Howler's Night

by Marie Hall

  Her nostrils flared, and she slapped a palm against her eye as if wiping up tears. But I would allow her her dignity.

  My, how times had changed.

  When Envy stopped hating me, I’ll never really know, but it was sure nice to see things coming to a truce. Kem would have been proud of us.

  Then I was yanked away from her, held tight in the strong arms of my Bubba. His country twang was thick and pronounced as he whooped and hollered, twirling me around like I was a rag doll.

  “Pandora.” His voice was scratchy and full of gravel when he kissed my cheek. “I’ve missed you like holy hell. I knew you weren’t dead. Not our Dora.” He chucked my jaw, and I laughed. “Too strong to ever let them take you down.”

  I wrapped my arms around his thick chest and knew that the first moment he and I had some quiet time, I’d apologize to him. I owed him that.

  “I love you too, Bubba.”

  Snorting, looking flushed with embarrassment and maybe even a little bit of pride, he patted my head. “You and your silly words, girl.”

  He’d told me he loved me too, just in his own way.

  After that I was embraced by countless arms, kissed until my skin felt chapped, and, though demons never spoke of love (except for yours truly), I felt the magnitude of that emotion envelop me as I reconnected with those I’d thought I’d never see again.

  And when it was all over and everyone had gone to their assigned stations for the night, I turned to find only two men standing behind me.

  Luc.

  And Ash.

  His gaze was hungry as he studied me, his need profound, and I felt it reach out to me. Lust responded; she would not be ignored, and she would not be denied. I kept my emotions in lock with the other demons inside me, but Lust had other ideas.

  I held out my hand to Ash, and he took it.

  He never asked me where I’d been with Luc, and he didn’t look hurt, or angry. He trusted me completely, as I did him.

  I felt Luc’s eyes drill into me as I walked off with my Priest to Kem’s trailer. I didn’t look back, because I was right where I belonged.

  Later that night, I rolled off him, nipping at his jaw. He wrapped his wings around me, and I played with their velvety softness. I chuckled. “You know…”

  “What?” He dug a finger into my hip when I wouldn’t stop laughing. “Don’t you know guys don’t like to be laughed at right after sex? Makes us all freaked out.”

  Snorting, I swatted his finger away. “You’re such a nerd, priest. As if I’d laugh at that thing. All big, and veiny, and with the most delicious piercing at it’s tip.” I licked my lips and then sighed when he rocked a very hard erection between my thighs. “Round three already?” I nipped his jaw again.

  “Got a lot of time to make up for, little demon. Years of blue balls.”

  Laughing, I rolled my eyes. “I was actually thinking this was my favorite part of sex with you.”

  “What? The dessert?”

  “No, the sexy wings you wrap me up in afterwards. You, priest, are such a dude.”

  He shrugged. “You’re stuck with me now, woman.”

  “Mm.” I sighed when he rocked against me again, and it was another twenty minutes before my priest was finally sated.

  Not that I minded. Lust may have had a little something to do with keeping him so firm for so long, but there had to be perks to the job, right?

  Sighing, he rolled over, dragging me on top of his chest, and this time I knew there’d be no more fooling around. He’d not slept much in months, and I worried for him. So I ran my fingers through his hair and made sure not to do anything to keep him from that much-needed sleep.

  “How’d your talk go?” His voice rumbled through my chest.

  Running my finger along the scars lining his chest, I sighed. “Well, Luc shocked the hell out of me. Told me he loved me.”

  He didn’t say anything for a minute. “I could have told you that, Pandora. Don’t know why it would shock you.”

  I sighed. “I don’t know. I guess it was just the whole sharing thing. He’s never done that with me before.”

  We were silent so long after that I figured it was a hint to stop talking about it, so I laid my head on his chest and played my foot along his.

  “I know you love me.” He said it slowly.

  Jerking back, I gave him an incredulous look. “I hope you don’t doubt it?”

  He shrugged and then gave me a slow smile. “Not anymore.”

  “Good.” I nipped at the corner of his lips. “Because I distinctly remember a man telling me that there could only ever be one woman for him and that he’d do all manner of vile, wicked things for me, so long as I could do the same for him. Do you honestly think I’d risk something this good for something that toxic?”

  “Demon.” His voice was a scratchy burr.

  I winked, giving him my sauciest grin. “Really. Give me a little more credit than that.”

  That was when he proceeded to tickle me mercilessly. Not long after that, we fell asleep together, me cradled in his wings, him in my arms. Together we slept the sleep of the dead.

  The next morning found me right back at the carnival but unsure of my position in the fold now I waited underneath the chow tent with Ash sitting silently beside me, knowing everyone was due to arrive for breakfast any moment.

  We had important matters to discuss.

  I tapped my fingers on the table, which he quickly covered up. He hated when I fidgeted.

  “If you don’t think you can tell them, I can.”

  I glanced at him. “I’ll be fine. I mean, if you’re implying that I can’t, I can. I just don’t really want to have this conversation.”

  He shrugged and nodded, clearly agreeing with me. We’d discussed matters this morning as the sun had risen and it’d just been us. The first entry in my journal mentioned a plan the Triad had in store for my family. I’d hesitantly broached the topic with him.

  Ash hadn’t looked surprised when I’d revealed what that cryptic statement had meant; in fact, I suspected he’d known what would happen all along.

  Which, again, didn’t surprise me. My priest had made it his mission to learn all he could about me and the prophecy; his knowledge of future plans would serve us well, and I was suddenly so glad the greedy bastard was on my side.

  And now that he was no longer under a geas, it was so much easier to learn what needed learning.

  I huffed out a breath. “They’re taking forever.”

  Chuckling, he kissed my brow and scooted back on the bench, making to get up. “Give them time, little demon. Demons aren’t exactly known for being early risers.”

  Showing him my fangs, I slapped his ass as he walked off. “Get me coffee.”

  He didn’t acknowledge me, merely shook his head and laughed. I sighed like a lovesick fool watching him go. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a Grateful Dead T-shirt. That finely sculpted body would have looked good in anything, but he knew I had a thing for bad boys, and he was pretty much perfection.

  Catnip… Lust’s monosyllabic voice whispered inside my head, and I chuckled.

  Today he’d picked out my clothing, and while I still wasn’t totally comfortable in the tight, blood-red leather pants and white crop top with a bedazzled skull on it, I had to admit they did look good on me. The man obviously had a taste for high-class trash.

  What can I say, I’d groomed him well.

  At first the trickle of neph was slow. Cash and Kane came in together, heading directly for the heaping platters of fried pork fat. Vyx came a short time later, with Corriene, Greta, Claudette, and many more faces I vaguely knew, along with a few I wasn’t familiar with.

  At some point Luc had beefed up our numbers again, which was good. We needed as many of us as possible if we had any hope of bringing the Triad down.

  Everyone greeted me in some way, either with a soft wave, a verbal hello, or a gentle pat on the shoulder.

  I spotted Ash by the coffee stand t
alking animatedly with Luc, who was glaring hotly at him. I wasn’t sure what they were saying and really didn’t care. If Ash wanted me to know, he’d tell me; otherwise I’d just assume it was Luc being his wonderful, prickly self.

  With a roll of his eyes and shake of his head, Ash turned on his heel and headed back to me. And like the good man meat he was, he held two cups of coffee.

  Sitting next to me, he slid over one of the cups. “That man is a real prick sometimes, Pandora. How the hell did you do it for so long?”

  Snorting, I shrugged. “It’s called low self-esteem.”

  His brows dipped at that, and I could see he was none too happy with my words. But I didn’t give him a chance to chastise me for it. “Did you tell him I want the floor?”

  “Yeah.” He took a sip of his drink. “He said you get five minutes.”

  I laughed. “Then I guess I’d better not waste my time.” I took two quick gulps of that hot and horribly bitter coffee—Kem had always been in charge of making the brew when he’d been alive, and no one had been better at creating the perfect cup of Joe—and then slammed the cup down on the table, got up, and walked to the center of the tent.

  Bubba was the first to glance up at me. He held a pitcher of blood in his hands, and for the first time ever, it did not repulse me.

  “Yo!” I cried out, holding up my hands until all eyes turned my way. “So for those of you who don’t know me, the name’s Pandora.”

  A few of the faces stared around quizzically, but the majority of them chuckled, and someone from the back yelled, “So the prodigal has returned.”

  “Kane!” I yelled, knowing it was him by the shivery thread of laughter in his words. “I heard that.”

  That simple exchange broke the ice, and I knew I had everyone’s attention when all forks and cups had been put down.

  Luc still stood by the coffee stand, arms crossed, and stared at me. But I sensed no anger from him, at least not for me anyway. Every so often I’d catch him tossing Ash the evil eye, but that was just par for the course with those two. I doubted they’d ever become friends.

  “So, um.” Now that the time had arrived, I was nervous, more so than I’d let on to Asher. Rubbing my clammy hands together, I shoved out a quick breath. “I have news, and I… um…”

  Good grief, my stomach was a knotted mess. Wetting my lips, I struggled to find the right words to say. But once again Asher saved me from myself. He came to stand directly beside me.

  I remembered the first time we’d come out to my family over a year ago. The reception then had been a far cry from what it was today. The faces looking at him were no longer full of hostility and distrust but rather curiosity, and everyone, it seemed, knew him now. And if they didn’t like him, at least they accepted that where I went, so did he. I doubted we’d be singing “Kumbaya” anytime soon though.

  Clapping a hand to my shoulder, he spoke loudly. “It might help if you guys asked some questions first.”

  Cash was the first to talk. His Pride probably demanded he be the first to speak his piece.

  Standing, he looked directly at me. His shock of orange-reddish hair was clipped short, causing the natural golden irises of his eyes to pop electrifyingly in his rugged Irish features.

  “I’m sure I speak for us all when I say that I’m glad you’re home.” He spread his arms wide, and everyone gave a nod of assent. “But what we want to know is who took you and where they are.”

  His eyes glowed like molten metal when he finished.

  Rubbing along Ash’s strong body, I lifted my chin. “The answer to that is complex. But you’re right, it’s time you all learned the truth of who we’ve really been working for. The short answer is that I was abducted by the Triad and taken to Creatus, a prison where they can”—I cleared my throat—“work in secret on their projects.”

  “And where are they?” someone else called out. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it as several voices all began to clamor at once, trying to gain my attention.

  It took far longer than the five minutes Luc had allotted us to get through the story. There were gasps, several growls, a swear or two, and finally deep silence as those around me began to comprehend just how deep the conspiracy ran.

  “So Creatus,” Bubba drawled. “It’s run by the Triad?”

  “Yes,” Asher said.

  Claudette, one of only two Wrath demons there, stood. “Explain this to me again, just so that it’s clear in my head. You’re telling us that the governing body of the order is actually a triad of high caste lords?”

  I nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. So far as Grace can figure, only top-level personnel even knows that. Lust, Wrath, and Envy. That is the Triad.”

  Bubba’s frown was deep. He looked around at the faces of friends and family. “And the rest of us, the demons that live inside us, we’re your enemy?”

  This time Asher stepped forward, shielding me somewhat as he shook his head vehemently. “No. That’s not what this is. There are no enemies here. We are family. She”—he pointed to me—“is your sister. What the high lords do can never change that.”

  Vyxyn and Kane both shook their heads.

  Kane stood before Vyxyn could and glared hotly at us all.

  “I am Greed, you are Lust.” He pointed to me. “Your kind is out to kill mine, or at least that’s what you’re telling me.”

  Suddenly there was an eruption of voices as everyone tried to speak above everyone else, some of them coming to my defense, others claiming they no longer knew who to trust.

  “Stop, listen,” I said in an even, authoritative voice, but no one did. They were angry and they were scared, and if we didn’t get the rabble under control soon we’d have a full scale demon showdown on our hands.

  “Enough!” Asher’s voice was a booming sound full of power that instantly quelled the excited chatter of angry voices. “How many times do I have to tell you all that it isn’t about taking sides? Today it’s the Triad. Tomorrow it could be a Quadrangle. There is just no way to know. What none of you understand is that the fight is for the HCD alone. Pandora and I have come to you because there is more to this story than just picking sides.”

  Bubba stood, but he was more in control of his emotions this time. “How can you say that to us? What if our demons decide to activate us too, force us to take sides? What then?”

  “They can’t.” Ash shook his head, balling his fists.

  “Yeah, but how do you know?” For the first time since we’d started this conversation Luc finally spoke up, coming slowly toward the front of the tent. “It’s not such an unreasonable question to ask. We know so little of our fathers. How do you know, Priest, that this family won’t implode because of this?” His keen blue eyes gleamed like hard, glittering diamonds.

  Asher tossed me a quick look, and I knew what he was about to do. He would reveal who he really was to them. Twining our fingers together, I gave him a small nod of affirmation.

  Inhaling, he said, “Because I’m a demon too.”

  There were cries of shock and even some that sounded like fury. This time I stepped in front of him.

  “It’s true. The priests do not descend from angels, as we’d once believed. The blood that runs through their veins belongs to none other than Lord Greed himself.”

  “Exactly.” Ash nodded. “In the hundreds of years since I’d learned the true identity of the Triad, my feelings for Pandora have never wavered. Greed may be against the Triad, but his will doesn’t influence my own and neither will any of your other demons’.”

  Kane’s eyes went wide, his brows twitching. He was obviously noting the differences between himself and Asher.

  Asher had wings, Kane didn’t. Kane’s eyes glowed, Asher’s didn’t. Kane was a slave to his needs, Asher wasn’t.

  I answered his unspoken questions.

  “The priests were not created from the lusts of the flesh, but from the transference of power. Asher has learned a lot about thi
s false prophecy, and we would all do well to take the time to just shut up and listen and stop running so damned scared, because I swear to you that’s exactly what they want. They want us in chaos.”

  The rustle of a warm Texas breeze blew through the tent, and, hot as it was, it seemed to help cool some of the tempers. Everyone but Vyxyn took their seats again.

  “Then if you are to open the Gates of Hell like you said, Pandora,” Vyxyn said, wrapping her arms around herself, “why did they take you? They must have done something to you. Changed you in some way. What did they do?”

  Finally we got to the point in the story that I’d been dreading telling. Silence descended like a heavy cloak around the assemblage. I opened and closed my mouth several times, willing the words to come out, but all I could do was shake my head. They already hadn’t liked what I’d told them, and that was nothing to the rest of this story.

  I hadn’t expected my family to take the news as they had. Honestly, I’d thought they’d realize that we were as free now as they’d believed they’d been just an hour ago. That the Lords were at odds with one another certainly had nothing to do with us, but convincing them of that was another matter entirely.

  Everything hinged on my family remaining a strong unit. Without them to back us up, Asher and I didn’t stand a chance of bringing Creatus down.

  I kept hoping for Asher to take the lead. I know that made me all sorts of a wimp, but I really didn’t want to tell them what’d been done to me by the man in the white lab coat.

  Now, several months removed from that prison, my memories were becoming sharper, more focused. I remembered their brainwashing, the things they’d done to me. The way the doctor had tried his damnedest to erase all knowledge of him from my memory banks. He still wasn’t a fully formed image, but I could never forget that cold, dead voice of his.

  Asher rubbed my back. “It’s okay,” he whispered beneath his breath, and I knew he wanted me to do this. Asher wouldn’t rush me to tell it, but he would make me cowboy up.

  Closing my eyes, I muttered, “They envenomed me.”

  “What do you mean ‘envenomed?’” Luc asked.

  Wetting my lips, I looked at the enraptured crowd of neph. My family. My friends.