The demon, still towering over them, hesitated. What the hell is going on? Ari frowned at the monster, before turning the frown on Mac.
With blades still high in the air, Mac repeated his challenge, only this time, he called the demon a coward.
Ari's eyes widened in terror as the demon roared again, shaking more of the building down before leaping toward Mac.
Shrieking, Ari relocated to the doorway, ready to ghost away if she couldn't save—what had Mac become?
What the hell is that? Horne shouted as the building shook amid a second roar; one far louder than the first. A roar so loud it temporarily deafened all of them.
Nothing to worry about—probably your master's overly large demon, Nico informed the President as the roar continued without abating. Do you want this or not? He held the stone between a thumb and forefinger.
Take it, Belhar breathed into Horne's mind.
Give it to me, Horne held out a hand.
Catch, Nico grinned, tossing the stone toward the ceiling.
Grab it before it disappears, Belhar's desperate command betrayed his fear as the roaring in the chapel continued and the entire building began to shake.
Killebrew responded to Belhar's order. The man became the serpent; the serpent leapt toward the stone, which seemed to linger high in the air while several people vanished around him.
No, Belhar yelled as Benny opened his fanged mouth to capture the small carving, and inadvertently swallowed it whole.
Ari, curled in a ball of fur near the outer doors of the sanctuary, was terrified her ears would bleed if Mac didn't shut his mouth soon.
There he stood, toe to toe, size for size with the Adversary's massive demon, screaming in its face while it held arms up, warding off the ear-splitting, mind-bending noise.
Covered in lumps and bumps across bronzed skin, Mac had huge, pointed ears pierced with many gold rings, wild black hair, a fearful visage and two ornate, jeweled blades that fit his current size. Armor covered his chest; the skin of an unknown animal covered his loins. In all of Ari's life, she never imagined anything like this.
Ari jerked as Mac's roar abruptly ended. Turning in her direction, he gave her a grin that would frighten anyone else. Ari found it comforting in a strange and dreadful way. Mac turned back to the demon, who remained stunned by Mac's vocal assault. Without hesitation, Mac decapitated the creature quickly with a mighty sweep of each blade.
Arianne, Nico's calm voice called out. Do you remember what you did when Franks' sick cattle threatened Val's ranch?
I do, Ari's reply was shaky as she watched the demon fall, almost in slow motion.
Do the same for this church, please. Oh, and don't forget to take Mac with you when you leave. I'll get the others. We have healing to do and deaths to mourn.
Nico, it was hard not doing what you told me, Ari sighed. She'd found him in Janie's kitchen the following morning.
Nico, huddled over a mug of fresh coffee, lifted his eyes to watch as Ari filled a cup for herself. I asked you to listen to the shell. I knew it would tell you to hold back from hitting that demon with everything you have. The Adversary was watching; I could feel it, although I could only see the President, Senator Cheatham and a few others inside that shield. The Adversary was there and he didn't need to see—most of what you and Mac can do.
"Ari, it's not about listening to me," he said aloud as she took the barstool next to his. "It's about following your heart and doing what you know is right. How is Del this morning?"
"Better. Laronda and Mona are fussing over him. Now, tell me what Mac is," she said. "He's back to himself—at least the human-looking self, anyway, and he's worried that I won't accept him for what he is."
"I was afraid of that," Nico sighed. "Ari, he rejected his father's heritage when he was young, choosing his mother's race and form instead—that of a shapeshifting raven. The other half, well, that's Fomorian."
"Huh? The mythical giants of Ireland?"
"That's one description, sure," Nico nodded. "Except he's not mythical. Does that scare you? Do you not want to be around him anymore? I forced him to reveal this part of himself, Ari, because we need that heritage."
"I don't think of him as any different than the rest of us, except that he's a lot bigger," Ari shrugged. "I feel bad that he feels bad."
"Do you still love him?"
"I thought I'd killed him with apparent foolishness," tears obscured Ari's vision. "Of course I love him, but he can't feel the same—he was always upset and angry when I'd go off-script. At least Denton Franks is dead," she lifted a shaking hand and brushed moisture off her cheeks.
"Denton Franks is dead," Mac agreed as he, Val and someone Ari didn't recognize, walked into the kitchen. "They pulled his body out of that pit of rubble this morning," he poured three cups of coffee. "That means Denton's widow can now sell the property to Val without any legal obstacles."
"We're gonna need that property," Val sighed, taking a chair for himself. "We have new recruits, looks like, and we need a place for them to stay. Everybody, this is Big John, new recruit, eagle shapeshifter and expert car thief. Janie, Lily and Esther are with Erly, Hunter and Renault at the barn, getting information from that idiot, Darnell Cheatham. Nico, I hope you know what you're doing with that one," Val shook his head.
"If Nico hadn't pulled him away with the others, he'd be the newest member of the et Inpaenitens." Weariness was expressed in Claudio's voice as he floated into the kitchen. "We sacrificed First and Fourth to that bastard's ambition," he added.
"Then once we have as many answers from him as we need, I'll hand him to you for vampire justice," Nico told Claudio.
"I will give him to the Council, and they will deliver justice," Claudio nodded as he accepted coffee with cream and honey from Mac.
"That is more than acceptable to me," Val agreed.
"Me, too," Ari said.
"At least his soul will be his own when he dies," Nico murmured. "We have the location of his compound, by the way. They are currently growing more demons to replace what was lost in Austin."
"I can take care of that," Ari began.
"In a few days," Nico held up a hand. "Right now, the Adversary and his new human puppet, President Horne, believe they have the stone. They merely have to wait a few days for it to ah, pass into their hands. When that moment arrives, we will destroy what Cheatham and the Adversary built, informing the Adversary twice over that he does not have the real stone."
"You gave him one of our carvings?" Ari breathed. "Outstanding."
A corner of Nico's mouth lifted in half a smile. Mac walked around the island to pull out the chair next to Ari's and sit down. He smiled shyly at her. She bumped her shoulder against his.
"By the way," Mac put an arm around her, "I love you, too."
Epilogue
"Damn, I wanted to ride with the President, and I didn't even get to shoot anybody," Billy Ray complained aloud as he set two video cameras on Senator Cheatham's desk at the Lodge. Denton had gone crazy, shooting at people instead of paying attention to his camera. He'd died for that lapse of judgment.
This ain't Cheatham's desk anymore, Billy Ray reminded himself.
"You're right—it's not that fool's desk any longer."
Billy Ray almost fell, he was so startled by the voice and unexpected appearance.
Sitting in Darnell Cheatham's desk chair was someone new. He didn't look like Belhar, but he held a hint of the same—Billy Ray didn't know what to call it—not quite a smell and not quite a feel.
This one spoke with a notable accent, too, which he couldn't place. "Call me Master Pierre," he said. "I am Belhar's agent. I see things have become lax here. Beginning now, that will change. Everything will be done according to my wishes, and by my schedule. Understood?"
While a nearby television screen blasted the news of the tragedy in Texas, along with the revelation of the President's miraculous survival, Directors Smith and Jones, vampire and werewolf, tapped their codes int
o a computer linked to a secure, private server.
On the screen, a single question appeared.
Do you wish to proceed with operation Blackout?
Smith tapped the enter key.
"Our operation is officially underground," Jones sighed as the entire system shut down. "All our agents will destroy their records and disappear. The President has gone rogue and eliminated the Department, as was feared would happen when it was created. Shall we meet again at the designated location?" he turned toward Smith.
"Assuredly," the vampire replied. "You know what I have to accomplish first, however."
"I do. Good luck, my friend."
"And to you as well."
"House cleaning?" The President lifted an eyebrow at Belhar's statement as Belhar and Reverend Killebrew stood before the Resolute desk in the oval office.
"Yes—those who refuse to support your cause, sir. They must be released from their duties, and others will be brought in. It will be accomplished expediently, once we present ourselves to Congress. Then, we seed the courts with our judges and the trials will begin."
"I like the sound of that," President Horne smiled. "Yes. Let's do this," he grinned and slapped a knee.
"First, the Reverend and I must attend to some business," Belhar said. "It requires perhaps a day or two for the ah, passage of a necessary item," he glanced briefly at Killebrew, who'd been fool enough to swallow the stone. "Along with the arrival of more of my underlings," Belhar continued. "Some, you may find willing to serve in newly-vacated positions."
"You've done well for me so far," Bertram nodded. "I trust your judgment."
"Yes," Belhar smiled. "Exactly what I hoped for."
"Burke, I didn't expect to see you again so soon," Marlon Keating moved his newspaper so Burke could sit across from him at his favorite coffee shop in Austin. "Who's this with you?" he turned toward the man who'd walked in behind Burke.
"This is Renault," Burke introduced his companion, who pulled a chair from a nearby table and sat adjacent to Marlon. "I ah, heard that you were interested in handling the property left behind after the restaurant bombing in Deep Ellum—that you already have someone interested in buying it. Word also has it that you believe you saw a survivor of the family who owned the property not long ago," Burke continued.
"Who told you that?" Marlon frowned. "I don't ever disclose my clients or my business, you understand."
"We have this information on good authority," Burke offered a forced smile. "Who's interested in the property?"
"I'm not telling you anything," Marlon began to rise from his chair.
"Sit," Renault said pleasantly. Marlon found himself obediently sitting in the chair.
"Now," Renault said, "Tell us everything you know about that interested party. Don't leave anything out. Afterward, you'll forget all about us—the prospective buyer—and that property."
* * *
The End
* * *
This story will continue in Exile, Ancient, Book 2 of the Lion and Raven series
Raven, Red Page 37
