Page 22

We arrived at a guarded location in the park. By that, I mean the advance team had found a safe place for us to lalek to and set someone to watch over it until we arrived. That watchdog, or watchdemon, rather, was Sal.

“Losuc and the humans are here,” Sal immediately reported. “No sign of the Witch yet.”

“Good.” Star waved her forward.

“Uh, if you can't conceal yourself, you need to wait in the van,” Sal said to the extinguishers and vexes with us. “The parking lot is about forty feet in that direction.” She pointed them on their way.

While they headed for the lot, the rest of us went invisible and clasped hands. With Sal in the lead, we traversed a tropical park, passing a traditional Thai building. A lake appeared next, spotted by tiny boats full of happy people enjoying the lovely weather. We veered away from the water, toward a less populated area, and settled into position behind beside some tree cover. Ahead of us, Losuc waited with the five vampire hunters. Losuc stood silently, his arms crossed over his chest and an indifferent expression on his face. But the humans were talking. They were close enough that my enhanced hearing could pick up their conversation.

“Do any of you remember how we got captured?” one of them asked.

“No,” another said. “We were at the house and then I was in a room, tied to a chair.”

“Me too!”

This went on for a few minutes, all of them growing more and more upset. But then a woman walked up. An exceptionally beautiful woman. A sleek chignon topped her head, not a tendril out of place. Her willowy figure hid beneath a loose silk top and a simple black skirt, but it was obvious that she was fit, her walk graceful. I narrowed my stare at her as she strode up to the group. What was it about her that was so striking?

“That's no Witch,” Killian whispered.

I focused harder on the woman, but I wasn't as good at reading a Witch's clan just by their aura. To me, they all looked human. I think it was Killian's psychometry that helped him read Witches, but my less powerful clairvoyance wasn't enough to give me that edge. If she'd been a Demon, I would have sensed her immediately. Or if she'd been a Fairy, I would have seen that in her aura. So, she wasn't a Demon or a Fairy. Definitely not an Angel. She looked human to me. But I trusted my husband. The question was—if she wasn't human, Fey, Demon, or Angel, what did that leave?

“Any problems?” the woman asked Losuc.

Losuc unwound his crossed arms and said, “No.”

“Good.” She turned to look at the humans. “Are you all right?”

A bunch of people started talking all at once, telling Summers about their spotty memories.

“Enough!” she growled. “I get it. Now, let's go. I have a new house prepared for you.”

“Are we done?” Losuc asked, his tone annoyed.

“Yes. I'll text you if I need anything.” Anita Summers strode away with her vampire hunters, out of our hearing range.

“She's on the move,” Killian said into his comm. “Close in carefully.”

Losuc watched the group walk off for a second, then sought cover in the trees and laleked away—right to us. Even though we were still invisible, he asked, “Did you hear any of that?”

“Yes, we heard it all. Well done,” Star said. “Conceal yourself and join us. We're following them.”

Losuc vanished.

With a target to follow, we didn't have to worry about losing someone along the way. So we headed after the blonde and her merry group of vampire hunters without holding hands like schoolchildren. They led us to the parking lot, where Anita got into the passenger seat of a waiting, unmarked, small, boxy, white van. The vampire hunters got in the back, and the van drove off.

“Go!” Killian said.

A little car pulled out and drove after the van, maintaining a moderate distance. Meanwhile, we dropped our enchantments. We were all still there—Star, Losuc, Sal, the hunter team, Kill, and me.

“Pickup on the south side of the lot,” Sal said into her comm.

Seconds later, four vehicles pulled up before us. I got in the back of the van with Killian, Star went in another car with Sal, and the hunters split up to ride in the last two. As soon as we were in, the van drove off after Summers.

“Did we get a tracker on her vehicle?” Kill asked.

“Yes, Ambassador,” Team Leader Sullivan, who was driving, tapped a cell phone stuck in a holder on the dash. A red light was beeping its way across the screen. “The lead car will maintain visual contact just in case the tracker malfunctions.”

“Good.” Killian hit his comm device. “Lead, come in.”

“Here,” a voice came through my earpiece.

“We need to track them to two locations,” Kill said. “First, she'll take them to a new house and then she'll head home. Do not go after the humans. Just note their new location and then we're all going after her.”

“Copy that.”

About twenty minutes later, we entered a residential area.

Kill got on comms again. “Everyone but the lead car, hang back. Find a place to park. Lead, just note which house it is and drive on. Park and let us know when she leaves.”

The drivers all confirmed. Sullivan found a spot and parked. Then we waited, watching the tracker. If Summers switched vehicles, we'd still have the lead car watching. We weren't about to lose her.

She didn't switch vehicles. Just took her people inside and stayed about ten minutes. Then the dot went on the move again.

“She's coming your way,” the lead car reported seconds later.

“Second team,” Killian said. “Take lead. Everyone else, follow at a distance.”

They all copied, and we waited. A minute passed, and then Summers drove past us. The new lead car went by a few car lengths behind her, and we waited a little longer. One of our SUVs went past, then the vehicle that was previously taking lead. We finally did a U-turn and brought up the rear.

Everyone on the mission was a professional. There were no screw-ups along the way. We tracked Anita to a massive estate guarded by an iron gate. By the time our van arrived, Anita was well ensconced on the property, the gate shut behind her. The rest of us parked down the street. It was time to end the hunt.

The extinguishers in the van with us checked their gear and weapons before climbing out. Killian went out the side door, but I hesitated.

He looked back at me. “What is it?”

“What is she?”

“What?”

“You said she isn't a Witch, and I know she isn't Demon, Angel, or Fairy. So what is she?”

“I don't know, babe. She feels human. I can't classify her as any kind of Witch, and yet she's got some power.”

“So maybe she is a descendant of Demons,” I said. “A new race. Whoa.”

“Maybe. It would explain her weird magic.”

“It would explain a lot.” I climbed out of the van and saw Star come striding up with his guards.

“Anyone need a lift?” Star asked.

“What does that mean?” one of the Fey hunters asked as their team joined us.

“The Demons can lalek your team directly into the yard.” I waved at the iron gate and the tropical garden beyond it.

A road wound through the expanse of lush plant life to a traditional Thai house with some modern adjustments—such as stone walls. None of the windows were open either. The place looked Thai, but unwelcoming—two things that didn't go together. And there was something else that bothered me about the place, but I couldn't figure out what it was. I continued to ponder it as the teams split up and formed groups with Demons.

“Can we go with you, Ambassador?” Sullivan asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I blinked and focused on him. “Absolutely.” I looked around. “Everyone ready?”

They nodded.

“I claim the southeast corner there.” I pointed into the garden.

The Demons each called out a location to lalek to, so no one would land in the same spot, then we clasped hands with our group and laleked into the yard.

And into instant chaos.

As soon as we appeared—and I do mean the very second we formed upon the grounds—magic exploded around us. Flashes of light blinded me for a few seconds, coming at me from all directions. It was as if a series of mini bombs went off. Roars, snarls, and growls wound through the air, and the ground shuddered as if a giant walked among us.

“Killian!” I shouted.

“Twilight!” his voice came from somewhere above me.

I peered through an orange mist, up into my husband's large snake eyes. Then a giant snake head pierced the fog, coming down to my level, its enormous fangs bared and dripping poison. To my left, Killian's barbed tail smacked the ground.

“What the fuck?” I whispered. “Why did you transform?”

“It wasn't on purpose!” He reared up, his head swiveling to stare over the mist. “And I can't shift back!”

“What?”

Through the fog came an eerie avian cry, answered by, of all things, the nasal trumpeting of an elephant. Killian curled his long body around me as the pound of feet came closer. At last, just as the sound drew up to us, the mist cleared. A golden elephant came to a stop and emitted a painful whine. That's when I saw the spear sticking out of its side.

“Ambassador, I need some assistance,” the elephant said.

“Holy shit,” Killian hissed.

I jumped over Kill's body but I didn't touch the spear. Instead, I reached out a hand as I mentally focused my Apportation Magic. The spear vanished and reappeared in my hand.

“My thanks.” The elephant bowed its shiny head.

“Seren!” Star shouted.

I looked across the garden, my gaze catching on fairies in their alternate forms. Someone I would have called a Harpy, were it not for the fact that it was obviously male, helped a white cow with a feathered tail to her feet. The bird-cow swung its horned head and called out to a pegasus. That's right, a pegasus. Well, technically, Pegasus is a name, so the creature was a winged, white horse, but you know what I mean. This particular winged horse wasn't pure white but had a jet black neck, tail, and hooves. It reared and took to the sky—where it hit an invisible barrier and plummeted back to the ground in an awkward tumble. It landed on its side and whinnied as it struggled to its feet.

Another horse-like creature ran to the winged one, its crimson hide catching my attention. And its bright coloring wasn't the only eye-catching thing about it. Atop its horse neck, a lion's head roared. Its golden mane shifted to red where it merged with the horse body. Just a few feet away, a large snake—but still less than half the size of Killian—slithered toward the horses. It was unlike any snake I'd ever seen, with an elongated face, pointed nose, and huge eyes that glowed red to match its lips. Yeah, lips on a snake. It also had a cock's comb on its head, like a feather mohawk.

Amid all these strange creatures were things that belonged in Hell. Literally. The Demons had become nightmarish beings with horns, claws, and barbed tails. And when I say “nightmarish” I mean that’s how most people would see them. For someone like me, who was married to a Dragon-Djinn, they were kinda hot.

Oh, and let's not forget the werewolf bounding about. Had to be the Pack Vex. The only ones who had remained unchanged were the extinguishers, the rest of the vexes, and me. Hold on. I looked down at myself. Forget that last bit—I was glowing. And yet not. My body shone with light as if I had swallowed a Christmas tree, but over the glow swirled a dark fog, ever moving—crawling up my arms, over my torso, and around my legs before swirling down again.

“Holy shit,” I whispered.

“Yeah, you're beautiful, babe,” Killian said.

“Seren!” Star roared again.

I hadn't seen him at first. Because Star wasn't himself. The King of Hell stood several feet taller than normal, with thick muscles to support his menacing wings, their points tipped by deadly claws. His skin had darkened into the color of dried blood, and a pair of horns curled up from the sides of his head in ebony glory. Between them, an auric crown glowed gold. Star bared his thick fangs, his barbed tail lashing behind him, and leapt into the air.

Astaroth didn't go as high as the winged horse. It was just a jump, but it took him over the heads of confused Fairies, Demons, and Extinguishers. He landed with a thud, his wings spread wide, and set his glowing green and gold stare on me. “We need to retreat.”

“From what?” I waved my arm out. “Everyone, calm the fuck down!”

The chaos settled, and the noise dulled into silence. I went past Star—trying not to think about how smokin' hot he was in Demon form—and strode toward the house. The only attack she launched at us was some kind of revealing spell. I intended to find out how that un-Witch had cast it.

As I approached the house, my Demon senses recalibrated. I'd been a little focused on the craziness of our arrival and then there were the Demons with me. It was impossible for me to sense that there were more Demons nearby. Demons who weren't with our team.

They stood in front of the house. Six of them. All armed with swords and spears. Spears! Shit! I'd forgotten about the golden elephant with the spear in its side. And can I just pause here to say—that's not something you hear every day. Not even in my world.

The Demons stood before a hakhil that covered the house. As I stepped up, they settled into battle stances.

“Stand down!” Star roared as he came up beside me, his hoofed footsteps vibrating through the earth as violently as the passage of Killian's reptilian body. The King of Hell spread his thick thighs, his torn clothing flapping around him precariously, and narrowed his glowing stare at his people. “I am your king! I ordered you to stand down.”

The Demons—five men and one woman—didn't waver. They just waited in their battle stances.

“She summoned them,” I said. “They can't obey you. But don't worry. I got this.”

I laleked directly behind a Demon and grabbed his shoulder. Before any of them could react, I uncrossed him, sending the lavender glow of my magic into the Demon. Then I laleked back to where I'd been. He was my test run. I had to make sure the uncrossing would work on summoning magic.

It did.

The Demon shuddered, then focused on me. I subtly shook my head and laleked behind the next man. I grabbed two Demons this time, uncrossing them, then dashing down the line. As I uncrossed the next two, the final Demon—a woman—attacked me.

“I don't think so.” Star grabbed the female Demon by the throat. He lifted her off her feet and shook her until her weapons fell to the ground. “Seren.”

“Got her.” I grabbed the woman's arm and uncrossed her.

“Drop the hakhil,” Star said to the freed Demons. “Now!”

All six of them reached out and released the hakhil in unison. As soon as it fell, our motley team ran for the house.

The doors and windows lasted three seconds before getting churned into shards. Even those sturdy stone walls shook, raining debris as we stampeded into the house. And I mean that literally. Between the Demons and the Fairies, there were more hooves striking the hardwood than shoes. Killian couldn't even come in. Instead, he circled to the back of the house.

And it was a good thing he did.

“She's on a boat!” Kill shouted.

The rest of us dashed through the house and out to the backyard. By the time I emerged, Killian was already in the water.

“Killian!” I shouted. “Glamour yourself!”

Suddenly, the giant snake undulating through the water disappeared. But the damage had been done. Humans were out in their boats, going about their business and completely unprepared for the sight of a river monster. They screamed and turned their boats about. Then we were spotted.

It was a giant clusterfuck.

The bird-man and the winged horse flew off after the fleeing humans, cloaking themselves in magic as they went. I assumed they were going to wipe the humans' memories and collect their cell phones. The Demons likewise took to the air and vanished, but I heard Star command them to pursue Anita. With that handled, my husband became my biggest concern. Because as Killian swam after the speedboat—he may have been invisible, but the swath of disturbed water he created was not—a tidal wave rose from the river and swept toward him.

I couldn’t tell if Killian was hurt, but I saw his aura tumble through the water and strike the dock moments later. Wood splintered, and the ground shook once more.

“Kill!” I shrieked. “Killian?”

“I'm here, babe.” Killian appeared in his prime form, crawling onto the dock naked.

I flung out a hand to clothe his lower half in a pair of glowing pants made of Light and as I did, the light-show that was my body toned down and winked out. Around me, the Fey hunters who didn't have wings shifted back into their main bodies. I motioned at them and covered their nudity with Light clothes too. Rupert, the Pack Vex, had torn his clothes a little, but they were mostly intact. So I didn't have to bother with him.

The hunters made sounds of awe as they looked from their new clothes to me.

“It's only until you can get some real clothes,” I said. “Maybe you can find something while we search the house.”

“You heard the Ambassador,” Lord Pichai said. “Let's get this place thoroughly searched. Top to bottom. If you have to, take the walls apart.”

“We'll help,” Sullivan said.

“We'll do a sweep of the grounds and then we can help search the house,” Melissa, the Quake Vex, offered.

The hunters and extinguishers went into the house while the vexes split up to search the property, but Killian and I waited near the dock. It wasn't long before the Demons returned. I felt them land, then they appeared, still in Demon form. But that lasted only a few seconds before they realized they could shift back. Unlike the hunters, their clothing had mostly survived their shifts. The fabric was torn, but still there. The damage bothered none of them. None but the Demon King.

Astaroth grimaced at his ruined suit, then cracked his neck. “She got away.”

“What?” I asked. “How?”

“It was all an illusion. We were chasing magic that dispersed as soon as we touched it. She must have gone in another direction.”

“Could you tell if she was part Demon?”

“You mean, could I sense if someone who was part Demon created the illusion?”

I grimaced. “Right. I see the problem.”

“Light-Bringer,” someone said.

I turned to see the six Demons I had freed walk up to us. They bowed to their king, then focused on me.

“Thank you for freeing us,” one man said. “No human has ever summoned us before. We couldn't break her enchantment. It was terrifying.”

“You're welcome,” I said.

“Your Majesty.” The sole female Demon inclined her head at Star. “Please, forgive our disobedience.”

“Someone enchanted you. No forgiveness is necessary. I just need you to answer a few questions for us.”

“Of course. Anything.”

“Do you remember anything about the woman who summoned you—something that might help us identify her?”

The Demons looked at each other.

“What is it?” Star asked.

“She summoned us, and we were immediately under her spell, Sire,” one of them said.

“Yes, but maybe you saw something at the place where they summoned you.” Or perhaps she said something?”

“She only gave us orders.”

The woman said, “Someone summoned me to a storage room, I think. There were metal shelves with boxes on them.”

“Sounds like the place Losuc got summoned to,” Kill said.

Star squinted at Killian's pants, then nodded. “Anything else?”

“No. She ordered me to come here and defend her.”

“Wait.” I stepped closer. “When were you summoned?”

“A few hours ago,” the woman said.

“Is that the same for all of you?” Star asked.

They nodded.

I met Star's stare. “She was preparing for us.”

“She knew we were coming.”

“Or she could have been reacting to her vampire hunters getting captured,” Killian said. “She's smart—we know that. But how would she know we freed Losuc and that we'd follow her here?”

“True. Perhaps she was generally prepared,” I agreed.

“Let's hope that's the case,” Star said. “For now, I'm returning to Hell and putting the whole fucking planet on lockdown. She won't be able to do this to any more of my people.”

“You can do that?” Killian asked. “To the entire planet?”

“Of course.” He waved a hand at the freed Demons. “You may return to your homes. You'll be safe there.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” they said in unison. Then they bowed and laleked away.

As the ember rain of their passing fell, Star nodded at his guards. They laleked home as well.

“I'll be a few minutes,” Star said to us. “How long do you think you'll be here?”

“I don't know,” I said with a look toward the house. “Probably a while. I'll scry you if we decide to leave before you get back.”

“All right.” Star reached for me as he softly said, “Seren.” But then he glanced at Killian and dropped his hand. With a hissing curse, he vanished, embers billowing out from where he had stood.

Killian turned toward me, and I fully expected him to make a sassy comment about Star. Instead, he said, “How's about those Thai hunters? Holy shit, right?! What the actual fuck? I didn't know there were elephant fairies. And what was that fucking red horse thing? Was it just me or did it have a lion's head?”

I chuckled. “It did have a lion's head. And that lion was pissed.”

“No shit.” Killian grinned. “And a pegasus. Shit.”

Then the pegasus and harpy-man appeared beside us.

Killian shrieked like a girl, jumping away from them, and I bent over double in laughter.

Grimacing, Kill said, “I guess that's what I get for talking about people behind their backs.”