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

Dexx decided to tranquilize her. He didn’t know what she would do, how she would react, but the demon had gotten too close. Leslie and, hopefully, Alma were on their way. He just had to buy time until then.

He needed a few things in town. First stop, vet’s office. He pulled his ‘70 Dodge Challenger up to the building and shut off the rumbling engine. Taking a moment, he pinched the bridge of his nose before sliding his fingers along the bottom rim of his eye sockets.

How could he call himself a friend if he’d never understood how she felt? He hadn’t even cared about her side of the custody battle. For years. He’d sided with Rachel—who’d practically raised him—thinking Paige was a danger to her child.

Until Denver.

After Alma had stripped away Paige’s memories of Leah, she’d moved to Denver. No reason. She just moved.

Demon cases followed her.

He’d gone out there. Hunted the demons down. Did her job for her.

One day, he’d decided to drop in on her. See how she was doing.

He discovered she was a pretty cool chick and a rather empowering woman. They’d become friends.

Up until that point, he’d assumed she was cool because she wasn’t the demon summoner anymore. The “evil” had been banished. As long as her gift remained buried, she’d be fine.

But the past couple of years, he’d begun to wonder. Would she be any different with her gift? Would her abilities really change who she was?

And, then, he’d started questioning Rachel. Had she been right in taking Leah?

Oh, boy. She hadn’t appreciated that. She’d kicked him out of her house. She’d told Nick—his best friend and her son—to stop talking to him.

And Nick had.

That gave Dexx a little more insight into the woman. Maybe, the angel whisperer wasn’t so pure..

What he’d experienced with Paige was enlightening.

They’d banished her emotions, acting like she didn’t have the right to remember her own daughter. Why?

Because she’d raised a few demons to kill her mother.

If Dexx had lived through that, if it had been him, he wouldn’t have had to summon anything. He would have killed Rachel with his bare hands.

So, he was the crap friend.

Swallowing, Dexx got out of the car. The hot, muggy air greeted him gently, beckoning to him with the promise of shade from the nearby tree. He walked through the door. The dinging of the bell heralded his arrival and he waited at the counter.

A teenage girl in a black t-shirt and jeans entered from a door in the back. “Can I help you?”

Dexx plastered on his charm. He had a face that could get him anything and he used it. It was his weapon of choice when dealing with the mundanes. Wait. What was it the Harry Potter crowd called them? Oh, hell. He couldn’t recall. “I’m getting ready to go on a long trip, but my dog doesn’t handle car rides well. I’m out of diazepam, which is what I normally give her. I was wondering if I could get some more.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” the girl said with a smile. “What’s her name?”

His eye twitched. “Doxxie.”

“And what breed is she?”

“Great Dane.”

“Oh, she’s a big dog.”

He nodded, keeping his expression relaxed and genuine. “We’re actually getting ready to leave right now. I was getting ready to give her the dose so we could go when I discovered I was out. I just forgot to reorder. It’s so silly of me.”

She winced as if suddenly recalling something. “I shouldn’t do this.”

“She gets really anxious and tears up the back seat of my car.”

She peered over his shoulder at the parking spaces, returned her attention to him, then did a double-take. “Is that your car?”

Pride surged through him. The older car had been a good idea when he rebelled against his mother. His hands had needed something to do, and rebuilding the old junker was ideal. Now, with all the time he spent on the road, getting a car with better gas mileage would be more cost effective, but then he’d have a harder time fixing it himself. Also, there were the reactions. He’d never get over that.

“Well, um, I’m sure Doctor Tom will understand.” She blinked, probably not even realizing she was flirting, and went to the rear door. “I’ll just be right…back.”

Dexx thumped the counter with his thumb. “I’ll be here.”

Paige, of course, was his Great Dane and she was the one he’d given his last dose to. She’d be out for another few hours. A normal person would be out the rest of the day with the dose he gave her. She had a demon trying to get in. The idea of what that thing could do scared the crap right out of him.

With the filled prescription in hand, he exited the office, and moved on to the police station.

St. Francisville wasn’t that small of a town, but it was quaint. Downtown had a real earthy feel to it, and even had more than a few white picket fences. The police station wasn’t much to look at. Most really weren’t. Dexx walked up to the front desk.

A man in a police uniform sat behind it, reading a comic book. He put it away, offering a smile. “Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for Chief White?”

“Is he expecting you?”

“No, but he has questions for me.”

“Name?”

“Dexx Colt. I’m with Detective Whiskey.”

The police officer frowned, but picked up the phone and spoke into it. After a brief moment, he nodded and gestured Dexx back.

Chief White was a big, burly guy who dwarfed the array of desks. In a fist fight, Dexx wouldn’t necessarily lay money on himself. This guy looked like he had strength and know-how.

Dexx offered his hand. “Dexx Colt. I’m with Detective Whiskey.”

“Nice to put a name to your face. Follow me.”

His office looked like just about every other police chief’s office Dexx had ever visited. Desk. Files. A lamp. A computer. Awards on the walls.

The chief closed the door behind Dexx with a tapping of the blinds against the glass. “I hope you’re here to explain a few things, Mr. Colt.”

“Dexx, please, and, yes. I am. What do I call you?”

“Brian. Or Chief, or White. Whichever you prefer.”

Dexx had never understood why Paige preferred to address her colleagues by their last name. “How much of the truth do you want to hear?”

Brian gestured to a chair and sat behind his desk. “All of it. I know about Detective Whiskey and the Whiskey Witches. I know about her investigations, her knowledge on the arcane. I’m even aware of some of the more elusive aspects of her Dallas investigations, and some of the events that led to her moving to Denver. What I don’t know is what you do for them.”

“Them being the Whiskey Witches?”

Brian nodded.

“Well, let’s start small. I’m a demon hunter.”

Nothing moved on Brian’s dark face. His eyebrow didn’t twitch. His fingers didn’t flex. He didn’t wince or flinch. After a moment, he nodded. “Who asked you on the case? Detective Whiskey?”

“No. When Alma found out Paige was coming, we did some quick research. Paige isn’t called out of her jurisdiction lightly—or ever. When she’s requested, something unnatural is going down. We both decided Paige could use some backup.”

A slight frown furrowed Brian’s forehead. “What happened yesterday?”

“More truth?”

“I’d prefer it.”

He’d handled the hunter bit rather smoothly. Perhaps he could actually handle the rest. “I think she was attacked by a demon.”

Brian didn’t even flinch. “Why do you suspect that?”

However, no matter how well the other man handled things, there were aspects to a paranormal existence that just didn’t lend well to a civilian life. “There are some jars that, once opened, can’t be resealed. Are you sure you want to know?”

Brian lifted his chin, then dropped his gaze to his desk. “My mom had the sight. It wasn’t much, but she could see things sometimes, things we couldn’t explain to the rest of the world. I’m not saying I completely buy into demons and whatever else might be out there, but I do know this. I’ve got a killer in my town who’s bringing the devil with him. I don’t have the leisure to fear what doesn’t make sense.”

Dexx leaned back in his chair. “That, sir, earned you a lot of respect.”

The chief lifted one beefy shoulder, sunlight from the high window blaring brightly on his white button-up shirt.

“Okay, well, I’ll read you in.” Dexx had always wanted to say that. It sounded like he was a spy.

Brian raised an eyebrow.

Dexx grinned, then grew somber. “Sorry. We have a bad situation. Paige is a demon summoner.”

“She’s what?”

“Yeah, difficult to swallow, but true.”

Brian ran his hand along his bald head