by Alex Siegel
Table of Contents
Copyright
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
The Devil's Pets
Alex Siegel
Copyright 2017 by Alex Siegel
Kindle Edition
License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
For more information about this book and others by the same author, please visit http://www.grayspearsociety.com/
The Devil's Pets is the first book in the Paranormal Enforcement Administration series.
First Circle Club is an earlier five book series by the same author. Those books are:
1. First Circle Club
2. Paradise Hacked
3. Gambling Demons
4. Trolling Heaven
5. Hell's Wrath
Seams in Reality is an earlier four book series by the same author. Those books are:
1. Seams in Reality
2. Cracks in Reality
3. Breaks in Reality
4. Shards of Reality
The Gray Spear Society is yet another earlier series by the same author. Those books are:
1. Apocalypse Cult
2. Carnival of Mayhem
3. Psychological Damage
4. Involuntary Control
5. Deadly Weakness
6. The Price of Disrespect
7. Tricks and Traps
8. Politics of Blood
9. Grim Reflections
10. Eyes of the World
11. Antisocial Media
12. Sharp Teeth and Bloody Claws
13. Teller of Lies
14. Faith Defiled
Revision 5/31/2017
Acknowledgments
No author works entirely alone. I have a small team of friends and fans who help me produce the high-quality novels my readers expect. They are Samantha DeCarlo (art), Haley Leboulanger (editing), Aleks Haecky (editing), Bruce Turrie (proofreading), and Tanya Johnson (proofreading). Thank you for helping me be great!
Chapter One
Stony looked at the image projected on the wall of the conference room. Hairy fucker, he thought. The photograph showed a big man with a huge mane of wavy, blond hair shot with patches of brown. The hair continued along the bottom of his round face to form a thick beard and mustache. His face was very pale, but that was typical among Satanists. They didn't like the sun much. The man was wearing loose, black robes with golden designs on the cuffs. Even with the robes covering his body, Stony could tell he was a massive dude.
The picture looked flat and slightly blurry. It had obviously been taken from a long distance away.
"He calls himself Orcus," Director Robertson said. "We don't know his real name or much else about him, but he likes to kidnap children." The last few words seemed to hang in the air.
Pete "The Duke" Robertson was the director of the top secret Paranormal Enforcement Administration. Two thousand federal agents reported to him, but not a single one would admit it in public. He was a short, African-American man. Stony had seen pictures of Robertson back when he had served as an Air Force pilot. He had been slim and fit then, but since taking over the PEA as chief administrator, his belly and cheeks had plumped out. He still had the same shaved head though. He also had the steely gaze of a man who had killed enemies in the air and on the ground. He was wearing a plain blue suit, a white shirt, and a blue tie, the standard uniform of the PEA.
He faced the six elite federal agents sitting around a conference room table. Stony had worked with them for years, and they were closer than family. They were the third division of the Paranormal Enforcement Administration, the special agents with the inhuman abilities. They fought monsters that would send most people running and screaming in terror.
"What happens to the kids?" Stony said.
"Unknown. They're never seen again. No ransom demands or anything. For all we know, Orcus is eating them."
Stony grimaced. His director wasn't kidding. Cannibalism was a recurring issue in their line of work.
"This should be a standard sweep and scrub mission," Robertson said. "Neutralize all hostiles and capture the ones who look interesting. Leave no evidence behind. Lethal force is authorized, but pick your targets. You don't want to shoot any kids. Hopefully, some are still alive." He didn't sound hopeful.
"How many kids are we talking about?"
Robertson shrugged. "At least a dozen. Maybe a bunch more. As far as we can tell, he's been operating covertly for years. Orcus lives in this house on the south side of Houston."
He pressed a key on a laptop, and the projected image switched to a home in a suburban neighborhood. It was two stories tall and had a mix of brick and wooden siding. The green paint reminded Stony of apples. A wide lawn in front had so many weeds, it was hard to see the grass. Shades were pulled down behind all of the windows. A detached garage caught his attention. It would make a good rally point before the main assault on the house.
"What else do we know?"
"He has three women in the house with him," Robertson said. "It seems they do all the shopping and outdoor chores. Orcus very rarely leaves his home."
The projector showed pictures of three very attractive women, all in their early to mid-twenties. Their jeans, dresses, and shirts looked normal, but they wore black iron collars around their necks.
"What's the deal with the collars?" Stony said.
"Probably a symbol of slavery," Robertson said. "Note that the collars are welded and can't be removed."
Stony heard an angry grunt on his left. He turned to his lover and teammate, Miasma. She was a tall woman in fantastic physical condition. She prided herself on having a body made of lean muscle. Long, dirty-blonde hair curled around her shoulders. Plump lips, smoldering green eyes, and a pretty face held his attention every time he saw her, but he maintained his professional demeanor. They were on duty.
A wisp of green smoke was drifting from Mia's mouth. She was seriously pissed off.
Stony faced Robertson again. "What else?"
"The field teams couldn't get too close to the house," the director said. "They were afraid of alerting the subject. We sent two priests disguised as door-to-door salesmen to perform a spiritual assessment. Only one came back, and he isn't talking."
"What does that mean?" Stony said. "Why won't he talk?"
"He was traumatized, rendered mute. Our psychiatrists are working with him. We don't know if Orcus has unusual powers, but we have to presume he does. There might be a good reason he doesn't like to leave his house. Watch your asses out there. You'll perform a nighttime air insertion. Heavy assault, close-quarters kit. Wheels up in forty-five minutes."
"Who is going?"
"Stony, Miasma, Kane, and Ace," Robertson said. "Stony is the squad leader. Brian and Veronica will be the emergency rese
rve this time."
Stony glanced at Mia again. Her anger had turned into a small, cruel grin. She wanted this assignment badly.
As always, he had mixed feelings about bringing her along, but not because he doubted her fighting prowess. She was as tough and nasty as anybody in the room. He had seen her slaughter bad guys using incredible moves. She also possessed the loyalty and courage of a noble warrior. She would never abandon a friend in a tight spot.
His love for her was the source of his misgivings. Seeing her in danger made him anxious, no matter the cause. Every mission they performed could be the last for either of them. He hoped he would die first so he wouldn't have to grieve when she died.
He smiled to cover his anxiety.
He looked over his shoulder at Kane and Ace. The two men nodded grimly, acknowledging Stony's leadership. He had earned their respect by surviving years of brutal missions.
"Stony," Mia said, "could you grab my bag from the armory for me. I want to do some stretching before we board the plane."
"Sure," Stony said.
He stood up and left the conference room. Kane and Ace joined Stony on the way out. The three of them walked briskly down a corridor in PEA headquarters.
Builders had originally constructed the building for the United States Air Force, and the place still had the appearance of a military installation. Pale blue paint covered the walls, and the floor had speckled, green linoleum tiles. Cheap, fluorescent light fixtures cast bright, sterile light. Wooden doors led to offices on both sides.
Men and women in business suits were also walking in the corridor. They were dressed as civilians even though most had served in the military at some point. Plain blue suits, white shirts, and blue ties were the most common outfit. A few rebels had gone with black, brown, or even green suits. One woman had ruffles on her shirt, a shocking fashion statement in the somber hallways of the PEA.
When staff members saw Stony, Kane, and Ace coming, they always moved aside. Some cowards even ducked into offices. Few had the courage to meet Stony's gaze or nod to him in greeting, but he didn't mind being feared. He was used to it.
"I need more coffee," Ace muttered.
Stony glanced at his colleague. Ace was the skinniest member of the third division even though he ate like a horse every chance he got. Oil and sweat in his straight, black hair made it clump together. A greasy sheen on his face indicated it also needed a good scrubbing. He was wearing black sweatpants, a white undershirt, and ninja boots with soft soles. Random twitches ran up and down his body, and it looked like he was having a mild seizure, but the twitches were normal for him.
Ace had earned his spot in the third division because of an inhumanly fast reaction time, and his talents went beyond raw speed. He was also amazingly precise. He could enter a room, draw a gun, and squeeze off three clean headshots before most people could even identify a threat.
"You've been drinking coffee all day as far as I can tell," Stony said.
"Only twenty cups," Ace said. "I'm trying to cut back."
"Well, I want you fully charged for tonight. If your caffeine level is a quart low, go ahead and drink."
Stony, Kane, and Ace made several turns and rode an elevator to reach their destination. They finally came to a large, bulletproof window at the end of a corridor. A PEA agent sat behind the glass. A ring of gray hair crowned his pale, freckled scalp. His rumpled suit was a size too large, or maybe he had lost weight recently. His name was Purvis. He straightened up when he saw Stony approaching.
"What is it this time?" the agent said. "Lycanthrope? Undead? Possessed?" His voice came through an overhead intercom.
"Not sure," Stony said. "All we know is he's a Satanist who makes kids disappear."
"Could be a demonic contract," Purvis suggested as if he were an expert on the subject.
"Can we just get our guns please?" Stony stared at the agent. "Heavy assault, close quarters. And I need a second bag for Mia."
Purvis stood up and turned around. The armory was a large room full of shelves and lockers. Guns of all types and sizes lay in plain view, but the agent didn't grab any of them. He went to the side of the room instead where dozens of black duffle bags lay on sturdy shelving. Carrying the heavy bags one at a time, he came back to the window and passed four bags through a secure opening.
As soon as Stony received his duffle bag, he placed it on the floor and unzipped it. Purvis's face showed disapproval, but Stony didn't care. Agents had made mistakes in the past. His life depended on bringing the right gear into battle.
A Beretta 1301 Tactical would be his primary weapon. The 12-gauge shotgun had a short barrel and a lightweight design which made it perfect for tight spaces. His choice of ammunition included explosive, armor-piercing, incendiary, and silver pellet shells. The last was for werewolves.
The PEA had supplied him with a matched pair of FN SCAR assault rifles. He smiled at the thought of carrying them on his hips like an Old West gunfighter. The bag also held a standard assortment of handguns, spare magazines, breaching charges, and flashbang grenades.
Some items in the duffle bag were much less useful. He found a copy of the Bible in a Kevlar jacket, which he ignored. The bag also contained rosary beads, a flask of holy water, a silver crucifix, and the Book of Common Prayer. Stony left those items alone. Nobody would ever mistake him for a priest.
He went through Mia's bag to confirm it was identical. In the meantime, Kane and Ace checked their own kits.
"These rosary beads will really help in a firefight," Kane commented.
The three men headed for the nearest elevator.
After entering the elevator, Stony pressed the button for the thirteenth floor, the highest in the building. He swiped his badge across a scanner before the elevator would move. A moment later, the doors opened, and they walked out.
The six members of the third division had the entire floor all to themselves. Twenty thousand square feet of space meant they could live, train, and play without feeling cramped or crowded. The place was their home, but it also isolated them. Other agents rarely came to the "penthouse," and even Robertson only visited when absolutely necessary.
Stony hurried down a carpeted hallway. He passed a room containing a boxing ring, wrestling mats, and martial arts equipment. He turned a corner and walked by a well-stocked pantry on his left. The communal kitchen was next door, and it held gleaming appliances.
Individual apartments were on the right. The floor had nine apartments, each big enough for two people if they liked sharing a bed. Stony and Mia had the apartment in the northwest corner.
He opened his door without knocking and found his girlfriend stretching on the floor in her underwear. She was performing a full split with her head down. Taut muscles moved beneath her smooth, creamy skin. He smiled at the sight.
"You got my stuff?" Mia said.
Stony placed both duffle bags on the floor with a metallic clank. "Yep. We're going with shotguns tonight."
"Sounds like fun."
The apartment contained just a single bedroom, a closet, and a bathroom. Stony didn't mind the modest accommodations. The apartment was just for sleep and sex, and he only needed a bed for those activities. Eating, work, and exercise happened elsewhere on the floor.
He looked at the king-size bed. The mattress was nicely firm, and the black sheets were silky smooth.
"You know," he said, "if we hurry, we might have time for a quick...."
"No," Mia replied sharply. "We don't have time. Save it for after a successful mission, lover boy. I'll be all yours then."
Stony sighed with disappointment. He tried to think chaste thoughts, but it was hard with Mia half-naked in the room.
He went to the closet and opened the door. The closet contained a mix of business suits and clothes made for combat. He took out a complete set of black body armor. The one-piece suit had been tailored to fit his body perfectly without binding.
Stony could've fought safely without the suit. He had
the ability to make his skin as hard as stone. Knives and blunt weapons would bounce off harmlessly. Even small-caliber bullets couldn't hurt him when his power was active. He certainly preferred to fight without hot, heavy body armor slowing him down.
On the other hand, extra protection was never a bad thing. Mia would certainly demand he take every precaution with his life, just as he did with her. Every fight could be his last, even with stone skin.
He began the process of putting on the body armor.
* * *
Stony and Mia walked out of the headquarters building on their way to a shuttlebus.
He inhaled the cool, moist air of late autumn in Virginia. He hadn't been outside in days, and he paused to savor the experience. The sun was setting over the blue waters of Belmont Bay to the south, and reflected light sparkled on tiny waves. The sky was clear, and he hoped it would be that way when he arrived in Houston.
The Paranormal Enforcement Administration occupied a corner of the vast Schonenberg Air Force Base, twenty miles southwest of Washington, D.C. The distant roar of military jets as they landed or took off was almost constant. A cluster of blue-gray buildings formed the core of the base, but they were further inland, a half-mile away. The PEA was an isolated outpost near the shore with just two main buildings: the headquarters and the prison. To reach either, one had to traverse roads and marshy grass which offered no cover. Snipers on the roof could pick off threats long before they got close.
Ducks and geese were enjoying the pleasant weather and open space. Thousands of waterfowl were sitting in the marsh despite the jet noise. Stony even spotted a few white swans. The location was an oasis of safety from hunters, although bird strikes on airplanes were an issue.
He glanced back at the headquarters building. Every time he walked out, he wondered whether he would return alive. Blank, gray walls were made of painted concrete. For security reasons, there were no windows at all and only a few doors. The PEA staff had nicknamed the building the "Tomb" because of its grim resemblance to a giant tombstone.