They walked across the parking lot, Tucker’s boots crunching in the gravel. “Sean? Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Still want to stick with this?” He put his hand on the small of Sean’s back, protectively. It made Sean smile. Everything about Tucker made him smile. He sucked, dragging such a good man into all of his bullshit with Vern.
“I do. I am. It’s convoluted, and I hate it, but there’s one thing that still gets me. I mean...” Sean ran his fingers through his hair. It hadn’t grown a lot, though it needed to be cut and already felt sweaty from the heat of the day. “Regardless of truth. God or no God or whether Teague is right about demons not being as bad as the angels. It’s not important. None of it is.”
“What do you mean? We have to think about all of it.”
“No, we don’t—it’s not. I mean, what we need to realize is both sides want to take us over. Both. Vern’s right. We need to be on our own side. Because with all their supernatural abilities, they’re popping in and out all the time, and no one knows.” Sean was getting worked up, but this one thing had kept him up the last few nights. “Plotting against us. Making plans. No one knows. Our government doesn’t know. Our military. As powerful as they are with guns and missiles and yeah, even nuclear weapons, I don’t think any of it will make a difference here. They’re still going to be taken by surprise when this supernatural war gets rolling for real. I’m willing to bet a lot of the top dogs in the military and in Washington are probably already in someone’s pocket. Demon or Angel.” Sean shrugged.
Teague and Vern walked up beside them, and Teague put his hand on Sean’s shoulder. “You’re right. Beleth is taking his time and making plans because he has to know what the military here is capable of. He’s going to eliminate them fast when he attacks. Manna needs another army Beleth and the demons don’t know about.”
Tucker slid his hand farther around Sean’s waist and tugged him closer, away from Teague’s hand. “How do you suppose we do that?”
Tucker’s possessive growl aroused Sean a bit.
Teague shrugged. If he had noticed Tucker’s move, he didn’t give it away. “I don’t know. Despite being unable to return home, I still have my forms. I still have abilities. Flight and influence. Vern’s abilities are manifesting since he’s learned about them and come of age. He’s going to do things we don’t even know about.” He turned to Vern and kissed him on the top of the head. “We’ll work on it. But more importantly, how many other half-demons are here on Manna and don’t know it?”
“I’m concerned we’re going to get attacked from out of nowhere and not be able to defend ourselves.” Vern pushed his glasses back up his nose and stood up straighter.
His confidence had certainly grown since he’d left Georgia, but Sean still worried about his friend.
Vern shook his head and continued. “I’m worried one of you will get hurt.”
“Don’t worry, seriously, Vern. We can handle it.” Sean would not retreat. If he hadn’t let Tucker change his mind, he certainly wouldn’t let Vern.
“Sean’s right,” Teague said, surprising Sean.
His eyes went wide. “What do you mean, I’m right? I figured you’d want to ship me off too.”
“You’re not completely human, either. Your attachment to Vern is probably because you’re part angel.”
“Shut up.” He was reaching. Sean did not have an ounce of supernatural about him, except maybe for his stubborn streak.
“Truth. Zepher and I both sensed it. Something about you is from Osestra, whether you know it or not.” The earnest look Teague gave him almost had him convinced. “Maybe it’s not even half, but like a quarter or something.” He shook his head. “I can feel it, but I didn’t sense anything before when I saw you in Georgia. I don’t know why. It’s not a science, you know.”
“We’ll see,” Sean grumbled. Tucker squeezed him a bit tighter.
Vern cleared his throat. “I think maybe we need to find others to join the cause. Part demon, part angel, who cares which. If they’re like us, they’re human too. I’m hoping they’ll want to fight for earth—for humanity.”
“Having supernatural abilities isn’t important,” Teague added. “Manna needs to fight, regardless, or one faction or the other will take over.”
Sean shoved his hands in his front pockets. “Seriously, why do the commercial, then, Vern? Why take up the acting?”
Vern sighed. “Ignoring the fact that it’s my dream...if we don’t look like we’re doing normal shit, the demons and maybe the angels too...they’ll get suspicious and maybe worry we’re putting together a defense, which hopefully we are or will be. Plus, maybe getting out in front of a wider audience will attract others like it attracted you.”
“Why the hell didn’t you say that already?” Sean shoved Vern’s shoulder. He rolled with it without even flinching.
“I don’t want you involved. I’m still scared you’ll get hurt, but obviously, you’re stubborn as hell...I give up.”
“Good. You learned something.” Sean laughed, and it managed to get a smile from Vern.
“Yeah. Fine. Let’s meet up later. Call me. I have shit to do.”
Sean didn’t know what shit he had to do unless it was his sexy demon lover, Teague, but he kept the thought to himself.
TWENTY TWO
Vern
Vern waited in the hall while Teague opened the door to his hotel room. They’d decided to stay there where they’d have more privacy. Not to mention, it was a hell of a lot nicer than Vern’s shared room.
He followed Teague inside and breathed deeply. It smelled clean without overdoing the chemicals and soft like fresh laundry.
“What do you smell?” Teague asked.
“I don’t know. Why?”
Teague gave him a gentle shove and pushed him down onto the little couch in the nook across from the big, fancy bed. The room was sleek, simple, but elegant with black-and-white checkerboard floors and pristine white walls while the finishings were all gold, brown, and bronze. Vern never would have put that color scheme together, but it worked. Everything in the room screamed expensive, luxurious. “How do you afford this, anyway?”
Teague snorted. “I’ve been coming to Manna since money became coins instead of seashells. What do you think?” He came off a little nonchalant about it, but it wasn’t important enough for Vern to worry about. Honestly, he didn’t think he wanted to hear his answers, anyway. It was exceedingly difficult to imagine his boyfriend being so old. Ancient. “You didn’t answer me, Vern. What do you smell?”
He pushed his glasses back up his nose and stretched out his legs.
“Take the glasses off, too. Sexy as they are, you don’t need them.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“You should be able to easily control your senses. You’ve never tried before, but now that you’re aware, you can do it. Come on, try.”
Vern took off his glasses and put them on the little glass table beside the sofa. He blinked a few times and looked around. His sight had always been pretty horrible. The mid-ground was the only comfortable spot, which is why he always wore his glasses, except when he ran or got on stage.
He looked around the hotel room. Everything appeared slightly out of focus. “I don’t know about this. Are you sure? Maybe my superpowers are more sublime. Like...power eating. I can eat a lot when I set my mind to it.”
Teague chuckled. “Are you telling me you’re hungry? We just ate.”
“No. I’m not,” Vern huffed. “I’m trying to avoid this topic.”
“Why?”
For a minute, Vern didn’t answer. Ideas flew through his head so fast, he couldn’t latch onto any one thing. This was all new. Teague and his demon or angel self. How he bonded with Vern, and shouldn’t Vern be a little pissed about it? But he wasn’t. He had to deal with being a demon. He should have demon powers, but he still felt like his old self—Vern, just Vern. If he could be anything else, it would be Vick Sadl
er the famous actor, not Vern Swain the half-demon weirdo. “I have to work tonight. Maybe I should take a nap.”
“Stop avoiding this. It’s not going away.” Teague crossed his arms and sunk down on the edge of the bed, facing him.
A gasp escaped Vern, still so amazed Teague had chosen him. Teague’s arms bulged more when they crossed over his chest. His hair practically glowed in the silvery light of the room, and his ever-changing eyes weren’t hazel or blue anymore, but aqua-marine. He was exceedingly beautiful and sexy, but was it reality or the bond?
“Vern? Aren’t you excited about this?”
“I’m trying.”
“I don’t think you are.”
Vern sighed and closed his eyes. His head already pounded from looking around without his glasses on. He focused on the pain at his temples and behind his eyes. If he had this ability, why were his eyes straining so hard?
“It takes a bit of practice.”
Vern nodded but didn’t open his eyes. He honed in on the way the room smelled. Yes, clean laundry, but beneath it something floral. Everything in the room had a sumptuous feel to it.
Concentrating harder, he smelled lemon and chemicals. Furniture polish. He let his smile play across his lips. He’d never been able to pick out various scents as distinctly before. Maybe Teague was right. “Okay.”
“Good. I like seeing you smile.” He stood up and crossed the room. “Look at me,” he whispered.
Vern opened his eyes and stared into Teague’s multifaceted eyes, getting lost in them almost instantly.
“I have to go. Stay here and practice. I’ll be back.”
“Go where?”
He kissed Vern’s forehead.
“Stop.” Vern shoved at Teague’s arms beside his head. “Move.”
Teague pulled back and sat on the sofa beside him. “What?”
“Where are you going?”
“Don’t be mad. I have to go meet someone I know. I need more information about what’s going on in Exilum.”
“When will you be back?”
“Before you have to leave for work, hopefully.” Teague’s face scrunched up. “Do you have to keep working there? I don’t like all those other men ogling your naked body.”
“I’m not naked.”
“Close enough.”
“It’s good money.”
“You don’t need money.”
“Let’s see how the commercial goes. If my acting takes off, I’ll stop dancing. Okay? But otherwise, we need to act like everything’s the same. Remember? I’m a struggling artist here.” Vern touched his chest.
“Yes, but I don’t like it.” Teague’s bottom lip puffed out more than it normally did. “Especially after those guys tried to kidnap you. It might not have been Zepher, you know.”
“Are you pouting?”
Teague scoffed and stood up.
“I’m the one who’s supposed to pout.” Vern laughed. “Now give me a kiss before you go.”
“Okay.” He sat back down on the couch and pressed his lips to Vern’s, and Vern pressed back. His mouth was hot, and Vern wanted him. He licked Teague’s lips, begging for more. Teague slid his tongue inside Vern’s mouth, exploring it, teasing. He tasted like coffee and cigarettes, but Vern didn’t mind. Reluctantly, he stopped, slowly peppering little kisses against Vern’s mouth and giving him the gentle love he needed. “I promise, I’ll not be longer than I have to.”
“Okay. Go so you can get back. And be careful. I don’t trust your brother.”
“I don’t either. You practice.” He pointed at Vern.
“I will.”
Vern walked Teague to the door and locked it behind him. He left the balcony door open. If Teague needed to get in, he’d be able to come in that way. Yeah, because his boyfriend could fly. Vern shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around it. His heart had already jumped fully onboard, but his brain needed to catch up a bit.
Practice.
He looked around the room again. This time he zeroed in on the fancy round, gold-framed mirrors hung above the headboard. He saw his face in the lowest of the three mirrors. He directed his mind and his eyes to the image, thinking about it like focusing a pair of binoculars. Wouldn’t it be similar? It took a minute, but then he could see the pores in his skin, on his cheek. “Whoa!”
Pain in his temples flared. It hit behind his eyes like hot coals rolling around in there. He needed a break and a cool washcloth over his eyes. He got one and stretched out on the bed, thinking about his supposed abilities. He had some small and insignificant success.
A quiet tick changed Vern’s focus. What could he hear? He thought about the white noise of the room and then beyond. Cars on the street, feminine laughter, a bird, all came to him in a general way. Then he heard footsteps in the room next door. Elevator doors swooshing open at the end of the hall. Vern relaxed into the noise. He could easily increase his hearing, perhaps the rest would get easier, too. Teague was right. He needed practice.
He sat up and slowly opened his eyes, thinking about seeing the room but, oddly, not trying too hard. The pain in his head receded. Then everything came into view, crystal clear. He jumped up on the bed and bounced around like a kid. He could live without his glasses or contacts. He’d been reluctant to try, get his hopes up and have them dashed, but this was real. His new reality...and he could see clearly. The rest would come in time, but for now, joy burst through his chest.
What else could he do? He leapt from the bed and dashed out on the balcony. He could control animals, they’d said. Dominion over beasts. Whatever that meant.
He focused on the bird chirping its head off. “Bird.” It stopped singing, but only for a second. He pointed at the feathered fiend perched on a neighboring balcony railing. “Shush!”
The bird completely ignored him.
“Bird. Hey! Stop.” It hopped along the railing, its song ringing out clearly.
Vern looked around for other birds, but there weren’t any. He tried imposing his will on the little critter, but it thwarted every attempt. Finally, in frustration, he picked up a little pebble and threw it. The pebble pinged off the side of the balcony, nowhere close to hitting the bird, but it got its attention.
It flew off.
Vern laughed. Apparently, he could not control birds at all.
TWENTY THREE
Teague
Teague shifted into Exilum form without checking if anyone saw him. He didn’t care much about the rules anymore. And why should he, when no one else played by them?
He beat his leathery wings hard, leaping into the sky. He needed to get to his contact up in Atlanta as quickly as possible without expending too much energy. His streamlined form was perfect for fast flight. He flew in a high arc, ensuring nearly half the miles he had to go would be eaten up by the time he made it into the clouds.
Normally when he made a trip like that, he’d stay in the clouds, but this time, he popped above them. Teague saw airplanes in the distance, and they probably saw him. Though it made him nervous, he ignored it. Mostly, the humans would convince themselves they hadn’t seen him, or they’d seen a large bird. No need to worry. Not yet. There would be plenty to worry about later.
He winged across the clouds, trailing one clawed finger into the cold, moist vapor. Flying through them had always been challenging. And wet. He much preferred flying above them. Before humanity had taken to the skies, he’d spent a great deal of time above the clouds, pretending to fly in another realm where he could be free and do whatever he wanted with no obligations.
It only took a few minutes to get where he needed to go. He pushed on, diving back through the clouds and into the troposphere. The landscape quickly revealed he was slightly off course, but the correction could be made easily on descent. He glided over Georgia, heading toward the familiar landmark—Stone Mountain. From his altitude, everything around was so consistently green across the state it made the huge granite rock stick out like a beacon. His contact used to live in a small sh
ack in the woods northeast of the mountain, but the area had built up fast over the years, and he’d been evicted for progress. He tended to move around a lot since then but never went too far.
Teague didn’t want to land too close to the mountain and surrounding park. There were always tourists around, coming to see the laser light show or cruise around the park. He avoided them, angling more to the east so he could easily fly over the mountain. He landed to the north between the park and Lawrenceville in a less populated area. He would most likely find his contact near there. Hopefully.
Small subdivisions had built up around the creeks and woods in this area. Typical for the Bible Belt, several churches had found homes in these communities to preach their propaganda. Teague pondered how much the church’s influence would hinder their progress in fighting off Exilum and Osestra. How many half demons or half angels would take up Osestra’s cause out of duty and tradition without realizing the truth. It’d be like the crusades all over again.
He shook his head, ears flapping against his leathery skull. Teague needed to focus on finding his contact.
Surgat was generally an insignificant, minor demon, but he had his tricks since he studied under Morax. He knew everything about locks of all kinds, getting in and out of places unseen, and opening any doors. It made him a great spy. The more powerful demon lords had used harshly over the years in that capacity. They’d burned him out, wore him down. Then he went into hiding. In theory, anyway. Surgat would not talk to him about it. Still, he remained as cunning as he’d ever been, and the locks he could open weren’t all physical or literal. He opened mysteries and imaginations and new worlds. Some thought Surgat had opened the first doors to Manna, and the higher powers of Osestra had used him to open the door to Exilum in order to banish the demons, then to their surprise, Surgat had gone with them.
Finding Surgat could be very tricky, and if he didn’t want to be found, he wouldn’t be. He lived in the darkness between spaces where other demons couldn’t go.
Demon or Angel (Age of Exilum Book 1) Page 18
