Chaos Magic: Life Sorcerer: Book Three - Return of Magic: Book Four

by D. R. Rosier

  He turned, “Usual deployment at this new town, but two guards on me at all times, is that clear? They’ll be back, the ones that survived, and we’ll need to take them down.”

  He glared back at the midnight haired goddess, and he pointed down at the ground at his feet.

  She smiled seductively, he didn’t think she could help it, as she crawled forward sensually, fished him out, and got to work. Goddess, could she work her mouth, the best he’d ever had with all three holes. At the same time, he really enjoyed the fear and disgust in her eyes as she worked him wantonly. Once she finished, they’d roll in on Savannah, or whatever the community nearby the old city called itself. The attack had just been a small wrinkle, and his men would be ready for it the next time.

  He smirked, as he heard the redheaded whore cry out in pleasure, apparently some of his men were unloading some stress too. Plus, they’d probably let Sara go after this, so it was their last chance to pump some final loads into her petite nubile body before they got a new tribute from Savannah…

  Emily was frozen in shock as they were all dumped on the ground in front of the mansion in Southern California. Her mind quickly prioritized the damage, and she suspected the only thing keeping some of them alive in the moment was Sean’s outpouring of life energy.

  Her mind quailed for just a brief second, as she was torn between healing her high priestess, and Lori the woman she still loved passionately. Just not enough to stay together, her calling had to come first.

  She moved quickly then, Mara was more greatly wounded, though not by all that much. She prayed desperately to her goddess and she felt serenity and peace infuse her as the healing energies of Vadea permeated her body and ran out into her high priestess. The chest wounds healed over, as the bullets ejected from her high priestess’s wounds right before the skin knitted closed.

  Emily didn’t bother wiping the tears out of her eyes, she didn’t have time, as she crawled quickly over to Lori and prayed to her goddess for a second time. Her old lover healed just as quickly sending a shock of relief through her body, and she felt a deep and abiding thankfulness and love for her goddess.

  She looked over at Kim, who’d been ravaged by her own exploding sword, and Sean and Sy’lia who’d been shot. But all three of them were fine, and just about healed from Sean’s own efforts. It’d only been the severity of Mara’s and Lori’s wounds that had been almost too much for his life sorcerer healing.

  To her shock, Katie was fine, just a few bruised ribs and some impact trauma to muscle and flesh. The silver dragon armor she wore had prevented the bullets from riddling her chest. The bearer surely would’ve died if she’d been ravaged by that many bullets, one of the men had emptied almost a full magazine into her chest.

  She moved to heal her wounds anyway, but Mara beat her to it.

  She looked down at Lori, and she felt like a voyeur as she saw her old lover’s eyes staring worriedly and intently at Sean. She knew then, in that moment, that Lori had taken her advice and she was now part of Sean’s family. She felt mostly joy in that, happy for her old lover, but it did squeeze her heart a bit too. She’d missed Lori the last few weeks.

  Katie said, “Well, that could’ve gone better.”

  Sean snorted, then laughed, “Understatement. It’s a fucking miracle no one was shot in the head or heart, we can’t heal that.”

  Katie nodded, “We were aware of the chaos magic threat, there was no way to know there’d be twenty-six men with working guns, which is shockingly unlikely, not to mention running trucks.”

  He frowned, “What about the swords? You said weapons would be safe.”

  Katie winced, “Well, I suspect the chaos magic shield twisted the magic enchantments on the blades. If they were normal blades they would’ve been deflected or made it through. We need a new plan.”

  Sean replied, “Zombies. They can absorb bullets like a sponge, as long as it isn’t a head shot, and they can cut down the twenty-six men. Then we can just worry about the chaos priest.”

  Katie tilted her head, “Alright. I also think despite what happened, we partially succeeded. That wasn’t a total failure despite what happened.”

  Emily raised an eyebrow, “How is that?”

  Katie said, “I think the urgency of the pull and the criticality of the moment was that he was going to put a bullet through the minor goddess’s head. We prevented that. I still feel the pull but it’s not as urgent right now. I think we saved her by distracting him.”

  Lori frowned in confusion, “That makes no sense. He can just shoot her now.”

  Katie nodded, “To us it doesn’t, but a priest of Nox would be insane. We can’t even guess what he was thinking or what his motivations were when he was set to shoot her in the head execution style, or why they’re different now, but they clearly are.”

  Cassie asked, “You sure that was the goddess?”

  Katie smirked, “Definitely was the goddess. I’m only attracted to one woman on this world, and she’s a goddess. Or at least, before today, now that number is two.”

  Lin giggled, “She was pretty distracting.”

  She said, “Thanks Cassie, you saved all our asses.”

  Cassie smiled, “It seemed like the right move, with half our people shot, and the only other person with a teleport enchantment was down.”

  Sean said, “You two grab your spare blades. I’ll have new spares brought over too, to replace the backups. Also grab some throwing daggers, no using those long daggers against the priest again.”

  Lin and Kim nodded, and ran into the house.

  Cassie said, “Let’s go inside, get a drink, and finish up with plan B?”

  Sean smirked, “Zombies, bad guys, us, chaos priest.”

  Cassie snickered.

  They all got up and headed inside. She was pretty sure Sean was joking, they needed a more detailed plan than that, even if simple was better in tactics, not that simple.

  Katie had known surprise could bite them in the ass, but never in a million years would she have ever expected anything remotely like what’d just happened. It truly was a miracle none of them had died, all the enemy men had aimed at center mass, instead of for the harder head shots.

  And why should they have? Center mass was a sure kill without modern trauma facilities, it just took longer. They’d probably had no experience taking down a group with two priestesses of Vadea, as well as a life sorcerer either. Still, she felt like she’d let everyone down, and thank the gods for Bria who had given her dragon armor. She wondered how Bria had known she’d need it, but Bria clearly didn’t want to talk about it, or even listen to a thank you out of her lips anymore, so she swallowed her curiosity.

  Still, given the unlikelihood of what’d just happened, she supposed she should give herself a little slack. No one had died, even if it’d been close. She was also annoyed at Bria for using her magic directly like that, she’d told her not to. Perhaps it’d been instinct.

  She watched as Sean and his family took comfort from each other, and wished she had the same. Her heart was still scarred from John’s betrayal, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to walk this life with another. Not with her mantel, and the unlikelihood of finding a man that had the characteristics she’d desired.

  A strong man in the bedroom and when it came to family matters, but who could… Well, not turn that protectiveness and possessiveness off perhaps, but one that could shunt it aside when it came to matters of balance. She could no more accept a week mealy-mouthed man in the bedroom or in her home than she could accept someone trying to gainsay her decisions when it came to save the balance. Men in her experience were one way or the other, any man that took control of family would have difficulty in taking the back seat when it came to her calling and missions.

  It was a problem, but she didn’t want to be alone. She almost regretted the fact she wasn’t attracted to women at all, otherwise Sean’s little family would’ve been almost perfect that way. He was kind of cute after all, powerf
ul, and she’d caught him looking once or twice. Still, even if she had been, she wasn’t the sharing kind, or at least she didn’t think she was. But Bria had argued with her about it a few times, and she wasn’t as sure as she was in her youth that multiple partners would be a bad thing. Not if it was all out in the open, without betrayal. But it was a moot point, at least for her and Sean’s family it was.

  Not just for those practical reasons either, there were also political realities that wouldn’t allow it to happen. Sean Anders was the ruler of the west coast, and she couldn’t afford to align herself to him through marriage. It would be too damaging to her relationships with other rulers and areas. It was absolutely imperative she retain neutrality between kingdoms, countries, or states. It was bad enough some of them would give her short thrift anyway, just for what she was because they were too shortsighted and stupid to understand the importance of her mission, like North Carolina.

  Katie snapped out of her internal deliberations, “Wait, what?”

  Sean looked over at her, “The babies are fine, I was just reassuring Cassie and the twins.”

  She smiled, “Congratulations. That’s wonderful.”

  She was happy for them, even as she was amazed his two creations, which he clearly loved dearly, were actually pregnant. She’d read every piece of literature the library had on life sorcery and life sorcerer history, and nothing like that had been in there. She’d have to update the library one of these days, with her own observations, learned truths, and insights for the next bearer.

  Kim finished handing out drinks, and then pasted herself against Sean’s side, while Lori was leaning against the other. It was quite a tight fit on the love seat, but he didn’t seem to mind in the least. Lin was cuddling on the full-sized couch with Mara and Cassie, while her, Bria, Sy’lia, and Emily were in chairs. That’s when she finally realized Sean’s mates had just gone up to five, since Lori looked quite comfortable pasted against his side with her hand caressing his leg.

  She said, “It was a quick and brutal thing, and Cassie saved us all by getting us out of there. But, let’s discuss what we’re facing before we plan, just in case anyone noticed anything the rest of us missed. As far as I could tell there were twenty-six men with nine-millimeter hand-guns and M16 fully automatic rifles. I sensed magic on them, and at a guess the enchantments somehow prevent the chemical explosion from interacting with magic, or the raw flows of magic from getting to it.

  “I also suspect the trucks, jeeps, and hummers work the same way. I sensed enchanting on all of them. Whoever did it for them, is either dead or somewhere else, because there were no sorcerers present.”

  Sean grunted, “Yes, besides that they seemed like a typical raider group. They’re obviously keeping the goddess around for pleasure, and I sensed another female being held in one of the trucks. None of the others have magic from what I could tell, outside of the priest. The priest’s life force felt… wrong, infected maybe, though that’s not right either. Probably whatever effect being an insane person who’s a priest for a god or goddess that doesn’t belong on our world?”

  Katie nodded, “That seems likely. Anyone else notice anything?”

  Lin said, “The men are scared of him. The priest. Not sure how that helps, they’ve all earned death. But several of them didn’t look happy at all that the priest was about to kill the goddess. Whether that’s because the monsters have grown to care, or for some other reason, I couldn’t say. They’d have objected if they weren’t terrified of him, I think.”

  Katie replied, “That won’t change their fate, but it’s something to keep in mind when we plan. Most likely though it won’t help us. Anything else?”

  No one spoke.

  Chapter Fourteen

  He felt better with his arms around Lori and Kim, and with their hands on him. It was reassuring, because he’d pretty much lost his mind earlier when he’d thought Lori and Mara were as good as dead. If it wasn’t for Cassie, they’d have all succumbed to a hail of bullets eventually. Even Katie would’ve gone down from a headshot.

  In hindsight, they’d handled it all wrong, dismissing the normal humans as not dangerous when they were perhaps even more dangerous than the priest with working weapons.

  Katie said, “I think it’s too dangerous to take them in the town. Savannah’s one of the largest communities I’ve seen, with close to seven thousand people. Too much of a possibility of collateral damage. My senses are also telling me it isn’t urgent, and a couple of days of being afraid isn’t great for the people there, but I’m hoping the deaths will be minimal.”

  He grunted, “Those kind of men always set a few examples to cow the populace, but it’s probably happening right now and too late to stop anyway, we’re not ready to move yet. They were only a couple of miles away from the town center, after all. I’ll agree to wait and set an ambush for them as they leave if you teleport a couple of undead birds there for me. That way if they start a massacre for some reason, we can respond quickly. It’d also be good if we could get more information and verify that they just steal shit, get drunk, and occupy the whorehouse or something. Were either of you able to get a sense of the goddess, enough of one to communicate?”

  Cassie and Katie exchanged glances, and both of them nodded.

  He said, “Try to find out if they’re sadistic bastards and kill a lot, or if a couple of days will be palatable for us.”

  Cassie bit her lip, and then closed her eyes as she chanted. He recognized the spell, which was pure telepathy, the other spell felt more natural but was also more obvious for anyone paying attention.

  Cassie gasped a moment later, and then blushed furiously. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what could make his wicked Cassie blush like a schoolgirl, and let the idea go when she stuck to the pertinent facts.

  “Umm, she said the man in charge, Carson, had two of the lawmen shot in front of half the community. She also said unless the community makes trouble, no others will be killed, and at worst a few might get beat up. The whorehouse is where they stay, before they gather booty and tribute which will be in two days. It’s not a good thing, I mean they’ll be raping those women without paying for it, but that’s better than them dying if we attack and the men get to their guns. Aurora suggested we wait until they leave the community, even if it isn’t an easy choice to make.”

  He nodded, “So, two or three days. I still want to send the birds, just in case the priest decides a massacre will be fun. Then the risk balance will be in the other direction.”

  Katie said, “I agree, and I’ll send your birds. As hard as this will sound, we will go only if I say. I’d love to save them all from that pain, but if I must I’d sacrifice more of them to save the balance, that’s my burden and calling. The balance is more important, but if we can do both we will.”

  He nodded, “I get it. I learned a while ago I couldn’t save everyone and trying would just make it worse. It’s why I stopped at the west coast, and then limited my interference to what was necessary. I don’t like it, but it’s your show.”

  She said, “So, the plan?”

  He shrugged, “I’d suggest we make some kind of barricade on the road, assuming they don’t go back the way they went, and head north, they’ll have to stop the trucks. We’ll stay behind the barricade until the twenty zombies take down the men with guns, perhaps providing distractions as cover. Then once the raider group is dead, we can concentrate on taking down the priest. Now that we know what we’re facing, it should go… better. With my birds there, we’ll also know when they’re moving out.”

  Lin said, “Kim and I will inundate him with throwing daggers, and we’ll keep our distance this time.”

  Yeah, he didn’t want them anywhere near him again.

  Cassie suggested, “We could bring the bomber with us, drop a ball of molten metal on his head. Or just bring one of the rounds and spell it directly. One really should do the job.”

  Katie nodded, “That’s two ways to kill him, molten metal ba
ll and throwing daggers, and we’ll do both, keep them coming.”

  Bria said, “What if I just ignite the gasoline in the trucks?”

  Katie tilted her head, “That would be convenient, but there’s a chance the enchantments on them would drain the magic out of your attack, they operate like shields. Even if it did work, you could kill the goddess and whatever other women they take with them away from Savannah. We need to save the hostages if we can.”

  Bria nodded, “In that case I’ll use my magic on the other twenty-six men, to backup the zombies and be an alternate way of ending the gun threat.”

  Katie smiled, “Sounds good. Emily and Mara will be protecting us. I’ll attack the priest with exploding ground again, or maybe toss a truck at his back. That leaves Lori, Sy’lia, and Sean.”

  Lori said, “I doubt my shadows will have an effect on him through those chaos magic shields. The one that stood near the leader, Carson. I could dominate him, and make him empty that M16 into Carson’s back, if you wait to kill him last.”

  Katie smirked, “That works.”

  He shrugged, “I’ll be controlling the zombies, and I’ll be on first aid in case one of us are hit. My power is worthless against him. I suppose I’m lucky all his shields did earlier was block it.”

  Sy’lia said, “Mine is worthless against the enemy as well, but I can enhance everyone’s speed, strength, and perceptions. That could help.”

  Katie smiled, “Sounds like we have a plan, and four or five ways to kill Carson, if none of them work we’ll have to keep attacking him until one does. Mara or Emily, if you wouldn’t mind adding Vadea’s protection to the goddess and whatever other women they might have under threat, that would be a good thing.”

  They both nodded.

  Katie asked Cassie, “Do you know what goddess she is?”

  Cassie blushed again, “The goddess of lust and sex. She was umm, entertaining when I contacted her. She’s been trying to help in her own way, and softening the men up, but Carson has been catching her at it and she’s limited in what she can do. The men are less cruel after being with her, for a while. I also have an answer for earlier. Carson’s a sick bastard, but he’s into mental torture, not physical torture and killing. He seems reluctant to kill her, but if she pisses him off he plays a game he calls Russian Roulette chaos magic style. He fills the gun with chaos magic, then pulls the trigger. Apparently, he can’t bring himself to just murder her in cold blood, for some reason or another. The first four times he did it, the gun failed to fire.”