Demonicus (Overworld Underground Book 2)

by John Corwin

"What?" she shouted at her kid.

  "W-what if a demon got bitten by a vampire and a werewolf? Would he be a demon blood-drinking wolf? Would he be invulnerable? Would he be a vampwolfdemon?"

  "He would eat the souls of little children." I smiled reassuringly at him.

  The boy didn't seem the least bit worried. "Cool!"

  "Can we leave?" Ellis asked his wife. "I don't want nothing to do with none of this stuff, least of all no demons."

  I looked around at the other Overworld newbies. A man in an expensive business suit spoke with another fellow wearing a ragged T-shirt and cargo pants. A group of college-aged girls whispered to each other and looked around with wide eyes. It seemed there were people from every walk of life present here. I wondered if these were all the people in the Atlanta area who'd been exposed to the supernatural, or if they'd been sent here from other parts of the world as well.

  A gentleman in a loose black robe approached the groups, a weary look on his face. He clapped his hands. "Welcome, everyone, I am Desmond, your guide to the Overworld."

  Ellis raised his hand. "Do we have to do this? I swear I ain't gonna tell nobody nothing."

  "If you think this will be too much stress due to religious objections, or a cognitive inability to process new things, then you are welcome to undergo our mind-wiping process." Desmond's lips curled into a faint smile. "There are only a few negative side effects of the process."

  "Like what?"

  "Impairment of motor coordination and a possible loss of other brain functionality."

  Ellis seemed to think about it long and hard. His wife rolled her eyes and knocked him on the back of the head. "We're not having our minds wiped, you moron!" She tapped a finger on her chin as if reconsidering. "Actually, can you make him forget we're married?"

  There were quite a few chuckles and snorts of amusement from the group.

  Desmond nodded seriously. "Oh, we can do all sorts of things."

  "Fine, I'll go through the stupid classes," Ellis whined.

  "In that case, let's get started." Desmond retrieved a long pointy cap from within his robes and put it on. "If you get lost, just look for my hat."

  Tyler laughed softly. "I guess robes and wizard hats are in fashion in these parts."

  "How unfortunate." I tried to imagine Tyler wearing something so outlandish, and had to admit he'd probably look rather dashing in just about anything.

  Desmond stepped onto a podium. "You are now standing in the Grotto way station. It is called a way station because this large black arch behind me is a method of transportation here in the Overworld." He pointed to the yellow and black striped circle guarding the silver band surrounding the arch. "At no time are you to cross this barrier unless you are the one traveling."

  "Why not?" the businessman asked.

  "Obsidian Arches open gateways to other arches all around the world. Sometimes, cracks in the fabric of reality accidentally open, forming a rift into a realm we call the Gloom." Desmond paused as if to let that sink in. "Suffice it to say, you don't want to end up there. The only way out is for us to send in a Templar rescue team."

  Several people tried to ask questions at once, but Desmond held up a hand. "Please keep the questions to a minimum. We have a lot to cover today. Now, if you'll please follow me." He stepped off the platform and walked toward a pair of large wooden doors several hundred feet behind us. "On the other side of these doors you'll find an entire city we call the Grotto."

  "An underground city?" Ellis's little boy seemed really excited by the prospect.

  Desmond continued. "This city exists inside what we call a pocket dimension."

  Tyler and I exchanged confused looks. I resisted the urge to grill Desmond for more information. Other group members blurted questions.

  Our teacher ignored them all. "We don't know who made the arches or the pocket dimensions. There are hundreds of them located all around the world, each with its own Obsidian Arch way station."

  I tried to imagine so many worlds hidden within our world. How the Overworld had managed to keep them secret for so long was amazing.

  Desmond opened the doors to reveal a cobblestone road leading past quaint shops. We followed him inside. Gasps took flight all around as people looked up to see blue skies overhead.

  A group of well-dressed people with pale skin walked past.

  "Fresh meat," one of them said with a laugh, and flashed fangs at us.

  The young girls shrieked and jumped behind some of the men.

  "Don't worry. Vampires aren't allowed to attack you," Desmond said.

  "Yeah, because they all follow the rules," Tyler muttered.

  I bared my teeth at the bloodsuckers and wished I could defang each and every one of them.

  Desmond led the group along winding streets, giving tidbits of history like a tour guide as we passed different parts of the Grotto. We eventually ended up in a large grassy park in a more modern section of town. The glass on some buildings rippled like water, gaining the immediate interest of Tyler.

  We stopped outside two large buildings. One was made of white glass blocks, which blinked into transparency at times like windows. The building across the street seemed to be made entirely of the liquid glass material. Two robed men shouted insults at each other in the middle of the street, while crowds of onlookers urged them on.

  "How fortunate," Desmond said, stopping on the sidewalk near the altercation. "It appears MagicSoft and Orange have released their new flagship arcphones to the public today."

  "Arcphone?" someone asked.

  "Yes, much like the smartphones you use, but these incorporate magic as well."

  "Well, now I know where to get one like George's," I murmured.

  "Which is better?" asked the businessman.

  "I think we'll find out momentarily," Desmond said as the two shouting men charged each other, fists flailing.

  Within minutes, both men fell to the ground panting without a clear victor in sight.

  "I suppose that means it's a personal preference," I observed dryly.

  "More or less," Desmond replied. He stepped around the exhausted fighters and led us into a brown two-story building down the street. The first room, a small auditorium, seemed to be our final destination.

  "For the rest of this week, we'll meet here," Desmond informed us. "If you have any trouble finding it, simply get on one of the town trolleys I showed you and instruct it to take you to the Overworld Orientation Complex."

  Tyler and I took seats near the back of the room. Ellis's wife gazed longingly at Tyler, but thankfully sat down near the front.

  "I'll begin the class with basic terms that will help you adjust to your new life," Desmond said. He laid a tablet computer on the table in the front of the room. A few flicks of his finger later, it projected the three-dimensional words Overworld Orientation into the air, drawing gasps and looks of disbelief from most of those present.

  I felt a bit smug, having already seen my father's phone do the same thing.

  "How many of you here have supernatural abilities?" Desmond asked.

  Tyler made as if to raise his hand, but I stopped him.

  He wrinkled his forehead. "Why not?"

  "I don't want to talk about our private business in front of these people." I shrugged. "Besides, George wants to keep my ability secret."

  One of the college girls raised her hand, a sad look on her face.

  "What's your name, young lady?" Desmond asked the girl.

  "Angela."

  "What's your supernatural ability?"

  "I got turned into a vampire."

  Desmond nodded. "Was it personal choice, or were you turned against your will?"

  "Someone gave me this stuff to drink at a party, and it turned me into a vampire." A tear trickled down her cheek. "Then they tried to kidnap me and take me to Colombia, but my friends tazed him and sprayed his eyeballs with pepper spray and saved me."

  I scowled. It sounded like the potion vampires had used in hi
gh schools to turn the students.

  "Anyone else?" Desmond said, looking around. When no one answered, he swiped his hand across the holographic image to display two words and went on to explain them. "Supernatural beings are sometimes referred to as supers. Normal people are often referred to as noms."

  "Noms? What kind of stupid name is that?" Ellis asked.

  Desmond didn't answer him, and moved on. "There are many kinds of supernatural beings in the Overworld. The most common by far are vampires. Contrary to what you've read, vampires will not turn to dust if staked in the heart, nor do they burst into flame in the sun. They do drink blood, and they easily sunburn." He looked at the girl. "I'm afraid you'll have to wear plenty of sunblock during sunny days."

  Her eyes flared. "I can't go to the beach anymore?"

  "I'm afraid it just won't be the same."

  She burst into tears.

  "I feel awful for the poor dear," I told Tyler.

  He wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Well, why don't you offer to help her?"

  I felt a smile stretch my lips. "Oh, Tyler. That's such a sweet and wonderful idea." He is nothing like Barboar.

  Despite the crying girl, our teacher pushed on. "Other supernatural types are lycans, often referred to as werewolves, felycans—feline shifters—Daemos, demons, and Arcanes." He switched to images of the various kinds, and showed videos of a man changing into a large wolf followed by images of a woman turning into a black panther. Everyone was absolutely enthralled by the spectacle.

  "Daemos, or demon spawn, are something of an enigma," Desmond said. "They are able to shift into demonic forms, and can also summon minions from the netherworld." The image of a huge black dog with glowing yellow eyes appeared. "Hellhounds are the most common form."

  "What's the difference between a demon and a Daemos?" someone asked.

  "Excellent question." Desmond tapped a finger on his chin. "Daemos are part demon, part human. As such, the human half of their soul is rooted here while the demon half resides in Haedaemos—the demon realm. They are something of a hybrid creature. Daemos must also feed on the soul essence of humans to maintain their supernatural attributes."

  Ellis scratched his head and looked ready to ask a question, but a stern look from Desmond kept him quiet.

  "Demons, on the other hand, have no physical body. They are, in essence, a soul or spirit being." He flicked to an image of a creature with a massive deformed mouth and abnormally short body standing on a pattern drawn on concrete. "This is a summoned demon in its natural form. The pattern allows an Arcane to summon a demon."

  I shivered. "Looks awful."

  "Do they possess people too?" a woman near the front asked.

  He nodded.

  The woman asked another question. "Wouldn't that make them like Daemos?"

  Desmond shook his head. "No, because the possessing demon isn't combining its soul with the human's—it's simply taking control. They also don't need to feed on soul essence like Daemos, but they do corrupt the body they're in. Demons are parasites, no matter the form."

  I stood up to tell Desmond just how wrong he was about that, but Tyler quickly pulled me back down. "He's wrong!" I hissed.

  Tyler shrugged. "Maybe. At least I know what makes me different from Daemos."

  I wanted to argue the point further, but Desmond continued to elaborate about Daemos.

  "A male Daemos is an incubus, and a female is a succubus." Desmond switched to an image displaying a very attractive male and female. "They are able to seduce just about anyone they wish and feed on their soul essence."

  I shuddered. "Just what we need—supernatural sexual predators."

  "Last, but not least, we reach the Arcanes," Desmond said. "That is what I am."

  "You mean like wizards and warlocks?" Ellis asked.

  "What if a vampire bit a witch?" his kid asked. "And then a lycan bit the witch? Would she still be able to fly a broom?"

  Desmond blinked a couple of times. "Will you two please hush?" He produced a wand. "Or must I force the issue?"

  Ellis and his boy clamped their lips shut, eyes wide with fear.

  Tyler snorted and covered his mouth.

  "Now, as I was saying, Arcanes are the magic users." He glared at Ellis. "Terms like wizard, warlock, sorcerer, mage, and witch refer to different kinds of magical practitioners." Desmond cleared his throat. "Witches and warlocks prefer natural magic and potions. Wizards and sorcerers are archaic terms rarely used, though they formerly referred to Arcanes with great elemental control. Mages are Arcanes who have achieved mastery of the arcane arts in at least two fields."

  "What about magicians?" someone asked.

  Desmond scowled. "That is an insulting term to true Arcanes. I suggest you never use it again."

  The businessman raised his hand. "Are there any other kinds of supers?"

  "There are various forms of leechers, gnomes, and even trolls. We don't know much about them because they haven't been seen in centuries." He tapped a finger to his chin. "There are dryads near Arcane University in Queens Gate, though we've never found them elsewhere, and I once met a woman who could tell what kind of powers a person had simply by being near them."

  My heart seemed to freeze in place. "Was this at Arcane University as well?" I asked.

  "Yes, in the Fairy Gardens." Desmond clicked his tongue. "We really must push on if we're to cover all the material today."

  Tyler squeezed my hand and leaned over as Desmond droned on in the background. "According to George, you're the only person he's ever met with your ability."

  I felt shocked and elated. "My God, it would be amazing to meet someone else with my special senses."

  "I think we need to ask Desmond about it more after class."

  "Yes, but not tonight." I couldn't stop thinking about Karak and his minions. "We need to get back so we can help George."

  Desmond finally wrapped up about forty minutes later and quickly left the room before anyone could bombard him with questions. I stopped the vampire girl as she and her friends walked toward the exit.

  "May I speak with you alone for a moment?" I asked her.

  She and her friends stared longingly at Tyler.

  I snapped my fingers. "Hello?"

  "Oh, yes, sorry." She looked at her friends. "Be right back."

  They were too busy adoring Tyler to respond.

  I remembered the girl's name from earlier. "Angela, right? I'm Emily."

  "Nice to meet you," she said in a shy voice.

  I decided not to beat around the bush. "Do you really want to be rid of your vampirism?"

  "More than anything." Her lower lip quivered. "I hate being different and not being able to go to the beach is just awful."

  "Well, perhaps I can help you."

  Her eyes brightened. "How?"

  "I have the ability to remove your vampirism."

  "Oh my God, that's so cool." She turned to her friends as if to tell them, but I stopped her.

  "You can't tell anyone I did it." I leaned toward her. "My ability is a secret."

  She nodded solemnly. "I totally understand."

  "Excellent." I checked the time on my phone. "I don't have time to do it today, but perhaps sometime this week after one of our classes."

  Angela giggled and hugged me. "I can't wait. Oh my God, my parents won't ever have to know I was a vampire."

  "You haven't told them yet?"

  She shook her head. "How am I supposed to tell them something like that?"

  I didn't know what to say.

  Angela looked at Tyler. "You have the dreamiest boyfriend ever."

  "Yes, well don't be fooled, his super power is charm."

  She sighed. "It totally works."

  Tyler wore his trademark amused grin as the girls talked to him. He looked at me the moment I drew near. A dreamy look came into his eyes, and it was like the other girls weren't even there. I couldn't help but smile.

  "Ready, babe?" He took my hand and kissed it.
>
  The girls sighed in unison.

  I nodded. "Let's go."

  After a quick joyride in George's flying car, we arrived back at the Gregorian and parked in the underground deck. Nerves aflutter, I could hardly wait to ask George and my parents what they'd decided to do about the demons.

  The condo was empty when we went inside. Tyler and I looked around, but found no sign of the others.

  He snatched a scrap of paper from the table and showed it to me.

  We're going inside the construction area. Be back soon.

  My parents were in enemy territory.

  Chapter 17

  I went from being furious to sick with worry in a matter of seconds. True, they'd told me their intentions, but I hadn't expected them to actually go inside. Snatching the binoculars, I went to the balcony and peered at the construction site. Unfortunately, it was almost dark and I had only the street lamps to see by.

  Unless the possessed had changed clothes, I didn't see them on patrol among the sparse foot traffic near the fence.

  "We've got to go after them," I told Tyler.

  "Let me change into something more appropriate." He glanced at me. "Are you sticking with the yoga pants?"

  "Yes, now go change!" I shooed him away.

  He returned moments later in dark jeans and T-shirt. "I'm ready."

  We took the lift down to the parking deck and headed outside. Just as we were crossing the street, I saw George and my parents strolling our way as if out for a casual evening walk.

  I stormed up to them. "Did you really go in there without us?"

  Victoria raised an eyebrow. "Darling, we are the seasoned professionals and you the rank amateur. Do you truly think for a second that we'd need to wait for you?"

  I was furious, mainly because I knew she was right.

  Tyler put a hand on my shoulder, but looked at my mother. "Find anything useful?"

  George nodded. "Karak and his minions are preparing another demonicus."

  "We have to stop them, right?" I asked.

  "Indeed." He crossed his arms. "Zad Kassus and Martin Drang are inside, drawing the demonicus while Karak instructs them."

  "It's a very curious arrangement," Victoria said. "Demons do not usually share such sensitive information about their patterns."