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Elias followed my directions until we ended up at a strip of townhouses. “Park there,” I pointed to the empty spot in front of Shelly’s unit.
“I’m sure dragging out an unconscious body isn’t going to draw any attention to your friend,” Elias said as he put the car in park.
“The whole complex is inhabited by supernaturals,” I said.
“Seriously?” Elias asked.
“Martin Moore owns the whole thing,” I said.
“No shit,” Elias said. “How didn’t I know that?”
“Maybe cause you’re spending too much time on your demon missions instead of doing your job as an enforcer.” I opened the car door and got out, not letting Elias respond.
He joined me next to the rear door. “David told you?”
“David told me a lot of things.” I opened the car door. “You need help getting him out?”
“No, I got this, go get the healer.”
I left him to carry the shifter while I pounded on Shelly’s door. “Shelly? I got a big one for you.”
The door opened and the tiny waif like mage looked out at me through her screen door. She lifted her dark brows. “Please tell me you didn’t bust your stitches.”
“No, it’s not me,” I said.
Elias approached, carrying Xander in his arms again. “You’ve got stitches?”
“She always has something healing,” Shelly said.
“This isn’t about me.” I pointed to Xander.
Shelly’s eyes widened and she quickly opened the screen door. “Oh, my. He is a big one.”
“Silver poisoning,” I said. “Maybe more. But that I know.”
“Is he a mark?” Shelly asked.
“No, he’s a friend,” I said.
She pulled her hot pink hair up in a messy bun and rolled up the sleeves of her black cardigan. “Bring him in to the kitchen.”
I let Elias walk in first, then followed him, closing the door behind me. Entering Shelly’s house was like walking into a museum with an apothecary shop attached. Her living room was lined with shelves full of antiques and curiosities. Things in jars, models of creatures, and a few stuffed ravens. She’d once told me they were her childhood pets and she’d had them stuffed so they’d always be with her.
Once you passed through the living room, you entered the kitchen. But it was only a kitchen in name. In reality, it was her infirmary. A long table was covered in sheets and padding. She even had paper that she changed out after each patient. On the wall, there were shiny stainless-steel instruments and a few shelves with vials, potions, and elixirs.
I knew for a fact her oven was full of towels and bandages and her fridge was full of foods and supplements for a variety of species. The only evidence of her using this space as an actual kitchen was the electric kettle and teapot on the counter.
Elias set Xander on the table and Shelly stepped forward. She quickly went to work cutting off his pants. “Tell me what you can.”
I turned to Elias. “Did you see any of it?”
“No, they separated us and we were each fighting one hound,” he said.
Shelly froze mid-ship. “Hound?”
“Hellhounds,” I said. “And a demon.”
She let out a heavy sigh. “Guess I better restock my supplies. If we’ve got demons on the loose, business is going to be busy.”
