“I don’t think the world is ready for that,” Logan said as he shook his head at the thought, “but I’m loving the idea. Who’s ready for an adventure across the pond?”Kelda, Abina, Jane, and Rafe all raised their hands and chattered happily.“Great!” Logan grinned at his friends and stood up from the couch. “Let’s go find Ira, and--”“Hold on, Logan.” Beth interrupted. “Have you checked our finances lately?”Logan frowned at the redhead. This probably wasn’t going to be good news.“Uh … no,” he murmured. “I thought that was your job.”“It is,” Beth confirmed. “I am quite familiar with our finances. Now, let me ask you a question--”“Oh, this definitely isn’t good, bro,” Rafe whispered.“In the last year,” Beth started, “we’ve purchased a new vehicle, completely renovated the Quinn Mansion, bought a passenger bus to transport your followers, fixed up the Velvet Lips, and, on top of it all, we had to foot a sixty-thousand dollar Uber bill your cultists racked up traveling cross-co
It wasn’t a far drive from the mansion to downtown Phoenix, and it made for a peaceful trip. Parking in the Southwest’s concrete jungle, on the other hand, was terrible, and the ridiculous demands of Logan's friends certainly didn’t help.“You know the rule, Jakey,” Rafe reminded me. “If it’s not within three blockin’s, the Rafester’s not a-walkin’.”“I second that notion,” Oliver spoke up. “I may look young for my age, but I’m still hundreds of years old. The closer we get, the better.”“Also, no parking meters,” Rafe added. “No parking meters?” Logan questioned. “Why on Earth--”“I had a bad experience with a meter maid I picked up at a bar back in Albuquerque,” the goblin spouted with crossed arms. “I refuse to give her any more of my money.”“Rafe, you realize the money actually doesn’t--”“Don’t care.” Rafe shook his head. “I’m not giving money to any industry that produces soulless banshees like that.”“Banshees aren’t actually soulless,” Abina interjected. “They’re li
“You didn’t come downtown much?” Logan asked. “It shouldn’t surprise me. You strike me as more of a ‘country girl’ anyway or at least, as ‘country’ as you can get out here in the Southwest.” The brunette just smiled. “Too busy with cult business,” she corrected. “She never had time to make it downtown unless it was required for a mission.” “Jane has been a loyal member of their organization her entire adult life,” Oliver explained. “It’s true,” the green-eyed beauty admitted. “When she finally left her parents’ house, she came straight to the headquarters on the outskirts of town to live. The Cult of Azar, and now the Cult of Ralston, has been the only family she’s had for years.” “Uh … how old were you when all this went down?” Logan questioned, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer. “She was eighteen, of course,” Oliver scoffed. “They may have been working for one of the vilest Demon Kings in existence, but they weren’t that evil.” “Perv alert,” Rafe whispered into his ear
Logan and his friends trailed the couple down the massive hallway for a few minutes, until the couple finally stopped in front of one of the exhibit hall entrances. A man in large-brimmed glasses sat at a table in front of the doors. To the man's right sat a cash register, and on his left laid a heap of what appeared to be passes.The couple handed the man a few bills, and the man responded by giving them two of the passes.This seemed to be the place.Rafe stuck up a hand valiantly. “Let me do the talking. We paranormies speak each other’s language.”The blond goblin in disguise sauntered up to the man and placed both of his hands palms-down on the table.“Hello, sir,” Rafe said jubilantly. “Can my comrades and I obtain some passes?”“Whattya got there, six?” The man in the glasses punched some numbers into the mechanical register, and the machine responded with a ding. “That’ll be two-hundred and forty dollars.”Rafe let out a sound that could only be described as a balloon d
There were occult and paranormal books scattered at booths all throughout the conference, but the majority of the literature vendors were clumped dead-center in the middle of the exhibit hall.“Check this one out,” Jane implored as she picked up one of the newer-looking books. “It’s called Demons, Angels, and The Afterlife. It looks interesting.”“Let me see that,” Abina and then snatched the book before Jane could respond.The blonde elves sifted through the book, and her face contorted into a different look of skepticism with each turn of the page. Eventually, Kelda slammed the book shut, laughed, and shook her head.“The things you humans come up with,” she said dismissively as she put the title back on its shelf. “We must be careful. It’s much more dangerous to have the wrong information on this stuff than it is to have no info at all.” That’s when he saw it. “No … ” Logan said to himself as he reached for the book. “It can’t be.”“What is it, Logan?” Jane aske
Logan quickly fumbled around in his pocket, pulled out three twenties, and placed them in Jackson’s hand.“Let me go get your change--”“Not necessary,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Keep the change. It’s the least I can do for you after you cut me such a great deal.”“I appreciate it, son.” Jackson nodded. “Do you need a bag for that?”“I don’t think it’ll be necessary,” he reassured the man, “but thank you anyway.”“You take care now, you hear?” Jackson shot them one last grin and then turned and walked back to the check-out area of the booth.“What a sweet old man,” Jane gushed as they left the book area.“Get used to it,” Kelda explained. “People of Earth Realm are very kind when Logan is around.”“What can I say?” Logan shrugged. “I have a way with people. Now, we should probably--”“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention on the main stage, please?” a timid voice came over the loudspeakers. “We’re about to begin a very special question and answer sess
"Logan?" Logan snarked back at the assassin. "That's a pretty name. How did they get such a beautiful woman like you to be a cold-blooded killer?""My quarrel is not with you, mortal," Aruna hissed. "Stand aside right now, or I'll rip him limb from limb before I slaughter those elves.""You know," Logan joked, "you're not really in a position to be making threats."He pulled his fist back toward his chest, and Aruna's circular blade followed his emerald spell. The deadly disk spun through the air, guided by his Magicfire, and headed directly for the assassin.Aruna simply grinned and leapt up into the air. Her body twisted as her right hand lashed out and snatched up the weapon as it passed her by. The dark-haired assassin continued to spin until she landed with feline grace on her feet."Okay, that was pretty badass," Kelda muttered.Then Aruna stuck out her hand, and a black ectoplasm-like substance began to spray in their direction. Kelda tucked and rolled out of the way of th
"She's good," Logan said in awe."Damn!" Jane hissed with a twinge of urgency. "How the heck are they going to catch her now?"From behind Logan and Jane, there was the sound of a human voice imitating a trumpet. Logan turned around and saw Kelda and Abina hurtling toward them on their demon wings, Rafe and Oliver in their arms. The two elves landed in front of them and released their passengers."Everybody, stand back," Rafe exclaimed. "The real heroes have arrived!""Hey, 'real hero,'" Logan chuckled and pointed down the hall, "the bad guy's all the way down there.""Then what are we waiting for?" Rafe questioned triumphantly.Abina ran up behind Logan and wrapped her arms underneath his armpits. At the same time, Kelda grabbed Jane, and Rafe hopped onto her back. The next thing Logan knew, he was soaring at break-neck speed through the hallways of the convention center with Abina's massive breasts pressed tightly against his back.There were certainly worse ways to travel