Personal Demons: A Riverton Demons Novel

by Katherine Kim

  “I know very well how powerful that poison is, I experienced it myself not very long ago. We both owe Anna our lives, it would be inconsiderate to throw them away in a fit of anger, however justified.” He was sitting back in that leather chair again, his human hands stretched on the padded arms of the fancy chair and watching Brian with an unreadable face.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that you intend to find this man and prevent him from bothering your friend. Honestly, it is an urge that I can understand very well, and I know that I can’t stop you, but I can give you some advice, and that is to let us deal with the situation. We are looking for the man who is producing the poison. This Kevin that assaulted you has clearly become involved in the case, so I am sure that when we find that man in charge, we will also find Kevin, and both will be dealt with at the same time. Leave him to us.”

  “Like hell I’ll just sit back and do nothing while that asshole terrorizes Laura. And Owen deserves to be able to grow up peacefully, not afraid of some jackass jumping out to snatch him.” Something snapped. Brian couldn’t stay in the chair— sitting still and being polite was suddenly beyond him. He had to move, so he started pacing in front of the desk, trying to burn off some of the energy that seemed to be drowning his brain. “You’re going after Kevin’s boss, fine. You do that. But next time I see Kevin, I’m kicking his ass from here to Mars if I have to. He’ll get it through his pathetic excuse for a mind that he’s not getting what he wants and then he’s going to fucking leave them alone.” He glared at Michael, to make sure that his point was clear. “You think that just because you’re a High Demon or a Guardian or whatever the hell you are that you can just order me around? If you have no intention to hunt me down as a monster then you’re just going to have to stay the hell out of my business. I am not letting Kevin off scot-free. That bastard deserves everything I’m going to throw at him if I ever I see his ugly face again.” Brian stopped pacing to glare at Michael and he found the man tracking his movements with a faintly satisfied gleam in his eyes and an expression that wasn’t entirely human sitting on his human face. Brian took a breath, ready to start in again.

  “How often do you lose your temper?” Michael asked, interrupting the flow of pouring out of Brian’s mouth. Brian jerked to a halt and turned to face the desk.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I asked how often you lose your temper? Perhaps I should ask more broadly about emotional outbursts. I do realize that he events of the past week or so have worn at your emotional resilience, but nevertheless. It seems a straightforward question to me.” Michael kept his voice calm but the satisfaction was still there in his gaze.

  “Not much anymore, I guess,” Brian huffed, still angry but thrown off his stride. “I got into a lot of fights for a while when I was a kid, but Mom helped me learn to keep it dialed back. Schoolyard jerks aren’t worth the punishment, as she kept pointing out, and being hot tempered just got me in trouble, but Kevin really pisses me off,” his eyes narrowed and he met Michael’s own gaze. “Why?”

  “Because you started to turn a bit red in the face there for a moment,” Michael said, his voice mild but his eyes sharp as razors. Brian blinked, and as the meaning hit him he groped for the chair he’d abandoned to slump into it. He was shaking.

  “Oh. Oh gods,” he dropped his head into his hands.

  “I don’t know who your father was— I can see that question written clearly in your eyes, and I can’t answer it I am sorry. But I suspect he came from the same clan I did, which makes sense, geographically speaking. I admit I did some research on you last night, and your mother went to school in Harrisburg. The nearest gate to that campus is the Riverton Gate.

  “The power I felt rolling off of you just now was both familiar and fairly strong, which gives me a few clues if you would like me to investigate more closely. I must admit that I agree with your mother that there are those who don’t deserve the validation of recognition. Also, I understand that what she taught you effectively suppressed your power with the view of enabling you to grow safely to adulthood. However, I think you may be better served at this point by learning to use what you were born with, rather than ignoring and suppressing it.” Brian’s head snapped up.

  “What do you mean?” His voice was thick but steady.

  “I mean that I am offering to teach you to use your power to protect yourself and your friends. And hopefully make sure that you won’t get yourself killed before we can find the man producing this poison.”

  “Use my power?” Brian blinked. “No. I don’t want to be a monster. I don’t want to give Owen nightmares.”

  “If you were not inclined to the darkness already, then you are not now. Nothing about you has changed. You are simply yourself,” Michael said. “Using the power that is running through your blood won’t alter who you are or what you are, it is simply a tool at your disposal. Either way it is your choice, but you would do well to consider it. Take a few minutes. I shall go find May and see what has happened to lunch.”

  *****

  Brian did think, or at least he tried. He felt like he’d been beaten bloody by the whole conversation. Michael had managed to rip open his secret, his fear, his temper, and his shame and laid them all out on the desk to peer at like specimens in a lab. It was raw, this moment, and Brian could almost cry from relief that he was alone for it, but surprisingly he also felt some grief over it. Part of him wished that Laura was here to hold his hand or rub his shoulder like she had after his nightmare, because this was so much worse than that had been. His stomach felt sour and tight and his heart was thumping wildly. First step, he thought distantly, was to breathe. Just concentrate on that for a minute or two. Then, very deliberately and slowly he made sure that he relaxed his muscles, starting with his toes and working slowly up his body.

  After a few minutes, he felt more stable again, and the screaming in his head had subsided to simple throbbing. At least it was clear now that these two— Michael Gilbert and his partner the Temple Priestess— had no intention of hauling him off to a prison cell. He’d had all these vague fears that they had planned to just make him disappear or something. Laura had told him not to be so ridiculous, that they wouldn’t have saved his life and left him to recover quietly if they’d meant to just haul him in as a prisoner. She had been right, of course. Laura was a very smart woman. Except for one thing— she knew his secret. She knew all his secrets now and she clearly wasn’t concerned about any of it— which was crazy— and she seemed to care enough about him to worry, which left him stunned.

  She’d been worried about him getting out of the hospital bed that morning and falling over. She’d worried about him eating enough for breakfast. She had worried that his bandage was too tight after the nurse redid it. She hadn’t been worried that he would suddenly turn into a monster of any kind.

  He heard the door open again, but didn’t move. Opening his eyes would bring the world back and he didn’t feel stable enough to handle it yet. He looked up finally when he felt cold glass bump his fingers, and found Michael offering him a beer. There was a tray of sandwiches on the small table beside the chair where he slumped.

  He took a sip and sighed. The whole story started tumbling out, about how his mother had been disowned by her family when they found out she was pregnant. How the man she had thought loved her turned out to have been not only lying about that, but simply using her to hide from something or someone, and as soon as he thought it was safe he left. She was seven months pregnant and alone with a child she no longer knew how she felt about. Brian had been born seemingly normal, so she’d hoped for the best, but after a few years she’d noticed his temper, and a few other odd things, and had sought help for him. Taught him to control the anger, keep himself in check. How she’d been afraid of contacting her family not only because of their reaction to her pregnancy in the first place, but because her aunt was some powerful sort of Temple Elder. Mostly, when he’d started getting upset he always remember
ed her getting pale and nervous, so he’d tried his best to learn to hide it from her. At some point his beer bottle had disappeared— Michael must have taken it to put with his own empty bottle— leaving him free to drop his head into his hands.

  “She was afraid of me. Of her own son.”

  “Or perhaps she was afraid for you,” Michael said, quietly.

  “What do you mean?” Brian looked up to see Michael right in front of him, leaning back to half sit on the desk and watching with his head tipped slightly to the side. An empty glass with melting ice was now sitting on the tray next to the sandwiches.

  “I mean that she may have been trying to give you the tools to keep your temper in check when she wasn’t there to help you. At school for example. Or now. I suspect she didn’t want her high and mighty relative to discover your secret and try to have you imprisoned or some such thing. I daresay that if she is still around, she is not very pleased with my existence either.” Michael put his empty glass on the tray. Brian chuckled quietly.

  “I bet. Probably turned purple when she heard, if she really is anything like Mom described her.”

  “Indeed. I do officially have Temple support, but that doesn’t mean that I am universally liked, nor am I considered by all to be an asset. But I have enough allies and enough support, which is what matters, and I do my duty faithfully. Those that have an open mind see me clearly enough that I am not without friends, and thus influence. So now you have a high and mighty friend in the Temple as well. Two, in fact, if you count May also. And I have no doubt that there will be more over time.” Michael narrowed his eyes and stared down at Brian who wilted slightly under the considering regard. The sensation of sitting in the principal’s office came sweeping back over him. It was oddly calming while it made him sweat nervously. “And you also have a child to protect. Owen may not be your son by blood, but even I can see that you already consider him family. What do you plan to do about that?” Brian felt his expression harden. The thought of Kevin ever getting near Owen and Laura sent a wash of heat through his body.

  “I plan to do whatever I can.”

  “Good,” Michael nodded his approval. “Let’s get started.”

  The two spent several hours closed up in the office, Michael teaching Brian the basics of calling up and using his own power rather than suppressing it. He still had to rely on a well-placed fist to win a fight, if it came to it, but he could defend much more easily against the possible attacks of a man who had half-finished Guardian training. And that was something he felt very good about.

  Chapter 14

  Brian walked slowly down the street. He’d just had his second meeting with Michael and his mind was whirling with what he had learned over the past few days. Not only the few spells and wards Michael had taught him—which was amazing enough in his mind— but more the revelation that he wasn’t doomed to become an out of control monster. If a full High Demon could not only choose to live here as a human— to willingly protect humans— but could find such clear satisfaction doing so, then he himself could definitely choose his own destiny, couldn’t he? Brian rubbed his thumb along the charm he now carried in his pocket. He’d been surprised when Michael pointed out that it had been spelled to suppress demonic influence and that by wearing it he had been suppressing his own abilities. But then, he probably should have realized it as soon as he learned what he was. Most likely that was exactly what his mother had intended, even though she’d told him that it was for safety and serenity rather than controlling the power that he inherited from his father, and Brian had to grudgingly admit that while he was growing up it had been smart. He had been far too easily led into wild emotions and impulsive actions when he was a child. Now it would just hamper him in his efforts to protect the people around him.

  Michael had seemed tired by the time Brian left. He figured it was likely due to all the hats he had to wear: High Demon, Guardian, businessman, friend, now mentor as well. And he was still recovering from the stabbing and the poison, too. Anna, the healer friend who seemed to be staying with them, had fussed over both of them repeatedly over the past two days, checking their energy levels and making sure that they ate well and rested enough between lessons. Brian had to stifle a laugh more than once when the small, almost ethereal-looking woman hustled Michael, the powerful High Demon and Temple warrior into a chair and made him drink his tea and chastised him for doing too much.

  Every time she left Michael would roll his eyes at the closed door and sigh. Still, she was absolutely right. Michael should take care of himself— after all the guy had been stabbed in the gut and poisoned. But even more than that, oddly enough to Brian’s new understanding of the world around him, it turned out that demons were just people— people with a seriously fucked up culture, sure, but still— and any person can wear himself out trying to do too much. That was probably the most shocking of all the revelations from the past few days. What a bizarre concept. Brian hadn’t quite wrapped his mind around the idea yet, and still felt nervous about his own nature. But it was unspeakably reassuring as the knowledge settled into him, that he wasn’t doomed to become a nightmare creature of evil. No powerful being bent on inflicting suffering and cruelty on others could look quite so long-sufferingly henpecked as Michael did that last time Anna interrupted them to hustle Brian out the door.

  He strolled around the corner, feeling better than he had since his mother had fallen ill, until he noticed the pair of patrol cars outside of Laura’s apartment building, silent indicators of trouble inside. His newly unsuppressed demon senses flooded him with a mashed-up assault of sounds and energies and he had to clamp down on it, hard, the way Michael had taught him not three hours earlier.

  The cop on the sidewalk tried to keep him from entering the building, using bored words about privacy and no gawkers. Brian brushed past the man, barely putting an effort into it, and launched himself up the stairs three at a time. The cop by the apartment door barely even had a chance to register his presence, let alone try to stop him, before he was inside.

  “Laura!” He zeroed in on her immediately.

  She was hunched over on the sofa, arms wrapped around her belly, and trying to talk to a man who was crouching on the rug in front of her. There was a bandage on her cheek and another wrapped around her arm, and her face was puffy from crying. As soon as he spoke she looked up and launched herself at him, landing so hard he had to step back and brace himself or fall over.

  “Oh gods, Brian,” a fresh sob broke free, obviously not the first. Her face was pale where it wasn’t blotchy, and her eyes were red and exhausted. “Brian, he took him. He took Owen!”

  Brian wrapped his arms round her shaking shoulders and stared at the top of her head. He ran through every lesson he’d learned from his childhood about controlling his temper, and then a few extra things he’d learned from Michael. The rage he felt swirling through him was hot and strong and absolutely impotent. Brian was too late.

  “Laura. I should have been here,” he murmured into her hair. It took him a moment to even notice that the stranger who had been speaking to Laura was now speaking to him.

  “I’m sorry, what?” He blinked up at the man, trying to pick an emotion to go with. Fear, anger, guilt, and blank emptiness were all fighting for control.

  “My name is Detective Macnamara,” the man said. “Can I get your name?”

  “Brian. Brian Sedge.”

  “I take it you’re a friend of the family?” Brian could only nod. Laura was sobbing freely now, and it was taking all the attention had left to hold her up. He brushed her hair back from her face and frowned.

  “Yeah. Can we get some water, please? Come on, Laura,” he said, nudging her to move back to the couch so they could both sit back on the sofa. The detective nodded to another cop in the room and followed them back to the sofa.

  “What brought you here just now? Did Ms. Butler call you before we arrived?”

  “No, I’m actually staying here for a while. I’ve been traveli
ng around the country since my mom died, and Laura’s been letting me crash on her couch while I’m in Riverton. When did this all happen?” He’d gotten Laura to sit down and drink, but she’d given up control, letting him take over for her for a while. Brian was very aware of the detective taking note of every action, every word, but didn’t care enough to look at the man with Laura slumped in his arms like this. Seeing her scared and defeated was just so wrong.

  “A little over an hour ago, I’m afraid. May I ask where you’ve been this afternoon, sir?” Macnamara was being very polite about it all. Brian wasn’t fooled in the slightest.

  “I was with Michael Gilbert at the Walker Hotel until about half an hour ago. You can call him. His Priestess met me in the lobby and took me up to their apartment around eleven this morning, and they both saw me to the door when I left. Their apartment has a private elevator, so you need an escort.”

  “His Priestess?” the detective frowned. “He’s with the Temple?”

  “Yes. He’s her Guardian. And I believe he owns the hotel,” Brian said. He wondered if it was wrong to enjoy the wary flicker of surprise that crossed the man’s face. It was common knowledge that the Temple and the police had an occasionally strained working relationship. Wait till this guy finds out that Michael owns like, half of the business district. Bet he’ll love that even more.

  “I see,” Macnamara scribbled the information down.

  “Brian. Kevin took him,” Laura broke her silence and met his eyes with a steady, if frightened gaze. “Kevin forced his way in the door and took my baby!”

  “Okay, Laura. We’ll get him back. We will find Owen and we will bring him home. I promise.” He looked up to meet Macnamara’s eyes and saw a similar sentiment there. Whether the cops got to him before Brian did depended on a lot of things, but Kevin had better be praying to the gods that the police found him first.