‘I’m not going to lie, I didn’t think you were actually going to show up,’ Jess sneered good naturedly as Austin got out of the car.
’What’s that supposed to mean? Austin said defensively.
Jess snorted. ‘Is that a trick question?’ she teased. She looked good. She had artfully swept her hair up to one side and chosen a glittering black dress that simultaneously left little to the imagination and covered her perfectly. He was a little jealous at how easily she managed to look her best.
Austin gave himself a once over and winced. He didn’t own a whole lot of casual clothes and most of his wardrobe was designer brands. This wasn’t because he liked them or even wore them but because his mother insisted on her son wearing the best. There was crap in his wardrobe that he had never even taken of the hangers.
‘Let’s just go,’ he said with a dramatic sigh.
‘So, what did you have to do to get away?’ she asked with a vicious smirk.
Austin winced. ‘I may have snuck out,’ he admitted.
Jess cackled. ‘Finally, I’m starting to rub off on you!’
Austin snorted. ‘Please, I’m perfectly capable of being a rebel without you,’ he said primly. This had Jess howling with laughter.
‘You, a rebel? That’s adorable!’ she cackled. Austin made a swipe for her, but she dodged. It was busy tonight despite the chilly weather. It was a short walk to the club from where the car had dropped them off. Austin could already see the queue of people. He sucked in a breath as he scrutinised the line. They were all human, even the bouncer. He let out the breath he was holding.
‘Come on!’ Jess dragged him towards the line. A few people started to frantically wave at them. He knew Jacob, Ava and Zander but the two other women were unfamiliar. Jess obvious knew though because she began dragging Austin even faster, calling out to them.
‘You took your sweet ass time!’ one of the women said cattishly as they joined them.
‘Blame him, he takes forever to go anywhere,’ Jess replied, jerking a thumb in Austin’s direction.
‘Hey!’ Austin yelped.
‘Austin? Damn, I didn’t think you knew how to go anywhere that wasn’t that crappy bakery or your mansion in the sky,’ Jacob sneered.
‘I see you’re as wonderfully blunt and uninteresting as ever,’ Austin replied coolly. The girls cackled as a red flush bloomed over Jacob’s sharp cheekbones. Being able to take insults was second nature to Austin. Many of his lesson had taught him how to respond or not respond. Insults and quips were the base of how some demon species communicated. Getting flustered or showing hurt was one of the quickest ways to turn a demon deal sour.
‘Don’t start, we just got here,’ Zander groaned. Zander was Jacob’s roommate. How he managed to live with the other without killing him, Austin had no idea. His respect always went out to the smaller brown-haired man regardless. Zander was another reasonably attractive male in Austin’s life who turned out to be frustratingly straight. Zander hooked up with Ava about a year ago and the two went everywhere together.
‘Echo is supposed to be playing tonight!’ Ava squealed, completely oblivious to the boys squabbling.
‘Bitch, why do you think I bothered to do my hair at all?’ laughed one of the women Austin didn’t know. She had cherry pink hair and the brightest orange eyeshadow he had ever seen on a living person. With an extra two inches of height over him, the glittery red top and stilettos that looked like that could mortally puncture someone’s lung, the woman was a bit intimidating. Thankfully, the line moved quickly.
Inside the club, Austin felt himself wince at the volume of the music. There was a mass of gyrating bodies and flashing lights. Feeling slightly disorientated, he let himself be led to the bar by Jess who was set on ordering cocktails. The bartender gave Austin an interested once over that was thorough enough to leave him blushing.
‘Oh, I think she likes you,’ Jess teased, nudging him aggressively.
Austin snorted. ‘Pity she’s missing a few key ingredients,’ he hissed back, grinning. This comment sent Jess into a fit of giggles. Once the drinks were flowing and Jacob had fucked off to annoy a new group of people he was interested in humping against, Austin found that he could actually enjoy himself.
He couldn’t even remember the last time he had gone out with his friends. He didn’t talk much, letting the girls and Zander fill in the gaps. The woman with dark pink hair turned out to be called Olivia. Her friend was named Zoe. They were a loud group but perfectly friendly.
‘So, Austin, Jess tells me you work with her at that cake shop on Hinkler Road?’ Zoe handed him another drink. It was a hideous green colour, a little sweet, a little sour and dangerous easy to drink. It was his third already. Or maybe his fourth?
‘Yeah, I really love it there,’ he said and was rather proud of himself for just how little his voice slurred.
‘Don’t mean to be rude but aren’t your folks like… really loaded?’
‘Zoe!’ Jess hissed.
‘It’s okay, Jessie. Yes, they are. They also only want me to work with the family. Which is a big no from me so...’ this time Austin couldn’t hold in the slur very well.
‘So, you aren’t rich?’
‘I’m still good for a round,’ he laughed.
Jess, who was looking both appalled and angry with Zoe’s commentary, turned to him. ‘Austin, you don’t have to,’ she snapped.
‘It’s fine,’ he sighed, getting to his feet and little unsteadily.
‘Austin’s shouting the next round!’ Ava exclaimed. Everyone hooted in agreement.
Austin shrugged and pulled out his wallet. ‘Yeah alright, what does everyone want?’
‘Oh, oh, get a pitcher of that Cherub’s Clouds cocktail,’ Ava called. Zander pulled a face.
‘The what?’ he groaned, looking revolted.
‘Oh, you’ll love it. It’s got strawberries and vodka and elderflower and that-’ Zander waved to cut her off. ‘Just get the ladies what they want,’ he sighed. Austin shot him a grin.
‘Want me to grab you a beer too?’ he asked.
Zander nodded. ’Yeah, cheers man. Austin made his way over to the bar with some difficultly. It was really picking up now. The bar was jostling with people. Content to wait his turn, he leaned against the bar. His head was swimming. Maybe he should slow down on the drinks…
‘My, my, my, what cataclysmic event has occurred that would make the mighty Rimmon Avaris let his only pup out to roam?’
The sensation was like having a bucket of ice water dumped over his shoulders. The soft fluffy feeling of his drunkenness was immediately squashed under a crushing dread. Austin didn’t turn around. He continued to stare down the bar, his training snapping to the forefront.
Don’t show weakness. Don’t show hesitation. Don’t show fear. Don’t talk about the family.
‘I really don’t give a rats ass where my father thinks I should or shouldn’t go,’ Austin said coolly, still not looking at the man he was now sure stood behind him.
‘Bold of you. If you’re looking for some fun-’
‘Then I’ll stay with my friends rather than some random ass demon with no manners,’ Austin growled, finally turning. His breath caught somewhere high in his lungs. With the disorientating thumping music and low flashing lights, it was difficult to tell exactly what species of demon he was looking at. The man was about half a foot taller than him, broad shouldered and eyes that were more black than brown.
‘Feisty. I like that. Looking for new contracts, are you?’ Austin glared up at him. Most of his interactions with demons were 85% bluff. Demons will use any information to get the upper hand. As the son of a Contractor Demon, he would have expected to start forming his own contracts once he became a teenager. Trouble was, Austin had no interest in becoming a demon or following in his father’s footsteps. That meant no using his powers and certainly no contracts. Not that this asshole needed to know that.
‘I don’t need to look for contracts. I take them on when it suits me,’ Austin said in a bored voice.
The demon hummed appreciatively. ‘Of course, of course.’
‘After another drink love?’ It was the pretty bartender who had been checking Austin out.
He flashed her a wide smile and nodded. ‘The girls want a pitcher of Cherub’s Clouds. I’ll also grab two beers of whatever’s on tap,’ he said loudly over the pounding beat.
The bartender laughed. ‘Those girls will drink you both under the table,’ she said knowledgeably.
He snorted. ‘I think they are going to try,’ Austin said with a dramatic sigh. She took his card, swiped it through and then flounced off to make the drinks. Unfortunately, the demon was apparently happy to wait because he didn’t move. Austin heard the demon breath in deeply, the sound making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He was being scented.
‘It’s incredible. Your scent is almost completely human.’ Alarm bells were ringing inside Austin’s head. This had been a really stupid idea. Why had he agreed to come tonight?
‘I don’t flounce my identity wherever I go. It draws the wrong kind of irritating attention,’ Austin said in what he hoped was a flat, arrogant voice. The demon raised one black eyebrow and dared another step closer.
‘Really? You know what I think? I think you haven’t been taking enough contracts to keep up your powers.’ The man was now dangerously close. With the bar at his back and people pressing in on his sides, Austin had nowhere to retreat to.
‘I really don’t care what you think. You’re in my space,’ Austin spat, trying to remember how to control his breathing. If his heart starting to race, the non-human pressed up against his front would certainly hear it.
‘Why don’t you do something about it, pup?’ The demon dropped his voice and allowed his pupils to expand, the black leeching out. Austin felt a moment of real panic. The man was a Holma, a dream eater. Most Holma were harmless dream stealers, devouring good and bad dream to feed themselves. As young creatures, they could only feed from humans but as they aged, they became strong enough to take from a demon’s dreams too. The power of the species was derived purely by age. It was said the more powerful the Holma, the more the demon could take from a host until all was left was a husk of shell, functioning bodily organs and tear ducts that flowed until the heart gave out and brain rotted away in the human’s skull.
‘He doesn’t need to. He’s an Avaris, he has me for that.’ The voice that came somewhere from his left was one that Austin recognised immediately and suddenly he was just as angry as he was scared. The man’s head turned, lip curling.
‘And who the fuck-’
Exton, Austin’s childhood bodyguard and hellhound, picked the Holma up one handed and held him high enough to dangle. ‘I’m pretty sure my master told ya ta fuck off but since your ears aren’t working so well, I thought I would help you out,’ the hellhound said casually, flashing sharpened teeth. The man was losing his cocky attitude in the face of a far stronger supernat.
‘We were just talking,’ the demon blabbered.
Austin mouth thinned. ‘Yeah, we really weren’t. I’m not even interested in ever knowing that you still live. Do you understand me?’ Austin growled, crossing his arms over his chest. The man nodded with ridiculous enthusiasm.
‘Yes, yes of course. You’ll never see me again.’
Austin stared the Holma down for a few more seconds before glancing at the grinning hellhound.
‘Put him down so he can fuck off,’ Austin sighed. The hellhound looked vaguely disappointed. It was a well-known fact in their world that hellhounds could and would eat the flesh of any demon they caught. Hellhounds were one of the few creatures that could digest all parts of a demon from horn to soul. Exton shrugged and let the man drop back to his feet. Flustered and still looking sideways at Austin, he scurried out of the club.
Austin rounded on Exton whose grin faded immediately. ‘You!’
‘Hey love, sorry that took so long. Here’s your pitcher and your beers,’ the bartender came back with a pitcher of hideously pink liquid and two beers. Stifled for the moment, Austin forced on a very stiff smile and took his drinks, Exton loitering awkwardly behind him.
‘You can go wait outside. I’ll deal with you in a minute,’ Austin ground out. Exton whimpered doggishly.
‘But Aus!’
‘Out. Now.’ The hellhound slunk away, his many dark green tattoos glowing under the club lights. Austin stomped back to his table with the drink. Zander frowned at the sight of him.
‘We were just about to send a search party for you, you’ve been ages,’ he said, accepting the beer from him. Austin winced.
‘I ran into someone,’ he grumbled. Ava raised an eyebrow.
‘Judging by that pout it wasn’t anyone good. Ex?’ She asked. Austin smiled bitterly.
‘Something like that. You’ll have to excuse me,’ he said, placing his own untouched beer on the tabletop.
Jess stood up quickly. ‘Is everything okay?’ she asked seriously.
‘Yeah, everything’s fine. My damn bodyguard turned up which mean my mother probably knows I’m gone. I have to go,’ he said in a low voice.
She shared his winced. ‘Ah, well if you aren’t grounded for life, I’ll see you at work tomorrow.’ He nodded glumly and waved goodbye to the others. Then he straightened his spine and stormed for the door.
--
‘You’ve been following me?!’ Austin exploded the second he had dragged Exton down a quieter alleyway.
The hellhound gave a sheepish little shrug. ‘Well yes. I wasn’t really supposed to let you see me. I didn’t know you were going out tonight! My boss is going to kill me!’ he howled.
Austin glared at him. Truthfully, it had been a long time since he had seen Exton. The hellhound used to follow him everywhere, playing the obedient bodyguard. He had no idea the hound was still being paid to watch him.
‘Have you been following me to work every day too?’ he asked indignantly.
Exton nodded pointedly. ‘Well yeah. At a distance. Your family pays me good money to make sure you keep your pretty little head on your shoulders. I will admit though, your life’s gotten a bit boring.’
‘I like my life how it is now,’ Austin growled through gritted teeth. He felt an oddly prickling sensation travel down his arms. He looked down the street. It was still packed with people. No one was looking their way but Austin still instinctively shifted further into the shadows of the building.
‘Okay fine, but shouldn’t you being starting to collect contracts? That guy was right, you are more vulnerable without-’
‘Would you shut up!? Or do you want the whole city to hear us?’ Austin hissed, slapping his hand over Exton’s mouth. The hound licked his palm wetly. Revolted, Austin yanked his hand back.
‘What are you, six years old?’
The hellhound shrugged one massive shoulder. ‘You taste pretty good to me,’ he snickered, showing a white canine. Austin’s glare intensified until the man shuffled on his steel capped feet. As Austin’s eyes narrowed, the man withered a little.
‘Look, I have to do my job, but you don’t even need to know I’m here. I’ll go back to stalking from a distance. Happy?’ Exton said in what he clearly thought was a reasonable tone. Austin pinched the bridge of his own nose hard, praying silently for patience. He would have punched the hound if he weren’t almost positive the man’s inhumanly thick skull would break his hand.
‘So did you come here on my mother’s orders?’ Austin asked, dreading the answer.
Exton’s mouth quirked. ‘What do you think?’ the hellhound asked. Austin slumped against the brickwork.
‘Fuck my life,’ he barked. Exton regarded him calmly for a moment.
‘You really don’t want to be a demon, do you?’ he sounded genuinely amazed.
Austin snorted. ‘What was your first clue?’ he said sarcastically.
The older man sighed. ‘Look man, I know this rough, but you can’t keep baiting your ma like this.’
‘I’m not baiting her! I just want her to give me some freedom. I’m an adult for fucks sake.’
‘You’re the pup of a very famous and powerful demon. She wants to make sure you’re safe,’ Exton argued though his expression was sympathetic.
’What she wants is to auction me off to the highest bidder so I can fulfil my role as a Contractor Demon tied to the best family she can pair me with,′ Austin said bitterly.
Exton sighed but didn’t try to deny it. ‘Who were you with tonight, by the way?’ he asked. Austin frowned.
‘Just some friends,’ he said evasively. Exton shook his head.
‘No, I mean, what other demon was trying for you?’
Austin suddenly felt cold. “No one, just that guy,” Austin insisted. The hellhound’s eyes darkened. He pointed. Austin looked down at his left arm. It was subtle, so subtle that Austin hadn’t even noticed but there was something there, the faintest imprint of a gold mark.
‘The hell is it?’ Austin breathed. He rubbed at it, but it didn’t come off. Exton frowned.
‘I’m not sure. Let’s just get you home.’ Feeling crappier than ever, Austin allowed himself to be steered away from the club, his neck prickling with the eyes of someone else following him away.
--
END
--
