The witch dropped his shoulder, ready to hit her again. To hit her properly this time, while Mr. Darnell held her defenseless. Nice.
And, nope, she wasnt going to let them do that.
The witch checked his swing when she leaned forward as much as she could, trying to bend over completely so Mr. Darnell would rise from the floor. He pulled back harder, his arm tightening around her throat. She kept leaning. Lights started sparking behind her eyes, red and green fireworks of imminent death bright against the figure of the witch, the tackily tasteful living room.
Just when she thought she couldnt bear it one more second, she stood up straight. Fast. So fast Mr. Darnell didnt have time to react; he kept pulling her, and they both tumbled to the floor, the witchs fist barely missing her.
With Mr. Darnell beneath her and the witch leaning over, she kicked out with her right leg, managed to catch the witch in his rather ample stomach, and sent him stumbling a few steps away. Her elbow dug into the soft space below Mr. Darnells rib cage. His arm around her loosenednot a lot, but enough for her to sit up and start to roll off him.
Roll right into the barrel of the gun.
Stand up. Mrs. Darnells voice didnt shake. Her eyes didnt leave Chesss face. Come on, get up.
Great. This was just great. How many people had she busted in her four-year career? Almost exactly four years, in fact. Dozens. Dozens of people. None of them had ever tried this shit with her.
That could have been because if she had any suspicions they might, she asked the Squad for backup, of course. Where the hell were they?
Her legs still felt weird from the spell. That energy hadnt faded completely. She risked a glance at the witch, saw him standing with his fists clenched, whispering something. Another spell. Wonderful.
Mrs. Darnell, I dont think you want to do this.
I think youre wrong. Mrs. Darnells narrowed eyes shot beams of cold hatred at Chess. I think youre really, really wrong.
Killing a Church employee is automatic grounds for execution. Not to mention we get a special dispensation so we can haunt you until that execution happens. I really
You idiot. How the hell did you manage to catch us, being that stupid? I dont want to kill you, no. But I will, unless you sign those forms and give us our money.
They wont
Shut up.
Chess shut up. What was she going to do, argue with the woman holding a gun to her face? Besides, she wanted to think.
Mrs. Darnell had obviously held a gun before, used one before. Both of her hands wrapped tight around the guns butt, and her arms bent slightly to absorb its kick. Her entire stance indicated complete confidence. The safety was off. Now. Get the forms or whatever you need. Slowly.
You wont be able
Oh, but we will. Were all ready to go. You didnt think wed stick around here, did you?
Mr. Darnell stood up. Ill take the gun, Lois.
No. If I take my eyes off her, shell move.
No, she wouldnt. The witchs spell grew stronger again, and this time she knew if she tried to say the Banishing words shed be shot. This was ridiculous. She did not spend her whole life fighting to end up shot in some over-mortgaged suburban ranch house.
Might as well take a chance. She dropped to the floor, pushing herself forward so she hit Mrs. Darnells legs. The gun went off as Mrs. Darnell staggered back.
Chess hadnt been hit. Excellent. She was deaf but she hadnt been shot.
She raised her fistlike lifting a ten-pound weight through a tub of dense foamand punched Mrs. Darnell in the knee as hard as she could.
Another explosion from the gun. Mrs. Darnell fell on top of her. Chess tried to roll over and push her off; the woman was surprisingly heavy, but she slipped a little. Enough for Chess to shift herself to the left, enough to find Mrs. Darnells right hand still clutching the gun.
The witchs voice grew louder, the energy in the air darker and thicker. If Chess didnt get that gun away immediately, she was going to die, no question about it.
She kicked back with her right leg, catching Mrs. Darnell somewhere, she didnt know where for sure. Mr. Darnell had joined in the struggle, trying to pull his wife away and help her up, but Mrs. Darnell was apparently having too much fun trying to bite Chess and punching her in the legs and side. Chess kicked again, and again, her leg screaming from the effortit was so heavy, so fucking heavyuntil she somehow managed to hit Mrs. Darnell in the face.
The womans grip on the gun loosened. Only for a second, but it was enough. Chess snatched it away, raised it above her head, and pulled the trigger.
The picture window at the front of the room exploded; shards of glass filled the air, a deadly tidal wave of sharp edges and splinters that could slice veins, dust that could choke.
For a second everything stopped. Everything except Chess; shed been waiting for that pause, hoping for it, and she used itit and the power rushing back to her, since the witch had stopped speakingto push Mrs. Darnell away once and for all, to stand up and hold the gun on the two of them still on the floor.
The front door flew openthe Black Squad, their own guns drawn, their all-black uniforms and helmets like moving ink spots against the pale walls.
Chess lowered the gun, looked over at them. Youre late.
One of the Squad members glanced around the room, then back at Chess. Any problems?
She grinned. Now that she had the gun, now that the Squad had arrived, relief and adrenaline buzzed through her body, and she felt cheerier than she had since well, since that morning, anyway. No. Not really.
Chapter Two
The best kinds of surprises are intangible! The warmth of a sudden visit from a friend far outweighs material goods.
Mrs. Increases Advice for Ladies, by Mrs. Increase
Her body still ached three hours later, when she trudged up the stairs of her apartment buildinga former Catholic church, renovated after Haunted Week proved all religions falseto the hall.
Hers was the only apartment on that side of the L-shaped building, and the stained-glass window that made up the entire front wall of her living room was only one of the reasons she loved it. The privacy, the spaceit was hers, something that was only hers, for all that it was just rented.
Nobody came in without permission. Not anymore, not ever again.
That didnt stop people from visiting, though, at least it didnt these days. Proof of that stood right outside her front door, slumped against the wall in that elegant lean he did so well. Hey there, Tulip. Starting to wonder iffen you come home at all on the anymores, aye?
Hey, Lex. As always, a confusing mix of emotions tumbled through her head, through her chest. Happiness to see her friend, the desire for him to leave before Terrible got there, annoyance at the way he always just showed up and assumed hed be welcomewhat if Terrible had been with her? Just because he didnt forbid Chess from seeing Lex didnt mean he approved or liked the fact that she did.
She didnt approve of or like it, either. Nor did she approve of or like the small, insistent tingle of arousal low in her belly, but she couldnt change it. For almost three months, seeing Lex waiting for her had signaled more drugs and at least a couple of orgasms. It took time to undo that sort of conditioning, no matter how completely in love she was with someone else and no matter how much Lex knew it.
He bent to give her a kiss on the cheekthat familiar Lex smell washing over herand smiled. Figured Id give you the hellos, me, see iffen you needed all anything.
I can always use more. A minute or so to unlock the three bolts on her door and release the magical wards shed set up, and she led him into her kitchen.
Figured on that. He reached into the front pocket of his battered jeans and tugged out a wrinkled plastic sandwich bag half full of her little white best friends.
She took it. Her pillbox was only about a third empty, shed just refilled Wait a minute.
She gave him a sharp look. Why are you really here?
Aint I can come on a visit? Thinking you aint give Blue the whats-up she brings sheself here, so why I getting it?
She washed four Cepts down with water. Because Blue doesnt only show up when she wants something from me. And because I know you.
Know you, too. Like how mean you is. He walked the few more steps into her living room, plunked himself down on her new couch. Well, maybe not exactly newshed had it for about two monthsbut it still seemed new.
Without asking she grabbed a beer from the fridge and handed it to him.
He nodded his thanks. Coursen now you mentioning it, could be maybe I got a favor you could do me.
Uh-huh. She let the totally-not-fooled expression sit on her face another few seconds. Really. Like what?
Thinking maybe you aint mind working me up a chatter with Terrible.
If shed had any liquid in her mouth she would have sprayed it everywhere in shock. Luckily she didnt, but she sort of sputtered anyway. Whatbutwhy? Why would you want to talk to him?
Got my reasonings, I do.
Right. Like trying to kill him, presumably, since Lex wanted nothing more than to take over all the areas of Downside currently run by Terribles bossher regular dealerBump. Without Terrible, Bump would be a lot easier to defeat, and everyone knew it.
She eyed him with extra suspicion. Why, Lex?
Gots some stuff to chatter on with him. He leaned forward, meeting her gaze. Know what thought you got, I do, but aint that way. Just wanna sit us down, is all, nothing on the extra.
Terrible would never go for it. Never. The only time hed even acknowledged Lexs existence as anything but an asshole hed enjoy killing was the night three months or so ago when shed almost died, and the two men had driven around Triumph City to find her. And that had required her to almost die. Nothing short of that would make him agree to speak to Lex again.
I dont think
He sighed. A heavy, put-upon sigh, the kind at which he excelled. Shit. Gotta give you the swears? I swear on it, Tulip. Aint gonna do shit to him, I aint.
It wasnt that she didnt believe him. Well, it was, a little, but mostly it was just shit.
Notice you aint got so much worryin on me, you aint. Gotta give you the thanks for that one. His tone was dry, barely on the right side of sarcastic, but it pinched her all the same. Yeah, that was kind of shitty of her, wasnt it? Especially since anyone who would bet on Lex in a fight between him and Terribleshit, anyone whod bet against Terrible in any fightmight as well throw their money into the bay.
She hesitated, and he took his shot. The one shot guaranteed to work on her, and she knew he knew it. Aint never given you the asks on the befores, aye, and seems I recall doing you favors plenty.
Fine. It went against everything she wanted, but he had her there. Hed done her a lot of favors, done a lot for her. The least she could do was ask Terrible to talk to him.
It might mean spending a night aloneTerrible didnt enjoy being reminded that she was friends with Lex, that for a while shed been naked friends with Lexbut she didnt have much choice. Hell, she had a full pillbox and a nice-sized backup now, for free, and that was another favor.
He grinned. Aye, thats real good, real good. Knew you gimme the stand-up. Counted on you, I did.
Yeah. She was certain of that.
She was also certain that Terrible would arrive at any minute and that, whatever shed agreed to, he wouldnt be thrilled to find Lex there. She was also blessedly aware that her pills were starting to hit, her muscles relaxing, peaceful cheer seeping into her head and making her feel light. Making the situation seem not so bad.
Good thing, too, because the sound of the Chevelles engine drifted through the window. One thing about stained glass: It was beautiful, and it made the room look like the inside of a jewel box when the sun hit it, but it wasnt particularly well insulated.
Lex heard it, too. Hey, lucky chances. Sounding like he got heself here on the right now, aye? Just have myself the wait, catch him he gets inside.
Yeah, lucky chances. Fuck. Double fuck. For one mad second she thought of kicking him out, pushing him out the door and slamming it behind him. But what difference would it make? Terrible would run into him in the hall or as they both crossed the lobby that had once been the nave.
Oh well. Worrying about it wasnt going to make it any better, and there was no way it could be good.
Terribles key turned in the lock; her nerves gave a fluttering twist in her chest as he stepped inside.
His smile dropped like a guillotine blade when he looked past her and saw Lex leaning back on her couch, with his arm along the back and one foot propped on her battered coffee table. The fuck you doin here?
Lex opened his mouth, but Chess was faster. Hey. Um, Lex just got here, he wantedactually, he wants to talk to you, its why he came. I didnt know he was coming, he just showed up.
Wow. That didnt sound guilty at all. She met his dark eyes, hoping he could see the truth behind hers. Trusting that he would, or at least trying to trust, because he needed her to trust and she wanted to.
Wanna have me a chatter, Lex said.
Terrible glanced up. No.
Aw, cmon now, only the speech, dig, not
Terrible shook his head. His left hand rose to grip the back of Chesss neck, a possessive gesture she wasnt sure he realized he was making. Aint saying no to chatter. Sayin no to whatany it is you want.
Aye? Lex lit a cigarette, leaned forward to pick up Chesss cheap plastic ashtray, and set it beside him on the couch. Thinking you wanna make Tulip here happy, you listen up.
Terrible looked at her, What the fuck? written all over his face. Too bad she didnt know, either.
Coursen, maybe you aint wanting her happy? You just gimme the tell, then, I see what I can
Terrible lunged. Chess moved a second before, knowing it was coming. She leapt in front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck, ignoring the weird yelp that came out of her mouth in her amazement that shed managed to catch him at all. Dont, just just dont, okay? Please?
It didnt make much difference, really; he could have kept going without even noticing the extra weight of her body. But somethingmaybe her presence, maybe her words, maybe the fact that it was her housestopped him.
Talk. His anger vibrated against her skin even as she stepped away from him. This was so not the way shed wanted the evening to go.