Part 18 (1/2)

Al took a breath to say something, and when he held it, head c.o.c.ked, my face went cold. Dragonfly wings. A slow smile spread across Al's face as he locked gazes with me.

”Jax?” I called, not seeing him but knowing the pixy was here. ”I didn't call him. I didn't call him, Jax! You've got to believe me!”

In a sprinkling of falling green dust, a pixy darted into the kitchen. Jax stared at us with his mouth hanging open. His hand was over his bi-cep, almost hiding a new tear in his s.h.i.+rt.

”I didn't call him,” I pleaded, and the young pixy's wings. .h.i.t a new high, his mouth moving, but nothing coming out. ”Jax, tell Nick not to come in!”

Jax darted to whatever pixy hole he'd come through. But it was too late, and I heard the k.n.o.b turn. ”Nick! No!” I shouted, running for the door.

I gasped as I ran right into Al, suddenly before me. It was like running into a tree. ”Nick!” I shouted. ”Don't come in! Nick! Get out!”

But with a thump of furious music from downstairs and the smell of Chinese takeout, Nick came into the shadowy apartment. Jax was a streak of silver, his voice high and unrecognizable as he panicked. ”Get out!” I shouted, stumbling when Al vanished, reappearing behind Nick in the open doorway. Oh G.o.d. Can this get any worse? Oh G.o.d. Can this get any worse?

Al shoved the door shut with one foot. ”Hi, Nicky.”

Yup, it can.

Nick spun, eyes wide. Dropping the takeout boxes, he scrabbled frantically for the slab circle in the corner. He didn't have a chance.

Al reached a white-gloved hand out and snagged him like an errant kitten, holding him up by the scruff of his neck and giving him a shake. ”Got you, you little wizard.”

Nick choked, spinning slightly with his toes just touching the floor. ”Little... b.i.t.c.h,” he gagged, face red and long hair brus.h.i.+ng Al's fingers. ”You little b.i.t.c.h. I trusted you... ”

”Jax! No!” I exclaimed, hands high as I got between Al and the pixy. He'd get himself killed. ”Take the high ground and look for an opening. You can't take a demon by the front!”

Al looked at me in question from over his gla.s.ses, but the small pixy had withdrawn in frustration, and that's all I was after.

”It's not what it looks like,” I babbled to Nick. ”Al, let him go. You can't snag him. He's with me.” I looked at Pierce, but the man was standing in the kitchen beside the coffeepot with his arms crossed, an annoyed expression on his face.

It smelled like the demons' mall that Al had taken me to once, the burnt amber mixing with the smell of green things, takeout, and brewing coffee. Al grinned to show his thick, flat, blocky teeth, clearly pleased as he held Nick up off the floor with one white-gloved hand. ”No,” he said. ”He owes me. Got a mark and everything. I need some help in the kitchen, and since the runt over there is babysitting you, this will have to do.”

I looked at Pierce standing in the kitchen beside the gurgling coffeepot. He wasn't doing anything! But then... what did I expect him to do? It was Al.

Nick's choking started to sound serious and his face went red. ”Al, you're hurting him!” I exclaimed. ”One mark doesn't give you the right to take him, and you know it. Let him go!”

”Make me,” the demon said with a snicker, and Nick's legs started to twitch. ”Let me jump you to a line, worm. It will be easier that way.”

Was I going to have to force Al to hold to his agreement every b.l.o.o.d.y time? ”Don't push me on this, Al,” I said, pulse fast as I rocked on the b.a.l.l.s of my feet. I could hear Jax's wings, and prayed he'd stay out of the way. ”You agreed. No snagging people with me unless you have a prior claim, and you don't have one on Nick! Let him go!”

”I was a fool to have... trusted you,” Nick said, gagging, hatred in his bloodshot eyes as spittle formed between his lips.

”This wasn't my idea,” I barked at him. ”I didn't summon him, he just showed up! Al, let him go!” I tugged the demon's arm, but nothing moved.

”Wah, wah, wahh,” Al said sarcastically. ”You knew what you were getting into, little Nicky. When you invite a demon into your home, you get what you get.”

My face went cold. I let go of Al's arm and dropped back. Nick, clawing at Al's grip on his throat, sent his eyes to mine. ”I'm not a demon,” I said, knees wobbling.

Al pulled out a pocket watch and looked at it. ”Technically, perhaps, but one can't help one's birth, can one? Ta. Must dash. Lots to do tonight.”

”Rachel-” Nick choked out, fear thick on him as he struggled to find his feet and get out of Al's grip. ”I'll get you for this. I promise.”

”Don't be gauche,” Al said before my mouth opened, all playfulness gone from his cultured voice. ”You did this to yourself-summoning Rachel to the West Coast with my name? Don't deny it. I can still smell the stink of broken dreams on you.” Nick's eyes squinted shut when Al pulled him close and breathed deeply of his hair. ”No need to change names, now, love,” the demon said. ”I'd think you'd be glad to be rid of him, seeing as he put you in Alcatraz.”

”We had a deal,” I tried again, hearing the soft sound of Pierce pouring a cup of coffee. ”If you don't let him go, I swear... ”

Al arched his eyebrows at me, waiting. At my shoulder, Jax started humming nervously.

”You're not teaching me c.r.a.p,” I said, voice shaking. ”And you're all but ignoring not one, but two agreements we have. What by G.o.d's little green apples are you doing for me?”

He hesitated, and I exhaled, pus.h.i.+ng out all the tension. ”Newt would love me to be her student,” I said, and Al squinted at me from over his gla.s.ses. ”Either you start making good or I have no reason not to accept. h.e.l.l, I'd get rid of Pierce that way. Maybe I should.”

”You wouldn't,” Al intoned, and Nick took a gasping breath as Al's fingers loosened.

”Why not?” I was shaking, and I crossed my arms over my chest to try to hide it. ”Who's watching her?” I asked. ”Anyone? She killed Minias, didn't she?”

”Rumor has it.” Al loosened his fingers a touch more, and Nick's feet touched the carpet.

I felt a surge of strength. ”How would all you good old boys like it if us girls got together? Huh? Wouldn't that be great? I'm sure she'll remember everything, eventually.”

Al's eyes narrowed. I arched my eyebrows, wis.h.i.+ng I could do the one-eyebrow trick, and he frowned. ”You're not worth it,” he muttered, and shoved Nick away.

The human went flying, hitting the door and sliding to the floor beside the spilled Chinese food. His hand was around his neck, and he was gagging, trying to get more air into himself than was possible. Jax flew to him and I slumped, feeling sick. I couldn't stomach going to Newt. But Al knew better than to call me on this bluff. If I got mad enough, I would.

”I'll see you both on Sat.u.r.day,” the demon said to me, gesturing for Pierce to hand him the cup of coffee. ”No more parties, itchy witch.”

”Looking forward to it,” I said, glowering back at him. Sat.u.r.day wasn't going to be fun, but at least stupid-a.s.s Nick would be safe and sound in reality where he belonged.

Jax's wings were loud as he hovered over Nick, and the human was stumbling to his feet, using the wall for balance as he glared at me like he wanted to kill me. Al, though, was taking a sip of coffee, his eyes momentarily closing in bliss. Opening, they fixed on Nick. ”Hard to imagine, my itchy witch speaking out for you. What twisted way will you find to thank her?” he mocked. ”If I find you alone, I will will take you.” He s.h.i.+fted his gaze to Pierce, unrepentant as always. ”We're going to talk, runt,” he said, voice hard. take you.” He s.h.i.+fted his gaze to Pierce, unrepentant as always. ”We're going to talk, runt,” he said, voice hard.

”Get out of here,” Nick rasped, and in a soft haze of ever-after, Al was gone.

I took a slow breath, my knees starting to shake. ”d.a.m.n it!” I shouted, startling myself as I realized what had happened. I'd saved Nick, but what about me? ”d.a.m.n it to the Turn. d.a.m.n it all to h.e.l.l and back!” I made a fist, but there was nothing to hit. I hadn't gotten my name back. I was just as screwed as I was when I'd been sitting in Alcatraz. ”Just one break,” I shouted at the ceiling. ”Why can't I have just one lousy break?” Depressed, I slumped at the kitchen table. ”Just one?” I asked, voice high and squeaky.

”Rachel!” Pierce shouted, and my head came up. Eyes widening, I looked up to see Nick coming at me with that knife. Gasping, I slid from the chair to under the table. Hand reaching behind me, I found my splat gun and pointed it at him.

Nick slid to a stop, holding the knife pointed backward and looking like he knew how to use it. ”I trusted you,” he rasped, his free hand on his throat, his blue eyes almost black in the dim light. Al's handprint was clear on his neck, and his eyes were wild.

”I just saved your a.s.s!” I shouted from under the table, shaking. My aim, though, never s.h.i.+fted.

”I trusted you!” he shouted again. ”I brought you into my homel homel And you summoned And you summoned him him into it. I should have let you bleed out in that library. I should have walked away and let you die! My life has been one s.h.i.+t fest after another since I met you!” into it. I should have let you bleed out in that library. I should have walked away and let you die! My life has been one s.h.i.+t fest after another since I met you!”

Pierce was moving cautiously forward to get between us, his eyes on Nick, not the knife. His hands were utterly devoid of magic, which made me feel better. The gun I had pointed at Nick was starting to shake, but I wouldn't drop it.

”Your life has been a s.h.i.+t fest?” I shouted, and Pierce halted. ”Don't talk to me about a s.h.i.+t fest! I just bluffed my way out of you you becoming Al's latest blow-up doll!” becoming Al's latest blow-up doll!”

Someone pounded on the wall, a m.u.f.fled voice demanding we shut up.

”You can get Turned for all I care!” I continued. ”And for your information, I didn't summon Al! He just showed up! He does that! My life has been h.e.l.l since I met you, Nick. You saddled me with a demon mark and got this started. I don't owe you anything! Anything!” Anything!”