Nick burst out laughing at the reminder of their “survival tip” that had almost killed them both. While videoing an episode for theirZombie Alert Network, Mark had slipped and fallen from his chair, hit his head and knocked a rack of MRE’s down on top of him. Somehow one of them had fallen in such a way that it’d set off a flare that then struck a display and almost set fire to Bubba’s entire store.
“So who’s he out with?”
“The nurse from the burn ward.”
Snorting and shaking his head, Nick settled down into a nervous laugh. “He should probably marry this one. It’d save on the medical bills.”
Bubba scoffed.
Suddenly, someone grabbed Nick from behind. Hissing in fury, he turned to punch them, only to find Caleb there. “Boy!” he snapped. “You’re lucky I didn’t take your manhood just then.”
When Caleb didn’t respond with something snotty, a bad feeling went through Nick. But this had to be Caleb. Otherwise it would trip his perspicacity and he’d see the truth of who and what this creature was.
Unless it’s the other Malachai.
A smile twitched at the outer edges of “Caleb’s” mouth—as if he were reading Nick’s thoughts.
The Malachai took a step toward him at the same time Nick felt his mom at his back.
Unaware of the creature with them, she smiled at them both. “Hey Caleb,mon beau-coeur. I knew you couldn’t be far behind my Boo.” She stepped past Nick to hug him.
Nick started to protest until he saw the expression on “Caleb’s” face. At first it was startled alarm that settled down to all-out shocked disbelief. And then there was a longing, so profound that it choked him for the demon. It was obvious he’d never been hugged before and there was nothing quite like one of his mother’s hugs. The closest thing Nick could compare it to was being wrapped in rose-scented sunshine. It warmed every part of the soul and could soothe any pain or ache in an instant.
No wonder my dad couldn’t resist her. She never saw the bad in anyone. Not him. Not his father.
Not the creature whose eyes began to tear.
Right before they flashed red and his nostrils flared.
Clearing his throat, “Caleb” mumbled something, then ran for the door.
With a hurt look, his mother turned toward him. “Did I do something wrong? Is he okay?”
Leave it to his mother to quell the most horrific evil in all the known universes. Not with a fight or a shout.
With a simple hug.
“I think he had to whizz, Mom.”
“Nicholas! I trained you better than that. I swear, boy! The things you do!”
He rubbed at his eyebrow. “What can I say, Ma? I’m not quite housebroken yet.”
Bubba laughed. “You want me to beat him for you, Cher? Be glad to. Or worse, I can make him clean Mark’s bathroom.”
A smile broke across her face. “I’ll just make him clean his. Trust me, there’s no worse punishment. Have you seen the biohazard experiments he has growing on his sink?”
“Ah, gee! Now who’s being mean?”
Virgil approached them with Kyrian and Acheron. All three of them had a satisfied gleam in their eyes. “Well that was so easy, I feel bad to bill you for it.” He handed a piece of paper to Nick. “You’re free to go. And I suggest you buy your mom dinner, kid. We should all have an advocate like her in our corners. Dang. I’ve never seen anyone set a judge back that fast, and so politely.” He clapped Nick on the shoulder, then left them.
Even Kyrian was smiling enough that Nick caught a flash of his fangs. “He’s not joking. Your mom is quite the lady, kid. So glad I’m not the one who riled her.”
Kyrian clapped him on the back. The moment he did, Nick was jerked out of his body. Time stood still.
No longer in the police station, he was far in the future. Back in what he’d prayed was once a nightmare.
He saw himself as the Malachai, leading his army of demons through a devastated New Orleans that was burning all around them. Explosions went off like a pyrotechnics show. The rumble of thunder mirrored their hunger and anger.
