Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Dear Journal (NOT a fucking diary!),
I’ve been wracking my brain trying to think of what I have to offer Hal now that we’re dating. The list I managed to come up with was pathetically short. When I compare myself to him and how fucking great he is, I struggle to understand what he sees in me.
He seems to think I’m something special, but I don’t quite know why. I can see why Dr. P says the men I dated before fucked up my self-esteem. Still, Hal is so fucking epic, completely out of my league. I’m trying to remind myself that I can be the best fucking boyfriend he could ever have.
Unlike those past assholes, Hal’s not playing around on this whole dating thing.
He’s real fucking serious, like life partners serious.
It’s romantic as hell but also fucking terrifying.
But more and more, I’m letting go of any fear and grabbing hold of this.
Missing out on the chance at a lifetime of happiness with Hal?
Not happening. My grandma didn’t raise an idiot.
Hal will be the kindest, most caring, and most loving partner ever. I know that for sure. I only hope I can be the same for him.
—Skylar Wright’s Personal Journal
Skylar
One minute, naked gnomes are frolicking around in the back of the bar while Hal and I are having a super fucking romantic moment. The next, all hell breaks loose.
Akram’s standing guard with a motherfucking sword while a huge fucking portal starts swirling in front of him. Oh yeah, and all of a sudden a fucking pair of horns have appeared on his head.
Definitely not a guy I ever want to get on the bad side of.
Meanwhile, I’m frozen where I stand, a stupid-ass hairdresser caught in a supernatural version of headlights, staring at the black hole widening before us.
That’s when Hal uses his much larger body to shield mine from danger, just like a fucking hero out of one of those romance novels he loves so much.
Damn if it doesn’t make my jaded heart pitter-patter. So. Fucking. Sweet.
Amid the fleeing gnomes hightailing it out of the bar faster than the Q train’s express line through Brooklyn, an empty beer bottle is kicked my way.
That unfreezes my stupid body, and I grab it and hold the neck in my hand.
Improvised weapon ready to go. Wanting to protect me is sweet AF, but I’m not about to sit by and let Hal get hurt either.
And let’s face it—there’s no way gentle, caring Hal can fight half as dirty as I can when the shit hits the fan.
As the portal expands, Hal, Akram, and I find ourselves alone in the face of the unknown. Once the supernatural gateway to who the fuck knows where reaches the size of double doors, it stops growing. The darkness in it continues to swirl, all mysterious.
No fucking thanks. I’ve seen enough horror movies to know not to mess with that.
We all wait in tense silence, but after what feels like an eternity, nothing else happens.
Akram holds his sword over his shoulder and strides toward us, a grim set to his jaw. I involuntarily tighten my grip on Hal, still wary around the powerful and muscular djinn, especially now that I know he owns a huge fucking sword that could slice me in two.
“You two should get out of here,” he says. “An unmonitored portal isn’t safe.”
“That’s precisely why I’m not leaving you here alone,” Hal says, his brow furrowed in worry. “I would never leave a friend in need.”
My heart squeezes so fucking hard. Just when I didn’t think Hal could make me admire him more, he ups the damn ante.
I’m his partner now, so if he’s staying, so the fuck am I.
“Yeah,” I add. “Even if you have a huge-ass sword, you need backup in case all hell breaks loose. Solidarity, man.”
Akram grins. “I can look after myself. But I appreciate the sentiment.”
Hal pulls his phone out of his apron pocket. “Let me text Baxter. He’ll want to get over here ASAP.”
“How could something like this even happen?” I ask, darting a glance at the swirling black void that looks like something out of a creepy sci-fi movie.
Akram frowns. “It’s probably connected to the situation we discussed at the Community Gathering. Unstable magic can sometimes trigger a rogue portal ope—”
A loud cracking noise cuts off Akram’s words, and I’m momentarily blinded by a motherfucking bolt of lightning crashing into the room.
What the actual fuck?
I blink a few times, my eyes finally focusing on a new person added to our squad protecting the bar—Astraea, looking every inch the goddess she is: eyes glowing, hair swirling, long coat billowing around her.
“Son of a fae-fucking bitch,” she snarls at the portal.
“How did you know?” I ask. I’m also trying to wrap my head around the fact that, as far as I can tell, she rode a fucking bolt of lightning here.
She grimaces. “I’ve been around a portal opening or two in my time. Let’s just say I know what that energy feels like.” She stares at the sketchy-veering-on-ominous vortex. “Bloody fucking hell. This is the last thing we need right now.”
“Is it dangerous?” Hal asks, holding me close.
I pat him on the back with my free hand, keeping the beer bottle in my other.
No one and nothing’s getting the jump on me.
The front door of the bar slams open, and we all turn to see a debonair demon in a red velvet three-piece suit and a top hat with holes for the horns on his head fill the threshold, an ornate cane brandished in one hand. He saunters into the establishment as if he owns the place.
“Good evening,” he says in a drawling British accent.
“I came as soon as I felt the portal’s manifesting energy.
” He smiles at Hal and Astraea, then does a double take at the sight of Akram.
“It’s been ages since you let your horns show, my friend.
I’d nearly forgotten you had them.” He eyes the sword balanced on Akram’s shoulder.
“And it’s been even longer since I’ve seen the legendary Azrathul at hand. ”
Akram levels him with an unnerving stare. “I’ve told you before, we’re not friends.” His eyes narrow. “And the last time you saw Azrathul was during the Great War.”
The newcomer chuckles. “Always so surly, Akram. I’ll win you over one of these days. That old feud between the demons and the djinn was a foolish campaign instigated by our decrepit ancestors. Don’t you think we should let bygones be bygones?”
Akram huffs but says nothing.
The posh guy turns his attention to me and doffs his hat. “Ah, the newbie salon owner in our midst. Welcome. Kassiel Blackburn, at your service. I run Kassiel’s Couture and Consignment Shop.”
I give him an awkward wave with the empty beer bottle that I’m sure as hell not putting down. “Hi. Skylar Wright.”
“It’s a delight to have you in town. We’ve needed a real salon for ages.
” He runs a hand through his long, dark hair.
“Look at all these split ends. You simply must sign me up for an appointment as soon as you open. Yuki—that’s my darling mate—will also want to use your services, I’m sure.
” His gold-colored eyes go dreamy. “He loves to dye his hair such delightful colors.”
“Uh… sure. I would welcome your business.”
Kassiel beams.
“Son of a fae-fucking bitch,” Astraea says again. “Kassiel, any idea why a portal to the Demon Realm opened all of a sudden, or where it leads over there?”
Kassiel shakes his head. “No clue on either front, my dear. Hence why I have arrived so promptly.”
Astraea grinds her teeth, glaring at the giant opening to the unknown. “I suppose it’s better than a portal to the Fae Realm, at least. Who knows what kind of trouble that could bring.” She purses her lips.
I’m getting the sense she doesn’t like the fae. But I’m not gonna ask for any details.
Hal continues embracing me from behind like a big, hairy cocoon of comfort.
I use my free hand to stroke his arm while I hold my bottle weapon at the ready with the other.
If I thought I could use a sword, I’d ask Akram if he has another one lying around.
But I’m pretty sure I’d be more likely to injure myself.
Despite the tension in the air, I have to fight to stay alert since Hal’s warmth envelops me like a blanket and fills me with a kind of peace that’s worth its weight in gold.
For real, he could run a profitable business selling his hugs.
Not that I want him to. I kind of want to keep his hugs all for myself.
Focus, man!
I tighten my grip on the bottle’s neck. If it means keeping Hal safe, I’ll cut a bitch. Even if they’re from the Demon Realm.
Kassiel strolls closer to the vortex in order to study it. “Hmm. No sign of where it’s opened up on the other side, but I could pop over and get the lay of the land if you’d like.”
“Please,” Astraea says, nodding firmly. “We need to know what new clusterfuck could be on the horizon.”
Kassiel raises a finger to have us all pause, then pulls a cell phone out of his suit coat pocket. He taps the screen and holds the phone to his ear.
“Dearest darling, it’s me,” he coos. “We’ve got a bit of a sticky situation down here at Akram’s place.
” He nods. “Indeed. As I suspected, a portal to the Demon Realm has quite unexpectedly opened here.” He shakes his head.
“No, we’re not certain, but I’m going to pop over there to check things out.
” He’s quiet for a moment. “Yes, come and meet me down here, please. I promise I’ll be back in a jiffy. Love you too, darling.”
He hangs up and beams at us. “My mate, Yuki. He’d have my hide if I didn’t let him know where I was going.” He sighs dreamily. “He’s so deliciously possessive of me, you know.”
Astraea rolls her eyes. “Congratulations. Now that’s all taken care of, can you hurry things up before I’m tempted to start breathing fire in here?”
Akram clears his throat loudly. “Ahem. Please don’t.”
Kassiel flicks some invisible lint off his lapel and strolls over to the portal. “No need to get testy with me, goddess. I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”
With that, he steps into the black hole.
Astraea begins pacing. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she mutters.
My chill is gone. When a dragon goddess is this worried, I’m starting to think we might be fucked.
Maybe we should take Akram’s earlier advice and bail, although I have no clue how to convince Hal.
We all jump when the door to the bar once again slams open and Baxter strides inside, his bull-like nostrils flaring.
“What fresh hell is this?” he demands.
Astraea points a long, electric blue fingernail at the swirling vortex. “A godsdamn portal to the Demon Realm has decided to randomly open here without any warning.”
I tap Hal’s arm and he lets me go. My earlier chill has fucked off and I’m jonesing for a cigarette right about now.
Baxter shoots Akram a suspicious glance, but the djinn holds up his hands.
“Don’t look at me, I had nothing to do with this.
A portal opening in the middle of my bar isn’t exactly good for business.
” He sets his massive sword on the bartop—still keeping it within easy reach, I notice—and arches a dark eyebrow at the minotaur.
“In fact, I’d very much appreciate it if you would get your act together and find a way to close it.
You know, the whole protect and serve thing? ”
Baxter groans. “Just what we need right now.”
Astraea stares at the portal, gnawing on her bottom lip. “Kassiel is already scoping things out on the other side so we can get a better sense of what we’re dealing with.”
“Well, that’s something. I’m definitely glad we have a demon living in town at this moment,” Baxter grumbles.
The seconds tick by as we wait for Kassiel’s return.
Seeming to notice my jitteriness, Hal pulls a familiar homemade goody from his apron pocket and offers it to me. “Do you need a lozenge?”
My. Fucking. Hero.
“In the worst way,” I admit, taking one of Hal’s Craving Crushers and popping it in my mouth. I suck on the sweet, citrusy lozenge and try to stay calm.
“Are you okay?” Hal asks, a clear note of worry in his voice.
“Just on edge.” I point to my mouth. “This helps but I don’t like not knowing what’s on the other side of that portal and whether it plans to join us.” I lift my beer bottle in the air. “At least I’ve got an improvised weapon in case all hell—no pun intended—breaks loose. I’ll keep you safe, babe.”
Hal’s giving me heart eyes now. “My dashing hero.”
“For you? Fuck yeah.”
He’s already mine, so it’s only fair.
Hal’s answering smile is so bright it nearly blinds me.
“As Ryder would say, you’re being totally swoonalicious right now.”
“Maybe I’m a natural at this romance stuff,” I say, my voice gruff.
His bottom lip trembles. “I’m so happy right now.” He pauses. “Even with a gate to the Demon Realm maybe threatening our town.”
I’m pretty damn happy too.
And this date is definitely one we won’t forget.
Our little moment is interrupted when Astraea goes on high alert.
“I sense something coming.” Her eyes glow that freaky opalescent color. “Step back, everyone.”
We follow her command without question. None of us are stupid.
I grab Hal’s hand with my free one and squeeze it.
The portal crackles with energy and we all hold our breath.
For a second, nothing happens.
I bite down on the last bit of my lozenge, my crunching the only sound in the room.
Then something furry and fanged comes flying into the bar and straight at—
Me and Hal.