Daemon Deception

by Mariah Ankenman

  “Rotting away in a cell?” the man asked.

  He didn’t reply. They’d never let this bastard go. The council would send him to their holding facility for supernatural criminals. He’d spend the rest of his life in prison. But at least he’d live.

  The Kako sneered. His mouth opened and words flew out. The words spewing from his lips were not English. It sounded like the Kako language. Exactly what Damien wanted. He knew the Kako would not talk to them willingly. He knew the guy would refuse, even if tortured. But he also hoped the Kako would spout off the grand plan in the Kako language. Thinking none of them would understand what he said. One look at the horror filling Celia’s face and Damien knew his plan worked.

  The Kako laughed, shouting more unintelligible words. His lips curled in an evil grin as his grand speech dropped off. The bastard seemed pretty proud of himself. Thinking he pulled one over on them. Technically giving them what they wanted without betraying his master.

  “There I told you. Now send me to that nice cushy prison of yours.”

  A maximum-security prison on a deserted island in the arctic wasn’t exactly cushy, but he didn’t answer the Kako. Instead, he turned to Celia.

  “Did you get all that?”

  Her face was as white as a ghost. She swallowed hard before answering. “Yes. He said the High Master promised a new dawning. A world where the supernaturals are gods and humans bow before them. Rysis plans to take over the world and his first step is to kill all the heads of the supernatural council.”

  The Kako’s eyes went wide with fear. “No. You can’t know what I said.”

  “News flash, asshole. She did. The Kako language has been decoded. Now everyone will know your plans and your High Master will know you’re the one who told us.”

  The man opened his mouth and let out an ear-piercing scream. He rushed the cell bars, slamming his body against them, arms reaching for Damien and Celia. Damien stepped back out of reach, pulling Celia behind him. The Kako begged and pleaded for them to kill him. Damien just shook his head. Rysis’ men were truly terrified of him. Obviously, the guy used fear to rule.

  “Damien.” Celia’s soft voice came from behind him. “We have to warn the others.”

  She was right. He had to tell the other heads of Rysis’ plan. The man was crazy if he thought supernaturals could overthrow humans. Sure, they had power, but humans were a dangerous breed. When they feared something, they put all their energy into eliminating it. The reason supernaturals had stayed hidden for so long. One human against a supernatural was nothing, but the whole lot of them?

  Not even supernaturals could survive nuclear attacks. He had no doubt it would come to that if the humans ever discovered their existence.

  Chapter 29

  Celia sat with Damien on the hard wooden bench outside the council chambers. Just three days since the Kakos attacked region eight headquarters. Damien had called an emergency meeting of the council heads to convene at their main base of operations in London. It had taken a few days to get in contact with everyone and get the schedules arranged.

  She still had yet to talk with Racine. It did not sit well with her. She wanted to go to Colorado before heading across the pond, but unfortunately, that did not happen. Racine told her he would meet her here. He had other matters to attend to before meeting. She heard him mention something about the training facility and Krista. Celia gathered Racine was still worried about the young girl and wanted to check on her.

  Her foot tapped nervously as she watched the men and women coming in the front door. Supernatural creatures of all manner from across the world filed in. The head of council for each region, along with Enforcers from their regions attended. The Enforcers were permitted in the meeting, but they did not have a vote in matters of council. Only heads had that power.

  “Relax, Celia. He’ll be here soon.” Damien placed a gentle hand on her bouncing leg.

  His calming touch soothed her while causing a cascade of need to rush through her body at the same time.

  “I know. That’s what I’m worried about.” She turned to face him. “How am I supposed to tell Racine that not only is his brother alive, but oh yeah, he’s the head of the Kakos?”

  Strong arms wrapped around her. Damien tilted her head up to place a soft kiss on her lips. “It is hard news to give. Even harder to receive, but you have to tell him. He has a right to know before going in there.” He indicated the large meeting room where all the supernaturals headed.

  “I know.” Still sucked. Maybe Racine would be delayed. Maybe he wouldn’t make it—

  “Celia, Damien. It’s good to see you.”

  So much for wishful thinking.

  Celia looked up to see her boss walking toward them. She rose, Damien doing the same. When Racine reached them, he took in her expression and frowned.

  “It’s that bad then?”

  Worse. Oh, gods. How was she going to do this?

  “Were you not able to translate the Kako language? Did you manage to break the spell?”

  She shook her head. “No, I was. I did. I—” she fumbled for words. Her, the linguist. She never had trouble speaking. Of course, she never had to tell someone such awful news before either. “I broke the spell. I can translate the language and I can provide a potion to allow others to do the same.”

  A smile graced her boss’s face. “That’s great news. Well done, Celia.” He turned to Damien. “I told you she was a genius.”

  Damien smiled down at her. So much emotion in his eyes, so much…love? Or perhaps she projected her own feelings.

  “Yes, you did.”

  “So what’s the bad news, then? I assume you discovered the Kako plan once you were able to translate.”

  She nodded. “Yes, and I also discovered the identity of the High Master.”

  Racine’s eyes narrowed, his lips curled in a dark smile. “Perfect, who is the bastard?”

  No easy way to say it so she blurted it out. “It’s your brother.”

  Racine’s eyes widened. The grin disappeared from his face, replaced by disbelief.

  “Racine, I’m so sorry.”

  “Rysis? No. That’s impossible. My brother has been dead for over a hundred years.”

  Then the man she’d met was a very animated corpse.

  The sound of a bell filled the silence, an indication the meeting would soon start. Damien took her by the arm. They started to go inside, but she noticed Racine not following. He stood still, in shock. Pain, skepticism, and a host of other emotions played across his features. Her heart broke for the Euadaemon.

  Breaking away from Damien, she went to Racine. She placed her hand on his forearm. “Racine? Are you all right?”

  What a stupid question. The man just discovered his brother was alive and evil.

  His gaze turned toward her, but his eyes didn’t focus on her. They were glazed over as if he stared into the past.

  “I saw him die. I saw the fire consume him.”

  She didn’t know what to say.

  “Brother.” Suddenly Damien stood beside her, holding Racine’s other arm. “I know this is a lot to take in, but we will get to the bottom of this. You have my word.”

  At those words, Racine snapped back to the present. His dark eyes—eyes identical to the High Master’s—looked first at Damien then Celia.

  “You’re sure?” he asked her.

  “Yes, I saw him with my own eyes.” She looked down, ashamed to admit the next part. “I thought he was you at first.”

  Another bell sounded.

  “We must go in now,” Damien said.

  Racine nodded, brushing off their hands and striding into the meeting hall.

  “Do you think he will be okay?” she asked Damien.

  “No.” He shook his head, staring after the man whose world had just crashed down around him. “No one could be okay after receiving news like that, but give him time.”

  Time. One thing they might not have in abundance. The Kakos had a mission to
take over the world. They had to stop it from happening.

  “Come, Tira.”

  Damien put a hand on her lower back and guided her ahead of him, into the meeting. The room was large and circular. Chairs positioned so the twelve heads sat on the main floor in a circle. Risers sat behind the circle for the Enforcers who accompanied their leaders.

  Damien walked them into the circle. Everyone had already taken their seats. A hush fell over the group. Damien and Celia stood, glancing around at the anxious expressions facing them.

  “Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” Damien began. “We have a recent development in the growing Kako problem. Celia Dahl”—he indicated her with a motion of his hand—“broke the Kako language. She can translate it and provide the means for others to as well.”

  A murmur of relief rumbled through the crowd. Her cheeks heated with a blush at the looks of admiration aimed her way. The praise made her uncomfortable. She had only done her job.

  “Sadly, that is not all the news I bring.” The room fell silent once more. “Celia was taken hostage by the one they call High Master. He is the leader of these new Kakos. He taught them how to make Drones to retain their sanity and he commissioned a Sorcerer to create the Kako language for secrecy.”

  He paused, letting the information sink in before continuing. “Celia knows the identity of the High Master. A group of the High Master’s followers also attacked my headquarters. We defeated them, but took a prisoner who shared, unknowingly, the High Master’s plans. And let me tell you, brothers and sisters, it is a dark one.”

  Damien’s gaze roamed over the men and women in attendance. It stopped on Racine briefly. Her boss sat rigid in his chair. His jaw clenched so tight she feared he would break it.

  “Who is this High Master?” one of the heads asked when Damien did not speak.

  Damien turned to her. She bit her lip, not wanting to say the name and hurt her leader and friend again, but everyone had to know.

  “Rysis.” The softly spoken name dropped like a lead weight in the silent chamber.

  A collective gasp engulfed the room. All eyes turned to Racine. Every person in the room was older than Celia by a hundred years or more. They all knew about Racine’s brother.

  “I guess he’s not as dead as we thought,” Racine said darkly.

  Voices rose, people shouted. Some claiming she was wrong, others fearing she was right. She sensed a story behind Rysis. One she didn’t know, but would soon discover. The sound in the room grew louder.

  “Please!” Damien shouted above the din. “There is more to tell you.”

  The men and women settled, closing their mouths and giving Damien their attention again. Damien told them of Rysis’ plan to kill each of the council heads and then reveal the supernaturals of the world, forcing humanity to be their slaves. Anger and fear rose off every person in the room.

  The meeting lasted another hour and a half. Plans discussed and dismissed. Eventually, they came to an agreement that each head would have extra security on them for the foreseeable future. A faction of Enforcers would hunt for the High Master’s trail. Everyone agreed they had to find him as soon as possible.

  Celia agreed to send the instructions for the translation potion to each region’s lab so every Enforcer could understand the Kako language. Above all, everyone agreed humans must not discover the world of the supernatural. Nothing good would ever come of that.

  Chapter 30

  After the meeting, the heads filed out of the building with their Enforcers. Celia and Damien stayed behind to talk to Racine. A few of the other heads patted the Euadaemon’s back on their way out. No one spoke to him. What did one say to a man after a bombshell like the one Racine just endured? Nothing, there was nothing to say.

  Racine sat in his chair, eyes staring straight ahead. He looked sad and broken. Celia hated herself at that moment. True, she didn’t cause Racine’s despondent mood, but she was the bearer of bad news.

  “Racine?” Walking to him, her glasses slid down her nose and she pushed them up with a finger. “I’m so sorry.”

  He glanced up and gave her a sad smile. “You have nothing to apologize for, Celia. You helped the council take great strides in the war against the Kakos. Because of you, they can no longer communicate secretly right in front of us. We have hours of Kako language ravings. Now, thanks to you, we can decipher them. We have the upper hand for once.”

  She twisted her hands together. “Yes, but your brother—”

  “Rysis,” Racine said sharply, cutting her off, “chose his path. He chose it long ago, before he—before I presumed he died.”

  So Rysis had always been a bad guy?

  “Quite a surprise learning my brother is still alive. But no surprise to me my twin is behind the new Kako uprising.” Racine shook his head. “The news is bad, but do not feel guilty for delivering it. It had to be done.”

  He rose from his seat then, pulling her into his arms for a rare embrace. “I thank you for telling me before the meeting. It would have been most unpleasant to learn of my brother surrounded by the others.”

  A soft, deep growl emitted from beside them. Celia pulled away and turned to see Damien glaring at Racine. Why was he staring at one of his oldest friends like he wanted to gut the man? Racine chuckled. She didn’t see anything funny about any of this.

  “Damien?”

  “Forgive me, brother,” Racine said, releasing her. His dark eyes went back and forth between her and Damien. “I did not see the rings until now.”

  Rings? What—oh, the silver rings around their irises. The mark of a Tira.

  “Congratulations to you both.” Racine sighed. “I suppose this means I will have to find someone else to run my lab?”

  She did not want to leave region seven. She’d worked hard for her position in the council and she didn’t want to give it up. Running the lab gave her life purpose. She loved it. Still, she loved Damien more. Maybe, she could work in his lab. Perhaps not run them, but at least work in them. A few days ago, the thought of leaving her entire life behind and moving in with Damien frightened her. Then she had been kidnapped, held captive, threatened, and almost killed. Now the thought of living without Damien terrified her even more.

  She could build a new life anywhere. Work would always be available for a woman of her skill and talents. True love, Tiras, soul mates, that only came around once and she would not give that gift up for anything in the world.

  “Well, Racine, you see—”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Damien interrupted her. “Celia and I will return to region seven so she can resume running your lab. I am prepared to step down as head of region eight. In duties only you understand, I will not name another head and put their life in jeopardy.”

  Dumbstruck, she turned to face Damien. “Damien, no. You worked so hard for that position.”

  His soft gray eyes looked down on her with affection. “And you worked hard for yours, Tira. How could I ask you to give up what I am not willing to do myself?”

  She didn’t understand. No one had ever given up so much for her before. “Why?”

  His eyebrows flew up in shock. “Why? Because I love you and I would do anything to make you happy.”

  Her mouth dropped open.

  “How could you not know I love you, Tira?”

  Tears gathered in her eyes. Damien’s face went blurry as they began to fall.

  “Oh no, don’t cry, my love.”

  He looked so devastated by her tears she couldn’t help but laugh. She was so happy she feared she would burst with joy. “I love you too, Damien.”

  He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his lips against hers. She slid her hands behind his neck, rubbing her body against him. Loving the feel of him, loving him. The sound of a throat clearing interrupted them. Celia pulled away, face heating with embarrassment when she realized Racine still stood only feet away.

  “You Tiras always forget when there are other people in the room.” Ra
cine chuckled. “Honestly, I’ve almost had to turn the hose on Tabitha and Kiernan.”

  “My apologies, brother,” Damien said, though he did not look sorry at all.

  Racine shook his head with a chuckle. “I believe if I found my Tira I would be the same way. I truly am happy for you both.”

  Celia sensed sadness behind her boss’s words. How old was Racine? She knew him somewhere in the vicinity of four hundred or so. And he had never found his Tira? How sad to live so long without someone to love. She knew what it was like to go through life alone, no one to rely on. She had only done it for a little over two decades. To imagine doing it for hundreds of years… heartbreaking to think about.

  “Anyway,” Racine continued. “I see no reason why Celia can’t continue to head up the lab remotely. Just come back every few months to check in, keep in contact, and there shouldn’t be a problem with you keeping your job in region seven while living in region eight.”

  She gave her boss a brilliant smile. “Really?”

  “Yes, really. Go; be happy with your Tira.”

  Wrapping her arms around Racine, she gave him another brief hug. She was getting used to this touching people thing. It felt nice. Damien pulled her back into his arms when Racine released her. The two men clasped forearms before Racine headed out of the meeting room.

  “So you really want to move in with me? You’re all right with living in Washington?”

  She glanced up at the man who only weeks ago gave her a headache with his mere presence. She never imagined one person could come to mean so much to her. Never did she think she could share her past with someone and have them hold her, tell her everything would be all right, and mean it. Damien respected her, challenged her, and best of all loved her, scars and all. And she loved him. So very much.

  “I want to be where you are, Tira. Forever and ever.”

  He smiled, eyes shining bright like silver. “Forever sounds about right to me.”

  He brushed his lips against hers. Celia’s body tightened with expectation.

  “Damien,” she said breathlessly.

  “Yes?”