Shadow Demon

by Judith Post

  “Not that any of us want to fight you,” Hud said from behind them. “We watched from up here. If Gordy had seen you, he wouldn’t be so eager to rush into battle.”

  They carefully made their way down the stairs.

  “We don’t have a car,” Reece said.

  Andre pointed. “Your man is on his way. He called when they were finished with Wedge, and when he heard what happened, no one could keep him away.”

  The SUV pulled into the alley behind Jimmerson’s house before Andre finished speaking. Its tires spun on the gravel.

  Hecate smiled. “I don’t think your gargoyle would have done any better if he thought you were the person trying to escape Nen’s house.”

  He would have, Reece knew. Damian was smart and wise. She could be…impulsive.

  Brakes squealed, and Damian was out of the SUV, tugging her to him.

  “Ouch!” She didn’t mean to flinch, but her shoulder was sore where Andre had grabbed it.

  Damian bent his head and crushed her lips with his. Then he grabbed her arms, as if to shake her.

  A low growl sounded in Andre's throat. “She’s hurt, remember?”

  Damian wasn’t listening. “Don’t ever do that again! What were you thinking?”

  “That you were in trouble and she was going to save you.” Hecate crossed her arms over her chest.

  “But we agreed….”

  Andre grimaced. “What would you have done if Reece was in that house?”

  Damian’s voice went grim. “I’d fly onto the roof and tear it apart board by board.”

  Reece stared at him.

  He sighed in defeat. “Gargoyles aren’t always brilliant.”

  They piled into the SUV, and Damian started the drive home.

  “We didn’t bury the beads,” Reece told him.

  “There’s tomorrow.”

  She nodded. Tomorrow would be here soon enough.

  Chapter 21

  Damian went to help Andre in the kitchen. Hecate poured Reece a tall glass of wine.

  “What is this, half the bottle?” Reece asked.

  Hecate gave an elegant shrug. “A day like today needs more than half measures.”

  They went to the balcony, and Luna stretched onto one of the lounge chairs. Aidann sat across from her, bristling with news. “You won’t be surprised by the witches Wedge killed.” His stern expression grew more fearsome. “Zolinda and five more from Minerva’s coven.”

  Hecate’s eyes narrowed. “Minerva can’t come to Bay City. I hexed her when she tried to kill Joseph and Jenny.”

  “But Joseph and Jenny aren’t here,” Reece said, thinking out loud. “I sent them away, and the spell was to protect them, not us.”

  “Damnation and hell fire! Minerva’s here, then, with her entire coven.” Magic prickled over Luna’s skin. Her fists went to her hips. “We spared her before. She mistook that as weakness.”

  Aidann shook his head. “Minerva isn’t that deep. Nen seduced her with promises of power and greed.”

  Damian carried another tray of drinks onto the balcony. Andre followed with two plates piled high with chicken-salad sandwiches. “Just for lunch,” he said, glancing at Reece. “I promised you something special.”

  She snagged a sandwich. “Everything you and Damian make is good.”

  “Oh, my poor friend, you are a mess.” Andre pressed his lips together, a worry line creasing his forehead. “You don't even care what we feed you. You're not yourself.”

  “Nen’s too scary for that.”

  “And he’s called in reinforcements. He has a plan.” Aidann ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair. On him, the gray looked distinguished. He must have known it. Warlocks didn’t have to age. He wanted to look older and more serious.

  Damian pulled a kitchen chair through the French doors to sit down. “Wedge and his pack killed six of the coven. Won’t that make a difference? That’s almost half.”

  “It is half if you don’t count Minerva.” Aidann shook his head. “There’s a reason she didn’t send all of her witches to Wedge’s property. She’s busy with something else.”

  The balcony was crowded, but the air and sunlight felt good. Reece inhaled deeply and turned her face upward to the warmth. She closed her eyes, breathing in the city. When she opened them, Damian was smiling at her. A shared moment, but it didn’t last. The space was too crowded.

  Hecate stood to offer Andre her chair, waited for him to settle, then sat on his lap. There was still business to discuss. “Minerva and Zolinda must have divided up. Zolinda was in charge of collecting the Weres, and Minerva took the other six witches to do some other chore.”

  “Why those two Weres?" Damian asked. "Why not the two who stand guard in front of his house?”

  “He probably doesn’t know they're there,” Luna said.

  “So the witches were supposed to take Wedge and Patches to Nen,” Damian said.

  “Can they do that? Even if the coven captured them, can Minerva get inside Nen’s house?” Andre asked.

  Hecate thought about that. “She can, but the Weres can’t.”

  Luna agreed. “The shields won’t let enemies pass. Nen can’t come out, and we can’t go in.”

  Andre frowned. “So why did Nen try to trick Reece? Could she pass through?”

  Luna took a deep breath. "“Not if she's conscious, but that's an easy fix. She's no enemy if she can't hurt him."

  Reece shivered. That meant once Nen lured her close enough, he could blast her and drag her inside. She took another sip of wine.

  Aidann steepled his fingers, deep in thought. “We're forgetting something. If someone wants to free himself from a witch’s curse, he either has to cast an exact counter spell—trickier to do than one might think—or he has to kill the witches who cursed him. Their deaths would release him.”

  “You mean like Reece and Hecate?” Andre asked.

  Aidann’s pale eyes settled on Reece. “Nen won’t kill Hecate. She’s the reason he came. But with Reece gone, the spell would lose half its power. Nen could break free.”

  Damian’s wings curled closer to his back, a reflex reaction when he grew tense. “You think Nen’s ordered Minerva and her six witches to kill Reece.”

  “That’s what I’d do if I were him,” Aidann said.

  Reece rubbed her arms, suddenly chilly. She took a deep breath. “Is that what he tried to do with his illusion spell? Destroy me?”

  Aidann glanced around the group. “Why else would he transform himself into Damian?”

  Reece’s hands felt shaky. She carefully set her wine glass on a table. “Then I need to thank all of you for zapping me before I reached Nen’s door.”

  Andre raked his hand through his thick, black hair. “This warlock is one tricky bastard.”

  “He loves games.” Hecate pressed herself closer to her Were. “He’s starting to have fun again.”

  Luna leaned forward, driving home her point. “He’s brought in pawns to help him win. If we see Minerva or anyone from her coven, we finish them.”

  Aidann nodded agreement. “The minute we see them, we attack. Before they can make the first move.”

  Reece put a hand to her necklace. She didn’t need it to communicate with Luna when her great grandmother sat in front of her, but it comforted her. “I took martial arts for years before I opened my studio. I’ve never been on the offensive. I only teach defense. I don’t know if I can do it.”

  Aidann jabbed a finger in her direction. “If you don’t, you’re not just risking your life. You’re risking ours. If she captures you, she can use you against us.”

  “Think of it as defending us,” Andre said.

  Reece nodded. That helped. She’d think of Minerva as a threat to her friends.

  Aidann tried to stretch his legs. They were too long, and there wasn’t enough space. He pushed himself to his feet and stalked inside. “I hate just sitting here, waiting. There must be something we can do.”

  “The rosaries,” Ree
ce said. “I’m okay now. I’d feel better if we got them in place. I didn’t give Bull the extra vials of holy water either. The Weres that stand guard should have them.”

  “They need more,” Luna said. “We need to spray a circle of protective potions for them to stand in, so that Minerva can’t zap them. I even want to spray the vehicle they use to drive back and forth. Hell, I want to spray anything and everything we can.”

  Reece slid her feet back into her moccasins. “I’ll get more spray bottles.”

  “Is it true that salt works?” Damian asked. At Hecate’s nod, he said, “I’ll get the salt.”

  “Let’s stop at my restaurant. We have huge containers of every kind. Is kosher better than sea salt?”

  “For witches, salt’s salt,” Hecate said. “Let’s go.”

  There was no dillydallying. They filed from the condo, loaded with supplies, and climbed into Andre’s black Land Rover. It, too, had tinted windows. They drove to his restaurant, then sped to Nen’s street. Reece heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Whitey and a woman in her mid-thirties standing guard.

  Visions of Weres battling for their lives had filled Reece’s mind on the way over. She should have given them the rosary water, done more to protect them. She might find them, dead, and it would be her fault. The visions were so vivid, they almost felt like premonitions.

  Andre frowned at Whitey. “Why are you still here? You were with Bull this afternoon.”

  “He doesn’t want anyone else to be at risk,” the woman said. She had chin-length, sandy-colored hair and a golden tan. “He’s pulling double and triple shifts.”

  Whitey glanced toward Nen's house. “I’ve never mated. No wife, no kids. No one I’d leave behind.”

  “I’m single too." The woman raised a brow. "What are you telling me, that if the pack has to lose someone, it might as well be one of us?”

  “No, it’s not like that, Sandy. I’m talking about me, not you.”

  The woman’s nickname was appropriate, Reece decided. Hair color and fur color seemed to match. When the woman shifted, she probably made a sleek, attractive, tan Were. Reece remembered her from a group that had filed out from one of Rome Nash’s rentals. The woman had been the most reasonable to deal with and had convinced the others that it wasn't Wedge, but Rome, who’d betrayed them.

  “A new witch joined with Nen,” Hecate told them. “We want you to take more precautions when you stand guard. It will be inconvenient to stay in certain spots, but safer.” She explained their plans to them.

  “Salt and potions,” Sandy said. “If they keep witches away from me, I’ll squat in a square.”

  Everyone got busy. Damian and Andre sprayed Wedge’s Suburban and Whitey’s pickup. “These are the only vehicles Weres should use to drive back and forth.”

  Reece and Hecate, obscured, sprayed the inside border of the sidewalk all the way to each corner and then met and sprayed the entire curb. “The grass strip will be safe,” Hecate said.

  Aidann and Luna poured salt up and down the entire alley. Then they sprayed the perimeter of the garage where Benito and Antony perched to watch Nen’s house. Those finished, they all went to spray around the entire yard of the rental where Jimmerson and Hud were staying. They hadn’t wanted to draw attention to it, and Nen couldn’t see them come and go, but if Minerva suspected they were there, they’d be safer behind the barriers.

  Reece and Damian sprayed Jimmerson’s car parked in the gravel lot and were sprinkling salt inside of Hud’s when Jimmerson called to them from the house’s back door. “Something’s up. Gordy’s losing it at the station. Pete’s got him in his squad car, but he has to restrain him. He doesn’t know how long he can keep him there.”

  “Reece and I will go,” Damian said. “But this might be a trick. Someone should stay here too.”

  “I’ll go with you two,” Andre volunteered. “That will leave three witches to stand guard here. I don’t have magic, but I have muscle. I can help with Gordy.”

  The three of them raced to the police station and parked next to Petersen’s unmarked car. Restraining was putting it mildly. Pete had Gordy’s hands cuffed behind him, and he’d used his belt to fasten Gordy to the front seat.

  Gordy moaned, rolling his eyes. Foam lined his lips. Reece’s hand went to her necklace, and the lullaby Hecate had taught her sprang from her lips. It worked on the rogues, and it worked on Gordy. The young detective’s lids grew heavy. His body went slack, and he fell into a stupor.

  “What happened to him?” Pete demanded.

  “Minerva’s coven is calling to him. We should take him to Jimmerson’s apartment. At least that way, you guys can keep an eye on him.” Reece motioned to Andre. “Too many people around for Damian to help me. Even with his big shirt, cops will notice his size. I want to spray Gordy’s car.”

  Andre hurried to help her. He kept glancing over his shoulder as they worked. Reece didn’t blame him. Minerva and her witch friends could be somewhere nearby. She kept waiting for a surprise attack. She was glad when it didn’t come. Once they finished, she tossed salt inside Gordy’s car and then did the same to Pete’s.

  “What the…” Pete stared at her.

  “Protection.”

  “Then don’t miss any spots.” Pete followed them, with a sleeping Gordy, when they drove back to the apartment. Reece got out of the Land Rover and glanced all around the gravel parking area. Everything was protected that she could think of. Damian tossed Gordy over his shoulder and carried him up the stairs to the small, look-out apartment.

  Reece sprayed the baseboards of the tiny room, then she sprayed the windows and door. In theory, the place was protected. No one should be able to get in the yard, but why take chances?

  Aidann paced between the balcony and the bed. “They’re gearing up for something. Can you think of anything else we should do?”

  It was unnerving to see the tall, fierce warlock so nervous.

  Luna went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He stiffened, but tolerated it.

  “Spit it out,” Luna said. “What’s bothering you?”

  “Nen hates you. So does Minerva.”

  “So they’ll try to kill me once they’re done with Reece. If I die fast, I’ll be the lucky one if Nen gets out of that house.”

  They were bouncing ideas around when Jimmerson said, “Hey, something odd’s happening.”

  Reece walked onto the balcony with him. Jimmerson pointed to the south. Fog was rolling toward them on a sunny day.

  “Mortals, stay inside. Don’t leave this room!” Hecate squared her shoulders and started toward the stairs. When Andre began to follow her, she snapped, “No! You can’t help this time, and you could get me killed.”

  “How?”

  “I’d try to protect you when I need to protect myself.”

  “We need to warn Whitey and Sandy.” Reece raced down the stairs.

  “Get them up here with Jimmerson. Hurry! We don’t have much time.”

  Reece darted across the street, but before she reached the Weres, the fog engulfed her.

  “Watch out!” Luna raised her palms, ready to battle. Aidann took a stance beside her.

  Four witches stalked forward with the fog. Winds accompanied them, whipping frantic bursts in different directions. Hecate rushed to stand beside Reece. “I ordered your gargoyle to stay on the balcony. Are you ready?”

  Did she have a choice? Reece called, “Whitey! Sandy! Stay on the grass strip and duck down.”

  Both Weres hit the dirt.

  An enemy witch shot the first blast. The white, hot ball flared through the fog. Hecate fired back. The energies met in the middle. Aidann squared off with the second witch. Luna, the third. Reece glanced down the line. No Minerva, no fifth witch, but the ones they faced glowed with blood-red auras. They pulsed with power.

  Reece’s left hand went to her moonstone. The pendant on her ankle sprang to life. Energy flowed through her. She braced herself for the fourth witch's attack, but th
e witch whirled to blast Hecate instead.

  Reece volleyed it aside. It ricocheted and withered a tree. The witch turned on her, waved her hands in a circular motion, and energy sucked at Reece like a tornado. Reece shot magic down its funnel and knocked the witch off her feet. Then the whirlwind caught her and tossed her off balance. She flew sideways, hurried to right herself, and saw another blast race toward her. She ducked. It went over her head, hit the protective shield on the grass strip, and exploded.

  The protective shield worked. Whitey and Sandy would be safe. That worry gone, Reece focused on the witch in front of her. She was older and more powerful.

  Reece's necklace hummed. The tune lodged in her mind. She began to hum it too.

  The other witch laughed. “Lullabies don’t work on me.”

  “That wasn’t a lullaby.”

  Sunbeams darted through the fog. The winds began to die.

  “No!” The witch chanted black spells, summoning dark energy.

  Reece hummed louder. The sky darkened and brightened at intervals. Winds whipped and subsided. The witch glanced upward and chanted faster.

  Energy ricocheted off Aidann’s palms and shot toward Reece. She called for protective shields on both sides of her. The energy hit, bounced, and struck her opponent.

  The witch screamed and flew backwards. She scrambled to her feet and stalked toward Reece. Reece muttered a chant and the ground swelled beneath the witch, knocking her off balance. While she struggled to remain standing, Reece shot energy at her. The witch ducked her head, and Reece shot sparks to distract her while she curved the energy like a boomerang. When the witch straightened, the white ball hit her from behind.

  The witch arched in pain and slumped forward.

  Energy was bouncing everywhere. Blasts hit her shields with loud explosions. She kicked off her moccasins. She pressed the soles of her feet onto the cement, felt the gravel and dirt beneath the street, and called for a steady flow of power. It streamed up her ankles, through her body, and surged from her hands. The moonstone's song still played in her head, and she hummed it.

  The witch groaned and pushed to her feet. She poured more energy into summoning fog and winds. Why? Reece wondered. She made herself vulnerable, trying to control the weather while she fought. Did sunlight weaken her? Had she become so evil, she despised the light?