Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Acknowledgments
Cindi Madsen
www.crescentmoonpress.com
Demons of the Sun
Cindi Madsen
ISBN: 978-1-937254-77-3
E-ISBN: 978-1-937254-78-0
© Copyright Cindi Madsen 2012. All rights reserved
Cover Art: Taria Reed
Editor: Judy Roh
Layout/Typesetting: jimandzetta.com
Crescent Moon Press
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Box 269
Middletown, NJ 07748
Ebooks/Books are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Crescent Moon Press electronic publication/print publication: September 2012 www.crescentmoonpress.com
To my dad, for letting me watch action movies with him,
and to my mom, for giving me her love of romance.
Now I get to combine the best of both worlds.
Chapter One
The scent of decay hung in the air, along with a prickling, something’s-not-right sensation that set every nerve in Persephone’s body on edge.
One hand over her nose and mouth, the other gripping her sword, she cautiously made her way down the hall.
A gray, fuzzy lump sat at the end of it. Another dead rat. Beady eyes closed to slits, feet up, pink tail trailing out on the hardwood floor. His disgusting teeth stuck out past his smile, like his demise hadn’t bothered him in the least.
Grinning in the face of death. You gotta respect that.
Persephone nudged the filthy creature with the toe of her shoe. Death confirmed. She shuddered, leaned her sword against the wall, and blew out her breath, feeling the last of the tension drain from her body.
I was freaking myself out over nothing. Well, not exactly nothing, because now I have to go find a trash bag and get rid of the nasty thing.
It was nice to be loved by a cat and all, but felines had the worst taste in presents. And the stench! Did he drag this one from the sewer?
Knowing Turtle, her tortoiseshell cat, would be offended if she didn’t mention his “gift” right away, she opened her mouth to call for him. The words froze on her tongue as a waft of cool air hit her.
She stared at the open space between her protective wooden door and the frame it should have been nestled against, panic clutching at her heart.
There were ridiculous amounts of rules for a Sentry to remember. In her seventeen years, Persephone had heard or read them countless times, until she lived and breathed them. The most important one—one she never forgot—was keeping the perimeter secure at all times. Take every precaution. Double check every lock. Don’t leave any room for error.
Or you might be dead before you realize your mistake.
Persephone hadn’t made a mistake, though. Thirty minutes ago, when she’d come home, she’d engaged the deadbolt with a comforting click.
Muscles tensed, she remained perfectly still, listening, waiting. She’d always known this moment might come. She’d prepared for it. Only now her heart was pounding, her throat had gone dry, and she felt like she might be more ready to vomit than attack.
Do I go back for the sword in the hall, or do I—
The floorboard creaked behind her and to the left. She dove for the short sword hidden behind the peace lily she kept by the door. In one fluid movement, she drew the sword and swung toward the noise.
The culprit jumped back, barely dodging the tip of her blade. His eyes widened. And it was a he. Not a disgusting beast like she assumed it would be. That explained why he hadn’t tripped any of the demon alarms. She registered blond and a blur of long limbs, but didn’t pause to get more.
Sword out, she charged.
“Wait!” he yelled.
She wasn’t stupid. Waiting wasn’t an option.
He dodged left and drew a blade of his own. Metal clanged against metal as he blocked her next blow. “There’s been a mistake!”
“You’re mistake was breaking into my house!” Persephone swung again.
He slammed his wider, longer sword against hers, and the hit vibrated through her hands. She tightened her grip, desperate to keep her weapon.
He brought his blade down again, harder. Her sword fell to the ground and skittered across the floor. His gaze dropped to it, and Persephone sent her fist into his nose, followed closely by a swift kick to his gut.
He grunted, doubling over. Then he ducked his head and charged.
Lights flashed across her vision as her head hit the wall. She reached for something—anything. Her hand found the lamp on the side table.
His warm breath hit her face. “Look, if you’ll just—”
She swung the lamp at his head. A loud crash filled the air as it shattered against his skull.
He stumbled back, shaking broken bits of glass from his hair.
Persephone sprang at him. They fell onto the edge of the coffee table, and the other end flipped up, smacking into Persephone. She rolled to the ground, holding her head and blinking to clear her vision.
But there wasn’t time for that. No way was she going to let him take what he’d come for. She’d vowed to protect it with her life, and she would. Ignoring the pain shooting through her skull, she scrambled to her feet.
The intruder was getting to his.
Persephone dove on top of him, pinning him to the floor. She ran her hand underneath the couch, searching for the dagger she’d stashed there. Her fingers groped for the handle…Got it!
She whipped out the weapon and pointed it at his throat. Her chest heaved up and down as she peered down at her attacker.
“Your necklace,” he said through ragged breaths.
The gauzy white teardrop stone had slipped from under her shirt and dangled over his nose.
“It’s Chalcedony. Meaning you belong to
the Order of Zeus. I know because I have one, too.” Keeping his movements slow, he reached inside his shirt and pulled out a thick silver chain. In the center hung a flat circle of chalcedony. His was bluer than hers, but she’d studied the stone enough to recognize it.
“How much do you know about what’s going on right now?” he asked.
“Right now, all I care about is why you broke into my house,” Persephone said.
“Care to lower the weapon and let me up so we can have a civilized talk?”
Now that the adrenaline rush was fading, she could take in more details. His bright blue eyes. The swelling starting in his nose from her jab. The blond, wavy hair framing his face. The blood trickling from the cut on his forehead. And not only was he a he, he was a good-looking he.
“Are you going to let me up?” he asked. “Or do I have to show you how easily I could free myself?”
Persephone narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m stronger than I look, you know.”
“I got that. My nose got it, my head got it, and my back got it. But in case you couldn’t tell, I’m well-trained.”
“Sorry. I didn’t get that at all.”
His hand shot to her wrist, then he rolled, pinning her. He wrenched the blade out of her hand and tossed it aside. She jerked, fighting to get free, but he kept her down. Irritation ran through her. She was used to being the strong one.
“I got some demon energy from your place, so I broke in. There have been a lot of attacks in this area, and I’m just trying to do my job. My fight’s not with you.” He stood and extended a hand toward her.
Ignoring it, she got to her feet and stepped back, keeping plenty of space between them. Just because he had a stupid stone and belonged to the Order didn’t mean she trusted him. Her family had misplaced their trust before. Which was why none of them were here anymore.
His eyebrows shot up. “Well?”
“Well what?!”
“Well, are you going to tell me who you are?”
She crossed her arms and glared.
“Fine. I’ll go first. My name is Jax. Sorry about wrecking your place, but like I said, demon energy.”
“I’m Persephone. And yes, you did wreck my place.”
“Any ideas on why I’m getting the demon vibe here?”
Persephone knew why, but she wasn’t about to tell him. “I had a voodoo priestess come in and perform some warding spells for me. They keep the house hidden from demons and give me a warning if they come near. In hindsight, I should’ve had her do one to keep away obnoxious, cocky guys, too.”
“You associate with someone who does voodoo?” he asked, an appalled expression on his face. “They draw their powers from darkness.”
“Not all of them. They’re just like everyone else. Some are good, some are bad.” She raised an eyebrow. “So, what are you?”
“Good of course.”
“Not what I meant.”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “You’re all business, aren’t you?”
“Pardon the hell out of me, but people breaking into my house and attacking me tend to make me cranky.”
“You’re pardoned.” The smug look on his face made it clear he thought he was hilarious. “I’m sorry about the attacking, but technically, I was ready to attack, then tried to stop when I saw you weren’t a demon. You were the one who wouldn’t listen.”
“Just like I’m not going to listen now.” She pointed to the door. “Time for you to go.”
“Hey now. How often do you come across another person who even knows about demons? Or the Order of Zeus?”
“Never, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
He flopped down on the couch and spread his arms along the top like he owned the place. “So, I’m a Warrior, obviously. What are you?”
“Pissed off,” she said through clenched teeth.
He grinned, which just pissed her off more. “I’d guess Warrior, but then I’m sure I’d already know you, not to mention you’re way too short and scrawny to be a Warrior. Which must make you one of the Assembly. Strong for an Assembly girl, but that’s my guess.”
The Assembly sat around talking. She wished she was one of the Assembly. But no, she was a Sentry. The last one. Hiding out here in New Orleans, guarding an object she hoped most people believed was folklore.
Persephone sat on the couch, as far away from Jax as possible. As annoyed as she was he wouldn’t just leave, there was something about him that made her feel safe. Probably the height and all the muscles.
With his arms spread out on the top of the couch like that, she could see the definition in his biceps. The way his shirt clung to his chest.
What in the River Styx is wrong with you? Stop checking him out and focus. “Okay, so now you know why you got the demon vibe, you can go find out where they really are.”
“No can do,” he said. “I’m getting the very strong impression that you need my protection.”
“Whoa, go ahead and put the shining armor away. The last thing I need is your protection.”
Jax leaned forward and locked eyes with her. “I’m going to have to trust my instincts on this one. It’s obvious you’re alone, or someone would’ve come running in by now. And I can tell you’re not used to being around other Order members, which makes me realize my Assembly guess was wrong. So tell me the truth, and if I buy it, I’ll consider leaving you alone.”
Persephone clenched her jaw. “Look, I don’t know how to get it through your thick skull, but I don’t need you. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. And you’re wrong about me being alone. I’ve got Turtle to keep me company.”
Jax’s eyebrows drew together. “Turtle?”
“My cat.”
On cue, Turtle jumped onto the back of the couch. The big tortoiseshell growled at Jax, then leapt onto Persephone’s lap. She ran her hand down his back and scratched under his chin. “A little late, don’t you think?”
He mewed, then dug his nose into her jeans and started to purr.
Amusement flickered across Jax’s features. “Forgive me. It’s clear you and your fierce cat have it all under control.” His expression dropped back to serious. “Something led me here tonight, Persephone. I thought it was the demon vibe, but now I’m thinking it was more than that. I think it was you. Everything in me is screaming to not leave you alone.”
“Well, everything in me is screaming for you to go.” She crossed her arms. “And since it’s my house, my screaming wins.”
He stood. For a second she regretted her words because part of her wanted him to stay for a little while. If only to have someone besides Turtle to talk to. Jax clearly knew about demons and the war that had been waged for centuries. He would probably even know about her mission if she told him who she was. Maybe he could help.
No. You can’t trust a complete stranger.
Working to keep her voice firm, she said, “Goodbye, Jax. Next time, knock.”
He walked in the opposite direction of the front door and went into the tiny kitchen area. Light glowed off his face as he opened the freezer and peered inside.
“What are you doing?” she asked, straining to see him.
“You don’t have any vegetables in here.” He pulled something out of the freezer, came around the couch, sat next to her, and pushed a frozen burrito to the tender spot on the side of her face. “This should help with the swelling.” His blue eyes bored into her. “And just so you know, I’m not leaving until I get the truth. My instincts are never wrong, and they’re not wrong now.”
The way he looked at her was unsettling. The way he looked period was unsettling. For months she’d been on her own, which was why she desperately wanted to trust him. But with what was at stake, she didn’t think the desire to trust him was enough.
She opened her mouth. Then closed it again. Then opened it. Then frowned.
With his free hand, he looped a finger through the chain of her necklace and lifted it in front of his face. His eyes widened and
he lowered the burrito. “Are you…?” His scrutiny made it hard not to squirm. “You’ve got it don’t you? Hades Dagger?”
Chapter Two
Fear flashed through Persephone’s eyes, and Jax knew he was right. This tiny, feisty girl who’d given him more of a fight than most of the Warriors he sparred with was a Sentry. Not just any Sentry either. The Sentry who had the dagger.
Persephone dropped her gaze to the mutt of a cat curled up in her lap. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Jax put his hand under her chin and tipped her head up. “I’ll keep your secret. In fact, I’m your new bodyguard.”
She smacked his hand away. “I don’t need a bodyguard, and what you’re talking about is a myth. No one believes that stupid story.”
The girl was beyond hostile. And cute. Pale blonde streaks twisted through her dark brown hair. Her gray eyes cut through him, and he had no doubt, even if he hadn’t held back during their fight, she could’ve given him a run for his money.
“It’s more than a story.” His grandma had told him the story—a story not many people believed anymore—about a dagger formed in Hell. A dagger that gave demons the ability to walk in the sunlight. A dagger no human could touch without being burned. Until Athena came down and gave the power to a group of Sentries. Then a battle ensued, the Sentries got hold of the dagger and went into hiding. The war never completely went away, but it had never been that bad again. Lately, though, demon activity was at an all time high. With the resurgence came whisperings that Hades had something big in the works.
“I know the dagger exists. And you do, too, I can see it in your eyes.” Since touching her seemed to set her on edge, he scooted closer. “Now that I know who you are and that you need”—the muscles along her jaw clenched and he quickly revised— “I mean, that extra protection could help reinforce your obvious strength, I can help you. You don’t have to do it alone.”
Her eyes met his, and he thought he saw a glimmer of hope. But it disappeared before fully catching hold.
“You need to go,” she said. “Forget you met me, and I’ll try my best to forget you. Although the knot on my head and my trashed living room is going to make that pretty difficult.”
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