“I think Liora has been more depressed lately.” Tatiana dries her hands and follows me into my room. She perches on the corner of the bed and smoothes her Victorian-styled dress over her dainty knees. “Lucky, why have you been taking over when it’s not your turn?”
“I’d be depressed too, if every time I looked in a mirror I saw a ridiculous emo goth moping back at me. I mean, the black nail polish is cool, but seriously…that girl needs to add some color to her wardrobe and lay off the raccoon eyeliner. Please tell her that funeral chic is over,” I say as I remove her makeup and reapply my own.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
I hunt through the closet and retrieve my selection before responding. I can tell Tatiana’s mad at me, but I have a very good reason for showing up today.
“Well, someone has to be on point, especially now. I can’t let my guard down for one second with the Amazèa back in town. And Liora, she’s so weak. If they wanted to get me, what better way than to go through her when I’d be unprotected and utterly helpless? Thankfully, she’s been making it much easier for me to pop in… she just sorta mentally checks out and wants me to take over, even if she won’t admit it.”
Leave it to Liora to blame me for everything. If she hadn’t really wanted me there, I wouldn’t have been able to break through. But as usual she failed to acknowledge this tiny little detail.
Tatiana takes a moment to consider this. “Perhaps you feel that to be true, but it has an unwelcome effect on her well-being. I’m going to request you not interfere in her life unless it’s an extreme emergency. A matter of life or death.”
“Why? I don’t hurt anyone…not really….well, nothing permanent, usually. And I need to make sure I’m safe—”
“You know perfectly well your vessel is safe while Liora has possession. Demons dare not cross over the sacred land where her school resides, and Light-angels cannot sense her true nature as long as she is in her pure human form. When you arrive uninvited, especially after she has left our realm and entered the domain of Man, you put her—and yourself—at risk. And it bothers her. How would you like it if she showed up and took over while you were on a hunt?”
I can’t help but laugh at the thought. “That would almost be funny if it wouldn’t get us both killed. I can picture her now… ‘Ahh, a scary demon, help! Eeeks, a smelly vampire, somebody call 911!’ That is if she doesn’t fall off Diablo and break her ass first…
“…But okay, okay,” I say in response to the stern look on Tatiana’s face. “Her pathetic life in Sapie-land is Boresville, anyway. I’d much rather sleep through it.” I give her a playful wink and pat her tiny legs. The fiercest of fire-demons don’t faze me one bit, but I’ll never risk facing the wrath of a witch, especially one who can summon more powerful forces than I can imagine with just a few utterances from her withered lips.
“Thank you, Lucky.” Tatiana retreats to her room.
I push Tatiana’s reprimand and Liora’s pathetic tattle-telling from my head. Right now I have more important things to worry about. As I strip off Liora’s shapeless disguise of black rags and change into skintight, red leather pants and a matching vest, my blood churns with heightened anticipation.
How long have I dreamed of this night?
After throwing on my favorite black riding cloak, I fasten it securely at the base of my throat with my Boumeaux—the sacred jewel of my tribe that I wear with pride. Only those of us belonging to the royal order of demonia angelis can bear having the stone in our possession; imposters will instantly burn to ash if they so much as touch it. It also allows me to enter the Land of Thiberoux, the mystical realm of the Dark-angels. Most importantly, however, the black diamond broach serves as a warning beacon to the presence of Light-angels, even cleverly disguised. The enchanted jewel will glow brightly, alerting me mortal danger is nearby. Fortunately, I’ve never had mine light up, but I know others who have. It allowed them to barely escape with their lives.
A final coat of cherry red lip gloss and a quick brush through my ebony hair and I’m ready to go. Tonight is the night…I can feel it in my bones. I was so close to catching the Amazèa last night, but they eluded me just as dawn approached. Tonight those bastards are all mine. Although it’s my sacred duty to deliver Justice, and I do it nightly, this mission is different. This is revenge.
This is personal.
Tatiana is in her room, elbow deep in her cast-iron cauldron. She performs this ritual every night, whether it’s finding me demons to hunt, humans to torment, or simply keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding lands.