I got the feeling that Kat was going to wind up running this city, the power behind Josh’s throne. I also had the feeling she’d be scarily good at it. I stood and took out my phone. “Give me a minute to see what I can do.”
I walked outside and called the water fey. Their leader came on at once, as if sitting around, waiting for my call. I gave her an explanation of how things had gone, leaving out things I didn’t want her to know.
Her voice was effervescent, “You’ve killed off the dhampyr and wolves because they were secretly dealing with the vampires? That should calm things down for a while. But what about the bear?”
“It’s a professional assassin, a loose cannon. I’ll be luring it out of the human world, into Fairy where my friends will help me kill it. You could help me with that.”
Cause I really don’t want to spend any of my own money if I don’t have to.
She said, “We like it here. We don’t want to go back and get pushed around, dragged into one war after another.”
“All I need is financial support for the expedition. After all, you don’t want this Spirit Bear coming back and eating up more of your people, right?”
Her voice with flat, “How much?”
“I’ve heard about the California Gold Rushes,” I said. “You people live in the rivers. I figure over the years, you’ve collected an awful lot of gold nuggets. Just bring me an ungodly amount, and I’ll take care of everything else.”
“You will have your payment, when I have the fur of the bear, its head, or other proof of death.”
“Deal.” I hung up and went inside knowing that everyone’s heightened hearing had let them to follow the conversation. I looked at Kat. “You heard. Josh brings back a piece of the bear, and the water fey will cover you in gold.”
“So, when do we leave?” she asked.
“Not you,” Josh said. “You need to keep an eye on things here, and start reaching out to the shifters and fey, plus any low-level dhampyr still in the city. Get everyone looking for those two vamp guards that were with Roma at the White Lotus. I have a sneaking suspicion he may have left his boys behind to see what will happen in the power vacuum. We don’t want the vamps attacking humans in our city, drawing attention to the preternatural communities. We don’t want them thinking we can’t stop them either.”
She gave him a snappy salute. “Yes, Sir!”
I said, “Josh, Vivian, Get in the Mustang and we’ll be off.”
“Driving to Fairy?” Josh asked.
“Yeah,” I said, “by way of Malibu, and a couple magic portals.”
Josh picked up a couple couch cushions and headed for the door.
“My cushions!” Kat said.
“I don’t have a back seat in my Mustang,” I explained. “He wants to be comfortable.”
Kat said, “Oh.”
Vivian and I went outside while Josh and Kat said goodbye and exchanged saliva with much heartfelt groping.
I stopped dead, staring at falling snow. It was only coming down over this house. The air was cold, making my breath into mist. And there was Izumi, sitting on the hood of my car, waving. Vivian and I went forward, Josh a few steps behind. Izumi bounced off the car and sprang into my arms, softly pounding me in the chest with boobs. I endured it manfully.
“So how are we going to do this?” I asked.
“I’ll open a portal once you get the car going. The other side will be anchored in your driveway back home. There will be a moment of cold mist when you can’t see a thing, then you’ll all be in Malibu.”
“Thanks for the favor,” I said.
“This magic is going to cost me a lot,” Izumi said. “I plan on collecting out of your hide.”
Vivian raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
I shrugged. “Time is essential now. We can’t quibble.”
I shoved Josh toward the back door, and sent Vivian around the bumper for the front passenger’s door. Izumi simply resumed her seat on the hood. Inside the vehicle, Vivian turned to me. “What did she mean by ‘collecting out of your hide’?”
“It’s going to be hell for me,” I explained. “Izumi has a ravenous sexual appetite.”
“You mean she expects you to—”
“When all of this is over, I’ll probably be MIA for days.” I tried to hide how happy that thought made me. “Damn it, if only there were some other way.”
She stared at me as I started the car up and shifted into reverse. Her voice took on an accusing tone, “You’re humming the Hallelujah Chorus!”
“Really? I thought it was something by Elton John.”
Josh didn’t help me out by snickering in the back seat.
We rolled back into a flash of blue light and a fog bank that blotted out the world. Sitting on the vibrating hood, she was a flat shadow. Then we were out of the cold mists, backing up into my own garage. I killed the engine and we all climbed out.
I told them, “Come inside and hang a few minutes. Old Man and Achill will probably want an update, then we can go.” I lead them in through the kitchen door, across the living room arch, and left them in the living room. I opened the door to my office-bar, and went in. Old Man and Achill were waiting on barstools. Leona sat on the bar itself, her yellow eyes on me, her tail lashing gently. Only the spirit leopard looked happy to see me.
Achill started in first. “So, we send you down to settle things and now the wolves and dhampyr are almost extinct. How’d that happen exactly?”
“They died for betraying you,” I said. “Brought it on their own heads.”
He peered at me like I’d just grown goat horns, but his voice cooled, “Go on.”
“They were working with a Master vampire, Vivian’s father, Aldo Roma.”
“I’ve heard of him,” Achill said. “If those wolves were taking another master in my place, then you saved me the trouble of killing them myself.”
“I thought you’d see it that way.”
“What about the dhampyr?” Old Man asked.
“Their leader Brielle had the dream stone. Knowing I was coming after her, and it, she turned her people into canon fodder. They were collateral damage, but it was just as well. They were determined to rule everyone else. Now, peace has been forged with the survivors. A new Master of the City has taken over that everybody can accept and respect. Want to meet him? He’s just outside the door.”
“Bring him in,” Achill said. “I want to see who the next wolf pack will have to deal with down there.”
“Sure.” I went back to the door and opened it. “Hey, Josh, come in here a moment, will you?”
He came through the door, tall as anything, blond mane tousled, narrow waisted, broad shouldered—like a cinema hero with an aw-shucks grin in place. His lion-gold eyes betrayed his fierce and indomitable will. He strolled over, not put out the slightest to see an ancient Atlantean demon, a spirit leopard, and the Fenris.
Leona took a few steps on the bar toward him as he approached. She sniffed delicately.
He reached out and caressed the side of her head. She pressed her head hard into his hand, closing her eyes, all but drooling. Josh hugged her, smoothing down the fur along her spine. He murmured, “Greetings, sister.”
Her purr raced out of control.
Old Man stared a moment, and nodded to himself. “Then you’d be the liger we’ve all been hearing about.”
“Liger!” Achill barked out the word. “You’re the one that killed my Alpha.”
Josh slanted a cold stare at Achill. “Anyone who threatens to murder my woman, my clan, must face me. If that gets them killed, it’s their own fault.” Josh released Leona in case he had to fight here and now. He grinned, flashing white teeth. “His heart sure was tasty.”
I rolled the fingers of my sword hand and my wrist, preparing to summon my demon sword. I needed Josh. I wasn’t going to risk him just when we were about to leave on a mission.
Old Man recognized the signs, and held up a hand to stop me. He turned to
Achill. “If you think you have something to settle, do it elsewhere. My guests aren’t allowed to kill each other in my home.”
Achill’s eyes smoldered amber yellow. He smiled widely, his teeth as white, but showing fangs. Stiffly, he started toward the room. “Not in your house then.” He left the room, his gait stiff with anger.
Old Man shrugged. “It was time for him to go. The bar has been severely depleted.”
“Like you weren’t matching him drink for drink,” I said.
Old man shot me a look of reproach. “It would have been rude to let a guest drink alone. Don’t you have a job to finish?”
“On it. C’mon, Josh.”
He followed me from the room. Leona padded along after him. I called back to her, “You’re coming on this mission too?”
She huffed. “You would be totally lost without me.”
It had probably been a while since she’d gotten laid by another spirit leopard or a cat shape-shifter. She might be coming along, hoping to get lucky. She’d just heard that Josh was married, but cats have never been known for their fidelity. I briefly considered telling Josh that his big manly ass had an admirer. Nah, I’d need something to laugh about later.
In the living room, Vivian and Izumi had been busy. They’d rounded up some heavy weather parkas I’d stashed in storage, and raided the kitchen for supplies.
“Ready to go, or what?” Izumi asked. “Mom’s giving us horses and a mounted escort. She says the dream stone belongs to the Oracle, and the Oracle belongs to all the fey. Besides, Autumn Court fey really frost her butt.”
“Open the portal,” I said. “We’ve got a war to win.”
THIRTY-SIX
“Life is like a box of chocolates
that muggers will kill you for.”
—Caine Deathwalker
Gravity jumped away and back again as we stepped out of silvery-blue mist. The portal closed behind us, and I was glad to have the fur-trimmed, hooded parka. Snow flakes the size of my thumb were languidly swooping on capricious winds. The flagstones of the courtyard were icy under a thin layer of snow that must not have been falling long.
To the side stretched a massive stable. I heard the stamping of hooves and the welcoming whinny of horses. A white-bearded man stepped into view, a pitchfork in hand, a tuft of hey caught in the tines. He ignored the rest of us and bowed with grave dignity toward Izumi. “Welcome, princess. However I may serve…”
She smiled at him. “Thank you, Ravenwort. Just see that the horses are ready at dawn. We can fend for ourselves otherwise.”
In front of us, a rustic, two-story log cabin was lit up against the twilight. Stepping from Earth to Fairy, we’d rolled back time. Morning was further away. We couldn’t start our journey this late. Fairy’s a realm of magic and deception, dangerous enough by daylight.
“Where are we?” I asked. “This isn’t your mother’s castle.”
“This is a hunting lodge on the edge of our lands,” Izumi said. “From here, it is only hours to the Dream Marshes, and a two day ride to the Oracle’s Retreat.”
Izumi led us up a flight of stairs with a railing down its center. The porch was covered, a ten foot deck that wound around the left side of the building. Twin copper lanterns shaped like balls hung on chains near the door. The door itself was sturdy oak with hand-hammered bronze hinges, handle, and a door knocker gargoyle head with a ring in its mouth. The brass head looked rather pissed to have the ring stuck there.
As I reached for the handle, it spat the ring at me. “Not so fast, chum. Let’s get a good look at you first. You don’t smell fey to me.”
“For which I’m eternally grateful,” I said. Guard spell. They don’t want just anybody wandering in and making themselves at home.
Izumi smacked me in the arm.
I looked at her. “What?”
“What’s wrong with the way fey smell?” she asked.
The knocker rolled its eyes to her. “Princess! It is such an honor. Forgive me; I have left you standing at your own door.” By itself, the latch turned and the door opened wide for her.
We stomped off snow and went inside, throwing back our hoods, unbuttoning the coats as we entered heat. A huge fireplace greeted us with a mouthful of flaming logs. I was grateful it didn’t try to carry on a conversation as well.
Vivian and Josh entered, copying me by dumping packs by the door. Despite appearances, I knew Leona was around. It was her habit to stay invisible and immaterial in new locations, a hunter’s instinct.
As the door closed, I saw a small bronze body attached. The guardian of the door was more than just a head. I wondered if it was stuck there, or if it could detach from the door and deal with the wrong kind of visitors. Maybe it occasionally left its post to raid the fridge or take a leak. As I watched, its right hand moved. It scratched its ass and then went limp again. I thought of the little bronze guy on sentry duty, creeping room to room in the middle of the night, toy sword in hand.
Creepy.
A fey blonde approached, wiping hands on a white, lace-trimmed apron. She curtsied to Izumi, pretty much ignoring the rest of us mere humans. “Welcome, my lady. However I may serve you…”
Izumi nodded and pointed at me. “This one’s trouble. Feel free to beat him as needed. The rest are honored guests. Please see that they’re settled and made welcome.”
The maid curtsied. “Yes, my lady.”
“Keep it up,” I warned Izumi, “and you’ll be sleeping alone tonight.”
Vivian glowered, eyes brightening from black to a luminescent pink. “Don’t you ever think of anything other than sex—with other people?”
I put on a look of profound befuddlement. “Is there something else?”
Vivian looked at the maid. “I’m going to need some rope to tie him into bed tonight.”
I let my face light up. “Oooo, sounds kinky. I didn’t know you played those kinds of games.”
Josh stepped up, looming over the maid. He smiled down on her. “When’s dinner? I’m starved.”
She reddened in the face, shyly averting her eyes, batting her lashes. “Very soon, my Lord. The pantry here is not as well stocked as other holdings that see regular guests, but there is much I can do with very little.”
“We brought peanut butter and granola bars, if that will help,” I said.
Vivian smiled, flashing fangs. “As for me, I only drink blood.”
Staring, the maid paled. “I-I’ll see what I can find.”
“In a pinch, I take donations,” Vivian said. “Any blood type will do. But no rats. I don’t do rats.”
With a sigh, Josh shed his coat and offered a bare arm. “Help yourself.”
I pulled Izumi over to a fur-covered bench near the fireplace. We sat, and I kicked off my boots. “So, this lodge puts us close to our goal, but how close are the Autumn Court warriors going to be?”
She smiled at me. “You know better than to ask a question like that in Fairy. The land is in flux. Two places are never the same distance apart, nor can the same path ever be used twice in the journey. The better question is, can we summon a path we can control this close to the Dream Marshes.”
“You mean, where we’re going is harder to reach than other places?”
“The Land of Dreams is more ethereal than most. It is a domain where dark emotions create nightmare, and the desire of the heart can lead you astray. That is where will-o-the-wisps are born. The only way we can travel swiftly is to guard our hearts, embracing emptiness.”
I frowned.
“What is it?” she asked.
“You realize what we’re carrying is so valuable, our enemies will do anything to get it. The land will respond.” At my side, the dream stone inside its canvas pouch seemed to grow denser and heavier. “We’ll be a freaking black hole, suckin’ everyone down on top of us.”
She nodded. “We shall doubtless have to fight our way through a number of ambushes.”
“Better and better. Is there any chance we’ll be
hit tonight, before our escort joins up with us?”
“Possible,” she said, “but unlikely. The Autumn Court will need time to summon and equip their forces. There will be the usual court squabbles over who gets to lead such an important mission. The Autumn King is tyrannical and suspicious. He came to power early when his father was accidentally thrown from the saddle and dragged three miles cross country during a fox hunt.”
“You’re kidding?”
“The fey live much longer than humans. Sometimes, we get tired of waiting for what we want, and just help ourselves. Speaking of which, the Autumn King may want to attend to this matter personally—with a sizable entourage to guarantee his every comfort. He’ll not want to risk such a powerful relic being used to overthrow him.”
“Do you happen to know where this thing came from? Has the Oracle always had it?”
“As long as memories have run, there has always been an Oracle, and an Oracle Stone. That is all anyone knows. Caine, I’ve been thinking—”
“Careful, that can be dangerous.”
She slapped my arm, and the parka sleeve iced over. “I think you should give me the stone. They’ll be expecting you to have it, and will targeting you. That will give me a chance to use it, or if all is about to be lost, I can slip away and get it to the Oracle.”
“Leaving me to fend as best as I can, huh?” I rested my hand on the canvas bag. “No. I don’t trust anyone, especially the people I sleep with.”
Izumi smiled. “Does Vivian know?”
I looked over at Vivian. She’d been watching us, and now turned away, absorbed with the hunting trophies on the wall. There was the head and neck of a white stag, a mean-eyed boar with yellow tusks, and something that looked like a fan-eared eel with silver scales and crystal eyes.
Hooves clattered out in the courtyard, slowing, stopping. Josh and I were the first to the windows. A moment later, both Izumi and Vivian bracketed me, pressing in. Their personal fragrances warred for dominion. Someone grabbed my butt. I wasn’t sure who, a little more interested in finding out if we were being attacked.
Green Flame Assassin (Demon Lord series, book 2) Page 26
