Parry didn't hesitate to gradually increase the intensity of the sunlight in his palms. He had killed before to protect the secret of his blood. He would kill again to keep that secret. If he didn't have a drunk Norse Goddess to get home ASAP, he would've smoked the lot of them. That, and he didn't want to scare off Rikive with a lethal display of magical power.

Rikive had no such inhibitions. She took off a good third of the undead's skull with a swing of her sword. Lethal to any human. Crippling to a vampire. Even with Celestial blood in his digestive system, Creeper wouldn't be able regenerate brain tissue anytime soon.

"Huh," Parry said, tilting his head to the side as he stepped over a bit of skull on his way to Rikive. He kept the tiny sun in one palm as he extended a hand to Rikive.

"You okay hun?" He asked, throwing one arm over his shoulders. "Let's walk together."

With Rikive inebriated and Parry keeping her standing, it might have been an opportunity for the vampire gang to attack and claim two intoxicating dinners at once. Parry didn't give them the chance. The orb of sunlight in his free hand went sailing over their shoulders, dropping into the midst of the vampire gang like a grenade before exploding in a bright and very unpleasant nova.

"Let's get you back hun," Parry mumbled. "One foot in front of the other..."

========================

8:47 AM

========================

When Rikive woke the next morning, she would find herself in Parry's study- what he affectionately called his guest bedroom. A futon covered by a feather down comforter, on top of a fleece blanket. Unlike his own bedroom, this setup would pass a blacklight inspection with flying colors. The rest of the room was reserved for boxes and supplies for young children. Industrial size boxes of crayons. Coloring book bought in bulk. Extra clothes for children aged 2 months to 2 years. All neatly set up in row upon row of shelves in a room eight feet by twenty.

It had a strange smell to it- a mix of Crayola, baby powder and freshly dried laundry. 

But the scent would be supplemented by another, wafting up beneath the crack in the door- one of pig meat frying and crackling in its own juices.

Taped to the door in Norse Runes, a sign printed on computer paper was taped just above the door handle.

'Breakfast at 9. Bathroom is upside the right. Boiling water on righted drain. Wage earning at 9:30. Me used Google Translate.'

================================

[i]"You're sure the survivor was a vampire?"[/i]

Parry spun an egg on his index finger, balancing the iPhone on his shoulder while his left hand kept pushing the bacon around in the pan. "You know, I'm not sure. Could a werewolf walk away with half its skull missing?"

[i]"Do not be sarcastic, angel."[/i]

"Celestial," Parry corrected. "'Angel' has too many connotations. We're a non-denominational lot. But as you wish, your eminence. What do you require of me to get this cleaned up?"

de Lacy chuckled on the other end of the line. For any member of the supernatural community, being in de Lacy's debt was not a good place to be. Parry was already so far in the red he'd ceased to care.

[i]"He won't be too hard to find. I'll have Billy Rikker find him and stomp the rest of his skull in. I want another pint in exchange."[/i]

Parry blanched. Cracked the egg. Dropped the yoke in the frying pan.

"A pint? Are you fucking kidding me? I'm a Celestial- not a cow you can milk."

[i]"I've been bleeding you for a hundred years Parry. I'll keep bleeding you as long as it suits me. I'll have the needles delivered this afternoon and will pick up the goods tonight. The offender's skull will be delivered with my courier. Now if you'll excuse me, it's early and I have to get some sleep. We'll discuss your new... friend... in detail tonight."[/i]

de Lacy hung up without so much as a goodbye, and not for the first time Parry felt a little soiled at the thought of doing another transfusion level "donation" this month. He eyed the orange juice container on the table beside the two glasses. He opted to pour Rikive a full glass for whenever she woke up, then popped the top and started chugging. 

Best to get the nutrients now before he paid de Lacy.