Reaper

4

I lay there for about an hour, then came to a decision. I got up and went to the Green Cafe. It's had the 'Help Wanted' sign up for a few weeks, so I'll work there. But before I went to the manager I sent a quick text to Raziel letting him know where I was. I felt a little guilty about ditching him. After all, he couldn't protect me if he wasn't anywhere near me, right? I walked over to the Manager. "Hello, Ma'am," I said. "I saw the sign and wondered if I could work here?"

She looked me up and down. "Do you have any experience?"

I nodded. "I know how to make coffee and several other things. And I know how to be a waitress."

"Then you're hired." She walked away.

I blinked. That's it? She should have asked more questions. I put on the uniform and started taking orders. The door opened and I looked up from where I was filling a customer's tea cup. A tall man with black hair came in. However, he had red eyes. As soon as I noticed that, his glamour disappeared for me. I blanched. Demon. Except now he had horns, teeth protruding from his jaw, and sharp claws. His skin was gray. As soon as I finished filling up the cup I went back behind the counter. I put on my Bluetooth and called Raziel. Please let that stubborn angel know how to answer phone calls, I mentally pleaded.

"Hello?" He said.

Relief flooded through me. "What do I do if a demon just walked into the cafe?" I asked with forced calm. The demon was now staring at a little child.

"Wait, what? You have a demon in front of you?" Raziel demanded.

"Not directly in front of me. Maybe thirty feet in front of me. He's staring at a child."

"Okay. You need to make him follow you. Get him in an alley and then call up your swords and cut off his head. Got it?"

"You expect me to do that without you?" I hissed.

"What's the problem? You know how to fight. Micheal made sure of that."

"You're supposed to be with me! You're my guardian, remember?"

He sighed. "Nichole, you can do this. Just make him follow you."

I growled. "You suck as a guardian." I hung up and purposely walked close to where the demon was standing. His head snapped toward me. That's right, I thought. Follow me now. I walked out the side door and into the alley. I heard the door shut then open again. I didn't even have to look to know he followed me. I urged my swords to appear and they did. I turned and watched his eyes widen.

Then he smirked. "You think you can fight me with those toys?"

I twirled a blade though I have no idea how I did it. I just knew. "Toys? Hmm, I suppose you could call that," I said. I pointed one at him. "But these toys are going to be the things that send you back to Hell."

He snorted. "No, it won't." He launched and I easily sidestepped him while driving one of my blades upward. He twisted and it only cut him. We both stared in amazement when his skin blistered and burned. While he was distracted I launched and swung my sword. His head came off a lot easier than I thought it would. I watched him crumble to dust. I did it! I killed my first demon. There was a pop and Raziel was standing beside me. 

I scowled. "Sure, you show up right when it ends. How is that protecting me?"

He glared. "Who's the one who ran off?"

I grimaced. "Fair point. I'm sorry about that. I was just upset." I paused. "I've been thinking. Could my d...Osvaldo be in league with the demons?"

Raziel frowned. "I'm not sure. He could be but we should be able to sense it if he is."

"Hmm." I bit my bottom lip. "So what do you think of me working?"

He looked at me. "You're going to put a lot on yourself but I know why you're doing it so it's okay." 

"I wasn't asking for your opinion," I said irritatedly. "I meant will it make your job harder?"

He shook his head. "As long as I know where you are, I can teleport to you."

"Good to know." I turned to go back inside.

"Nichole," Raziel said. I glanced at him. "The king demon is around too. Be careful, okay?"

I nodded. "I will. Besides, I have you around too."

"You might have me," he acknowledged. "But even I won't win against Lucifer."

I blinked. "Satan? He's the King of Demons?"

"Yes."

"Oh." I glanced at my watch. "I have to go back to work, Raziel."

"Okay."

I went inside. By the end of the day, I had a hundred dollars and I was quite proud of myself. When I got home I found Raziel on the couch. I passed him and went to my room where I pulled up a floorboard under my bed and put the money in the cookie jar I kept there. Then I pulled out my phone and called my mom. "Hello?" She said.

"Hey, Mom. How is he?" I said.

"He had to have a couple of blood transfusions but he's going to be okay."

I let out a relieved sigh. "Good." I paused. "I got a job at the Green Cafe."

"That's good."

"Yeah, that means you don't have to stay with Osvaldo. I can make the money for us now."

She sighed. "Nicki, I'm not leaving your dad."

"But he almost killed Thiago!"

"But he didn't."

"He tried to! He should be in jail." Or dead, I added silently.

"I'm not discussing this with you right now, okay? We'll talk when I get home." She hung up.

I threw my phone at my pillow. "Dammit!" I flopped backward. If Osvaldo does anything to my siblings again, I will kill him.