1: Jessica Blood

 

“Miss, can I get some more coffee? Miss?”

 

Jessica paused at the counter and resisted giving an eye-roll. She held many dirty jobs in the past, killing demons was her specialty, but working at a greasy spoon? Being forced to wear the frilly waitress uniform had to be just about the worst thing that had ever happened to her.

 

After that whole, finding your parents murdered thing.

 

Still, she donned her blue waitress uniform, tied back her long red curls, and got to work. Mostly because without this gig, there was no leads. Without leads, you just couldn’t take down a demonic crime syndicate, could you?

 

 “Miss?”

 

The jackass’s voice rose, so Jessica grabbed the coffee pot and plastered a fake smile on her face.

 

She gritted her teeth as she warmed his cup. “One lukewarm cup of coffee coming right up.”

 

The old man chuckled. Kind enough, Jessica guessed, but with a cottage cheese wrinkled face. He wore a plaid shirt like he had just come in from the farm. “You’re really working on earning your tip today.”

 

“Oh, you have no idea.” Tips, Jessica snorted. Twenty-five cents weren’t a tip, but she couldn’t complain. Her demeanor wasn’t cut out for this line of work. Having to deal with people and serving up cheeseburger platters with platitudes?

 

No thanks.

 

Jessica was more at home chasing evil, saving people, but that’s why she was here, wasn’t it?

 

Working a case. As far as covers went, this one pretty much blew.

 

The front door opened, and a guy entered who could barely keep upright. He crashed right into the magazine rack at the front and collapsed onto a booth. His outfit said it all, strung-out junkie with long black hair and a face full of piercings. His high-tops were soiled with thick mud and his jeans were splattered with something. Jessica didn’t want to make any guesses about what that might be.

 

All eyes were on him as he threw himself down in a corner booth, his arms hugging around his body tight.

 

Like he had a chill. Like something deep in him was missing, but it probably was. And that little thing was most likely his soul. Demon drugs fractured it for the underworld—one hit at a time.

 

He might be the break she was looking for. Jessica pulled the pencil out from behind her ear and walked over to him. His legs stretched out under the seat jittering back and forth as he gazed out the window at the hardware store. In it’s window hung a ‘Going out of business’ sign.

 

The town was changing, and not for the better. Not on its own. Something was gutting this place and Jessica was going to stop it. Or at the very least slow it down. Beggars couldn’t be choosers in her line of work. When it came to demons, you took what you could get.

Jessica flipped his coffee cup right side up and started to pour him a coffee, but he shook his head.

 

“I don’t want coffee. Just pie.”

 

“Trust me, you need coffee.”

 

He gazed up at Jessica and his eyes were some of the most strung-out eyes she had ever seen. It stilled her heart for a moment as she poured him a cup. Like a doctor isn’t supposed to be attached to his patients, Jessica wasn’t supposed to feel pity. She was in the town to do a job, couldn’t go around saving everyone.

 

Didn’t mean she didn’t want to.

 

“I can’t…” he hung his head. “I can’t afford coffee and pie.”

 

“Two for one special,” Jessica flashed a smile. “You buy pie; you get coffee for free.”

 

“Just like that?” His eyes were grateful, but unsure.

 

Jessica nodded. “Yup. So drink up, okay? Get your head right.”

 

He hunkered forward and took the cup with both hands. They shook as he lifted it to his mouth and it was followed by a sigh. The way he closed his eyes and took in the aroma, he might as well have asked for a private room. “I can’t remember the last time I had something warm. Thanks.”

 

“So,” Jessica leaned down, her hands on the tabletop, “you know where I can get some quality stuff? You know, like the kind you’re on right now?”

 

He jerked upward and his hand lifted. “I thought you were pretty, but your face…”

 

Jessica touched the scar that traveled down the left side of her face. A long dagger cut had done it to her a long time ago. Since then Jessica favored distance from her enemies. “You’re a real charmer.” She rolled her eyes and started away.

 

“Branger,” he said and sunk lower in his booth. “He has stuff that’ll make your toes curl, man.” He chuckled with his head thrown back, staring up at the lights. “Even the lights move, even the lights…”

 

Jessica touched his forehead. Gross. It was clammy. She wiped her hands on her apron. This was the moment when she was going to get the information she was desperate to have. “Where can I find this Branger?” 

 

 “I’m going to call the police.” Chuck, the owner shouted from behind the bar, ruining Jessica’s big moment. “That guy shouldn’t be here and you shouldn’t be talking to him.”

 

Her skin crawled. She had come so close. Sigh…As bosses went, Jessica had better.

 

She leaned down and whispered to the man in the booth, who really was barely older than a kid.

 

“You’re flushing your life away, for what? So some low level can get a grip on you? Everyone here?”

 

He kicked back and forth, his head rolling to the side. “I need more money. I need another fix. Do you have any? You got any money?”

 

Useless. Hopeless. Jessica wished she could say she didn’t care about guys like this, but in truth she was just angry. Frustrated.

 

She grunted and thought to smack some sense into him when… “Marie!” Chuck yelled, his hands on his hips. “There are other customers, get back to work!”

 

Jessica moved on. So she got a job under a name that wasn’t her own, big deal. If Chuck, or anyone, saw the size of her rap sheet, of all the things they accused her of doing, Jessica would never earn money. Truth was, Jessica had done most of the things she was accused of. People just couldn’t know why.

 

They couldn’t know what she did.

 

Couldn’t understand the war that was being waged under their nose. She didn’t exactly wear her rap sheet with pride, but it was what it was. There were more important things at stake.

 

And one of those things just walked through the door.

 

Amanda Blood, Jessica’s younger sister by two years. She had delicate features like a pixie with golden-red hair that rested on her shoulders. Almost always wearing a soft, flowing dress;p today was no different as Amanda bounced in.

 

With a wave and a smile, Amanda said hello to the regulars like she always did. Twenty-one years old, she didn’t act a day older than sixteen most days. Jessica at once wanted to protect that innocence and shake it clear out of her. Things would be easier if Amanda would harden, just a little, but Jessica loved that sweetness about her.

 

Hell, Jessica needed that sweetness.

 

Amanda took a seat at the counter. “Marie, hey.” She paused when saying Jessica’s cover name ever so slightly. She let her book bag fall by her feet.

 

Which were bare. Amanda didn’t believe in shoes like adults didn’t believe in Santa. It messed with her gift, or so she said. Jessica learned long ago not to question it.

 

Their eyes followed each other as Jessica slipped behind the counter. Chuck huffed, “Could you please, please, tell her to put on a pair of shoes. Otherwise she has to go!”  And then he was on his way. Jessica slipped the cash register open to pay for the free coffee she gave away.

 

A liar and a thief most of the time, it felt weird to do something nice for someone. A good sort of weird that tingled and traveled up her body, but Jessica could get used to it.

Amanda watched, but didn’t say anything. The glint in her eye said everything and Jessica squarely decided to ignore it.

 

“Shouldn’t you be at ‘group’?” Jessica grabbed a cloth to wipe down the surface of the counter.

Amanda bounced slightly as she spun the small vase with one dead rose. The petals were brittle and about to fall. “I got thrown out.” She studied the flower.

 

Thrown out? “That was supposed to be your cover? How else are you going to get close to—”

 

“That’s why I did it, silly.” Amanda arched her eyebrows. “Nancy finally saw me as one of her kind.

 

A friend. And she agreed to meet with us. She just has to find a babysitter, so I said, we’d come to her. You’ve always been great with kids.”

 

Jessica’s face twitched. It always did that when she thought of spending time with kids. “You know my bedside manner is better—”

 

“With demons? Killing things? Really don’t you think it’s time you branch out?” Amanda’s nose scrunched up. Her hand hovered above the flower.

 

A ball of light and power grew from her hand. Before Jessica could stop it, the brittle flower was basked in Amanda’s glow. The flower grew tall, and what was once hard, was soft. What was once gray was now red. The petals spun together and like a dancer, the rose twirled in delight.

 

With happiness, Amanda smiled, but Jessica had to stop herself from slapping her. “You’re attracting attention to us. Again.” She took the vase from Amanda and stashed it under the counter.

 

Amanda sighed, her shoulders rounding. “C’mon, Jess. It’s just a little beauty. You know the things in this town—”

 

Were withering and dying faster than they should have. “Doesn’t mean I want the demons to realize we’re here before we get a chance to run them out.”

 

They had already been in this town too long.

 

The farmer guy twitched beside Amanda as he lifted his cup of coffee. “You guys sure use the word demons a lot.”

 

Jessica started. She forgot that guy was there. That was the power Amanda had over her, always distracting her. “It’s just code for men. Scummy, bad men.”

 

He laughed as he took a loud slurp of his coffee. “Your coffee needs work, but damn, if you’re not funny.”

 

Amanda sucked in a laugh and covered her mouth. “That’s probably the best thing I’ve heard all day.”

 

Jessica couldn’t help a smirk as she wiped down the counter. For a sister, Amanda was pretty good and generally her laughter cured all of Jessica’s problems.

 

“She wants to kick the habit. She just needs some help. A push. Please, Jessica.” Amanda said.

 

It wasn’t like they had a lot of options. Jessica took off her apron and threw it into a ball. From the tip jar she took the measly tips she was owed for the week, plus an extra twenty. “I hope we never have to see this place again.”

 

Amanda just shrugged as she stood from the bar stool. “It’s not so bad. For a demon infected back hole, that is.”

 

That was Amanda. Always able to see the upside.

 

On the way out, Jessica paused at the booth were the junkie was laid up. His head was thrown back, and his hands were lax around his coffee cup. Must have fallen asleep, but with the sound of a police siren growing closer, it was time for Jessica to exit stage left. She tugged on Amanda’s hand.

 

But she saw the look on Amanda’s face before. The slow spread of sadness, desperation, as she took in the junkie’s form. “The police are coming,” Jessica whispered. “They can help him. You don’t have time.”

 

To heal him. To save him. Life could be a real bitch for an empath.

 

Amanda shook her head, her curls bouncing. “No one can, Jessie. His soul is etched and stretched over that booth, that street. The boundaries of this city. It’s twisted and crumbled like a dry cookie. Only it smells of sulfur and begging for something we can’t give him any longer.”

 

In other words, he was dead.

 

****

 

Souls being ripped apart by demon drugs, Jessica had seen it before, but not so up close as this.

Nancy’s apartment was a study in squalor. Buzzing flies around stacks of pizza boxes, a torn and battered sofa. Dishes piled in the sink with food caked on them for so long it was dehydrated and brittle. The place smelled of urine and the rugs were covered in old newspaper and other assorted trash.

 

Just to be here, to be in this place, brought a level of anger in Jessica she had trouble controlling. She walked through the small apartment and opened the bedroom door to the kids’ room enough to peek inside.

 

They couldn’t have been older than eight and six. Their clothes were stained, their faces unwashed and terrified as they colored on mattresses with no sheets. Jessica had half a mind to call social services. Half a mind.

 

But if she did, Jessica might lose her only lead. And if Nancy could get them close enough to Branger so Jessica could kill him, she needed that. Without that, then more families would end up like this. More children would stare at Jessica with haunting, void eyes.

 

“It’ll get better,” Jessica whispered to the kids and shut the door. It had to, right? Those kids…

 

Both fury and bile rose in her and Jessica turned, marching into the living room. There was a stench in the air she couldn’t quantify. Amanda sat on the sofa with Nancy. In tight black jeans and

a tank top, she was almost a skeleton. What hair she had, hung like straw around her face and her eyes bulged from what must’ve been malnutrition.

 

From the way she moved on the sofa, back and forth, it was clear Nancy hadn’t had a hit in a while.

 

Good. Jessica could use that to her advantage.

 

“Can you even take care of your children?” Jessica’s skin felt like a fire raged underneath. Her parents were gone. They were dead and buried since she was ten years old, yet this lifeless sack of flesh got to just throw it all away? How was that fair?

 

“Don’t judge me.” Nancy’s voice droned on, the skin stretched thing across her jaw and large teeth. “I want to get clean. I want to…”

 

Jessica sighed and crossed her arms. Amanda sat still, stroking Nancy’s hand in ways that gave Jessica chills. “Can I talk to you for a minute please?”

 

Amanda smiled. “I’ll be right back, okay?” She followed Jessica down the hall. “Jess, I know—.”

 

“Do you?” Jessica stomped her foot and pointed to the kids’ bedroom. “Look in there. Just look and you tell me that worthless shit deserves them. Are they even going to school? Go ahead and look, Amanda, just look.”

 

“I don’t need to look.” Amanda’s voice was calm as tears rose in her eyes. “I can feel it all around here. See the green haze fallen over this place. The hopelessness. The despair? The inner pain,”

Amanda nodded her head, “it’s strongest in that room.”

 

Jessica’s stomach sank.

 

“But she loves them. If we can clean this town…”

 

“That’s a big if. A big risk, Mandy.” Jessica shook her head. “Can you heal her? Nancy?”

 

“I can’t make her gain weight. I can’t put her mind right, not until she’s off the drugs.” Amanda glanced back down the hall. “You spook her, she won’t take us to the demon clubhouse. We can find the suppliers in town, but their hidden base of operations?” She shook her head. “That’s on you, sister.”

 

Tell Jessica something she didn’t already know. She crossed her arms and marched into the living room. Nancy shuddered and turned her head. Jessica squatted in front of her to make eye contact.

 

“For your kids, I’m going to help you. Tonight I’m going to take you to work. I’ll watch from outside. Make sure you’re safe.”

 

Nancy quivered. “I don’t want to go back. Branger, he scares me. He gave me drugs for working for free, but I—it’s not worth the risk. I won’t go back there. I won’t!”

 

“He’ll come,” Jessica said with power, “and he’ll gut you. Kill you like a fish, and your daughters? He’ll take them. They’ll be strung up like you and sold to the highest bidder. Is that what you want?”

 

Nancy’s face scrunched up and she started to cry. Her eyes searched for Amanda, but before Amanda could step forward, Jessica snatched Nancy’s arm. Wide eyed expression, it was clear she was afraid to yank it away.

 

“Do this for me and we’ll protect you. Take you and your kids, get you settled somewhere else. You get me?”

 

Nancy wouldn’t look at Jessica, but Amanda nodded. “It’s the only way, Nancy. If you can’t trust her, trust me.”

 

That’s why Jessica called Amanda the closer. With words like that, Jessica didn’t really need any enemies, but it worked. It almost always did and Nancy nodded. She wiped the tears from her face.

 

“My kids, they haven’t eaten dinner. Maybe not even breakfast.” Nancy blubbered and twisted her fingers together. Shame sunk her features. “This isn’t what I wanted for my life. It…”

 

“Then get it back. Put it in order. We start tonight.” Jessica stood up straight and grabbed Amanda’s hand and pulled her to the corner. Amanda nearly tripped and yelped as she struggled to keep up.

 

“Geesh, Jessica!”

 

“Stay here. Take care of these kids. Get them something good to eat. Then give them what they need. I saw some storybooks in the corner of their room.”

 

Amanda smiled. “And they say you don’t care about people.”

 

Jessica snorted with a shake of her head. “Don’t answer the door for anyone. We’ll be as fast as we can be. When we get back, you have to be ready to move. This town needs a cleansing worse than I’ve ever seen. If we’re going to exorcise this place, you need your strength.”

 

Amanda’s eyes harkened back to darkness in a way they usually didn’t. “The demon drugs are spreading a lot faster here than I expected. It’s usually a big city thing, but now? It’s everywhere, Jess.”

 

Jessica knew that and she was going to stop it, one way or another. Cleanse this town, move onto the next, and hopefully steer clear of any demons who might want a piece of the Blood sisters.

 

****

 

Demons.

 

Jessica’s lip snarled as she sat in her car and cut the headlights. Their clubhouse, The Gypsy

 

Curse, was hidden away from town. An old abandoned building that, if Jessica didn’t miss her guess, used to be a wood mill at some point. Smoke poured out the chimney and through the old foggy windows Jessica saw them hovering around a bar.

 

 “Get in there,” Jessica ordered while keeping her eyes forward, studying as much as the landscape as she could. “Do your job and then I’ll take you home. Amanda and I will come here after we move you and the kids. Deal with this place and clean this town.”

 

It was only then that she allowed herself to look at Nancy since they left the apartment. Jessica sure as hell didn’t like what she saw. A pitiful woman who barely clung to life. Barely and Nancy didn’t even know it. She was so close to the edge, but oblivious to how she danced up against the ledge. Made Jessica want to pound the steering wheel.

 

Nancy snorted. “Here I thought you didn’t care, but you do, don’t you?”

 

Yeah, Jessica was a bleeding heart alright. She rested her wrist on the steering wheel like she might peel out at any moment. “Just get inside, do your job, and don’t rouse suspicion.” Jessica could do that part all on her own. “We’ll get you out of here as soon as we can. Just don’t mess this up.”

 

Nancy hobbled over toward the front entrance and the coast, for the most part, was clear. These demons weren’t expecting company. Jessica used that to her advantage. Once Nancy was inside, Jessica sneaked around the property to check it out.

 

The wilderness around the clubhouse was withering and brittle. It smelled of rotting leaves and all around the area, nature was dying. Demons had a way of infecting a land—like leeches sucking life from the Earth. This area had been infested a long time.

 

Too long.

 

Jessica’s jaw was tight as she crept around the back. There was a set of wooden stairs that led up to a second level porch. Didn’t exactly look stable and the wood was aged and coarse when she rested her hand on the railing. Place could really use a fresh coat of paint. If it wasn’t for Nancy inside, Jessica could just set fire to the place and call it a day, but when there was one human…. there were usually more.

 

She peered inside the window and saw she wasn’t wrong. Inside was a stage where underage girls danced around poles. Jessica squeezed her eyes shut and ducked beneath the window before she was spotted.

 

Underage girls stolen from their parents was more like it. Jessica wasn’t sure what she hated more, the corrupting of those girls, or the drugs that flowed from demons just like this. Maybe she could just hate it all, but to see those young girls…

 

To help the girls, Jessica would shut the place down. Otherwise they’d never be free. Not really.

 

The drugs would keep them on a shorter leash than the ones they wore around their neck and rape—well rape was just par for the course.

 

Time to chart a new one.

 

Jessica slid around the side and came to an old soda pop cooler. She lifted the lid and her lip twisted into a smile. Bingo. Ammunition and guns.

 

Just what she was looking for.

 

Jessica stashed a few guns in the waistband of her jeans and pocketed the shotgun shells.  Now all she could do was wait for Nancy’s shift to end and get her out of there.

 

Waiting was the hard part.