Page 6 of Protected By Monsters (Everwood Demons 1)

Creeper snarled, and I saw out of the corner of my eye as the monster slammed his leg into the back of the man’s knee, causing him to start to collapse with a bewildered cry.

I don’t know what came over me, but I acted instinctively.

I thrust my hand under the pistol, slamming it up towards the ceiling as it went off, firing into the roof and sending a sprinkling of plaster down onto us.

The gunshot rang out in my ears, but I continued, slamming my other arm into his elbow and forcing him to loosen his grip.

The next thing I knew, I had the pistol aimed at him, my finger on the trigger and ready to fire.

The man stumbled away, limping as he looked around him wildly before focusing on me. He looked more confused and stunned than anything as he raised his hands up in a pitiful surrender.

“Why did you threaten an innocent man?” I asked coolly, surprised at how level my voice was. Even my heart had slowed, and I drew in a steady breath.

Creeper was standing off to the side, watching me carefully, and Bug had stopped pacing to just see everything unfold.

“I need the money,” the man said after a moment, his brow furrowed.

“Enough to kill a man?” I growled.

The man just drew in a breath as he glanced at the exit for a split second, but thought better o it when he eyed the pistol I now wielded.

“No. I wasn’t going to kill him. I just… I need the money,” he hissed, looking like he was actually pained.

I rolled my eyes over him again.

He didn’t look like he was on the drugs or battling an addiction. Maybe he was just a man doing it tough. Or he owed money. I had no way of knowing what his situation was.

I glanced at the Rolex glinting from his hoodie pocket, and he caught me staring before gritting his teeth.

“Get out of here. And don’t ever come back. Got it?” I growled.

He just stared at me as he ever so slowly pulled himself up straight, his hands still up in surrender.

“What about my gun?” he dared ask.

“You don’t need it. Find a better way, get a job. This is your second chance. I could put a bullet in your knee and you’d never walk right again. But I’m giving you a chance. Don’t fuck it up,” I said, my voice unwavering, my hand steady with the pistol.

He just stared at me, glancing at Lionel before focusing back on me. A few tense moments passed, and I thought he was going to try something, before he nodded.

“Okay,” he mumbled.

I didn’t lower the pistol as he slunk away, keeping his front to me until he reached the door.

And then he was gone, darting away into the street outside like a terrified mouse.

“You okay?” I asked as I dropped the weapon to my side, carefully disengaging the pin I’d been holding back.

“Yeah,” Lionel breathed after a moment, still watching after the man with a confused expression before he turned it on me.

“Good thing this thing is a piece of shit,” I smirked as I tapped on the register.

“How’d you do it?” Lionel asked instantly.

“Do what?” I responded dumbly.

“I saw him look in pain as he started to fall. And he was limping. Then you did… whatever you did, and you took his gun. How?”

I just stared at him, then at the pistol still in my hand. I lifted it up, carefully placing it on the counter, the barrel pointed to the side.

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