6 Under The Final Moon by Hannah Jayne

sunk in, then the overwhelming penny scent of my own blood. But had it just been a dog?
    I opened my eyes and blinked at myself in the mirror. What happened to the non-jumping-to-conclusions, cooler, more Zen Sophie Lawson?
    It was just a dog , I told myself.
    It was just a dog.
    Once I got my breathing under control, I stepped into the living room, where Nina and Will were in the kitchen, Nina rifling through the freezer while Vlad looked on contemptuously between text messages.
    “We’re not going to look for the dog,” I said with as much authority as I could muster.
    Will blinked at me. “Why’s that, love?”
    The bandage over my bite mark itched. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was just a regular dog, you know? I could have just—I mean, I’ve had a lot on my mind so maybe I was just . . .”
    Nina turned to face me, a kind-of-proud grin splitting across her face. “A kinder, gentler Sophie.”
    “I thought she was more kick-assier,” Vlad grumbled.
    The doorbell rang and while my hackles went up, a grin split across Will’s face.
    “Pizza’s here.”
    My head was swimming and I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to straighten up.
    “The guardian of the gates of Hell has escaped and you’re ordering pizza?”
    Will tipped the pizza guy and immediately helped himself to a slice, gesturing toward the TV. “And watching a game. It’s not Arsenal, but at least it’s football.”
    I stared at him, hands on my hips, for a quick beat before I relented and helped myself to a slice.
    “And by the way,” he continued, “we’re going after that dog. Got any beer?”
    The bite of pizza I had already taken was like wet sand in my mouth. “Will, I told you—maybe I was wrong.”
    “You know you’re not. Anyone else I would doubt, but because it’s you . . .”
    He let the word trail off and I felt steam rising in my gut. “Because it’s me? Like, because I’m such a klutz? Or because I’m the kind of person that dogs and people want to kill on a regular basis because I’m such a jerk? What is it, Will? Come on. Out with it.”
    Will went from leaning toward me to shrinking back. “Is it your time of the month or something, love?”
    I slammed my pizza slice back into the box and fumed. “That’s your response? I was almost killed by a three-headed dog today. A three-headed dog that almost ripped the throat out of my little teeny baby and you ask if I’m on my period?”
    Will finished his slice and wiped his hands on his jeans. When he was done chewing, he glanced at me with an exasperated expression. “I believe that you were chased by a three-headed dog because you’re the Vessel of Souls and I am your Guardian. Your klutziness and general jerkiness did not factor into my statement. And it’s obvious by your delightful demeanor that your hormones are up to par.” He offered a Styrofoam container to me. “Hot wing?”
    I grumbled, but took the container of hot wings.
    “So much for going Zen, huh?” Vlad called from his place behind his computer screen.
    I flipped Vlad off, pulled two bottles of beer from the kitchen, and flopped down next to Will on the couch. I offered him a bottle. He opened both of ours with his keychain bottle opener and cheers-ed me.
    I took a long pull on my beer.
    I really wanted to remain calm. I really wanted to be nonchalant and believe that the three-headed dog was a figment of my imagination or that I had mistakenly eaten a handful of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
    Two more monster-sized swigs and I was no calmer.
    “So?” I said finally.
    Will turned and looked at me as if surprised that I was still there. I snatched up the remote and turned off the game.
    “Oy!” he cried.
    “We need a plan, Will. Do you really think we’re just going to run outside, shake a box of Milk-Bones and hope Cerberus comes running?”
    “You didn’t need to turn off the game.”
    I pinned him with a glare. “You’re supposed to be my Guardian. So”—I gestured toward