Demonicus (Overworld Underground Book 2)

by John Corwin

  I pounced on the conclusion. "An inside person leaked the information to Brandon or Arianna."

  "An instant public relations nightmare was born," Tyler finished. "We have to figure out who the inside man is."

  "I believe that would be Detective Long." I told him how the man had acted while questioning me. "His assertions were patently ridiculous."

  "Yes, but when that man and woman dropped the bombs about threats and feuding with the neighbors, it sparked a blaze." A beep sounded at his end. "Hold on a moment."

  I chewed on a slice of beef during the wait.

  "This just keeps getting worse," he said. "The videos with Brandon and Arianna's interviews are going viral according to the PR firm."

  "Isn't there something they can do about it?"

  "Not immediately." He sounded hopeless. "My company stocks are tanking. If we don't turn this around soon, Brandon or Arianna will be able to buy them for pennies on the dollar."

  Chapter 14

  I lost my appetite and pushed away the bowl of noodle soup. "Then I suppose we'll just have to find out who Detective Long reports to."

  "Yes, we will." Steel edged his voice. "I'll see you later, babe."

  I suddenly remembered our appointment. "We have an Overworld Orientation class today at five. Will you be back by then?"

  "Yeah, I'm about to leave for the airport right now. I'll see you at home."

  I ended the call and stared at the cooling bowl of soup, praying for inspiration. If an epiphany lurked somewhere in my mind, it twisted and tumbled in a maelstrom of anxiety, anger, and random thoughts.

  I called Joe and asked him to pick me up.

  I climbed into the SUV and saw his worried face. "There are a lot of reporters outside the Gregorian, Miss Glass." He scratched his cheek and looked over at me. "I'll see if I can sneak you into the garage."

  "Surely they're not blocking it as well."

  "Hard to say, but if you duck under my jacket, I don't think they'll see you." He reached behind him and picked up his wadded jacket. "Maybe you should ride in the back."

  "That's a good idea." I climbed back between the front seats and buckled myself into the rear.

  Reporters packed the sidewalk in front of the Gregorian. A line of security personnel held them at bay to keep them off the driveway. I ducked behind the seats and covered myself with the jacket, feeling very much like a fugitive. We made it through without incident. I peered between the front seats. The garage entrance looked clear.

  Joe opened the gates with a fob and drove inside. He stopped near the elevator, got out, and opened my door. "I've got to go to the airport and pick up Mr. Rock."

  I was tempted to go with him, but decided my time might be better spent searching for more information on Detective Long. "Thanks Joe."

  "No problem." He drove away.

  Just as I turned toward the elevator, I felt a warm sensation pressing against my face. I quickly ducked behind a car and nearly fell over thanks to my high heels. Footsteps sounded from the direction of a niche directly across from the elevator. I peered through the car windows to see who it was.

  Two men with chiseled jaws and dashing good looks stepped forward. They might have been fashion models except for the flames dancing in their eyes.

  "I know I heard the gate closing," the one with lustrous blond hair said.

  The other man ran a hand through his stylishly coiffed brown hair. "It did, Xasha."

  Since I'd seen Eyja and Barboar was hopefully still dead, that meant the other man must be Vatna.

  "I can't believe our little Grim has been hiding from us all this time," Xasha said in a sneering tone. "We had so much fun together."

  "After what he did to us, I want to prolong his suffering." Vatna snapped his teeth together. "He won't escape me again."

  I suddenly saw quite clearly that Tyler's former acquaintances weren't pursuing him just for the fun of it. They were out for revenge.

  Tyler, what did you do to them?

  I hoped for their conversation to continue, but Vatna motioned toward his right.

  The pair walked to the opposite side of the parking deck, eyes alert, and vanished behind the central area with private closed garages where Tyler kept his most expensive cars. I briefly considered making a run for the elevator, but since I didn't have a clear idea of where the demons were, I remained where I was. I closed my eyes and tried to determine their location by the sound of their footsteps and the hot spots on my senses. They most definitely emitted unpleasant auras, different from Eyja's or Tyler's.

  My supernatural senses proved quite useful. The heat tickling my extra sense had grown fainter and it seemed to be coming from somewhere to my left, which meant the demons were near the backside of the garage. I slipped off my heels and judged the distance to the elevators.

  I can make it.

  Before I could move, an intense smoldering sensation warmed my backside. I spun around almost expecting to see the demons right behind me. Instead, I watched as the pedestrian gate opened and a tall muscular man entered. This man radiated heat even from this distance, drowning out the sensations of the other demons with a nauseating emanation.

  "Why are you here?" He spoke in a low threatening voice.

  Vatna and Xasha stepped into view.

  "Checking the perimeter, sir," Vatna said.

  "The perimeter is several hundred yards that way." The man pointed behind him without looking. Though his voice didn't rise with anger, it seethed with dark power that chilled me to the very core. "Astra saw you leave and come over here."

  "I'm sorry, Karak, we thought this was part of the patrol." Xasha's voice trembled.

  Karak's hand flashed to Xasha's throat and lifted him from the ground. Eyes blazing with orange light, the big man spoke. "You lessers are weak and pitiful. If it would not degrade me, I would devour you myself." His other fist rammed Vatna in the stomach.

  Vatna doubled over with a loud oof, and fell to his knees. "Please, Karak, have mercy."

  "I have no mercy for the likes of you." Karak dropped Xasha. "Only the will of the master preserves you." He pointed back outside the gate. "Now, go."

  The two underlings ran away like whipped hounds. Karak's burning eyes raked the garage. They seemed to hesitate when they looked in my direction, but it might have been my imagination. Even so, my bones turned to jelly. If I hadn't already been crouching, I would have fallen down. The demon turned and walked outside and the gate clanged shut behind him.

  Common sense told me to make for the elevator. Curiosity made me pause. Why were they supposed to be patrolling a perimeter? What was several hundred yards away in the direction indicated by Karak?

  I left my high heels where they were and went after Karak. I hit the button for the pedestrian gate and closed it quietly behind me.

  How did he open the gate in the first place?

  For that matter, how had Vatna and Xasha gotten inside? How had Barboar slipped inside the day he'd tried to blow us up?

  It must be some form of demon magic.

  I spotted the unmistakable figure of Karak walking down the street behind the Gregorian. A woman jogging down the street with her dog shrieked as her dog yelped and tried to race away.

  She stumbled after him calling his name. "Juno, stop! Bad girl!"

  Karak didn't even spare her a glance. A bird on the power lines above the street went still and fluttered to the ground seconds after the demon passed beneath it.

  I gulped and remembered Dad's warning about the ill effects of powerful demons on this world. "Why am I following this monster?"

  A tiny portion of common sense prevailed. I texted Tyler. Your demon friends came to visit. I'm following them. I didn't expect an answer from him since his plane hadn't landed yet. Following a greater demon definitely wasn't one of my brighter notions, so I decided to let George know as well.

  Found greater demon named Karak. Following him to construction site behind Gregorian.

  After walking a
few blocks, Karak went through a gate in the chain link fence around the site of a new condominium complex. A banner wrapped around the fence, blocking a view of the inside. All I could see were the naked concrete columns and metal beams rising into the air behind it. I waited until the intense sensation of Karak's presence faded a little before peeking through a crack between the gate and a post.

  Though I couldn't see anyone, I felt four distinct pinpoints of heat in addition to the blaze that was Karak. One of those pinpoints grew closer to my right side. I quickly reversed course and went across the street to a bus stop, where I sat down and tried to look innocent. Considering my business attire and lack of shoes, I probably looked a little strange to most people.

  A woman in a cute blue skirt and blouse seemed to be the source of the demonic emanations. Her eyes seemed far too watchful and wary to be someone out for an afternoon stroll. She stopped outside the gate and checked a watch on her wrist. Another source of heat came into range from my left.

  A man wearing a T-shirt with the words, Tri-Cross Bloodbank, Donate Today! came into view. He nodded at the woman and they spoke for a moment. The woman showed him her watch. His forehead creased with what seemed worry.

  Her eyes hardened. She pushed open the gate and motioned him inside. Her companion hesitated, but finally complied.

  "Now, what was that all about?" I murmured to myself. I squeezed shut my eyes and concentrated on the fading emanations. It felt as though all the demons were inside the fence, though I wasn't certain. I snapped a picture of the construction zone and sent it to George.

  He still hadn't answered my first text, which led me to believe he was still quite busy with events in Colombia. My ability didn't include foresight of the future, but I didn't need that to tell me something major was happening at this construction site, and I needed to find out what it was.

  What I should do is return home and wait for Tyler.

  Yes, that made the most sense. Plus, I couldn't exactly wander into a construction zone without any shoes. I got up and briskly walked the four blocks back to the Gregorian and used my fob to enter the pedestrian gate. After retrieving my shoes, I took the elevator back to the penthouse and changed into yoga pants and a T-shirt.

  "You're going to go back down there, aren't you?" I asked myself. "Who do you think you are?" Apparently, I thought of myself as a highly trained agent, because I put on socks and tennis shoes.

  I've got to see what's inside that fence.

  I nearly slapped a palm to my forehead when a smarter notion occurred to me. You're in the penthouse, you ninny! I stepped onto the balcony and walked around to the east side, which offered me a clear view into the construction zone. Work crews had excavated an area spanning several acres. A wide concrete foundation with cement columns and metal beams occupied the center, but little else had been done. The original builder had gone bankrupt some time ago, according to Tyler, and nobody else had stepped up to finish the work.

  I hadn't given the eyesore much thought.

  Despite my nearly unobstructed view, I didn't see a single person anywhere inside the construction area. I retrieved a pair of binoculars from the upstairs closet and returned to my vantage point. Scanning the area revealed no signs of the possessed. Just as I was about to give up, I spotted a set of stairs leading down into a trench on the north side of the building.

  "They're in the basement." I nearly danced with excitement. What if I'd just discovered the secret hideout of the demons?

  My phone chimed.

  GO HOME RIGHT NOW! Tyler's text left little wiggle room for me to do anything except obey him and stay put. Before I could text him back, he called.

  "Yes, dear?"

  Tyler cut straight to the point. "Emily, where are you?"

  "I'm at the condo."

  "Thank god." He blew out a long breath. "What in the world possessed you to follow demons?"

  I chuckled. "Very nice pun."

  "I wasn't trying to be funny." Anger weighed down his words.

  His tone made me angry. "Well, if you must know, Vatna and Xasha were waiting in the garage when Joe dropped me off. Thankfully, I felt their presence and hid."

  "Damn it. They must have seen me on the news."

  "Yes, well, a rather large chap named Karak showed up and nearly made them soil their knickers."

  Tyler went silent for a long moment. When he spoke, it was a harsh whisper. "Did you say Karak?"

  "Yes, why?"

  "Oh, shit."

  My anger melted to sharp anxiety. "Is Karak bad?"

  "He's a demon lord for Domathus, one of the most powerful overlords in Haedaemos." He sucked in a breath. "Times like this, I wish I could pick up the phone and ask Baal what in the hell is going on down there."

  "Well, I suppose the long-distance rates to Hell are rather unreasonable."

  "Babe, I want you to stay put. I'll be home in half an hour."

  Though I was a bit irritated at his commanding tone, it was also a bit of a turn-on. "I will."

  "Love you."

  "Love you too." I ended the call and returned to spying on the construction zone.

  Just as I was growing bored, four figures walked up the stairs. I recognized Vatna and Xasha, along with the other two unnamed possessed. They left by the same gate. Vatna jabbed his finger at a woman several times, as if he were wielding a knife. I wondered if that was Astra, the tattletale. She didn't seem the least bit intimidated and squared her shoulders at him.

  Xasha dragged the other man away. Obviously, Vatna wasn't happy he'd been ratted out.

  The possessed continued their patrols, once turning away a raggedly clothed man with a shopping cart who tried to enter the premises by one of the five gates I counted. I looked for other ways into the underground section, and saw another staircase on the south side.

  A text from George blinked on my phone. Do not engage. Will return today.

  I didn't see how he'd return today, even if he did have a flying car. Then again, he probably had other means of transport at his disposal.

  "There you are."

  I jumped and nearly lost the binoculars over the side of the building.

  Tyler grinned and swept me into his arms. "Up to no good, I see."

  Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I pecked him on the nose. "I'm spying on the demons."

  He looked at my yoga pants and up to my T-shirt. "Were you really planning on sneaking over there in that outfit?"

  "Yes, why?"

  He snorted. "Definitely super-spy material."

  I lightly slapped him on the shoulder. "Tyler, don't you dare make fun of my spy outfit."

  He nodded toward the balcony. "Why don't you show me where the demons are?"

  I handed him the binoculars and pointed him toward the building. "The two male model lookalikes walking around are Xasha and Vatna."

  "Hmm, yeah, I see who you're talking about." He tsked. "They always did like to pose as pretty boys."

  "George said he's returning from Colombia today," I informed him.

  "Guess this is about to turn into a major operation." Tyler lowered the binoculars. "I wonder what in the world they're doing in there."

  "Maybe it's the demon headquarters," I suggested.

  He seemed to mull it over. "I doubt it. This place seems too exposed."

  "Yes, but it's abandoned and they can hide underground." I waved a hand at the surroundings. "What better place to hide than right in the middle of everything?"

  "These are demons, Em." He shook his head. "My kind don't enjoy living like beggars when they're on the mortal plane. A demon as powerful as Karak could probably commandeer just about any house he wants without anyone figuring it out, and yet, he's slumming it in an abandoned construction site."

  "Fine, if you say so." I wished I knew more about the magical world so I could make an educated guess. It was with some chagrin I realized we probably wouldn't make it to our orientation class today.

  There was only one way to find out
what those demons were up to, and that meant sneaking into the viper's nest.

  Chapter 15

  "I know it's early, but, I'm starving." Tyler went into the kitchen and rummaged in the fridge, seemingly unconcerned about the demonic activities transpiring a few blocks away.

  My stomach rumbled at the thought of food, and I decided to take a break. "I could eat something as well."

  We made sandwiches and took a bottle of white wine onto the balcony. I picked up the binoculars from the table.

  Tyler rolled his eyes. "Can we please give the spying a short rest?"

  Reluctantly, I put them back down. "I do believe I missed my calling in life."

  He chuckled. "I'm sure Her Majesty's secret service would love to have you."

  "Do you doubt my abilities?"

  "Not for a minute." He chased a bite of turkey sandwich with a gulp of wine. "Have you told your parents about the demons?"

  I suddenly felt quite foolish. "In all the excitement, I suppose I forgot." I quickly sent my father a text.

  "How did things go in Charlotte today?" I asked.

  Tyler wrinkled his nose. "Not well. Some of the clients I spoke to said they couldn't make any decisions until the legal cloud hanging over my head went away."

  I dropped the remains of my sandwich on the plate. "Whoever is behind this must be enjoying themselves right now."

  "They won't be laughing when I'm done with them."

  We finished eating. Just as I returned from putting the plates in the kitchen, I felt a rush of wind and saw a ripple in the air just off the balcony. A door opened, revealing the interior of George Walker's company car, hovering in the air.

  He walked down a ramp extending from the bottom of the car. "Good afternoon, Miss Glass, Mr. Rock." He nodded at each of us in turn. "It sounds like there's been quite a development today."

  "How in the world did you get here so quickly?" I waved away my own question. "Never mind. I want you to look at something." I took him by the sleeve of his suit jacket and led him around the balcony so he could see the construction site. Using the binoculars, I pointed out the lesser demons prowling the fence. "I haven't seen that Karak fellow again, but you'll definitely know him when you see him." I held my hands far apart. "He's big as a moose."