Demon's Dream (High Demon Series #6)

by Connie Suttle

  "Is this my meal?" A dark-haired man appeared at Ceerah's side. She almost shrieked at his sudden appearance, and backed away immediately.

  "Go ahead and run, you won't get far," Maldak smiled. "I will not hesitate to take you. You brought harm to the Lifegiver." Ceerah turned and ran. Maldak folded after her, appearing before her as the Copper Ra'Ak. Ceerah screamed before she was bitten in half and swallowed in two bites.

  "Quick and effective," Tony sighed. Gavin nodded in agreement.

  Chapter 14

  "They're gathering allies. The rogue Copper Ra'Ak have already gotten on board," Pheligar held a three-dimensional image of Xordthe above the table. Most of the Saa Thalarr were there, listening. A careful plan was being laid out for them, in order to trap as many rats as possible in a single move.

  Did Cynthin think her world wasn't being tapped a second time? She'd accepted the advances from Reldill and Naldill, after being ousted as president. "Others are being approached by the allied elf brothers and rogue Ra'Ak. We will see what their answer is." Pheligar was content to wait. The Wise Ones said only a short time would be needed. Pheligar smiled. As a Larentii, he'd always stood on the sidelines, never having gone into battle before. But now—the Head of the Larentii Council had listened to the Wise Ones and given permission. Pheligar and several others were looking forward to this.

  * * *

  "They have offered a way off the planet," Perdil hissed in Zendeval's ear. Zendeval lifted an eyebrow. He'd been King of Nrath for twenty-five thousand years. Yidrizin still worked as his Prime Minister; Perdil acted as advisor. Sometimes Zen listened to the dwarf. Sometimes.

  "And how do they propose to do this, and what do they expect from us in return?" Zendeval asked, looking the two over that had come to him. They didn't seem like much; light hair, pointed ears, green eyes. One held power; the other did not.

  Yidrizin had taught Zen many things through the millennia. One of those things was how to recognize power. Like the High Demons, power held no sway against the Greater Demons. Once, Kings, rulers and despots had approached the Greater Demons, specifically for that talent. None could harm them with power if their Greater Demon guard stood by their side.

  "We ask your help in bringing down a High Demon," the one without power announced. "And we will see that you are transported anywhere you choose to go afterward."

  "High Demon?" Zen displayed mild interest. "I need more information than that. They are very powerful, these High Demons."

  "But this is only a female. Weaker than the males, most likely," Naldill smiled.

  "The name of this High Demon female?" Zen's eyebrow lifted.

  "Reah," Naldill smiled.

  "Kill them," Zendeval pointed at the elves and growled.

  * * *

  "As soon as we're finished killing Reah and our brother, we're coming back for that filth," Naldill attempted to wrap the slice on his arm. He wasn't having much luck with it, one-handed. Reldill had escaped with only a few bruises when he'd grabbed his brother and folded away. He'd known how far back to stand from the Greater Demons, in order to retain his power. It had taken everything he had anyway, to escape Nrath with his brother.

  "At least that bitch Ceerah distracted our brother for a few days, so we could make preparations. She was going to plead guilty. It wasn't easy, either, placing glamour on that fool she had for legal counsel. Too bad she doesn't know we can't get to Evensun. She'll just have to rot there," Naldill muttered.

  "Father should never have treated us this way," Reldill snapped. "You should have been named heir. It was your right. That is how it should have been."

  "We'll be stronger after this, brother. These Ra'Ak were just waiting for someone to lead them from the shadows. We'll take over. See how Father likes it when he's facing a hungry Ra'Ak."

  "You think they'll get past the barrier surrounding Gaelar N'Seith?"

  "What's to keep them out? Father won't bother, and Lendill is a half-blood. He doesn't have the strength," Naldill huffed. "We'll get through and then we'll watch the others flee before us."

  "Is that what we want?"

  "Reldill, you have strength but you lack vision," Naldill slapped his brother on the back. "Stay with me. We'll get my power back and I'll rule as was intended. Meanwhile, Xordthe waits. We'll begin our reign there."

  * * *

  "Just lie back, Dad's going to check on the baby. This is nearly six months, you know."

  "He's fine, stop bothering him. And me." Yes, I was grumpy. The baby was growing, but he wasn't moving around as much as I'd like. I was worried, but too afraid to say anything about it. Kevis had my jeans pulled off my belly, my shirt up to my armpits and Karzac was wiping his hands after washing them in my bathroom sink.

  "Reah, it won't take long and we won't hurt either of you," Karzac soothed. My right hand shook as I covered my eyes with it. Teeg walked into the room; I could tell by the footsteps. Karzac put his hands on my belly. They were cool against my skin.

  "Not much room to move around," Karzac muttered. What did that mean? Kevis took my hands and held them over my head. What was he doing? "Reah, the baby is growing fast now, and he needs more room to move around. I've called Renegar and Lenigar; they're going to help with this."

  "What are they going to do?" Karzac was scaring me. What did he mean; the baby didn't have enough room to move?

  "Reah, look at me," Kevis' face hovered over mine. "Your body is small, and Gavril is a big man. The baby is growing really fast now. The Larentii can give him more room to move and grow."

  "But I never had trouble with the twins," I said, shivering.

  "I know. But that was twenty years ago, and your body didn't react so well when the last ones were born. The infection after the bite here didn't help." He touched my shoulder where Zendeval Rjjn had bitten me. "There is uterine scarring left from your last pregnancy, Reah. We're going to fix this. Just stay calm and trust us, all right?" Ren and another Larentii showed up, as did Nefrigar. I heard Karzac say words like adhesions and infection. I was terrified.

  "Reah," Ren's face replaced Kevis'. "Teeki and Neeki did what they could for you when you were bitten, but they only protected the baby inside the sac. Your womb didn't react well to the infection, and it has lost some of its elasticity. We're going to fix that. Keeping you in a healing sleep has been difficult, lately, if you wanted to break out of it. I'm telling you now that we'll make this as painless as possible, and Garwin Wyatt will not be harmed. Now, you said you loved me, remember? You need to trust me, too. We'll try to make this as easy as possible, but there may be some discomfort if you break away from the sleep. Understand? Just lie still if you do wake, all right? Do this for me and for Nefrigar." I nodded as tears threatened.

  Nefrigar knelt next to my head and began trilling—the song the Larentii usually sing for the mothers who carry Larentii babies. Usually it puts me right to sleep. I was too terrified this time. Large blue fingers settled against my forehead and Nefrigar placed a healing sleep.

  * * *

  "She's out. Move." Karzac snapped. Lenigar, who had several hundred thousand years of experience with mothers and babies, put two long blue fingers inside Reah's vagina, after removing her clothing with power. Ren, who was perhaps the most talented Larentii healer, placed both hands on Reah's abdomen, placing the child in stasis. It would take both of them working, with Reah lying still and calm, to bring the womb back to normal.

  "Don't freak," Kevis said to Gavril as he gripped the edge of Reah's dresser. Nefrigar had both of Reah's hands enclosed in his, in case she moved. The others were waiting outside in the hallway. Kevis had noticed the lack of movement from the baby for the past three weeks. He'd hoped it was a normal cycle. It wasn't, so he'd called his father.

  "What's he doing?" Gavril was shaking.

  "Regenerating the womb cells. She wasn't treated properly after she was bitten, and the infection, combined with the scar tissue from her last pregnancy caused damage. The womb doesn't have sufficient
elasticity, now. Lenigar is taking care of that."

  "Are they going to be all right?"

  "I think so, but Reah should take it easy for the rest of this pregnancy. We'll see how things turn out with this birth, and we'll know then if more repairs are necessary."

  "She's moving," Gavril reached out a hand as Reah moaned.

  "Reah, hush, darling. It's all right," Kevis said softly, touching Reah's forehead. "Go back to sleep, love. We'll take care of you." Karzac blinked at his son but never said a word. Nefrigar began to trill again while Kevis placed as much of a healing sleep as he could.

  More than a click later, Lenigar removed his hand and cleaned a bit of blood away with power. Renegar took his hands away, removing the stasis he'd placed on the baby. Garwin Wyatt moved immediately—they all saw Reah's belly bulge and then relax before bulging again.

  "Look at that," Gavril went to his knees.

  "No sex for four weeks," Karzac said. "And no strenuous movement. Exercise in the pool only."

  * * *

  "Is the water warm enough?" I woke to those words. I felt sore. My lower half was aching. I moaned.

  "We'll take care of that, just give us a minute," Teeg's chin was the main thing in my line of vision. I closed my eyes and when I opened them again, we were in the pool. The water was warmer than usual. "Baby, do you have pain? Do you need Kevis to come? Or one of the others?"

  "I ache," I tried to get away from him.

  "No, no, baby. Stay with me," he murmured softly. "Kevis is coming. He'll take care of that."

  "What's all this about?" I was still trying to get away from Teeg. Mostly I was trying to escape the worsening pain, when Kevis showed up.

  "You're just achy because things are stretching that weren't before," Kevis soothed, putting his hands on me. I was naked—didn't anybody ever think to put me in clothes?

  "Yeah? Next time you have the baby. We'll talk then," I snapped.

  "Reah, just relax, all right? I'm taking it away," Kevis' hands moved carefully over my belly and then slipped between my legs. I jumped. "Reah, stay still," Kevis' voice was calm and even. "Close your eyes. Feel how warm the water is? We did that for you. Let us take care of you. We will. We won't let you go. We're right here." Why had he said that? The minute he said they wouldn't let me go, I was sobbing in Teeg's arms.

  "What's wrong? Reah, tell me. You can tell me," Kevis was stroking my hair. I just clung tighter to Teeg.

  "Reah? What's the matter with my little sweetheart?" Edward had come. I heard other voices behind him—Lendill, Ry, Farzi, Nenzi, Lok, Aurelius, Astralan, Cory, where had they come from? What were they doing here?

  "You're wrong," I struggled to get out of Teeg's grasp, now. "The minute Kifirin crooks his finger, you'll all let me go." I skipped away amid shouting.

  * * *

  "I want to punch you, god or no god," Edward hissed at Kifirin.

  "Just hold off on that," Belen appeared beside Kifirin. "Granted he deserves it, but we won't condone violence just yet."

  "Where's Reah?" Gavril demanded. "She's terrified that he'll fuck her around again," he jerked his head at Kifirin. "Make all of us forget her again. He could, and we'd be powerless to do anything about it. I warn you," he waved a finger at Kifirin, "you don't get to give this baby away to someone else."

  "That will not be possible," Kifirin's parent appeared. Even Belen bowed respectfully.

  "Father," he said.

  "Kifirin, you will come. We will talk. Now." Kifirin and his parent disappeared.

  "Reah is being watched over," Belen informed Gavril. "She will be returned to you in a little while."

  * * *

  "You will still have some command over the Dark Realm," Kifirin's parent pointed out. "Only your actions will be supervised."

  Kifirin's breath was cloudy as he glared at the one who'd come with his parent. Dark-haired and dark-eyed, one of the Koh'Ahmari gazed placidly back, his arms crossed casually over his chest. Kifirin knew better than to argue with this one—he outranked his parent by several levels.

  "He calls himself Li'Neruh Rath," Kifirin's parent said before Kifirin could voice the question himself.

  "You take the name of the Royal House on Kifirin?" Kifirin's breath turned black with anger.

  "It is a legitimate word in your High Demon language. Do you intend to quarantine all words, should they be used as a name? What will you call a star after this, if the need arise?"

  "Darkest Star?" Kifirin knew he was being disrespectful in his interpretation of the Koh'Ahmari's chosen name.

  "I choose the names I will allow others to employ. You will call me this. I will allow disrespect this time only. Do it again and I will remove your power." Kifirin blinked in astonishment as a curl of smoke drifted from Li'Neruh Rath's nostrils.

  * * *

  Lissa's Journal

  Kifirin stood before me, as did Gardevik Rath. This wasn't going to be easy, and I wasn't looking forward to it. My pregnancy was making its presence known, too—I felt queasy and this made it worse. Garde hung his head—he likely knew what was coming. Kifirin blew smoke but knew better than to approach.

  Belen had already come—I'd asked him, as Chief of the Nameless Ones, for advice before proceeding with this. He'd listened sympathetically and offered comfort as he'd agreed with my plan. He'd also offered to stay with me while I did this. He remained silent at my side, glowing softly while I studied two of my mates.

  "I hoped your overseer would come with you, but I see that isn't the case," I spoke to Kifirin first. "I think I'd like to speak with him, but Belen tells me that he is of those who outrank the Nameless Ones, so his presence I cannot request or command." I was making this as formal as I could.

  Darker clouds of smoke poured from Kifirin's nostrils as black eyes blinked at me. "Kifirin, you could have asked for help," I pointed out. "You could have explained things better. But you, thinking that the mighty god of the Dark Realm was above all that, refused. Instead, you chose to exert your power and will over the rest of us. Yes, I know you still outrank me—I am only a mid-level Nameless One, after all, while you are ranked in the highest echelon. It doesn't matter—I no longer consider you my mate. Perhaps in a century or two, I will reconsider, if you wish to keep your claiming marks on my neck. I loved you. A part of me still does, but you have done so much damage."

  My last words were whispered as I wiped away tears. I still couldn't understand—and might never understand—his reasoning in this matter. So many had suffered as a result, but none more so than Reah. That pain would follow her forever, and she was the mother of my grandchildren.

  "Avilepha, do not do this, I beg you," Kifirin held out a hand. "I have already received chastisement from my parent and the one who now rules the Dark Realm above me."

  "You're getting it from me, then, too." I was hoping my lower lip wouldn't tremble and betray how much this was costing me, but it did anyway.

  "Avilepha, I will return to you, and keep returning, until you take me back." Kifirin looked ready to weep but unlike me, he held back the tears.

  "Then leave now," my voice trembled. "I'm not ready to take you back." Kifirin disappeared.

  "Lissa, no," Garde dropped to his knees. He didn't attempt to hide his grief, as Kifirin had.

  "Gardevik Rath, your Thifilathi is wiser than you. As old as you are, you should have known better. Get out and don't come back until Kifirin is welcome again on Le-Ath Veronis." I was done with him for now, and likely would be for a very long time. When he disappeared, Belen had to hold me up, I was weeping so hard.

  * * *

  "Reah, you are cold." I knew who he was—Connegar, one of Lissa's Larentii mates. He moved his hands and clothed me in a soft, white woolen caftan. The robe was long and covered my feet as I sat upon a boulder on Thiskil's southern beaches.

  "I know you recognize me," the corners of his eyes crinkled a little as he smiled at me. "And you know my mother. You met her not long ago—Conner? Remember? Most Larenti
i are named after their mothers."

  "Is that how it works?" I wiped wetness from my cheeks and stared up at him. He was tall, even for a Larentii.

  "Yes. Renegar is Kiarra's son, but her name before she joined the Saa Thalarr was Renée. He actually is named after his mother."

  "That's a nice name," I said. "And it suits him, to be named after that."

  "It suits him well and he likes it. We choose our names, shortly after we are born," Connegar informed me.

  "Then you can't get angry with your parents for giving you an awful name."

  "Very true. We have no one to blame but ourselves if we dislike it after a while. Reah, I have met many during my life who deserved so much more than they received. Mother and I are prepared to give you a gift. She is the Guardian, you know. At times, she can stand at the line that separates the here and now from the ones who are not here and now. That is permitted if she commands it. We will be taking you to this side of that line, so you may speak to some. Come, we will pay a visit." Connegar took my arm and transported me elsewhere.

  "This is where some arrive to cross over," Connegar walked beside me in a beautiful field filled with flowers. The flowers were so tall they came to my waist and I could smell the sweet scent of them as I walked through. Barefoot as I was, nothing harmed my feet as I walked. The grass was like the softest carpet beneath my soles.

  "Nothing will harm you here. This is a protected area. There are other places to cross over. Some are dangerous. Those are reserved for the ones who have done evil during their lives."

  "You do this? Bring people here when they can't find their way?" I don't know how I knew that, but I did.

  "Yes. As does my mother. See, she is waiting for us." I looked ahead, and Conner was waiting for us, next to a shimmery curtain that reflected the field we walked through.

  "Reah," Conner smiled at me and beckoned me forward. "I have arranged for you to see these. Remember, none can bring physical harm to you, now. There is no need to fear."