Page 90 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

“Astria?” she asked, taking hold of my arm. “What is it?”

“Go out front, now,” I said, swallowing hard as the scraping noise not only grew louder but additional ones were added in.

That could only mean one thing.

There was a monster close, and it wasn’t alone.

“Come with me,” she pleaded.

I twisted partially and bent some to be at her level. “Please. Go out front. Now. Don’t argue.”

She stared at me for a minute before she nodded. “Okay.”

I watched her disappear around the corner of the building and then twisted around, going straight for the door of the cleaning closet. I yanked it open and realized just how much the place really had remained the same. I grabbed one of the push brooms that were propped against the wall and went to work spinning the handle, freeing it from the base. I then stepped out, clutching the handle, and watched the darkness, trying to figure out where the enemy would emerge.

Barks filled the air, and I knew what that meant. Torid had figured out we weren’t alone, and he was doing what he did—attack the bad things. I didn’t worry too much about him since he was more than capable, until I heard him yelping. Then I simply shut off and ran at the darkness, unconcerned with what I might be running into.

ChapterThirty

Stratton

Stratton watchedas the last of the teens marched back toward the chicken place. When he’d seen the abandoned skateboard and sensed something dark, something against nature in the area, he’d assumed the worst. That he’d have yet another murder and yet another crime scene to deal with. That hadn’t been the case.

One of the teens had taken a pretty nasty spill and had more than likely broken their arm, but beyond that, none of the kids were harmed.

“I could have sworn something bad was afoot,” said Dave, echoing Stratton’s thoughts exactly as the two of them watched the teens’ parents pulling away with them. “That kid is lucky he didn’t break his neck.”

“They’re all lucky,” stressed Stratton. “With what’s running around Grimm Cove right now, this could have ended a lot worse.”

Jim, who had taken point on talking with the teens’ parents since he knew several of them, came walking back over. “Crisis averted.”

Dave gave a curt nod. “The swell of evil I felt coming from this direction really had me thinking I was about to go head-to-head with a legion of demons or something.”

“Don’t you mean have a family reunion?” asked Jim, grinning mischievously.

“Oh, good. Demon humor,” said Dave.

“Hey, if the horns fit,” replied Jim as he laughed.

“Look over there,” said Dave, pointing toward the sidewalk. “It’s a fire hydrant. Don’t you want to go lift a leg by it or something?”

Jim’s eyes flashed colors and he growled in a nonthreatening manner.

Dave groaned and shook his head. “All right. Let’s head back. Stratton has a date he needs to wrap up and then see to it she’s taken home and is untouched.”

Jim laughed more. “I’d listen to him, Stratton. He sounds like he means it.”

Stratton grinned. “I like her, Dave. A lot. A whole lot.”

“We noticed,” said Jim. “You keep looking at her like you’re fighting the urge to kiss her.”

“Because I am,” confessed Stratton.

Dave growled, sounding much like a big dog.

Jim growled back and the two shoved at one another.

Stratton didn’t bother to intervene. He knew it was all in fun. The two had history and, from what he could tell, had been friends quite some time.

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