Druid Dreams

by M F Adele

  “Don’t beg me, man.” Briggs chuckled as he verbalised why he was there. “I’m not in charge. I’m just babysitting you until the boss lady gets down here. She’ll be on her way soon and you can beg and squeal to her all you want.”

  Sloane exited the stairwell in a casual gait. The mask of composure she was wearing broke when she saw where York had been kept all this time. She cut her hard glare to the male Briggs was talking to. All that homicidal rage I was talking about earlier reached its boiling point. Her eyes were pure hellfire and glistening horns sprouted from her skull, coiling up from her hair like foot long Ss. It’s a bad description, I know. They came out near her forehead, curving up and back towards the backside of her head before sloping upwards with fine points. A flame tipped tail popped out from the back of her skirt. It lashed agitatedly back and forth before it ignited with fire. There was no flesh covering the bones, unlike Stone’s tail. We were shocked by her half transformation. I fought not to step back to give her tail space. It avoided us with agile precision.

  I watched her shoulders rise and fall as she took a deep breath and addressed me without turning around. Her voice was a little raspier than normal and reminded me of how Stone's voice took on a deeper quality when he spoke in demon form. “Palmer? Can you open the Void?”

  “Yeah,” I responded without hesitation.

  “Good, take Vaughn, Briggs and the hounds with you. We’re going to dump all the bodies in the Void. Grim should be waiting on the other side. Atlas and Cronus will drag them over since they can cross without harm. All you have to do is hold it open.”

  “And what do we do?” Vaughn questioned.

  She snapped her head to him, turning it a little too far for comfort. “Build a wall of ice around the grounds. We’re going to burn it down before we leave and I don’t want the surrounding area to catch fire. Briggs, watch their backs in case we missed anyone.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Briggs replied with a small smile. As he got closer to her he leaned in and confessed in a whisper, “You look like the Demon version of Barbie right now. It’s hot.”

  She grinned broadly at him, and all her teeth elongated to sharp points. The growth of her demon teeth caused her jaw to drop further than normal to fit their length. They had to be close to an inch long and probably felt like razor blades piercing your flesh. I didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that particular set of teeth. Ever. They were what nightmares were made of. I’ll take regular teeth, thanks. Maybe vampire fangs, but those? Nope, no fucking way. Briggs rolled his eyes at her antics while Stone was in full boner territory. The sadistic bastard. He had a mouth full of those teeth too. He just never wore them in his human skin. That was the part that freaked me out the most.

  Cronus took the lead as we trudged back upstairs. I heard Sloane call Helios and then tell Novak and Stone to put good ol’ Kelvin on the table in the next room. We closed the door behind us cutting off any reply or noise. I didn’t know what she was going to do, but I knew holding the Void open had to be a better request than holding the Vampire-Mage down. I also knew she didn’t send Vaughn up here just to build an ice wall. We all know he’s squeamish.

  Atlas and Cronus made quick work of dragging all the bodies into the Void. I caught sight of Grim and Jack several times, but they stayed pretty busy for awhile. I’m bored outta my mind just standing here. When the last body was passed over, Jack popped out to ask how it went. He handed us some potion vials and said Simon sent them. Who is Simon again? We drank them like shots, but the nasty taste still lingered for too long afterwards. That stuff was like an energy drink on steroids. I pocketed the rest to give to the others.

  “Where’s Sloane now?” Jack inquired.

  “She’s down in the makeshift dungeon torturing the Vampire-Mage Hybrid that ran this place.” Briggs said nonchalantly. Jack gave Grim a look that I couldn’t read, and Grim nodded his head in return. I’ve only heard him say one word. He talked less than Stone did.

  “Can you show us the way?” Jack’s serious tone was unlike anything I’d heard from him so far.

  “Aye, come on then.” I answered uneasily, suspicion taking over my tone.

  We took Jack and Grim back to the dungeon entrance. Grim waved his hand, and a robe appeared over his clothes. Jack turned back to us and smiled meekly before speaking. “We’re gonna go down and scare him into talking if she hasn’t already. Vaughn, can you get these two back to wherever you’re staying?”

  “Yes. Are you sure we should go though?” He sounded doubtful about leaving. I felt the same way.

  “Go check on the Druid. He needs to be warned that he’ll have to give her some space after this. He can’t start talking to her as soon as she walks through the door.” Jack encouraged us with a pleading look.

  “He has a friend with him. A human who kept him alive. How should we broach that subject with her?” Vaughn asked apprehensively.

  “Ohhh, uhm, how was she when she sent you guys out?” He wondered.

  “Royally pissed. Her eyes were completely red, horns popped out of her skull, and she grew a flaming bone tail.” Briggs responded.

  “Yep, then he” I pointed to Briggs with my thumb, “Told ‘er she looked like a demon Barbie before we walked out.”

  “Did she smile or growl at you after that?” Jack teasingly questioned Briggs.

  “Smiled.” Cockiness rolled off him in palpable currents, and before it could become contagious I muttered, “Oh yeah, before ‘er teeth turned inta razor blades.”

  “Briggs or Stone,” Grim said to Jack.

  “Yep.” He replied before facing us. “Here’s what you do; let Briggs and Stone talk to her. She doesn’t often let her demon surface, so she’s gotta be past her anger threshold.” He shrugged. “Briggs, when you get wherever you're going, talk to the guy. Get his story. Work that angle. If she gets pissed, back off and let Stone handle it from there. Demon to demon. She’ll be back to her usual self in a couple hours. Sooner if she gets answers from this guy.”

  He shooed us off with a flamboyant flick of his hands. “Now, go. Get showered. Pack your shit back up. She’ll be ready to go once she decides what to do with the human.”

  We all nodded our agreement, and Vaughn grabbed Briggs’ elbow. They go from looking human to water silhouettes before disappearing completely. I turned my attention back to Jack.

  “You’re sure she’s gonna be okay?” I questioned him with concern.

  “Yes, honey. She’ll be fine. She’ll never direct that anger towards anyone who doesn’t deserve it. The Druid though, yeah, he’ll catch some of her wrath when you guys get back home. When she knows he’s not injured she’ll pretty much ignore him, until she’s ready to talk rationally. They were together long enough for him to know this, but he’ll still try to push her. Don’t be surprised by the tension. Give them a couple days to work it out.”

  Vaughn was back by the time Jack finished talking. It was hard to drag myself away. I didn’t want to leave my mate, but she was angry and I couldn’t solve any of it for her. The best I could do was keep her and York separated until she approached him. Or keep her tied up with distractions until she’s too blissful to be angry. That’s something I CAN do.

  Sloane

  Monday Early Morning

  I was beyond enraged when we reached the inside of the dungeon. It wasn’t a real dungeon, no, it was dug out and bricked up inside. I was here five years ago, and I’m about to finish that fight, once I get a little information from Kelvin here. Briggs’ comment about me looking like the Demon version of Barbie eased my anger enough for me to see straight. When he left, it all came rushing back tenfold. There was a reason I didn’t want him, Palmer, or Vaughn down here though. I didn’t think they’d be able to handle what I had in store for Kelvin. Five years ago, I’d have given him a quick, merciful death. That was before he kidnapped and tortured one of my mates.

  I called Helios off of Kelvin to give him a chance to stand up. He didn’t take it. I ordered
Novak and Stone to put him on the table in the other room. It was the medical table where they did all their power drains. He tucked his knees under his chin and begged me, “No please! I’ll do anything. I’ll tell you anything!!”

  “Good. We’re on the same page now.” I smiled maliciously at him. “Tell me who you give the power to,” I demanded simply.

  “I-I-I can’t!” He cried out.

  “Wrong answer,” I stated, kneeling next to him. “The next wrong answer will cause bodily harm,” I warned him, and he sobbed into his hands. “Who do you give the power to?”

  “I can’t tell you that,” Kelvin said firmly.

  “Are you sure? Because that sounded an awful lot like a wrong answer to me.” I tilted my head as I raised my eyebrows. If he wants to play this game with me then he needs to know that I’ll win. I don’t lose. I snagged a knife from my skirt and rammed it through the top of his boot, into his foot. I heard the tip hit the ground beneath his shoe. His wail made me cringe, my ears ringing loudly as he ended with a sniffle.

  “Let’s try this again, shall we? I’ll even give you a minute to think about your answer,” I gushed as I stood and surveyed my surroundings. “Novak, would you please check that room over there — the one with the metal table — for any kind of crystals or artifacts?”

  “Sure thing, Trouble.” He giddily zoomed out of the cell while Stone stood stoic behind me.

  “Now, about that question.” I continued my conversation with Kelvin after counting in my head to sixty. Quickly. “Don’t tell me that you’ll ‘tell me anything’ and then not answer the one thing I want to know. You gotta give me something Kel, or this is gonna get real painful real quick.” I twisted the hilt of the knife in his foot.

  “I can’t tell you his name.” He screamed out as he gulped. “You’re not understanding me. I CAN'T! Even to save my own life, I can’t tell you.” Well, I can read in between the lines. I guess he’s under some sort of blood oath to keep his mouth shut.

  “What can you tell me?”

  “Nothing, but I could be forced to tell you with compulsion. I believe,” he squealed. A look of regret passed over his pained features.

  “You believe. Is that supposed to be reassuring?” I asked as I made focused eye contact with him. Let’s see if it works. “Answer my questions, Kelvin,” I cooed to him. “What kind of monster is he?”

  “He-he’s a f-fae-mage hybrid.” He fought the words as they spilled from his lips.

  “Summer or winter?” I let a seductive tone flow from my mouth as I started my interrogation.

  “S-s-summer,” he stuttered.

  “And you know him how?” Maybe we could knock out the basics and narrow our suspect pool down.

  “I c-c-can’t tell you.” He tried to break my hold by looking away, so I wrapped my hand around his jaw.

  “Do you share mage blood?” I hardened my tone to keep his attention.

  “Yes.” He ground out.

  “What’s your father's name?”

  “Alric.”

  “Alric who?”

  “Alric Moore.” He silently wept into his hands. Now we’re getting somewhere.

  “When does your brother visit you next?”

  “He-he doesn’t.”

  That’s interesting. He didn’t do his own pickups, so clearly he didn’t travel from his base much. I twirled another knife in my hand as I proceeded with my line of questioning. “Who does he send?”

  “Kadence.” Who the fuck is that?

  “Kadence Moore?” Novak spoke up from behind me, disbelief ringing clear in his words.

  “Yes,” Kelvin angrily bit out before a sobbing hiccup.

  “What does she have to do with this?” Novak dangled four glowing crystals in front of Kelvin’s face. Fae crystals. He didn’t answer so I repeated it to him while maintaining the dizzying connection.

  “She’s doing the same thing,” hiccup, “Just on a smaller scale.” Hiccup, “I don’t know what she does with,” hiccup, “Them after she visits.” Hiccup.

  The man was a mess. I’d barely touched him! I snatched the knife from the top of his foot. As he shrieked out his pain, I let go of his jaw. I adjusted the angle of my body to face him head on. “Do you have anything else you can tell us, Kelvin?”

  “They’re using the power for a magic mixed drug.” He stammered out before another hiccup. “They’ve been testing it on the shifters,” hiccup, “For months, but they started trials,” hiccup, “On the Vampires a couple weeks ago,” he rushed out before he could hiccup yet again. He tried to calm his breathing, and those fucking hiccups finally started to fade away.

  “Is that all you know?”

  “Yes! That’s it!!” He screamed before lowering his voice, “That’s more than they told me. I had to search they’re minds for some of that information.”

  “Thank you, Kelvin. I think you’ve extended your usefulness.” I released the compulsion as I smiled awkwardly at him, showing more teeth than necessary. They were retracting more with each word, but they wouldn’t fully recede until I let go of my partial demon shift. I sliced open the inside of my cheeks every time I spoke, and they knitted back together before my teeth tore through them again. The minimal discomfort is nothing compared to what York went through down here.

  “You’re going to kill me!?” He bleated.

  “Let me tell you something,” I faked happiness that I didn't feel, kneeling down before him again. I reached out and stroked his head lovingly a few times while I continued to battle my rage. “The Druid you were draining, you know him right?” He flinched. “He’s one of my mates, and though I’m pretty angry with him right now, it doesn’t make him any less my mate.” He looked up at me with wide, fearful eyes as I stroked soothingly through his hair.

  “You see those marks on the wall over there? That’s a mark for every day he was here. In this very cell. 858 marks.” I was losing the battle inside myself. It got harder and harder to fight with each calm word that rolled off my tongue. I petted his head rougher. “My original plan was to mark you as many times as he did the wall, and then paint this dingy cell red with your blood. That’s why I sent my other mates out. But… you were so helpful, Kelvin,” I praised him after my honesty. “It’s not nice to return your favor like that. Even though the Devil is one of my parents, I was raised with manners. The High Coven Master taught me those manners. The Supreme Alpha, however; he taught me how to get what I want,” I admitted with a snotty attitude.

  I stopped running my hand over his head as I summed up my mood swing. “So, I changed my mind. I mean, I’m still going to kill you, but first I’m going to drain your power so I can make sure my Druid is nice and healthy. Then I’m going to give you the quick death I had planned against. Sounds like a good deal, right?” I inquired sweetly. He didn’t say a word.

  “Now, the last thing I need from you,” I paused to make sure I still had his attention. “Is for you to tell me how to release the power in these crystals. You think you can explain that to me?” I coaxed.

  “No! You crazy fucking bitch! I’m not telling you a godsdamn thing,” he raged at me.

  “Got it.” Novak whispered in my mind.

  I tsked at Kelvin. “That’s the wrong answer,” I informed him politely before I stood back up. “I guess we’ll just bury you down here. Would that be a better deal?” I pondered more to myself than him. I’m thankful Novak saw what I was doing. We’ve got all the information we need now.

  He jumped to his feet before I stepped out of the cell door following the guys, “You can’t leave me down here!” He bellowed. “I’ll just dig my way out. I’m not weak like that fucking Druid,” he spat. “I’ll never stay down here, and when I get out I’ll come for you again,” he threatened. “I’ll kill you, bitch! And before I kill you, I’ll make you watch while I kill all your mates.” Ohhh, that appears to be a button of mine now. Here comes the psycho. Just a little taste.

  I spun to the right, pulling my knee up. As I piv
oted on my left foot, I kicked it up and extended my left leg out straight. Tornado kick motherfucker. It looked like I’d missed the mark with my kick but the knife popped out of the toe of my boot, adding five inches to my reach. Just in time to slice through his neck. His hands shot up to grab at his gaping throat in slow motion. When he dropped to his knees I stepped forward and leaned in to whisper “I told you what would happen if you gave me the wrong answer.” I sank my dagger through his heart. “And that, Kelvin, was the wrong. Fucking. Answer.” I twisted my weapon to punctuate the last three words. Then, I jerked it out, slinging blood around the cell and sliced through the remaining tendons and skin attaching his neck to his torso.

  His head rolled away just as Grim stepped through the doorway. He nodded to me, and his scythe formed in his hand while all his flesh began to disappear. Fun fact about Grim Reapers: Their scythes are made from their flesh. That’s why they look like skeletons when they reap souls. Kelvin’s soul was going to a special place in the Underworld. My bedroom within the Devil’s palace. To sit in a glass display box like a signed fucking baseball on my shelf. His soul was forever mine. I hope he enjoys his eternal suffering formed by my own imagination.

  Jack was waiting for me by the door looking pleased. Novak held my hand in his as we climbed the stairs to see the approaching dawn. “Go back to your clubhouse, babe. We’ll take care of this and I’ll get Helios home,” he assured me as he kissed my cheek.

  “Okay, just let me know if you need a hand.” My anger was fading with every step I took away from that horrid cell. The adrenaline of the night was fleeing fast. I relaxed enough to force my shift back into my body. Having a tail feels weird without my wings. Parading around with gigantic horns on my human head gave me a headache. All I wanted was a hot shower, clean clothes, and coffee. Gallons of coffee. And maybe a short nap.

  “Come on, Kitten. I’ll race you back to the treehouse,” Stone nudged me with his shoulder as the three of us strolled side by side.