Page 18 of Darkness and Duress

“Care to share with the class?” I glanced between them with a sneer.

“I've got a… thing.” Jericho squirmed in his seat, the leather of his jacket squeaking against the leather of the seats.

“A street race. He's big on the scene.” Henny leaned forward with his elbows on the front seats. “Mind taking us back to the apartment? I'm assuming you're repossessing my car indefinitely.”

He was so close. Too close. The cloying, distracting scent of his cologne tickled my nose and caused a traitorous warmth to settle low in my gut.

“Address?” My voice squeezed from my throat, gruff and crackling.

Henny spit out the location and pointed to the right. I leaned over the steering wheel to put some much-needed space between us as I eased into traffic. It wasn't far to where they needed to go, but the congestion on the streets made the trip take twice as long. The side street was narrower, quieter, and not at all like the streets I typically haunted around my building. Sure, it was still Manhattan, but even this borough had areas that showed the vast distance between economic standings.

I'd barely stopped the car in front of a crumbling brick building before Jericho was jumping from the passenger seat. Without even a parting glance, he jogged across the street, climbed into a sporty little Nissan, and took off into the night. Even without a wealth of car knowledge, I could tell the engine was not the same one you’d find in any other car of a similar make and model.

“Okay then,” I grumbled. Henny chuckled softly, his voice too close to my ear.

“We should talk, eh?”

My eyes darted to the mirror and met his penetrative gaze. The last thing I wanted to do was talk. Despite my reticence, my mouth took on a mind of its own.

“Yeah,” I rasped. “Sure.”

“Park the car, Marc. We’ll head upstairs. I promise, I won't bite.”

I muttered vague swear words and threats under my breath before stealing the spot on the street that was once taken by Jericho's car. My limbs were lead. I remained buckled into the driver’s seat, even after killing the engine. Even as Henny climbed out of the backseat and headed toward the apartment's entrance. He flailed his hands in a “what the fuck” gesture before beckoning me to follow. Three deep breaths later, I exited the car.

Henny jogged up the stairs to the fifth floor walkup with the familiarity of someone who’d lived here for a long time. He waved for the keys in my hand and paused once he had the locks disengaged.

“Don't let the dog fool you. He's a sweetheart. It’s Lucy you need to keep an eye on.” He pressed a palm to the door and shoved it open. The second it slipped from the frame, vicious barking and the clatter of claws erupted from the other side.

“Shut up, mutt.” Henny darted into the darkened apartment and wrestled with seventy pounds of black and brown fur. I reluctantly slipped through the door and shut it behind me. The dog snarled like he was out for blood, my blood, until Henny bellowed a single command.

The dog’s ass hit the ground so fast, I boggled. All the barking ceased immediately, replaced by a pathetic whining sound that was almost comical for how dramatic it was. With a flick of the light switch, the room came into view. There was a television attached to the only solid wall in the space big enough toaccommodate its massive size. A lumpy brown couch that looked older than I was sat opposite. Evidently, the apartment didn't have a full kitchen since a makeshift one had been erected in the corner. A hot plate, toaster oven, mini fridge, and microwave were stacked one on top of the other. A bookshelf beside the tower of appliances was cluttered with dry goods and a mishmash of different dishes and cups.

The harsh overhead lighting bounced off stacks of clutter. Car parts, books, boxes, and baskets were tucked into every square inch of real estate. My curiosity got the best of me as I peeked through the closest door—a bathroom half the side of my closet and filled to the brim with toiletries and towels and even more stacked milk crates was barely visible in the light that bled into the space.

“Yeah, it ain't much, but it's home.” Henny stepped forward and bent low to yank the fridge open. “Hungry? I got… breakfast burritos, leftover Chinese. Chips. Beer and soda, too.”

“Um… water is fine.” I stood awkwardly in the center of the claustrophobic room with my arms crossed over my chest. The dog, still sitting exactly where he'd landed, continued to whine like a puppy.

“Suit yourself,” Henny grumbled. My reflexes responded just in time to catch the bottle of water he tossed over his shoulder.

A flash of orange, black, and white zipped through my peripheral vision, and before I could determine what was happening, sharp claws dug through my trousers and sank into my calf. I cried out, more startled than pained, and tried to shake the monster sized cat from its hold on my leg.

“What the fuck?” I backpedaled and tried in vain to escape. The creature shook its head and tail in a strange, possessed fashion. The thing had crazy eyes and a strong as fuck grip.

“Oy! Lucy! That's enough.” Henny rushed forward and bent down to grab the cat’s scruff. “Stop, you nut job.”

Baffled, I watched as Henny plopped the cat in his arm and cradled it like a baby. He crooned and mollycoddled the beast with a bunch of baby talk as it gnawed on his hand and made all manner of growling, wailing cries.

“Marc, meet Lucy. Short for Lucifer. Hims my widdle baby.” Henny, apparently lacking all sense of self-preservation, cuddled the cat closer to smooch its head. Naturally, the cat reared back and bit the end of his nose.

“Baby? He’s a demon.”

“Yes, and I love him.” Henny tried to snuggle the animal again, but it launched from his arms and disappeared into the shadows with a yowl. “Bitch. Anyway… sit. We’ll talk.”

I eyed the couch and sighed. I had a strong feeling I would regret every single second of this decision, but I did it anyway. Fuck my life.

Chapter Ten

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