Chapter Seven
The next morning I woke up with his hard body against mine. We did go the full four rounds, and I lost count of the number of times I’d come undone for him. His stamina seemed almost endless on the later rounds, and he’d manhandled me into multiple positions which I’d greatly enjoyed.
I also felt entirely too warm and comfortable there with his arm around me as he spooned me from behind. I wondered if him spending the night wasn’t a step too far, but that didn’t stop me from letting him ravish me in the shower that morning, as my body slid up and down the shower stall tiles. He was a thorough and generous lover in bed, but the man also knew how to draw out my pleasure with a quickie. He made sure of mine, before he took his, and his hands were magical.
I felt thoroughly possessed, and though I knew it wasn’t really love I also felt a bit smitten for the man. We didn’t talk about our relationship that night and define it, past the idea we both wanted to see where it went. And for that time, that was more than enough.
We got dressed and headed downstairs, where Muriel had breakfast ready for us. I was in workout clothes, but he’d need to go home and change before our morning workout.
“What’s the plan today?”
I shrugged, “Check to see what result the interview had, and all the normal day to day stuff. There’s a chance if there are any more half-demons out there that they’ll have been persuaded to call in, so that could come up. Karl will let us know if it does.”
He asked, “Is that likely?”
“Not sure, I think it is if there’s more left out there it is, but there can’t be that many more of us running around. Our kind are rare, and most if not all are eventually found out and hunted. Even if we manage to end the hunts, our numbers will be tiny for many generations. That’s okay though. I’m focused on saving individuals, not a hybrid race.”
He nodded, “I get it. I’m cooking you dinner tonight.”
“You are?” I asked with a smile.
I loved his confidence, but I couldn’t make it easy for him.
He replied, “Definitely.”
“I might make it,” I teased.
He said, “It would be awkward if you didn’t.”
I snorted, and we finished up breakfast, before things got too late.
The fallout from the interview was about what I expected, a mixed bag of responses. I also wasn’t surprised by how polarizing it was, considering how emotional the stakes were. People either thought I was a lying demon trying to smear the angelic name of the Nephilim with outrageous and disgusting lies on the lives of innocents, or they heard the truth in my words and were incensed by the lies and murderous ambition of the Nephilim. There was very little middle ground in that equation, not when half-demon hunts had caused the deaths of innocent people, including young children.
Half the pundits were calling for the government to investigate, the other half said they were fools to credit much less believe such an outrageous story. The naysayers also went after the ones that interviewed us, calling it irresponsible journalism and outrageous since there was no proof at all.
From the government, there was nothing yet. They seemed to be ignoring it, at least when it came to the news, and none of them would comment on it if asked during an interview. Standard politics really, but I’d pay to know what was going on behind closed doors that way. Were they really ignoring it?
As for the American people, the polls were pretty split on it, most people were on one side or another, while a much smaller third opinion was that we were all dangerous and needed to be controlled. Of course, that was flaw in what we did, we might’ve made the situation worse for all supernaturals.
Not my fault though, we couldn’t allow the hunts to continue, and if that worst case scenario ever happened, well the Nephilim were in charge of the supernatural community, and it was their policy that will have led to it. I wouldn’t lay down and die, to save beings that wanted me dead, even if most of them were under duress or a true believer in the lies.
It was later that morning after our workout and class sparring sessions. Cindy, William, Karl, Sabine, and myself were still in the living room surfing the news sites on our phones, but we hadn’t found anything new for almost thirty minutes. One of these days I’d figure out how to get cable television in my mound, but for the moment we were stuck with internet streaming services on our phones and other devices. Celeste, Carlos, and Linda had been here earlier, but they’d given up on the research for the moment.
Karl said, “I have two viable possibilities on the website. Terrance Ambrose in New Haven, Connecticut, and a Joseph Carlton in L.A.”
I was honestly a bit surprised there were more half-demons out there, as I’d discussed with William earlier. There weren’t that many of us, and I’d bet these would be the last two for a long while. Perhaps years, but I couldn’t be positive about that. If they were truly half-demons, just convincing them to call in would be worth the interview we’d given yesterday.
I brought up the website database and searched for their entries. Terrance was sixteen which wasn’t a big surprise, without fae magic a half-demon couldn’t hide long and that’s about when they got their powers and horns. He was six foot two, with brown hair and gray eyes. His picture showed he was built so he must work out. He was also living with a foster family and had included the address.
Joseph was five foot eleven, with blond hair and gray eyes. He was wiry, and he’d given an address in New Haven, but he’d given no indication of family or his living situation.
There was no indication either were in serious danger, so I decided to just do them in the order they were reported in by Karl.
“I think Vegas is the closest I have, then it’ll be a four-hour bus ride west.”
Sabine asked, “Do you need company?”
She’d been the first to ask, but it was apparent they were all willing to take a trip.
I shook my head, “It’ll be boring, and if it’s not boring it’ll be better if I go alone. Just work on your control today, maybe we can get some practical practice in when I get back.”
No one argued with me on that, though William looked like he wanted to argue. I hoped that didn’t become a contention between us in the future. He was a strong man, and obviously wanted to protect me, but in truth his presence would only distract me and put me in more danger.
I got up and went upstairs to get changed, and switch into my redhead persona. I was familiar with Vegas because I took Cindy there at least once a week, so I had the perfect place to gateway in. It didn’t take long to get to the bus station and get a ticket.
Maybe I should get a car, I bet I could make gateways large enough to park it in the mound. The bus was fine though, if a little boring, and outside of a few men checking me out people left me alone. My redhead disguise was a quarter witch, which meant rounded ears, so they all probably thought I was human anyway. Only a shifter or Nephilim would pick up on the witch part.
I spent the time doing more research on the interview. There was an anti-supernatural humans only group that had already arranged a protest urging everyone to put us all down, before it was too late. They saw us all as evil devil spawn. On the good side, it was a very small outlier group. Most of them just wanted to either have me hunted down and killed to stop my lies, or they were urging the government to look into my accusations.
Still nothing from the government, and I knew I shouldn’t hold my breath on that. It was politics, and no one in power wanted to take sides on the issue, because either way they went they’d be pissing off half their constituents. So they waffled, and said no comment, to secure their next re-election.
Congress was so broken, if they couldn’t get together to stop murderous hunts because they were worried about being reelected.
I also spent some time studying my family grimoire. I was busy with my new direction in life, extremely busy, but I still had plenty to learn myself at twenty-one. I may have mastered my half-demon powers,
but being a witch meant never stop studying, learning, and experimenting.
There was always more to do in this new life, and that was a good thing. While it was true I’d never been so stressed before, with the lives of others entrusted to me, I’d also never felt so alive and like I was making a difference.
The small mansion looked run down, with faded light brown paint on the outside, and faded blue window shutters. There were bikes and all sorts of toys in the front yard, which told me there were a lot of foster kids in the large house. It was early afternoon, just past two, and there was only one car in the driveway.
I dropped my disguise, and I walked up to the door and knocked. I could feel him in there, sense his half-demon power with my own, and I was sure he could feel mine.
A petite Latina opened the door with a question in her eyes as she took me in. I waited patiently, and the widened eyes I expected finally arrived as she let out a little squeak of alarm. Sure, I hated it, but I was starting to get used to it.
“What do you want?” she asked, as she stood up straighter and found her courage. I liked her immediately.
A deep voice said, “She’s here to pick me up,” then to me as Terrance appeared behind her, “I’m surprised you got here so quickly.”
She spun around, “You?”
Terrance nodded, “It’s fine, I’ll be safe with her, and she will teach me control. Everything she said in the interview is true.”
A tingle went down my spine, and my head snapped around, as I felt Nephilim along with enough shifters and two witches for a hunter team.
“We don’t have time to talk, they’re coming for him now,” I said, even as I tried to figure out exactly how they’d known. It was far too much of a coincidence they’d be arriving when I had.
Maybe the redhead had been burned, and they were following my cellphone?
A gateway snapped open next to me on the stoop, and I gave the woman who obviously cared for Terrance an apologetic look.
“He can call you anytime, to explain, but if we don’t leave now your other kids will be in danger. I don’t know how they followed me here, yet.”
She scowled, “Go then, keep him safe.”
Terrance already had a duffel bag over one shoulder that looked overstuffed, he must’ve grabbed it when he felt my presence. He walked out, and into the gateway, and I followed. I cut off the magic as soon as I was through, and it snapped shut.
All the others were waiting right there, probably curious to meet him.
I handed him the enchantment I’d brought with me, “That will hide you even after you’ve been trained, it will also use some small part of your power to build your own house, here in my fae mound.”
He found a finger on his right hand the man’s ring would fit on, and slipped it on.
I nodded, “It’ll take a few hours for Muriel to build your place,” I introduced him to Muriel, Karl, Celeste, Sabine, Linda, and Carlos, “They can answer any questions you have. I hate to run, but there was one other who responded to the interview, and I need to go get him.”
I turned to the others, “I think my redhead identity might be burned, they showed up at Terrance’s house right after I got there. I’m going to leave my cell here, just in case they were tracking it, so if there’s an emergency contact me through Muriel. I’ll also use a new temporary disguise.”
Terrance said, “Call me Terry.”
I nodded, and then smiled lightly, “Kyra.”
There was probably no reason to hurry, but the Nephilim showing up at Terrance’s house had me spooked. I used my fae magic to go blonde. Similar to the burned Bell disguise, lighter skin, gray eyes flecked with blue, but with my hair a little more golden instead of light, and my face even softer, though I also added ten years to my apparent age putting me at just before thirty.
Terrance looked amazed, but the rest of the kids were jaded by then.
“If you’re going for hot and in shape soccer mom, you nailed it.”
I smirked.
Good enough, I opened a gateway to Manhattan. It’d take me a little less than two hours to get to New Haven via bus. Believe it or not, the train would take longer because of all the stops. I’d wandered all over the U.S., it was just bad luck I hadn’t been to LA or New Haven yet. It was always something.
Regardless, I’d be back at the mound with Joseph in time for dinner, if it all went to plan.
I felt naked without a phone to do research, surf, or make calls, but until I figured out if it was coincidence or what was truly behind them showing up at Terrance’s, I couldn’t afford to take chances. Chances are it was them following my phone which was registered to the redhead disguise, but I couldn’t chance it.
It was a boring two hours. I’d already studied almost three hours on the trip to LA, and doing more studying that day was unappealing. I also, obviously, couldn’t work on my potion experiments. I briefly considered pulling my human disguise wireless cell tablet to me, so I could surf, but that would break the rules I’d set. I only did investment and business stuff on that, I wouldn’t risk burning that identity just to stave off boredom.
Then a man in his mid-thirties thought it would be a good idea to sit next to me, and to strike up a conversation. It wasn’t the first time someone tried to pick me up on a bus ride. I raised the go away flags, but he seemed to think I was just playing hard to get. I really did like being attractive, but there were downsides.
Finally, I just ran my fingers through my hair, pulling the strands over my pointed right ear. He made his apologies, and he couldn’t change seats fast enough. It was a little amusing, but then I was bored again.
I spent the rest of the ride planning and worrying about the future. The reaction, and government non-reaction to the interview, wasn’t really unexpected. I didn’t think it would be easy, or fast, if it was possible at all. We could and would hide for as long as we had to, even if that turned out to be decades or longer.
All things come to an end. The bus arrived in the New Haven bus depot just after four-thirty eastern time.
Chapter Eight
The bright yellow cab pulled up to the address Joseph had given, which to my surprise turned out to be a homeless shelter. Was Joseph living on the streets? That wasn’t the only shocking thing in the moment.
The shelter was merrily on fire, magical hellfire, with firetrucks trying to put it out. Not a good sign at all.
Damn, maybe it wasn’t my disguise after all. This time they’d gotten there before me, and I’d left my cellphone at home. I discarded the chance of coincidence, there’s no way they found both of them on the same day.
Which left only one possibility, unless I was missing something.
Muriel, get with Karl, I think our website has been compromised.
I also pulled my phone to me, paid the driver, and got out.
Muriel asked, “Are you sure?”
Pretty sure, yes.
I frowned and scanned up the street both ways, then started to circle the bock. It was my hope Joseph hadn’t been caught and killed, that he was on the run, but there were no supernaturals in range of my senses. They couldn’t have gotten there more than fifteen or twenty minutes before me though. When I reached the other side of the block, I saw small fires off in the distance, and started to sprint in that direction while dropping my fae glamour.
No reason to look like anyone but my true self, if it was going to come down to a fight.
Joseph must’ve escaped out the back and took the alley to this block.
A whip of hellfire struck out from my hand, and it absorbed the small fire as I ran passed it, and it was only a few seconds later when I felt a shifter angled off to the front right. I ran as quickly as I could to the end of the block, and then turned to the right. Several more supernaturals entered my senses, including eight shifters, two witches, and the Nephilim leading the hunter team, and of course a half-demon that had to be Joseph.
I couldn’t see any of them yet, they were all in one
of the buildings on the right side of the street, a hundred feet up or so. As I got closer, I narrowed it down to a ten-story office building. I was catching up with my greater fae speed, but not as quickly as I liked. Joseph was on the run and the hunter team was pursuing, so they were still moving away from me.
I cut right at the alley before the building, and I raced down the side hoping to cut them off on the other end, and I prayed I hadn’t just made a mistake and Joseph will make it that far. I spat a curse as I felt him run up a stairwell, what was the boy thinking? He’d be trapped on upper floors.
I cut through the back alley behind the building, and I quickly spat out an earth witch spell with angry focus to pop the lock on the rear entrance.
They were all running up the stairs now in pursuit, and I headed toward the stairway using the vague feeling of where he was when he started going up. It wasn’t an exact science, but I spotted the stairwell sign as I ran past the shocked humans. Another hellfire whip reached out and snuffed out the wall that was on fire.
At a guess, Joseph was shielding only, but his mind and anger, and the magic’s desire to burn everything, was making that shield spit fire every once in a while. That was normal, and so far I was even impressed that more things weren’t on fire.
I pulled open the stairwell door, and summoned tranquilizer pistols to my hands as I took the stairs three at time. My heart was pounding, and I was starting to sweat, but my slightly elevated respiration was steady and my legs were strong. I kept going.
I caught up to the two witches first. Witches had human speed, and the shifters and the Nephilim had pulled a floor or so ahead of them.
The Nephilim yelled from even higher, “Another one, behind us!”
It was too late for the warning, as my hellfire whip reached up and wrapped around their legs. Both of them cried out in alarm, as they were tripped and slammed into the ground. My whip tightened, pulling all four of their legs together tightly, and burning brightly to break their protections.
Demon Underground: Kyra Bell Book Three Page 8
