Devil's Paw

by Debra Dunbar

  “They didn’t do it on purpose,” I sputtered. “How the fuck were they to know you put a gate to Hel two and a half miles up in the air. It’s not like they even know about the angel gates.”

  “It’s not the loss of the gate, it’s that they have a weapon with enough power to damage one that is concerning to us.”

  I shrugged. “Could be worse. I don’t blame them for trying. They’re like children, exploring their world.”

  Gregory grimaced. “Children destroying their world. How fair is that to the other life forms that inhabit it? These are gifts they are too unevolved to handle. Gifts they should not have received for another million years. Hopefully they’ve put that nonsense behind them and learned their lesson.”

  “I think you underestimate the appeal of blowing shit up.”

  “Well, don’t tell that to the others on the Ruling Council. It was a rough couple of decades, and I don’t want to stir it all up again.”

  I nodded, wondering what all this had to do with a devouring spirit, injured and desperate to get home.

  “That makes six gates,” Gregory commented. “Six is a very inauspicious number.”

  Ah yes, the number of the beast. The angels preferred seven. “So where is the new gate?”

  Gregory shook his head. “I don’t want that knowledge to get out right now. If you all have no real way of sensing them outside a certain distance, then it’s not germane to the issue at hand.”

  “So, it’s in a weird, remote location where you can’t easily put a guardian, and you don’t want the word to spread that it’s an easy spot for demons to cross over,” I intuited.

  “Something like that.” He shifted, looking around the parking lot. “He’s in no condition to head toward Baltimore or further, so he’s bound to come back here.”

  “Or not. Some demons have a far greater sensory range than I do. I’m just an imp, after all.”

  He looked at me in dread. “How far?”

  I smiled. “Dar can sense a gate over two–thousand miles away. Even the wild and elf gates. It’s a skill many demons have. I suck, and I’m lucky if I can sense a minor gate at over fifty yards. With other gates, my range is pretty much less than fifty feet.”

  I could tell by his expression that this shiny, new angel gate was well within Dar’s range. “Vancouver?” I guessed. “Missoula?”

  He looked up at the night sky, as if gauging the time until dawn. “Juneau.”

  ~16~

  We were scheduled to be the first morning flight into Juneau, taking off pre–dawn in our hijacked G6. The owner of this luxury aircraft was happily riding in the seat beside me. He’d initially been a bit pissed about its theft, but became starry–eyed the moment he’d caught a glimpse of Gregory. I was amused to see that angelic laws or ethics didn’t seem to encompass personal property rights.

  Gregory had exploded all over the airport in a temper over our travel logistics. The last direct flight to Juneau had long left Seattle by the time we’d reached the airport, and the next flight out included a seven–hour layover in Anchorage. He’d been on his spanking–new iPhone with the gate guardian back home, barking out orders for water passage, but that option encompassed over two days of travel. Even a charter plane was out of the question since Juneau airport locked down at midnight to incoming flights.

  At least the delay had allowed us to take a very uncomfortable taxi ride back to Baphomet’s house to retrieve our rental car and my luggage. Originally Gregory had insisted we abandon it all in a mad dash to Alaska, but with nearly four hours to kill, he finally agreed. I had no idea who would have ended up paying for the never–returned rental car, but I wanted my suitcases and their contents. I’d managed to convince him to stop for a bite to eat at an all–night diner on our way back to the airport. I ate; he didn’t.

  I glanced over at the brooding angel across from me and sighed, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. Something in my pocket dug a sharp edge into my leg, and I realized I’d forgotten the pocket–sized mirror I’d lifted from the house in Fremont. The house had been registered to Paul Yong. I looked at the communications device, a much smaller and simpler version of the one at Baphomet’s house. Had Baphomet kept this one as a back–up? Or had it belonged to some other demon?

  Shrugging, I punched the clear stone on the rim and waited. Even at ten–thousand feet, the mirror should work. When no one replied, I left a vague message about how I’d found the mirror and was trying to find out who it belonged to before stuffing it back into my pocket.

  It was going to be a long flight. Gregory had been on edge since he’d discovered the murdered angel, and the airplane owner was cheerfully enthralled, so I wasn’t expecting stimulating conversation from either of them. I looked out the window at the rippled sheet of cloud–cover below us, just becoming visible in the early dawn light. I’d called Wyatt before we had flown out, woke him up at what had to have been four in the morning Maryland time, to tell him not to expect me for a few days at least. I’d need to call him again when we landed since there was a good chance he might not remember our conversation. Then I needed to call Nyalla and see how she was doing, solo, in my house. Then Amber, to make sure she hadn’t gone all praying–mantis–meets–black–widow on the neighborhood boys.

  My pocket sent a shock into my leg, and I jumped, quickly pulling out the mirror before it could zap me again.

  “Uh, hello?” I wasn’t sure how to answer the thing, not knowing who was on the other side.

  “Mal? Mal? What the fuck are you doing with this mirror?”

  I recognized that voice. “Dar? What the fuck are you doing with this mirror? I found it in a house with Baphomet’s dead body, and I wasn’t sure if it was his or not.”

  “Baphomet’s really dead?” he exclaimed. “His household showed up yesterday saying they were now under your protection. Your steward was ready to toss them out, but we were all good friends back in the day, so I figured they were probably telling the truth.”

  “Yeah, he’s dead.” That sadness came over me like a fog again. One more piece of my past, gone forever.

  “Angels? Was it that fucker you said chased you a few days back?”

  “I don’t know.” I wasn’t sure how much to tell Dar. He knew I devoured. He’d known it for centuries. As much as I trusted my foster brother, I knew he’d not be able to keep juicy rumors about Baphomet’s method of death to himself.

  “Keep this line, Dar. I’m away from my house for a few days. You can use this one of Baphomet’s to contact me until I get home.”

  “Will do,” he said cheerfully. “It’s not Baphomet’s mirror, though. It’s some other guy’s. Rain, Raim, or something. His household showed up right after Baphomet’s with the same story. I don’t know this guy, so we stole all of their stuff and tossed them out.”

  “Raim? It’s his mirror?” The fact that I felt sympathetic toward the displaced household showed just how far from my demon roots I’d come.

  “Yeah, Raim. I’ve never met the guy, but your steward said there were some unsavory rumors floating around about him.”

  “Can you go find them? Bring them into my household, and have their steward call me on this line.” Maybe if I spoke with the guy, I could find out more about Baphomet’s partner, and whether he was the devouring spirit we were searching for.

  “For fuck sake, Mal! How many more demons are you going to take in under your wing? We’re squeezed in like sardines, and even with Haagenti’s funds, you’re going to run short. We don’t know this Raim guy, and we don’t owe him or his household anything. Let them rot in the gutter.”

  “No, Dar,” I insisted, my voice firm. “I need them. Do as I say or you’ll rot in a gutter.”

  “Bitch.” It was a term of affection for him, and I caught myself smiling. “Anything else I can do for you? Rip off your scales? Poke sticks in your eyes?”

  “Is Leethu there? Can you have her call me on this line?” I had a mirror, might as well kill several birds with
one stone.

  “She’s right here, actually. I’ll put her on.”

  Even through the communication device, I felt Leethu’s seductive aura wind its way around me.

  “Ni–ni, what can I do for you?”

  “I need your advice.” I jumped right into the topic, explaining Amber’s self–imposed celibacy and my concerns that her urges were more than just teen–girl hormones.

  “Oh, she is a precocious little thing!” Leethu exclaimed, her voice full of proud admiration. “I too started early. Do you remember?”

  Yes, I did. Even at my young age, I’d fallen in line with the others, trailing about after the succubus, pining away for a glance, a touch, or possibly more. She’d been sent off for training soon after all that had started, and the whole sibling group had protested her absence loudly for several days before something else caught our interest.

  “She’s not even twenty yet. Isn’t that a bit young to be getting these kinds of skills?”

  Leethu’s laugh rang like wind chimes. “Having to masquerade as a human has speeded things up a bit. Of course, she’ll not be anywhere near as powerful as a full succubus.”

  Phew, that was a relief. Amber had enough issues to face without hoards of insane admirers hounding her everywhere she went.

  “So she’s okay? She can bonk this guy at the gym? She’s really worried she’ll kill someone.”

  “Oh, that is always a strong possibility.” Leethu didn’t seem too disturbed about that fact. “Heart attacks, aneurisms, they all happen pretty regularly, and sometimes humans don’t realize how fragile they are when they request the truly kinky stuff.”

  Fuck. For once, I was glad I was just an imp. “So, if she stays vanilla, and her partner gets a medical evaluation first, she should be okay? It’s going to really do a number on her if she kills someone, Leethu. I don’t want that to happen.”

  “Well …I can’t guarantee she won’t lose a partner or two. She’s young, and it will be hard for her to know how to control her pheromones and aura. It’s not a big deal. It happens.”

  “It is a big deal, Leethu. How does she keep from killing someone?”

  “She could fuck vampires. Personally that’s not my thing, but many of us enjoy them. They’re pretty sturdy, but always non–consenting. They get kind of bitey when they’re pissed off, so she may need to yank their fangs first. Werewolves are fun, but they sometimes get carried away, and I’ve had to kill a few in self–defense.”

  I shook my head in frustration and glanced over to see Gregory watching me, obviously listening in.

  “She can’t fuck a vampire. Because …well, you know, they would probably eat her. Plus I doubt she’d go for the whole rape thing. And werewolves aren’t allowed to have sex with humans per their existence contract.” I hoped Gregory wasn’t putting two and two together here. I wasn’t sure how much he’d heard of the conversation, and I didn’t know how the angels would feel about their beloved elves breeding with a succubus. Amber had enough races gunning for her without adding angels into the mix.

  “I could send a demon over for her. An experienced incubus to give her some guidance.” Leethu offered. “Does she prefer men? Irix owes me a favor. And he’s a good tutor.”

  I hesitated, sneaking a quick glance at Gregory out of the corner of my eyes. I didn’t want to foist this guy on Amber, but she should have the opportunity to consider him as an option. At least until she felt confident enough to have normal human relationships again.

  “Okay. I’ll grant him safe passage. I don’t want him throwing his influence around though. If Amber agrees, then fine. If not, he goes home without stirring her or any of my friends into a crazed orgy. Got it?”

  “I have got it,” Leethu replied, ending her connection.

  “You’re setting up your boyfriend’s sister with a sex demon,” Gregory drawled. I was half afraid to look at him and see his expression. “Don’t you think Wyatt is going to have a bit of a problem with that? And why is she so worried about killing human sexual partners. That rarely happens without homicidal intent, you know.”

  I squirmed. “It’s a long story. And no, Wyatt probably wouldn’t approve. If she says ‘no’, then this Irix will go home and no harm done. If she likes him, well, I’ll find a way to explain it to Wyatt.”

  Gregory made a noise of disbelief. “You’re going to explain to Wyatt that you’ve procured a paid sexual partner for his sister? A sexual partner that will probably occupy her thoughts and set the standards for her relationships the rest of her life. You do realize how succubi and incubi work, don’t you? They’re power is through positive sexual memory and the emotion it generates.”

  “Yes, yes,” I glared up at him and was a bit surprised to see he was actually amused. “She’s not really human. She’ll be okay, trust me. Amber is more immune than you’d think.”

  “Ah, so she’s a hybrid.” His tone was just as amused as his expression. “Cockroach, your family has more twists and drama than those soap operas I saw at your house on the Spanish language channel.”

  It truly did. I looked back at him and took a deep breath. “I need to provide safe passage through the Columbia gate for this Irix demon.”

  His eyebrows raised toward his hairline, lips twitching with a hint of a smile. “I don’t believe he is part of your household, although the size of your household does seem to be reaching astronomical proportions. He’s not performing duties that fall under the responsibilities of your title either. No, I don’t think he will receive safe passage.”

  “Please,” I begged. This had become a ritual, and I pretty much knew his next words before he spoke them.

  “I would grant this in return for a favor.”

  Damn it all. He’d been racking up favors like crazy for the past six months and had never redeemed a one. Everything I asked lately seemed to require a favor in return. Even getting the can of tomatoes off the top shelf had cost a favor. This one was number twelve.

  “Fine. You have another favor,” I snapped.

  He smiled benevolently and pulled out his cell phone.

  “Hey, you can’t use that on the plane. You’ll fuck up the computer stuff and we’ll crash.”

  He shook his head, and dialed. “I’m an angel. I get to break the rules.”

  It was so unfair. I broke the rules too, but he always got away with it. I turned to the bemused plane owner beside me. “He’s using a cell phone on your plane,” I told him.

  He smiled , his eyes shining with happiness. “He can do anything he wants.”

  That pretty much summed it up. I slumped down in my seat and resigned myself to the unfairness of it all as Gregory made arrangements for the safe passage of Amber’s sexual tutor.

  ~17~

  The wheels of our plane touched down in Juneau at an unseemly hour of the morning. As soon as the plane door opened, I gasped in wonderment. It wasn’t just the stunning landscape that amazed me, it was the huge quantity of tiny wild gates. Miniscule rents in the air, they sparkled like prisms. Beside the gates were thin sections, as if they were on the verge of becoming. I wondered how long it would take them to reach more than their current few inches and longed to explore them further.

  “What?” Gregory asked, squinting into the distance in the general direction I faced.

  I remembered his and the other angels’ disbelief when I’d told them about the existence of the gates.

  “Nothing. The mountains are very pretty,” I lied. No sense in getting into a huge argument about this, although it would be funny if Gregory accidently stuck his foot through one.

  Occupied by fantasies where Gregory fell into a wild gate and wound up somewhere in Hel, I dragged the two bags down the staircase, onto the tarmac. I was wheeling our luggage toward the airport rental counter, when Gregory took my arm and detoured me to baggage claim.

  “I’ve got a present for you,” he announced, hauling me past the conveyor belts, circling with their drab–colored baggage, and through a set
of doors clearly marked “authorized access only”.

  “Stay here,” he commanded.

  I remained where indicated while he spoke with another angel who was guarding a large box. The angel craned his neck to send curious looks in my direction around Gregory’s advancing form. As my angel spoke, he stopped trying to eyeball me and replied with a deferential posture. After a few seconds, he darted another quick look at me before vanishing.

  “Come here, Cockroach.”

  I walked toward him. “I guess that was an angel you trusted? Because he clearly saw me, and I wasn’t exactly being stealthy. He might have thought I was a human, but I doubt it.”

  “I trust him. That’s Nisroc, and he’s the gate guardian up here. He’s allowed more leeway in terms of distance from the gate, due to its remote location.”

  I approached the box and Gregory waved his hand at it. “I asked him to do me a special favor. The fact that he managed to accomplish it, just further proves his worth.”

  Ahh, a protégé. A warmth spread over me. I could empathize; I’d begun to feel the same about Amber, and even Nyalla, of late.

  “So, what’s in the box? Flowers? Diamonds? A body part from my enemy?” We demons had particular ideas of what constituted “presents”.

  Gregory pushed the lid aside, and I peered down at the corpse of an angel. This would truly be a gift to make any demon swoon with joy, but I doubted he’d meant it to be that sort of present.

  “This is the angel that was murdered. The one who was found in northern Mexico. I’m still trying to determine why he was here among the humans. There’s a disturbing lack of cooperation among his choir at the moment.”

  I shivered. I would truly hate to be an angel in that particular choir. I loved Gregory in a towering rage. His temper totally turned me on, but this cold anger of his did nothing but frighten me and remind me how very ancient and powerful he really was.

  The corpse hardly looked human. It seemed more statue than flesh, with pore–less skin devoid of color. With some dread, I lay my hands on its flesh and sent my personal energy within. I’d never examined an angel’s corporeal form in this way. Gregory and I had always been intimate as beings of spirit, and he staunchly resisted any more than cursory physical closeness. Every now and then, he’d slip and caress my face, or rub my hair between his fingers, but any move on my part was quickly rebuffed. This was the first time I’d ever really been able to see how angels put together their physical bodies. It baffled me. Nerve endings were intact for function, but disconnected from pleasure and pain receptors in the brain. Hearing, smell, taste, and vision were dulled. The odd skin texture helped block all but the most vital sensory input. I shook my head, thinking this was a terrible waste.