by Nichols, TJ
He hoped Terrance had realized he was missing and that he hadn’t stood him up. His first date since starting college and he was going to blow it.
The mountain drew closer. Even in the growing dark, Angus could see that it was magnificent. There were rivers gushing down its sides, trees, and caves. It was a piece of lushness among the dry and looked quite out of place.
Angus expected them to take him to the tribe’s tents, but he was taken to the top of the mountain. He was conspicuously the only human, and it was noticed by every single demon who looked his way. He managed not to fall out of the hammock. Glass orbs were scattered around the flat mountaintop, casting soft yellow light. Demons sat in small groups, talking or they had been talking. Now there were a few murmurs and a lot of staring.
He scanned the group for Saka. He had to be here… unless it had been a trick and this was where they did the sacrifices. A horned demon broke away from his group. Saka? It was hard to tell in the odd lighting. He drew closer. Yes, it was Saka. Angus let a sigh of relief out. If he was going to die, it would at least be pleasant. After the day he’d had, that was as high as he was aiming.
Angus bowed his head, and Saka returned the gesture.
Curious.
Saka thanked the hunters, and they left. They hadn’t set foot on the mountain. “This is where the mages meet. It isn’t for hunters.”
“Or humans?”
Saka’s expression said it all. Humans came here but didn’t leave. Oh…. Angus looked around. He really didn’t have the energy to fight.
“The other tribe didn’t hurt you?” Saka knelt so they were eye to eye.
Angus should’ve gotten up, but he couldn’t. Everything hurt. He was sure his skin was getting tighter, and he was burned beneath his clothes. “No.”
Saka touched Angus’s cheek. Instead of being hot, his fingers were cool. “But they didn’t heal you either. How long were you wandering the sands for?”
Angus shrugged, then winced. Mages were still watching them, and some were clearly annoyed by the delay. They scowled or snapped their teeth. Their sneers were not hidden.
“I would like the full story behind your visit, but now isn’t the time.”
“Will there be another time?” Am I going to live?
“There is no need for blood tonight. Well, not all of it. We are making delicate negotiations. Your appearance complicates things.”
“You have no idea how complicated it is.” His father wanted him dead. The warlocks were somehow gathering and storing magic, but in preparation for what, he wasn’t sure. Angus didn’t know why, but the result was still the same—no one cared if all the demons died.
Saka considered him for a moment. “I could say the same to you. Things are changing. Promises are being made.” He glanced over his shoulder. “To keep it brief. The underground has agreed to send us wizards to train. It was your idea, but I brought your idea to the mages. They voted in favor.”
Angus grinned, and his face felt like it was splitting in two. “That’s excellent. When wizards start realizing what can be done… together, we’ll be able to bring down the college.”
Saka gave a single nod, but he wasn’t smiling. “Angus, humans who come to these meetings aren’t here to join the talks.”
He knew enough about demons and magic to read between the lines. “Why have me brought here instead of your tent?”
That was where he’d been hoping to go so he could sleep and drink. He wasn’t sure he could eat, but he was starting to feel a little better.
“Because word would have spread that I was keeping a human and not offering him. I can’t do that. That is disrespectful to all mages, to Miniti and the greater tribe, meaning all demons.”
Angus glanced around the plateau. The blue mage had wanted to sacrifice him. Was this where she would’ve killed him? “How many have died up here?”
“They were willing. They were sick and dying.”
“There were others, though, weren’t there? The underground sends traitors.” He let out a snort of laughter. “My father sends traitors. Criminals and people who go missing end up here.”
Saka nodded. “Be careful bringing human expectations here. You are the reason they agreed to the trial with the underground. You prove that humans can understand.”
In other words, keep his mouth closed and accept that people needed to die. They were only dying because the college warlocks kept killing demons and stripping magic from Demonside without caring about the consequences.
“This is all about rebalancing.”
“No, it’s about magical working, leadership, and direction. We are responsible for the greater tribe. Leaders like Miniti look after only one small tribe.”
Yet Miniti had acted as though she was all-powerful. Demon hierarchy was not straight up and down like the college. It was more like an all-encompassing net. It hurt to think too hard about it.
“What magic were you working tonight?”
“We want to lift the rivers around Lifeblood. Focus our efforts instead of spreading them out. The tribes will not roam as far over the coming year. You could join in if you wanted. Show them what one human can do when willing?”
Angus glanced across the gathered mages, then back at Saka. “I’m not able to do any magic tonight. I don’t even know if I can stand.”
“The sun has drained you that badly?” Saka put his hand on Angus’s forehead and made a little noise.
Angus simply nodded. He probably had heat stroke or something. Maybe this was all a hallucination as he lay in a fevered sleep on the sand. Dehydrated and delirious.
“I… um….” He’d rather give a little blood than join in. He was too tired and weak and sore. Angus held out his hand. “If I can borrow a knife, I will give a little blood. But then I need to rest. I can do more another time.”
He was on top of the demon’s sacred mountain, and they were doing major magic and he was too ill to do anything. He was probably too unskilled to be of any use. They just wanted his blood…. Saka wanted a little more than that. Angus couldn’t even get excited about that.
Saka drew a knife and handed it to him. “Do you know what you’re doing?”
“No. But I’m getting used to that feeling.” A symbolic sacrifice was all it was. “Where do you want my blood?”
“On the stone. I could do it for you.” Saka’s touch lingered on his arm. Every time Saka touched him, Angus started to feel a little better. His skin hurt less, and the fear that had been lodged in his gut had shrunk down to nothing. He knew he wasn’t safe here, but he felt safe. If Saka was doing some kind of magic on him, Angus wasn’t going to stop him.
It was tempting to agree and let Saka do it, but if he was stuck here, the only way he was going to survive was by acting as though he wanted to be here. He wasn’t going to be seen as a traitor sent here for execution. He was a warlock—a first-year student to be honest but still a warlock. He knew enough to get by, and he knew more about warlocks and humans than every mage here.
“I can do it.”
Hopefully he wouldn’t cut anything major.
Angus went to stand, and the mountain swayed. Saka steadied him. Where the demon’s fingers clasped his arm, there was a tingle and cold traced under his skin. He could breathe without hurting. The headache had faded, and he felt fine, as though there had been nothing wrong with him all day.
“You aren’t healed, but I have taken away the pain and am cooling your body. I will do more later.” His horns tipped slightly to the waiting mages.
He got it. Not here. Not now. He didn’t care that he was probably bright red and looked half-dead. He couldn’t feel a thing. He actually felt excellent, as though being surrounded by the magic was restorative.
Saka released him. “Please don’t faint or fall over. I don’t want them thinking human warlocks are weak.”
“I’ll try not to embarrass you.” Or get himself killed.
Angus walked toward the stone. The knife was warm afte
r being near Saka’s skin. Then he realized Saka hadn’t mentioned going home. Was that never going to happen? He’d said that if he was going to die here, he wanted it to be in Saka’s bed. That was becoming a very real possibility.
The mages were still watching him. Did they know he was Saka’s warlock? How much had been said? If they did, then how he behaved would reflect on Saka. Since Saka was the reason he was alive, it was in his best interest not to screw up.
The stone was as big as a bed, but it angled toward a hole in the middle. Even in the dim light, he could see the dark stains.
Old blood.
Closer he could smell it, metallic and earthy. How deep did that hole go? Did the blood really go all the way into the mountain and feed the world? Was blood spilled here worth more than blood spilled elsewhere?
The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. Far too many demons watched him. He wasn’t going to show any nerves. Fear and lust made the blood more powerful. He couldn’t manage lust right then, not with everyone watching. Fear, though? Oh, that was there, and he’d got to feel it plenty today. They could have that. The terror of being chased by one of their riverwyrms. His heart beat faster thinking about it. He’d been so close to being lunch. Its teeth had been as long as his hand, big like spades but sharp and curved. His chest tightened. Those things could be anywhere beneath the sand. How did the demons sleep at night? He was never going to be able to sleep here.
He gripped the knife tighter. All eyes were on him now. Saka was watching. He needed to do it now while the fear was still making his heart dance.
Where should he make the cut? He didn’t know anything about blood magic. He needed to learn. Maybe he should have let Saka do it. Nope. He was strong, and he wasn’t going to let them see him as disposable.
He didn’t want to bleed too much. This was a token, a polite offering. He pushed up his sleeve. Saka never cut too deep. How deep was too deep? He wasn’t used to cutting. Saka had always done it. Angus drew in a breath. If he thought about it too long, he’d look indecisive. That wouldn’t be good form, and it would reflect badly on Saka.
As subtly as he could, he tested the edge on the tip of his finger. Blood welled immediately. The blade was sharper than he’d expected. Before he could think about it much longer, he ran the knife over his forearm. A thin line of red formed, but no blood flowed. The cut wasn’t deep enough. He hesitated. This was taking too long.
With gritted teeth he drew the blade slower and deeper down his forearm. It stung, but he kept going. He didn’t know how Terrance did it on a regular basis. He didn’t know how he either didn’t notice or enjoyed it with Saka.
Blood splashed onto the stone and trickled toward the hole in the middle. The dark liquid seemed to catch the light and shimmer, the color darker than when it was fueled by lust. That was the magic he was returning. Barely anything. Saka had said it was about the emotion it contained. The fear he’d summoned had caused that tiny shimmer. He wasn’t deathly afraid. Now if the riverwyrm had gotten him, that would’ve rebalanced quite a bit. In those few moments, he understood why Saka preferred lust to fear. It was more powerful.
He held his arm out for a little longer, then covered the cut with his hand to stem the flow. Apply pressure was basic first aid. If he knew a little about magical healing, he’d have given it a go. But just because he could grow a tree, didn’t mean he was able to heal a cut.
Saka took the knife from him, wiped it, and put it away. He didn’t heal the cut the way Angus had expected him to. Guess he couldn’t stand on his own and then expect help. He lifted his hand away. It wasn’t bleeding that badly.
“Your human has come to join our ritual?” one of the mages called out. The tone was almost mocking to Angus’s ear.
Perhaps not all were happy about training warlocks. Angus glanced at Saka, knowing that the demon couldn’t really say no without losing face. He wasn’t going to let Saka take the choice from him. He’d refused to turn Saka over to his father because he believed that rebalancing the magic and saving Demonside were important. Now he had to prove it to everyone.
Angus met the vampry’s gaze. “I’m a warlock. I am more than happy to join in your ritual if you think it would be beneficial. Otherwise I will not interfere with your business.” Even though Saka had taken the pain from the sunburn and given him the energy to walk, there was no way he had the focus required for magic. When Saka’s magic wore away, Angus wanted to be asleep.
Did the demons want a warlock watching, possibly informing, or were they more worried about the rebalancing of the magic his participation would bring? He was an in-bed, one-on-one type of guy. This was a mountaintop with a few humans and a lot of demons. He didn’t even want to start counting.
“As a human you are more than welcome,” the vampry said.
As a human… It was a bit late to back out now. He wasn’t even sure how to do that politely. He glanced at Saka. Saka’s face was set and completely blank.
Some mages were never going to let him get off this mountain without joining in. This was a test for him and Saka. It was one he couldn’t fail.
He could see why wizards didn’t ever want to get a demon. They were trouble. Angus pulled off his shirt. The men, and some of the women, were shirtless anyway. He dropped his shirt on the ground. Now he was just like them.
Except pasty and burned and he knew he was really going to regret this in the morning.
Saka stepped forward. “He is a warlock, my warlock, and will be treated as such. He is not one of the offerings. A formal invitation is required.” Saka stared at the couple of mages who had been demanding Angus to join like the other humans.
A dark blue demon spoke. “Warlock Angus would you join us in a ritual to rebalance and raise the rivers around Lifeblood Mountain?” She finished the invitation with a small bow.
Angus glanced at Saka. He really couldn’t refuse now. “I would be honored.”
What was he agreeing to? The last time he’d been here, rebalancing with Saka, it had been intense, like eleven out of ten intense.
Several of the demons clapped. Guess that meant that he’d been accepted.
The blue demon spoke again. “Prepare yourselves.” She gave a pointed look to Saka.
Saka drew in a breath and spoke softly. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. You should have offered the blood and been allowed to leave.”
“They had other plans.”
“They were testing us both.” Saka gave him a grim smile. “I don’t know if I should be glad that you didn’t back down or concerned about what is to come.”
“I don’t know if I can do it.” He looked at his arms. Even in the soft light, he could see how red his skin was. He might not be able to feel the sting of his skin or the throb in his head but it was still there, waiting to pounce.
“It is too late for that now.”
“I got that. How long will your magic last?” He didn’t want to pass out. Trusting his body to these demons up here—bad idea.
Saka was silent.
“It’s just sex, right?”
Saka looked at him. “With all the mages around, the energy will be like bathing in boiling water but with no escape. Once you are in, it is for the duration.”
On the other side of the area, demons were untying and stripping down humans who had just arrived. “Are they going to be killed?”
“No, not tonight. They offered to be part of this. You offered.”
“Not putting me in the mood.” Or reassuring him.
Saka laughed. “You will be. Once the magic is churning around you, you will do things you hadn’t thought of. Try not to get dragged off. There are no apprentices here, Angus.”
In other words, he was out of his depth. Had he screwed up by accepting the challenge? Maybe he wasn’t thinking clearly. “Was there any way I could’ve walked away?”
Saka considered him for a moment. “Not really. Would you have appreciated me stepping in?”
“No.” Maybe. Now he
was starting to get worried. Demons were stripping down. “What do I need to know?”
“Relax, sink into it. Say ‘too close’ if you really can’t handle it, and you will be able to have a break… some mages struggle. There is no harm in taking a break and rejoining. Right now, though, get naked. The circle will be raised, and there will be a meditation to assist getting in the right frame of mind.”
Nothing said “get in the mood” like naked group meditation. A half bottle of wine wouldn’t have gone astray.
Angus put his hand on Saka’s arm. “I know it’s masked beneath your magic. But I am not well from being in the sun.”
“I know.” Saka placed his hand over Angus’s. “And every time I touch you, I am helping your body cool. You should not be as warm as a demon. Your skin is fragile, but it will not blister. You can’t feel the healing, but it is happening. Tomorrow I will do better if you are still sick from being in the sun. Tonight you have to get through this. Perhaps feeling no pain will be a good thing?”
Perhaps getting eaten by the riverwyrm would’ve been better.
But he didn’t say that. Saka was expecting him to put aside what he was feeling—or not feeling—and do a job. How many of the mages were putting aside their doubts and fears and hopes and thinking about what needed to be done? How did anyone get in the mood for sex up here?
He nodded, and Saka released him to get undressed. Angus started to strip. He stared at his arm. The cut didn’t look as fresh. Angus finished undressing and put his clothes to one side with Saka’s. Then he joined the line of demons as they made a circle and walked the whole way around. Right then all he planned to do was follow Saka. It was all he could do because he had no idea what was going to happen. His stomach knotted, even though he knew he wasn’t going to die.
The circle grew with each step. Blue and solid. It shimmered like sunlight on water, but there was a solidity to it that he’d never seen before. They were halfway around before he remembered that he was naked and so was everyone else, even the humans sitting in the center of the circle were watching. Some of them watched him. Angus focused on Saka’s back and the play of light over his metallic-looking skin. Bet he never got burned. The sun would bounce right off him.
