Reena’s Peak Performance
Reena's Peak Performance
After a brief debate, they decided not to pin the spree of church crimes on the demon they’d captured.
If they did, Roundtree would arrest him, which would leave them unable to question him further.
In the end, Jaxon explained that the man was wanted for an unrelated crime and that he was taking the suspect in.
Nodding absently, the detective waved him off while Flick continued to talk the man’s ear off.
It turned out Kassidy was a huge fan of the same movies as Flick.
Both of them were enamored of everything Star Wars.
Flick especially liked one of the droids, as his natural coppery skin gave off a metallic sheen, similar to that of one of the main characters.
Like Malachi, he also spoke a multitude of languages, so he often joked he was a communication droid.
A joke he now altered to get a deep laugh from the detective.
Quit flirting; it’s time to go! Malachi growled impatiently.
He didn’t want the demon to try to escape, even though it was unlikely since Chuck had started carrying demon-proof handcuffs.
Not his special playtime cuffs but other magicked ones no demon could escape from.
Their captive certainly couldn’t poof back to Hell, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to run the old-fashioned way.
I wasn’t flirting! Flick shot back, his tone indignant and just a little too offended.
At Malachi’s knowing stare, Flick’s shoulders sagged.
Alright, maybe I was a little bit. You forgot to mention what he looked like.
He’s really hot. And he likes the same movies I do! That mustache, he sighed dreamily.
Didn’t you bang that waitress from the bar? What was her name? Sherry?
Yeah, she’s a wild one, good times. Hey! You think she’d be down for a threesome? Would he?
I don’t know. But wrap it up; we need to go! Meet us back at Chuck’s. Alone.
“Do I want to know?” Chuck murmured as she opened the door for Malachi to get into the SUV.
Only if you want to hear about Flick’s plan to get Kassalicious in a threesome with the waitress from the bar fight. He glanced over his shoulder at her stunned expression and huffed out a wheezing laugh.
Chuck’s jaw clicked shut, and she shook her head. “You’re right. I want nothing further to do with that.” She closed the door and got into her seat, still shaking her head. Meeting his gaze in the mirror, she smirked and repeated, “Nothing further.”
The drive home was quiet; Malachi even nodded off for a bit to the rhythmic drumming of Chuck’s fingers on the steering wheel.
She was in a contemplative mood, which meant no singing along to the radio and pretending his howling was harmony.
He didn’t mind; he was a little tired from the drain of being on sacred ground.
He knew she would share her thoughts when she was ready.
Pulling into the driveway, she groaned, and Malachi jolted to full attention.
He noticed the direction of her stare and echoed her irritation with a growl of his own.
Their neighbor Muriel was on her porch once again, watching their every move with her beady eyes.
Chuck called Jaxon and asked him to circle the block twice.
It wouldn’t do to have Muriel seeing their prisoner being marched into her home.
I got this, Malachi reassured Chuck as they exited the vehicle.
He concentrated and sent his thoughts to Reena.
Hey, princess, I need your help with some fuckery.
Can you go into the backyard, crawl under the fence, and cause some loud distraction?
Maybe get into Muriel’s begonias or chase Mr. Whiskers?
We need her away from the front door for a minute.
Pausing, he waited to see if she got the memo.
Shortly, he heard her crazed lunatic howling from the back, and the screeching yowl of the cat she was chasing mixing together in a symphony of beautiful chaos.
Now that was music to his ears. Good girl, he sent, chuckling as the frantic sounds grew louder with her excitement at his praise.
“Officer Charles!” Muriel shrieked as she wobbled to her feet. “That other dog of yours is a menace! I’m going to report this!” She hurried to the backyard as fast as her creaking knees could carry her, with the visual assault of her muumuu flapping in the breeze of her wake.
“Nice work.” Chuck laughed as she waved Jaxon in. She kept watch for her neighbor while Jaxon rushed their prisoner to the door. Tossing him the keys, Chuck waited until he was inside and whistled shrilly for Reena. “Come on, Reena, leave the sweet kitty alone. Get inside now!”
An excited yip was followed by the light tinkling of the tags on her collar as the Chuglet raced to meet them.
Her curlicue tail waggled her whole behind as she pranced up, a proud grin on her muzzle.
She reared up on her hind legs and danced excitedly before them, asking if she had done a good job.
Excellent work, princess! I’m so proud of you! Your command of chaos and fuckery is at peak performance! Chuck owes us both a juicy steak for our performances today!
Reena squeaked and wheezed happily with his feedback, now spinning in circles, making excited piggy snorts. She trotted to the house with them, muzzle held high. Inside, she paused and sniffed, then growled, staring at Malachi in confusion when she caught the strange demon smell.
Not a friend, sweetheart. If he tries to run, bite him. Also, he hates Real Housewives. He said it’s all faked. Can you believe that?
Her ears flattened to her skull, and her tiny fangs were bared, making her underbite even more pronounced than usual as she growled in disgust. She stalked into the living room and glared at the new menace while she snarled like a miniature Hellhound.
Malachi chuckled as he hurried to the bedroom to grab some clothes. If he ever went back to Hell, Reena would need to come too. She’d fit right in. Chuck might have opinions about that though. Maybe she’d be alright with just a brief visit.
Zipping back to the living room, he studied the captive demon who was staring back defiantly. “So, before we turn you into puppy chow, or angel fodder, perhaps you want to share your name?”
“Not tellin’ you nuffin!” the demon grumbled, bravado pulling his shoulders back with his defiance.
“That’s Skeerot,” Flick announced as he popped into the room. “He’s one of Ramsilel’s friends. Quite the little bitch boy doing his errands for him since he couldn’t get the balls to come here himself.” He snorted in disdain as he eyed the captive.
A small wheezy laugh trailed after Reena as she trotted to her comfy cushion to settle in and watch the show.
Malachi chuckled darkly as he smoked and streaked around the demon in a vicious swirl of shadows.
Skeerot’s body spun, and he fell to the floor in an ungainly heap.
“Skeerot, hmm,” he murmured as he reformed.
“Well, the rot part seems appropriate. Now that we’ve proven we can find out what we need to know without you, perhaps you’ll be more…
forthcoming with information. Otherwise, we can go ahead and torture it out of you just to be dicks.
Which I, honestly, would enjoy. So… actually, be less than open. I’d like that so much more!”
Skeerot blanched as Malachi darted closer, grabbing the demon’s throat, lifting him by the neck.
As he dangled, his stubby fingers scrabbled at the talons now sinking into his flesh.
Flashing Hellfire and fangs, Malachi smirked.
“Did you and your buddies think I’d gone soft?
Just because I’m on the top side these days?
You do remember I was a Lieutenant of the Sixth Ward Legion before I left Hell, right?
How do you think I managed that? I’m not some weak low-level simp like you.
So, think hard, Rot, if you’re able. Ready to have that friendly conversation? ”
Shaking, the demon finally went limp in Malachi’s grip. His physical surrender as he slumped had a wicked grin curving the lips of the other demons in the room. Their grim satisfaction battered the others watching with tense anticipation.
Jaxon stepped forward, raising one hand as if about to speak, or intervene. He paused and shook his head, stepping back to Chuck’s side and set his hand on her shoulder instead. Blowing out a heavy breath, he watched the scene unfold before him, clearly uneasy.
With a single nod, Malachi acknowledged the officer’s concerns, but this was demonic injustice.
Mortal rules didn’t apply. A lesson the man would need to keep in mind if he was going to continue to be involved.
Smirking, he noticed Jaxon was watching Luna closely, concerned about her safety, and was willing to bet she had warned him to stay back.
Returning his attention to the demon drooping over his arm, he set him back down.
“Now, I believe you were going to tell us everything we wanted to know. Would you like to confirm first that Ramsilel is behind you coming here? Did Clowdus or Tracantor help you?” Flick snarled from behind Malachi.
Jolting at the name, Skeerot quickly nodded.
“Clowdus, Tracantor, they’re my brothers.
They wanted me to distract you so they could scout your homes, plan to capture you for Ramsilel to get that angel’s attention.
I don’t know the full plot, but he’s pissed he was demoted in favor of that angel fucking whore, Amaryllis,” he spat.
Reena growled low, her hackles rising as she snarled distastefully at the insult to her friend.
Thunder boomed like a cannon, the rumble shaking the house, while lightning crackled through the previously sunny sky.
Clouds wrapped around the exterior like a coat of gray cotton, obscuring their view of the outside.
Fog slipped under the door and filled the foyer with a sickly pulsing presence.
A heavy step sounded as a booted foot slipped from the dark roiling mass.
It led up to a shapely leg clad in blood-stained leather that carried the rest of the first Knight of Hell through the portal into the living room.
Quirking her blood red lips into a knowing smile, Amaryllis the Defiler moved closer. Each step echoed despite the thunder crashing around the house; she stopped before them, tapping the flat of her sword against her thigh. She huffed a small laugh before purring, “You called?”