Page 2 of Demon's Prey
Kurse waved his curled claws in her face. “No need for your wit! Is this a guarantee, or am I being sent on some duck chase?”
The Oracle threw her head back and laughed while Kurse growled. “I believe the human saying is ‘goose chase.’”
“Who the fuck cares! Is this definite?”
The Oracle sighed and crossed her arms. “It is decreed so, Kurse, Iron King. Go find your mate.”
Despite his annoyance, Kurse felt driven. He turned and allowed his epic tale to whip into the Oracle’s office and slam her ornaments off the wall. They clanked roughly onto the floor. He leapt onto Flappy, who was cowering in the shadows, to head to the crossover into the Earth realm. The Oracle appeared in front of him before he could depart. She was holding something in her hand. “You forgot this,” she tossed it at him, and he caught it in his claw. It was small to him, golden, and strange looking. “This is how you will find her.”
Kurse merely roared and leapt away into the sky. There was no time to waste.
He knew he had to get to Jerry’s so he could let him cross into the earth realm. He had everything he needed—the dowsing rod and himself. But, life in the demon realm was getting lonely, and bending iron wasn’t the only thing he wanted to fulfill.
The demon portion of Jerry’s wasn’t hard to find. Kurse parked Flappy in a nearby shadow. He entered the bar and found himself traveling to Earth—something he had never done before—quickly and easily through a dark hallway. His head spun a little, but he could regain himself without vomiting.
When he moved into the Earth realm, he came upon Jerry. He stood near the portal that would take him to New York City. He had met Jerry before, but he had never been so desperate to pass him.
Jerry was leaning on a cane when he approached him. Jerry was tall and lean but muscular. His eyes were grey and filled with wisdom. Kurse came to him with heavy feet slamming against the floor. “Let me through Jerry. I’ve got fated mate business to attend to!” Kurse snorted through his fangs.
Jerry blinked, never wavering on the stool he sat on. “Have you ever been to Earth, King of Iron? Have you dealt with these humans or their metahuman progeny?”
Kurse waved his hand in front of him and shook his head. “No need to play games. Just let me through!”
Jerry sighed. “You know that’s no way to talk to the demon with all the power. One word from me, and you will never enter this dimension again, Iron King.”
Kurse grunted, feeling warmth rise in his chest. He showed Jerry the dowsing rod, appearing like an ant in his enormous hand. “I’ve seen the Oracle; the passage has been approved.”
Jerry stood up from his stool, pushing the curtain to the side. “Pass through the next door. There will be a bright light; just follow it.”
Kurse chuckled. “I’ve heard that before.”
Without another word, Kurse passed through the portal, feeling his large body spinning and shaking. Then, finally, he emerged on Earth to the smell of shit and something sour.
2
FAITH
The morning was Faith’s favorite time of day, but it hadn’t always been. She was a writer, so the night was her natural place to play, thrive, and create. Society had fed her notions of being a ‘morning person and how vital it was to success.
So she forced herself to get up in the morning and exercise before work. Faith lived in Astoria, Queens, and she usually jogged to the waterfront to soak the up the sights of Manhattan in daybreak. It was refreshing and quite literally the only time Faith could exercise. After work was simply not an option for her.
Looking forward to a routine helped. She strapped on her running shoes. The morning sun was peeking through the glass of her front window. She told herself that this was healthy. Despite this, she sighed, opened the door, and entered the world.
It was going to be a lovely day, she could already tell. So she breathed in the fresh air and set off in a light jog.
She usually took the same route in the morning, which enhanced the sense of comfort and vitality she convinced herself she required. On that morning, though, she decided to change it up slightly. She turned left instead of right, passing a house with a snippy chihuahua that nipped at her ankles. She had to leap over a fence like some comic book hero to escape it.
It was warm, so neighbors had started watering their lawns early. Unfortunately, many streaked the sidewalk, making them damp, and she had to avoid their excess spray as well.
Faith felt herself losing hope about the day ahead, so she returned to her usual route to greet the friendly dog, Sam, an energetic Labrador, planted just outside her favorite bakery. He was always so joyful and wagged his tail enthusiastically.
She would reward herself with a cup of coffee and some crullers. It improved her mood slightly, but she could still feel it dwindling.
After purchasing her treat, Faith speed-walked home. She passed old man Wilbury, who was nearly 90, and unaware of his surroundings. He sat on the porch watching the sunrise as per his routine. “Good morning, Mr. Wilbury!” Faith exclaimed.
“What?” He turned his head slightly.
She elevated her voice a bit but didn’t want to start screaming. “I said good morning!”
