GAME ON - GoM 2

3

Alex wished she could feel at least a little surprised. "You know him," she said, statement, not question.

The hunter's eyebrows arched up and he stirred in his seat. "I've heard of him."

That was too cautious for Alex's guts at such a moment. "Well? Good or bad?"

"I dare say too good. He's Askaroth's number-one enemy. Like, in the whole world. And he's coming here?"

"Yeah. If what you say it's true, he may come in handy."

"Handy?" Harry repeated, as if taking offense.

Alex ignored him and turned to her niece. "Claire, would you bring your computer, please?"

The girl left the room while Ollie called Graham. Harry observed them. He was an old school hunter—he worked alone. So many people planning meetings to discuss something as Askaroth had him completely puzzled. On the other hand, he was starting to doubt his own assessment about the whole situation. Gregory Thames coming down to meet these town folks was enough of a flaring alarm for him not to underestimate them, considering that his own brother, a Chief Protector, had never met him in the flesh. Not to mention these two girls having that dream too. That could only meant they were more involved in the whole thing than they even knew.

Claire was soon back with her laptop and opened it on the table.

"Can you search for a photograph of that Blake scumbag?" Alex asked, and faced Harry. "Do you happen to know how that Askaroth looks where he poses as human?"

More alarms flared red in Harry's head. "You know him?"

Alex hated the dread echoing in the hunter's voice. Claire turned the computer for them to see.

"Here," she said.

Harry only needed a glance at the screen to nod. Alex snorted.

"The douche has business in town," she said to Harry. "I've talked to him a couple of times. A total gent." She shook her head and Claire pressed her hand. "Jesus! How on earth did Markus and George get involved with him?"

"You mean Markus Ritmann?"

The dread in Harry's voice was replaced by anger.

Alex shrugged again. "Yeah, he's... used to be... I've known him for years, since he moved here from San Francisco."

"Then you better forget all you think you know about him, Corban. Ritmann's one of Askaroth worst butchers."

Harry's tough-guy tone reminded Alex of Aidan. Maybe that could've made her smile. In ten or twenty years. At that moment, she could only sigh.

"Don't say," she grunted.

Claire couldn't take Alex's bitterness. She needed to do something.

"We should have dinner," she said, standing up.

"No cooking tonight, baby," Ollie said. "Let's grab something to go at Jill's. All of us can use some fresh air."

"You're right. Fancy anything, Al?"

Alex looked at them as if they were speaking in tongues. Dinner? Did she want to eat ever again?

"Cyanide," she replied. "But I'll settle for a shower. You go and pick whatever you want."

Ollie turned to Harry. "Let's go. We'll take you to Betty's inn."

"Did you call Tom?"

Claire's question stopped Alex on her way out of the kitchen. She shook her head. "I can't. He's at the Lamia's wake. The possessed woman was his friend."

She noticed the others looked shocked—yet again—but there was nothing she could do about it. So she just resumed her way to her bedroom.

In the shower, she lingered under the warm rain with her eyes closed, trying not to think. None of this could be happening. Alice couldn't be dead. Markus couldn't be her killer and a demon's hired gun—a Duke of Hell's hired gun! No. It had to be a nightmare. Moonflowers, feeblers, cobolts. She could deal with them alright. But demons...? They couldn't be in her town, having people she cared about kill other people she cared about. That... It was just too much.

She would've given anything to talk to Tom. Actually, to be with Tom. But she wanted to keep him out of this mess as much as she could. He wouldn't be able to argue she was alone to face this, since Bormstone was in town and apparently Thames was sort of a big boss fighting demons. So it was okay to keep Tom away and safe. Which didn't change how desperately she needed him.