Although I would protest and say that I wasn’t much of a people-person, my tight-knit group of oddities might tell a different story. Well, in saying that, most of them weren’t people, in the normal sense. Rodney was the most regular of us, but I had a feeling his time was coming. His power would peak and he would be just as strange as the rest of us.

He lifted himself from the couch and went to the door to let David in. “The fact that my divine power can’t cure headaches is bullshit,” he murmured as he passed.

Welcome to the club. I was still a little spent from almost dying to a flaming broom, so perhaps a day of rest would be in order once we got the meeting over and celebrated proper.

I heard their voices as the door opened and then closed, their footsteps taking them into the room.

“David,” I said with a grin, as he went to sit on the couch opposite. “Great to see you again. Forgive me for not standing.”

“Injured yourself again?” He asked, before his eyes turned up to the smoldering dark line running up the wall behind me.

I gave him a wide smile. “Org likes to run me ragged. Some Quests are long and hard and it’s takes me hours to finish.” From out the corner of my eye, I was pretty sure I saw Rodney gagging before he sat down beside me. Psychic damage seemed more deadly than demon magic.

“Yet you survive at least,” the man nodded, “which we are thankful for.”

Wight came back into the room from… I wasn’t actually sure where. Possibly his bedroom, although he had vanished while I relaxed after learning my new ability.

[Hello, the David.]

“Wight.” His smile was almost pleasant. “It’s certainly the highlight of my day to see you again.”

[I am flattered. Just wait until you meet Eric’s life partner.]

My turn to wince - perhaps deserved with what I’d been putting those two through. David looked rather confused at first, before his manners overtook his belief.

“Oh. I had assumed your profession made relationships difficult. And that the Org wouldn’t allow it. Perhaps I was wrong.”

I did nothing but blink at him slowly. Maybe it would be unfair to spring Pearl upon him. It had seemed amusing at first, and it would be nice for him to know us all fully… I just didn’t want to blow his mind.

“She is making us lunch in a bit,” Rodney offered. “Something without meat.”

David gave us a slow nod. Perhaps he could see how cagey we were being. “Shall we get down to business, then?”

I nodded. “Shall I start? Do we have an itinerary?”

He shrugged. “I thought you might prefer to play it by ear.”

He was right; I did. Mostly because I probably would have forgotten a long list of points to go over. “I’ll go first then. The Org HQ is in Hell.”

A silence filled the room as he stared at me blankly, to the point where I thought time might have frozen or I had broken him.

Eventually, the dam broke, and he blinked. “You’re… sure?”

“It’s what Rodney says, and I trust him with my life.” I gestured toward the Blank sitting next to me, who apparently tried to squirm away from the attention being brought upon him.

David didn’t seem any more convinced, but then again, it was a big ask. “That’s… big enough news that I’m tempted to run back to the Church to inform them.”

[Seems inefficient, the David. Do you not have the telecommunication devices the others possess?]

“It’s in the Mids, specifically,” I interrupted, “but we haven’t found the exact location.”

“That’s… fair. The Mids are a tough place to really investigate.” His brow furrowed.

“Oh,” I added, “I’m allowed to go the Mids now too.”

David closed his eyes and sunk into the couch, exhaling through his nose for an almost impossibly long time. “I’m in way over my head here.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

[Welcome to the club, the David.]

There was a flash of pink and I fought the urge to grin ear to ear. Pearl appeared just to the side of Wight.

“Holy fuck!” David about leaped out of the chair.

“David, this is my partner, Pearl.” I gestured to the demon, who performed a brief curtsy.

The man stared, wide-eyed, between us. His hands gripped the couch as if it may save him from this odd reality. If it wasn’t for his eyes moving about, I would have assumed he had died.

“I realize this is a lot for you, but this is our normal. If you accept one of us, you have to accept us all.” I tried to give him the most reassuring grin possible, so as to not make it sound like a threat.

“But… she’s a demon?” he squeaked.

Pearl nodded. “One from the Highers, at that. Although if you tell anyone I will have to-”

I raised up my hand to prevent the end of that very valid threat. “I’m sure David understands that such information doesn’t leave this room.”

He nodded, but for some reason, didn’t seem any more relaxed. Perhaps I had been steeped in the wilderness for so long that I had forgotten what was classed as normal. I nudged Rodney and gestured for him to swap seats so Pearl could sit by me. While that was also putting the Blank under awkward duress, it seemed better than getting her to sit with David instead.

Rodney did so. “Don’t worry,” he said, “this is probably one of the safest rooms you’d ever be in.”

There was some truth to that statement. Between the Last Lantern, a Grand Executioner, whatever Wight truly was, and… Rodney, we were a step above most on this plane, I’d imagine. Not exactly the most morally good or sane groups of individuals, but we’d be able to keep him safe if required.

“Right…” He settled down, either having some manner of epiphany, or perhaps the proximity to the Blank had done something to calm him. “I… appreciate your candid attitude. Sometimes the horrifying truth is better than a lie.”

Pearl nudged me and pouted. “He said I was horrifying.”

One of the reasons our relationship had bloomed was because I accepted her for who she was. Part of that was being a Demon Hunter, I was sure. Familiarity with the demonic brought her odd visage closer to what I saw as something normal. Barely acknowledged it these days.

I smiled and gave her a pat on the leg. “We’re all a little odd, but we’re effective and dedicated to the cause.”

David now nodded slowly. “I can see how your… partnership would be beneficial to your goal. Our goal.” He raised an eyebrow. “Of bringing the divines back.”

She rolled her pearlescent eyes. “I believe the planes need to be brought back to balance, too. You may be surprised to hear that not all Higher demons like the current state of things.”

“But they won’t interfere directly?” I raised an eyebrow, already knowing the answer.

“Complicated, as always. Politics and the like. You’d think demons would be keener to rock the boat, but they don’t like to get their hands dirty or lose face.” She shrugged and then turned to put her legs on mine and leaned back on the arm of the couch.

I grunted and turned my head to David. “Any news on your end?”

It took him a few seconds to regain his place on the current proceedings. “Oh, right. Well, the Church has finally allowed us access to something you might be able to use - although seeing your team in full force, it seems paltry in comparison.”

“Any help is welcome,” I said diplomatically, hoping that it would be a revolver that was powered by divine energy. That said, maybe Rodney and Passage could make me one.

Digging through his backpack, he brought out a tightly wound bundle of fabric. With a healthy amount of awkwardness, he untied the straps and rolled it out across the coffee table, looking like he hoped he wasn’t being too rude about it. The dark fabric flattened out like a tool kit, but this just had cylinders of white inside it.

“Candles?” I asked.

“In a manner of speaking.” David grimaced. “So I know they don’t look like much, but they can be filled with divine energy and they… explode on contact with demons.” He gave a sheepish smile toward the two in the room, but avoided meeting their eyes.

Rodney picked one out and held it up. “Like a napalm grenade?”

“I suppose, if you want to…” David’s already pale face grew paler as the barely visible runes indented into the wax started to glow slightly blue.

“Ah-no,” Pearl said sternly, raising a finger to wag at the Blank. “You get burning wax all over the living room and you’re on cleaning duty for a month.” She then leaned forward closer to me and whispered loud enough for the whole room to hear. “Put one of those aside for later.”

Rodney grimaced and put it down, the light fading from it. “Always have to make things weird.”

David was still backlogged in seeing the man beside him put divine energy into something. “I… didn’t know you could do that?”

“I couldn’t, until recently.” The Blank gave me a nod. “Eric is something of a force multiplier. Org doesn’t even tell us that our powers come from the divine, which is kinda suspicious, right?”

He nodded. “I’m at a loss for words once again. I fear the next artefact the Chuch has allowed us is somewhat useless now, considering present company.”

From his backpack, he withdrew a small cube of wood, which he popped open like a case. He turned it toward me and placed it on the table. It looked like a watch, although had a completely blank face in an amber color.

“It’s like a compass,” he explained, “that directs you toward the most powerful demon in the nearby area.”

“This would have been perfect against those… magic demons.” I left out the part about their sex rituals as I placed the artefact on my wrist. As soon as it was tied tight, I felt a burning feeling within my arm that directing me to… oh, Pearl. “Ah,” I said, realizing what he meant.

She smiled. “A little bit of flattery, perhaps. Although, now it will let you know if there is anyone worse than me nearby.”

“Ugh. Now you’ve put it into the world.” I rolled my eyes and gave David a glum smile.

“Good to have friends in high places?” He shrugged, unsure if he was agreeing with me or not.

“Speaking of…” I clicked my fingers and turned back to Pearl. “Did you know Frank? These aren’t fool’s errands we are running here, are they?”

“Know him?” Her head tilted to the side, but her expression was neutral. “Of course. He’s my father.”