Void Domain, Book 03 полностью

Her eyes shot up to meet Eva’s face. The eye contact lasted only a few moments before her eyes shifted off to one side. “That would be nice. But, you’ve already got that hel residing at the prison.”

Eva sighed. She rubbed her forehead with the back of her clawed hand, well away from the sharp fingers. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“She is going to be attracting hunters enough on her own without my domain multiplying everything.”

“Arachne,” Eva said as she brushed a hand on the spider-woman’s shoulder. “That’s not something we can run away from. I am walking hunter draw all on my own. Maybe not at this moment, but in a year or two? I’ll need all the help I can get fending them off.”

“You’re not ready for that yet.”

“That’s why I’ve got you,” Eva said with a smile. “And I’m sure I could rope Ylva into defending the prison, at the very least, lest she lose her foothold here.

“For now,” Eva said, “let’s just renew our contract. We’ll talk with Devon later about the domain thing. We don’t want to tie ourselves down here if we have to run away in any case.”

Except for a handful of insects, birds, and other creatures of nature, silence descended upon them. It went on for several moments before Arachne looked up and gave a single, slight nod.

It was so unlike the usual Arachne. Eva decided that she didn’t much like depressed demons.

Eva gave her a smile and pulled her into a hug. She brushed her claws gently through Arachne’s hair tendrils.

Arachne stiffened at first, but soon enough returned the hug and mirrored the action with Eva’s own hair.

At least until Eva felt a tug.

Her head snapped back.

“Ah, tangled hair,” Eva rushed to say. She quickly disentangled herself, ignoring Arachne’s apologies. “I’ll let you brush it later when we hammer out the details for our contract. For now, quit moping about and let’s run!”

Eva took off before Arachne could protest.

The spider-demon’s less slothful speed as she followed put a smile on Eva’s face.

— — —

That is the fifth person I’ve passed by this morning who was out mowing their lawn, Zoe Baxter thought as she strolled down the sidewalk. Three others had been out trimming already immaculate hedges. Two were washing their cars and one simply sat on his roof with a pair of binoculars in hand.

Every one of them stared at Zoe as she walked past.

A small shiver ran up her spine. She was beginning to regret not taking Wayne up on his offer to accompany her.

It wasn’t just that everybody in the little suburb had apparently decided to go outside and do yard work at the same time.

More than once, Zoe spotted a curtain flutter behind one of the windows while she walked by. She never saw a single person despite her mildly enhanced eyesight. That didn’t mean they weren’t there.

The houses themselves were eerie without all the synchronized lawn work or spying neighbors. Each one was built exactly the same as the next, or close enough that Zoe couldn’t see much difference. The only thing that changed between them was the shade of pastel paint.

Only the house at the very end of the cul-de-sac lacked people outside. It, oddly enough, seemed to be the one most in need of lawn care. There was a great tree outside lacking even a single leaf, the grass had seen better days–several patches were nothing more than dirt, the rest had yellowed–and the flower garden appeared to be beyond dead.

Perhaps the owner was meant to be outside today, Zoe thought, and had to change their plans because of me. She sent notice of her visit a few days ago. It wasn’t inconceivable that they would put it off for later, if they didn’t start the yard work earlier.

Zoe walked up, past the white picket fence in serious need of a paint job. She stopped just on the rickety porch and tightened her red butterfly tie. She straightened her suit and brushed off a fleck of lint that may or may not have been in her imagination.

Then, Zoe placed one hand just over her dagger. She kept her hand as inconspicuous as she could but wanted to be able to reach it quickly. Just in case.

With that, she pressed her other thumb into the doorbell ringer.

Only a moment later, almost as if he had been waiting just next to the entrance, a man opened the door. He had slicked back black hair, looked slightly malnourished–his skin was taught and showed off far too much of his skeletal structure–and wore an apron with a splattering of red on it. The wide grin on his face didn’t look very genuine.

Nothing about him set Zoe at ease.

“Zoe Baxter?”

“Indeed. You are Doctor Sam Finnell, correct?”

“Of course, come in, come in.” He stepped off to one side, allowing her in. “Will you be joining us for dinner? I was just in the middle of preparing it. One more won’t be a problem. I’ve invited the Klopeks–such nice people–and I doubt they’d mind one extra.”