I ran into the crowd, the direction the witch might have gone, and quickly came upon a broken piece of white wing. Skin had been ripped off it.
Damn, I hate being right some times.
I leaped into the air, desperate to get back to the girls. As I got there, I found Julia standing on the carpet, the table overturned. Zahra was under it, having taken shelter. Julia was patiently waiting for an opening to shoot. In the air above her, a white pterodactyl struggled to stay aloft. Winter and Angie had leapt into the air and had their wolf jaws clamped, claiming both ankles. Dangling, the wolves jerked, worrying the flier, trying to bring the skin-walker down.
I lifted the muzzle of the Desert Eagle. I held the gun in both hands, knowing the .50 bullet was going to have a hell of a kick. I squeezed off a shot. The slug smacked inside the flier’s beak. The back of its head exploded off. It fell to the carpet, very dead. The white skin split open. The witch rolled toward Julia, pushing up from the ground. The skin-walker had managed to leave the damage behind on the flier’s body which decomposed magically, the skin shriveling, tearing away to almost nothing.
She loomed over Julia, fighting for both revolvers.
Zahra shrieked in fear.
The wolves jumped toward the skin-walker.
I aimed at the witch’s back, but held my fire, concerned with punching a hole through the skin-walker and Julia at the same time.
Fuck it. After this, no more prisoners. All enemies die as soon as possible.
THIRTY-SIX
“If you keep cheating Death,
he’ll eventually stack the deck.”
—Caine Deathwalker
Invading my mind, a thought hit like an artillery shell: NO ONE HURTS MY SISTER!
Red-copper lightning sizzled down out of the sky, engulfing the witch. Secondary currents blasted Julia backwards, into the over-turned table. She said a bad word, losing her revolvers in the fall. Colt’s savage roar crashed around us like thunder. Yelping in panic, Angie and Winter dug in furry heels and managed to stop short of electrocution.
Smoking pieces of the witch splattered everywhere, a major victory.
Finally.
Descending, Colt’s red-and-gold dragon collapsed in upon himself, bleeding to nothing as his little boy form took over. He landed in scruffy jeans, sneakers, black hoodie, and spun toward Julia. He leaped to her side, scooping her against him, holding her in thin arms like the Hollywood hero he thought he was.
“Julia!”
She shook as the last of the red-copper lightning grounded out. Loopy, she blinked and groaned, not really hurt since she was half dragon herself.
Zahra poked her head between theirs, checking out the scene with the large, inquisitive eyes of a were-kitten. She poked Julia’s cheek to see if she was still alive. Julia brushed the finger away, then thrust a palm into Colt’s face, shoving him back. “Let go, doofus!”
“Doofus?!” he dropped her. “I saved your miserable life.”
“You idiot, you fried my ah, uh dress!” She patted out a patch that smoldered. “I had her. I was a second away from—”
He made a disgusted sound and reached a hand toward Zahra. She took his hand. He pulled her past Julia, and walked away. Looking down at the were-kitten, he said, “Want some cake and ice-cream? There should still be a lot left. Killing bugs makes me hungry.”
Zahra made a cooing sound, happy to go anywhere with Colt.
“Hey, get back here. I’m not done yelling at you yet.” Contrasting her angry words, there was a red blush on Julia’s face. The tentative glances she threw at his back shied away. I think part of her was really happy she’d been saved by Colt. Not that she’d admit it except under extreme torture.
There was a rush of thundering wings, a whirl of silver, and the silver dragons dropped from the sky in human form. “We’re done,” Talla announced.
I stared at them. “Are you?”
The male explained. “We went proactive, slagging the towers shut, sealing the rest of the ants in their underground passages. Did you know there are pink ants, and dark green ones, too?”
“I’ll alert Animal Planet.” I walked back to Jada and Leah. “Jada!”
She looked up at me. I pitched her gun back. She caught it out of the air and gave it a worried inspection, assuring herself I hadn’t bent the barrel or anything.
Some people…
Moving among my people, I checked on injuries and casualties. In the lull of action, I took the time to put fresh clips in my Berettas. We’d come through fairly well unscathed, but that didn’t mean we’d seen all this world could throw at us. The castle folk had proved pretty timid, but who knew what else lived on the sky island besides the albino fliers?
The remains of the giant beetle had been rolled away from the pillar. The stone-demon that had been cut in half was wrapped in a tablecloth and set aside with a few more bodies. I stood where demon blood splattered the carpet, looking down at dull pebbles and glittering stones, pieces of the stone-demon. I knelt and gathered up what turned out to be rough blue diamonds as a, umm, memorial. I dropped the gravel into a pouch on my battle harness.
I know he’d want me to have these.
Straightening, I called out to some of my clansmen. “See if you can detach some of that beetle wing, without losing any fingers. That stuff will make some hella-sharp swords.”
Arm in arm, the Old Man and Kinsey sought me out. Pulled off, his bowtie dangled out of a tux pocket. He’d opened his shirt a few buttons to flash part of a nautical tattoo in dark blue ink. It looked something like a giant squid crushing an eighteenth-century sailing ship. Kinsey had her veil thrown back from her face, revealing a tiara of white silk roses at her hairline. Her tawny gold eyes alone betrayed her royal dragon blood. She said, “If I’d known my wedding was going to include melee sports, I’d have worn my leathers and rapier.”
“You should certainly take them on your honeymoon,” I advised. “Do some role-play. The lady pirate and the English squire, perhaps.”
“Concerning that,” the Old Man said, “when exactly will we be getting back.
I smiled. “I have a plan.”
“Now I’m scared,” Kinsey said.
“Get the women over by the stage where we had the ceremony. You two get on the stage and prepare to toss the bouquet. I’ll do everything else.”
The Old Man arched an eyebrow at me. “That’s it?”
“I have an instinct about women.” I made sweeping gestures with my fingers. “Shoo. Shoo.”
It took a few minutes to herd the ladies where I needed them. Kat sat out the toss, already being married. Julia hid beneath a table, having eternally sworn off guys. Colt explained to Zahra what was going on and the little girl ran to the front of the pack—like she had a chance against those sharks. It was hard to tell if Imari was blushing with her ebony skin, but she let Zero-T drag her to the gathering. Dead center of the mob, Izumi radiating enough cold to clear a sizable space around her.
The photographer flashed a few shots.
On the little stage, Kinsey lifted the bouquet.
A lot of the male demons craned their necks to watch, when they were supposed to be studiously on guard along the parameter.
Even Talla condescended to join the lesser breeds for a chance at catching a token said to bring romantic luck. Her silver dragon eyes had gotten huge when the tradition was explained to her.
Everyone stood jittery ready—except Selene who was still playing hard to get, missing in action.
I’m about to fix that.
I lifted my voice. “Remember, whoever catches the flowers is destined to be the next one happily married. Too bad it won’t be me, but Selene’s not here, so…”
My ice princess Izumi called back. “You’re not getting off that easily. I’m still here. If I catch the bouquet, I’m definitely dragging you to the altar. These human weddings are fun—when they don’t get hijacked.”
I ignored the comment, pressing on. “Remember, girl
s, no flying elbows, kicks, eye-gouges, any of that rough stuff. Act like the ladies you are.”
One of the demon girls glowered. “Fuck nice, I want to be a bride!” Other demon clan women nodded agreement.
I hope this doesn’t get too bloody.
I turned toward the happy couple. “All right, Kinsey, let it rip!”
She swung the flowers down past her dress, then up, a tease. A second swing followed. The next time, she released the bouquet. It flew high into the air, about a hundred feet since Kinsey had put some dragon strength into it. The prize reached the top of its arc and tumbled down toward grasping hands.
Redness flashed across the ballroom, a monochromatic brightness. The Pillars of Heaven cried crystal tones. The broken crystal grew, regenerating. Time slowed. The air seemed to thickened as the falling flowers resisted gravity. The ballroom slowly listed one way, then another, spinning a little as it had when we first left Earth. And then the room was back in the hotel, the ceiling back in place, the carpet undamaged, no dead pterodactyls to explain to housekeeping…
The pillars vanished from the worn and trampled hydrangeas, taking the crystal song with them.
And Selene bounced in the midst of the pack, her exuberant hand raised to catch the flowers as time resumed its normal rate. As if by fey magic, the flowers dropped straight toward Izumi, but at the last moment, the bouquet swerved. Selene snatched it from the air and did a little happy dance as everyone eyed her with murderous intent.
Selene jumped in front of the photographer. “Take my picture! Take my picture!”
He dared not refuse.
The Old Man and Kinsey ran for the hallway door, getting out while the getting was good. The room emptied as they were followed out. I stayed behind with the First Sword, watching her organize a general cleanup of the dead clansmen wrapped in tablecloths.
“Were going to have to have wakes in their honor, fallen heroes, all,” I said.
Selene joined me, clutching the bouquet to her breast. “You just want to get drunk.”
“You say that as if it’s a bad thing.”
She smiled triumphantly. “I caught the flowers. You have to marry me now.”
“You do know that’s not actually a binding social contract, right?”
“What? How can it not?”
“This isn’t the Red Moon, love.”
The room was mostly cleared, and I realized that it had been a long time since I’d seen Solstice Truth and the older witch from the Guild. As if summoned by my thoughts, the two came in from the hallway.
“You’re back!” Solstice said.
I looked at my watch. Very little time appeared to have passed while we were out-world. “Yeah. Where have you been?”
“We went to the Ladies’ Room for a few minutes, came back, and nothing was here,” Solstice said.
“Well, you’re just in time to help us tidy up. We need to get some bodies out of here with no one noticing.”
The witches looked at each other, and spoke in unison: “Demon wedding.”
Why does everyone assume demons can’t play well with others?
Kat drifted by, Zahra in her arms. Josh was back to human form, wearing a tablecloth kilt. His muscular chest and chiseled features drew a sigh from both witches. “Great party,” Josh said, “but we’re taking our little door prize here back to Sacramento. Colt can come visit her. You’re not allowed. I have hopes for the kid growing up mostly normal.”
I shrugged and let them go. After all, I knew where they lived in case I ever needed to uh, borrow the Eyes.
Selene laughed at me. “I guess you got told.”
“I guess I did. Selene?”
“Yes, my love?”
“Is that one of your creations?” I pointed to a giant red centipede that was attacking the last of the wedding cake.
Selene frowned at it. “No. I can’t say it is.”
Then I saw the red leather saddle strapped to it, and remembered the Red Centipede Rider from the hell dimension we’d just escaped. “I think we might have accidently brought back a couple of visitors with us.” I turned in place, looking for the swordgirl who’d ridden the insect earlier. I spotted her keeping Julia company. Julia was holding her revolver, the cylinder open, showing the Rider her explosive bullets. The girl was hot, a redhead, with armor pieces strapped on the outside of arms and legs. She had on an armored bikini and flaring shoulder pads that looked highly impractical.
More an anime cosplay character than a warrior princess, I thought.
My longtime friend Red barged into the room, paused to stare at the giant red centipede, then hurried on to Julia. “You’re all right?” he demanded.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked.
“Why is there a hole burned in your dress?” he asked. “Man, go to the restroom for a few minutes, and all hell breaks loose.”
Julia slid her guns into her magic holster and the rig vanished from sight. “Hey, Red, this is the Red Centipede Rider…”
I stared. That really is her name?
Julia said, “She just lost her reality and needs a place to stay. Can she come back to the Dragon World with us?”
Red looked doubtful. “I don’t know. I’ll have to ask your Mom. Does she have any useful skills?”
Red Centipede Rider slapped her sheathed sword. “I kill things. I’m a goddess.”
“A lot of that going around.” Selene took me by the arm and led me toward the hall. She swayed into me as she walked, rubbing her hip against me. “If I remember right, you owe me a night of soul-searing debauchery and wild excess.”
“Isn’t that redundant?”
“We might as well get an early start.”
“And it’s not close to being night.”
We passed the centipede. It didn’t give us a second look.
“It’s always night somewhere,” Selene said.
True.
THIRTY-SEVEN
“The inner demon you feed the
most will beat out all the others.”
—Caine Deathwalker
They tell me I was MIA for three days. Selene had created a stasis field that kept me from realizing so much time was passing, and a barrier that isolated my suite until she was finally sated. I’d tried new, inventive sexual positions that would have broken the backs of lesser men. Selene had set fire to the sheets at least twice in the heat of passion, greedy little goddess. I didn’t blame her—much—after all, like so many others she was hooked on me.
My cock said: Perfectly understandable.
Out of my cocoon, I discovered most of my clan had returned home. The Old Man was on his honeymoon, and had refused to tell anyone where, or when he’d be back.
Selene had gathered up Colt and taken him back to his proper place in time. I wondered how long he’d stay put.
Probably not long at all.
A hotel employee showed up with a letter from Izumi, whom I figured was royally pissed at me for neglecting her in favor of Selene. I took the letter and opened it:
To my dear, wonderful husband,
Pregnancy tests have proven positive. I am carrying our child. With this joyous news, I am returning to my mother’s court in Fairy so all may rejoice. I know that when you hear this news, you will rush to my side.
Let Selene talk you out of it, and I will kill you slowly.
Your loving wife.
Izumi
Inevitable, I suppose. I wonder if Colt will bring his half-brother back in time with him, next time he comes.
I packed and left my suite, making my way down to the lobby desk to formally checkout. I was told the penthouse and been renovated and would be available for future stays by me or the Old Man. The clerk handed me a note as well. Angie wanted to see me before I left town. The note said to call. I leaned against the front desk whipped out my phone. The connection went through. “Caine, we need to talk business. Can you meet me now?”
“I’m checking out of the hotel, driving back to L.A.”
/>
“Meet me for coffee at the shop across the street from the hotel. I’m there now.”
“Fine.”
“Hey, how are you driving? Didn’t your Mustang get trashed by that silver dragon?”
“Yeah, but I still have the one I bought for Colt. He left it here when he went home. See you in a few.” I cut the call and put my phone away. Bags in hand, I went back through the lobby, toward the front doors. By the time I got outside, a hotel employee wheeled it up to me. He got out and loaded my bags in the trunk.
I looked over his shoulder, making sure no one had put any dead hookers in my trunk. It had happened recently. Reassured by their absence, I stuffed some cash in his hand and took back my keys. I climbed behind the wheel. Moments later, the new Mustang went rumbling toward the street. I crossed the evening traffic and parked. The coffee shop had outdoor tables and chairs. Angie sat out front, she and Winter sipping cappuccinos. A third cup waited for me.
My lawyer’s kissing ass; she wants something.
I dropped into a seat and stretched out my legs, taking the waxed cup in both hands, savoring the hot steam that rose as I removed the top.
“What is it that couldn’t wait,” I asked.
Angie glanced at Winter, making sure he had her back, then looked back at me. “Caine, I want to stay here. You have Las Vegas investments like the hotel, and you plan on expanding here as a Hub Lord. I’ll be needed to handle the negotiations as your liaison to the Magic-users Guild and other parties. I’ve already started talks. They know you kicked out the Villagers, and that you can keep the dragons out too if necessary. And they also know you can prevent the local vampires from moving in on Guild interests; you already do that for the hub in L.A.”
“I suppose you intend to live free in my hotel while staying here.”
She smiled. “Sure. Thanks for the offer.”
Winter stayed quiet, knowing this was Angie’s fight.
Moonstone Shifter (Demon Lord Book 8) Page 28