At the apartment, Rile picked up the daiquiri cups. "They're melted."
"Drink it anyway," Alex ordered. At his look, she added, "Please? We'll snuggle on the couch until it's gone."
As Rile drank, Alex rubbed his thigh with a sparkling hand.
"Is that enough, Mother?" He showed her the empty cup.
Alex smiled warmly as Rile lowered the empty cup. She gestured for him to follow her into the living room, where she settled onto his lap on the couch and intertwined their hands together. She looked up into his eyes, deepening her smile, and said, "I have to work for Grange, my current boss in the CIA. I was created for this and I prefer Grange. If I don't, others in the CIA will come after me. I prefer the devil I know to the ones that I don't. Do you understand?"
Rile stroked her cheek with the back of his hand before he frowned. "I don't like it," he murmured.
Alex placed her hand over his, her gaze softening. "You don't have to like it. Just understand it and not interfere."
Rile shifted closer before responding, his voice heavy with emotion. "I want to help." He ran his fingers through her hair, sensually tugging at a few locks.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Alex's lips as she gazed up at him. "You can help," she said, her voice now filled with hope instead of dread. "That sounds like fun."
Rile leaned forward and kissed her forehead before speaking again. "Chinese is fastest," he exclaimed cheerfully as he grabbed his phone from the coffee table nearby. "What do you want?"
"You choose." Alex headed into the bathroom.
Rile ordered the Chinese food. He heard the shower so he turned on the television. Eventually, he heard a car pull up outside so he opened the door and exchanged cash for the food.
"Food's here!" Rile called out, carrying it inside and setting it out on the coffee table. A moment later, Alex sauntered into the living room wearing an eye-catching outfit that Rile couldn't quite place for a second.
"Why are you in your man-eater costume?" he asked, raising an eye-ridge.
"Because after we eat," she replied with a mischievous glint in her eye, "we're going hunting." She plopped down next to him on the couch and opened a food container. "Good, glass noodles. You ordered Thai, not Chinese.
Rile picked up a white takeout container and a pair of chopsticks, ready to dig in. Alex grabbed the glass noodle container and a fork instead.
She mock-glared at Rile. "That's right, I'm not authentic. I use a fork instead of chopsticks. Glass noodles are slippery and I'm hungry."
Rile shot her an amused look before he popped a piece of chicken into his mouth. "I didn't say anything."
Alex winked at him. "You were thinking it."
"Now you know what I think?" Rile popped a piece of chicken in his mouth.
"Yes, so watch it." Alex smiled, twirling her fork around in the glass noodles before taking a bite. Her eyes closed unconsciously in bliss as she chewed the tender morsels.
Rile leaned into Alex and twirled his fingertips across her back.
"I'm not falling for that," Alex said, pulling away to prop herself up on an elbow. "We're going out to that street. I have a pimp to hunt down."
Rile held her gaze and ran a thumb along the jagged edges of Alex's scar. "You don't look like a man-eater. Your incision is showing. You look like prey."
Alex smiled weakly, determination staining her eyes. "Even better. Pimps love prey."
Rile tugged her close again and whispered in her ear, "Then stay home, because I'm worried sick about you."
Alex cupped Rile's muzzle in her hands and brushed their noses together. "I'm worried sick about her, too. She has no one else to worry about her. You're my backup; you won't let anything happen to me, right? Besides, I promise if she's not on that corner, we'll come home."
Rile kissed the palm of Alex's hand and nuzzled into her neck. "Let's go," he said. "The sooner we get started, the sooner we can come home and sleep."
***
Alex flew straight as close as she dared to the woman's corner. She could see the woman from the hospital leaning against the wall, her pale face drawn and tired. Alex pointed at the bar. "I'm going into the bar. The pimp likes it there because it's more comfortable."
Rile scowled. "I'm going in, crazy lady."
Alex shook her head. "I need you in the back alley, crazy dragon. What I'm about to do is sickening, but not sex - I need you there to make sure nothing like that happens." Her eyes narrowed as a plan formed in her mind. "The alley is where all the real action takes place: ruby light to punish pimps or a good beating by you." She paused for a moment before continuing. "Stay in the alley and watch my back, Rile. Please?"
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, pulling down his Stetson and reaching for his sword hilt. "I want to practice castration on human males. It should be easy. Disgusting how they leave it all hanging out."
Alex put her hands on her hips. "What have you been looking up on the internet? Besides, that will excite the local law enforcement. Human males stick together about that stuff, both thugs and police. I won't be able to do what I do in this area anymore." Alex waited, gaze on Rile's face.
"Fine." Rile stalked into the alley.
Alex entered the bar one hip at a time. Her gaze swept over the customers, looking for the pimp, before she slumped onto a bar stool. The dance floor was filthy, small, and empty. A jukebox with a broken bubbler spewed tinny music. The stench of stale beer and sweat hung heavy in the air.
Alex settled on a tall bar stool, crossing her legs at the ankle and tugging down her tight leather booty shorts. The bartender leaned over and Alex ordered a cheap beer. It wasn't long before men came sniffing around. Alex blew them off until one ordered her a drink. She slammed the shot straight from the bartender. Then she slunk off the bar stool to dance with the man. She rested her arms on his shoulders and moved in a desultory manner on the dance floor. When he tried to kiss her, she turned her cheek.
When he persisted, Alex said, "Hand job, twenty bucks."
A hiss distracted them. Alex closed her eyes briefly. She knew who it was before even turning around—Rile hadn't listened to her and followed her into the bar.
With disgust clawing her stomach now, she stroked the man's crotch and said, "Want dis?"
The man nodded eagerly, grinding himself against her. "Yeah baby."
"Twenty bucks. Now." Alex moved her pelvis away.
"You know you want it."
"For twenty bucks." Alex dropped her arms from the man.
When he grabbed her, she pushed him away. He made to grab her again, but a slender white man with multiple, thick gold chains and chunky gold rings intervened.
"Lady said no."
Pushy man melted away.
"Pretty lady like you shouldn't be alone," Gold Ring said.
"Ain't goin' back," Alex looked down at her stitched gash.
"Treat you nice. Get you drink." He steered her toward the bar and motioned to the bartender.
Alex was quick to take the drink directly from the bartender. She knew the pimp tricks of rape drugs. She also slammed it so that he wouldn't drug it between sips.
Pimp's eyes glinted as he ran a finger along Alex's thigh. "I be nice to you, if you be nice to me."
Alex glanced at the door to the alley and nodded. Once they were in the dark depths of the alley, the pimp pushed her against the slimy brick wall. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rile lurking in the shadows near an abandoned sofa. She gave him a barely noticeable signal to stay back.
Pimp grabbed her neck with iron hands and leered menacingly into her face. "Now you gonna be nice to me? You mine now."
Pimp gripped Alex's gash hard and she cried out. He stumbled when Rile slammed his head against the wall, but managed to fumble for something tucked around his waistband.
"Rile, gun!" Alex yelled desperately as she wrestled with the pimp for a Glock that had appeared from his concealed holster.
Alex's heart raced as she saw three more figures emerge from the shadows at the end of the alley.
"Play pimp," Alex whispered urgently to Rile, one hand still gripping the Glock's slide.
"Not your problem," Rile snarled at the three. "She's mine."
Alex blasted the pimp's hand with maximum power while she cowered behind Rile. As soon as the pimp slumped to the ground, Alex tapped the speed dial on her phone. "Grange, things went sour with guns. Don't want to fly off and leave guns loose. Got my location? Good. Hooker on corner is mine."
"Makin' it our problem," Thug One said.
Rile moved faster than she'd ever seen him move before, swooping in with his sword to take down one thug. Alex unleashed a volley of red blasts that took down the other thugs.
Alex smiled at the wailing sound of police sirens.
"You hurt, Rile?" she poured red light into the thug writhing from Rile's sword wound. When the thug screamed, she asked, "Will you please knock him out?"
Rile knocked that thug's head against the pavement and he went limp into unconsciousness. Alex walked back to the pimp and blasted his pelvis with red light. All the thugs received red light treatment until the light sputtered from Alex's hand.
"I'm fine, but you aren't," Rile said. "Let's go."
"We'll pick up our guest," Alex said. "I hope she hasn't rabbited."
"I'll track her." Rile walked to the corner, bent down, and inhaled through his nose. His tongue flicked out briefly like a snake's. "I got her," he said.
He straightened and strode. Alex followed Rile's lead until they caught up with the injured prostitute three blocks south of where they had met. Her eyes were like wary prey as she watched them approach.
"You comin' wif, girl," Alex said. "Miz Helen help. Cops take pimp, whaz lef' of him after mah man pound him." She held out her hand, palm up.
When a black sedan screeched up, the prostitute ran. Alex cursed and blasted her with a white light.
"Grange, why are you dirtying your hands with minor stuff?" Alex didn't wait for an answer as she spoke again, turning to face Grange fully. "I know I owe you. Let's talk in the morning. I have to take this gal to the shelter."
"We'll take her together. You've received substandard medical care and you're bleeding," Grange said. "Rile, you agree, yes?"
"There's no telling what was on that dirtball's hands, Alex. Please, let's go with him. I'll buy you martinis after," Rile said.
"Fine," Alex said. "Hurry! I only had the weakest charge on that blast. She'll wake up soon enough." His expression turned dark as she continued speaking to Grange: "What will happen to those thugs?"
Grange shrugged. "Maximum sentences. I'll make sure that they run consecutively, too. They won't get out of prison until they're too old to do anything but gum their food."
They laid the prostitute on the back seat of Grange's car, and Alex climbed in between Grange and Rile in the front. Grange started up the engine and drove to the shelter, cutting through alleyways and back roads with precision. Rile exited once they reached their destination, only to let Alex out, and he quickly climbed back in.
Alex took the wobbly woman by the hand and gently guided her up the broad, wooden steps that led to the wide porch of the shelter. Rocking chairs lined one side, while small tables were arranged around them - each with a different game set up on top. Alex rapped on the sturdy red door, and when it opened, she found herself face-to-face with Helen - a middle-aged woman with grey-shot hair.
"Alex? Who's this?" Helen smiled warmly.
"Danisha," the prostitute said, eyeing the social worker with apprehension. She rubbed her head groggily.
"Such a lovely name," Helen said in a sweet and sincere voice. "Come inside. We have clothing and a bed for you. You can eat and rest. Alex is an old friend. What did she tell you?"
"Dat you kin get mah kids back," Danisha said.
"We'll start the process in the morning." Helen ushered the woman inside.
"What if mah man shows up?"
"If he gets away from da cops, I kill him," Alex said with fervor. "Me or mah man. Kill him real slow." Alex tapped her bloody chest. "Miz Helen kin call me anytime. Turns her back on da killin'."
Helen nodded. "I burn the bodies, too."
Danisha looked at both women with awe.
Alex smiled a terrible smile and walked back to the car.