Which would mean Zach would likely have to come clean about what he actually was. It was a painful story, one he wasn’t keen to have to retell, but if his future rested on the telling, then tell it he would. Luckily, it would appear he had time on his side. Drew wouldn’t master hispowers overnight, and so Zach had a little time before he’d have to bare his soul—quite literally.
“You okay, kid?” he asked, bumping their shoulders together as they came to a halt in the bright sunshine.
“Hmmm?” Drew asked, looking up. His eyes cleared a little and he offered a small smile. “Oh, sorry. Yeah, I’m good. Just a lot to take in, ya know?”
“I bet.” Zach gestured down the street. “It’s a pretty nice day. How ’bout we take a walk before going back? I do believe we passed a sign on the way here that said this street once won Canada’s Greatest Street. I’m not sure what constitutes a ‘great street’ but if it has anything to do with the bakery and cinnamon buns Kensington spoke of, I definitely think we need to check it out.”
That earned him the shy smile he’d been going for. Drew really was beautiful. The bright sun made his pale blue eyes appear almost translucent, and his unruly hair fell over his face, softening the sharp angles caused by malnutrition. Even though Drew was probably the most powerful person he’d ever met, Zach found himself wanting to protect him at all costs. He had the strongest urge to pull him into the protective circle of his arms and not let him go. Instead, he placed a hand on the small of Drew’s back and turned him until they faced downhill, and they began to walk.
The headquarters of the Nightingale Collective was a couple of hundred metres up the road from the business district, and it didn’t take long until they’d left the houses behind and were walking past various storefronts. Colourful banners hung from light poles, and hanging baskets overflowing with flowers added splashes of colour. It was busy, with almost every parking space taken, and the sidewalks were crowded with people. The largest crowd was a long queue of customers waiting to get into the bakery.
“Holy crap,” Drew murmured as they joined the end of the line. “Howgood are these buns?”
A woman in front of them heard him and turned with a grin. “You’ve not had one before?” she asked.
Drew shook his head.
“Oh, honey, you are in for a treat!” she declared. “Do you like cinnamon and cream-cheese frosting?”
Zach wasn’t imagining the wistful look in Drew’s eyes. “My mom used to make cinnamon buns for me when I was really little. I haven’t had one since she died but she always used cream-cheese frosting on them.”
The woman’s eyes softened and she reached out and squeezed his arm in comfort. “I think these buns will serve your mom’s memory well. I hope you enjoy them.”
Drew gave her a tight smile and then fell silent once she turned back to her friend. Zach stood a little closer, offering silent support, and they quietly watched the other customers as they inched forward. Once they got through the front door, a heavenly smell hit their noses and they both moaned a little. “I think,” Zach said, eyes lingering on the end of the display case where a rapidly dwindling supply of cinnamon buns sat. “We need to get one for now, and then get one for later.”
Drew just nodded.
They finally reached the counter and a bubbly young lady asked for their order. They decided on a plain almond and cream-cheese bun each for now, and orange and poppy seed buns to take back home for after dinner. Zach happily handed over his card and soon they had a small white box each in hand with their prizes inside.
Heading back outside into the sunshine, they wandered randomly from store to store, window shopping as they ate. Suddenly, Drew frowned and moved towards a brown-brick building just up from the bakery. Zach followed, but couldn’t see anything exciting in the windows at all. In fact, it looked to be empty. “What is it?” he asked.
Drew pointed up. “It’s lined with swastikas!” he said, outraged.
“And?” Zach asked.
Glaring, Drew hissed, “I know you’re a demon and all, but surely evenyoucan see the issue here?”
Zach frowned, thinking hard, and then it clicked. “Oh! Because of the whole Nazi thing.”
Were those lasers shooting out of Drew’s eyes? “Yes, because of the wholeNazi thing,” Drew said, the finger quotes not at all necessary to convey his sarcasm. Given he was still holding a box in one hand and the fingers of his other were covered in frosting, they were rather distracting. Would Drew punch him if Zach leaned forward and sucked those fingers into his mouth?
Probably.
“This building looks pretty old. I’m pretty sure it predates the Nazis.” Zach scanned the walls and saw a small plaque. He skimmed it and grunted in triumph. “Yep, it was built in 1913. I missed the whole multiple World Wars business, but many of my colleagues were kept very busy with them. You do know the Nazi party appropriated the symbol and turned it evil, but it was actually a holy symbol for many religions for well over ten thousand years.”
“Really?”
Zach nodded. “Yeah. It was a symbol of hope.”
“Oh, that’s sad,” Drew said, his righteous anger deflating from him. “True to form, though, I suppose. They ruined so much for so many people.” He gave Zach a cautious look. “Being a demon, you’re probably the leader of their fan club or something, aren’t you?”
He scoffed. “No fucking way. There are some things even too evil for me. I’m glad those fuckers are in the deepest depths of Hell, getting what they deserve.”
Drew relaxed at that and his shy smile returned. “I keep forgetting you haven’t actually been on Earth for so long. Honestly, how do you know so much aboutwhat it’s like here?”
They began walking again, heading downhill towards the lower end of the street. “At first I learned from stories, told from those who had been summoned. Some of them brought back books with them, and I’d read everything I could. Then someone brought back a wireless radio and I would tune in each day to listen. Then television. But the internet opened it right up. I could live vicariously through that, learning about anything and everything. Watching videos and shows made me almost feel like I’d actually experienced it for myself.”
Drew hummed. “So, you really can’t leave Hell unless you’re summoned?”
