An excerpt from my short story, The Hunt at the Haunt. Free right on Amazon!

Sonja curled her hands into fists when the locks on the thick metal door finally slid into the wall. The door scraped on the across the concrete.

“Hello?”

“Hey Sonja, it’s George. Dunno what happened, but the door’s stuck. Damn gremlin managed to muck it up real good.”

The door budged inwards, and Sonja put her shoulder against it and pushed as well. Inch by inch it slid into the building. Allison and George stood in the hallway, short of breath.

“About time.” Sonja grinned at her fellow hunters. George smiled but Allison glowered. The other woman stood maybe as tall as Mina, with brushy red hair and freckles. The youngest hunter in Pittsburgh, she took more than her share of verbal abuse. Sonja felt only slightly bad. Hunters had to have thick skins, and Allison needed to toughen up.

“We waited until Matty said it was clear.” George gestured to her and they pushed the door back into place and locked it.

“Matty?” Sonja couldn’t contain her surprise. Matty hadn’t left the house in weeks.

“He’s directing things over Mina’s phone.” Allison shook her head. “I don’t how, but he’s got everything under control.”

Sonja laughed. “Matty’s full of surprises.”

The bar was a mess. Shards of glass lay everywhere and only a few tables were intact. They had been dragged together and bags sat open on them. Various blades, charms, and powders littered the polished wood.

A few of her fellow demon hunters were lifting a deep fryer on top another intact table. A large piece of sheet metal topped the table already. Mina stood beside them, her phone held up to a red faced Rita.

“Are ya sure ‘bout this?” Rita glared at the phone.

“What else do you have laying around the bar that could contain a small fire?” Matty’s clearly amused voice echoed the smirk on Mina’s face.

Rita heaved a sigh. “Do we have t’have a fire?”

“Do you have enough bar left for me to take a few hours to think up with a new plan?” Matty asked.

“Dammit…” Rita shook her head.

Matty snickered. “I promise you Rita, this will work.”

“I just got this place fixed up.” The silver haired woman ran a hand over her eyes and walked away. Her nephew, and bouncer, Billy patted her back. “Thank god for insurance.”

“You have gremlin insurance?” Matty’s voice shook with laughter.

“You wouldn’t believe how expensive them premiums are.”