Green Flame Assassin (Demon Lord series, book 2) (13 page)

“What the fuck.”

My right eye had a slit pupil.  The iris was its normal light brown but the pupil was a deep red slit.  As I watched, my eye went back to normal, but not the rest of my senses.  I’d need to adjust to that so they wouldn’t distract me in the next battle down the line.

I returned to the bedroom, and sat on the bed, opening up a gun cleaning kit.  After the soaking I’d received, the weapons could use some attention.  I was just finishing up when my phone played a tune for my attention.  I found the phone on the end table, and checked it, finding a text message from Gloria:
The werecats are here.  What do you want me to do?

I texted her back:
Give them my address and send them here.

I could have gone down to the bar to collect the girls, but this was better.  I had booze here, and after the stress of the fight with the
taxrasque, a sleepy lethargy had begun to creep over me.  I put the PPKs in their harness, stowed the kit, and—still naked—flopped back on the bed letting my eyes close.  It would take the werekitties about an hour to arrive, perfect for a catnap.

*     *     *

Osamu shook me awake.  I shot a glance at the window.  It was getting dark.  I’d been asleep a lot longer than I’d intended. The alarm clock on the nightstand read six-fifteen. Osamu handed me a cup of coffee. “Something to revive the spirit, Caine-sama. And you have guests waiting.”

“The werekitties are here?”

“And making serious inroads on your liquor supply.  Miss Cleo and Dani seem fond of
Long Island Ice Teas.  Miss Terri prefers something called Sex on the Beach.  Oh, I’m supposed to inform you that pretzel sticks would be appreciated.”

I took a restorative gulp of steaming coffee.  The flavor seemed richer than ever before.  The aroma intoxicated.  The heat should have burned my tongue, but didn’t.  I chalked it up to the recent changes in my physiology since getting back in town.  I drained the cup in seconds and handed it back.

“Tell them I’ll be along soon.  And since we have no pretzels, maybe you could throw together some tempura shrimp or something.”

Osamu gave a slight bow.  “I live to serve.” 

As he strolled away, a black mist condensed from nowhere, settling onto the foot of the bed.  The darkness filled out, becoming a black leopard with burning yellow eyes.  As the mattress compressed under her, Leona gave Osamu’s retreating back an irritated glower.  “How come I don’t get served coffee in bed?”

I rolled off the bed, onto my feet, and snatched up the clothes I’d laid out earlier.  I answered her as I dressed.  “Maybe it’s because you don’t have a bed or bedroom either.”

She turned her glower on me.  “Like that should make a difference.”

I shrugged.  “You could always go out and get your own combat butler.”

“Yeah, that’ll happen.”  She lashed her tail.  “By the way, you might want to hurry to your office.  There are cat people dancing on the bar, and they seem to be shedding clothing rather quickly.”

I lifted an eyebrow, sliding my gun harness on, following it with a light black jacket.  “Really?  That sounds promising.”

She grinned, flashing white fangs.  “You want the bad news now?”

I sighed.  “If it will make your day.”

“The girls are back from shopping.  They seem to have bought out a few stores.”

Horror flushed through me, icing over my heart.  I ran from the room, catching Vivian, Izumi, and Angie in the living room, their arms loaded with packages and shopping bags they dumped on the couch.  Smiling, Angie wiped sweat from her pretty brow.  “Man, shopping’s hard work.”

Izumi spotted me.  Her frost-pale face lit up with pleasure.  “Hey, Caine, we’re back!”

“Damn, Izumi, I said by a couple outfits, not entire wardrobes.”

Free of her bundles and bags, Vivian danced over to me, twirling to display the outfit she wore.  The Slayer armor was gone.  She sported midnight blue, low-rise skinny jeans, and a blood red blouse.  Once she stopped spinning, her short, black leather coat hid her gun harness.  Her ink-black spill of hair was pulled into a ponytail.  New earrings glittered, white gold from the smell of the metal. 
Funny, since when have been able to tell metal by smell?
  I studied her feet.  The close-toed heels were a perfect match for her crimson belt.

“What do you think?” A faint blush enlivened her pale face.

“Almost worth the suffering my credit card endured,” I said.

Izumi stalked over, handed me my credit card, and slugged me in the shoulder.  Leaning into me, she hissed, “Tell her how good she looks.”

I looked back at Vivian.  “You look so totally hot.  I just want to rip those clothes right off you.”

She leaped in and hugged me.

I allowed my hands to roam, just a little.

Izumi looked like she was about to belt me again.  Fortunately, the door to my office opened and music came blaring out.  Smiling,
Achill stuck his head out.  “Hey, I thought I heard you guys.  Come on in and join the wake.”

“Wake?” Izumi said.  “Who died?”

I made a solemn mask of my face.  “Haziar bit the dust.  We had a rogue baby demon running loose earlier.  You missed all the fun.”

“Ye gods,” Angie said, “go shopping for one afternoon and hell comes calling.” 

I pulled away from Vivian, catching her hand.  “C’mon, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the gang.”  I tugged her into the office.  The lights were dim.  The big plasma screen TV above the bar displayed a Latin pop group, fronted by a female singer with a bare midriff.  She seemed like she really knew how to wiggle.  And, yes, the werekitties were dancing on the bar in their bare feet, their bare everything-else hanging out. 

William and
Achill didn’t seem to mind.

The Old Man was explaining to one of the girls that she ought to leave something on so he could tuck in some of the dollar bills he clutched in a big blue fist.  “It’s how these things are done,” he said.

“Got a point there,” Achill slurred, cradling a big foamy mug of beer.

William held a mug of his own, thrusting it high overhead.  “Here’s to Haziar, a great warrior, for a fairy.”

Izumi pointed at him from across the room, her eyes glinting with wrath.  “Don’t talk down about the fey.”

William tried to take a pull of his beer.  He failed since it had inexplicably turned to ice, his mug and hand both frosted over.

Vivian stomped over to the werekitties.  She yelled at them, “Don’t you have any self-respect?  What is your problem?  Get down off of there and put some clothes on.”

Angie glared at the girls.  “I know them.  Werecats!  That explains everything.”

Cleo, the middle werecat, blinked behind gold, wire-framed glasses.  The base of her spine had sprouted a two-foot, brindle-colored tail that swished as she swayed drunkenly.  Her human ears had fuzzed over and migrated to the top of her head.  Her smile showed a bit of fang as well.  She waved her glass at me.  “Hey, weregirls just wanna have fun.”

Angie swung toward me.  “Do something.  This is your house.”

I shuffled through my wallet, looking for single ones.  “What kind of host would I be if I didn’t let my female guests dance naked on my bar?  It’s a party, right?  Hey, someone get me a drink.”

Osamu arrived with silver trays laden with finger foods.

The wolves swung his way, hurrying over to stuff their faces.  Their hands jerked back, fingers empty.  William bellowed, “Why the hell are you serving stuff on silver trays?  Has it escaped your notice we’re werewolves?”

Dani stage-whispered to Terri, “I thought they smelled funny.”

Osamu looked stricken.  “I’m terribly sorry.  I’ll just leave these for the others, and bring you more.”

“Quickly,” William snarled.

Osamu hurried away.

I went and grabbed a seat at the bar, staring up at female splendor.  “You girls might not want to stay up all night.  We’re hitting the road in the morning.”

Cleo blinked at me, pausing, forgetting to dance.  “We are?”

“Road trip to
Sacramento,” I said.  “We leave at dawn—or when my eyes open.”

Izumi pressed herself against my back.  “You’ve done your duty to the fallen warrior.  How about giving
me
some attention?”

Cleo was dancing once more, swinging her butt in time to the music, her tail swaying hypnotically.  Watching, I spoke to Izumi over my shoulder, “But the girls are performing.  It would be rude to leave before they’re done.”  Sure I wanted to drag Izumi off for wild, crazy monkey sex, but playing a little hard to get would keep me in charge while making me more desirable.

Izumi reached past me and touched the top of the bar.  It iced over. 

The werekitties fell, sprawling ingloriously.  

Izumi licked my ear and whispered, “They’re done.”

Dani passed out, head hanging over the bar.  Cleo groaned, rubbing her fine ass.  Terri slid off the bar, and drunkenly cursed from the floor in a language entirely her invention.

I nodded, getting off my stool.  “They certainly are.”

NINE

And things were going so well…