Moxie’s skill with a gun was valuable to the
demons. Blood-covered bullets and a cold heart are her life.
Rada’s life was about protecting his family and
his heart. The thought of finding someone who may be able to touch it scared
him.
What happens when a former assassin and a hell
beast come together? Fireworks and the shaking of the very foundations their
lives were built on.
Moxie drove through what looked like miles of land
that could be used to pasture animals, but there weren’t any around. Then she
hit the woods. They were made of tall trees that seemed to repel the sunlight.
When the trees gave way and the town appeared, all she could do was stop on the
edge with her car idling while she stared in shock. It was like the past met
the present and melded together to make the future. Everything from grass huts
to modern buildings to futuristic buildings looking like it was made from
crystal stretched as far as she could see.
None of it made sense, and yet together, it was in
perfect symmetry. This really was someplace Between Heaven and Hell. She
cruised down the mostly empty streets. Where was everyone? A woman was standing
on the sidewalk. She slowed down to ask her some questions. When Moxie pulled
close, the woman walked away, leaving behind a young boy.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” He smiled, showing
the gap in his teeth.
She didn’t say anything. How was she supposed to
respond to such a ridiculous statement from a child?
The boy shook his head in disgust then gave her
another bright smile before speaking. “I have to continually remind myself that
humans are slower to understand.”
Her mouth was open; the worry about a fly thinking
it was a nice dark place to hide was real.
“Close your mouth. The things around here are
worse than flies; you don’t want to invite them in.”
Her mouth closed so fast her teeth rattled.
“You need to go to the house of the beast. They
will be waiting for you.”
Before she could form a question, the boy was back
with his mother. She put the car in drive, wondering how she would find the
house of the beast. After what felt like lots of wrong turns, she sat facing a
grand house. The nicest one she had seen, modern but somehow nicer than the
futuristic ones along the way. It could have been an old mansion or a fancy bed
and breakfast. Whatever it was, she liked the looks of it.
On either side of the wide stairs was a statue of
a beast. Her eyes slid off one, but the other grabbed hold of her, not letting
go. She thought she saw it move. Taking the heels of both hands, she rubbed her
eyes. The statue was staring at her holding her in thrall. There was no way for
her to open the car door. Had she even put it in park? When the eyes blinked
for a minute, she could get a good look at the beast. He was black with icy
white tips on his fur. Then she was caught in its eyes again. This time she
could see them. They were icy green. An inhuman green that promised to burn you
from the cold.
She gasped, trying to force air through her lungs
when the statue became nothing more than a statue. Her head hurt like she was
in the middle of an illusion. One slow breath at a time, she closed her eyes,
reaching for her equilibrium. Once she was calm, she got out of the car to see
two men sitting on the steps. How had she missed them? Her eyes flicked to the
statue, but it made a mockery of her by not moving.
“Hi.” She approached the two men. “One of the
people in town directed me here.” Probably not in her best interest to tell
them it was a little boy.
When neither of them said anything, she stumbled
on. “They told me to come to the house of the beast.”
She looked at the two statues again. They were
like nothing she ever saw before.
“I don’t have time for this.” One of the men stood
walking up the stairs.
“You can’t leave me here with her,” the other
still sitting called out.
Moxie felt lower than a piece of gum attached to
the bottom of her shoe. The disdain in the man's voice told her everything he
thought about her.
“I’ll find another place to stay in a nicer town.”
She dusted off her pride before she turned around.
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