang loud and clear: Another artifact was taken last night. It was a beaded jade bracelet used to protect the wearer from incredible heat.
If the frost giant had that jade bracelet, none of those attacks would help.
More pack members tried to sweep in, but the frost giant’s axe knocked them back.
“Buy me some time!” Brenna advanced again. Trees in the clearing began to flutter, their branches swaying against the direction of the rain and wind.
“It never sounds good when you say that,” Nick snapped back.
If I could speak, I would’ve told them to fight first and argue later.
Brenna crept ever closer as Thorn’s group came from the east and I charged from the west. Before we pounced him as one, thick tree roots shot out of the ground at the frost giant’s feet. The muddy roots snaked around his ankles and clamped his wrists together. The axe fell to the ground with a heavy thump. The earth witch clenched her teeth, her hands forming fists as if she held the giant in place with sheer will. She edged toward the giant—but got too close, and the giant’s hand shot out to snatch her neck.
“Brenna!” Nick called out.
The pack swarmed the frost giant, sinking our teeth into his legs, arms, and neck. The giant swayed to the left, teetering and wobbling like a pendulum. We clung to it, growling and shaking it to free Brenna. As the frost giant careened to the right with Thorn at the giant’s neck, our adversary’s grip around Brenna’s neck relaxed, and the giant fell.
Nick ran to Brenna and dragged her back. The frost giant released a long moan. The sound cut off as Thorn made the killing blow. After that, the only sound that remained in the field was suffering. The fallen wolves cried out. Brenna lay limp while Erica and Aggie circled the poor earth witch. Soon enough Nick would heal her, but many others needed him too.
I checked my mate first, finding him bloody, but unharmed. Poor old Farley had a limp again from a blow to his right leg. He continued to stalk the frost giant’s body. I ran from wolf to wolf, seeing to everyone’s well-being before I returned to Thorn, who lurked near the fallen giant. Thorn tried to nudge me away in case of danger, but I had to find the whistle. First, I examined our foe, from the sunflower seeds that peppered his face like freckles to the outline on his chest where his axe tattoo was inked. This creature appeared far more powerful than the night guard I’d seen. I patted the frost giant’s pockets for the whistle. Nothing. I searched around the body, but the whistle wasn’t here either. Dejected, I plopped down to finally catch my breath.
Minutes later, Thorn appeared in human form with clothing the Dalton family had left for us. He placed a shirt and shorts at my feet. “Take your time.”
I should’ve rested a bit more, but as I returned to human form and got dressed, all the pieces of the puzzle slipped together.
“I know where the whistle is,” I said.
The other pack members converged to my position near the fallen giant. Already his skin had turned dark gray like the dead night guard. Bit by bit, the frost giant began to melt away.
“Is it in the park somewhere? Erica asked. “Do you think the giant hid it out here?”
I shook my head. “That frost giant and the frost wolf came in from the north. I’d bet money they came from town.”
Farley’s brow knotted. “And where did they go while they were in town?”
Before I answered that question, I told them about the similarities between the frost giant and the night guard: from their ivy ankle bracelets to the natural materials used to compose them. Then I made the next jump. If the night demon created the night guard from night materials, then another demon created the frost giant.
“You believe the day demon made that?” Aggie asked. “Why would she unleash that thing on the town? Why kill her customers?”
“I don’t think her overall goal was to kill us,” I said. “I believe the true party behind all of this is the day demon. She wanted the fairies to have the whistle and to use it. The attacks in Manhattan ended once the fairies lost it. After that, the frost giant lurked around town, but didn’t make its presence known until I retrieved the whistle. Then Dayla’s minions came after me and got her property back.”
“What will she do with it?” Thorn asked.
“She’ll blow it to summon Cerberus,” I said.
“Why on earth would anyone do that?” Aggie asked.
“I’m not sure why yet,” I admitted. “But I plan to see Dayla in the morning and find out.”
Now that the fight had ended, pack members helped the wounded to their cars. Nick healed as many as he could before he grew too weak and had to go home with Brenna. Yet again, my good friend supported me in my time of need. I hoped to return the favor sooner rather than later.
Once the wounded were safely on the way home, the able-bodied pack members hauled the meat back into the truck for disposal. By this point, my leg throbbed from the bite, and my desire to wash away the filth from the forest became unbearable.
But we had more work to do, namely burying our foes’ bodies if anything remained. I checked on the frost wolf and found the animal as nothing more than a pile of pine quills, two sunstones, and melted ice. The frost giant appeared to have melted too down to its ingredients, but twenty tiny beads glinted from the pile. I’d found the missing bracelet, but no cord to tie the pieces together. Eh, I’d make the night demon happy with something rather than nothing.
Thorn and I waited until everyone left. All that remained included my parents and the Daltons. We headed to Thorn’s car to leave the park, but we couldn’t find his SUV.
“Who had the keys?” I asked.
“My dad had them.” Thorn scratched his head. “Did he forget about us?”
“He said nothing about leaving early.” My mate and I stared at each other briefly.
“Maybe he got tired and giving us a ride home slipped his mind.”
“Or he went to see the day demon to strike a deal,” I said slowly.
“I thought you said the day demon sleeps during the day.”
“Are we sure about that? I’m not.”
Thorn nodded in agreement.
My stomach tied into never-ending knots. “We need to find him before he gets himself killed.”
Chapter 23
We borrowed my dad’s truck and searched a couple of places like the local convenience stores and a pub or two. Farley hadn’t returned to his new home at my old house either.
It was time to check the ceramic mart.
As we arrived in the parking lot, pulling up next to the BMW Coupe Aggie and Erica waited in, I peered into the store, hoping to see Farley speaking with Dayla, but the store’s interior appeared dim and empty.
Thorn got out of the truck first. “I can smell his aftershave.”
Erica and Aggie followed Thorn. I limped along after them.
We tracked Farley’s scent from the SUV up to the metal fencing. Nothing stirred among the stone figurines or the piles of marble and cut granite. We jumped over the fence and headed to the front door. Unfortunately, it was locked.
“Is there any other way inside?” Thorn asked. “A back door?”
“This is the only way.” I bit my lower lip. “There is a back door, but it’s a magical one that leads to the Midnight Barge. I don’t know if it goes both ways.”
We scanned the interior again. Beside me, Thorn’s fury rose. I touched his arms.
“I know he’s in there,” Thorn growled.
I wasn’t convinced Farley had made it inside to speak with Dayla, but we had to know. I touched the window, and a spark bit my palm.
“There are defensive measures around here.” I motioned for the others to follow me around the store. “Let’s try to see if we can find the night demon. Maybe she can sneak us inside.”
We hurried to the back. My friends and mate came to a stop.
“There’s nothing here,” Erica said.
“I do see dead fish and cigarette butts,” Aggie added.
None of them could see the thick fog or the dimmed lanterns from the Midnight Barge.
“Follow me.” I directed Thorn to place his hand on my shoulder. We formed a chain and carefully made our way to the Midnight Barge.
Limping hard on my bitten leg, I led the others up the gangplank. Once everyone set foot onto the boat, their eyes widened.
“This is unreal,” Aggie breathed.
The amber, green, and lavender lights along the deck fencing cast an unearthly glow and pushed away the darkest shadows. The faint tinkle of a harpsichord playing a soft tune reached my ears. A night spirit or two hovered near me with their purchases, but I told them to go to the register on the other side of the boat. Hopefully, there would be someone there to take care of them.
“What kind of store is this?” Erica asked.
Mademoiselle Midnight materialized in front of us. “It’s a rare antique store for night spirits and other creatures of the dark and deep.”
Thorn shuffled back a step.
“Why are you here, Noelle?” the night demon asked. “Do you have my whistle?”
I sighed. “I don’t have it.”
The starlight in her hair glittered like tiny, brilliant supernovas. “Do you mock me, Wolf?”
My mate growled and my friends stiffened. I couldn’t let this escalate. I stepped between them and the night demon.
“I know who took it.” My gaze briefly touched the nearby ceramic mart. “Is there a place where we can speak in private?”
That made Mimi pause, but she motioned for me to follow her. We made our way through the Main Deck until we reached the upward staircase to the Hurricane Deck. We followed her up two sets of stairs to the final floor. At the top, the doorway to the night demon’s quarters opened with a groan. Bright lights beckoned us into a chamber far larger than what I’d seen from the riverbank. More lanterns, far too many for me to count, hung from the vaulted ceiling. They dipped and hovered like nervous fireflies. Mimi’s personal space included a sitting area to the right, her sleeping quarters in the center, and to the left I discovered what had to be where she kept her collection of night things. Pots of nightshade, ferns, and night-blooming moonflowers grew in pots on one table, while on another, she had bowls of poisonous berries harvested from bushes growing from larger containers.
Erica ran her fingers along a set of polished animal horns with appreciation.
“Those came from Tibetan night elk,” the night demon explained.
“I wish I could see one someday,” Erica replied.
“It’s taken me centuries to find many of them.” She directed us to a sitting area with wooden chairs covered in sheep’s wool.
Instead of a rug under our feet, we strode over a glass floor. Murky black waters churned underneath the thick glass. As I approached a chair, an angler fish darted toward the surface, only to retreat again.
What else lurked down there?
And even more importantly, how was there water under the boat’s third floor?
“You’ve collected many beautiful things,” I said, unsure where to start.
Mimi’s brows knitted together. “Natalya, you’re not here to talk about my collecting habits. Spit it out.”
I turned to her at the sound of my name. She meant business now. I told my former employer the entire tale from beginning to end. I gave every detail, no matter how small, from how I tracked the prints and got attacked that first night up until this moment, when I sat in a chair before her with a frost wolf’s teeth marks festering in my leg. I also mentioned Farley was missing.
“I’ve come to believe Dayla has your whistle,” I added in a whisper.
While I spoke, night servants glided into the room carrying small bowls. The enticing scent of a spiced punch with persimmons, ginger, and cinnamon filled the air. Her gray-skinned staff had patches of vivid green moss for hair and shiny obsidian flecks for eyes. They served each of us a small serving of punch. I didn’t touch mine and continued my tale. The night demon nodded here and there, sipping her drink. When I finished, she didn’t speak for the longest time.
I took my time to drink. The cool punch soothed my unsettled stomach while we waited.
Finally, she spoke. “I’d like to say I saw this coming, but I didn’t. It’s a shame when your kin would rather stab you in the back than fight you face to face.”
The frightening demon I’d glimpsed days ago sagged forward in her seat. She stared past us, her features softening. She almost appeared human.
“She went to a lot of effort to make you leave this place,” I forced myself to say.
“There would’ve been less bloodshed if she’d said something,” Mimi said bitterly.
“But would you have listened?”
She slowly shook her head. “I was tired of her always having her way. I always needed her more than she needed me.” The starlight in her hair brightened with her rising anger. “It was my turn to shine this time. It was my turn to feast on the night and moonlight.”
I nodded with sympathy. “I’ve always wanted to be stronger too. But two people at odds can’t stay that way forever. Someone must open themselves up and admit what they want and need without repercussions.”
Mimi drew a deep breath. “Dayla didn’t do that.”
“No, she didn’t.” I swallowed deeply.
“She will use the whistle in the morning.”
That made me stiffen. “She’ll use it to call Cerberus and drive the goddess away?”
“She will do that and more,” the night demon replied.
“Doesn’t she know what will happen?” Aggie asked, clearly irked.
“Yes, but that doesn’t matter to creatures like Dayla and me,” Mimi explained. “Once that monster rampages north, killing anything that gets in the way of its order, my sister and I will still remain. The sun will rise and the moon will fall, but others won’t be as lucky. Especially the people in South Toms River.”
I slowly shook my head. Would have I been as wise with the whistle? A part of me believed I would’ve figured out a way to make it work. I could’ve summoned the hellhound in Sourland National Preserve.
“I must face my sister in the morning,” she said.
“How?” I asked. “I thought you slept during the day.”
“I do, but there’s a span of time when I can manifest before the light drives me back to the barge. This won’t be easy.”
The night demon rubbed her chin with the back of her hand. “Over the last couple of months, Dayla has grown in strength as daytime has lengthened.”
The frost giant’s great power compared to the simpler night guards came to mind.
“While I distract her,” Mimi said, “I’ll need all of you to retrieve the whistle.”
I tried to hide a laugh and failed. “Are you serious? It took every able-bodied adult in the pack, and two spellcasters, to take down the frost giant. Do you believe we can waltz past her to take the whistle?”
Mimi slowly licked her lips. “I’ll be the one fighting her head-on. What you must do is what you do best: think quickly on your feet. Once you find the whistle, Farley should be nearby.”
That sounded easier said than done.
“Do you know if she has more day guards like the frost giant?” Thorn asked.
“If I have night guards watching over the Midnight Barge,” the night demon replied, “she’ll have day guards, but they won’t be as powerful as the frost giant. She used a lot of ingredients to craft both the giant and the wolf.”
That news didn’t make me feel any better.
Mimi continued, “Our battle will affect space and time, which will give you more time to find the whistle, but you can’t dawdle. Once the sun fully rises, your doom will be sealed.” She told us how she wanted things to unfold, but even I had doubts we’d succeed.
“I don’t like any of this,” I said. “There are innocent people with homes and business along the river.”
“They will come to no harm. Our fight won’t bleed into the human world.” With that said, she stood and poured herself another serving of punch.
She added more to my cup, but I couldn’t drink any more. Aggie gladly snatched my portion.
With our plans made, all we had left was small talk.
“Now that we know what to do,” I said, “I gotta ask, why did you have the whistle out in the open for sale in the first place?”
Mimi rolled her eyes. “Some people are smart enough to do their research and not blow ancient whistles associated with monsters. And you can’t tell me you’ve never met serious collectors at The Bends.”
“Yeah, I’m one of them,” I admitted.
She gave me a long, hard look to make her point. “I’d bet good money you’ve got at least one thing you’ve bought that you’ve never unwrapped or used.” She folded her arms. “I’ll wait.”
Aggie giggled and Erica tried to hold back a laugh.
“Point made,” I grumbled.
Chapter 24
