Free Night Terrors by Tim Waggoner

don’t think I’m delivering any shocking news by telling you that your bond is far from that strong.”
    He returned to his desk and sat once more.
    “It took some doing to convince the Council to grant the two of you full active status as officers, but I did so, for I believed you had the potential to be one of the best teams the Shadow Watch has ever seen. But after tonight…” He trailed off and shook his head.
    “So,” I said, trying not to sound as bitter as I felt, “who’s going to take the lead on the hunt for Quietus?”
    Sanderson hesitated before answering. “I’m considering a number of officers…”
    He was interrupted by a knock on the door. Before he could answer, it opened, and a handsome man in his early thirties poked his head in. He had chestnut-brown hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and what some women refer to as puppy-dog eyes. He was smiling, but when he laid eyes on Jinx and me, his smile faded.
    “I’m sorry to interrupt. When Dispatch said you wanted to see us, we thought…”
    Sanderson’s features remained composed, but a slight chill crept into his voice, indicating his annoyance. “That’s all right. Come in.”
    The man pushed the door open wider and slipped inside. He was followed by a stunningly beautiful woman who stood a head taller than him. She had long black hair, and her flawless skin was the color of roasted almonds. If you watched her long enough, you’d notice that the ends of her hair waved back and forth, as if stirred by a gentle breeze that only she could feel. Her eyes were completely black – no irises, no whites – but instead of making her look alien or frightening, those eyes somehow accentuated her beauty. She seemed ageless and eternal, like an ancient marble statue brought to life.
    They both wore the nondescript gray suit that served as the Shadow Watch’s official uniform. But on them the suits looked like haute couture . Jinx and I looked as if we shopped at discount clothing stores. Of course, Jinx looked even worse, considering how shredded his clothes had gotten during his battle with the demon dog.
    “I should’ve known,” I muttered.
    Damon Chambers and Eklips were two of the most highly regarded senior officers in the Shadow Watch. They were based in New York, although they went anywhere in the world their duties took them. Chicago’s my hometown, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s the greatest city on Earth. But one of its nicknames is the Second City. I bet you can guess which city considers itself number one. So, like a lot of Chicagoans, I grew up with a bit of a chip on my shoulder when it comes to the Big Apple.
    But that’s not why I hated Chambers and Eklips. They were professional, successful, and so good-looking, they could both be models or movie stars. But even all that didn’t bug me – at least, not too much. What bothered me about them was how damn nice they were. How modest. How “Oh no, darling! It’s not about us ; it’s about the team! ” they were. They were stuck-up phonies pretending they didn’t care about being the most beloved officers in the Shadow Watch. So beloved, in fact, that even rogue Incubi admired them. I once saw one ask for their autographs as they were hauling him in.
    But they didn’t fool me or Jinx. We knew who they really were, and what’s more, they knew we knew. Which made it all the more galling that they’d been assigned to clean up our mess.
    “Audra!” Damon said, smiling. “It’s been a while. How are you? Well, I hope.” He stepped forward and offered his hand for me to shake.
    I stared at his hand as if poisonous thorns protruded from the flesh. He lowered his hand, but his smile didn’t falter.
    Jinx smiled at him, but instead of teeth his mouth was now filled with rows of rusty nails. Damon’s eyes narrowed, but he maintained his smile at full wattage. He nodded. “Jinx,” he said, his tone decidedly less warm than when he’d greeted me.
    He turned his attention