“I think so. At least, sometimes.”
Okay. So this was normal. Maybe. Or as close to normal as they got. “He should wake up soon?” Bing asked.
“Usually within a day.”
Bing exhaled. That was good. That was really good.
“But that’s not the important question,” Nero said.
It was all that mattered to Bing.
“The real question is what happened to Monkey when he was pushed out of Walter.”
Bing paused on the steps of the courthouse. “What do you mean?”
“What did you see?”
Bing thought back. “I saw energy ribbons flow out of him.”
“Did they dissipate?”
It took a bit to remember, but eventually he shook his head. “No, they didn’t. They went somewhere.”
Nero grunted. “So that means someone new has a Monkey demigod running around inside him. Any idea who?”
Bing shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going on anymore.” Nero frowned at him as they made it steadily down the steps toward the car. “There’s so much I still don’t know. Like, what am I? I’m one of his creations too.” He looked down at Walter, who looked really peaceful held tight in his arms. The man was damn heavy, and Bing’s arms were beginning to strain, but he sure as hell was not going to let him go.
Nero gave him a sympathetic look. “Every icon is different. There’s always self-determination.” He helped Bing fish the car keys out of Walter’s pocket. Eventually they managed to open the door and gently ease the man onto the back seat. As soon as he was settled, Bing checked his pulse again.
Steady. Solid. Good.
As he straightened, Nero grabbed his arm. “If Walter really is a Creator, then he’s one of the most powerful paranormals there are. After all, he can create other paranormals. Createus.”
Bing nodded. He knew. He’d already realized how incredible Walter was. “He doesn’t know it. He doesn’t believe it.”
“You’re going to have to make him believe it. Because if we want help with this problem, then—”
“Stop it! Just stop it!” Bing snapped as he rounded on Nero. He’d never confronted the head of his pack before, but right now he was willing to fight to the death for Walter, and he damn well needed a target.
Not surprisingly, Nero backed up with a startled gasp. “Bing—”
“Stop using him! Everybody fucking uses this guy. His aunt used him to bring Monkey to life. The Grand Ass Wu used him to get revenge on me. Even I used to him to become Red Wolf. He made my career.” And he’d made Bing into the werewolf he was now. “You will not use him for anything. He gets to choose, you got that?Hedecides what he wants. Not me, not you, not anybody else. You got that?”
Nero raised his hands and took a step back. “We’re just trying to help, Bing. Although the demon’s gone and the lake is returning to normal, we’re not done here. You remember that part, right? With all the extra paranormal energy running around, a Creator has a lot of material to work with. He’s powerful, which is great—so long as he’s working for the good guys.”
“Walter is the best of the fucking good guys!” he yelled.
That was when he knew he’d lost it. He’d never yelled at anyone in his life, and he certainly didn’t curse while doing it. But if he thought he could get away with such an emotional display without being called on it, he was severely mistaken.
Only the next comment didn’t come from Nero or from Josh, who was just now coming out of the courthouse. Nope, the words came from inside the car, where Walter was struggling to sit up.
“Nice to know which side I’m on,” Walter said.
Bing spun around and dropped to his knees. “How do you feel? Go slow. We don’t know what happened.”
“I fainted, right? Like a wuss?”
“What do you remember?”
