Star Eater
Chapter Twenty-Eight

The car was where he’d left it. Mason held his tongue until he slid in.

“What happened?” Cole asked.

“He’s going to meet us in two hours here,” Mason said. He handed over a handwritten note. Kai had refused to go with Mason back to the car, and Mason didn't blame him. But the older kid did wonder at Kai’s agreeing to meet with Joseph.

It was a huge risk telling Kai his real motives—well, most of them. He could only pray that Kai was worthy of Ava’s friendship and Mason’s trust. But then, it was a huge risk Kai exposing his demon. Mason shuddered trying to push away that memory. There was something wholly terrifying about that creature, an aspect that touched his deep daemon brain. It was difficult to even look at—the blank darkness, the sentience—knowing that the ebony was staring back at him.

Luckily, Cole wasn’t paying attention to Mason or his internal struggle. He was Google mapping the address. It was a parking lot for a trailhead above Mulholland, far enough away from the businesses and cars to draw less attention.

“Did he tell you why he wanted to meet here?” Cole asked.

Mason shook his head. He had asked Kai and the younger boy just looked extremely guilty and said he couldn’t. He didn't explain and Mason didn't press him. Kai had agreed to the meet, which made Mason look good. It kept Mason in Joseph’s good graces, hopefully long enough to accomplish his goals. Plus, Kai was willing to play it out in order to find out what Joseph really wanted. Mason thought it was brave of him and had said so and Kai had snorted.

“Brave?” the kid said. “You can’t touch me when I’m phased out, so it’s not brave. It’s self-preservation. I need to know what your uncle wants too and, more importantly, what he knows.” He had seemed worn out and Mason didn't think it was the narcolepsy. He had seen that same weariness staring back at him after every failed search.

Cole’s voice interrupted Mason’s musings.

“You were right, boss,” Cole said. “He’s far more powerful now. He wouldn’t come to the car and it looks like a parking lot about five blocks around him. We’re going to have to take steps immediately.” Mason heard Joseph murmur a reply. “He wants to meet in the hills.” Another pause, but Cole glanced at Mason. “He did well,” Cole said. “The boy trusts him.”

“Then bring him along,” Joseph said.

You should not have agreed to speak with them, Akuma said.

“Shut up,” Kai muttered.

People glanced his way as he shouldered through the Ventura crowd towards the secret base, leaving a stream of dead electronics and dark windows in his wake.

They’re dangerous, Akuma said.

What’s dangerous is that you killed someone. What’s dangerous is that now there’s someone after us, not to mention that the daemons know what we are and what you did, Kai said.

They can’t know everything, Akuma argued.

Kai agreed on that score. Mason certainly didn't know what he was, but Kai thought the uncle did. He wished he had a computer, tablet, any sort of internet-related device working to look up this term ‘fhear dorcha.’ He had asked Mason who shrugged and said it sounded Gaelic to him. Kai should have looked it up yesterday but it had all been a nuisance yesterday. Now it was life or death.

He had a feeling he knew what it meant, though. When he was a child, just after Kai had been possessed, Kai’s grandmother had figured out what he was. Kai remembered her spitting at him, yelling “Akuma, akuma.” The word meant ‘demon’ in Japanese. The name had stuck. Usually, Kai didn't think about it. Akuma liked his name and it was easy enough to say. But since last night, Kai felt the same fear and confusion inside as he’d felt when his grandmother had attacked him that day. And Joseph recognized him.

Kai grimaced. Joseph was dangerous, and if he’d contracted his nephew, who knew what other tabs he’d kept on Kai. Which meant he might know about last night. That Kai hadn’t told Mason. They may be tentative allies at the moment, and Kai sympathized with his situation, but they were not friends. Certainly not after what Mason tried to do.

Mason was determined on a level that made Kai very uncomfortable. Although Kai thought Mason might be legitimately trying to go along with Ava’s wishes, Kai also knew that Mason would cut him loose if he had to. The whole situation made Kai angry.

Don’t be angry, Akuma said.

Kai didn't reply. Akuma didn't understand why Kai was upset. He saw the guard as an obstacle and a problem the same way he saw the daemons. After all this time living inside Kai, the demon could not quite comprehend human reasoning. If there was an obstacle—be it guard, daemon, or parent—the demon’s instinct was to take care of it by removing it.

Last night had been the first time Akuma had gone to such an extreme to remove the obstacle. Always before Kai had been able to stop him, reason with him, or flat out order him. Yes, there had been burnings. Mr. Rump, Mason—even his parents once or twice when he was young. But never a killing. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Kai wished he didn't know about it. He felt so much pain and guilt.

I can bury the memory, Akuma said.

Don’t you dare, Kai snapped. We don’t have time for this. We need to make sure the daemons don't know.

Even if they know, you did not do it, Akuma said.

I might as well have thanks to you, Kai said. Now don’t talk to me. I need to figure out what I’m going to do.

We don’t need them, Akuma insisted.

You don’t know what we need! Kai screamed, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. I can’t talk to you right now.

He abruptly turned down a side street, switching directions so fast other pedestrians cried out in protest. Kai ignored them. The streets stretched out for miles ahead of him, and he saw another bus two blocks up with the engine blowing steam. Kai sighed and turned again, down an alleyway. He didn't want to see the chaos anymore.

Soon, he walked onto the storage unit lot. He walked down one lane and around the corner towards his unit and stopped. Link was waiting for him outside. He had a black eye and a split lip. If possible, he appeared worse than Kai was feeling.

“Hey,” he said as Kai approached.

“Are you okay?” Kai asked. Kai looked at him, touching his cheek. Despite all the crazy emotions inside of him, Kai felt a surge of concern. Link shied away from his touch.

“I’ve been better,” Link said with a sigh.

Kai fished keys out of his pocket and opened the door. He went to the fridge and grabbed an ice-cold water from the fridge, handing it to Link. The lights he’d installed weren’t working. The fridge, he realized was no longer humming. The water wouldn't remain cold for long. Kai sighed and grabbed one himself.

“What happened?” he asked.

Link shrugged uncomfortably and sat on the couch. “I just got into a huge fight with my dad.”

“I’m sorry,” Kai said.

Link shrugged again. “The funny thing is, I almost ran away last night.”

Kai gestured for him to continue and sat down beside him. Akuma had said he’d sniffed Link last night after the incident. Kai was curious to hear from Link what happened.

“I managed to get my friend Jeff my new number,” Link said. “And then I got a text that Jeff was in the city. He wanted to meet last night. So I went. And at first it was fun, like old times. But then Jeff starts talking about running away and living on our own. Finding drug dealers to work for, like this insane plan. He always has these crazy plans, but this was-” He stopped, his face screwed up.

“But you didn't go,” Kai prompted.

“No,” Link shook his head. “I wanted to. I thought about it, but then I thought about what you said, that I had a clean slate and I needed to figure out my end game. And how I’m starting to like L.A. Like my dad is an asshole, but after hanging out with you for a week, I realize I can work around that. And if I just leave and do that to my mom, it would destroy her.” Link inhaled deeply. “And, I was afraid. Jeff called me out on it too,” Link said, checking Kai’s face.

“Sounds like an asshole,” Kai said.

Link chuckled weakly. “He sort of is. He’s not wrong though.”

“Dude, that’s a lot to handle,” Kai said. “I’d be afraid too.”

I am afraid, he thought. The demon shifted inside of him, like he wanted to reassure Kai, but he remained silent. Link nodded, relieved that Kai didn't think less of him.

“So what happened?” Kai asked.

“You,” Link said, eyeing him. “Sort of. There was a power outage this morning and I asked my dad about the alarm system because I was worried if you had tripped it last night. Apparently, that tipped him off. He went to check and realized I had turned the alarms off at eleven. He found the login command.”

Kai winced. “I’m sorry, man. For all of it.”

“No, it’s fine. I never thought I’d wake up with a guy in my bed,” he teased Kai, but Kai could tell it wasn’t mean-spirited. “You weren’t on the tapes, which is what I was worried about. It was all static after I got back in, probably from the power outage. The power must have shut off right before you broke in, which I still have no idea how you did.

“Once my dad realized I’d turned off the security system he flipped out. He came right after me and I flipped him.” Link jutted his chin out proudly. “Karate is paying off,” he said with a bitter laugh. “I got in a few good shots before he socked me. Then he resorted to screaming. I wouldn't tell him where I was and he called me a thug and I told him that all he ever did was treat me like every other White person treats me. He got really mad at that and screamed that if I got my act together he wouldn't treat me like that and then I just walked out.”

Kai was nodding through the litany. It was not the same fight he’d had with his mom, but that didn't matter. Neither parent understood. Neither parent saw them for who they really were. Then Kai thought Mason had them both beat.

They finished off their waters in silence. Kai was aware that he needed to get moving soon. Even though all he wanted in the world was to sit on the couch and play video games with Link until they both felt like the world didn't completely blow. The reality was none of their electronics worked and there was a group of daemons gathering to meet him and he was a murderer.

“So what now?” Kai asked.

“I was hoping I could chill here for a bit,” Link said.

“Of course,” Kai said. He grabbed his keys and unhooked the one for the storage space, handing it over. “Stay as long as you like. Just lock up when you’re done.”

“You’re not staying?” Link asked.

“I, uh, I have somewhere I gotta be,” Kai said. “The power outage hit here too,” he added. “Might be a bit before the lights come up again.”

Link sat up. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“There’s money in the jar over there,” Kai said, pointing to a cookie jar on the fridge. “I owe you from this morning. There’s a great pizza place two blocks down if you get hungry.”

Link stared at him thoughtfully. “Kai, are you going to be okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Kai said, not really convincing anyone. For once his liar’s instincts failed him. He grabbed two fresh bottles of water and a couple granola bars, stuffing them in his bag. “I’ll see you later.”

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