The Demon Road Trilogy: The Complete Collection: Demon Road; Desolation; American Monsters

“So I could have just given this away at any stage up until now?” Glen said, his voice rising. “Why didn’t anyone tell me that? Why didn’t the old man tell me that?”

“Lautaro probably didn’t want you wasting it on some random person on the street,” Abigail said. “But the guy I want you to pass it on to, he really deserves it. His name’s Ralphie. He’s a complete meanie, Glen, he really is. Him and his brother. Ralphie and Ossie. Oh, they are meanies. Drug dealers, too, and they have been known to kill a person for money. They’re in on this for sure – they did everything Lautaro told them to. Make sure you kill Ralphie, though. He’s the smart one.” She paused. “Admittedly that’s not saying a lot.”

“Why did they want to kill you?” Amber asked.

Abigail shrugged. “Why does anyone want to kill anyone? It’s just a thought that occurs, isn’t it? Things happen and the thought occurs. They used to work for me, ages ago. Then they did something stupid, and I said things I regretted, but by then it was too late. They went and found God – I imagine He was between the sofa cushions, I’m always losing things there – and they hooked up with Lautaro. He was a preacher – he’d been after me for years. He was convinced I was the spawn of the Devil, which is just rude. Lautaro was the kind to look the other way when it came to Ralphie and Ossie dealing drugs and killing people, but still believe he was fighting the good fight when it came to me. Together they must have come to the conclusion that it would be a neat idea to kill me.”

“So how did the old man end up in Ireland?” Glen asked.

“Educated guess?” said Abigail. “They figured out the Deathmark would be the only thing that could kill me, but making one isn’t like reaching into a box of cereal and pulling out the cheap plastic toy, you know? Real, actual work is involved. Lautaro must have known someone in Ireland with the skill to do it, so over he goes, they make the Deathmark, and Lautaro intends to carry it back to America with him. Only he’s an old man, and old men are frail, and the Deathmark can wear you down and wear you out if you’re old and frail.” She shrugged. “They miscalculated. It happens. So, right before he dies, he finds a healthy young man like you, Glen, and he gets you to agree to carry it over the ocean and use it to kill me. To kill … me.”

Abigail’s voice went very cold and very quiet.

Then that happy smiled returned. “But look at us! We’re taking those meanies’ plan and we’re turning it back on them! How surprised are they going to be when you turn up on their doorstep, Glen? Can you imagine the look on their faces?”

“I … I don’t know if I’m up to this,” said Glen.

“Not on your own,” Milo said. “But with our help you can do it. We’ll make sure.”

Glen blinked. “You’d … you’d do that for me?”

“Of course.”

Glen started to smile, then stopped. “It’s because you want me to go away, isn’t it?”

“Of course.”

Scowling, Glen turned back to Abigail. “I don’t think I can do this. I can’t kill someone. I thought I could, I thought I’d just pass it on to you, but … I can’t. A few days ago, I shot someone – a bad man. For a moment, I thought I’d killed him. It was dreadful. He was a serial killer, but I felt dreadful, anyway. I’m sorry, I just don’t have it in me. But you have lots of people here that work for you, right? I can pass the Deathmark on to them and they can kill your friend for you.”

Abigail shook her head. “The Deathmark can be passed on once, and no more. Lautaro Soto passed it to you. Whoever you pass it to next – they die. No loopholes. No exceptions. And, by the looks of it, Glen, you don’t have an awful lot of time left.”

Glen looked at his hand, at the black trail that was swirling faster. “I know.”

“But, lucky for you, Ralphie and Ossie don’t live far. Isn’t that lucky?”

Glen stood up, clutching his hand. “We have to go! We have to go now!”

“Sit down, sit down,” said Abigail. “I don’t know where they’d be this early in the evening. I know where they’ll be tonight, though.”

“We can’t wait that long,” Glen said.

“Of course you can. You stay here and I’ll be back when I know more. This is a busy bar and I am a busy lady. Enjoy the atmosphere.”

She gave them another smile, swung her feet off the chair, and hopped off and walked away.

Glen hesitated, then sat back down, and Milo leaned in. “You accepted the Deathmark?”

“Did I?” said Glen. “Oh right, yeah. Yeah, the old guy may have said something about … uh, what was it? In order to pass the Deathmark to another person, that other person has to willingly accept it. Or something.”

Amber glared at Glen. “You said you were attacked.”

Glen looked hurt. “I was!”

“You said you were attacked by a creature.”

Glen nodded. “Or a creature-like person, yes.”

“I’m sorry? What? What’s a creature-like person?”

“It’s a, I mean, it’s a person that looks like a creature, obviously. Like a, y’know … an old person.”

“You said creature.”

“I meant old person.”

“And you accepted the Mark?” said Milo.

“I didn’t know what it was!” Glen said. “This old guy comes out of the shadows and attacks me—”

“Attacks you?”

“—or talks to me, or whatever, and he says he’s about to die, will I take this Mark of Death to its intended target, a terrible person called Abigail who’s been hiding in this bar in America … What am I supposed to say? No?”

“Yes,” said Amber. “You’re supposed to say no.”

“Well, I’d say no now,” said Glen. “Obviously, I’d say no now. I’m in possession of all the facts now. But back then I wasn’t. And he seemed so harmless and he … he reminded me a little of my granddad.”

“Oh, for God’s sake.”

“What? My granddad was very important to me growing up.”

“So just because he reminded you of your dearly departed grandfather—”

“Oh no, granddad’s not dead. He’s just living in Cork.”

Amber glared. “He told you to kill someone in America and you said yes.”

“My granddad?”

“Soto.”

Glen paused. “I suppose I did say yes, yeah. But I’d never been to America and I’d always wanted to go. This seemed like the perfect opportunity.”

“You,” said Milo, “are an incredibly stupid person.”

Glen slumped in his seat. “Whatever.”

Amber stood, and Glen’s mouth dropped open.