Demons (Eirik Book 1)

by Ednah Walters

  “No, that’s movie crap,” Hayden said and laughed. “They definitely don’t come here and strut around in warrior-like clothes, saving the Earth with a bunch of superheroes.”

  “Immortals go to Asgard,” Tammy said. “No one knows how because only the chosen few do that. The majority of them live here and never leave. Most are hundreds and thousands of years old and never age. They work with the gods, who tell them what to do to protect mankind and the world.”

  Protect mankind from what? I hated being skeptical, but I had a serious problem with the idea of gods and Immortals in fancy places watching humanity suffer in the hands of evil men and doing nothing. Where were they when our kind was being burnt across Europe or persecuted in Salem? They could use their wealth to stop world hunger. Heck, if we were allowed to openly practice magic, the world would be a much better place.

  I kept my nasty thoughts to myself, went the diplomatic route, and listened without interrupting. I wasn’t my father’s daughter for nothing.

  Tammy painted Immortals and the gods as benevolent, protecting humanity without interfering with each civilization. I fought rolling my eyes, until she said, “The reason you didn’t see an aura today is because you went to their realm.”

  I blinked. “Say what?”

  “You went to the realm of the gods. That’s why your powers were off and you couldn’t project out of it. The magic there is strong and controlled by the gods.” Tammy leaned closer. “A lot of us would love to visit their realm.” She glanced at Hayden, who nodded enthusiastically. “But not like this. Not through projections. You are a young Witch and your powers haven’t peaked yet. If you got trapped there, you’d be lost forever.”

  She was getting to me now. I was still skeptical about the whole gods and Immortals thing, but I was listening. Anything that could take me away from my father had all my warning bells going off. I was going to a nearby college just so I could either commute from home or come home every weekend.

  “Okay,” I said slowly. “So, no auras means realm of the gods.”

  “That’s right. And in your case”—she glanced toward the living room as headlights hit the windows and a car pulled into our driveway—“you might have gone to Hel’s Hall.”

  “Hel’s Hall?”

  She sighed. “Your father is home, and this discussion is not for him or non-magical people. Hayden will explain.” She spoke faster and I struggled to keep up. “You said the prisoner mentioned Corpse Strand and screaming souls. Hel is where souls of those who die of old age and illnesses are sent. Corpse Strand is an island in Hel, where they send and torture souls of criminals, murderers, and psychopaths. And Hel is also the name of the goddess who rules it. She is powerful and tough. Her realm is freezing cold, and has giants and monsters—”

  The doorbell rang and we looked in that direction, but no one moved. What I’d heard sent a chill up my spine. Giants and monsters? Like the growling one in that cave? The conversation I’d overheard between the prisoner and his mother was zapping through my head faster than a torpedo.

  The doorbell sounded again. That was obviously not Dad. Hayden went to answer it while I sat there like a zombie, not sure whether to buy Tammy’s incredulous revelations or chalk it up to their obsession with Norse mythology. Zack’s deeper voice mixed with Hayden’s higher-pitched falsetto hit my ears as they drew closer.

  I leaned closer to Tammy and asked, “Is there a book out there about all this?”

  “The only books are written by non-magical people who still think the gods aren’t real. We’ll talk again tomorrow. Hello, Zack,” she added, looking over my shoulder. The smile and warmth in her voice surprised me. Usually, she was cool toward him. I’d assumed she didn’t like Zack because he liked Hayden.

  “Hi, Mrs. Ferrand.”

  Blowing out air, I turned to face my cousin. As usual, his shaggy brown hair was perfectly tousled. On a different day, I’d say he’d styled the hell out of it. Today, he’d been concerned for me and had probably run his fingers through it.

  In one arm, he held a large bag of caramel popcorn and in the other he had a two-liter bottle of pop. I loved caramel popcorn. Hayden was busy flipping through several DVDs. He must have brought those, too. It was a Monday and they were planning on hanging around?

  “Hey,” he said, his gaze searching my face.

  “Hey” sounded so lame after what I’d put them through. I got up and hugged him. “Sorry I embarrassed you in front of your friends.”

  He leaned back. “What friends?”

  “Your teammates. Trancing and falling flat on my face can’t be good for your rep.”

  “He has a rep?” Hayden asked.

  He threw her a glance over his shoulder. “A good one. And don’t forget she made chicken noises and flapped her arms. I’m never going to live that—”

  I elbowed him hard.

  “Ouch!”

  “That’s for making fun of me, you knucklehead,” I said. “And you better not have brought some lame-ass movies for us to watch.” I took the box of Kung Pao shrimp, dumped the contents into a bowl, and shoved it into the microwave. I totally forgot to cover it with a paper towel. I hated cleaning splattered foods. When I turned around and reached for a roll, the three of them were watching me with varied expressions. Despite his teasing, Zack was worried about me. Tammy was probably worried I might confide in Zack. “And yes, I’m fine. It was a simple vision and Dad’s on top of it.” Tammy visibly relaxed.

  “So it hasn’t happened yet?” he asked, frowning.

  “Nope, but if anyone can stop a crime, it’s Dad.”

  “Walk me to the car, Celestia,” Tammy said before anyone could respond. She hugged Hayden, gave Zack a brief smile, and followed me to the door. She waited until we were outside before saying, “Thank you for not sharing what I just told you with Zack. I don’t think he’s ready yet.”

  “I don’t think he’ll ever be ready,” I said, grinning.

  “Most men don’t like to embrace their spiritual side. The few that do end up being very powerful.” She frowned. “My Luka…” She sighed, then rubbed my arms. “I don’t know if Hayden talked to you about spending the night. I have back-to-back appointments that might take longer than usual.”

  Their home was above the shop, and Tammy often held séances on weekends, rarely on a weekday. Hayden helped her whenever she could, except when their clients didn’t want a teenager to know their business. Friday and Saturday night appointments often went until late, so Hayden tended to spend the night at my place. We rarely had sleepovers on Mondays.

  “You know she’s welcome here any time. She can tell me more about Norse gods.”

  “Good. I’ll drop off her things.” She glanced over her shoulder at the squad car still parked at the curb, then peered at me, her expression serious. “Remember what I told you about getting trapped there. Please, don’t attempt to go back and help that man. Whatever his problem is, let him find a way. If he is Hel’s son, you’ll be messing with a goddess.”

  Fear that she might be right had me nodding, but an inner voice reminded me I was the reason the prisoner was being starved. Me and his mouth. I’d never met a more stubborn guy in my life.

  “Promise me, Celestia,” Tammy added, her voice urgent. “This is not a joke. Hel is real and even though we don’t know a lot about her, she is a goddess. Powerful. And she is Loki’s daughter. And from what you told us, this is a family matter.”

  I nodded. “I promise.”

  “Good.” She stepped back and fished the keys from her tie-dyed Bohemian handbag. It was bulging with jars and pouches of charms, healing roots, powder, and creams. She always said it never hurt to be prepared. “Your grandmother would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you.”

  Had Grams known about the gods? Somehow, I doubted it. She would have told me. Grams hadn’t believed in babying people. Her bluntness was one of the reasons I learned to accept my gifts at an early age without freaking out. She was also t
he reason I stopped deluding myself about my mother coming back a changed Witch. I think it broke her heart that my mother—her daughter—had lost her mind.

  I stayed by the curb until Tammy pulled away, then approached the squad car. The window was rolled down before I reached it, and I smiled at the bald-headed man behind the wheel. Even though Officer Davies had become my unofficial driver after Dad became chief, I’d known him for years.

  “Good evenin’, Officer Davies,” I said. He was from Atlanta, Georgia and had the southern charm down to a science, so I tended to dial mine up a notch. “I hope Dad is not forcing you to stay out here for ma’ sake. It’s a weeknight and I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Evenin’, Miss Celestia,” Davies said. He waved to the guy behind the wheel. “Meet Sullivan. He’s fresh out of the Academy and a little green behind the ears, but we’ll teach him the dos and the don’ts of Windfall City soon enough. Sullivan, meet the chief’s daughter, Miss Celestia.”

  No wonder Dad had mentioned a younger officer. He already had one lined up. “Nice to meet you, Officer Sullivan. Would you two like something to drink? Fresh coffee? I’m not sure when Dad will be home.” Or why he’d left them behind.

  “Coffee would be nice,” Sullivan said and ignored Davies’ glare. “Black, no sugar.”

  “That’s not necessary, Miss Celestia. Are you going anywhere tonight?”

  So that was why Dad had left them outside the house. I wouldn’t dare go anywhere after what had happened earlier. Or maybe he was taking precautions in case I needed to be rushed to the hospital while he was gone.

  “No. We’re about to sit down and watch a movie.” Despite Davies’ protest, I went back inside with the intention of making them coffee. I knew how he liked his. Zack had already started munching on my Chinese food when I reached the kitchen.

  “Hey. That’s mine.” I snatched the bowl from under his nose. “Eat your beef.”

  He made a face, reached for one of the other boxes, and dumped its contents onto a large plate. He didn’t even bother to warm it. Just dug in. Ew. While I started the coffeemaker, Zack and Hayden headed to the living room.

  I didn’t care what movie they’d chosen because I wasn’t really going to watch it. I had homework, even though my thoughts were with the prisoner. Guilt for leaving him ate at me as I tackled my English paper, then the math. I couldn’t focus. How could I when there was a possibility that I’d actually projected into another realm? I was still a young Witch. Only powerful Witches visited the spirit world while in a trance.

  Of course, I was going to find a way to save the guy. I needed a guarantee that I would come back to my body, not end up in that icy cave again. Whatever I wore or carried often appeared with me in the astral plane. I’d done it with my backpack and once with a cup of chai latte. If I carried a journey charm, it should guide my spirit back to my body. There was only one person who could provide such a charm—Doctor B, the most powerful Witch in New Orleans.

  CHAPTER 5. HE KNEW ABOUT ME

  EIRIK

  The hunger pangs hit me hard the third day. To take my mind off food, I engaged pain runes, shed my shirt, and did crunches and push-ups until I was exhausted. The torch was barely a flicker. One more hour and I’d light the second one. I’d doused the second and third one to conserve the oil. After the third one, I’d be in total darkness.

  A creak sounded outside my door and I paused to listen. Guards changing? No, someone was touching the bolts on the door. I moved closer to the door, engaging healing, speed, and strength runes. This was it. I was taking down whoever was on the other side with every force I had, then heading to the west dungeon to find Viggo. I might not know where the hell that was, but I’d find it. Once he was out of this realm, I’d be in a better position to make a deal with my mother.

  The bolts snapped one after the other. I crouched low. The door opened slowly, but I was ready. It was another guard. I’d come to recognize their black outfits and cloaks. As soon as he stepped into the room, I flew at him, knocking him to the floor. Rage and the need to escape pulsed through me. I raised my fist and rammed it down.

  A hand locked around my hand and stopped me. “It’s me!”

  I stared down at my father. “Where have you been, and why are you dressed like a guard?”

  “It was the only way I could come down here unnoticed. As for where, it’s always better to let your mother get her way. Pull me up, Son. We don’t have much time.”

  I rolled off him, stood, and offered him a hand. Once up, he reached under his cloak, pulled out a water satchel, and opened the lid. I dove for it before he offered it to me and guzzled the water, some dripping down my chin to my chest.

  Water had never tasted so good.

  “Here,” he said, thrusting a piece of cloth in my hand. Inside it was a loaf of bread. I tore into it. The outside was hard, but the inside was soft, like French bread. It was still warm.

  “Your mother has a certain way of doing things that others may find cruel and unorthodox, but her heart is in the right place and she’s always right. This time, I think she’s gone too far. I have a plan. There’s a Grimnir who will lead you out of this realm,” he whispered. “You can trust him. For the last seventeen years, he’s given me news about you, even bringing me pictures of you and your friends.”

  I almost choked on the bread. I stopped eating and gawked at my father. “You’ve known where I was all these years?”

  “Shhh,” he hissed. “Keep your voice down. Of course, I knew where you were. I personally approved the Sevilles, and I made sure the Norns understood what I wanted. At the time, I felt they owed me. I’d assumed what your mother and I had was just a fleeting thing. An infatuation. I didn’t know she would come to mean everything to me.”

  I stared at him in shock, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying. First was the fact that he’d been involved in my kidnapping, then enabling my mother and her craziness because she was always right. Talk about whipped. And now this.

  “You had a Grimnir keep an eye on me?” I asked, speaking slowly.

  “He kept me updated on your welfare. Not the same thing. He showed me pictures of you and the Cooper girl. Is she your future mate?”

  “Raine? No. She’s my best friend. Cora is the one.”

  Disappointment flashed on my father’s face. “The blonde? She has no magic in her. Raine is the one. You could use her to help your mother see the errors of her ways.” He frowned. “Her plans are more dangerous than anything out there.”

  “Yeah, avenging her. No one fights the Norns and wins. Raine tried, but they keep coming up with better ways to torment her.” I finished the bread, grabbed my shirt from where I’d left it, and shrugged it on. “I wouldn’t want her fighting my battles.”

  “If she were your mate, your battles would be hers. A consort with her powers can be very helpful, just like your grandmother has been to your grandfather. There are so many things he would not have done if it weren’t for her.” He glanced toward the door. “We will discuss this later.” He unbuttoned the heavy coat while barking instructions. “This is what I want you to do. Give me a couple of minutes, then come out and head left. You’ll see a set of stairs heading toward the outer wall of the south tower and the roof. Take it to the ground level. You’ll know it’s the ground level because of the outside-facing windows. Check under the next set of stairs for a secret door. It’s easy to miss, but it’s there. It leads into the east armory. It’s unlocked. Use it. They’ll be waiting for you.”

  “They who?”

  “Two Grimnirs, a man and a woman. You should recognize the man. Most Grimnirs have tattoos, but this one’s violet eyes make him stand out. That and the fact that he is very discreet. He will help you across the Gjöll then lead you to the cave where Grimnirs create portals. There’s less magic there. Once you are back in Midgard, find your sister and bring her home.”

  If he’d reached out and gutted me, I would not have been more shocked. “Sister? What
sister?”

  He scratched his forehead. “Sorry to break it to you like this. I was planning on telling you about her when you turned eighteen, but you came here.” There was no censure in his voice this time. “The Norns didn’t just take you, Eirik. They took your sister, too, the night she was born and your mother was told she lost the baby. Norns take souls of babies for recycling and they claimed to have taken hers.” Anger flashed in his eyes. “They gave your mother a body to bury. That, coming on top of your disappearance a year before, pushed her over the edge. She’s never been the same. She blames the Norns for doing this to her. I’ve done everything to find your sister—with little success.”

  I had a sister. This changed everything. I stopped pacing when something else occurred to me. My father had sent me away.

  “Did you do this? Send her away, too?”

  “No.” His outrage sounded genuine. “I couldn’t do that to your mother again. I may have sent you away to keep you safe, but your sister was never in any danger. You were. You still are.”

  “Obviously. Look where I am.”

  My father shook his head. “You are not in danger from your mother. You never were. Someone else wanted to hurt you. She still does.” He moved to the door and looked outside. “One day, I’ll explain. Right now, remember what I told you. Once I leave, go left, head upstairs to the ground floor, and find the door under the stairs leading to the south tower. Rhys and his partner will be waiting for you. They are also the ones who’ve been searching for your sister. They will fill you in on what they’ve found. You’ll need this.” My father removed the heavy coat and put it around my shoulders, then pulled me in for a hug. “Find your sister and bring her home, Son,” he said. “It’s the only thing that will make your mother happy again, and she can stop this nonsense about your training and revenge.”

  “She’ll send Grimnirs after me,” I said.

  “Not this time. I’ll explain everything to her once you leave. She’ll be mad, but she’ll understand.”