Song for the Dead (Ada Palomino 2)

The both of us keep our eyes peeled, watching every person leave and enter the bar until we’re done with our drinks.

“I think we should probably go back to the room,” he says to me. “To be safe. And I need to stop by the car.”

“Forgot something?”

“My sword.”

Ten

“I feel nothing, am I better yet?”

– Everybody Knows That You’re Insane

We walk quickly back from Dick’s Place to the hotel, the eerie fog having thickened in the night, covering the streets. We stop outside the Super B, Max opening the trunk. He pulls out the sword and brandishes it, the length gleaming in the streetlight.

“Uh,” I say, looking around to see if anyone is watching. Hard to say since there are so many houses packed together here. “What if someone sees us? We can’t exactly walk into the hotel with a sword.”

“How about we give it a shot and see,” he says, slamming the trunk shut and locking it. “Let’s go.”

We walk into the hotel, passing by the receptionist.

Max waves the sword at her. “Just bringing in my sword.”

“Okay,” the receptionist says, smiling at us politely.

I shake my head at his abilities as we run up the stairs, hoping we don’t run into anyone else in the hotel.

Luckily we get into our room in one piece. Max rests the sword against the wall across from his bed and I start pulling my silk pajamas from my suitcase. “So, the sword,” I begin, glancing at it as he sits on top of the bed, kicking off his shoes. “Why the sword?”

He lies back against the headboard, puts his hands behind his head, closing his eyes. “I told you. In case we need something stronger. Not everyone’s head will come off easy.”

I shudder. “Why do they have to come off at all? Can’t we just…drive a stake in them?”

“They aren’t vampires, darlin’.”

“That sword is for someone like Michael, isn’t it? Do you think…do you think we’ll run across a demon like him?”

He opens his eyes and looks at me. “I’ll always tell it to you straight. So, yeah. I reckon we will at some point. All signs point to yes.”

My gut churns uneasily.

“We can handle it,” he adds. “Don’t worry.”

I give him a wan smile as I make my way to the bathroom. “I’m going to worry a little bit.”

“Then you should worry less with this.” He reaches out with his leg, tapping the sword with his foot. Man, he’s got big feet. Not that I’m surprised. Not that I should be thinking about that.

I pause in front of the bathroom. “Where did you learn how to wield a sword by the way? Because you handle that thing like it’s second nature.” I pause. “And don’t you dare tell me it was because you were around way back when people were using swords to settle arguments.”

He runs his fingers over his lips like a zipper. “Won’t say a word.”

Figures. For a moment I picture him sword fighting alongside William Shakespeare, but I’m not sure that image makes any sense.

I get changed into my pajamas, take off my makeup, do my business, and then head to my bed, crawling under the sheets while Max is already snoring lightly on his bed, lying in his clothes on top of the covers. Don’t tell me he’s passed out again.

“Go to sleep, Ada,” he says, not moving.

I flinch. “You reading my mind?”

“Don’t have to.”

I’m about to tell him he’s the one who needs to go to sleep but before I can my thoughts are turning to mush and I slip into sleep.

My last wish is to not have any dreams.

“Ada.”

I wake up slowly, my hair standing straight up, my gut swirling with white lightning energy.

I don’t even have to open my eyes to know that something is happening and it’s bad.

“Ada,” Max’s voice comes through, hard as steel. “Don’t you fucking move.”

But I do move. I sit straight up in bed, open my eyes, and I’m face to face with a woman, stringy dirty blonde hair, a gaunt face, eyes black as holes, mouth stretched in a snapping shark-toothed grin.

FUCK.

I open my own mouth to scream just as the demon lunges to take a bite out of my face.

Then there’s a whoosh of air passing inches in front of me and I watch as the tip of Max’s sword swipes across my vision. The woman’s eyes turn from black to white, her face shattering and crumbling into ash until all of her disintegrates, covering every inch of me in burning demon dust.

“I said don’t move,” Max grumbles.

I pinch my eyes shut and try to scream but I hear Max’s voice in my head telling me to keep my eyes and mouth closed. I can feel the ashes burning through my pajamas, the smell like burned hair, and then Max is picking me up in his arms and carrying me.