Chapter 24 Demons Kinda Stink.
Demons Kinda Stink.
Iwoke up to the smell of fresh bread. Actually, my stomach growling woke me before the pleasantly nutty smell registered in my mind.
I rolled over, reaching out for Raymond, but he wasn’t there.
Draped across his side of the bed was my robe, and I took that as an invitation to join him for breakfast.
With my robe wrapped around my waist, I headed back out of the bedroom to the front area, where I found Raymond sitting on the sofa.
On the stone table was a platter of food, mostly pastries, but there were also some strange-looking fruits, colorful pieces with spots and fir.
I only assumed they were fruit because of the seeds I saw in the pre-sliced bites.
Next to the platter was a separate tray with a large pot of coffee and one mug. I inhaled the scent and smiled. It smelled just like the kind I had on Earth, only with a hint of spice.
“This is a lot of food.” I sat across from him and picked up a simple piece of bread. It was the safest looking thing on the platter. “Is it all safe for me to eat?”
“Yes, all of this is human approved. Eat up. You’ll need plenty of fuel for the trip.” He looked at me. “How do you feel?”
“Rested.” I nodded. “Metice was right about the rest and the food. I’m starving.”
“He has an annoying way of being right about things,” Raymond muttered.
“One day, you’re going to explain to me what’s the beef between you two.” I bit the bread and smiled at the fresh flavor. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. Ready to get this over with and get you back to your world where you belong. You shouldn’t be here.”
“Right.” I shouldn’t have, but I took that comment personally. It felt like he was saying I didn’t belong with him, and I didn’t like that at all.
Girl, stop! One minute, you’re blurting out to anyone who asks that you aren’t with the man. Now, you’re sitting here upset because he doesn’t want you on his planet! Damn.
Instead of questioning him about what the comment meant, I focused on the platter of food in front of me.
“Did you make this?” I pointed at the little pastry with peach-colored crème on top. It called to me, but I was still hesitant.
“No.” he laughed. “I purchased it.”
“Hmm.” My fingers hovered over the piece for a moment longer before I picked it up.
“You think I can’t afford it?” He sounded offended.
“I didn’t say that.” I bit into it and sighed as the flavor, more like lychee than peach, filled my mouth. “Actually, how does that work here? Do you have money like on Earth? What’s the currency?”
“Yes, we have a currency we use.” He sipped from the mug next to him. “But people also barter. Actually, most people prefer bartering. Typically, money, as you would call it, is only used in the major cities.”
“Interesting. And you still have money here?” I asked.
“Yes. It would seem after all this time, no one has taken mine.” He reached over to pour me a cup of coffee, which I picked up immediately.
“Is it like a bank account?” I sipped the coffee and frowned. It smelled like what I was used to, but the taste was far more acidic.
“No.” He shook his head. “Not an account.”
“Well, how do you keep it safe?” I frowned. “What’s stopping someone from stealing it? I doubt demons are any more honest than humans.”
“Hey, let’s not play the battle of the species,” he joked. “But to answer your question, magic. Most people have pouches coded to their signature that only open to their owner. I have a vault hidden deep within the ground. Most shadows do it that way. Safest way for us.”
“Hm, that’s all so interesting.”
“Is it?” He raised a brow.
“Yeah. And this is exactly why I asked you to put together a PowerPoint for me.” I put the coffee down after another careful sip. “I wouldn’t have so many questions now if you had.”
“If anything, you would have more questions.” He chuckled. “And I was never going to do that.”
“Because you’re no fun.” I stuck my tongue out then jumped at the sound of knocking on the door behind me.
“Looks like they’re here.” He stood from the sofa. “You should go get dressed. Take your time.”
I grabbed two more of the pastries from the platter and headed back into the bedroom. After devouring them while sitting at the foot of the bed, I got ready to go.
Near the back of the room was another door, and when I looked through it, I was relieved to find a fully-equipped bathroom.
He said take my time, but I didn’t want to make them wait too long, so I took a quick shower, nearly scalding my ass in the water, then dressed in the simple blue jeans and long sleeve shirt I’d packed.
I pulled my hair back into a loose bun, and I was ready to go.
“Where is everyone?” I asked Raymond when I emerged from the room to find him alone.
“Outside. Are you ready to go?” He held up a small sack. “I packed more food so you can eat while we travel.”
“Thank you.” I smiled because I was still hungry. “Anything besides that coffee to drink?”
“Water.” Raymond held up a glass bottle. “I have a few packed.”
“Perfect. Thanks.” I turned to look out the window, suddenly questioning if I really wanted to see his world. It was fine to sit back and imagine what was out there, but could I handle it?
Raymond’s hands gripped my shoulders as he moved to stand beside me. He lowered his lips to my right ear and whispered, “It's going to be okay. I promise.”
His hand slipped from my shoulder, and his fingers laced with mine.
That gave me the courage I needed. We left the condo and headed outside.
Raymond led me down a long flight of stairs.
I realized then it wasn’t a building full of different apartments, but one tall tower with a simple home at the top.
Somehow, it fit, knowing it belonged to Metice.
He didn’t seem like the type to want to be bothered with neighbors.
“What are those?” I’m sure my eyes nearly fell out of my head as soon as I saw those massive beasts.
They looked like horses, but their hair was fiery, and it looked like they had lava flowing through their flesh.
Behind them was a carriage. It was dark, but it also had ruffled curtains that made me think an evil queen would be inside.
“Those belong to Metice.” Raymond rolled his eyes. “So damn archaic.”
“That’s our ride.” Cufio appeared and pointed at a vehicle that floated above the ground.
That odd-looking vehicle resembled a hybrid of a bubble and an antique train car.
Large, curved windows were framed in brass, and through them, I could see four rows of seating all lined with plush cushions.
Two large glass pipes at the back emitted steam.
Though it floated above the ground, it also had wheels that looked like they could extend to the ground when not floating.
“Cool, huh? It uses a blend of hot air, static, and water to run,” Cufio boasted as he headed over to the vehicle.
He reached up and opened the door, and a ladder of metal steps folded out and dropped to the ground, making it easier to climb into the vehicle that sat at least four feet off the ground.
“Impressive.” I nodded, though a part of me wanted to ride in that carriage with the fire horses. Still, I knew that wouldn’t happen by the way Raymond was already pushing me toward the hover vehicle.
“Let’s go. We don’t want to be late,” Metice called as he stepped out of the carriage.
Behind him was a little blue creature. It looked almost like it would be called a dog on Earth, the kind only millionaires could afford and would tote around like accessories instead of pets.
It had enormous eyes and looked friendly, but something told me not to touch it. “What are we waiting for?”
“Nothing,” Raymond responded. “We’re all set. We’ll ride separately.”
“I figured as much.” Metice nodded, appearing unphased by the comment.
“Why do you have a denati with you?” Raymond pointed at the creature.
Metice grunted, glancing down at the little blue one. “It's a long story.”
“It's really not that long.” Cufio jumped at an opportunity to tease Metice. “That thing belongs to his girl, and if he doesn't take good care of it, he's going to be in a lot of trouble.”
“You know what? You're right—some things really do change.” Raymond turned, put his arm around my shoulder and headed for the strange bubble car. A soft chuckle rumbled through his chest, and it was the first time I had seen him express anything but disdain for Metice.
We climbed into the car, and I sat next to the window. Raymond sat next to me, opened a bottle of water, and handed it to me.
“Where’s Noville?” I asked when I realized the big guy wasn’t with us.
“He’s meeting us there,” Cufio answered, sitting behind the controls of the vehicle.
Ahead of us, the horses roared and took off, carrying the dark carriage behind them. We pulled out behind them.
The ride was quick enough and smoother than any I’d had on Earth.
We moved softly as we crossed through the hills, floating above the ground.
As we rode along, I looked out the windows.
It still surprised me how the Bane actually looked.
If you asked me where I was, I probably would have said somewhere on Earth, maybe Scotland or Ireland, where they film all the big budget fantasy movies, but now and then, I would see something that would make it so very obvious this was not Earth.
Like fuzzy trees and birds with six wings, little critters running across the grass with strange ears, textured skin, and vibrant colors that weren't natural to my world.
There are also beings the closer we got to the city, individuals who moved around.
As I watched them, it felt less appropriate to call them demons.