by Jaye Shields
• • •
Fog hung thick around the heavy stones that made up the prison in the Realm of the Fog, where those who broke the laws of the Portal Realm were held. The tall cylindrical towers that encased the mystically enforced jail were far from any portal. Here in the middle of nowhere, the prison appeared eerie amidst dark violet sky and hazy gray fog. The cells were crowded since the diversity of creatures that traveled in the realm could become quite creative in their violent hostilities toward each other. Just two weeks prior, Sabin had subdued and sent Azra, a Quetzalem female, into the prison for torching a succubus. Quetzalem, a humanoid/dragon cross, appeared stunning at times with their beautiful angel-like wings, but were infamous for their fire-breathing antics. Many vampire species for example, could be torched until they were nothing more than ash.
Third-degree burns were a serious crime in the Portal Realm, especially since for many immortals, flame was the only way they could perish.
Azra appraised the two other Quetzalem demons in her cell. Both were male. Nero she recognized, his tarnished copper scales and matching wings were torn and dirty from whatever events had brought him to the prison. Normally, a Quetzalem’s wings would magically mold into the skin, but his were so damaged they simply hung pathetically. Nero’s eyes were glazed over with permanent fury.
The other Quetzalem, Azra did not recognize. She certainly would have remembered his handsome face and glittering blue scales. The creature’s dark, golden eyes were framed by black hair that hung like lethal blades against his shoulders.
Now the dragon demons sat back against the cold wall of her cell and listened in on the fresh chaos. It seemed as if three Knights of the Fog themselves had been sent to the prison. They cursed in a variety of languages, their usual telepathy communication obviously not whetting their anger.
• • •
“Damn Sabin!” The Knight called Zeth roared, his face twisting with anger. Two fists slammed against the dark stone wall, a faint crack hinting the Knight’s rage. “I can’t believe that high and mighty bastard sent us here.”
“High King Breasal!” Sodor yelled, commanding the presence of the legendary being in charge of the order of the Knights.
Rowen laid a calm hand on Zeth’s shoulder before he could throw another punch at the wall. “Sabin and I have worked closely for eons. There must be something we do not know. And Sodor, have more respect when summoning our master.”
The High King Breasal was the ruler of guidance and protection for travelers and explorers. The immortal law keeper had a reputation as a man to be reckoned with, but he spent much of his time living on an otherworldly island. Only one night every seven years was his island visible to the human eye.
Now High King Breasal was either utterly unmoved by Sodor’s summons, or had already planned to leave them there. Rowen growled, “His Mighty’s lack of presence implies that you have greatly offended him. You should get on your knees and beg forgiveness. Then perhaps he will come.”
Sodor did sink to his knees, but did not speak for a moment. Instead, he took two balled fists and slammed them into the stone floor beneath him. Frustration left a desperate icy-blue fire in the Knight’s eyes. “Rowen. You have always been a voice of reason. I think you may be right. Something else is at work here.” His voice was an eerie calm for a moment, but then the warrior exploded. “Why else would we be left here to rot in our own prison?”
“Recall our encounter with Sabin. He did not even think to fire his weapon at us. Even after we shot him twice. Blood soaked his chest. I’ve seen Sabin withstand much pain, but this … Sabin knew our bullets would not kill him. He knew his heart was innocent of the crimes we accuse him of.”
Just then, a presence entered the room via astral projection. Her hair was long, thick black dreadlocks that looked much like snakes. Gold rings were clasped around various dreadlocks, and a sumptuous gold crown graced the top of her head. Only the gold of her crown was covered by a blood-like crimson coating. Sheer black fabric clung to her curves, held in place only by a brooch shaped in the form of a golden apple. “Do you recognize me, Knights?”
“Your broach is the apple of discord. You are the Goddess of Chaos.” It was Sodor who spoke, but they all had recognized her. “You cast the apple that led to the great Trojan War. You are more detrimental to humankind than the Goddess of War herself.”
Eris’ full black lips parted and a deep-throated laugh erupted from the Goddess. “Oh Gods, you do me such honor in your praises, Knight.” With a gaze the color of smoldering embers, she smiled at Sodor. “Perhaps then, you will be the one to do my bidding this eve?”
Realization flooded Rowen. “You pushed the Nunanish through the portal barrier. You have been behind the confusion. You have been getting off on the mayhem and violence.” He shook his head in disgust. “We will have no part in your plans, Goddess.”
But Zeth was still a dark picture of fury huddled in the corner of the cell. His eyes were a blazing purple fire as the image of the Goddess floated toward him. Curling a pointy, gold fingernail against his chin, lifting his gaze to hers, the Goddess of Chaos tried to fuel his fury.
But dismayed by the Goddess’ attempt to use him, Zeth also rejected her motions. His eyes became narrow slits, his massive shoulders held like a warrior’s. “I may be a madman, Goddess, but I am also a Knight of the Fog. My fury will be unleashed, I promise, but only to undo what havoc you have caused.” Zeth gritted his teeth and for a moment, he looked very much like an animal, dangerous and on the edge of attack. “Perhaps, Chaos, it was wise for you to come in astral form.”
“How dare you?” Eris hissed, and her black dreadlocks swayed, appearing for a brief moment like an awakened nest of snakes. “I was merely seeking entertainment, Knight, but now I fear things are getting personal.” She smiled cruelly, her expression both sensual and sinister. “Do you know, Knights? Fury breeds the best kind of chaos.”
Chapter Fourteen
Later the same day, Tera rolled over in bed and gazed at the faux-redwood canopy of the ceiling. A wood-framed mirror reflected how she felt inside. A gigantic, sleepy smile was spread across her face; it was a grin of sheer satisfaction.
“Good morning again, gorgeous.” Beside her, Sabin’s hard, warm chest cradled her body against his own.
“Good morning again.” Tera grinned like a lovesick schoolgirl. Lovesick? She came to an abrupt halt. It’s just sex. Really, really good sex. Mind-blowing sex. The sun streamed through the sheer white drapes. “You know, the Nunanish demon could be at the Grand Canyon by now.”
Sabin grinned, obviously not concerned enough to move past the lazy bliss of the moment. “Feel like a vacation?”
Laughing once again, Tera smiled as she turned her body to cuddle deeper into the hard body of the warrior. “Do you even know where the Grand Canyon is?”
Like a gentle giant, Sabin nuzzled his nose against Tera’s playfully. “I know what you speak of. There is a portal there.”
Drawn to the handsome planes of his face, Tera began to press soft kisses against his skin. One kiss. Two kiss. Three kiss.
“I’m addicted to you, Dryad. Perhaps I should let the Nunanish escape so that you and I may spend a lifetime hunting it.” The sincerity in his voice took Tera aback. Was he just as drawn to her as she was to him? Was it more than sex? Tera decided to change the subject.
“Speaking of hunting Nunanish demons, I should probably turn my cell on and update Sparrow. I’m sure they think I’m in the middle of the forest hunting with Artemis about now. Her aunts could help us scry for the demon’s location. We could exterminate it while it tries to hide from us. Then all would be well in the Bay Area once more. The media will find some crazy excuse for the strange occurrences; they’re good at that kind of stuff.”
Sabin’s strong hand gripped the soft flesh of her stomach as he pulled her even harder
against his body, as if he had no desire to let her go. Tera’s heart swelled between her lungs, her tiny body barely able to contain the pulsing organ. At that moment, she was in love. She knew that after Sabin returned to the Realm of the Fog, she would dream about him. Recalling every crevice of his hard body, and every shade of silver and blue in his eyes. The way his shoulder-length hair felt as she grasped his head wildly as she climaxed. And most of all, the way his hands clung to her right now, as if he intended never to let go.
Yes. She was completely in love with him.
Tera suddenly became sad, because she knew that he would be leaving soon, and even if he wasn’t, she could never have love with an immortal. Finding the strength to pull away from Sabin, she reached for her leather jacket lying on the floor, and pulled out her cell phone.
While she waited for her battery to turn on, Sabin kissed her shoulder, as if he knew the thoughts plaguing her. Tera saw that she had a voicemail, but instead of listening to it, she called Sparrow directly.
“Tera!” Sparrow’s voice was both happy and surprised. “It’s about time you turned your phone on.”
“Yeah, sorry, you’re not going to believe what happened. It wasn’t the Goddess Artemis.”
“Yeah, we know. We all saw your torrid love-hate affair thing you got goin’ on with a stud muffin.” Sparrow rambled excitedly. “Cupid must be visiting the human plane or something because we have vampires with shape shifters, dryads with portal beefcakes, and it seems like only I am unmatched.”
“Huh?” Tera laughed, lost in Sparrow’s flurried update. “You and the aunts peeked in on me? You saw Sabin?”
“Well, yeah, we figured something was up when SF 7 news started talking about radioactive fog inducing violence. Sheesh, what do they think, we were born yesterday?”
“And what are you talking about, vampires and shape shifters? Did some shape shifters come through the portal?”
“Portal? Oh no. I’m pretty sure Michelle was born here. I haven’t gotten the chance to talk to her just yet in depth. I’m going to call her tomorrow and tell her she’s hired.”
“Hired?” Tera’s jaw dropped. “What do you mean hired? As in my coffee shop? What the heck did I miss, Sparrow?”
“This young lady came in this morning, her name is Michelle, and we sensed she was a shifter. And guess what … ”
Tera waited on the other end of the line patiently for Sparrow to continue, but only silence followed. Finally, she gritted, “What?” to satisfy her.
“The aunts and I aren’t the only ones that sensed her. Our friendly neighborhood vampire had taken notice of her as well. I saw him try to spit some of his venom into her coffee this morning.”
“That leech. Maybe I was wrong in letting him stay. I had never seen him take someone against their will.”
“But it didn’t work on her, and Michelle seemed wary, and hot for the guy, but who wouldn’t be.”
Sabin listened intently, his body emanating comfortable warmth next to Tera. “Leeches annoy me as well. Is there one in need of punishment that visits your establishment?”
Tera nearly dropped the phone as she witnessed the glint of danger in Sabin’s dark eyes. His gentle presence next to her didn’t distract from the fact that the man was very much a hardened warrior.
“Is that him?” Sparrow’s voice leaked through the cell. “Oh man, talk about testosterone overkill.”
“Shut up, Sparrow.”
“Whoaaa, was it that good?” There was a pause before Sparrow continued. “Okay, I’m officially jealous.”
Sabin expelled a laugh, and as Tera took in the sight of him, she reveled in his utter beauty as he smiled. “So anyway, Sparrow, I need your aunts to scry for the location of a Nunanish demon. The demon specializes in infecting violence; that’s why Sabin is here. He’s a Knight of the Fog from the Portal Realm.”
“Man, you even went all official title on me when talking about your boy toy. Are you in love after one night of hot sex, Woods?” Sparrow giggled and Tera nearly shredded the cell phone within her grip.
“Go ahead and hire the shifter. We can keep an eye on her that way.”
“Oh, she’s harmless.”
“Sparrow, have your aunts scry and get right back to me. We’ll be in the city.” With that, she hung up on her best friend, still reeling from the humiliating accusation.
“So Tera, are you in love with me?”
Flushing, she tried to distract the warrior by trailing her fingers across Sabin’s hard stomach down to his groin, encircling his hardened manhood. “I may be somewhat innocent warrior, but I know the different between ecstasy and love.”
“Don’t be so pessimistic, Dryad. It doesn’t suit you. I have lived long enough to tell you. There is no true ecstasy without love.”
• • •
Hours later, Sabin and Tera had dressed, paid for another night, and headed deeper into the metropolis. All seemed fine in the city by the bay. It was nearly three o’clock and a thick fog still hung low on the city, the sunshine solely for those at the top of the high-rises. With his silver locks and aquamarine gaze, Sabin looked like an ethereal being amid the tourists strolling through the fog. Back on the Embarcadero, Tera and Sabin wandered around the, waiting for Sparrow to get back to them with the Nunanish’s location.
Tera could feel the eyes from women and men alike on Sabin’s broad back, but he seemed to pay them no attention. Surely Sabin had to know just how much he stood out, but he gave no hint of discomfort. As they walked past Pier 39, a bush being leapt out in front of them and grabbed her.
In a flash, Sabin gripped the foliage-covered beast by the neck and hauled it high above the ground. Sneaker-covered feet dangled above the ground as Sabin’s crushing grip held the bush creature. The foliage croaked as it gasped for air.
“Sabin, stop!” Tera was shocked at his careless display of violence. “Put him down. He’s just the bush guy. He hides and surprises tourists who stroll by.”
Sabin assessed the creature’s eyes. He’d see she was correct; the poor guy had the eyes of a human. A terrified human as a matter of fact. Slowly setting the man’s feet on the ground, Sabin released his grip, leaving a red ring around bush guy’s throat. Turning to Tera, he ordered simply. “Give this disguised man some cash then, and we will continue on our way strolling this pier.”
Tera was dumbfounded for a moment. But finally, she decided to do as he said and pulled a couple of twenties out of her wallet. “Sorry about that, buddy. It’s his first day in San Francisco. He’s from Greenland,” she said by way of an apology.
The bush man nodded, obviously irritated, but satisfied to have the cash. Tera couldn’t help but laugh after she and Sabin walked away. The look on the foliage’s face had been priceless when Sabin unexpectedly accosted the would-be tourist trap.
“You laugh now, Dryad,” Sabin smiled, his mesmerizing blue eyes glinting like steel. “But we have many beings just like that back home that travel through the portals.”
“Well, then, wouldn’t they adore me? After all, I can communicate with nature as you’ve witnessed.”
Sabin ran his hands back through his hair, as if contemplating. “These aren’t just mystical foliage demons, dear, they’re mischief mongers. The mischief demons take the form of however they may best surprise someone — a bush, or a tree to hide, or a wicket monster. It’s hard to know what they will be next. They get power from the shock, surprise, and dread they can instill in other beings. A bunch of them escaped several hundred years ago, and that’s when many popular bedtime myths came to circulate. Monsters under the bed and such.”
“Well, that explains why I never seem to have a matching sock.”
This time is was Sabin’s turn to chuckle. “You mean that your Wiccan friends have not gifted you with an ever-replenishing sock drawer?”
>
Instead of laughing with Sabin, she mentally stored away the idea for her next birthday wish list.
Sabin’s head suddenly whipped toward the fog-hazed sky. His eyes turned gray, slitted with realization. “I sense the Nunanish.”
She tensed. “Here?” Looking around, there weren’t many tourists, thanks to the news announcements advising the public to steer away from the Embarcadero. But the few joggers and stragglers appeared to be perfectly fine, uninfected.
“No, not close. You must help me navigate toward the creature.”
As if on cue, a Pedicab pulled over to the curb where Sabin and Tera stood. The lanky young bicycle driver smiled charmingly. “How about a ride?” For tourists, the bicycle cabs were a fun way to navigate the area, but Sabin assessed the young man and sneered.
“This scrawny boy will not be able to take us to our destination,” he said to Tera very matter of factly. Then turning toward the young man, he nodded, “We thank you for the offer, but we will seek other means of transportation.”
The twenty-five-year-old with a North Face sweater simply raised a brow as if he was used to dealing with douchy travelers and said, “Sure thing, buddy. Enjoy your time here in the city by the bay.” Before the biker sped off, he smiled and winked playfully at Tera.
She grinned and patted Sabin’s rock-hard shoulder. “You know, if he were a lesser man you could have hurt his feelings.”
A dangerous glow entered Sabin’s aqua-gray gaze. “A lesser man?” Tera took in the sight of the larger-than-life man before her. Obviously someone was feeling a bit possessive.
“No need to get all jealous.” She adopted the tone of voice that Sabin had chided her with earlier. “Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Knight.”
Sabin turned his whole body to confront her. His strong arms grabbed her and pulled her body against him and passion claimed them both. The kiss was hot enough to ignite fire. When he finally released Tera, her lips were swollen and her eyes couldn’t hide her desire.
