Chapter 21
Kris
Ever seen a bunch of incredibly intelligent, physically fit people go loose? Like, no bars held, all the alcohol and snacks kind of loose?
I had a house full of them if anyone wanted free entertainment.
After we’d cleaned up, we all retreated to my house.
Démas had handled the police, as of course they’d been called.
He’d used his calm, charming manner to explain what had happened, that the danger was over, and that Walmart was safe to enter once more.
We’d tried to straighten out some of the shelves, but even with this many people, it was impossible to put the displaced shelves back.
Sadly, that would be the job of some poor shmuck.
I didn’t envy the employees the cleanup.
People were too wired to think about sleep, so instead we’d ordered in snacks from any place still operating at this godforsaken hour, and the party had commenced. It was nearly midnight, but who was I to argue that they didn’t get a post-victory celebration?
I’d given the huodou every peanut butter bone I had. They absolutely deserved it after all the work they’d done. They’d happily retreated out to the yard to gnaw on them, making quite the drooling pile of fluff in my backyard. I maybe snuck a few pictures.
All the gnarly tension that had turned my stomach into knots and made me doom-plan was finally gone with the battle won.
It was an amazing high to have that notch in our belt.
To know we’d come out relatively unscathed.
The fight had looked terrifying at moments, with people not knowing what to even try next as each weapon failed to leave any lasting impact.
My heart had climbed up my throat when I’d put a bullet into Annabelle and the demon hadn’t done more than flinch.
Like, that was a perfectly nice bullet, how dare you ignore it!
I’d really thought we were doomed. Because if a .
308 couldn’t take something down, then the next option was a nuke, in my book.
I’d been so scared for Zhen, out there with a gun in one hand, a sword in the other.
A steel-spiked ball had stayed lodged in my throat, making it hard to breathe or swallow.
When those black ribbons had shot out to grab him, I’d almost picked up the gun and gone racing to him.
Then when Annabelle had taken out the lights and speakers, that had really sent my terror into overdrive.
So, yes, I was super stoked we’d come through the fight with Annabelle safely caged.
And us alive. And not possessed. Triple win all around.
The original caretakers had shown up at that point to take Annabelle into custody.
The doll had been handed over after some stern words from Gramps and Dad, so they knew not to check Annabelle again with normal baggage.
Jesus, I still couldn’t believe they’d done that.
At the very least, make it a carry-on so you could do something if it started escaping.
Wasn’t that common sense? Anyway, the demon was back to being their problem.
I never, ever wanted to face a demon doll ever again. Thanks for asking.
My slayer buddies weren’t the only ones too wired for sleep—which was why I stood in my kitchen, churning out snacks. I sliced up some apples to put with the cheese and crackers, always a favorite at gatherings. Probably because we just never outgrew Lunchables.
Tiffany made her way toward me. Not walked—she didn’t have that kind of coordination in her petite frame right now—but weaved and managed to not trip over her feet in the process. “Kris. Krisssss, don’t you agreeee?”
“Agree with what?” I didn’t even bother looking up as I transferred apples to plate. Whatever she said was going to be nonsense, and I didn’t actually need to do more than make huh noises.
“That we live in the junk draweriest of times!”
I paused. Okay, that actually sounded about right and I couldn’t formulate why. “Sorry?”
“’Cause think ’bout it, back in the day”—she hiccupped, her wine glass weaving through the air in illustration, and, seriously, how was she doing that without spilling a drop?
—“everyone was, like, in their own space, y’know?
The Norse mythology stayed in its area, and the Afrikaans stuff stayed in its spot, and the Aboriginal stuff stayed in its country, and no one was crossin’ the streams. Pshhhhh.
And then airplanes and boats and social media came along and BAM!
It’s all mixed together. Like a damn junk drawer. ”
Drunk she might be, but wrong? No, I didn’t think she was wrong. “You’re making a really good point.”
Tiffany beamed. “Aren’t I?”
“The junk draweriest of times, huh?” I snorted. “That sounds like it needs to be a bumper sticker. I’ve been looking for your group’s merch ideas, can I yoink this idea?”
“I yeet it to you!” Tiffany beamed. Then blinked at the plate near my elbow and promptly stole cheese and crackers. “Oooh, cheese.”
I pulled my phone from my pocket and made a note of that line for merch.
“You’re soooo badass,” Tiffany said, with no segue whatsoever.
Sliding the phone back into my pocket, I eyed her with amusement. “Because I feed you cheese?”
“Naw, ’cause your spine’s made of steel, babes.
” For a moment, it was like she wasn’t drunk but very much present, her brown eyes steady on mine.
“You barely had your feet wet when you got thrown into the deep end. Zhen was really worried about you because, even growin’ up surrounded by all this, it’s hard on us.
Too many mythologies, creatures, and religions to keep track of.
It’s why we’re constantly conferrin’ with each other.
We ain’t got time to learn it all. Here you are, barely knowin’ how to protect yourself, and wadin’ in anyway. I wouldn’t’ve done it.”
I froze, surprised to hear that admission. “You wouldn’t?”
“Nope!” She popped the p before knocking back more wine. “Zhen’s pretty, but not that pretty. I woulda said no way, no siree, I’mma waitin’ in the car. I wouldn’t’ve gone in.”
The car wouldn’t have been a safe harbor, but I took her meaning.
“So you, lady, have metaphorical balls of steel. I wanna be friends.”
I was kinda riding a high right now. I was impressive?
I’d always compared myself to Zhen, but Tiffany thought I was handling this like a pro?
I was taking her compliment and running with it.
I also believed her offer sincere, though she’d looked entirely too proud of saying metaphorical without tripping.
I thought Tiffany too cool for words, and honestly, I’d love to have more friends.
Girlfriends had always been hard for me to manage, and a girlfriend who knew this unpredictable other world I lived in would be all the better.
“I’d love to be friends.” I leaned over and hugged her, enjoying the way her small frame held me tight.
She let go and asked, soprano voice shrill with excitement, “Ya wanna read books together and drink wine and cuddle kittiessss before I go home?”
“Girl, that’s the best offer I’ve gotten in months. Let’s make sure we do it.”
Kelly darted into the kitchen with a weather eye over her shoulder like she was escaping pursuit. I looked past her, expecting someone to be chasing her, but no? Everyone was sprawled out in the living room, dining room, and some in my library. I could hear the multiple conversations from here.
“Kelly?” Was I missing something?
She paused, saw how close Tiffany and I were standing with her arm around my waist, and immediately pouted. “Noooo! You got to her already!”
“Snooze you lose!” Tiffany wasn’t the least bit apologetic.
I was definitely coming in on act three here. No idea what these two were talking about.
“I wanna be friends too!” Kelly’s shoulders drooped with disappointment.
Eh? Come again?
I didn’t know Kelly much. Most of our phone calls to set up the social media pages, while lighthearted and friendly, had been mostly business oriented.
Just like I didn’t know Tiffany well. They’d been super busy trying to battle and track a demon-possessed doll since they’d arrived, but Zhen had told me stories about both of them.
I knew they were people he genuinely liked and trusted.
And I’d chatted with them a little online. No harm in being friends, right?
“Kelly, I don’t have a cut-off number for friends,” I said with considerable exasperation, “so if you want to be friends— Whoa!”
My feet were suddenly dangling in the air and, holy shit, she was strong! Like, Zhen’s kind of strength. I laughed, because it felt a little absurd to be dangling like this, but hugged her back.
She set me down on the counter, of all places, grinning from ear to ear. “Then let’s make a group chat with just us girls.”
“That sounds great. What should we call it?”
Tiffany crowded in, bouncing in place. “Name it Da Girls!”
Smiling, I pulled out my phone to create the group chat. “Cute. Da Girls it is.”
“Also, your sister and Jo Jo are a thing?” Tiffany glanced over her shoulder, lips pursed. “They’re strangely cute together.”
“Oh, they’re adorable, and it’s breaking my brain, even though I suggested it.
” Just proved people existed to be baffling.
“I hope they pan out. Charlotte’s not got much dating experience, and her recent brush with men was…
a trainwreck. To put it bluntly. Zhen mentioned Jo Jo’s got limited dating history too. ”
“It’s hard bein’ a demon hunter and tryin’ to date.
” Tiffany’s face scrunched up. “We tend to marry other hunters because we need someone who understands the wild schedules, the dangers, and why we take the precautions we do. Not everyone outside of the biz can adapt like you and your sexy brain did, Kris.”
“Well, I had to adapt or go under. Not much choice with me.”
Kelly nodded so enthusiastically she had to balance herself against the counter. “Still, from what Zhen told us, you did it with grace.”