23. Just Hear me Out.
Just Hear me Out...
Ahard shove planted squarely in the middle of his back nearly had Malachi dropping Reena.
At her frightened whimper, he clutched her tighter to his chest and slowly turned, narrowing his gaze dangerously at Jaxon.
The officer’s fists were clenched at his side, fingers turned white with the strength of his rage.
The fury coming from him was like a strong wind, battering against Malachi’s body.
He took in Jaxon’s flared nostrils and thinned lips, the barely restrained violence tensing every muscle.
“I’m assuming you don’t wish to die this evening,” he drawled as he passed Reena to Flick without looking.
“So, I’m going to give you a second to explain yourself before I murder you in this parking lot.
” He nodded decisively as Hellfire flashed in his eyes and flared in his hands as his talons elongated.
“Chuck will get over it; you’re kind of a douche anyway. ”
Snarling, Jaxon stepped up to Malachi, his eyes as close to burning with Hellfire as a human could accomplish, ignoring the actual flames dancing wickedly in the demon’s hands.
“What the hell was that all about? You damn near started a blood bath, showed humans your demon side, and all for what? You dropped it like it was nothing? What was the point of almost getting us killed? Make it make sense, Malachi!”
Raising a fist, Malachi slowly extinguished his flames and retracted his talons, giving Jaxon a chance to back up.
Then he moved his hand level with Jaxon’s angry, twisted features.
He uncurled his fingers and brought his pointer closer to Jaxon’s nose, then rapped it sharply at the end.
“Boop!” he sang cheerfully before taking a step back.
Jaxon blinked several times, his tiny human brain taking a moment to process what had just happened.
His hand flew to his face, and he covered his nose, eyes close to crossing as he stared in disbelief at the appendage.
Finally, his gaze lifted to Malachi, before flitting briefly to the side, where Flick was making a strange huffing gurgle while his face was buried in Reena’s fur.
The small dog was also wheezing in her funny way, laughing at the scene before them.
Angrily, Jaxon whipped his glare back to Malachi as he dropped his hand. “Did you seriously just boop me?”
“Yep!” Malachi announced cheerfully, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his heels. “Seemed like a good way to de-escalate the situation. Nickerdoodle did that to me the other day.” He shrugged unapologetically. “Anyway, took your mind off the situation, didn’t it?”
Nodding in stunned agreement, Jaxon finally shook his head wearily.
“Fucking demons,” he muttered, running his fingers through his hair before huffing out his own laugh.
A short burst of mirth, quickly followed by a second, longer one.
Soon, Jaxon was bent over, hands on his knees, belly laughing for all he was worth.
Flick and Luna joined in the laughter while Malachi smirked, taking Reena back and setting her down so she could investigate a nearby fire hydrant.
“Okay, time for full disclosure,” Malachi said, patting Jaxon on the shoulder as the man straightened, wiping his eyes. “I need a favor.”
“Funny way of asking for one,” Jaxon muttered warily. He was eyeing Malachi the way a mouse eyed a snake that was rearing back to strike, despite claiming to be friends.
Waggling his head side to side, Malachi grinned with a mischievous quirk to his lips.
Tossing his hair back, he chuckled. “Let’s be completely honest for a minute, Jaxxy-poo…
” He continued quickly over the officer’s protest at the nickname.
“If I came to you and just flat out asked you for a favor, you’d have turned me down right away without even listening.
You’d be suspicious and probably would have suspected an ulterior motive.
All fair points on your end by the way”—he poked Jaxon in the chest—“I am a demon after all, albeit mostly retired.”
Flick snorted disdainfully and mumbled under his breath. “Retired.”
Appearing to ignore his cousin outwardly, he stared at Jaxon while he sent Flick a private thought: pipe down or I’ll tie your hair around your ball sack so tight it will take a pair of rusty garden shears to get it loose. Not helping here.
With wide eyes, Flick nodded and turned to catch up with Reena, who was now sniffing the tires of the row of motorcycles parked in front of the dive bar.
Smiling convincingly at Jaxon, Malachi waited for the man to catch up.
Finally, he heaved a sigh of relief as Jaxon nodded once, agreeing with his earlier statement.
“So… this favor involves Lunatoons,” Malachi explained, waving one hand at the other demon who had been standing there quietly, listening.
Turning to look at her, Jaxon studied Luna as she stood, hands folded demurely in front of her stomach.
Her eyes were wide and doing a much better job of appearing innocent than Malachi could ever hope to be.
Then again, centuries of tormenting souls and fighting in unholy wars were significantly harder to cover up.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jaxon closed his eyes and shook his head. “I know I’m going to regret this, probably immediately, but I’ll listen. Against my better judgment, what’s the favor?” He peeked at Luna again, perhaps looking for a clue as to what fuckery was about to befall him.
“It’s nothing big. Adopt Lulubean as your K-9 partner!” Malachi announced with a cheerful tone that belied the nuclear bomb he’d just dropped on Jaxon.
“No! Absolutely not!” Jaxon blurted, his tone full of horror.
He took a shocked step back and almost tripped over a curb in his haste.
Regaining his balance, he turned to Luna.
“Look, I’m sure you’re a perfectly lovely person, uh…
demon… angel… whatever, but I can’t do that.
” He whirled back to Malachi. “Are you crazy? What the actual fuck is wrong with you?”
Sighing, Malachi stared at the pavement, looking to Satan for guidance.
“What’s wrong with me?” he repeated rhetorically.
“Where do I start? Hmm… I guess the easiest answer is: I’m a fucking demon!
” He roared this last sentence, enjoying the way Jaxon’s usually perfect hair blew back in the brimstone-laden wind that accompanied his shout.
Waiting as the man nodded meekly, he crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his freshly re-sprouted talons in irritation to ensure Jaxon’s attention.
“Alright, background time. Moonbeam is half angel, half demon. Because of that, she’s actually nicer than Flick and me combined.
She’s behind the string of church burglaries and vandalism.
” He held up one talon to stall Jaxon’s comments at that statement.
“Not done,” he snapped. “She did it to get our attention and ask for help. Want to know why? Sure you do. Someone is trying to kill her, possibly even Chuck, to get to Chuck’s uncle, who’s a whole damn angel.
” This time he let Jaxon react as the man grabbed Luna’s elbow and pulled her closer in a protective embrace.
“Someone’s trying to kill her? And Chuck?” Jaxon’s eyes gleamed with anger again. “Not on my watch,” he growled in a fair imitation of Malachi.
Relieved, as Jaxon had reacted exactly how he hoped, Malachi continued. “Yeah, so that’s what we need help with. Lunar Landing needs somewhere safe to hide. Who better to protect her than someone whose literal job is to protect and serve?”
“Humans,” Jaxon snapped irritably. “My job is to protect and serve, humans.”
Popping his hands on his hips, Malachi tilted his head.
“Now that’s just hurtful. And speciesism.
I mean, good grief; a servant of truth and justice and you don’t want to protect all life?
That’s not very progressive of you. I swear you’re worse than that asshole angel.
” Shaking his head in disbelief, he blew out a sorrowful breath.
“I’m surprised, Jaxon. I truly thought you were better than that.
So did Chuck; it’s why she agreed to this. Couldn’t you at least consider it?”
Jaxon had the grace to look uncomfortable before he rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he relented, his voice tired as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Continue.”
Nodding in justified victory, Malachi resisted the urge to rub it in.
Barely. After all, they still needed Jaxon’s help.
“Like I said, someone is after her. She can’t stay with us; that makes Chuck too easy a target.
Glenda and Nathan have taken her in as a guest for now, but she needs to practice being a human and learning how to mainstream.
We thought being a K-9 worked for me; why not for Lunatic Asylum?
But Nathan said he’s too old to be a K-9 handler.
So, we all thought of you!” He beamed, not sharing that by all…
he meant all his forms. Demon, human, canine.
Chuck had taken some convincing, but she had eventually come around.
Jaxon didn’t need to know about that part.
Luna, who had been silent for the most part, finally spoke up.
“Please, Jaxon?” she pleaded with wide doe eyes.
“I saw the way you were willing to protect me in there, even knowing what I am. I don’t fit in anywhere.
No one wants me, but that doesn’t mean I want to give up and let them kill me.
I don’t want to die, and I only took those church things to get Malachi and Chuck’s attention.
Ask them; I already gave the things back undamaged.
I don’t want them to get hurt. Honestly, I don’t want anyone to get hurt.
I guess that’s my angel side talking. But that in there…
” She waved toward the bar. “It was a chance to see if you could handle it.” She timidly wrapped her dainty fingers around his wrist. “Please?” Her eyes filled with unshed tears, amplifying their pleading stare.
Jaxon slumped, then protested mildly, “She’s not a dog!”
“She has a dog form as well, a Labrador mix,” Malachi explained.
“I can’t have a dog in my apartment.”
“I’ll take care of that.”
“We aren’t looking for a new K-9 at the moment.”
“I’ll take care of that, too.”
“You can’t keep saying that.”
“I can if it’s true. C’mon Jaxster, just trust me. Do it for Chuck.”
“I’m going to regret this.”