Page 63 of The Orc of Wall Street

"Pixie demon!" the orc shrieks, waving his hands and the bat in front of him to shield himself.

The other one looks startled and then dodges and flaps his hands, trying to wave away Angel's spreading cloud of flickering powder. A sharp hiss comes from my right and I instinctively flinch away, looking to see what made the noise. What I see shocks me into momentary immobility.

Lewis has morphed into something horrific and undead. His eyes are glowing red and his fangs protrude out of his mouth which otherwise is a gaping cavern of black. His pale skin has turned sickeningly white and as I watch, he hovers off the ground and floats menacingly toward the second orc. His fingers are arched into claws reaching toward the orc's throat.

The second orc claps a hand over his neck and begins to back away, his eyes enormous.

"I don't like needles or fangs," he mutters. "Back off, blood sucker." He raises his sword, but it shakes in his hand. "This is made of iron, and it will go straight into your heart!"

"It's an alloy and will be merely an inconvenience to me," Lewis hisses in a voice that sends shivers to my toes.

Beside him the first orc is dancing around, trying to get out of Angel's way, She’s darting back and forth in the air, her blurred wings making a tinkling and buzzing sound as she flies, berating him in a way that feels intensely personal.

The orcs have lost all ability to attack and are moving toward the door, waving their weapons to keep my employees at bay. The scene, honestly, is heartwarming.

I stand aside and let them try to maintain their dignity and put up a good show of resistance.

"Gents!" I call over Angel's insults and Lewis's frightening snake sounds. "Have you seen a lady about this high, beautiful with a sexy physique?"

They aren't paying attention, and honestly, I don't blame them.

Gage walks up behind them and puts his enormous hands on their shoulders. I know it's meant in a brotherly way, but finding oneself in the grip of a Yeti usually results in the reaction I see enfold before me.

The orcs go totally still, their eyes open in terror as they gape at the enormous, hairy hands holding them.

"Ask again, boss," Gage said.

I cleared my throat. "Thanks, Gage."

Lewis and Angel back off and I step in front of the two guards. Their eyes never leave Gage's hands as I repeat the question.

Gage shakes them slightly and their heads wobble. I am struck for the second time in five minutes by how powerful Gage must be, considering the orcs are small mountains themselves.

I put my face in front of one of them and force him to make eye contact with me, then I move to the other. "Well?"

"Haven't seen any girl like that," one of them mutters. The other nods his head and mutters in our orc language, "Fucking pixie."

"Hey," I say back to him in orcish, scowling. "Watch your language or I'll tell her what you said."

"Did you hear that?" Lewis says in his normal voice. I looked behind me. He has morphed back into his usual diminished self. I shake my head in disbelief. Who knew such a mild-mannered guy had such hidden horrors?

"Listen," he says.

We all look around.

"What?" Angel asks.

"I hear it," Gage says, his head perking up.

He lets go of the orcs who immediately bolt out the door, leaving it swinging on its hinges as their footsteps recede into the night.

"Remind me never to use their particular security agency," I say.

"Hush," Angel says, holding up a hand.

From somewhere in the aisles, a faint shouting and thumping reaches my ears.

Gage is already striding off toward the second aisle to the left, Lewis close at his heels. "It's coming from a box, I think!" he yells back at us.

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