Bonedust

half now, and half when you finish the job. Good?”
    “Sure thing, baby.”
    “I’m not your baby,” the man on the other end of the device said, then clicked off. Urban’s ear was filled with a buzz of bumblebee static before he touched it once more, rendering it silent.
    Damn. He’d been hoping to get smashed—and possibly laid—tonight. He let out a little sigh, sitting up on the bed. The mattress squealed softly. He gazed up at Gabriel, who looked out of place once again. “Want another drink?” he offered, tinking the tiny glasses together. Gabriel sneered and Urban shrugged, pouring himself a shot. “Oh well. Change of plans. How does twenty zaels sound?”
    His eyes widened. “Hell…”
    “Yeah, sounds good to me too. We’ve got an official job. Hunt down a crazy-bitch werewolf and take her back to her pack. You help me, I’ll give you twenty zaels. If not…well I suppose your time was worth a few coins. I could send you on your way.”
    “What are you, a bounty hunting striptease?”
    “Of course, babe. You gotta pay child support one way or another.” Urban flashed a dangerous smile, then quickly downed the burning Calixthe. After a soft sputter, he swallowed and said, “So whaddaya say? With me or not?”
    “You have children?”
    “In the great scheme of things, yes. Yes or no? Clock’s ticking.”
    Gabriel frowned, then nodded. “Yeah. I need the money. I’m not sure how much help I’ll be but…”
    “Sweetie, don’t worry about it. Now come along, I’ve gotta stop by my place and pick up my partner. Pandora’s a sucker for these sorts of hunts.” Urban turned, sliding him another up and down look. “And you can borrow a pair of clothes. So no one recognizes you’re the Bonemaster’s.”
    The man’s face paled. “I already—”
    “I know. You’re no one’s slave. But unless the Bonemaster set you free, which he didn’t from the way you’re jumping around like a cricket, I’m gonna be guessing you need the money to run. Hey, don’t give me that look. I’m just telling you what you already know. Now c’mon, let’s go before that wolf kills someone else.”
    Urban stood and stuck his hand in his pocket, pulling out a piece of gum before popping it in his mouth. At least this way, no one’d be able to tell he’d been drinking. Just him and this wonderful buzz he had. Urban grinned. “Right this way.”

Chapter Three

    Of course the man didn’t have a car. They were in the slums. It was obvious the closer they got to Urban’s place—his ‘nest’ as he called it. The streets were cracked, weeds sticking up every which way, green and gangly like teenagers. The houses, if you could call them houses, went down in value the farther they went, especially past the old, abandoned steel railway tracks.
    The gravel crunched under foot as Gabriel picked his way across, his feet still sore from his race away from the Boneyard and those hellhounds. His shoulders tensed. He took a deep breath, glanced around, and kept walking, his eyes locked on Urban’s back.
    It was still daylight. Jeremie wouldn’t come yet. Not yet. Hopefully by dusk, this whole escapade would be just another finished chapter in Gabriel’s storybook life and he’d be far, far away from here.
    Urban ducked down an alley with neon graffiti smothering the walls, a painting of a big-hipped brunette with boobs the size of watermelons—really? This was art? Gabriel snorted and Urban chuckled. “What, don’t appreciate fine art?”
    “That’s not art.”
    “You’re right.” Urban nodded sagely. “It would look better if it was a naked man. With angel wings. Angels are hot, yanno.” He tipped his head in a laugh, darting ahead like a forest nymph, fleet on his feet. Gabriel stumbled to keep up with him, wincing as sharp rocks dug into the pads of his tender feet. Not to mention the alley smelled like cat pee.
    Rusted chain-link fences lined the path as they emerged from the alley and Gabriel’s heart lunged into his throat as two massive white dogs slammed their front paws against the fence. It rattled as they screamed. The dogs were big enough to jump that damned fence. Gabriel backed away, hand clamped over his heart.
    “Easy there,” Urban murmured, taking his arm and leading him past the snarling monsters with their eyes narrowed and white teeth flashing. “Almost home free. Those two are actually sweethearts once you get to know them.”
    “And I’m a talking cactus,” muttered