Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“Finally,” he says, holding a clipboard and adjusting the earpiece in his ear. “We didn’t think you were coming.”
“What?”
I look past him toward the crowd, trying to find the demon. I catch Antonio’s eye and shake my head, letting him know I haven’t found it yet.
“They’ve been waiting twenty minutes,” the stage manager says, tapping his watch. “You better give one hell of a performance if you think we’re ever hiring you again.”
“What?” I barely get the word out before he nudges me toward the center of the stage. It takes my brain a few seconds to process what’s happening. By the time I realize he thinks I’m the performer they’ve been waiting for, there’s already a spotlight shining on me. I blink against the harsh lights and stare out at the crowd.
Everyone has gone still.
The hush that falls over the room suddenly gives me the perfect opportunity to find the demon. Someone sits down at the piano on the left side of the stage. I realize I’m just standing here awkwardly several feet away from the microphone. My eyes are finally starting to adjust to the lights. If the demon is still out there somewhere among the crowd, standing on the stage gives me the best possible vantage point.
“Are we going in order?” the pianist asks me.
“Uh…” I awkwardly inch closer to the microphone. “What’s the first song?”
“Love Yourself,” he replies, looking at me like I’m insane. “You emailed me the list this morning?”
“Right. I did.” I step up to the microphone and cover it with my hand. “The Justin Bieber song?”
“Yeah,” he replies, clearly annoyed.
I don’t know who this piano bar was expecting, but I’m definitely not her. Though, luckily, I do know all the words to this song. And I’m actually a somewhat decent singer. I always slayed karaoke when we’d go to bars while on the road. Standing in front of a crowded room and talking is the stuff of nightmares for me, but I need to put my own shit aside and look out at this crowd.
Finding the demon is like finding a needle in a haystack. But from up here, I have the best vantage point. Mabel and Delphi are standing in the back, silently asking me what the fuck I’m doing.
I just shrug and shake my head, letting them know I have absolutely no idea either.
Then the music starts.
Chapter
Twelve
Istand there awkwardly, realizing I totally missed my cue to start singing. Squaring my shoulders and taking a deep breath, I grab the microphone from the stand and wait for the pianist to repeat my cue.
Narrowing my eyes, I search the crowd for the demon as I start singing the first verse. The rush of people who just filed in has filled nearly every empty space. It’s hard to make out exactly who’s in the crowd now, and everyone blends together into a blur of faces.
I’ve never been on a stage like this before. But as I keep singing, I realize it’s a lot less terrifying when I’m also trying to find a demon. Who knew demon hunting was the cure for stage fright? I catch a glimpse of the demon standing behind the bartender.
Without breaking from the song, I motion toward the left with my hand, trying to get Delphi’s attention. Other than me, she’s the only one who can see it, which means she’s the only person who can help me track this thing through the crowd.
Antonio starts moving in the direction I’m pointing, but then the demon whispers something into the bartender’s ear and disappears from sight.
“Dammit,” I nearly mutter, stumbling over the lyrics as I watch the bartender. She stands perfectly still as she overfills a shot glass with tequila, pouring until alcohol spills across the bar and drips onto the floor. Nobody else notices.
The demon darts out of sight again. I probably look like a crazy person, waving my hands around while singing in an attempt to direct Delphi toward something nobody else can see. She finally catches on and looks where I’m pointing, then rushes over, grabbing Mabel’s hand and dragging her along.
The spotlight shifts, shining directly into my eyes and making it almost impossible to see into the crowd. Mabel and Delphi run toward the back, chasing the demon as it heads for a swinging door leading into the kitchen.
Then suddenly something comes flying at them. Mabel moves at vampire speed and catches it. I bring one hand up, shielding my eyes from the stage lights. It’s a fucking knife. The demon isn’t playing anymore. I wave frantically at them, trying to signal for them to stop. It’s not worth anyone getting hurt over. The crowd is getting really into the song now, and several people are even singing along with me. It’s a weird kind of rush being up here like this. I’ve never had any desire to be a singer or performer of any kind. I’ve spent my whole life wanting to avoid the spotlight.