6. CHAPTER #3
“Simmer down,” Q. scolded as he handed off the giant stack of paperwork to Francis. “Now! Human.” He beckoned for Indy to approach. “Come here, little one.”
Indy stood, surprised that he was able to move on his own now. He stepped up beside Mr. Heiss and nearly jumped when Mr. Heiss put his hand at the small of his back. “Hi. Sir. Hello, sir.”
Q. offered a tense but polite smile. “Please tell us who killed Mr. Kalt.”
Indy glanced at Mr. Heiss, saw him nod, and then slowly replied, “It was Mr. Heiss.”
“No one else?”
“No?” Indy was confused. “Mr. Heiss pulled his head off right in front of me. Pretty sure his blood is going to be stuck in my pores until the next time I can exfoliate. You know, with a brick.”
Q.’s upper lip twitched into what may have been an effort to hide a laugh. “Very good.”
“Wait, that’s it?” Indy blinked. “Mr. Heiss isn’t, like, in trouble for murdering him? This is it? Was kinda expecting this to be a much bigger deal—”
“Sit down,” Mr. Heiss said firmly.
“What? I didn’t even have to put my hand on a Bible or anything.”
“Sit down.”
“God. Fine!” Indy retreated back to the chaise.
Q.’s eyes scanned the table. “Does anyone else have any claims to Mr. Kalt’s assets?”
“No,” Absolis and Vilanos replied in unison.
“There is a matter of a small debt. Trivial really.” Lou leaned across the table and smiled sweetly at Mr. Heiss. “But I trust my brother and I will settle it in private.”
“Will we?” Mr. Heiss made a face.
“Yes.” Lou was able to make the word sound like a threat.
Q. gestured at Mr. Heiss. “Will you acquiesce to his request?”
Mr. Heiss gritted his teeth but nodded, his tail snapping like a whip. “Of course. Anything for my dear brother.”
Lou smiled, and it was very smug.
The woman glanced between Indy and Lou, whispering loudly, “Is this about the young man or the other thing?”
Lou faced away from Indy, clearing his throat. He was clearly saying something to her, but Indy had no idea what.
The woman’s eyes widened. She looked right at Indy and smiled nervously.
Uh-huh.
Right, because that wasn’t suspicious at all.
“Very well.” Q. raised his hand. “If there are no other claims from the family—”
“Oh, we have a question!” Vilanos piped up.
“We do,” Absolis confirmed.
“And it needs an answer.”
“What is it?” Mr. Heiss snapped.
“It is so very unfortunate that you had to murder Mr. Kalt,” Absolis said.
“Very unfortunate,” Vilanos agreed. “But you haven’t shared with us why you had to kill him?”
“Yes, why?” Absolis batted his lashes. “Whatever is going on in your territory, brother?”
“Must be something awful that you have to murder your own kind.”
“Absolutely awful indeed.”
Mr. Heiss growled low but replied quietly, “Mr. Kalt was working with Mr. Mitternacht. They are both traitors to the family and have instead sworn themselves to the mostri ribelli’s cause.” He glared. “Any other questions you’d like to ask that you already know the answers to?”
Absolis and Vilanos beamed.
“Two demons are working with the mostri?” Lou shouted. “Hellborn demons?”
“Yes, that is what is indicated by their names,” Mr. Heiss drawled. “I’m so proud you remembered that.”
“Is there anything else you’re not telling us?” Q. asked, his calm demeanor cracking ever so slightly. “If the mostri ribelli were involved, this potentially affects the entire family. The entire city.”
Mr. Heiss narrowed his eyes. “I’m aware, and trust that the issue is being handled.”
“Where is Mr. Mitternacht?” Lou demanded, the shoulders of his suit bulging as if he was fighting to remain human and not transform. “Do you have any idea how much harm he could cause?”
“I will find him.”
“Oh? Will you?” Lou scoffed. “I heard two of your pets were in the hospital and the other is missing. You didn’t have these problems when you still had an angel to boss around. Sariel really was doing most of the heavy lifting for you, wasn’t he?”
“I am more than capable of handling my own house.” Mr Heiss smiled suddenly.
“How about you worry about yours, hmm? Which reminds me. Did you ever finish burying all your dead from that plague? You saved so many, but countless more still died, right?” He winked.
“Maybe ask Sariel to do some of the lifting. He loves cemeteries, but dead children do make him a bit sad, so bring tissues.”
“You fucking bastard.” Lou growled, and his eyes glowed. There was the distinct sound of fabric ripping, and a big werewolf transformation seemed to be imminent.
The big dog was up, his tail wagging. “Can I eat him? Let’s take his shoes first. They’re full-grain calfskin leather.”
“Lou,” the woman soothed, “how about I make some tea? Hmm? Some nice tea with—”
“Enough,” Q. warned, his own eyes turning black and glittering like two voids opening directly into space.
“Until I believe that Mr. Heiss is not capable of controlling his realm and those who hail from it, he remains in charge and his authority is not to be questioned.” He scowled at Lou.
“Just as I trust you with yours. Understood?”
Lou snarled, but he slowly nodded.
“Now.” Q. tilted his head side to side, cracking his neck as he settled back down. “We do have an outside claim to Mr. Kalt’s assets. A Mr. Nyp. He says that he has several standing debts with Mr. Kalt and is now seeking reimbursement. Do we agree to hear him?”
The twins both flicked their hands in a very whatever way.
Lou grumbled something that sounded affirmative.
“Fine.” Mr. Heiss snapped his tail. “Let’s hurry this up.”
Francis scurried to the doors so he could open them. He stepped aside to allow a new monster through and then ushered him up to the table to stand between Mr. Heiss and the twins.
A demon.
Great. Fabulous. Fun.
The demon was broad but lean, and he was dressed in a very loud purple suit with a red bow tie.
His skin was pale green, his eyes yellow, and his hair was an exciting shade of lime.
His smile had an off-centered slant to it that was rather charming, and there was something about him that gave car salesman vibes in a strangely endearing way.
Like, yes, he worked for commission, but he wanted to earn it honestly.
Weird.
After all, he was a demon, and Indy knew better than most to never trust a cute smile.
“Mr. Nyp,” Q. said cordially. “Welcome.”
“Oh, please. Just Nyp.” Nyp bowed his head. “My sincerest gratitude to the family for agreeing to see me. I know your time is valuable, so I’ll make this brief.”
“Of course. Now, what is the nature of the debts you claim Mr. Kalt owed you?”
“Monetary,” Nyp replied. “I was the distributor for Mr. Kalt’s businesses for both mortal libations and other.
I was willing to let him place orders on credit so he could continue to operate, but I’m afraid to say that he has not paid me in quite some time.
” He held out his hand, and a thick, uneven stack of paperwork appeared on the table in front of Q.
Francis squeaked, possessed with the joy of someone who had been given a new puppy.
Q. gestured for Francis to take it. “We’ll need some time to sort through these—”
Francis grabbed the paperwork and ran off.
“Take all the time you need,” Nyp said with a polite nod of his head. “I look forward to the family’s reply.” He gave Mr. Heiss a kind smile. “And please, accept my condolences for your loss.”
“Get fucked, Nyp,” Mr. Heiss said flatly.
Nyp grinned. “You first, Raph.”
Mr. Heiss was on his feet, the flames between his horns blazing and his wings cracking through the air so fast Indy felt it where he was sitting.
Indy knew there were many more important things to be focusing on in that moment—Raph?
Like the Ninja Turtle?—but he was completely enamored by the sight of Mr. Heiss’s wings.
They were dark gray, almost black, and absolutely massive. One furious flap blocked all the light from the sconces behind him, and it was then Indy could see glowing embers burning between the feathers and exposed bone. Bone, yes, because Mr. Heiss’s wings were not whole in the slightest.
Each one was a mangled amalgamation of bone, feathers, and charred chunks of tissue.
What feathers remained appeared to be intact, but a few dangled as if they could fall out at any moment.
A thin golden syrup of some kind seemed to be the only thing keeping them all together, and it bubbled as if being exposed to great heat while Mr. Heiss seethed.
Thwack.
A dark red tentacle covered in thick suckers whipped across the table from Q.’s sleeve, and though he spoke calmly, his voice filled the room and echoed as he commanded, “Enough.”
Nyp hadn’t budged. He’d barely flinched and simply continued to smile at Mr. Heiss, his stare unblinking and frankly creepy. “My apologies. Please forgive my rudeness.”
Mr. Heiss snarled. “I’ll forgive you after I’ve removed your worthless heart from your chest with my bare hands and fed it to you, you worthless fucking—”
Q.’s tentacle shuddered until the table creaked.
“Well,” the woman with Lou whispered, “somebody’s dill came right off their pickle, didn’t it?”
Indy snorted out a laugh.
He couldn’t help it because it made him think of Dill the leshy and maybe that he’d like that joke.
But now everyone was staring at him.
“Right. Sorry.” Indy coughed and swallowed back another snicker. “So, uh. Anyway.”
“We’re leaving.” Mr. Heiss put his wings away, the flames around his horns faded, and he marched toward Indy. He grabbed Indy’s arm and yanked him up from the chaise. “Right now.”
“Right now?” Indy grinned. “But we’ve been having so much fun.”
“Let’s go before I shove my fucking foot up your caboose.”
“Kinky.”