I poured more magic into my Dragon Fire tattoo. It pulled in the fire, absorbing it. I flung that hellfire energy back into the monster’s sensitive eyes. It flinched away, trembled, and collapsed into black billows of smoke, dissolving.
The creature’s unmaking was a side effect of the shot I’d made. My explosive round had punched into the woman’s face and shattered her head from the inside, spraying brain, blood, and slivers of skull everywhere. Almost headless, she collapsed to the floor. The large, six-sided crystal she’d held rolled out of her lax hand, clinking across the flagstones. It was the only prize from this encounter since there weren’t any survivors to interrogate.
Leona materialized beside me. “I thought you’d want a prisoner to play with.”
“I did. Plans don’t always work out.”
“Hmmm.” Leona left me to go slurp up the fresh blood. Blood was her main form of sustenance, though she was known to occasionally pilfer my booze as well, and sniff my coffee.
“I don’t need a prisoner to know that killing off high-ranking fey will drive the rest of them bat-shit crazy. We are definitely going to be attacked by massive numbers on my coronation day.”
“So what’s the problem?” Leona asked. “Killing’s what you do best.”
“Well, next to fucking, yeah.” I counted the bodies. “We’re going to need to make use of the dead.”
“Cannibalism? You’ve starting a new hobby? Trust me, it won’t taste like chicken.”
I glowered at her. “No, fur-brain, we need a display outside the keep, something to make my fey guests think twice about fucking me over—in a bad way. The ancient Roman’s got a lot of mileage out of mass crucifixions. Then again, I can always hang the bodies in iron cages. The crows would like that.”
“We have crows?”
“I am the land, the land is me. We’ll have crows if I want crows.”
“So,” Leona said, “if you want there to be flocks of tasty young sheep grazing by the river—”
“Then they’d shortly be dead and stinking up the place because you don’t eat your kills.”
“Hey, can I help being a blood-slurping spirit leopard?”
“I suppose not. Want to give me a hand dragging these bodies outside?”
Silence.
I looked for her. She’d gone invisible. Again. I saw the disturbance made by a ghostly tongue lapping spilled blood. Apparently, I was on my own. I sighed. Try to get a cat to be helpful…
Thankful to my dragon strength, I easily dragged the four guards together and piled them up, two to a shoulder. I carried the bodies across the tunnel-shaped kitchen, while Leona cleaned my bloody floor with her sand-paper tongue, doing her part.
It took a couple more trips to get all of the dead fey outside. That gave me time to consider the esthetics of what I intended. I’d considered stripping the dead and posing them as if death had come mid-orgy; my warped sense of humor. Reconsidering, I decided there needed to be less humor and more horror. After all, this needed to be a deterrent. My enemies needed to know that there would always be a heavy cost paid for coming after me.
I settled upon growing brambles around their bodies, letting the thorny vines lift the bodies into the air where they could be seen by those coming up to the keep. For a final touch, I went with the crows, calling to the land. A black cloud spiraled down out of the sky, settling on the dead. Wings rustled. Red-eyed crows cawed, jostling each other to get first dibs.
Ah, eyeballs, such a delicacy! Have at it boys. Bon appetite.
I headed down the white road along the river. Enjoying the walk, stopping here and there plant shadow wards at irregular intervals. At one such spot, where rocks made a river crossing all too easy, I paced off a five-foot circle, leaving footsteps of shadow in my wake. I knelt within the ring and placed a palm on the road’s alabaster surface. Feeding raw magic into the spell caused a disk of shadow to expand from my hand, anchoring darkness to the shadow steps. I lifted my hand as the land accept my gift of power. The darkness sank into the road, leaving no trace, but I could spring the trap with a flicker of shadow magic when needed.
I planted ten of these shadow-wards, and encouraged the land to grow me some stretches of quicksand off the road as well. Varying the traps, I grew pillars of rock and fragments of wall so an army couldn’t sweep through the valley at top speed. Caution would be needed or carnage would follow. I was hoping for carnage.
Seeing all this, an insightful enemy might think that coming in along the valley wall, using the forest for cover, would be best. Certainly, fey from forested land would think they could travel that way with impunity. I smiled a little evil smile.
A dark blur formed in the air, taking on definition as it landed at my feet. Leona had tracked me down. She flicked her tail tip, looking up at me baleful yellow eyes. “I know that evil smile. What are you up to?”
“Everything,” I said. “Let’s take a walk in the woods.”
“Why, are there tasty sheep in there?”
“I could arrange for something that needs killing if you like.”
Her eyes brightened with the prospect. “Really?”
“Sure, what are friends for? Speaking of which, you have spirit beast friends back in the Amazon jungle right?”
“Yeah. So what?”
“Just a minute.” We entered the edge of the woods. Although this was a mountain valley, there was a decided lack of snow. The temperature actually increased. This was due to volcanic vents and hot water springs that dotted the woods. The intertwined pine and black oak, the weaving trails, combined to create a natural labyrinth. A few crows looked down on us as we walked. I’d asked for them, but the land seemed to have provided more than necessary. I’d probably find a few wherever I went after this.
I stopped in a clearing where a stone-lined depression in a slanted bank formed a basin for a steaming spring, with feed-off for a second pool that returned the water underground. There was an adjoining shelf of rock next to the first pool, kind of a patio for entertaining. A few small boulders created steps up to it.
I took the steps. Leona jumped straight up, landing lightly ahead of me. She turned and flashed me a smug grin, sitting on her haunches.
Show-off.
I sat and brushed my hands over the rock, sinking part of my awareness into the land while picking up the thread of our conversation. “I was just thinking, while I’m having my coronation, there’s no reason why you can’t have all your friends over for fun and games.”
I felt the land reacting to my desires. A flash of reddish brown passed behind some brush, hooves digging into the dirt. Leona lifted her head, sniffing.
“A stag,” I said. Rabbits and pigs too. You just have to look around for them.”
Leona said, “When you say pigs—”
We heard a squeal and a flurry of grunts. A small heard of black bristled razorbacks burst into the open, charging down below past the raised bath. I had a quick impression of high shoulders, sloping rumps, long, skinny legs, and small hips. Their massive, wedge-shaped heads were decorated with short, hairy, ears and pointed snouts. The curled tusks looked wicked-sharp. A male—two-hundred pounds and four-foot long—led the pack. The females behind him were a little smaller. Some runt piglets brought up the rear.
Leona watched them in silence, an evil smile on her face that she could have stolen from me. One the pigs were gone, she turned her face to me. “You’re trying to make me kill, for pork chops?”
I shrugged. “Half the fun for your friends will be the challenge of bringing down your prey. What?” I said. “You think bacon grows on trees? This isn’t a perfect world, just damn close.”
“You know, I see through what you’re doing.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. You want free security. You want us to haunt the woods and kill any of your enemies that come along.”
I pushed off the rock and stood. I felt tired, drained of energy after all my expenditures. Everything has a cost. Especially ma
gic. “I resent the idea I’m getting anything free; I am catering your party.”
There was a distant squeal of pig.
“Point made,” Leona said. “I’ll pass the word, but we are hardly going to be enough to cover the whole forest on both sides of the river.”
“I have a plan for the far side of the river. C’mon, we’re going to the tree house.”
“What’s there?” Leona jumped off the rock shelf and waited at the foot of the stepping stones for me.
Hopping down from one stone to another, I passed her, leading the way. The forest was stimulating with new secrets popping up as I travelled. I saw signs of tubers, wild corn, turnips, and mushrooms fleshing out the natural pantry. One clearing was dotted with small trees awash in sunlight. Clusters of red grapes hung from low branches. I gathered some as we went by.
“So, what are you going to do about the other side of the river? And the river itself? The enemy could approach by enchanted boats with magic filled sails.”
I nodded. “I thought of that.”
“And?”
“Have you ever considered the problem that urban shape-shifters have in finding safe ground to run amok on that won’t draw human attention, or government interference?”
“Duh! Spirit leopard here with a thirst for blood.”
“My plan is to contact the Fenris, and let him know that the American werewolves are welcome to use that side over there for recreation. It has also been stocked with game. Who knows? After the coronation, we might build a few Inns, get some tourist cash flowing around here. Maybe Gloria would like to branch out, start a franchise. It might be a nice opportunity for the were-kitties to build a little empire of their own.”
“You have a lot of dreams, enough for everyone it seems.”
“Is that a bad thing?” I asked.
“Not if gladly shared by others.
I stopped and looked at Leona. “You think putting a gun to people’s heads might not be effective?”
“Not in the long run, no.”
“Like I’d really do that. You have so little faith in me.” Mental note: no guns to heads. Stick to bribing women with mind-numbing sex.
We returned to the area outside the keep where my tree-house mansion loomed. By then, the sun was much higher in the sky. My human form had reabsorbed the dragon elements so I looked my usual self, except I needed a change of wardrobe, preferably something not soaked with blood.
We used the gate, crossed the private garden, and reached the mirror back to my world. A crow sat on top of it, keeping watch. I closed my eyes. Inside my head was a crimson picture with a severe curvature. It took a moment to realize I was seeing myself through the crow’s eyes. Neat trick. With practice, I can probably learn to do the same with all the animals in the valley.
I stopped and looked down at the leopard. “Are you coming back?”
Her head turned at a white flash of motion under some shrubbery. She and I took a deep whiff.
Ah, rabbit.
“You go on ahead,” she said. There are a few things I want to catch up on.”
I grinned. “A few things you want ketchup on?”
“Go, already. You still have things to do, right? Battles to plan, alliances to build?”
“All too true. No rest for the wicked.” I walked into the mirror, reappearing in my master bedroom in the Clan House. It was quiet. I went to the bed, peeled off the bloody rags I wore, and dropped them in a heap. Osamu would just have to burn them when he got back.
Tired, waving on my feet, I dropped my phone and wallet on the nightstand and threw myself onto the bed—seeing, a second too late, the wolf skin rug, the wolf head still attached. The eyes were amber. The white teeth were bared in menace, awaiting their chance to rip and shred.
Oh fuck!
NINETEEN
“There is merely profound
horror and then there’s me.”
—Caine Deathwalker
As I hit the bed, the threat cleared the cobwebs from my mind. My heart pounded as I felt the soft brush of moving fur. Adrenaline jazzed my nerves, tweaking my muscles to deliver extra strength. I pulled a Storm PX4 out of thin air and jammed the barrel into the wolf’s mouth, using the gun like a horse’s bit so the jaws couldn’t close and savage me. At the same time, I warmed my Dragon Flame tattoo with a flush or raw magic, preparing to incinerate the enchanted rug. There wouldn’t be much of my bed left over, but necessity is a motherfucker!
It seeped into my mind that the rug wasn’t fighting me, but had stayed inert. There was no threat. I pulled the gun back and placed a slug between the eyes of the wolf anyway.
It didn’t care.
Rolling off the bed, I sprang onto my feet, my smoking gun panning across the space. That’s when I heard it: the muffled giggling of two young girls coming from the bathroom. I stalked over, wrenched the door open, and glowered down on Julia and Teramantha. They were convulsing with laughter, trying to be quiet about it with little success.
Seeing me, they went dead quiet. Julia looked into my face without fear, a smile in place. Tera ducked behind the older, taller girl, using her as a shield.
I used my smoking gun muzzle as a pointer. “One of you want to explain the fuzzy dead thing in my bed?” My other hand clutched the rug, using it to cover my private parts.
Still smiling, Julia wiped a tear from her right eye. “Just a little harmless joke.”
I glared. “Inducing a heart attack would not have been harmless.”
Julia huffed. “Like you’re scared of anything!”
Damn, using my own pride against me. How can I contradict her claim that I’m overwhelmingly courageous—I mean, it’s so true! Kid’s still too smart for her own good.
I looked past her to Tera whose face poked out. “And what do you have to say about yourself?”
Creases appeared between her eyes as she glowered back at me. “I promised to stop trying to kill you until I paid off my debt of honor. I never said I wouldn’t try to scare you.”
Technically she was correct. It was one of those fine lines the fey draw all the time. She was being true to her heritage. I said, “What will happen, do you think, if I tell Lysande about this?”
Julia looked shocked. Overly shocked actually, a little too into her role of protective big sister. “Isn’t it against the demon lord code of honor to snitch?”
Damn, and I thought Angie was a natural lawyer. Precocious or not, Julia’s getting a little too spoiled. That’s not good for her. Time for consequences.
I willed my weapon away and pointed a finger at Julia. “Do you know why there will be no ice cream for you tonight?”
Her face stayed angelic as she answered. “Because you’re a big meanie?”
I smiled. “No, because aiding and abetting is a crime.”
“So what? It’s not like you’re a law-abiding citizen.” Julia looked genuinely bewildered.
“Yes,” I said, “but the difference between us is I don’t get caught. In the Demon Clan, getting caught is frowned upon. It marks you as a rank amateur. Any other questions?”
Tara held up her little hand. “I still get my ice cream, though, right?”
I smiled. “Of course. You get your and Julia’s as well.”
Tara hopped in place. “Yea!”
Julia sank fully into grumpy petulance, her expression stormy. “That’s not fair!”
I shrugged. “Tell you what, track down whoever told you that life was fair. You have my permission to kill them. Just don’t get caught.”
A suspicious gleam entered Julia’s eyes. “So you’re saying I can do anything I want, as long as I get away with it?”
“Sure. Just remember that not everything you might want to do is a good idea, or especially safe. There are countless hell-dimensions full of dead ass-holes that didn’t know their limitations.”
Julia nodded gravely. “I’ll remember that.”
I turned and walked away.
Tara whispered to Julia
, as if my dragon hearing wouldn’t catch every word. “Don’t worry, I’ll slip your ice cream to you under the table.”
Julia sighed. She answered without whispering. “It won’t work. He heard you.”
I returned to the bed, slid under a sheet, and flung the wolf skin rug across the room, into the bathroom. I closed my eyes and said, “Run along and bother someone else. I need some sleep. And make sure someone wakes me up for dinner.”
I heard inarticulate grumbles as the kids stomped loudly through my bedroom, slamming the door to the living room shut behind them.
I pulled out my phone and called Imari. She picked up. “It’s Caine. Julia and Teramantha are heading toward the main hall. For fuck’s sake, make sure someone keeps an eye on them.”
“Isn’t that your job?” Imari asked.
“While I don’t technically outrank you,” I said, “I am a cold-blooded, scheming bastard with a very long memory. Besides, don’t you owe your current job to me?”
She sighed over the phone. “Fine, I’ll put some people on them.”
“I knew you’d be reasonable.” I killed the connection and put my phone on the nightstand. Sleep closed in. I sank into deep fathoms, welcoming oblivion.
* * *
Awareness trickled back. I still felt tired.
Can’t have been out long. Why am I awake?
I listened. The quiet was deep, offering no clue, but unease lingered. Trusting my instincts, I slid out of bed and pulled a gun from empty air. I thumbed the safety off, suddenly realizing I’d been dressed funny. I’d gone to bed in all my naked glory and was now wearing red satin shorts and a black wife-beater tee-shirt.
WHF? Selene?
It seemed likely. Red was her color and black was mine. I was going to have to have a talk to her. She needed little encouragement to be outrageous, and I didn’t want her “fixing” my wardrobe on a regular basis, especially in public. There was no telling where that could go.
I went into the living room. Another WTF moment hit. The white leather couch closest to me had been hacked into pieces that bled upholstery fluff. I looked across the room as the door opened to Osamu’s room. He stepped out looking mummy-ish with white bandages across half his head, covering one eye and ear. He had a bandaged arm in a sling and hobbled on a walking cast.
Demon Lord 5: Silver Crown King Page 15
