“Got it,” I said.
As we gathered in a booth, Menolly went over to talk to Jocko and the two vamps.She returned with them in tow.
“This is Oscar and Homer.They’re twins,” she added.
Now that she mentioned it, I could see the resemblance.Perhaps not identical, but close enough to mistake them for it.They removed their sunglasses to greet us.Their eyes were pale frost, so they were old vamps.
“Do you know what kind of demon that thing was?”I asked.
Jocko shook his head, but Homer spoke up.
“Yeah, it was a snagtusk.Minor demon, usually found in the tropics.What he’s doing here, I have no idea,” Homer said.“They’re stupid, loutish, loud, and mean.”
“Lovely,” I said.“Are they from the Subterranean Realms?I mean, originally?”
“Not that I know of,” Homer said.“But they love trouble, and they charge into just about anything without giving a single thought as to what might happen.Some people have said they’re actually werepigs, but I think—if they are—they’re a cursed subsection.They definitely run demonic energy.”
“I thought so,” I said.“I could smell it.I can’t explain it, but I could…there was something about their scent that spoke ‘demon’ to me.”
The vamp held my gaze for a moment.I could feel the pull.He was trying to put a glamour on me.I stared straight at him, then deliberately pulled my gaze away and yawned.He stiffened, but slid his sunglasses back on.
“Thank you for your help,” Menolly said.She’d seen the interaction.“We appreciate it.”
“Snagtusks don’t belong in civilized areas,” Oscar said.“Glad to have been of help.We’ll see you ladies later.”He and his brother turned, returning to their own booth.
Chase shivered.“Vamps still scare the hell out of me.”
Menolly cleared her throat, staring at him.
Chase blushed.“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean…I’m…”
With a low laugh, she lightly ran her hand over his arm, making him shiver even more.“That’s all right.We’re all a bunch of freaks, right?”
Chase stiffened, staring at me with a pleading look.
“Rein it in, Menolly,” I said, trying not to laugh.“Chase, you know she only does that because you react.”
“I know,” he muttered.
Menolly just grinned, but she pulled her hand back.“So, what are we going to do about the tenzar?”
“Well, I talked to Frieda today.She said it held a demon magnet spell, and while she’s doing some research on how to break it, I’m also going to ask around.I’ll call Asheen again tonight, before we talk to Father.Now that I know what the spell is, she might be able to tell me how to break it.”I paused, then said, “Chase, I think you should stay with us until we take care of this.I don’t trust you to be alone.Safely, I mean.”
He didn’t look all that happy.“Are you sure?”
“You want another snagtusk on your ass?Or maybe another kappa?Or whatever other demon happens to be around?It’s not just that you catch the eye of any demons in the area.Think about the One Ring.Sauron can see it—the Ringwraiths are pulled toward it.”
“You mean that it actively attracts demons?Not just any that are in my general vicinity?”He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and cleared his throat.
“Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”I glanced over at Delilah and Menolly.“Do you two mind?”
“Fine with me,” Delilah said.“We have a spare room.”
“Whatever the case.But make sure when you shave that you stop the blood on any nicks,” Menolly said, widening her eyes.Chase froze until she laughed.“Gotcha.”
“Would you stop that!”He let out a sigh.“I know, I’m making myself a target.Okay, well, I suppose that might be safest course of action.But what if they’re attracted into your home?”
“We can deal with them better than you,” I said.I knew that he didn’t like to think of himself as vulnerable, but the fact was he was an FBH, and we weren’t.