Minor Magics: The Demon Code

by Sara C. Roethle

  I looked to Devin, wondering if he was game for such a deal. Protecting a Faerie from the vamps might involve him in things he’d rather stay out of.

  At my glance, he nodded. I wasn’t sure if he was doing it for me, or because he wanted a Faerie ally, but either way, we finally had a lead . . . maybe. I turned back to Audrey. “Shall we discuss this over coffee?”

  “I’ll take tea, but yes, a beverage would be nice.”

  I motioned for her to lead the way toward the kitchen, then followed closely behind, looking the backside of her up and down for any signs of . . . faerie-ness.

  Her back stiffened as she walked. “We don’t have wings, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

  She hadn’t looked back, so I wasn’t sure how she’d noticed. “Maybe I was just checking out your butt.”

  “Now that,” she said, finally glancing over her shoulder, “I’d believe.”

  It was then that I realized the Fae would be as much a pain in the butt as the vamps and werewolves.

  Probably more.

  Chapter Twelve

  “So let me get this straight,” I said around bites of the sandwich I’d guilted Devin into making me. “Some of these vamps are old enough to have been around before the Fae,” I set down my sandwich and made air quotes, “went extinct?”

  Audrey nodded, taking a dainty sip of her chamomile tea. She’d removed her navy trench to reveal a white cashmere sweater. It looked soft and expensive. “More than that. One knew my mother, and he recognized me because I look very similar to her. I can normally disguise what I am.”

  I glanced at Jason, wondering if he knew how old some of the vamps hanging around Shelby were.

  “He definitely wasn’t among those who attacked us at Rose’s,” he explained. “They were all rather . . . inexperienced.”

  “Do you think Rose knows the extent of what she’s gotten herself into?” Chase asked. His sandwich plate was already empty.

  “Probably not,” Devin replied from where he leaned against the far counter. “If she knew, I don’t think she would have turned away your offer of help. Old vampires can be . . . tricky.”

  I turned back to Jason, who’d been watching the conversation silently. He’d only been “born” in the late 1800s, relatively young for a vamp, but his maker had been much older. She had indeed been tricky, but she’d also had her heart ripped out by a demon right in front of my eyes. “Do you think he was among those who attacked you?”

  “No,” Audrey interrupted. “I did not catch the entire spectacle, but he was not among those who fled.”

  I didn’t appreciate her referring to Jason getting beaten into a bloody pulp as a spectacle, but I let it go. “So they know you’re Fae, and what, they’re threatening to expose you?”

  She nodded. “To the wolves and demons, yes. Demons are the main reason we went in to hiding to begin with.”

  Of course they were. “Not that I’m surprised, but what did the demons do to you?”

  She took another sip of her tea, then lowered her cup with a heavy sigh. “Most Fae are skilled at glamours. Who do you think helped create the artificial skies in the underground realms? We were also used to disguise the more . . . unique looking demons so they could move about the realms freely.”

  I frowned. “So what, demons forced you to make skies and disguises?”

  She glared. “They enslaved us. Only a few, but they were always looking for more. I believe there are still some being kept by the Demon Council to this day.”

  Thinking of the more recent addition of the docks, I tended to agree with her, but didn’t say so out loud.

  “I like my life here,” she continued. “I don’t like being forced to run yet again, and I don’t like the vampires upsetting the peace.” She glanced at Jason, then back to me. “I don’t like vampires, period.”

  “Okay,” I said, “so where does Nix fit into all this?”

  She looked for a moment like she wouldn’t answer, then she explained, “Nix came to me for help. She’d been working with a demon to acquire a new identity, but that demon disappeared. She thinks that demon was working with the vampires, trading demon magic for connections up here.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “And just how would she know that?”

  She glared at me. “Before the vampires decided to blackmail me, they approached me with an offer of partnership. They did not reveal their plans to me, simply offered an alliance and protection. I told Nix as much, and advised her to stay away from them.”

  “So they offered to protect you, in exchange for . . . ?” I pressed.

  “Magic,” she said like I’d asked a stupid question. “They wanted me available to create illusions for them. Then Nix informed me that she suspected the demon she’d been working with was trading demon magic to the same vampires. Perhaps they took her for the same reason they attacked him,” she gestured to Jason. “Or, since this other demon has disappeared, they’re going after anyone previously connected to him.”

  Chase was shaking his head, staring down at his untouched mug of coffee.

  “Chase?” I questioned.

  He looked up, then shook his head again. “I can’t believe he managed to hide all this from me.”

  “Can’t you though?” I blurted without thinking.

  Chase looked down at his hands spread on the countertop. “I really wanted to trust him.”

  I nodded. “I get it, I really do, but you really didn’t notice anything?”

  He shook his head, draping a lock of black hair across his deep gray eyes. “Sam was always secretive. He had his own life. I wanted to trust him. It wasn’t like I followed him everywhere.”

  I waved him off, internally cringing at how trusting he could be given Sam’s past. I didn’t trust anyone that much, let alone those who’d screwed over the people I cared about.

  Devin cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence. “So basically, we need to figure out just what the vampires are planning, and which demons are involved.” He looked to me. “We need to find out what else Rose knows. She’s our only connection to the vampires.”

  This time my cringe was not internal. “She won’t be talking to me any time soon, not unless I agree to kill Nix.”

  Jason finally stepped forward from where he’d been leaning against the wall. “What if you agree to turn her in to the Council to face punishment? She did kill several humans, after all. I can understand Rose wanting justice. You would too.”

  I glanced at Audrey, wishing Jason hadn’t chosen now to press the issue.

  Catching the hint, she set down her mug of tea. “I should be getting back to my inn before the vampires realize something is amiss. It’s best they don’t know I’m working with you.”

  Devin nodded. “I’ll show you out.”

  Once they’d left the room, I aimed a glare at Jason. “Way to air my private business in front of an outsider.”

  His fingers gripped the countertop. “She’s friendly enough with Nix to have offered her a job despite her being a demon. I doubt I voiced anything she didn’t already know, and it’s an issue that needs to be addressed.”

  “It’s my issue. She’s my cousin. Let me deal with her how I see fit.” I looked to Chase for backup.

  He wouldn’t quite meet my eyes. “Jason is right. Helping Nix go on the run was one thing. Now she’s the only thing standing in the way of getting the witches on our side. What do you think Rose would do if the vampires offered her Nix’s head on a silver platter?”

  My shoulders slumped. “Do you really think she’d side with the vampires against the wolves? We saved her life once.”

  Jason pushed away from the counter and took a step forward. His dark blue eyes were earnest. Pleading. “Years ago. And we’ve done nothing for her since, except protect the person who murdered her sister.”

  I shook my head at how stupid I was. “You’re right. You’re completely right. She hates the vampires, but she most certainly hates Nix more. If this group of
vamps are the ones who took Nix, all they need to do is figure out that Rose wants her. Nix will be dead, and Rose will be against us, taking away our two best chances of proving Chase’s innocence.”

  Chase and Jason watched me silently, waiting for me to fully process my stupidity.

  “There’s still one issue,” I said. “We don’t know where Nix is, who has her, and why.”

  Jason nodded. “I’m sure the witches would help you track her if you agreed to turn her in to the Council.”

  I clenched my jaw. “They’ll kill her. I know she might deserve it, but I’ve killed people too. We’re both half-demons. Both our fathers were murdered. Why am I the one the Council wants to employ, while she’s the one they want to kill?”

  Chase stepped forward, gently setting his hand on my shoulder. “She killed innocent people in cold blood. She even tried to kill you more than once. You’ve never harmed anyone who wasn’t trying to kill you, or the people you care about.”

  I placed my hands on the center island and stared down at them.

  “Xoe,” Chase pressed.

  “You don’t know the real reason she killed those humans. I know there are wolves, vampires, and probably demons who call me a murderer.”

  “They don’t know your reasons,” Jason argued.

  I slid my hands off the island as I pushed away. “And we don’t know hers. We’ll get to the bottom of this without the witches.” I turned to leave the kitchen.

  “How?” they both asked in unison.

  My back facing them, my shoulders lifted and fell with a heavy sigh. “The Demon Council wants to work with me for a reason. I’m valuable to them. I think it’s time to test just how much that value can buy us.”

  I left the kitchen before they could argue, hoping I wouldn’t run into Devin on the way out. I needed to make my phone call before anyone could talk me out of it.

  I’d spent my entire adult life trying to stay off the Demon Council’s radar, but I was done hiding. I was tired of being put in difficult situations not of my own creation. It was time for the monsters to start playing by my rules.

  I am demon, hear me roar.

  Chapter Thirteen

  I was just finishing my phone call to Ethan when Chase came outside. He and Jason had wisely chosen to give me space. The rain had let up, but the clouds above were dense and hazy with ice crystals. There would be more snow soon, hopefully not enough to block the roads.

  Chase’s shoes crunched across the gravel as he approached.

  I slid my phone into my jacket pocket, then turned to face him. “I have a meeting with Ethan. It might be best for you to stay at Devin’s for now.”

  “I don’t want you doing this, not for me.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not just doing it for you. This . . . thing was coming with the Demon Council regardless. They wanted Devin to hire me, and it has nothing to do with you. Now the fate of the wolves may very well depend on the demons, and I’m the only one who can learn the Council’s true intentions. This had to happen.”

  He nodded half-heartedly. “I know you’re right. I just—”

  “Hate that you can’t come with me?”

  He smiled and met my eyes. “Yes. That is pretty much what I’m feeling right now.”

  I patted his shoulder as I walked past him toward the house. “Probably should have thought of that a year ago.”

  A moment later his footsteps crunched after me. “I’m never going to live it down, am I?”

  “Screwing up the best thing you ever had?” I joked as I opened the door. “Never.”

  Devin and Jason were waiting in the entry room, and turned to me expectantly as Chase shut the door behind us.

  “It’s a bad idea,” Jason said.

  I rolled my eyes. Vampire and werewolf hearing was the worst, especially when you only heard as well as most humans.

  “Well it’s happening.” I turned to Devin. “Can you start thinking about a way to locate the vamps?”

  He inclined his head. “Planning began as soon as Jason was attacked.”

  I nodded. It was nice being around someone who got things done. “Great, can Chase stay here while I’m gone?”

  “Of course.”

  “Xoe,” Chase cautioned, knowing what I was going to do next.

  Before anyone could react, I envisioned my home in the underground, soon arriving in a puff of red smoke.

  Dorrie was cooking something on the stove that smelled like pancakes. She wore a fuzzy gray bathrobe, covering most of her tall form. She turned to look at me over her shoulder, draping her loose hair down the robe. “I assume you knew someone from the Demon Council was coming over?”

  “Not exactly.” I’d told Ethan I wanted to meet ASAP, but I had expected him to call me back with a time and place, not to show up at my front door. “Where is he?”

  She gestured with her spatula toward the back of the house. “He’s in the den. Alexius is watching him.”

  Wishing I’d at least had a chance to change into something more impressive than a white teeshirt, I shucked my coat and headed toward the entry room, then took a right to head down the hall toward the den.

  Ethan didn’t notice me right away as I reached the doorway. At least, I assumed it was Ethan. He appeared a few years older than me, though the navy suit made him look older. I mentally catalogued deep brown skin with cool undertones, close cropped curly black hair, and from the side-angle I thought I could see golden brown eyes. This was a demon I’d want to remember.

  He turned toward me with out a hint of surprise that I was already standing there. “Ms. Meyers,” he said as he stood. “We finally meet.” He offered his hand.

  I closed the distance between us and took it. “Ethan, I presume?”

  He nodded and offered a warm smile.

  Who the heck did he think he was fooling?

  “You have a very interesting . . . pet,” he added, gesturing to Alexius as he removed his hand from mine.

  The pet in question was sitting in one of the smaller chairs adjacent the sofa, staring at Ethan. He wasn’t growling, but the raised hair on his back let us know the intent was there.

  “Interesting how?”

  “Well, he’s not really a dog, now is he?”

  I bit my lip, internally kicking myself for asking. The Council already knew I’d stolen Dorrie from the Dream Realm. They didn’t need to know I’d stolen the spirit guide dog that was supposed to lead me to the afterlife.

  “But we’re not here to discuss that,” he added.

  I fought to not show my relief, then gestured for him to sit. “I need information on some of the vampires in Shelby. I think they’re planning something.” I sat on the opposite side of the couch from him.

  “What exactly do you believe they’re planning?”

  Did I tell them they were after demon magic? Would that lead to questions about Sam and Chase? “They attacked a friend of mine, someone allied with the wolves, and they’ve been threatening the local coven. I think it’s better for all of us to figure out what they’re doing before they do it.”

  Ethan nodded, his expression pensive. “I’m glad to see you’re taking your job seriously. What exactly do you need from me?”

  I thought about it. “I think the wolves can find where the vamps are hiding out, but I might need backup when I confront them. We need to put a stop to this before they can make their move.”

  He nodded. “Done.”

  “Just like that?”

  He nodded again. “You must know we are pleased to have you on our payroll, Ms. Meyers. This new alliance will afford you certain benefits.”

  I shifted in my seat. I’d tried to avoid the Council for so long. My dad had always encouraged me to remain off their radar. What would he think about me meeting a Council member in his home? “What’s the price of these benefits?”

  “Whatever do you mean?” His smile let me know he knew exactly what I meant.

  “I mean, what do you want from me? It�
��s not just my connection to the wolves. I may be young for a demon, but I’m not a total idiot.”

  His smile faltered. “I see the gloves have come off, so I will be quite frank with you. Your father was an upper level fire demon. Despite your rather high level of human blood, you seem to have inherited much of his power, along with your grandmother’s ability to make portals. I suspect your power will increase with age.”

  “And?”

  His smile returned. “And as far as the Council is concerned, the only two places for demons of your power level are on the Council, or in the grave.”

  I tensed at the not so subtle threat. “My dad wasn’t part of the Council, nor was my grandmother. I’ve known other upper level demons who would never join the Council.”

  Ethan looked like he tasted something sour. “Your grandmother was a fugitive. The demon Bartimus—” at my lifted brow, he added, “yes, I’m well aware of your involvement with him, so you also know he remained in his lair, far from other demons. The Council wanted them both dead, but could not capture them, then suddenly you come onto the scene and,” he waggled his hands in the air, “poof, they’re both dead. Your father was powerful, but not like them. Not like you.”

  I realized I’d scooted as far away from him as I could while still remaining on the couch. I had no idea what Ethan’s powers were, but he knew mine, and was still blatantly threatening me, so . . . “So I ask again, what’s the cost? You want me on the Council’s payroll? Fine, I’m on it, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time amongst demons, it’s that nothing is ever simple, and nothing is free. You’ll give me my backup against the vamps, what do I give you in return?”

  He glanced at Alexius, still sitting on his chair, then back to me. “I’d think that quite obvious.”

  My shoulders slumped. “My portals.”

  He nodded, then stood.

  “And what if I say no?”

  He chuckled. “Ms. Meyers, I think you’ll soon find that the help of the Demon Council is something you simply won’t be able to pass up.”