Chapter 11
C ash
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I FOLLOW CASSIDY AT a snail’s pace and watch as she storms into the hotel. As she tried to open her hotel room, I watched through her eyes as she turned the handle and thought she could just walk in but instead rams herself into the closed door. She forgot that I sealed the lock. As she cursed me, I had to bite my lip from laughing and tell her to try again. Once she succeeds, I back out of her mind, giving her the privacy she needs to sort things out.
I enter the hotel through the hidden entrance and make my way down the tunnel to our meeting room. Pushing the door open, I see everyone gathered at the boardroom table.
“Bout time ye show up,” Peter said, as he gazes at some photos lying on the table.
I pull out a chair and sit. “What are these?” I drag the nearest photo to me and glance at it. It’s of a woman I’ve never seen before.
“These are possible substitutes in case Cassidy refuses to help,” Ivan said. He holds up a photo of a woman with red hair. “I fancy this one.”
“You just want to get in her pants!” Peter grins. “Does she even have any powers?”
“Dunno about magic.” Ivan licks his lips. “But she has powers alright, she stole my heart.”
“What heart? The shriveled thing in your chest isn’t a heart.” Jake laughs.
“Enough!” Mickle snarls, glaring at the others.
He looks at me and says, “Did you show her?”
I nod. “I told her everything.”
“Everything?” Jake shoots me a worried look.
“Yes...”
“So she knows you prevented her getting pregnant?” Ivan asked.
“She does.”
“Oh man, what were you thinking?!” Peter yells.
Mickle waves his hand. “Never mind that. Did you show her what will happen if she doesn’t help?”
I lean against the back of my chair and say, “I showed her what her future will be if she does.”
“Sonofabitch!” Mickle storms over to me. His face contorts to the aged, old man that he is as he comes within inches of my face, hissing. “You had one job! One job and you fucked it up!”
“Stand down, Mickle,” I snarl, raising my hand. “Before I do it for you...”
Knowing what I’m capable of, Jake jumps up and yanks Mickle away. Smacking him on the chest, he says, “Cash has put stronger monsters than you down. I suggest you sit your ass somewhere.” He shoves Mickle into the chair and stands beside him.
I hear a piercing wail calling my name and somehow the others do too. I can tell by the way we all stood as one, looking at each other.
“Cassi.” I groan her name as I morph into a wraith and fade into the wall. In seconds I’m in her room and see her pinned to the bed by a swarm of flies in the shape of an imp. The ‘creature’s’ claws pierce into her shoulders, holding her down as its sharp teeth nip at her face. With no time to waste, I transform back to myself and pull a Flail out of thin air. Swinging the club like a lasso over my head, I cast a lightning spell on it for good measure and let it soar. It hits the imp squarely and I watch as thousands of flies light up like lightning bugs, only they are frying instead. Having done it’s job, the Flail rests imbedded into the wall, the handle swinging from it’s chain. I recall it back as Cassidy darts off the bed and into my arms.