Raised in Fire (Demon Days, Vampire Nights World Book 2)(11)

“No, it didn’t scratch me.” I shook my head. “I was just about to kill that bird thing with my sword. I wouldn’t have ingested it. That doesn’t count.

Garret, of all people, did not save my life.”

“Not even a magical sword can cut through that type of magic,” the captain said without inflection.

I opened my mouth to tell him that my type of magic, which was stored in the sword, surely would have cut through that bird thing. It could cut through anything, especially dark, underworld-type magic. I was underworld-type magic.

No words came out.

There was absolutely no way I could admit to any of that. Nor could I tell the captain that if the bird thing had infected me, its evil wouldn’t have taken root. I’d had plenty of experience casting demons out of my body. It was part of my lineage—a lineage I couldn’t share with anyone unless I wanted to enslave myself to the land below.

No, I couldn’t tell the captain, but I really, really wanted to. This sucked so hard.

“You were right there without the means to kill it,” Garret said, grinding the point home, standing beside me with his chest puffed out in triumph. “It would’ve turned you into one of its kind. I’ve seen it happen. It’s immediate and not pretty. Face it, I saved your life. And what do I get for saving your life?”

“Don’t be a putz, Garret,” the captain said without inflection.

“That’s right, I get a bonus. And honors. And a write-up in our newsletter.” Garret smiled and hooked his thumbs into his belt loops. “I’m a hero. Hail to the king.”

My hands curled into fists. He had me. And now, in the eyes of the office, I was indebted to him.

“You’re welcome,” he said, flicking my last nerve with his smug, douchey smile.

Before my mind caught up with my body, my fist hit his nose. The crack made everyone blink in surprise. He staggered back and reached for his face.

A moment later, blood gushed over his lips.

“Oops,” I said. I meant it.

“That’s a red flag,” the captain said nonchalantly, not looking up.

I sighed. That fifth red flag had probably been inevitable. I clearly wasn’t cut out for a routine-driven, normal life.

Clarissa hastened up, out of breath and clutching her satchel. “Reagan, are you hurt? Did it scratch you?”

“It scratched her leather pants. It didn’t pierce them.” Captain Lox closed his book and finally looked up. “I’ve half a mind to have everyone wear leather. It’s a good idea.”

“Maybe tum’one s’uld ass her why her face isn’t fried,” Garret said through his fingers, his eyes watering and half closed.

“Why her face isn’t fried?” Clarissa asked, squinting at him. “Is that what you said? Let me see your nose.”

“Reagan got blasted in the face with magical fire when Garret burned the aswang’s transformation bird,” the captain said, looking at the ashes on the ground.

“Oh my gosh!” Clarissa’s hand drifted to her chest. “Oh thank God, Garret. Quick thinking. I didn’t have a chance to tell her about that. She would’ve been a goner for sure. Oh wow, that must’ve been a close one.”

My nails dug into my palms.

“But…” Clarissa studied my face. “Oh, I see, your eyebrows are gone.

But your face doesn’t look blistered or burned in any way. Was the spell old?

It must’ve created a decent amount of heat if it burned your eyebrows. I’d think you’d have light blistering, at the very least. I can heal that, of course.”

“Oh. Uh…” I shrugged. Time to lie. “A cousin made a fire-retardant spell. You know, that cousin. The one I mentioned when I helped you with the case earlier today. He lives in Canada.” They couldn’t possibly know I had no living relatives. Except my dad, but he didn’t count.

“Da one you lost yer birginity to?” Garret asked. He wheezed out a laugh, still holding his face.

“Do you want a broken limb to accessorize with that nose?” I asked him.

“But yeah, turns out the spell works on skin but not hair. I’ll, uh…have to tell him that.”

“I thought we had an understanding about experimental magic,” Clarissa said with disapproval.

“It saved my life, didn’t it?” I turned toward home.

“No, I taved yer life,” Garret yelled after me.

I was walking away when Garret asked Clarissa to see to his nose. Other MLE staffers were showing up as I exited the little side alley. Their response time was terrible. If I hadn’t acted when I did, prompting the captain and Garret to act with me, the creature would be long gone.

Something that would be overshadowed by Garret’s assumed heroics.

What joy was mine…

Now to deal with Smokey. If he’d seen what I had, which was likely, given the text message and his many calls, he might be a little frantic. Not to mention that if he was dumb enough to talk to the cops, he might need to be bailed out. It was the day that wouldn’t end.





Chapter Five

Icould finally afford a car, but I still hadn’t gotten around to buying one.

Instead, I took cabs or one of the rideshare services that were like cabs, only nicer.