The Price of Exorcism by Dakota Brown (sneezy the snowman read aloud .txt) 📗

They stared at me. Shit, now what?

"Yeah, Chris is my girlfriend." There wasabsolutely nothing I could say that would not sound weird, so, sighing, Igathered their minds with my own. "I just happened to be in the area andMandy needed a friend. Don't worry about me, I'm harmless." She'd alreadyseen me do my mind control thing on the other two, so hopefully she wouldn'tfreak out.

Her eyes were a little wide when I glanced at her andmouthed the word 'sorry,' but she grinned faintly before turning her attentionback to her parents.

I hovered in the background for hours while the nursesand doctors checked over Mandy, and the police came back and spoke with her andher parents. I thought about seeing if she wanted me to leave, but every nowand again she shot me an anxious look, and I resigned myself to staying.

Finally, she was discharged, and I followed them backout to the parking lot. Her parents were trying to talk her into going home totheir place, but she just wanted to get back to her own home.

"I'll drive her," I offered. "You canbring her car up tomorrow and spend the afternoon with her. How about that?"

Her parents considered the idea for a minute withMandy, who latched onto it with determination.

Finally, they left her with me, and I walked with herout to my car.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to yourparents' house?"

"Yeah. I just want to go home. Are you sure youdon't mind? You've already done so much for me." She sounded exhausted,and I was surprised she was still awake. The doctor had given her a smallprescription to help her sleep for a few days. I suspected she'd need it.

"I don't mind. I have to head back that way,anyway."

"How'd you find me?"

"Billy called me. I used magic."

"Really?"

"You don't believe me?"

"Uh. Okay, yeah, fair. I believe you." Shelaughed a little.

Goosebumps ran along my skin and I shoved myself infront of Mandy, just as a child sized person stepped away from my car.

"Very interesting," she said as she walkedtoward us. "I would not have expected you to help a mortal as you havethis one."

"Holy shit, is that one of the angels?"

"Yeah," I replied tightly. She'd be preparedfor the trick I'd pulled the other night, and I had a lot fewer options out inthe open. I didn't think she'd hurt Mandy, but she was likely extremely pissedat me.

"What do you want?"

"Well, your head on a pike might be a good start,"she stated as if she were discussing the weather.

Mandy tried to move in front of me, but I grabbed herarm and kept myself between the two of them.

"I probably couldn't stop you, but I'd try,"I snarled.

"I know." She shrugged.

"Yeah, and then I'd set Chris Price loose on you,"Mandy snarled.

The angel raised her eyebrow. "I do not think anexorcist would be much of a problem."

I snorted. "Then you don't know Chris."

She came closer and I resorted to a warning growl,hoping posturing would drive her off.

"Relax, vampire. I'm not here to fight."

Mandy twitched.

"Then why are you here?"

"Your Nephilim friend must learn to use hispowers. You need to convince him to come with us so we can teach him."

"Showing up and trying to accost him at the pizzaparlor wasn't a real good way to convince either of us to listen to you,"I pointed out.

She inclined her head, acknowledging my criticism. "Perhaps.We are not used to dealing with mortals. Still, you must convince him. He'lllisten to you."

"You need to talk to Chris. If you can convinceher, it'll go easier." I hated pushing this off on Chris, but I thoughtshe might have some perspective that I didn't. Or at least she'd be able to getEzra's opinion.

"She's consorting with demons." The angelsniffed in disdain.

"You're trying to convince a vampire to help you,"I pointed out.

"You're not a demon." She crossed her arms,a bit of a childish pout coming through her otherwise otherworldly demeanor.

I almost laughed, but I kept my amusement to myself. "No."

"I very much doubt your exorcist will beinterested in aligning herself with angels now that she's been corrupted by thedemons."

"First off, so far the demons have been way morehelpful than you guys. Secondly, I'm just as fond of Sabian as she is. Thoughmaybe in a different sort of way. So, you can take your anti-demon attitude andshove it." Maybe my exorcist was rubbing off on me. Mandy gasped quietly,reminding me she was still hiding behind me. Wasn't she getting an earful?

The angel glared at me.

I met her stare. I'd survived for centuries. She mightbe older, and she might be able to take me out relatively easily, but I was notgoing down without a fight, nor would I cower.

"We will be in touch when the exorcist returns tothis plane." She vanished in a painful flash of light.

I took a deep breath that I didn't really need. "Well,that was entertaining," I muttered.

"Holy shit, Mal."

"You're telling me. Okay, get in the car beforesomething else decides to try and pick a fight with me."

She practically leapt into my Prius. I did the sameand fired it up.

"Where is Chris?"

I hadn't expected that to be her first question. "Shewent to hell with a demon prince to get Sabian back from the other demon princewho basically kidnapped him from us."

She stared at me. "For real?"

"Yes."

I could tell she was trying to decide if she believedme or not.

"I've lived a long time," I said, "andthere's no way I could have made that particular scenario up in my mind."

She laughed. "Okay, fair. So, uh, you're really avampire?"

I sighed. That was what I had expected her firstquestion to be. "Angels are bastards, but they don't tend to lie. Twistthe truth, maybe, but yes, I am."

"That's crazy."

I glanced at her while I drove. "Really?"

"Well, I mean. Yes. This whole thing is crazy."

"Mandy, how'd you get mixed up with those two?"

"I was at a bar, looking for a hookup. I swear,that's all. They were hot, seemed nice." She shrugged.

"I've completely lost my ability to judge ages.How old are you?"

"Mal, I'm twenty-five, plenty old enough to go tobars