The Demon Accords Compendium, Volume 2: Stories from the Demons Accords Universe

by John Conroe

  “Hi ‘Sos! Am I glad to see you. Wait till I tell you what Cynthia said about me. What a bitch!” she said as she buried her face in his fur. Far above, the head that was bigger than her whole body looked down at her, then lifted to look around the room.

  Every person in the lobby found themselves meeting the stare of an apex predator, the message clear as if it was written on the wall. Mess with this child and be torn apart by grizzly fury.

  “Holy shit,” John said, mostly under his breath.

  “Right?” Sidney agreed.

  Backing up with surprising care, the massive bear disengaged from his tween friend and dropped to all fours. The two then headed for the elevator, the bear swinging his head from side to side, watching everything with a predator’s eyes, the girl walking with one hand in his fur, the other clutching her tablet, keeping up a nonstop monologue on the trials and tribulations of the middle school social scene.

  Just before entering the elevator, the bear suddenly shimmered and shrunk back to merely humongous wolf, the girl not even taking a breath between sentences. The doors slid shut and the entire lobby simultaneously breathed out in a collective release of tension.

  High overhead, at the top of the tower, the elevator opened into the foyer of a massive penthouse. The decorations were stylish and chic without being at all ostentatious. It looked really pretty, but Toni kind of liked their old quarters better, the underground apartments that were less rich-ish and more comfortable. But ever since the computer came, they lived up here. Still, this was pretty nice too. Here in the entry, the white marble floor swirled with black striations, all gleaming with clean perfection.

  Stepping into the main living area revealed a whole different story. To Toni, it looked like the contents of a medium-sized toy store had exploded through a portal in space and time to rain down on the hundred million dollar penthouse. Toni tended to think of portals through space and time because she was friends with a guy who could basically rip dimensions apart with a piece of chalk and a handy power grid.

  “Oh thank God you’re here,” a beautiful blue-eyed, black-haired woman said as she looked up from her place on the living room floor. Two babies followed their mother’s gaze and took in the sight of the young babysitter, both of them instantly moving onto all fours to crawl at high speed toward the girl.

  For the second time in minutes, Toni found herself being charged aggressively. Granted, this time the predators smelled of baby powder and were handily dealt with by simply being picked up. Cora arrived first, beating her brother by six feet and two seconds. Toni put her tablet on an end table and scooped up Cora, then took three steps forward to pick up Cora’s brother Beowulf.

  “Hi, guys. How are you?” she asked, bouncing both babies with practiced ease. “Not letting Mommy get ready for her date?”

  Tatiana Demidova, natural born vampire, President, CEO, and Chairwoman of Demidova Incorporated, and Coven prodigy known as the young Queen of the vampires, pushed a strand of galaxy black hair away from her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

  “It’s harder in the daytime,” she said.

  Toni nodded. “Like my mom when she hasn’t had her coffee. Don’t worry about the Doom Duo, you go get ready. ‘Sos and I got this,” she said, sitting back on the floor, basically covered in excited babies. The massive wolf flopped down five feet away, head on feet and eyes closed.

  Wulf eyed the wolf, hands grasping empty air as if full of fur. Then he turned and clutched Toni’s hair instead, more interested in the newcomer.

  Tanya smiled at the sight of her babies mauling her goddaughter and then looked at the slim, expensive watch on her wrist. “Oh, I’m going to be late. You okay?”

  Toni giggled. “I’ve got the entire weight of the Demidova Empire backing me up. It’s fine. Go get ready,” she said.

  Tanya nodded, holding still for a second to take in one more mental image of her kids before vanishing in a snap of collapsing air. A lone baby wipe got caught in the slip stream and swirled up after her, falling to the floor well short of the hallway she vanished into.

  The twins started to vie for attention, each grabbing anything nearby to show to their babysitter. Toni, who knew well that this game would likely end in tears and hurt feelings, interrupted their behavior by pulling two soft yellow squishy balls from her string bag. Each ball had the word ARCANE printed on their surface along with a slogan: Grow to Survive.

  “Here, see what I brought you?” she asked, handing one to each.

  Cora, who was generally more physically active than her brother, was immediately fascinated by the ball. Wulf, on the other hand, ignored it in favor of grasping at Toni’s hair.

  “Hey Toni,” a voice called from the hallway. Chris Gordon stood, tugging on his tie, his dark grey suit otherwise immaculate. “Glad the baby sensei is here.”

  “No problem. How many kids get to fly in a private jet just for a babysitting gig?” she asked, smiling.

  “Well, how many kids are trusted by the Queen of the Darkkin Coven to babysit her kids?” he responded. “One.”

  “Two if you count Declan, but he’s pretty much an old man now,” she said.

  “Yes, ancient and decrepit at twenty-one,” he agreed.

  “Mom said she thought he might be here, in the city?” she asked.

  “Oh? I’m not sure,” he said before turning toward the closest monitor.

  “Gina is correct. Father is here in New York, meeting with the Alphas of the New York Pack at their request,” Omega supplied, speaking over the built-in sound system.

  “Summoned is more like it,” Tanya said, appearing from the bedroom hallway, still fastening a diamond earring in place. She now wore a black cocktail dress that looked like it had been poured onto her body.

  “That sounds ominous,” Chris said, frowning.

  “Lydia heard through her sources that he somehow interfered in pack business. Something to do with all the challenges that Stacia had to fight,” Tanya said.

  “How come nobody told me this?” he asked, his frown even deeper.

  “Not really our business, is it?” Tanya said with a shrug.

  “Zayka, you do realize how protective he is of her, right? Omega, do you know what is going on?” Chris asked.

  “Father did not request secrecy, so I see no conflict in discussing the situation. Father discovered that random pack members had been challenging Stacia for no good reason without real goals or very high probability of winning. As Stacia really doesn’t have a clear status in the hierarchy, it made little sense. He discovered that witch magic was influencing the challengers and then tracked down the circle of witches responsible. They, in turn, had been hired by a Midwestern witch who was trying to get Father interested in her eldest daughter and felt removal of his current girlfriend was a good plan. After explaining why that would never happen and what would happen if they persisted, all of the witches involved immediately ceased all interference. But the Alphas feel he should never have approached the pack members without their permission.”

  “Oh dear,” Toni said, free hand coming up to her mouth.

  “Yeah, that’s not good at all,” Chris said.

  “You don’t think Brock and Afina have the right to call him out?” Tanya said, now frowning herself.

  “I think they have no idea what he will and can do,” Chris said. “Remember, he and I got into it because he thought she was being threatened.”

  “Yeah, but they’re just gonna slap his wrist a bit, right? They don’t have a hyper-aggressive split personality named Grim either. ”

  “I thought that was kind of the definition of a werewolf? But Stacia’s his mate and mates have all kinds of rights to protect each other,” Toni said. The two adults looked at her in surprise. “One of the Arcane wolves likes Jetta and I hang out with them a bit, and so he explained that Declan can do whatever he needs to.”

  “Concur. Dellwood, the Alpha of the Arcane wolves, said much the same thing to Father before he engaged
the wolves.”

  “He should have approached Brock and Afina first. That’s just good protocol,” Tanya said. “They’ve got enough worries on their plates.”

  “As they had never stopped the fights or investigated themselves, he felt it was imperative to get to the bottom of it as fast as possible. It was just after coming back from Fairie. Father has been more decisive in his decision-making since then.”

  “Well, I’m sure it will work out. We need to get going, and Omega can inform us of anything that happens, right?” Tanya asked, frowning thoughtfully as she looked at her watch.

  “I will pay particular attention, as I always do, to both my father’s meeting and to Toni as she supervises the twins.”

  “Thanks,” Tanya said with an amused grin. Chris still looked a bit worried but he allowed her to pull him toward the foyer.

  “Tanya, it’s a beautiful day out. Do you think it is okay if I take the twins for a walk?” Toni asked before they left.

  “I don’t see any harm as long as you have Deckert and his men for protection, as well as ‘Sos,” Tanya said after exchanging a glance with her husband. Still she paused in reflection, her frown now directed at her babies.

  The big wolf lifted his head and yawned, showing massive fangs. Cora immediately dropped her ball and speed crawled to him, little hands ruthlessly grabbing fur to pull herself up his side.

  “We’ll be super safe, I promise. I’ll call Mr. Deckert in a minute so he has lots of time to prepare,” Toni said, smiling at the mighty predator’s new predicament.

  “I have just now informed him of your intentions. Additionally, I am bringing in extra drones to fly overwatch,” Omega said.

  “Plus you have your necklace, right?” Tanya asked.

  Toni fished the God Tear from under her shirt, holding it up for inspection. “We’ll be safe as can be.”

  This time it was Chris who pulled Tanya out, the ding of the arriving elevator ringing across the living room.

  A half hour later, the doors of Demidova Tower opened and a pair of crew cut men in black suits exited, followed closely by a double stroller pushed by Toni, a massive tan and black wolf, and another three men behind. Sharp buzzing heralded the arrival of four shiny Omega drones which took up guard positions overhead.

  Toni pushed the stroller down the sidewalk, ignoring the New Yorkers who were forced to part around her little group, a few of them doing double takes at the guard wolf and the hovering drones. But this being New York, their stares didn’t last long and they hurried about their business.

  “See, guys? Isn’t it nice out here?” the babysitter asked. Cora was looking around at everything and anything while her brother lay back, concentrating on the suspended mobile of black cats, bats, and broom-flying witches that Declan had given them.

  One of the forward guards looked back at Toni, pointing to the right turn just ahead of him, his eyebrows raised.

  Toni nodded her agreement and the little squad turned the corner. She usually took the babies out in a several block square, turning the same direction, over and over, until they were back at the Tower.

  The babies had been out on night strolls many times, but their daytime babysitters were limited to Toni and occasionally Declan and Stacia. So daylight trips around the block were infrequent and very interesting.

  They made it to the next corner before Omega suddenly spoke. “I detect three converging vehicles that I deem high probable hostiles. Suggest defensive retreat through the alley six meters ahead. It leads between a bank and a hotel and comes out across from the small park near the Demidova Tower.”

  One of the black-suited men in front ran forward and looked down the alley. “Clear,” Sidney yelled.

  The three behind moved up, the middle guard grabbing the stroller handlebar to speed it up. Toni, a little shocked, let go and moved up along Wulf’s side of the stroller while another guard called in the threat on his throat mike. All four non-stroller-pushing men had large pistols suddenly in their hands.

  A screech of tires behind them was incentive enough to get them really moving. Toni glanced over her shoulder and saw a car, loaded with men, bouncing up onto the sidewalk, headed right for them.

  Her group made it into the narrow alley just as the car braked to a halt, doors opening all at once.

  One of her guards, Joe, raised his gun, walking backward, weapon aimed at the pursuers. Guns appeared from inside the car. Joe fired five fast shots while two of the drones flickered blue laser fire into the group. There was a sudden flash of violet light.

  The men getting out of the car fell as one, guns clattering to the ground. The driver was already dead, a black round hole in his forehead, three bullet holes in a tight cluster in the windshield in front of him.

  “What the hell was that?” the stroller pusher asked his comrades. Toni realized it was the new guy, John, who seemed to be holding it together better than she was.

  “That was my necklace,” Toni said. “The purple man,” she said, trying to catch her breath.

  “Holy shit, that’s what it does?” Joe said, dropping his mag and reloading a fresh one from his belt.

  “Among other things,” she said, voice shaky as she glanced down at her young charges as she ran. Both babies’ eyes were wide and locked onto Toni, but they stayed quiet. Cora even smiled a little.

  Ahead, the end of the alley grew closer, greenery visible across a moderately busy street.

  They burst out onto the road, slowing as they approached the bustling street. Awasos kept charging at full speed, his form flickering and expanding into something that was neither wolf nor Kodiak bear, but a taller, leaner, meaner combination of both. Rushing right into traffic, the massive wolf-bear reared up and roared at the oncoming cars, causing most to stop. One delivery truck kept coming and he slammed down from his full height, pile driver paws slamming the hood, popping both front tires and driving the wheels into buckling asphalt.

  “Come on, that’s our cue,” Sidney yelled, waving the stroller forward. A louder shot rang out, coming from above and behind. John, the new guard, spun away, blood spurting into the air from his shoulder.

  Toni turned and looked up. A man in a window of the hotel was aiming a rifle. One of Omega’s drones pulsed with blue light. The man flinched as his rifle went off. The very drone that shot him got knocked from the sky, silver metal spraying from its undercarriage as it fell.

  A flash of violet light strobed the building and the man with the rifle yelled, suddenly flying out of the window like he’d been ejected. Toni watched him fall six stories to smash into a dumpster hard enough to dent the lid.

  A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her away. She spun around to find Sidney snatching Cora from the stroller. He pushed the baby into her arms, then reached for Wulf, who was now crying at all the noise and tension.

  “Come on,” he said, leading her across the street with Wulf in his arms, passing ‘Sos, who immediately dropped to all fours and followed like an angry bulldozer, popping his teeth and growling steadily.

  Joe had stopped by the fallen John and was pouring something into his mouth. Then he too stood up and raced after them. The fourth and fifth guards, whose names Toni suddenly couldn’t remember, split up, one running ahead through the little park, the other falling back to cover behind them.

  Toni usually ended up at that particular park with the babies, as it was a long rectangle that ran parallel to the street the Tower was on, one block over. In fact, you could see the back of the Tower from here if you looked up and over the buildings across the street. Running through the alley, which had taken a kind of left angle turn, had brought them out not far from what she thought of as the top of the park, leaving a block before the next street that would take them back toward Demidova headquarters.

  Toni didn’t really know the street names or numbers. The long street was Madison, she thought, and the shorter cross streets were all in the twenties, but she didn’t remember which twenties. All she knew for sure was
that the Tower was on Park Avenue South.

  Sidney ran alongside her, speaking military-sounding stuff into his microphone, but she didn’t understand it and was too scared to even try.

  “The ready response team is on Twenty Fifth. ETA, twenty-seven seconds,” Omega’s voice sounded from Toni’s phone, loud enough for Sidney and the others to hear.

  “Heading there now,” Sidney said, which a part of Toni’s mind thought was unnecessary. Omega’s remaining three drones were keeping pace with them, so didn’t he already know where they were heading?

  People in the park stopped to look at the group of running men, the one young girl, two babies, and giant killer wolf-bear hybrid. Phones were lifted and pointed and that same part of Toni’s brain figured there would be some footage on the news tonight.