by John Corwin
He waggled a hand. "Maybe a little. I kind of liked seeing my companies succeed. I was thinking about adopting OnTech's workplace environment at a couple of other businesses just to see how it worked." Tyler pointed to a dirt road winding through pastures. "I think we're here."
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as the tires rattled over a cattle guard and we entered the Templar compound. I somewhat expected a small army of people in black to stop us, but we were allowed to continue unmolested.
George stood outside the large barn next to a huge Husky. We stopped and got out.
"You may park in the underground garage," George said. "I've arranged for you to stay the night here if you'd like."
I went up to the Husky. "What a lovely dog. May I pet him?"
George's lips curled up faintly. "You might want to ask him directly. I don't think Ryland would appreciate it."
The dog yipped and then morphed into a large naked man with a wide grin on his face. "I don't reckon it would be appropriate," he said. "My lovely girlfriend might not take kindly to letting you rub my stomach."
Heat washed into my face. "Oh, lord. You're a lycan aren't you?" I was mortified.
Tyler burst into laughter.
I threw up my hands. "I can't even—I just can't!"
"I like you already," Tyler told the other man and held out his hand. "The name is Tyler Rock."
Ryland shook his hand. "What's your deal, Tyler?"
"I'm a demon." He shrugged. "I know it sounds bad, but I'm not that awful."
"Turns out I know a few good demon spawn, so I reckon you're not all bad." Ryland gave him a lopsided grin.
I finally recovered a bit and turned to look at the lycan, keeping my eyes well above his equator. "You realize you're completely naked, don't you?"
"Yep." Ryland crossed his arms. "It ain't easy wearing clothes in wolf form."
I pretended to look at something else. "Yes, I suppose you're right." With the shock fading, I sensed the lycan part of him as something wild, hot, and savage—the exact opposite of the vampires. Though he had what I'd consider a hot signal, it wasn't the same as what I glimpsed when around demons. They were a dry heat, while this was like sensing an explosion of hot blood in my mouth. I smacked my lips and looked back at Ryland.
He grinned.
Definitely an alpha wolf.
"Let's store your car below," George said. He turned to Ryland. "Good evening, and good hunting."
"Same to you." The lycan morphed back into a giant wolf and bounded away.
"He must terrify the horses," I said.
George climbed into the back seat of the car. "They're quite used to the goings on at this place."
Tyler and I slid back in and followed George's instructions to park the car. We got out and took a lift—levitator—down into the underground complex where our guide led us into a small room with a table.
"Please, have a seat." George sat at the head of the table. "Would you like tea, coffee, or water?"
I nodded. "Water, please."
"You have beer or wine?" Tyler asked.
"Not in here, I'm afraid." George reached into a cabinet and procured a bottled water, which he handed to me. "I brought you in here because I have good news."
I popped open the water. "Oh?"
"A Daemas has agreed to help us with the banishment and is on her way here tonight."
Tyler and I exchanged hopeful looks.
Part of this nightmare might be over in a few hours.
Chapter 22
"Are you certain?" I asked. "This seems very fast."
He nodded. "She's very concerned about the recent influx of demon lords and wants to interrogate them thoroughly."
"Finally, we're getting some help." I blew out a breath of relief.
Tyler looked a little uneasy. "What are these demon spawn like?"
"Something of a mixed bag," George replied. "Hopefully, this one won't have too many hidden agendas."
Hope glimmered in Tyler's eyes. "You really think she'll be able to banish them tonight?"
"That is the plan." George placed his hands on the table and gave us a steady look. "Let's talk about your other problems."
"With the police?" I threw up my hands. "Where do I begin?"
Tyler took the reins. "It all started with another company trying to hire away the best and the brightest from my holdings. During our investigations, we've found evidence of espionage and more." His fists tightened. "Barboar only added more fuel to the fire when he went to Emily's apartment in an attempt to track me down. He murdered her neighbors and gave whoever is trying to ruin me more ammunition."
"By publicly discrediting you," George said.
Tyler nodded. "Making me look bad makes investors lose confidence. Lack of faith in my leadership causes the value of the stocks to fall and makes it easier for someone to buy out my companies."
"Do they have to take over every company individually?" I asked.
Tyler shook his head. "The way Cyrus Rock structured mine and my siblings' businesses is by giving us each a holding firm. Mine is Tyler Rock Enterprises. If its stocks fall enough, another entity could buy it out and take over management for its subsidiary holdings."
"I won't pretend to understand how nom businesses work," George said. "It sounds purposefully complex to allow for subterfuge and money making. Trickery has worked so far for your anonymous opponent, but it might also work for you."
"I'm open to suggestions." Tyler sighed. "I thought of secretly spinning my holdings into a shell company, but Cyrus restricted how much we could do in the enterprise charter."
"I'm not suggesting anything businesswise." George clasped his hands. "I believe we could reconstruct the crime scene with solid evidence pointing to Barboar as the killer."
"I'm certain they already have evidence he was there," I said. "But whoever is pulling the strings has Detective Long pursuing Tyler first."
"It doesn't matter what they have," George said. "We have magic." He took out his phone and projected a hologram of Barboar. "I took several pictures of the demon's host body and used a spell to construct his image." He flicked the image and Barboar began walking and waving his arms. "I can make this do anything I want. With images of the inside of the apartment, I could remake the crime scene that shows Barboar murdering your neighbors."
I shivered. "That's awful."
"But it could work," Tyler said. "If we released a video like that on the internet, it'll make the police department look like fools."
I tried not to think about how gruesome it was to fake-murder my deceased neighbors and considered the idea. "We don't have any cameras in our apartment or the building."
"People use hidden cameras all the time," George said.
"Like a nanny cam hidden in a teddy bear," Tyler said. He clapped his hands. "This is great!"
"Yes." I grimaced. "Delightful."
"What do you need from me?" Tyler asked.
"Pictures of the apartment," George said. "Primarily of the main room."
"What about the other rooms?" I asked.
"Unnecessary," he replied. "A hidden camera would be static. I think showing Barboar drag your neighbors inside would be sufficient."
"Do you need pictures of them?" I asked, uncertain how I'd procure them.
"They're all over the news," Tyler said. "You can get their information from the internet."
"How am I supposed to get into the apartment unseen?" I asked. "Will I use your flying car to gain access?"
"Do the windows even open in your building?" Tyler asked. "I don't remember you having a balcony or anything."
I frowned. "You're right. I don't think I could get inside easily." I snapped my fingers. "But I know who could." I fired off a text to Isabel. I need a favor, sis.
Anything! Came her reply. The phone rang before I could text back, and I answered.
"Girl, are you doing okay?" Isabel sounded worried. "The news is just awful. They're dragging Tyler's name through
the mud."
"We're fine," I assured her. "My other contacts gave us a place to stay."
George raised an eyebrow. "Does she know about the Overworld?"
I ignored him and got to the point. "I need your help with something."
"What is it?" she asked.
"I need pictures of the apartment."
Isabel gasped. "You want me to go inside—" She released a shuddering breath. "Okay, I'll do it."
"We only need a few pictures of the den."
"Make sure she takes them from an angle were there would be a shelf or something to support a camera," George instructed.
I relayed the information. "I hate to ask, but can you do it tonight?"
"Yes. Jack and I will go right away."
"You're the best, sis."
"You want me to email them to you once I have them?" she asked.
"That would be great." I felt a shiver of apprehension. "Please be careful."
"You know you don't have to tell me that." She laughed uneasily. "You owe me some drinks after this one."
"Name the time and place." I ended the call and looked hopefully at George. "I hope this works."
"If anything, it will convince the police to leave you alone," he assured me.
"Will they be able to tell it's a fake?" Tyler asked.
"The video itself will be quite real," George said. "I'll use a tablet to project the holographic images and play them forward. To anyone analyzing the video, it will appear authentic."
My heart beat a little easier at his confidence. "How long will it take to fabricate?"
"Perhaps a day." George's phone beeped. "Ah, our guest has arrived." He stood. "I'll be back momentarily."
Tyler got up and took a water from the cabinet then dropped back into his chair. "Interesting. This water is cold."
"I noticed. Must be some cooling spell in the cabinet."
He chuckled. "Sounds like you've accepted all the weirdness of the Overworld."
I flicked a hand. "Hardly. Having a dog turn into a naked man right before my eyes was rather unsettling."
"I thought your reaction was priceless." He sighed. "Wish I'd recorded it."
"Maybe when you get better using a smartphone, old man." I stuck out my tongue.
"I'm learning." He took a swig of water. "Maybe we'll swing by MagicSoft or Orange and grab one of those arcphones tomorrow after class."
"I wonder if they require a credit report."
George entered the room a few minutes later with a gorgeous blonde behind him. Her ice-blue eyes calmly regarded us as she pushed a silken tress of hair over her shoulder. She wore tight leather pants and an equally form-fitting shirt, both hugging her curves like an eager lover. Tyler noticed my reaction and grinned.
I stood and tried not to gawk at the woman. "Hello, I'm Emily."
The woman narrowed her eyes and looked from me to Tyler. Her full lips pursed into a rosebud. "I am Anae Vallaena Slade."
I wasn't sure what to do, so I held out a hand. "Pleased to meet you, Annie."
Laughter tinkled from her throat. "My name is not Annie, child. Anae is my title." She looked to George. "Do they know nothing of Daemos?"
"They are still in orientation, Anae Vallaena." George offered a faint smile. "You are the first Daemas they've had the honor of meeting."
"How interesting." She flashed pearly white teeth. "Then I will be gentle."
My stomach tightened. "What does Anae mean?"
"It is a designation of position in a house hierarchy," Vallaena said. "I am among the highest in House Slade." She waved a hand. "But let's dispense with the formalities. It would seem you've discovered something quite troubling. Agent Walker has explained some of it to me, but I must know more."
Tyler stood and turned to face her. "Easy enough." He didn't seem the least bit intimidated or entranced by her beauty.
"And you are?" The way she looked at him, it was evident his charms didn't affect her either.
"Tyler Rock." He didn't offer her his hand, but crossed his arms and leaned back against the table. "Technically, I'm a demon possessing a man's body."
She wrinkled her nose. "Oh." Turning to George, she said, "I didn't realize Templars associated with such creatures."
"I'd like to think of us as one big happy demon family," Tyler said, his eyes harder than the tone of his voice. "I'm a jade spirit if that makes any difference."
She tilted her head slightly. "A jade?" She bowed her head slightly. "I apologize, Tyler. A jade is a rare spirit indeed."
Confusion flashed across his face. "Are we?"
Her lips curled up ever so slightly. "How old are you?"
"By mortal years maybe thirty or forty."
"Ah, then you are exceedingly young." She gave him an appraising look. "Who is your sire?"
"Baal."
Her eyes flashed with delight and she took his hand. "It would seem we are brother and sister. Daevadius will be so pleased."
"Who?"
"Perhaps you will meet him in due time." Vallaena's demeanor cooled once again. "He and I were sapphire spirits before giving up our place in Haedaemos to live among men. We joined our souls with those of humans to become the first Daemos."
"Honestly, I didn't even know about jade, sapphire, or caustic before yesterday," Tyler admitted. A wide, genuine grin spread across his face. "Wow, it feels weird knowing I have relatives on this side."
"You have a large family in Eden, Tyler." Vallaena walked around the other end of the table and sat. "But enough of small talk. Let us turn to important matters."
Tyler dropped into his chair, reached over and squeezed my hand. He was still smiling ear-to-ear. "A few days ago, two battle mages, Zad Kassus and Martin Drang, built a demonicus and summoned thirteen lesser demons, four greater demons, and a demon lord by the name of Karak."
Vallaena hissed. "Domathus is up to his old tricks again, I see."
"I wouldn't know about his old tricks, but from what little I know, Karak has always been the underling of Domathus." Tyler took a sip of water. "Last night, Kassus and Drang used another demonicus to summon Lord Abaddon."
"Abaddon is no lord," I said. "She's a woman. Shouldn't it be Lady Abaddon?"
"Demons don't differentiate," Tyler said.
Vallaena bit her lower lip. "This is very troubling. The last time Domathus tried to send his four demon lords to Eden was during the First Seraphim War."
"A war with angels?" I wasn't sure I'd heard correctly.
"The attempt failed." Vallaena's gaze wandered up, as if recalling something. "There were other attempts over the millennia, but Domathus lacked the souls to properly execute the demonicus."
"We think he's found a way around that," Tyler said. "They bound unwilling subjects to their human thralls. During the ritual, the thralls drew in the soul essence from the others."
Vallaena pounded the palm of her hand against the table. "Monstrous!" Blue eyes hard as diamonds she stared at Tyler. "You are certain of this?"
"We all witnessed it," George said. "I even have it recorded on an ASE."
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Vallaena asked.
"I thought it would be best to discuss in private." George took out an ASE and rolled it in his fingers. "Would you like to see?"
She nodded. "I must."
We watched the entire affair again, but this time with the ability to pause and examine the scene from other angles. I noticed when the souls of the unwilling were being ripped from their bodies how the grey mist resembled a wraithlike skeleton. My bowels clenched at the absolute terror in their eyes.
Where is God in all this? Doesn't he care?
Vallaena seemed no more thrilled to watch it than me. "I have seen enough." Her lips peeled back from her teeth. "I believe Abaddon was not the last they will summon to Eden."
"You think they'll bring more demon lords?" I asked.
"There are many who follow demons, but very few who are absolutely willing to give up their souls." Sh
e shivered. "This limitation has long kept demon lords from this realm. Possessing a body is of little interest and great risk to them. By using souls to assume a corporeal form here, they are able to retain more power and assume less risk."
"You think since they found a workaround to take unwilling souls, Domathus will send more of his lords through?" Tyler said.
She nodded. "The question is why."
"The timing is highly suspect," George said. "Especially considering what else is happening."
"I do not know if Domathus wishes to capitalize on the instability in the Overworld, or if he has chosen a side." She met Tyler's gaze. "Let us see what little information we can squeeze from the prisoners before I banish them to the Abyss."
"Is it difficult to banish them?" I asked.
"It is tiring and time consuming." Vallaena stood and stretched her slender figure. "I would usually not consider lesser demons worth the bother, but I will make an exception for these." She walked around the table and put a hand on Tyler's shoulder. "After all, they are interfering with my brother."
Tyler stood. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
She shook her head. "No, but you are welcome to watch."
I wasn't sure I wanted to behold the interrogation or the banishment, but a morbid sense of curiosity crept up on me and I followed them out of the room.
George led us to the cells and showed us which ones had the culprits. "I'll leave you to it. Unfortunately, I must attend other duties, but everything will be recorded."
"Until next time, Agent Walker." Vallaena nodded at him.
"Until then, Anae Vallaena Slade." George returned the nod and left.
"Remain outside," Vallaena said. She touched the blacked-out glass on the first cell and turned it transparent from our side.
I saw the woman, Astra, on the other side. "She doesn't need to go to the Abyss," I said. "It's the other two we're worried about."
"Very well. I'll leave her for the Arcanes to handle." Vallaena touched the glass on the other cells where Xasha and Vatna waited. "These two are mine."
She entered Xasha's cell first. His eyes flashed when he saw her and he tried to bolt past her to the door. Vallaena easily caught him by the throat and threw him hard across the room. He tumbled over the table and smacked into the wall.
