by Rain Oxford
“What happened? Are you okay?” I asked.
“I am alive.”
“Did you see Phobos?”
“Come outside.”
“Why?”
“Because seeing is better than explaining.”
I nodded and followed him outside, where Phobos was lying on the steps. I almost cried with relief when I saw that he was breathing.
“That’s impossible,” Arks said, joining us. “He was dead.”
“Yes, he was. I took the liberty of fulfilling the favor I owed you.” When I took a step towards Phobos, Logan put his hand on my shoulder to stop me. “Gentle, Ms. Ares. He has a long way to go before he is fully recovered.”
He let me go and I sat next to Phobos. When I took Phobos’s head in my lap, he opened his eyes and looked at me. With a quiet whimper, he put his paw on my hand. “Thank you, Logan.” Phobos whimpered again. “We’ll get your brother back.”
“I got a text from Lilly an hour ago. She figured out a way to get the date for her mother’s death. I’m waiting on an answer.”
“Good. In the meantime, is there anyone else still alive who made a deal with demons?”
“I’ve been asking around all day except when I was healing Phobos. I didn’t want to respond to your message and give you hope in case he didn’t pull through.”
“Any responses?”
“There is a woman two hours north of here, a man in Canada, a man in Chicago, and two women in Scotland that I know of. Since we can’t break up into five people, I don’t---”
“Wait,” I interrupted. “I have a theory. Arks said that when a person makes a deal with a demon, the demon is able to stay on Earth, but the person’s soul will be going to the demon’s world no matter what.”
“So you think this demon is killing deal-makers to get their souls early?”
“Yes.”
“That makes sense.”
“If he’s doing it all of a sudden, though, that suggests that something has caused him to need more souls or…”
“Or something is about to happen,” Logan finished.
“Yes, which implies a time crunch. Thus, he would go after the souls he wants most first and---”
“Bother us only if we get in his way. But he attacked us in the alley.”
“Maybe it was a scare tactic. It could have been a warning to back off. Since the mummified victims aren’t wizards, there must be some criteria other than magical talent that the demon is going by.”
“Innocence,” Logan said easily. “It’s always innocence.”
“I guess that makes sense. It’s the only thing we’re born with. Which ones made deals for selfless reasons?”
“I’ll get on that.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and scowled at it. “Never mind. My phone is dead. My charger was in the truck.”
“I take it you didn’t find the truck?”
“I did, but it was stripped of everything valuable. I already took care of the situation.”
“Arks got me another charger. See if it’s compatible.” I pulled it out of my pocket and handed it to him. “In the meantime, I’m going hunting. Arks gave me someone to drink from, but I burned through that in healing. I’ll bring Phobos back a rabbit. Protect him,” I said, picking him up gently. Logan held open the door for us and I took Phobos inside. I laid him on the bed I had slept on. He passed out.
“The charger will work for my phone,” Logan said. “Within a few minutes, I should be able to find out what these deal-makers unwittingly sold themselves for. Do you want me to go with you to find blood?”
“No. I may have gotten a bit spoiled on Sanguatine, but I’m still designed to hunt and kill humans.”
“I know.”
“Ah. You want to watch.”
“It does interest me.”
“Take care of Phobos.”
I left. Before synthetic blood was created, large covens like Stephen’s kept humans around for feeding on, but there were strict rules on how to treat the humans so that we didn’t hurt them or overfeed. We were also encouraged to look outside the coven for food. Bars were popular. On the streets, it was harder to catch anyone who wasn’t a drug dealer or prostitute.
In addition to having a type as far as women and men go, I also had a preferred type of person I drank from. I considered going to a convenience store, like Ryker’s vampire had done, but they have cameras.
Instead, I headed to a nightclub and sat at the bar. There were already a number of eyes on me. I ordered a drink and waited for my dinner to come to me. It took less than a minute before a man sat next to me. Normally, I would have fun hunting, since I didn’t do it often and hunting should be fun for both parties. However, I was in a hurry and still needed to heal. I could smell that the man was healthy, on no drugs, and eager.
“Are you new to---” He started.
“Where do you live?” I interrupted.
He sputtered. “Right down the street.”
“Good.” I stood and took a couple of steps towards the door before stopping and looking back at him. “You coming?”
He knocked over the stool bolting out of it. He led me down the street to his apartment, which wasn’t rundown or fancy. I doubt he’d ever unlocked that door so fast before. “Sorry about the mess,” he said.
Clothes and trash were all over and the unit stank of body odor and old food, but I didn’t care. I needed to check on Phobos and save Deimos. The instant he shut the door behind us, I turned him around, met his eyes, and ensnared his mind.
I got a good meal and he fully believed he had the night of his life.
* * *
As I put the unconscious man in his bed, I got a text from Logan saying he had the information, so I headed back to the church. Phobos was asleep, so it was a good thing I didn’t bring him back a rabbit.
When we were alone in the room with Phobos, Logan started explaining what he found. “I’m going in order of who answered my messages first and we can sort them based on the selflessness of their deal later. The first one---”
“Wait,” I interrupted. “I have never suggested something like this, but a priest might help. I doubt we have the same concept of innocence.”
“Okay.”
We called him in and explained the plan. He thought it was better than blindly guessing.
“The first one is a nurse and single mother of one. Her deal was to save her unborn baby, because the baby was not going to live to term. The second is a sales clerk who wanted to save his wife from cancer. The third is a doctor who wanted to become a rich and successful doctor. The next one is a fourteen-year-old girl who made the deal when she was ten to kill her sexually, emotionally, and physically abusive uncle, with whom she was living with after her parents died. Lastly, there is a retired fireman who wanted to be so charismatic that he could get any woman he wanted, that he was completely amazing in bed, and that he was unbelievably rich.”
“I feel like we’re deciding who will live and who will die,” Arks said.
“That’s not the case. We’re hoping we can figure out who the demon wants most.”
“Well, the child, obviously.”
“Not true,” Logan argued. “In magic, children are not innocent just because of their age. She wanted the death of another. She willingly caused it to happen. That makes her less innocent than someone who wanted fortune or women. Furthermore, the person’s life choices are as important as their deal. Since we don’t know their full histories, we’ll have to base it on their jobs and the deals they made. The fourteen-year-old doesn’t have a job that can make up for the murder. She is on the bottom of the list.”
“He wronged her.”
“I’m going with Logan on this. I’m not saying she was wrong in the slightest. I think she did the right thing, but I can also see how the laws of magic would disagree. Most children are innocent because they haven’t had the opportunity or they were ignorant of their crimes.”
“I can understand that, but God sees t
hat---”
“He’s not the one making this decision,” I interrupted. “The one who sacrificed for her baby, I would say is at the top, especially since she’s a nurse. The doctor is good, too, but her deal was for advancement in her career rather than saving a life.
“I agree with the nurse at the top and then the sales clerk as second,” Logan said.
“The fireman chose money over helping people, so the doctor would be third,” Arks said.
“Right. Then the retired fireman and the murderer last,” Logan said easily.
“Are we sure that’s all of them?” I asked.
“No, but my contacts are good and I doubt there are many.”
“There are more than you think,” Arks said.
“We could split up,” Logan suggested.
“We couldn’t defeat him together. He’s a lot more powerful than Marluk was.”
“Marluk wasn’t fully here before we banished him. This demon is.”
“You’ve banished demons before?” Arks asked.
“Just the one.”
“Well, the nurse is actually the one who’s only two hours away. That’s good. We can---” a small chirp interrupted him and he checked his phone without unplugging it. “That’s Lilly. The demon is going to attack Meredith tomorrow.”
“In what way is she more innocent than a man who wants his wife to live?”
Logan shrugged. “I don’t know what her deal was for.”
“I’m pretty sure the demon is taking out multiple people a night,” I said. “Melissa’s sisters were killed once a day, but they weren’t the only ones mummified on those nights. We also need a better plan than last night’s. That trap didn’t fool him for a second.”
“We weren’t actually expecting a demon last night,” Logan said.
“Do you have anything at your shop that can help?”
“I doubt it, unfortunately. I don’t fight demons, so I don’t know what works against them.”
“You said a demon can’t stay here without making a deal. What good is banishing the demon if he can just come back?”
“I don’t know, to be honest.”
Chapter 7
Logan somehow managed to rent another truck despite the fact that the previous one had been stolen. The man who brought it to us actually apologized to Logan for the trouble.
“I’m starting to think you know what you’re talking about,” I said, referring to his previous statement that power was more important than money.
We drove north. By the time we reached the house, Phobos hadn’t recovered enough to stand, but he was going to make it and that was what mattered. The house was small and in good shape. The yard was covered in child toys.
We left Phobos sleeping comfortably and went to the door. There was a sign on the door stating that she worked nights and slept during the day, and that if anyone bothered her during the day to sell something, she was going to beat them with it. Logan knocked on the door.
The woman who answered sighed with relief when she saw us. She was a middle-aged woman, five-six, with blond hair tied in a ponytail, hazel eyes, and a black jogging outfit.
“That’s not the usual response we get,” I said.
“You’re here to protect my daughter, right?”
Logan frowned at his phone. “We’re here to protect Laura Stokes.”
“Yes, I was told people who made deals with demons are being attacked. My deal was to save my daughter’s life, so I’m afraid a demon will try to take her away.
“No one is taking away the deals,” I assured her. “Please let us explain.”
“Bridgette isn’t in danger?”
“We don’t believe so, but we can’t say for sure that she’s safe.”
She stepped out of the way. “Please come in.” The door opened into the living room, which had standard furniture, a fireplace, and toys strewn about. More importantly, there were two dozen lights and lamps in the room, from photography lamps to Christmas lights. An eight-year-old girl was sitting on the couch, watching a show on her tablet with headphones on.
“Interesting choice of décor,” Logan commented.
“Neda said that I had to dim the room to summon her. Thus, I thought bright lights could keep the demon away from Bridgette.”
“That was clever, but it’s you who needs protection. When you saved her life, you condemned your soul to the demons.”
“That sounds way too religious for me,” Laura said.
I scoffed, but it was Logan who explained. “It’s magic, not religion.”
“I don’t believe in souls,” Laura added.
“Good for you. You can live your life believing nothing bad will follow your death,” Logan said, uninterested. “But in reality, we are going to try to save your life.”
“If you fail, please make sure Bridgette is taken care of. I have a will and everything that states that custody goes to my sister if I die, not her father.” She sat on the couch and hugged Bridgette tightly.
“As long as you stay where we tell you to, you should be fine,” I said. “We’re going to set a trap for him and banish him.”
Logan and I created the trap and triangle before turning out the lights. When Laura questioned why we did it, Logan casually explained that the lights would repel the demon, which we didn’t want to do. “I’m bait?” she asked.
“Yes. If he doesn’t come here tonight, someone else will most likely die. It would be better to stop him here.”
Laura sent her daughter up to bed, believing she was less likely to get hurt if she stayed out of the room. To be extra safe, we created a second trap in her room, turned on all of the extra lights, and put her mattress on the floor so there was no darkness under her bed.
Laura offered to make some coffee, but since we didn’t want her to move out of the trap, we ordered Chinese and watched movies instead. When Laura fell asleep, I decided to take some food to Phobos. Logan didn’t argue. He probably knew I was worried that the demon would go after my dog. Fortunately, I found Phobos resting peacefully and responsive to sound and my touch. When I set the food down, he sniffed and then lifted his head. Then he looked around for a moment before whimpering.
“We haven’t gotten your brother back yet, but we will. Eat. You need your strength.” Reluctantly, he started eating. When he was done, I told him I would be back soon and got out of the truck. As I turned to the house, I saw the lights in the upstairs room flicker. “For fuck’s sake.”
I ran inside and found Logan, who was alert. “I can sense him near,” he said.
“Upstairs. He’s going after Bridgette. He must know we set a trap and plans to use her against Laura.”
Laura jumped up, having heard what I said. “No! Don’t let him take her!” I caught her before she could run out of the trap. “Logan, go protect the girl.”
“It could be a ploy to split us up.”
“It doesn’t matter. Saving Laura means nothing if her daughter is killed. We have to stop the demon.”
“You don’t know the banishing incantation.”
“If he enters the trap, I’ll call you.” Without arguing any more, he went upstairs. I pushed Laura back on the couch. “If you move, something will go wrong and people will die. Your daughter might be one of them.”
She didn’t move.
The lights blinked out and my vision adjusted. Shadows were moving around us. To my surprise, my phone chirped with a text. I ignored it, knowing it would distract and blind me if I tried to read it.
Without warning, the lights all turned back on, blinding me. The light went out again and it took an instant for the demon to appear. I reacted on instinct; I rushed him, crashed into him, and threw us both into the trap. When I rolled away, he got up quickly, but he wasn’t able to step out of the trap to get to me.
He made a gesture with his hands… but nothing happened. He glared at me. “It looks like the ball’s in my court,” I said. “Give me Deimos.”
He laughed. “There’s n
othing left of him to give you, not even bones.”
“Bullshit.”
“He’s dead, whether you believe it or not.”
“I know you’re lying; I can smell it on you.”
He smirked. “It doesn’t matter.”
“You’re trapped.”
“You actually believe that?”
“Are you the one who’s been killing everyone who made deals with demons or are you working with someone?”
“I’m working alone.”
“No one likes to play with you? Who are the shadow walkers and how are you connected to them?”
“I am a shadow walker. The shadow walkers are the best of my kind and we’re here to rule. Our power is growing faster than you can imagine. You can’t stop us.”
“Is this some kind of revenge on the people who summoned you?”
“You know nothing.”
“Give me my dog back.”
“No, I don’t think I will.” With that, he shoved the couch, scraping the paint on the floor.
Laura shrieked with fear. I reached for the demon, but he dispersed into shadow before I could grab him. He reformed behind me and a ring of fire sprang up around me. Vampires were not indestructible; we could burn and we could suffocate as easily as a human.
“You and that silly half-human upstairs have no idea what you’re getting yourselves into,” he taunted.
I didn’t know if he had any weaknesses other than light. Logan had told me about balancing magic, but I couldn’t use that against him. He gestured with his hand, I felt a wave of energy like static, and the amulet snapped off my neck. It flew to him and he pocketed it. Then he raised his hand towards me and I braced myself for another attack.
“Shield your eyes,” Logan said. I did, and an instant later, light filled the room that was so bright it seeped through my eyelids. Before it faded, a gunshot blasted. As soon as the light faded, I looked up to see Logan holding a dead flashlight in his left hand and his gun in his right hand.
The demon dropped to his knees, spilling blood across the floor, before dispersing into shadows. When he did, the fire around me died.