Arthur’s home was a little ramshackle townhouse in the no man’s land that existed between city and suburbia. The closest parking I could find was almost a block away, and I only got that by dint of over shouting a shrew of a housewife. The tight lipped, foul mouthed yuppie had launched herself down the entry way stairs the moment I’d put the Chevy into park.

“Now there’s a woman who needs to get-”

“Les!” I snapped. “Didn’t think you were a chauvanist.”

“Oops,” he apologised. “Forgot myself for a while there.”

“Well, pull yourself together, you’re much better than this.”

I stepped up the stairs and paused in front of Arthur’s door. What had I just done? Reprimanded the devil? Geesh, I guess I must be losing it.

“Okay,” I asked, hoping we both forgot the incident. “So how do we open this?”

I touched the door and a familiar but smaller spark popped out of my fingers.

I was greeted by a very thirsty mewl.