Harvest of Holidays Read Free Page B

where they knew exactly what the other was thinking, and agreed with him.
    Then Damian nodded. “We’ll work on that. Thank you.”
    Oscar leaned forward. “Do it fast and do it soon. This will catch you by surprise if you don’t.”
    Something shifted in Nick’s expression and his jaw rippled.
    Tally touched Oscar’s arm. “When they say they’ll do it, they will, Oscar. You’ve sold them on it. Leave it alone.”
    Oscar scooped up a Kiss and unwrapped it. “’kay,” he said stiffly. “Was there anything else you wanted to ask me? I gotta go take the girls out around the neighborhood before it gets dark. Donna’s out catching that…whatever it was.”
    “A revenant,” Tally told him. “It’s been feeding on children that use the shortcut through the river valley.”
    Oscar nodded. “Suburbia,” he said with a small sigh. “It’s supposed to be bucolic and peaceful, but I think we’ve spent more time dealing with demons and crap since we moved from Manhattan than we ever hunted before the girls came along.” Then he grinned. “By ‘we’ I’m speaking collectively, of course. I don’t envy you guys in the slightest. I like my job.” He stood up. “I like the money, too.”
    “Yeah, yeah.” Carson threw another Kiss at him. “Go home and kiss your kids.”
    Oscar glanced at Tally. “If you’re up to it, would you step out to the car with me?”
    “Of course I’m up to it,” Tally replied instantly. “I’m only seven months pregnant, not disabled.” But she got up carefully. Lately she seemed to be knocking her belly into everything. It was wider than she was, now.
    * * * * *
    “Disaster planning is exhausting, isn’t it?” Oscar commented as they walked slowly down the path toward the Chevy sitting by the sidewalk. A little girl dressed up as Snow White skipped past them while her mother stood at the gate, watching. There were more young children walking along the street with their treat buckets. Later, after dark, the older kids would systematically scour the neighborhood for their sugar fix.
    Tally sighed. “It’s not something we’ve ever had to think about before. Some of the questions you have to answer are…stressful.”
    “Donna and I went through it just after Casey was born. For people like you, wills and insurance just doesn’t cut it, not when there’s the possibility of…well,” he paused as they walked past the mother at the gate, then added softly; “The possibility of some pissed-off demon or spirit coming back to wreak vengeance upon your heirs and bloodline.”
    “That doesn’t happen a lot,” Tally said quickly, speaking just as softly. “I hope Donna didn’t let you think it was a natural hazard.”
    “No, but I spent years as a contract lawyer. Thinking about the worst that could happen has been trained into me.” He smiled to take the sting out of it and leaned against the long dark green hood. “Do you mind if I ask a direct question?”
    “I think you’ve earned a direct question or two, today,” Tally told him.
    He considered her closely. “Demon hunters are a pretty tight bunch. Close.”
    Tally shrugged. “I suppose. It’s unusual for us to work in groups like we’re doing now – but we’re working that way because of the gargoyles. It’s the only way to find them and fight them – use bigger numbers than they’ve got. I suppose we’re close because of that.”
    Oscar’s scrutiny didn’t fade. “When you get close like that, when you’re risking your life every time you go out…you get to depend on each other. Lean on each other.”
    Caution rippled through her. Tally tried to smile naturally. “What’s on your mind, Oscar?”
    He drew in a breath. Then another. “Is Donna…and Jimmy…?”
    Tally instantly rejected a dozen different answers, while her mind buzzed with thoughts and cautions and warnings. Finally, she settled for a type of the truth. “I can’t answer that, Oscar.”
    He swallowed. “If she wasn’t,