“Is that really necessary?” Liv asked. “Why not just show me here?”
“Something about this one feels off,” I answered. “I’d feel safer in there.”
“Indulge her,” Acheron said. “This sigil is…different.”
“Of course,” Liv said, pointing to the room off to my right. “It’s currently unoccupied. Help yourself.”
The room, officially known as the safe room, was designed as a vault within a vault. It was used only for the most dangerous or volatile texts and sigils. The pulsing, orange sigils carved into the surface of the walls of the room acted like one large dampener, neutralizing the power of sigils and rendering them inert.
Some of Liv’s books were housed permanently within the safe room, behind secure steel cases, and only viewed with Liv present. The one time I asked to look at one of the tomes in the cases, she laughed and shook her head no, mentioning how she enjoyed breathing. I wasn’t that dangerous.
Despite what my history said.
Liv waved a hand in the direction of the safe room, and the sigils on the door glowed red for a second before disappearing. Acheron made a move to come in with me, but I waved him off.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “You don’t know what that thing can do outside of the circle.”
“If there’s one place I’ll be safe, it’s in here,” I said. “Besides, if something goes sideways you could always break down the door.”
Acheron stepped to the side and examined the safe room door.
“That one would be easier than the entrance, but not by much,’ he said. “Try not to let anything go sideways.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said, reassuring him. “I’m just going to draw the sigil, I’m not in a circle and the safe room is right here in complete view.”
“True,” he said, tapping his chin, “and the view is much better out here.”
“Stop being a lech and focus,” I said, heading to the safe room. “Focus.”
Acheron glanced at Liv.
“I am focusing,” he replied, still looking at Liv. “You go do your demon doodles, and I will focus on what’s important. Don’t worry, I am totally focused.”
I almost did whack him upside the head just then, but opted not to. Strong emotions affected Liv. Just because she took a vow, didn’t mean she was immune to the emotions around her. It would be like an alcoholic working in a bar. Sure she could handle it, but why invite the temptation?
Despite all of his flirting, Liv could easily handle Acheron. If I introduced anger, or some other strong emotion, she could accidentally use her powers. That would trigger Acheron. He was mostly harmless, but he was still a Demon Lord. If she unleashed her succubi powers, the outcome was anything but predictable.
I didn’t want to find out what could happen with Acheron under the effect of Liv’s influence. I shuddered at the thought.
“Behave,” I said, stepping into the safe room. “Business.”
“Of course,” he said and I could tell he meant it. “Don’t tarry too long in there.”
He actually sounded concerned, which set off my radar. Acheron rarely sounded worried, and when he did, it was with good reason.
“What is this sigil she wants to show me?” Liv said. “Is this something new she learned?”
“It’s something old she learned…watch,” he said. “The room is secure, yes?”
“Absolutely,” Liv said. “No sigil can activate in there. The room is inert.”
The acoustics of the interior of The Grimoire, and the safe room in particular, allowed for sounds to travel easily where there shouldn’t have been any, considering the thickness of the doors and walls. I figured it was part of the safe room design to allow sound to travel without having to open the door.
The top half of the door to the safe room was made of sigil-inscribed glass. It allowed Liv to keep track of what occurred in the room without having to open the door or break any seals.
In the center of the safe room sat a small desk and chair, similar to the ones in the main room. Around me on the walls were the locked steel cases holding the most volatile or dangerous books in The Grimoire.
The walls and floors were covered with softly glowing sigils. They cast a soft light as I sat at the table. I closed my eyes, bringing the sigil to my mind’s eye. I saw the symbol clearly and began replicating it on the pad without opening my eyes.
“What is she doing?” I heard Liv’s voice as if she were some distance away. “The room is reacting to what she is writing. What is she writing, Acheron?”
“You said the room was inert,” Acheron shot back. “What is going on?”
“The room is inert…she is not,” Liv answered crisply. “What is this sigil?”
“Liv…I’m going to need you to open the door,” Acheron said as I opened my eyes. “Now.”
Around me, black flames were slowly rising.
“Acheron…are you seeing these flames too?” I asked as I backed up from the wall of dark energy. “This isn’t supposed to happen.”
The flames, which were blocking the only exit, were increasing in size and fluctuating in color between a black and dark orange. It was starting to get hot in the safe room.
“Now!” yelled Acheron as he approached the safe room door. “Open it, or I will.”
Liv waved her hand and—judging from Acheron’s expression—nothing happened.
“The door sigils are gone,” Liv said in awe. “How could that be? What is going on?”
“Move back,” Acheron said as he grabbed the door handle and looked in my eyes. “Stop writing.”
“I…I…did,” I said, holding up the pad. The sigil lifted off the paper and floated into the center of the room. “That can’t possibly be good…Acheron?”
“That sigil,” Liv said, her voice tight with fear. “Impossible.”
“You recognize it?” Acheron said, whirling on Liv. “You know it?”
Liv nodded and set her jaw.
“You need to get her out of there…now. Those flames will kill her.”
“Nyx, I’m on my way,” Acheron said, his voice dropping a few octaves. “Liv, take cover.”
“No,” Liv said. “You need help.”
EIGHT
Demon Lords are powerful.
Demon Lords assisted by whatever Liv was, were mind-blowing on the scale of power. I kept moving back from the flames as the heat increased. My brain rebelled at the fact that the flames were burning without consumption…until I started to feel weak.
Soulflames.
The flames were consuming my life force…Shit.
Otherkin were tough, nearly invulnerable beings of destructive force, but we had one major weakness…soulflames. They could stop us in our tracks, literally. From what I had researched, soulflames were the answer to the Otherkin, created specifically to stop and kill my kind. I’d like to find the clever idiot who thought soulflames were a good idea and pound him.
Someone was gunning for me. This was personal.
“Acheron,” I said, trying to remain calm and failing. “These are…soulflames.”
“Soulflames?” Acheron asked, surprised and then looked at Liv. “Liv?”
“I heard her,” Liv snapped. “We’re going to need a tether. I need a moment.”
“Are you sure?” Acheron asked as I saw him brace himself. “I hate those things.”
“Unless you have another way to get through that door in the next few seconds?”
“We’re going to need the tether,” Acheron said with finality. “Even I’m not carrying that much power.”
“Didn’t think so…Get ready,” Liv replied. “These things are unmanageable in the best of circumstances.”
“Hold tight,” he said, looking at me. “We’re coming in. Move back.”
I saw Liv place a hand on Acheron’s shoulder as she extended her other arm behind her. She said something I couldn’t understand, and the temperature dropped noticeably.
A black stream of energy
erupted in the center of the main room, connecting the floor to the ceiling. Liv opened her hand and leaned closer to the black energy. She said some more words I couldn’t understand, and the stream began vibrating.
“Acheron, prepare,” she said, her voice tight. “This is going to be…unpleasant.”
A tendril shot out from the column of energy, raced into her outstretched arm, crept across her body, and into the other arm. It kept moving, sliding over into Acheron with an audible crack, mimicking the sound of a whip.
Acheron gritted his teeth as the energy slammed into him. Black lines of power traveled down his shoulder criss-crossing his body. A lattice of dark power created a fractal pattern that slowly crawled across his face.
His face transformed briefly into an expression of pain, but he quickly got it under control. There were few things that could hurt Acheron on this plane, if he was feeling pain, even for a moment, this tether Liv was using was devastating.
“Liv, when I pictured…joining with you,” Acheron said, his voice strained, “this is not…what I had in…mind.”
“Careful…what you wish for,” she answered, her voice just as strained. “Always…read the fine print, especially with demons.”
Acheron smiled and nodded. Liv answered his nod, her expression serious.
“Open it,” she said. “Now, while the tether is intact. I can’t hold this power for much longer without causing serious damage.”
Acheron began pulling on the door as I sank to the floor, the feeling of exhaustion overwhelming me. With a final scream, Acheron wrenched open the door, and rushed inside as my vision tunneled.
He scooped me up and barreled through the exit, slamming the door behind him. I saw the flames flicker and then surge in intensity as the sigil glowed brighter for a few moments, before winking out completely. The flames dissipated a few seconds later.
The black energy that had filled the main room seconds before was gone. Becca stood in the center of the room, a long dark sword in one hand, and some kind of gun in the other.
“Is everything secure, Mistress?” Becca asked, looking around. Her gaze hovered over Acheron and me for a few seconds longer than was comfortable, as she swept the main room. “We sensed a large surge of energy in here. Are you safe?”
“The threat has been neutralized,” Liv answered. “They are blameless for this. The source is elsewhere.”
“Do they need to be removed?” Becca said, staring mostly at Acheron. “Is the demon a threat?”
“Everything is under control,” Liv said as she moved to her desk. “Please return to your station. I will handle this.”
Becca nodded and vanished.
“Are you implying I’m not a threat?” I said, offended. “I can be plenty threatening.”
“Credible threats rarely have to announce themselves,” Liv said, moving to her desk. “However, if you like, I can call Becca back, and you can show her just how threatening you can be.”
“That sounds like a real bad idea,” Acheron said quietly. “Maybe you can get skewered by Becca next time we visit?”
“I think you’re probably right,” I said as a wave of nausea gripped me. “Next time.”
Liv slumped in her chair, as Acheron placed me gently on the floor. The room did a quick spin and then tilted a few times before settling into place.
“That’s a neat disappearing trick,” I said when the room and my stomach settled down. “She doesn’t need to use the door?”
“Becca is a guardian,” Liv said. “The position comes with certain…perks. Let’s forget Becca for the moment. I need you to focus on what just happened.”
“You mean how I almost got flambéed?”
“Technically, the term is seared,” Acheron corrected, “since no liquor was used in the process.”
Liv and I both stared at him.
“Can we not do that again…ever?” I said with a groan as my stomach heaved again. “I feel like freshly stomped dirt.”
“You look pretty bad too,” Acheron added. “You also smell positively hellish. I think a shower or two would benefit the general environment—at least those of us with a sense of smell—and maybe burn those clothes?”
“Stop trying to cheer me up,” I said, slowly sitting up. “Liv, what happened?”
Liv had a faraway look in her eyes.
“I’ve not seen a reaction like that in many years,” Liv said. “Especially from a secondary sigil transcription. The power it takes to do that is formidable.”
“Are you saying it was meant for me?” I asked. “This was a targeted attack?”
“Where did you find that sigil?”
I told Liv about the sorcerer, the summoning circle and the Minoras.
“A Minoras?” she asked. “From a low-level summoner? It was a deflection.”
“What do you mean?”
“Who saw the sigil?” Liv asked. “Was it both of you or just Nyx?”
“Just me,” I said as Acheron nodded. “I had to show it to him. It was buried in the symbols of the summoning circle.”
“This sigil you discovered, did it look like this?” Liv traced the sigil on a piece of paper sitting on the desk. “This one?”
“Yes, except the bottom part was curled up, not straight like that one.”
“This was meant for you,” Liv answered slowly. “You have a powerful enemy. Who did you anger?”
“Are you referring to today or in general?” Acheron asked. “The list is extensive. She has a particular gift for this.”
“Shut it,” I snapped as I slowly got to my feet and sat in one of the large chairs. “Who can do this?”
Liv shook her head.
“Only Otherkin and certain demons can see this sigil,” Liv said. “Someone knew you would find it…or wanted you to find it.”
“If only Otherkin could see it, weren’t they taking a chance someone else would discover the sigil?” I asked. “Another Otherkin?”
“There are more of your kind, but most of them are reclusive and remain hidden.”
“Whoever did this knew we would intercept the sorcerer.”
“The Minoras was bait,” Acheron said. “Black Cleavers?”
“If it’s them, they’ve gone from minor irritant to major threat,” I said. “I still don’t see it. They’re a bunch of clueless wannabes.”
“Don’t underestimate Flint,” Acheron warned. “He’s intelligent and skilled. A dangerous combination.”
“This was meant for you and Acheron,” Liv replied. “How many Otherkin-Demon Lord partners do you know who are working for The Seven, fighting against demons?”
The odds of someone else discovering this particular sigil were non-existent.
“Are there any other Demon-Otherkin teams working the streets against rogue sorcery?” Acheron asked. “It seems unlikely.”
“I haven’t heard of any,” I said. “I doubt there’s another Otherkin crazy enough or suicidal enough to partner with a demon.”
“Their loss,” Acheron said with a huff. “I’m what’s called a catch.”
“I have a few names I could call you,” I said. “A catch isn’t one of them.”
“There aren’t any others,” Liv answered. “This was meant to attack…to kill you. There was a clear indicator.”
“The soulflames.”
“They aren’t exactly common knowledge,” I said. “Who do we know could put that much power into a sigil that would cause it to trigger soulflames when I replicated it?”
“I don’t have that information,” Liv said. “Even if I did, I would be reluctant to share it with you.”
“Why?” I asked, suddenly upset. “Whoever it was, tried to kill me. I think they deserve some pain in return.”
“That’s why,” Liv answered with a sigh. “You think this was some novice sorcerer targeting you? No, this is someone with resources, power, and most of all patience. Whoever this is, they’re playing a long game.”
“I’m inclined to agree with
Nyx on this one,” Acheron said. “This person needs to be stopped…with extreme prejudice.”
“By who? You two?” Liv asked. “If this had happened anywhere else, how were you going to put out the soulflames, Acheron?”
Acheron remained silent and looked away.
“I thought so,” Liv said. “Neither of you are nearly powerful enough to deal with this on your own.”
“Who is?” I asked. “Who do you think can deal with this?”
“Go see Victoria,” Liv said. “This is more her league of power. Besides, as a repository of rare artifacts, I have to call this in. I can give you an hour before I have to make the call.”
“Shit, you’re serious?”
“I’m a demon, not a sorcerer,” Liv answered. “While I study and collect arcane work, it doesn’t mean I understand all of the deeper aspects of sorcery. For that, you need…”
“A sorcerer,” Acheron finished. “Victoria will not be pleased we didn’t come to her first.”
“It’s a risk you will have to take,” Liv said. “She should have the answers you need.”
“If she shares them, that is,” I said, displeased. “I can’t believe this is the only option.”
“No, it isn’t,” Liv said. “You can wait until you encounter some other hapless, novice sorcerer who summons something more powerful than a Minoras, something even more lethal. It’s only a matter of time, but it will happen. These traps are being planted for the both of you.”
Acheron pointed at me.
“This sounds like your fan club,” he said. “I don’t anger people to this level of intensity.”
“Your confidence in me is overwhelming.”
“I have complete confidence in your ability to anger dangerous individuals.”
“We need to go see her,” I said. “I don’t want some clueless sorcerer getting killed because someone wants to erase me.”
“That is your best course of action,” Liv insisted. “Act as if your life depended on it…because it does.”
NINE
The Seven were headquartered on what was considered sacred ground. This wasn’t to say that The Seven were holy. If anything, they were the furthest thing from holy I knew. Last I checked, sorcery was a non-starter in the holiness department. Same went for being an unnatural creature, or associating with Demon Lords.
They Bite: A Nyxia White Story (They Bite-A Nyxia White Story-Book 1) Page 5