by Tom Keller
FAE: GENERATIONS
Heirs of the Vegas Fae
By
Tom Keller
Also by Tom Keller
The Vegas Stories
Return of the High Fae
Of Gods and Fae
Twist of Fae
Not Just Another Fae
Night and Fae
Dedication
To Tee Jay, for being one of the legacy kids!
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved.
Book Cover design by Elizabeth Mackey Graphic Design
Edited by Dee McDaniel
Kindle Edition © 2017 Tom Keller
Las Vegas, NV USA
Acknowledgements
As usual, I'd like to thank everyone that helped make this book possible, especially my wife, Karen. Without her support this book would never have been written.
A Shout Out to Elizabeth Mackey for the cover design and Dee for editing. Thanks again to all my Facebook followers for hanging in with me.
Click HERE to sign up for my email list!
Table of Contents
Dedication
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
About the Author
Chapter 1
What have we gotten ourselves into? I asked myself as I tossed another flash-bang grenade into the corridor that led back to the warehouse. I could feel the bursts of magic fill the room as it went off. I waited a few seconds for it to finish before going through. Siegfried and Michael from the Neptune, and what was left of their team, including their Master Mage, Christopher Cox, followed. With some type of spell dampening our communications gear, Siegfried had sent the last of his Weres back to the perimeter to make contact with our back up. Until then, we were on our own.
Their team had been ambushed as soon as they made entry through the rear doors. We'd met resistance as well and one of my own Wizards had been injured. My father's Sky Fae had gotten him out and we'd kept going, showing up here just in time. The ambushers, not expecting an attack from within the warehouse, had been eliminated. With my father gone to find Diantha and the Mage I'd left with her, it was up to us to help those still fighting on the warehouse floor. The corridor was clear now, but from the sound of it, the battle was still in full swing. We'd known the op was going to be dangerous. What we hadn't known was that it had been a set-up from the beginning. They'd been waiting for us.
It had started as a joint operation against a group of dark Mages and their allies, including Goblins, but we'd run into Demons as well. We had our own Demons, of course, led by Rael: one of the original Fallen. The Fae were led by my father, a high Fae descended from both Demeter and Hades, and the Milagres, the owners of the Neptune Hotel and Casino here in Las Vegas. Meredith Milagre was the Queen of the Nereid and her family was one of the oldest in the Valley. Siegfried was her right-hand man and both he and Michael were warriors descended from Norse Fae.
Of course, we were involved as well. I work for the government. In the human world, I'm an agent of the External Affairs Bureau of Homeland Security, commonly known as the EAB; although I doubt you've ever heard of us. Run by a descendant of fallen Angels named Samson, the EAB has protected the country from the forces of dark magic since its formation. This is not something the government wants publicly known, if you get my drift. Although I'm a Fae, today I was wearing my agent hat.
Unlike some agencies, the EAB usually lets magical beings govern themselves. But within agreed upon parameters, of course. Like when humans get involved; meaning the non-magical, everyday normal kind. Or when things turn to shit, as was the case here. Someone had been bringing in Fae weapons from the other side; Dwarf swords, to be precise. And to make matters worse, they'd involved humans. Practicing dark magic is a crime in and of itself. That's one of the reasons our agency is around. We protect normal humans. Hell, we've been doing that since the birth of the country. But our other job is just as important. We keep them from knowing the magical world even exists. Not always an easy task; especially when the bad guys don't care. Bringing in Dwarf weapons was a sure way to get our attention. Unfortunately, we'd underestimated what we were up against.
We made our way down the corridor to the main floor of the warehouse and stopped near the open door. The sound of swords and magic, as well as more conventional weapons, filled the air. Hugging the wall, I took a quick peek, then pulled back and turned to the others. WTF? Were there any dark creatures from the Valley that weren't here?
"How many?" Siegfried asked.
"Let's just say it's a target rich environment," I said, checking the ammo in my rifle. "We're going to have to wing it until backup arrives. There's Demons, Mages and Goblins, even a few Trolls. I don’t where in the hell they dug those up from. They've got swords, guns, and bows too. Rael's folks are outnumbered. Super Demons or not, I don’t know how long they can last. One more thing. There's at least two more of those spider-like Demons I ran into getting here. Magic alone won’t work against them. Their carapace is too tough for most swords. You have to find the soft spots. A gun is probably best. I'll try and take them out, but if one gets close to you, watch out for their tails."
"Works for us," Michael said, unholstering a handgun and tossing it to the mage. He grasped his sword in his right hand and nodded at Siegfried before turning back to me. "Take the lead."
"Rael's in the middle with her two compatriots," I said, raising my rifle to the high ready position. "I've got two mags and a couple other goodies left. I'll go for anything that looks like it came from Tartarus. Cox can cover me and watch for the Mages directing them. You two get to Rael. We'll meet you there and hold the center until help arrives." I nodded to the Mage and stepped through the doorway onto the warehouse floor.
A target rich environment was an understatement. We were vastly outnumbered. Fortunately for us, the most powerful of our adversaries, the Mages were watching the battle of the Demons. For all I knew, they'd placed bets; and I had a feeling they weren't rooting for our side. Rael and her Demons were incredible warriors, but they were outnumbered. If this was Beelzebub's doing, he wasn't fooling around. She was up against at least six Demons her size, and a couple Troll-like things who towered over them weren't far away. I saw Siegfried and Michael sprint in her direction as I searched out my targets.
It didn't take them long to realize we were there. A dark-haired Mage flicked his wrist when he saw us and the two spider-like Demons I'd seen before began heading my way. I left him for Cox to deal with as I took aim and started firing at the Demons. Three round bursts sent pieces of the first one flying before it finally fell to the floor. I turned to fire on the other one, but it was too close. I dodged the tail as a pincer-like claw sent my gun flying. Rolling to the side, I pulled my sword; hacking at its limbs as it tried to stab me. Spying an opportunity, I dove, and slid between the thing's
legs, leaving it hissing and spitting in anger. Jumping up before it could turn back, I slashed where it's head met the hard chiton, my sword finding its way between the spaces in the shell. Its limbs swung wildly as the head fell, and whatever it had for blood spewed out in all directions. Covered in gore, I wiped my eyes and retrieved my rifle. With no more Demons from Tartarus in sight, I looked back to see how the Mage was doing.
"Nice," I said, watching as whatever magic he had conjured up turned his opponent into ashes. I guess he was the Master Mage of one of the oldest Fae families in the Valley for good reason.
"We were lucky that the others are focused on Rael," he said with a deep breath. He bent over, his hands on his knees, then shook and straightened up. "He was not without skill. I cannot face too many of his caliber alone. He was more adept than expected."
"Then it's a good thing dark Mages aren’t our only problem," I replied, pointing across the floor where Goblins and human lesser Mages armed with swords were swarming out of a side passage. He started to weave a spell, but I shook my head and tossed him my rifle. "Save your strength. There's a full mag there. Make it count. The others need you more than I do. I'll handle this bunch. "
"What are you going to do?" he asked, wiping blood off the stock before lifting it to his shoulders.
"Just get to Siegfried and Michael," I replied. We'd never worked together and I doubt he knew what I was capable of. I pulled my sword and switched into my Fae persona. I may not be a High Fae like my father, but as Protector of the Realm of our home in Fae, I had a few aces up my sleeve.
To be honest, the Goblins and lesser Mages weren't really a problem on their own, as I slowly began making my way through their numbers. Even with Dwarf swords they lacked the skill of real warriors. The problem was, they were keeping me from getting back to the others, which made me think. I held that thought as I stepped to the side to avoid a sword, and followed up with a thrust of my own; skewering the punk that had come up on me. If someone had gone to all this trouble to get to Rael, why were the Demons from Hell the only ones attacking her? The dark Mages were still holding back. They hadn’t sent their own forces into the fray. Sure, they were harassing us, but why weren't they attacking in force? They had to know that Goblins alone were no match for us. And where was my father? I know he was focused on finding the dark Fae in charge, but he should have been back with Diantha by now. I picked up my pace and finished the few Goblins that were still within reach, then looked to see how the others were doing.
Michael and Siegfried hadn’t quite made it to Rael, but they'd been busy. There were a slew of dead Goblins, lesser Mages, and even a few Fae warriors at their feet, and they were still fighting. Cox had made it close to them and was trading bursts of magic with a couple of dark Mages on the walkway up above. One of them spotted me and grinned. He stepped back, threw another fireball at our mage, then pointed to someone behind him and flicked his wrist. Oh shit, I thought to myself, as Fae archers once again began to line up along the handrail. So much for not attacking in force.
Cox saw the archers as he blocked the dark Mage's latest attack. He sank down to his knees. Raising his arms, he cast a screen of magic above the three of them. I ran his way and dove, sliding under the glittering shield as the first batch of arrows and the occasional bullet bounced off. I came up, sword in hand, and took out two Goblins that were almost on him. Another wave of arrows was deflected as we fought, then I shifted my focus back to the main floor as the rest of the dark forces finally decided to pay us notice.
"Little help here!" Michael said, suddenly facing a Rock Troll that had joined the fray. Sparks flew into the air as his sword bounced off its almost impregnable hide. Siegfried tried to get to him, but was held up when two lesser Mages who had been watching the Demons battle, brandished swords and attacked.
I reached into a pocket and pulled out one of the goodies I had left. It was something given to me by my sister, Nikki, the Queen of the Dryad. It was a piece of old magic; something reserved for those who ruled to always have a way home. Taking a cue from something my father had once found, I realized it was also the perfect weapon to use against a Rock Troll, even though that wasn't its intended use. I tossed the small piece of oak root cutting toward the thing, and then uttered a few words in German. "Grosser werden." I could have used one of several different phrases, but the root got the message.
As it sailed toward the Troll, it adjusted its trajectory and struck dead center. Michael jumped back as the root enveloped the creature. Hundreds of years of root growth occurred in seconds. Technically, it was a vastly sped up process called mechanical weathering; but that’s just a fancy scientific term to describe the magic of life as nature takes its course. The roots grow into the soil, digging into the dirt and crumbling rock to create a stable foundation. Life for a tree that is. For a Rock Troll? Not so much. The roots burrowed deep into the stone hide of the creature; and within moments, nothing was left but a nice size pile of gravel. I scooped up the root as it collapsed back into itself; returning to the small cutting it had once been.
"I don’t remember seeing one of those on the EAB approved weapons list," Michael said, as we backed up to where the Mage was still conjuring the shield spell, protecting us from our enemies above. Unfortunately, they weren't our only problem.
"Yeah, well… I won't tell if you won’t," I replied, pocketing the root as Siegfried met up with us. We took defensive positions around Cox as the rest of the Mages, Goblins, and Demons finally decided to take notice of us and began to close in.
"Odin owns us all!" Siegfried yelled, raising his own sword, the legendary +VLFBERHT+ markings blazing red as he lunged toward the first Demon that came within reach. He dispatched the winged creature, its surprise at his ferocity evident as its black eyes widened, gazing down at the blade as it pierced its black heart before toppling over. Then, we were fighting for our lives as we fought back to back, the circle closing as we tried to protect the Mage that defended us from the arrows and bullets above. It didn’t take long before we racked up a decent body count, but it was clear that we couldn’t keep this up for long. There were just too many of them.
I was finishing off two Fae warriors that had come out of nowhere, when I looked up to see some form of mountain Troll raise a fighting axe toward me. I began to bring up my own weapon to block the attack, but I knew I was going to be too slow. As I braced for the impact, the Troll suddenly burst into flames and a blurred form snatched the axe out of the air. A dark grey wolf with a brown tint to her ears suddenly appeared next to me and dropped the axe at my feet and leapt back into the fight. It was Jazzy. Our backup had finally arrived.
"Any of that blood yours?" Jesse, the EAB Wizard asked, as he appeared between me and a band of Goblins. He pitched a fireball into the group and they disappeared in a wall of smoke and flame. Then he pivoted, raining a hail of blue fire toward the second floor before he disappeared, appearing a second later at Cox's side, helping the Mage to his feet as more EAB agents and the rest of our teams began to show up on the warehouse floor.
"I hope not," I replied with a grin. "What took you so long?"
"We got held up outside," he replied, twisting his left hand behind him and throwing a ball of blue fire at a lesser Mage coming our way. He fell to the floor, jerking, as arcs of electricity covered him. "Tell you about it later, but I need to get back out there so we can finish this. There are two dark Mages that seem to be controlling this bunch. Browne and O'Malley's people with the local PD have them pinned down, but they know their shit. We need another Master Mage to break through their spell and make sure they don’t get away. Can you and Jazzy cover us? I'm going to feed Cox some power as we go, which means we have to move on foot. I'll need you to cover my back."
Browne was an EAB mage, and also my immediate supervisor at the agency. Jesse was a Wizard, not a Mage. Yes, there's a difference, but it doesn't matter now. He is very adept at magic, even if he was a tad unconventional at times. For example; there wer
e few Wizards or Mages that would share their power with another, unless they were members of the same guild, since it would weaken them to do so, but that's just the way he was. Of course, when you're the son of the Chief Sorcerer of the EAB, folks kind of expect more out of you. Hell, I could relate to that. As could Jazzy, who took that moment to return. Her father was Pack Master of the local Weres. She showed up next to me, blood dripping from her muzzle, as Siegfried and Michael huddled beside us.
"Go!" Siegfried said, grabbing me by the shoulder. "Make sure they get there safely and end this. We will attend to Rael." Then they were off, jumping back into the fray to reach the fallen angel.
Getting out was a lot easier than getting in. I grabbed my rifle from the floor as Jesse threw me Jazzy's travel bag and we headed out. Taking the lead, I went back through the building to where I first met Siegfried and Michael. Except for a few junior Mages and Goblins who were easily overcome, we made it to the rear without further incident. As Jesse and Cox ran to where the rest of their magical team was set up, I looked over at Jazzy, who had shifted back into human form.
"Gawd! Goblins taste like shit!" she said, bending over. Her ebony body was covered in sweat and gore as she retched onto the asphalt of the parking lot. Standing up, she pointed at her bag. "Water… "
I reached in, grabbed a bottle, and tossed it to her as she heaved again.
"Can you at least try not to puke on me," I said, jumping back.
"As if anyone would notice," she replied, rinsing her mouth. "You think this stinks? Try it with wolf senses." She stuck a finger in her mouth and pulled out a piece of something. Wrinkling her nose, she examined it before tossing it to the ground. "That's disgusting! I need to floss."
