Evil is... (Once a Demon Book 2)

by P. S. Power

  The words were perfect, sounding as if it was all about business, after mentioning strictly non-business things like she just had. Even if the woman was actually attracted enough to Will and vice versa for the whole thing to work out that way, it wouldn’t hurt for them to go slowly at first. Keeley didn’t add anything, except to tilt her head a bit.

  “We have that meeting at four, in L.A. I can have us back here by… Call it seven? Line walking in and out for it.” A thing that had Fellows going wide eyed, when she realized how expensive that would be. Just to go a few thousand miles and back. Only the most important of people would be doing that kind of thing, after all.

  Will nodded, still not getting that he was being trapped by her clever plan.

  “That sounds about right. Thanks, Thomson. Ambassador Fellows. If we’re working together, we should be on a first name basis.” He tightened up then, since for a Human male, given the atmosphere outside the embassy, saying that could be dangerous. Even if he only meant it in a rather workmanlike fashion at the moment.

  The rather cute, slightly round faced and otherwise lean Dragon shifter smiled at him, her white teeth gleaming under the fluorescent track lighting above.

  “Morisy. I call you Will?”

  That got a nod, and a more relaxed posture.

  “Right. Now, we should go over the plan for Maine. Thomson, are you handling that?”

  She shook her head.

  “I can’t. I’m leaving in a few minutes to head to the hospital. For the healing that those people from last night need? Out with Tyler and the band for that.”

  From behind the desk, Will nodded. His face serious.

  “Understood. Try to be back by three-thirty or so. Otherwise I’m not making it to the meeting on time.” Glancing at the newcomer, who was still standing, kind of awkwardly, he explained. “Keeley does our travel for us, so far. We also have a few people lined up to go into the line walker training program. Myself and Ravi Pendar. I was just on with Lopez from the main node complex up in Washington. We’re both in, as soon as the new class starts.” There was a narrowing of the eyes in Keeley’s direction then. “He mentioned that he got it, when I told him that he’d been drafted, against his will. Which wasn’t explained at all. Care to enlighten me before you leave? I have to admit, I’m curious as to why he didn’t stop laughing for half a minute.”

  His voice sounded pleasant, since things were working out well enough. Not that they wouldn’t be. So far Division Six was actually decently effective when it came to doing things.

  “Sure. Troy Lopez isn’t just a line walker and Vampire, he’s a Trickster. He used to be the ancient Norse god, Loki. Very nice person. His people, the Tricksters, generally have to fool others into doing what’s needed to save the world. I figured that some of us just telling him that he was needed would be funny to him.”

  Fellows whistled a bit.

  “Division Six just calls up Tricksters and puts them to work? And they do it? That’s higher level than I thought anyone had going on, really. Plus, getting into the line walker training like that is big. I know that I’ve been calling for months trying to get more people just tested for it. The new training seems to be working better, but they only have a few slots open at all. Even at that, most are just turned away. That you have two people accepted like that is huge. A trickster thing, do you think?”

  That was directed at Will, who raised his hands a bit.

  “No clue. That sounds likely, from what I’ve heard of that type of person. He seems to think that we both have a real shot of doing it, and to my knowledge we’ve never met. Tricksters… They have an innate sense of what needs to happen, I think.” There was a glance at Keeley, seeking confirmation on that score.

  She got to nod, instead of correct him. Most people didn't get that part of things at all. That Will did showed he was putting the time in, trying to learn all he could about his new job.

  “That’s right. It’s very complex for them, since there’s always more than one way to get things done. From the sound of it, Troy thinks that you’re doing the right thing. That doesn’t mean you might not die, doing what he needs you to. That or be hurt. Still, we’re going to him, so he’d probably just tell us, if that was the case. So we can make sure to have all our ducks in a row here, before you buy it.”

  Instead of acting upset, Dern laughed a bit, smiling as if the words were really funny.

  “Good to know. I’ll see you this afternoon, Thomson.”

  She nodded and backed out of the room. After all, her clever plan had either worked or not. Given everything, she was willing to give it a fifty-fifty chance that the two would hit it off. Ten percent that they’d both get with Judy and form a dating relationship. Then there was about a one in fifty chance of that lasting three months. Neither of them seemed that hard to get along with, which always helped. The seeds were planted in Fellows’s head that she could manipulate the situation by dating Will and that this might be a long-term mission. Judy was a tool for her to use, if she did it correctly. A way to entertain Will with the sex he needed, while doing the rest of being close to him herself.

  Given everything, it would probably be forgotten how they met, once things clicked and were ongoing for a while. Maybe not. Even when the Dragon found out that she was an ex-demon, it was probable that there would be no specific fall out from it. After all, the only real trick was getting them into the same room with the information that they were both single and good people. At least for one of them. The woman.

  That would make it a lot easier for things to happen, since there was nearly no real risk for a decent looking woman in hitting on a man. The only real problems came if the man was gay or married. Even then, men tended to be polite about things like that. Women did as well. Most of them. Not as much as men did, of course.

  She walked out, heading toward the surface level, taking the stairs. Not that she needed the exercise. It was just going to be faster to move one level that way than to passively wait for a box to find her and do the work. Jogging a bit, since she wanted to be thought of as a high energy go getter at work, she was out front of the black glass covered building, standing next to Tyler G. the singer and song writer, as a handsome black limo pulled up, with his band inside.

  Two of them anyway. They had Scotty and Rebekah with them that day, which should work well enough. As they slid in, the Human looking Vampire woman smiled at her and touched her arm.

  “Steve is working today. He’s at the New Mexico Embassy… We can get him if you need?” She seemed nervous about the idea.

  Probably because, while a Greater Demon could have insisted that he be there, and their Council would allow it to prevent hard feelings, line travel was expensive. There was almost no other way for the Vampire to be there in time. Not unless he was going to run, under the blast furnace that was the sun. A thing that he wasn’t really able to do yet. Not in a timely fashion. It would have taken him hours to make the trip, even going one way. That was incredibly quick, even for a Vampire.

  Not top end though. He was in the line walker training as well, and might well be making it that way, so he could have moved himself around, or would be able to shortly. Which meant that bossing him around might not go over all that well.

  Plus, the New Mexico embassy only had three Vampires working at it. If he was there during the day, that meant his Ambassador was gone someplace. So he’d honestly be needed to hold his post there. Making frozen yogurt treats and handling disputes if they came up, which wouldn’t be happening during the daylight hours. Still, the doors should stay open, if at all possible.

  She grinned a bit.

  “He’s working the day shift there? That’s pretty big, isn’t it? He’s not old.” Not in any way. Especially for a Vampire.

  Scotty laughed, very gently.

  “He really isn’t. We should leave him there, if you don’t need us all for this today?” Instead of stiffening up, acting like he was about to die, the Vampire reached across
the seat, and patted her on the leg. Flirtatiously.

  Which was normal for him. At least with other people. It was very close to the first time they’d had any physical contact at all. It was nice, really. He pulled back after a moment, which was telling as well. There was still no fear in it. He clearly realized who she was, and for the first time, was just trying to treat her like he would anyone else. Without having his hand ripped off, if it wasn’t welcome.

  She kicked his leg, very gently, in response.

  “I think we can handle this part without calling him in to manage it for us. We go in, heal those people and maybe a few others… You’re paying for it, if that happens. All of it. Not really, but that’s the claim, so I don’t end up overwhelmed with requests. A million per person. If anyone asks, you all had to beg me to do this and it really only happened because I was at dinner with you last night when things took place. Something like that.” She waved then, which looked high handed of her.

  Rather than seem upset at her evil ways, Tyler reached out to touch her as well.

  “Got it. Still, I think we should clean out the children’s ward, if you have the time for that. Scotty will pay, right?”

  The words got a grunt.

  “Oh, sure, spend all my money like that, why don’t you? Oh, well, easy come, easy go…” He stopped then, and looked at Keels closely. “Wait… You’re actually doing this for free? I mean, I’ll pay for the kids, if that’s a thing. I just…”

  He seemed troubled for a bit then. Clearly thinking that it wouldn’t be right, an ex-Greater Demon doing anything even remotely friendly without asking for something huge in return. She had to admit, it felt pretty strange to her, too.

  Chapter nine

  Keeley had half expected the hospital staff would either ban her for stealing all their work, since they didn't believe in miracles and had no other category for fixing problems with the human body quickly, or they would bring every person they could past her. Especially the sick kids.

  Humans loved children as a rule and were willing, at times, to extend that age range of appreciation out years past when the little ones were still cute and adorable. Made that way by nature, so that their mothers and fathers wouldn’t abandon them in the forest as often, no doubt.

  Rather than either of those situations, the staff didn’t do much at all, simply going to the rooms of about half the kids and asking their parents if they wanted them to try the new treatment. The formerly crippled people that had been dropped into Living Proof’s back yard the night before were all being tested, since nothing was wrong with them any longer. That meant getting some x-rays, to prove that the broken bones had actually been repaired. Even if they had been.

  Keeley could understand that one, since the hospital wasn’t really ready for strange things to take place most of the time. The outer bruising, swelling and skin abrasions had all vanished though, along with the unfortunate paralysis that had taken hold of two of the drop-ins. That meant it would be worth it for the medical professionals to take a chance on charging for the extra pictures just then.

  They really weren’t going to get a whole lot more money from these people or their insurance providers, after all.

  In the end, she was taken to a rather brightly colored lounge that, while the walls were painted nicely enough with cartoon characters, all of them recognizable enough that there would be copyright claims being made if the wrong companies ever saw the decorations, still smelled of disinfectant and death. A mélange of a thousand chemicals, drugs and dry air.

  Living Proof, sans Steve York their bass player, stood there for a bit, looking at the large screen television, half used coloring books and broken crayons in a box that would have looked right at home in a truck stop back room. Waiting for a bored kid to write on the table top with. Really, considering it was a lounge for children and whoever ran the place was clearly trying their best to be fun and interesting for the sick kids, they hadn’t done a wonderful job. She could tell, since there were no tiny dying people in the place for them to annoy with their chatter and promises of good health.

  After five minutes of awkwardly standing there, not sitting or making themselves comfortable, since doing that could extend their stay and she at least had more to do later in the day, two kids came. Both wearing robes with hospital gowns on underneath. The girl had her pink robe tied shut rather primly in the front. The boy, who was older, probably near the age where they were going to kick him off the children’s ward, seeming about fifteen or so, had left his open.

  It wasn’t a good look.

  They were both bald, having had their heads shaved. Probably to hide the clumpy hair fall out and thinning from chemo. Moving forward, Keeley put a hand out to shake with both of the younger people. Mainly so she could grab a copy of the kid’s young lives. A thing that wasn’t going to be needed, if they were just going to die in the coming months anyway. Which, she had to admit, wasn’t her plan there at all.

  The girl, Sandra Nevins, had leukemia and really was about to die. As in, it was impressive that she’d gotten herself out of bed to walk the three doors down to see them. For her it was all about meeting Tyler Gartner though. Her fifth favorite singer. She tried to summon the energy to gush at him a bit. Possibly using a bit of pity to score a kiss on the cheek.

  That, using his illness to collect cuddles from famous people, especially women, was why Nathaniel Breen was there. Then, no one had said it might be about healing at all. Just that some kind of band had come and wanted to do a magic ritual on the kids. To his mind that meant a chance for some hugs and probably feeling up a woman or two, if he was able to subtly bump into them casually enough.

  He really wasn’t doing well either. The trick there was that the medical professionals didn’t know why he was sick. His head had been shaved, but the truth was that he didn't need to do that. Enough of the younger kids there had that going on that he’d done it himself, in solidarity. Not even to manipulate the people around him.

  His issue was in his bone growth. They were thin and too brittle, so any fall or stumble would end up with broken bones. At the same time his blood wasn’t transporting oxygen well enough. He was off the tank at the moment, but the truth was that he’d be feeling it in about half an hour, if he didn’t start using it again. At least that was what he expected.

  Ty waved at them, getting that no one else seemed to be coming.

  “We happened by with a healer and wondered if anyone here would want to give it a try? It might not work, but Living Proof is paying for it, so why not? It doesn’t seem to hurt or anything. Several paralyzed people can walk now and that’s just today.” He stopped then and half rolled his eyes. “Sorry, I’m Tyler, this is Scotty, Rebekah and Keeley. She’s the one doing the healing work. Really, she can do more than that, if you want your hair back? That or something cool like naturally purple eyes.”

  The words came out as a joke, with Nathaniel smiling at her.

  “Cool. I’d like to have bones that don’t break, blood that works and…” The kid, who was fifteen, glanced over at Sandra, who was eleven and shook his head. “Well, you can imagine the rest, I’m sure. If we’re doing everything that way.”

  She grinned then, meaning it. After all, the kid, like most boys his age, was more than a bit of a perv. Rather than embarrass him or the other kid, or the adults who were standing in the doorway, who were parents from the memories she’d cataloged from the kids, she just winked.

  “Got it. Really, we should leave you both mainly the same in looks, since being too distinctive isn’t that helpful. I mean, purple eyes are a thing, so that’s fine. No wings or anything hard to explain though. That would be a mess, feathers all over the place every time you rode in the car. Plus, I hear that molting itches like you wouldn’t believe.” She shook her head a bit, smiling enough that everyone else did it too.

  Nathaniel moved toward her, since even if she looked to be nearly thirty and was at best cute, he really didn’t want to miss out on th
e chance of making contact with her. A thing he kind of got to do, since she reached out and took his hand. That part wasn’t needed, since she redid the light show from the night before, this time with a nice blue and green cast to it, rather than the gold she’d used before. It simply matched the cheerful colors of the room better.

  The thin kid, who was fine enough looking, even bald, grew hair back. That was black and his eyes were actually a simple brown by nature. She left that part. His bone structure filled out as she modified it and for once she did a bit extra for the kid. Not that he was given incredible super powers or anything. The work mainly focused on his muscular strength which was raised a lot. On top of that his endurance was improved as well, as part of his new nature. Some other goodies were put in as well, just for fun. She wasn’t going to mention it, but there was a good chance that if anyone ever shot him, the bullet would simply bounce off. Mainly it was too simple to just change him into being healthy. Boring.

  There was some gasping when the others there saw his new form. Even if it was, from the outside, just him with four inch long hair and slightly better cheek bones thanks to the thickening and strengthening she’d done that way. His hair was styled nicely, considered she was doing the work on the fly.

  Rather than let herself be tackled into a hug, by the kids’ mother, she moved over to Sandra, the pale girl smiling at her.

  “So, this is real? Then I want to be a pony.” That got a laugh, if mainly from Scotty and Rebekah. Tyler just nodded.

  “That can be done, I bet. Still, the rules are that you need to keep things a bit more low key. So, hair and eye color, that kind of thing. Maybe a tail?” He smiled while glancing at Keeley, to let her know he wasn’t serious.

  The round-faced girl touched her own cheek, then looked determined. After a moment, she moved toward Keeley, with her hand out, since that had been how the whole thing had just worked for the boy with her.

  “Um… Do I have to list everything out loud?” The words were shy, and spoken in a tone that wasn’t meant to carry. As if she were embarrassed by what she really wanted.