Page 49 of Cry for Help

“What do we do now?” Caim stuffed his hands in his pockets. A single stripe of blood poked out from under his hairline, trailing down his face like war paint.

“The number 74 bus,” Malphas stated dryly, pointing tothe single bench at the end of the block.

It was common knowledge that some of the world’s strangest people rode public transport, coupled with a bus route through the middle of a demon-populated city, and it was a downright rave.

Caim made several friends while Malphas and I looked on, patiently waiting for our bus to cross the tracks into the human district.

It was hard to ignore that we had literally driven away from the scene of the accident, even if there were no other cars. Maybe the Red City had different rules, or maybe the police would be knocking on our door any moment. If there were even police in the Red City.

Caim pointed to the elderly woman at the front of the bus, who didn’t seem to mind that the horned demon occupied the seat next to her. Her body was frail, and her skin leathered from too much sun. I hadn’t thought too much about the humans in the Red City beyond my own experience, but they weren’t all prisoners. Case in point, Aimee and Darla.

The elderly woman seemed to be lapping up all Caim's attention.

Caim caught my eyes and waved at me. “Dorothy says I have kind eyes!” He shouted down the aisle of the bus.

Malphas groaned, turning to face the window.

I gave Caim a limp wave, unable to summon a laugh when I was covered in my own blood. I looked like the main character of a horror movie, but not a single person on the bus blinked twice at our appearance. Not even when Caim shook his hair likea dog and a rain of broken glass shards landed on the bus floor.

Finally, Pete’s bar came into view, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I was bloody, and any adrenaline had long since left the building.

We got out of the bus as quickly as possible, though Caim made a point of thanking the driver as he hopped out of the front door of the bus. He blew Dorothy a kiss. Maybe that was just who Caim was—a flirt.

It seemed that I was the only person he didn’t flirt with.

Maybe there was something wrong with me.

Malphas jammed his hands in his pockets, gesturing with his chin to the end of the street. “I need a shower.” He grumbled, starting to walk without waiting for Caim or me to catch up.

I rubbed my hands down the front of my shirt, but the blood had dried tacky, and only soap would do. I needed a shower, too. Maybe even a bath for my sore muscles. Malphas was a distant figure at the end of the block before Caim spoke.

“You’ve got secrets.” He said as if he found the notion utterly delicious.

I shrugged but didn’t speak.

Caim put his hand on my shoulder, stopping in his tracks. “What? Cat got your tongue?”

I gave him a look. “I don’t speak.”I signed.

“You do,” Caim argued. “But not to me? Just Malphas? Why?”

I rolled my eyes at his tantrum. I wanted to ask the same. Why did Caim flirt with everyone but me? Instead, I shook my head and tried to walk past him. Caim extended his arm, forming a barrier. I could have ducked under his arm or walked around, but that wasn’t the point. The horned demon clearly had something he wanted to say, and I sensed I wouldn’t be going anywhere until he was done.

I rolled my hand expectantly, my brow raised. “Go onthen.”

Caim cleared his throat, his red eyes intent on mine. “You’re pissed about Darla.”

My eyebrow didn’t drop. No shit. I was pissed, even if I didn’t understand why.

“You’re going to tell me about the scream,” Caim said sternly. “I can’t protect you if I don’t know what I’m up against.”

“My hero.”

A puzzled look crossed Caim’s cherubic face. An expression I had never seen before. I guessed that he wasn’t used to his smooth-talk failing.

When he didn’t speak, I ducked under his arm and hurried after Malphas.

The single-story had one bathroom and one half-bath, which meant a toilet but not a shower. Considering the house had five bedrooms, whoever designed it didn’t have humans in mind.

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