Demon Rogue (The Half-Demon Rogue Book 1)

by Erikson, D. N.

  Fully dressed, I checked the clock. Already fifteen minutes past ten. This entire day would slip through my fingers, and I would be that much closer to execution. There wasn’t time to beat around the bush.

  “Tell me what you found, would you?” I picked up the phone, rushed past the box, gave it a second glance, then hurried toward the door. Probably just some weirdo sending me occult memorabilia. It happened occasionally. Conspiracy nuts. The type that saw your picture in the paper thirty years ago, and you hadn’t aged. It dawned on me that Scott probably had just such a file, which turned my insides over a little.

  “Or you will do what?

  “Or else I’m gonna hang up.”

  “But then you will not find out what myself and the dog divined from your blood drug through scientific rigor.”

  I rubbed my forehead and took a deep breath. My fingers began to close around the phone’s screen. More than a few had been sacrificed to my anger outbursts. That was why I had the accidental damage plan.

  Gunnar knew this, and was just putting me through the wringer. In the background, finally Argos couldn’t contain himself, and he yelped, “It’s the poison, Kal!”

  “The dog is almost as impatient as you,” Gunnar said. I heard him chase Argos around Lux’s office in the background. Squinting from the bright Texas sun, I made my way to my beater, and fought with the door until it opened.

  The forest at the edge of the complex looked tranquil. No sign of trolls, Fae or demons. I’d say that news of last night’s shenanigans would lower property values, but that would be tough, in a place like this.

  “I’m listening,” I said, starting the car on the third try. “Give me the good news.”

  “Bad news. Very bad news,” Gunnar said. “I hope you are sitting down, as they say.”

  “I’m driving.”

  “It is Demon’s Mercury.”

  The car’s tires screeched as I swerved and jammed on the brakes. I narrowly avoiding crashing into the last apartment next to the exit. Scott would have loved that. I managed to stop on the curb, but I was panting hard and breaking into a cold summer sweat.

  My mouth went instantly dry. I wet my lips as best I could with a bottle of piss warm water in the glovebox, then said, “You’re sure?”

  “Your dog instructed me to run the tests three times,” Gunnar said. “It is graver than we believed.”

  “That’s a fucking understatement,” I said, ending the call. Slumping back in the seat, I closed my eyes and tried to focus. The Inquisition hadn’t been this bad. That was just supernatural blood, given to humans. That had enough side effects and problems on its own, namely witches and lots of creatures getting torched on a pyre.

  I’d come close, myself.

  One of Charon’s brilliant ideas, to “share” our powers with humans. Mortals didn’t take kindly to the fact that we were living next door. If he thought that idea would score brownie points with the Crimson Conclave, it had the opposite effect. After I escaped the Spanish, it was hell trying to avoid the wrath of Athena.

  But this was worse. Essence laced blood gave humans temporary visions and strength. Not quite supernatural abilities, but a taste. Combine that with Demon’s Mercury and the effects would be like a kind of magical PCP. Incredible temporary abilities, massive psychosis, wanton disregard for reality.

  If someone wanted to host a coming out party for the supernatural, this was a way to do it. And I had my prime suspect, because Demon’s Mercury was only found in one place. And the only one who had lived in Agonia for the last millennium was the same bastard who had haunted me for years.

  Marrack the Demon King.

  11

  I walked up to the desk at St. David’s Medical Center and flashed my best smile to the woman sitting at the desk. It’d been about an hour drive to Austin, since that was the city closest to Inonda with a major hospital.

  Hopefully it wasn’t a sign that something was really wrong.

  “I’m here to see Nadia Santos,” I said.

  “Are you a friend or family?”

  “Friend.”

  “Family only,” she said. “You can leave flowers and a card with me.”

  I didn’t have time for this. A quick assessment of the secretary showed graying roots, a watch with a broken band, and earrings made with not quite enough gold. A pay raise was in order.

  “She’s my neighbor,” I said, pulling out two hundred bucks and sliding it across the countertop. “I brought her a couple things from her house.”

  The woman adjusted her scrubs and squinted at the money. Then her eyes gravitated toward the computer screen.

  “2F,” she said. “Don’t cause a ruckus. I don’t want a ruckus.”

  “Scout’s honor,” I said. “You have a good day, ma’am.”

  “Mmm, hmmm,” she said, not believing a word of it. Maybe she thought I was the jilted boyfriend who had lit the place on fire, coming to continue the fight. Maybe some sort of shady reporter, looking for a scoop on crime in Inonda.

  Either way, she didn’t believe that I was the neighbor.

  Fine by me.

  I unzipped my leather jacket, brought my head high, and walked through the hallway. Passing a sick, groaning man in the hallway, I silently counted my blessings for never aging. I’d seen too many people die and suffer in my many lifetimes to take it for granted. As a rule, I avoided hospitals, old folks’ homes and any other places where death loomed like a specter.

  Times like this, in the antiseptic, bleach-ridden halls, I was thankful for my demon half.

  2F was ajar, and I slipped inside without knocking. Had someone beaten me to Nadia? I was a little naked, rolling out sans the .45. Although I had the Remkah Talisman tucked beneath my T-shirt, having a magical shootout in the hallways of a hospital wasn’t exactly Plan A.

  The medical curtain in the room swayed, noon light filtering through the white fabric. Behind the curtain, a woman tucked her hair into a ponytail, and dressed.

  I looked away, embarrassed that I had barged in.

  Before I could step outside and wait, Nadia said, “Who’s there? Nurse?”

  After a second of awkward silence, I answered, “It’s uh, it’s…”

  “Kal?”

  “Yeah, I shouldn’t have come. Sorry.” I shoved my hands into my pockets and headed for the door. Dumb idea, checking on the wounded. This wasn’t my bag. Keeping them from getting hurt in the first place, staying low, that was my game. The hero with the flowers thing wasn’t.

  Clearly.

  I hadn’t even brought flowers.

  Argos would laugh. Same old story, different century, different girl.

  “No, no, you just surprised me,” Nadia said, and coughed slightly. “Come in.”

  “You’re dressing,” I said, before realizing it made me sound like I’d been spying.

  “It’s okay.”

  “I’ll look at the wall,” I said, and examined the stainless steel instruments and anatomical chart of the human retina. Guess that passed for art in a hospital. The curtain rattled, and I glanced over. Nadia stood in just a bra, minus shirt, eying me thoughtfully.

  Her emerald eyes seemed to burn right through me.

  “It’s very neighborly of you to come,” she said, making no move to put on additional clothing.

  I looked away quickly, opened my mouth, then clamped it shut. What could I say? Hey, Nadia, I was afraid that my crazy ex-girlfriend—wiccan girlfriend, actually—who set the fire was coming to finish the job. Since you’re a little outgunned in the magic department, I figured I’d lend a hand so you didn’t end up dead. Aren’t I a great guy?

  That would go over about as well as a rat swimming in the Christmas party’s punchbowl.

  “You seemed bothered yesterday,” I said. “I was just hoping that, uh, maybe it wasn’t an ex-boyfriend or
something that did this to you.”

  Oh shit.

  Digging a hole.

  Not good when I was already living atop a minefield.

  She smiled, her full lips about melting my heart. “Can you get my shirt? I think it’s over by the window. I’m still moving a little slow.”

  “Sure,” I said, walking by her, careful not to look too hard. No distractions, Kal. But it’s hard to keep your head in the game when there’s a whip-smart, gorgeous woman not three paces from you. Who’s one bra clasp away from being naked and irresistible.

  Hopefully she wouldn’t pull that trick. My poor head might explode. I picked up the black tank and handed it to her, eyes averted.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “I don’t bite, you know.”

  “Only set things on fire.”

  “It wasn’t me,” she said with a soft laugh. “But yes, being around me can be dangerous.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “Well, if you’re brave,” Nadia said, “maybe you can help me with my question.”

  “That’s part of the reason I came.”

  “Not to see me?” She said in a mock-offended voice.

  “Curiosity kills more than cats.”

  “Well, I do need a ride home,” Nadia answered, her emerald eyes sparkling. “And from what I’ve heard, you’re a man who can find answers.”

  I swallowed hard, a little of the energy going out of the air. Forcing a smile, I helped her through the doorway and said, “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I assure you that it’s all exaggerated.”

  “Maybe,” she said. “You know what they say.”

  “What’s that?” I gave a small nod to the nurse at the front desk, who summarily ignored me. So much for money buying friends.

  “A good man is hard to find.”

  I could agree with that.

  And if she thought she’d found one in me, then she had more problems than she thought.

  *

  The ride ran along in silence until the final leg. Nadia’s black hair streamed around her cheeks, wind whistling through the open windows. The red-burnt landscape streamed past, dust and heat swimming through the sedan. Sweat glistened on her forehead, but she didn’t seem to mind.

  I liked that about her.

  I liked a lot about her.

  An eighteen wheeler carrying fresh groceries zoomed past on the narrow two lane road, shaking the Cutlass down to its nonexistent shock absorbers. Nadia brushed strands of hair from her face.

  “So,” she yelled over the roar of the open road, “about that question.”

  I hadn’t pressed the issue. Mortals knowing too much about my business could be dangerous. Not just to me, but to them. Clearly the powers that be—whether dark or light essence coursed through their magical veins—were very intent on keeping the supernatural a poorly veiled secret.

  I cranked up the window and gestured for her to do the same. Some things couldn’t be avoided. If she knew, I’d have to suss out the source and then make a decision. Usually this involved moving on, blowing town without a trace.

  That wasn’t an option, this time around.

  Blood was going to be spilled, and she needed to be far away from me.

  “I’m retired,” I said. “Big startup exit.” I kept my eyes focused on the road. We passed a weather beaten sign indicating that Inonda was coming up in twelve miles.

  “You look a little young for that.”

  “Looks can be deceiving.”

  “What are yours hiding, Nadia Santos?” I said.

  “I thought I was asking the questions,” she said with a sweet laugh.

  “I’m not an investigator.”

  “It’s either that or hit man,” she said, with no sense of bashfulness.

  “Interesting hypothesis.” I raised an eyebrow in the mirror and patted some of the dust out of my hair. “How you figure that?”

  “I’ve seen people give you envelopes of cash. Like something out of an old PI movie.” She shrugged, her bare shoulders squeaking lightly against the seat. “Could be a drug dealer, too. But you’d probably have nicer digs.”

  “Sounds like you got this investigating thing figured out yourself.” I eyed a kid in a convertible gunning it at ninety, headed our way. Strains of rap-rock blasted through our closed windows as he pushed past. Good thing that musical phase died. That poor son of a bitch hadn’t gotten the memo, though.

  “I used to work for the school paper,” Nadia said, blushing slightly. “I’m sorry for snooping.”

  “And what can an investigator living in a shithole do for you,” I said, a little nastier than it needed to be.

  “It was a bad idea,” she said, and the car’s stuffy interior went silent.

  I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, eyes focused ahead, mind burning with self-reprimanding thoughts. The landscape gradually began to show signs of life—a trailer here, a wind-blown gas station there.

  Inonda was approaching. And the seconds were ticking on any sort of relationship with Nadia.

  “Sorry,” I said. “It’s been a long week.”

  “I understand. Your apartment burned down too.”

  Ha.

  Sarcasm.

  “That’s not what I meant.” I glanced over. Her arms were folded across her chest, her chin high. “Look, I was an asshole.”

  “You might want to keep your eyes on the road.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” I said. “Tell me what you need found.”

  “I’ll just hire someone.”

  “If you had money, you’d have done that already, instead of the guy next door who wants to take you out.”

  The cat had just fled the bag in spectacular fashion. I scratched my forehead, and tried to laugh nervously. It kind of sounded like an animal cornered by a grizzly bear.

  “You were doing pretty well until you melted down,” Nadia said. “I was going to ask you about tonight, but…”

  Shit.

  Double shit.

  “I get it. Let me make it up to you.”

  “What, a date for a couple billable hours? How cheap do you think I am?”

  “No, not like that—”

  “I’m screwing with you.” She flashed her perfect teeth, her eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun. We whipped past a roadside diner doing about a buck ten. I only realized it when someone in the lot gave me the finger for coating them in dust.

  This woman was like a panacea. All my problems, gone.

  That was an illusion, of course. But it was one I could really use at the time. And from the look on her face, she could use a little distraction, too. Her house burning down wasn’t the only challenge in her life. There were cracks in the strong exterior she presented, some gash that life had left her with that she tried to hide.

  “So what do you need me to find?”

  “Just information,” she said. “Anything you can discover about this.” Nadia pulled out a ruby necklace with a gold chain from the folds of her tanktop. It took a stoic effort not to stare at her cleavage.

  “Family heirloom?”

  “My mother’s,” Nadia said, a faraway sadness drifting into her eyes. Inonda came into view, began swallowing up the landscape around us. I considered slowing to a crawl, driving the rest of the way at three miles an hour, but I had things to take care of.

  If I wanted that potential date sometime in the future, I needed to be alive, breathing and still a resident of this not-so-fine town.

  “What do you want to know about it?”

  “This is going to sound crazy,” she said in a tone that made me shiver, “but I think it might have magical properties.”

  “You believe in that stuff?” I said with an empty laugh as I pulled into the apartment’s lot.

  “I don’t know what to believe,
” Nadia said. It was the first time confusion had flashed across her face. Like everyone else in the world, where you wake up one day and go holy shit, is this really what life is?

  “I’ll see what I can find.” I held my hand out. With hesitance, she unclasped the jewelry and placed it in my hand.

  Its aura was strong.

  “What?”

  “Nothing,” I said.

  “Your expression. You know something.”

  “The metal was just cold,” I said. “I thought it would be warmer, being, um…you know.”

  Nadia eyed me suspiciously, then brushed her black hair out of her eyes. “You’re funny.” She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, and then got out of the car. “I need a place to take a shower.”

  “Oh, right,” I said, fumbling for my keys. “Just, uh, don’t mind the puke smell.”

  “Argos need a walk?”

  Damnit. Another thing to add to the errand list. He was probably flipping out from having to hang with Gunnar this long. “No, he’s gone.”

  “I’ll be waiting,” she said with a sly look, then backed away from the car in a slow walk. The kind a woman does when she knows her legs look good, and knows you’re looking.

  I watched for a couple seconds, before my thoughts were interrupted with matters of life and death.

  My phone buzzed. New text from Gunnar.

  Trevor the barkeep had overheard from a drunken patron where the crime scene was. Would’ve been easier if Diana had just told me, since the Sol Council must’ve tracked it down to take pictures.

  But there were things everyone wanted me in the dark about. So I had to get things done myself.

  Another text buzzed through

  And I needed to pick up my damn dog, because it was two in the afternoon, and Gunnar couldn’t sleep.

  12

  Argos hung his head out the window as we gunned it out of Inonda. Hot on the heels of Trevor’s intel, we were going straight to where this mess began.

  Hopefully whoever was behind the Frankensteined werewolves’ kidnapping hadn’t cleaned everything up.

  “How’s Nadia doing?” Argos said.