Dark Cotillion (First in the Brenna Strachan Series)

by Hadena James

  Chapter Thirteen

  I was loaded into an SUV. It wasn’t black with darkly tinted windows. It was white with darkly tinted windows. Gabriel tossed my bags into the cargo area and took a seat next to me in the back. Ba’al flanked my other side. Jonathan had disappeared. Anubis was driving and Fenrir was sitting next to him.

  We exited the parking garage and began the drive to my parents’ house. This is not a particularly fun drive on a good day. Traffic sucks and today it was bumper to bumper as people flooded to one city or another on their way to work.

  It is also very long. Once you get out of the city, you head east on I-70 and exit near Blue Springs. You take a winding highway south out of Blue Springs and eventually find yourself back in what we would consider normal Missouri landscape, fields. The corn was tall, as it was August.

  Today, the drive seemed to be taking even longer. We inched our way through New KC towards the stadiums and I-70. The traffic didn’t thin out when we turned onto the interstate. If anything, it became worse. I wasn’t sure where all these people were headed, but both sides of the highway were congested.

  An hour and twenty minutes later, we finally arrived at the Blue Springs exit. Considering this is only about 15 miles from my condo, it seemed ridiculous that it took that long. Anubis turned onto the highway and we followed it out of the city. The urban areas became sparse, substituted with suburbs and cookie cutter houses. A few miles more and even those were gone. Trees began to line the road, not just a row of trees, but also a cluster of woods on either side. We were now exactly 17 miles from my parents’ house.

  The first shockwave hitting the car rocketed it off the road. Anubis tried to control the wheel and failed. We slammed head first into a tree. It would have hurt more if Ba’al hadn’t spread his wings over me. I slammed into the plushy, velvety texture of it. Feathers floated down over the top, Gabriel had done the same. A feat considering their wings were technically folded up behind them.

  “What the hell?” I asked.

  “Something hit the car,” Fenrir said from the front, “everyone okay?”

  “Define okay?” Gabriel asked.

  “Alive.”

  “Then yes, we are all fine. I think my leg is broken and I think I know what hit the car.”

  “What?” It was Anubis speaking.

  “A massive fucking harpoon. The damn thing is in my fucking leg. It came through my door.”

  “Fuck,” Anubis let out a groan. “Ba’al?”

  “Got her covered,” there was a tearing noise. I was jerked upwards, out of the car. I was also cocooned inside his wings. He held me like an infant, cradling me within his arms and wings.

  “Oh shit, Ani, we have a problem.” I wanted to see the problem, but if Ba’al was covering me, I was guessing that it was safer if I didn’t.

  “Humans,” Anubis said. He sounded close to me. I wondered how I could hear him. Gargoyle wings are usually soundproof. I would have to ask about it.

  “All we want is the Demon,” a man said.

  “I don’t think so,” Fenrir growled. “You realize you are committing suicide at the moment, right?”

  “I know we can’t kill you, but the Demon, we can kill. If we die in the process, so be it,” the man replied.

  “Zealots,” I whispered. There was another tearing noise. The sound of metal being peeled back is horrifying. It is screechy and makes one wonder about the strength of whatever is doing the tearing.

  “Let’s talk about this, what is one less Demon in the world? We don’t care about Angels or whatever the rest of you are, only Demons. Come on, they’ve convinced us they are on our side, but they are still Demons. An abomination before God.”

  “If God truly found them to be an abomination, he wouldn’t have created them,” Gabriel’s voice was now next to us as well. I was guessing it had been him making the second metal tearing sound. “Religion is a joke.”

  “How can an Angel speak that way?”

  “Simple, you’re an idiot and I’ve lived for eons. I think we have God on our side. Even the Demon.”

  “Since when did zealots do the bidding of Elders?” Fenrir asked.

  “We are not doing the bidding of Elders,” the man was getting angry.

  “Obviously someone or something told you where you could find us, and that the Demon in question was currently mortal. The only beings that know are Elders. So you are getting your information from Elders. Which begs the question, why are you doing the bidding of Elders?” Anubis countered.

  “No, there’s another possibility,” I said loudly, nearly yelling. “They’ve been set up to be killed. A few less zealots in the world. An Elder gives them this information knowing they are going up against four Overlords. They wouldn’t stand a chance. My guess, whatever Elder they think is helping them really wants them dead. This is their way of disposing of them.”

  “I hadn’t considered that,” Anubis responded. His voice was calm. His energy was anything but. All four Overlords were in defensive mode, ready to take out anyone that made a threatening move.

  “Had they?” Fenrir asked. “Did you know you were dealing with Overlords and not just lowly guardians?”

  No answer came from the zealot who had been so bold a few minutes ago.

  “That would be a no,” I said, I pushed against Ba’al. He spread his wings and let me see. There were only about 15 men in the road. We were standing on the hood of the car.

  “Yeah, see that’s the problem with doing other people’s bidding. You didn’t know they were Overlords. You also didn’t know I was a Lieutenant and the daughter of Lucifer. You thought the guardians would just hand me over because that is what you were told.” I sent out the Call. It wasn’t verbal, just a thought, or rather the pushing of a thought. I called on Demonnation. We were close to my parents’ house and it was easier than calling the police. Besides, we had Demons on the force. They would know.

  “What is she doing?” The man asked.

  “Calling Demonnation,” I told him, “Boon of being a Lieutenant. Considering we are about half a mile from Demonnation territory, it shouldn’t be long.”

  “Kill her, she’s out in the open,” one of the men shouted.

  Ba’al wrapped me back up before any of them could draw a weapon. I felt the bullets smash into his wings. Heard the metal as it fell worthlessly to the car.

  “Protect, do not attack,” I said loudly, yelling over the gunfire and pushing the thought with my mind. It seemed to work. Ba’al’s head appeared inside the wings.

  “Attacking is protecting,” he told me softly. Sirens were starting to be heard. I heard movement. The gunfire stopped and someone began screaming loudly. It was very Human.

  “Area secure,” Gabriel yelled. Ba’al opened his wings. I looked down from my position. The men were all in a tight circle. Fenrir was in wolf form, growling at them. Anubis stood, unmoving, staring them down, Gabriel had his wings spread. The guns were in pieces on the ground. Blood dripped from all four Overlords.

  “More research next time,” I said as Ba’al helped me down from the car. “Any of them injured?”

  “A few, but not significantly,” Gabriel said, “one has a bite from Fenrir.”

  “You guys were fast.”

  “It wasn’t hard,” Anubis said.

  “Am I going to become…” one of the men was staring at his leg, which dripped blood.

  “It’s not a virus, you can’t catch Lycanthropy.” I nearly hissed at him. “Come here.”

  “No, Brenna.”

  “I can’t let him stand there and bleed,” I responded.

  “Yes, you can and you will. Your powers are not entirely your own right now. One of the other Demons can heal the wound.”

  “Unless my father or one of our bloodline shows up, none of the Demons are strong enough to heal a Human.”

  “Good thing your bloodl
ine showed up,” Beezel’s voice nearly made me jump, “although, I detest healing zealots.”

  “Beezel,” I looked at my uncle, “as horrible as it is to heal people who hate us, I know you feel the urge to heal him just as significantly as I do.”

  “True,” he gave a disgusted grunt.

  He walked towards the zealot. The zealot turned white. I thought he would faint when Beezel put his hands on his forehead. The wound began to close.

  “Any others injured?” Beezel asked.

  “None worth healing,” Gabriel spat.

  “Still,” Beezel looked at him, “still, she is right. I feel the need to heal them. I can’t fight the urge. It is painful.”

  “Fine,” Anubis moved some finally. “Everyone who has been injured, form a line.”

  No one moved as the first of the police cars arrived. A very Human looking young man stepped out and raised an eyebrow. I wasn’t sure whether it was directed at the entire scene or us. I was guessing it was the scene.

  “Lift your sleeves,” the officer ordered as he walked up. Since none of us was wearing long sleeves in the middle of August, we looked at the group of men. They were all wearing long sleeves. It struck me as peculiar for the first time.

  “It’s August in Missouri and you’re wearing long sleeves? Are you insane as well as…” I didn’t say stupid, but I really wanted to.

  “There is a particular sect we’ve been having trouble with,” the officer said as more cop cars arrived. “They have brands at the bend of their elbows so they tend to wear long sleeves.”

  “Ah, gotcha.” I stepped forward and yanked one of the sleeves off at the shoulder. It peeled easily. In the bend of the elbow, there was a brand. It had a goat in the middle of a pentagram with a giant X over all of it.

  “Really? You still think of us that way?” I sighed and turned away.

  “Officer,” Beezel stepped in and looked at the brand.

  “How many dead?” Another officer asked.

  “None,” the first officer said.

  “Overlords,” the second one looked stunned and a bit mystified.

  “Yes,” Anubis nodded to him, “they attacked us, and harpooned our car. Of all things, a harpoon.”

  “It worked,” Ba’al said.

  “Gabriel, you’re injured,” Beezel turned to the Angel.

  “Yeah, they harpooned the car and me,” Gabriel responded.

  “Do you want to press charges?” The first officer asked.

  “Of course they do,” my father’s voice boomed out.

  “Oh great, daddy’s here,” I said under my voice, but not soft enough though. The first officer gave me a smirk.

  “We all heard that, Brenna.” Lucifer bellowed. “I think even the Humans in the back heard that.”

  “Sorry, Papa,” I yelled back. “I think I might be a little deaf for some reason. I didn’t think I was talking that loud.”

  “The Humans are injured or some of them are,” I told the officer who was standing near me.

  “They’ll heal.” He smiled. “Excuse me, Lucifer, is this really your daughter.”

  “Of course it is.” Father looked offended as he pushed his way into the crowd that was gathering.

  “I meant no offense, sir. I just wanted to make sure she was positively identified. The crime is more significant when it is committed against a Maturing Demon.”

  “Is there a billboard or something somewhere that says ‘Brenna Strachan, Daughter of Lucifer, is Maturing’?” I asked.

  “Don’t be absurd,” my father scolded me. “It was on the news and in the Society Pages of the Newspaper.”

  “And my suggestion was absurd?” I looked at him. “Why did you put it on the news, Papa?”

  “Because we had to announce your Maturing, what better way to let all the Elders know than to put it in the Society Pages?” My mother answered for him. “The news got it from there.”

  “Should I lend support for a domestic?” The officer leaned in and whispered to me.

  “No, it’s fine. Ridiculous, but fine.” I looked at them. “I thought you were going to Europe for the month?”

  “We were just leaving the house when you sent the Call,” my father told me. “Of course, your brothers had to answer it as did I. Why are you being so…” He made a weird gesture with his hands.

  “Stubborn? Hard headed? Determined?” I asked, filling in the blank. This got me a very pointed look from my mother and another smirk from the officer next to me.

  “Fine, we are going to Europe. Everyone back in the car, we have a flight to catch and obviously, your sister is fine now.”

  “Bye! Love you!” I yelled at their backs.

  “Family,” the officer was now full out smiling. The grin made him look even younger.

  “Brenna,” Anubis gave me a look.

  “Oh geez,” I rushed after my parents, threw myself at them. I hugged both as much as I could. “I’m sorry, it must be the Maturing. It’s got me frazzled.”

  “Sex will do that to you too, honey.”

  “Could you say it a little louder, dad?” I frowned at him.

  “Sorry,” he had the grace to look embarrassed for about a second and a half. “We love you. Take care of yourself.”

  “Dad,” I leaned into his ear, “they sent Humans as the first attack. Zealots, I’ll give you, but they are still Humans. What next? Hyenas?”

  “It was a test, Bren, remember that,” my father whispered back. He kissed me. My two younger brothers kissed me. My mother kissed me. My other family members waved.

  “I hate to break up the party, Miss Strachan, but we do have some questions to ask you,” the officer was suddenly standing next to me.

  “Can they wait a month?”

  “No, I’m sorry, they can’t.”

  “Okay, ask away.”

  “Did you threaten, harass, or coerce the attackers in anyway?”

  “I’m a Maturing Demon, Officer,” I looked at him. He probably was older than I was, but it didn’t feel that way. For the first time, I felt the weight of eternity. “I’m mortal. I’m sure there was someone behind this. I don’t think they could have tracked us down on their own. Especially since the decision to move to my parents’ house wasn’t made until this morning, but I’m still mortal. I would like to live through this.”

  “I understand, Miss Strachan, but we have to ask.”

  “I have four Overlords standing guard over me, Officer,” I looked at his name plate, “Phillips. What does that say to you?”

  “That the Sheriff’s Department is going to get a lot of calls this month.” He nodded to me solemnly.

  “She has a price on her head,” a Demon I recognized said. He was wearing a Sheriff’s department uniform. “She isn’t supposed to know, but there are forces behind the attack. Someone is offering a lot of money to see her dead.”

  “Really?” I asked him.

  “Sorry, Brenna, Lucifer made us swear not to tell you. I am only doing it now because it is my job as a liaison with Humans to tell what I know.”

  “Someone?” I gave him a weak smile. “No, Chiron, the Centaurian Overlord is offering a lot of money to see me dead.”

  “Most likely,” he said. “Pendragon has placed him in prison for the duration of the Maturing, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t others following his orders.”

  “Peachy, just when I think I have it figured out, someone throws me another piece of life shattering information.”

  “So, I was right, the Sheriff’s Department is going to get lots of calls about your parents’ house while you stay there.”

  “Probably,” the Demon whose name had escaped me said.

  “At least it will be a busy month. You guys go and be on your way. We’ll deal with the Zealots.” The officer motioned for us to continue.

  “Thank you.”

  “No problem, Miss Strachan.”

 
; We loaded up into Beezel’s car. Ours was missing most of the roof and a door, as well as the thick stream of green liquid pouring out from the bottom. It wasn’t my car, I wasn’t sure whom it belonged to, but I was sure they could buy another just as nifty if they wanted.

  “Well,” Beezel said as we pulled away from the scene.

  “Well what?” I asked him feeling very tired all of a sudden.

  “Are you alright?” He asked, taking his eyes off the road long enough to look at me.

  “Fine, thanks,” I put my head against the passenger window. There had been no debate about who sat up front in Beezel’s car.

  “Brenna?” Beezel had a note of concern in his voice that I had never heard before.

  “Yes, Uncle?”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Well, my life sucks at the moment, but I’m trying to suck it up and move on. I just have to survive the next month. Once I’ve done that, I’m good as gold.”

  Beezel gave a small chuckle, “That’s one way to look at it, I suppose.”

  “Is there another?” I asked.

  “Sure there is, you are obviously important for someone to pay money to see you dead. No one has ever done that to me.”

  “I’ll try to remember that.”

  “It will all be over soon enough, child.” We were turning into my parents’ drive way.