Chaos Rises: A Veil World Urban Fantasy

by Pippa Dacosta

  Torrent’s attention had wandered back to the dead lesser. While he wasn’t looking, I slid my gaze up the length of his wings. I really wanted to touch their shimmering surface and see if they were wet or dry. They looked wet, but like snakeskin, I figured they were probably dry. I rubbed my fingers against my palms, fighting the leftover demon urges, and plunged my hands into my pockets, finding the key ring in one.

  The key ring, the same as the one Allard had given me. There had to be hundreds of the same key rings all over the beach. It didn’t have to mean he’d been here. And even if he had, maybe he was just out for a stroll, in the nw-zone…

  “We’d better get back,” I grumbled.

  Torrent’s wings flexed, spilling a shiver of light over them. I averted my eyes. The sight of him as demon freed thoughts of what it might be like to wrap myself up in those wings. It was all a bit too…bestial for my human mind.

  He turned, and from one blink to the next, his demon dissolved into what looked like rain. Just like that, his wings, his demon, it all collapsed, and he stepped forward, unruffled, dry as a bone, still wearing the same raggedy coat, crossbow, and hint of a smile. I shut my mouth and hoped he hadn’t seen my very obvious appreciation.

  I needed more PC34A in my veins.

  * * *

  Fairhaven was its usual free for all of demons when Torrent and I returned to the foyer. I spotted Allard at the front desk, engaged in what appeared to be a heated discussion with Joseph—heated, in that Allard stood rigid and immobile while Joseph rattled off whatever it was that seemed so important.

  “I need to talk with Allard,” I told Torrent, steering him toward the stairwell. “I’ll find out if we’re going to visit Vanessa, and I’ll be right up.”

  He regarded the discussion and the back-and-forth flow of demons and nodded. “Are you sure this is the time?” His concerned gaze settled on Allard.

  “I know how to handle Allard.” I turned away, but Torrent’s fingers snagged my sleeve. I growled low, a warning, and he immediately let go. A look passed between us. I saw a challenge in his glare, although I wasn’t sure why. Then he dropped his gaze to the key ring in my hand. “Go.”

  He only left the foyer when I was a few strides away from Allard. I glanced back to check and caught the blur of his coat before the door swung shut. I couldn’t imagine what had gotten his wings ruffled and didn’t particularly care. With the key ring clutched in my hand, I bore down on Allard.

  “…number of guards overlooking a frontal approach,” Joseph said. “The cliffs make an easier route.”

  “I’m not skulking around her grounds like a lesser. We go in via the front, and we do it confidently.”

  They ignored me. But I made sure to stand inside their peripheral vision and loiter there, teeth grinding. Finally, Allard blinked his gaze to me, and with it came the little skitters of fear.

  I rooted my boots to the spot, fighting the urge to bow my head. “I need to have a word.”

  A growl bubbled up through Joseph’s chest. My tone had been dangerously close to a challenge. I hadn’t quite meant for it to sound that way, but I couldn’t take it back, so I went with it and lifted my chin.

  “Not now, Gem.”

  “Just a few moments—”

  “We’ll be visiting Vanessa at dusk—”

  “I just want to ask one ques—”

  Joseph lunged at me. I hadn’t expected that. If it weren’t for the preceding hot rush of his telltale element, I might not have had time to swerve away from the right hook and retaliate with my own loose-but-fast right fist in the face. I cracked my knuckles dead center on the bridge of his nose. It was reflex, mostly. But as bone crunched, delight spritzed my veins.

  Allard yanked me off Joseph, held me out at arm’s length, and gave the rabid fire demon a stern push to the chest, holding him back. Joseph’s human form rippled and almost tore apart. He was losing it, which only made me smile even more. He saw the big, stupid grin on my face and launched into a tirade of demon-tongue that I had no hope of understanding.

  Allard shut him up with one word. It was a good word, sounding something like “shee-lark.” and whatever it meant, it struck enough fear in Joseph for him to pull himself together, bow his head, and stride away.

  Allard dumped me on my feet like a scolded kitty. “I do not have the time to deal with squabbling demons. What is it?”

  I dangled the key ring at eyelevel between us. “Where did you get it?”

  “You challenged Joseph for this?”

  “I didn’t challenge him. He’s just sensitive because Torrent kicked his ass.”

  “Your tone challenged me, half blood, and Joseph, as my protector, was bound to respond.” Allard spoke slowly so that my limited half blood brain functions could keep up.

  I waved the stupid demon nonsense away. “He’s still an ass. I wasn’t challenging you. I was just… I just want to know where you got this.”

  He blinked slowly and side-eyed the spinning key ring. “Why?”

  “Can you tell me?”

  “One of my flight brought it back.”

  That was a damned lie, although it was delivered with perfect confidence. None of his demons would bring back a trinket. They wouldn’t even look twice at the rubble. No, Allard picked up the key ring especially for me. He’s the only one who knew enough about me to know his little gift would bribe my weak human mind into liking him.

  He was lying. Why?

  I closed my hand around the key ring and tucked it into my pocket. “We leave at dusk?”

  He blinked at my sudden change of topic. “Yes, bring Torrent. I assume you still have him on a tight leash.”

  I nodded once and marched away, needing to be as far away from him as possible so I could work through what his lies meant. The only reason he would lie would be to hide something—the fact he’d been at the site where Del had disappeared. Why would he have gone there? Allard had no reason to go into the nw-zones.

  I stormed into my room and threw the key ring at my dresser. It hit the mirror, skipped off, and tumbled to the floor. The original key ring still sat on the side. They were the same, of course. I sank my fingers into my hair, yanking it back from my face and stomped on the newest key ring, grinding it to dust under the heel of my boot. Allard was lying. The bastard was lying to me about my brother. He’d been there, at that exact spot. He knew more about Del’s disappearance, and he’d lied to my face.

  Barbed anger burned in my chest. Allard beat me, used me, lied to me, made me think he was somehow protecting me, made me want him. The anger flared, and with it, my element surged. I closed my right hand into a fist and glared at the stupid girl in the mirror. Did I think he cared? Did I really fall for his bullshit gifts and his honeyed lies? I was owned. I was always owned. I’d just buried my head in the sand and pretended I was the one in control when it had been him all along.

  I tore the postcards off the wall, fingers turning to claws, and swept all the silly trinkets on the floor. All gifts from Allard. Bought. I heard growls—my own—and saw the flash of ice in the eyes of my reflection. When I punched the mirror, jagged cracks streaked through the glass, and pain snapped up my arm, wrenching a short, sharp cry from deep inside. I pulled back and punched again, buckling the frame and distorting my reflection. Again. Pain burned through my knuckles. Again. Blood smeared across the glass, further blurring the girl glaring back at me.

  “Whoa, stop… Gem, stop…”

  Torrent grabbed my right arm as I swung back for another hit. That was the wrong thing for him to do. I whirled, swinging with my left fist. He saw it coming and jerked back, so I kneed him in the groin. Or I tried to, but my knee skimmed the inside of his thigh instead. He still had hold of my right arm, but not for long. I lunged, snapping demon teeth inches from his face. He pushed forward, driving me against the dresser. I bucked and tried to get my arms free, but he’d clamped one arm around my left side, holding me tight against him while still gripping my right arm at the el
bow. I bucked again, but the smooth liquid touch of his element had curled its way up my leg, distracting me. My frantic writhing turned to twitches. Rage still ate at my insides, and my demon stalked dangerously close to the surface, turning my fingers to claws and my teeth to fangs. I breathed hot and hard through my nose, smelling the sea, and leather.

  I couldn’t move. “Let me go.”

  I can’t move. Can’t breathe. Trapped. Tied down. Can’t move.

  “Will you scratch my eyes out?”

  They’re coming, coming with their needles. The pain will start soon. They’ll pull my demon from me. I need her. I need her. Where’s Del? Where’s my brother? “Get your fucking hands off me right now, or I will carve your heart from your chest with my claws.”

  Indecision trembled through him. His element flared in response to the threat, spiraling around my body, trying to drown me.

  “Torrent! Let go!” I screamed.

  He threw his arms off me and staggered back, a hand out and his stance low, as though that might placate me. “I’m not going to hurt you—I’m not!”

  Demon. He’s demon. Strong. He tried to trap me. To hold me.

  I groped behind me at the dresser, knocking bits of glass to the floor.

  “Gem, it’s me…” He hunkered down lower, making himself small, submissive. “See? Not fighting you.”

  I yanked open the drawer and fished around inside without looking. My fingers skipped over a cool jet injector. I scooped it into my hand, pressed it against my neck, and pulled the trigger. 5 ccs of PC34A. That’s all it took. The madness receded, pulling back like waves from a beach, and finally, I could breathe again.

  I let out a gasp and threw my head back, waiting for human to fill out my body and regain control. As reality flooded the room, I heard my own ragged breathing, alongside Torrent’s and squeezed my eyes closed. Cool tears slipped free. Human. Gem. This is me. This is my home now.

  I blinked back into the now. All my little gifts, all scattered and broken. The mirror was wrecked, my right hand throbbed, and blood dripped in streams down my arm.

  I sighed and staggered toward the bathroom. “We’re going to Vanessa’s in a few hours.” I sounded like myself, but it would take a while before I felt like Gem again. Gem the half blood, Gem the pet, Gem the silly little girl who trusted a demon to find her brother.

  “Gem?”

  “Don’t!” I slammed the door on the questions in his voice.

  A shower helped. Something about the water raining over my naked human skin helped remind me who it was I was supposed to be. I hadn’t had an episode like that since the Fall, and it was only having Del that had brought me back from the last one. Torrent hadn’t known holding me would make it worse. He’d been trying to help. That had to stop. I didn’t need his help.

  I smelled the ocean around me. It was…nice, and it gave me something else to think about other than how I really would have torn into Torrent if he’d held me any longer. I’d have killed him too. I winced and drew the smell of the ocean into me, letting it trickle through my senses and distract my wandering thoughts—memories— of killing, of what it felt like to sink my claws into flesh and rip.

  Memories. I wished I could forget.

  Chapter 14

  Allard’s plan was perfect, just as long as you didn’t happen to be the half blood bait. Torrent took the news without protest, not even a glimmer of surprise, and no attempt to argue. The perfect pet.

  When we climbed onto his bike and I clamped my arms around him on the ride up the coast, he didn’t pull me close the way he had before. And I didn’t indulge by drawing his scent into me. He seemed rigid and cold, and that was probably for the best. We hadn’t said much since I’d threaten to scoop his heart out of his chest. After that, I’d managed to snatch some sleep while he’d stayed at the window, looking over the ocean until Allard had summoned us.

  Allard and his demons traveled behind, riding in human cars to keep up appearances. In all, he’d chosen to bring just six of his more trusted higher demons—not Joseph, I noticed with interest—and another six of the grunts, should negotiations go awry. Twelve demons in total. A show of force.

  Torrent pulled the bike up outside a sprawling, modern home, the type that clung to the cliffs. He cut the bike’s engine as the cars rolled in behind us. Dusk had settled over LA, dragging with it a blanket of mist so thick I could taste it on my lips.

  Car doors slammed, and Allard stepped from his vehicle. Mist swirled around him and his demons as they took up flanking positions behind him. Torrent kicked the stand down and straightened the bike beneath us. He twisted to scan the gathering. His gaze snagged—probably on Allard—before meeting mine.

  I wanted to ask if he was okay. The words poised on my lips, but whatever the answer, it wouldn’t change anything. It was too late for words. “Ready?” I asked instead.

  His throat moved as he swallowed, and like me, there were unspoken words in his eyes. Faint lines furrowed his brow, nothing that Allard would see, but I saw it all: the concern, the fear. He wasn’t okay with this. Vanessa had owned him, and she wasn’t about to take kindly to seeing him beside Allard.

  “I’m ready,” he answered softly, for my benefit and swung his leg off the bike.

  We strode toward Allard. The demon dealer acknowledged us with a slight nod. Torrent’s element shifted, stirring the mist, but he stepped into place behind Allard, hands clasped in front of him and his gaze dead ahead.

  I mirrored his stance behind Allard and looked Torrent over one last time. I’d seen him up close as demon. He could wipe the floor with some—maybe all—the demons here. As half bloods went, he was a prize catch. Allard was using him as bait, but there was no way he’d give Torrent up.

  Shaking ice from my fingers, I raked my gaze over Allard’s back and indulged in imagining what it might be like to shove a shard of ice between his ribs and demand he tell me why he’d lied about the key ring. I couldn’t, of course. Not here. Allard would sense my element flexing and protect himself long before I could lash out. Not yet.

  “My, my…” Vanessa sashayed out of her glass and steel front door. I recognized the searing touch of her element, but she wore a different vessel than the one she’d worn on the beach—all dark skin and loose silky black hair, breasts that threatened to spill out of her painted-on red dress—clearly designed to distract. She would have looked right at home walking a red carpet.

  Allard approached, his swagger equally confident. They made a beautiful pair of human pretenders.

  “My half blood has been a naughty boy,” Vanessa purred. She leaned out, peering around Allard, and dragged her salacious gaze over Torrent.

  Torrent’s focus was lost in that familiar thousand-yard stare. He didn’t twitch, didn’t blink.

  “I’d like to trade,” Allard said.

  “Mm.” She licked her lips, slow and evocative, and arched a fine dark eyebrow. “I’m sure you would.”

  I flicked my attention to the steep rock face beside us and glimpsed the house through the curtain of mist. Allard had mentioned she’d have guards, but I couldn’t see or sense any.

  “He’s delightful, isn’t he?” she said. “He was savage once. I invested a great deal of time and effort into taming him.” Her eyes narrowed, and she curled her long fingers, tightening her hand into a fist. “Have you had him under you?” I couldn’t see Allard’s face, but I saw the smile on hers. “No? Well, you really are missing out.” She leaned in and said sotto voce, “Male half bloods really are the most fun to break, but I’m sure you already know that.”

  A line of tension ran down Allard’s back. Clearly, Vanessa knew where to apply pressure.

  “How did you come by him?” A minor tremor shuddered through her words— anger or frustration, hidden well, but not well enough.

  “My half blood found him,” Allard replied, casually. My ears pricked. “He believed he could use her to get to me and pledge allegiance. I declined, naturally. I know how fond you
are of him.” A threat curled beneath Allard’s words, and that line of tension loosened with a minor shrug.

  Fire flashed in Vanessa’s eyes. “Allegiance?” Fire burned in her words too.

  Torrent’s elemental touch flinched where it had woven itself around my ankle. I hadn’t realized he’d coiled it close until that moment and shot him a quick questioning look, but he glared straight ahead, his jaw set, body rigid.

  “Give me the coronam, and you may have Torrent.” Allard’s voice cut through the quiet. “He’s unharmed. None of mine has touched him.”

  “That’s very courteous of you and yours.” She pushed the words through her teeth with a hiss.

  “What’s the coronam to you,” he added, “but a useless rock fragment?”

  “If I have it, you don’t.”

  This was personal, a demon grudge, perhaps. In the time I’d worked for Allard, I’d never heard Vanessa mentioned. They must have known each other from before the Fall. From the netherworld? She could probably tell me a great deal about Azazel if I ever got close enough to ask.

  “Such a shame…” Allard sighed, putting on the theatrics. “I have many ways I can use up a half blood like Torrent. I’ll be sure to deliver the carcass when I’m done.” He turned, caught my eye—

  “You’ll fail.” Vanessa’s vessel rippled, her element straining to lash out. “You’re not a prince, Azazel.”

  “Let’s not drag our pasts into this, Vanth.” Definitely personal. He’d used a name I assumed to be her true demon name and did so with a wicked gleam in his eyes. He turned and opened his arms—look how friendly I am. “Come now. This is a new world with new opportunities for demons such as us.” He approached Vanessa, his gait smooth and confident like he had all the time in the world. I’d seen him flirt with humans, seen him crush a demon to dust, seen him broker deals without one wrong word, but I’d never seen him deal with a demon this way. Vanessa clearly had power, but he wasn’t behaving like a demon should around her, posturing, flexing his element. There was none of that demon nonsense. And yet, he had her on her back foot, her vessel wavering, her control slipping.