GAME ON - GoM 2

9

When Claire passed by her side, Alex traded back crossbow for shotgun and cocked it, while the other two hurried across the yard to the woods.

"Corban!" called Harry when they reached the first trees.

Alex stalked to the fallen demons. He tried to go to her, but Claire stopped him.

"Let'er do. This is personal."

"What!? We ain't got no time for personal!"

"Oh, shut up."

The girl turned her back on him and drew an arrow, ready to cover Alex from where she was. Meanwhile, Alex produced her phone and dialed, leaning in to yank the arrows from the demons. Harry grunted his surprise when he heard her speak on the phone.

"Hey, Markus. I'm afraid you just fell two friends shorter," she said, and spun around to head to the woods. "By the way, nice touch, throwing a party instead of a funeral for Alice."

The front door opened behind her and Markus walked out, phone still to his ear. He stopped before stumbling on the bodies. He spotted Alex and disconnected, flashing one of his merry smiles.

"Wanna join us, Al?" he asked.

Claire and Harry were ready to shoot. She shook her head at them and turned to Markus. "Rain check. Not into red eyes, y'know."

"You should give it a try." Markus nodded to the bodies. "You know you didn't kill them."

"Oh, no. But you should take care of them, or you'll be stuck with two nice veggies." She waved her arrows at him and resumed her way across the front yard.

Markus sank his hands in his pockets. "You should let it go, Al. Let us be. I wouldn't wanna hurt you—nor anybody in town. But I will if I have to."

Alex halted and spun around, a stormy scowl on her face, to point her shotgun at him. Markus hurried back into the house at the same time she shot. The bullet pierced through the closed door right where his head was a heartbeat before. She strode into the woods without even glancing at Claire and Harry.

Back to the Hilux, Alex waited for the other two with the engine running. The truck made a sharp U turn and skidded down the road back to town. Harry broke the thick silence in a rough way that reminded Alex of Aidan again. Too bad she was light-years away from being able to smile.

"What the hell, Corban! You wouldn't retrieve the Cross, but you take the time for a friendly chat with my brother's killer!?"

Claire managed to grasp the dash before hitting it when Alex swerved to the shoulder of the road and braked hard. She turned on her seat to glare at the hunter, her voice strangled by anger.

"Listen to me, asshole! You know shit about this! Maybe that man killed your brother and stole your precious Cross! But I counted him among my very few friends for years until you knocked on my door with your tales about him! And the man making out with a demon? Last year I was ready to marry him! I almost died, saving him! So shut your hole and don't dare lecture me again! Else, you're gonna end up right here by the road! With one of your holy bullets between your eyes!"

Harry felt as if Alex's anger pushed him back in his seat, and was wise enough to keep from replying. Alex sat straight, geared in and floored the Hilux. Tears blurred the road. Good thing she knew the way by heart.

She took Harry to Betty's inn and turned at the first corner. Claire noticed they weren't heading home, but to the church. Alex pulled over there and faced the girl, trying to force a smile.

"You go home, kiddo. I'll be there in a while," she said.

She didn't kill the engine to climb down of the Hilux. Claire only nodded and moved to the driver seat. The girl couldn't keep her eyes from welling as she watched Alex walk toward the church gates.