Whiskey Witches, F.J. Blooding [ap literature book list .TXT] 📗

Paige followed Balnore’s command, her heart a heavy stone in the pit of her stomach.

Dexx’s fingers clawed at the cement floor, his head thrown back, his mouth wide open.

“Medic,” Paige cried as she ran toward him, sliding on her knees to his side. “Medic, we need help over here.”

A woman in a blue uniform knelt beside her She opened her tackle box. “What happened?”

“He fell,” Paige said, “from there.”

The medic glanced in the direction of the landing and turned her attention back to Dexx. “Adam,” she shouted. “Need your assistance.”

A man finished what he was doing with one of the gunshot victims and gave instructions to the third medic.

The female medic smiled at Dexx. “What’s your name?”

His mouth opened, pain flashed across his features, but the only sound that came out of his mouth was a wheeze.

“His name’s Dexx,” Paige said.

The medic gave her a crisp nod. “My name’s Jill.”

Adam sat beside them. “What do we got?”

“Fall victim,” Jill said. “Hold the c-spine. Dexx, do you know where you are?”

He jerked his head.

“Tell me. Where are you?”

“Mill. St.—” Gasp. “Francis—” Wheeze. “—ville.”

“Okay, that’s good.” She took the stethoscope from around her neck. “I need you to take in a deep breath.”

Dexx’s eyes closed and his jaw clenched as his body revolted.

Adam placed an oxygen mask over Dexx’s mouth and nose.

Jill listened, a frown covering her features. “Diminished breath sounds on the right side.”

“What does that mean?” Paige demanded.

“There’s jugular vein distention,” Adam said.

Jill nodded, her hands going immediately to her tackle box. “Sorry, Dexx, but this is going to hurt.” She pulled out a huge needle and uncapped it.

Paige looked away. She did not need to see that. She heard a rush of air through a small tube. Dexx took in a gulping breath. She turned around in time to see Dexx’s body relax.

“Okay, Dexx, I’m going to—”

Jill’s words disappeared as something pushed at Paige. Her gaze flashed, blurred and then redefined. She looked up.

A uniformed police officer walked through the door. He paused as his gaze met Paige’s.

The force of the push intensified.

Demon.

Paige’s breathing grew rapid as she concentrated on keeping the demon back.

The police officer stumbled.

Brian glanced up at him and then toward Paige, the whites of his eyes gleaming.

The demon clawed through her defenses, taking control of her hands, her arms—

She reclaimed her body by sheer force of will.

“Bal,” Dexx shouted through the oxygen mask. “Demon.”

“I need you to stay calm,” Jill said to Paige. “If you can’t—”

Her legs. Her feet.

Paige fell back.

The demon gained an inch, then another.

She cried out.

“What the hell?” Adam shouted.

“Tie her down.” Jill turned her concentration on the neck brace she was trying to put on Dexx.

“No,” Balnore said. “That isn’t—“

The demon flexed her fingers, moved her arm, wiggled her toes. It found the source of her gift, encircled it, fought for control of her tongue, her mouth, her lips.

No!

A bright flash of white light, sent everyone stumbling.

The demon was suddenly gone.

The police officer fell back against the wall, his hand going to his head. “Chief?” he sked, his voice distant. “How did I get here?”

Paige sat up, blinking. What the hell had just happened here?

Brian glared at Paige as he walked toward the officer.

Balnore’s face lost color as he stared at a space behind Paige’s shoulder.

Adam crept toward Paige with a purpose.

She batted him away, twisting around to see what was behind her. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” Adam said calmly, dodging her flailing arms. “You had a seizure., and you’re shot.”

Jill sent him a frank look.

“It’s nothing.” Paige scrambled to her feet. What could scare the shit out of a demon like Balnore? “Adam, I’m fi—” She stopped mid-word.

A little girl with bright pink pigtails and a dress so white it seemed to glow stood a few short feet from her.

Adam gained ground. His latex-covered hand gripped Paige’s arm. “We need to check you out. See if you’re—”

The girl raised an ebony eyebrow, her head tipping.

Adam stumbled back, a thick frown furrowing his forehead. He looked at Jill, his hands open. “Where are we?”

Jill blinked. “Shit. Goddammit. Help me get him on a stretcher. I’ll check you out in the ambulance.”

Adam followed her orders. “I remember—”

“We’ll get this figured out,” Jill interrupted. “Help me get him on the ambulance.”

Paige stopped paying attention to their conversation. She had more pressing matters to attend to, like who this new threat was and why she’d helped.

Balnore rose gracefully to his feet, his arms spread as he took a step back.

The little girl took a step forward, a sweet smile on her face.

Paige looked from the demon to the girl.

The medics loaded Dexx onto the gurney.

“Wait. Where are you taking him?”

Jill set her tackle box at Dexx’s feet. “Trauma like this? Baton Rouge.”

“Hey,” Dexx shouted, his hand reaching out as far as the restraints would allow. “I’m—”

“No you’re not,” Paige shouted. “I’ll come for you as soon as I can.”

“You’re—”

“Shut up,” Paige barked. “Get better. Go.”

Dexx continued to protest as Jill and Adam rolled him out the door.

Paige focused on Balnore. “What’s going on?”

“She’s an—”

“Angel,” the little girl said, erupting in a peal of giggles. “I’ve come to help you.”

“Help