Divine Intervention and Choir Practice
“Mal!” came Chuck’s concerned yell over the din. All the roaring and rumbling was creating a significant ruckus, and Malachi could hear people in neighboring units screaming. Their cries were silenced as Jaxon barked orders to return to their homes and take cover.
Leery of the claws and worried for the innocents in the building—gross, but it would upset Chuck—Malachi made his decision.
“Alright, you asshole, I warned you!” he roared. “Lunado! Get the kid, take cover!” He saw her yank the child into her arms before diving over the couch to hide behind it.
Letting go of the intruder, Malachi turned to smoke and rippled around the other beast, reforming behind him.
He wrapped his arms around the demon’s middle and heaved, lifting the creature off his feet before he leaped back toward the window.
The lower arms tried to bend back and gouge him as the captive tried to keep fighting.
Without hesitation, Malachi broke through the glass and plummeted to the ground with the other demon still trapped in his embrace.
“Warned you, fucker! When you get back to Hell, be sure you tell your dickhead friends that I will end anyone who comes after my Chuck, my Luna, or me. And I’m letting you off easily.
Next time, it will be much messier. Later, ass wipe! ”
Swirling into smoke, Malachi flowed up the building once more, flitting into the broken window before reforming inside, leaning out to watch the demon splatter on the unforgiving concrete below.
Chuckling, Malachi smirked and flipped a double bird to the messy puddle that used to be his opponent.
A screech and cry had him whipping around to see Chuck standing in the doorway, one hand over her heart, the other over her mouth.
“You… you’re okay!” she shouted as she dropped her shaking hands, then winced.
“I heard the glass, and I thought… Right, dog form you two, quick, here come the others!” She ran forward, taking the child from Luna as she shifted back to her K-9 body.
Quickly she sat him down, telling him to wait while she helped his mother.
Administering emergency aid, Chuck radioed for paramedics, indicating the possible overdose, but she shook her head in dismay.
Her expression conveyed this would not end well.
Jaxon had been on her heels but was now reassuring and soothing the little boy who was cowering against the man’s chest, arms around his knees.
He was sobbing hysterically as he trembled in terror.
Jaxon’s soft murmur reached their ears. “It’s okay, buddy.
We’ve got you. You’re safe now. We’re the good guys, okay?
” Glancing over his shoulder, he noted the other officers swarming in before calling, “Luna, heel.”
Luna stared at Malachi in concern for a moment before hurrying to Jaxon’s side and waiting as she had been trained to do. Malachi, you’re bleeding! Her worried voice came in his head. I saw it before you shifted back to K-9. Your shoulder…
I’m fine, he reassured her and Chuck, who had stepped back to let the paramedics take over.
Probably just some broken glass from the window.
No one will see it because of my fur. Glancing up at Chuck, who was kneeling next to him, running her fingers over his body, he growled slightly.
Stop! You’ll get blood on your hands, and then everyone will know.
I’m not going to the fucking vet again! I will heal on my own.
Choking back a tearful laugh, she nodded then stood quickly.
To the room she announced, “Too bad that guy jumped out of the window before we could capture him. But at least the little one is safe.” She watched the child being hurried from the scene to the waiting ambulance below so they could check him out.
Beside them, the paramedics were working frantically, pushing Narcan, administering oxygen, but it seemed their efforts were in vain.
“That must have been one hell of a dose,” one of them mumbled, “and to main line it into the carotid like that.” He shook his head, first in disbelief, then at Chuck to indicate the woman was gone.
Luna whimpered. I tried, but it was the demon’s poison. He injected it straight into her bloodstream. There’s nothing they could have done.
Whatever, Malachi grumbled, feeling a bit lightheaded.
He coughed slightly as the adrenaline started wearing off.
Which was weird, because this didn’t usually happen after a fight.
Dumb bitch got what she deserved, junkie snatching that kid.
Scared the shit out of him. Then seeing demons fighting?
Do you know how much therapy he’s gonna need?
Even more if his dad bites it. Nah, she had it coming.
Jolting back in shock, Chuck stared at him wide-eyed. She was clearly surprised by his words but couldn’t say anything aloud with so many witnesses present. Glancing at Luna, she gestured slightly at him, cutting her eyes to the side, silently asking if she knew what was going on with him.
Whatever, fuck this shit. I’m out, he called and trotted to the door, ignoring Chuck’s calls to heel.
He continued down the hall toward the staircase and stared at the daunting descent of six floors before he realized he was limping.
Slumping against the wall, he shook his head as a wave of dizziness and lethargy washed over him.
Panting sounds had his head slowly turning to find Luna studying him, Jaxon and Chuck standing nearby with concerned stares.
The fuck you want, half-ass? Huh, half-ass.
That may be my best one yet. He nodded in triumph.
Or at least, he thought he did. It was entirely possible his chin dropped but didn’t rise again.
His head felt sluggish, and it occurred to him then that perhaps the cuts on his body weren’t from glass after all.
The last thing he saw before the darkness—welcoming as always—overtook him was the look of pure terror in Chuck’s eyes. And he felt bad about that.
“I’m not losing him!” came Chuck’s insistent muffled words.
Malachi could vaguely hear the others mumbling, but it was fuzzy, like they were far away or he was underwater.
I’m okay, he tried to reassure her, but his tongue felt like paste in his mouth, and he couldn’t formulate the words.
He tried to sit up, thinking maybe a change in perspective would help.
His limbs refused to respond, and panic began to set in.
His heart began to beat in double time, nearly thudding out of his chest, and his fingers cramped when he tried in vain to flex them.
“Chuck, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I tried to warn him!” Luna cried, her words shaking and riddled with guilt.
“It’s okay, Luna,” came Jaxon’s firm but worried voice, trying to soothe her. “Malachi is a stubborn jackass, but he’s strong; he’ll be okay.” Then scuffling and an even more alarmed tone. “Chuck… what are you doing?”
He’s gonna pay for that stubborn remark, Malachi thought blearily, then felt warmth spreading over his body.
It started in his chest and tingled down his arms, causing his fingers to twitch.
Wait, fingers? I must have shifted back.
Lucifer’s sweaty ball sack. I hope I’m not naked in that nasty ass stairwell.
His breathing smoothed out, and he dragged in a sweet, relieved breath of air that smelled of old rancid food and dead rotting animals.
It was still a happy smell, as he could smell it no matter how vomit-inducing it was.
“I’m not going to lose him!” Chuck repeated, then snapped, “I’m trying to get my Uncle Nick here. He’ll know what to do.”
Malachi realized that Chuck had her hands on his chest and was praying for angelic assistance.
Normally that would have scalded him, brought him to his knees.
Of course, he was already lying down, but that was neither here nor there.
What the actual Hell is going on? His eyes fluttered open, and he could see Chuck’s face, still a little blurry, but more welcoming than the desolate, cold blackness that had enveloped him before.
He chose to ignore that his usual delight in that was gone. He would not admit going soft.
“Malachi?” came a surprised warble. Chuck was leaning closer, her eyes wide with fear and determination. “You… you’re awake! Oh, thank God!”
“Gah,” he retched, almost vomiting on her. “Not dead,” he moaned, swallowing back bile, “but might be if you thank him again.”
“Right, sorry,” she huffed out a watery laugh before scrubbing the back of her hand over her mouth. “Mal,” her voice shook as she looked him over. “Are you… are you okay now?”
Shrugging as he struggled to sit up, he sighed as she scooted behind him and rested his head in her lap.
Her fingers brushed over his forehead, moving hair from his face.
He was grateful, as the hair was damp and sticky on his skin, like he’d broken a fever.
Which didn’t make sense because he didn’t get fevers.
That was a symptom related to human illness.
Realizing he was rambling in his own mind, he forced his gaze to hers and focused on her instead.
“Okay, is subjective really,” he croaked, his throat tight.
The sour taste of acid and bile had him wondering if maybe he had puked while he was out of it.
The breeze shifted and brought the smell of sickness to him, confirming it wasn’t a question any longer.
“I barfed?” he asked, trying not to be embarrassed.
Usually, he used it as a threat or around religious invocations.
Horking while unconscious gave off drunk frat boy vibes, and he had a reputation to maintain.
Jaxon snorted. “Sorry about that, Malachi. Once we realized you were poisoned, we weren’t sure what to do.
Tried giving you some Narcan to see if that would counteract it.
Didn’t help, so I got one of the EMTs to give me some anti-venom.
That also did not work, but apparently the two together caused quite the reaction.
” He gestured at the steaming puddle to the side.
It was a sickly green, slimy and bubbling over a chunk that looked suspiciously like a rock, while small flames danced on the surface.
Malachi grinned suddenly. “Oh, hey, thanks! I’ve been trying to dislodge that piece of brimstone for decades!
Told you Flick was an asshole.” Raising his eyes back to Chuck, he noted she was still trying very hard not to cry.
“But if those didn’t work”—he lifted a hand and cupped her cheek—“how did you heal me?”
“She used her grace,” came a low, reverential voice from behind them. It was accompanied by a faint chorus singing something so beautiful that it made their teeth ache.
Luna growled.
“Oh, sorry!” Nick murmured, waving at a shimmery portal closing behind him. “Just came from choir practice. Always a few who want to keep singing long after the lesson ends.”
“Nick,” Malachi sighed wearily, still somewhat groggy. “Nice of you to drop by. I’m sure you’ll be disappointed to know I’m still alive. Barely.”