Time Jacker by Aaron Crash (best free novels .txt) 📗

thinking about buying in and riding the ride. I can help you get something set up if you want to go that route.”

“Definitely.” Jack paused. “Who’s the buyer?”

Pinetree squinted until his eyes were closed. “That’s just it, the buyer isn’t a person. It’s someone connected to the Achaean Orthodox Church, which dates back to the Great Schism of 1054. That was when the Catholics splinted into two groups, or so most people think. But there was a secret, third church started. Kind of like a shadow church as far as I can tell. The Achaean Orthodox Church has deep pockets, I’ll tell you what. And they have a love of antiquity.”

“Great Schism?” Jack had to smile. “What the hell, PT, are you earning an honorary history degree?”

The bartender shrugged. “Research, baby. I wanted to see if I could trust these people. I can. If you can find any more relics like that, they’d be interested. Looks like we have a buyer set, which makes our lives easier.”

“Looks like we do,” Jack said.

Right then, Bailey and Gabby approached them since Hugo was chatting nicely with Sally the Nightmare Before Christmas rag doll.

Bailey leaned in close and gripped Jack’s ass. “So, what are you two talking about over here?”

Jack leaned back into the demon’s heat. “Money, mostly, and the Achaean Orthodox Church. What do you two know about them?”

Gabby’s face lost all color. She looked infinitely worried.

Bailey laughed. “Demon hunters, hardcore demon hunters, and hell’s biggest enemy. The Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox churches turn over anything that has to do with the Tempus Bellum over to the Achaeans. They’re like the CIA of Catholicism. Why are you so shocked, Feathers? You know something I don’t know?”

“They would kill you, Bailey,” the angel said quietly. “If they knew what was going on here. And there’s a good chance they might know I went to hell to rescue Annie. They might see me as a fallen angel. They might kill me as well.”

The sex demon drained her drank and threw the tumbler over her shoulder.

Jack stopped time and reached out over the railing to retrieve the glass. He put the glass snuggly back in Bailey’s hand. “Come on. Don’t destroy Pinetree’s stuff.”

That made the demon sigh. “Dammit, Jack, I’m a sex demon, not a waitress.”

“Where is that from?” Jack asked.

Bailey blew out a breath. “These two guys in California said it all the time. I think both of them were named Gene. Or maybe one was named Don. Anyway, I heard it and kinda liked it. Oh, Gene, where are you now? You were so horny.”

Gabby held up a hand. “I don’t want to know.”

Pinetree was as frozen as everyone else on the rooftop, along with the flames. The bartender did have a surprised look on his face because Bailey had thrown the glass over the railing and probably through someone’s windshield.

Bailey leaned in and kissed the corner of Gabby’s frown. “It’s been two weeks, Feathers, and you haven’t heard from your legion or your commander. Pinocchio or whatever.”

“Pinturicchio,” Gabby corrected.

“Like I care. The point is, if the fucking heavenly legions haven’t come for you, the Achaean demon hunters won’t give a shit about you.”

Jack stepped in. “If the Achaeans are dangerous, we won’t sell them anything anymore. We made a huge amount of money on the goblets. We can be done selling artifacts.”

Jack started time. The fires took up their burning, and the chatter erupted, as did a little breeze that was warmer than it should’ve been—just another gift of the night.

“I refuse to be poor like some mortal son of a bitch.” Bailey tapped her glass against her lip. “I say if we can fleece the Achaeans, we should milk every fucking drachma we can out of them.”

Pinetree held up a finger. “Uh, Greece uses the euro now. The drachma is a dead currency.” He pointed at the glass in Bailey’s hand. “I thought you threw that. Did I miss something?”

Bailey pretended to embrace Pinetree before slipping the empty glass into his hand. “I’d never destroy your shit, Paul. Just like I’d never tell people about the porn you like.”

Pinetree got flustered, but the sex demon left him to hug Gabby. “Feathers, don’t worry. Even if they send Sister Hortensia after us, we can deal with her. We can deal with anyone. We have the Time Knight on our side.”

Jack still had the same question. “The Time Knight or a Time Knight?”

Gabby found a smile. “You’re Jack Masterson. I trust in you. I love you, Jack. Just like I love Bailey.” The angel nuzzled the demon’s neck.

Bailey’s nipples hardened in the red tunic she’d added to her black leather armor.

Pinetree stared with his drink half raised to his mouth.

Jack elbowed Pinetree. “Don’t look too long, man. I’m the jealous type.”

The bartender held up his hands. “I’m not looking. Okay, maybe I am a little, but I’m really trying not to.”

“You don’t need to be jealous, Jack.” Bailey was deadly serious for a minute. “I only want you. No one else can give me what you can.”

“No one else,” Gabby agreed. “We’re both yours for as long as you’ll have us. You know I’ll be faithful to you. And I think Bailey will as well.”

Jack expected the sex demon to say something sarcastic, but she didn’t. Bailey nodded, a look of love on her face.

Pinetree cleared his throat. “You’re a lucky man, Jack Masterson. But hey, about the other thing we were talking about. Do you really want to go the Equalizer route? The A-Team? The wolf man from Pulp Fiction? Look, man, I know a shit-ton of people who could use your help. Running a bar, dealing with the public, I hear of all kinds of hard luck stories. They probably can’t pay much, but they can pay some. That might help you with the IRS.”

Jack would have to pay off his credit cards at some point, and that left a money trail that might be problematic. However, in a very