Page 68 of Aberrant Monsters
I held off because this situation could still be defused. “We’re not from around here. I’m a rift walker and we’re looking for an eldritch that came this way. We’re on Order business.”
His brows flicked up. “Rift walker, eh? Heard of your kind. Sweet blood that gives a high. Don’t give a fuck about the Order. Bunch of wankers, in my opinion.”
The others murmured in agreement as they advanced.
Crap. “Agreed. I’m not a fan either but us rift walkers don’t get a say.” I shrugged, all casual like as we backed up a step. “You know how it is, fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, rift walkers gotta…walk.”
One of the vipers snort-laughed. “Rift walkers gotta walk. Funny.”
His boss shot him a glare.
How far were we from the barriers? If I could just keep them talking… “So, you own the docks at night, huh? How did that deal come about?”
The one I’d gotten a laugh out of replied. “Government knows you can’t exterminate all the rats in the city. Best to cut a deal. We got our spot. Our grounds. Our turf. Our terrain.”
“Your patch.” I nodded. “Your plot.”
We took another step back.
“Your grounds.” How many ways can you say territory? Shit, brain fart. “That’s great. I mean it makes sense to have your…turf.” Ha, thought of another one.
“Yeah, makes sense for the government to stick to their part of it. We stick to ours.”
“Uh-huh?” I took another step back. “And how long have you owned this territory?”
He opened his mouth to reply but the ringleader cut him off. “Shut it, Derek, can’t you see she’s stalling. Jeez, you’re such a wank sometimes.”
Derek glared at me. “Bitch.”
Fuck, the jig was up. My hand itched to claim my blade. “Look, this is an honest mistake. We didn’t know this was your territory and weareon official business. But if you attack us, we will defend.” I narrowed my eyes, injecting steely resolve into my gaze. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will.”
There was a moment of silence and then the vipers erupted into laughter.
I turned to Nandi. “Seriously, am Ithatunintimidating?”
She shrugged. “It’s the doe eyes and the five-five height.”
“You’re one to talk.” I gripped my sword’s hilt and pulled it free as the vipers surrounded us.
The ringleader laughed. “Do you plan to beat us to death with your tiny stick?”
I stepped away from Nandi and flicked my wrist, activating the blade so that it whooshed out lightsaber style and totally cool.
“Nice,” Nandi said.
“What the fuck?” Derek said. “I ain’t going up against a Jedi.”
“Shut the fuck up, Derek, she ain’t no Jedi.”
“That’s a fucking lightsaber, Joe.”
“Joe and Derek?” Nandi bit back a smile. “Nice viper names. Real scary.”
Joe’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, we don’t need scary names to be lethal, little bird.”
More shadows appeared in my periphery. More vipers.
This was a coven. It explained the barriers and why the streets were so quiet. The people who lived around here must know the score and steer clear, which begged the question, “How do you usually hunt?”
