Ashes(35)

So tiny, she thought, with a smile, as she watched the baby writhe and kick. It squinted up at her, eyes dark and familiar. Then those eyes bled to black, and the cradle burst into flames.



Harper woke with a silent gasp, wincing as the spotlights in the mahogany ceiling pricked her eyes. She quickly became aware that she was lying on the living room sofa, covered in a blanket that Knox must have thrown over her. He'd muted the wall-mounted T.V. that she'd been watching before she fell asleep. Well, calling on the flames of hell was tiring.



Double-blinking to clear her vision, she sat upright on the curved, beige sofa that was identical to the one opposite it. A shadow fell over her, and she looked up to see Knox staring at her, his head cocked.



"You're awake."


      ///
       
         
       
        



"You sound disappointed." Watching him slip on the jacket of his suit, she realized …  "You're going somewhere and were hoping you could leave me behind." Sneaky.



"No such luck, apparently," he grumbled.



"Where are we going?"



He looked about to argue, but instead he sighed and said, "To visit McCauley's mother."



"You know who she is?"



"We're pretty certain it's a she-demon from our lair by the name of Talia Winters. McCauley bears a strong resemblance to her. Of course, she can confirm it for us."



He walked soundlessly along the light pine flooring and over to the beautiful fireplace. Grabbing her cell phone from the mantel among her knickknacks, he tossed it to her. She'd added a few other personal touches to the spacious, high-ceiling room, such as the thick oak book shelves and the soft throw blanket that was the same ocean blue as the Persian carpet.



"I recall Talia being pregnant," Knox added. "She claimed that the child died shortly after its birth."



"I'm guessing it was exchanged for a human child who did die shortly afterwards." Harper stood and did a long, catlike stretch. "Tell me about Talia. I don't recall ever seeing her."



Knox curled an arm around her and drew her against him. "That's because strip clubs aren't really your thing."



"She's a stripper?"



"Yes. She's unmated, has no other kids, and is rumored to be a junkie. I'm not sure how true that rumor is." He caught her lower lip between his teeth and tugged, smiling at her gasp. "Tanner is coming with us and he's almost here. As soon as you're ready to leave, we'll head to her apartment and find out."



"All I need is a quick coffee; then we can go."



A short while later, Levi drove them to what was a shady part of Las Vegas. Harper thought her old apartment building was bad. This area was way worse. It was the kind of place you expected to find squatters and addicts, and should worry that you might be hit by a stray bullet. The building itself was covered in graffiti and strange yellow stains, and it also looked charred in places. Many of the windows were grimy while others were broken or bordered.



"Again, I'll watch over the car," said Levi.



Since there were small groups of shifty people scattered around, Harper figured that was a good idea. 



Tanner opened the rear door so that Knox and Harper could slide out. Knox led the way as they headed to the building, and Tanner remained behind her – they were boxing her in, protecting her. It galled her on one level, but she decided to let it go.



Some dubious-looking juveniles were sat on an old couch outside, smoking and drinking. Humans, she sensed. They boldly stared, but something on Knox's face made them look away. They might not know what he was, but they were wise enough to sense the danger in him.



The front door creaked as Knox pulled it open. Harper's nose wrinkled. The air was dank and dusty. She could smell pot, urine, dirt, and something …  wrong. Rancid. Yep, this place was definitely much worse than her old address. Glass, cans, used needles, and other trash was scattered along the floors and stairwells. It was dim, thanks to the loose wiring hanging out of a hole in the ceiling where a lightbulb should be.



Knox looked at the broken elevator. "She lives on the third floor, apartment B."



"Then up we go," said Tanner.



Knox again walked ahead as they climbed the cluttered stairs. She was almost surprised when no rats or cockroaches skittered past them. The walls sure were thin, because Harper could hear tenants arguing, laughing, and blasting their music.



Finally, they reached Talia's apartment door. Knox knocked, but there was no response. He knocked again, louder this time.