Minor Magics: The Demon Code

by Sara C. Roethle

  I stood, placing us just a few paces apart. He was tall, making me crane my neck upward to meet his honey brown gaze. “I’m getting a little tired of being threatened, Ethan.”

  His smile didn’t falter. “I’ll be in touch as soon as I have any information on the vampires. If you find them first and need backup, I’m just a phone call away.” With that, he snapped his fingers and disappeared without even a hint of smoke. I knew demons traveled in different ways, but I’d never seen anything like it.

  Regardless, the fact that he could travel meant he was from a strong bloodline, but didn’t tell me much else. He had at least a bit of human blood if he could be my backup against the vamps.

  I stared at the empty space where Ethan had been and wondered what the council had done to recruit someone like him. Had they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, or had he gone willingly? Was being part of the Council really so bad?

  I thought back to the countless warnings my dad had given me over the years. When we first discovered I could make portals, he’d become even more vehement. I knew my dad’s only goal was to keep me safe, but from what exactly? Or perhaps the better question was, from whom?

  Chapter Fourteen

  A lot had happened in the short amount of time since I’d left Devin’s. I probably shouldn’t have taken that pancake break with Dorrie. I’d appeared in his driveway as two cars pulled up. I recognized a few of the people as they climbed out, but others were new faces. I could only assume they were all wolves. The pack had grown a lot since I’d left town.

  I spotted a wolf named Grace among them and waved. She’d come to the pack when I was still leader. She’d been on the run from her abusive human father. She was petite, black, and had a mass of curly brown hair that wafted on the chilly breeze like sea foam. She smiled when she noticed me, and headed my way, her arms clutched around her puffy red winter coat.

  “Pack meeting?” I asked as she reached me.

  She nodded. “Abel called us. Things have elevated with the vamps, and we’re finally going to take action.”

  “Elevated beyond Jason being attacked?”

  She nodded.

  I stifled my irritation. Just when we had a semblance of a plan. “I leave for thirty minutes and the wolf poop hits the fan.”

  Grace wrinkled her brow.

  I shook my head. “Never mind. Let’s go inside.” I nodded toward the rest of the wolves already entering the house.

  We were the last ones in. I shut the door behind me, then searched through the new arrivals filtering through the house for Chase, but Devin found me first. His normally styled blond hair was mussed, his shirt unbuttoned at the top.

  I pursed my lips. “Well I was going to give you a hard time for calling in the wolves while I was away, but it looks like it wouldn’t make much difference.”

  He rubbed his face in a tired gesture. “Please tell me the demons know what the vampires are planning.”

  I walked with him toward the kitchen, leaving the excited werewolves to chatter amongst themselves. Once we were alone I asked, “What happened?”

  He turned and leaned against the countertop. “Abel called. The major covens on the East Coast are leading a wolf-hunt. They’re accusing werewolves of killing people.”

  “And are they?”

  He rolled his eyes before narrowing them into a glare.

  I raised my hands in surrender. “Hey, it wouldn’t be the first time. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been attacked by werewolves.”

  Devin shook his head. “Mallory, the leader of the Eastern Coalition, runs a tight ship. Occasionally a rogue slips through, infects someone, and that new wolf kills a human, but it never happens this large scale.”

  I glanced at the coffee pot. Empty. Damn. “So this is really big, huh?”

  “It’s all over the news, Xoe. This has to be part of whatever the vampires are planning. Witches are human. They could just as easily be accusing the vampires, but they’re not.”

  We both turned as Chase and Jason entered the kitchen. Judging by the direction they came from, they’d been in the backyard.

  I nodded in greeting to each of them, then turned back to Devin. “Okay, so the vampires convinced the witches to make humans afraid of werewolves. Do they have any proof of these murders?”

  Devin nodded. “Torn up bodies. Fifteen so far.”

  A shiver went down my spine. They were actually killing people just to make them look like wolf attacks. “What do we do?”

  “Our plan hasn’t changed, it has simply progressed,” Devin explained. “We’ll still find the vampires. Other packs have been alerted to find the vampires in their areas, and kill them.”

  I glanced at Jason worriedly.

  “Not him,” Devin sighed. “Nor any of our allies, though very few are vampires. And we’re a special case here in Shelby. We must figure out how many ancient vampires we’re dealing with. Even if it’s just one, it complicates matters.”

  I still felt unsure. “But in all of the other areas, they’re just going to kill them all?”

  Devin sighed. “Can’t you see where this is leading, Xoe? The witches cause panic with these deaths, then the vampires come in and save humanity from the wolves. It’s kill or be killed.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat, thinking of all my friends being hunted by vampires. “Well this escalated quickly.”

  Chase put a hand on my shoulder. “What happened with the Council?”

  I gnawed my lip. How much truth to tell? I knew Chase wouldn’t like me getting more involved with the council than I already was, but if the vampires were making their move, I probably didn’t have much choice. “We have demon backup when we need it,” I explained, “which might be absolutely necessary with the ancient vamp around.” I turned to Devin. “What’s our first step?

  “Find the lair,” he answered as two more people entered the kitchen.

  Lucy shucked her tan coat, revealing the white fluffy lining and red sweater underneath. She’d arrived with Allison, our long-time best friend, and weak, easy to kill human. Her honey blonde hair had been cut just below her chin in a stylish bob. A purple cashmere sweater and thick black jeans encased her ample curves, topped off by winter boots and a black puffer coat.

  While I was happy to see her, I had a sneaking suspicion I wasn’t going to like whatever plan was being set into motion. “What are you doing here?” I asked suspiciously.

  She grinned. “Gee Xoe, we haven’t seen each other in ages and that’s all you have to say to me?”

  Chase and Jason had both backed away. I really wasn’t going to like the plan. I tried to think of a reason for calling in our only human ally.

  I rubbed my brow, then shook my head. “You’re going to be the bait, aren’t you? We don’t know where the lair is, so we need to lure them out.”

  Allison’s grin widened. “What better way to attract a vampire than to provide a scrumptious snack?”

  I shook my head. Only Allison would actually enjoy being vampire bait. “And just how do you know any of the vamps will bite?”

  She gestured to her body. "How could they not?"

  Devin cleared his throat. "We also have a good idea of where they tend to hunt. No bodies have been found, but a few people reported missing. We’ve caught a few scent trails, but all the rain and snow hasn’t helped.”

  "Great," I sighed. "So the vamps are killing people here too?" All vampires had to drink blood to survive, but there were plenty of different ways to go about it.

  "We think so," Jason explained. "It's standard protocol for the factions of the Coalition to keep an eye on hospitals and butcher shops. No one has been buying or stealing blood in Shelby, and they have to be surviving somehow. The humans may or may not be willing donors."

  I shivered. I'd never quite gotten over the idea of drinking blood, even after dating a vampire during my formative years. "Okay, so we take our tasty little snack," I gestured to Allison, "to a deserted alley, and wait for so
meone to munch on her? Won't the presence of wolves keep any hunting vampires away?"

  “That’s where I come in,” a female voice said from the hallway, seconds before Audrey walked up behind Allison. “I can use my magic to disguise your scents. The vampires will be none the wiser.”

  I raised a brow at her. “Back so soon?”

  She scowled. “I told you I would help. Devin called. I answered.”

  I couldn’t quite hide my smile. Devin had a knack for placing people at his beck and call. “I’m surprised you're willing to get these deeply involved.”

  Her honey-colored gaze could have frozen a weaker soul right where they stood. "The vampires running amok is bad for all of us, and need I remind you of the blackmail? If the wolves want to kill them, I will gladly assist in any way I can."

  I found her willingness suspicious, but I wasn’t about to turn away the help. “It's settled then,” I decided. “We're going on a vampire stakeout. The only question now, is do we bring demon backup?”

  Audrey's face instantly shut down.

  “No,” Devin interjected. “We’ll keep this ambush just to the wolves. Once we find out the main hiding place, then we can bring in the demons. Let them find out how many ancient vamps we’re dealing with.”

  His words were a relief. The thought of bringing Ethan around my friends gave me hives. It was better to find the vamp hideout, then I could go in with demon backup and leave most of the wolves, and Allison, out of it.

  Devin gestured toward the hall in the direction of the front door, and the waiting wolves. “Let's get this over with. I've already chosen a location. The other wolves know where to go." He looked to Audrey. "If you cast the glamours here, will they last the duration of the ambush?"

  Audrey quirked the corner of her lip. "If they were cast by a weaker Fae, perhaps not, but cast by me? They would last weeks if I so willed it."

  I nodded. "I can see why the demons would want you."

  There was that icy glare again. "Yes, and from what I'm told, they want you too."

  I shrugged. "The burden of popularity, I guess."

  She stared at me for a second longer. "Something like that. Let's go." She turned and walked back down the hall.

  I looked to Devin, then to Lucy and Allison. I could sense the boys like silent statues behind me. It seemed we finally had a semblance of a plan. We could only hope that in confronting the vamps, we could find out what really happened with Sam. Heck, maybe we'd even find Nix.

  With the time until Chase’s trial running out, we were banking on it.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The icy night air bit into my skin as I walked down the deserted alley. I could feel the promise of snow in the breeze, though it wasn't likely to stick much at the lower elevation of the shopping district. The nearby mountains, however, would be a pristine white come morning.

  I couldn't hear any of the wolves nearby, just the faint chatter coming from the main thoroughfare. Allison would be a few streets over, pretending to be drunk and reeking of booze. The wolves would be watching, their scents masked by Audrey's glamour. She'd masked my scent too. If these vampires had been working with Sam, they'd recognize the scent of a demon, and it would probably sound more alarm bells for them than a few wolves lurking about.

  I continued walking down the alley, remaining alert in case anything jumped out at me from the dumpsters and piles of refuse. No wolves were keeping an eye on me, but I could handle myself . . . hopefully.

  I tensed at the sound of a woman's shriek, but it was followed by laughter. Someone on the main street having fun with her friends.

  Footsteps sounded at the other end of the alley, drawing my attention to Chase, his shoulders hunched in his heavy green jacket.

  I waited for him to catch up to me.

  "Are you feeling as useless as I am?" he asked.

  I shrugged. "A bit, but the wolves will scent out the vamps long before we'd spot anything out of the ordinary. Devin will call if anyone catches a whiff so we can relocate."

  Chase nodded. "I hate that they're all risking themselves for this."

  I glanced at him, wishing I could see him better. The clouds obscured the moon, and the lights of the city were a little ways off. "They'd be doing this regardless. The vampires are currently more of a problem for them than they are for us."

  He nodded again, then gestured for us to keep walking. "Yeah, but if Sam was selling them demon magic, they'll be a much bigger problem than they would have been otherwise."

  We continued down the alley, then looked both ways at the end. A chain-link fence barred our path to the left. The right was open, though the alley was a little too narrow for comfort. If a vampire attacked us in there, it would be difficult to fight or escape.

  Not seeming to notice my hesitation, Chase led the way to the right. "You know, I've been meaning to ask you—“ his words cut off at the sound of a scream, this time not followed by any laughter.

  "Allison," I gasped, then started running in the direction of the scream, hoping I wouldn't reach a dead end. The wolves were in place to protect her. Rationally I knew she'd be alright . . . but it would only take one wrong move and a vampire could kill her. If people were already missing, the vampire might not hesitate to do so.

  Chase followed after me. "Go right," he huffed. “I walked that way earlier.”

  I veered right. There were lights at the far end of the vacant street. If I could reach them I could run down the main street to where Allison was supposed to be.

  A group smelling of beer and cigarettes gave me an odd look as I came barreling out of the alley, but I quickly passed them by, intent on my destination. My worn-down sneakers barely gripped the damp sidewalk as I turned again. If I was going to keep getting myself into these situations, I really needed to invest in some proper running shoes.

  I hurried down the next street with Chase keeping pace at my side. With his longer legs he could probably outrun me, but he didn't. I opened my mouth to tell him to run ahead, then spotted several figures moving in the darkness.

  I kept running, only slowing when I was near enough to hear the grunts of struggle. There were too many bodies in the cramped space, only as wide as a one-way street. I quickly realized only about half of them were wolves.

  I turned with a fireball in my hand as someone ran up behind me and Chase.

  Audrey took a step back, staring at the fire. "It was an ambush," she explained. "Call the other wolves."

  I tugged my cell from my pocket and shoved it into her hands. "You call."

  I turned away from her and ran toward the fight. It was too dark and chaotic to really see who needed help, and I didn't see Allison anywhere. Chase was suddenly at my side.

  "Find Allison," I ordered, then summoned another ball of flame to my hand.

  I fed power into the flame, increasing it until it was about the size of a basketball. "Everybody freeze!"

  Everyone kept fighting. There were a few bodies on the ground, but I didn't dare look too closely, not yet. A male vamp whirled on me, his muscular arms bare to the cold night air in his black tank top and jeans. He saw the flame and backed up, but it was too late for him. He hadn't attacked me, but I needed a way to stop the fight.

  I tossed the fireball at him as he turned to flee. It hit him in the middle of the back, igniting his clothes. He shrieked, but fell to the ground and soon put out the fire. I needed a vamp with more clothes.

  I saw a woman with a long linen trench coat, some dark color unidentifiable without more light. I tossed another fireball her way while her back was turned.

  She started screaming as her hair and coat went up in flames. She didn't react as quickly as the male vamp had. The male vampire in question, now recovered, tackled her to the ground and rolled her across the asphalt.

  It didn't matter. Everyone was now looking at the new ball of fire in my right palm. The wolves still standing regrouped to one side.

  I widened my stance, feigning bravery though I felt i
ll at the thought of the bodies on the ground. "Unless one of you wants to stand as tribute," I called out, "you might want to tell me where I can find your leader."

  As if sharing a communal silent thought, the remaining vamps went utterly still for a single heartbeat, then fled in all directions.

  "We only need one!" I called to the wolves, spotting Devin and Lela among them.

  The wolves gave chase and I let them. I wasn't fast enough to play in this part of the game. Chase and Audrey reached my side as I watched the last of the vamps scatter, wolves hot on their heels.

  "No Allison," Chase said. "I think she was already gone by the time we arrived."

  My gut clenched. Gone? I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. "We need to check the bodies, then we need to get the hell out of here." I didn't hear sirens yet, but it was only a matter of time before someone happened upon the scene.

  I stepped toward the nearest form and knelt down, pushing on the body's shoulder to roll it onto its back. It was a man, and one I didn't recognize as one of the wolves. Cringing, I put a finger to his lip and lifted, revealing his right fang. He was a vampire, and he was dead. Despite popular literature, they don't turn into dust when they die. They leave a very real corpse.

  I stood and went to the next body as Chase and Audrey started checking the others. There were only five, but five was enough. The next one I checked was an older woman I recognized from Devin's house. Guilt washed over me. This was supposed to be a simple recon mission. No one was supposed to die.

  “I should have called in the demons,” I muttered as I stood.

  Audrey was at my side, handing me my buzzing cell phone. I took it, though I felt like I might vomit. I pushed the call button on the screen. “Hello?”

  Devin’s voice answered, “We have one. Rendezvous at the location.”

  “Sure,” I replied, then ended the call.

  The location was an abandoned warehouse. We couldn’t risk bringing whatever vamp they’d captured to Devin’s house.