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Author's Note: Here's the new chapter of Raven's Blood. This chapter required quite a bit of rewriting, including about two thousand words that weren't included before. As a result, it is longish at well over 7k words, but I couldn't really find a place where I felt there was a natural break that would meld well with the next chapter, so it's staying the way it is now. Thanks to my readers and to BCTS for giving their support of Transgendered authors and fiction. ~Amethyst.
 

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Chapter 8: A Valkyrie, a Vampire, and an Ogre walk into a bar...

Over the next few days, while we waited for Friday to roll around, Erin and I continued to practice our magical abilities as best we could with nobody to formally teach us. For Erin, that meant reading her grandfather’s journal and talking with Ginger, the orange tabby cat she had adopted at the SPCA to finish our Tuesday outing. Ginger was roughly a year old, from what the volunteer at the SPCA could tell us, and she and Erin had connected as soon as they met. She also confirmed that Erin could speak with and understand cats, well, as much as anyone can.

As for me, when I wasn’t practicing magic or going outside for brief outings just because I finally could, I was mostly looking through my mother’s private space in the basement and the various books and weapons that it contained. Sometimes I would bring things upstairs for us all to look at together, but whenever we were done with them, I returned them to the exact places where I found them in the basement, even the photo album. It seemed disrespectful to my mother to just leave them lying around the house in plain sight when I found them in her private place.

I was unwilling to let anyone except Lydia, Erin, and Alice see anything that I found down there. Erin had suggested that we take some of the books to the university to see about getting them translated, or some of the smaller items of interest to an antique store for an appraisal, but the idea didn’t sit well with me. Yes, there was a mystery here, but Lydia said my mother was secretive about her past and her people, and it felt like going to someone else to find answers would risk revealing Paranormal secrets and betraying my mother’s memory. Ever since I had gone downstairs and found the letter, I had felt a connection to my mother that I had never felt before, and I didn’t want to sully that.

I did, however, take some photos with my phone of the training area and the weapons and armor, but only so I could show the others what I was talking about. I did not take any of the little office, though. It seemed far more personal somehow, like invading my mother’s privacy, and for some reason that I couldn’t explain, I wanted to keep her sanctum a secret, as if it was something that I alone was allowed to share with her.

And then there was Alice. Honestly, I didn’t know how Erin and I could have made it through the last month and a half and stayed sane without her help. She had helped us get used to all this Paranormal shit and had become a good friend and a constant reassuring presence for both of us. Since our outing, though, I noticed that she had been acting a little strangely. She was casting longing looks in my direction when she thought I wasn’t looking, there were occasional awkward silences, or she would verbally stumble in our conversations.

It was doing terrible things to my poor heart and my mind was constantly filled with fear. Did she think that her job with us was done? Was helping us adjust, helping me to learn to hide my wings, and teaching us about the Paranormal just a job to her? She had done everything she came to do when she moved in with us, so did she want to go home and get back to her life? That would explain the strange longing looks. Was that truly it and she was just trying to figure out some way of letting me and Erin down easy?

It didn’t help that I had it bad for her. Just spending time with her warmed my heart like sunshine suddenly breaking through the clouds on a dismally grey day. Maybe it would be for the best if she did leave. Even if she was into girls, it would never work out between us anyway and this way, we could both get back to our lives without me constantly worrying about doing or saying something that might make her uncomfortable around me. I decided that I wouldn’t be the one to bring it up, but when she did, I would do my best to not make things awkward for both of us.

Alice and I sat in my dad’s old Jeep Cherokee outside what appeared to be an abandoned building as the cold December rain fell outside. This was one of the worst areas of the East Side, and my car would have stood out far too much. In this neighborhood, I was even worried about the Jeep getting unwanted attention, but Alice assured me that she could keep both herself and it safe and obscured with Water magic, if need be, especially with this much rain falling. “Are you sure that this is the place?” I asked for the second time.

~Absolutely,~ the Mermaid responded. ~Do you see that bit of blue graffiti beside the door? The little star with the letters PN underneath?~ I nodded, and she continued to explain, ~The PN stands for Paranormal. Businesses geared toward Paranormal customers put that symbol by the entrance to show that they are there. Sometimes they’ll put another letter there as well, to show what type of business it is.~

“But it’s all boarded up, how am I supposed to get inside?” I asked.

She shook her head. ~It’s probably an illusion; these businesses usually hire Divine Mages to cast illusions to keep the normal humans from walking in.~

“What about the homeless that might be looking for a place to sleep? What keeps them out?”

~Another type of spell used along with the illusion. It makes normal humans look past the place without really seeing it. When they’re gone, they’ll vaguely recall an abandoned building, but not anything specific. It’s mostly used to keep people from seeing customers going in and out.~ She looked uncertainly at the building, and then at me with a worried expression. ~I’m not so sure that this is a good idea. Are you sure that you’re going to be okay by yourself in there? Dennis said that it’s a rough place.~

“From what Peter and Dr. Jennings said, I’m built pretty tough. I should be okay. Besides, we probably won’t get another chance at this without Lydia getting super protective, and Erin won’t be able to keep her distracted for long. We need to do this quickly if we’re going to convince her we just went out for a drive and to get a pizza,” I told her with confidence I didn’t quite feel as I tried to reassure her. My heart was fluttering, though. Not from fear of what awaited me in that bar, but from the thought that she was worried about me.

Alice sighed silently but gave in. ~Okay, fine, but you had better be back out in fifteen minutes or I’m coming in after you. The illusion should fade when you get to the door. If you get in over your head, send a thought my way and I’ll come in to back you up.~

“Okay Alice,” I said to reassure her, “but I’m sure I can handle myself.”

With that, I took off my jacket and was about to open the door to leave the car when Alice said, ~Raven, wait.~ Her mind voice was tremulous and uncertain, like shaking hands plucking at guitar strings, as was her expression when I turned back to face her. She swallowed and took a deep breath before speaking again though, her gaze wandering before she seemingly forced it back to my face in the brief, awkward silence. ~I’ve… been thinking…~

“Here it comes, she’s going to tell me that her work is done. She’s going to leave me... us and go back to living with her parents so she can train to be a Hunter like she wants,” I thought as I felt a painful twist in my heart. I could barely get my voice to work as I choked out the words, “I… understand… I’ll…”

~Do you want to go out with me?!~ she blurted out in my mind as I was still trying to find the words. Then, I was so stunned that, for a moment, all I could do was listen to her awkwardly ramble in my head. ~Not like this but like on a date… like a date-date. I mean, we don’t have to if you don’t want to, and I’ll understand if you don’t like girls that way… I kind of thought you did though, and I asked Erin about it and she said that you like girls and that I should ask you, but sometimes it’s hard to tell if she’s just joking and…~

She looked like she was ready to start hyperventilating as she babbled on like she was freaking out on the inside as much as I was. I silenced her wandering stream of thought by placing a trembling finger to her lips. Sure, she wasn’t using them to speak, but it was symbolic. “Alice… I would love to go out with you; you’ve been living rent-free in my head since we met.”

~In your house too,~ she added cheekily after letting out a long sigh.

Somehow, that just seemed to dissolve all the tension that had built up and I found myself relaxing as I slumped back into my seat with a similar sigh. “I’ve been wanting to say something, to figure out if you even like girls that way, I just… I wasn’t sure if you’d want to try a relationship with me, even if you did. You’re a Mermaid, and I’m… whatever the hell I am… Could we even make this work? Not that I don’t want to try!”

Her smile might have just lit up the interior of the Jeep, and it certainly lit a fire in my rapidly beating heart. She just kept smiling at me as she reached out to grasp my hand in hers, and I noticed that they were trembling as much as mine were. ~You thought that I, of all people, might have problems with a mixed species relationship? Seriously, Raven? My parents never let that stop them. Sure, a relationship like that takes work, and a desire to make it work, on both sides, but don’t all relationships? Let’s just start with a date and see where things go from there. Details can wait until later.~

“I… you’re right,” I conceded with a smile that might just have matched the light and warmth of hers. I was so happy right now that it felt like my face might explode. “So, we’ll talk about this more when I get back then? I really should get going if we want to get back before Lydia sends out search parties.”

~Yeah, that sounds good. Umm… one more thing though…~ She hesitated and once again took a deep breath to steady herself, and then she practically jumped out of her seat to kiss me. Her lips were so soft and warm as they met mine, like silken pillows and the contact was electric. The pleasant warmth of her lips passionately battling against mine was matched by the warmth growing in my belly, and somewhat lower, and jolts of searing pleasure ran up and down my spine as we finally broke apart, both gasping for air. ~For… luck,~ her voice near-whispered in my mind as she tried to catch her breath.

For a moment I couldn’t move or speak as I tried to process the feelings that my first kiss had instilled. I was like a warm and gooey puddle of raw emotion and sensation, and oh damn, I could only believe that I was well and firmly situated in the territory of ‘in love’. When I could breathe and think again, I gave her the biggest smile that my currently addled brain could manage and said, “Umm… thanks.” Then, with warmth and confidence filling my chest almost to bursting, I left the car to sprint through the rain toward the bar’s entrance.

The illusion did indeed fade once I had reached the entrance, and I opened one of the pair of sturdy wooden doors that appeared to step inside. The large common room was filled with the smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke, and I could feel the looks of several of the bar’s patrons on me as I let the door close behind me. I stopped focusing on keeping my wings and claws contained and tried to walk up to the bar as casually as possible as I let them free.

My wings were very much a part of me now, and I felt some reassurance as their weight on my back returned. My balance was much better with them out now, and if this place was as bad as I had been told then I’d need every advantage that I could get. For that reason, the presence of my claws was even more reassuring as I leaned against the bar and took a stool to wait for the bartender. The bartender in question was a large man with red eyes, scaly azure skin, and three large horns on his head. “What can I get you?” he asked in a deep bass voice.

“Whatever you have on tap, and some information,” I replied as I leaned toward him and showed the photograph. “I’m looking for this person, I’ve heard she’s been here recently and she’s pretty memorable. She’s blonde and has wings like mine, only hers are white.”

“The brew will be three-fifty,” he said without even glancing at the photo. “But if you want information then you’ll need to talk to Joenyth, he sees everything that goes on in here. Most folks just call him Joey.”

“So, where can I find Joey?” I asked as I placed a five-dollar bill on the counter.

The barkeep filled a mug of beer and placed it in front of me before taking the bill. “He’s over there, at the table in the back corner. Just look for the Gryphon, you can’t miss him.”

“Thanks, keep the change.” I took my beer and made my way toward the back, where a large creature with the supersized wings and head of an eagle and the body of a lion sat at one of the tables watching the room. I gestured to the table, “Do you mind if I have a seat?”

“Good evening, sky-sister, please be seated. You seek information, yes?” The voice emanating from the creature’s beak was like two rocks being grated together, and I almost winced at the sound as I took the offered seat.

I nodded after swallowing a mouthful of the surprisingly good beer. “I seek one of my kin, sky-brother, a blonde woman with white wings. I heard that someone saw her here recently.”

The great eagle’s head let out a sound which, after a moment, I identified as laughter. “You seek lonely bird then, nestling? A strange bird that one. She comes here from time to time, but always alone. She does not speak to others, not even her sky-kin. She hides herself from all among humans. I know not where she nests; she is hidden even from our sight by powerful Divine magic, so I can help you not. Others may know, as we hear some speak of her. Wait with me, sky-sister. Soon one comes who can tell you when and where the one you seek flies along the stone ground, and I can teach a nestling much.”

~I may have something, but it will require waiting for a bit,~ I sent to Alice in my thoughts. ~Will you be alright out there until I get back?~

~I suppose so,~ the Mermaid replied, but she didn’t sound happy about it. ~I’d rather be with you. At least with all this rain, I can use Water magic to keep people from noticing the Jeep. I’ll bunker down until you get back. Just be careful, and call me if you need me.~

I smiled at the Gryphon and answered, “I can wait a while, and I am eager to learn what you would teach me, sky-brother.”

“Good,” the Gryphon replied with what I hoped was a smile. “Your kin goes without a flock, but you are yet a nestling and need a flock to call your own. Birds of a feather must flock together, yes?”

“Ummm… yes?” I replied uncertainly between long pulls at my beer.

For the next fifteen minutes, Joenyth told me about his kind and their way of life. The Gryphons were scholars and kept an eye on all things Paranormal. They were also very good with Air magic, had a natural camouflage ability that they used to stay mostly unseen by humans and Paranormals alike, and were in constant telepathic contact with one another. They revered family, life, and knowledge above all else. It was hard to tell what he was talking about half the time, but he seemed to want to help me.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I finally asked.

“No nestling should be without a flock, and the black-winged nestling most of all. The winds speak of you, and the evil which hunts you. Paranth Flock wishes to see you become a war-bird, like your kin, and hunt this evil; if it is not stopped, much life will be lost. We offer to be your flock. Paranth Flock will share knowledge with you and watch over your nest.”

I managed to understand most of what he said. From what he told me earlier they were pacifists so they likely wouldn’t attack anyone who tried to break into my home, but it sounded like they would warn me of danger and share any information they gathered. “And what does Paranth Flock ask in return?” I cautiously inquired.

“Paranth Flock asks only that you survive, and defend our flock if ever it is needed,” the Gryphon replied before looking toward the door. “One who can speak of your kin arrives, nestling. Be quick. You search for kin. Others search for you.”

I followed his gaze toward the door, where a skinny man in black jeans and a dark red jacket had entered the bar. He looked to be in his twenties, with olive skin and short, dark brown hair and he was headed straight for the bartender. I quickly thanked Joey once again for his help before going to the bar, where the man now sat on a stool ordering a beer. “Hi there,” I said with a smile as I sat on the stool beside him, “a little bird told me that you might be able to help me out.”

The man looked me over and smiled, his purple eyes lighting up. “Oh, I’m sure I can find some way to help you. I’m Pete, so what can I do to… for you?”

The look he was giving me made me sick to my stomach, but I pushed it aside for the moment as I took out the photograph. “I need to find this woman, and word is, you can tell me where and when.”

He took a long look at the photo and cursed. “Fuck. That’s the bitch who cost me two hundred bucks last week.” At my confused look, he decided to elaborate. “There’s a street racing circuit in town, Paranormal drivers only. The girl in the picture is one of the racers, she drives a silver Nissan GT-R and has a pretty good rep. I had some inside info on one of the other drivers though. He made some major mods to his ride, and I thought he’d win, even though the odds were seven to one, so I bet two hundred on him. I thought it was a sure thing y’know? She still beat him, and I was out two hundred bucks.” He gave me a wary look as he asked, “You’re not a cop, are you?”

I shook my head. “No, she’s a relative, and I need to contact her. Do you know where I can find her?” I prodded.

He looked thoughtful for a moment. “She comes here to drink sometimes; all the drivers do. That girl can really put ‘em away; I don’t know where she puts it all. Finding her here ain’t gonna be a sure thing, though. If you really want to find her, your best bet is at the race.”

“So, you know where these races are held then?” I asked, feeling hopeful for the first time in weeks.

He nodded slowly as he took a careful look around before speaking again. “The time, place, and race route change every week, so the cops don’t catch on, and details are sent to an email list that the drivers and fans all subscribe to. You have a pen?” I quickly fished a pen out of my purse, and he jotted down a web address on a napkin. “This is where you can subscribe to the mailing list. Emails are usually sent out Saturday afternoons and races are at random times on Saturday nights, that way there’s less chance of the cops catching on in time to stop it.”

I stuffed the pen and napkin into my purse and smiled at the man. “Thanks a lot, Pete. Can I buy you a drink as a thank you?”

I felt something large pushing against my back and turned to see Joey there. “You must leave, nestling, quickly.” He inclined his head toward a table in the corner by the door where two men had just sat down. “One who sits there was told of black wings by the dark ones who offer bounty on your blood.”

“Damn,” I cursed, “thank you both for the help, but I think it’s time for me to leave.” Then I quickly sent a thought to Alice. ~Warm up the Jeep, I’m getting out of here, now.~

~I can’t warm up the Jeep, you have the keys. Are you in trouble?~ she asked as I made my way to the door, only to have the two men step between me and it. The first man was a skinny man dressed all in black leather with black hair, shifty blood-red eyes, pale skin, and a fanged grin that I didn’t like at all. The second was an eight feet tall and ugly wall of muscle with a lilac tinge to his skin and long shaggy brown hair. He smelled terrible and his clothes were a patchwork of multi-colored rags, probably because he couldn’t find regular clothes that would fit him.

“Just my luck,” I muttered as I walked up to them. ~Yeah, there are two guys between me and the door; a big ugly purple guy and a guy who could really use some sun. From what you and Lydia have told me I’d guess they’re an Ogre and a Vampire. I’ll be out as soon as I can.~ I stopped just out of arms reach and mentally groaned when they didn’t move. “You are between me and the door. That might not be the safest place for you to be,” I told them with a bravado I didn’t feel.

“The mixed blood threatens us, Gront,” laughed the pale man, “isn’t that cute?”

“I’m sorry; did I beat you to it? Let me guess, you’re the one who’s going to threaten me, and your big friend is the strong silent type who does all the dirty work. A bit cliché, aren’t you?” I retorted.

The Vampire frowned, looking very annoyed with me. “Listen up, girlie, this can go one of two ways: You can come peacefully, or we can have some fun with you before taking you in for the reward. They want your blood, and it's worth just as much whether we rough you up or not. I’d prefer to take you in alive and relatively unharmed.”

“Just like a visit to the Red Cross, huh? I come in, give some blood, maybe get some juice and a cookie, and then go on my merry way. Is that what you’re offering?” I replied coolly.

“Hardly,” he snorted dismissively. “I’m very eager to see why your blood is so special; once they get theirs, I want a little taste. If you’re lucky, I may let you live on as my thrall.”

“Well, isn’t that sweet of you,” I responded with a roll of my eyes as I slowly slipped my hand into my purse and began to feel around frantically. “Is there some kind of benefits package that comes with that? Dental maybe? Never mind, as tempting as that offer is, I’ve never been much of a fan of working nights, and I get the feeling that would be a requirement. Sorry, but I’m gonna have to take a hard pass.” I felt the can in my purse and pulled it out to spray it in the Vampire’s face. “Have a taste of this, Asshole!”

I could hear the sizzling of his flesh and smelled it burning as the spray hit. Wisps of smoke rose from between his fingers, where he held his face in his hands as he screamed. “Arrrrrgggggh!” The big guy took that as his cue and hit me hard enough to send me flying back toward the bar. The stools in my path and the bar itself shattered at the impact, sending splinters of wood and other debris flying everywhere.

The world was spinning a bit as I lay there, and my jaw felt like I’d been hit with a sledgehammer. I thought that it might be broken, and as I managed to shake it off and get unsteadily to my feet there was a grinding feeling in my jaw as my regeneration went to work. I winced and barely suppressed a yelp of pain as it popped back into place, and I glared across the room at the Ogre.

“Damn, that hurt,” I thought as I rubbed my tender jaw and stood up among the bar’s splintered remains. “You have a mean right hook; I’ll give you that. It felt like you almost took my head off with that.” Pete was standing nearby with the bartender and both looked very surprised that the punch hadn’t taken my head off. I gave them a shrug as I brushed the dust and rubble off my clothes and tried to shake off the fading bout of dizziness as my jaw finished healing.

Joey had fled the scene after warning me, or more likely hid himself, so at least I wouldn’t have to worry about protecting him. With the Vampire temporarily out of action, right now it was just me and Gront, who was walking slowly toward me. “Okay, so that’s how it’s going to be huh? I hate you, you hate me, it’s time for things to get ugly,” I grumbled as I glowered menacingly at him, or rather I hoped it looked menacing.

I leaped toward him, closing the distance between us in a heartbeat, and hit him in the solar plexus with everything that I had. Everything I had turned out to be a bit much, as I sent him flying through the doors and the rain outside to collide with the run-down building on the other side of the street. ~Raven, are you okay?!~ Alice yelled in my mind.

~Oops. I guess that I still don’t know my own strength. You might want to call your parents and get them to send a clean-up crew. And a medical team in case any homeless people were in that building.~ I felt better than I had in my life, like nothing could take me down. My sense of power from the adrenaline rush and taking on the Ogre gave me confidence like I had never felt before. I turned around to find every eye in the place focused on me. “Is anyone else stupid enough to fuck with me tonight?”

The bar’s patrons all hurriedly looked away and returned to their drinks as I focused my attention on the Vampire again. His face was very badly burned, and it looked painful, but I wasn’t feeling particularly sympathetic at the moment. “Oh, you’re still here, fang-tastic. You might have missed it while your face was melting, but I just taught your big purple friend how to fly, he really needs to work on those landings though. So, tell me, are you ready for Flight 101, or are you smart enough to leave on your own power?” The Vampire took one look at me cracking my knuckles, then at the remains of both the bar and the doors and fled into the night.

I retracted my wings and claws as I retrieved my purse from where it had fallen on the floor and then I stepped out the gaping hole where the doors had been to make my way back to the Jeep. As I opened the driver’s side door, I noticed that the wall of the abandoned building the Ogre had crashed into had a massive hole in it and looked almost ready to collapse. I silently hoped that there was nobody inside to get hurt as I climbed into the driver’s seat and closed the door, turning to Alice. “Well, that was fun. I know where I can get the info needed to find my aunt, and I got a bit of exercise. Did you let your parents know to send a clean-up crew?”

~Yes, they’re sending a medical team like you asked and a Psychic to implant memories for any human witnesses and the emergency response teams. I don’t think there were any witnesses around, but it’s hard to see properly in this heavy rain.~ She followed my gaze to the damaged building and assured me, ~The Psychic will check for any injured people in the building there too. What the hell happened?~

“It looks like someone among the Demons was smart enough to put a price on my head and let the local scum try their luck, instead of risking their own lives,” I explained. “A Vampire and an Ogre decided to try to collect. I maced the Vamp and the Ogre and I exchanged blows. The Ogre lost and is probably napping in that building over there.”

~There’s a bounty on you? We’ll need to let the PDA know about that. Paranormals could attack us at home,~ she replied, sounding worried.

“Don’t worry,” I said with a shrug, “a flock of Gryphons have apparently adopted me and will be watching the house for us. They probably won’t fight anything, but they will warn us. Also, I don’t think the Demons were very forthcoming about the details of the bounty. They only knew it was me because of my wings, so I think they only gave a description and not much detail.”

The Mermaid nodded as she replied thoughtfully, ~You’ll have to be careful about showing off then.~ That was when the other part of what I said earlier seemed to sink in. ~Wait, what? You punched an Ogre hard enough to send it through the doors, across the street, and through that wall?~

“Umm yeah... I guess I don’t know my own strength,” I responded sheepishly.

~If you did that, then the word strength may be an understatement. You didn’t get hurt, did you?~ she asked in concern.

I shook my head. “He hit me pretty good, but I was okay other than a sore jaw and some dizziness. He wasn’t as tough as he looked, and I heal quickly.” Telling her that he probably broke my jaw would have only worried her further, and besides, I healed up fine, so I kept that to myself.

~So, what did you find out about your aunt?~ she pressed.

“I found out that she races cars on Saturday nights and I can get the details on when and where,” I replied as I started the car. “Once I find out where and when she’s racing tomorrow night, I have a pretty good idea of how to get her alone for a little chat. First, though let’s grab that pizza we came out to get and go home so I can sign up for that mailing list.”

Alice thought it best that we waited for the PDA to show up before we left, but they arrived fairly speedily to clean things up. While we waited, we talked about when to have our first date, and what we wanted to do, though we were going to have to be careful if there really was a price on my head. Once the PDA showed and Alice had the medic take a look at me to make sure I didn’t have a concussion or something, we left the scene, stopped to pick up the pizza that was our excuse for being out, and headed home.

We opened the door to find Lydia waiting in the living room with her arms crossed and a frown on her face. “Where the fuck did you go to get that pizza? Italy?” I was about to answer her when she shushed me. “I had time to beat Erin at chess while you were gone, ten times.”

Erin, who was leaning against the wall, shrugged. “Hey, she’s crazy good at that game. So, did you find out anything useful?”

I rolled my eyes as we took the pizza into the kitchen. “It was a productive outing,” I admitted as I sat down, “let’s all have a seat and eat, and I’ll fill you in.”

Once we were all seated and nibbling at our pizza Erin asked, “So, how productive was it?”

I sat back and thought for a moment before casually listing off the night’s accomplishments. “Let’s see, Alice asked me out on a date; I got adopted by a flock of Gryphons who have offered to watch the house for intruders; I found out how to contact my aunt, the street racer; I discovered that Grandpa’s lackeys have put a bounty on my head; and I now know that Para Mace gives Vampires one hell of a sunburn and Ogres can fly… if you hit them hard enough. Though, when they land, they cause significant property damage.”

Erin just sat there and stared at me. “I… I’m not even sure where to start.”

“Tell me everything that happened. Now,” Lydia said sternly. In her current form, it looked more like she was pouting about missing out on it rather than being pissed off about me deliberately putting myself in danger, but I knew better. So, as we ate, I carefully related everything that had happened since Alice and I got to the bar. When I finished, Erin was gaping at me and Lydia almost looked proud.

I had turned on my laptop and was accessing the website to sign up for the mailing list when Erin muttered, “I knew I should have come with you. You traded punches with an Ogre and won. I would have loved to see that.”

“For all that we know they have a price on your head too, those demons weren’t too pleased when you Manifested and came to my defense. And you don’t have my strength and durability,” I pointed out.

“You’re such a downer,” she replied, “can I at least come tomorrow when you try to find your aunt?”

“Sure thing,” I said with a grin, “I’m going to need somebody to drive my car back here if my plan goes smoothly. I’ll warn you now though; I don’t plan on getting into any fights tomorrow.”

~You didn’t plan on getting into any tonight either,~ Alice pointed out helpfully.

“Very funny, Alice,” I replied as I finished typing my email address to subscribe to the mailing list and sighed. “There we go. Hopefully, by tomorrow afternoon I’ll know exactly where and when the race starts, and then all I’ll need to worry about is what to tell her when I see her. If she and Mom really did have a falling out, then she might not be very keen on helping me.”

“You should take the letter along, just in case,” Erin suggested. “You might be able to use it to help convince her. Hopefully, she won’t hold a grudge against you for her beef against your mom, and if she’s gotten over whatever it was then the letter might help sway her.”

“If she’s anything like your mother she’ll be hard to read. Your mother didn’t like showing weakness if she could help it,” Lydia suggested. “Siv was a sucker for defending the weak and those in danger though, so if you use the angle that you’re being hunted by Demons, her sister may feel compelled to help you.”

“That does have possibilities,” I admitted. “So, are you suggesting I play the weak little damsel in distress?”

The Imp shook her head. “No, she’d never buy that, especially if she somehow hears about tonight’s little adventure before you get to meet her. I would suggest that you stick to the truth as much as possible. Demons are after you and you don’t know how to use any of your abilities, but you need to learn how so you can defend yourself and others.”

“Will that work if word about tonight gets around before I see her? I proved that I can protect myself tonight,” I replied, feeling pretty proud of myself.

Lydia shook her head, causing her pigtails to swing with the movement. There was a cute frown on her adorable face, and I could almost forget she wasn’t a real little girl until she spoke. “Tonight was a fucking fluke, Raven; you caught those two jackasses at the bar with their pants down. What saved you was that surprise that you had in your purse and the fact that they thought you were just a pretty face and underestimated your resilience and strength. After tonight though, once word gets around, those hunting you are going to be more careful when dealing with you. Few, but the most arrogant, are going to come right out and challenge you. They will attempt to catch you by surprise or goad you into a trap.”

I sank down into my chair, knowing that she was right. “Thank you, Captain Killjoy.”

~She’s right Raven,~ Alice put in, echoing my own thoughts. ~The reason you were looking for your aunt in the first place was to learn to control your abilities. Tonight proved that you need that still. Your first thought was to defend yourself with the mace when you could have easily taken out the Vampire yourself, and when you did decide to attack the Ogre, you didn’t think about tactics. You just threw yourself at him, punched as hard as you could, and prayed. You underestimated your strength as badly as they did and didn’t even consider using your claws. If you don’t learn to fight properly you could be a danger to everyone in the area if someone does decide to attack you.~

“Yeah, I was very lucky that there was nobody in that condemned building the Ogre landed in. I guess I was a little overconfident just now. I was just happy that for the first time in my life, I was able to defend myself. No Lydia protecting me from everything in the world, and no Erin or the PDA jumping in to save my ass, it was all me. It was exciting and I felt so confident.”

Erin leaned over to hug me. ‘You’ll feel even more confident when it’s not a fluke, so try not to get too down. To be honest, I really envy you and Alice.”

Alice blinked, looking like she wasn’t sure that she had heard Erin correctly. ~Why do you envy us? Out of the three of us, you’re the only one who can fit in with humans without having to always concentrate on keeping some part of your real self hidden. We also must constantly think about things most people never have to consider. I have to get most of my panties, pants, and such enchanted so that they aren’t destroyed, but rather sent to a pocket dimension, if I have to suddenly change form.~

I nodded vigorously in agreement. “And I can’t wear any kind of clothes that get in the way of my wings. Do you know how boring it is to wear halter tops all the time? Even bras and bikini tops are a pain to wear. I have to wear backless ones if I don’t want them damaged, and even then, it’s not a sure thing.”

Erin shrugged. “Okay, I’ll give you that. Those things must be a pain in the ass, but you both can do amazing things that are useful in our current predicament. Raven: You’re strong, hardly anything can hurt you, and someday you’ll be able to fly. Alice: You can breathe underwater, you have Water magic, and you’re learning to use guns. What can I do? I talk to cats, and I leave my body helpless with the one useful skill I do have. I’m just sitting on the sidelines while you both improve yourselves.”

“Bullshit,” I said, frowning at the Shaman. “When we were tested you had amazing agility, reflexes, and flexibility, and your sense of balance is incredible. If you want to learn some way to physically improve yourself, take martial arts lessons or something. And I’m sure once you’ve had more practice as a Shaman your skills will be really useful. Peter said the PDA doesn’t have anyone like you on staff, and I would imagine ghosts are just as big a Paranormal threat as anything else.”

~She’s right,~ Alice agreed. ~Mom said the Chief of the PDA policing division is chomping at the bit trying to figure out how to recruit both of you once those Demons are taken care of. When he read the report on you, he saw a lot of potential for someone who may be able to communicate with spirits. I’m sure that if you asked my parents, they would be able to set up martial arts lessons with the woman who trains our interested agents. Dad and I could teach you to use a gun too if you want, you need to learn to defend yourself just as much as Raven does.~

“The PDA wants to recruit me?” Erin asked looking stunned. “I can understand them wanting Raven, she’s built for monster hunting, but me?”

The tinkling of the Mermaid’s giggling echoed in my mind. ~Yeah, they can see uses for both of you. I wasn’t supposed to mention anything unless you showed interest since they want to leave it up to you, but I think the Chief would be more than happy to let you use the staff and facilities to learn to improve yourself if there’s a chance that you might be interested in becoming a Hunter.~

“There’s more than a chance,” Erin replied, beaming. “Ever since we got pulled into this whole Paranormal thing I’ve been wanting to get involved, but it looked like I was only able to sit and watch. Maybe we’ll be able to get on the same team.”

~It’s possible,~ Alice admitted. ~They do prefer team members who can work well together and get along.~

“How about you, Raven, are you in?” Erin asked with a pleading look. “I’d love to be able to do this with my best friend.”

I shook my head as I thought about it. “I’m not sure; I still kind of want to live a normal life if possible. I’ll think about it, but I won’t promise anything more than that.”

Erin seemed a bit disappointed but nodded. “I don’t want to pressure you to do something you don’t want to.” Then she turned to Alice, “Do you think we can call your parents and try to set up those lessons?”

~Yeah, they should be off shift by now and it’ll be a while before Mom goes to sleep, so she should have the time to talk about it,~ Alice replied.

“I’ll leave you girls to it then,” I managed to say through a yawn. “I’m going to head to bed; I have a busy day tomorrow.” Once the two of them headed to the living room I shut down my laptop and hugged Lydia tightly. “Good night, Lydia. Thanks for the dose of reality earlier, I needed it.”

The Imp hugged me back tightly. “Rest well; I’ll see you in the morning.”