Demon Lost

by Connie Suttle

  "I was thinking of ways to get you out," he admitted.

  "Then you just went to the top of my friends list," I smiled at him.

  "Really?" He seemed pleased about that.

  "I'm sorry to say it's a short list—I don't have any friends," I said. "Except you."

  "Then I am an exclusive," he grinned.

  "Most definitely one of a kind," I agreed.

  "Grandfather Auri, may I sit beside Reah at breakfast?" Gavril now looked up at Aurelius.

  "If your lady mother agrees. And Gavin of course."

  "Father will allow it if you give permission, Grandfather."

  Gavril did sit next to me at breakfast—Lissa said there was no harm in it. Gavril ate and we talked during the entire meal. "Ry and Tory were nearly sixteen when I was born," he said, spreading butter on his hotcakes. "I tried to follow them around when I was five, but they left me behind." I knew that wistful look he wore. I'd wanted to follow behind some of my older siblings. I was never allowed. I turned toward him in my seat and used the Alliance finger-speech—all Alliance troops knew it. I wanted to see if Gavril had been curious enough to learn on his own. He had.

  Be in my room after breakfast. Don't let anyone see you, I worked out on my fingers quickly. He nodded. He had no idea what was in store, but he was up for an adventure anyway. I figured he was lonely; I hadn't seen other children around the palace. Tory and Ry were about to have another guest to take when they showed me how to skip rocks.

  Chapter 12

  "Here, squirt, hold the rock like this." Tory was showing Gavril how to hold the flat stone in his hands. "Now, flip it out, like this." He made the motion with his hand. Gavril flicked his wrist, flinging the rock toward the smooth water of the pond we'd found on the light half of the planet. It bounced three times on the water before sinking.

  "See, you're getting the hang of it now," Tory tousled Gavril's hair. Ry was trying to teach me the same thing, but I was watching Gavril, instead. He was so pleased to find he was included on our secret excursion that he'd almost vibrated with excitement in the beginning. Gavril picked up another flat stone, determined to make it go farther this time. He did—it skipped five times. He was bouncing on his feet as he watched the stone make five quick hops across the surface of the water before sinking.

  "Reah, are you paying attention to me?" Ry's face appeared in front of mine.

  "I was watching how Gavril did his so I could do it too," I said. That caused Gavril to turn to me, his face beaming with pleasure. The bright sunlight of the new day brought mist up from the water on the far side of the pond, where cattails grew and willow trees stood on the bank beyond. Lush grasses surrounded us—it was the ideal place to learn to skip rocks. I'd only seen things such as this in vids before now. Winged insects also abounded, but they left us alone. I wondered about that. Gavril skipped another rock. It went farther this time. He was a quick study and soaking up his older brother's praise like a sponge.

  "Gavril needed this, didn't he?" Ry now stood next to me, his lips near my ear. I nodded.

  "Come on, squirt—we have to get you back for your lessons," Tory hugged Gavril to him after he tossed one last rock.

  "Maybe we can sneak away again so I can practice more," I told Gavril before Ry folded us back to the palace. We landed inside my bedroom where we'd met in the beginning. Gavril grabbed his comp-vid off my bed and took off at a near-run to make it to his tutor's suite on time.

  "Now, how about some time spent with just us?" Ry grinned. Time spent with "just us" turned out to mean time in the pool and spa inside the palace. I hadn’t even known there was a huge room devoted to those two things.

  "Most vampires don't come here," Tory floated lazily on his back in the pool. I could see why—sunlamps were scattered throughout the space.

  "What happens if they come in and the lamps are on?" I asked.

  "Their skin fries," Ry replied. "Only the ones who are modified can stand to be in here. Uncle Tony loves it."

  I knew how to swim—it had been included in my dayschool lessons. Otherwise, Edan would never have allowed me to go swimming. I certainly had never been allowed to play with any friends. Not that I'd had many, growing up. They'd deserted me quickly after learning I could never see them outside lessons.

  "Reah, come out to dinner with us. Tory and I want to go to Casino City to eat tonight." Ry was asking me something I was too afraid to say yes to.

  "Reah, tell Aurelius. He can come too, if he wants." Tory lowered his legs into the water and now stood beside Ry and me.

  "Tell Aurelius what? I handle a Council meeting and what do I find when I am done?" Aurelius stood on the slate tile floor at the edge of the pool.

  "Uncle Auri, we took Gavril to a pond on the light side to teach him how to skip rocks this morning, before he had to go for his lessons. And then we convinced Reah to get in the pool. We also want to go to Casino City for dinner tonight." I stared at Tory—he was telling Aurelius everything.

  "He'll know anyway—Uncle Auri can smell a lie," Tory laughed. "Mom can, too. It's better to tell the truth around here," he added. "And you never ever want to lie to Uncle Jayd. He's a guli."

  "A guli is a High Demon truth-speaker," Ry offered at my blank stare. "They can see through any lie. Nobody gets past them."

  "Reah, will you come out of the pool or are you going to force me to come in after you?" Aurelius stared down at me. I looked down, afraid to meet the accusation in his eyes. He'd caught me with two other males. I wondered what he would do to me.

  "Come, Reah." Aurelius had a towel in his hands suddenly.

  * * *

  Uncle Auri, you're scaring her. Ry sent mindspeech to Aurelius.

  She should be resting and you two are hauling her about, Aurelius returned.

  We didn't tire her out, we promise. Tory joined the mental conversation.

  Young ones, if you wish to spend time with Reah, then check with Karzac or me. We will let you know how much time is wise. You have had her out for five hours, Aurelius sent the mental chastisement. Reah climbed out of the pool as Tory and Ry watched. Aurelius wrapped her in the towel and folded her away.

  "He didn't say she couldn't come to dinner with us," Ry floated away from his brother.

  * * *

  "Reah, I do not mind if you spend time with them. Gavril certainly needs someone young with whom to spend time. Those other two miscreants know better. They know you are recovering, yet they haul you from one end of the planet to the other," Aurelius huffed as he dried me with the towel. Ry had scrounged a swimsuit for me earlier, although he'd suggested we climb into the pool naked. I certainly wasn't ready for that and even more glad I'd insisted on swimsuits when Aurelius showed up.

  "I wasn't tired," I ventured as Aurelius rubbed the towel over my exposed skin.

  "Reah, do you wish to remove the swimsuit or do you want me to do it?" Aurelius bumped his forehead against mine, his golden-brown eyes staring into mine from close quarters.

  I was afraid to let him do it. There was something in his eyes begging me to allow it. That frightened me. I wasn't prepared for that. Not yet.

  * * *

  "Your daughter was rescued from Mandil, but was wounded in the attempt. She is recovering now on an Alliance planet." Lendill Schaff sat at a table in Desh's restaurant in Targis, watching Addah Desh's reaction to the news. Addah had little emotion on his face as Lendill gave him what should have been very good news.

  "Does the Alliance expect Reah to finish her enlistment period?" Addah asked instead.

  "Yes. In fact, she will be transferred to the ASD as soon as she is healthy enough to report for duty. She not only managed to remain undercover while on a non-Alliance world, but was successful in taking down an enemy that could threaten the Alliance. The Director and I are quite pleased with her work, therefore she will be doing her remaining years of service with us."

  "Very well," Addah Desh said stiffly and rose. "Since I cannot have an important member of my famil
y back to assist with the family business, then I will leave you. Today is a busy day, Vice-Director Schaff. I hope you'll excuse me—I have work to do." Addah Desh gave Lendill a curt nod and walked toward the kitchen.

  "Do you wish to send a message to her?" Lendill called out. Addah Desh turned to level a scowl at the Vice-Director. "She is no good to me at the moment. I have no message to send." Addah stalked away. Lendill watched him go through the door before rising to leave. He pulled out his communicator and had Norian Keef on vidscreen as he walked out of the restaurant.

  "Nothing, Director. No emotion, no questions, didn't even ask which planet she was on or how badly she was wounded. Didn't offer to send a message, either. He's only interested in what she might do for his restaurants."

  "Sounds like such a good parent," Norian muttered sarcastically.

  "I found the doctor who tended her mother and he's so frightened he's handing everything to us," Lendill continued. "Reah isn't Addah Desh's daughter—she's Edan Desh's. I get the idea that the pregnancy was definitely unplanned. The drugs administered to her mother after the birth could cause unusual bleeding, and the mother died of hemorrhage. I know it's just my opinion at the moment, but I think Marzi Desh had a hand in this to keep her son away from prison for rape. Too bad; he could end up there anyway. With his mother to keep him company."

  "Keep your men on this—I want to get to the root of this," Norian Keef terminated the call. Lendill pocketed his communicator and turned up the collar on his heavy coat—it was winter in Targis and very cold.

  * * *

  "Reah, Norian wants to talk to you, now." Gavril and I were sitting side by side on a large chaise near the pool. We were doing research for a report he'd been assigned. It excited him that we could do this together, and he was bouncing ideas off me, which led us down many paths as far as the research went. Lissa had appeared right next to us to give me the news.

  "Mom—we were doing research," Gavril moaned.

  "Honey, Reah needs to talk to your Uncle Nori. She'll come back later." Lissa sat next to Gavril and brushed dark hair off his forehead.

  "Where should I go? Where is he?" I asked, standing and stretching to hide my sudden nervousness.

  "Norian is in my office. Do you know where it is?" Lissa had beautiful blue eyes. I could see why she had so many mates.

  "I think I can find it," I nodded and walked out of the huge room that held the spa and the pool. The water, combined with shining sunlamps, caused the ceiling to reflect as I walked away from Gavril and his mother.

  I stood outside the office door for several ticks before knocking, trying to get my heart to slow. Why would the Director of the ASD want to see me? Why? I knocked and a voice called out for me to enter.

  "Director Keef." I nodded respectfully to him. He didn't stand when I entered. He sat behind Lissa's beautifully carved wooden desk, his fingertips together, watching me as I walked in. He had brown hair and green eyes, wasn't nearly as tall as Lissa's other mates and felt dangerous, somehow, even if his looks said otherwise.

  "Sit down, recruit Desh," he nodded toward the two chairs placed before the desk. I chose the nearest one and sat down. "Now," he said as I settled into my seat, "you have more than five years' service left in the Alliance Military."

  "Yes, Director Keef." I'd been wondering about that. Not once had Aurelius brought it up, and the small amount of time I'd spent with Ry and Tory hadn't brought the subject up, either.

  "I have already had your assignment transferred," Director Keef informed me. That statement forced me to raise my head and stare into his eyes. I wanted to ask him where I'd been transferred. Was it far away? What would I be doing? Did Aurelius know? I knew not to ask—I was a recruit again and any freedom I'd had was now gone. One didn't blurt out their questions to a ranking officer. As Director of the ASD, Norian Keef outranked just about everyone in the Alliance Military.

  "You will be working for the ASD from now on. We can make use of, well, your unusual abilities. Aurelius says that when you aim a rifle at something, you don't miss. I have reviewed all your training records and questioned Aurelius thoroughly. Your rank has also changed—you are now one of my more unusual special agents. Torevik Rath and Rylend Morphis also hold this rank, in an unofficial capacity. I would like you to work with them, I think. Our enemies will not be expecting you to be as strong or as talented as you are. They will underestimate you. That will work to our advantage. They will be looking to Ry and Tory to take them down, when you can be the one to get them, special agent Desh." Norian tapped fingertips on Lissa's desk.

  "By the way," he went on, "I've learned from Lissa that you may wish to separate from your family legally. I can expedite the paperwork for you and you may choose another name. In fact, I can change that this afternoon. Karzac says that you will be released from his care tomorrow, and can report for duty the day after that. You will be stationed here as Le-Ath Veronis is now permanent ASD headquarters. If you do not wish to stay at the palace or somewhere else of your choosing, you may live in the barracks with my other special agents. Bear in mind that you will frighten most of them if you make your High Demon status known. That information will only be given to those who can be trusted with the information. Feel free to talk with me or my Vice-Director, Lendill Schaff. He has been advised of your status and has access to your records."

  His words swam inside my head and I had trouble sorting them for a moment. "Yes, I do wish to separate from my family and I would prefer to be known as Re Nilvas, if possible. That was the name I was given on Mandil."

  "I ask you not to give up your first name, Reah," Director Keef sighed. "I think it will upset Aurelius greatly."

  "Then leave my first name as Reah," I looked down at my hands. What had I gotten into? What would I be doing? Working with Ry and Tory didn't sound bad, but I had no idea what they really did for the ASD.

  "Your name will be changed by tomorrow and I imagine that the legal separation will be completed within the week. Your former family will be notified, agent Reah Nilvas. Vice-Director Schaff will contact you with your first assignment. Meanwhile, feel free to let Lissa or Aurelius know of your housing preferences."

  I'd been dismissed, so I dipped my head respectfully to Director Keef and scurried out the door. My heart was pounding triple time as I made my way down the long hall toward my bedroom. Well, it might not be my bedroom for much longer. What should I do? I didn't want to live in the barracks with other agents. I'd gotten enough of that during my military training. I felt cold as I opened the door to my bedroom and curled up on the bed, hugging myself tightly.

  * * *

  "Reah?" Ry popped into my bedroom. Well, perhaps not popped, but close enough. Everybody appeared and disappeared at will. Except me.

  "Ry, what do you want?" I was huddled against the headboard of the bed, an extra blanket wrapped around me. I was shivering.

  "Reah, we're not so bad to work with," Ry sat on the edge of my bed.

  "That's not what concerns me."

  "Then what is it?"

  "Where am I supposed to go? Where will I live? I don't want to live in the barracks—there's probably no privacy there—and too many people." I pulled my blanket tighter around me. I'd been cast out on a wild ocean that carried me farther and farther away from anything familiar. Silently I cursed Master Vyn. And Edan. And my father. I wanted to weep, too, for the mother I'd never known, as well as the great-aunt I had who hadn't bothered to visit or talk with me. Is this the way it was with any family I ever had? They just left me to fend for myself unless they wanted something? They'd never said anything about my grandfather, either—only that one of Glinda's brothers had fathered my mother.

  I had no way to contact Aurelius, and didn't know if I wanted to anyway. What would he do? The Alliance would send me off somewhere to work with Ry, Tory or others perhaps, and we'd only see each other once in a while. Too many worries crowded my mind and there was no relief for any of them.

  "Reah, it's not
that bad. We're usually gone two or three weeks at a stretch, then we're back home."

  "Ry, this is your home. It's not mine."

  "I heard you were a woman without a country now." Ry scooted up in the bed until he was sitting next to me.

  "What are you talking about?" I turned to look at him.

  "It's just a strange phrase my mother uses. She's from old Earth, you know."

  "Is she as old as Aurelius?"

  That question caused Ry to laugh. "No," he shook his head after the laughter died down. "Only a few vampires might be older than Aurelius. Jeral and Aryn. A couple of others. That's it. Gavril wants to know what happened to you, Reah. And it's nearly time for dinner. Why don't you get dressed and I'll take you in."

  I wasn't hungry and I wanted to talk to Aurelius. Just to find out how things were going to be. Was he just going to let me go without a word? And I was back to where I was going to live for the next five years or so.

  "Reah, why are you not dressed for dinner?" Aurelius came through the door without knocking. "Young one, I will take over now," Aurelius gave Ry a pointed stare. Ry grinned and waved a hand before disappearing. "Reah, why are you wrapped in a blanket?" Aurelius came to stand beside the bed.

  "I'm cold." I huddled farther into the soft coverlet.

  "Reah, are you ill? It isn't particularly cold at the moment. We had a fine spring day, today."

  "For you, maybe. You didn't have the Director of the ASD telling you that he's conscripting you for the next five years and you can live in the barracks if you want."

  "Reah, he did not say you had to live in the barracks. He listed that as one of your choices. There are others."

  "Living on someone's charity." I was pouting again.

  "Reah, you have back pay coming for your stay on Mandil and you can move your account from Tulgalan. Several good banks are located here in Lissia, and any one of them will be happy to make the transfers for you."

  "I didn't have an account on Tulgalan. I kept my money on a credit chip bracelet, and it was left behind when Master Vyn decided to play his joke. Edan never let me have much money and refused to let me open an account. His way of controlling me, I'm sure. I have nothing, Aurelius. I asked Director Keef to submit the paperwork to separate me from my family and give me another name. If they cared, they would have contacted me while I've been here. They haven't. I'm sure Edan was dancing with joy when I was shipped to the military, and he'll be dancing again when he learns I've cut my ties to him and the rest of the family. Family." I huffed out the word. "I have no family."