Chapter Two

Chapter Two

“You don’t say!” The stunned Kajiwara stared at her. It was like being told a peacock was sister to a hippo.

“What are you looking at?”

“Ah, nothing,” he said, waving his hand. “In that case, the two of you together could double your power. There’s a favor I’d like to ask of you. Though when it comes to that sort of magical power, it’s the kind of thing one usually asks only of God.”

“Haven’t met a god yet who didn’t make magic his enemy,” grumbled Tonbeau Nuvenberg, now the city’s second witch from the Czech Republic.

But Kajiwara took no notice. “In any case, let’s go to your sister’s place. We can talk in the car.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Tonbeau, a greedy leer in her eye.

“Of course, the city will generously reward you.”

“Well, well, well,” she chuckled.

“We would be very grateful. Hey, bring around a patrol car. First take us to Magic Town. Then contact the ward office and send a helicopter to pick me up in, say, thirty minutes.”

They got into the patrol car and sped off.

Kajiwara got right down to business. “I was going to make this request of your sister.”

“Concerning what, pray tell?” said Tonbeau, feigning ignorance. She was not one to let her services go cheaply. No matter the situation, there was always a part of her brain adding up the profit potential.

“I want to cover this city with peaches.”

“How about that.”

“What do you think?”

“A subject I happen to know something about.”

“Good to hear. I’d like to see what you can do.”

“Fine with me. But I wonder what my sister will say. The Czech Republic’s best witch can be awfully stingy when it comes to making the most of her powers. She’s pretty hardheaded on this point, and if she refuses, it would be tough for me to go along.”

“And that is where your help could prove most useful,” Kajiwara said cajolingly to the fat lady, whose ample backside took up two-thirds of the back seat.

“Understood. I’ll certainly talk to her and see where she stands.”

“I appreciate it.”

But when they arrived at the house, Galeen Nuvenberg was not home. The door was locked. She was somewhere in Shinjuku’s Chuo Park, carrying the battle to the demon’s home ground.

“Looks like she’s out.” Tonbeau took her hand off the door knob and twined her hands together and mumbled what sounded like a chant.

“Aiiyee!”

The same sort of cry as when she’d unleashed the peaches. She kicked with the black pump on her turnip-shaped leg and the door opened. Or rather, it rolled up like a can of corned beef.

“I do declare. Her little sister comes to visit for the first time in fifty years. You’d think a more courteous welcome would be waiting.”

Kajiwara followed the complaining woman inside. “That was quite the kick. Is that what you did before with the peach tree?”

“That was more like this.” Tonbeau made a karate chop motion with her hand.

They were in the living room. From the outside, the interior appeared wrapped in darkness. But the room was filled with light. She set down the suitcase with a heavy thud. The near-round woman clapped her hands. Kajiwara could have sworn even the shadows shuddered a bit.

“Hey! Doesn’t anybody in this house have any manners? Your guest has traveled a long distance to get here and she deserves to be greeted properly. Hurry up and get out here!”

The woman thundered like an enraged bull. Keenly sensing unseen things scurrying about in unseen places, Kajiwara felt a trickle of cold sweat go down his back. Answering the discourteous caller, a patter of small footsteps came from behind the door at the back of the room. The knob turned. A small figure stood there.

“Welcome, Tonbeau Nuvenberg-sama.” The doll girl took hold of the hem of her deep blue skirt and curtsied elegantly.

“Well. Somebody here remembers her manners. You know me, child?”

“Yes. My mistress has made mention of you on several occasions.”

“Then let her know her stubborn and ill-tempered younger sister has arrived. Where is she anyway?”

“She is out presently.”

“Where to?”

“I do not know.”

“And when did she say she’d be back?”

“She didn’t, except that once she had left, I was to assume she would not return.”

“Figures. When did she leave?”

“About an hour ago. I do recall that she was accompanied by a young man.”

“Hoh.”

“A vampire, no doubt.”

Kajiwara stiffened with surprise.

“And how would you know that?” queried Tonbeau.

“The smell of blood. It persists and yet remains fresh.”

“It’s Ryuuki,” said Kajiwara.

Tonbeau’s reaction was all the more startling. She cast him a sideways glance and said, “So my sister’s out with a young vampire, eh? Who knows when they’ll be back? I’m going to take a nap.” She ordered, “Escort me to the guest room, Miss.”

“I cannot agree to that.”

“What are you saying?” the fat voice demanded.

“Though you may indeed be my mistress’s dear sister, without her permission, I cannot allow you to leave this room. If you wish to be treated as the person you claim to be, you must first submit to my interrogation.”

“You dare speak like that knowing who I am?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.” Tonbeau doughy face inflated to pound cake dimensions. Kajiwara felt her tendrils of thought reaching out through the darkness. Somewhere close by a crow cawed.

Unexpectedly, the pound cake broke into a smile. Warm and friendly, that of a completely different person almost. “Fine. Proceed with the examination.”

“Thank you very much.” The doll girl smiled as well. Though for some reason, Tonbeau’s smile creeped out Kajiwara more than before.

“And?”

“You have three wombs and your blood is blue?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Tonbeau answered. “I’ve got two, and my blood is clear as rain. No witch can call herself so unless her blood vessels flow with ether and salt.”

“A splendid answer. What I would expect from the sister of my mistress.”

“Hmph. I don’t suppose that’s it?”

“No. That settles your status as a guest. Next is the matter of your lineage. Mr. Mayor, if you please.”

When he hesitated, Tonbeau said, “Do as the girl says.”

The mayor lined up next to the doll girl. There wasn’t a skylight in the living room. Or rather, looking up, it did not appear to be there.

The black shadow descended from above Tonbeau’s head as if the particles of the night itself had crystallized into a large snowflake. The raven’s caw resonated through the room. The sharp talons dug into her shoulder. Its beak flashed like an ice pick and gouged out her eyes.

The very woman acknowledged as Nuvenberg’s sister.

Blood gushed out. The “examination” did not end there. The flapping of wings fanned the air against Kajiwara’s face as the bird hopped from her shoulder to the top of her head. And then by the power of its wings—even more than the woman’s sheer weight—twisted her head right off her neck.

Kajiwara’s eyes bugged, about as wide as they could without physically popping out. Needless to say, he couldn’t even manage a scream. A black lump pushed out of the bloody stump. A human head, he realized.

The face appeared with a pop. None other than that of Tonbeau Nuvenberg. The spitting image of the head dripping black blood carried aloft by the raven. Kajiwara felt like he’d been swept up in the midst of a waking nightmare.

“You done yet?” asked the new face, clearly peeved.

“I am finished.” The doll girl did sound a bit pleased with herself.

Despite being the mayor of Shinjuku, it was at times like this that Kajiwara really got the feeling he was smack dab in the middle of Demon City.

“Exactly what I should expect from my mistress’s sister. Please make yourself at home.”

“And it’s about time. Hurry and clean up the blood, will you? Appearances aside, I don’t much care for the sight or smell of it.”

“I understand. What would you like done with the head?”

“Don’t care. The crow can have it for dinner.”

“Thanks,” came the raven’s voice from above.

“Ah, so the bird knows how to speak.”

“Yeah, does Polly want a fucking cracker?”

“I don’t care much for smart-ass crows.” Tonbeau bobbed her chin at the suitcase on the floor. “The mayor and I have things to discuss. You take that to my room.” She sighed. “Man, I’m beat.”