Not Just Another Fae

By

Tom Keller

Also by Tom Keller

Return of the High Fae

Of Gods and Fae

Twist of Fae

Copyright

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved.

Book Cover design by Creative Paramita

Edited by Dee McDaniel

Kindle Edition © 2015 Tom Keller

Las Vegas, NV   USA

Acknowledgements

I'd like to thank everyone that helped make this book possible, especially my wife, Karen. Without her support this book would never have been written. Once again a shout out to all the fans that liked my author page and kept those emails and comments coming in. Your support and encouragement means a lot to me.

A special thanks to my beta readers, Dee, Erika, Richard, Joe, and all the others that helped me get through the manuscript. As always, I appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Dedication

In memory of my father, Thomas Elisha Keller.

March 21, 1934 – December 24, 1994

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter13

Chapter14

Chapter15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

About the Author

Chapter 1

It was late morning and I was sitting in Terminal 3 at McCarran airport when my cell phone rang.

"This is Robert Hoskins," I answered.

"Robert, it's Martin. Do you have a minute?" Martin Chibeaux was the Pack leader of the Werewolves in Vegas. He was also a good friend and ally.

"Sure, but I'm just finishing up a surveillance. If I have to go, I'll call you right back. What do you got?"

"Two of my Weres are missing. I could use some assistance if you have the time."

"How long have they been gone?"

"Last time anyone saw them was Friday," he replied. "They said they were going for a run this weekend, which means the mountains. They didn't show up for work today. I wouldn’t normally go outside with this, but there's not much we can do until dark. With last night's rain, tracking is going to be all but impossible. I was hoping that you could give us a hand."

There had been some heavy storms that had blown into Vegas over the weekend. The remnants of a tropical storm in the Pacific that had made its way into the area. Although they'd kept themselves out of the valley, for the most part, they had dropped a lot of rain north of town, especially in the mountain areas and it was supposed to rain again tonight.

"I can try," I said. "I take it this is not their normal behavior? Missing work, I mean."

"No. Darren and Liz are good kids and never miss a day. I had someone go by the house this morning. Their car's not there and the place is locked up. Nothing looks out of place, but Saturday's mail is still in the box, so I'm concerned."

"Any other problems going on?" I asked. The Weres usually kept to themselves, but you never know. A while back I'd intervened in a power struggle between Martin and one of the other Weres that wanted to contest his leadership. They could be a handful when tempers flared or internal politics came into play.

"No," he said. "It's actually been pretty quiet. I can’t think of anything going on that would be a threat to them."

"Okay," I replied. "Like I said, I'm just finishing up. It'll probably be another hour or so. Will that work?"

"That's fine," he said. "Thank you."

I put away my phone, hoping that it was just a case of too much weekend fun. Probably not; but one can hope. Things were a little tense in Vegas these days, so anything could have happened. My daughter, Nikki, told me that Gaea had warned her that something was up in the human world. That something was being drawn here. But I'll be damned if I'd seen any sign of it. Things had been quiet since she had taken the throne; probably too quiet, and I was guessing the shit was going to hit the fan at some point. I just didn’t know when. Maybe the missing Weres were part of it, but I still had to finish up what I was doing here before I could find out.

Like I told Martin, I was on a surveillance, and as most go, it was nothing exciting. This one was all too human. It was a referral from a local Fae lawyer who did work for both worlds. One of his L.A. rich and famous clients wanted to make sure her new boyfriend was behaving while visiting Sin City. For what it's worth, he had. The team I had following him for the last three days had seen nothing that would cause anyone any heartburn and I was just waiting for confirmation that he was on the plane and heading back before wrapping it up.

For now, I was just people watching. I had a friend on the force who would let me know when his plane departed, as well as make sure he was on it since I couldn’t get past TSA without a ticket. Fae or not, sometimes you have to work within the system. It wasn't much later that I spied a uniformed police officer coming through security.

"Your boy's on the plane and they just pulled away from the gate," he said as he walked up.

"Thanks, Paul," I replied. "I owe you one."

"No problem," he said. "You can get the coffee next time."

"You got it," I said as he turned and walked back toward security. I still had a few non-Fae friends on the Department and, although I'd never ask them to do anything that could get them in trouble, it was nice to know I could still call in a regular favor now and then.

I was getting ready to head for my car when a young couple caught my eye. They were saying goodbye to each other. He was in the military and it was a tearful event. It didn't take much to figure out he was being deployed. What caught my attention wasn't actually the couple, but their little girl.

She must have been about seven, with long dark hair, wearing a pretty floral dress. Tears flowed as she clutched a dying rose in her hand. Her daddy picked her up and hugged her for what had to be the umpteenth time. I'd heard her mother tell her to throw the dead flower away but it had been a gift from her father and it meant too much to her to let go.

Military folks had a hard job and leaving your family behind was tough. I'd spent a lot of long nights away from home back when I was a cop, but at least I was never gone for more than few days. Never for a six month or year deployment. Of course, there wasn't much I could do about that, but maybe I could, at least, make her day a little brighter.

One of the paramount rules we live by is to never let humans know we exist. The Fae that is. Let's face it, we don’t need those kind of headaches. It also means you have to be really careful with magic. Especially in public. Of course, the bad guys don’t seem to give a damn. But the rest of us do try and keep a low profile, for the most part. But sometimes, magic is all you've got, especially when it's for a good cause. Besides, this barely qualified, and it's not like anyone was going to notice; not here in this busy airport.

She was standing next to her parents, who were still hugging, as I walked by. Stopping, I turned toward her and looked down. I winked and cupped my hand, raising it to my face and blew just a hint of magic into the air toward the rose. She gasped, her eyes wide, as it changed; its petals turning red and opening as it sprang back to life. She gazed up at me in wonder and her frown became a smile. Then, with another wink, I was gone and out of the building. My last vision, that of a little girl tugging on her father's uniform holding up a budding red rose, brought a smile to my face. Surveillance done, except for the paperwork, of course…. brought a smile to a little girl's face… let's hope the rest of the day went as well.

I called Martin back as soon as I was the parking lot.

"I was just getting ready to text you," he said as I opened the driver's door. "We found their car up near Corn Creek. I'm headed there now if you want to meet us."

"Okay," I replied. "But I'm coming from the airport, and I still have to change, so it's going to be a while before I can get there."

"No problem," he said. "They probably went out to the Sheep Range to run, so we're going to start there. It's probably pretty messy out there. How about I have somebody pick you up at your place?"

"Give me an hour," I said before disconnecting. My car wasn't good on more than a packed dirt road and I had already decided to take Charlie with me. The rain may have washed away any scent trails, but it never hurt to have a Fae hunting dog at your side when you were going trekking in the mountains.

Corn Creek is a small wetlands area just north of Vegas, and the Sheep Range was a mountainous area northwest of there. They were all part of the Desert National Wildlife Range, which is huge. I'm talking millions of acres huge here. The terrain could be rough. Miles and miles of desert and then the mountains. There were dirt roads and trails to follow; but if they'd left their car behind, that meant they were on foot. I wasn't sure how far a Wolf could run in a day, but if they were lost or injured out there they were going to be a bitch to find.

Charlie was sitting on the grass when I pulled into the driveway. He was my dog. But he was a lot more than that. You see, he's a descendant of Fae hunting dogs bred by the Greek God Pan especially for Artemis. He has this uncanny ability of knowing when something's going on. Even as a Fae dog, he never ceases to amaze me.

"Gotta go search for a couple of missing Weres," I said as I got out of the car. "I'm going to go change. Someone is picking us up."

"Wolves?" he asked.

Oh, he can talk too.

"Yeah," I replied as I headed toward the house. "They haven't been seen since Friday and they just found their car down at Corn Creek. Is Alf around?"

"He has not returned," he answered.

Alf was an Imp that the Garden Faeries had found hanging around the house. He'd been confronted by them and brought to my attention. Truth was, they'd captured him, thinking he was a spy. Turned out he'd been waiting for Bernd, the Dwarf, who had gone missing. There was a feud going on between two of the Dwarf factions that was causing problems in the Fae lands, and Bernd and his followers had gone into hiding. At least that's what I hoped.

After confirming who he was, I'd let him stay. He'd kind of taken up residence at my place since then. I hadn’t quite trusted him at first but he'd grown on me. Imps and Faeries aren’t exactly close, but I had to admit, he was a wealth of information about the Fae world. A source that was nice to have, as he didn't seem to have an agenda. At least not where I was concerned. Strange little creature, too. Red skin and clothed in brown, he had bat-like wings that allowed him to fly. One minute he acted like a drunken garden gnome and the next he was spouting arcane knowledge out of Fae history books. Like I said, he was growing on me.

"Okay," I replied, and headed upstairs to change into some jeans and boots. It was starting to get hot in the valley, but after the rains, you never knew what you'd run into out in the desert. I grabbed my gun, a Walther PPK that had once been carried by my uncle, and the seax, a gift from a good friend, Siegfried, Then I stopped in the kitchen for a bottle of water before heading back outside to wait for our driver.

A few minutes later, a dark blue Tahoe with tinted windows drove up and parked in front of the house. I clicked the gate opener, closed the garage, then Charlie and I walked out to the street. The passenger side window rolled down as I stepped up to it and a pretty gal in her early 40s, wearing sunglasses, examined me from behind the wheel.

When I think of Werewolves, I usually envision the men I've seen. Big strong looking guys, with dark brown or black hair, and the occasional beard. But this gal was lithe and petite, as well as blonde, and reminded me more of the dancer type. But looks could be deceiving. I'd never met a Were that wasn't a helluva lot stronger than any human, and I doubted she was any different.

"You Robert?" she asked as she pulled the sunglasses down a bit, her greenish-brown eyes peeking over the rim as she scrutinized me.

"That would be me," I answered.

"No offense, but you weren't what I expected," she commented as she triggered the lock.

"None taken," I replied as I opened the door. "I get that a lot"

That's one thing I always liked about Werewolves. They were direct. Of course, that was what usually got them into trouble in their dealings with others. But in her case, it just made me laugh. Sometimes a no bullshit attitude was just refreshing.

"I hope you don’t mind if I bring him along," I said as Charlie jumped in and squeezed between the seats to get in the back.

"Doesn't look like I have much choice," she replied, cracking a smile for the first time.

"And you are?" I asked as I got in, pulling on the seatbelt as I closed the door.

"I'm Jennifer. Call me Jen," she said as she put the SUV in gear and started down the road.

"Pleased to meet you, Jen," I replied. "My friend in the back is Charlie."

"Well met, Jen of the Wolf clan. I am Karalos, but you can call me Charlie," he said, using his Fae name with just a touch of humor.

"Did your dog just talk?" she asked as she adjusted the rear view mirror to peek back at him before replying. "Uh, well met to you as well, Charlie."

"Yeah," I answered. "He's a Fae hunting dog."

"Wow," she replied. "Never met a talking one. I thought they were all like us. The voice box doesn't position properly when we shift."

"Like I said, he's Fae. It's the magic," I replied.

She replied with a "Huh," and we continued down the road.

Corn Creek was about a 20-mile drive from my place up US 95. When we reached the turn off, she made a right onto a dirt road, which was still wet in places, and drove toward the visitor center. There were a couple of cars in the lot, but she passed it by and went up the road a bit; finally making a left toward a copse of trees near a wash where a grey truck was parked.

"That's Darren's truck," she said, pulling up next to it. "Martin's already over the hill with a few others, searching for them."

"Let me take a look," I said before opening the door.

She put the Tahoe in park and I got out. Charlie followed as I went over to inspect the vehicle. Walking around, I noticed the doors were locked. A few minutes later, I found the keys on top of the passenger side front tire. Unlocking the truck, I started examining the interior.

"This is really strange," a voice said behind me.

Turning, I saw Jen had joined us.

"What's strange?" I asked.

"Martin thinks they parked here and then headed for the mountains. He was pretty upset about it. They shouldn’t have done that," she continued.

"Why not?" I asked.

"It's too close to the visitor's center," she said. "Too great a chance of being seen."

"What about at night?"

"Maybe," she replied. "But even then, they should have left way before morning." She walked over to the front of the truck, her nose in the air, sniffing. "There's no scent trail, either. Damn rain is a pain in the ass."

I leaned back into the cab and inspected the area behind the seats. Pulling up a blanket on the floorboard I found their clothes, neatly folded, with shoes on top. I pulled them out to show her.

"Well, it sure looks like they started from here," I said, holding them up.

Charlie walked up and sniffed them, then started around the car. A moment later, I watched as his fur bristled, then he ran off northbound through the desert.

"Where's he going?" she asked.

"I have no idea. But he knows this area pretty well. We're just going to have to wait until he gets back to find out."

It was about 15 minutes later when Charlie returned. Still running, he leapt over some bushes and landed next to the car.

"What'd you find?" I asked.

"Two Weres," he replied, panting. "The ones who were in the truck. They ran north, then crossed toward the mountain where the next road is."

"I don’t smell anything," Jen said, her brow furrowing. "Besides, they wouldn’t do that. The highway and roads around here are forbidden. There's too much traffic and too great a chance of being seen."

"Nevertheless, that is where these two went," Charlie replied.

"So you say," she said. "But it still doesn't make sense."

"Yeah, well…things seldom do in my world," I replied. "How many folks did Martin take with him?"

"There're six of them in three trucks" she answered. "That was all that could make it on short notice. We don't know if they're in any real trouble. More will come tonight if needed; after the sun sets."

"Are they all pack members?" I asked. "The ones with Martin."

"Yes, why?"

"It's pretty desolate out there. That means they'll be able to shift and cover a lot of ground, right?"

"I suppose," she replied.

"Then two more won't make a lot of difference at the moment," I said. "Let's follow this lead. Then we can let Martin know what we find. It might be nothing. They could have ended up anywhere. But, Charlie's seldom wrong about this kind of thing. It's worth following up."

"You may be right," she finally agreed. "It's just that I have no way of contacting him from here to let him know what we're doing. There's no cell service out there and we'd have to go at least another seven or eight miles over the ridge for any chance of him hearing a howl."

"Not a problem," I replied. "I have a way to let him know if we find something."

"All right," she said with a shrug. "Martin said you were different, and that I should trust your judgement. We'll do it your way, for now."

"Works for me," I said as I headed back to the passenger side of the SUV.

Charlie and I got in and, after returning to the highway, she drove up 95 for about five miles before turning left onto the Lee Canyon exit. A mile or two later, Charlie motioned for us to pull over. I barely had time to open the door before he was out and heading north through the desert again; toward the hills that bordered the highway.

Jen walked a few yards into the desert, watching where Charlie ran. A moment later, she walked back and leaned against the passenger side next to me and crossed her arms.

"I hope he knows what he's doing," she said, her head tilted up, as if she was trying to catch whatever scent he had found.

I didn’t answer. Charlie had changed direction and was coming back.

"Anything?" I asked as he came up.

"Something," he replied. "But I must go further. Meet me where the horses roam." Then he turned and took off through the desert again.

"Ugh… I wish I could shift here," she muttered as she walked to the other side of the car. "Where the horses roam? Does he mean Cold Creek?"

"Yeah. We hike up there sometimes. There's a gravel road we've used. I think it's called Mud Springs. Up past the bend where the road turns."

Cold Creek was a little town up in the forest, north of Mt. Charleston. We had to go another five or so miles up 95 to get there. Then go past two of the State prisons before we'd get to the area she was asking about. It was known for a series of ponds that were located there, as well as several herds of wild horses that used to make the place their home.

"I know where it is," she said as she got back in the SUV. "We run there now and then. But what I can’t figure out is why they would come this way on foot. There's too much risk of being seen crossing the roads, even at night. It doesn’t make sense, not when they could have driven there and hidden the car from view of the road."

"Hard to say," I replied. "Besides, we really don’t know what it means yet. They could have gone anywhere from here."

She didn't reply. Instead, she started the SUV, put it in gear and flipped a U-turn, heading back to the highway.

"Mind if I ask you a question?" she asked after a moment.

"Sure," I replied. "But I reserve the right not to answer."

"Martin says you're some kind of God," she said, ignoring my quip. "Not to be an ass, but you're not what I expected."

"And just what kind of God did you expect?" I asked. I wasn't sure if she was goading me or just being brutally honest. I decided to hope for the latter.

"Hell if I know," she replied. "I was thinking along the lines of a bearded guy in robes, or maybe some golden haired Apollo-like stud. I can usually spot another non-human, but you seem pretty normal. Know what I mean?"

"Ouch," I replied.

"Sorry," she said. "Sometimes I come across kind of abrupt. It's the Were in me. I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's all right," I replied. "No offense taken." I chuckled before continuing. "What do you know about the Fae?"

"Just the basics," she replied. "We don’t really socialize with others. Martin does, of course, and we all work together if we're needed. Everyone knows the Neptune's Landing. They're our contact with the others. But I try and stay out of politics, if you know what I mean."

Actually, I did. The Neptune's Landing was a local hotel/casino owned by the Milagres, Eddie and Meredith. Meredith was Eddie's mother, and a Fae Lord and Queen of the Nereid. They're water Fae. They'd been among the first Fae to come to Las Vegas in the old days, and as such, were the focal point for Fae activity in the area. While most Fae kept to themselves, all the different types did have to work together; especially since there were rules about dealing with humans. Believe it or not, there was even a government agency that liaised with the Fae. But politics was politics and most of that was dealt with by the leaders of the different clans.

"I get it," I replied. "Actually, the term God is kind of a misnomer. When you think of the Fae Gods, you usually think of the Greek or Roman ones, or maybe the Norse. Truth is, they weren't really Gods. They were a more powerful kind of Fae. What we call the High Fae. Think of them as a super charged version. Stronger in magic than regular Fae.

"I'm not going to give you a history lesson, but suffice it to say none of the old ones are around anymore, which makes my point. If they were Gods, the old ones wouldn’t all be dead. But there are still a few High Fae among us, which is what I am. My line comes from the Dryad. We're woodland Fae, as are you Weres. Which is one reason Martin and I are allies."

"I never thought of us as woodland Fae," she said with a laugh. "It brings to mind cute little Faeries in leafy dresses… something we definitely are not."

"Sorry," I replied; thinking she wouldn’t look so bad in a leafy dress, at least in human form. "I use the term Fae to encompass all magical creatures, or at least most of them."

She made the left onto the Cold Creek road and we headed west between the state prisons, toward the mountains.

"So you can do magic?" she asked.

"A bit," I replied.

"Could you do something now?"

"Like what?"

"I don’t know," she replied. "Just something magical."

"Just something magical, eh?" I said with a chuckle. "I can't exactly do card tricks."

"There I go again," she said. "I'm sorry, I just meant…"

"I know what you meant," I said before she could finish. "So would you call it magic when you guys shift?"

"I guess," she replied. "I never really thought of it that way, but I suppose it is. Why?"

"Well, we don’t look the same as Fae as we do in our human form."

"I've heard about that," she replied.

Without another word, I switched into my Fae persona. Suddenly I looked like a 25 year old Fae Lord rather than a 50 year old human. This is worth noting. You never know what a true Fae looks like; not really. Unless, of course, they show you. For example, take Meredith, the Nereid Queen.

If you happen to be at the Neptune's Landing in Vegas someday, look her up. Hell, her picture is on the wall. She looks to be about 65 years old. An attractive, stately woman with long grey hair that's usually pinned up. She'll be wearing an expensive business outfit. If you see her walk through the casino floor, you'll know she's the one in charge. She just looks like she owns the place. When you do a double take, it won’t be because of her looks, it'll be because she's the boss, and everybody knows it. But to see her as a Fae... Well, you'll be doing a double take all right, but it'll be because of her beauty.

As a Fae Queen, Meredith looks to be in her mid-30s, with long black hair and deep blue eyes, with just a hint of green. Trust me, you won’t just be looking at her pointed, Elfin ears, either. She has a strong, taut body, and firm, medium sized breasts. She'll probably be wearing a sea green wisp of gossamer fabric. One that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. Bottom line, almost all Fae are beautiful... or handsome as the case may be. It's just a genetic trait they were born with.

Anyway, the point is, a Fae can look like anybody you'd find in the human realm. Unless you can read the magic aura that most of them emit, or they've shown you their true selves, you'll never know.

"Oh, shit," she said, swerving over the rocks on the side of the road when she saw the change. "What a difference!" She recovered quickly and got back on the asphalt. "Oh, that didn’t come out right. It's just that you look so young… not that you looked that old before…" she stammered. She turned her head and I could see her starting to blush.

"It's okay," I replied with a smile and switched back to my human form. "Don’t worry about it. I know what you mean. You should have seen my kid's reaction when they first saw it."

I don’t think she knew what to say to that.

"Can I ask you one more question?" she said as I pointed out our turnoff.

"Sure."

"Martin said you were a king; or at least you used to be," she asked. "What's that all about?"

"Long story, and complicated," I said, "Here's the turn off".

I'd taken heat from some of the other Fae because of my perceived loss of status when my daughter took over. While her unexpected rise to the Fae throne had definitely cost me some political power, it was nothing I couldn’t handle. Besides, what was I going to do? It's not like I could tell everyone it was all Gaea's idea. I didn’t know what she was really up to, of course. Whatever the reason, I certainly wasn't going to argue, especially with her involved. Besides, it never hurts to be underestimated by your opponents, and, I had been holding it for her all along, anyway.

"I'll give you the nickel version," I continued. "My Fae, the Dryads, had never had a male leader until I came along. They've always been led by a female. My grandmother was queen in her time and my aunt was the leader before I came along. So even when I claimed the title and became king, as was my birthright, I never took the throne.

"My daughter sits on it now, as is her right. So she's the queen. But I'm still the king, at least in title, and being a High Fae, I'm sort of still responsible for things. Of course I was hoping I would get a vacation out of it when she took over, but as it stands, that hasn't happened."

She didn't say anything.

"That was a joke… the last part anyway," I said after a moment.

"That's kind of weird."

"What part?" I asked.

"All of it," she replied. "So… what? You share power with her? That would never happen in the pack. The Pack Master is almost always a male. He's the alpha. That makes Martin the undisputed leader. I guess someone could challenge him, but he's the strongest of us."

"Different Fae, different rules," I said. I didn’t tell her that I had known one Were that would have challenged Martin; but he wasn't around anymore to do so.

She followed the dirt road until we were completely out of sight of the main road, then parked in a slight depression that would hide the SUV from passing cars unless they drove right up to it. We got out and walked back up the incline to see if we could spot Charlie.

"I think he's over there, by that small mountain," she said, pointing southbound to the side of the hill we had seen him running to from the other road.

"The road seems pretty quiet. I don't see anyone else out here at the moment. If you want to shift, I'll keep an eye out. You can head his way and see if he's found anything."

"Do you think it'll be safe?"

"Should be," I replied. "At least for a little while. Tell you what, give me your keys and I'll honk if anyone comes close. That way you can go to ground and I can pick you up, if necessary."

She only hesitated a moment before pulling the keys out of her jeans and started handing me her clothes. I caught quite an eyeful before turning away after she handed me her bra. She must have thought it was funny, since she snickered a bit before removing the rest of her clothes and handing them to me. Not long after, she was in Wolf form and running across the desert. I picked up her shoes from where she'd left them and went back to the car. I folded her clothes and put them in the back seat before grabbing a water and deciding on my next move.

I walked back out to the rise we'd seen Charlie from and stood a moment, reaching out with magic to see if there was anything there. I could sense the horses a few miles up the hill, and, of course, Charlie and Jen, but there wasn't a hint of the missing Weres. There were, however, several more people driving through the area. It was mostly just cars on the road, but closer to the actual town at the top of the mountain, there were several motorcycle riders using the trails. We wouldn’t be able to search out here much longer; at least not in the daylight. Even with the rain coming, there were still too many people out here.

Although I could detect the energy a live person or animal emanated as they moved around within the field of my senses, any residual energy left behind when they were gone usually dissipated pretty fast. Dark magic, with evil intent, lasted a bit longer. But I hadn’t caught a whiff of anything like that out here. Still, there were beings that weren't easy to sense; like me for instance. As a High Fae I couldn’t be recognized like regular Fae. It was rare, but I wasn't the only magical creature that was like that. If there was something else out here, I was just going to have to wait and see if it appeared. Shaking my head, with nothing else I could think of to do, I went back to the car and waited.

It wasn’t too long before she and Charlie returned. It was my first real glimpse of her as a Wolf. Her fur was light tan, with brown and black mixed in. Darker on the top of her body, then growing lighter toward her belly and legs. Her face had gray in it and she was a little smaller than Charlie. If I had to guess I would have put her at about 115 pounds, pretty close to her weight as a human. I watched as she began to shift and then popped open the back door to grab her clothes.

"You guys find anything?" I asked, handing them to her.

"They were here," she replied as she pulled on her pants. "We found some of Darren's fur on a few bushes near the hill and his blood on some of the rocks. No sign of Liz, though. They were going west, into the mountains. From what Charlie says, their trail heads south of the village, but it's too risky to go there in the daylight. I couldn't smell anything. With the storms moving in again, the wind is blowing the wrong way, and last night's rain washed away any scent."

"We should return when there are less humans," Charlie said, hopping into the back seat.

By village, I assumed he meant the actual Cold Creek housing area. There were quite a few cabins there, as well as the three ponds. Those were stocked with fish and there'd be a few anglers there by now, trying to get in a little fishing before the storm returned. The area between Mt Charleston and Cold Creek had very few inhabitants, but both housing areas were well populated and many folks hiked and enjoyed the outdoors near the two communities.

"Okay," I said as I handed her the keys. "Take us back to Corn Creek and we'll figure out what to do next."

"What about Martin?" she asked a little while later. "You said you had a way to contact him."

"I do," I replied as we approached the main road. A few scattered raindrops were already appearing on the windshield. "Pull over here."

As she did so, I sent out a mental call to Sendy, the Aurae.

"Yes, my Lord," Sendy said a moment later from the back seat next to Charlie.

"Whoa!" Jen exclaimed as she heard Sendy's voice behind her. "Who the hell is that?"

"Sendy, this is Jen," I said. "Jen is a Werewolf. She's part of Martin's pack. Jen, this is Sendy, a sky Fae. She can take a message to him."

"A pleasure to meet you," Sendy replied, slipping a t-shirt over her head. "I am familiar with your Pack Master. What message is it you need carried?"

"Sendy," I began. "We need you to tell Martin that we think his missing Weres came this way. Jennifer found some of Darren's fur on this side of the highway but we can't go any further this time of day and more rain is coming. I need to know if he's found anything there and what he wants her to do. Charlie and I will come back out here later tonight, weather permitting, but it's his call as far as his people are concerned."

"Martin went toward the Sheep Range, which is that way," I continued, pointing in the direction of Corn Creek. "You'll see the road that leads to the wetlands. Follow it between the mountains. You can search for them from there. They'll be in three trucks, but most likely, some will have shifted and be in Wolf form. We'll be waiting for you just on the other side of the highway, near the Corn Creek visitor's center. We'll be in this SUV."

"Here," Jen said, handing her a patch of fur. "Give him this."

"As you command," she said, before removing her shirt and disappearing.

"What's the deal with the shirt?" Jennifer asked.

"It's the wings," I replied. "She needs them free to fly. She's gotten in to the habit of throwing a shirt on as soon as she appears. Just in case any humans are nearby."

"Kind of like the Wolf thing, I guess," she commented as she put the car in gear. "First talking dogs, then shifting, and now winged Faeries. You're getting more interesting by the minute."

"I'll take that as a compliment," I said with a laugh as we drove down the road.

We pulled up next to Darren's truck and waited for Sendy to come back, passing the time by talking about life as a Fae among humans. Since she was part of a pack, her story interested me. I had expected a more tightly controlled group, but by her account, life as a Were wasn't really that different from any other Fae; at least under the current Pack Master. She had heard of packs that lived in rigid, structured societies, but apparently, aside from pack business, Martin allowed his members a lot of freedom, as long as pack rules were followed. Of course, the pack came first, but I'd expected that.

The pack came first because the emphasis was on family. There were no rules when it came to relationships. But the ultimate goal of any pack is to continue the line and nurture and protect the young. That's why, she explained, most Weres didn’t marry until they were older. It's pretty hard to have a steady partner outside of the pack when you're trying to conceive with someone else. It takes two to make a baby Werewolf, just like in the human world, and it was a given that every female had an obligation to at least try to continue the line. As with any gene pool, diversity was the key. In their case, procreation was built into their genes. Not a lot of folks outside of the pack would understand that reasoning when it came to their relationships.

Every member of the pack contributed when it came to raising their own. Each child had a slew of aunts and uncles at their beck and call, available to them when the change began. The image of the tough Werewolf wearing chains and a biker jacket in books and moves didn’t jive with reality. Instead, they were faithful parents and family members, more likely to be playing kissy face with an infant than wasting time being bad asses. Unless of course the family was threatened. Then they did turn into bad asses. Revenge was an art form to the Were. I wouldn't want to screw with one. Weres are tough, and they anger quickly when provoked.

I have to admit though, I almost laughed when I found out she was a veterinarian. Then again, it did make a weird kind of sense. They were wolves a lot of the time, but still, it just seemed funny. Then Sendy returned.

"I have spoken with the Pack Master," she said to me when she appeared next to the SUV. "He thanks you for your assistance. They have found nothing in the mountains and will return to the city to plan a search in the area where the fur was found. They will take care of his vehicle as well."

"Sounds good," I replied.

"Did he have any message for me?" Jennifer asked.

"He asked me to tell you that you are free to go. He will contact you later for the exact location," she said. "They have travelled quite a distance and it will take them several hours to return."

"Thank you," Jennifer said.

"Why don’t you do a quick flyover of the area over there," I said, pointing to where we had just been. "Just in case there's something we missed. If you see anything out of the ordinary, let me know. Otherwise, you can return to whatever you were doing."

"As you wish," she replied before disappearing again.

"I guess we're done here then," I said to Jen.

She put the SUV in gear and headed back to my house. When we arrived, Charlie and I got out and I keyed the code to the gate. Then I walked back to the still open passenger door.

"Want to come in for a bit?" I asked.

"I really should get back to the clinic," she replied. "But could I use the restroom?"

"Sure."

She got out of the SUV and followed me to the gate. I motioned for her to stop as I spoke the words to modify the wards that protected the house to let her in. At the same time, Charlie ran up to the oak tree in the front yard and spoke a few hushed words. A moment later I turned back to her. "Ok, it's safe now," I said. "Come on."

"What was that about?" she asked as we went to the front door.

"The house is protected by wards," I replied. "Charlie told the trees that you were a friend."

"The trees?" she asked.

"They're not just trees," I remarked. "That's an oak. It's of the Fae as well… it's connected to my lands. Charlie told it to recognize you and allow you entry."

"…and if he hadn’t?" she asked.

"I was going to let you in anyway, but Charlie took it a little bit further," I said. "He told them you were a friend, like Martin is. But if we hadn’t allowed you entry, you probably would have just forgotten why you were here, gotten back in your car and driven away. If you meant me harm? You would have seen what Fae magic is really capable of."

The magical wards that protected the house were woven by my cat, Lucinda. Although, she was no more a normal cat than Charlie was just a dog. When she first put them up, I'd had a stack of Fae guests stuck in the house until we remembered to lift them. Since then, we'd modified them a bit. Now, if we named you a friend, the wards would let you in and out. That said, the friends list was very small.

"So I'm a friend now, am I?" she said with a laugh and rubbed the big dogs head. "Thank you, Charlie."

"Bathroom's on the right," I said, pointing to the hallway.

As she walked away, Charlie nudged me in the thigh.

"Don’t say it," I said. "Besides, you're the one that granted her friend access."

That's the problem when you live in my world. There are Faeries, Imps and other magical beings, not to mention talking animals. But Charlie was more than just a Fae hunting dog. He also fancied himself my protector and advisor. Not only in battle, although we'd been in a few of those. But, apparently, also where my love life was concerned. He had this habit of reminding me not to think too human every time we ran into a pretty girl. You don’t get that when your dog's just a dog. By adjusting the wards, he was trying to set me up with her by giving her the opportunity to make a move. Lifting the wards for her may sound crazy, but he was never wrong about anyone when it came to their status, so I knew there was no danger. But still.

"She is no threat, and she is pretty," he replied. "Not intimidated either, which is something you need. Besides, Weres are still Fae, and good allies."

"Yes she is pretty… and you're right," I agreed. "I know you decided she was a friend, but I didn't get the impression I was her type."

"You are Fae," he countered. "Close enough."

"Okay, you got me there. Fine, then. Let's just see what happens."

Unfortunately, he had a point. I had been seeing someone. Ok, so it was a couple of someones. The one I had been most interested was a Lilin named of Delia. I thought we might have had a chance but things hadn’t quite worked out. At least not yet. The Lilin are, well, just think of them as Vampires, less the fangs. Thanks to losing a war with the Fae eons ago, they'd been under a spell that made them, to make a long story short, second class citizens. I'd freed them, but in doing so had caused some confusion among them about what their future held. Not only that, I'd also pissed off quite a few of the other Fae in the process.

One Lilin, an Elder by the name of Ella, was currently trying to consolidate her power and get them in line. There weren't that many of them, but as with any magical beings in the human realm, someone had to be responsible for them or all hell would break loose. And ultimately, since I'd been the one to free them, I was partially accountable for making sure things got settled. The bitch was, Delia was now the official liaison to the Fae, as well as Ella's second in command. Which meant that she didn't have any time for relationships these days. Of course, since I was the one that put her in that position, I had no one to blame but myself, but that didn't make it any easier.

What made matters worse, was that our relationship, such as it was, had been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. Since the day I met her, when I had stepped in to save her from a couple of young Weres with too much testosterone, it was nothing but ups and downs. First, just the fact that I had been a Fae was enough. Then a fight with a Demon had left her injured. That the Demon had been summoned by my enemies and was actually after me hadn’t made it any easier. Nor was the fact that I'd had to give her my blood to save her life. Something that, at the time, was akin to a death sentence, since it was a clear violation of their terms of surrender to my ancestor. This, incidentally, was something I also had to rescue her from later, when the Lilin Elders found out about it.

We'd both been on the raid that freed Ella from her imprisonment by the dark Fae's Mages. Which was good, as it made breaking the spell and freeing them possible. But, now we're back to her having no time for a relationship. Shit, I can’t win.

I should mention that there aren’t any real taboos about sex among the Fae. Quite frankly, jealousy just doesn't exist. As a matter of fact, some deals require more than just a handshake to close, if you get my drift. Still, having been raised on this side of the magical fence, I still had a few old fashioned human values. Which is not to say that I'm a monk or anything. I have had a few encounters. But I just couldn’t hop into bed with every Fae that was available, because that would be damn near every female Fae I'd ever met.

Then there was Diantha. She was a human. Although she'd been enhanced by magic and granted what could best be described as immortality. Once known as the Oracle of Delphi, I'd rescued her when she'd been stranded in the form of an old woman without the amulet that gave her youth and beauty. You don’t always get what you wish for when dealing with the Fae, which she had learned the hard way. Still, she was my friend, and one of my staunchest supporters. We were what you might call, friends with benefits, as well. But as to a long term relationship… Well, let's just say that I doubted that was going to work where she was concerned. But, back to the current situation. Like I said, he did have a point.

"Nice place," she said a few minutes later as she walked back up the hall. "And thanks."

"Anytime," I replied. "Sure I can’t get you anything to drink?"

"I really do have some things to get back to," she said as she reached the door.

"I understand," I said, following her back to the driveway to open the gate.

She stepped up to the SUV and then stopped and turned toward me. "Maybe a raincheck?" she asked with a slightly mischievous grin on her face.

"I'd like that," I replied, and then gave her the gate code. Okay, so maybe I am her type after all.

She got in the Tahoe and I watched as she started it up and drove away.

"So what do you think?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen to start the coffee.

"I think she likes you," Charlie said.

"Not about her," I countered as I opened a cabinet. "The missing Weres." I rummaged around a bit, finally settling on a white mug with the logo of one of my favorite local restaurants, Fat Choy, on the front.

"Something was out there," he said. "I thought I sensed it when we found the Were's fur and blood but now I am sure of it."

"What is it?"

"That I do not know," he replied.

"Is it something evil?"

"Perhaps," he replied. "I do not know what the creature is, only that it is old, and dangerous."

"And you didn't think to tell me this before?" I said as I filled my cup with freshly brewed coffee.

"It is but a memory," he replied. "One that took time to realize."

"A memory?"

"One of my sire's… or perhaps of his," he said. "I do not know."

A memory of his sire's? Some kind of genetic memory passed down between generations? Damn, that dog never ceases to amaze me.

"So what else can you remember?" I asked.

"Nothing yet. We must return after the rain if we are to learn more."

Not much to go on. But I guess it was better than nothing. Gaea's warning to Nikki suddenly came to mind. Unfortunately, I still didn’t know what it meant. What was this thing part of it? What about the missing Weres? Could they even still be alive?

Chapter 2

Charlie woke me at zero dark thirty, which was a little after 3:00 a.m. according to my cell phone. The rain had stopped. The sky was clearing a bit and he wanted to go back out to see if he could find anything more of the creature he believed was out there. I figured we had a couple of good hours before sunrise, so I dragged myself out of bed and threw on some clothes. With so little to go on, I had decided not to tell anyone of Charlie's suspicions. There would be plenty of time to let people know if we actually found something.

Armed with my Walther, seax, and of course, my sword, we headed out to the car for the drive back to Cold Creek. The sword I carried had been given to me by Ouranos, father of the Titans, after our battle with the other High Fae, Marissa, on Olympus. It was the same sword carried by Cronus, and later, by Zeus himself. Thanks to an Angel, I had learned how to dematerialize and materialize it at will. A nice touch, as carrying a sword around, or even just the hilt, could be problematic in today's society. My gun and seax were easy to hide, but modern clothing just didn’t have all the loops and folds necessary for concealing big weapons, especially in the Vegas heat.

A short time later, we were back on the road and nearing the spot we had turned off earlier. At Charlie's direction, we went up the hill a little farther to another access road. Unfortunately, this one was pretty wet, but I was able to get far enough off the main road that my car wouldn’t be too visible. Stepping out onto the muddy road, I waited for Charlie to come up beside me.

"Well," I said. "It's your show. Which way from here?"

"This way," he said, bounding off into the desert. "Toward the tree line."

I may look fifty in my human form, but inside, I'm still Fae, so running isn’t an issue. But even with the added power, jogging through mud is not my idea of a good time. I followed Charlie along a muddy road that bordered a wash, still full of water from the run off. He made a left into a copse of trees next to a few boulders and stopped. Looking around, my Fae eyes not hindered by the dark, I saw that we were above the elevation of the town, and about halfway between it and the Lee Canyon road. In other words, in the middle of nowhere.

He started sniffing and running around, as if trying to reacquire whatever scent he had been tracking. Then stopped again near a rock strewn area on the other side of the wash.

"Here," he said, stopping next to a pile of larger stones.

Walking over, I saw what he had found. It was a leg... or at least part of one. The foot was still attached but the leg had been severed a foot above the ankle. No sword had done this. It looked more like it had been bitten.

"It is from the male Were," he said, alert again as he inspected the area around us with his senses.

"What the hell kind of creature is big enough to eat a full grown Werewolf?" I asked.

I never heard if he answered, because a noise behind me made me turn. I had a glimpse of something large, then I felt like I'd been hit by a train and found myself flying through the air. The ground came up quick and I landed hard. Getting up slower than I would have liked, I saw the thing as it tried to catch Charlie. It was huge and towered over him. He ran between its legs, just missing the large clawed hands that reached down to grab him.

It was some kind of Demon. Shit, it could have been someone's bad dream for all I knew. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. It was big. Real big. Maybe 15 feet tall, it reminded me of the Minotaur, but nastier looking. It stood upright on its hind legs and had claw-like hands. They were rough and prickly, which I had discovered when it smacked me aside. Its back was covered in spiny protrusions from head to waist, and sported a long thin tail, with a spiked tip that moved like a whip. The head was covered in some kind of thick hair, which reminded me of porcupine quills, and its eyes glowed red as it tried to find its elusive target. As big as the damn thing was, it was fast. But what bothered me most was that I'd had no warning that it was here. I should have sensed it. What the hell was this thing?

Running back toward Charlie, my sword appeared in my hand, electric sparks rolling over the blade. As I passed the creature I swung, the blue blazing sword biting deep along the creature's flank. With a thunderous roar, it turned its attention from locating him to me. Faster than I believed a thing that large could move, it lunged toward me. I turned to avoid it but its tail curled around my leg and once again, I was tossed to the ground. As I tried to get back up, I felt something burn, and looking down, I saw the creature's spiked tail had cut me open from the hip to below the knee. Blood was everywhere and I dropped back to the ground, burning pain coursing through my leg. Damn! Why hadn't I worn my Fae armor?

Trying to stand again, my leg gave way. I did the only thing I could think of and rolled onto my back. Pointing my sword at the creature I summoned every bit of magic within me. Tesla would have been proud as I pointed my sword like a gun, bright bolts of lightning shooting out from the blade, exploding when they came in contact with the thing's hide. The creature roared loudly, the electrical discharge causing it obvious pain. I felt myself becoming weaker, my leg now feeling like it was on fire, but it had the desired effect. The creature gave a last ear splitting growl and then simply began to melt, dissolving into the ground. When the last of it was gone, I saw Charlie running toward me and then everything went black.

****

I was still groggy when I woke up. Trying to focus, I noticed I was in my downstairs bedroom and I had an audience. I tried to lift my head to see what was going on, but all I got was a wave of vertigo, so I laid back down.

"He's awake," I heard a voice say. It took a moment before I realized it was Mal. I tried to focus as he leaned over the bed and looked at me.

"What time is it?" I asked. "And what are you doing here?"

Mal was one of my best friends. We'd worked on the force together and since retiring, we both had P.I. businesses. Mal did mostly computer security and recovery work and we referred business to each other on a regular basis. He was human for the most part, but had enough Fae blood in him to know what I was, as well as being Sendy's companion.

"You've been out of it for a couple hours. It's almost 10:00 a.m.," he replied. "Sendy brought me to you after Charlie summoned her. You were passed out in the desert and had lost a lot of blood. But you're home now. Just relax and let them work on your leg."

"How bad is it?" I asked, once again feeling the pain from the wound. I glanced down to see a blonde woman wearing bloody gloves performing what looked like surgery on my leg. Alf, the Imp, was observing her progress. Still having trouble focusing, it took a moment to realize that the person working on my leg was Jennifer, the Werewolf.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked. "And what is she doing?"

Suddenly I felt something on my chest and Charlie's head appeared.

"That was no ordinary creature in the desert," he said. "She is here to heal you."

"It was a Gallu, a type of Demon," Alf said, his head turning toward me. "This one has been able to remove most of the poison. Once the rest is purged, you should begin healing."

"I don’t understand. Why didn't you call a Fae healer?" I asked as I patted the big dog's head.

"You told us not to call the regular Fae," Mal answered. "Charlie said the Weres had a doctor and said we should call Martin. Alf offered to help as well, so that's what we did."

"I told you not to?" I asked, not remembering anything after the creature had disappeared. "Why would I do that?"

"You said it might not be a good idea for the others to know that you had been injured," he replied. "Made sense to me at the time and Sendy was able to locate Martin and bring the Doc to us. So it seemed like the right thing to do."

"I did?" I said aloud.

Although I didn’t remember, it kind of made sense. While I wasn't that worried about my image, it wouldn't do to let just anyone know that there was something out there that could inflict this kind of damage to me. No, with my loss of status also came the loss of perceived power. While I had already dealt with some of that; knowing that there was something out there that could hurt me this bad would only encourage my enemies. Although I had other friends I knew I could trust, I must have thought it was safer to hide this, even from them.

Why had I'd told them to call Martin? I'd done something similar for him before. One of his pack members had tried to make a move against him by stealing an ancient scepter. It was a mark of office and its loss could have hurt his position as leader. Only a few of us had known it was stolen at all and I'd been the one to recover it. Word of that incident never got out and I knew I could count on him to return the favor.

"Don’t worry," I heard Mal say. "Martin said to tell you that his folks will not betray your trust and that you're not the first non-Were she's worked on. From what I've seen, it looks like she knows what she's doing."

"Where is he?" I asked.

"He went back out to where we found you," Mal replied. "Sendy showed him where it was. He said he wanted to do a more thorough search. Other than your blood and a few muddy prints, there was no sign of the damn thing when we got to you and we didn't have time to look for more."

"I believe it hunts only at night," Charlie added.

"Okay," Jen said as I saw her stand up and stretch. "I think that's the last of it. Let me irrigate it one more time and then we should be good. You say I don’t need to stitch him up?"

"There is no need," I heard Alf reply. "Just hold the skin together. It will heal quickly now that the dead tissue has been removed."

Dead tissue? What the hell had that thing done to me?

"I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes," I heard Jen say a minute later. "His tissues are regenerating faster than I thought possible."

"Where did this Gallu come from?" I asked.

"I cannot say, but it is an ancient creature," Alf said. "A predator as well. Its spines and bite contain a poison deadly to both Fae and humans. Once infected, the victim will become paralyzed and is at the creature's mercy. It is fortunate that you are one of the High Fae. That was all that kept the poison at bay."

"He's right," Jen added. "It pumped some kind of corrosive venom into the wound. Nasty stuff. I've never seen anything like it. Fortunately, I was able to get it all. Your body started healing itself as soon as the last of it was removed."

That was just one advantage to being Fae. It takes a lot to kill us and we heal fast. Although to be honest, I was luckier than most. Being a High Fae, my body could repair itself quicker than others of my kind. Of course, that wasn't to say we were invincible. But it did make us pretty damn hard to kill, unless you knew what you were doing. Which made me wonder where this thing had come from, but more importantly, what the hell it was doing here? I was going to have to talk to Nikki again about her conversation with Gaea.

"You're right, the pain is already fading," I said to her, still little groggy. I was finally able to sit up without getting too woozy. "Thank you."

"Don’t thank me," she replied, nodding at Alf. "Your friend here told me what to look for."

"Yeah," I said, appraising the Imp, wondering how he knew so much. "He's just a wealth of information at times."

"I shall take my leave now," Alf said as he picked up the bucket. His wings flapped furiously as he started to lift it. "We must burn anything the poison has touched. The sheets and clothing as well."

"I'll help with that," Mal said as he picked up a garbage bag from next to the bed.

"Wait a minute," Jen said, pulling a towel and other rags from under my leg and throwing them in the bag. Next, she carefully pulled off her gloves and threw them in as well. Then Mal cinched it up and followed the Imp out the door.

"I appreciate you fixing my leg," I said as she turned back to me. "Alf may have told you what to do, but it was you in there digging that crap out."

"Don’t thank me yet," she replied with a chuckle as she sat down on the bed next to me. "You haven't seen my bill."

There was still pain when I laughed, so I laid back down.

"You need to rest," she said. "I know you're some super Fae and all that, but I took a lot of crap out of your leg. Even though it's healing, it's going it's take a while to fully mend. Try to rest a bit. I'll let you know you when Martin gets back."

"Sounds good," I said, my eyes closing.

****

It seemed like only a moment later that she was calling my name.

"Robert," she said. "Martin's here and your leg is already looking a lot better. Do you think you can try and stand?"

"Might as well give it a whirl," I replied, sitting up. There was no sign of the dizziness so I turned my body and placed my feet onto the floor. Standing, I testing my weight. It was still a little numb but other than that it seemed okay. I knew from past experience that it'd continue to heal, so I'd just try to take it easy on it until then.

"Wow, I wish we healed that fast," she said as she knelt down beside me, running her hand over the already disappearing scar. Then a twinkle came to her eyes and a smile lit up her face as she looked up at me. "You might want to put on some clothes before you go out there, though."

It was only then that I realized I was naked.

"Oops," I replied, trying not to blush. "Could you grab some pants from my room?" I asked as I sat back down and threw a sheet over myself. "It's just up the stairs.

"I'll be right back," she said as she got up, chuckling.

A few minutes later she returned. Still smiling, she handed me a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and I quickly dressed, then followed her out to the kitchen. Martin and Mal were sitting at the table with Charlie nearby. Sendy and another female Were stood next to them.

"He's alive," Mal quipped as he looked up from the laptop he'd been typing on.

"Thanks to you guys," I replied.

Martin stood up as I walked over to the table.

"Thank you," I said, grasping his shoulder. "I'm sorry about your Weres."

"You have found the vile thing. That is thanks enough." he replied, a fire in his eyes. "As for Darren and Elizabeth, we will avenge them, as is our right."

"You won’t get an argument from me there," I said, walking over to start the coffee before sitting down to join them at the table. "But this is no ordinary creature and we're going to have to learn more about it if we're going to take it down. Where's Alf, by the way?"

"Out back, still burning what's left of the stuff," Mal said. "He said he wanted to make sure it was all destroyed."

"Okay," I said. Then I turned to the other Were in the room. Like Jen, she was lithe and athletic, but had light brown hair with green eyes. "And you are?"

"This is Devon," Martin replied for her. "She is a tracker and accompanied me this morning."

"A pleasure," I said before turning back to Martin "So what did you guys find out there?"

Martin nodded toward Devon.

"Not much," she replied. "There were a few tracks, mostly yours, as were the blood stains. There was no sign of the creature, but it had rained again this morning. We did recover this, though." Reaching into a back pocket she tossed me something black and as I caught it I recognized my cell phone. "I found it out in the desert. Surprisingly, it still works. It was thrown quite a distance from where you fell."

"It's a Sonim XP7," I replied. Covered with traces of dried mud, it was still functioning. I placed it on the table. "I got it from Siegfried and Michael over at the Neptune. It's supposed to be indestructible. I guess they weren't kidding."

"Tell us what happened," Martin said. "How did you encounter it?"

I repeated what we'd gone through yesterday, leaving out only the part about Charlie having some kind of genetic memory. Instead, I told him we were just searching, as I'd told Sendy to tell him we might do. I explained that we had not expected to encounter the creature itself. Rather, we'd gone hoping only to find more clues that the Weres had indeed continued on up into the mountains.

"So how do we kill it?" Martin asked.

"I don't know yet," I replied. "Let me go get Alf. He seems to be the only one that knows anything about this thing." I got up from the table and walked into the backyard, heading for the fire pit in the corner. Alf was hovering next to it, watching the dying flames.

"How's it coming?" I asked as I walked up to him. He was buzzing around my fire pit, occasionally stirring the flames.

"Just a wee bit longer," he replied. "There must be nothing left."

"I'm not even going to ask how you know all this."

"Perhaps you liked me better when I played the common Imp," he replied, with a touch of sarcasm, as he turned to face me.

"That's not what I'm saying," I countered. "And you know it."

"My apologies, Robert," he said. "This Demon's discovery here is... unexpected."

"Yeah, well... It hasn’t exactly been good for me either," I replied. "Any idea what it's doing here, or better yet, how to kill it?"

"No. But why it is here concerns me the most," he said, turning back to stir the ashes again with a poker I kept near the pit. "Gaea's warning to your daughter must surely be part of it. And killing it? That will not be easy."

"That's what I was afraid of," I said. "Come back to the house when you're finished. We need to figure out our next move." He nodded. I turned and walked back toward the house. There was something still bothering me about the creature's attack, something that wasn't right, but I'll be damned if I could put my finger on what it was.

Martin was waiting for me at the sliding glass door to the kitchen.

"Is there something else I should know about?" he asked before I could go back into the house.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Is there a problem with the others that I should know about?" he asked. "I ask this only because you notified us first. Not that we aren't allies but..."

"Oh," I said, shaking my head. "Jeez, Martin. No, no. To be perfectly honest, I don't even remember doing it. But as you know, things in my world are a little... complicated at the moment and I think I just wanted to keep the knowledge of my injuries as quiet as possible. Knowing that you had a doctor of a sort... Well, I guess I figured you were my best bet to keep it quiet. Even though I have to tell you, it was Charlie that brought up the fact that Jen was a doctor."

"I understand," he agreed. "It is a shame we have to worry about such things. I appreciate your trust in us, and your hound's as well. Your daughter's rise to the throne has many of the Fae unsure of your exact position, not to mention their feelings about what you did for the Lilin. But I have not forgotten what you did for me, and for that you will always be a friend to the pack. None of my Weres will say anything. But what of Siegfried?"

"Thank you," I replied. "I was actually going to call him in a bit, and my daughter as well. We're going to need their help if we're going to defeat that thing. Which reminds me. Have you discussed the missing Weres with him?"

"Not yet," he replied. "I would have requested his assistance today, but your situation put that on hold. Tradition demands that we avenge our fallen without haste. But in this case, I agree. We cannot do this alone.

Siegfried was the head of corporate security at the Neptune's Landing and the defacto go to guy for any Fae related problems, not to mention the direct representative of the Milagres. He was also one of my closest friends and I winced when I thought of the fact that for some reason I hadn’t called him for help first. But then again, I hadn’t even called my own Fae. What did that say about me?

Martin slid open the door and followed me back in the kitchen to the table where the others sat. Everyone was still there, except Alf, who was still outside.

"I appreciate what you all did for me today," I said as I stood next to the table. "I won't forget it." Then I turned to Martin. There was something I had to say first. It was traditional and had to be said in public, or at least in front of others, so now was a good a time as any.

"Pack Master, since ancient times have our woods been your home and your pack, our allies. I thank you for your assistance today and in the future, as well as your friendship. As it has always been, so it will always be." Then I bowed.

"So it will always be," he repeated as he stood up. Then he bowed back and addressed the two other Weres at the table. "Now you see why I told you that this Fae was different. He remembers the old ways. That, and his battle with our enemy, is thanks enough. Now, formalities aside, let us move on to more important things." He sat down and turned his attention back to me. "How do we kill this thing?"

"We need more information about this Gallu before we do anything," I said as I sat down. "Charlie, would you mind seeing if Alf's about done?"

He didn’t reply, but went out through the doggie door into the backyard.

"I did a little research while you were outside," Mal said, tapping on his laptop. "There's quite a bit about the Minotaur on the web. But there's not much about these Gallu. There is a reference to some Sumerian Demons by that name. Some were also possibly half bull. According to Babylonian legend, some are animal shaped Demons. The Gallu are said to be the offspring of Hell, whatever that means. Apparently, they dragged people off to the underworld. There was also a note that you could appease them by sacrificing a lamb or goat.

"There's also a reference to a particular nasty one named Asag, who led an army of Rock Demons. He was supposed to be so ugly that his looks would boil fish alive. He was killed by a Sumerian God with an enchanted mace. That's about all that's out there. Not much to go on."

"What the hell is a Sumerian Demon doing here?" I said aloud.

"That is the question, isn't it," I heard Alf say as he came back in. "Because there is no reason that it should be."

"What exactly does that mean?" I asked.

"Such Demons have not been seen for millennia," he said. "Their kind and the civilization they spawned faded from existence long before The Fall."

The Fall was the end of the Fae as we know them from legends and myths. The High Fae, or the Gods as they came to be called, fought amongst themselves until none were left. Kind of a Greek and Roman Gods version of Ragnarök, although the Norse Gods seem to have suffered the same fate.

"That doesn’t really help us," I pointed out. "If the Fae can still be here after The Fall, not to mention the end of the Empires that believed in them, it stands to reason that they can be here as well."

"So... What?" Mal asked. "You think there's some Babylonian Demon world out there like the Fae have that it came from?"

"I don't have a clue," I replied. "But it had to come from somewhere."

"Excuse me," Devon chimed in. "You said they were the offspring of Hell and dragged people back to the Underworld. Could it have come from there?"

"That seems the most likely explanation," Alf said.

"Perhaps it escaped," Martin said. "I do not claim to know much Fae history outside our own, but I do remember that there are many realms called Hell in the Underworld. It is said that most can no longer be entered, their doorways long closed. But does it matter? All we really need to know is how to kill it."

He was right, well, about the Hell part, anyway. Dante said there were nine circles of Hell and even described them in his book. Maybe that was true for the Christian Hell, but that was just the start. While many versions of Hell were places of punishment, others were simply places for people to go when they died. Hades, was a good example. While those that were judged evil were sent to Tartarus, others simply lived on in Hades, their memories of their past life erased. The Vikings had their own version, with multiple places as well. Your path dependent on how you lived your life, and how you died.

"I concur, Martin," I replied. "And I hope you're right. Anyway, for now can we agree it's going to take more than just us to do that?"

"As much as I hate to rely on others," he said. "Yes. What are you thinking?"

"Well," I began. "I need to talk to Siegfried and Nikki for a start. But I don’t want to leave this thing unwatched. I'm guessing here, but it seems to me your missing Weres had to be able to sense it, or they would have never travelled that far. Does that seem reasonable?"

"Perhaps," Martin said. "They knew the rules and were not the reckless type."

"Unless they were being chased by it," Jen said.

"Or it led them," Devon added.

"There was no scent of it until it appeared," Charlie said, not mentioning his recall of genetic memory when he found the fur.

"Okay, let's deal with what we do know." I turned to Mal. "I know it didn’t like my sword's electricity, so maybe lightning keeps it away as well. We can assume the Weres encountered it on Friday. The storm didn't move in until Saturday night and there was no sign of it until after the storm cleared, based on Charlie's tracking. What's the weather look like for the next couple of days?"

Mal tapped a few keys on his keyboard.

"Looks like we're in for a few more days of wet weather, until this system moves out," he said.

"What about lightning?" I asked.

"Expected," he replied.

"Then, if I'm right, we should have a few days to work with," I said, then turned to Martin. "Can you set up a few watchers to keep an eye out in the area? They'll have to be careful, and I'd recommend staying on the roads. We still don’t know what draws this thing. There wasn't any sign of it until it went after Charlie."

"Friday night, Saturday morning sounds about right," Jen said. "At least based on the condition of the... the parts you found."

Martin slammed his hand down on the table.

"I am sorry," he said, composing himself. "It is not our way to simply sit back and watch. Especially since this beast has killed two of the pack. But we will do this because we must."

"All right," I replied. "Sendy, will the weather hamper you if I ask you to do a flyover every hour or so?"

"No, my Lord," she replied.

"Okay then. Mal, can you do some more research on this thing? While you're at it, see if there's ever been any history of monsters in the mountain areas. I seem to recall some Indian legends up north. Maybe there's something else we should be looking at."

"Sure thing," he replied.

"Then I guess we're done here," I said as I stood. "You're welcome to use my place if you need anything. I'll make sure the wards let any of your Weres in if they need it. Other than that, shy of this thing making another appearance, let's talk again tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll contact some of the other Fae and see if they know anything."

When they were gone, I rummaged through my cabinet, settling on a Battlestar Galactica mug that said simply, Frak, and filled it. I figured that was as good a word as any to sum up the way my day was going. Then I turned to Charlie.

"Take a trip to Fae and let Nikki know what's going on here," I said, knowing that my daughter was still there. "Tell her we have it covered for now, but I may need to borrow a couple of warriors or trackers when this thing shows up again. Then see if you can find out anything about these Demons."

I picked up the phone and dialed Siegfried.

"Robert," he said as he answered the phone. "Things are a bit busy here at the moment. Can I call you back?"

"Sure," I replied. "But you need to know that Martin's lost two Weres."

"Lost two Weres?" Siegfried repeated. "I can spare a moment then. What happened? Is he all right?"

"They were killed over the weekend, but Martin just confirmed that this morning. We ran across the creature near Cold Creek. Alf says it was a Gallu. Some type of Babylonian Demon. Charlie and I fought it last night, but it got away. It's still out there, and it's a nasty mother."

"A Gallu?" he replied. "No, it is not familiar. But we had two attacks here at the hotel last night, which is why I'm pressed for time. Both attacks were against Fae. We believe they are Mares, a type of Succubus. Not as life threatening as yours, but still a problem. Listen, we have them contained, but not captured, and I have to get a Mage to Michael's location. Can we talk later, when things are under control?"

"Sure, call me when you get things settled. Siegfried? Be careful," I said, before disconnecting.

An attack against Fae at the Neptune? What the hell was going on? If Siegfried need a Mage to handle things, then this definitely wasn't a normal attack. I knew what Mares were and a sudden thought gave me an idea about the Gallu. I drained my cup and went upstairs, throwing on some shoes and a different shirt before heading back down and out to the backyard. Alf was back at the fire pit, checking the ashes, so I stopped there first.

"I don't what other tricks you may have up your sleeve but now would be a good time to see what else you can find out about this thing."

"I will try," he said as he put down the poker.

"Thanks," I replied as I walked back to the oak in the yard and summoned the Hamadryad within.

"Aeva," I said as the Faerie appeared. "I need to go somewhere."

Chapter 3

I stepped out into bright Reno area sunshine and tried to get my bearings. Behind me was the Truckee River and beside the oak I'd emerged from was a ramshackle old house, sitting among cottonwood trees that had definitely seen better days. I walked across the desert to the roadway and, pulling out my cell, speed dialed a number.

"Robert," a woman's voice answered. "How good to hear from you."

"I was wondering if you and Ella could meet. I have something I need to discuss with her."

Ella was the human name for the Lilin Elder once known as Egidari, and one of the last of the original Lilin to suffer defeat at the hands of my ancestor, Demeter. Together, we'd broken the spell that had once been placed on them.

When the spell had first been lifted, Ella and Delia had disappeared, along with most of the other Lilin. I found out later that they had come here; to the place that the Lilin Elders had been located, and having once identified herself, started to take control. I'd heard that not everyone thought it was a good idea. However, she'd won the argument, and had eventually contacted me.

Like I said, I was ultimately responsible for their actions on this world, thanks to the government's position on the matter, and since I'd been the one to free them, she'd agreed to follow the rules. She'd also needed some time to consolidate her power, and a little help. Fortunately, when it came to her grabbing power, there were only a few hundred Lilin left, at least here in the States, so she only had to deal with a few detractors. Thanks to our history, the Fae and Lilin weren't exactly on the best of terms, but she was smart enough to know that we needed each other. My unconditional breaking of the spell, not to mention my relationship with Delia, had convinced her that I was no ordinary Fae and could be trusted.

"I wish we could," Delia replied. "But you know we're still up north trying to put things together."

"What a coincidence," I said. "I just happen to be a few miles away off of Mustang Road. Think you could come and get me?"

"Off of Mustang? What are you doing there?"

"At the moment, I'm watching a parade of concrete trucks drive by," I said with a laugh. "This was the closest oak I could find. Seriously, can you come get me? I'm getting some funny looks from these guys. I don’t think I quite fit in."

"I'll be right there!" she said, and disconnected.

Ten minutes later a grey Toyota Sequoia drove up and the driver side door flew open. Before I could say a word, Delia was in my arms and hugging me.

"I've missed you," she said after a kiss, and then stepped back. "But what are you doing here? I thought we agreed we needed time to get things settled."

"We did," I replied. "And that hasn't changed. But I have a problem and I think Ella might be able to help."

"Get in," she said as she returned to her side of the SUV. "I'll take you to her."

I hopped in and she took off down the road, turning left at Peri Ranch. We passed the long closed Old Bridge Brothel and went another mile or so before turning onto a dirt driveway going toward the river. It looked like just another patch of desert until we crossed the magic veil that hid the buildings behind it. I didn’t know what to expect in a Lilin stronghold, but it wasn't this.

"An office complex?" I asked as she pulled the SUV into the garage next to the main building.

"I thought it was something we could use later. I modelled it after some of the construction buildings down the road, although its looks are deceiving. The layout is perfect for what we need and we can integrate it into the area if we decide to lift the spell that hides it."

"If you say so," I replied with a chuckle. "I sense Elvish magic. I would have helped if you had asked."

"It was Bjartr's idea," she replied. "He has been helping since we first took over."

Bjartr was an Elf that had watched over the Lilin since before the spell was broken. He also ran a Fae establishment in Vegas called Danu's. A place I also had a stake in since I'd rescued Delia from the Elders. It was where Delia had worked when I first met her. The Elves were a funny sort and had made it their life's work to look after the other Fae, usually setting up in bars and taverns, which were well known places to meet. Another Elf, Handion, lived in my Fae world and had been a lot of help to me since all this had started.

She parked the car and I followed her through a corridor into the main building. We walked through a doorway into the main lobby area which, not surprisingly, looked exactly like an office lobby. There were even two Lilin stationed behind a counter who greeted her as we walked by.

I smiled and waved as we walked past them and even without my Fae hearing, I would have heard the whispers between them as they recognized who I was. Walking past the elevator, I followed Delia up the stairs to the second floor and down a hallway, eventually stopping at an office door. Without knocking she opened it and held it as I walked through. I found myself in a spacious office with modern trim and immediately recognized Ella behind the large wooden desk.

"Well?" she asked as she stood and walked around the desk to greet me. She was dressed in a business casual outfit with brown slacks and a white silk blouse. She looked a hell of a lot better than the first time I'd met her, when we'd pulled her out of a cell. "What do you think?"

"It's not exactly what I expected," I replied as she motioned us toward a leather couch to the side of her desk.

"Personally, I was leaning toward a castle with a moat," she said with a smile before sitting and turning her chair toward us. "Maybe some guards in red and black uniforms carrying pikes, but Delia convinced me that this would be more practical."

"It might at that," I agreed. "Especially if you do intend to make it visible to outsiders in the future. Then again, a castle would have made a bolder statement, and the moat a nice touch."

"Which is exactly what we don’t need at the moment," Delia said.

"So you keep reminding me," Ella replied, still smiling. "And of course you are correct. Now, to business. Your visit is unexpected. Is there a problem I should be aware of?"

"As far as you guys are concerned?" I said. "No. Everything seems to be progressing as well as can be expected. I understand Meredith was able to help you with the issue with the locals."

"She was," Ella replied. "Negotiations are still continuing. But thanks to her... involvement, we seem to be close to terms."

As I mentioned, when the spell was lifted, the Lilin, almost as a group, disappeared. That included those that worked for several of the local Fae, both in Vegas as well as here in the Reno area. That had caused more than a little friction between the groups, especially since most of the Fae had been taking advantage of them and weren't used to negotiating on equal terms. When they resurfaced, with Ella as their head, not everyone had wanted to play nicely. Thankfully, I'd convinced Meredith to intervene. With her help, tensions eased and the two groups were at least able to come to the table.

There were a lot of areas the Lilin excelled at. Not the least of which was entertainment. Whatever pheromones or other methods they used to attract... well, let's just call them customers, they were a valuable commodity. Coupled with magic, it kept the places full, and since the Lilin weren't like vampires in fiction (they used a needle like appendage rather than teeth) whatever blood they received in return was never noticed.

"That's good to hear," I said. "Anyway, what I came here for was some information I thought you might be able to provide."

"I see," she said. "And what type of information would that be?"

"Something from your history," I replied. "I need to know about the Gallu."

She was quiet for a bit and looked as if the word had conjured up a memory which was not pleasurable.

"The Gallu?" she finally said. "Why would you want to know about them?"

"Apparently, I fought one last night," I replied. "I was hoping you could tell me how to kill it."

"You say you fought one? And yet you live?" she said, her eyes narrowing. "Of course you do. But then again, you would, if anyone could."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"They are what you would call Demons. They were in the service of the Underworld. Only a very few could escape their clutches once they came for them," she replied.

"He didn’t come for me," I explained. "He had killed a couple of Weres and Charlie tracked him into the mountains. We had a brief battle, but he didn’t like my sword and melted back into the ground before we could go finish him off. Anyway, there's a story that one was killed with a mace. I was hoping you knew the truth behind the legend."

"Yes," she said. "I am familiar with the tale of Ninurta and Asag. But it was not quite that simple. The God did kill the Demon King with the help of his father and the singing mace, Sharur. But not before destroying cities with thousands of people and turning hectares of land into desert. Even then, neither he, or for that matter, any of the Gods, could escape their fate. They are all dust now."

She shifted her chair and picked up the phone on her desk.

"Douglas, bring me some tea. Oh, and coffee for Delia and our guest."

I started to reply but she held up her hand. I chuckled at the thought of being shushed by a being that only months ago would barely be able to consider the thought of telling me to be quiet. Then again, this was one of the greatest generals the Lilin had ever produced and she had been a princess in her own right. I suppose I should be happy that we were allies. She could have decided to resume the war. I glanced over at Delia, but all I got was a shrug.

A moment later a male Lilin, whom I assume was Douglas, came into the room carrying a tray. He set it down in front of us before placing a carafe and several cups on the desk, as well as her tea. Then, without a word, he returned to wherever he had come from. Delia poured coffee for both of us and I waited for Ella to continue.

"As I recall, it was said that some were animal shaped Demons," she said after taking a sip. "But it is impossible. They were pulled back into the deepest recesses of the Underworld when the Gods fell, never to be heard from again."

"About as impossible as a Lilin and a Fae drinking tea together would have been just a few months ago," I remarked, with just a hint of sarcasm.

"Point taken," she replied. "Never the less, such a thing does not seem possible to me. Tell me then. What did this Demon look like?"

I described the Demon that Charlie and I had encountered; including the fact that it looked as if it was hurt by the lightning that my sword could produce and that it had appeared at night.

"I cannot say if this Demon is indeed a Gallu. The Demon, Asag, was made from the mountains themselves, had three legs and a body that felt like rock. He was of the Gallu; but such Demons could look like anything."

Then I asked her about the magic mace that had been used to destroy the other one.

"The Smasher of Thousands was not just any mace. But like most of you, this Fae God thought magic could kill the beast. No, magic did not kill the Demon, or save the thousands that died."

"Hey, I don’t care what he thought," I said, putting my hands up to indicate I wasn't trying to take a position on the superiority of magic in battle. Besides, I was betting that she wasn't an innocent in the killing of civilians, either, but this was starting to feel like pulling teeth. "I thought we were past this Fae/Lilin bullshit. You know me better than that, just like you know I don’t like the idea of killing innocents. The point is this: whatever he did worked. Right? So what was it?"

She took another sip of her tea before replying.

"My apologies" she finally said. "It is easy to forget and those were different times. But yes, he finally crushed it."

"Crushed it?" I repeated.

"Yes, he crushed its skull with his mace. Using it like that other thunder God would do with his, oh? What's it called? The Norse one?"

"You mean Thor's hammer?" Delia said.

"Exactly," she replied. "Like Thor's hammer. He was able to use the mace to crush the Demon's skull and kill it. Then he beat the Demon into the ground."

"Somehow, I didn't get the impression that it would be quite that simple," I said.

"Oh, it wasn't," she replied. "The battle lasted for days. Thousands of warriors and Wizards kept the Demon busy until the God was finally able to land the killing blow. As I said, many died and the land turned to waste before the Demon was finally defeated."

"So then all I have to do is keep it busy until I can crush its head," I said with a sigh. "And the rest of it, of course. Well that should be easy enough."

"Assuming, of course, that it is indeed a Gallu Demon." she added. "If so, you must remember, magic alone will not kill it, but it will weaken it."

"I'm glad you clarified that," I said. "Easy-peasy then."

"Who's being an ass now?" Ella quipped. "I was only trying to answer your question."

"I'm sorry," I said with a laugh. "I know how it sounded, but it wasn't directed at you. It's just one more frigging problem I'm dealing with at the moment. The point is, nothing's ever simple."

"True. But when you're as old as I am, or even Delia's age, you'll find that simple is boring."

"I'm not that old," Delia chimed in.

"No, of course you aren’t," I replied with a laugh. "And I could use a little boring in my life at the moment,"

"Yes, well, then you have come to the wrong place." She took a last sip and then placed her cup back on the saucer. "Now, is there anything else? Ally or not, I do have other issues to deal with."

"No, I think that's all I need for now. I have a few other folks I still need to meet with back home," I said as I got up from the couch. I walked to the front of the desk. "Thank you for the history lesson."

"Robert," Ella said as I began to turn away. "If you need any of my warriors, you need but ask."

"I appreciate it," I replied. "But I think I can handle it."

"As you say," she said, pushing her saucer away and picking up some notes from her desk. "At least be careful. I can think of no good reason that such ancient Demons should show up now. I've grown quite fond of you, and the last thing I need is to have to find a new Fae partner just when I was starting to like you."

"Nah." I replied with a chuckle. "I'm not letting you off that easy." Then I opened the door and walked back out into the hallway.

Delia suddenly appeared at my side and grabbed my arm.

"Why didn't you take her up on her offer?" she asked with a frown. "Isn’t that why you came here? To ask for our help?"

"I did ask for your help," I replied. "Help in the form of information that your boss just provided."

She didn't reply. She just stood there.

"Ok, listen," I explained. "You guys are still trying to get a handle on things here. There's no reason to drag folks down to Vegas when I'm not even sure what I'm dealing with yet, or even if it'll show up again. But if it'll make you feel any better, if it looks like I need any help, I promise to ask for it."

"By then it'll be too late," she replied, her arms now crossed. "I know you, Robert. You can be... stubborn at times. Just promise me that you'll do this one like we did that raid on the Mages, not like some of the other times."

"Hey," I replied. "What am I doing? Am I jumping in blindly? No, I'm here gathering intel. Look, for what it's worth the Weres are already on it. I've asked my daughter for Fae warriors and I still have Siegfried to call on. If I need more, I'll let you know. Jeez! I'm starting to think you're worried about me."

"I am worried about you, and don’t be such an asshole," she muttered, and then took off down the hall toward the stairway.

Shit, I'd done it again. I have got to get off this roller coaster!

Unfortunately, she was right, for the most part. I did have a tendency to rush into things before thinking. But in my defense, I seldom had the opportunity to plan before things got out of control. Except for the incident with the Mages she was referring to. That one was well thought out, and we'd not only rescued Ella during the raid, but a Weredragon as well.

"Delia! Wait," I said as I ran up to her. "I know you’re worried, but there's just a lot going on at the moment." I stopped and put my hands up. "Which, I know is no excuse, you've got plenty on your mind yourself. But, I'm sorry, and I really will be careful."

"Fine," she replied. "Just promise me that you'll consider it. Before you get into trouble. Okay?"

"I will," I said. "I should know more by tomorrow or the next day. If I need help, I'll call."

She just nodded in reply, but at least she wasn't frowning anymore.

"When do you think you'll be back in Vegas?" I asked when we got back into the SUV.

"Hard to say. Things are pretty busy here, and I've got to go to London in a few weeks. It could be a while."

"London?"

"Yes. Bjartr and Ella have been dealing with the Lilin there. They still follow the old ways, and aren’t as well organized as we are here. There is much confusion among them since the spell was lifted. But Ella is planning to change that."

"I'll bet she is," I replied.

"What does that mean?" Delia asked as she turned back onto the main road.

"Nothing," I said.

"She's doing what she has to do, Robert," Delia explained. "Consolidating power and bringing the Lilin together under one government. That's what we need to do to move forward. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Of course not," I answered. "That's what I would do if I were her. Don’t be so defensive. I was the one that freed her, remember?" Not that I wasn't hoping that it didn't bite me on the ass later.

"I haven’t forgotten," she replied. "And neither has she."

I didn't say anything in reply. I figured I'd done enough damage for one day. A few minutes of silence later, she pulled over in front of the lot she'd picked me up at. We both got out of the SUV and I waited as she walked around to my side.

"So I guess I'll see you when I see you," I said.

She stood there a moment before saying anything, her hands in her pockets. Then she walked up to me and gave me a hug.

"Maybe when things are all settled we can try again," she said, her head on my chest.

"That would be nice," I agreed, hugging her back.

"Okay," she said, pushing herself away. "Keep in touch."

"I will," I replied and started to walk back to the old house and the oak tree that was my way home.

"And Robert?"

"Yes," I said, turning back to look at her over the hood of the Sequoia.

"Be careful."

"Always," I replied.

Chapter 4

It was getting dark and there was already a slight drizzle as I stepped back into my yard. Hurrying toward the house, I walked onto the patio and then slid the back door open. My daughter sat at the kitchen table.

"Nikki," I said, closing the door behind me. "What are you doing here?"

"You're kidding, right?" she said and rolled her eyes. "Dad! Charlie tells me you've been fighting Demons and that you need warriors. Why would you think I wouldn’t come?"

"I also said I had it covered," I replied, walking to the fridge to pull out a beer.

"Oh, like I haven't heard that before," she said with a grin.

"Want one?" I asked, holding it up.

"Well, if that's all you got," she replied.

I tossed one to her and she caught it, twisting off the cap off and taking a drink. "I can’t believe how bland this tastes after Handion's Elf ale."

"Yeah. I tried to get him to part with a keg, but all he did was laugh. Danu's has a pretty good brew, though. Maybe I can get them to bottle some next time I'm there. "Have you seen Charlie or Alf?" I asked. They were nowhere in sight.

"I think he's still back in Fae," she said. "I haven't seen the Imp, or Lucinda, for that matter."

"Lucinda's still out looking for Bernd."

Lucinda was my cat, but again, like Charlie she was Fae. She was also my liaison, I guess you could call her, with what I'll call the good Dwarf faction. Bernd had been my grandmother's advisor when she was queen. He'd also been mine.

"Okay, Dad," she said as she put down the bottle. "Enough bullshit. What's going on with this Demon?"

"I'm not really sure," I replied, sitting down beside her. "He just showed up the other day. Killed at least two Weres before we found out about it. According to Alf, it's a Sumerian Demon called a Gallu. Some kind of spawn from their version of Hell."

"Sumerian? What's it after?"

"Beats the crap out of me," I replied. "All I know is what I told you. But the Weres are on the warpath and I can’t just let it stay, so I guess we're going hunting. As soon as I figure out how to kill it, that is."

"You think this is what Gaea was talking about?" she asked.

"It's got to be part of it," I replied. "I've never heard of Sumerian Demons, or even Sumerian Fae, for that matter, being around." I picked up my bottle and started to take a drink, then stopped before it reached my lips. "I never really asked, but did she tell you anything specific?"

"No. Just that whatever had drawn the Fae here was drawing something else," Nikki said, tapping her fingers. "That's all she said, other than that you needed to be here to fix it."

"It would have been nice if she told had you how I was supposed to do that," I replied.

"I wish," she agreed. "That's what we get for meddling in the affairs of Wizards... or Gods in this case, to coin a phrase."

"Tell me about it," I said, now draining the bottle of beer. "By the way, anything new on the Dwarf front?"

"Same same." Nikki topped the bottle and finished hers off as well. "There's been a few sightings here and there, but no real activity. I've got eyes and ears out, but it's been quiet. They've even stopped visiting the other Fae, if you can believe what they say. Or, if they are visiting some of the others, no one's talking about it. We sure haven't seen any signs of it."

"Just because you can't see them doesn’t make them any less dangerous," I reminded her.

"You don’t have to tell me," She replied. "I know I put a scare into them, but I would have expected some kind of response by now."

"It was a long time after The Fall before they made their presence known again. Who knows how long it'll take them to respond this time. Especially after the ass kicking you gave them. Just don’t let your guard down."

Nikki’s sudden rise to power had been unexpected, thanks to a prod from Gaea herself. It had come as a surprise, especially to me. I didn’t have any heartaches over it, other than hating to see my kid deal with problems like the rogue Dwarf King, not to mention the ordinary day to day stuff. But she was making the best of it.

Actually, she'd done better than that; at least where the Dwarf King was concerned. When his agents had tried to force a coup, she'd kicked their butts and sent them back to their King, by the Fae equivalent of airmail. Sometimes magic is a wonderful thing.

As far as the rest goes, I was, technically, still a king, at least on paper. But what it meant was that she ran things back in Fae and I managed things on this end. I wasn't necessarily happy with the idea, but who's gonna argue with Gaea? Anyway, Nikki was handling things in Fae far better than I'd hoped for, so I did my best to keep up my end here.

She also still worked for the local PD. She was a CSI, though, rather than a cop like I had been before I retired. Fortunately travel between the two worlds was a breeze and since time worked differently there, being in both places at the same time was almost a reality. It also meant that we thought alike, at least on most issues.

"Don’t worry Daddio," she said, using her favorite nickname for me. "Ain't gonna happen. As you would say, I've got it covered. But to get back on track, what do you need from me?"

What did I need? How about a Fae army and Thor's Hammer. Better yet, throw in that singing mace. But unfortunately, I wasn't going to get any of that.

"Just a few warriors for now. Archers would be best, if you can spare them. Maybe a half dozen or so. Something to bolster the Were's numbers and whoever else I can round up here," I told her. "I'll just have to see how it goes when it shows up again before I really know."

"Have you talked to Jay?"

Jay was my son and Nikki's brother. He was also an agent in Homeland Security. He was part of a team that worked on issues with the Fae and other magical creatures that could threaten the country. He was also a Prince of Fae and, as such, was tasked as a protector of the realm. This pretty much gave him freedom to do whatever he needed to in the Fae lands, but if it involved anything relating to the human realm, things got a bit complicated. That didn’t mean I wasn't going to let him know what was happening, but since this was going on here, any call I made became semi-official. Politics was a bitch.

"He's on my list to call. But since this thing is on this side of the veil, I'm gonna wait until I know a little more. You know how it is."

"You know if he asks, I'll have to tell him," she said reluctantly "I can't hide taking warriors off the line while this Dwarf thing is still unsettled."

"Not a problem," I replied, knowing that those warriors indirectly answered to him. "I've got a few ideas that only he can help with anyway, so I'll probably be talking to him before you do."

I could tell she was a bit uncomfortable about pulling rank. But we'd had this discussion after she'd taken the throne. It meant a lot to me that she took her position so seriously. Especially since, like me, she'd been thrown into that world so recently and without any warning.

"All right," she said as she stood. "I've got to get back and finish up a few things before my next shift at the PD."

I followed her back into the yard, ignoring the rain. She gave me a kiss on the cheek as she reached the oak tree.

"When do you want the warriors?" she asked, holding her hands above her eyes to keep the rain out.

"How about late tomorrow afternoon?" I said, hoping I wouldn’t need them before then.

"They'll be here before sunset." Then she stepped toward the tree, but turned back to look at me before crossing over. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you more," I said as she stepped into the light and disappeared.

Chapter 5

I dialed Martin as soon as I got back in the house.

"Anything new?" I asked after the phone connected.

"No," he replied. There was a rumble of thunder in the background. "Just this damn storm. You?"

"Not really. There's a chance that this thing can’t be killed by magic alone, for whatever that's worth. But I'm still trying to dig up more about this kind of Demon."

"Good thing I brought my shotgun then," he replied with a laugh. "I don’t care what I kill it with, as long as it's dead."

"Whatever works. I'll let you know if I find out anything else."

"Do that," he said and disconnected.

My next call was to Siegfried.

"Robert," he said as he answered. "I was just about to call you."

"I take it you've got things settled over here."

"For the moment," he replied. "We are still... mopping up, as they say."

"That's good to hear."

"There is something here that you should see," he said. "Can you come by my office?"

"Sure," I replied. "What's up?"

"It will be easier to show you," he said. "And we must also discuss this Demon you fought. Has it shown itself again?"

"Not yet," I replied. "But my current theory is that it doesn’t like lightning, and with tonight's storms, I'm hoping it won’t make an appearance. Martin has his folks out there keeping watch just in case and I've got Sendy doing flybys as well. If it does, I'll know."

"When can I expect you?"

"I can head over there now. I'll see you in a bit"

"Excellent," he replied, then disconnected.

****

I hopped onto US 95 from the Craig on-ramp and headed toward downtown. About 25 minutes later I pulled into the back of the Neptune's Landing via Dean Martin Drive and wove my way around until I accessed the executive parking level. As entered the garage, I called Siegfried.

"I'm just pulling in to a parking space," I said when he answered.

"I'll have Michael meet you," He replied.

As I got out of the car and walked over to the elevator, my mind flashed back to where my trip to the world of the Fae began. This level was protected by more than just a key card. It was protected by magic as well. If you didn't belong here, you'd never get in. That hadn’t always been the case.

Before I knew this Fae world existed, which, believe it or not, wasn't really that long ago, I'd snuck in here to serve a subpoena on one of the casino bosses. Instead of a simple service, I'd wound up in a firefight with three Mages hell bent on killing or capturing Eddie Milagre.

When it was all over, I'd saved Milagre's life and killed two of the Mages in the process, thereby starting my spiral into a world I'd only believed to be a fantasy. Of course, I didn’t believe magic was real, at least not at first. Who would? But then everything started to change, and... Well, here I am.

I snapped out of my trip down memory lane when I heard the sound of the elevator door. Michael, Siegfried's number two, was standing there, holding it open.

"Heard you've had a busy day," I said as I got in.

"From what Siegfried told me, yours hasn't been a cakewalk either," he replied.

"I've had better," I agreed.

"Haven't we all," he said as he turned a key and the door closed. "Tell me about this Demon."

"Nasty thing," I said. "We think it's a Gallu. Some Sumerian or Babylonian Demon from their version of Hell. Reminds me of a 15-foot-tall Minotaur on steroids. Rock hard skin covered in some kind of quill or spike, including its tail, which it uses as a weapon. Shoots out some kind of poison, too. I don’t have much more to go on yet. About the only thing I do know, is that it doesn't like lightning or electricity. Latest rumor is that magic alone won't kill it, but I'm still working on what will."

"Sumerian or Babylonian?" he said aloud. "Now that is interesting."

"Why's that?" I asked as the elevator doors opened.

"Two reasons," he said as I followed him out the elevator and down a corridor. "First, I thought those kind of Fae died off a long time ago. The Demons, too. Never heard of them making an appearance before."

"And the second?" I asked as we stopped in front of a thick security door that he unlocked and held open.

"You're about to find out," he said as I walked through.

We entered a large room with a raised stage or platform at the back. Two people were already inside. One I recognized as Siegfried. The other was a stranger. Both were standing next to a desk on the other wall, looking through what appeared to be an old book. On the platform was a large container. It was the size of a refrigerator, with currents of magic flowing around it, surrounding something moving in the center. This wasn't just a box; it was a cage. I stepped closer to see what it was holding.

The creature was human size and sickly white, with dim flashes of blue and green which would appear at times, on various parts of its body, usually the head. I'm not sure if it was actually corporeal, or just a spirit, as it seemed to flash slowly in and out of phase. It almost reminded me of the subject of an old painting called 'The Scream,' by Edvard Munch; although there were obvious differences. The face was oval, with a round mouth that moved in and out like a fish. Its arms were at its sides, thin and spindly, as if they had atrophied, and its legs were withered and rubbery. It wore, if that's even the right word, what almost looked like a veil of white mist. It moved through the space within the cage like a snake or eel, weaving in and out until it would strike out and hit the magic sides, then it would recoil and retreat back to the center.

"What the hell is that?" I asked.

"That is the question," Siegfried stated, turning back to look at me. "When we found the first victim, he was screaming something about a nightmare. We thought it was just a Mare, a type of minor Demon. They are a type of lesser succubus, not common, but not unheard of either. They feed on life energy but seldom kill, usually leaving the victim weak and tired, and suffering nightmares as well, hence the name."

"Which is why we weren't really worried at first," Michael agreed. "They show up from time to time, especially when we get a lot of guests from Europe. They're more of a nuisance than anything else. But when we found out that two more of the guests had been attacked and were paralyzed, we realized that these were something more."

"Right before we talked on the phone," Siegfried continued. "Michael had cornered two of the creatures hiding in a vacant room. When I got there, I knew we were dealing with something entirely different."

"Not easy to kill either," Michael said. "Regular Mares are docile during the day. If Siegfried hadn’t shown up when he did, I doubt I'd be here to talk about it. These bastards are fighters, and the way they kept fading in and out made fighting them difficult. It was like cutting through smoke. Fortunately, I was able to keep them in check until Siegfried arrived with a more powerful weapon and killed the other one."

"How'd you capture this one?" I asked.

"A containment spell," Siegfried replied, nodding his head at the other man. "We kept this one busy until Christopher could arrive. He is our Master Mage and was on property when Michael found them."

"How do you do?" he said with a bow. "Christopher Cox, at your service. I was able to bind the creature and then contain it in this field. Of course, it won't hold it much longer. The creature has already drained some of the field's magic. Soon it will find a weakness it can exploit."

"What do you mean?"

"As has already been said, this is no ordinary Mare. Observe," he said as he walked up to the field. He stood close and then moved from one end to the other. The creature followed his movement, its head turning ever so slightly as he went from one end to the other. When he returned to where he had first started, the creature struck out, recoiling again when it touched the field of magic that bound it.

"See how it senses the magic," he said as he backed away. "And it never strikes at the same point. But each time it touches it, the field weakens just a bit."

"So it's feeding on it," I said.

"Exactly," he replied, walking back to the desk. "Which is why it seems drawn to the Fae. It's feeding on their magic."

"So what do you think it is then?" I asked, still watching the creature move about the tank.

"Siegfried mentioned that you had fought a Babylonian Demon," he replied, pointing to a page in the book that sat on the desk. "I believe this to be one as well. A particularly dangerous kind, known as an Edimmu, a type of Succubus. This one is different, more powerful. Perhaps because it is feeding on Fae, rather than humans. Never the less that is what I believe it to be. "Which begs the question, what are Babylonian Demons doing here?"

I heard a noise from the door at the same time that Michael called out.

"Swords!"

Mine materialized and I felt the magic kick in just as the door opened and Meredith stepped through. At the same time there was a surge of energy in the room and the containment field that held the Demon flared out of existence. The creature had seemed to be getting ready to fly at Meredith, but the moment my sword blazed, it hesitated. That was long enough.

I rushed forward and brought my sword up in an arc at the same moment as Siegfried and Michael, all three blades intersecting near the neck of the creature. With a hiss like water on a hot surface, the thing burst into mist and dissipated before it could fall to the floor. We stared at each other as we watched it evaporate.

"Did I come at a bad time," Meredith asked as she stepped into the room. "Or were you trying to impress me?"

"Marvelous, just marvelous," Christopher exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. "Did you see that?"

"See what," Michael asked with a smile as he sheathed his blade. "Other than the perfect timing, that is."

"Yes, please enlighten us, Mr. Cox," Meredith said as she closed the door.

"It hesitated," he explained.

"So it was afraid," Michael pointed out. "But most creatures exhibit fear in some manner. How does that help us?"

"No, no," the Mage clarified. "Let me explain. When Meredith entered the room, the creature sensed her magic. The fact that the cage was destroyed at the same time may or may not be significant. But what is, is that it did not sense the Dryad's magic until he wielded his sword. Only then was it drawn to it. Its hesitation was not from fear, but from the appearance of a more... enticing target, as it were. Now do you understand?"

"An interesting observation," Meredith granted.

"Of course!" I said, suddenly realizing what had bothered me about the Gallu's attack the night before.

"Of course, what?" Siegfried asked

"It didn’t attack me until after I brought out my blade and struck it," I replied. "It attacked Charlie as soon as it appeared, batting me aside like I was just in the way. Maybe it was only after Charlie because it couldn’t detect any magic from me."

"Exactly," Christopher exclaimed. "It was drawn to the magic, like these creatures are."

"That still does not explain why they are here now, or what will appear next," Meredith pointed out. "Have you learned any more about Gaea's message?"

"I'm sorry," Christopher remarked. "What message would that be?"

Meredith looked to me to answer.

While I hadn’t told many others about Gaea's conversation with Nikki, I had told Meredith and Siegfried.

"My daughter Nikki is the Queen of our realm," I answered. "It's a long story, but the bottom line is, she hadn’t actually planned on taking the throne when she did. She did so only after being summoned to a meeting with Gaea and told that whatever had drawn the Fae here was now drawing something else as well. She also told her that I was needed here to fight it, whatever it may be." I turned back to Meredith. "And, no, I haven't."

"Your daughter met Gaea?" the Mage asked, his eyes wide. "That's incredible, and frightening at the same time."

"Welcome to my world," I replied. "At least we can guess that it's the magic that's drawing them here."

"But how does that help us?" Meredith asked. "Magic is what drew us all here."

"Nor does it tell us why," Siegfried said. "We have all encountered Demons; some have even made their homes here. But these are not like any we have seen before. They are... Evil is the best word I can use to describe them. As such they are a threat, and not just to individual Fae, but to Fae-kind as a whole. I fear that from what Gaea has foretold, this may be just the beginning."

"Tell us more about this Gallu creature you encountered," Meredith said.

I repeated the story I'd told Siegfried and Michael, filling in the part that they hadn’t yet heard. This time I also included what Ella had told me about the Demons and repeated my theory about lightning.

"Assuming you're right," Michael said, looking up from his cell phone. "We may have a day or two before the weather shifts. At least that gives us some time to prepare." He turned to the Mage. "What do you think, Chris? Anything in your books about these Gallu?"

"Nothing that he hasn't already told us," he said, having turned back to the desk and flipped through a few more pages. "But there is something else that concerns me."

"What's that?" Meredith asked.

"If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say that these Demons... these Edimmu, were most likely drawn here because of the magic emanating from the property itself, not to mention the number of Fae guests," Christopher began to explain. "It is no secret that from the standpoint of magical energy, the Neptune's Landing is like a beacon on the Strip. But that begs the question, what drew Robert's Demon to the mountain? Why did it choose to appear there? Certainly not because of a few Were."

"Robert?" Meredith asked. "Any thoughts on the matter?"

"Not a clue," I replied. "I've got Malcolm working on local legends but there's just nothing out there that I can think of that would cause it to choose that location." I paused for a moment, thinking. "There are a lot of homes out there, though, and quite a few belong to folks that are just looking for privacy. Anyone out there that you guys know of that might be trying to keep a low profile?"

"I'm on it," Michael said, after a glance from Siegfried, and then left the room.

"Christopher," Siegfried said. "If you would work on that as well. You are more familiar with the other Mages and Wizards in the area than we are. In the meantime, I will make a few calls, and then I need to coordinate with Michael." He turned to Meredith. "With your permission, of course."

"Of course. Now I must get back to our guests. I suggest we meet again tomorrow, barring any other incidents. Robert?" she asked as she turned her attention back to me. "May I walk you out?"

I said my goodbyes, then followed her out of the room and back down the hallway.

"Please be careful," she said as we got into the elevator. "And not just with these Demons. I am concerned that some of the others may point their finger at you should similar attacks occur on their properties. There are a few Fae leaders that have not forgiven you for freeing the Lilin and the perception of your loss of status may give them... ideas."

"And they never will," I replied as the doors opened to the executive parking level. "But the thought had crossed my mind. And if you’re talking about Sergei, I can handle anything he throws at me."

Sergei was another longtime local casino owner. He was Russian and descended from the Vodianoi, another type of water Fae, but with Slavic origins. He was also an ass and had taken advantage of the Lilin's position to use them as he saw fit. Probably my biggest critic, he fancied himself some type of Russian mobster. He was already on my watch list as someone to be wary of.

"Of that I have no doubt," she said, still sounding troubled. "I do not trust him. Should more attacks occur, I would not put it past him to try and use them to his advantage."

"Meredith, I'll be fine," I said, appreciating her concern. I turned and faced her. "I doubt Gaea would have wasted her time with Nikki if all it meant was that I was just going to get killed the first time someone took a swing at me, be it a Demon or a Fae. But thank you for watching my back. I know we've been through a few things together and we're more than just allies. Your friendship means a lot, especially now."

She gently put her hand on mine, and a moment later, nudged me toward the door.

"As does yours," I heard her say as I stepped out, the doors sliding shut behind me. Then I turned to see who else was out here.

Chapter 6

"I was hoping I'd catch you," Diantha said. She was leaning against my car as I walked out into the parking lot. She was dressed to the nines, as usual, in an off white silk top and a pair of tight fitting black jeans that looked custom tailored. "I was just getting ready to leave you a note."

"What?" I asked with a grin. "Your finger is broken and you couldn’t call?"

"Ha ha," she replied. "I heard about the Demons. I didn’t want to bother you if you were busy."

"Since when?" I asked with a chuckle and then raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're my Diantha?"

"Always, my Lord," she replied, walking up to me. She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me on the lips. "I was just trying to be polite. Besides, you'll call me if you need me."

"You got me there," I agreed. "But since you are here, what do you know about Babylonian or Sumerian Demons?"

"Sumerian?" she asked, stepping back. "Are you sure?"

"That's what we think," I confirmed. "Does that surprise you?"

"Those Fae were long dead, even before Apollo gifted me the eye," she replied, twisting the jewel on the gold chain around her neck. "I've never heard of one appearing anywhere, and believe me, I've been dealing with your kind for a long time."

That was no understatement. She was the last Oracle of Delphi, after all. After The Fall, she'd drifted around the world, concealing herself from Fae and anyone else that she perceived as a threat for a long time. When I'd found her she'd been hiding in a trailer in Pahrump, near the site of a long closed brothel. Still keeping a low profile, even though she'd thought the jewel that gave her youth and beauty long lost until I returned it.

"I said it was a Demon," I retorted. "That's not exactly my kind."

"Fae, Demons, any magical creature," she replied. "You know what I mean." She stepped in closer to me. "Do you think this has something to do with what Gaea told your daughter?"

"That's what I'm thinking," I agreed. "But that doesn't help us much."

She started to reply, but my phone rang. I hit the connect button on my Bluetooth and answered, recognizing Martin's number.

"Everything all right?" I asked.

"No," he replied in a surly tone. "It appears you were only partially correct."

"What do you mean?"

"The Demon has made an appearance," he said.

"Anybody hurt?" I asked.

"One injury," he said. "This time it was carrying a weapon, some type of spear. I am taking him to your house as we speak. Jen is already on the way."

"Is he all right?" I asked. "Wait, you said I was only half right. What did you mean?"

"He will live," Martin replied. "But I think you are right in that it does not like lightning. I believe its hunger forced it out into the open. It was eating a goat when we found it."

"A goat." I repeated, recalling what Mal had said about sacrificing a lamb or goat to appease it. "Where did this happen?"

"Off of Kyle Canyon." He replied. "One of the houses north of the road. They had livestock."

That was a few miles south of where I'd run into it, and way too close to town to make me feel comfortable.

"Where is it now?" I asked.

"It disappeared again," he said. "Toward the mountain. But I can tell you that it does not like human weapons. My shotgun gave it pause."

"Really?" I replied. "What happened?"

"Devon and Cameron caught its scent about an hour ago. They tracked it south to where it was found. At first, it seemed to ignore them, content to feed on the livestock. When a few more of us got close, it attacked. Cameron was too slow and it speared him. I arrived just in time."

"So the shotgun was effective?" I asked.

"Well," he replied. "In my hands. Of course I did fire 81 rounds into the thing before it finally withdrew."

"What the hell kind of gun are you carrying?" I asked.

"A less than legal kind," he admitted. "But it was the 100 round magazine that made the difference. Anyway, once Cameron, is taken care of I'm going back out. If it reappears I'll let you know.

"Ok," I said. "I'm heading home in a bit. Thanks."

"This is bad, Robert" Diantha said, having heard the conversation. "A Demon such as this disturbs the natural order of the worlds. They upset the balance, or so your Dwarf friend, Bernd, would say. We must be careful."

"We?" I asked.

She stepped back up to me and cupped my face in her hands.

"Robert," she declared. "You are still my Lord, and always will be. More than that, you have become my friend. Just because things turn a little dangerous, or not to my liking, do not think I would ever abandon you."

"I don't."

"Good." she said. "We are in this together, as always. Besides, you may need me, as well as the others. Which reminds me, have you heard anything from the Dwarf?"

"Bernd? No, there's been no word."

"I am sorry," she said. "I know you were fond of him."

"I am," I agreed. "I've got folks out looking for him, but I've got to deal with this Demon problem before I do anything else.

"Then I will leave you to it," she said, leaning in and kissing me again. "I will be here when you need me."

I have to admit, as much as I questioned her motives at times, there was something special about that woman.

I walked back to my car, wondering if I could use her against this Demon. You see, Diantha can't die. Whatever spell was first cast upon her granted her long life, literally, or at least as far as we knew. That kind of power can come in handy from time to time, as she'd already proven. Then again, since this thing seemed attracted to Fae, it was probably not worth putting her through such a thing. Just because she couldn't die didn’t make the pain any easier when she regenerated.

Then Martin's success with the shotgun gave me an idea. I looked at my cell phone as I started the car and punched in Jay's number. Now was as good a time as any to let him know what was going on.

"Hey Dad," he said when he answered the phone. "Let me guess. This isn’t a personal call, and you've got a Demon problem."

"So you've heard?" I replied.

"Dad," he said, chuckling. "I work for the government, remember? Of course we've heard. And don’t think those six archers you asked for went unnoticed either."

"Well, shit," I replied, jokingly. "So much for being a King! You just can't trust anyone to keep a secret anymore. Oh how soon they forget."

"That's not exactly true," he said. "I didn't tell anyone here about the archers. And for what it's worth, Nikki didn’t tell me either. But when I checked in to see how things were going... well... you know how it is. But I was actually hoping you'd call. The Vegas office has had a Demon sighting as well. They thought it was a fluke at first, but with the new info from the Neptune, someone's putting two and two together, and they're a little concerned."

"Can you tell me about it?" I was sure he could, since he mentioned it first, but it was only polite to ask.

"Yeah," he replied with a chuckle "You're a government contractor, remember? You're on the distribution list. Let me pull the email back up. In the meantime, tell me what you're dealing with."

I told Jay about the two Demons at the hotel, the Edimmu, and then described my fight with the Gallu Demon, as well as Martin's encounter. I also told him my theories on its dislike of lightning and Martin's account of the effectiveness of the shotgun. That and Ella's information that it couldn’t be killed by magic alone. I conveniently left out the part about getting wounded myself.

"Sounds nasty. She may be right. At least you guys have been able to hold it off. But the Succubus description is similar to the one we had," he replied. "Happened out off of Blue Diamond Road. Apparently some teenager picked up a book from somewhere and started playing with the incantations. Wound up summoning some kind of ghost-like Demon similar to what was described at the Neptune. Damn near blew his house up and almost got himself killed doing it. He's still unconscious. One of our people will be there when he wakes up.

"The locals advised us of the call. One of our Wizards was dispatched and was able to contain it, at least for a while. They tried to get it back to the office for study, but it was too dangerous. They had to kill it when it broke containment before they could get back. The thing is, no one's seen anything like it before, and it's not in our database. That's not normal."

"Sounds familiar," I said. "What kind of book was it?"

"That's the strange thing," he replied. "His mother said he got it from a used bookstore, but it's just a bunch of crap. According to our guys, none of the spells should have worked. But if he used something else, we haven't found it yet; although they're still following up on it."

"Anyway," he continued. "You've got my archers and the Weres, but from what you've said, I'm guessing you're going to need more firepower to take this thing down."

"Yep," I agreed. "I think we're going to have to beat this thing down and I don’t have a big enough hammer available at the moment. Any chance of an Apache loaded with Hellfire'?"

"Yeah, right," he exclaimed. "I don’t think I can get one of those. But... hmm... no magic, eh? I think I might have an alternative in mind that will work almost as well. When are you planning to go out again?"

"Barring another sighting, sundown tomorrow," I replied. "Rain should clear out by late afternoon, so I'm guessing, unless it gets hungry again before then, that's the best time to start."

"Okay. Give me the details of the location you think we're dealing with. Then let me make some calls and either I, or someone from the Vegas office, will get back to you in the morning. I'd be there myself but I've got a few more loose ends to tie up here in LA and they're almost as bad. I doubt they'll let me come up early since we've got people out there that can help. But I'll be there soon."

Truth was, I was almost glad he wouldn't be here. He was my son, after all, and even though we were in the same boat, so to speak, I didn't really want to worry about him any more than I had to, which seems almost funny when you think about it. Here we were, talking about fighting Demons, not to mention that he was the protector of our Fae realm, yet I was still worried about him. Hell, he'd been given extra power by Gaea herself and I was still concerned. I guess they never stop being your kids, no matter how old they are, or what profession they're in.

"I understand," I said, giving him the rundown of the area below Cold Creek, as well as where the creature had been sighted tonight. Then added, "I'll wait to hear from you."

"All right, Dad," he said. "I'll talk to you later then... and be careful"

"Always. Oh, one more thing," I replied, a sudden thought jumping into my head. "We may have to lure this thing out to a place of our choosing, so we're going to need to close off the area. Oh, yeah, I need a goat or lamb. Maybe we can lure the damn thing out with food."

There was a pause and I could hear him laughing in the background.

"Let me see what I can do," he said before disconnecting.

Chapter 7

Jen's Tahoe was already in the driveway when I pulled up to the garage. Martin must have dropped off the injured Were and immediately gone back out. I parked the car, headed into the house and made my way to the downstairs bedroom. Neither Charlie nor Alf seemed to be around.

"If this keeps up I'm going to have start charging hospital rates," I said as I scanned the room.

Jen was dressed in light blue hospital scrubs with a face mask on, her gloved hands covered in blood, stitching up her patient, who I could only assume was Cameron. He lay on a cotton sheet with plastic underneath it and the area had been turned into a make-shift operating room. There was a bedside table with instruments and my steamer stand was now holding an IV fluid drip next to a makeshift hazardous material trashcan that was made out of a 5-gallon bucket with a red bag inside. There was even a laptop on a TV stand hooked up to some leads that ran to the patient that appeared to be monitoring his blood pressure and heart rate.

"Give me a minute," she replied without looking up and then went back to stitching up the wound on his side.

I backed out of the room, and after putting my keys on the table, made a new pot of coffee. As it started dripping, I pulled out a mug that said Make It So! and added some creamer. Then, thinking about it, I went back to the cabinet and scrounged through my collection until I found one that said, I'm a Doctor, not a..., just in case she wanted one.

"Is that fresh brewed coffee I smell?" she asked a few minutes later, pulling down her mask as she walked into the kitchen.

"It is," I replied, getting up to grab the mug I'd chosen for her. "How do you take it?"

"Black is fine," she replied, sitting down at the table.

"So how's your patient?" I set the mug down in front of her.

"He'll live," she said as she took a sip. "Oh, that's good.' She took a look at the mug and smiled, stretching her arms. "He lost a lot of blood. The wound was deep, but missed anything vital, and there was no sign of the poison. Martin kept him from shifting until I got here and I was able to get him stabilized."

"He was lucky," replied.

"Yes he was," she agreed. "I doubt he would have survived a wound like yours. I'll have to keep him here overnight, if that's ok. He needs to stay sedated, at least until morning. If he comes to and gets angry, or tries to shift back in this condition, he could pull the stitches. We don’t heal as fast as you, and can become quite emotional when injured. But he ought to be well enough by late morning to be moved."

"If you don’t mind me asking, why didn't you just keep him in Wolf form?"

"It's easier to stabilize him that way, but better to finish the job as a human," she answered. "If it was a minor injury, he would know not to shift, but Cam lost a lot of blood and passed out. If the sedative I gave him wore out too fast and he got angry or confused in Wolf form... Well, shifting changes the shape of the body. If we were in a real hospital I could deal with that, and I would have an anesthesiologist monitoring him the entire time. Fortunately, it wasn't necessary. But he could still pull the stitches or cause other damage, so it was easier to stabilize him first and then let him shift before finishing up with the surgery." She paused and took another sip.

"It's also harder to shift into Wolf form than the other way around. It's not exactly a pleasant experience and you perceive pain differently. You don't think the same as a Wolf. Instinct can overcome reason if you lose control. So there's a far greater chance of shifting back without thinking when you're injured when and you're already in Wolf form. In this case it's better to let him heal as a human."

"Sounds complicated," I remarked.

"I'm used to it," she said as she stood up from the table. "Listen, I need to see to a few things with Cam before I can call it a night. Do you mind if I stay here tonight? I'm going to give him a strong sedative, but I'm also going to want to check on him every few hours, just in case."

"Not a problem," I said. "I have an extra bedroom upstairs, or if you need to be close, you can use the couch. It's pretty comfortable."

"Great," she replied.

"Ok, then," I said, standing. "I'm going to take a quick shower. I'll be back down in 15 or so to see what you need."

"That should be about right," she said, going back to the bedroom to see to her patient.

I went upstairs and took a quick shower, then threw on an old Star Trek t-shirt and a pair of jeans before going back down to the kitchen. I stuck my head in the bedroom and asked Jen if she wanted any more coffee. She was rummaging through her kit and shook her head, so I emptied the pot and got it ready for the morning. Just as I was drying the cups she came out of the bedroom.

"I could use a glass of white wine if you're buying," she said.

"I can do that," I answered. I walked into my pantry and grabbed a bottle of half-dry Riesling. I showed her the bottle as I came back in.

"That's fine," she said as she sat down at the table.

I uncorked the bottle and pulled two glasses out of the cabinet, placed them on the table and filled hers just a bit.

"Care to try it first?" I said.

She picked up the glass and took a sip, sampling the wine in a grand display before replying.

"Perfect," she said with a wink.

"So how's your patient?" I asked, after refilling her glass and pouring some for myself.

"He's healing," she replied. "He was awake for a bit and he knows what happened. I gave him a pretty strong sedative, so he should sleep till morning."

"That's good," I said, taking a drink. "Is Martin coming back by?"

"I called him before you came back down," she replied. "He said he'd be back in the morning."

Can I ask you a question?" she said, taking another sip of her wine."

"Of course."

"Why do you look different now?" she asked.

"Different? How do you mean?"

"Well," she began. "No offence, but when I first met you, you looked... I don’t know, older looking than you do now. I don’t know how to describe it, but you seem younger."

"Oh," I replied. "I understand. I think it's just a Fae thing. Although, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure why it happens. But the longer you hang around another Fae, the more they kind of blend together. The Fae and human part, that is. I've had similar experiences, but it only seems to happen among Fae that have seen you in both personas, and those that become close emotionally. It doesn't happen around humans; at least not that I've seen. I think it's the magic. I guess you just get used to each other. I don’t really notice it anymore." I'd had the same experience with Meredith.

"So... What?" she asked. "Will you start seeing me as a wolf?"

"No," I said with a laugh. "It doesn’t work that way. Your magic is totally different. Like I said, I don’t really know why it happens. It just does."

"You said it happens when you get close to someone. But we barely know each other."

"But you did save my life," I replied. "Can't get much closer than that. Besides, I do find you attractive, and you have seen me naked."

"Yes I have," she said with a chuckle. Then she took a deep drink and got up from the table.

"I've got some clothes in the car," she said. "Do you mind if I use one of your other showers? I don’t want to disturb Cam any more than I have to."

"No problem," I replied. "Get your stuff and I'll meet you upstairs. I'll get you some clean towels."

I was pulling two towels out of my bathroom cabinet when I heard her call my name.

"In here," I said.

She came into the bedroom before I reached the hallway.

"Nice," she commented.

"I like it," I replied as she looked the room over. I had to admit, the master was nice and big. I had a four poster bed and a sitting area with a fireplace, although it wasn't lit at the moment. And the master bathroom? Well, let's just say that when I rebuilt it I didn’t skimp.

"Holy shit," she said, putting down her bag as she eyed the shower. "You could fit a dozen people in here."

"It's not quite that big," I said with a chuckle.

"Hey," she replied. "I live in an apartment. Everything is bigger than mine. Would you mind if I used it?"

"Go ahead," I said, handing her the two towels I'd gotten for her. Then I went back to the closet and handed her a robe. "I'll give you some privacy."

I went downstairs to finish cleaning up, making a point to check on Jen's patient who was sleeping peacefully. When I was done, I grabbed the wine and glasses and went back upstairs. Hearing the hair dryer, I stopped in front of the master bedroom. I opened the door just a bit.

"You decent?" I asked.

"Come on in," I heard her say, so I went in. I set the wine glasses on the bathroom counter. She was dressed in the robe and turned off the hair dryer when she saw me.

"Thought you might still want this," I said, refilling the glasses before setting the wine down. I started to walk out with mine but she stopped me.

"Where you going?" she asked.

"To give you some privacy," I answered.

"Don't go," she said, then returned to drying her hair.

"I'll wait in the bedroom," I said. I walked over to the sitting area and sat down in one of the chairs. A minute or so later, she came out of the bathroom. The bright white robe accented her thick blonde hair and tan legs as she stood at the arched entrance. I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was, especially framed by the light behind her.

"Are you always such a gentleman?" she asked as she tilted her glass and took a drink.

"You're my guest," I said, picking up mine and tilting it in her direction. "I'm just trying to be polite."

"Are all Fae like you?" she asked as she walked around the bed and sat down. "So polite, I mean."

"Probably not," I replied. "But then I was raised differently, so I have an excuse."

That made her laugh.

"But you do find me attractive, right?" she said. "I'm just curious because most guys would have already tried to get in my pants." Then she sipped again, her eyes watching me over the rim. "Am I being too direct again?"

"A bit," I agreed, taking another drink and setting the glass down. "But, then again, you aren’t wearing any. Pants, that is."

"Good point."

"I am a trained observer," I said in jest.

"Are you seeing anyone on a regular basis?" she asked abruptly.

"If you mean am I in a relationship," I replied, "Then no, not at the moment."

"Good," she said, walking up to me and sliding her body between my legs. "I would prefer to avoid... complications." She placed the glass on the table next to mine and sat down on my lap. Turning a bit, she loosened the tie on her robe, placed her hands around my neck, leaned in and kissed me gently. "If I remember correctly, you said you owed me for saving your life. I think now would be a good time to collect," she whispered.

"I think you're right," I agreed. I slid my arm around her waist and pulled her close, cupping her breast before kissing her back. A moment later, I picked her up and carried her to the bed. Placing her gently on the sheets, I took off my shirt before untying her robe and joining he.

****

There was just a hint of light coming from behind the curtains when I woke up. Jen was just coming in from the hallway, dressed only in my t-shirt.

"Everything all right?" I asked.

"I just checked on Cam," she replied. "Sorry if I woke you."

"Don't be," I said. "It was worth it just to see you in my shirt."

She picked up a pillow from the bed and threw it at me, laughing.

"How's he doing?" I asked as she jumped onto the bed.

"He's fine," she answered, as she rolled over and kissed me. "Oh, and your dog is back, too."

"Charlie's here. Damn."

"Why?" she asked. "Is that bad?"

"No," I replied, reaching up under the shirt, rubbing my hands up and down her side. "But yes. Unfortunately, it changes my plans just a bit."

"Oh, I see," she said. "Damn."

"Listen," I began. "About last night ..."

"You don't have to say anything," she interrupted. "I know how it is. You're a..."

"Stop," I said, putting my finger to her lips. "What I was going to say was, after today... well, assuming I'm still here after today... I was thinking it would be nice if we could get together again. Not just for sex, although that was wonderful. But maybe dinner or something. You know, like normal people do when you're not stitching them up. I'm sorry, I'm not very good at this."

"Don’t say things like that," she said, rolling off me and getting off the bed. She crossed her arms as she stood up. "You'll still be here."

"And the other?" I asked, getting out of bed myself.

"Ask me again when it's all over," she replied, taking off my shirt. Then with a final kiss, she turned and went back into the bathroom.

I threw on my jeans and shirt as I heard the shower come on and went downstairs to see what Charlie had been up to.

Chapter 8

"Any luck?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen. He was lapping up water like there was no tomorrow, but stopped long enough to turn his head in my direction when I spoke.

"No," he said before returning to the bowl.

I knew it was no use asking him anything else until he was ready, so I moved over to the coffee pot, hit the start button and returned to the table to wait. A minute later he was apparently finished, because he turned, trotted over and sat down beside me.

"Have you heard from Alf?" I asked.

"He searches for something," he replied. He got up, went to the bedroom and stood at the doorway. "What happened to the Wolf?"

"Got speared by the thing," I said. "Apparently it didn’t like being interrupted when it was eating. Jen says he'll pull through though."

"It has armed itself?"

"Yeah, some type of bladed spear," I replied. "Not that it needed it with that spiked tail."

"Perhaps the Imp is correct after all," he said.

"About what?"

"When I called it a beast, he disagreed. He said not to be fooled. That the Demons of that time were considered to be the same as Gods."

"That's not good," I said. If it had a weapon now, what else about it had changed? Although it had to have been here for a few days, we still didn’t know how it got here. But Jay's information about the other Demon meant that someone probably summoned this one as well. The question was who, and why?

By the time Jen came down I'd already made a couple calls. We weren't the only ones up at the crack of dawn. Michael was following up a lead on an old Mage that looked promising. According to Christopher, he fit the profile of someone who might try such a thing. He was going to let me know when they tracked him down.

Jenn had already spoken with the Weres, nothing had been seen of the Demon since the latest attack. I'd already heard from Jay as well. Someone from the local office would be contacting me later this morning. Other than that, there wasn't much else to do at the moment. Grabbing another coffee and restarting the pot, I went upstairs to shower and change before things got hectic.

I was barely got out of the shower when the phone beeped a text message. It was from Jay. "You're about to get a call," was all it said. Sure enough, a moment later, the phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number.

"This is Robert, I said as I answered.

"Agent Theno here, Mr. Hoskins. I was told you were expecting my call."

Theno was the Agent in Charge of the local office of the EAB. The same bureau within Homeland Security that my son now worked for.

"I just got the message," I replied. "What can I do for you?"

"It's what I can do for you," he replied. "Our agents are at a location of interest in yesterday's incident. I have been told that your presence is requested. Are you available?"

"Of course," I replied. "When and where?"

"Agent Browne will pick you up shortly," he said.

"Fine. I'll want Charlie to come as well," I said.

"Your dog?" Theno asked.

"Fae hunting dog, actually," I said, as if he didn’t know.

"Of course," he replied. "I'll let Browne know to expect another passenger."

The External Affairs Bureau, or EAB, was the agency tasked with dealing with the Fae and other magical beings that lived within the U.S. When they discovered what we were, Jay, a Homeland Security Agent, had been transferred and now worked for them. Nikki had been fortunate enough to stay with the local PD, but now served on a task force that was comprised of Fae members of both agencies. For the most part, they left us alone to manage our own affairs, but when problems arose, they weren't shy about getting involved.

As government agencies went, they really weren't that bad. They seldom tried to take over and were more than willing to work with the local Fae on issues. But, as a former local cop, I was a little hesitant to trust them completely. Since Jay worked for them, and I trusted him, it was a little easier to deal with them; not that I had much choice. Besides, I'd met their top guy, a fallen Angel by the name of Samson, and we'd hit it off. But guys like Theno had a habit of rubbing me the wrong way at times. It's not that he was a bad guy, he just had that everything's a secret kind of attitude. Even when he was trying not to.

I got dressed, grabbed my weapons and went downstairs to let Charlie know what we were doing. A few minutes later, the gate beeped. I keyed the opener and we went outside to catch our ride.

"Mr. Hoskins," Agent Browne said as I walked through the gate. He was holding open the back door of the SUV. Browne had been my driver the first time I'd met with the EAB. This time, he was a lot friendlier.

"Agent Browne," I replied as Charlie trotted up behind me. "Good to see you again. This is Charlie."

"Good to meet you," he said as Charlie jumped in.

As I got in the back with Charlie, I saw that there was someone in the front passenger seat. It took a moment to register his presence beyond what I could see, as he exhibited all the signs of not being there. Let me rephrase that. He was there, he just didn't register with my senses, not the magical ones, anyway. He was somewhere between 30 and 40, with close cropped brown hair that had just a tinge of grey at the sides, and brown eyes. He was dressed in what appeared to be standard tan military camouflage with blacked out patches. He looked human enough, but I knew it wasn't that simple.

When I talk about other Fae not being able to sense what I am, I'm talking about the magic part. They think I'm just another human. But this guy wasn't radiating anything. It was like he was a black hole. I could see him, but nothing leaked out to explain what he was.

"He is a Null," Charlie said.

"Your dog's right," Browne said as he started the SUV. "Allow me to introduce SGT. John McDaniel. He's attached to the office as a military liaison."

"Mr. Hoskins, Charlie," McDaniel said as he turned and leaned over the seat, extending his hand. "I was called in at the request of your son, but we can discuss that later. I would have come out on something like this anyway."

"A pleasure," I said, shaking his hand. "I'm sorry to be rude, but what exactly is a Null?"

"No offence taken," he replied. "We're kind of rare. Let's just say that magic doesn’t affect me like regular folks. I like to think of it as leveling the playing field. Unless one of your kind sees me with their eyes, there's a good chance they won't know I'm there. It's not perfect. I can tell you sense something is missing. But it comes in hand, more often than not."

"I can see where it would," I agreed, not taking the your kind comment personally. If I hadn't seen him when we got into the SUV, I probably wouldn't have known he was here, either. "So, what do we have? I didn't get a briefing; I was just told to be here."

"Our little conjurer from yesterday woke up this morning," Browne began. "He's 19, and he didn’t get the spell from some used book. Instead, he found it at a place up in Lee Canyon. Claims he couldn’t get his hands on the book itself, but managed to take a picture of the page the spell came from when the owner was distracted. Apparently, the boy is not the little Angel his mother thinks he is. We found his other books hidden in the attic. Turns out he started reading Anton LaVey a while back and now considers himself a born again Satanist."

Lee Canyon was one of two roads that led to the Mt Charleston recreational area. Less populated, and with a ski resort at the top, some of the older homes in the area had opted to stay off the grid. Although technology was reaching out to the more rugged areas, it was the perfect place to stay low profile.

"He says he hooked up with someone who he met on the Internet with similar interests and snuck a photo of the book during a... well, let's just call it a liaison, he had last week. Claims the guy is a dark Witch or Wizard, and was looking for a new acolyte. We tracked the location to a spot up in Lee Canyon. Best we can tell, the information is accurate. We have eyes on the ground and the place is definitely shrouded using dark magic. Our team is going to hit it this morning and they want you there for the investigative follow up. We're hoping we can develop some information that will be useful against any other of these Demons out there. Your friend Michael should be there as well. He's got some expertise in these matters and, as you've now learned, we're not shy about working with the local Fae when it comes to this kind of thing."

Browne continued his drive to the mountain as we talked. When were still a few miles from the ski resort, he slowed down and turned left onto a gravel road, before pulling over a mile or so later behind several more black SUVs. As we stopped, the sergeant got out I looked to Agent Browne for instructions.

"You two need to stay with me for a few. We'll go in after the entry team." He looked at me with the rear view mirror. "We should have a good view from here, though."

Looking through the windshield, Charlie and I watched McDaniel walk to one of the other SUVs and receive something out of the passenger window. A moment later, I saw it was a set of binoculars. He then walked up to a man in black fatigues who was on his knees in the center of the road. Kneeling beside him, they had a short conversation, and then McDaniel held up his hand, giving a count with his fingers When he reached zero, he took off in a crouch across the desert toward a higher patch of ground that looked almost like a low lying mesa. A moment later, he disappeared. Damn! I hadn't sensed a thing.

I knew it had to be some type of magic veil, but even if made with dark magic, I was surprised that I couldn't see any evidence of it. Since I had sensed nothing out here the other day, either; I could only surmise that whoever conjured it knew what they were doing. The thought did not comfort me. Turning my concentration to the man kneeling in the road, I suddenly realized that he was projecting something as well.

"Who's that?" I asked, now catching a glimpse of shimmering radiating from him.

"That's Slater, one of our Mages," Browne replied. "The target is actually located on the small rise in front of us. Our target chose a spot that gave him a good view of the area. Whatever he's using to mask it is still up, so Slater is projecting a wall of his own to hide us. He would have walked the other vehicles in before we got here so they wouldn't be observed. He'll maintain his position until McDaniel gives the go ahead, then they'll make entry. You'll enjoy that part."

"Why's that?" I asked.

"You made entries on high risk targets when you were a cop, right?" Browne asked.

"Yeah, of course," I replied.

"Ever use magic to do it?"

"No," I admitted.

"I don’t want to spoil it," he said with a laugh. "But you're going to love our version of a flash-bang."

Browne was, as I mentioned, much friendlier than last time. It also apparent that he knew a lot about me. Much more than I expected. I wasn't going to ask him about it, but it was something I was going to remember.

A few minutes later, McDaniel reappeared at almost the same location he'd disappeared from. This time, however, he was crawling. He stood and jogged back to the SUVs, giving the Mage in the road a thumbs up as he passed by. Several people, all in dark camo, exited their vehicles as he approached. After a short huddle, they got back into the SUVs and began to pull away. As McDaniel followed, the departing vehicles stopped just short of the Mage in the road. Then someone exited the rear passenger side of the front SUV and joined him. McDaniel took his spot in the vehicle. I heard two clicks on the car radio as they met up. The kneeling Mage stood, and both faced the dark magic veil with raised hands.

There was a burst of psychic energy, similar to one I would project in battle, but much larger and violent, as it was almost unfocused. I could almost see the clouds of energy rolling back and forth, psychic lightning and thunder cracking over the area that had once been hidden. I could just imagine the effect it would have on anyone inside. Much more than a flash-bang grenade that would have distracted its target with just light and noise. With engines straining, the three SUVs drove forward, tires spinning, and raced to a structure where it seemed just desert had been before. Even with the windows up, I could smell the sulphuric odor of the dark magic veil as it blew apart and drifted, slowly dissipating in the breeze.

The radio clicked again. Browne started up the engine and pulled forward, following the other black SUV that had stayed behind. Stopping a hundred yards shy of the others, I saw the operation was already in progress. With almost textbook precision, agents were out of their vehicles and assaulting what I could now see looked to be a Victorian style mansion. The mixture of technology with swords and sorcery was fascinating to watch as at least twelve agents moved into position, carrying various weapons, from military grade assault rifles to swords and wands. Agents entered from the front as others moved in at the sides and rear. A few minutes later, the radio clicked again, and the two SUVs moved forward toward the house.

"We're good to go," Browne said as he opened his door. "We're heading to the other SUV first."

I opened my door and got out, Charlie behind me. I followed Browne to the other vehicle. As we approached, the doors opened and two agents waited as Michael from the Neptune exited from the rear.

"Welcome to the party," he said as I approached.

I nodded as the agent from the passenger side began to speak.

"Michael, Mr. Hoskins and... Charlie, is it?" he began. "My name is Hoade. Just for the record; once the area is secured, you three can enter with Agent Browne. For the moment, we would ask that you speak with one of us before disturbing any evidence; but you will be granted full access once things are properly documented. Any insights will be appreciated. Is that acceptable?"

We all nodded, even Charlie.

"Good. Then I leave you in Agent Browne's capable hands", he said as he and the other agent walked away.

"Gotta love his personality," Michael quipped.

Even Agent Browne seemed to crack a smile at that remark. Then, a single agent came out of the front door and walked toward us.

"Mark," the agent said as he approached, nodding at Browne. "Michael, good to see you again." Then he directed his attention to me. "You must be Hoskins."

"I am," I replied. "And this is Charlie."

I could sense the Were within him. That might explain why none of Martin's people seemed to be here. Looks like they already had someone inside.

"Yes," he replied, bending toward the dog. "The Fae hunting dog." He moved his hand toward Charlie's head, then hesitated before petting him. Charlie moved closer and he gave the big dog's head a pat. "I've heard about you. Glad you could join us."

"I'm Andy Hill," he said as he straightened up. He reached out to shake my hand. "I think you're going to find this interesting. Follow me."

As we began to walk toward the house, he continued to speak.

"The place is empty. There was no one alive in there. There is a dead guy in the basement; what's left of him. Probably our target, but identification is still pending," he said. "As for the Demons? Whatever the hell he conjured up was big, and he obviously couldn’t control it. It's gone now. McDaniel's out back watching the desert, just in case. It looks like whatever happened here is a few days old. Unless we did something to draw attention just by being here, I doubt it's coming back today. Of course, we won’t know that unless something actually shows up. Anyway, it'll take a while for one of the Wizards or Mages to get back up here. They're still out checking the rest of the area. I don’t know what they can tell us, but if Charlie's nose is any good, maybe he can give us a head start."

"I will do my best," Charlie said. No one seemed surprised that he could talk. It was also nice to think that these folks looked at Charlie as an asset to the team. Not that other dogs hadn't played similar roles over the years; K-9, bomb, and drug sniffing dogs had been part of police work for a long time. They just didn't hold conversations with the other members of the team. It was also good to remember that any dog, and not just a Fae like Charlie, could smell things with his nose and other senses. Things in ways that we could never duplicate.

"These things are attracted to magic," I said. "Just so you know."

"We've got eyes on the perimeter," Hill replied. "McDaniel's is aware of that as well."

I nodded and we followed him into the house. I was amazed at the sharp difference from what I expected to find inside. Although the style was typical Victorian, especially the fireplace with its huge wooden mantle and the painting that hung above it, the decor was anything but. For a moment, I thought I had stepped back in time to the sixties. One wall had wallpaper that was gold with a cork backing, and another was wood paneled. The furniture had wooden legs with chrome feet, and there was a futon against one wall. Even the TV was the old tube type. Glancing into the kitchen, I saw that the furniture was of a similar style and copper pots and pans hung above the counter.

"I like the location, but someone needs an interior designer," Michael said as he walked in behind me.

"No shit," I remarked. "How long as he been up here?"

"At least 50 years, based on the furniture alone," Browne said, rubbing his finger over a dusty table. He stared at the dirt that had accumulated on his finger, then wiped his hands with a handkerchief. "And the dust. But it's been private land longer than that. I checked the records this morning and this parcel was purchased back in the 40s. Part of a mining company operation that is long out of business. We're still sifting through corporate records to find out who owns it today."

That wasn’t unusual up here. Although most of the land was managed by BLM or the U.S. Forest Service, there were a lot of small and medium size parcels that had been grandfathered in before they made this a National Forest.

"Let's continue," Hill said. "What you really want to see is downstairs."

We followed Hill to a wood paneled wall where a section, once hidden by molding, had been opened. There was a wooden staircase that led down.

"I'm not really sure why it was hidden behind the paneling," Hill said. "Although it wouldn’t have been obvious inside, from the back it's just another level."

As we reached the end of the stairs, I saw what appeared to be a library, or at least what was left of one. There were a few agents moving about, and the place was wrecked. Half the far wall had been broken open with the desert visible behind it. There were shards of glass and broken plaster everywhere. Shelves lined the other walls, filled with books. Many were strewn about, their pages open and torn, and some showed evidence of being burned. On one side was a large table with beakers and vials. In the center of the room was what was left of a man. He was face down; or he would have been if he still had a face. His head was missing. As I watched, two agents loaded him on a gurney, then moved the body out of the room.

He had been sprawled out on the wooden floor, most of him lying within a hand drawn circle of white. Partially burned books covered some of it, but I could see that there had been symbols written in dark red and dull white within the circle. The characters were wedge shaped in design.

"I'm certainly no expert, but this looks almost like cuneiform," I said as I knelt to take a closer look.

"Some of it," Browne agreed. "But those are not." He pointed to another part of the circle where symbols appeared. "These are more like hieroglyphs."

"Looks like some were written in blood," Michael pointed out. "But what's the white?"

"Some kind of paste," Hill said, kneeling by a wooden bowl, its contents spilled on the ground where it had fallen. "Smells like it has bone in it."

Browne gave him a questionable look. It was more in jest, as was indicated by the nod and raised eyebrows. "Just don't touch anything."

"Hey! Werewolf here," he replied. "Trust me, I don't need to touch it to know what it is. I've seen, and smelled, my share of crushed bone."

"The beast was here," Charlie said suddenly. We all turned toward him. He was sniffing the edges of the circle. Then he began to search around the room and finally out the broken wall into the desert behind.

"The dog's one of ours," Hill said into a radio he carried. There were several clicks in response, indicating that whoever was out there had received the message.

I walked over to the broken wall where he was standing, and watched Charlie move about the desert.

"Are you a member of Martin's pack?" I asked.

"Martin Chibeaux? No," he replied. "I'm an independent. Chibeaux's a good guy though, I run with them now and then. Good leader too, from what I hear. When I retire, maybe I'll stay here and join up."

Our conversation was interrupted by Charlie returning to the yard.

"What did you find?" I asked as he came back into the house.

"Several Demons were here," he said. "Ours and at least three more. Smaller, but no less evil. Their scent is faint, but enough remains on the ground to know they were here. Whatever magic was used here trapped the scent. There is no trace beyond the grounds."

"That answers that," Michael said. "We bagged two, so there's still yours and another one out there."

"Maybe. What about the boy's?" I asked. "I'm guessing it came from here."

"Unknown," Browne replied. "Although it is likely. We know the one that appeared at his house is similar to those Michael reported, but there is no way to know if it came from here or if there was something else the boy did that caused it to appear. Whatever spell he used was supposed to be on his phone, but it's fried. Literally. The phone melted from the inside out and there's no evidence of any back up."

"I don’t buy it," I said. "You're saying the kid conjured a Demon up from just a screenshot?" I motioned my arms around the room. "This guy's been working at this for what? At least fifty years? If he could have summoned it that simply, we'd have heard about it long before now. No, he planned this somehow."

"That is most likely the case," Browne agreed. "But we don’t work on hunches. Until it's proven otherwise, we have to go on the assumption that yours is not the only one. There may be others out there with similar spells that do not know what they are carrying."

"So do we have any idea who this guy is?" I asked, changing the subject.

"His name was Frank Stockton," I heard someone from behind me say. "He was part of what you might call the old Vegas crowd. Built a place on Fremont Street back in the 40s, not far from the Boulder Club. He was active in the community until about 1960, when it was said he retired from the business to follow other pursuits." It was Agent Hoade.

"We have no record of him in our files other than his name, a few news reports, and the fact that he hasn't been seen since. Local agencies assumed he'd fled the country, or had been the victim of foul play. It seems he withdrew a large sum of money before he disappeared, but no one ever reported anything that could be followed up on."

"It looks like we now know what his other pursuits were," Michael said. "But that still doesn’t tell us what his actual goal was."

"Revenge is a possibility," Hoade said. "We do know that he was forced out when others moved into the market."

"Forced out by who?" Michael asked.

"Some might say it was the Mob," Hoade replied. "But the Fae were making moves of their own during that period. We do not yet know who, specifically, but we will in time."

"You'll share that with us when you find out?" I asked.

"Of course," Hoade said. "That is why you are here, after all. We had hoped that we would capture someone alive, but we must work with what he have."

"What will you do now?" I asked.

"Process the scene," he replied. "We will document everything found and then recreate it at a more secure location. Once that is done, we will destroy what is left and remove any traces from the area. Since there is nothing more you can do here, Agent Browne will drive you back. Sergeant McDaniel will join you when he is done here. Probably in a few hours. I understand you have been tasked with hunting the Demon and he will be assisting you in that matter."

"So I've been told," I replied.

"Then I wish you luck." He turned to Browne and nodded.

"All right," Browne said. "Unless there's something else that you think will help, let's get you back."

When no one spoke up, Browne led us upstairs, back through the living room to the front door. When we were halfway there, something caught my eye. I veered away, walking toward the fireplace. It was the portrait. Well, I'll be a son of a bitch! As if I have time for more problems. Where the hell did she fit in all this?

It was a classical style painting of a gentleman and his lady. A 40 something year old man was sitting in a high back chair; the woman standing to the side and behind him, her hands on the back of the chair. They were dressed formally. He in a black tuxedo, with a thin bow tie and narrow, silk lapels. She was wearing an evening dress, also black, with ruffles and sequins. Her necklace was silver with a blood red stone. It must have been the dress that threw me off. She wasn't wearing one last time I saw her, nor did she strike me as the type. But I did know that she wasn't shy about using more than just magic to get what she wanted.

I glanced around the room to look for the chair but didn’t see one that matched. As I turned back to the painting, I studied her. She looked to be in her 30s. Tall, with dark brown hair that was braided and thrown over the shoulder, so that it draped her breast and fell down to her waist. In the painting, she was almost smiling, but her blue eyes were cold. If I had to guess, whatever she was thinking probably wouldn’t match my version of happiness. Not exactly the image I would have wanted to portray had I commissioned it.

"Agent Browne," I said, pointing to the painting. "Can you find out if this is Stockton?

He got on the radio and a moment later, Hoade came up the stairs. He walked over to me and looked up at the painting. Pulling out a phone he tapped a few commands and then turned the screen toward me.

"Looks like it," he said.

It was a black and white image of a man in a light colored suit and hat holding a shovel. The backdrop was Fremont Street. He was younger in the picture, but it was definitely the same man.

"Any idea who the woman is?" I asked.

Hoade scrolled through some documents on his phone.

"There's a reference to someone named Mary Aiken in one of the news reports. Inherited a cattle ranch close to Alamo when her parents died. She was noted attending a few events with him. Why?"

"It's a good guess she pointed him in the direction he was going," I said. "Or was at least the one he turned to for advice." I told them what I knew about her, and promised to pass along anything else I might find that could help.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that she was involved in this in some way. That's the problem with unfinished business. You may not have to deal with it every day, but it comes back to haunt you, usually when you least expect it. Then it hit me. I may not know what spells this Stockton fellow had used to bring the Demons here, but I bet I knew why.

****

"You think it was a mistake?" Browne asked, disbelief evident in his voice. He was driving us back to my house first, before continuing on with Michael.

"I do," I replied. "I think he was trying to open up a gateway to Hell, all right. Just not the Hell he tapped into."

"He spent half his life at this for her?" Browne asked. "I know she was a Fae, but still."

"Marissa's not just any Fae," I replied. "She's a High Fae, and a master manipulator. She's also well versed in magic. I know there's a lot more that we don’t know, but it makes sense."

"What about the boy's Demon? Where does that fit in?"

"Look," I replied. "When I fought her followers before, they used some kind of spell to transport between places. Symbols written in whatever language the spell needed, infused in elements of the Earth, like stone. But what if you could modernize it? Create a transportation spell electronically. If a powerful Mage can do it with incantations and the right symbols and ingredients, why not electronically. An object is an object, right?"

"It is possible," he said. "We have toyed with similar magic before, and modern phones contain a multitude of rare earths. But it is inherently unreliable and, unfortunately, the boy's phone was too destroyed to make examination feasible."

"I agree," Michael said. "We have Mages that can do something similar to a computer program. They're mostly used to protect the contents of a file, or sometimes for surveillance, but when you get too complicated; technology and magic, well... it's not something I'd want to bet my life on."

"I'll pass it along to someone better versed in such a thing," Browne said. "Perhaps they can figure out if he was doing that from the other evidence we collect."

"I'll talk to Chris and see what he thinks as well," Michael said as we pulled in front of my house.

Chapter 9

"Are we in agreement?" I asked Martin a few hours later. There were several of us at my kitchen table, having spent the last half hour going over my plans to confront the Demon later tonight.

"I would prefer another way," he said. "But I will concede that we cannot face this Demon alone. But I still do not understand why you feel the need to confront the creature first. It would be wiser to just kill it and be done with it."

"Safer too," McDaniel agreed.

"You're right," I replied. "But I think it's worth the risk. My sources say that this thing is intelligent. Maybe we can learn something before we kill it."

My source was Alf, someone I'd neglected to mention to McDaniel, or anyone from the government. He had insisted no one from the EAB know that he was here. Martin knew, of course, as did a few of the others. I wasn't sure what they had on him, but he'd helped save my life, so I owed him, and I wasn't one to forget a debt. He'd also gone to a lot of trouble to find out everything he could about the Demon, and it seemed worth the risk.

"If it does not kill you first," Martin said.

"There's always that," I said with a laugh. "But then I'll die satisfied, knowing that you'll avenge my death by blowing the bastard back to Hell."

"Roger that," McDaniel said. "But let's try to avoid that, shall we? Do you know how much paperwork I'll be stuck with if a Fae Lord gets killed on my watch?"

You gotta love cop humor, even if McDaniel was military. It was always like this in the old days. Humor kept you sane, even if it was sick. Especially when there was a good chance someone wouldn’t come back from an op. It wasn't always pretty, and a lot of people don't understand it, but then most folks have never spent their days facing opponents that wanted to kill them, either.

"Ok, then," I said. "Let's do this. We don’t have much time before sunset and we have a lot of things to put in place."

My plan was simple. Make the Demon come to me, see if I could find out anything else, and then kill him. The execution, however, was as complicated as one could expect. It involved a lot of coordination, not to mention a little theatrics.

Since I wasn't trying to appease him, just get his attention, I had decided that sacrificing a live goat or lamb was out of the question. But a burnt offering, well... That was just a barbecue; so I was doing that instead. Jay had called earlier, and after some discussion, we'd located a Greek restaurant that specialized in that kind of thing. So here I was, sitting in the middle of the desert, watching the sunset. I had my makeshift altar prepared. It also doubled as the grill. Making a few adjustments from one I'd seen at a pig roast, I had a slotted metal grate propped up by cinderblocks on each side. A small pit held 50 pounds of charcoal, already burning. Cecil B. DeMille I wasn't, but it'd do.

Several of Browne's people, with some help from our local Fae contact at the LVMPD, had cordoned off the roadway between the Mt. Charleston and upper Cold Creek access roads. The cover for the road delay was a small plane crash. McDaniel was out here somewhere as well, carrying the next best thing to a Hellfire missile, a S.M.A.W.

The Shoulder Launched Multi-Purpose Assault Weapon, or S.M.A.W., had first been developed for the U.S. Marine Corps over thirty years ago and had seen a number of improvements in design since then. McDaniel's hadn't volunteered what kind of payload this model carried, but whatever it was, he was convinced it would do the job. We'd already gone over the problems associated with the back blast and blast radius, not to mention the concussive force when it hit its target. I'd asked for a hammer and he'd brought the biggest one he could find.

My six Fae archers were spaced out around the area. Four of them were covering the corners, with the other two roving to herd the Demon when it appeared, should it be necessary. The Weres were roving as well. They were acting as bait and they knew it. Martin had insisted, and they all agreed. They wouldn’t have it any other way. If they couldn’t kill it themselves, they wanted to make damn sure they played their part. As for my Fae, they were warriors and knew what was at stake. McDaniel and I carried radios so we could coordinate his shot when it was time. With everything in place, and Sendy watching from above, Charlie and I made our move right after sunset.

After some discussion, and further information from Michael, we'd come to the conclusion that it wasn't just the magic alone that drew the Demon. The individual that possessed the most became its prey. Hoping that was right, I had decided to let it know I was here.

Martin was already in Wolf form, waiting some 50 yards behind me. Switching to my Fae persona, I willed my magic outward. I raised my sword and sent a burst of lightning into the sky, letting every magical creature within a hundred miles know I was here. At the same time, I threw the dressed lamb on the grill. It soon began to smoke and the scent of searing meat filled the air.

"It has come," Sendy said, appearing at my shoulder a minute later. Then she disappeared again.

I let Martin know. Then there was nothing to do but wait.

I finally saw the Demon It was walking toward me from the south, flickering in and out. Appearing and disappearing with every step. Each time it was closer. One of the Fae must have caught its attention, because suddenly it shifted right and appeared some 50 feet from where it had last been walking. The Fae was batted aside like an insect. A Wolf leapt at it, but it batted it with its hand as well, tossing it in the air. I thought I saw it get up, limping away.

"Get him out of there," I called out to Sendy.

Jen was standing by at the house for casualties, along with Askel, a Fae healer. Sendy had been tasked with getting in and out as fast as possible to avoid the creature, while rescuing any that were still alive, if she could do so safely.

Its next step was some 20 feet closer. I saw Sendy whisk in and hug the injured Were before disappearing again. It didn’t seem to notice, because two steps later, it was here. It stood and watched me for a moment, then turned to Charlie. The huge bull styled head studied him for a moment.

"You... I... recognize...Ur-Gi," it said slowly, as if testing the words before speaking. "Of... the... seven... you... are... descended."

Now that was interesting. I'd spent a little time going over Sumerian history and myths before we set up. It was said that the Goddess Innana, also known as Ishtar, often traveled with seven hunting dogs. What had interested me further was a reference to Demeter, as in some mythology, the two were closely associated with each other.

"But... you... are... not... of ... the... people...," it said. "Nor... of... the... Gods... You... should... be ... dead..." It swiveled its head, then eyed my sword. There was a shimmer and it flicked out of sight momentarily. When it reappeared, its speech became normal. "You carry a thunder sword. Who are you?"

"I am Robert of the Dryad," I replied. "Son of Gabriele, daughter of Maria, heir to the Goddess Demeter. Who are you?"

"I know not of which Goddess you speak," it replied. "I am Urbat. What have you done with the people?"

"I hate to be the one to break this to you, big guy," I said, using a huge BBQ fork to flip the lamb over. "But many years have passed since your kind last roamed the earth. Thousands, actually. I'm afraid you just don’t belong here anymore."

The Demon raised its head and began to laugh. It sounded like a slowed down version of a hyena I might have heard on Wild Kingdom when I was a kid. When it was done, its eyes returned their gaze to me.

"It matters not," it said, raising and sweeping its huge, spiny arms around. "Think you that these petty beasts and lesser beings can defeat me? You are less than nothing and I will drink your magic as I have from thousands before you. When I am done, it will be upon your bones I feast. Your offering is rejected." Then it disappeared and reappeared behind me. Lunging at me, it roared when Charlie ran between its legs, nipping at the barbed tail that had begun its swing toward where I was standing.

I turned around, my sword flashing, and took a swing at the momentarily distracted beast. The electricity arced as I cut into the flesh where its tail and body met. The Demon dissolved, reappearing a moment later, 20 feet in front of me. I heard the arrows as they struck its hide. It didn't even flinch. The bladed spear appeared in its hand and it swung out, cutting into a Were that had been trying to stalk it.

I heard Martin growl as he and Charlie lunged toward the thing. It swatted both of them aside as it stepped forward and grabbed the Were that it had injured. Holding it by the throat, its tail lashed out and around, the stinger burying itself in the Wolf's spine. The Demon then turned to Martin, who was just getting back to his feet, and threw the carcass at him.

Sending a command out to Sendy, I ordered her to wait until the Demon was gone before returning, not willing to risk her being injured herself.

"You gotta get him to stand still," I heard McDaniel say on the radio, the earpiece blaring.

"Hey, asshole!" I yelled. The Demon turned and looked at me, then spun around and threw its bladed spear. One of my Fae went down, then the spear returned to its hand.

I raised my sword and lashed out; willing electricity from the blade in the form of lightning. It hit the Demon at its center, forcing him up into the air and throwing him some 10 feet back. It was stunned, but only for a moment.

"I tire of this," it said as it got back up. It threw its spear at me, the blade aimed at my chest. I was just able to turn my body. I swung my sword, but missed. I felt the blade slice my side as it went by. I twirled and fired another round of lightning at the Demon. This time he was prepared for it, twisting aside as I had, the beam just grazing him. But it was enough to throw him off balance and make him angry, as if he wasn't mad enough already.

It picked itself up and summoned its spear. Raising it above its head it began to chant. Clouds formed and swirled. Then I heard a voice in the earpiece.

"Fire in...!" was all I heard as the rocket ignited.

I had a brief glimpse of a red dot on the Demon's chest, when a blazing plume of smoke and fire lit up the sky from behind me. I could feel the intense heat as it passed. My clothes ignited. There was a massive explosion as it hit the Demon. The concussive force threw me backward. I landed a distance away and tried to sit up. My ears rang and I saw smoke. Realizing it was me, I rolled, then patted at my smoking clothes before ripping my shirt off.

"You ok?" I saw McDaniel mouth as he offered me his hand. He'd told me about the risk of being too close when he fired, but I'd said it didn't matter. He needed to take the shot when he could, once we determined talking wasn’t productive.

"I've been better," I yelled, my ears still ringing. "Did it work?" I didn’t hear his response. I bent over and placed my hands on my head, willing the magic to heal it. A moment later, the ringing was still present, but not as loud. "Did it work?" I asked again.

"He won’t be getting up again," I heard McDaniel say. It sounded miles away, but at least I could hear his voice. "You look like shit."

"Thanks," I replied as he pulled me up. "That's about how I feel." I looked over to where I'd been standing, not far from the altar that had been blown aside like paper; the lamb and grate, lying in the dirt down the way. "Oh, and I think I burned the lamb, too." Looking down, I saw that my side had been burned as well, and the cut from the bladed spear still bled. "What about Martin and Charlie? They were pretty close too."

"Charlie just left. He went to check on the others after he saw that you were alive. The Pack Master's a little singed," McDaniel said. "He's being tended to. Your Faery already took him back. Charlie wasn't even scratched. He's the one that pulled Martin out of the way. Oh, and Browne will be here in a minute. They want to take custody of the body... for research."

"They can have it," I replied, wiping my face and running my fingers through hair. Damn, singed too. It's a good thing I was Fae. I'd never be able to explain the burned eyebrows to anyone at the office. "Show it to me."

I followed McDaniel to what was left of the Demon. There was one more thing I wanted to do before the others got here. Looking over the creature, I saw that its head had been crushed, and the rest of it looked like it'd been through a shredder. Except for its size and still quivering tail, it was barely recognizable. McDaniel's weapon had worked as advertised. This was one Demon that wasn't going to be a problem anymore. Still, I needed to make sure.

In addition to power in magic, there are other things that were different between a High Fae and the others. One was the ability to know and control their subjects. The old Gods had used that to their advantage; influencing their followers to fight for them, as well as tricking them into other things. But there was also the ability to search into someone's life, even their entire line using their blood. As in humans, blood was life. But in Fae, blood was also magic. The Demon might be dead, but it would take a few minutes for the magic to fade away.

I knelt and readied myself, then reached down and placed my hand in some of the Demon's blood. Everything slowed down, and then it began. Images flooded in. I'd once thought of them as scenes from a movie. But that wasn't exactly correct. It was more like you were in the movie itself. Scenes flashed and I saw through the Demon's eyes. Being pulled out of darkness and killing the Mage that had summoned it. Scattered scenes from the battle. I went backward in time. There was a nothingness that seemed to last forever. Then a different world, faint, but recognizable. Others of its kind were there.

I tried to focus, going back through the blackness and up to the moment it appeared in my time. There was a brief glimpse of something opening; some kind of gateway, when it was summoned. Some force of magic had created a hole and allowed it to escape from Hell. There was a glimpse of something else. Clouds and something glowing. Then it was gone as the images began to fade. The last of the magic in its blood slipping away to nothingness as whatever life force the demon left behind finally drifted away. I shuddered, and stood back up to face McDaniel.

"Any idea how many we lost?" I asked, turning away from what was left of the creature. I was still weak from the concussion of the blast. "All I saw was the Were it grabbed and another it knocked aside, plus the two archers that went down."

"The Were that got stung is dead. Whatever's in that tail is nasty stuff. I saw your two archers, but I couldn’t tell you how bad they are. Your Faerie got both of them out of here though. Hopefully that's a good sign. The other Were got up, limping but alive. I didn’t see where it went. I had to keep my eyes on the Demon. But all in all, it could have been worse."

"That it could," I agreed.

A moment later, Charlie returned.

"The injured have been taken to the house," he said. "The other Weres wish to claim their dead pack member's body."

"That's not going to happen," Browne said, walking up behind me. "At least not yet. We were watching it all go down. That thing had some kind of poison in its tail. It'll have to be analyzed before the body can be released to them."

"You're right, but they're not going to like it," I said, turning to face him.

"We've dealt with this before," he replied. "I've got someone heading their way to talk to them. One of their own kind. He can explain it to them." Browne walked over to the dead Demon and circled it before turning back to me. "As per our agreement, we'll take over the scene from here. I understand you have your own med team. Is there anything else you need before we begin?"

"No," I replied. "It's all yours. What about you? You want an after action report?"

"Won’t be necessary" he said. "We've got it on video. Although we will want to meet in a few days to discuss anything ese we find, as we also agreed on. You know, I wasn't happy with your decision to talk to it first, but maybe you were right. At the very least, we now know it was intelligent."

"Lot of good it did," I replied.

"Yeah, well," he said. "I never said it was smart. The two aren’t necessarily the same." He turned to talk to one of the other agents that had come with him before continuing." Now get out of here, Hoskins. Go get your wounds tended to. Fae Lord or not, you're bleeding all over my scene."

Looking down, I saw that he was right. What the hell? The damn thing should have closed up by now. I put out a call to Sendy, who appeared almost immediately. A moment later I was back in my kitchen. Then she was gone again; on her way to fetch Charlie. I started the coffee and leaned against the counter to wait.

Chapter 10

"My Lord!" Askel, the Fae healer said as she walked into the kitchen. "You are wounded."

"It's just a scratch," I replied as I filled my cup.

There was a faint pop as Sendy and Charlie appeared.

"Nevertheless, you are bleeding all over your kitchen," the healer replied, taking my arm. "Fae Lord or not, you are making a mess."

Even with the healing power of a High Fae, some things still needed attention. I could shut out the pain, so it was easy to forget the wound was there. But even though I could heal a lot faster than the others, it still never hurt to have something like that looked at. Especially since I hadn’t expected it to still be bleeding. Maybe the poison I had encountered had done something; or perhaps it was the blade. My wounds usually heal a lot faster than this, so unless the blade had been poisoned, this one should have been further along.

"Point taken," I said as I looked at the cut. I hadn’t thought it was that bad, but I let her lead me into the bedroom anyway.

The room was already full. Martin and the other Wolf were back in human form; both having their wounds attended to by Jen. The left side of Martin's face was red and he'd lost a bit of hair. Other than that, he looked no worse for wear. The other Were was being bandaged up, but appeared to be in good spirits, despite the occasional wince as she rolled the bandage across his ribs. One of the Fae archers was on the bed, naked from the waist up. His side had been cut into by the spear. Leaves and some sort of green paste covered the wound.

"Oh," Jen said as she glanced up. "Sorry, didn’t recognize you there for a minute."

"How is he?" I asked Askel. She must not have heard. She just poured some of the green paste over my cut and then placed her hands over the wound, muttering a healing spell of some kind. I felt the pain go away as the bleeding stopped and the cut began to heal.

"Do not move," Askel said to the Were when she went over to him. She pressed hard on his ribs. "Give me a moment." When she was satisfied, she let go before turning back to me. "You can again switch to your other form if needed. You will heal."

"What about him?" I asked, pointing to the Fae on the bed after I switched back to my human persona.

"Ellgar will live," she replied. "He does not heal as quickly as you. I put him to sleep. He should be awake and able to move in the morning. Antiopeia was merely stunned. She has already returned to Fae."

"How about you two?" I asked, turning to Martin.

"I feel about the same way you look," Martin said, his singed hair and eyebrows covered in the green paste that Askel had used on me. "Randy here is the least injured, except for his pride."

"... and a rib or two," he said with a smile. "Damn thing was fast."

"Sorry about the other Were," I said. "Browne said he had to take the body, but he'll return it when they're done."

"I heard," he replied. "I will deal with his people tomorrow. Seffria was a good pack mate and will be missed. I will make sure her name goes in the rolls of honor for her sacrifice. It is small comfort, but the pack has been avenged."

Small comfort, indeed. "Did she have family?"

"Just us," Martin said. "We will honor her in our own way."

"Okay," I replied. There was nothing else I could say. "I'm going to go clean up. There's coffee if anybody wants some. You going to be here when I get back down?"

"No. As soon as the healers release us, we have pack business that must be dealt with," Martin replied. "But I will call you soon."

"I understand," I said. "Let me know if you need anything."

Sendy let me know that she was bringing in the other Fae. They would return home the same way they got here. I threw on a shirt and thanked them individually for their service, assuring them that Askel had seen to their companion's healing. Each one spent a moment at his side, then returned to Fae via the oak tree in the yard. I thanked Sendy for her assistance, asking her to let Nikki know what had happened tonight. After that, she was free to go home to Malcolm. Soon after, I was in the shower, the hot water washing the blood away.

What had she done? I asked myself as I slid down to the shower floor and let the hot water run over me. I'd thought I was finished with her when we took out what appeared to be the last of her minions in the earlier raid. I knew she would to escape from Tartarus eventually. I just thought I'd have a little more time before I had to deal with more of her crap. I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.

The Wizard who freed the Demon had been corrupted by her as well. She'd been busy. Spreading cancer cells that just waited for an opportunity to strike. I wondered how many others were out there, and if any of them knew about each other.

What really concerned me at the moment was what I thought this one had done. He hadn’t just summoned a Demon... or four. The more I thought about it, it seemed like he'd also shattered something in Hell by doing so. But what? There hadn’t been enough time to search for details when I'd examined his blood. Was it something local to the Hell this Demon had resided in? Or was it something else? And just where in the multitude of Hells had it come from? Shit! This was not good. Had we solved the problem, or was it just the beginning?

"You ok in there?" Jen asked as she knocked on the shower door.

"Yeah, fine," I answered, pushing myself back up. Grabbing a towel, I opened the door. "Everything ok?"

"Charlie said I should come up and check on you," she said. "You've been up here quite a while."

"Sorry. Must have lost track of time. Anybody left down there?"

"Just your Fae archer and Askel. She really knows her stuff."

"She's one of the best," I agreed. "So what's next?"

"Martin needs me for a few things," she replied. "I've got to head out and meet him."

"Okay," I said. "I appreciate your help tonight."

"No problem, not that you really needed me," she replied. "I can’t really compete with a Fae healer."

"I needed you," I said. "As did Martin. It could have been a lot worse. We were lucky so few were injured."

She didn't answer right away, instead she reached up and kissed me before walking toward the door. She stopped at the doorway and smiled. "I'm glad you're okay... and thanks," she said.

****

"She's pretty," Askel said when I came back into the kitchen a little while later. She was at the table drinking water out of a glass bottle.

"Not you too," I replied, grabbing a Star Trek mug with Captain Picard's picture on it. "You've been talking to Charlie I see."

"I do not need the Fae hound to tell me what is obvious," she said, putting the bottle down and walking over to me. "Let me see your wound."

I lifted my shirt and she placed her hands on it.

"And what is this?" she asked, pointing to the barest hint of a white scar where the Gallu Demon had sliced me open and poisoned me with its tail.

"Don’t know what you are talking about," I replied, filling my cup.

"Your Were is skilled," Askel said. "Yet why do my Lord's wounds heal so slowly and his scars not fade? You cannot hide such injuries from me. Did the Demon cause this?"

"The wound, yes. I don’t know why the scar isn't disappearing," I replied, taking a drink from my cup. "Maybe..."

"Tell me what happened."

I told her the story of my first encounter with the Demon, and how it had not realized what I was until I revealed myself by using magic. I explained its use of the stinger on its tail, including how they had to remove the poison before my body began to heal itself. I also repeated its conversation tonight, how it said it had drunk the magic of thousands. Then I explained to her what we'd found out about the Succubus-like Demons. How they seemed to be attracted to magic as a life force. I also asked for her confidence, explaining my fears if any sign of weakness got out.

"I have never heard of such a thing," Askel said when I was done. "A pity there is none of the poison left. Perhaps a sample can be procured from the others. It would beneficial to know what this creature carries, should another be encountered. You say the other Demons sought out magic. Perhaps this one does the same; taking it from those around it, even as it stalks them for more. As to privacy, I am a healer. In that regard, we have the same thoughts as all healers. You need not fear your secret will be learned from me. Now, is there anything else? Something that would indicate that these Demons alone are not responsible?"

Aw, shit. What do I tell her? Actually there wasn't much, just a few bouts of dizziness here and there. But I was afraid I knew what was causing them. Still, in for a penny, in for a pound.

"I felt weak a couple of times before all this," I said, "But only after expending a lot of magic. That's never happened before, not until after..."

"After what?" she asked.

"After I told Nikki and Jay," I said. "And after I used my magic to awaken theirs."

"Then perhaps that is all it is," Askel said.

"All what is?"

"Magic is not infinite." she said. "A transfer of such power has a cost, as does any use of magic, even the smallest. You cannot give up so much of yourself without consequence."

"That makes sense," I replied.

"Let us hope it is only temporary," she continued. "But you must be cautious. Even at full strength you are not invincible. If more of these Demons are discovered, you are now aware of their powers, and can wait before revealing yourself."

"That much I already figured out," I said, thinking she sounded like Bernd, the Dwarf. He had always lectured me about being careful. "But thank you."

"It is my duty to my Lord," she replied. "I will say no more of this, unless you come to me for aid."

"I think I could use some rest," I said, refilling my cup. If there was one thing coffee didn’t do, it was disturb my sleep. "How's your patient doing? The other one, I mean."

"He is mending," she replied. "I will take him back after first light. It will be safe to wake him then."

"Do you need anything before I go up?" I didn’t need to ask any more. She'd spent enough time here patching up folks to know her way around.

"I will be fine," she answered. "Good night, my Lord."

"Good night, Askel," I replied, and headed back upstairs.

Chapter 11

The place was empty when I got up in the morning. Even Charlie only came in for a minute, taking a few bites from his bowl before disappearing back out into the yard. The downstairs bedroom looked like it had never been used. Quite a feat considering it had resembled a portable MASH unit just a few hours ago. Well, never let it be said that the Fae didn’t clean up after themselves. Okay then, I thought as I started the coffee. Demon down. Now what do I do the rest of the week? Actually, that was a no-brainer. The world didn't stop turning when one problem was solved. There were plenty more to deal with. Especially since I had a nasty feeling that this was just the beginning.

I started with a few phone calls. One to confer with Jay about what had happened and to find out when he'd be in Vegas. I wanted to meet with him and Nikki to go over a few things face to face. I also asked him to pass a message on for me. I still needed to talk to an expert about what I'd seen in my vision of the Demon's Hell. Especially now that we knew that Marissa still had followers out there. Jay had agreed with my assessment that the point of it all had been to create a gateway out of Hell; with escape from Tartarus being the most likely plan all along, and the Demon's a terrible consequence. The question was, if the Wizard had created a gateway, was it still open? If so, could something else get out? Neither one of us had an answer. But Jay was going it pass it along, in case anyone else had an idea.

I called Siegfried. Everything was quiet at the Neptune. Michael was pissed that he hadn’t been able to play at Demon hunting, even though everything had been quiet on the property, but we both knew that it was probably just a matter of time before something else popped up. I told him to tell Michael I would make it up to him. That made him laugh. After a call to touch base with Martin, and one to O'Malley at the PD, I headed down to the office to see how the rest of my world was doing.

I parked in the back and walked to the front door. Hailey was already there, working her own kind of magic on the phone, when I went in. She held up her hand to indicate that she wanted to speak with me, then continued her conversation with whomever was on the other end.

Hailey owned a legal services business. Paralegal work, document filing, subpoena services, that kind of stuff. She'd been in the business a lot longer than I had. We'd first met me when I was still a young rookie on the beat. It was a small business, and even with a staff, she acted as the receptionist and worked the phones herself. I rented office space from her so that I had a downtown business address and a place to hold meetings. That saved me a few bucks, not that I really needed that these days, but appearances are important, too.

Her kind of magic consisted of negotiations. That usually meant a lot of raised voices and enough expletives to make a truck driver blush. In this case, she was negotiating prices for some kind of legal work. Fortunately, she was very good at what she does, and her services, while not cheap, were sought out by a lot of attorneys. While waiting for her to finish, I poured myself a cup of coffee and leaned back against the counter.

"I hear there was a lot of excitement out by your place last night," she said as she hung up the phone. "Did you see it?"

"Excitement?" I asked, almost spilling my coffee. "What do you mean?"

"The plane crash!" she replied, picking up the newspaper from the counter and waving it in my direction. "That was just down the way from you, wasn't it? What do you know about it?"

"Oh yeah," I said, stifling a chuckle. "It was on the radio. Sorry. Didn’t even hear about it till this morning."

"Oh, you're no help," she said, disappointed, waving me away. "It said all the roads were blocked and everything. There was even an explosion! I thought you'd have heard something."

"Sorry," I replied, now laughing. I continued to sip at my coffee as I went into my office. Sitting down at my desk, I checked the few messages Hailey had left for me. They were the usual stuff. Calls from clients and messages from other PI's that hadn't wanted to call my cell phone. Typical.

I wasn't sure what the Wizard had done, exactly. Perhaps the spell only opened a gateway for a moment. But what if it had done something more? I decided to spend the rest of the week keeping an eye out at night, as daylight seemed to keep these things in check. Well, it had for my Demon. Knowing I'd be away from the office for a few days, I decided to clean up all my paperwork and make sure any cases I had going were caught up.

I've said this before, but being a P.I. in real life isn’t as glamorous as it is on TV. Most of what I do is pretty boring. Still, it has to be done if you want to earn a living, or, in my case, the appearance of one. Firing up my PC, I reviewed my case load and got to work. I spent the rest of the work day returning and making calls, doing research, typing up invoices, and writing the necessary reports. Pretty damn exciting... NOT! By the time I was done, it was late afternoon, so I headed back out to see Hailey.

"Just wanted to give you a heads up," I said as I refilled my cup. "I'm working nights the next few days so I won’t be around much."

"You slumming now?" Hailey asked, looking up from the paperwork she'd been absorbed in.

"Not exactly," I chuckled. "Just more surveillance. It's a pain, but it pays well." At least that was true.

"That it does," she said. "I'll let you know if anything comes up." She went back to her paperwork.

"Thanks," I said, then returned to my office to close up.

Just as I powered down the desktop, I got a text from O'Malley. He's the Lieutenant of Homicide at the PD. He's also a Fae, and the local contact for anything Fae related that the police might have to get involved in. He was also one of my closest friends. He'd taken me under his wing years ago, and was one of my mentors, both before and after I became a cop. I called him this morning and we decided to meet up after we both caught up at work. I texted him back and went out to my car, saying goodbye to Hailey on the way.

I pulled into the underground parking at Tivoli Village, got out of my car and walked to the escalator. We were meeting at one of my favorite coffee shops, Leone Café. I really loved this place. The coffee was good and the scenery even better. Ray was already at a table outside when I came through the glass doors from the back entrance. After ordering a cappuccino from a waitress I knew, I sat down and joined him.

O'Malley looked around for a moment, noted a few other Fae sitting at tables, then spoke softly in an ancient tongue. It was an illusion spell. One I'd seen him use before. If it's one thing this Aes Sídh (Irish Fae) was good at, it was the ability to make others see what they wanted. Hell, he'd done it to me for years before I found out what I was. Like the Wizards and Mages at the raid the other day, no one would see, or hear, anything, except what the spell projected. I watched as the people around us seemed to blur a bit as the spell took hold. A moment later, we were safe from prying eyes, or ears.

"A friggin barbecue?" Ray said with a laugh. "You invited a Hell spawned Demon to a barbecue?"

"It was an offering," I replied, chuckling. "Even if he didn't accept it. Besides, I figured I might as well have some fun with it at the same time."

"One of these days you're going to go too far," he said. "But, damn! I wish I could have seen it."

"Yeah, well," I replied. "It was closer than I would have liked. We lost one Were and I had a few injured folks as well. We had to take it out in the end."

"The EAB seemed satisfied with what you did," he said. "The Sheriff sent the report down after he read it. I went over it this afternoon. He's not too happy about the possibility that the gateway could still be open. Although who would be? We're putting out a couple Special Projects cars to keep an eye out, just I case. And there's one more thing."

"What's that?" I asked.

"As usual, he doesn't want us any more involved than necessary, unless things turn to shit of course." he replied.

"So what does that mean?"

"It means," he said. "Special Projects is going to notify the ranking Fae in the area, like they always do, if any more of these Demons show up. Guess what? That used to be Meredith. Now it's you."

"Well that sucks," I replied. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You handle it," he said. "Just like you did with the Demons."

"I did have a little Federal help there," I countered.

"That's what they're there for. But understand, this isn’t personal. With all the press these days watching everything we do, we can’t afford for some local reporter to hit the story of a lifetime. Any call suspected of involving magic will be routed to Special Projects. If it's anything out of the ordinary they'll contact me, after they notify you. Don’t get me wrong, they won't bail on you if things turn to crap, but they'll expect you to know what to do; without letting the rest of the world know what's going on."

It was amazing how many humans actually knew about us. Politicians, mostly, like the Sheriff, when you got down to it. But then again, they weren't all human either, so the number was probably smaller than I imagined. Of course they couldn’t talk about it with other humans, they were subject to a spell themselves. Although the Fae numbers might be small, there were actually quite a few in government agencies, especially in law enforcement, and they couldn't afford having attention brought down on them.

I remembered the Special Projects guys back when I had still been on the force, before I found out all about this Fae stuff. They had grown out of the old Research and Development (R and D) unit. Of course, I hadn’t known they were Fae at the time. How could I? I just thought they were all assholes. Like the EAB, when they came into contact with humans, they never said much. They just jumped your call and told you that they would handle it. It all makes sense now. But then? Like I said, prima donna assholes. Now, things were different.

"I understand," I said. "I don’t know if anything else is coming, but whatever Marissa's done, I doubt she cared much about collateral damage, or had just one back up plan. I'll deal with it."

"I know you will," he agreed. "Don’t worry, Meredith already knows. I talked to her about it on my way here. They've been doing this for a while, so they already have everything in place. What will actually happen is that they'll call them first, then her people will contact you for instructions. You can work out the fine print with her later." He sat back and waited for more questions. When I didn’t ask one, he continued. "Now, tell me what's not in the report," he said.

"Not much, I'm guessing," I replied. "Although I haven't read it. But I'm concerned that there's more in play than we know about. Especially where Marissa's concerned."

"Explain," he said.

"I thought she was gone," I began. "Not forever. I knew I was going to have to face her eventually. But when we took out her Mages, I thought that was the end. But when I saw her portrait, I knew I was wrong. This is just the beginning. I mean, just look at this Stockton guy. He's been missing for what? 55 years or so. Then all of sudden he pops up, freeing Demons from Hell in the process. First we killed her followers at Olympus. Then we killed all the Mages at Four Mile. Now him. This bitch seems to have her fingers everywhere. And there's something else. Something Ouranos said when he sent her to Tartarus. He said, if she escaped, she would fight again. That's what she's doing, trying to escape. So there's got to be more out there. I can feel it."

"That sounds reasonable," he agreed. "And?"

"The phones," I said. "The more I think about them, the more I think they may be the key."

"Why do you say that?" he asked. "Even if they were used to transport a Demon, how does that really help us?"

"The kid," I replied.

"Wait a minute," Ray countered. "He's in the report. He's just a dumb kid dabbling in the black arts. One of many Stockton used to his advantage. He's even admitted he transported the Demon using the spell on his phone, but only after Stockton told him what to do. Claims the phone burned up when the Demon appeared, as did several of his texts and half the house. There's even an overview of the scene."

"It's not that simple," I replied, somewhat irritably. "And he's full of shit."

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Look Ray," I said. "Have you ever met any of Marissa's followers?"

"Not that I know of," he replied. "You've seen to that. But I have met their victims, and that's enough for me. But there's nothing to indicate that this kid..."

"I don’t care what the report says," I said, interrupting him. "He's as much a follower as any of them and one-time transportation spells are their M/O. Besides, they're fanatics. You can't believe a word any of them say." I needed to calm down. "Ray, I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to go off like that. But trust me. He's as much her follower as he was Stockton's."

"Ok," he replied. "Forget the phones for a moment, and he isn’t going anywhere. The Feds have seen to that. But even if you're right, that doesn't help us with the gateway problem. What do you intend to do?"

"I have no idea," I said. "I don’t even know if it's still happening. I'm going to take the next few days and see if anything pops up. I've got a few other things I need to do in the meantime. Then we'll know, one way or the other."

"Agreed," he said. "Then we'll table this discussion until we know more." He waved his hand. The spell he had cast faded away and the world came back into focus. A moment later, the waitress arrived and set down our coffees. She smiled and we both thanked her. Taking a drink and letting her know they were fine, she left us to ourselves again.

"Now. I've had enough crap for one day. Let me enjoy my coffee and the view for a change?"

"Of course," I said, with a laugh, eyeing the group of women he was watching.

What I hadn’t told him was what I had finally concluded this was all about. It wasn't that I didn’t want to tell him. I just didn't think it would matter in the overall scheme of things. Honestly, I think it's all a game. Something between Gaea and Ouranos; God vs God. I mean, why would they care if they used us? It was something Bernd had once said as well as something Nikki told me. Something Gaea had said about needing me here, on this world. I wasn't sure what game they were playing, but Ouranos' action in sentencing Marissa to Tartarus might just have been a counter move. Was it Good vs Evil? Hell, I don’t even know if they understood the concept.

But this was the way I figured it went. I couldn’t have been allowed to kill her on Olympus. That would have ended the game too soon. So instead, Ouranos stepped in and put her in Tartarus. Even removed from the board, she could still influence those she left behind. So the game was still in play. I wondered if she knew she was just a pawn like I was. Even if she didn't, time had given her all the advantages, while I had been left in the dark. The question was, how can I win the game if I don’t know the rules?

Chapter 12

They had a good menu, so we'd eaten and talked late into the night. I exited the parking garage and started to head home. Suddenly, I got a weird feeling. My magic kicked in as it recognized a threat. Looking into the rearview mirror, I saw a dark car with 4 passengers a couple of car lengths behind me. Well, I'll be damned. I'd seen that car last week. Downtown, near the office. It had looked hinky at the time, but since I didn't see it again that day, I just let it go. I couldn’t worry about every suspicious car I saw.

I didn’t know who they were, but at least one of them was Fae. The magic gave me a pretty good idea that this wasn't a coincidence. Just to make sure, I made a left onto Buffalo, and sure enough, they crossed a lane of traffic to get in behind me. They weren't exactly subtle, but then again, maybe they just weren't that bright.

Of course, they could just be following to see where I was headed, but with four in the car, I was pretty sure they wanted to play. Now. I took a few side streets, weaving my way around, trying to decide where to lead them. Were the hell should I go? I did know one place that might be deserted this time of night. I probably should have called Ray to let him know what was happening; but at the moment, I just didn’t feel like sharing with anyone other than family. So I called out to Sendy, instead.

"My Lord?" she said as she appeared in the passenger seat. She started to put a shirt on, but I stopped her. It was dark now. They wouldn’t be able to see into my car and I wasn't going to have her stay.

"No time," I said with a grin. "Get Charlie and bring him here. Tell him somebody's following me and I might need some help."

"As you command," she said, a concerned look on her face as she faded from view.

She reappeared with Charlie as I was turning down the street to the park.

"Danger?" Charlie asked, his fur bristling. Then he realized where we were. "Dog Park?"

"Someone's following me," I said. "Thanks Sendy. I think we can handle this. Keep a watch from above, but don’t interfere unless I call you."

"As you wish," she replied, and disappeared.

"We'll take them in the park," I told him. "I'll leave the window down when I get out and wait for them at the benches. They shouldn’t know you're here, so don’t join me until they make their move."

He didn’t reply, but slunk down on the seat. It almost made me laugh, since he was a big dog and weighs close to 200 pounds. Still, I doubted they saw Sendy reappear with him in the car.

I pulled into the lot and parked. It was big park, and if it had been daytime, it would have been full. Between the park benches, children's area, and the adjacent Dog Park, it was a popular place in the daylight. At night? Not so much. If it had been the weekend, there might have been a few stragglers still barbecuing; but fortunately for me, it was deserted.

"Here we go, then," I said as I got out of the car. "Let's see if these assholes want to play."

I needed this like I needed a hole in the head. I'd taken a lot of crap for freeing the Lilin and with my loss of face when Nikki ascended to the throne, I knew it was just a matter of time before someone I had pissed made a move against me. Since these were definitely not Demons just released from Hell, I was guessing that's what was behind it. Between all that, and learning about Marissa's involvement with the Mage and the Demons; I just wasn't in the mood to play nice.

The car hadn’t turned behind me when I pulled into the lot, but I could still feel it in the area. When I sat down on a park bench, I reached out with my magic and sensed it behind me. They had parked at the end of a small roadway that intersected the park. It was a residential street, with barriers preventing cars access to the park, but open to foot traffic. They were just sitting there watching, so I waited for them to make their move

A few minutes later the doors opened and the two in the front got out. They went to the back doors and opened them. That's when it got interesting. The passenger was Fae, but the driver was human. A Mage or Wizard, I guessed. The slight aura of dark magic emanating from him was a subtle, but obvious, clue that he wasn't here just to talk. The others? They were something entirely different. They were Spirits. Wraiths. Ghost-like creatures of some kind. Not unheard of, but not common either. As soon as they got out of the car they evaporated into mist and slunk along the ground in the grass. Once they disappeared into the park, the other two stepped between the barriers and walked my way.

I thought about letting Charlie know what I had discovered, but then realized I didn't have to. His senses were keener than mine and there was no mistaking what these creatures were. They reeked of death. That's not unusual, when you think about it. You can't be a Spirit unless you're dead. Not every Ghost smells awful to other Fae, but these two certainly did. They smelled of dank, dark places and rot. Not a surprise, since the Fae they accompanied was of the Vodianoi.

Frigging Sergei. I thought he was smarter than this. Sending goons out after me? Was he kidding? We didn’t have the same rules as the Were did when it came to disputes with the other Fae—and he did think like a mobster after all. But just a Fae and Mage with a couple Wraiths? Even if they were probably Topielec, the spirits of drowned souls. At best, these two had been criminals. Sure, they were nasty little bastards if you were unprepared, but please. I was still a High Fae and not such an easy target to kill.

If I'd been just another human, they might make a difference; but come on... This is the desert. Those things did best near water. What were they going to do? Drown me in the gutter? They probably used them to incapacitate their target; the Wraith frightening the victim and holding him fast while they did whatever they planned to do. Overconfident. While they didn't frighten me, they were still potentially dangerous. I was glad to have Charlie at my side. Better too much than too little. I released the strap that secured my seax in the holster and shifted to have access to the gun on my back. Not that those would have any effect on the Wraiths, but I had my sword for that. Then I just waited for them to get close.

I could sense them as they glided toward me. Floating as a barely perceptual mist; they stopped some 20 feet away, settling into the grass, safely hidden. Or so they thought. When the other two were about the same distance away, staying seated, I turned my head to face them.

The Fae had a sword. He held it behind his back like he didn’t want me to know it was there; although the hand grasping the hilt, only partially hidden, made it obvious. The Mage had something as well. Something metallic. He held it in his left hand, concealed behind his leg.

He stopped and stared at me; a smug look on his face.

"I have a message for you," he said in a Slavic accent.

"And what would that be?" I asked, acting like I wasn't concerned.

"That a King without a crown is not a King."

Before I could respond, he brought his hand up. Damn. He was carrying a Mac.

I dove to the left and rolled as the machine pistol fired. The Mac-10 was a bullet dumper, firing a lot of rounds in a short period of time. But this guy was showing off. Used properly, it was a formidable weapon. He held the gun one handed, causing the bullets to spray in all directions as it discharged. Even without the accuracy of a proper stance, that was a still lot of bullets in the air; so I kept rolling until I was clear. At the same time, the Fae pulled his sword, and the Wraiths made their move.

A couple of bullets had grazed me, but they'd done no serious damage. I willed a wall of magic at the Mage as soon as I stopped moving, throwing him off balance. The gun flew out of his hands and tumbled through the air. The Fae was now running toward me, but Charlie was on him in an instant. Down he went on the grass. My sword appeared in my hand as I felt the first Wraith try and clutch my lower body. A quick movement of the blade, already glowing with lightning, removed its grip on my legs and it evaporated into mist. I jumped up to face the second one.

The appearance of my sword had startled it, and I rushed it before it could retreat. Cleaving it in two, the lightning within the blade sent whatever life-force the Wraith contained back to where it belonged; the mist evaporating as quickly as the first one had. Turning back to my other opponents, I saw that Charlie was finishing off the Fae that had held the sword; his jaws firmly clamped around its neck. The Mage was still trying to recover and I leapt toward him. Before I could reach him, he pulled out a wand and fired a spell toward me. I batted it aside with a thought as the magic within me raged. His skills were simply not powerful enough for what I had become.

He now held another object and raised it above his head, preparing to throw it at me. Before he could complete the movement, my sword was in his chest and he fell to the ground. Shit! I hadn’t really wanted to kill him. I was actually hoping to get some information. I'd known they probably couldn’t beat me, but I could have been wrong about his skills or weapons. I turned to check on Charlie. His opponent wasn't getting up either.

"Damn," I said to him. "I was hoping we'd take at least one of them alive."

"Sword and knife," Charlie said, looking over to at the dead Fae; a double edged knife still clutched in his hand.

"What of the others?" he asked, his head swiveling as if searching for the other two.

"Some kind of Wraith," I replied. "No match for my sword." I bent down and picked up the knife, then collected the sword that had fallen by its side. Placing them on a table, I went back to the Mage. His gun was a few feet away, so I gathered that up and grabbed a phone I found in his pocket. There was nothing else. Then I bent down to see what he was going to throw at me.

It was made of gold, or a mixture of gold and other metals. It was some type of orb and there were ornate engravings on it. One looked like the letter B, with some sort of arrow beside it, but that symbol, unlike the rest of the surface, was so worn it was difficult to tell. It had to be a weapon of some type. Why act like he was going to throw it at me if it was anything else. The craftsmanship was superb; almost too perfect. Except for the worn image, it could have been made yesterday. Not even a seam was visible. Not something I expected to be in the hands of a Mage that acted like a two-bit gangster. Whoever had created this was a master artisan. I wondered where it came from. I called to Charlie to take a look.

"Have you ever seen one of these?" I asked, still kneeling over the body.

"No," he said, sniffing it as I held it out. "Perhaps the Dwarves."

"Dwarves?" I asked. That's all I needed. A connection between Sergei and the Dwarves could spell real problems. Not only for me, but for all the Fae in the valley. "Are you certain?"

"No," he replied. "But it smells of danger. A weapon, I think."

"But what does it do?" I asked aloud as I examined it. Obviously, it was meant to be thrown, and the arrow image was telling. I was just about to throw it and see what happened when something in my brain tickled. Then Sendy appeared.

"My Lord," she said. "Something approaches from the north. Something dark. I cannot yet tell what it is."

"It is Fae," Charlie said. He shifted and held his head high, sniffing the air.

"Is it evil?" I asked, now sensing the being as well. There was a hint of darkness present.

"No threat," he replied, lowering his snout. "Not to us."

Somewhat relieved, I quickly checked the Fae's body. He hadn't been carrying anything else, so I stood up to see what was approaching. I'd check the car later.

"Ah," Sendy said, a moment later, when it got closer. "It is of the Keres. I did not know that any of them dwelled in this place."

As Sendy spoke, I saw the creature come into view over the houses north of the park. It floated like a dark cloud travelling on the wind toward us. Keres? As in descended from Nyx, Goddess of the Night? They may be Fae, all right, but they were Death-Spirits. Not exactly the kind of gals you invited over to the weekly barbecue. I'd never heard of them being here either. I wondered where this one had come from.

She rode on a cloud that looked like gossamer wisps of black, slowly moving around her body, offering glimpses of flesh, here and there. As she settled down in front of me, the cloud tightened; now a black gown of slowly moving dark mist. At first, she looked beautiful, with firm breasts, and a body more... curvy than most Fae. Like a Goddess in an old portrait. But every now and then, as her face turned, a glimpse of something terrible would come to the surface. That being was not lovely. Her fierce eyes, pointed teeth, and claw like hands, were disturbing to look upon, to say the least.

She glanced over at Charlie and Sendy. Something about him made her pause. She ignored Sendy, but stopped and bowed to him. I waited to see what she would do next. She walked toward me; cautiously sizing me up, her head and body twisting and turning like a bird, as if sampling my aura as she approached.

"Why does a Fae Lord send me these gifts?" she finally asked, bowing to me. She drew out each word as she spoke. Then she opened a claw like hand to reveal two black, shiny lumps of what looked like obsidian.

"Did I?" I asked. I suppressed a shudder as I somehow recognized what she held. They were the hardened souls of the Wraiths I had killed."

"And the others?" she asked, closing her hand and pointing to the Mage and Fae that lay on the grass.

I turned to Sendy, as if to ask what she meant.

"Their fate is sealed," she said. "Nothing she will do to them will change that."

Now I'm not one to wish ill upon a dead enemy; even ones as vile as those two had been. But she was Fae, and if their fates were sealed, it really didn’t matter what I thought, or did.

"What do you offer?" I asked, figuring there may be more I could learn from this being.

"I will deliver them to the dark realms. Thus freeing you from having to deal with them."

"You would have done that anyway," I replied. She was smarter than she appeared to be. Ghoulish or not, offering nothing was the first step in any hard negotiation.

"My Lord is wise," she said, a smile coming onto her face before the image changed. Her teeth gnashed as she tried to decide what to say next.

"I am Robert of the Dryad," I said, before she could counter. "And this Karalos and Sendy. Take them as my gift. But first, tell me your name."

"My name, my Lord?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes," I said. "Your name. So that I may call upon you." Shit, that didn’t come out right. "Just to talk," I added quickly

"Kyras, my Lord," she said a moment later, in an almost dreamy voice. Her eyes fluttering as her cloud of black lifted her up from the ground. "I am Kyras," she repeated, and floated closer, a curious look in her eyes as she hovered for a moment in front of me. I almost thought that she was going to try and kiss me. Then, without another word, she was up and over my head, swooping down behind me onto the bodies. Her cloud of dark mist encompassed them, and before I could register what she was doing, they were gone. She was but a smoky mist, heading back the way she had come from.

"See where she goes," I said to Sendy. "If you can, follow her without being seen."

She just nodded, then disappeared.

Charlie was giving me that look. The one reserved for times when I threw the ball over the wall when we were playing.

"What?" I asked.

"Her name?"

"Hey," I said. "How do I know what to say to a Death Spirit? Besides, she might prove useful later."

It was just her name. But he obviously thought I'd done something inappropriate. This from the dog that tries to set me up with every pretty Fae I meet. Ok, she was a Death Spirit, and probably not my type. I wasn't hitting on her; but that wasn't the point. Screw it. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the golden orb I'd taken from the Mage.

"Can we move on now?" I asked.

There was no reply, but he did relax a bit.

"Good," I said. "Now let's see what this thing does."

Chapter 13

"Flirting with a Death Spirit?" Michael asked as he lifted his cup. "I wish I could have been there to see that."

"I was not flirting," I said, blushing at the thought.

"Ok, ok, if you say so," Michael said, laughing. "But you have to admit, it's still funny."

We were sitting in his office at the Neptune, sipping coffee as we waited for Siegfried to show up. It was late, and he had been off property when I called to set up this meeting.

"You've got me there," I admitted. "But how was I supposed to know that asking her name was flirting? Anyway. Back to the point. What was she doing there in the first place? I've been in quite a few battles, and she's never appeared before now. Where did she come from? Could this be related to the Demons escaping, or was she already here?"

"She's a Fae," Michael said. "A descendant of Nyx. Not the kind we generally deal with. But I do know that the Keres have been seen here before. I hear they were quite common during the Civil War. So I doubt it's related to the appearance of the Demons."

"But where did she come from?" I asked as Siegfried came into the room.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, pouring himself a cup of coffee before taking a seat on the couch behind me. "What are we discussing?"

I hadn’t had a chance to tell him about what happened. He'd been busy when I set up the meeting and I had only spoken with Michael.

"Robert's been flirting with a Death Spirit," Michael said before I could reply.

"A Death Spirit?" Siegfried repeated. "What type?"

"A Keres," I replied. "And I wasn't flirting..."

"Oh," Siegfried said. "I was hoping you were going to tell me it was a Valkyrie. It's a shame, but none have been seen since The Fall. Where did you find her at?"

"Wait... Wait... You're going to love this part," Michael said with a laugh. "He traded bodies for her name!"

"Bodies? What bodies?" Siegfried blurted out, almost spilling his coffee. "Excuse me? He asked for her name?"

"Can we start over please?" I asked.

"Yes. Please do," Siegfried said, glancing at Michael who was still chuckling. "From the beginning."

I repeated what had happened at the park, including the fact that the Mage had carried the orb. When I was finished, I took it out of my pocket and set it on Michael's desk, along with the registration I had taken from their car. The phone I kept for myself, having already decided to have Mal take a look at it.

"What in the ...?" Siegfried said as he got up to take a closer look.

"Do you know what it is?" Michael asked.

"It's a weapon," I said, picking it up. "Quite effective. If you like to dismember your enemies one at a time, anyway."

"What does it do?" Siegfried asked.

"I tested it on a park bench last night," I said. "On impact, a shitload of thin, gold metal filaments, chainlike, with barbs, shot out and encircled it, then coiled up and retracted, slicing it to pieces. The metal legs didn’t even faze it. It just cut right through them."

"Ouch," Michael said.

"My thoughts exactly," I replied. "But it gets better. It comes back to the thrower, like a boomerang, so you can use it again."

"A weapon of terror then," Siegfried said. "And magical. Which begs the question, where did it come from?"

"Charlie thinks it might have come from the Dwarves," I replied. "But he isn’t sure."

"Let me see that for a moment," Siegfried said, examining it after I handed it to him. "The arrow could be the old rune for Tyr, a Norse God of glory and law. But that is just a guess. It could mean anything; and I have never seen the symbol that precedes it before. Strange that it is only worn in that one place. But many races use symbols, and even the Dwarves do not have a common language."

"Well, if it did come from the Dwarves," I said as Siegfried handed it back, "then Sergei's dumber than I thought."

"But no less dangerous," Michael said, before holding up the car's registration. "I'll follow up on this. Meredith will want to know what is going on. She should be here shortly."

I'd taken it after rifling through the car. It'd been empty except for that, but maybe the documentation would lead us somewhere.

"She actually warned me about him," I said. "Just the other day."

"Still," Siegfried said. "It is odd that such a device would be in the hands of... What did you call him? An amateur gangster? Sergei is no fool. He may use such Mages as tools, but I find it hard to believe he would trust one with something like this. If it did indeed come from him."

"Which is the only reason I didn't have Sendy take me to his office and use the damn thing on him myself," I replied. "I can’t prove anything. He's not a Vodianoi Lord, nor was it the Fae that carried it. It could mean anything, or nothing."

"And we have heard no news of attacks with weapons such as this," Siegfried said. "As for the symbol, if it is Tyr's, then it would not be unusual for the owner to engrave it on his weapon as a dedication, to strengthen his chances in battle. But your description of the Mage does not make that likely."

"That doesn’t leave us with very much to go on," Michael said.

"No it does not," said Siegfried. "And the engraving could have been made by anyone; the maker or the owner. What do you plan to do with it?"

"Give it to Jay when I'm done with it, I guess," I replied. "Maybe they can figure it out. But first I want to run it by a few other folks. Perhaps one of the other Fae can identify the maker."

"Which brings us to the Death Spirit," Siegfried said as the door opened and Meredith came in.

"A Death Spirit?" she said, closing the door behind her. "What have I missed?"

I repeated the story of tonight's events. When I was done, Meredith examined the golden orb before replying.

"A disgusting weapon," she said, handing it back. "But I think you may be correct. Such a thing would not be given lightly, and Sergei has little faith in those not of the Fae. I have no doubt that he was behind the attack, but I do not believe that even he would give such a device to an outsider, especially a Mage of such low caliber. This is disturbing. First the Demons, and now this Mage. We have had conflicts here before, but never have I seen a weapon like this. Gaea's words to your daughter are becoming even more ominous. Then there is the matter of the Death Spirit."

"What's the deal with her, anyway?" I asked. "Forget the name part for a moment. Why is she here?"

"They are not unheard of," Meredith said. "They are often heralds of doom, since they are seldom seen unless many deaths have occurred; such as in war. But you say Sendy followed her to a cemetery?"

"Yeah," I replied. "There's one not too far from my house."

"Strange," she said. "Yet not unprecedented. There must be a doorway there. Siegfried, have we had any contact with such Fae that I am not aware of?"

"No," Siegfried said. "Not since I came to the valley."

"You said doorway," I asked, looking at Meredith. "What kind of doorway?"

"One to their lands in the Underworld," Siegfried replied for her. "It is said they feed upon the dead, and send their souls to Hades for judgement."

"I hope it's not as messed up down there as the rest of the place is," I replied. I thought back to my trip to the gates of Hades with Meredith, to bathe in the waters of the Mnemosyne, the river of memory. Once the home of the Titan by the same name; we retrieved water from there, as well as the river Lethe, to create a potion to allow us entrance to a hidden stronghold of Marissa's followers. I also bathed there, letting the waters help me control the magic I was gifted with. On our way there, we'd found the entrance to Hades in disarray. Peopled by mindless creatures that had been unable to complete the journey across the river Acheron to reach the gates themselves. It had not been a fun experience.

"It is likely there is a connection to the Demons then. Albeit if only related to their deaths," Meredith said, taking a seat on the couch. "The gates, the Demons, Gaea's warning, the appearance of the Death Spirit at a location so close to your home. Robert, perhaps she can tell us more. You seem to have struck a chord with her, or she would not have given you her name."

"Great," I replied, resigned to the fact that I would have to attempt to contact her. "Okay. Let me see what I can do."

"Seek Diantha's advice before you attempt contact," Meredith said. "She may have wisdom to impart when it comes to such beings."

"It wouldn't surprise me." I replied. "That's a good idea."

"Now. The other issue," Meredith said. "I received word from O'Malley. It appears you are now the ranking Fae in the area, according to the government."

"So I've been told," I replied. "Sorry about that. I could use some help setting things up."

"Not to worry, there is no offense taken. Do not be concerned. We have a system already in place," she said with the hint of a smile. "It will be good to share the expenses with another that has the resources, as you do."

I now controlled the wealth of the Dryads here in the human realm. There were controls in place, so I couldn’t squander it, but costs such as this were just part of doing business on the human plane. It was okay, we could afford it.

"Rest assured we will assist you in any way possible." she added. "Siegfried and Michael will continue to be your contacts here for those matters. We can iron out any formal agreements later."

"It's really not that big of a deal," Michael said. "We've already done things together. This is no different. When we are notified, we'll call you. Together we can handle almost anything that comes up."

"Thank you," I said. "I'm sure I'll figure it out. In the meantime, let's hope things quiet down a bit until we can get a handle on exactly what is going on." After a few more minutes of discussion about the matter, I headed back out to my car and the ride home.

I thought my day was finally done. But I was barely halfway home before the phone rang. Keying my Bluetooth, I answered.

"Didn’t I just leave there?" I quipped, as I recognized Michael's number.

"No rest for the weary," he replied, "or the wicked. But this is business. We just got a call from the PD. SP's watching something strange at a park off west Alexander. It came in off the mountain. Now it's just wandering around. They pulled back. But they say it's one of ours, so they're just monitoring."

"Did they say what it was?"

"You're gonna love this," he replied. "It's some kind of Centaur. But they say it isn’t normal."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," he replied. "We don’t always get complete info from these guys. They just said it didn’t look right. The SP unit is in a white van parked on Alexander at Majestic Park. Maybe they'll have more by the time you get there. Keep me posted." I heard another phone ring in the background and Michael told me to hang on for a minute. He got back on the phone a few seconds later. "That was Siegfried. He says he'll meet you there."

He must have left shortly after I did. Since Siegfried lived in Summerlin, we'd probably get there close to the same time. I continued up the highway and took it to the 215. Getting off on Cheyenne, I weaved through the side streets to the park he was talking about. It was just south of Lone Mountain. The actual mountain, not the street. Parking next to the white van, I got out just in time to see an officer walking backward down a hill in the park. He came around the fence to meet me.

"You must be Hoskins," he said. "I'm Douglas Davey, Special Projects. My partner's circling the park, making sure this is the only one."

"What do we have?" I asked. I noted that he wasn't emanating much in the form of magic. I could tell he was a Mage, but he wasn't broadcasting.

"Similar to a Centaur. Or at least a hybrid of some type," he replied. "Never seen anything like it. Half bull, I think, with a human-like upper body and face. Big bastard, too. But it's not normal."

"Not normal?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

"Hold on," he said, watching as a black Tahoe pulled into the lot and then came in our direction. It was Siegfried.

"Glad you could make it," Davey said as he walked up to join us.

"What have I missed?" Siegfried asked.

"Just getting ready to cover it," Davey replied. "Like I was telling Hoskins here, the creature is some kind of hybrid. Half bull or something along those lines, but a lot bigger. Upper torso is human-like; face is flat with ears that hang down. It's wearing some kind of gold colored armor on its legs and arms. It's like nothing I've ever seen. I snapped a pic. Here, take a look." He held out his cell phone and I took it to see what it looked like, sharing the picture with Siegfried.

The image was grainy, but recognizable. The creature had been walking through the parking lot, heading for the fields when it was taken. It had the body of a bull and the upper arms and torso of a man. Or at least it was similar to a man. Like he said, the face looked flat. I couldn’t tell exactly how much, as the image captured only the profile of its head. But it looked almost squared off in front. The nose barely protruded out, and except for what looked like a beard, there wasn't much else of the face that could be seen except for the ears. It wore some type of smooth armor, covering its legs and arms, with joints that were circular, to allow movement. It had a small tail and some sort of protrusion on its back. I'd never seen anything like it, either.

"Where is it now?" Siegfried asked.

"It was still wandering around the park when I pulled back," Davey said. "It knows I'm here. Looked straight at me when I first crested the hill but it didn’t seem to care. We read your report about these things being drawn to magic, so we both cloaked ourselves as best we could."

"Who else is out here?" Siegfried asked.

"Amadeus. He's a Were," he replied. "He's checking the area to make sure there aren’t any others. He'll also make sure we aren’t disturbed."

"What can you tell us about the park?" I asked.

"It sits in a basin," he replied. "There are several sports fields and playgrounds inside, surrounded by desert. The place is deserted this time of night, except for the creature of course. Last time I saw it; it was rummaging around in one of the concession stands."

"Any idea where it came from?" I asked.

"We think it came down from the mountain," he said, meaning Lone Mountain. It wasn't very big, as mountains go, but it was a local landmark. It also wasn't big enough to have anything other than hiking trails, so if it had come down from there, it would have had to have first appeared there or wandered onto it from somewhere else. Either way, it wasn't much help.

"All right," Siegfried said with a nod. "I'm ready. What are your orders when it comes to contact?"

"We've got some wiggle room," Davey replied. "We were told to back off and turn these things over to you, unless the situation warranted our further involvement. We can stand by as back up and make sure no mortals get involved. But you know me, if it turns to shit, I'll be there."

"Very good," Siegfried said with a smile, before slapping Davey on the back. "Then let us see what this creature is made of." He turned back to me and waved his hand in front of him, letting me lead the way. "After you."

"Let's do it," I said, then started toward the hill.

As we reached the crest, Siegfried and I both kneeled and looked out over the park. What we saw was a giant, bull-hybrid type creature just standing there. It was about 50 yards in front of us, between two fields. Its head was turned away, but it looked just like the picture. However, it was bigger than I had expected. It was over 15 feet from its hooves to the top of its head. It was broadly built as well. I could see that the armor covered its torso as well. It was some type of leather that looked like it was poured on instead of worn. Something layered covered its back. It might have been additional armor, or even a saddle, but I couldn't quite tell. Siegfried motioned to me and we both backed down the hill until we were out of sight of the thing.

"You think it's an escaped Demon?" he asked.

"Damned if I know," I replied. "But it's sure as hell not like anything I've seen before. The last Demon we fought had a head like a bull, this one is the opposite."

"This is not a Centaur," Siegfried said. "Like the Demons before, I do not believe this comes from any of our worlds."

"Let's try and make contact," I said. "Maybe we can at least figure out where it comes from."

"That did not work so well with the others." he replied, pulling out his sword. "But I do not know what else we can do."

I willed mine to appear, but did not engage it fully, holding just the hilt in my hand. After checking my gun, I nodded, then we got up and walked back up to the top of the hill. It noticed us the minute we reached the crest. Turning its head, it stared at us a moment before turning its entire body around. Ignoring me, it shifted its gaze to Siegfried. The short, twisted horns, behind its ears were visible now that it faced us.

Its back moved and suddenly, huge wings appeared, unfolding and adding to its bulk. It made a deep rumbling sound as a warning, before folding them back. Before we could react, it headed toward us at a full gallop. It was fast, covering the ground in seconds. We both dived out of the way as it came up the hill at us, stopping only after we had jumped out of the way. Now that it was staring down at us, it refocused its attention on Siegfried as we backed down into the park. We were highly uncomfortable with the fact that it now held the higher ground.

I tried yelling at the creature to get its attention, but it just ignored me. Focusing on Siegfried, it raised one arm behind its back, pulling out a giant battle axe before charging again, this time directly at Siegfried. He held his ground, and with raised sword, blocked the battle axe as it swung out toward him. The power of the beast's swing lifted him up and back, as it galloped past him.

I willed my sword to full extension and fired a bolt of lightning at the thing; hoping it would have the same effect as it did on the Demon. The electricity hit it head on as it turned to attack again. Arcs of lightning travelled back and forth over the creature's metal armor, but it seemed to have no effect. You have got to be kidding me! The frigging thing was grounded Its armor was preventing the lightning from getting through!

It turned its attention to me, but before I could react, Siegfried ran up to the creature, swinging his sword and yelling some curse to Odin. Their blades met and there was a fierce exchange, but the creature's size and strength eventually won out. It finally threw Siegfried aside, sending him some 15 feet away, where he landed on his back. Before it could react, I was on it, using my sword to block the great battle axe. When they met, sparks flew. But even with my superior strength and magic as a High Fae, sometimes physics just wins out. The battle axe I blocked for the umpteenth time finally lifted me into the air and threw me aside as well.

I landed on my side and skidded a few feet. The creature then returned its attention back to Siegfried who was just getting back on his feet. He turned and swung his sword as the creature reached him, knocking aside the battle axe with his own great strength. I got up and ran toward them, swinging my sword at the armored legs as they danced in battle. It must have had some effect, as the creature then turned its attention back to me, the battle axe missing my head by inches as I ducked to avoid being cut.

There was a sudden flurry of gunshots, as the Special Projects officer, Davey, showed up with a shotgun type weapon in his hands. The creature appeared stunned for a moment, then leapt into the air, its wings unfurling, and landing almost on top of him; knocking him aside as his gun went flying. I willed a force of magic energy at it as it stepped toward him, and although it slowed the creature down, it recovered quickly.

Siegfried was already headed that way to help, and I yelled at him to stop. I still had one weapon I hadn’t tried. Siegfried looked over at me as I reached into my pocket and pulled out the golden orb. Seeing what I held, he went down on one knee as I threw the device at the creature before it could reach Davey.

The device tumbled in the air as it flew. Just before it hit, thin gold filaments of metal shot out and encircled the beast, drawing themselves tight and forming a net over it. The thing stumbled, fighting at the strands as they grew tighter. Suddenly, there was a screaming sound, like metal tearing, and the creature was cut into pieces, blood flying in all directions as the filaments contracted. Then quickly reeling back into the orb; which then returned to my hand.

As some of the blood hit me, I again felt darkness, as I had when I'd touched the other Demon's. This time, it was different. A long nothingness, really long, then a glimpse of a bright light, tinged in red. Clouds and lightning appeared. For the briefest moment I saw.... something, then it was gone, only the view of the city from the mountain remained as the scene faded. Whatever this thing had been, it had been a long time since it roamed the earth, if ever. But what else had I seen? I hadn't seen enough to be sure what it was, but I thought I saw wings. A Demon perhaps. But then the vision had faded before I could see more.

"I'm gone 5 minutes and what the...?" I heard a new voice say, as the other Special Projects officer, Amadeus, came over the top the hill. He ran down to Davey and helped him up. "Judas Priest, Doug, you’re covered in that shit." He wrinkled his nose. "Man, that's rank! I though it smelled bad on the other side, but down here... What the hell was that thing?"

"No clue," he said, wiping blood off of his face with his shirt sleeve. "Would you mind getting me a towel or something?"

"That's the least you need," the Were replied, then turned and headed back toward the parking lot.

"We will have to notify the EAB," Siegfried said, walking up to what remained of the creature, now just a pile of bloody pulp. "Perhaps they can make some sense of the... remains." He pulled out his cellphone and started punching numbers.

"We'll need a clean-up team as well," I replied, stating the obvious.

"Sorry," Davey said as Amadeus returned with a towel and a few other items. "But that's gonna be your responsibility."

"Call Michael," Siegfried said to me as he lifted the phone to his ear.

"Got it," I replied. I punched in Michael's number and let him know what happened. He told me he'd dispatch a team.

"So what do you know about these things?" Davey asked, now somewhat less bloody after rinsing off with a bottle of some liquid Amadeus had brought back.

"Not much more than you do," I replied. "Some Wizard opened a gateway to Hell and these things started showing up."

"At least the rest of the city is clear at the moment," Amadeus said, coming up behind us. "According to our people, anyway."

"Let's just hope this is the last one, then," Davey said.

"Yeah," I said, kneeling down next to Siegfried. "Let's hope."

"What did you kill it with, anyway" Amadeus asked.

"Some kind of net grenade," I said, taking the orb back out of my pocket. "Took it off a Mage that tried to kill me earlier tonight. Ever seen anything like it?"

"Not me," Amadeus replied. "But that's more Doug's department than mine."

"Nothing I've ever seen," Davey said, looking at it in my hand. "Good thing you had it, though. I was shooting it with rifled slugs and it barely noticed them."

"Almost fortuitous," Siegfried said, a moment later. "From what we have learned, these things cannot be killed by magic alone. Yet the orb, although of magic origin, was able to destroy the creature. Metal is still metal, enchanted, or not."

"It is quite a coincidence," I agreed. I had to wonder why it just happened to show up earlier today.

"You say you got it from a Mage that tried to kill you?" Davey asked. "Where is he now?"

"A Keres took him," I replied.

"A Keres," he repeated. "What are the Keres doing here?"

"It was just one," I replied. "And I have no idea."

"What’s a Keres?" Amadeus asked.

"Death Spirits," Davey replied. "They take souls to Hell. But they haven’t been seen in ages. At least not here."

"What the hell is going on?" Amadeus asked. "I heard about the other Demons, of course, and I've read the reports. But now Death Spirits? Just what are we dealing with here?"

"That is something we do not yet know," Siegfried said.

"I'm gonna get Charlie over here," I said, after a moment." Maybe he can tell us something". I sent a command to Sendy, and a few minutes later, she and Charlie appeared. He ran up to me, checking to see if I was all right. By now, the Special Projects officers had returned to the lot to wait for the others to arrive.

"I know I should have called you," I said to him. "But there wasn't time."

"There is always time," he replied.

Siegfried just hid a grin. Charlie was never happy when he missed a battle I was in.

"You're right. I'm sorry. But just take a look anyway and tell me if you can sense anything else."

With a snort he went over to what was left of the carcass.

"What is it?" Sendy asked as she walked up.

"Some kind of bull-hybrid," I replied. "But not of our world."

"Like the Demon," Sendy said.

"Anything?" I asked as Charlie came back.

"No," he said. "Other than the foul stench, no other scent remains." Then turned as he heard a noise behind us. It was the Were, Amadeus.

"Dispatch just called. EAB should be here in about 5. Doug went to go clean up," he said as he walked up. "So who's this?"

I introduced him to Charlie and Sendy, both of whom he'd heard about from the local Were community. A while later, the EAB arrived and we turned the scene over to them before heading back to our cars in the lot. Before I could leave, Agent Browne pulled up. I gave him an overview of what had happened here, then covered my earlier fight with the Mage and my conversation with the Keres.

"The Keres appear now and then," he said after I was done. "They usually don’t socialize and since they are interested only in the dead, seldom come to our attention. Tell me about the orb. May I see it?"

"Sure," I replied, taking it out of my pocket and holding it out to him.

He examined it closely for a moment, using his phone as a light. He took a few pictures. When he was finished, he handed it back to me.

"It's unusual, but not unlike other items I have come across. I wouldn’t hazard a guess as to who the maker is," he said, not appearing too concerned. "There are several that craft such weapons, including the Dwarves. I've not seen this symbol before; not that I can recall. But I've never heard of one that tossed a constricting net either. When I get back to the office I'll do some research. I'll send you what we have. Do you plan on keeping it?"

"For now," I said. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"No," he said with a laugh. "It's a point specific weapon, so it's not what I'd call a threat to national security. Unless, of course, they start popping up everywhere. Besides, now that we know what it does, we'll hear about it if you use it again. I'll make a note of it in your file. Although we might like to examine it at some point, when you can part with it."

"I'll let you know when that happens," I said. "Anything else you need from me?"

"Not for the moment," he said. "We'll take possession of the body, or what's left of it, and then your team can clean the place up. We're still sifting through the information we gathered at Stockton's house, as well as from your battle with the Demon. I'm sure there will be some follow up requests when that's done, especially if we can link this one to the other. I'll be in touch."

When he left to meet up with his agents, Siegfried and I took a few minutes to discuss what had happened. We both agreed that there was a lot more going on than we knew about. Unfortunately, neither of us could figure out a way to change that. But there was one thing we both knew. We had to find a way to seal this gateway, or crack, or whatever the hell it was, before we ran into something we couldn’t handle. Now, we just needed to figure out a way to do it.

There were a few more things I covered with Siegfried as well. One of which was to have his technology Mage touch base with Mal. I had something I needed him to look at and it probably wouldn’t hurt to have somebody with him when he did.

Sendy and Charlie were waiting when I finally got back to my car. I let her know that Charlie would drive back with me. Before she left, I retrieved the cell phone I'd taken from the Mage and handed it to her. I asked her to have Mal examine it; but only after coordinating with Siegfried's Mage. Who knew what was on the damn thing or if some kind of spell was in place to protect it. That done and Sendy on her way, Charlie and I headed home; my fingers crossed that this day was finally over.

Chapter 14

I swear I had just fallen asleep when Charlie head butted me.

"What?" I asked, pushing his big nose away and pulling a pillow over my head.

"You must come," he said, nudging me again.

"This had better be good," I said as I sat up and looked at my phone. It was barely 5:00 a.m.

"Not good," he said. "Come."

Shit! What now? I pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and followed him downstairs and into the kitchen. The place was full and Nikki had already made coffee.

"Dad," she said as she pushed a mug into my hand. "You need to sit down."

"What the hell's going on?" I asked as I pulled out a chair. Then I it registered. Lucinda had returned. But what worried me more was the fact that my aunt, Cacilia, and Nikki were in my kitchen as well. That was not a good sign.

"There's no easy way to say this," my aunt began. "But we have received word from Valen. Bernd has fallen."

"Fallen?" I repeated, devastated by the news. Bernd was my mentor, and the first Dwarf I'd ever met. He was also my friend. "What happened?"

"Motgnir and Bernd were discovered near Dwarfheim, Grerin's stronghold in Nidavellir, one of the nine worlds," Cacilia said. "From what we have been told, they were planning an uprising. Contacting supporters while Valen was at Svartalfheim, gathering their forces. They were to meet up before confronting Grerin. Something went wrong, and they were attacked before Valen could arrive."

"Betrayed," Lucinda hissed. "There is no other explanation."

"Be that as it may," my aunt continued. "Valen has returned to Svartalfheim to regroup. With Bernd dead and Motgnir captured, Valen does not have the numbers he needs to threaten the Dwarf King, and he fears for Motgnir's safety. For now, Grerin seems satisfied. "

Dealing with all this mythology is a pain. Especially since some of the shit just doesn't make sense. In this case, Nidavellir and Svartalfheim are both one of the nine worlds of the Norse. Earth, also called Midguard, is one as well. Nidavellir was known as the home of the Dwarves. Svartalfheim, was the home of the Dark Elves. Problem is, they're really the same beings. I mean they're both populated by Dwarves, which is confusing as hell!

The big difference, as far as I can tell, is that the Dwarves from Nidavellir, Grerin's bunch, made weapons and other artifacts for the old Norse Gods. The Dwarves from Svartalfheim were more the counselor type, giving advice and the like. When The Fall occurred, we saw the difference between the two. Grerin's group sat back and watched the Gods fight amongst themselves, not giving a shit about the Fae that were suffering as a result. They figured they would come out better at the end, after the Gods fell. Valen's Dwarves got involved and tried to help.

"What about a rescue?" I asked.

"I don’t see how," Cacilia replied. "Only the Dwarves know the way to their worlds, and the gates would be well guarded, as are our own. Even if we knew where they were, it would be a fool's errand. Nikki needs the light and the forests of our home to harness power. The dark worlds are no place for our Fae."

"Sorry, Dad," Nikki said. "It was the first thing I thought of. But she's right, alone, and in such a dark place, without our Fae or woods, I'd never be able to repeat what I did the last time we encountered them."

"What about his body?" I asked. "Was it recovered?"

"When a Dwarf dies, they go to their own place in the afterlife. What is left turns to stone," Lucinda said. "There was nothing left of him to recover."

"Valen sent us this," Cacilia said, handing me his pipe. "He thought you might want it. To remember him by."

"Thank you," I said, taking it from her. "So there's absolutely nothing we can do?"

"No," Cacilia said. "But we knew you would want to know."

Everyone was silent, waiting to see if I would say anything else. But what could I say? There was nothing I could do. Bernd wasn't the first friend I'd lost since all this started and I had a hunch he wouldn’t be the last.

"Where does that leave us?" I asked after a moment.

"To be honest," Nikki said. "Now that Grerin has Motgnir he seems content to leave us alone. He doesn’t see Valen as a threat with Motgnir as a hostage. He has even withdrawn his Dwarves from the Fae worlds. But like you told me before, he's got time on his hands. There's no way to know what he plans next, or how many spies he left behind."

"Well, that's something," I replied. "Not that it makes up for Bernd's loss." I hate to be pragmatic, but what could I do? It's not like I could bring him back. I held my anger in check, knowing that there was no place for it at the moment. Instead, I spent the next few minutes bringing them up to speed on the Demon thing. Including the fact that Marissa had been involved with the Wizard that seemed to have started it all. When I was finished, I pulled out the orb.

"Then there's this," I said, holding it out in front of them. "It's a weapon. I took it from a Mage that tried to kill me."

"Jeez, Dad," Nikki said. "Gaea wasn't kidding, was she?"

"It doesn't appear so." I replied.

"What does it do?" Cacilia asked.

"It uses magic to throw out a metal net that incapacitates and then kills the target, by cutting them into pieces."

"That's disgusting," Nikki remarked.

"True," I agreed. "But effective."

"Who would make such a thing?" asked Cacilia.

"That's what I'd like to know," I said. "And why it suddenly showed up now. I had to use it to kill a Demon that attacked us last night. Something our other weapons were having a hard time doing."

"Maybe Gaea had something to do with it," Nikki said.

"It's possible," I agreed. "But why bother doing anything at all? It's too much like a game, and we still don’t know the rules."

Nikki didn’t have an answer to that.

"Did you learn anything from the Mage that carried it?" Cacilia asked, getting back on topic.

"He's dead," I replied. "A Keres took him away. I was thinking of asking her about him."

There was a hiss from Lucinda.

"A Keres is here?" Cacilia asked, with a visible shudder.

"Yes," I replied. "Is that a problem?"

"They are not like us," she replied, glancing at the cat. "They follow Death wherever he leads."

"That they may," I agreed. "But they are still of the Fae."

"Perhaps. But they are not known for assisting the living," Cacilia said, shaking her head. She got up from the table. "We have taken up enough of your time. We should return."

"Do what you have to do. Just figure out how to fix this," Nikki said. Then she hugged me. "And please try not to get yourself killed."

"I'll do my best," I said with a grin.

"Ok, Dad," she said as she followed Cacilia out the door. Then she smiled. "I'll be in Fae if you need me. I'll be back in a few days if you don't. Love you."

"Love you, too."

When they were gone, I locked the pipe away in my safe and cleaned up the kitchen. As I poured myself another cup of coffee, Lucinda jumped up on the table.

"Tell me of the Keres," she said.

I told her the story of the battle, then went over my conversation with the Death Spirit.

"You asked for her name," Lucinda said, almost hissing the words.

"I didn’t know it was such a big deal," I said in defense. "And no lectures. I've heard enough about it from Michael and Siegfried already."

Her tail swished but she just turned her head, as if dismissing me. She jumped down from the table.

Charlie, who'd sat quietly through the entire conversation, finally got up and came over to me. Butting his head into my stomach, he looked up. "We must avenge him," he said.

"You got that right," I replied, grabbing the big dog's head and looking him in the eyes. Now I just need to figure out how.

Chapter 15

I was just getting out of the shower when the phone rang.

"Good morning," Agent Browne said.

"Don’t you ever sleep?" I asked, painfully aware that we had both been up late last night.

"I used to," he said, with a touch of humor in his voice. "But then I met you."

"Touché," I replied. "What's up?"

"Last minute briefing on the Stockton spell. I was asked to see if you would like to attend."

"Absolutely," I said. "When and where?"

"It appears I've been tasked to be a driver again. I'll pick you up in a half hour," he replied. Oh, dress is business casual, and I won't be taking your weapons this time. Just so you know"

"I'll be waiting." After shaving and getting dressed, I went downstairs and poured myself some coffee using the same mug Nikki had handed me earlier. This time I noticed the You can't scare me, I have a daughter saying on the one she had chosen. Well, at least something made me laugh today. After a quick conversation with Charlie to let him know what I was doing; almost 30 minutes to the second later, Browne pulled up outside in his SUV.

"You realize your timing is impeccable," I said as I got into the back seat.

"I do my best," he said, pulling out onto the street even before I got the door closed. "I hope you don’t mind, but I found this one on the way here, so I thought I'd bring him along as well."

He was talking about Michael, who was already in the car.

"Hey, it's your party," I said with a laugh. "But seriously, what's up?"

"The EAB has deciphered some of Stockton's material," Michael said.

"Really?" I said. "Any idea what they found?"

"They haven't shared that yet," he replied.

"That's why we're having a briefing," Browne said. "And no, I don’t specifically know what information they've developed either. But Robert, you'll be happy to know that your son will be there. He should be landing right about now."

"Good," I replied. "He told me he was coming up, but he wasn't sure when he'd be able to make it." Then I turned to Michael. "Where's Siegfried? I figured he'd be going to this as well."

"He is," he replied. "And Meredith will be joining us. They'll meet us there. Siegfried was with her when the call came in."

We spent the next 15 minutes just chatting about nothing in particular, and then I brought up the meeting again.

"I can tell you this," Browne added. "Samson will be here. So whatever they've learned, it's important enough for him to leave Washington to hear."

"I hear they're bringing a Sorcerer in," Michael added. "But that's just a rumor."

"Gods, Michael! How the hell did you find that out?" Browne asked, tipping down his sunglasses and staring at Michael through the rearview mirror.

"I have my sources," he replied, a crafty smile on his face.

"I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that," Browne remarked, then began to whistle as he continued driving down the freeway.

"What's the big deal about a Sorcerer?" I asked, leaning in to whisper.

"I'm not listening," Browne said, this time not looking in the rear view mirror.

"Sorcerers are the big guns," Michael said. "There's only a few real ones in the world and they keep their movements secret. So if one's involved, then they think this has turned to shit."

"I'm a little confused," I said. "What’s the difference between a Sorcerer and a Wizard, or is it just training?"

"Oh, this should be good," Browne muttered.

"I thought you weren't listening," Michael said with a chuckle. When Browne didn’t respond, he continued. "Okay. Let's keep it simple. We're talking about humans now. Someone without Fae blood. In the case of a Mage, it's more of a traditional position, almost like a priest."

"I am not a priest," Browne interjected.

"I said like a priest," Michael replied. "Do you want to answer this, or may I continue?"

"Far be it from me to correct you," Browne said. "Please go on."

"Thank you," Michael said. "As I was saying, they're all magicians; and I'm talking now of someone who practices real magic, not the Vegas Strip kind." He paused to wait for a comment from Browne. When one didn’t come, he continued. "Mages are what we call traditional practitioners. They follow long-established principles of magic that have been passed down through generations. It's usually parent to child, but one can, if they have the right skills, petition to join their circles. They have a formal training regimen, and ceremonies that date back to ancient times. Acceptance into their order means that they also have to follow certain rules and exhibit certain levels of skill, before they can advance through the ranks.

"Wizards, on the other hand, learn magic on their own. They often start out as apprentices and learn the craft from one already well-established. There are a few schools of Wizardry, but they're pretty small, and they are very particular about who they let in. There are also, as you have already learned, Dark Mages and Wizards, with similar paths to learn the craft; but they don't mix as a general rule."

"That’s an understatement," Browne said. "Since they are our enemies.

"And a Sorcerer?" I asked.

"This is where it gets interesting," Michael said. "Sorcerers are... Well... they're almost like Fae. Pure blood humans that were born with magical skills."

"I didn’t know that was possible," I said.

"It is," Michael continued. "But they're very rare, as you might imagine. Most, unless they come to the attention of someone who identifies them for what they are, never make it to adulthood."

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Too much conflict. It eats them up if they don’t control it. Just think of all that magic kicking in during puberty. Every time they get angry, or horny for that matter, their senses go into overdrive. Very few survive without help. You have to understand; they don’t have the support system of a regular Fae; one that's born into the world of magic. They don’t know what they are, let alone what's happening to them. Their families usually don't either and they don't do well in society. Often their minds can't take it and they just go crazy."

"Which is why we are always looking out for signs of such individuals," Browne said. "So that we can help them understand what is happening to them. It's also why we go after any Dark Mages or Wizards that we come across. Too risky to let them find one."

"There's even a bounty program," Michael said. "Although you and I don't qualify for it, due to our positions."

The car slowed, then stopped, and I saw that we had reached our destination, the EAB compound near Nellis Air Force Base.

"You're going to have to continue this lesson later," Browne said as he pulled through the now open gate. "We've arrived."

I'd been here once before. That was when I'd first met the current head of the EAB, Samson. That time I'd been unceremoniously dropped off at the back door. All my weapons and even my cell phone were taken from me before I was let in. This time, Browne drove us down a ramp into an underground parking lot. He parked the SUV in a numbered space not too far from the doors. We got out of the car and went in through the double doors.

We entered a reception area like that of any government office. There were couches and chairs and a uniformed agent acted as a receptionist behind an open partition. Browne checked us in and we were handed identification tags. They already had our pictures and names. There was a mag stripe along the top of the back and they were microchipped. Mine had a small glowing tree symbol next to my name and I glanced over at Michael's to see a picture of a shield on his. It glowed as well.

"Viking shield," Michael explained, seeing what I was looking at. "Means I'm Norse. Yours is an oak, Dryad or Wood Faerie, take your pick. Meredith's will be three wavy lines in blue, symbolizing a Water Fae."

"How come I didn’t see these last time I was here?" I asked.

"You weren't cleared," Browne said, pulling his out of his jacket and clipping it on to the pocket. There was a simple M symbol on his. He flipped it over to reveal a standard I.D. badge. "We don’t wear them when someone unknown is in the building since they identify the core group and source of magic the wearer represents. Not everyone can sense that, so this just makes it easier. Last time, we had the three of you here, and since we didn’t know what you were, it was better to keep it simple, just in case. Can't have the regular folk thinking this is anything other than your everyday, top secret government office, and we do have a couple human contractors that come in from time to time."

"If you say so," I replied.

Like I said, I'd been here once before. That time had been a test, to see if I really was a Fae, and if I was a friend or an enemy. The test had also included my kids; something I had not been happy about at the time. But that was then. I'd passed and so had the kids, so here we were.

"Come on," Browne said, and opened the door next to the partition, leading us into the back.

We followed him down several corridors and into a conference room, already partially filled with agents. As we walked through the doorway, Siegfried, seated at a table on the far side with Meredith, waved us over. Ray O'Malley was sitting at the next table with Amadeus, the Were. I should have guessed he'd be here.

This place was a little nicer than the one I'd been brought to before. This time, the chairs were comfortable leather, and the tables, set up in a square, were made of granite. The place was obviously designed for the higher levels of government employees. It appeared that even here, your position granted you more comfort.

"We the only non-governmental Fae here?" I asked, whispering to Michael. "Other than the agents, I mean."

"Yeah," Michael replied. "But that's normal. As the ranking Fae in the area it's our responsibility to pass information along."

Michael and I sat down at Meredith's table, after having met some of the others. The room began to fill. It wasn't crowded by any means, only twenty or so. All agents except for us. Almost all were in business suits. Many were, according to their badges, part Demon. But there were several other Mages and Fae in the group. Seated at the head table were Samson and one other person. This was the Sorcerer, Michael pointed out.

He didn't appear any different than any other human, although I'd guessed he was somebody important just because of his style of dress, or lack thereof. His blue jeans and t-shirt stuck out in a room filled with business suits, and business casual dressed folks like me. At least I no longer felt underdressed. He reminded me of the eccentric scientist on a Discovery Channel show. Of Latin descent, he had long black hair, streaked with grey, tied in a ponytail. An ageless face, with piercing blue eyes and thin, but not overly so, lips and nose. Just a regular academic; but one that smelled of magic, and he was looking at me.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Samson said, standing as the rest sat down and the room quieted. He, of course, was impeccably dressed in a custom tailored suit. "I'll get right to the point. This will be a quick briefing. For the agents, most of what you need to know will be in the folders in front of you. But for those of you who were just assigned, we'll cover some basics. For our guests, there have been some changes in our personnel, so I wanted everyone to meet you and know who you are."

He made some quick introductions, recognizing us by our line and titles, asking us to stand as he did so. Siegfried and Michael, not surprisingly, were identified as warriors. That completed, a projection appeared on the wall. It was a picture of the portrait from Stockton's house.

"All right, now to the matter at hand. A few days ago, we raided a hidden mansion in the Mount Charleston area. The owner was an unregistered Wizard by the name of Frank Stockton," he said, pointing to the image. "He was found dead at the scene after conjuring several Demons, one of which killed him. The female is believed to be his... accomplice, for lack of a better term. There's a file in your material, but she is believed to be a Dark Fae, known as Marissa. She is currently a resident of Tartarus, the Greek Hell.

"We believe that Stockton, who, incidentally, was also an Alchemist, was trying to open a gateway to free her, but failed. Instead, he was killed by a Demon that he summoned. Additionally, we discovered that Stockton had several followers; one of which was also able to bring a Demon forth. These Demons have since been eliminated. Since that event, we have had a chance to evaluate the articles recovered from Stockton's residence, as well as identify more followers, who, after an operation last night, were taken into custody. I'm going to let Dr. Ordunez take it from here."

"Thank you, Director Samson. For those of you who don’t know me," the Sorcerer said, in crisp English with a slight Spanish accent, as he stood. "My name is Dr. Javier Ordunez. As the Director indicated, we have evaluated the items and information obtained from Stockton's residence, as well as partially reconstructed the summoning spell that he used. What we have been able to discover is that Stockton opened up some form of gateway to one of the Hells of the Underworld. In doing so he accessed a portion of one long closed, allowing ancient Demons, believed to be Mesopotamian, to escape.

"This is not the first time that something like this has occurred. Some of you may recall from your academy days, my lecture on the Etaples, France, incident of 1918. In that case, a dark Wizard, working for the Imperial Army, attempted to conjure a Mesopotamian Demon to use as a weapon against the Allied Forces. He was only successful in summoning the Demon here for a few minutes. Unable to bind him further, the spell collapsed. Unfortunately, that Demon, one of destiny and fate, also commanded disease. Through some quirk of the Wizards spell, the Demon was able to curse and infect the Wizard. Through that curse, and its transmission to the general population, 3% to 5% of the world's population ultimately died. Human history may recall this as an influenza pandemic, but the truth is, it was started by a rogue Wizard dabbling in places he should not have been.

"Although we have concluded that the same Demon was not in evidence here, the outcome could be just as dangerous. As you are aware, Stockton's spell has released at least four Demons, all of which were later killed by our Fae partners. A fifth, which has yet to be identified as a Demon, or other Spirit, appeared here after the original four, and was also dispatched by the Fae. What you may not know is that at least three other beings who are not Demons, nor Mesopotamian, have also been freed from their Hells as a result. These... humans, are being debriefed as we speak. What that means is that Stockton's spell is still active, and the doorway he created on the other side is unstable."

He paused as the room digested what he had said, waiting only for the buzz of voices to quiet down before continuing.

"Teleportation, whether by spell or design, is nothing new. Wizards and Mages have been summoning Demons for as long as history has been recorded. In most cases, once the spell has been cast the Demon appears and that is that. Another spell must be used to bind the Demon to this world. To open a gateway to any of the Hells, by itself, is not that difficult, but what Stockton did went beyond that. It was not a summoning. Instead, he created an actual doorway into the Underworld. One that appears to be moving between the various Hells; including those of cultures long dead and once thought lost and inaccessible.

"Hell is a relative term. There are as many Hells as cultures to serve them. Some are places of punishment, such as Tartarus. Others, places of reward, such as the Elysium Fields. They are also supposed to be a one-way street, to coin a phrase. With very few exceptions on record, one is not simply able to waltz in and out of the afterlife with ease. In any case, access to a particular Hell is limited to the people it is bound to. Once they are gone, the Hell is closed off. Only a powerful summoning can call a Demon forth once that has occurred." He stopped and looked around the room, then smiled and shook his head.

"My apologies, I did not mean to turn this into a lecture. Suffice it to say, that while we do not know exactly what Stockton did, we have been able to determine that he used a talisman, most likely one belonging to this Marissa, or Mary Aiken, as she is also known, and teleported it into the Underworld, attempting to create a portal to free her. Obviously, it did not materialize in Tartarus. Instead, his spell went awry, and now this same talisman is somehow jumping between the various Hells, including those once thought lost. While it could eventually make its way to its intended destination, which is a problem in and of itself, we have no idea what else will appear in the meantime. While we cannot track the spell at that end, if we can have a team close by the moment a gate opens here, I believe I can craft a spell to close it permanently. But timing will be critical. These gateways do not stay open for long. Fortunately, this phenomenon seems to be contained locally, so we have an area small enough to monitor."

"Agent Mark Browne will be leading the teams of Mages and Wizards assigned to that task," Samson said, getting up from his seat. "The rest of you will be coordinating with Lieutenant O'Malley and Siegfried Dorvaror of the Neptune to handle anything else that appears until we can get this gateway closed. Remember, should you be confronted, magic alone may not be not enough. Therefore, your teams will also be armed with weapons specifically chosen for this case. Your particular assignments and team make up are in your files."

"There is one more thing," Ordunez said, before Samson could dismiss the meeting. "As Director Samson indicated, last night's sweep identified several more of Stockton's followers. Two of which had these." He pulled a cellphone out of his pocket and held it up. "This one has been modified and contains a rather sophisticated enchantment. One used as a transportation spell. That is most likely what was used to convey the Demon to the boy after Stockton summoned it. We know that there are more of his followers carrying these out there. Once the spell, is cast, the phone is rendered useless. Do not take chances. It could be used to escape, or to bring reinforcements when confronted."

"That's it then," Samson said. "Agent Theno will be available to discuss additional resources if needed. Dismissed."

There were a few minutes of greetings between us, as many of the Agents stopped by to introduce themselves. Jay and I had a moment to speak before he was called away as well. He was going to be pretty busy today, so he'd probably grab a room at the office tonight. They had a number of single rooms for use during long operations. After he told me he'd see me tomorrow, I left him to his duties. As the room started to clear up, Samson and Ordunez approached.

"Do you two have a few minutes to meet in private?" Samson asked, indicating me and Meredith. "It'll be quieter next door and our agents will be meeting with your people to discuss coordination of assets."

She looked over and we both nodded. Samson then led us to a smaller conference room just next door.

"I just had a few things," Samson said as we all sat down. "I also wanted to introduce you to Doctor Ordunez."

"A pleasure,' I said, getting up and extending my hand as Ordunez stood.

"The pleasure is mine," he replied. "I had heard that the High Fae had returned. Pardon my saying so, but you are not quite what I expected; even after hearing about you from the Director."

"I get that a lot," I said, with a chuckle. "And I expected something different when I heard a Sorcerer was going to be here."

"No doubt someone wearing robes and a hood, carrying a staff, perhaps?" Ordunez said, chuckling as well.

"Something like that," I replied. "So how can I be of service?"

"To begin with," Samson continued. "We received word that one of the Keres made an appearance here."

News travels fast, but it wasn't surprising. Meredith, still the coordinator for Fae activities in the area, was also responsible for keeping the government abreast of any new Fae that came into the area. While I doubted that she passed everything along, the arrival of the Keres would certainly warrant a report.

"That's true," I replied. "One showed up after I had a run in with a local Mage and his troupe. That's the first time that one has been seen here, from what I've been told."

"The Keres do not normally socialize with other beings," Ordunez remarked. "As Angels of Death, their... interests, do not coincide with the rest of the Fae. However, as a High Fae, it has occurred to me that she might be drawn to you. If only to watch for your victories, expecting there to be many, as there were for the Gods of old. Should she appear again, we were hoping that you might be able to garner information from her."

"About what?" I asked, glancing over at Meredith who was suppressing a smile.

"While it is not known if they enter the actual Hells themselves, they do deposit souls at the gates," Ordunez replied. "I had hoped it would be possible to convince her to let us know if they see anything out of the ordinary. Such as the appearance of the talisman, or even a gateway or portal. With such a warning, we would be better prepared to find its location here. It is highly unlikely, but every bit helps."

"I thought you said you couldn’t track it," I said. "What good would watching Hades do?"

"We believe the Keres travel to many Hells," Ordunez replied. "Warriors that die in battle can be from anywhere. If that is so, it is possible that she could have access to many such places in the Underworld."

"There is one more thing," Samson said. "You are the heir of Demeter, which means you are also the heir of Persephone. Is it possible that you could go there and return?"

"I've considered that option," I replied. "But I've been to the gates, at least those of Hades, and I don’t know any way to enter, let alone get back."

"That is correct," Meredith said. "We have been there together. Even if one of the Fae could get inside, they would be cut off from their source of magic. Even Robert would have to deal with that issue. As best I know, there are none now living that can do such a thing."

"That is unfortunate," Samson said. "But it is the same with my kind. Banished from both Heaven and Hell, we cannot make such a journey."

"Wait a minute," I replied, Meredith's response made me think. "Let's say I could get into one of the Hells. Where would I even start to look for this thing?"

"That is something I have been thinking about since I heard that Stockton was tied to a dark High Fae," Ordunez said. "I had hoped that since you both are bound by your Fae prophesy, whatever talisman of hers he used might call to you as well. If it does, then perhaps you could locate it. Assuming, of course, that you could travel there."

"That's a pretty big if," I said. "And even if I was drawn to it, how would I get from one Hell to another?"

"I'm still working on that," he admitted. "You would need something that would get you past the gates."

"And we have already agreed that it would be impossible to test this theory," Meredith said. "It would be a fool's errand."

"I never said I was going," I said, raising my hands in defense." I was just curious."

"Thank you for at least considering it," Samson said. "It was something we had to ask."

"Yes," Ordunez said, lifting one eyebrow. "As I explained, it was just a thought."

"I understand." I replied, aware that he knew he had gotten my attention. "I will at least try to talk to the Keres. As you said, it's a long shot, but what do we have to lose?"

Chapter 16

"I can’t believe you would even consider such a thing," Meredith said as the four of us exited the compound. With Browne involved in the search for the gateway, we'd hitched a ride back with Siegfried and Meredith.

"Well, I had to at least act like I was considering it," I said.

"What are we discussing?" Siegfried asked, without turning his eyes from the road.

"They wanted him to go to Hades," Meredith explained. "As if it were that simple."

"An interesting idea," Siegfried replied. "Unfortunate that it is not possible."

"Even if you could get there," Michael said. "What makes them think you could find the portal, or even which Hell it is in?"

"Ordunez seems to think I would be drawn to whatever object that Stockton sent there," I replied. "He thinks it was something of Marissa's and thinks we are both linked by the prophecy of the High Fae."

"Sounds like he's grasping at straws," Michael said. "Did he have anything to back that theory up?"

"Not that he mentioned," I said. "But he's a Sorcerer. Who knows what his thought process is."

"Sorcerer or not," Meredith said. "That was an irrational thought. It is one thing to risk one's life, it is another to do so foolishly."

"I agree," Siegfried said. "There is still the issue of crossing multiple gates. How did he expect you to travel between the worlds?"

"We didn’t get that far," I replied. "So what are you two going to be doing?"

"Coordinating any future sightings," Siegfried replied.

"Not much will change," Michael said. "We'll still use the current system of notification. The only difference is that we'll field a few more Fae and pair them up with some of the locals and Feds. I've already talked to Martin and he's in. Hopefully, the Wizards and Mages will find some way to give us a heads up when a portal appears."

We spent the rest of the drive discussing policy. Meredith's people knew what they were doing, so I didn't worry too much about the specifics of the operation. I'd had my fill of Demon slaying, so sharing the responsibility was just fine with me. When we arrived at the house, I said my goodbyes and went in through the gate. Charlie was already waiting.

"You didn’t miss anything," I said as he followed me into the house. "Let me get some sleep. I'll let you know what we're going to do next."

A couple hours later, and only a little bit more refreshed, I went downstairs and started the coffee, deciding on a God does not protect fools mug that I'd found at a garage sale. I tried to figure out my next move, but my caffeine starved brain refused to cooperate. Instead, I waited for the coffee to brew before making any decisions.

Ordunez had a good point, I thought, as the caffeine jump started my brain. But not just because the portal needed to be closed. I'd actually considered the possibility before he mentioned it, but I hadn’t put all the pieces together to make it happen. And it wasn't just about the Demons. No, there were some interesting possibilities there. But first, I needed more information. Time to play investigator again. Contacting the Keres was on my list, but first, I needed to know about the orb.

Its appearance just hours before the fight with the.... whoever he was, was just too convenient. As was the ease of dispatching the attackers that carried it. And the Keres? Amazing how someone that transports souls to Hell shows up the day before you're asked if you can go there. Too many coincidences. I figured that Gaea was pulling the strings, but I still couldn’t tell what game we were playing. But first things first. I picked up my cellphone to make a call.

His name was Walter Ferrer. He was a descendant of Vulcanus, the Roman God of Fire, and an expert on ancient Fae weapons. Once again, I was meeting him at a restaurant near Sahara and the Strip. This time it was the Flock and Fowl. Walter had a thing for Asian fusion and this place boasted the best Hainan chicken rice in town. I'd eaten here before. Owned by the same Chef that had built Fat Choy's, it was another hidden gem among Las Vegas' finest eateries. Not to mention that the dipping sauces were akin to ambrosia.

"Thanks for seeing me," I said as I sat down.

"I've been trying to get out of the office all day," he replied, glancing at the menu. "Let's order."

"So what can I do for you?" he asked as the waitress left.

"I need to know if you've ever seen one of these," I said, pulling the orb out of my pocket and placing on the table.

"Where in the Gods!" he said, his eyes wide. "Hold on a minute." He took out an old lighter and lit it, muttering a few words of what I knew to be a privacy spell. When he was done, he looked around the restaurant. Satisfied, he turned back to me.

"Where in Vulcan's name did you find that?" he asked.

"Took it off a Mage," I replied. "One that was trying to kill me."

"A Mage?" he repeated. "Carrying this? Here? May I see it?"

"Just don't throw it at anything," I replied, handing the orb to him.

"This is odd," he said after he examined it for a moment. Then frowned as he ran his hands over the worn script. "Someone has obliterated the characters?"

"I thought it was just worn."

"Wait," he replied. Glancing to the side, he covered the orb with his hands and said a few words, the privacy spell lifting a bit as the waitress returned with our order. When she had gone, he recast the spell, then turned back to me. "Worn? No. Someone did this intentionally. I couldn’t even begin to tell you how. Bastards!"

"Walter," I said. "What are you talking about?"

"This," he replied, holding the worn spot towards me "It's been defaced!"

"So you know what it is," I said.

"Of course," he said, shaking his head "But how did the Mage come by it? And how did it get here? Its existence has only been spoken of in legend."

"I don’t know," I replied. "And he's dead, so I can’t ask him. So what is it?"

"Oh. Sorry," he replied. "It's just that weapons like this are a passion of mine."

"I know it's a weapon," I said. "I've used it. But where did it come from?"

"It's a Demon Queller," he said after a moment. "Or at least part of a Demon Queller's kit. It's ancient Chinese. Way before our time. Way before The Fall, as a matter of fact. The characters have been obscured, but I'm sure it was a weapon carried by Zhong Kui."

"And he is?"

"A Demon Slayer," he replied. "One of the best, too, at least according to the legend. He was sent out by the king of their Hells to return rogue Ghosts and Demons. The Chinese have a lot of Hells and apparently that was a problem in those days. He had a variety of weapons he used to dispatch them. This is one of them."

"You mean those that escaped?" I asked, holding my hand out.

"I suppose, since this is probably only effective on the outside," he replied, returning the orb. "Trying to kill a Demon or Ghost in Hell isn’t going to work since they’re already dead. They'd simply come back. Although it would slow them down for a bit. But why would he do that? He was after those that escaped, he would have had other tools to handle internal matters. We also know he could travel between the worlds. The legend says that he later became the King of Ghosts and would visit the Earth once a year."

"Why would someone try to obscure the name?" I asked,

"That's what I can’t figure out," he replied. "Unless it was to hide what it is. There is no way to know what characters have been removed, but there’s nothing else like it, so trying to hide it is foolish. But I am curious about how a Mage could get his hands on it in the first place. This thing is ancient. We wouldn’t even have known it existed if Zhong Kui hadn’t appeared to the Emperor of China sometime during the 8th century. Even then, it was only in a dream. But the dream was so vivid that the Emperor had everything transcribed. That's the only reason we know about it at all. This shouldn't be here. Wait, you say you used it? How? When?"

"Killed a Demon," I replied. "The other night. Well, at least I think it was a Demon. Big thing, like a Centaur on steroids, only it had the body of a bull."

"Damn," he said, taking a bite from his plate. "I wish I could have seen that."

"Trust me," I replied, picking up my chopsticks. "Be glad you didn't."

I dug in. I hadn’t eaten since yesterday and the meal was, as always, delicious. I spent the rest of the time answering questions between bites, but I didn't mind. Although he'd only given me more to think about, the information I obtained was interesting. It made me more convinced that someone else had already decided where I was going. If that was the case, then I needed to make sure it was worth it.

It was dark by the time I made it back home. First, I asked Charlie to go find Alf, then I started the coffee. As I poured my first cup, he returned with the Imp in tow.

"Sit," I said as I poured a double shot Middleton whiskey into a tumbler, before pushing it in the Imp's direction.

He jumped up into the chair, eyeing me warily as he took the glass and raised it to his lips.

"Tis just a thought, " he said, wryly. "Perhaps it is your intent that I become a wee bit tipsy." Then he downed the whiskey in one gulp, wiping his mouth with his hands."

"Just payment in advance," I said, noting the use of the accent again. He hadn’t used that one since the day he was first caught.

"How then, may I be of service?"

"First off," I said. "Let's cut the bullshit. There's several things going on and I've got a feeling you know more than I do. So tell me what you've learned."

"Much you already know," he replied, and preceded to tell me what I had already been told by the Fed's during the briefing. But then it got interesting. "The Keres is the key. Kyras is a queen herself, she can take you to Hades."

"Even if she leads me to the gates," I said, wondering how he knew so much about her. "What then? How do I get in? Everyone is telling me that it's a one-way trip, and I'll have no power when I get there. That's not gonna be much help. "

"You are not like the other Fae, as I am sure Bernd has told you. You do not need the forests and the light. You can draw magic from anywhere. But it is true; your powers will be greatly reduced in that place."

"I can find the way," Charlie said. "You will need my nose if you must travel there and I already know the dark Fae's scent."

"I'd already planned on taking you," I said. "If I can be sure of at least a chance of being successful. But there's still the matter of getting in; not to mention crossing the gates."

"It is true. Even though you are of the line of Persephone, you cannot cross the Acheron while alive to get to the gate," Alf continued. "But if you could find another way in, as the heir, you would be able to enter the palace of Hades. Therein lies the Helm of Darkness, as well as other artifacts. If you can acquire that, then all the gates will be open to you."

"What about Charlie?" I asked. "How am I going to hide him?

"The Helm is more than a simple cap of invisibility, as some myths have held. Instead, it shrouds your presence from view and senses, as well as anything with you. As long as he stays close, he will stay hidden as well.

"So all I need to do is find a way into Hades."

"That, the Keres can do," he said.

"I don’t understand," I said. "I thought she only delivered souls to the gates."

"That is true," he replied. "But that does not mean she is barred from entry. It is said that Nyx herself had a palace in Tartarus."

"How do you know this stuff?" I asked, suspiciously.

"Because he is a purveyor of lost and hidden secrets," Lucinda said.

I hadn’t noticed when she came into the room.

"As are all of his kind." She jumped up on the table, her tail twisting back and forth. "Usually dangerous ones, and not always accurate. But this time he may be correct. Now tell him the rest."

"I was getting there," Alf said, defensively. "You didn't let me finish."

"Wait a minute," I said, not sure if I understood what was going on. "Are you two actually agreeing on something?"

"In this case," Alf replied. "She wants the same thing as I do."

"Which is?"

"To return Bernd to the land of the living." she said.

If I was being led down this path, at least this was something that made the risk worthwhile. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be a cakewalk. I wasn't sure what they knew, or even how they knew, but both had warned me that my powers would be weaker there, and I couldn’t use my sword. At least not without abandon. While the Helm of Darkness would help the wearer stay hidden; Zeus' sword would stand out like a beacon in the night. Stealth was the battle plan here, not a full frontal assault. This was not my domain, after all, and each version of Hell had its own rules. I doubted it was even worth bringing a gun. If I was really going to do this, then I'd have to choose my weapons well.

Now, I just needed to call Diantha for any advice she might have as to dealing with the Keres. I could have guessed what she'd say.

Throwing some sweats over my Fae armor few hours later, I left the house looking like just another guy on a jog. The cemetery wasn't far, maybe a mile, and I took the side streets to be less noticeable. I always found it interesting to note the temperature drop as you got close. I'd like to say it was something otherworldly, but most likely it was just the large amount of real grass and the late sprinklers that made the place a bit cooler than the surrounding asphalt and desert. Cutting through a gap in the fence, I ditched the sweats and switched into my Fae persona. No one was likely to notice. At this time of night, the place was deserted.

I walked silently through the grass, just looking, and listening. I finally noticed her sitting by a headstone in the moonlight. She appeared in her human looking form, the mist turning and twisting about her as she moved. I could hear her voice, and by the tone, she seemed to be singing a tune.

"Worry not, my love," I heard her say as the song ended. Then she caressed the ground. "You are not forgotten. I will always remember you."

As I got closer, I got a glimpse of the headstone as she moved her hand over the granite. It was a child's. From the inscription, she had been eleven when she died, some twenty years earlier. How, I had no way of knowing. I suddenly got the feeling that I was intruding and started to back away.

She must have heard me then, because she twisted around, her form changing, and all of a sudden I was facing a monster. Head like a grinning skull, with pale skin and gnashing teeth, her claws stretched out toward me. The mist bellowed up around her, making her look twice the size. I took a step back, almost pulling my sword, but then she recognized me, and switched back.

"Kyras," I said, relaxing a bit. "My apologies. I did not mean to intrude. I can come back another time."

"No apologies are necessary, Lord of the Wood," she replied, in an almost childlike voice, bowing. "I was but singing to the child."

"Singing?" I asked without thinking. This was not what I had expected from the Greek equivalent of a Valkyrie.

"Death comes for us all," she replied. "Not every soul is dark and hard like those of the Topielec. Sometimes, it is good to remind myself of those that I escorted into the light."

"Do you do that often?" I asked. "Take souls to the light?"

"No, only rarely so," she admitted. "There are others of my kind that I grant that honor. But this one I knew, having feasted on he that slayed her, before sending him to his own torments."

"She was murdered?" I asked, fascinated by the conversation. I'd seen her briefly switch back to the monster when she talked about the girl's slayer.

"As the Fates decreed," she replied, before walking away from the grave and moving closer. "But surely you have not come to talk about the Night. You are a Lord of the Wood, and the sun is bright, even in your speech."

Whatever that meant. But she was clearly done with this line of conversation.

"No, Kyras," I said. "I came to see you. As I said I might the other night."

"Seldom do any seek us out," she replied, her voice changing, no longer childlike and dreamy. "It is said that even Zeus feared Nyx, the Goddess of Night. I am her descendant and I have seen how you look upon me when I change." As she said the words she shifted into her other self. A Fae persona of something hideous. The dark mist swirled around her as she stared into my eyes. "You are repulsed, perhaps even afraid, as are all of your kind. Yet still, you asked for my name."

"You're right," I said, maintaining eye contact so as not to appear revolted. I decided on honesty. Gruesome as she now appeared; I sensed no evil from her, and she couldn't help what she was. Which is not to say that what she had become could be ignored. She was of the Keres, after all.

"I do not fear you, Kyras," I said. "Although I admit, I'm not particularly fond of this side of you. But then again, I was raised as a human, and they have an inherent distaste for things that look like monsters; contrary to what their entertainment choices may have one believe. But the humans also have a saying: beauty is only skin deep. I've seen a lot of fairer creatures than either of us, whose hearts are cold as ice. They're the real monsters, and I can promise you this, none of them would be singing to a forgotten child. So forgive me my momentary weakness. Know that it does not make me think any less of you, for we did not ask to be created, yet each of us has their place."

"My Lord chooses his words well," she said, shifting slowly back to her other persona. The mist receded, and once again clung to her like a gown. Only this time it was more revealing then before. There was a glint in her eyes when she spoke again. "Tell me then, what is it that you wish to see?"

"I meant that I wished to visit," I replied. So much for my choice of words. "I wanted to learn about your kind. More specifically, I wanted to learn about you. I was also hoping you could help me."

"I see," she said, in that soft, cooing, voice again. "It is answers you seek." She moved closer, and ran one hand up my arm. "But what are the questions? And what help can I offer?" She put a finger to my lips. "Do not answer. This is not the place for such things." Without another word she raised her arms, and the dark mist encircled us. "Are you willing to accompany me to my home?"

"I am," I replied, wondering what I was getting myself into.

"Take my hand," she said, holding it out. She was smiling, but I couldn’t tell what the emotion behind it was. I guess I was about to find out.

"Let's go then," I replied, and placed my hand in hers.

The mist billowed around us, and then we were somewhere else.

Once again, as when I first visited other Fae lands with Meredith, I was on a sea shore. But this time it was night. Actually, it felt more like twilight; with just the barest hint of what looked like stars visible in the sky. A black sand beach surrounded me. The dark waves of the sea sounded like the ocean's pulse, gently breaking on the shore in a quiet rhythm. There was a sound behind me, and I turned to see Kyras standing there, the mist swirling around her body. Behind her, several meters past, a walkway led to the opening of a cave.

She turned without speaking and began to walk toward it. As I followed, the tranquility of the scene was broken, as I now realized that the path I now walked on wasn't made of sand. Instead, it was crushed bone. There was a cloying odor of rot in the air and I wondered what I had gotten myself in to. But as we entered the cave, a fresh breeze hit my face and ahead in the distance, only slightly lighter than the darkness that surrounded us, was an exit. It was then I realized that this was just the route to our eventual destination.

Chapter 17

"Welcome to my lands," she said as we came out of the cave. "Ahead lies the Temple of Nyx, the home of the Keres."

I was standing outside the cave entrance. The sky was stuck in perpetual twilight. It was as if the last rays of the sun were just about to fade, but never did. Even so, it was a beautiful world. Set within a large valley, the hills rose up in the distance, and everywhere I looked I could see forest. The temperature was moderate, maybe high 60s. A swift stream flowed in front of me. Across it, what I can only describe as a Greek inspired temple, sat on the other side. It was made of what appeared to be marble, with columns in the front, and steps leading up to a doorway. There were torches lit all around, and it shone in the semi-dark twilight between night and day.

"It's beautiful," I replied as I followed her across a small bridge that led to the other side of the stream.

She took my hand and led me up the steps. As we entered the temple, two people, a male and female, dressed in Greek togas, awaited. I was surprised to see that they were not of the Fae.

"Bring wine for our guest," Kyras ordered, any pretense of anything less than a Queen of Fae now gone. "And fruit and anything else that you think he would enjoy."

They looked to be barely twenty, and as she finished speaking, they both bowed.

"I would offer more, but somehow I doubt you would find my tastes in other nourishment as pleasant."

"Human?" I asked, ignoring the remark. Besides, she was probably right.

"Once," she replied.

"Slaves?" I asked, hoping I wouldn’t offend her. But I was curious as to why humans would be down here.

"Wait!" she commanded to the two, and they both stopped and turned back towards us.

"Selene, Capaneus," she said. "Do either of you wish to be released from your responsibilities?"

"No my Lady," they both replied, then bowed again.

"Attend to your duties then," she said, waving her hand in dismissal before turning back to me. "I have no need for slaves."

"I meant no disrespect," I said. "I was just curious as to what the humans were doing here."

"Few greet Death with open arms," she explained. "Many bargains are offered to avoid one's fate. On occasion, I will grant their wish, in exchange for service."

"I didn't know you could do that," I replied, looking around the temple we had entered. In front of us was a large room, with chairs and rugs, and tables. The walls were covered with a mosaic tile, images of Greek Gods and Goddesses in various settings depicted. Across from me was an arched doorway, hidden by a curtain. To the sides were various doors, one of which her two humans had gone through.

"Rarely do I feel so generous," she said, a hint of pleasure in her voice. "But they... interested me, so I granted their wish."

"Really?" I replied. "Again, no disrespect intended, but they look too young to have done something that interesting."

"These two were no innocents," she said, leading me further into the room. "They are both beautiful to look at, are they not?"

"I suppose so," I replied.

"I found them near Volos, a port city where they had made their home, waylaying travelers," she continued. "Selene was very adept at seducing men and Capaneus dispatched them for her, robbing them after death. They were captured near an Inn where several bodies had been found. Caught by one of the families, a wealthy one, they were killed slowly. I... liberated them at the moment of death, in exchange for their service. Neither of them were yet willing to face the sentence the Fates had decreed."

"I see," I said. Not exactly my kind of interesting, but she was a Death Spirit.

A few minutes later, her little murderers returned, bringing wine with trays of fruit and cheeses. A large bowl with steaming water was brought in, then towels put down as well. These were placed on a table near the couches and chairs. When everything was to her liking, the two were again dismissed, with a wave of her hand.

"You do not approve?" she asked, more as a statement. Then she poured wine into a gold drinking cup and handed it to me, before sitting down on the large couch.

"I didn't say that," I replied. "It's just not something I'm used to."

"As a king, do you not have servants?" she asked as she lifted her cup to her lips.

I had to think about that for a moment.

"Yes," I said, thinking of Sendy and the others that would come at my command. "But not like these. Then again, I spend most of my time in the human world where servants such as these are not a custom. At least not where I reside."

"So it has been said," she replied. "You live mostly among the humans."

"Then you knew of me before the attack?" I asked, wondering if that was why she had been so close to the house in the first place. To be close to me.

"Of course," she replied. "You are the second of the High to appear. While the other is particularly violent, your victories are more... satisfying. The death of those so evil is particularly delicious, as it were."

Well, that was an interesting way to put it.

"But enough of my world for the moment," she said, sliding closer and moving her hand to my arm. She stroked it and then leaned forward to the table and grabbed a cluster of grapes. She popped one in her mouth, then placed one to my lips. "Tell me then? Why then did you ask my name?"

"Yeah," I replied, after finishing the grape. "About that. Please don’t take this wrong; but I really didn't know that asking your name was inappropriate."

"Inappropriate?" she asked.

"What I mean is that I didn't know there was some kind of custom about asking," I replied, again deciding on honesty as the best policy. "Especially since we weren't going into battle at the time."

"So you did not wish to know my name?" she asked, looking disappointed.

"That's not what I'm saying," I replied, turning towards her. "I did want to know you. I just don’t want to give you the wrong impression. But then again, here we are."

I see," she said after a moment. "Then it matters not. Not all battles are fought on the field." She placed another grape to my lips. "Now, what is it you seek answers to?"

Among other things, Diantha had told me that asking a Keres for her name was something like asking her out on a date, but in a really strange, you'd have to be a Keres, or a warrior, to understand kind of way. If you were an ancient Greek warrior hero facing insurmountable odds, you could invoke her aid by asking her name and then together, go into battle. Assuming, of course, that the Keres was willing and found you worthy.

If not, then you were on your own. But if she did, it was apparently a glorious way to fight a battle when the odds were against you; with the equivalent of Death at your side as you fought. If you won, then ecstasy with the Death Spirit was your reward. If you lost, well... there's no prize if that happened. What can I say? Worshipping Death was a big thing to warriors in the day. But since she had given it to me, her name that is, at least she thought me worthy. Which was a good thing, since having asked, I had sorta committed myself to see it through, battle or not.

"Well," I replied, reaching down and picking up two plump strawberries. I offered her one before continuing. "For one thing, do you remember the Mage I killed? The one you took with the Fae?"

"He was bitter," she said, after taking a bite. "The Fae was much more satisfying." A smile came to her lips, and I got the impression she was just waiting to see what I'd say.

"Like you said," I replied, reaching for another strawberry. "Our tastes in such things are different; but I agree, he fought poorly."

"What of him do you wish to know?" she asked, taking a sip of wine.

"I took something from him," I said, reaching for my cup as well. "A talisman. One of great power. I wondered if there was any way to know where he got such a thing."

"I am sorry," she replied. "His soul was bleak and uninteresting. I would know nothing of what he carried before death."

"Didn’t think so," I said. "But I had to ask."

"A simple answer for a simple question," she replied, pushing back and standing. She refilled the wine cups from an engraved wine jug and handed me one. "Never has another ruler of the Fae sought out one of my kind. Surely that is not all you wish of me."

"It isn't," I said, standing up beside her. "I would like to learn more about you. Little is known of the Keres and I probably know less than most. Tell me about yourself, or at least, about your home."

"Come with me," she said, taking my hand and leading me back to the door.

With our wine cups in hand, we went out through the doorway and down the steps of the temple. She led me out beyond the stream and into the forest. There, in the moonlight, I saw firs, and to my surprise, birch, spruce, and aspen. It was strange, being so close to trees that I would have thought were part of my domain, but instead were simply that; trees. Trees with which I had no bond. At least not yet. She had explained that her land stood on the edge of the Fae worlds, hence the perpetual twilight, and far removed from the rest of Fae. The dead lands were almost impassable this far from my own lands. She spoke of The Fall and of the changing of the human world. Nyx, herself, Goddess of Night, had not been seen since, so her line had led their Fae as best as they were able. The changes in the way wars were fought causing them to evolve from battlefield Spirits into something more. Then she told me about herself. Not much, but enough to know that the Keres, as different in appearance and duties as any Fae I knew, were still, in other ways, just the same. Eventually, we found our way back to the stream, within sight of the temple, where she let go of my hand and turned to me.

"You have seen some of my lands and heard my tale," she said. "And I have agreed to listen to your request. It is time to tell me what you wish of me."

"All right," I said as I knelt down by the river and brushed it with my hand. "But first, do flowers not grow here? I mean, I see trees and grasses. But what about flowers?"

"You are of the Dryad," she replied. "I thought you might know the reason. It is said that reeds once bordered the stream and fish swam the waters, but that was before my time. Perhaps it is the twilight."

"No fish?" I asked, ignoring the jab as I put my hand into the water. It was clean and pure but I sensed no life. "The water’s nicer than I thought it would be, and as to flowers, the moon still shines, does it not?"

"Few Fae visit the land of Nyx willingly, as you should know," she replied. "And the fish? It is said that the stream runs miles under the dead lands. Perhaps that is the reason. I had thought once to ask the Naiads, but never have I seen one this close to the edge of the worlds."

"Got it," I said, sitting down. I took off my boots and hiked up my pants. I slid down the bank and placed my feet into the cool water and then patted the ground. "Please sit with me. Let me tell you why I wanted to learn more of you."

She looked at me strangely, as if not sure of what to make of my request. Then, after a moment, having apparently come to a decision, sat down next to me on the bank.

"The truth is," I began. "I seek an alliance."

"An alliance?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes," I replied. "You already know the other High Fae. She is evil and Tartarus will not hold her forever. I propose an alliance. I already have one with the Nereid and many of the other Fae. Even imprisoned, her tentacles reach out and her followers seek to continue her work."

"Now I see why the Fae Lord has come. You seek our aid in battle." she said in a harsh voice as she stood. "As do those who ask my name. What then, when the battle is over? Will we be forgotten again, except in stories told to frighten children."

"You misunderstand," I replied, turning to face her. I changed my manor of speech to that of a Fae Lord." The old Gods are gone and times have changed. There is no reason that the Keres need stand apart from the other Fae."

"I see," she said, then switched to her hideous persona. The dark mist around her swirling as it lifted her a foot off the ground. "And like this? What then will your Fae do when the battle is over and they see us in this form; or when we feast on the bodies of those we have chosen?"

"Kyras," I said, getting up to face her. She was now horrible to look at, but I knew I couldn’t let her see that from me. "If all I wanted were warriors, I would not have come to you. I could just have easily tricked the Lilin and used them instead; binding them with their Tears as I held them in my hand and freed them from the ancient spell. I have told you this before, I am not of the old Gods. Nor do I care what you look like in this form. Neither, in time, will the rest of the Fae, should you be so willing."

"That is difficult to believe," she said. But her voice softened just a bit.

"Change comes to us all," I replied. "But there is one more request I must make before you tell me what you would ask in return."

"Name the request," she said.

"The other High Fae's followers have opened a gateway into Hell and Demons have escaped into the human worlds," I replied. "I need you take me into Hades. I must find a way to close the gate and I cannot do it from this side. Nor can I enter Hades without your help."

"Even a God cannot return from Hades, or any of the other Hells, lest he be a God of the Underworld," she said. "You do not need my help if your wish is to die in such a way."

"The blood of Persephone runs through me," I replied. "If she could live there, then so can I. Even if I cannot return, I must do this. The gateway is moving and should it find its way to the other High Fae... Well, that is something I cannot allow to happen."

"You ask much for one who has offered little," she said.

"Name your price," I said. "The offer of alliance still stands, whatever your decision on the other matter. But one way or another, I must find a way to close the gate."

She didn't reply immediately. Then the mist slowly formed back around her and she alit onto the ground, changing back into her more pleasant form. She raised her hand and the two servants came running, refilling our wine before returning to the temple.

"I must think over your offer," she said after taking a drink, then she took a few steps up the bank.

"Before you go," I said. "May I contact a few of my Fae? I did not wish to do so without your permission."

"Contact who you will," she said in reply, and then the mist surrounded her and she was gone.

I wasn't quite sure how that went. But I knew there were a few things I had to do before she got back, if I was going to convince her of my sincerity.

About an hour later, clouds of black mist descended and Kyras once again appeared, this time with two others who stood behind her.

"What is this?" she asked, looking suspiciously at my own companions.

"Queen Kyras," I said. "Allow me to introduce several Fae that you should know. This is Polixia, a Naiad of one of the springs that flow into your river."

"Well met, Queen Kyras," Polixia said with a bow. "Not since before The Fall have our kind watched over these waters. We will do so again, if that is your wish."

"I have also asked two others to come," I continued as I pointed out my other companions. I'd already told them what they might expect from the Keres, and to be prepared if they switched into their other persona.

"This is Sendy, of the Aurae. My messenger Fae. She has brought Fiora with her. She is a Faerie of my gardens. If it is your wish, she will bring others to attend to the flowers and other growing things."

"Are you trying to entice me to accept your offer?" she asked in a dubious tone. But she bowed to all three of the Faeries and bade them well.

"Yes and no. As I said, there is no reason for you to stand apart from the other Fae. Your waters and gardens should be stocked and maintained, if you so desire. If not, these two will simply return. Whether you accept or decline my offer of a formal alliance, these things are yours by right."

"He is correct, my Lady," Polixia said as she rose from the stream. "Since no other may lay claim to this stream that flows through your lands, it can only be by your wish that I tend to it for you. Say but the word and I will return to my own waters and leave you in peace."

"As for Fiora," I said. "I can have Sendy take her back now if you prefer."

"No," she said. "Wait." She turned to the two Keres behind her and held a silent conversation. When she was through, she turned back to me. "This is Nosia and Akhlia. They will speak with these two. As for me, I would confer with you in the temple."

"As you wish," I replied, telling Sendy that she could return. The other two Faeries went to meet with the Keres as I returned to the temple with Kyras.

"More wine," Kyras commanded as we entered. "Then leave us."

The couple scrambled and returned with the same engraved jug and refilled our cups. Capaneus then placed the jug on the table which had already had the trays of fruit and cheeses replenished. Then the two hastily retreated into one of the wall's recesses. I sat back down on the couch.

"You are not what I expected," she said when they were gone.

"Yeah," I replied. "I get that a lot."

"First, I sought you out because of your victories," she went on. "They were much sweeter than the other High Fae’s. I thought you fought for glory, as did many of the old Gods. Instead, I find that you free those that once opposed your kind; fighting only when necessary."

"Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that."

"Wait! I must say more."

I waved for her to continue.

"Then, when you asked my name, I expected you to offer me a battle. Instead, you seek to engage me in a war against what you call evil. Never before have the Keres been asked such a thing and that was not something I was prepared to do." She took a long sip from her wine and then sat down next to me.

"Always, because of our ways, have we been relegated to the darkness. Looked down upon by the other Fae. Yet, as we speak, a Keres meets with a Naiad and another with one of your kind, neither of whom are repulsed. I am not sure what to make of this change."

"As I said," I commented. "You are of the Fae. That should never have been forgotten."

"Perhaps," she replied. "Yet we must suffer the blame for that as well. We have shunned your kind, as they did us. But that will end. I will accept your offer, with conditions."

"And they are?"

"We will not blindly follow you into battle. Nor would we ask you to do so for us."

"Agreed," I replied.

"There is something else," she said. "You will assist us in this new role. We must learn more of the ways of the others, if we are to interact with them."

"I can do that," I said.

"Good," she replied. "Then the matter is settled. Now, as to your second request. I can take you to the Underworld, but you must do something for me. This I ask of a King, as Queen of my realm."

"I understand," I said. "How can I be of service?"

"I will have a daughter," she replied. "She will need to learn the ways of the others and the humans. You will teach her."

That's another thing about the female Fae. They don’t need sex to procreate. At least not when it comes to having daughters. Don’t even ask me how it works. It's the magic. Any female Fae can have a child. It'll be a daughter, of course, which is probably why there are so many more females than males in the Fae line up. As for a boy, however, that's another story. Believe me, I know it all too well. It takes two to make a male. Now that's not to say that you can’t mix a little DNA when choosing to have a girl, it's just that it isn't a requirement. Anyway, in Kyra’s case, I just assumed that was what she was talking about.

"I can arrange that," I replied.

"Good," she said, taking my hand. "Then let us bind this agreement in the old ways, if you are up to it."

I didn't answer. There was no need. She led me to another doorway. This one led to her bedroom.

Chapter 18

"Are you out of your mind?" Diantha asked, shocked when I told her where I was going.

"What'd you think I was gonna do?" I replied, pouring myself another cup of coffee. "Hell, you helped me figure out what to say to the Keres."

It was early evening, and we were in my kitchen, preparations already made for my trip with Charlie to the Underworld. I'd had to procure a few items before Kyras would take me and it had taken a few days to get everything in order. Of course, I'd given no hint of what I was really doing. That had been the easy part. Everyone was already out hunting Demons. I'd had to send one more back myself the other night. The only one that knew was Ordunez. He'd figured it out the moment I'd called him to ask a question. But now I'd told Diantha to let the others know after I was gone.

"An alliance is one thing," she replied. "But I never thought you'd try and go yourself."

"Who else was going to do it?" I asked.

"I could still go with you," Diantha replied.

"I thought you said I was out of my mind."

"I did," she said. "But at least I cannot die."

"True," I said. "But I won’t risk you getting stuck down there. Besides, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve." I held up my hand, a fire Demon's ring on my finger. I'd been given it by one I'd defeated in battle. Although they also lived in the Underworld, it was a different place than where the Hells were located. Still, it was close enough, and Demons could go where they wanted in that accursed place. So I'd been told, anyway.

"Do what you must then," she replied.

"I'll be fine," I said as I picked up the backpack I was taking, then headed for the doorway with Charlie in tow.

"Have no fear," Charlie said, turning back as I opened the door. "Hell is no match for the two of us."

Then we went walked out of the yard and made our way down the street toward the cemetery.

"That was kind of cocky," I said to him some 10 minutes later, as we cut through fence into the graveyard where Kyras was waiting.

He didn't reply, but instead sped up and then stopped in front of the Keres.

"Well met, Karalos," I heard her say as I walked closer.

"You are prepared?" she asked me, looking up.

"I have everything you told me to get," I replied.

"Good," she said. "Then we will go." The dark mist surrounded us and then we were somewhere else.

We appeared a moment later in a dismal place. On a dirt path that led between dead and dying trees. Well, maybe they weren't dying, but they damn sure looked pretty sickly. They were stunted and at best, the tallest might have stood ten feet. Not my idea of a forest, but what did you expect in the Greek equivalent of Hell? It's been said that there were areas with real trees. There just weren't any here. The ground was hilly, and mists covered most of it. There was light, but it was like an overcast day. Enough light to see by, but not enough to hearten the spirit.

"This is as far as I can take you. Behind me lies the Plain of Judgement. Your destination is that way," she said, pointing to the left. "The forest will hide you from the view of the judges, if any still exist."

"Thank you," I replied.

"It is, I fear, a fool's errand. If you do not find what you seek, search out the Tower of Cronus. Perhaps the portal is still there. If not, find a way to get a message to me While I cannot search this place to find you, I can return if I know where you are."

From what I've been told, getting in to Hades was the easy part, getting out... not so much. If I could find the Helm of Darkness, I'd have it made. If not, I'd have to find another way; if there was one. According to what I'd been told, after their family squabble, Hades brought Cronus to the Underworld, where he ruled over the Elysium Fields, and the Isle of the Blessed, where his tower still stood. Kyras believed he had a gateway there; one to the rest of the worlds. It was just a rumor. But we know he moved about, so at least it was a good one. Getting her a message might be doable, but it was also a worst case scenario. Apparently, things in Hades weren't what they used to be. I watched as the mist began to curl up around her, then she stepped forward, kissed me, and was gone.

"She is not such a bad Fae after all," Charlie commented as he leapt ahead. "She is pretty as well. I think she likes you."

"Will you stop it1" I replied as I followed. "Let's just find the palace before something finds us first."

The terrain was much the same for quite a distance; just hills and dead and stunted trees. Occasionally, I'd see wisps of something more substantial floating in the mist, but whatever they were, they didn’t seem interested in us. Eventually Charlie stopped at the top of a rise. I slowed down and carefully caught up with him.

Ahead of us, across a shallow plain, was a palace. Made of what looked like black marble, it stood in the center of the vale. A road led past the front and, on the closer side, it eventually split and weaved through an Arch, beyond which stood a magic veil that led to the place I knew to be the Elysium Fields. What had caused him to stop wasn’t the palace; instead it was what roamed in front.

"You have got to be kidding me," I murmured as I lay down next to him in the mist. "Harpies and Chimeras? I thought they'd all be on the Tartarus side. Shit!"

They were about halfway between us and the palace. A flock of eight to ten nasty looking birds about five-foot-high, with human faces. The flock was being stalked by two giant, lion-like, Chimeras, each with a ram's neck and head sticking out of their backs. Their tails were like snakes and as one approached the flock, fire bellowed from its mouth, scattering the Harpies. The other chased a Harpy as it flew close, causing several of the things to fly up above it and bat at it with their wings and claws. The Harpies didn't seem to fly that well. They appeared evenly matched and I could hear the wail of the Harpies as several of their kind attacked before the Chimeras could spit fire.

"What do you think?" I asked as I rolled onto my back and pulled my sword and my seax. This was not the sword of Zeus, although I'd brought that as well. This one I'd taken from my armory in Fae. Supposedly carried by Demeter herself; it was a Fae blade forged in the days before The Fall, and powerful enough in its own right. "It's the flying ones I'm worried about. I can block the fire with magic, I think. Even diminished, it should work well enough. But I'm not sure I can do both if they attack from above."

"Too many to attack in such a group," Charlie growled. "Let me lead them away long enough for you to reach the door. Then I will join you later."

It was worth a try. I'd seen him run and he was fast. I'd only have to deal with whatever stayed behind.

"Okay, whenever you're ready'" I said, turning back around, sword in hand.

He started off slowly, slinking near the ground and allowing the mists to conceal him as long as possible. By now, the two Chimera had retreated some distance and were preening themselves in the dim light. The Harpies were no longer wailing, but their attention was focused on those two as they bunched closer together.

The Harpies noticed him first. He'd put on a burst of speed as he cleared the mist and as soon as their attention turned toward him, he started barking. Within seconds he was within their circle, scattering them like chickens in a barnyard, when the farmer's dog decides to have some fun. Dust flew as they bolted in all directions, their wings flapping and voices howling. The Chimera's two heads turned and they got to their feet, now moving towards the source of the commotion. As the Harpies regrouped, Charlie took off parallel to the palace. The Harpies took chase a moment the later, with the Chimera not far behind.

I'd made it up the stairs and was almost at the door, when the Harpy came at me from the side. Dropping and rolling, I avoided her claws and got up to face her. She was going to make another pass, her claws outstretched and wailing. Seconds later, she swooped down on me. I raised my sword and swung, moving my head to the right as a sharp claw grazed my face. The blade connected, cutting her through the midsection as she fell at my feet. Well, at least they could be killed. Looking around I saw that I was alone again. Charlie had led the others far enough away to be out of sight.

There wasn't much I could do about the blood, or any scent left behind, but I grabbed the Harpy by the legs anyway and dragged her to the doorway. I was hoping, at least, not to leave anything that could be seen at a distance. The door was another problem; it was locked.

What to do? What to do? I thought to myself as I felt all around it. There was no knob or handle. Reaching out with magic, I tried to will the door to open, but didn’t have any luck. There was nothing lying around, so I took a moment to think. Placing both hands on the door, I did my best to think of Persephone, and that she was part of my line. Nothing. I had to get the door to recognize me. I had an idea. I reached up and pressed where the Harpy's claw had cut into my face. With the blood on my hand, I placed it back on the door, thinking again of Persephone. Blood was special to the Fae. It worked! The door began to open.

I stepped inside and stopped the massive wooden door as it began to close again. Moments later, I heard Charlie's paws as they hit the ground, the sound of Harpies not far behind. A burst of flame shot by, and then Charlie came flying through the entrance. I slammed the door behind him just as the Chimera came into view, mouth agape as it readied to spew fire again.

"Cut that a little close, didn’t you?" I asked as he came to rest on the floor a few yards away.

"They were faster than I thought," he replied. "I do not think they liked being disturbed."

"Don’t feel too bad," I said, walking away from the door to check out the room we had entered. "I left a dead Harpy on the porch. I doubt they'll be too pleased with me, either."

I was staring into a large room that connected to the entry. Inside were several couches, a fireplace, and a table. By the dim light, I saw what at first appeared to be a statue of a man standing by one of the couches. Walking closer, I saw it was just a skeleton. Its feet appeared to melt into the floor and whatever clothing it had once worn were now rags. I'd heard the story of Pirithous, of course. He'd been bound to the ground in Hades for lusting after the God's wife, Persephone. The stories varied. In some it was a rock, in others it was the chair of forgetfulness, but in the version I'd read, Hades had released him before The Fall. Looks like they got that part wrong.

"Ok," I said, turning back to Charlie. "Let's find this cap or helmet and get out of here. Be careful. Who knows what other surprises still exist in this place."

As palaces go, this one wasn't that shabby. Sure, these days it was dark and dusty, but I could tell it must have been pretty nice at one time. A lot of what was left was not in the greatest shape, but what would you expect after sitting empty a few thousand years? We searched for hours, then on an upper floor, on the other side of what had to have been Hades’ bedchamber, Charlie found a small room accessed by a hidden door in the wall.

There was a desk of hard wood and a table. It was dark, but with the open door I could see that the walls were lined on three sides with shelves, and on one, a full length mirror stood, recessed into the wall. It was made of a highly polished silver, allowing an image almost as good as the mirrors of today. Unlike the rest of the palace, this room seemed unchanged. Here, whatever magic had once been found in this place was still present.

"What have we here?" I asked out loud as I entered the hidden chamber. I knew better than to risk sitting in the chair, which was cushioned in deep black. Especially after the reminder of the skeleton downstairs. Who knew what this chair did, if anything. But why risk it? Using a lighter I'd brought from above, I lit the wick in the lamp on the desk.

Artifacts lined the shelves and there were even a few helmets and smaller metal helms. I tried them all on, but none was the object I was looking for. Perusing the shelves, I found a few things of interest, but nothing that seemed magical enough to traverse the different Hells. Feeling dejected, I slunk down against a wall and sat on the floor to think. Then Charlie's nose went up in the air and he moved toward the ancient mirror.

I got up and stood beside him, examining it first with my eyes. Looking closely, I now saw a faint glow of magic, barely noticeable from a distance, surrounding the frame. I ran my hands over it but found nothing that indicated it would open. Once again, I placed both hands on it and reached out with my magic. There was something, but try as I might, I couldn’t connect with it. Figuring it had worked once before, I pulled out my seax, cut into my palm, and placed my bloody hand onto it. There was a deep rumble and the glass-like surface disappeared.

Inside was a suit of Fae armor, a shield and two weapons; a bident made of metal, and a grey flint scythe, or sickle, still stained with dried blood. The bident was leaning against the armor and the scythe was on a small shelf that protruded from the wall. I'd seen statues where Hades carried the two pronged weapon, but unlike the trident of Uranus, there was no record of it being a magical Fae weapon. The scythe was another story.

There were several references involving hardened stone sickles in Greek history. The one that interested me most was the one used to castrate Ouranos. But there was another that was alleged to have been used by Zeus to strike down Typhon, the last child of Gaea. Could this be one of those? If so, then perhaps this was what Gaea had wanted me to find. But why was it here in Hades' palace? Of course, it was said that anything that was buried became the domain of Hades and some stories say that the sickle had been buried in the earth. But, even so, why would she need me to come here and retrieve it? You'd think she could have come down here and fetched it herself. Since I already carried Cronus' sword, this seemed to be quite a coincidence. But then again, coincidence was the word of the day where Gaea was involved.

Even if all this were true, that wasn't what I had come for. Reaching over to the suit of armor I lifted up the helmet and placed it on my head. I held my breath. Nothing. At least nothing like what I was looking for. No Helm of Darkness here. I took it off and placed it back on the armor. Well this sucks! Now what do I do?

"This is going to be more difficult than I thought," I said, turning to Charlie, only to find he wasn't there. Leaving the room, I went through the bed chamber and into the hallway. Hearing a commotion, I moved toward the stairs. He was slinking down them, heading for whatever was making the noise. I paused at the top and he looked back, then continued down the winding stair as I followed, sword now in hand. He was standing when we reached the bottom. Starting for the doorway, I could hear sounds and something brushing up against the door.

"What is it?" I asked as he sniffed he air.

"More creatures," he said.

I moved to the door and listened. A cacophony of sounds came from the other side. The moaning of Harpies, the bleating of goats, and the occasional roar of a lion led me to be sure that there were many more creatures than had been there before. Since the door was solid enough, I went back up the stairs to see if I could get an actual view of what was going on outside. Going into a chamber across the hallway from the large bedroom, I spied an opening only partially covered by a curtain. Walking up, I slid the rest of the fabric aside to see what was there. It was a doorway that led to a balcony. It overlooked the road that lead to the Arch, the gateway to the Elysium Fields.

"Well that’s not good," I said as I looked out. Not only had the Harpies returned, they'd brought their friends. While I couldn’t see what was happening in front of the palace, there was plenty to see on this side.

Magic shielded the road beyond the Arch. I could only hope it still led to Elysium. There were three groups of Harpies and at least five Chimera wandering around the front and even from here, it was a good 100 yards we'd have to travel to get to it. Even more troublesome was the fact that the two different groups of creatures were no longer fighting amongst themselves. Instead, their attention was focused on the building... and us!

I headed back into the bed chamber and went to the window located there. It was on the other side. I hoped to find an easier way to get to the back side of the palace. There were no Harpies or Chimeras there, but it wasn't empty. Shades, the ghosts of the once living, filled my view.

It was said that those not worthy to live in the special places and those not sent to Tartarus existed in the afterlife as ghosts. Dwelling in shadow as hints of the person they once were. Although they weren’t supposed to be dangerous, they wandered the Underworld mindlessly as their fate in the afterlife. Unfortunately, they were still an entity and as such, had some semblance of form. It was rumored that some might retain memories from before, but I don’t know if that's true. Shades packed the area behind the palace. Like moths drawn to a flame, they were everywhere. So tight that they created a wall of force blocking the back way out.

"What do you think?" I asked Charlie as he stood on his hind legs looking out over the throng. "Without the helm, the best I can figure is to head for the Elysium Fields. At least we'd have some time to think about our next move without all this shit that's happening outside, or at least I hope so."

"The Arch is not far and looks clear," he remarked. "But we will have to fight our way to it."

Whatever magic was in this place kept the Arch clear. If there were less of the Shades, I would have tried barreling our way through. But as many as there were, it would be like running through molasses, and more were coming this way.

"What do we have that we can use?" I asked as I walked back into the hidden room with Charlie following. Clearing the desktop with my arms, I put down my backpack, laying both swords on the table, then fished through the pack for the Demon Queller. I pulled the sword of Cronus, but as we were in the Underworld, it barely registered as anything more than a blade; the usual electricity, although still present, was faint. I'd been warned that might happen so I put it away. There was no reason to risk using it since I had the other sword. Looking at the armor I had an idea.

"Charlie," I said, pointing to Hades' armor. "Since we're going to have to fight our way out, I can wear this over my own Fae armor. Hopefully, between what magic I can muster and the shield, I can block any of the Chimera's flames. Any chance there'd be any armor around here that would work for you? Maybe Cerberus wore something that would be useful; something we can use to protect your back and flanks."

"I have not seen such a thing," he replied.

"Take a look around anyway, "I said. "Maybe we can access the stables from here. There might be something there. I'll meet you downstairs in a minute."

He nodded and left the room to search.

I started tossing parts of armor out of the case, then grabbed the scythe and bident. As I placed them on the table, I knocked the bag over and the Queller fell off the table. Wondering how Charlie was doing, I bent over to pick it up.

As soon as I had it in my hand, it began to glow. Holding the orb in my palm, I watched as it spun around and then raised a few inches into the air. As it slowed and stopped, I saw the arrow pointing downward. I held it in my hand and left the room, going down the stairs to where Charlie would be. The arrow moved slightly as I rounded corners and I followed its directions as it led me to Charlie.

"I have found nothing," he said as I walked into the room he was searching.

"Well, I did find something," I replied as the orb stopped moving. "I'm just not sure what it means."

"What does it do?" he asked.

"I was thinking of you," I said. "It started spinning and the arrow pointed the way here. Let me try something else." I walked out of the room and back to the front doorway and held it up again. Thinking of Harpies, I waited to see what it would do. Nothing. I did the same thing with Chimeras and Shades, still nothing. Then I tried thinking of him again, and the arrow slowly pointed in his direction. "So... It won’t point to the creatures outside, but it will point to you," I said after a moment.

"What does it mean?" he asked.

"Well," I said. "I'm not really sure. But if it was used to chase escaping Ghosts and Demons, maybe it seeks out things that don’t belong; and if there's anything that doesn't belong here, it's us. Not much help at the moment, but maybe we can use it when we find a way out of here. Any luck finding armor?"

"No," he replied.

"You'll just have to stay close then. Oh, found this in the armor room as well," I said I held up the scythe. "No Helm of Darkness, but I think it's something Gaea might want."

"Perhaps it will prove useful then," he replied.

We went back upstairs and I put the orb and scythe away, then dressed in Hades' armor. Carrying the bident and Demeter's sword, we went into the other room. I had decided that our best chance, and least distance, was out the balcony and toward the Arch. It was only a couple of stories, and even with diminished magic, my Fae persona could take the fall. I pulled down the curtain after peeking out over the balcony and took a few steps back into the room. There were more Harpies now, but it didn’t matter. This was our only way out. Besides, maybe they'd break our fall. I placed the helmet on my head and held up the shield, then looked back at Charlie.

"You ready?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Here goes nothing!" I started running. When I reached the balcony, I leapt.

Chapter 19

We crashed into a flock of Harpies and the half birds scattered. Having landed on my feet, I looked back to see Charlie right behind me, snapping at one he had landed next to. I held up the shield and started for the Arch. I'd only taken a few steps when the Chimeras attacked. I swung my sword and lopped the head off of one, but another latched itself onto my arm, its goat head bleating as the other head pulled my shield toward the ground. I swung my sword and took off that head as well. The Chimera let go, and I saw it rear back. I raised my shield just in time to avoid the blast of flame it spewed from its mouth.

Going down on one knee, I quickly switched weapons and jabbed the bident forward, the added length enough to spear the now one headed Chimera. As I got up and tried to move forward toward the Arch, the Harpies attacked. It was all I could do to keep moving as I batted them aside with the shield. I tried using blasts of magic, but it just wasn't strong enough in this place, with so many of them attacking. Charlie was holding his own, biting at any Harpy that got close. Then I started swinging the bident like a bat, it's sharp prongs cutting into any Harpy that got near.

For whatever reason, the other Chimeras had been stunned by the loss of two of their members, and held back. Even so, Harpies continued to claw and wail as we moved slowly toward the Arch. Although the bident was having an effect, I was still clawed and cut in places where armor didn't cover. At least two Harpies had clawed into my skin, one having pierced my own Fae armor at my stomach when I lunged upward at several that flew down from above.

Seeing we were now only a few yards from the Arch, I yelled at Charlie to move faster and together we covered the distance, leaving a trail of dead creatures behind us. When we were just a few feet away, I let out a guttural scream and started swinging my shield and bident for all they were worth, leaping through the Arch just as another flock attacked from the side. As I crossed through, the Harpy that had clamped its claws on my arm burst into flames. Dropping to my knees to pull the now burning bird from my arm, I saw that Charlie had made it as well, a burning Harpy carcass on the ground in front of him. I looked back, but there was nothing to see. The magic was hiding the palace and the rest of the creatures. In front of us were fields of grasses and grains. What was beyond that, I couldn't tell. Without the Helm of Darkness, there was nothing we could do but search out the tower. At least we were in Elysium. We couldn’t be any worse off than where we had just come from.

"Welcome to paradise, I think," I said to Charlie, who was spitting burning Harpy blood from his mouth. Pulling off my helmet and opening my pack, I grabbed a bottle of water and held it high as he lapped it to cool his mouth and rinse the blood off.

"Let us hope there is something more palatable than burnt Harpy," he said.

I took a drink myself, then used the rest of the water to clean us up a bit. Standing, I picked up the bident and tucked my helmet under my arm. "All right, let's see if we can find a way out of here."

We walked a few miles and eventually came upon a small creek. Nearby, a man wearing a simple tunic sat, tending a fire as the cool breeze blew. He looked up at us as we walked by.

"Well met, strangers," he said. "Seldom have I seen travelers of late. Come, sit, and enjoy my fire."

"Thank you," I replied. "But we must move on. Perhaps another time."

"As you wish," he said, then he smiled. "Of course, you are dressed as one seeking the games. I should have realized. Continue on, continue on. They are but up the road a way."

We went a few miles further, passing several others who seemed to simply be enjoying the day. Eventually the road led to a small valley with several fields, all of which were filled with men and women performing various types of sports. One field held discus, another a stone ball. In several, the people were fighting, but always as sport, and they congratulated one another when one bested the other. One in particular interested me, as the participants were fighting with swords in full Roman armor. We walked alongside it and I stopped to watch the champion for a while. He had bested three others before finally pulling off his helm. He bowed and patted his last opponent on the back with a laugh, then began walking towards a table filled with food and wine, where he sat down.

"You have great skill," I noted as I grabbed a cup, then pulled some meat off a platter for Charlie. I figured of all the places in Hades, the food here, at least, would be safe to eat.

"Thank you, my friend," he replied, draining his cup. "Your armor seems formidable, have you come to play in the games?"

"Not today... my friend," I said in reply as I sat down across from him and began to share a meal with Charlie. "We are merely passing through on our way to the tower and stopped to enjoy the show. You fought well."

He nodded and went back to his meal. After a while he looked back at me and paused, eyeing me strangely. "Do I know you?"

"Perhaps we met in a past life," I replied, getting up from the table. Taking a last gulp, I put down my cup and wished him well. Then Charlie and I continued on our way to the tower.

We walked through a lot of the place, watching people do everyday things. No one was working, just enjoying the day. If you had to have an afterlife, the Greek and Roman version of paradise didn’t seem too bad a way to spend eternity. Everything seemed peaceful enough. Ok, it was a little boring, at least to me. But I guess if I'd lived in those times, when life was much harder, and shorter than today, I might have looked at things differently.

"Not exactly what I was expecting," I said as I stood on the riverbank a few hours later. Across the stream was a circular tower of white that rose into the heavens. It looked... I don’t know... deserted. It sat on what I supposed would be called a cape, a small area of land that stuck out into the river, which was itself, quite wide at this point. Beyond it lay fields of golden flowers, but the tower itself stood alone on the rocks.

"It appears he has abandoned this place," Charlie said.

"Let's hope so, "I said, staring down at the orb's arrow, clearly pointing to the tower across the river. "I’m not really in the mood to face a Titan, especially the one who’s sword I now carry." I scanned both sides of the river. "If I remember some of the maps right, this should be the Eridanus. It's not supposed to be as bad as the other five, but I'd feel better if we could find a way to cross that doesn’t include swimming."

We walked along the shore for a bit, looking for a way to cross. There were a few boats near the center of the river, but they were too far away to hail. We were also unable to locate a dock or any that were pulled up to shore. There was no bridge to be seen and none of the boats seemed to notice us. I was just getting ready to try swimming, when Charlie pointed out a sail coming our way, slicing through the water not too far out from the shoreline. About 20 minutes later, it revealed itself as a high sided, four oar rowboat, complete with a single square sail. As it ran up to the shore, the sail collapsed and a man in full armor jumped out and walked toward us.

"I thought you might need some assistance," the man said as he took off his helmet, revealing himself to be the champion from the games I'd chatted with earlier.

"Strange to find you here, friend," I replied as I reached out and grasped the hand he held out.

"Your mention of the tower intrigued me," he said. "It is said to be empty now. I wonder, what quest could take you there."

"One that I may not speak of," I replied. "And dangerous as well. But the use of your boat would be appreciated."

"I thought as much," he said. "But I do not think you can cross the river unaided. The winds blow harder the closer to the other side one sails, and past mid-stream, gales will form. It is said to be nigh impassable. Perhaps I could join you. A second set of oars might make the journey possible."

"That would not be wise," I replied. "It is most likely a one-way journey and you have earned your place of rest here in this place."

"It is said that those that earn the right of passage to the Blessed Isles have lived three lives. In each their souls free of darkness. Perhaps it is time I return to live another."

"Are you not happy here?" I asked. "I have seen you fight in the arena. I would have thought such a life, well deserved and earned, would be to your liking."

"So one would think," he replied. "Perhaps if I recalled more of what I had done to earn this place, or faced greater opponents, it would seem less dreary. But there is something about you that brings up strange memories. I believe there is more that I must still do before Fate would have me dwell in such a place for eternity."

I was about to argue further, but Charlie butted his nose against me. I looked down to see him shaking his head. It was not unexpected. But any decision was his to make. Truth was, I'd prepared for such an eventuality.

"As you wish, friend," I replied. "Perhaps a second set of hands will make the journey easier."

"Excellent!" he said, picking up his helmet. We pushed the boat back after turning it around.

Charlie jumped on and got in the bow. We joined him a few seconds later and began to row.

With the sail still down we moved against the wind. At first, we advanced swiftly, the oars pushing the boat through the water with ease. A moment later, things changed. The wind began to blow harder and the waves increased, smashing against the bow as we went further into the river. Eventually, the wind howled and the waves boiled up and over the sides of the craft, filling it with water and making it harder to row.

"Faster," I yelled over the lash of the wind and waves.

With a burst of speed, we rose up into the air and crested the next tall wave, crashing down into the water before climbing another. Were it not for my Fae strength, and my companion's fortitude, I doubt we could have accomplished it. But although each wave pushed us back, we still made headway, the oars catching the water and propelling us a few feet further each time toward the other shore.

Just when I thought we would never make it, I heard a yelp from Charlie. He jumped from the craft and clamped his jaws on the bow mooring line. We scrambled to join him. As we leapt from the bow, the wind gave a last howl. The rope broke and the boat was lifted up into the air and thrown back into the river. I grabbed what was left of the mooring line, thinking it might come in handy at the tower, coiled it around my arm, and threw it in my pack. We were soaked and miserable, but we had made it to the far shore. We climbed further up the rocks, the winds and waves subsiding, no longer violent since we had passed beyond the water's edge.

"I'm afraid your way back may be more difficult," I said to my companion, as I looked out over the river, the waters now calm. There was no sign of the boat.

"I do not think Fate would block my return should she not wish for me to continue," he replied. Then he patted Charlie's head before walking over to where I stood. "Since that decision has been made for me and we are, at least for now, companions, I would learn your names. Although much has been hidden from me since I came here, my name I can remember. I am called Lucius."

Of course I knew who he was. It was only because I recognized him that I even stopped to watch the swordplay. In his past life he'd been one Lucius Camillus, a Senior Centurion in the army of Rome. He'd been critically wounded in 280 B.C., the battle of Heraclea. There, through a twist of fate, he'd been saved before death and turned by the Lilin. Before his true death in a battle against Marissa's dark Mages, I'd hoped we had become friends.

"I am Robert," I replied. "The hound is Charlie."

"Well met," he said.

"To you as well," I replied. "Now, if it is truly your wish to leave this life behind and accompany us, I can offer you the return of your memory. However, there is no turning back should you so decide to accept it."

"By your armor alone I knew you were of the Gods!" he declared. "Fate indeed, has other plans for me." Then he got down on one knee. "How then, may I be of service?"

"You can stand up, for one thing," I said, dropping the fancy talk and helping him to his feet. "I am not the God of the Underworld, although I wear his armor. Still, as much as I hate to say it, I'm probably as close as you're going to get these days."

"I do not understand," he said.

"Trust me," I said as I reached into my pack to retrieve the goatskin I'd brought. I poured a capful and handed it to him. "Drink this and you will."

Although I'd brought it mainly in case I needed it for Bernd, I had enough of the water from the Mnemosyne to spare him a capful. The water from the source of the Titan's pool would restore his memory. I just hoped I was doing the right thing. Of course it was a little too late to worry about that now, I thought to myself as he drank it down.

He was quiet a minute and then suddenly grabbed his throat in panic. Before I could react he relaxed, then looked up at me. "Bastard had a hidden knife," he said. "I should have foreseen that."

"You saw an opening," I replied. "Kinda hard to twist and duck when you're flying through the air. Courageous move, and effective. It was all over after you cut the Mage down. Once he was dead, the Demon we were fighting was released and the battle was finished. At least for the most part."

"Wait," he said, grabbing his chest and neck. "The Lilin. It is no longer present."

"I don’t know what to tell you there," I said. "I'm guessing that whatever afterlife the Lilin go to, it isn’t this one."

"It will take some time to get used to," he admitted. "Still, it is good to be alive."

"Let's hope we can stay that way. I wasn't kidding when I said it was a dangerous quest."

"But less so now that friend Lucius is with us," Charlie added.

"Thank you," Lucius said. "Now tell me. What are you doing here?

"This is gonna take a while," I said. Then I told him the story of my first contact with the Demons and what had occurred up to our arrival in Hades. I also added a few things that had happened before that time, including my daughter's rise to throne and her conversation with Gaea, trying to bring him up to speed with all he had missed. Then I told him of my intention to find Bernd and stop whatever was opening the portals.

"You have been busy," he said when I was done. "You will have to tell me the rest when we have the time. Especially of how you were able to free the Lilin. That is one story I would love to hear more of. But for now, what of the tower? It is said that Cronus once dwelt there, but it now lies empty. What is it you seek from that place?"

"Honestly," I replied. "We need to find a way out of here. I'm hoping we'll find one in the tower."

"You are still a God?" he asked. "That cannot have changed."

"That's not a lot of help in this place," I replied. "Without the Helm of Darkness to guide us, I'm kind of flying blind here.

"So we are on our own," he said as he followed me up to the tall structure.

"I warned you it was dangerous," I said as I examined the tower. This close, it no longer looked bright white, instead, it looked dirty. As if the dust of ages had found its way to it, muddying the white stone it had been built from. It was situated on small hill of rock, and was at least 10 stories high, maybe more. Circular, the entrance faced the fields. On top, there was a turret that probably also functioned as a watchtower. From that vantage point, one would have an excellent view of the surrounding area.

"Indeed you did," he replied.

"There's one more thing," I said as I stood at the only entrance, a great arch twice my height and almost as wide. It was built of smooth stone that was a slightly different color than the rest of the tower. Like Hades' Palace, there was no visible sign of a knob or latch. "You're human again. Try not to forget that you no longer have a symbiont to strengthen and heal you."

"Trust me when I say that the lack of its presence has not been lost on me," he said, examining the door with me. "How do you intend to get through?"

"I had to use blood the last few times," I said, running my hands over the surface. "Before they would open, I mean. But I don’t think that's going to work here." I could feel the magic, but as before, it didn’t seem to recognize me.

"What of the sword of Cronus?" Charlie asked.

"I knew I brought you for a reason," I said, shaking my head and feeling like an idiot. My sword appeared in my hand and I placed the hilt against the door, then willed it to extend. This time, unlike before, it blazed with blue fire. There was a loud thrum and the world trembled. The tower lit up in a blaze of bright white light, the earth shaking violently as a shockwave burst outward. We tried to keep our balance, as the ground before us swayed and shook. It was raining dust and dirt. Lucius and I raised our shields and we all three huddled underneath, waiting for the deluge to stop. After a minute or so the reverberations stopped, and except for the dust which now obscured some of our view, we were able to stand again. I looked where the door had been and it was gone.

"Not exactly the response I was expecting," I said, moving forward. It was dark so I used the sword to illuminate our way as we entered the now accessible chamber. "If anyone didn’t know we were here, they do now."

"Perhaps we should find your exit before any come to investigate," Lucius said as Charlie began to search the room we had entered. It didn't take him long.

As Lucius followed across the threshold, the door rematerialized; the way back now blocked. I raised my sword to get a better view, the blue flame lighting up the large empty space. A staircase on the opposite side wound upward along the inside of the structure, leading to the turret on top. The steps were huge, probably three times the size of what I was used to. It sort of made sense, considering that as a Titan, Cronus would have been a giant.

Scrambling up the two-foot-tall steps, we made our way to the top unmolested. Once there, we entered a large circular room with seven arched doorways. In the center stood a six-foot-wide shallow basin of water on a thick stone pedestal which stood about five feet off the ground. The arches led to a parapet with a tall wall that circled the tower. Walking around the turret, were it not for the dust that still hung in the air, one could indeed see anything that would approach. Except for the pedestal and basin, the room was empty.

"It reminds me of a giant aspersorium," Lucius said as he walked around the pedestal.

"A what?" I asked.

"As found in the entrance of churches," he replied. "Where holy water is kept."

"Wasn't that a little before your time?" I asked, joining him in examining the still water.

"As a Roman Centurion, yes," he replied. "But I was in Europe when the transformation occurred." He leaned over the rim and peered into the water. "Is this the device you seek?"

"I hope so," I said, staring into the water. I blew my breath over it, watching the ripples as they spread over the basin. A mist began to swirl over the surface. A moment later it subsided, and I stared as an image appeared. It was familiar, but not what I expected. Some type of carnival. It stood in a large clearing surrounded by forest. It looked almost like something you'd see on Halloween.

"That is not Greek or Roman," Lucius asked. "What is that place?"

"I have no idea," I replied. "It's not exactly what I was hoping for." Looking further, I thought I saw something that looked like a Demon of old. Then the tower shook and I grabbed the sides of the basin to stop from falling.

"What the hell was that?" I yelled as I reached over and steadied Lucius. Charlie suddenly appeared from the doorway that led back to the stairs.

"Something comes," he said.

"What kind of something?" I asked as the tremors subsided.

"Something big," he replied. "An Arachne, or worse. It digs its way up from the beneath the tower floor." Then the fur on his back stood up. "We must find another way out." Another tremor shook the building and something howled. A sound of anger that I felt in my soul.

"Put on your helmet," I said to Lucius as I donned my own.

"We're going there?" he asked, pointing at the image in the basin as he put his helmet on his head.

"It's that or face whatever is coming from down below," I yelled over the wailing sound. "Charlie!"

The big dog ran over and I grabbed him by the neck; then with the other hand, reached over and grabbed Lucius. Then I blew hard on the basin and the mists swirled up and took us.

"Where are we?" Lucius asked as the mists slowly evaporated away. "What is that horrible sound?"

"That is carnival music," I said, waving my hands in front of me to clear a last cloud of vapor. "As to where we are? I have no idea. But it sounds like some kind of carnival, or maybe a circus."

"I do not know this place," Charlie declared.

The music drifted up from the clearing below. It was a familiar sound; but skewed somehow, as if the notes were just a bit off.

"Is this the human world?" Lucius asked.

"I doubt it," I replied. "This is someone's version of Hell. As to whose? No clue. But I thought I saw Demons in the image before we left the tower."

"What kind of Demons?" Lucius asked.

"The dark kind," I replied. "Leathery skin, horns, that kind of thing. And this music? It's like Halloween, and I think I saw costumes. "

"Strange," he replied. " I am familiar with the holiday. But why would the basin show us this place? Let alone take us here. It is not like any Hell I have ever heard of."

"I'm just playing it by ear at the moment," I replied. "But I think someone wanted us to come here, or at least I hope so." I knelt and got out my pack. Digging through it, I took the orb out of its bag and placed it in my palm. It spun for a moment, then slowed, first pointing out me, then Lucius, and then Charlie, before swinging around and settling in the direction of the carnival.

"What is that?" Lucius asked.

"It finds things that don't belong," I answered as I put it away. "At least I think it does. Look, this has got to be someone's idea of Hell, so we'll have to be careful. Best we keep our helmets on and play our parts for now." I pulled my shield off my back and held it in my left hand, holding the bident in my right. "Ok, if anyone asks, Charlie's a Hellhound, I'm Hades, and you can be Thanatos, the Greek God of Death. Come on, let's go trick or treating."

"Hellhound!" Charlie exclaimed. He began to rub his face into the ground. When he came up, his mouth was salivating and covered in white foam.

"Nice," I said with a chuckle.

"I think I'd rather be Letus, the Roman equivalent," Lucius said, laughing at the now playful hound. "Besides, my armor is Roman, not Greek. Better to play the part."

"Works for me," I replied, and we began walking in the direction of the carnival.

Chapter 20

"Are you sure this is a Hell?" Lucius asked as we walked toward the carnival area.

"Pretty sure," I replied. "But only because we bounced here from Hades."

We had come into the carnival area from the back. As we walked around the low fence that encircled the place, it looked like something you'd see back in the human world; except that it was populated by Demons.

It's easy to get confused where the Underworld is concerned. While Hades, and every other Hell I'd ever heard of, are indeed located down here, they're just part of the place that's known as the Underworld. Outside of the Hells, the Underworld is just a place. Like Fae, I guess. Except instead of Faeries, you had Demons. But I don’t claim to be an expert, and to be honest, I wasn't sure. But I doubted that Cronus' transportation device would lead just anywhere. There had to be reason that it had chosen this place.

Of course, we could be anywhere in the Underworld. Sure, Demons were running around, dressed up in strange costumes. But for all I knew, this could be just a Demon world that we'd arrived in during their version of a Halloween festival. Still, I doubted it. The loud scream a moment later confirmed my suspicions.

We walked through the entrance and up to the booth where the sound had come from. In front of a low counter, Demon children dressed as Devils and other dark creatures were tossing darts. Ok, they were the size of the old Lawn Darts we used to have when I was a kid, but you get the picture, and they weren't tossing them at balloons.

"I stand corrected," Lucius whispered, leaning in close so as not to be heard by the others.

Some distance behind the counter were three large wheels. On each, a naked human was tied. As they slowly rotated, one Demon or another would throw a dart. A hit got a scream, or a whimper, depending. That answers that. This was someone's version of Hell after all.

It's a good thing I'm not squeamish, I thought, as I watched another dart plunge into one of the poor soul's chests. Lucius, of course, had probably seen worse. Romans had been fond of crucifixion, not to mention the kinds of deaths that occurred later at the Coliseum. Still, it was disconcerting, to say the least. Best not to show disgust while in this place. Not that anyone could see my face through the helmet I wore.

"Any idea just whose Hell this is?" Lucius asked.

"Hard to say," I replied. "Let's look a little further. We still need to find out why we were sent here."

"And I thought Nero was a sick bastard," Lucius remarked. He had stopped in front of another booth where Demons threw spiked iron collars on the heads of humans buried up to their necks in some kind of smoldering rock. "I know, I know. After my time. But I was still in Rome during his reign."

We cut through the midway; listening as Demons hawked games of chance or skill, all involving souls being punished in one way or another.

"Why would the Tower of Cronus send us here?" Lucius asked.

"Still working on that," I replied. We'd stopped outside the midway, near a small arena where souls were being placed in coffin like boxes before Demons started cutting them in half, or pushing swords into them. Something caught my eye, and I looked over at another booth where what I could only describe as a twisted version of Whack a Mole was being played.

Heads were pushed up through holes as Demons smashed them with huge wooden mallets. As each head was crushed, another took its place. What caught my attention, was that not soon after one was crushed and removed, the same head popped up a few seconds later through another hole. Meaning the soul had to live through the ordeal over and over again. The only reason I even noticed it in a place filled with such horrors was that one head in particular looked familiar. I strolled closer to get a better look.

On the third row back a clown faced Demon hefted his mallet and smashed his victim. A moment later, his target disappeared, only to reappear a few seconds later when it popped up in the first row. As I stood at the counter, the Demon carny working the booth asked me if I wanted to play. Waving him away, I walked back over to Lucius and Charlie.

"It looks like we're supposed to be here," I said, a quick flick of my head toward the booth I had just come from. "Let's go this way."

"What did I miss?" Lucius asked as I led them closer to a Demon's version of a food court.

"I recognize one of the souls being tortured here," I said, stopping outside the entrance. "So now we just need to know why."

"Why he's in Hell? That would seem to have an easy answer."

"No," I said. "Why we're here."

The soul in question had been someone I knew, or at least someone I'd done a job for, once upon a time. William Harrison had been his name. He'd been a friend of Eddie Milagre. He was also the reason I'd found Diantha. While I pitied him, I doubted he'd been sentenced for his kind acts. He'd stolen the jewel that Diantha, once the Oracle of Delphi, had been gifted by Apollo to grant her beauty. The old God had also used some sort of magic to make her immortal. But without the stone to keep her young, she'd been left to live out the rest of eternity as an old hag.

Still, he'd eventually hired me to return it to her, but that was only because it no longer worked for him. I doubted he'd gotten many points in the afterlife department for that gesture. He'd run a carnival back in the old days, before he made it to the big time in Hollywood. Maybe that was why he'd been sentenced to spend eternity here. Whatever the reason, Diantha would be happy to know that kind of Hell he'd wound up in. She'd never forgiven him for what he'd done and it had taken a powerful oath to get her to swear not to kill him herself.

This begged the question; What was the real reason I had been moved to come here? To the Hells of the Underworld I mean. It wasn't just the Demon portals. They were just obstacles I had to deal with. Dark Fae or not, Marissa's actions were just moves in the same game I was playing. But then I found Lucius, and now Harrison. First Heaven, or at least the Roman equivalent of paradise, and now Hell. What was next?

"All right. Charlie, Lucius, I need you to block me from view," I said as I walked behind the tents. Kneeling down, I took out the Queller and watched it spin. It came to rest pointing to the back of a tent on the other side of the small alley I had walked into. "This way."

We walked through the gaps between the tents and came out on another path that circled the midway proper. On this road, tents were up and hawkers beckoned Demons inside. I walked back toward the tent the arrow had pointed to, dodging a barker advertising a soul swallowing show. The tent in question had a sign with a crystal ball logo, advertising fortunes told. I stopped and waved my companions forward through the curtain before stepping in myself. Inside were several chairs and another entrance, also hidden by a curtain. As we crossed the threshold, an Imp-sized Demon with leathery wings came out and greeted us.

"Wonderful. Wonderful," the Demon said, walking around me and gazing up at my armor. "Why it is Hades himself that comes to see the Necromancer. What will it be, good sir? Tarot, or perhaps the bones? The fire might be telling with one of your personage; or perhaps the entrails, or, then again, the liver." He put his fingers to his lips. "No, no, I think not." He looked over at Lucius and Charlie, telling them to sit before turning his attention back to me. He grabbed my hand. "Come, my Lord. The Lady awaits. She can divine that which you seek."

I gave a nod to the two of them to wait, then went along with the Demon.

He parted the curtain and led me inside, before disappearing himself. Not sure what to expect, I almost laughed when I saw the figure that sat behind the small table of stone. It was cliché, but I figured I'd play along, at least for the moment. Dressed as an old hag, what I could see of her green skinned face was wrinkled and covered with warts and tufts of hair. Her long nose protruded from a hood that covered most of her head, and her eyes blazed red. Her clawed hands clutched a crystal ball as mists swirled within. She peered at me as I came into the room.

"Something amuses you, my Lord?" she croaked.

"If you have to ask that question," I replied, "then you are not the one I seek." I set my shield next to me on the floor and sat down, laying the bident across my legs as I waited to see what she'd say next. I was really getting tired of this bullshit.

"Odd," she said, pushing the crystal ball aside. She reached into a fold in her cloak and came out with a handful of bones; bloody and with shreds of sinew and flesh still attached. As she threw them onto the table, blood splattered on to the smooth stone surface. She dragged a finger through the red drops, smearing the wetness over the stone. She gazed down at the dark red streaks before looking back at me. "Yet here you are... and here is where you are supposed to be."

"Is it?" I asked as I removed my helmet and set it down on the table. "Then perhaps you can tell me why?"

She cackled a laugh.

"Does the great Lord not know his own quest?"

"Oh, I know my quest," I replied, sarcastically. "Now I just need to know if I'm going to be able to fulfill it."

"Tis the future you seek, then," she said, then went back to the crystal ball. She rubbed her clawed hands over it and peered in to the mist. Then her glowing eyes looked back up at me. "And what do you offer in return?"

"That depends," I replied. "What price do you set on such a vision? Gold? Jewels? No, wait... Perhaps a piece of my soul would be more to your liking?"

She cackled again before replying. "I have no need for such earthly things. As for your soul... Hmm... No. I have souls aplenty at the moment." She lifted up her head and put a clawed hand to it. Then pointed a bony finger at me, shaking it up and down as she answered. " I was thinking of something more useful. Something from another world... From another Hell. Yes. That is my price. Do you have such a thing? Can you pay the price for such knowledge?"

"Oh, I can pay it," I said, removing the backpack from my shoulder. If it's games she wanted... Well, I'd just have to oblige. I reached inside and removed the scythe. I held it up, testing the sharpness of the blade with my thumb. "The question is—do I want to."

"Oh!" she screamed, jumping up. "Must you be so difficult? Is it too much to ask for you to stay in character?" Then thunder boomed and everything changed. Suddenly we were in another place, another time. The room had changed to a Western theme and we were sitting at a poker table. She was human this time; dressed in a collared, striped shirt with a bolo tie and a visor on her head. Her left arm sported a sleeve garter. She picked up a deck of cards and fanned them out on the red felt. "Fine! Let's try this again. Pick a card."

"I don't think so," I said as I started to put the scythe back in my pack. Then I stopped. What the hell, might as well go for broke. " But I'm not playing until you tell me the rules."

Then she did it again. This time she sat next to me on a red velvet couch. No longer in gambling garb, she now wore a white evening dress, looking every bit like Marilyn Monroe.

"If I'd observed the rules," she said, stroking my hair. "I'd never have got anywhere."

"Cute," I said, pushing her back. Then she did it again. This time we were sitting across from each other in a conference room. Marilyn was gone. In her place was a young woman with auburn hair, wearing glasses and dressed in a business suit.

"Please understand," she began, browsing through a leather bound notebook on the table. "I think I've been more than fair."

"Fair?" I asked, losing my train of thought for a second, after all the quick changes we'd been through. Not to mention being part of what could only be described as a game of wits with the Goddess behind the strings, Gaea herself. Something I probably shouldn’t be doing. But as they say, hindsight is a beautiful thing, and Nikki had said that Gaea needed something from me. Then it hit me. This was a negotiation. Sure, she wanted me to give her the scythe. But that was only one of the stakes on the table. Maybe I did have a card worth playing after all. "You have got to be kidding? Mind telling me what game we're playing now?"

"Mr. Hoskins," she said, taking off her glasses and placing them on the table. "I can’t make things too easy. Besides, look at it from my perspective. I am the Goddess, after all. Understanding was never part of the deal." She perused her notebook again." I have kept my side of the bargain I made with Maria. Your Fae are safe, for the most part. Your daughter is Queen, relieving you to watch over things in the human realm. That is what you wanted, is it not? Your son is... What was his title again? Oh, yes, now I remember—Protector of the Realm. As an added bonus, both were granted additional powers as well. You should be pleased. Although I admit that you may have lost just a bit of them your power when you passed the knowledge on to your children."

That explained that. Still, it didn’t seem like a bad trade, since it went to my kids.

"Just look at what you've accomplished. You've allied yourself with Nereids and Weres to the betterment of your own Fae. You've even formed a pact with the Keres. Impressive, by the way. I did not see that coming. There! You've surprised even me. And now you've been on a grand quest, even rescuing your friend from Hades. You have a wonderful tale to tell, including one for the Oracle. I'm sure she will enjoy learning of her enemy's fate. Consider it an added bonus on my part. But now it's time for business. You have something of mine and I would like it returned."

"Just a sec," I said, holding up my hand. "Not to be difficult, but can we go somewhere more comfortable? So we can talk, I mean."

"Difficult?" she retorted. "You don't know the meaning of the word. If I hadn’t already expected it after watching you all this time, not to mention meeting your daughter, I'd... Fine! You should be grateful I'm in a good mood." She waved her hand and the room changed again.

This time I found myself seated in a comfortable dining chair, sitting at a table directly across from her. There was a fire in the hearth and the room had a quaint feel. She was conservatively dressed in a purple outfit with lace on the collar and sleeves. Her now brown hair was pulled up in a twist-and-tuck bun, with braids above the ears.

"Better? Your daughter seemed to like this look," she said as she poured tea into the cup in front of me. Unlike my mugs, these were fine china, and each had an image of the Goddess rising out of the earth carrying an infant. Then she poured some for herself. "Now. You were saying?"

"I guess I should apologize first," I said, figuring I'd better not push my luck too much. "But you have to admit, this whole quest thing is not what I expected."

"And what did you expect?"

"You're kidding right?" I asked.

She just sat there, sipping her tea.

"Look. It's been interesting, I'll grant you that," I said after a moment. "But I've got a Demon problem of my own to deal with back on the human plane and this isn’t helping. Besides, you didn't have to lead me by the nose to get me here. You could have just asked."

"Asked?" She broke out into laughter.

"Fine," I replied. "How about a bargain then?"

"I believe I've already stated that I've satisfied my end of that arrangement."

"True," I said. "But I seem to recall the bargain you spoke of was with my grandmother. Not with me."

A sugar bowl appeared and she picked up a cube with the tongs that accompanied it. She dropped it into her cup and began to stir her tea slowly. I watched as the barest hint of a smile crossed her lips before she looked back up at me.

"I'm listening," she finally said.

"Maybe I missed something here, but I was under the distinct impression that you did all those things for my kids because you needed me on the human plane; not just to fulfil the requirements of my grandmother's bargain with you."

She sighed and took another drink. "You give yourself too much credit," she said, placing her cup back on the saucer. "But now that you mention it, I may have discussed a few trivial matters with your daughter. I certainly never meant to imply that I needed you. We were discussing, at most, housekeeping issues. Nothing more."

"I see," I replied. "Housekeeping it is then."

"Continue."

"Here's my proposal," I began, holding up the scythe. "I'll agree to do your... housekeeping, shall we say, and I'll give you the scythe as well. But in return, I need you to help me finish what I started here."

"Is that all?" she asked, pouring more tea into her cup.

"Not exactly," I replied, wondering how far she was going to let me take this. "I'd really like it if I could complete these chores of yours without each becoming a full-fledged adventure. It'd be so much easier if you could just let me know what you needed rather than send me on some crazy quest. Maybe we could even meet now and then. Just to discuss housekeeping, of course."

I pushed my cup forward and then remembered why I'd come here in the first place. "Oh, yeah. Any chance you could point me to the Helm of Darkness is so I can navigate the Underworld a little better? I mean, the Queller is appreciated and all, but I still have to find out what's causing all these Demons to escape; and to accomplish that I have to be able to get to the problem. I'd really like to do that before whatever it is gets to Marissa."

"You expect me to get involved in your conflict with the other High Fae? That doesn't seem very sporting of you."

"Sporting?" I said, then pulled out the sword of Cronus and laid it on the table. "She'd be dead if your ex-husband hadn't sent her to Tartarus. I would have won the sword just the same, the way I figure it. That wasn't very sporting either."

"Point taken," she agreed, pouring more tea. "I'll grant that he did muddle things a bit by sending her to Tartarus. But no quests? How can you be seen as a hero to the Fae if you don’t complete a quest?"

"I don’t need to be the Fae's hero. I only need to be your hero," I said, giving her my best smile.

"Now I remember why I like you," she said, laughing. "My hero, indeed! You realize that although you may perform a service for me, I cannot guarantee your safety."

"What would be the fun in that?" I grinned. "Then we have an agreement?"

"In part," she said. " But I cannot lead you to the Helm of Darkness."

"Why not?"

"Like Ouranos, Hades was not very sporting," she explained. "It has been written that the Helm granted knowledge, as well as stealth. If he had possessed such a thing, he would have killed his enemies as they slept, or at least when they were most vulnerable. However, he did not possess such a thing because the Cyclops never made it for him. It does not exist, nor did it ever."

"That could be a problem."

"Please," she said, drawing out the word as she chuckled. "I'm feeling generous. Give me the scythe and I'll accept your bargain, as well as show you how to navigate the Underworld."

"Done," I replied, handing it over to her.

"While the Helm does not exist, the bident does," she said, looking at the weapon on my lap. "That, the Cyclops did create. You already have in your possession that which you need to traverse the Hells. However, our bargain still stands."

Let her think she put one over on me, I didn’t care. I would have been stuck doing her quests anyway. At least I was getting something out of the deal. "You are going to show me how it works, right?"

"As I agreed," she replied, getting up and walking around the table towards me. She picked up the bident and aimed it away from us. "Simply point it, then tell it what Hell you wish to go to and it will take you to that realm. You will recognize the magic when you reach out for it. When the portal appears, step through. From there, you can use the orb to lead you in the right direction." She turned and faced me. "But remember, it can only take you from one place to another within the Underworld. Outside of here, it is just another weapon. Were it not, Hades would never have left it behind."

"Thank you."

"Oh no, my hero," she said. "Thank you. It has been most enlightening. I so look forward to discovering what the future will hold." She leaned forward and kissed me, and then the room disappeared.

Chapter 21

"That was fast." I heard Lucius say behind me.

"I forgot, you've never been outside the human plane," I replied. "Time works differently when you cross."

"Did we go somewhere?" he asked, looking confused. The curtain I'd gone in through was now gone as well.

"I did," I said. "Quick meeting."

"You met Gaea?" Charlie asked.

"The Goddess?" Lucius asked as he blew out his cheeks. Then his eyes widened. "You met with her! What was she like?"

"Let's just say she was in a good mood," I replied, raising the bident. "I'll tell you all about it later. For now, let's go find Bernd." I started to point the bident, but stopped. "Just to be clear, I'm not exactly sure what we're heading into. Best be ready for anything."

It wasn't that I didn’t trust her, it's just that... Well, it's just that I didn’t trust her to make it easy. I pointed the bident in front of us, then reached out with magic and touched it. I willed a portal to the place Bernd had gone. It seemed to take a minute for it to understand. Then a black, swirling, cloud appeared in front of us, and as we watched, an opening formed in the center. "This way," I said, and stepped through.

It was pitch black; but slowly my eyes adjusted to the darkness. A blanket of snow covered the ground around us as we stood at the base of a giant tree. Its roots formed tunnels and as I started to turn toward the others, the ground gave way. Suddenly we were falling. I landed on my back on an icy stretch, the shield still strapped to it. I slid for some time before finally coming to a stop against a bank of snow. I started to get to my feet when I was knocked down from behind when Charlie and Lucius crashed into me.

"You sure she was in a good mood?" Lucius asked as he wiped snow off his armor. He bent down and picked up his helmet. It had fallen off during his slide.

"I thought so," I said, getting back to my feet. We were at the edge of a frozen lake. It was still dark, but with Fae eyesight and the white snow that surrounded us, it was light enough to see by.

Charlie was up and shaking himself, snow flying in all directions.

"Thanks, " I said, wiping my face. "Any idea where we are?"

"Don’t look at me," Lucius replied, stomping his feet to clear the rest of the snow that clung to his armor.

Charlie began sniffing the air in all directions. "Helheim," he said after a moment. "That is my first guess, but it is so cold. Perhaps it is Nilfhel. It is said they are adjoined.

"Those are Norse Worlds," Lucius commented. "Are they not?"

"That's where we want to be. At least we're close." I grabbed my snow covered backpack and pulled out the Queller. "Let's see if we can find Bernd." I placed the orb in my palm and it began to spin. A bit later, it settled on a location just ahead and to the left.

We began to trudge through the snow. We walked through a deep valley, with snow covered mountains devoid of life on both sides. After what seemed like days, we stopped at the banks of a frozen river.

"I do not like this," Charlie said, eyeing the ice. "This is the river Gjoll. It should be flowing."

"Me either," I said. Something about the frozen river made me uncomfortable. "I don’t think we should try and cross here." The orb agreed with me. It was pointing in a direction that led us parallel to the bank. I tried to use the bident to take us wherever it was pointing, but apparently whatever magic it held would not take us across the river. Not the greatest design in a magic teleportation device, but what was I gonna do, return it to the Cyclops for a refund?

We walked for seemed like hours, eventually reaching a covered bridge that crossed the frozen river. Snow and ice blanketed it, and even this close, I couldn't tell what it was made of. It was snowing again, and in the haze, I couldn’t even see the other side. Taking out the orb, I watched as it pointed across the river.

"Wait," Charlie said as he stopped just short of the bridge. He stood still and stared into the dark tunnel for a moment. "This is the bridge called Gjallarbrú. We should have been challenged."

"Where does it lead?" I asked.

"To Hel's gates. I have never heard of it being frozen. It should be guarded as well. Either way, we must cross and find a way to the gate, if this is truly where Bernd is. It is said that only the dead may pass through the gate itself and that it is guarded by great, blood stained hound."

"You've been here before?" Lucius asked.

"My sire has," Charlie replied.

"How do you know this?" Lucius asked, then looked at me. "Wait, don’t tell me. Another long story?

"Yeah. You'll get used to it. There's a lot more to Charlie than meets the eye," I said as I turned to him. "You said the bridge was guarded. What kind of guard were you expecting?"

"A giant once defended the bridge from those not chosen to enter. But there is no sign of her."

"Maybe she's on the other side. Then again, she could have been gone since The Fall. Whatever happened here, I'm guessing this place is just as screwed up as Hades was."

"Perhaps," he replied. "But what stops the souls from leaving if the gate is left unguarded?"

"Beats me," I said. "But other than Fae like Siegfried, I doubt there are any Vikings left, at least not human ones. Could be the gates of Hel are locked. What I don’t understand is why would Bernd would be here?"

"What do you mean?" Lucius asked.

"I mean, if this is Helheim, it's not the place that I would have expected a Dwarf to descend to. I know it's like Hades in a lot of respects, but I would have thought he'd go to Valhalla, or someplace just for Dwarves." I stepped up and looked down the length of bridge. Even with my Fae eyesight, the darkness and mists made seeing further than a few yards impossible.

With the orb-like Queller still pointing in that direction, I took a step and put my foot onto the bridge. Suddenly the way was blocked. They crawled or climbed up from the floor. Misty spirits with biting teeth and clawed hands that tried to grab hold of me. I could feel the magic within them; dark, and looking for a way to escape. I stepped back, my foot now off the bridge. For some reason, they couldn’t cross. More appeared and they sat there and glared at me as the bridge became packed. Spirit, or not, they had some type of corporeal form. I'd felt the pull of their claws as they grabbed onto the leggings of Hades' armor. I doubted their teeth were any less corporeal.

"Shades?" Charlie asked as he gazed into the throng that blocked our entry.

"Something worse." I pulled out the orb and tried to think of searching for another way, but they arrow didn’t waver; pointing firmly in the direction that would lead me right to them.

"What about the bident?" Lucius asked. "Can it take us somewhere else? Maybe there's another way in."

"I already tried that. Remember?" I replied. "Give me a minute to think." Something about touching them with magic tickled at my brain. I looked the bridge over. It was solidly constructed. Whatever it was made of was hidden by ice and snow. The cover was some twenty feet high or more over the bridge. The lattice work that supported it was also covered in ice. Walking to the frozen river, I bent down, trying to see how thick the ice was. I pulled off a gloved gauntlet and rubbed my hand over the ice. As it cleared, it looked like the business ends of swords and axes lay just inches below the ice covered surface. We weren't going to try to go that way.

"What kind of boots are those?" I asked Lucius, pointing to his feet.

"Roman calcei," he replied. "What else? Crafted in Elysium; I have never worn finer. Why?"

"They're hobnailed?

"Of course."

"Okay, I have an idea," I said to both of them. "We'll need a diversion to keep their attention. I'm going to try and make it through. You two are going over the top while I do."

Charlie didn’t respond, but Lucius thought it was foolish.

"What makes you think a second time will be any different?"

"High Fae, remember? I'm going to bullshit my way thorough and I'm gonna use Cronus' sword to do it. It's not that far, and I think I can hold the magic long enough to get past them. I don’t think I can do that if I have to worry about you two. So I'll help you get to the top and then push my way through before they can focus their attention on you."

"You're going to bluff?"

"Hades is a God of the Underworld, remember?" I said as I donned my helmet. "Maybe they're too stupid to realize the difference. Let's see what kind of progress he can make." I grabbed my shield and then handed him the bident.

"I can't use this," Lucius said, trying to hand it back.

"No, but Charlie can. He's as Fae as I am." I turned to the big dog. "If I don’t make it, take him back to Hades and try to contact Kyras. Now, get ready for a running start. You're gonna use me as a spring board. When you get to the other side, run like hell. When you get to the road, turn... Just turn left. I'll catch up. When you're both on top, I'll start my run. Got it?"

Lucius shook his head, but then nodded in agreement and the two of them walked back about ten yards from the bridge.

I walked to the front and pulled my shield from my back. I gave a last look to the Shades that blocked the entrance and then turned and nodded. I kneeled and lifted the shield.

Lucius came first, leaping onto my shield as I pushed up to give him a boost. Then it was Charlie's turn. With both of them on the roof of the bridge, I pulled Cronus' blade and walked up to it, hoping to get the shade's attention before they went for the others. I held my shield in front of me and willed the blade to extend. It lit up with blue sparks. Not as much as in the other worlds, but it would do.

"I am Hades, Lord of the Underworld," I cried. "You will let me pass!" I started moving forward; the Shades moving to the sides as I pushed my way in. I was about halfway through before they decided to call my bluff.

One Shade, then another, tried to block my way. I reached out with the sword and cleaved them in half; their bodies exploding into a spray of mist as the blade came in contact with them. I didn’t know if they'd be back, being already dead souls, I mean, but at least they were gone for now.

Unfortunately, there were still a lot of them in front of me, and it became difficult to move forward, even with the success of my sword. I was almost to the end when they breached the shield; claws and teeth scraping and biting at the Fae armor. I went down on one knee from the onslaught, as more and more of the Shades began to get through. I swung my blade wildly, but there were just too many.

Something grabbed my leg and I felt myself sliding over the bridge. Thinking it was a Shade, I drew back, only to see Charlie's jaws as the wraiths fell off of me. Lucius was swinging and thrusting the bident at any that remained. While not as effective as my sword, the Shades screamed as the blades bit into them. Seconds later he was pulling me up and we began to run. We barreled through the few that remained as we made it to the crossroads, then turned left, running all out to escape. Only a few followed and even they dropped off as we came to a pitch black wall, some thirty feet high, that ran along the length of the road. We followed it for several miles before stopping to rest.

"That was close," Lucius said as he leaned over and gulped deep breaths.

"So much for following directions," I replied, gasping for air myself.

"I will always find you," Charlie said. Even he was panting.

Fae or not, something about the Underworld drained one's strength. Then again, wearing full armor didn't help either. Although it had held off the teeth and claws of the Demon-like Shades.

I took out the orb, watching it point to the wall.

"What now?" Lucius asked, glancing at the direction of the arrow.

"We find a way past the wall," Charlie said, and then began to trot along the path.

Several miles later, we found a point where the wall had been damaged. Black bricks had fallen and there was opening some 15 feet up.

"You brought rope?" Charlie asked.

"I have what was left of the mooring line," I replied, reaching into my pack. "It's not much; about twenty feet or so."

"It will do," he replied, grabbing the coil in his mouth. He took off at a run and then came back, leaping up and scrambling over the top of the breach. Then, with one end firmly clenched in his jaws, he dropped the length of rope down the wall.

Grabbing the rope, I let Lucius go first, following him as he went up the rope. When I reached the top, I stopped to survey what was inside. Having once read that Helheim, although not the paradise for warriors that was Valhalla, it was still said to have huge mansions and tall walls with great guarded gates; the sight before my eyes seemed a little out of place. I was no expert on the nine worlds but the huge building that stood in the center had definitely seen better days.

It was big, I'd grant it that, but looked more like the stereotypical longhouse, or great house, I'd seen in movies. It was also dilapidated. Made of huge timbers of solid wood, the sides were in various states of ill repair, and the roof showed signs of caving in on one side. There was a great wooden door in front that looked solid enough, so we made our way down the wall and headed through the long dead field toward it. As we walked up, the door began to open.

"Welcome strangers," a rather large, barrel of a man said. He had long blonde hair, a full beard, and wore a course grey tunic with a leather-like covering and boots. On his belt were both a seax and battle ax. "I am Gunnvor, keeper of this place. He awaits you inside. Come. Come." As he spoke, he waved for us to enter.

I was about to ask who, but before I could utter the words, Charlie went straight in through the door. I glanced over at Lucius and with a shrug, followed him inside.

The place was huge. A cavernous hall with solid timbers of wood as large as any I'd ever seen. Even in its current state, it was impressive. The ceiling that hung several stories above was slanted upward toward the middle, where a round vent was located. Ahead of us, in the center, was a pit with a blazing fire. Next to it, was what was left of a raised throne, the wood long dried out and crumbling. Most of the rest of the furniture was scrap, but near the fire a few tables and chairs, still in one piece, could be found. Sitting on one was Bernd.

"I was wondering when you would come," he said as Charlie almost knocked him over in greeting. He patted the big dog's head before turning back to me. "You have brought another."

"This is Lucius," I replied, smiling. "I believe I may have mentioned him to you. As for my timing? I came when I was needed, as you're so fond of saying." Then I walked over and gave him a hug, relieved to have found him. "So you knew I was coming, did you?"

"I was confident Lucinda would find a way to ... Shall we say... prod you in that direction."

"She did, and so did Alf."

"You met Ataulf, did you?" he asked.

"Let's just say he ran into the Garden Faeries and I had to rescue him, as well."

"A story for another time," he said, sliding off the chair. "Come. We must go. You took your time getting here and there is still the other High Fae problem we must deal with. The portals have moved closer. We must return to Hades if you wish to stop them before they reach Tartarus."

"How do you know about that?" I asked, dumbfounded. The problems hadn’t even started till way after he'd left the human plane.

"Although it may appear that this place has fallen through the abyss of time, souls still pass through the gate. One hears things, if one is willing to listen."

"I'm not even gonna ask," I replied with a chuckle. I looked over at Gunnvor, who had been standing quietly behind us. "What about you? Care to join us? No offense, but this doesn't seem like the greatest place to spend eternity."

"The Norn themselves sent me here for a purpose," he replied. "I may not have been the greatest warrior in my past life, but I shall not waver from the duty the Fates have entrusted me with in this one. I thank you for the offer, but I must decline."

"As you wish." The Norn were the equivalent of the Fates in Viking lore. Far be it from me to interfere with their judgement, once known.

"Perhaps there is one thing you can do for me," he said a moment later. He walked over to one of the tables and picked up what looked like a longsword in a weathered leather scabbard. Pulling it out, he walked back over to me and displayed it in both hands, the inscription, +VLFBERHT+, clearly visible on the blade.

"This was passed down to me by my father," he said. "I have no use for it here, and truth be told, such a blade does not belong in this place. The Dwarf has told me tales of a great Fae. A Viking warrior that still lives among you. While I cannot leave this place, perhaps you could deliver it to him. As last of my line, I, Gunnvor Tryggvason, ask this of you, so that it may be returned into the service for which it was forged."

"Of course," I replied, assuming he wanted it to go to Siegfried, the Viking Fae. The Ulfberht was the most famous of all Viking swords and he would be worthy of such a blade.

"Thank you," he said, placing it back in the scabbard before handing it to me.

Suddenly feeling like a packhorse, I strapped it on my back with my shield and other weapons. Taking the bident back from Lucius, I moved back toward Bernd.

"You sure Hades is where we want to be?" I asked the Dwarf, already knowing what he would say.

"We must wait at the river of fire," he said, meaning the river Phlegethon that bordered Tartarus. "She will have to appear there if she is to attempt to find the route to Tartarus. We must be there when she arrives."

Once again, I wasn't even going to ask how he knew that. I knew better than to even try. Besides, I hadn't a clue where to start, so going back to Hades was as good a plan as any. I fired up the bident and watched as the black swirling cloud appeared. As we stepped through, I realized that he'd said she. How did he know that? Could there be someone else involved after all?

Chapter 22

"Where are we now?" Lucius asked as the cloud dissipated.

"This was Hades' palace," I replied.

"Why is it in such disrepair?" he asked, looking at the aged remains of what was once a glorious palace. "It did not look this way when I passed it on the road to the Fields."

"Maybe because you belonged here," I replied. "You saw what you expected to see. We're outsiders now. Things are different." I turned to Bernd. "So how did you end up in Helheim, anyway? Doesn’t seem like the place for a Dwarf."

"It is not," Bernd replied. "I underestimated Grerin's resolve; as well his abilities. Something I will not do in the future. Like your own enemy, he has had much time to think. The spell he wrought was crafted to send me to a place that none of our kind could ever leave. Fortunately, he is not as wise as he would believe. While the spell prevented me from walking out of the gates of Helheim, he did not account for the bident. As he underestimated your daughter, he has also underestimated you. But the story can wait for another time. We must set out for the river soon, if we are to stop Marissa from obtaining the talisman."

"That's not going to be easy. We had to fight Harpies and Chimeras just to make it to the Gate to Elysium. Getting there is going to be a bitch. So, how do you know we're chasing a she anyway?"

"Gunnvor saw her," he explained. "He told me of it. There was a noise like thunder from the bridge, and he ran to the tower to investigate. He saw a great storm cloud with lightning, then a bright flash and a Faerie materialized. A great whirlwind trailed behind her and Shades were drawn inside before it collapsed. She stayed but a moment before the process was repeated, and she was gone

"Any idea who she is?" I asked, remembering the glimpse of wings from the bull-centaur's blood.

"That I do not know. But Gunnvor believes she was in great distress. He saw weariness in her face, and pain as well. He also said that she carried an amulet of silver, with a blood red stone. He believed it was the talisman that brought her there. Red fire burst forth from it when she disappeared. We must prevent her from reaching the river."

"I think I saw that stone in a portrait. Marissa was wearing it on a necklace at the time. Another transportation spell then," I said. "Seems to be what she's best at. But why is a Faerie carrying it; how do you know all this stuff anyway?"

"I am a Dwarf," he replied with a strange fire in his eyes.

I'd seen that look before. Once. When I first met him. I'd been my usual asshole self and questioned his allegiance. Let's just say I never did that again.

"Grerin may have tried to condemn me to oblivion in the Underworld, but he cannot take that away from me. Whatever spell Marissa's compatriot used to bring the Talisman here, it was not perfect. I believe she needed someone to guide the stone to Tartarus."

"For what it's worth, the Wizard that crafted it died after he cast it. She doesn’t seem to have much luck in her choice of servants. All right then, let's figure out our next move. Might as well get the party started. Lucius, go upstairs and check the windows. Let me know what we're facing out there. Hopefully, they haven't figured out we're here; so keep it low key."

He headed up the stairs as I talked to Charlie. Bernd was quiet for the moment, lost in thought. Whatever had happened had changed him. He no longer spoke in riddles. I knew that he'd been planning to fight Grerin's Dwarves, of course. But around me he'd always played the counselor, or advisor. Somehow, I think Grerin woke something up in him. Just a guess, but I think he was going to regret that.

"There does not appear to be any safe exit," Lucius said a bit later, coming down the stairway. "Many creatures roam the area around the palace. They do not seem particularly interested in this place, if that is any consolation. But there are many more than I would like to fight my way through."

"I figured that." Then I turned to Bernd. "Where exactly do we have to go?"

"The entrance to Tartarus is said to be blocked," he replied. "There was once a bridge that led to the gate and the tower guarded by the Fury, Tisiphone. That is where we must wait."

"You said once."

"The tower may still stand, but the bridge was destroyed by Tisiphone herself during The Fall to prevent escape. Although the way to the gate is closed, it is the narrowest point on the Phlegethon and the only place where something could cross the river and survive long enough to bring the talisman across."

"How could anyone cross a river of fire?" Lucius asked.

"She needs only to live long enough to make sure the talisman is on the other side."

"That's a pretty stupid plan," I said. "What's she gonna do, throw it?"

"It may be that simple," he replied. "The magic that guards that place is strong and prevents anyone from leaving. Nor can one simply use magic to get in. But the jewel that powers the talisman is, in truth, only a stone. Tartarus was made to keep souls in. With the Fury no longer in the tower that guards the pit, the entrance is no longer guarded from above. One needs only to get the talisman to the other side for someone to gain access to it."

"That's still the dumbest idea I've ever heard."

"Legend has it the gate was made of adamantine," Lucius added. "No harder substance exists. Not even a stone can pass through that."

"Unless they flew above it," I said, remembering what Bernd said the Viking had seen. Then I realized what I was saying. "Oh shit! That's what Gunnvor saw. She's using one of the Aurae! She must be under a spell. I can't believe she'd do such a thing willingly. Without the Fury to stop her, she could get high enough to cross it; or at least toss the stone into the pit."

"You are right," Lucius remarked. "That is a stupid plan."

"Sure it can," I replied. "Besides no one ever said her followers were the brightest. We've kicked their ass every time. But throw enough magic around and even they are bound to get it right eventually."

"I would not have put it so... eloquently. It is but one possibility," Bernd added. "There may be another that we have not thought of."

"What?" I replied. "Even if she had the key to the gate, she'd never be able to use it? Not with the bridge down and the way blocked. Marissa would know that. If she did have another way out of Tartarus, she'd have used it already. No, it's just dumb enough to be something they'd think of. Desperate measures and all that. Plus, we know she had captured and experimented on Aurae's from the raid on the Mages place. We found their remains. Either way, we need to get to the river. Every time she pops into another Hell, she sends Demons back to the human plane. We've got to stop her before she tries to cross it. Who knows what else this talisman will free if it gets into Tartarus. Any ideas on how to get out of here?"

"We need a diversion," Lucius said.

"I will do it," said Charlie.

"Ok," I replied. "But before we go off half-cocked again; any clue as to what we're going to be travelling through to get there? I didn’t see a map around and the ones I looked at back home were only guesses. The Keres seemed to think we should avoid the Plain of Judgement, and I'm not keen on battling a horde of Harpies and Chimeras all the way there."

"You met with the Keres?" Bernd asked in surprise.

"He asked for her name," Charlie chimed in.

"Indeed," Bernd remarked, smiling again. "And what was her name?"

"Oh for... Her name was Kyras, and yes, I forged an alliance with her. Any other questions?"

Bernd just smiled. "An alliance with the granddaughter of Nyx herself? You never cease to amaze me."

"You didn't tell me that part," said Lucius. "Are they truly as horrendous as it is claimed?"

"If you mean the hideous looks and the gnashing fangs and claws; then, yes, they can be. But like all Fae, that's just one side of them. They're no different than us, really." I turned back to Bernd. "Can we talk about something else now? Like how we're getting to the river?"

"We will take the least populated route," he answered, drawing a finger through the dust on the floor. "North of the plain where the Judges once sat. It will be best to avoid the areas where many souls congregate." He pointed to a spot up from where he had drawn the Plain of Judgement. Here the way is hilly and the trunks of long dead trees will hide us from sight until we are close to Tartarus and the river. It should be desolate there. Few souls have any desire to see that evil place."

"Works for me," I replied. " The Harpies aren't great flyers, but they can haul ass in short hops. If Charlie heads out first, he can lead them and the Chimeras away. Then we can make a dash for the forest. We can wait for him there. I'd say we go in the morning but that's not gonna work in this perpetual twilight. We can keep watch from an upstairs window and be ready to leave when the time looks right. They've got to be less active sometime."

"Agreed," he replied. "I would like to see the place where you found Hades' armor as well. Perhaps there is something else there that will be of use to us."

With that said, we headed upstairs to Hades' bedchamber and the hidden room we had found there earlier.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" I asked as Bernd looked through the hidden closet.

"No," he replied as he put a helmet down. "Hades had many weapons and articles of magic, but I doubt he would have left anything useful behind when left to fight in the wars."

"There was a scythe," I said. "Made of adamantine, or some other hard substance. But I gave it to Gaea."

"You gave it to her?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I figure that's the real purpose she had me come here. It was a set up from the start. Probably figured I'd do it; if for no other reason than to rescue you. But I think that's what she really wanted. Whatever she's up to, she acted like she didn't care about the problems the Demons were creating on the human plane."

"She would not want you to know if she did," he said.

"Figured that. What I don't understand is why she couldn’t just come here and get it herself."

"Ouranos would have noticed her presence," he replied with a frown. "We are but pawns in the games the Gods play." Then he looked up at me and the frown became a smile. "In your case, perhaps a knight. Ouranos has underestimated you. Sword of Cronus, or not, he still favors the dark Fae. That, at least, is good to know."

"Nothing like being underappreciated."

"Perhaps," he agreed. "But I doubt Gaea would agree."

"Yeah," I said with a chuckle. "She called me her hero."

"More than a knight then," he said with a laugh as he turned for the doorway. "Come. There is nothing more for us here. Let us plan our next move."

The Shades that had packed the rear of Hades' palace were gone. A few Harpies and Chimera still roamed the area as we made ready to leave.

"You ready?" I asked Charlie as we stood at the front door. He was going out the window again. Since it was on the far side of the palace, I figured that it would give us the best shot at drawing any stragglers from the front. Lucius stood behind us, sword in hand.

"Do you have an extra sword?" Bernd asked as Charlie headed up the stairway.

"You want a sword? Never thought I'd hear that from you."

"It is true I was once bound to my oath as to dealings with other races," he said. "But death has freed me from that pledge. Give me a sword. I am reborn a Dwarf of old."

"You got it," I said as I pulled one of the swords off my back and handed it to him.

He pulled it from its sheath and tested the edge before swinging it a few times, then he balanced it on his palm. "One of yours," he remarked as he looked at the sheaf of wheat symbol on the pommel.

"Took it from Demeter's armory myself," I replied as he sheathed it and placed it on his belt. It was almost as tall as he was, but it seemed right on him. "How does it feel?"

"It has been many an age since I carried a weapon," he replied, patting the hilt. "But I find the weight... comforting, you might say."

I chuckled a bit before nodding to Charlie at the top of the stairs. He disappeared before I could turn back and grasp the door's handle.

There was a loud series of barks that faded quickly. I waited a moment before flinging the door open, and then we were off, heading for the hills, as it were. We almost made it halfway. They were waiting for us. The group of Harpies that assaulted us came in from the side and all hell broke loose.

Having a magic sword has its benefits, even if it isn’t as powerful here as outside the Underworld. But even that doesn't help when ten five-foot tall, Dodo birds with screaming human heads tackle you. Sure, I could kill them, but more just kept coming. Bernd was holding his own and as soon as I cut a few more in two, the tide turned. Between the three of us, even the few dozen Harpies didn’t stand a chance. But it was the Chimeras I was worried about.

As soon as I had pulled the sword of Cronus, the damn goat's heads started bleating out a chorus. Not willing to wait for reinforcements, I yelled at Bernd and grabbed Lucius. We sprinted the rest of the way and didn’t stop until we were a few miles in. We'd lost them for the moment. Charlie joined us a few minutes later, panting from the long run.

"They knew we were coming," he said.

"How many chased you?" I asked.

"Too many to count," he replied. "Not as many as last time. Although it was almost enough."

"So it was an ambush?" Lucius remarked.

"Yeah," I replied. "But where are the rest?"

"They knew you would return to Hades," Bernd answered. "But they could not know where you would appear."

"Well, they know now," I said, willing my blade away and grabbing the bident off my back. "I think I'd better not use it again until I have to. I probably just sent out a beacon pointing the way here."

"Do not let it concern you," he replied. "The Chimera alerted the others as soon as we left the palace. Your sword's flame merely confirmed it. Better to have such a blade than to want it when it is needed."

"I can’t believe she has allies here," I said, shaking my head.

"There has always been contact between the Underworld and the human plane. Through the Gates of Horn and Ivory, if not elsewhere. Not all who are sentenced here drink from the river of forgetfulness. With Hades gone, who can say what type of communication between the lands exists."

The Gates of Horn and Ivory where a mystical place in Hades where dreams passed between the Underworld and the land of the living above. It was said that false dreams, those of fantasy and without true meaning passed through the Gate of Ivory on their journey's between the worlds. Those of truth passed through the Gate of Horn.

"So what now?" Lucius asked.

"We go on," I replied, pulling out the orb. I placed it into my palm and thought of the Faerie with the jewel. It began to spin but did not stop. That was something, anyway. "Well, if this thing is accurate, she's not here yet. Trap or not, we have to at least try to stop the Faerie from getting into Tartarus. Charlie, take point. Let's go north a bit, and then cut across toward the river of fire."

He didn’t reply, but took off through the woods as we followed.

"How did you acquire such a device?" Bernd asked as we trudged through the mist and brush.

"Took it off a Mage that attacked me," I replied. "But personally, I think it was a gift from Gaea. He was way too much of an amateur to be carrying such a thing, and it does other stuff as well."

"What other properties does it possess?"

"Demon killing net thingy, for one. Not sure if there's anything else, but that one is pretty effective. I didn’t think I'd need that feature while I was in Hades. I'm not hunting Demons. But it does a pretty good job of slicing and dicing them topside. I guess it might slow them down a bit here, if nothing else. That's assuming they can regenerate? Honestly, I'm not even sure I want to know. Anyway, it only works on one Demon at a time, so testing it on Harpies or Chimeras that I already know I can kill just didn’t make sense."

"An interesting device," he said. "It may still prove useful."

I could just see Charlie ahead through the mist. Suddenly, he stopped and dropped to the ground; so we went down on one knee and waited for him to slink back.

"Chimera," he said as he came up to me. "Only one. It is in the trees to the right, moving away from us. We must wait for it to pass through the area."

"It seems we are being hunted," Bernd said, raising his sword. "Where there is one, there will be more."

"It will not be the first time," Lucius whispered to me. "If he turns, spear the goat head and I'll use my sword on the lion."

I nodded, and we waited. It was as good a plan as any. Fortunately, it didn’t turn back. We gave it another five minutes, then Charlie took off in the lead again. We encountered several more Chimera as we made our way toward the river. They were tough bastards and we'd had to take out a few. But other than Charlie's fur been singed, when one surprised us we made it through. As we got closer, it got warmer. Then the stunted trees thinned out. We stopped at the top of a tall hill and looked out toward Tartarus.

The river was narrower here; maybe 150 yards across. Flames and dark smoke blocked most of the view, but the large walls and tall mountains clearly showed that we were in the right place. The remnants of a bridge stood crumbling on this side of the bank and what was left of the gate became visible now and then between the plumes. There was a pass between the tall peaks where the gate once stood, but between the river and the flames, I doubted there was any way through. Even flying over would be risky, as flames would shoot up into the air hundreds of feet every few seconds.

The valley below us was desolate. But now and then, Harpies could be seen, as the dark mists moved across the ground. Chimeras appeared here and there, the heat keeping them from venturing to close to the bank. I had just turned to Bernd, when a blinding red flash dimmed my sight. I looked up to see roiling clouds and lightning, the thunder shaking me as a vortex appeared in the sky between us and the river.

Without thinking, I jumped up and ran. The others followed as I tried to reach the center before she could appear and cross the river. Within seconds, the Faerie was there, her features hidden by the great whirlwind that began trailing out of the vortex toward us. A blast of wind threw us to the ground and the clouds and mist spun in circles around us. Bits of long dead trees and Harpies were sucked in and I grabbed what was left of a stump and held on. The others were not so lucky.

Bernd and Lucius flew into the air, flying toward the vortex as I watched. Charlie flew circles behind me and I reached out just in time for him to clamp his jaws onto my armor. I pulled him closer as the sucking vortex raised us into the air. Just when I thought I couldn't hold on any longer, we fell to the ground, the vortex collapsing into itself as the winds died down. I was back on my feet in an instant. I looked all around but the two of them were gone.

Knowing there was nothing I could do for them, I took back off toward the Faerie, Charlie at my heels. She was just floating there. Wisps of smoke encircled her as the winds died down and she settled to the ground. I had been right; she was an Aurae. She looked up at me as I ran toward her, the pain and suffering she'd been through evident on her face.

"Do not come any closer," she croaked, lifting into the air again as I approached.

"Wait!" I yelled, stopping in my tracks. "You don’t have to do this."

"But I must," she replied. She reached up to her neck as the smoke cleared and grasped the chain that encircled it.

A slave collar. Those bastards!

"Maia," I yelled, taking a step toward her. This had to be Sendy's sister. She was the only Aurae unaccounted for after the raid on the dark Fae's compound, where we'd found what was left of the rest. "I can get it off!"

"It is too late," she cried, the red stone pulsing. What had once been a necklace was now strapped onto her arm; the silver links cutting into her skin as her blood swelled around it, feeding the dark magic that was in the jewel. She grimaced as the power coursed through her, the slave collar now vibrating as it tightened around her neck.

I knew what I had to do, but it wasn't an easy decision. That hesitation was my undoing, as a red pulse shot out from the jewel and she rose further into the air; moving toward the fiery river.

I began to chase her as she flew toward the flames. Flying higher as I eyed her between the mists, her wings beating faster and faster. As she got closer she began to smoke; the heat from the fiery river already having its effect.

Charlie and I almost reached her at the bank when suddenly the river flared and the heat became intense. I looked back up but I could barely see her now, flying toward the middle of the river as flames trailed behind her.

I would have given up, but a last thought gave me hope. I pulled out the Queller and drew back, throwing it as hard as I could, just as she burst into flames. She was swallowed up by the roiling dark clouds and then there was an explosion of clouds and lightning that surged outward. I tried to gauge how far across the river she'd gone, but there was just no way to tell. I didn’t even know if the orb had connected with her, since it never came back. One way or another, it was over.

"Did you stop her?" Charlie asked. He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back from the heat.

"I don’t know."

We were far enough away now, and the temperature became bearable. With the Faerie gone, the winds died down and the clouds and mists began to settle. There was no sign of her body on the other bank, but between the flames and smoke of the river, it was hard to be sure. There was nothing to indicate the stone had made it to the other side. Whatever spell had been cast to make the denizens of Hades try and stop us seemed gone as well. That or the fireworks show scared them off. The Harpies and Chimeras had disappeared, at least for now. The ground for miles around was empty.

"Damn it!" I said aloud as I turned to face the big dog. " Nothing! I can't tell if it survived the blast or not. I should have done something sooner." There was no way to know what had happened to the necklace. No way to know if it had reached the other side. What had I done? Had I just given Marissa the key to escaping Tartarus, or worse, freed others from that horrible realm?

"You did what you could," he replied. " At least the portals will be closed."

"Yeah," I looked back in the direction that we'd taken. There was no sign of the Roman or the Dwarf. "But I should have stopped her when I had the chance. I just hope that Lucius and Bernd made it home in one piece."

He swept his head back and forth then lifted his nose before turning back to me and shaking it. "What next?"

"Let's find a freaking way out of this shit hole," I said, and began walking away from the river. The peaks of mountains and the ruined gate of Tartarus obscured by smoke and fire were still heavy on my mind. There was nothing else I could do now but try and make it to somewhere that I could contact Kyras. It was either that, or find another way out through one of the other Hells of the Underworld. There was no way I was going back to the Tower of Cronus. As for Lucius and Bernd, I could only hope they made it back safely and that whatever else the portals had sent there had been contained.

Chapter 23

It's not hard to be melancholy when you're walking through Hell. Even Charlie was quiet as we passed through miles and miles of dimly lit caricatures of the real world. The souls of those sentenced here were mere representations of what they had once been. Unlike Elysium, here the souls seemed truly dead; lost and without purpose. Had it just been them, it would have been a quiet march. But occasionally, Harpies or Chimeras would appear. Then we had to fight to avoid becoming lunch. They didn’t seem to be hunting us like before, but that didn’t stop them from attacking when we ran across them.

We'd travelled for what felt like days. It was hard to tell how long it actually was, especially in the perpetual twilight. We'd had to take the long way around to avoid as many creatures as possible. There had been too many between the river and the palace, so we'd chosen an alternate route. It's not that I was worried about being eaten; but I'd had enough of killing on this journey.

We'd spent a day resting, just shy of what I thought was probably Persephone's groves, before doubling back. It was the first place I'd seen where the remains of fields that had once been tilled stood. There were also the remnants of orchards with real trees. Nothing had been tended, so things were a bit overgrown, but it was better than some of the places we'd passed.

I wasn't sure which was best way out, but I figured we could try and contact the Keres by finding our way to the Gate of Ivory. Like the Roman poet, Virgil, had written in his poem, The Aeneid, I was going to try and get us out the same way his Trojan hero had done, using the Gate of Ivory. If that didn't work, I'd try the Gate of Horn. I was hoping to get a message to Kyras through one of them. If I was successful, she would be able to find us and take us home. There was also the chance that Bernd and Lucius had made it back alive. They'd be trying to find a way to get to us as well.

I'd also thought about summoning the fire Demon whose ring I wore; but that too, was a last resort. His home was still in the Underworld, but at the time he'd given it to me, he was going to try and prevent any future travel between his world and ours. It was probably better saved for another time. It was a long story, but suffice it say that summoning Demons was a favorite pastime of dark Mages, as Ordunez had mentioned in his briefing.

After skirting the path that led back to Elysium, we turned down a road that lead to what was once some kind of palace or temple. On one side, two tusk shaped spires, the ivory yellowed and now broken, once stood. The fallen ivory still lay on the ground near a pool. On the other, two twisted spires of some kind of translucent horn had stood. They too, had fallen. They must have been majestic in their day; but now, they just looked sad. At both, steaming pools lay between the stumps that remained. The mist-like dreams passing in and out like vapor; bubbling up from vents under the water. We took the path that led to the stumps of ivory and walked up to the water.

"Any idea how it works?" I asked Charlie, watching the mists as they rose and fell.

"Magic," he replied, and then stuck his nose into the swirling fog. He jumped back as if bitten.

"What happened?"

"It is too much," he said, his ears flapping as he shook his head.

"Information overload," I said with a laugh. It was the first one I'd had in while. Then I stepped forward and placed my hand into the mists. Unlike Charlie, I held my breath, and summoning every bit of magic within me, called out to her. When I could hold it no longer, I stepped back.

"Did it work?"

"I don't know buddy," I replied, walking over and grabbing his big head before sitting down against one of the fallen tusks. "Nothing is quite the same here, especially when it comes to magic. But I think I felt something when I reached out. I chanted her name and our location at least 100 times before I ran out of breath. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

It must have worked. It wasn't too much time later when a black cloud appeared. At first, I thought it was Kyras, but it turned out to be another of the Keres. As the cloud settled, I saw that it was one of the ones I'd met before. Nosia, I think, was her name.

"Where is Kyras?" I asked as I got up from the ground.

"She is... indisposed," she replied. "As Queen, there is much she must attend to. But the Dark Elf told her you would seek us out if you could. Many were tasked to listen for a sign that you still lived. I was closest to this place, so I came in her stead."

"The Dark Elf? You mean Bernd? So he made it back safely?"

"I do not know his name," she replied, matter of factly. "But he was of the Svartalfar. Come, I must return. It is not wise for one of my kind to tarry here too long."

She stepped closer to Charlie and me and the smoke that surrounded her billowed outward. It wrapped around us, and then, a moment later, we were back at the cemetery where all this had started. It was after dark and this time there was no moon.

"Thank you," I said as the black cloud dissipated. "Please give Kyras my thanks as well. Tell her... Tell her I appreciate all she has done and I look forward to seeing her again."

The Keres said nothing as we backed away from her. Then the dark side of her flickered onto her face for a moment.

"Of that I have no doubt, noble Fae," she said with a grin.

Before I could ask her what she meant the smoky mist curled up around her and she was gone.

"What was that about?" I asked aloud.

Charlie didn't answer.

I stripped off Hades' armor and my weapons and piled them on the shield, carrying it the short distance to the house. When we arrived, I saw that the lights were on and Diantha's Mercedes was parked in the driveway. This was going to be interesting, I thought as we came in through the gate.

Lucinda was waiting as I opened the door, her tail swishing back and forth.

"You have returned," she said. "Bernd waits inside with the others." She turned and ran further into the house, announcing us as she entered the kitchen.

A moment later Bernd and Lucius came around the corner to greet us, accompanied by Diantha, who ran up to hug me. Charlie followed Lucinda out the back door.

"What happened?" Bernd asked as Diantha let go.

"Honestly, I don't know," I replied. "I screwed up. It was Sendy's sister that had been forced to carry the necklace. I should have stopped her when I had the chance, but I hesitated. She tried to cross the river but she was nothing but flames by the time I got close enough to throw the Queller. I'm pretty sure she's dead, but I have no way of knowing if she was stopped in time, or if the stone made it to the other side. By the time the smoke cleared there was nothing left to see."

It was then that I realized Lucius was bruised and battered and a fresh scar trailed down his cheek. "What happened to you?"

"Harpies. We weren't the only thing gathered up by the whirlwind. When we appeared here we had to fight our way out of the flock that had been transported with us. Some of your local warriors were waiting, though. With their assistance we made short work of them. But not before their claws did this," he said as he fingered the scar on his face.

I reached up and touched the place where the Harpy had grazed me. "Yeah, I can relate."

"Your healer friend left a few hours ago," Diantha said with a wink. "She tended to his wounds after your son brought him here."

"Jay was here?" I asked. "I probably need to call him to let him know I'm okay. What about the portals?"

"Closed," Bernd said, reaching up and slapping me on the back. "There is no doubt that the spell is broken. It died with the Faerie when she tried to cross the river. As for the stone reaching Tartarus? Who can say? Do not be too hard on yourself. Your enemy has many allies. If it survived, that is a battle for another day."

"Easy for you to say," I muttered.

"True," the Dwarf replied. "But that does not change the fact that there is nothing you can do about it. At least for the moment. Come. Rest, and allow your wounds to heal."

Diantha pushed a mug of coffee into my hands as I sat down at the table. Bernd was right. I'd deal with whatever came next when it happened. What else could I do?

"I am off," Bernd said, walking to the back door.

"Off?" I replied. "But I just got here."

"True. But I have been here many days and I have other things to attend to. Grerin does not yet know I have returned from the abyss and there is much I must do before we meet again. Now that I know that you and Charlie are safe, I can return to that path."

He was out the door and gone before I could argue. Dwarves. Nothing ever changes. Well, maybe it does. This was not the same Bernd that I knew before we rescued him from Helheim. He still carried the sword on his belt for one thing. I'm thinking Grerin isn't gonna know what hit him. I turned to Lucius and Diantha.

"How long have we been gone?"

"A couple of weeks," Diantha said. "Siegfried and the others have been besides themselves worrying about you two. If you hadn’t appeared when you did... Well, I think Siegfried was trying to find a way to rescue you himself. He's on his way here, by the way. I called him when we heard you were okay."

"You heard? How did you find that out? We didn't even know we were going to be rescued until the Keres showed up."

"Bernd told us," Lucius replied. "He just returned about 15 minutes before you did. He must have been in contact with them all along."

"Why doesn’t that surprise me, " I said, getting up from the table. "Okay. I need a quick shower and a change of clothes. Fae or not, I've been living in these for a while."

"A good plan," Diantha said, wrinkling her nose. "I was going to suggest that myself, but I was trying to be polite."

I lifted my arm and took an audible sniff. "Just like the old warriors of Greece, right?" She stuck out her tongue at me as I picked up my mug before heading upstairs. I gave Jay a call and let him know I was all right before stripping down and hitting the shower. I had just finished putting my shirt on and made it to the bottom of the stairs when I was swept into a giant bear hug.

"I was just about to set out to find you!" A voice yelled as I was almost crushed in his grip. "What in the nine worlds where you thinking?"

"I wasn't," I quipped. "If I had been I probably wouldn't have gone."

"Ha!" Siegfried said, slapping me on the back. This time I almost did fall over. "That damn Ordunez. It was his words that put the thought into your head, wasn't it?"

"Just for the record," another voice said. It was Michael. "I wasn't worried. But I thought Meredith was going to rip the sorcerer's head off when she found out where you went."

"Yeah... Sorry about that guys," I said as I led them into the kitchen. Diantha had already set out the coffee and I filled the empty mug at the head of the table, having left the other upstairs. It was an old favorite, When I say run, run. ... RUN!, and made me laugh. "But seriously. It wasn't Ordunez. It was a little bit of everything. Not to mention some prodding from Gaea."

"Yes," Siegfried replied. "Lucius has told us of your meeting with the Goddess, and of your rescue of both him and Bernd. But tell us, we know the gateways have been closed. What of the dark Fae?"

"I'm not sure if rescue is the right word, at least where Lucius is concerned," I said, tipping my mug at the Roman. I went on to tell them what had happened. It was the short version, but it still took a while to tell. I finished at the part where I saw the Faerie burst into flames.

"After that we just wandered a bit, trying to stay away from the beasts. We eventually made it to the Gate of Ivory, where we met up with the Keres. That's about it. I wish I could be sure we stopped her from getting the jewel across, but I just don't know."

Everyone was silent. Then Michael spoke up.

"Don’t be so hard on yourself," he said. "It could have been worse. Besides, you rescued the Dwarf. That's gotta be worth a few points."

"And you should consider me rescued as well," Lucius added. "I would have been bored to tears had I stayed in that place."

"If you say so," I said with a chuckle. "But I still wish I knew for sure." I poured myself another cup. "Oh, almost forgot. I have something for Siegfried."

"For me?" he asked.

"I met a Viking over there. In Helheim. Asked me to give something to you." I walked into the living room where I'd put down the shield and other things I'd brought back. Picking up the sword that Gunnvor had given to me, I turned to see the four of them standing behind me.

"Is that Hades' bident?" Diantha asked, eyeing the twin bladed weapon.

"Yes," I replied. "And his armor. Well, a spare set anyway. But that's not what I want to show him." I held out the worn scabbard, and slowly pulled out the blade. As the inscription came into view, Siegfried's eyes widened.

"Is that?"

"An Ulfberht sword," I replied, holding it toward him. "There was a Viking warrior with Bernd in Helheim. He asked me to give it to you"

"Me?" he asked as he took the blade. "What was his name?" He seemed mesmerized as he turned it in his hands and then pulled it out, testing the weight. The sword swished through the air as he swung it.

"Gunnvor Tryggvason," I answered. "Have you heard of him?"

"Tryggvason?" Siegfried said. "There was a King by that name."

"King Olaf," Michael said. "He died in the battle of Svolder. Drowned himself rather than surrender his ship to his enemies."

"But why me?" Siegfried asked as he sheathed the blade.

"He knew of you," I replied. "From Bernd. Said he'd told the story of a great Fae Viking warrior that still lived, and that this deserved to be where it could best be used. He said it was handed down from his father and that he was the last of his line. He wanted you to have it."

"I am honored."

"What? Nothing for me?" Michael asked, feigning disbelief.

"Sorry my friend," I said with a laugh. "I tried to find a gift shop down there; but the place has really gone to hell, if you know what I mean."

"Always a bridesmaid, never a bride," he teased, shaking his head.

We all laughed and went back to the table. We finished our coffee and they told about the Demons they'd fought while I was away before the two of them said their goodbyes. Lucius had been staying here since he'd returned and I told him he was welcome to continue to do so. At least until he figured out what his next move should be. Losing the Lilin part of him was still confusing him, and he yet to make contact with them. He was still trying to decide what to be, I guess. I think he was glad to have a friend around until he sorted it out.

There was one more thing I had to do. I asked Diantha and Lucius to wait in the other room as I summoned Sendy to let her know what had happened. She appeared a moment later and I had her sit down. I told her the story of her sister's role in Marissa's plan. She did not take it well, although she forgave me for what I'd had to do. She knew what evil the dark Fae had wrought on her family, as well as my part, although unsuccessful, to find them. When we were done I called Mal and let him know what had happened, asking him to keep an eye on her. She'd lost a lot since she'd decided to search me out, and even though she told me she understood, and didn’t blame me for what had happened to Maia, I only hoped she could forgive me for any part I might have played in her loss.

After I sent her back to Mal, Lucius retired to the downstairs bedroom and Diantha helped me clear the table. I'd been quiet after Sendy departed, and surprisingly, so had she. When I finished getting the pot ready for next time, I felt her snuggle up behind me.

"Do not be so melancholy" she said, whispering into my ear. "There was nothing you could do but try. Even you cannot save all the Fae. Now tell me of your meeting with Gaea."

"I guess I'm on call," I replied, after telling her of the scythe and most of our conversation, glad for the change of subject. I hadn’t mentioned the hero part to the others, but I figured I might as well tell her. She'd pry it out of me one way or another. Besides, I was probably going to need her for whatever was still to come. She particularly enjoyed the story of Harrison's fate. She even made me repeat it several times. Not that I blame her. Her eyes sparkled each time I described the carnival.

"Maybe I should have business cards printed up. Hero for hire, or something like that."

"Why not," she agreed, her arms around me.

I turned to face her and she leaned forward and kissed me.

"Now, if you are done gallivanting with the Keres and the Weres, perhaps you would allow me to give you a proper welcome home."

"Jealous?" I asked, kissing her back. That was one thing Diantha wasn't.

"Hah," she replied, then led me toward the stairs. "But I did miss you, perhaps a bit, and there is one more thing." She took one step up the stairs and then turned and gently put my face into her hands.

"You were my hero first." she said, and then pressed her lips to mine.

I wasn't going to argue with that.

The End

About the Author

Tom Keller is a retired cop and former computer forensic expert who's also spent time as a Federal Public Defender investigator. Back in the early days he was a busboy, a cook, and a shoe and real estate salesman. He's taught courses at the local Community College as well as lectured to others in his field on a variety of topics. These days he works as a P.I. in Las Vegas, Nevada. A place he's called home for over 40 years.

He had a website design business back in the days when you still accessed the Internet by modem. He's sold model airplanes and electronics on the web and eBay. He even had his own TV show for a season or two (okay, it was really low budget, better call it no budget, and it was on UHF for those of you that remember those kinds of things. But, hey, it did snag a 2.0 share one episode). He collects toy space guns, lunch boxes, and coffee cups, among other memorabilia. If he had a personal card it’d probably say something like ‘specialist in generalities,’ or as his brother would say, polymath.

Tom is still married to his college sweetheart and spends his free time with his family and spare time writing. Not Just Another Fae is his fourth book in the Vegas Fae series. His other books are also available on Amazon.

Social Media:

http://www.facebook.com/tomsbooks

http://twitter.com/tomkellerauthor

Email:

tom@tomsbooks.com

OJW Conversion -

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter13

Chapter14

Chapter15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23