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Demon's Grace Ch. 01

By: akbunny



I was being caressed by darkness, everywhere. Heavy gentle pressure absorbed and cradled my feet when I tried to move. I looked above and a steady red glow seeped into blackness. On my inhale I smelled cloves, strikingly familiar, but no answers. Whispers droned separate from the heavy silence stuffed in my ears, as if inside my mind. They grew louder, insistent, then something grabbed me from behind and wrenched me backwards in a downward fall. Shocked, I gasped and then... a flash of scorching fire!

Underneath me I felt a sagging mattress and above, warmth. It radiated along the length of my numb and freezing body. I tried to stretch upwards, wanting to luxuriate in the feel of it, but unable to. An uncomfortable rushing sensation of heat tumbled and sped through my body, displacing bone chilling cold. I could hear my own whimpers of pain as it burned through my veins. That's when my mind started to insist something was wrong. My forehead furrowed in confusion and I snapped my eyes open. An undignified squeak of terror flew out of my mouth before I comprehended what was above me. 

A dark red demon stared intently into my face. My breathing quickened when I remembered I was dead, or rather, should be. That breath hitched when I realized I was being taken advantaged of. One hand lazily caressed my breast while the other found its way intimately down my body. I gasped as my body eagerly responded and a warm, liquid flow built inside me. 

I tightly closed my eyes and shouted inside my mind, confused and aroused at the same time, 'I'm dead!' 

A deep, amused chuckle sounded above me. 

I gave a sharp inhale, "Oh!"

My traitorous body arched up into the one above me even as I tried to realign my thoughts. "Shit! Wait!" I placed my palms on the demon's shoulders and shoved. He was like stone! "Wait! Dammit! I should be dead!" 

His answer was a smirk and a vibration that I felt emanating from deep in his chest. His caress stopped and changed into a smooth movement up my stomach. He continued to stare directly into my eyes as he licked his fingers. I blinked at his erotica and changed my focus to his luminous wings sailing out behind. Their overlapping scales glowed like fire, like his whole body. This was the comfortable warmth enveloping me. 

I just knew the rumble I felt in his chest was laughter at my expense. I focused back on his prominent face and breathed heavily out of my nose, my lips frowning. He angled his head down and looked at me through the tops of his eyes. I hated being ignorant so I grunted crudely, knowing he disapproved of my swearing, "You don't fuck a corpse!" I coughed on his harsh exhale of smoke and cloves and looked at him defiantly. His eyes reminded me of obsidian walls dancing with reflected fire. The beauty distracted me.

"I do many things," he said in a deep, solemn voice. 

I refocused. "When I say 'you' I don't mean you in particular. I mean..." I paused thinking of a phrase, "social graces." I continued to glare at him trying to ignore his presumptuous look. I angrily crossed my arms over my bare breasts.

"Your social graces are not my social graces." He purposely puffed out more smoke on my face, "Our social graces are only to be used in life and death situations."

I just had to yell at him, "Hello! This is a life and death situation!" 

A warm hand cupped the side of my face, causing me to reluctantly unclench my tight jaw. I turned my face to avoid his gaze. "Stop it."

"I brought you back. I will know when you are dead." He continued, his voice going soft, "You still do not understand. I can speak to your soul."

These last words hummed inside my body causing my heart to thump harshly. I closed my eyes briefly to the heat of his hands framing my face, his knees a barrier restraining me. 

"And, I can talk to your body," he smirked. "It told me,'Yes, do that. Right there.'" He winked at me. 

"It did no such-" I never got to finish because I was being thoroughly kissed. I couldn't stop the moan of pleasure as he bit my lower lip. His fire flamed through me and I willingly followed his lead. I arched my body into his again, but looked at him through narrowed eyes. His look was all satisfaction and arrogance, sure of my compliance. I sighed and decided to deal with that later as his lips trailed blazing heat down my sweaty body. Sex as an affirmation of life? Absolutely.

With my body finally calm and relaxed, I sat up on the lumpy bed and looked out through the partially covered motel window. On the night stand nearby I saw two of my throwing knives. 

"Who brought me here?" I asked, looking at the demon sitting up on my left.

He idly played with another knife, balancing the point on one of his fingers. "Carlos."

I moved my attention from the knife to his face. His body was no longer flickering, but still dark red. His wings had melded into his body and all that hinted of them was a continuous, tribal-like, black tattoo. It draped over his shoulders and curved around his torso, continuing down the backs of his legs. I reached over and traced one of the elaborate swirls on his ribs, preoccupied with the intricacy of it. I could feel the weight of his stare as he regarded my bowed head. 

"Taurin?"

I scowled. "I don't know." 

Then I sighed, "Carlos was looking for him. Taurin appeared. We were surprised." I paused in thought reliving the moment, then shook my head. "Carlos' kill since you weren't there." I stared at him angrily and raised my voice, "Where the hell were you?!" 

He looked back at the knife and ignored my question, "Carlos never finished. All he could do was work with a protection spell to get you both out."

"Well there's nothing quite like a pissed off demon tracking you." I smiled grimly. "I suppose he's biding his time, waiting." I hesitated briefly, "But he should think I'm dead. I did." 

 The silence seemed thick on the other side of the bed. I stared hard at the demon next to me. Who says there are no words in silence, certainly not me. 

"Doesn't he," I asked forcefully.

"You are so stubborn," he said softly. "I told you it was not wise to go after Taurin." He grasped the hilt of the knife. "You knew I would not show up." 

I thought briefly of holding my tongue, but why? "Bullshit! You never explained yourself to me and you never said, 'Dove, by the way, I won't be there.'" I watched him deliberately place the knife on the side of the bed and lean in close to my face, eyes blazing with intent. 

"I did not show up. You and Carlos were both advised of the warrant. Warrant says two bonded demon hunters. Hence, you, Carlos, Bronti and myself. There should have been four there for the attack. Ignorant as the Affairs' Office is, they are getting smarter. You should have not continued with this warrant."

I pondered his words and stared into space, refusing to admit he made sense. "Do you think that asshole Bronti betrayed us because he owes something to Taurin?"

The demon took my change in direction without pause, but never answered my question directly. "A protection spell does not appear from nowhere, as Carlos is aware. You getting wounded because of your rash action was unnecessary. Stop swearing."

I decided to ignore that last remark and smirked, "I was fucking killed." 

He picked up the throwing knife again and caressed the sharp edge of it. "You were not killed," he said calmly, which only annoyed me more. 

I let out a growling frustrated sound. "And it was not 'unnecessary'," I said, mimicking his voice. "I was there for a reason." I held up a hand to forestall his interruption, "And, yes, aware of your expressed, if unexplained, concern." I couldn't help that my voice was getting sarcastic.

"You do as your heart and mind tell you to. I have no argument with that. Your usual tactics will not work with Taurin. I advised you of this."

"Maybe if you had used a few more words I would have been better prepared."

"You did not ask."

"Ahhh!" I snarled and clenched my teeth. "Why weren't you there?"

"We have an agreement."

Stupid, cryptic demon remark. "Long standing agreement?"

He nodded slightly. "Yes. Taurin likes to bargain."

"And Bronti is caught up in this too?" He just looked at me so I went on to my next question. "And he knows I'm not dead how?"

I looked down and noticed my arms crossed defensively again. He placed the knife down and reached out to place one finger under my chin. He gently brought our faces closer and I felt myself get lost in the swirling flames and darkness that were alive in his eyes. 

In a soft voice he spoke, "When we kill, we kill. When we plan to take, we do not kill until we are ready to kill." 

I frowned. That was too weird for me to comprehend. I relaxed as his hand gently twined into my long hair. 

"Taurin planned to take your power, but Carlos interfered and brought you to me. Since I was closer to you I took it first and breathed it back into you. He will be aware that you are alive." 

I made a conscious attempt to pull away from his eyes as they changed and swirled with stars in them. I always felt like I was looking at a picture of a galaxy. This picture was forever moving though. He kept a firm hold on my hair. 

"Each hunter has a particular," I watched him grimace as he struggled for a word I could understand, "vibration." He cocked his head to the side and the shadows darkened and fell into the valleys of his face. The sharpness of the delineation of dark and light made him look predator, stillness before a strike. I remained silent even as my pulse sped up. I knew he could sense it. 

"When we," he made a growling noise in the back of his throat, struggling with words again, "feel you... it will never go away until the hunter dies. We do this with the intent to bind or steal your power. Physical proximity makes it faster and easier. When you are dead your vibration will vanish, but the power remains," he paused and looked at me intently, "with whoever breathes it in. Taurin was closer to you so had he killed you he would have." He gently pulled his finger through my hair and caressed the ends of it. 

When he released me from his eyes I turned my face away from him. He laid the gentlest of kisses on the side of my neck as his human looking hand slid down to curve around the top of my breast. I understood his words. He could have finished killing me since he knew I wasn't dead because of my own vibration he felt inside himself. What I didn't realize was that he could

have stolen whatever it was that made me a demon hunter. Although I guess it made sense

since demon hunters can take the power of a demon they kill too. 

"So he will have the feel of me until I die."

"As will I," he whispered into my skin.

"But he is not bound to me?" I asked hesitantly.

"No. You know your ritual to that. It is the sharing of blood and power."

I decided to change the topic. "I don't understand. Of all the hunters to turn to what luck to give the orders to Carlos and I who are bound to demons who keep century long promises, if that's the case with Bronti."

He pressed deeper into my neck and then slowly sat up. "The Affairs' Office would have counted it good luck," he said blandly.

"The Affairs' Office is trying to kill us?!"

He shrugged.

I was astonished, "You knew this and didn't tell me?!" At least I knew he didn't want to kill me since he had the chance tonight.

"You have done stranger things without all the information. I also did not know what Carlos and Bronti would do."

I replied haughtily, "Yet you knew that you should've been there." I waved my hands at him in frustration. "I would have liked to have known if you believed the Affairs' Office was trying to kill us!"

The demon shrugged slightly. "It was irrelevant and all it would do was restrict your movements. Hunting us is not science. You know this. All I needed to know was whether or not you died."

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. "Excuse me." The sarcasm rolled out of my mouth as I calmly got up and walked around the bed to the bathroom, "I'm going to spend an hour in the bathroom, part of which will be a scalding, hot shower. As you know, I've been 'mostly dead' all day."

He smiled innocently, "Not all day, just a few hours."

I slammed the door on his laughter. Being angry with a demon is not productive, they either laugh at you or kill you. As far as I was concerned, being dead once was good enough for me, so laugh away, Ezra, laugh away.

Demon's Grace Ch. 02



I had been an official demon hunter for almost seven years. Incredibly rare for one of us to start their career with the Office of Supernatural and Human Affairs' after they were a teenager. It demonstrated the success that the love of a mother can achieve. She kept me ignorant of what I really was, while keeping a physically demanding schedule for me no matter how much I protested. 

We had a couple of dogs, popularly, if erroneously, called hell hounds. All dogs can smell demons, they just run away instead of towards the demon like a hell hound does. What she didn't know was that I was wired to smell demons too. I guess I'm just as stupid as hell hounds when it comes in which direction to run.

She raised me to be religious, even named me Dove, as in the Holy Spirit. I lost count of how many different religious ceremonies and places we went to. At the time I thought she was trying to find the right faith for herself, now I realize she was trying to find the faith that would protect me the most. How she knew I was born a demon hunter I'll never know because she died protecting me from one. She really didn't know that much about the reality of demons. I didn't either, but I killed it anyway.

What do I not want to see when I close my eyes? A hell hound with its throat torn out, another trying to walk with broken legs and my mother's torn body. Lots of blood. Everywhere. Unfortunately, it's a common story for most of us. That's why the first kill a demon hunter does is called a luck kill, good if they survive, bad if they don't. As far as anyone knows it can never be done that way again. I couldn't even say how I did it without a proper blade or chant to officially kill it. It was a miracle I survived and that's the only part I care to remember of the chilling moment. 

I used a towel to clean away the steam on the mirror as I thought about my present situation. Staring into my hazel eyes I thought about how much I actually knew about Ezra. 

Supposedly, as the authorities for both human and supernatural affairs agree, as rare as an occurrence it is, if a demon binds itself to a demon hunter they have a clean slate. There's a whole series of clauses in the ruling intent on protecting the demon hunter into a long life with the demon. And we should have a long life if we have a demon protecting us from other demons. If the hunter died early on in the relationship, and 'early' had a time line of 'at the discretion of the Affairs' Office' for the law, the demon wouldn't get the full 'benefits'. Too many unanswered questions if that happened. Too bad no one bothered to ask a single demon to give an opinion of the rule. I suppose the powers-that-be thought all demons were too deceitful or something. Hell, they didn't even ask demon hunters what they thought of it. Most didn't think very much of it at all. This ruling happened ten years ago and a majority are still trying to get it repealed. 

Anyway, the supernatural authorities should know that supernatural beings just don't think and feel like humans. I've been with Ezra for just over five months and I can safely say, demons generally don't care about the same things humans do. Hence, why I was without him when attacked and 'not dead' all in one day. So now, who had enough connections to get the order to me and was Ezra's slate really wiped clean, because five months ago I was ordered to kill him. Oh, and on a side note, what was the real reason why a demon decided to bond with a demon hunter? I didn't notice very many advantages that would matter to them. It's not like they actually care about laws.

These thoughts filled my mind as I walked out of the bathroom with the small, threadbare towel from the motel wrapped around my body. Ezra was in front of me before I even registered his movement. I stared at his human looking body, reaffirming to myself that no matter how casually he dressed he still looked deadly. Ezra was a demon that could change his body into certain forms as easily as I could dye my hair. I concentrated on his hand as it gently eased the towel from me and draped it over his arm. Long graceful fingers tentatively touched the four red furrows that tore across my body.

"Too careless," he said matter of fact.

I nodded, feeling the wet slide of long locks over my arms. "He was too close to Carlos. I acted and cut him on his lower left side." 

I turned my head slightly and looked down at the rug. "Ezra, he was psychically huge." Glancing up into his eyes I watched him gaze methodically at my body. I knew what he saw, a fit 5'6" woman with several, permanent claw marks, most on the left side. Demons usually go for the heart.

"He would be. They ordered two hunters specifically with demons instead of one. He is addicted to the power he gets from his kills. Always has been. There has been no contact between us in a long time."

"He's deemed unfit for society," I said. 

Ezra quietly laughed, as he always laughed when a demon was deemed unfit for society. Demons were born into a society that was extremely different from ours, most were born in a parallel world, Ezra was. From what I was taught, some of the species over there could move between worlds, some couldn't and some simply refused to. 

I continued unfazed. "It's one of the few times we've been allowed to officially hunt and kill for the specific reason of a demon killing hunters. Albeit the higher ups probably left out more of the story, as they usually do. It's still rare. I mean we're wired to hunt you, of course you're going to do the same." 

Ezra smirked as he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me close. 

"Well, it's true." 

He didn't say anything, just forcefully kissed me, his tongue caressing inside my mouth. I melted into his embrace even as I was unsure of his motives. When we separated I looked at him with a question in my eyes and went about finding my clothes and sheaths. I was fully dressed by the time he spoke. 

"You need to think like a demon to hunt a demon."

"Tell me what you think." I sat down on the bed and belted my thigh sheath over my jeans. I pulled on a short sleeved black t-shirt as he reached for my combat boots and fitted my feet into them, zipping them up with a quick flick of his wrist. I went about belting my arm sheaths and then fitting all my knives into place. He stayed on the rug kneeling on one knee as he watched me tie a red bandana over my braid. I moved my ankles around in my boots feeling for the hard ridge of the sheath inside each one. 

"Taurin blackmails or bargains. We should talk to Bronti." 

I scoffed and gave him a look of disbelief.

"If we all joined forces demon hunters would have a shorter life span than you do now," he said.

"Ha! If you all joined forces we wouldn't have to kill you 'cause you'd kill each other." I jerked my chin at him and smirked.

Ezra tilted his head to the side in his 'whatever' motion and carried on the conversation. "We are being set up." 

"Carlos too," I added as I leaned over to look in the mirror and watched his reflection stand behind me.

He shrugged. As long as Carlos wasn't trying to kill him he didn't matter to Ezra, even then I don't think Carlos mattered to him. I guess I didn't matter to Bronti. With that thought I put on the last sheath against my back. It was empty.



Demon's Grace Ch. 03



California's night life was just starting to accelerate even as the summer heat threatened to sap all energy from the air. I stood on the grass where my blade had been magically locked in place. I could still see the slit and loose dirt. Carlos would never give my blade to a demon. He trusted them only when they were dead and sometimes not even then. His familiar Latino voice came from a group of hardwood trees to my right.

"Looking for this?" 

I turned slightly and looked at him. He was of Mexican descent and only a couple inches taller than me. His hair was shaved close to his head and a silver cross dangled from one ear and around his neck. "What makes you think I am," I laughingly replied. 

Suddenly, I smelled Bronti's molasses scent filling the air and watched warily as he stepped from the shadows.

Carlos started to walk towards me, "Bronti said you'd live. I'm glad he was right." I waited for him, refusing to let my sight stray from the dark demon in front of me. Bronti was a shadow demon and when in his true form he was simply a black form. His eyes were a darkness that pulsed and shined eerily. 

The hilt of my knife entered my peripheral vision for me to grab. Without focusing on it I grabbed and sheathed it. It was already humming to me, a signal that a demon was nearby. A slight vibration that only I could detect.

When Bronti spoke it felt as if I had syrup dripping down my body. "I can't imagine that Ezra would save you and then leave you."

I sneered and agitatedly replied, "At least he didn't lie to me."

"Is omission not a lie," he purred, never taking a step closer, but making me feel the stickiness of his presence.

I grimaced as I spoke, "It's none of your business."

"As it is none of your business what is between Carlos and I." 

Bronti took that step. Instantly I felt Ezra's body lined up behind my own. My blade chimed in my head with his signature. He forcefully pressed his body into the sheath. His right arm flowed loosely around my waist and his left hand barely touched my collar bone. I didn't feel too impaired if I had to react quickly. Secure with the knowledge that Ezra was watching Bronti, my attention turned to Carlos as he jumped back. I watched a knife quickly appear and disappear as he registered who it was.

Carlos had known at an early age what he was. He had been exposed to demons as a child and ran away to keep his family safe. His years of training made him fast and knowledgeable. Ever since I met him I never understood why he was bound to Bronti. It didn't seem logical. But what did I know? I've only known him for three years. I suppose it was stranger still that I decided to be bound to a demon since my mother was killed by one. Carlos at least still saw his family occasionally. I briefly wondered what Bronti did during those times. 

Ezra distracted my thoughts as he nuzzled the left side of my neck. He snugly placed his chin in the depression. Out of my peripheral vision I saw Carlos give me the 'look'. I was expecting it. The look always conveyed disbelief that Ezra and I were so intimate with each other. I didn't think it odd. Carlos' look always seemed to tell me different, even though he refused to discuss it.

Ezra's whisper carried through the air, "My staunch supporter."

Carlos just stared at us. 

Bronti inhaled deep and said, "Shape shifters." 

He turned flinging his arm wide. The shadows followed him, flaring like a cloak. As I watched him walk away he transformed into a tall, black man, the darkness forming about him into clothes. He wore a close fitting, brightly colored knit cap and a long leather duster. His walk so forceful and with purpose that it made me wonder again how Carlos ended up with him. Ezra and I followed slowly, his hand twining in my left one.

Bronti led us to a small bar. It had a local feel to it with all the normal accouterments. Carlos, of course, took the best seat in the house, unless, of course, a monster happened to crash through the wall behind him. Rare, but possible. A person just can't be one hundred percent safe anywhere. I took the next best place to see what was coming at me, against the wall that hid the restrooms behind me. Ezra sat close to my left and partly in the hallway. Bronti sat across from Carlos, but not in his line of sight. 

Carlos looked over to me. "You took the attack meant for me."

I nodded and thanked him for getting me out.

"Very convenient she was there," drawled Ezra looking directly at Bronti.

"Yes. Convenient." He shamelessly agreed with a bright smile.

I just smiled widely at Carlos and ignored the glaring demons beside us. Carlos did the same, minus the smile.

A waitress with spiked pink hair walked up to the table and asked if we wanted anything. I ordered a ginger ale, Carlos ordered a beer. She gave us a disgruntled look when Ezra and Bronti declined and Carlos slid her some money for our drinks.

Carlos looked from me to Bronti. "Bronti has a bargain with Taurin that denies him the privilege of killing him. My guess is the same with you."

"Seems that way. What I don't understand is why neither of you told us that until after the fact?" I looked at Carlos to see if he was in agreement with me. I could tell he was when both our eyes turned to Bronti.

He grinned, rather evilly in my opinion, "I wanted to see what would happen." 

He continued to hold our stares. I couldn't tell what Carlos thought of this since he was his usual stoic self. I raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Ezra. Our drinks came at that moment and we waited for the waitress to leave.

Ezra looked serene as he turned to look at Bronti, "They are so much fun, our little...," he paused and directed his eyes to me, "...darlings."

Bronti barked a laugh. 

Oh, he was so not going to say that. I knew he was not going to say that. It definitely was going to be something that would have me spitting fire, figuratively, of course. I've seen demons spit fire and I certainly couldn't do it. Ezra's eyes had a sparkle in them. I clenched my jaw and stood up, they weren't going to tell us anything. I turned to Carlos. "I'm hungry. Would you like to go somewhere without our little...," I looked briefly into Ezra's eyes, "...assholes." 

Carlos nodded curtly and stood. It was not to be though. Our instincts honed at the same time and we watched a demon walk into the bar straight towards us. I felt both demons' powers spike. 

"Well, ain't that a bitch," I breathed softly.



Demon's Grace Ch. 04



Neither demon stood, but they were both definitely on alert. Ezra's aura grew and, like an octopus, its tentacles seeped into and wrapped around my own power.

The demon on our warrant stood in front of our small, square table and eyed Carlos. "You would not have succeeded, with or without them," Taurin said. 

Carlos said nothing. There was silence.

Fucking demons. They could stay like this for days, years probably, Carlos too come to think of it. Thankfully the bar would close before then. I sighed turning his attention to me. I was then on the receiving end of a stare I couldn't fathom. I stared back, taking in his human form, which I barely noticed when I attacked him. He was gorgeous. 

I wondered if it was natural or if he worked that hard with deception. If all his victims were women or homosexuals I would say that he used it as a weapon, but they weren't. As far as Carlos and I knew, partly due to the rumor mill of demon hunters, he killed everyone and everything indiscriminately, lately focusing on our profession. 

I looked at the tall, blond haired, blue eyed demon in front of us. His eyes were definitely in demon mode. They were a color that could be called glacier blue. I stared, watching ice form and crack across the entirety of his eyes. It was beyond beautiful. 

The waitress came into our oppressive sphere at the same time I felt Ezra's tail lash tightly around my left foot. My experience told me that I wouldn't see anything if I looked down, it was the spirit manifestation of it. I put my hand to my lips to hold back a laugh, thinking I was getting as bad as the rest of the boys by just standing there saying nothing. I sat down abruptly and pulled Carlos down just as the waitress reached our table.

She was grumpy and didn't care who knew it, curt words tripping out of her mouth as she started to turn towards Taurin, "Are you leaving or staying?" 

Bronti quickly distracted her with an exaggerated movement. "We'll be staying. I've changed my mind, I would like a dry red wine. Our friend here does not want anything. Don't worry about the change." He gave her money and artfully redirected her back to the bar. When she was occupied he flicked his hand and a chair seemed to form out of the shadows next to Taurin.

I stifled another laugh. 'Changed his mind.' I don't think I ever knew a demon to change their mind, much less actually say those words. Keeping the stupid grin on my face, I leaned back in my chair. My chair tipped precariously on its back legs. Honestly, I don't know what got into me, everything seemed a little funny.

Bronti's voice came hard and stern out of his mouth. "Sit down. Unless you've come to do battle right here in front of everyone. You've done it before."

Taurin continued to watch me. He slid into the chair just as the waitress placed a wine glass on the table. Bronti's expression changed completely and he gave a brilliant smile that had me blinking with surprise at him. It bedazzled my attention away from Taurin briefly, it definitely kept the waitress from noticing him. What good liars they all are. I took a swallow of my soda as Taurin turned his gaze to Ezra. 

"I wanted to inform Ezra that I would be aligning myself with him before I bonded with this one," gesturing to me with his hand.

The forceful thunk of the front legs of my chair on the floor vibrated up my body. There was no grace in my movements as I stopped myself from spitting ginger ale all over everyone. I think Carlos was as astonished as I was because I saw the swift movements of him reaching for his blades. Bronti's restraining hand reached his arm a little before mine did on his other side. I turned to Ezra to cough to him that his tail was now cutting off circulation to my foot.

"These games you play," Ezra whispered darkly. 

I watched black seep into his eyes like smoke from the borders. I cleared my throat and looked over at Taurin. He looked composed.

"I could just kill her," he replied. 

My hand reached out in a calming gesture to Ezra. He gave off streams of heat. I cleared my throat, "Taurin, you say that we would not be able to kill you. Therefore, if you killed us, me rather, let's say, free lunch for you. The Affairs' would send out more hunters and you wouldn't have to search for them because they would be coming to you. You could just keep killing. So, my question to you is how many hunters bonded to demons would it take working together before you would be in deep shit? Also, why bond at all, there's no benefit in it for you."

"There aren't enough bonded demons out there that don't owe me something. And I want a demon hunter so I can get off the Affairs' list. Simple." 

My eyes narrowed at the certainty in which he spoke. I knew there was more to it than that. "Why don't you just let Carlos and me find you a demon hunter to bound with?" I asked. I felt Carlos' glare before he even turned his head.

Taurin laughed and I got the impression that he laughed at himself, "Who would have me?" He gestured to his chest with his hand.

"Well, why would you think that I would?"

Ezra's hand tightened briefly on mine. "I can answer this for you, Dove." 

Ezra continued to stare into Taurin's eyes, which had turned a human looking blue. "Because he will attempt to sip you to death every time you are weak and psychically unguarded. Which means he will be hounding your every step to be in touching distance. Focusing entirely on you. He did not just draw your blood, he drew your blood with magical intent. Magical intent prepared in advance."

Taurin grinned. "It will be a fun game, won't it. Gives me more of a challenge instead of just outright killing you."

Carlos looked at Bronti questioningly. Bronti nodded slightly to him. I started to put the pieces together, massaging my hands as I did and letting Carlos talk. 

"Why doesn't this happen more often?" he asked.

"Because we kill you. Demon hunters are a nuisance," Bronti said without any shame. "Dove didn't die."

I finally let out what I was thinking. "You guessed I wouldn't die! And you," I turned, "what was your plan?" I didn't let Ezra answer because I swiftly turned to Bronti again. "You did it on purpose. You bargained with him." I pointed angrily at Taurin and gave him steely eyes. "What's the deal Taurin? I think I have the right to know!"

"Ask Bronti," he replied with a casual flick of his fingers.

"You set everything in place and moved us like chess pieces." Carlos said calmly.

"It was you or her. It was not going to be you," Bronti said as he looked at him.

"No, you mean it wasn't going to be you." Carlos retorted, unable to keep a bite of anger out of his tone.

"Of course, but there is also truth that I refused to have it be you. Taurin wanted a way into Affairs', he asked me for you, I came up with a better idea. My debt is repaid."

"And what if Ezra showed up?" Carlos asked the demon.

Bronti smirked. "I had something prepared for that, but didn't have to resort to it."

Carlos turned to me and said severely, "This is why you don't bind yourself to demons. For exactly this reason. They always play a good game of chess."

I clenched my jaw. I wasn't about to get into an argument with Carlos with three demons surrounding us. I turned my attention to Bronti. "Let me see if I got this right. You advise Carlos to take the kill." I gave no apologies to Taurin for that. "Makes sense, because Ezra's not there, and you'd make sure he wouldn't be there even if he did decide to show. Taurin attacks Carlos while he's looking for him through magic because you told him exactly where we would be. You guess that I'd defend Carlos while he was distracted." 

My stare hardened on him."You play a risky move there because I don't think Taurin would have cared who he took down. I just got in the way faster." I spared Taurin a short glance. He gave back expressionless eyes and face. "You wait those precious moments after he attacks me so he can latch onto a piece of my power and then throw up the protection spell. Your next risky move is that you wait for Ezra to cure me instead of kill me." I turned an accusing glare at Ezra.

Ezra's hand came up to cradle my face, his eyes a galaxy of stars. 

He spoke softly, "Dove." 

I shook my head to dislodge his grip and angrily retorted, "Dove nothing! And stop trying to calm me down! It's ok for you to be angry, but not me?!"

"Nothing should be unexpected when it comes to us. You know this. Finding a hunter who would willingly bind themselves to me, none would have it until you." He leaned in so close that his lips touched my ears. Barely any sound came out as he continued, "And I was looking from before the Affairs' wrote the law."

I gave him startled eyes at his revelation.

He pulled back and spoke in a louder voice, "Taurin will be a hundred times worse to find someone willing because he has been killing your kind with intent. I told you that we could not kill him, not now, not as we are. There was no time to prepare you. He will try to kill you if you decide to decline this," he glared over at Taurin, "honor. It is your decision however."

Taurin remained expressionless as I glanced at him.

Carlos ran his fingers over his skull. "This cannot be happening. You can't have two demons bound to you. One, you're paranoid, two, you're mad."

"Thanks for your support," I said dryly.

He looked down at his knife. "It's never been done and it's not mentioned. Demons don't play together. I don't even know if it's possible!"

"It's never been done." Bronti said decisively.

I sneered at Bronti, "I don't even want to hear your voice. In fact I don't even want to look at you. You can leave now." I didn't really expect him to leave. He didn't, but he did give me an oily smile.

Ezra looked at Taurin, "I will destroy you if she dies due to your conniving." He paused, "Regardless of any words spoken between us." His tone light... unconcerned. 

I eyed Ezra, unable to process the contrast between his words and tone. He wouldn't go up against Taurin for a warrant, but he would for me. I gave a confused head shake but refused to stray from priorities. I gazed back at a thoughtful Taurin and heard him speak the word.

"I will not kill your pet."

That was it. That was the word I was sure Ezra was going to use earlier. My jaw clenched and I sprang off my chair to jump over the table. I'm not sure what form my adrenaline would have taken, slap, punch, knee in the chin. It's just as well Carlos grabbed my sword arm from one side and Ezra stopped me with his arm across my chest and a tail wrapped hastily around my leg. What was I going to do? Wrestle with a demon in a bar and lose, lose badly. 

Taurin barked a loud laugh.

I stayed standing and directed my gaze to Carlos. "My offer still stands. You coming?"

He stood up. "Yes."

I looked at Ezra and said, "Don't wait for us."

Ezra stood for me and I walked around the table, Carlos went behind Bronti. As I moved past Taurin he stood lightning quick and grabbed the bandana over my hair. I heard the scrape of Carlos' blades being pulled out as I grabbed the other end of the cloth. He pulled me in so swiftly that we stood inches from touching each other. 

"Get your fucking hands off."

Taurin leaned in close to whisper into my ear, "The two of us will be good together." 

He relaxed his grip and I whipped the bandana out of it. With a brief glare I turned defiantly and walked away.Carlos was already all nonchalance, his hands free of blades and swinging casually. "I know of a 24 hour pancake house."

"Great, I'm starving. I've been mostly dead all day you know." I laughed grimly.



Demon's Grace Ch. 05-06



I was in a better mood when I got back to the motel. Food and good conversation, not about demons, will do that for a person. It went down a notch when I saw Ezra and left completely when I saw Taurin. I stood in the doorway and surveyed them. I could sleep in the jeep I thought, hand still on the door knob. Ezra started walking towards me as soon as my face tightened. 

Demons are quick and I stood there too long. He was already in front of me, his eyes a black night with pin pricks of stars. I hated him for that. He knew how much I liked to watch his eyes that way.

"You're such an ass."

He responded by giving me an innocent look. He gently took my hands and lead me to a chair. 

"Why is he here?" I asked, not caring that I pouted like an eight year old who didn't want to go to school.

"I will not leave until it's done."

"Not gonna happen 'till you tell me what you're planning?" My eyes flashed angrily at Taurin standing against the far wall. Ezra knelt between my legs and looked up at my face.

"You have no bargaining power here," Taurin said.

"Ask me if I give a rat's ass."

Taurin started to laugh and went to sit at the edge of the bed. Closer to us than I appreciated. 

"Is it worth it to be with her?" he directed to Ezra. "Carlos would have been the better offer."

"Carlos would slit your throat," I responded harshly.

"He would die. Is that your plan, slit my throat?"

"If I said yes?"

"Are you?"

I replied truthfully, "No."

Ezra spoke up, "It is a fair trade. Leave Taurin, we will be here come morning. Think on what she asks." Ezra stood and guided me to sit at the head of the bed. Amazingly Taurin stood up and bowed his head slightly to Ezra without taking his eyes off him.

"I will do as you ask." His gaze went to me and he just looked. Slowly he opened the door and left.

I opened my mouth, but Ezra placed his fingers on my lips. "Do not say it. I have not said these things lightly. He will be back."

I moved my face away from his fingers. "Are you o.k. with it?"

"If it is your choice and he is the wind, I will bend."

My eyebrow rose at that. "You are Ezra, right? You're still a demon, aren't you? I didn't think demons bent to the wind." I ended with a coy smile on my face.

Ezra winked and manifested his body into its demon form. He quickly undid my boots and pounced on me. I caught a glimpse of his tail whipping back and forth. "Most certainly," he said, his eyes practically shooting sparks. 

I laughed joyously and dreaded the coming of the morning.

CHAPTER 6

We slept in and picked up a late breakfast. When we came back there was still no word from Taurin. I relaxed while we waited.

I mused. "It's been a week. Affairs' will want a report."

"We will have one," Ezra replied blandly. He lay on his side facing me, nude, with his glorious, deep red coloring. I traced the black markings on his skin. There was a stark knock and we looked at the door simultaneously. 

"No one's home," I shouted. 

I smiled as clove scented smoke wafted into my face at Ezra's snort. The knocking continued. I knew he heard me, they always do. Ezra propped himself up on the bed and leaned against the wall, completely unconcerned with his nudity. If I was nude I definitely would have put some clothes on. I wasn't, so I got up and reluctantly opened the door.

There he was, with the sun shining down on him, making him shimmer. Was it a sin to look so beautiful? He's a demon after all, so why not? Sin was suppose to tempt. I mockingly extended my arm to welcome him inside our humble motel room. Taurin sauntered in, flicking his long hair behind his shoulder. 

As I closed the door I looked at Ezra and said, "I can't wait to go home." He just looked at me with what I took to be agreement in his eyes. I sat in the chair next to the windows.

Taurin leaned casually up against the dresser stationed in front of the bed, hands in his pockets, sunglasses hooked in his leaf green shirt. He certainly dressed nicer than Ezra and me. Well, maybe just me, because Ezra wasn't dressed. Right now all I was wearing were worn jeans and a black tank top. I decided to forget niceties, "What's your plan?"

"Did Ezra tell you about our bargain?" He asked instead.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no." I glanced quickly at Ezra. His eyes remained fixed on Taurin.

"I'm curious."

"Gee, then we have something in common. Only what I want to know is what the fuck you're up to with the Affairs' Office."

"You should be curious about other things that affect you more personally," his eyes shifted to me, "and swearing is not necessary."

"Huh" was all I had to say to that. Swearing became my shield against the world after I became the lone member of my family. What were the odds that I was going to be bound to the two most word offended demons around?

"I will tell you both." He paused momentarily, "The Affairs' Office sent you and Carlos to kill me. There is a chair woman on the council named Slovya." He directed his eyes to Ezra as he said this, which directed mine to him too. Ezra remained expressionless. 

Taurin moved his gaze back to me. "As you should know, demons always, one way or another, learn about their warrants and who is coming for them. I contacted Bronti because my bargain with Ezra is a mutual agreement. He owes me nothing, unlike Bronti." He smiled smugly at his next words. "There are also chair members on the council who owe me certain favors. They would have a vested interest if I was dead."

"I dare say they didn't realize the amount of power you accumulated," was my reply.

"Two members did, Slovya being one. Their hope was an unsuccessful hunt on my warrant because of your death. They wanted Ezra to die, they didn't care about me."

"Who is the other?" Ezra asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He teased.

"We could just get a list of names on the board," I said dryly.

"They don't publish current board members, fear of retribution." He twitched his nose and gave me a slick smile.

"Don't be so pessimistic," I sneered at him.

"You have no time. Someone needs to report to the Affairs' soon about your current warrant. There are workings already in motion from different council members, legal and otherwise, to start anew towards Ezra and myself."

"How do you know this?" I asked incredulously.

He pointed to himself, "Demon." His sly smile appeared on his face again. 

I rolled my eyes and glared at him. 

His smile widened, "I won't tell you no matter how much you use your feminine wiles on me." 

I waved his explanation away with my hand and sighed heavily. 

Taurin continued, "I bond with you and the legal methods are out of the question. Leaving them illegal methods only to attempt to kill us."

"Unless there's a new law enacted. You're right, you should have bonded with Carlos. He's a better killer. Having the two of you in close proximity to one another makes me cannon fodder."

"I am pleased it turned out this way. Bronti wouldn't sell himself out and Ezra is the better bargain of the two because of his secrets."

I looked at Ezra, "What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means Taurin is going to be bothering me," came Ezra's reply. He drummed his fingers on a raised knee.

Taurin replied, "You have another specimen, Ezra. Can't wait to see what you do. Demon gossip is fun, but actually seeing is better."

I stood up in alarm. "I don't like this, especially if it pertains to me and the word specimen."

"Who is the second one?" Ezra asked Taurin again, this time more forcefully. Taurin didn't answer him. He did straighten up and walk towards me though.

"Do you know how powerful Ezra is, Dove?"

I stood warily in front of him, unhappy with the way he caressingly spoke my name. "He said we were not ready to take you on."

Honestly, I didn't think Ezra was powerful. The touch of his aura didn't feel massive in any way to me, a small part of the reason I agreed to the bonding. Taurin's, on the other hand, felt like a tsunami, ready to drown me in a second. As he approached me I knew he held it in check, but he still put a great pressure on my own. Ezra's always seemed to meld and keep me standing during battle.

"Do you honestly believe that?" He was all sincerity as he looked at Ezra.

"The name and I will tell you the truth." Ezra said forcefully. He was sitting on his knees now, facing us.

Taurin blinked and smiled, annunciating his words in a german accent, "The good Doctor Bardellis." 

The fires in Ezra's eyes flickered, but he didn't seemed surprised by this name. 

Taurin continued, "They got your name on it, signed by legal bearers, but were they right that I could destroy you?"

"Rather, have you kill Dove and send me back to where I started in the Affair's eyes, legally hunted."

"How flattering to me," replied Taurin. "I don't believe you'd let me kill her. At least not without repercussion. I think you were counting on my discretion even if you weren't there for the hunt. Luckily Bronti didn't have to utilize methods to keep you from my prize. He would have been sorely outmatched." 

He turned his attention back to me. I really didn't like the fact that he referred to me as his 'prize'. "He is as great a deceiver as any of us." He leaked out some of his power forcing me to stumble back into the chair. Ezra did what he always did. Moved to stand by me, crossed his arms, and merged his power into mine to help me regain my balance. It always worked and I was grateful for it.

"You are all deceivers." I said.

"Then why bind yourself at all, Dove?" Ezra asked as he turned to me.

I looked up into the glimmering flames of his eyes and shook my head, unable to voice my thoughts.

Stars slowly started to come into focus in those dark eyes, "What is life about but mysteries?" He did not smile, merely studied my face as I studied his.

Taurin, for the most part, ignored us and started talking again. "When the announcement is made the assassination attempts will start. Affairs' will be satisfied, thinking that you will be my keeper," he bit down and bared his teeth in a frightening manner at me, "and that there will be no more unnecessary deaths on my part."

Ezra added his thoughts to the conversation, "But there will be if we have to start killing others hired to kill us."

I snorted. "The police can't fault us for that, except when I say 'Yes officer, I'm aware that this is the third body I've decapitated in less than a week and no, I have no idea why someone is after us.'"

Taurin gave a genuine grin to that, "Let's blackmail someone."

"What?! Who?!" I exclaimed . "To gordons. They prefer a free meal." 

I responded, appalled, "Flesh eaters! Who'll have a bargaining chip afterwards!"

"Not if we find one of their secrets first and, you know, they would be horribly offended if you called them that."

I gave Taurin a mocking smile, "You mean you actually don't have a favor to call in?"

He looked seriously at me, "One, but it is centuries old and I doubt it matters anymore."

I sighed. "All right, so that problem is somewhat solved. How about the next. What are your plans for the Affairs' members. You can't just kill them." I turned towards Ezra, "And you?"

Taurin answered first, "Some."

"We can't just kill council members."

"We can do a lot of things," Taurin replied.

My eyes widened at his nonchalant manner, but Ezra then chimed in his thoughts before I could reprimand, "Slovya will succeed at finding another way to reach me legally. Dr. Bardellis won't care one way or another."

I rubbed my forehead in frustration and turned my attention to Taurin, "Will you tell us the members who you believe are trying to kill you?" I asked cautiously. Honestly, I wasn't sure that I really wanted to hear all the gory details, and with demons they always seemed to be gory.

"No, not until we are bonded. I wouldn't be so easily swayed to trust your good nature, as compassionate as you are," he said with a wink.

I sneered at him, "You suck. Thanks for inviting us to your melodrama." I stood up and used both hands to push at his chest. He, of course, didn't move.

"Oh, you have no idea."

I looked outside through the slit of the curtains of the window. "Let's get this shit done with."

Taurin crossed his arms and regarded Ezra. "We could always battle anyway or is that smile due to happy coincidence? You see, I do know you, Ezra, even if Bronti never did."

Ezra indeed was smiling and it was very cat with its cream. He had moved to lay on his stomach and his tailed snaked back and forth. "I would not kill you if we were to do battle right now. As far as your interference, a scientist loves variables. Am I not being kind with letting your disrespect of me go?"

Taurin tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, "You are being too passive, brother." Ezra stretched with that content smile on his face and bounded off the bed. "It is your move, Taurin. Dove."

Ezra held out his hand to me and I took it, because for now I liked Ezra better than Taurin. We walked around him, all the while I was puzzling out what had just been said while admitting that Carlos was right about demons. 

"We'll meet you at the park by the lake when you're ready," I said.

"I don't see why you can't just wait here while I re-evaluate."

My mouth dropped slightly while I was belting on my knives. Taurin's tone was pouting and wisely I didn't say anything, leaving it to Ezra. 

"I'm giving you time to reconsider," he said. 

I slipped on my boots as Ezra changed his form to look human, his skin sliding over itself and forming into clothing. I leaned sideways on the open doorway so that my back wouldn't be turned towards him. Ezra met my suspicious glance and walked past me. I followed, leaving Taurin in the room.

Taurin didn't show for a long time. Ezra and I sat in silence on a bench watching the slowly fading sunlight sparkle on the water. I was running my fingers through Ezra's black, shoulder length hair when I smelled the snow scent of Taurin and felt the vibration from my sword telling me another demon was coming. He walked up behind us and pushed aside my sun warmed hair from my neck. This exposed my blade, but he didn't touch it. Instead, Taurin used a flower and moved it softly back and forth across my skin. Ezra propped his leg on the bench and turned sideways to watch. 

Bonding could be forced. All the demon had to do was get the hunter's killing blade and cut both the hunter and themselves, then merge the blood. I reached behind me and drew the blade out. It sang in my hand, it channeled my power. Ezra didn't move, but I felt Taurin take a cautious step back and fortify himself with what felt like a wall to me. I look at my weapon and moved it, making it reflect the light of the sun. I switched my hold and placed it on my shoulder, pommel facing Taurin behind us. I gazed steadily at Ezra, placing my trust in his ability to keep watch.

There were a few moments before Taurin slowly took it. He surprised me with his choice, nicking my shoulder and hastily placing his lips on it. He cut his lips and I could feel the warmth of his mouth drawing on my blood. I didn't expect this, nor did I expect the alien feeling of seemingly cognizant liquid sliding inside my body, settling itself into a rhythm that made my breathing hitch. His arm came from behind me to place itself like a stone on my chest, securing me to the bench. My eyes closed and my right hand reached out to grip Ezra's leg. 

Confused about Taurin's manipulation I attempted to jerk away. This caused him to intensify the rhythm. I felt warmth start to flow from the lower part of my body. He finished with one harsh suck and then bit down hard, causing me to climax. I placed a hand over my mouth on my panting and angry noise of release. Physically I felt great, mentally I was not happy. I quickly turned around grabbed my blade from out of his hand. "Don't do that again!"

He still looked beautiful, even with bloodied lips forming a satisfied smile. Ezra curled around my back and I felt his tongue licking the cut. This did not make me happy either.

His whisper tickled the inside of my ear, "You feel wonderful." I growled at him in response and he only laughed. 

I shrugged him off and walked away, bringing my breathing under control. The blade sang through my mind. It would now be tuned to both Taurin and Ezra. It wouldn't stop it's vibrating music, it just changed a little to accommodate the new notes that represented Taurin. I placed the sword in a two handed grip and let it acknowledge the four directions and the spirit. With my eyes closed I moved in patterns, urging myself to go faster with more control. Nothing mattered except the blade and our dancing flight.

I felt the warmth of the sun recede and knew that it was closing towards evening. I acknowledged the five directions with the sword and pulled out my daggers to begin their dance. Opening my eyes from time to time, I continued until I was drained. I slid the daggers in their sheaths and sank to the ground on my knees, head bowed, focus drifting. The stifling heat of the night and the sounds of crickets closed around me. I smelled cloves and felt Ezra's presence before he placed his hand on my shoulder. 

"Where's Taurin?"

"I told him that you were envisioning him at the receiving end of your sword."

I gave a short burst of laughter to that, "Did he leave?"

"Yes. He will see us at the motel."

"When we call the Affairs' Office."

"Yes." 

"Is he afraid of you?" I whispered without looking up.

Ezra said nothing, just placed his hand in front of me. I waved it away as I usually did.

When we reached the motel Taurin was waiting for us outside. Without a word I opened the door. Ezra carried a copper bowl from the jeep and placed it on the dresser in front of the mirror. He then went through the motions of summoning the Chronicler of Affairs' for me.

Ezra's whispered words called the chronicler through the mirror above the motel's dresser. She was seated in front of a desk that held a slim, illuminated blue laptop and a glass bowl. A dignified, but hurried appearance was evident in her demeanor. Her shiny, brown hair was done up in a tight bun, gold wire rimmed glasses perched on her nose. "Warrant?"

I rustled the sheet of paper that I took from Carlos last night.

"Rate?"

"All alive."

She actually looked up from her typing when I said that. 'All alive' meant that not only were the hunters alive, but the hunted was too. Her expression remained stern.

"Accounting?"

"Bonded," I maintained the same tone she was giving me. 

Her head cocked slightly to the side, "Who has Taurin bonded to?" "Dove Hawthorne," I replied.

She gave me a perplexed look and demanded suspiciously, "Confirm." 

I drew my blade and skimmed it on the bowl's rim. It vibrated with two distinct notes, sending echoing notes like crystal glass on her side. 

There was a weighted silence from her for a few moments, then the continued tap of typing. "Warrant and Taurin," she continued. Taurin stepped in front of the mirror. With a macabre smile on his face he placed his fingertips on the bottom of the bowl and gave her a slight bowl. The glass bowl next to her frosted over with ice. She skimmed her ringed hand over it, each ring on her hand signifying an active warrant. I watched as the wide silver ring jerked on her middle finger. It shattered from her hand and clanged as it hit the bottom.

"Acknowledged," she said.

Ezra took the warrant and placed it in the copper bowl. The chronicler chanted a few words, sparked a match, and threw it in her glass bowl. Our warrant disintegrated in a quick flash of flame.

"Seen and recorded, to be relayed to the Office of Human and Supernatural Affairs'. Warrant and terms fulfilled in good faith. Payment in full to be deposited in your account." She paused before wiping her side of the mirror, "Dove, I would expect a summoning if I were you." I gave her a lopsided smile, "Seen and acknowledged, Aubrey." This caused her to smile grimly as she cleared the mirror.




Demon's Grace Ch. 05-06



Taurin looked at me slyly, "Now who gets to sleep in the bed?"

I looked at Ezra, "I say we go home and leave his ass here."

Ezra merely smiled at me as he ran his fingers through my hair.



Demon's Grace Ch. 07-08



We did leave that night, unfortunately Taurin went with us. We drove north to Washington, to my cabin in the woods. 

The first few days were uneventful. Taurin was busy working to find a clan of flesh eaters, making jokes about Ezra being a domesticated demon, and constantly hounding me to have sex with him. It wasn't until I finally told him that he could live in the abandoned dog house if he didn't stop harassing us that he finally decided to show some manners. After that he was gone frequently and Ezra and I had some wonderful secluded time for our selves.

"He is such a pain in the ass," I complained one night to Ezra. We sat on the porch swing, my foot absently swaying us back and forth. He turned to look at me.

"You have such beautiful eyes. Like ancient amber with prehistoric bugs caught in them."

"That's because a bug just flew into it," I said while rubbing to get it out.

"I noticed," he replied somberly.

After a few seconds of us looking at each other in silence I snorted out a laugh. I felt my face relax as I gazed at his rare smile of amusement. 

I almost resumed swinging when I noticed the uncanny silence coming from deeper in the woods. We both grew still and attentive. Ezra inhaled deeply and growled "wolf." I stood up and just as quickly Ezra grabbed me and threw me down to the porch. I let out an umph and looked over Ezra's shoulder as a rifle bullet cracked the wood of the swing where he was sitting. I frantically pushed my hair out of my eyes while saying, "Mother fucker" over and over again. I moved fast and crawled for the screen door. 

Crack. 

"Mother fucker, we should have killed that fucking demon."

I reached the handle of the door and clumsily crawled into the house, Ezra right behind, covering me. One more bullet was shot through the screen of the door, planting itself in the living room chair. When I felt that I was out of range I got up and ran to the kitchen. I just knew they were coming in. Bullets showed they were aiming at Ezra, but me, they would relish tearing apart with their teeth for fun. I nervously cupped the leather sheath of one of my daggers still belted to my thigh.

Two things happened at once, I heard a wolf howl, closer then I wanted, and the electricity went out. I was standing up against the wall away from the kitchen window and distinctly aware that the back door and fuse box were to my left. I saw reflected firelight from the front entranceway and knew it to be Ezra's burning eyes. 

This was how I first saw him. In the dark, only his eyes flickering in the distance. It scared me then and scares me still. Having a 6'5" demon with wings out, striding toward you does not help your nerves, which is exactly what he was doing now. He handed me my blade from the bedroom and I tapped it on my thigh.

"Are you trying to help me or scare the shit out of me?" I whispered. 

He tilted his head and blew smoke in my face, so I just rolled my eyes and turned away from him. He could see my annoyed response just fine in the dark. 

Ezra whispered, "Shape shifters." 

I grabbed his arm and made him follow me down to a crouch. We stilled as we listened to movement coming from the front and the back. Then, it didn't matter anymore because I heard wolf claws running on my kitchen floor. We ran out of time. I stood up, sword ready. There was a furious noise coming out of the wolf's mouth as it did a flying leap over the kitchen counter separating us.

I don't deal with wolves, natural or supernatural, but this one seemed huge. It's mouth could easily fit half of my head. I knew this because I got a close up view as it came straight towards me. I angled my sword in front of the wolf's face and it did a lightning quick move to turn its momentum. Fortunately for me, it turned the wrong way and almost hit the wall. It used front and hind feet to push off it and effortlessly bound over me, faster than my upward thrust. It then jumped over the table and twisted midair so it wouldn't land on its companion fighting Ezra.

I turned with its flight and we ended up facing each other. As I crouched down I heard a thud and quickly looked up into the kitchen entrance to see a man with a hand gun. I wondered briefly what kind of bullets he had that made him think that he could kill a demon with it. 

My mistake. The wolf took my distraction to charge. Not the best of moves since the other two were struggling close by. I turned to protect my face and got a glimpse of Ezra's arm in the other wolf's mouth. Then all I cared about was the fact that my head was smashed backwards into the corner of the wall and the counter. Instinctively my right arm came up and I punched the wolf's head with the fist holding onto the pommel. The wolf's head whipped to the right putting it off balance enough for me to get my knees and feet under its belly. I pushed it away and got to my knees swinging, slashing into its left shoulder hard enough that it whimpered and was knocked into the wall of the counter. 

My left hand already had a dagger in it and I let it fly into the man who was aiming his sights on Ezra. I was aiming for his eye, it stuck in his jaw. Not necessarily a good thing because he was turning into wolf man while shouting in anger. 

I was showered in a spray of blood, the edge of my vision showing a wolf head flying through the air. Shape shifters are hard to kill, silver or not, and as far as I was concerned, off with their heads. Ezra was up in a second, heading towards the wolf man who now held my dagger in his fist.

Nearby, the blood coming out of the wolf's shoulder had stopped and I was being growled at. My position still constricted as I slowly followed the wall sideways. The blood on the floor hampered my efforts and my boots slipped. The wolf jumped me and I brought my sword up directly into its thick throat. My butt landed hard on the slick floor, causing me to slide under while it flew over me with my sword in its neck. The force of the jump almost wretched my hand off the pommel. I held on and continued to slash downward using the fall of its body for momentum, partially gutting it. Wiping its blood out of my eyes I quickly stood up and swung my sword through its neck, beheading it. I spun around just in time to watch Ezra brake the wolf man's neck, letting the body fall to the ground.

My breathing sounded harsh in my ears as I stood there assessing the carnage. I swallowed around the hardness in my throat, "Not that I particularly want to see the mess in my kitchen, but I need some light." 

Ezra didn't turn around. I knew he was in the midst of battle lust. I also knew that he was good at controlling it. He brought his right hand palm up and a flickering flame appeared. His wings slowly closed and fitted themselves close to his body. It was then that I noticed that he was wearing pants. "You're wearing pants," I stated badly.

"I thought it would be appropriate." 

I snickered and walked up to him. "Yeah."

He turned around then and although he had a smile on, his eyes remained serious and bright. "Check the fuse box." 

We walked through the back door into the laundry room. A quick switch and I had the pleasure of seeing my kitchen. I had two dead men, a head, and one dead female sprawled on my floor. Not a happy prospect to clean. I grabbed a towel out of a drawer and drew it hastily across my blade as I gave a cursory look for my dagger. Oh, there it was, on that part of the bloody floor.

Ezra brought the bodies outside and collected the imbedded bullets. We looked at them curiously to see if they were modified in some way. I didn't see anything remarkable, but Ezra put them in his pocket without comment. He then took the hand gun and emptied it. He distractedly stared at the bullets. I could tell he wasn't in the mood to talk so I decided to clean.

I cursed Taurin up and down while using bleach and soap on my kitchen and dining area. I looked up from the floor feeling eyes on me. Ezra looked down at me with his arms crossed.

"What?" I asked in agitation, blowing blond tendrils of hair out of my face.

Smoke expelled out of his nostrils. "Nothing," he said angrily. 

It most certainly wasn't nothing, but I let it go. 

"Fine, then get down here and help me clean." Surprisingly he did. 

That was how Taurin found us. I left it to Ezra to tell him because I really wanted to cut down on my swearing.

CHAPTER 8

With the area clean we went into the living room. Taurin oddly respected my silence and started to tell us what he uncovered. It seemed that there were a clan of gordons that lived underground next to a factory. They had an agreement with the business men who could redirect their polluted waste through the caves where they lived. For their trouble, Taurin looked at me when he said this, sometimes living things went missing. My eyes widened at this news, but wisely I didn't ask what kind of living things. Like I said, I was trying to cut down on my swearing. Taurin finishing up by saying, "...so they said they would send a new family out here to deal with our little problem."

I finally decided to speak up, "I'm sorry, repeat what you just said."

He did, word for word.

"What!?"

He started again.

"Shut up!"

"They'll live in the woods, exactly where they prefer. They'll stay alert for activity and promptly show up. After the fight is done, that is."

"Great. And if just happens to be us they eat, who cares," I said sarcastically.

Taurin shrugged to this. "They said they wouldn't attack us."

"Yeah, unless we just happen to be in the woods and injured."

Taurin gave me an amused look, "I never thought of that." Then he laughed and I gritted my teeth and glared at him.

I turned to Ezra, "If I don't die from his bullshit I'll surely die from his humor."

Ezra crossed his arms and eased back against the couch the three of us were sitting on. "Do you want to go into the city. That would keep the damage down to a minimum on your cabin." At those words he turned and looked at a chair that had a nice hole in it from the rifle."It's a good thought," I mused.

"No, it's not," Taurin said forcefully. "We leave for the city and there will be more witnesses."

"Which will keep the attempts down to a minimum or at the very least make the assassins think harder for their money," I argued.

"And have more casualties. Why would you think that killers would care about innocent bystanders?"

I looked at him with a suspicious expression, "Why should you care?"

"Only because you would, my darling," he said sarcastically.

"Fuck you, Taurin."

"He does have a point," Ezra offered.

I rolled my eyes at him and looked back at Taurin. "How many Affair members have it in for you?"

"Three."

"You made a bargain with a werewolf?"

"Not quite"

"Huh." I paused while I thought about what needed to be done. "When will they be here?"

He actually looked sheepishly at me, "They're here already."

"The fuck you say!"

"Look, the bodies will be gone. They prefer the newly dead anyway. Still warm."

"The fuck you say!"

Ezra shepherded me away when I heard Taurin say, "You really do swear a lot."

I charged towards Taurin and Ezra caught me around the waist, forcefully dragging me into the bedroom. I swore obscenities at both of them all the way there.



Demon's Grace Ch. 09-10



CHAPTER 9

The next morning I sat leaned against the headboard of the bed. My gaze went to Ezra. "I don't want to owe a clan of flesh eaters some favor later on."

"Speak to Taurin," he mumbled. 

Within moments Taurin came into the bedroom.

"What the hell?!" I hastily grabbed the sheets to cover up my naked body.

"You called," he said smugly, trying to ogle me.

"I did not call!" At that moment I wished I could hurt him with my mind.

"I was talking to Ezra," he replied, his eyes glued to the outline of my body against the sheets.

I glanced at Ezra as he turned to me. He ignored the question in my eyes and said instead, "You have a beautiful body."

He then turned his attention to Taurin, "She wants to know why we will not owe a favor to the gordons." His arm snaked around my waist like an anchor and his head pillowed in my lap.

Taurin sighed. "I can't predict that. They are getting free food for a part of their clan that has new young. Ravenous young are not easy to feed."

"Ravenous young?!" I shouted at Taurin while struggling with the sheets that Ezra had pulled partly down with his cuddling.

Taurin slowly edged closer to the bed. "Do you know anything about gordons?"

"Some." I said distractedly as I looked down at Ezra in agitation. He lolled his head casually to look up at me and snapped his teeth together in fun. I quickly drew back and quirked my lips in annoyance.

"Well, they need meat," Taurin said nonchalantly. I turned my head at his words and we both watched his fingers walk the edge of the bed.

"Huh. Are you sure they won't come after us?" I turned to look up at his face, Ezra took that moment to grip the sheet with his teeth and playfully pull.

M

My eyes widened as I looked down at him, "Ez!"

Taurin's hand was now next to my head when he answered, "They rarely actively hunt what is not weak already. They know the condition that we will kill and hunt them if one of them gets the nerve to come after us."

My hands gripped the gradually slipping edge of the sheet to my breasts, "So they might."

Taurin shrugged at this and his arms came to frame either side of my head. He leaned into my personal space and I held my breath, trying to sink farther into the wood behind me, "What is a little gordon to us?"

"Oh, you pompous demon," I said shaking my head.

"They can move solid earth," Ezra added as he surged between the two of us, causing Taurin to stumble backwards as Ezra smiled aggressively at him. I breathed a sigh of relief as Ezra draped himself over me, nuzzling into my neck, covering me from the other demon's eyes.

Taurin replied with a wave of his hand, completely ignoring the power play. "That is not a problem now."

I looked up and gave an exaggerated sigh, "You're right."

Taurin placed his hand on his chest, "She agrees with me? Oh, what will happen next? Demons knocking at your door asking if you've been saved?"

If I wasn't naked I would have tackled him. "Get. Out." I growled. He did, but not without a sarcastic bow. Taurin was not dumb.

I threw Ezra and the sheets off of me and stomped towards the connected bathroom, "You were provoking him on purpose!" 

Ezra gave a rumbling purr in his chest and I turned to watch him stretch like a cat on the bed, his eyes sparking bits of blue flame. I gave a frustrated sigh and shut the door.

By the time I made it to the kitchen Taurin was sipping coffee and Ezra was reading a newspaper. "You made coffee?"

Taurin replied without looking at me, "I found that I have a weakness for coffee." I looked down into his cup and noticed it was pale.

"Let me try that," I said while holding out my hand. Surprisingly, he placed the coffee mug in my hand. I took a hesitant sip. It had a lot of milk and sugar. "I can't believe you drink this. I think you have a weakness for coffee flavored sugar."

He gave me an authentic smile that had me looking at him thoughtfully.

"What?" he asked around that smile.

I shook my head moving towards the back door, "Nothing." I gave a small wave, "I'm going running, hopefully nothing will attack me while I'm out there." I glanced at Ezra, who did not look amused at my comment, and left.

Although it was invigorating run I found myself unable to listen to my music and on alert. It turned out to be a good choice. When I circled back home I found my path blocked. I've never seen a gordon in the flesh before. It looked almost exactly as I imagined. 

A pale, gray blue figure crouched close to the ground with long arms trailing. Huge wrists and hands bent on the path. Bulbous eyes stared up at me and its bump of a nose quivered. Bits of hair stood up on several places of its body. I think it was smiling at me when it showed me its mouth full of sharpened points.

I centered and kept myself from doing anything rash. Its smile, if that's what it was, slowly faded and I felt that we were in a staring contest. It finally jumped into the trees. I watched until it looked like the earth swallowed it. With a deep breath I continued my jog. When I came back into the house I glared at Taurin, who was washing mugs. He looked at me innocently.

"What?"

I sneered in response and made my way to the shower.

When I came out there was a folded note on my bed. I tightened my cotton robe and reached for the missive. It looked like a warrant. It wasn't. I sat down on the bed as I read it. It was an order for demon hunter Dove Hawthorne with demons Ezra and Taurin to present themselves at the Office of Human and Supernatural Affairs'. It gave a time and date for us, mentioning that the specifics would be discussed at the meeting. It was notarized by the presenter and Aubrey, the chronicler. The shit's hit the fan. 

We had two days to prepare to present ourselves. The missive read that we needed to go to the main office for the North Western Zone. On the bright side I would get to see Aubrey, maybe, on the down side we had to drive back to California, Sacramento specifically. Why not fly, because flying was cramped and annoying to me. I sighed and watched Ezra walk through the bedroom door.

CHAPTER 10

As I moved my suitcase out into the hall I asked, "What if someone sets a bomb in my house while we're gone?"

Taurin's burst of laughter grated on my nerves.

"I'm serious," I emphasized.

"Understood," he snickered. "In any case I warded your house. We'll know of any attempt. Why hasn't Ezra put one in place?" He turned his head to look at the demon who was leaning against the wall.

"Not necessary," he replied as he straightened and walked towards me. 

Glancing at Taurin he said, "Since you put us in danger I look to you to use all your skills to protect us." 

Taurin looked at him oddly, but said nothing.

Seems I was learning a lot about demons now that I had two of them with me. I didn't know that demons could ward a place or talk to each other in their minds. As far as I was concerned Ezra had the right of it, it was Taurin's responsibility. 

He grabbed my suitcase and walked to the jeep. Taurin followed. I gave a look around and hoped that Taurin was telling the truth, I didn't have enough money to replace my home. As we drove south I sang to the music playing in the car. Taurin complained. This encouraged me sing the rest of the trip.

We reached the hotel very early in the morning. I promptly went to sleep with Ezra at my side. Taurin got the sofa bed. I woke up alone late in the afternoon and went through the motions of making sure my clothes were pressed and ready for tomorrow morning. When I was done I checked my blades and decided to walk around the city and find something to eat. 

I met them at the hotel later in the evening. I walked through the door and Taurin was immediately questioning me. 

"Where have you been?"

"What's it to you?" I asked defensively.

"You could have been attacked."

"Don't go thinking that just because we're bonded that you can order me around or know my every move, shit head." From the bedroom door I heard Ezra sigh at my words.

Just by standing up Taurin raised the stress level. I stared into his blue, blue eyes and narrowed my own. I recited in my head, 'I will not throw my dagger at him.' Ezra moved closer to us and interrupted whatever it was Taurin was going to say.

"Taurin was attacked today," he told me.

'Oh', I thought with understanding. What I said was different. "I think you would be used to it by now." I nonchalantly moved to pass him.

Taurin's hand moved in a blur grabbing my left bicep. My dagger was already in my right hand and under his chin. Silence reigned in the hotel room. My peripheral vision caught Ezra sizing us up. If Ezra said anything to chastise me I was going to throw my other dagger at him. Instead he focused on Taurin.

"You shouldn't move so fast with her. It puts her defenses up."

"They should be up," came his stern reply.

I watched the ice spread across his eyes and had to put effort into not being distracted. "If this is your way of making sure that I am ready to protect myself against assassination attempts it doesn't put you in my good graces. Which you're definitely aren't in anyway." The knife remained barely pushing into the skin of his chin.

He nodded, "It's what you're trained to do." He slowly took his hand off my arm.

"No, I'm trained to kill rat bastards like you." At those words I slashed shallowly across his neck. Blood flowed and Taurin tackled me. I tensed my neck to keep my head from banging on the floor. A drop of blood dripped on my face as he stared his fury down on me. I swallowed around his hand on my throat.

"You're too slow," he whispered vehemently.

"I didn't plan on killing you." I raised my chin defiantly despite his considerable weight baring down on me. There was no way I was going to let him think he was intimidating me.

He forced his hips and thighs between my legs. "Then I can do anything I want," he replied cruelly. He pushed down with his very blatant arousal and forcefully kissed me. He bit, licked, and tightened his hold on my throat, urging me to open my mouth for him. I clenched my mouth closed and moved my right arm to place my dagger by his ear. Taurin growled low in his chest and turned his head towards Ezra behind us.

"Get the fuck off me," I said between shallow breaths. 

Taurin's face remained turned when he released me and stood up. When I looked at him the cut on his neck slowly healed. Ezra and Taurin stared hard at each other. It seemed there should be heated words going back and forth, but I couldn't hear a sound. Taurin angrily slammed out of the room.

"I think we should've gotten separate rooms," I told him as I rubbed my sore throat.

Ezra smiled slowly. "He is worried about you."

"He doesn't show it well."

"No. You are a stubborn person to be bonded to. Three months was enough for us."

"You think we can wait that long for Taurin and I to stop trying to kill each other? Sure. We can survive that," I replied sarcastically.

"I will be here," he answered with assuredness.

"I'll count on it." I walked up to him and placed my chin on his chest staring up into his night filled eyes. "What didn't I hear when you talked to him?"

Ezra just smiled, swooped me up, and carried me into the bedroom.



Demon's Grace Ch. 11-12



CHAPTER 11

Early the next morning I was in the bedroom standing in front of the mirror giving my outfit the final touches. I wore a navy, pin striped suit, pants of course, and a crisp white shirt. French cuffs and a daring, but not excessive, V necked plunge in front. I placed my necklace around my neck and turned to survey the carrying case for my knives. 

There was no way I was leaving my knives in the hotel room despite knowing that there was no way the Affairs' Office would let me in with them. My sword was in its sheath laying on the bed.

The suit was form fitting and wouldn't permit hiding knives anyway. I bought it on a whim, knowing the chances of wearing it were slim. I sighed again as I thought about hiding blades around the suit. Maybe if I cut some slits on the bottom of the pant legs for ankle straps. I fiddled with the cuffs. What if I had them refit for some wrist sheaths. I looked down and surveyed my cleavage. My eyebrows arched up. I pulled the sides of the jacket and shirt away from my chest and surveyed my bra, trying to visualize a way for it to contain blades and sheaths. Ezra found me this way.

Ever one to take the advantage, he moved lightning quick so that he was also staring down into my cleavage. I hastily let go of the clothes and jumped back a little, "Hey! I was just-"

He smiled slyly and rose a black eyebrow, "No explanation necessary."

I was flattered, but choose instead to say, "Ugh." I turned and closed up the carrying case. "Is everything ready?"

He moved me to face him and deftly hooked the hoop earrings in my ears that I'd forgotten about. 

"Yes. Shall we go?" He grabbed my knife case with one hand and held out his other arm for me.

"Sure. Let's go play." I said as I grasped my sword and we walked out of the bedroom. Taurin was standing in the sunlight coming from the window, it gave a halo effect around his body. As he walked toward me I looked from one demon to the other. They were both beautiful. They both had straight noses, but that is where the similarities ended when in human form. Taurin's long, not quite platinum, hair was free and flowing to his waist. Ezra had black, shoulder length hair tied back in a queue that would give a person glimpses of a red sheen. Taurin's eyes were a sparkling pale blue. Ezra's had an iris and pupil that merged because of their deep black color. Sometimes flames seemed to flicker behind them. Ezra's cheekbones were prominent and created shadows over his face. Taurin's skin tone was white while Ezra's was darker, tanned. His lips were thin, but just as kissable as Taurin's full ones would be if I ever decided to kiss him while shoving a knife in his chest. 

Ezra had on an entirely black suit with a garnet pin used to close the top of his shirt. Taurin had on a navy suit similar to mine. I tried not to notice how much it fit him to perfection.

"How odd," I said looking at Taurin. He raised his eye brows questionably at me. "You know what I'm talking about."

"I think it gives the illusion that we are," he paused, wagging his blond eyebrows at me, "suited for one another." He grabbed me around the waist and half twirled me. Thankfully, I wasn't wearing my heels yet.

"Are you implying that you went through my clothes to find out what I was wearing?" My free hand was on his chest attempting to stop him from getting any closer to me. He moved in regardless.

"Yes," he said.

I looked at Ezra with astonishment, "And you let him?"

His hand on my back pushed me in closer to him and his sly smile, "I have several more brilliant touches that I would like to show you."

"No thanks, I need to put my shoes on." 

I looked around to find them. Ezra had them in his hand already. "Ah, there they are, excuse me." He let me push myself away. I walked over to Ezra and grabbed my shoes. I whispered furiously to him, not caring that Taurin could hear me, "I can't believe you let him do that!"

He shrugged and said in his matter of fact voice, "There are more important things to think about today."

I gave him a short breathy growl, "Fine, let's go."

"Our chariot awaits," Taurin said, ushering us out the door in a gentlemanly manner.

"Where did you come from?" I asked.

His mouth opened to answer. 

"It's rhetorical. Don't answer, because I don't really want to know."

"Then don't ask," he said, mimicking my tone.

I glared and didn't talk to him for the whole trip to the Affairs' Office. When we got to the four story building I listened to my heels click up the stone steps and onto the marbled floor. I felt like a business professional. I even had a case, it only held knives though. For a brief second I thought to myself, I could be a lawyer, even a secretary, maybe a chronicler, like Aubrey. Reality came back to me when Taurin reached the front desk first to announce us. I twitched my lips and used my hip to push him to the side while I handed the letter to the female at the desk. 

As she skimmed it I told her I had weapons to declare. She never looked up, just signaled with her hands to someone to the right. When the security guards appeared I handed over all my weapons to them. One of them held a clipboard and he asked me to print here, sign here, initial here, and here. I rolled my eyes as I did as he asked. The security guards eyed the two demons warily. If I hazarded a guess I'd bet they didn't know what they were, only that they weren't human. It was the effects of the building.

The building was warded. Built specifically on an engraved pentacle with rune castings. If a person walked around the building they would be able to see the end points of the star and the circle around the perimeter. The surrounding streets, also merging in a pentacle form, were warded too. Part of this warding was to give people working here the ability to know if they were talking to someone who rated as supernatural. It was also a misguided attempt to null magic, although how can you null magic if it's your DNA, which was the case with demons. Its success rate was minimal at best.

I thanked the guards and the front desk personnel as she directed me to the second floor and Ezra and Taurin to the third floor. I was on my way to see personnel on the human floor. The two demons were on their way to the supernatural floor.

I left them to ride the elevator and decided to take the stairs. As I walked I wondered to myself what the supernatural community thought about having to share a whole floor for all their different communities while humans got to have a whole floor to themselves. When I reached the exit door I wondered to myself why I thought wearing high heels and walking up stairs would be a good combination.

Since I didn't take the elevator I walked around a corner to come up to the reception desk. The receptionist was dressed in a bright red suit, her blonde hair tumbled artfully around her face. I watched the light glint off her glasses that were dangling around her neck.

"I'm Dove Hawthorne," I announced.

Her voice was just this side of too much sweetness, "Oh, I received the phone call from the front desk. You'll have you preliminary review with Mr. Clothier. He's already waiting for you down the hall," she pointed to her left, "office number twenty two. If you get the chance you can come back this way and the first entranceway on your left, past the stair exit, is the coffee room." She smiled at me.

"Thank you, ma'am ," I said with a cynical smile. "If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been here?"

"Oh, two months." She was still smiling... genuinely.

"Well, I hope you enjoy working here." God, I hope no one eats her, literally.

"Oh, I just love it. People are rather quiet, but they like it when I bring in homemade cookies."

"I just bet they do," I said with a slow shake of my head. "I'll go meet Mr. Clothier now," and started to edge down the hall.

"Oh, ok." She actually gave me a little wave. I nodded my head and quickened my stride. When I reached the closed door that had only the numbers 22 on it, I knocked and let myself in. The man sitting behind the desk was shuffling files and had disarrayed, receding brown hair. He ran his fingers through it as I walked to the desk.

"Sit down," he said acidly as he pointed to the chair in front of him without even looking at me.

I grimaced and decided to be polite even if he wasn't and sat down. Then I waited, and waited. He kept switching files and reading papers. They probably didn't even have anything to do with my case. He finally looked up at me with a shrewdness in his eyes that I didn't expect. 

"Miss Hawthorne," he said, drawing out the 's's into 'z's.

"Mr. Clothier," I said, drawing out the 'Mr' and 'er'. I would have laughed if I didn't think it would ruin the image.

He gave me a stern look, "I've been reviewing yours, Ezra's, and Taurin's files." At that pronouncement he slammed his hand down forcefully on the files.

Oops, I guess those were my files. I eyed the stack wearily. Surely, most of that paperwork pertained to my compatriots and not me.

"We here at the Office of Human and Supernatural Affairs' find your performance as a demon hunter lacking in quality."

"I'm alive, aren't I? They're not." I said dryly.

He eyed me sternly, "After reading your file I will strongly advise you to restrain yourself from interrupting me. This will take entirely too long if you speak when you are not asked to. Which brings me to the point of this review. No one can gainsay your success rate, as you say, you are alive and they are not."

I clenched my jaw and bit the inside of my cheeks to keep from speaking. I hated this place.

Mr. Clothier continued, "Our discussion lies firstly with the amount of time it takes for you to perform your duty. We expected your success rate to become quicker with your experience. Six years and 6 months and it's still taking you several days to report back to us. Although I hesitate to ask, would you like to say anything at this point?" He gave me a look that said clearly he didn't want me to.

You and the rest of 'us' can take your heads out of your ass and track down a demon that already knows your hunting for its life because of the lack of secrecy around here. Then you can look into its eyes and hope that it can't find out what your deepest fear is. You'd probably piss your pants, Mr. Clothier. What I really said was, "No, sir."

"Good, I see you've learned a moderate grain of reserve. I will note it in your report." He looked down and wrote something down on a piece of paper.

A moderate grain of reserve? You can take that pen and stick it in your eye. I remained silent.

He continued, "This touches on the second part that I will impart to you. Your respect for our administration borders on," his stare became harder on me, "ill will. I asked to be informed of your every move once you entered the building and I see that you are working on that aspect of your conduct. I commend you and will say no more about it."

I put a touch of gratitude in my eyes. I wish you were a demon so I could hunt you down and make you suffer. I'll commend you if you don't cry.

"You have been called here today to discuss the state of your affairs, the expectations for your warrants, and your personal conduct. A panel of six will be present, two from the human contingent. This is not part of your regular reviews so expect to be called when it's time. You are dismissed and may go directly to the fourth floor." He looked down and started to write. I sneered at his bowed head and left without a backwards glance.

CHAPTER 12

The elevator to the fourth floor was a different one than the others in the building. Both the second and third floors had their separate elevator to the fourth floor. The stairwell only opened from inside the fourth floor, so I waited for the elevator doors to open.

As soon as I stepped inside and the doors closed, I noticed the ceiling gape open. A slim women dressed in black dropped to the floor, a think garrote in her hands. She swooped in on me and I abruptly dropped to my knees bringing my right arm in a sweep to make her fall. How that worked I don't know. I'll attribute it to the fact that she was trying to kill me before we reached the fourth floor. She fell face first and I pounced on her back. I brought my left arm around her neck and my right hand gripped her hair. My legs crossed over hers to prevent her from moving. Her hands came up palm first over her shoulders. I caught a glint of silver as it came out from her wrist sheaths. My right arm was slashed open as I stretched backward out of her reach.

"Bitch!" 

I squeezed down on her waist with my knees and switched my left hand to her hair. Then I forcefully smashed her head several times into the mirrored wall. The mirror shattered. Blood painted our little corner of the elevator. 

I was applying pressure to my arm when the doors opened. Ezra and Taurin stared at me from the waiting room. I hurriedly jumped up off of her because I felt her die. She just stopped breathing. The two of them were already at the doors when I turned her over. I had missed it before, but now that I could look at her face and not the garrote, I just barely saw the mark. There was a demon servant etched under her ear. I cocked my head as we watched it burn itself and the skin surrounding it.

"Well there goes that evidence. Whose was it?" I asked no one in particular.

"Marks are sacred to us," Taurin replied.

"Huh. Which means you wouldn't tell me even if you knew. Feel free to deal with the body. I'll sit down and watch." I gave them a little wave as I sat with a grimace. They looked at me and then each other. Taurin went into the elevator and Ezra came to me.

Without a sound he placed his hands around the edges of the cut and applied heat to it. I gritted my teeth as he moved his fire directly onto the wound.

Meanwhile, Taurin dragged the body into the waiting room and tossed a black bag on top of it. "I found this in the hatch. It has a suit of clothes. There is another hatch higher up the elevator shaft."

"She probably would have gone down the outside fire escape then or maybe just set off the fire alarm. I don't know, who cares. We should find out if anyone knows her."

Taurin gave me a look of disbelief, "No one will admit to that."

At that moment the door opened and a business attired man entered, "You're wanted..." He paused and stared at the dead body. I watched his adams apple bob as he gingerly walked around the body. "Ma'am, are you able to continue?" Trust the employees of the Affair's Office to deal with any situation with complete tact and manners.

"I am. Hopefully it will not be too long though."

"As to that, I cannot predict the whim of the council members."

"But you can inform them of this new development."

"Yes, my lady, I will tell them promptly. Then I will see to the disposal and investigation of the body. If I may ask?"

I knew what he was asking. "She came down through the elevator hatch immediately after the doors closed. I don't know her and I don't know why." Well, I didn't know the specifics, but I was sure it had to do with Taurin.

He cleared his throat, "I see. If you will follow me." He looked at all three of us in turn then proceeded to the door of the meeting room.

It wasn't a meeting room really. There were no windows on the fourth floor and all it contained was two waiting rooms, one for us, the peons, and one on the opposite side for the council members, the judge and jury. Then there was the room in between, the meeting room. The members got to sit in chairs behind a very long, slightly curved table. We got to stand until they said we could go. There were three pitchers of water and glasses in front of the members. I hoped it didn't take that long.

Our escort went to the closest member on the end and, I assumed, relayed the information to him. His shoes made a clipped sound on the shiny tiled floor as he walked himself out without looking at us. The shutting of the door echoed in the cavernous room.

"My esteemed colleges, I have just been advised that Dove Hawthorne," that council member gestured to me with his hand, "has been attacked in the elevator and her assailant is dead."

I watched the council members, looking for the tell tale signs in their eyes and faces of who was smelling my blood. Only those of the highest power and control were allowed in the positions these six also held. They would all present themselves as gentlemen. They most certainly were all men, not a female in sight, or a demon come to think about it. Ezra remained at my side with his hand at my back. I didn't begrudge it.

"I would like to be kept informed as to any information that may be garnered from your investigation, as well as, the police's." That got their attention.

"We will do all that is in our power," came the announcer's curt reply.

"I'm sure you will," came my own.

Another council member cleared his throat, "As you don't seem to have any fatal injuries, may we continue?"

He wasn't really asking, but I nodded anyway.

An elderly looking man started, "You have been called in due to the recent, as well as, unprecedented bonding of an additional demon to your person. It has been argued that the bonding of two demons puts to question the status of present and future morality and ethics. Your previous demeanor has been one of," he looked directly at me with a empty facial expression, "a quick wit and inquiring mind. Your ability to succeed with your warrants is noted, as is, your time management with said warrants. You were advised at your last review," here he gave Ezra a nod, "when you recently bonded with Ezra, that you needed to organize and prioritize your skills. These requests have, of late, still not been adhered to. We were given the assurance that they would be, especially since you now had an associate. We request again that you make your warrants and their subsequent reports in a timely fashion. As this is not an official review for you you still have time to make progress with your professional skills."

I couldn't help it, I laughed. It just burst out. Professional skills, like I choose to be a demon hunter. I looked down at the floor while I regained my composure. When I looked back up many of the faces were not amused. I gave them a bland smile and said in my most dour voice, "Sorry." Taurin quietly snickered from my right. Unfortunately, due to the acoustics of the room, I think everyone else heard too.

But, proceed they did. A middle-aged man with a condescending smile took up the mantra of burn her at the stake. Well, not really, but he might has well have. "As we said, the question of the influence of two demons may well wear on a person's... behaviors. We will be closely monitoring your professional behaviors and requesting that other demon hunters contact us with... suspicions... of maliciousness. Any volunteer efforts on your part for the good of the Office of Supernatural and Human Affairs' will be noted."

They wanted me to do my job for free. If the Affairs' Office didn't exist I probably would be anyway, but dammit they were and I wasn't. Behind me I felt Ezra's hand get warmer on my back. Peering at him out of the side of my eye however, gave no outward indication that he was getting angry.

The man continued directing his gaze towards the demons, "Ezra and Taurin, you are also advised that any volunteer efforts on your part will be noted. You are to have contact with personnel of the Affair's Council to ascertain your... good will and... positive efforts... to Dove Hawthorne and society in general. You should have already been appraised of the name of your contact." I think the man was waiting for a nod or some kind of acknowledgment from the demons. They never moved and I'm positive their stares were unnerving.




Demon's Grace Ch. 11-12



The man took a nervous sip of water and another took up the mantra. He directed his stare at me, "Since you now have two associates our expectations for you are going to be higher than for other demon hunters."

I grimaced and sighed. 

"Do we bore you?" Someone new to chant at me.

I looked up into silvery eyes with my best sincere face, "No, of course not, attribute it to being attacked in an elevator in a building that's suppose to be attack proof."

"Is that a reprimand?" 

Oh my, his nostrils were flaring despite the blandness of his tone. "Of course not." I even widened my eyes a bit for effect.

He caught on to my blatant bullshit and stood up quickly, barring his teeth at me. "You are not to question or even imply that we do not put your and everyone else's safety at the highest priority. Your manners leave something to be desired."

I looked him right in the eyes, "My, my, grandma, what big teeth you have." 

Taurin moved to stand slightly in front of me. For moments the only sound heard was the breathing in the room. Someone cleared their throat and continued talking while another urged silvery eyes to sit down. "As we said, our expectations for your team will increase, be ready for it. You are dismissed."

The werewolf, because I was sure that was what he was, called me, "Dove Hawthorne." I stared directly into those glowing eyes. "I will personally see to your safety."

A smile slowly spread on my face and I nodded. "The least I can do is return the favor. I'll make sure no demons come sneaking into your home late at night." Taurin and Ezra hurried me out of the room, one in front and one in back. 

Annoyed, Taurin remarked, "You would pick a fight with a werewolf!"

"Why not? You did," I said in my most chipper voice.

Ezra laughed.

I caught Taurin giving me a considering look. Back in the waiting room the body was gone, there were only blood stains on the beige carpet. I felt like I was saying this a lot lately, but I said it one more time, "Let's go home."

Unfortunately, I promised myself to stop at the local police station. Once there I gave them the clue I didn't give the Affairs' Office, the demon mark. They were a bit suspicious when I said it burned away, as if I put a lighter to it and burned it myself! I gave them a crude drawing of what I remembered. Neither of the demons offered any help what so ever, stating that they weren't there when I was attacked. I was advised that I would be contacted when they had any leads. Which probably meant never. We left soon after that.

As we neared the Oregon state line Taurin looked at me gravely. "You should have left it to the Affairs' Office."

"Why are you bringing this up now?" My brow furrowed as I looked at him, "And why are you sitting in the front seat?"

"We decided to take turns."

"Well, it's my jeep and I don't want you in front," I said.

Taurin brought his sunglasses down to look at me and Ezra leaned forward to place his hand on my shoulder. "Stop, Dove." I felt his warm hands massage my neck. "I like it back here. From here I can do other things than if I was in front." I made a startled noise as he started nipping.

Taurin continued. "The civilian police have no training to do any type of thorough investigation with demons. Outsiders do not need to be appraised of our situation. I will be doing an investigation."

I felt my anger rise. "You know whose mark that was, don't you?! They...," I gave a surprised yip and the jeep swerved. Ezra bit down hard on my neck and licked the skin caught between his teeth. "I'm driving, dammit! And, fine, I'll calm down!"

"If anything it will put the civilian police in danger. Most forces don't have the people they need to do any in depth detective work. You know it, I know it, and they know it. Their people would just get slaughtered. They are not going to do anything except report it to the Affairs' Office."

I looked at Taurin briefly from the side of my eye. "You're right, but I'm a human and they're suppose to." I paused briefly, "Maybe I should join the police force."

Ezra bit down hard on a different place, causing me to jump again. 

Taurin replied, "You get paid too nicely to go into the police force."

"True, but it's always an option if I decided to tell the Affairs' Office to shove it up their ass."

Taurin sighed with frustration.

"Pull over," Ezra said forcefully. 

I did and looked behind me to see what was wrong. He kept his gaze on me as he said, "Taurin, drive."

I looked over at Taurin in astonishment, "You can drive?"

He didn't respond.

"What's going on?" I said suspiciously.

Ezra placed himself between the seats and unbuckled me. I was in the back seat and half under him before I realized it. I glanced over to the driver's seat and found Taurin already in it.

"Uh..." 

Ezra pulled me all the way under him. His eyes had turned to the night sky. "Fast learners," Ezra whispered to me at the same time I heard Taurin ask which one was the brake. 

My eyes grew wide as he started to put the car in gear. "Oh no, this is so not- mmmmph." Ezra was full on kissing me. We almost rolled off the seat as Taurin hit the break too hard. I protested. "He can't drive and we're not doing this in front of him!"

Ezra gave me a look, "We are in back of him."

"Taking turns," came Taurin's smug reply.

"I'm not taking turns!" I shouted loudly as I pushed at Ezra. Ezra just smiled, smugly. The car swerved in little inches. "Don't try so hard, Taurin!" 

After that Ezra was drowning me in his kisses, bites, and touches. When we reached the cabin the only thing Taurin said was that he hoped he could fog up the windows half as well as Ezra. I felt my blood gush to my head and couldn't look at either of them. If they were laughing I was glad I couldn't hear it.



Demon's Grace Ch. 13-14



CHAPTER 13

The cabin itself had been unmolested during our stay in California. The next day Taurin came back from a meeting with the gordons and told me that they saw some activity in the woods.

"What kind of activity?" I asked.

"Not really in their best interest to find out and they are not a talkative lot. They told me there were some hunters and some not hunters."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Taurin crossed his arms. "It means that there were hunters on your land and others who were not hunters on your land."

I gave him my best enlightened expression, "Ohhhh."

"Can the shit, Dove." Taurin said calmly.

I gave him a lopsided grin, "You said 'shit'."

"I'm trying to get your attention," he growled.

"Fine. You have it. Should I assume that the information you are garnering out of this is that there are fisherman and people snooping around."

"Not only snooping, but camping out." His arms remained crossed.

It was my turn to cross my arms and get serious. "What did you find out?"

"I smelled werewolves at a deserted campsite."

"Persistent. What did you do to them?" Taurin stared hard at me. "Don't give me that look. What did you do to them?"

His expression turned conniving, "Have sex with me and I'll tell you."

I gave him an exasperated look, "Go find your sex on the street and tell me what you did anyway."

He placed his hand palm up in front of me. "What?" I asked suspiciously.

He calmly replied, "Just give me your hand."

I reluctantly placed my hand in his, it was surprisingly comfortably warm. He led me to the couch where we sat angled next to each other.

"I suppose I should tell you and Ezra at the same time, but he will find out since your sleeping in the same bed." An edge of anger crept into his voice. I wisely kept my mouth shut. "I was hired by a pack of wolves to torture the family members and pack of a werewolf elected to be a council member. Many of those once in power elect to abuse it. This pack feared that, and rightly so. This wolf is shrewd. The move was to convince Affairs' that he did not have control of his power to occupy the position." He held my eyes. 

"I was very good at my job." 

I refused to turn away from his stare. 

"The wolf didn't break. He achieved the position. He destroyed and scattered the opposing pack after finding out the names of those hired to kill and torture his family."

"You killed them?"

"Some."

"But you didn't kill him?"

"Not in the contract. Time ran up."

"You failed."

He looked to the left, "Not one of the highlights of my career as an evil demon."

I sighed heavily, disgusted and amused at his reply, "I suppose there is no other way to make amends."

"This happened five years ago. I have never been in one place long enough for him to track me. It's not my nature. And, it was messy." His eyes remained on mine.

"Why do you do this?" I looked down at my clasped hands.

"Revenge, Power. Demons love to drink down others' power. There are many ways the knowledgeable trap us. The more power we acquire the less likely we will be at someone else's mercy, that includes other demons. That is why we are alone. Demons always seek to dominate each other and everyone." 

His hand went over mine. I looked up into those icy eyes and didn't resist the impulse to brush my fingers through his straight pale hair.

"Why haven't you attacked Ezra?"

"It surprises me to know he is powerless because he chooses to be." He moved his face closer to mine, not answering the question. 

"He has had his share of deaths and torture. Make no mistake about that, Dove."

"His power has not changed since we bonded."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "There are things Ezra does that I don't understand. I can now draw on yours any time I want."

At those words it felt as if his hand was caressing me everywhere, pulling me towards him. His face got closer to mine and he whispered, "I will tell you a secret." He paused for a long time, "You can do the same to us."

I was startled, I didn't know this, "Why would I?"

"Why would you?!" He repeated, astonished. "The goal is to stay alive, Dove. To move faster, push harder. Right now you are an easy kill, but not for lack of power." His hand pushed back my hair behind my ear. "I was tempted in those seconds before Bronti threw up his protection spell."

My hand pulled on the ends of his hair. "Why hasn't Ezra told me this?"

"Why would a demon tell anyone?" He asked rhetorically.

"Why did you tell me?"

"It is no easy thing to deny once you have been the manipulator. As for why I told you, to give you more advantage over Ezra, of course." At those words he pulled at my power again, making me groan. 

"Remember this, Ezra is not human and you would be wrong to forget that. He plays a deep game that has both of you walking the edge of a knife. I will not let you forget who or what I am the way he does." Again he moved his power inside of me. I yanked hard on his hair, growling at him. Angry that he could make me feel pleasure in such a way.

"You told me to give me another reason to fight with him," I gasped between breaths.

He moved quick and was straddling my lap, knees on either side of my body. "I could battle with Ezra." 

As he leaned in closer I studied the fascinating ice fissures spreading across his eyes. I narrowed my eyes to help me concentrate on our conversation and asked again, "Then why don't you?"

He smiled and paid no attention to me pulling his hair. His hand curved around my neck and he leaned his forehead against mine. "Because I don't know what would happen to us."

His attempt to seduce me only made me more infuriated, but only because my body betrayed me. I spitefully spit out, "You could always kill me."

"I grow fond of your defiance." 

His aura pushed itself into mine and I felt the air around me grow heavy and cool. I yanked harder on his hair causing his head to move down. "Get the fuck off me."

Ezra's deceptively calm voice filled the air around us. "You say those words a lot around him, my trusting Dove."

My head whipped up to see him standing in front of us. Taurin took that moment to lick and bite my skin where my t-shirt slanted into a 'V'. I jumped slightly at the intimate gesture.

"You would know how trusting I am," I said sarcastically to Ezra.

"Yes. I would," he replied gravely.

Taurin's hand moved over the one I had in his hair. He applied pressure and I had to let go. My hand remained trapped in his. His other hand grabbed mine and he twined our fingers together. I jerked, trying to free them. His kissing and nuzzling was going past my shirt and towards my bra. Meanwhile, he continued pulling and caressing me with his power. I gasped and closed my eyes, arching on the couch, forgetting everything for a moment of ardor. Taurin moved his body closer just as Ezra grabbed his hair from the back.

"She has not agreed," he said harshly.

Taurin lazily rolled his head so he was looking at Ezra. "Of course Ezra, but what are you going to do about it?"

In a blur of movement his right hand pulled back my t-shirt. He bit down deep with sharp teeth, drawing blood and sucking. My eyes widened and I gave a sharp inhale of breath. Taurin completely disregarded Ezra's tight hold on his hair. He continued to eat at my power, causing me to be drowsy.

I might have only slurred 'Fucker', but I definitely shouted it in my mind. My attempt to slap him with my left hand he released merely caressed his face instead. He sighed and angled into it. Ezra wisely did not pull him off or Taurin would have ripped through my skin. When he was done he licked me a few times and leaned back. My head was starting to slide to the side of its own accord and my heart drummed loudly in my ears. I was barely able to mumble to him.

"What was that?" He laughed and leaned closer to my face.

Ezra replied for me. "She said she's going to make you do the laundry if you got blood on her shirt."

Taurin voice turned amused. "Did she really say that?"

Ezra didn't answer, he just forcefully pushed Taurin aside and bent down to pick me up. His angry eyes were the last thing I saw before I closed mine.

CHAPTER 14

The next day Taurin was gone. I figured he knew I was going to make him bleed for last night. Ezra continued to give me looks throughout the morning, following me around the house.

I finally glared at him when we were in the kitchen together, "Alright already!"

"Are you trying to get him to kill you?" His eyes blazed fire at me despite the calm tone.

"Shut up."

"You continue to tempt him."

I threw my hands up in a surrender gesture. "What am I suppose to do? Cut him with a knife every time he gets close? He's a pain in the ass. What if we fix his problems and unbind him. Is that possible?"

"You have mingled magic and blood."

"You didn't answer my question," I said with a huff.

"You are asking the wrong demon."

"You're the fucking demon! You should know!"

His face became tight as he looked at me and the volume of his voice rose, "And what are you?! Demon hunter," he spit out. "YOU should know!" Ezra shook his head and lowered his voice, "Death."

"Death, huh. We'll I won't make it easy for him," I joked, as I picked up the kitchen knife I was using and gestured with it.

"You already are," he said seriously as he gently placed two fingers where Taurin bit me.

"I'm just a softie." I focused on the kitchen floor with an 'aw shucks' look and moved my foot back and forth on its toe for emphasis.

"Despite your swearing, you are and that is why I am with you."

I looked up into his glowing eyes. His expression remained serious. "Why didn't you tell me about power sharing?"

Ezra paused for a long time as he leaned up against the counter and crossed his arms. "I have my reasons."

"Yeah, and they are?" I drawled out as I turned back to the vegetables I was cutting.

"It was not time."

"That implies you were going to."

"It does." 

"I see." I dumped the vegetables into the pot and listened to them sizzle in the heated oil. "When?" 

"It does not matter anymore."

I took a deep breath through my nose. "It matters to me," I said forcefully.

Ezra said nothing, just kept looking at me.

"Fine. Are there other things that you are keeping from me?"

His expression never changed. "Of course. Same as you keep things from me."

"You sound so sure about that, Ez. My life is an open book for anyone who lives with me. I just like to pretend I have secrets."

He walked towards me. "Your thoughts, your feelings. Many of those you keep inside." He brushed his fingers through my hair. 

I looked at him from the corner of my eye as I added broth to the pot. "I can't honestly believe that you are comparing what I feel to learning to control the binding between us. And why haven't you've done the things Taurin has to me?"

"I have." 

He moved behind me and rubbed my shoulders. I leaned back into him and closed my eyes, letting out a sigh of relaxation. "No. Not the way he does."

"It was not time for it."

I opened my eyes and stared up at the ceiling for patience as I reached for the lid to the pot. "Ugh." I dropped the lid on with a clang and turned to face him. His satisfied smile on his face irked me. "You!" I shook my head and pursed my lips. With a gusty sigh I walked past him. His chuckle and the ringing of bells occurred at the same time. I stretched my neck around in a circle as I walked towards the room I specifically added on for summoning and meditation.

I yanked the curtain aside and walked into the darkened room, listening to the fall of water. There were a couple tables, a mirror, the copper bowl, a small running fountain of water and candles and incense. I hesitated at the front of the mirror and bowl.

I knew Ezra could control fire. Not blazes of it, but lighting a candle I've seen him do. I contemplated the large candles on either side of the bowl and felt for the link of us inside. It wasn't easy despite knowing it was there, like trying to find something that you lost. In fact, it felt like it was always three steps ahead of me. Finally, it stopped and became very still. His essence seemed to breathe until it felt like I had two breaths. I figured it wasn't a good idea, but I did it anyway. I swirled it inside of me as if etching a spiral for a spell. I gestured at one of the candles with my goal in mind and directed his power through my hand. The candled flared and sparked wildly, startling me into stepping back. Astonished, I watched the wax on top immediately start to melt. I knew it was Ezra when I heard the curtain being pulled back to the room.

"You used too much," he said dryly.

I took the other candle and lighted its wick from the blaze. "I suppose I did." I didn't need to turn around to know he was a tad pissed, even though I suspected it was only his will that let me use his power. I hurried to establish a connection as the bells trilled again, mostly so I didn't have to deal with the fact that I felt like I had just been incredibly rude.

Lin, a petite Asian woman, appeared in the mirror. She sat in front of her desk with her jeweled hands folded neatly behind the glass bowl in front of her. Her black hair was piled on top of her head with two ebony sticks jutting out from either side, beads dangling from their tips. 

Ezra was always mesmerized by this woman and would occasionally tease me about her. Lin and I did not particularly like each other, mine was jealousy, hers, disgust. He spoke up before I could. 

"Lin, what a pleasure to see your enigmatic presence before us. You are, as always, a welcome sight to my weary eyes. No matter what news you bear." His voice purred around me and his breathing deepened. 

I scowled briefly, then gloated a bit when I saw the faintest twitch on the side of her right eye, otherwise she was as still as a statue. Ezra had once goaded her so much that she slipped out of her sever, professional demeanor. She told him to never come near her or that she would have someone slice out his heart and feed it to the dragons of the sea. Nothing fed a demon more than fear. She knew she had made a grave error that day. To make up for it she became even more severe with us, refusing to give but the barest information on our warrants.

"You have been granted a warrant," she said in her Asian accented voice before I even had a chance to greet her. She slid a piece of paper from the side of her desk and placed it in the bowl. Her whispers transferred it over to our side. Ezra quickly placed his hand on the mirror before she could wipe it out. She stopped mid motion, her expression becoming increasingly stone like, refusing to place her hand on her side of the mirror. They stayed like that, staring at one another, the silence thickening.

He wanted her. I wasn't sure how or for what. I just knew that ever since that day his already intense scrutiny had increased. It was evident in the bright flare of his eyes, the cloying smell of cloves and the heat wafting off him. I slid in front of him and he transferred that intensity to me. His hand stayed against the mirror even as his other hand came around my waist. I moved in closer to him and gave him the softest of kisses on the lips. Lin made a faint noise of protest and he looked at her again, his humanity stripping away. I heard his claws scratch the mirror as I watched his tattoos slip his skin and crawl over each other until I saw the whole of his wings move restlessly behind him.

I stood on tip toe to reach his ear. "Ezra," I whispered, "let her go." 

He gave me an arrogant look, one I'd never seen before. One I didn't know what to make of. He moved his eyes back to Lin. "Then you will pay for it."

I never forget that I was born to protect others from demons. My left hand moved to his right shoulder and slowly glided down his arm. Ezra moved me closer into his body and I moved effortlessly to fill my self into his hallows and hills. His eyes stayed on the mirror. When I reached the mirror we blanked it together.

He gave me his furious gaze and picked me up with a deep growl that vibrated through his body. I didn't have time to adjust to the hostility directed at me. In seconds my clothes were gone and he bent me over on the floor. All the candles flared to life and shadows danced around us. Inside of me a fire built and spiraled, pulled and pushed.

I cried out, feeling my self grow wet with desire. There was an undercurrent of unexplainable rage under each caress of power he drenched through me. It was too much and still not enough. I welcomed him with a moan of pleasure as he entered me from behind. His nails drew blood from my shoulders, stomach, and hips. He exploded molten fire into me as I orgasmed with him. 

I was turned over harshly, but every kiss and lick down my body felt like an apology. He lapped at the blood on my skin and spread my legs apart in a quick movement. I arched as his tongue moved from the inside of one thigh to the other, teasing. When I could only grunt out his name in frustration he finally moved exactly where I wanted him to be. As I made myself focus on more than my own ecstasy I tentatively pulled on our psychic link. His eyes glowed brighter as he looked up at me and I played with this new found ability. I watched him in wonderment as his body responded to the magic. His eyes closed and he sat back on his knees. He arched his back with each caress of power he permitted me access to. A noise of satisfaction vibrated through my lips while he growled his own passion. 

I didn't realize my eyes had closed until I felt him lift me to sit me on his erection. We began anew as he laid back. I watched, fascinated as his wings melted and twisted into their tattoos. He continued to pump furiously into me until we had used ourselves up and lay sated.

Somewhere in the midst of everything I felt Taurin's presence. He was a cool breeze against my heat filled, sweaty body sprawled against Ezra's chest. I saw his shiny shoes at eye level, but didn't look up. For the life of me I couldn't move or even put together a coherent thought. He slowly crouched down to our level and gazed at me. Then, he blew a bitterly cold wind that caused me to shiver. Ezra's arm tightened around my waist. 

Taurin cocked his head to the side. "You see. We cannot deny what we are. You should be afraid."

"That would be a stupid," I said, still dazed from the sex and emotions. 

His hand cupped the side of my face and it felt liked a light touch of feathers. I watched him deeply inhale the smell of the air around us. His touch grew warm and I felt water slide down my cheek and neck. How he kept his balance, I don't know, but he bent over Ezra and licked the side of my face where his hand was. Ezra's hand came up and his fingers slowly pushed Taurin away.

He stood up abruptly and walked around us. I heard the rustle of paper as he looked at the warrant, then he laughed oddly. I turned to look at him, but it was Ezra he directed his look at. "We have a date with a lucifer."

Ezra's glowing eyes opened fully, but he didn't get up. "Who?"

"Kiesh," he laughed.

Ezra mused, "We will not get a full summoning from Lin." 

My fingers walked up his chest as I said nonchalantly, "We would have if you hadn't gone all demonic on her."

He gave me a familiar, sly smile. "Then there would have been no 'make up sex'."

I laughed and shook my head, "You know that term?! Oh damn, the trials and tribulations of being with a demon," I said with great drama as I placed my wrist on my forehead in a pantomime of fainting.

"Demons," Ezra and Taurin said simultaneously.

I raised my eyebrow at their reply as Ezra picked me up. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist and his hands cupped my buttocks. I contentedly placed my head on his chest and nuzzled into his warmth. The weight of the silence caused me to look up at his face to catch him gazing silently at Taurin.



Demon's Grace Ch. 15-17



CHAPTER 15

I tried to talk to Lin again. She denied me. Big surprise there. We knew that Kiesh was in Seattle though. Nice to have a demon relatively nearby. Not nice for the locals. I counted on Taurin to fill me in with details, they were historic and gory. He really did like to gab. A lot more than Ezra.

What I found out was that Kiesh was what demons called a lucifer. A demon who had gone, essentially, insane. He gave me some demon talk for it to annoy me. As it turns out, there are all kinds of insane for demons. There also are a myriad of reasons as to why they go crazy. Last they both heard, Kiesh was traveling to the Ice Edges, about half a century ago. Ezra didn't know anything about the Ice Edges except that he was advised not to go there by his mother. 

Taurin took up the lecture from there, but I really wasn't listening. I was just staring at Ezra as he drove the jeep. The only thing I could think of was, 'Ezra has a mother. What's a demon's mother like?'

Taurin snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. I blinked and turned to look at his striking features. He had taken off his sunglasses and was staring at me with his sparkling blue eyes. I felt like I was looking into ice as the sun hit it. I didn't want to admit it, but deep in my mind I knew I was letting myself be mesmerized, as much as I could be when Ezra showed me his galaxy of stars.

Ezra glanced my way briefly. "Taurin, continue with your constant gibbering."

"I would love to, but she is so," he paused for a long moment. "Your control must be like the bottom of the ocean." His voice had a dreamy quality to it as he continued to stare at me.

"More like the silence of the stars," I said in what sounded to me like a thick, husky voice.

"Mmmm." Taurin said in a similar voice. "I heard demon hunters were immune to our gaze. I could eat her up." He cocked his head in the way I had seen him do so many times before.

"They are," Ezra agreed. "I know that you have tried when one was hunting you."

"True. She is not immune to mine."

"You are now not immune to hers either. You could not eat her up if Dove concentrated right back at you."

Taurin took a deep breath through his nose, smiled thinly and narrowed his eyes. "My secret is out."

I willed my eyes to close and slowly turned my head. Taurin did not want to let it go so it felt like moving my head through jello. In the recesses of my mind I tumbled through the implications of what Ezra revealed out of spite at Taurin.

Taurin sighed, "On to business."

"Yes. Continue with business," Ezra replied soberly.

"Are you done?" My voice still sounded annoyingly husky to me. 

Taurin's warm breath caressed my neck, "Would you really like me to be?"

Ezra jerked the steering wheel, causing the unbelted Taurin to be flung to the back seat. 

"Foul," he said good naturally.

I shook my head and rubbed my eyes. "You were saying?"

"Kiesh. Ice edges. Not far from where I grew up."

I willed myself not to get distracted again about thinking about demons growing up with mothers.

He continued. "One of the in-between territories. Many demons come out as lucifers when they go to these places of dreaming. My mother insists that no one who is not of lineage of Ice Dwellers can dream in the Ice Edges. That would include humans. Of course, humans would freeze before they reached where they needed to go."

"You're lineage is called Ice Dwellers?" I asked, somewhat rhetorically.

"Ice Dwellers, Icelanders. Kiesh is not. He is a shadow offspring."

Ezra nodded his head in affirmation of this.

I looked from one to the other, "Like Bronti?"

"Yes," Ezra answered.

"Why does a demon want to go to a place of dreaming?" I asked.

Taurin replied, "Off subject. Since he's a shadow offspring it didn't go well for him. Hence, why he is slaughtering and eating the flesh off of any living he can get his hands on. Human flesh and blood being one of the most tasty, if lacking in power than most. His magic and actions will be unreasonable and unpredictable. Have you ever been sent up against an insane demon before, Dove?"

I shrugged.

Ezra replied, "If you had, you would be dead. They are counting on Taurin and me to keep you safe."

I replied with sarcasm. "Thanks for your vote of confidence."

Ezra gave me a hard stare, "That is my observation." He turned back to watch the road.

"Would either of you know the names of other lucifers if you saw a list?"

"Why?" Ezra asked.

"Just wondering if maybe I should check out the records department and see the accounting for lucifers and successful kills."

"Usually other demons kill them."

Taurin scoffed, "And not for any altruistic reasons either." He smiled hugely at me. "By the way, who drinks down the power of the kill?"

My mouth opened slightly at the change of subject. "Uh, usually my blade. If it tells me it wants it."

"You ask your blade?" Taurin replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Sure," I replied not following his train of thought.

"Ezra, did you know this?"

"Eventually."

"I'm impressed." He gave me curious eyes, "Can you talk to any blade?"

Suspicious of the question, I answered derisively, "Well, I haven't tried to talk to any other blade so I wouldn't know?"

He ignored my tone and eyed Ezra, who was steadily not looking at us. "Who will get it if not the blade?" He asked.

"Then I offer it to the earth. Why?"

Taurin gave me a thoughtful look. "Would you offer it to me?"

"You?! You're already a whirlpool of power!"

He shrugged gracefully, wisps of his blonde hair framing his face.

"I suppose so," I said slowly.

"What if we took turns. You, me," he turned to give Ezra a direct stare, "Ezra."

Ezra said nothing. 

"Ezra doesn't ask for power." 

"Why would that be?" Taurin asked innocently.

"I don't know." 

"You never asked or he never told you?" Taurin prompted.

Ezra continued to remain silent.

I hesitated briefly. "He never told me."

Taurin leaned in close to Ezra's face and whispered something that I couldn't hear. Ezra's fist come flying back, but Taurin was already flinging himself to the back of the seat. 

He was all satisfied smiles when he turned to me. "This will be a good kill." I felt revulsion because of his comment, so I turned away and looked out the window.

When we reached the city it was early evening. I disliked working in the sunshine, it seemed wrong to me. Sunshine reminded me of bobbing flowers, swimming salmon and popcorn. Not blood and gore. But, it was summer and that meant more light in the evening.

I directed them to a park and prepared myself. I chanted softly as I made a circle of power around me, tracing one in the air. I knelt on the grass and stuck the blade in the dirt. Taurin and Ezra stood in the background and watched. All they would see is me kneeling with my hands clasped on the pommel of my sword. 

First part was to find the demon's scent. I could be kneeling on the ground for hours for this. My blade and I had to sort through every demon in the vicinity. I was bombarded with smells and brief vibrations of psychic residues from the places demons used magic.

With every warrant comes the scent and vibration of the demon. The Affairs' Office gets this from the memory of whomever reports the crime. Since no one but a demon and a demon hunter can detect a demon's magic they would need to use a very specific spell on the witness that only a demon hunter could do. That would answer the question of, 'Where do demon hunters go if they grow old?' I doubt I'd ever check this out though, the thought of growing old was foreign to me.

From there they find out if there are previous reports and whether the demon deserves a warrant. If he does, they attach this identifying magic to the warrant and send it off to a demon hunter, with the name if they have it, which they frequently do since the inclusions of demons into the Affairs'. The scent would tell me the type of demon. The vibration, or music coming off my blade, was their own version of DNA.

So, here I was sorting through demon "footprints" across the city. I wasn't too surprised that there were so many in the city. Demons liked metropolitan places, all the shadows and restlessness I think. Ezra once told me that he loved the elevated emotions and potential for anything in the air. 

I cleared my head to focus on my job and finally tracked a residue of Kiesh. One direction would have me backtracking his steps, the other would lead me to him. I chose the one that went away from the alley. A skip and a hop and I had him. He could be gone by the time we physically got there though, not uncommon, at least not for me. Not uncommon that he detected me either. What was uncommon was that he could pinpoint my psychic presence and stare directly into my eyes. His malicious smile grew wider.

CHAPTER 16

Saliva, blood, and unknown black stuff graced his entire face. His ears were sharp points and he hunched over. I watched as he brought a man's body up to his teeth and ripped off flesh. He continued to stare at me, smiling while he chewed. I felt my body back in the park start to shiver in reaction. Not good.

His eyes bore holes into me. They were entirely black, endless, and alive. A woman came into view and saw him tearing off pieces of dead flesh with claws. She stood paralyzed on the sidewalk with wide eyes. 

"No time for a good chase," he directed to her with a gravely voice, "I have a previous engagement." He stared at me again, "I'll be there in just a second, love." He smirked as he threw the body to the side and disappeared into a building's shadow.

This had never happened to me before. A demon never instinctively knew exactly where I was when I searched them out. My blade was already in my hand and making music in my head when he stepped from the shadows of the trees made from the fiery orange setting sun. 

He raised himself to his full height, which was impressive. I imagine I heard every vertebrae snap into place as he did this. They continued to pop as he moved toward me. My sword sang so loudly in my head I figured I'd have a headache in the morning if I survived. Within me I felt the stillness of Ezra, the constant swirl of Taurin.

I looked up, higher than I anticipated really, and stared into Kiesh's black eyes. He grinned. I could feel a drop of sweat trail down from my temple. "Delicious demon hunter. Did they send you for dessert?" 

"No, they sent you for my dessert," came Taurin's careless answer.

I took a deep breath and centered myself, my eye sight never leaving the towering demon. I guessed even Taurin had to raise his gaze to meet his eyes. Kiesh did a sort of cough laugh. Blackish green globs spit out around him and dripped off his chin. I felt my face curl into a disgusted sneer. He gave a horrific smile of lunacy towards Taurin. 

"Ice maidens are good to eat. I wonder how much better you'll be?"

Just like that, I was a gnat flying around to be brushed aside as he walked right past me. His intensity was zeroed in on Taurin. It was as if he really didn't see me anymore. I suppose my ego was a bit bruised, but really, I was more astonished. No matter though, I still had a warrant to fulfill.

Kiesh had magic shields up to deflect Taurin's immediate rush of ice shards so he wasn't prepared when I rushed at his back with my sword. Physical attack, different defenses needed. I stuck him in the lower right of his back and attempted to draw my blade up. It was like moving into granite. No sound came from his mouth, but his body turned to the right and his fist came with it. He landed a very solid punch on my upper right arm.

My sword was telling me 'out, out!', while the rest of me was in shock watching Kiesh's fist and arm become shadow. It continued its quick motion and ended up in my chest. The motion of his body helped me wretch the blade out of his back with my left hand. My right arm was stunned and not exactly obeying my commands. Part of that could also have been due to the fact that Kiesh's left hand felt like it was making indentations into my right shoulder. I felt his right fist open and move to grab my heart when he stopped.

The rest of his body had gone misty and I took the chance of hoping that my sword point would go into his underarm. Kiesh grunted as it hit mass and fisted his shadowed right hand again. He pulled it roughly down so that it ended in my stomach area. I hunched and used it to help me push my blade down into his rock like ribs. My breath came shallow and fast. It seared my lungs and throat, just like it felt when I ran in cold temperatures. I knew it was Taurin.

He was ice running through my veins. He traveled to where Kiesh's hand was and flowed over it. Kiesh opened and twisted his hand to grab and pull the freezing line. I ended up even closer. He angled his face down to me and gave me an opened mouth smile. I grimaced from his fetid breath and moved my head back as much as I could. Slick globs of rotten something struck my face when he gave his coughing laugh.

"You're the ice demon's. Can he keep you warm at night?"

"No. I do." Ezra's soft voice carried through the air.

Kiesh's eyes narrowed as Ezra's power traveled through my body at a steady burn. It flowed through my left arm and into the sword. Movement became easier and I sliced the demon's body across and out. Thick black blood sprayed. Kiesh gasped and pulled his hand out of my body. My breath caught in my throat and my back bowed. I looked down to see if he was pulling my intestines out and saw instead a sparkling line like crystal. Taurin was trying to use his power to freeze Kiesh's hand.

Spurred on by the fluidity of the blade with Ezra riding it I attempted to move my right hand to the pommel. I was mostly unsuccessful. Undeterred I started to chant a power spell and fed it into my left arm and sword. Indirectly I knew Ezra would enjoy some of the benefits too, since his power was pulsing in the same area. My voice came out breathy and strained as I rotated my shoulder and made a lunge directly at Kiesh's heart.

The angle was awkward because of his height and the fact that his right arm was crossed over his body. The blade reached its target, but Kiesh moved fast and the sword was ripped out. At the same time Kiesh's backwards movement brought me moving with him since he still had a hold of the line formed by Taurin. The top part of my body was wretched by the movement of the sword while my lower part was wretched in the opposite direction by Kiesh's hand hold. With my spell still active I forcefully arched my left arm back and slashed deep into Kiesh's right forearm. I jumped away but his grip stopped me from completing the movement. His face started to elongate and intensify on me.

'Shit, Taurin,' I thought, 'let go!' I started when I heard him answer in my mind.

'I... He has...,' frustrated and at a loss for words he gabbled something harshly in demon. 'He has us. He was searching for it. That's why he didn't crush your heart. He wanted to find me through you!'

'Well, fucking attack him!'

Taurin's tone became even more frenzied. 'Look around you! He took you with him into the shadows! I DO NOT walk shadows!'

'We are doing the best we can,' came Ezra's calm reply inside my mind.

By now Kiesh was pulling me closer to him as if I was on a leash. I dragged my feet and sword every bit of the way. When I directed my vision to his hands I watched ice constantly flow and crack over them.

"When I have found Taurin I will torture him through you. Then I will find this other and kill him. Then I will kill you and every bit of power will be mine!" The volume of Kiesh's voice rose as he got more excited.

Inside my mind I started hearing another voice. My blade sang to me to cut the line. My eyes narrowed at that bit of advice. I already felt like I was being pulled apart from the inside and I didn't want to cut a part of me. 'No way!' I countered. 

It insisted. Then I thought, what if I cut off his hand. I smelled Kiesh's foul breath on my face and made to do exactly that. The sword took on a will I have never known. My hand blazed, as if on fire, and it was physically redirected to cut the line and not the hand that held it. The damn sword took over my movements with the help of Ezra's fire!

What was left of the ice in the line snapped back into my body and flung me a short distance backwards. Kiesh was roaring. I looked up at him and saw the ice finally moving up his arm. Kiesh's roaring started to sound scared, terrified. He thrashed around and spoke in demon, continuously trying to fling his arm away from him. I wearily got up and immediately hunched over from the pain in my stomach.

I chanted through gritted teeth for power to assist me with the killing blow and stood on weak legs. While I was charging towards Kiesh it seemed as if he didn't even notice me, so intent was he on the ice trying to freeze its way up his arm. I drove the blade up to the hilt into his heart with a power steadied left hand. His breath was frenzied as he continued to gibber. His wide eyes stared at something I couldn't see. As he fell to his knees I jerked the sword out and sliced deeply across his throat. He toppled onto the ground face first. I panted as I dropped to my knees to chant the final death to the demon. 

Eventually, I heard the calm voice of Ezra through my mind. 'Dove. You must bring yourself out of the shadows.'

I ignored Ezra for the moment and grudgingly offered the kill to the sword. I was still angry at it for taking over my body. 'You must take the body with you,' it whispered to me.

'Why?'

"Dove? Can you hear me?" Ezra used his voice this time.

'Because it is for someone else,' the sword continued, its voice slowly fading.

Demon hunters have the ability to take the power from their demon kills. It's a tricky thing. Most gossip and recorded history proves that it is not a healthy lifestyle. The effects are unpredictable and, it seemed, addictive no matter the immediate magic results. This ability though would help me find his talent for shadow walking. I found it and cajoled it into me. Without hesitation I closed my eyes and trusted the magic to do as I needed. There was a brief moment of disorientation as I transferred myself out of the shadows. I opened my eyes and quickly forced the power back into Kiesh's body.

Taurin was on his knees to my left. I dropped my sword to the grass and turned my head slightly to look into his pale face. Unable to help him at the moment, I closed my eyes again and lay down on the grass. I was cold.

"Your lips are blue," he whispered.

Ezra moved my sword away and straddled my waist. He bent down and wiped my face, flinging Kiesh's bile into the grass. His breath of fire warmed my insides as he kissed me. I left my hands and arms trapped between his warm body.

Taurin moved in close. He lay down so his mouth was close to my ear and I shivered at the coolness of his breath. "That was risky, severing our tie like that. It hurt us both. Good luck for you that Ezra can deter frost in you."

"You were able to work your ice on Kiesh more effectively when I was no longer a factor in the equation," I breathed softly.

"Yes. But only since I was already latched onto his hand through you. How did you know?" Taurin's voice was just as quiet and strained as mine.

I opened my eyes at his question and looked into Ezra's flickering ones. He looked back at me with a knowing look. He was linked to the sword at the time too and knew exactly what happened.

I turned my head slightly to look at Taurin. "You may have him."

Taurin stared at me with eyes that shone like hard ice with something unfathomable beneath. He nodded briskly and crawled around us to be closer to the demon's body. Watching him I knew he was not waiting for my permission to take Kiesh's power. 




Demon's Grace Ch. 15-17



I licked my lips and Ezra bent down to stop me from speaking. Taurin started to transfer over power. It was hard to miss. The air felt weighted and seemed to be moving around like boulders ready to crush. I became unnerved when I noticed Taurin staring hard at me. There were movements under that thick ice in his eyes now.

He spoke in a very low voice. "Shadow walker wants to go to its new home."

I understood. That aspect of Kiesh's power had felt me and now wanted to go back. I shook my head, "No. Rest it in the earth if you must, but I will not have any part of demon magic."

"You already do," Ezra whispered in my ear. "Will it be so bad to have a little more?"

I snorted through my nose. "Not dead demon power I don't!"

"There is no difference," he cajoled. 

He quickly bent down to place his mouth on mine while reaching out his hand towards Taurin. I tried to move my head back farther into the dirt to get away from him. The power settled inside Ezra's mouth and pushed out towards mine. The demon restricted the air through my nose and waited for me to breath. I did and it settled deep, curling into a ball and becoming still. I glared up at Ezra and felt betrayed a second time in one night. 

CHAPTER 17

On the way home I sat in the back seat while the two of them stayed in front. I was not in the mood to talk. I stretched out as much as I could with a seat belt on and promptly fell asleep. I awoke in the middle of the night with two blankets and Ezra's red body curled around me like a cat. Demons don't sleep like humans sleep. He would be instantly awake if he needed to be. I asked him once how he knew when to wake up and he told me that he just does. He said sometimes the fire of the sun tells him and sometimes the air whispers to him. He also told me that I tell him to wake up if I need him.

Well, I never actually told him to wake up. I wondered if he smelled scents and if certain ones told him to be awake. In any case, he didn't get up this time. That was fine with me, since all I needed was a bathroom break.

When I was done I pulled my creme colored robe around me and followed my compulsion to walk to the living room. Taurin had his back to the room and was staring out the window. The full moon shone brightly through the glass.

His voice whispered around me when he spoke. "The light of the moon reminds me of home."

I said nothing and a comfortable silence settled. I sat on the couch, leaning the side of my body against the back so I could see him. He had only a pair of loose pants on. His body had a blue tinge to it.

"On clear nights like this some ice looks black. Sometimes the snow will dance just above it. It's lovely." He paused. "There are ice readers... they read futures. All ice, sometimes snow, but that's a rarer talent. The way the light hits it, day or night, words or images appear to them." He turned toward me. "I never had the talent, but then I am a demon and not an Ice Dweller." His voice sounded flat as he walked to the couch. I watch him easily vault over the back and settle beside me.

His aura was pulsing like a heartbeat. I could feel it pushing on and off of my own. He cocked his head and smiled crookedly at me answering my unasked question.

"My body is adjusting itself to new dimensions."

"So it beats that way every time you take new power?"

"Yes." He rotated his head and went back to looking at me. "I can feel your boundaries. There and back, there and back." He rocked forward and back towards me with the beat for a few turns. I watched his upper body glint in the moonlight. It looked as if it had bits of bluish mica imbedded in it. I had never seen his demon body before.

"Does this mean that you'll have Kiesh's abilities?" I asked.

His grin grew broader. "I wish! No, we are not the same. I can't have something that I'm not born with."

"You can't learn to do it?"

"No. My body cannot accommodate something it is not born to do. Kiesh would not have been able to take me into the shadows, my body would not let him."

"And Ezra?"

"Ask Ezra."

"So why could he take me into the shadows?"

"You're a hunter. To be a hunter you must be able to go where your prey goes."

It was my turn to smile at him, "True. I've just never had any demon do something like that to me." I gave him a considering look. "What of the power you and Ezra forced into me? What do you think will happen?"

He gave me a serious expression. "Now that you must tell us. It can decide to simply sleep or add itself to your own power. You should never refuse power, Dove. If you do, it may hunt you down regardless. Then what will it do when it finds you?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You know this from experience?"

Taurin scoffed at me, "Refuse power?! I fight with power that refuses me!"

"Do you win?"

"Some yes, some no."

"Perhaps it would be different for me since I'm not a demon."

Taurin said nothing, just looked at me hard enough to make me feel uncomfortable.

"Do you miss your home?" I asked to change the subject.

He turned to look out the window again.

"Do you miss your mother? Or...," my voice turned teasing, "perhaps your lover?"

"Is it so hard to believe, Dove?" He turned to look at me with serious eyes and added, "Knowing how you and Ezra are?"

It was my turn to be serious. "I don't know what Ezra and I are. I've learned more about demons and myself since you came along." I looked down and plucked at my robe.

He reached over and gently brought up my chin. "What do I know?" He paused. "Yes, I had a lover and," he leaned in over my knees and brought his face in close to mine, "I will tell you a secret if you promise to keep it."

I pondered that thought for a while. "I will."

He gave me a conspiratorial wink as he leaned close enough to whisper directly in my ear. It was barely a hush as he said, "I have a daughter." 

Not one to miss a chance his tongue came out to stroke the outside rim. I was so stunned at what he said that I didn't react. He leaned his face into the side of mine and I felt his lips form a smile. His tongue came out to lick my ear again. I backed my head up slightly to look at his iced eyes.

"Where?"

He leaned in so that his body was supported by my knees and shook his head 'no' with a smile. "Give me a kiss if I answer your question?"

"I suppose."

Taurin chuckled softly and gave me a half smile. "Really?"

"Yes." I said with exasperation.

He eagerly leaned into me. "With her family," he barely said into my ear.

I placed my finger over his lips with a smile. "Ah, ah, ah, I asked where."

He paused, his smile still easy on his face. "Now that is two bits of information for only one reward."

"Not my fault you decided to answer the wrong question," I smiled.

He leaned in intimately again, "Last I knew, she was in the Ice Fields." As he said this he quickly pushed his way between my knees, cupped the back of my head with his hand, and purposefully kissed me. At first I didn't know where to place my hands and they were spread wide out trying not to touch him. He continued with a slow persuasion and I found one hand easing its way around the back of his neck. I moved my body into an upright position on my knees. My eyes remained closed when I felt him lean away from me.

"You need to go."

I opened them slowly and stood up, tightening the sash around my waist. As I walked away Taurin called my name. I turned. His expression was neutral.

"He is awake."

I spoke blandly to him, "You're so manipulative."

He nodded sagely, "We all are."

When I reached the bedroom I could see Ezra's eyes flickering in the dark. Demons have excellent hearing, and this one was no exception. He reached out his hand to me and I dropped the robe to the floor. I crawled into the bed and he tucked me close to his warm body. He never said a word as I fell asleep to his soft caress on my hair.



Demon's Grace Ch. 18-20



CHAPTER 18

I talked to Ezra as I got ready for the day. He was sitting up on the bed reading an underground magazine for vampires. "I still want to go to the local office and look up lucifers." He said nothing, just continued reading. I placed the last of my knives in their sheathes while waiting for a comment. Oh, fuck it. I'll go by myself. I walked towards the kitchen and listened to the silence as I grabbed an apple and headed to the front door.

He stood in the bedroom door fully dressed and human looking. He merely watched me as I strode past him. I had the strongest feeling that he had plans that didn't include me. I drove to Seattle without distractions from my mind or music. I reached our city office and parked close to the front door, noticing the few cars in the parking lot. The building was one floor with a basement and about three employees of the Affairs' Office. It was more like a library with some office space and summoning rooms. There were books, but usually most people used the internal computers hooked to the Wired Affairs' Complex, or derisively called WACKED. Security was different here. Meaning there wasn't much. All I needed to do was sign in and have my identity verified.

I logged in and referenced 'Unfulfilled Warrants', which was the political term for dead demon hunters, alive demons. From there I searched for multiple unfulfilled warrants for the same demon. This category had very few entries in the years after the Affairs' Office grudgingly accepted demons as part of the supernatural committee, about thirty years ago. I would have to find a demon hunter that survived to their late forties or more to give me some insight as to the way these hunts used to be before demons were acknowledge in the Affairs' Office.

As I snuck bites off of my apple I searched earlier years for Kiesh. He was not on it, which meant his rampage of killings was not reported. I opened up random files and looked at everything to witnesses' accounts to pictures of demon's torture. There weren't many with a documented successful kill, they remained filed under 'Unfulfilled Warrant', most with 'Location Unknown'. It seemed as if the warrants for them just stopped being issued after the inclusion of demons to the Affairs' Office.

I scoffed at my first thought that the Affairs' Office was not issuing warrants for those demons anymore since they were so dangerous. Next thought was that some had been killed by a demon, as Taurin explained to me, which wouldn't be documented. I then took a suspicious turn where I wondered if some power hungry demon personnel in the Affairs' Office went through the list and killed them. That sounded plausible. 

I had the computer comprise me a list of demon names for print out. As the information scanned on the computer I stopped it when I saw Ezra's name. I wasn't sure if I wanted to look in that file. He certainly had his share of deaths. I didn't hesitate for long. 

I noticed that on the location it stated bonded, predictably not to who. Under his name he had a list of warrants which were administered decades before I was born. I admit I was surprised that the Affairs' Office continued to send only one lone demon hunter to kill him after years of unsuccessful hunts.

I opened his files in timeline and looked at every single one. By the time I got to the last one, which of course wasn't mine, since I wasn't an unsuccessful warrant, I didn't quite know what to think. The earlier ones had witnesses who were disoriented with strange images recorded. They remembered being attacked, but retracted memories were foggy. Other witnesses saw humans and other beings restricted on tables and being cut into or dangling from chains. One saw Ezra drain blood out of a body with medical equipment. Maybe I did a stupid thing by bonding with him. 

Let me rephrase that, I'm sure I did a stupid thing. Carlos would definitely agree with me, but he's in the 'do as I say, not as I do' category. On the positive side Ezra hadn't tried to do any type of disfiguring or illusion on me. At least not that I knew of. I laughed sarcastically at myself, 'Go to your happy place.'

I decided to leave his file and continue sorting through names. Of course Taurin's showed up. Oddly enough his name only showed recent years. He only had clean kills reported, which was relative to what I would consider a clean kill by a demon. My understanding of his obsession to gain power seemed to match what I was reading. I would have to be careful around others, too many demon hunters were killed by him. 

Binding with a demon who was actively searching out hunters is not a good survival skill. I revised my thinking, binding with any demon wasn't a survival skill. Thankfully, it never shows who a demon has bonded with. This gives some protection for the hunter and the demon. Although eventually it gets around through the network of demon hunters. That network would be bars and 24 hour restaurants where the conversation would be about the latest weaponry and a 'Do you know who I saw?' Right now the only hunter who knew was Carlos and even he couldn't be a hundred percent sure about what happened after he left.

Evening was fast approaching by the time I stopped taking notes on my print out and logged off. My next stop was food. As it happened I found my self slipping inadvertently into a network of demon hunters.

CHAPTER 19

I walked through the glass door and was immediately waved down from my right. It was Shauna sitting at a curved table at one end and an unknown demon, with noticeably shocking, white hair, at the other. Two drinks sat between them. I smiled and walked up to her.

Shauna was from India. Her parents sent her to her brother in Seattle when they learned that she was a hunter. India had its own problems with demons, and her parents, well versed about them, wanted her far away so that they wouldn't get killed. They kept her around until she was ten and then sent her to an older brother. Shauna's brother sent her to someone who trained demon hunters. He didn't mind that she hung around town, as long as she didn't live with him. It was a problem we all had, we were like lepers.

"Hi Dove! It's been too long since we've seen each other. This is Vi. He's with Reggie. Michael's here too. Why don't you join us? There's enough room. They just went to the restroom. I thought you had a demon now? Where is he? I thought once you bonded you were like, always together." She moved over and patted the seat.

I'd forgotten how much Shauna talked. I got out an "Uh-"

Shauna interrupted me, "Oh, here they are now. Both at the same time. I figured Reggie would be longer. You know how she is."

I watched Regina's long stride as she walked towards us. She always wore the tightest fitting clothes imaginable, usually leather. Just like her brown body was encased in now, including a leather jacket. Her black hair was smoothed back in braids. Her lipstick and fingernails, a deep red. Regina always wore her daggers in noticeable places, so she had to flash a lot of permit around to security people. I suppose the clothes she chose to wear would have made it almost impossible to hide them anyway. What was interesting about her was the fact that her daggers were her secondary defense. Regina depended on her witch craft above all else. Where as my blade and nose helped me detect Vi she told me once that her body was an unwavering compass towards a demon. I kind of envied her for that. Worse case scenario for me, I had a cold and no blade.

My gaze moved to Michael's scarred face. He was not a Seattle regular. In fact, he was from the Southwest. Rumor had it that he was captured and tortured by demons. He had short, wavy brown hair and melt in your mouth chocolate brown eyes that always seemed to have a fire of justice lit in them, he was fighting to get the bonding law repealed. 

I only met him once, we were in Colorado at the same time. He didn't have the goatee then, nor the scars on his face. Three raised red lines started at his left temple and moved straight down to disappear under his collar. They were very precise and razor sharp. I caught his eyes with mine and we gave nods to one another.

Shauna got up and let them both in. Oddly, Michael slid in first and sat closest to Vi. After giving me a warm hand casually sliding over my back Regina moved in close to Shauna. Vi moved closer to the middle of the booth and looked at me with invitation in his eyes. Something very weird was going on here and for once it didn't have anything to do with me. With that thought I gave Shauna a confused look and sat down next to Vi.

"Sooo, Shauna tells me you and Vi are together?" I looked from Regina to Vi and was momentarily captivated by his appearance. White, shoulder length hair paired with very stunning green eyes. His cheek bones were sharp and showed perfectly horizontal in his face. It gave the effect that his eyes were deep set. His skin tone resembled Shauna's, but looked more sun kissed. The scent of him reminded me of what I thought Egypt would smell like, heat and sand. 

Vi talked before Regina did. "Yes, we are bonded," he whispered, it was an eire effect. Then he blinked, slowly and deliberately.

My mouth opened to talk, but it took the words awhile to come out. "Ahh... for how long?"

Regina actually answered this one for me. "Not very long." She tiredly rubbed her eyes. "It's only been a couple of weeks." 

Regina always had a sexy voice, but I detected weariness in it this time. I didn't want to think fear, because I always figured demons could smell it on you even if you thought it.

"Oh. Um. Well, it's good to see all of you again. How've you been, Michael?"

The waitress placed a salad down and took my order before he could answer. Vi crossed his left ankle on to his right knee. I had a feeling he purposely maneuvered himself in such a way that his knee touched me.

Michael's serious eyes met mine, "Alive. I'm in Seattle to visit Reggie and Shauna."

I couldn't help but notice the tension. I didn't want this to be any of my business, selfish, but true.

Vi spoke up, "What Michael isn't saying is that he came here to check us," he hissed out the 'us' as he looked at Regina briefly, "out."

"Do you always talk that way," I asked boldly, staring directly into his vivid eyes. Meanwhile, it felt as if ants were marching on my leg from where Vi's knee touched it. I looked down just to check and didn't see any.

"Yes. Does it unnerve you?" He leaned in close to my face. I leaned back from him and he moved the tiniest fraction closer. He uncrossed his leg and made it so his thigh pressed against mine.

Michael placed a hand on his arm and Regina spoke up. "Dammit Vi! Stop being such an ass!"

Uh oh. I couldn't stop my eyebrow from raising as I directed my gaze to Regina. Regina didn't swear. She really was afraid and that's why Michael was here. I could no longer deny my first thought. I studied her and saw dark circles around her eyes, glimpsed twitching fingers. She saw my look and hastily looked away. I stood up abruptly.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back." I hurriedly went to the restroom before I said anything stupid in front of a demon. Not that it would be the first time. I composed myself and stomped my foot to make my leg stop tingling, still Vi's doing, and walked out. 

I hesitated briefly when I saw a group of rowdy people being led to the other side of the restaurant. Their energy signature made me positive they were shape shifters. Problem was, I didn't know which kind. I turned my gaze to Vi and was unnerved to find him watching me. He looked briefly at the group and then back to me. He would know, but I wanted him to tell me the truth. I walked back to the table and purposely sat close to Vi so I was invading his space. He didn't move, just stretched a smug smile across his face.

"How can you stand to be near him?!" Regina growled at me with accusing eyes. "Oh, but I forgot you're bonded to a demon already. How long's it been now? A year?"

"Well, I see your relationship has progressed to the blunt stage." I gave a little laugh. Honestly, I didn't want to be mad at her, I could feel her tension from across the table. "If you didn't want to be bonded to him," I gestured to Vi with my hand, "why are you?"

Vi grabbed my hand and placed a kiss on it. It immediately started to tingle like it had been asleep, which wasn't good since it was still sore from my fight with Kiesh. I jerked my hand away and placed it on my lap.

"He's a pain in the ass. I haven't been near him for half an hour and I'm ready to gut him." I gave Vi a toothy grin as I looked into his glowing emerald eyes. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

Michael replied for her. "That's the general consensus. Vi bonded himself to Reggie without her consent."

I couldn't keep the astonishment off my face, demons didn't do that. Well, Taurin did that, so maybe I needed to rethink. My face fell as I did.

"If I had known that something as delectable as yourself was around I would have bonded myself with you," Vi interjected.

"Well, you wouldn't have been able to. Dove's already bonded to a demon," Shauna replied.

I exhaled forcefully and leaned back before I could stop myself. Seemed these people didn't know that you could bind yourself to two demons, yet. I insanely wondered how many demons one hunter could bind to. Just then the waitress appeared and placed food down on the table. Unfortunately, neither Vi nor Michael were distracted and I wasn't good enough hiding my thoughts. I could only imagine what my face looked like with that thought running around in my brain.

"Dove?" Michael asked suspiciously, "What is it?"

"Nothing. I'm with Ezra. It's only been five months, Regina." I stuffed some french fries in my mouth to keep me from adding to the conversation. Thankfully Regina started up again.

She glared at Vi, "I want to kill you."

"Won't be easy, you know. Especially now that I can do this," Vi whispered.

I watched as Regina took a deep inhale, gritted her teeth, and pounded her fists on the table. After being with Taurin I knew exactly what Vi was doing to her. I just kept eating french fries while Shauna tried to comfort her friend, unaware of what was happening. Michael glared at Vi as if he, too, knew exactly what the demon was doing. 

I placed my hand on Vi's chest and leaned into him. "I have a secret," I whispered in his ear. "How long do you think you can play with her before she finds out she can do the same to you since you're bonded?"

"How would you know about that?"

"A little birdie told me."

He cocked his head in an abrupt movement. "Why would a little birdie tell you that?"

"If it was to his advantage," I said staring into his eyes.

His hand moved over the seat and he grazed his fingers delicately up my spine.

"They say you are with a demon and I believe that, but there is something more." He leaned in close to my neck and inhaled deeply. His head jerked up and stared intently into my eyes. I quickly turned away and looked at my food, keeping my hands busy with the condiments at the table.

"You two look perfect together. You should have had more patience Vi and you would've eventually found Dove," Regina spit out.

I decided to change the subject. "Do you like to argue all the time with her?" I asked him as I distanced myself from his touch.

He shrugged, letting himself be distracted. "She'll get used to me. What do you want?"

"A simple request. Tell me what kind of shape shifters walk through the door. Starting with the ones over there." I gestured with my head to the table.

He turned his head slightly and shrugged again, "They're wolves."

I knew he was just placating me but I hoped he didn't lie. I said thank you and placed my hands on the table. "I think Regina's jealous of you talking to me in such an intimate manner," I said, taunting Regina for her snippy words towards me. She scowled.

His lips twitched and he leaned back on the seat.

I pulled away from him and stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Please do. If you can keep him preoccupied it will be a relief. Of course, you probably have lots of practice," Regina said sarcastically.

I humored her with a limp smile and walked away.

CHAPTER 20

The shifter group eyed me wearily as I approached the table. "Excuse me, but I was wondering if I may ask a question?"

A male glared hard amber eyes at me. "About what?" 

"About the social protocols of wolves."

The silence was thick at the table as they stared at me. One of the females finally responded. "What makes you think we would know anything about that?"

"Just a guess." I blinked, "I really won't take too much of your time. I just need some information."

The male spoke up again. "How about you tell us what you want and we'll decide if you need it."

They could be as snarly as they wanted as long as they gave me something to work with, so I smiled artlessly, "I suppose that might be a good idea. Let's take the hypothetical situation of someone being mean to someone else."

"How mean?" He interjected quickly.

"Life threatening?" interjected the female.

"Life taking," I countered as I directed my gaze to her blue eyes.

"Continue," she said with a flick of her wrist to swipe her honey blond hair away from her face.

"So, If you take the life of another it would be obvious that those close to that other would want to take your own life. Am I being clear?"

"Very."

"Would there be any way to resolve this issue without one or both of the parties being dead?"

There was silence again. The big male was about to speak up when the female held up a hand without looking at him. "I understand where you're going. I will assume, right or wrong, that someone you love took the life of a pack member and the family of that pack member is now trying to kill the killer." She paused and I continued to stare at her. "There could be a challenge issued, but since I'm thinking that there is only one wolf involved here," she made a head motion as if she was smelling me, probably was, "it might not be accepted." 

I nodded affirmation to this.

"Admitting subservience and doing an obligatory slave term is an option."

I laughed and turned it into a cough at the thought of Taurin doing a slave term. Would he grant wishes like a djinn? 

"Ah, No. Not an option."

She eyed me narrowly, "I really didn't think so. The only thing I can come up with is family right of torture."

"To the death?"

"Mistakes happen," she said with a twist of her lips and pale, uplifted eyebrows.

I didn't comment on that and continued, "For how long?"

"Hard and fast or slow and long, prearranged."

"Can someone go in their place?"

"You?! No one is worth that much dear. No one. But, yes there may be a sacrifice."

"Huh. Sacrifice." I grimaced.

"Who likes the sound of torture, really?" She drawled. "Well, depending what side you're on." She added with predatory grin.

"Yeah, well. Anything else?"

"You could try a challenge, but it doesn't have to be honored if both are not pack members. Before you ask, it wouldn't have to be to the death."

"How would you word it?"

The male angrily interrupted, "That's enough."

The female didn't even spare him a glance. "You're smart to ask so I'll tell you, but tell no one. You need to issue the challenge and tell me the wolf involved."

"I agree, but I can't tell you what I don't know yet."

The male growled softly in his throat as the woman nodded. I walked around the chair and leaned down by her face. She whispered the words into my ear and then talked in a normal voice. "You realize that by saying those words the challenger has no say in the fight. That means that the terms could be to death."

"I understand. What will it mean if I issue it?"




Demon's Grace Ch. 18-20



She barred teeth at me. "See if you have the courage to find out."

I nodded sarcastically, "Thanks."

As I walked away I heard the male grunt that their affairs were not for humans. She agreed with him and told him to figure it out if he wanted to move up in rank. This made me turn to meet her blue eyes one last time. My thoughts stilled as I wondered what she implied.

When I got back to the booth it looked like a three against one argument. Vi, of course, being the one. I sighed and plopped down next to the demon. I ignored all of them and started to eat my hamburger. Eventually it registered that Regina was saying my name.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"How can you just sit there and eat your food right next to a demon. We hunt demons, isn't it going against our, I don't know, religion... nature?!"

"I'm sorry Regina, I don't have any insightful words. You'll have to ask someone else. I'm hungry. I don't have a warrant for Vi. He's not trying to kill me or anyone else right now. He's not my problem."

"What is your problem?" Vi asked in his whispery voice.

I took another bite of food to think about it and heard a familiar voice on my left.

"Hello, Dove."

I didn't turn, instead I watched Vi watch the demon coming closer to us, "Well, it just came through that door, Vi."

He spoke Taurin's name at the same time Shauna exclaimed, "That's not Ezra!" She would know, she met Ezra a few times. Even if she couldn't always remember his name he definitely looked nothing like Taurin.

Vi's eyes had faceted over and I felt like I was looking into a cut jewel. He inquired cooly, "Is that who I've been missing?"

"Eeeyeah," I said as I directed my gaze to Taurin. "Something I can do for you?" I paused in thought, "How'd you find me?!"

"I wanted to see what you were doing. Ezra's no help you know." He ignored the last question. 

"He is when it matters." I said drolly, deciding to ignore him for the most part.

"True." 

Taurin then proceeded to forcefully invade my personal space. He pushed me farther into Vi and the booth to make room for himself. He then turned his attention to Vi. He looked at him over the tops of his eyes. "Little demon, I have not seen you in a long time."

Suddenly, I felt the whole right side of my body crawling with that horrible bugs-all-over sensation again. Vi had some of the most disturbing demon magic I have ever encountered. I shook my hand out and stomped my foot on the ground. I scowled as I turned my attention to Taurin. "If you're going to piss off another of your kind could you do it when I'm not in the middle, you shit head." I turned to Vi. "And you! No wonder Regina's super pissed at you. If you give her this treatment I wouldn't want to be around you either! Dammit!" I knocked the back of my hand on the table to get it to stop tingling.

"I'm getting it too," came Michael's terse reply.

I couldn't stifle my sarcastic retort, "Well, aren't you better at hiding it."

"She is so cute!" Taurin grabbed me and pulled me in closer. I found myself squished into his body, his blond hair trailed over my shoulder. Thankfully Vi's effects stopped with Taurin's arms around me, probably why he did it.

"I think I'm going to another table to finish my dinner," I mumbled.

"Do not insult me!" Vi stated angrily at Taurin.

"You are not wise to be binding yourself to a demon hunter." Taurin replied.

"No? And what is this?" He forcefully gestured to me with his hand. I shrugged out of Taurin's hold and decided to ignore this fight too.

"None of your concern," Taurin replied calmly.

"What I do is none of your concern as well."

As I chewed on my food I caught the rest of the demon hunters looking askance at me from their vantage point at the table. I sighed inwardly when Shauna's mouth opened. I heard Vi tell Taurin that all he learned from him was hypocrisy.

"I don't understand. Is Ezra dead?" Shauna asked.

"Mmmm, no," I replied, eyes on my food again.

"You're still bonded to Ezra?"

"Eeeyeah." Chew, chew.

"And you're bonded to this one too?!"

Affirmative grunt and head shake. Chew, chew, chew. I heard Michael wonder out loud how that was possible.

Regina finally decided to yell in. "Are you out of your fucking mind?!"

I looked over to see the waitress looking in our direction. I glared at Regina as I wiped my mouth with a napkin. 

"Well, I didn't really have much choice in the matter. You should be familiar with that."

She shut her mouth with an audible click, her cheeks flushing. Taurin and Vi continued to throw vicious insults at each other over my head.

"It's a small relief to hear you say that," Michael said gravely. "I came here to help Reggie and I should have been here to help you."

"Thanks, but I'm not sure that there would have been much you could have done. It was poor chess moves... on all our parts." As I said these words I looked up into Taurin's beautiful face. He looked down at me with intent icy eyes.

"That makes no sense." Regina said with frustration.

I waved my hand in agitation. "It doesn't matter."

"Why are you so comfortable around them?" Shauna genuinely inquired.

"I wouldn't say comfortable. You just can't be stressed 24,7." I directed my look to Regina.

"She enjoys our company." Taurin replied with a smile to the group. I snorted and swatted at his hand as he grabbed a french fry off my plate.

"I wouldn't place myself in that predicament," Vi said haughtily.

"You shouldn't be in half of that predicament," Taurin said sternly. He looked at Regina, "Kill him before he kills you."

Vi's voice lowered in tone, "You go too far." Vi reached for me. We ended up with my dagger digging its point under his chin and his left hand gripping my wrist.

"Regina, you can pull his power away from him the same way he does to you." My eyes never left Vi's as I said this.

"What?!" Her voice sounded far away to me as I stayed focused on Vi.

"You're too easy to bait Vi. You must be young if you let Taurin get to you," I chided.

Taurin made an injured noise, "I am just that good, Dove." 

His voice turned seductive, "I would convince you if you would let me." I felt his finger trail down from my neck to the small of my back. I would never tell him that I immensely enjoyed the sensation.

Vi inhaled sharply. It made me think that Regina was trying to figure out her new leverage. He released me abruptly and waved his finger back and forth at Regina as he tskd her. While Vi was staring hard at Regina I dug out some money for my portion of the check. Taurin stood up and I slid out of the booth. 

Michael looked at me and asked, "Will you be all right?"

I ignored the question and looked at Regina. "I have found that I can rely on Taurin's observations." I hoped Regina understood what I was saying, looking at Michael I knew he comprehended that I agreed that Vi should be killed.

"Anyway, maybe it's my time to die."

That caught their attention. I felt Taurin's cool hand on the back of my neck, his stare like a weight looming behind me. "Oh, it's not like we don't know that our lives are shorter than others. I'll see you all one way or another." I left them with our formal departure, meaning I'd see them alive or when we were all dead. 



Demon's Grace Ch. 21-23



CHAPTER 21

I walked into the parking lot and unlocked the door to my jeep. "Are you coming with me?"

"Where are you going?"

"Oh, I thought I'd go to a bar, get wasted and drive home drunk. Want to baby sit me while I throw up on you?" I narrowed my eyes and grinned evilly at Taurin.

"So, you're going home."

I slid into the front seat and started the engine. "Are you coming or not"

He crawled over my body so fast that I barely registered it. I turned my head to look at him sitting in the passenger side. "You know, you're kinda creepy."

"Not half as creepy as Ezra if he'd show you."

"Well, you're in a creepy section all your own." I grinned good natured at him as I moved the car into the street. Taurin didn't grin back.

He grabbed my bag and started to rummage through it. The car steadily got colder and I turned on the heat, in the damn summer no less. "I hope this heat makes you as cranky as your cold does to me," I told him blandly. "And thanks for asking if you could go through my things."

"What have you been doing?"

I glanced over at him and saw him scanning the print out. "Exactly what I said I was going to do, research. Any familiar names on that list? Wait, let me rephrase that, any names of lucifers on that list?"

"Some I killed myself. This is good research. It's not all of them though." He continued scanning the list. "I see Ezra and my names on it."

"It's not like they had a file for lucifers, the Affairs' Office probably doesn't even know the term exists because you demons are so damn secretive. That's saying a lot if your part of the supernatural community," I said as I glanced at him briefly.

"These are the names of unfulfilled warrants with multiple deaths. And when I say multiple I mean multiple," I stressed.

"And this number on the side of each name?"

"How many unfulfilled warrants." I answered.

"I see Ezra has one of the most."

"I did the research, you don't have to point it out to me. Anyway, my notes only include demon hunter deaths and not others. I'm sure yours would have a higher mark if you were found out sooner."

Taurin merely grunted. "What are these pen marks by the side of the names?"

"My indication that there has been some type conclusion in the files. See, you and Ezra. There aren't very many files with happy endings."

"Do you have a pen in the car?"

"Glove box. Why?"

He got the pen out and started marking up the paper. "I can fill in some of the blanks and indicate which ones I know are lucifers or are dead."

"My next step is to see if they start pulling warrants from this list for me."

"Then you would have to become a tracker if there is no current information. The ones I see here have been around for a very long time."

I shrugged.

He turned towards me and stared hard. "Dove. Even I have no desire to meet up with them. Many of these names are not lucifers. Demons going lucifer is not common."

I looked at him out of my peripheral vision and said dryly, "I wonder why that would be?" I paused dramatically. "Because you're all crazy already?"

Taurin opened his mouth to reply and then strangely closed it without making a come back. He massaged his forehead briefly and asked instead, "How are you feeling since the fight?"

I rotated my shoulder at his words. "My arm is sore and there are times when I feel as if Kiesh's fist is still in my chest. Not a comfortable feeling when you're in front of a computer, or driving, for that matter. How 'bout you?"

"Taking in his power countered most of the effects of straining my magic into the shadows through you."

"Huh." I paused. "So, what have you been up to?"

"Finding out the location of the owner of the servant who attacked you," he said blandly.

I kept my gaze on the traffic ahead of me and kept my disgruntled thought about his usage of the word "owner". Instead I asked, "Did you succeed?" 

"Yes."

I waited for him to say more. He didn't, so I continued, "Anddd?"

"And what?"

"And what did you do?" I said with exasperation and then muttered under my breath. "Demons."

"I did nothing."

"Oh. Did I miss something?"

"No." Taurin looked out the window. "I know where he is."

"O.k." I drawled the word out. "Are you going to tell me anything else?"

"Yes."

I had a feeling that he was finished talking at this point. He had a stillness to him that I had never felt before, even his scent faded to barely a whisper. Together we kept silence in the jeep. I cranked the heat up to battle with the cold he was pouring off. 

When we reached the house he stepped out calmly, even carrying in my bag for me. I opened the door and he put his arm in front of me to stop me from entering. His eyes remained their beautiful blue as he stared into mine. "Dove, do you know that we have no desire to be bound to demon hunters?"

I stared into his human looking eyes. "No."

"We don't." He gave me a hard stare and walked into the house ahead of me. I just stood there for a moment trying to grasp what he didn't say. As I turned into the house I glanced at Ezra leaning against the entryway that led into the kitchen. He, too, seemed to be in a similar mood. I closed the door quietly.

"If there's something that needs to be said then say it." I tossed myself carelessly onto the couch and crossed my jeaned legs. Taurin placed my backpack on the floor and the papers on the coffee table. He sat next to me, but his eyes stayed on Ezra. He started talking in demon. I rubbed my eyes and stood up to walk to the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" Taurin demanded.

I raised an eye brow at his tone and turned my head partly to look at him. "When you're ready to include me in the conversation I'll be here." I kept walking during the brief silence and felt put out because neither of them stopped me. I took a shower and lay face down on the bed in my robe. I was falling asleep when I felt the bed give way from weight.

"Taurin says the owner we are looking for is trapped by a sorcerer. One who is trying to kill him."

I didn't move from my position. "Mmmph err." I murmured into the pillow and moved my face to the side. "Then why was the woman in the elevator trying to kill me?" I said a bit more coherently.

"The sorcerer is a member of the council of the Affairs' Office and he would be aware that you tied yourself to Taurin."

I turned my head toward him. "I still don't get it. It's not like my death would do anything to either of you."

Ezra didn't say anything for a bit. "You would be a lure and a taunt."

"There's something you're not telling me." I looked directly into his flickering eyes.

"Plenty."

I took a deep breath for calmness. "Yeah. That's true. Does this sorcerer have a name?"

"Ray Cliven."

I laughed quietly. "Ray. Ray, the sorcerer. Wow. So tell me whatever it is you two have decided to tell me."

"This..." He paused and I heard Taurin speak in their language to him. Ezra shook his head and grimaced. He continued, "demon is trapped. Taurin does not know for how long he has been with the sorcerer. He told me that he has been attacked by other servants before. The one that attacked you is the third demon that has been involved. He is trapping demons and using them to try to kill Taurin."

I looked at him trying to figure out what was wrong with him, knowing he was unhappy about something he was saying. Unable to figure it out I simply stated the obvious, "Demons don't work together. This demon wouldn't give a damn if the sorcerer wanted Taurin dead or not."

Ezra looked at me.

"Present company excluded." I paused in thought. "What happened to the other demons? And how can a sorcerer blackmail a demon to get them to do what you want?" I sat up and leaned against the base board behind me.

Ezra gave me a disbelieving look.

"Ok scratch that. I'm sure there are any number of ways."

Taurin stood just outside the door frame. "Dead."

I gave him a quizzical look and patted the side of the bed as an invitation for him to sit down. He looked over at Ezra, who gave the smallest movement with his eyes. I wouldn't have noticed it if my attention hadn't been drawn to him due to Taurin's look. I watched Taurin walk in and flick his long blonde hair behind his shoulder. He sat down on the opposite side of the bed from Ezra. "He had them kill each other."

I looked at Taurin as I considered what he said. "Huh, that's... interesting... so, what did you do to get this person mad at you?"

Taurin waved his hand nonchalantly. "I siphon off his magic every month or so."

I nodded my head as if this made sense to me. Demons never ceased to amaze me. "Hmm... and ah, does he know you do this or did he find out later?"

"Absolutely. It was his payment."

"For what?!" I asked in astonishment.

"Saving his life from a demon he inadequately trapped."

"Wow. I actually didn't have to pull that explanation out of your ass. You just gave it to me." My smile turned into something suspicious, "What's up?"

Ezra continued, "He has become more experienced at capturing us, demons, but not so skilled at planning his vengeance."

"He is too afraid to try to kill me when we are face to face," Taurin stated matter of fact. "I bring him to me for our monthly appointment through the power of our agreement."

"Monthly appointment. I see. Since he's more experienced you think he will capture one of you if you go directly to his home. You're hoping I can surprise him." I looked from one to the other. Ezra's face remained blank while Taurin's looked determined.

Ezra spoke up again, "There is something else."

"What?"

"He has learned how to siphon off energy from demons. His arrogance will increase if we confront him in his home with the demon in striking distance." He directed a stern look at Taurin as he said this.

I exhaled noisily. "What about the demon. What can I expect and why not have a demon he trapped kill you directly?"

Taurin spoke up. "I could not get close enough to him. Too many wards. Although his fury permeates the house. His name is So'aan. As for sending a demon to kill me, well, the farther away we are from the sorcerer the easier it is for us to get loose."

"That whole proximity thing with demons again. Huh. So am I suppose to kill Ray and free So'aan?"

"It would be easier if you would, although So'aan is unpredictable."

I shook my head. "Yeah, so what's new?"

Taurin ignored my remark and continued. "I don't know if the cage will be released with the sorcerer's death. I don't know if So'aan will try to kill you." He paused. "Do you know how to trap a demon?"

Definitely not in my best interest to answer that question. "If I said yes?"

"Then I would ask you to unravel the sorcerer's lock."

"What about the council? And has it ever occurred to you that I might not be willing to kill another human?" I could see by the bafflement on their faces that they didn't. 

Taurin started to speak, but I waved him aside. "What if we told the Affairs' Office about him?"

Ezra gave me a pointed look.

I sighed. "Yeah. Probably not the brightest idea. What about the demons on the council? I'm sure they would not want that knowledge known?"

"True," Ezra said slowly. "We would be seen as weak if we could not handle this problem. Taurin would be seen as a threat since he unwittingly taught a sorcerer how to drink from a demon while they are caged," he glared at Taurin, "inadequately or not. I know that I would want to kill him if our circumstances were different." 

"It was not unwittingly," Taurin snipped back at Ezra. 

Ezra goaded him, "What were the odds that he would figure it out Taurin when you have siphoned off of him for years?"

I interrupted Taurin's defense and directed a bland look at him. "Obviously good. Anyway. At least I wouldn't have to kill another human."

Taurin put two fingers under my chin. "He already tried to kill you. Will you not protect yourself?"

I let myself be drawn into the hard beauty and manipulation of his icy eyes and asked, "What of So'aan?" 

"If you must kill him then do so." He breathed cold air onto my face.

I continued to gaze at him even as my breath started to fog in front of us. "I will help you again, Taurin. That is why you are with us anyway."

His voice came out slow and soft. "I suggest that we go tomorrow. He already has moved into Portland to be closer. He has a small house provided by the Affairs' Office. So'aan is there. Alarms go off, you get me out of any wards, he comes, I'll kill him."

I continued to watch the ice in his eyes crack and reform. I cleared my throat a couple times to get some words out. "That doesn't sound like a very detailed plan."

He shrugged, "Planning takes too long. What about the cage?" His voice turned cajoling.

"What cage?" I asked softly.

I watched his eyes get even closer to my face. "Do you know how to unlock them? Do you know how to make them? How can I kill him if you can't get me out."

I willingly let myself get caught in their depths. I shook my head as I realized that they were waiting for an answer from me. "I'll figure it out." I watched Taurin turn his gaze to Ezra and added, "But I would hate for So'aan to kill me if I was distracted with it."

"We will be there," came Ezra's voice behind me.

I felt his warm fingers thread through my hair. I pushed my head back into his palm. They moved simultaneously. Ezra gently pulled me down by my hair while Taurin placed his cool face on the side of mine. Before I fell asleep I heard Taurin say to Ezra, "I think we both underestimate her."

CHAPTER 22

We arrived at the house by early afternoon. It was brick and nestled close to its neighbors. Since it was daylight I was hoping that most of those neighbors were at work. I pondered that as I watched Taurin feel for the warding. Taurin was positive that Ray would feel our interference and come to inspect. My argument was that he would bring reinforcements. They were convinced that he wouldn't want to bring his illegal actions to other's attention. We'd find out soon. 

"When Ezra and I walk through that door we will be trapped. Not as thoroughly as So'aan and ours will only be an inconvenience because of you. Your job will be to unbind us and hide before the sorcerer makes it here."

I stared at him, "You have a lot of faith in my abilities."

Taurin didn't answer, he just kept his gaze on me as he determinedly walked backwards through the doorway. Ezra moved forward and never turned around. I watched Taurin look around at the prison I could not see. Both vanished from view.

"Shit!" My sword made dissonant sounds in my head. The notes of the two demons became erratic and unnerving. "Fuck it." I walked in.

I didn't know what to expect when I walked in, but it wasn't a bully breed hell hound. I stared at the huge smooth head staring right back at me. Nails clicked on the tile as it walked closer. I gave the hound a lopsided smile. She stopped and sniffed my crotch. I pushed her head away and she sat down in front of me.

"Well, sweetheart, you're a stroke of good luck." 

There's a joke that demon hunters and hell hounds shared a gene or two. That was the reason why they never attacked us. It was laughed about that we must smell like a dog. Only demon hunters got to laugh in public about that joke. I pulled my sword out and placed it under the dog's nose. I grinned and in a sing-song voice said, "Find the assholes." 

She immediately stood up and stared at a closed door on my right. I felt around for magic and opened the door cautiously. She walked down the stairs and into the basement in a quick trot, nails clicking. Minimal light revealed the room as a cluttered laundry area. She stopped and snarled at the two demons briefly and then took up a stance in front of another open entranceway. Her hackles rose as she growled menacingly. I looked into that darkened room and knew So'aan was in there. I turned my attention to Taurin's pacing.

Demon hunters are required to learn all the ways to trap demons. It was taught to me in theory and, as usual, reality is so much different then theory. Then again, I never wanted to get involved in any part other than straight out killing. Looks like my life changed more than I wanted to acknowledge. 

I learned that there are many keys to open a lock, some are held in the binder, others in an object and still others in the bound. I searched for an object. It was taught that controlling a demon effectively was suppose to be very personal, these cages weren't. Which told me I had a short time line before Ray was here.

I looked at the crudely constructed traps with my inner eye. The lines were not made for any specific demon, so freeing them, in theory, would be easy. I stepped close to Taurin and used my palm to touch the bindings. My hand tingled from something I couldn't see. I looked at Taurin briefly and noticed that his eyes seemed to be telling me to hurry. I laughed happily. 

"Holy shit! You can't talk! I really gotta figure this one out!" Taurin restrained his anger at my words with effort, which only made me laugh more.

Ezra moved his hand across the invisible wires of his cell. Flames and smoke flared where he touched it. I looked at him briefly, "I get your point."

"Demon hunter." Called a gravelly voice from the darkness. The hound lowered her head and bared her teeth. I looked into the entryway and a chill ran up my spine. "Come play with me."

Taurin made an impatient movement and I focused on his trap. Following the lines was taking too long. I glanced around the room for an object that would call to my mind as a key. Supposedly, if I was talented enough, I would be able to see the line thread from the trap to the key. I sighed in frustration and grabbed onto the threads of Taurin's cell and pulled them towards me. As I inhaled I noticed that they pulsed, almost like a heartbeat. I pulled them closer and focused in on the way they made the surrounding air vibrate.

The voice in the darkened room spoke again. "I recognize your scent. He told me that if I brought you here that I would go free." 

I shuddered. The hound looked intently up the stairs and trotted up them. Uh oh, I looked faster. There. I followed the vibrating air to a framed Dali reproduction on the wall and walked towards it. I moved it off the wall and looked at the manacle crudely etched on the wall behind it. I could 'see' the two threads from the cells tied around it. I looked behind me and saw them stretch across the room to start the pattern of entrapment, winding themselves through air and brick. I used my second sight to see the manacle as real and simply untied the strings with my magic. 

The cells unraveled and I watched the two demons disappear. Without pausing I hurriedly entered the darkened room and pulled my blade free. The incantation engraved on the floor pulsed to life. It flickered like fire and gave a soft green glow to the windowless stone room.

My eyes were all for the demon standing in the circle of that glow. His sleek tail whipped back and forth behind him. The force of his eyes made me hesitate from getting closer. That and the fact that he was completely naked, his skin showing uneven vertical lines running the length of his body. I felt a blush rise to my face.

"I never believed his lies." His voice was deep and growling.

"Then why try to kill me?" My voice came out thin despite the fact that I could feel the barrier imprisoning him. I slowly walked farther into the room.

"Why not? He wanted you alive, therefore I wanted you dead. Are you here to save me?" His voice came out scornful.

I stared into eyes glowing with yellow lines that competed with the light of the room. 

"He would have brought you back to life... or had me do it."

I shuddered at his words, there were too many possibilities there. I watched Ray enter the room from my vantage point across from the entryway. The sorcerer stood in the doorway and barely glanced at me. I couldn't miss his pasty appearance, glassy eyes and quick breathing. I was sure he was on drugs. I clicked my tongue in surprise that he still worked for the Affairs' Office. 




Demon's Grace Ch. 21-23



"There is something that I can teach you So'aan! Kill her and you'll have it. Bring Taurin out of the shadows." His voice rose in volume and became shrill. "You are scared of me, aren't you Taurin?! She," he pointed widely at me, "was used to bring you out! One way or another I brought you to me when I was ready! Now you know how it feels!"

So'aan laughed. "And how would you think that I would do that? Oh, great one," the demon replied sarcastically.

Ray moved farther into the room and smiled again, "This way."

I felt a piece of the barrier being shoved away in conjunction with the sorcerer's jerky hand movement. So'aan stretched his body. His hands tentatively pushed outwards. He met no resistance and he strode boldly up to the sorcerer. I watched as he placed himself nose to nose with him and stare down.

"The barrier between us still holds, So'aan! Do not think to harm me, your master! Kill her!" He moved around So'aan and closer to me.

I watched So'aan take a calm step back. "You kill her. There is nothing you can show or teach me that I want from you."

"I can't kill her! I know you want to learn what I know!"

Ray was a very excitable man in my opinion. Every thing he said was in a state of high agitation and drama. Even his movements made me want to laugh. It wasn't that I didn't realize the severity of the situation, I just felt like I was in a very bad soap opera.

"You go against the laws of the Affairs' every day, why stop now? What's wrong with killing a demon hunter? We do it all the time. Just get rid of the body." So'aan spoke casually and crossed his arms across his chest in defiance.

I decided to study the symbols etched in the cement, lightly testing the barrier with my magic. The sword in my hand was strangely quiet. I grumbled about poor planning and doped sorcerers. I was so happy that Ray was on drugs and confused about the whole issue. Ray yelled an incantation and I glanced his way briefly. So'aan was kneeling on the ground, his hands clenched in tight fists.

"Why have one demon when you can have three?" He growled out through his teeth.

The moment I heard those words I scratched my shielding around me with my sword and chastised my self for not doing it sooner. Ray flicked his wrists out and I heard So'aan take a deep breath.

"Unfortunately, she just shielded her self from demons, so I guess that means you'll have to get her yourself." So'aan looked over my way and gave me a toothy grin since this was what he wanted all along.

Ray finally looked my way and lowered his voice. "Not powerful enough?" He goaded So'aan.

So'aan's voice turned silky and his stare remained on Ray. "Say she broke in. You were protecting your self."

Ray took hesitant steps towards me. He was mumbling about killing me and having So'aan eat me. I remained on the defensive while I frantically tried to think of a way to solve this without killing a member of the Affairs' Office. I'd be in deep shit, narcotic user or not. He was too close. I sheathed my sword and grabbed a dagger. I watched the struggle in Ray's eyes as he fought the compulsion of the demon. I took cautious steps backward and bumped into a tall table. A brass bowl clanged loudly on the stone ground.

Ray brought his head around to give So'aan his drugged filled stare. He used his hands in a pushing motion and the demon was thrown backwards into the back wall. So'aan sneered and extended his claws out towards my body, half twisting as he was magically rushed past me. His brutal contact with the wall made the house shake. I felt the barrier close around his space as he was forced back into the guarded circle by the air. I watched his face twist in anger and hate, surprised that no sound came out of him. 

"Never again! Next time I will be better prepared for your deceitful ways."

So'aan laughed loudly and clutched his bruised side. "My deceitful ways! Oh, you paragon among men. Anyway, It was a good idea. Go ahead, give her to me."

I couldn't keep up with their logic. First So'aan was going to kill me, then he refused to, now he wanted me in his cage with him. I looked towards the sorcerer again and fought not to show my surprise of seeing Taurin framed in the doorway.

I don't think Ray knew who to focus his anger on as he started some incantation that sounded like gibberish to me. Taurin blew a breath at him. I watched as ice crystals flickered in the candle light and soared to Ray. 

My ears pulsed with the force of So'aan's roar, "No!"

The sorcerer turned around quickly and knew exactly where to focus his magic. He flung his hands out and Taurin was engulfed in a blaze of fire. Taurin's link felt like it was melting inside of me and the inside of my body was filling up with water. I made a gurgling noise and felt cold water spill out of my mouth. It didn't last long. Taurin banked the flames.

"Naughty boys deserve to be disciplined." He said as he moved fast enough to slap the sorcerer before Cliven adequately shielded himself and flung Taurin back into a wall with his magic.

So'aan was scratching at the invisible bindings and looking directly at Taurin with an intense anger. Taurin sneered at him momentarily and refocused on the sorcerer. As I watched, So'aan fell to all fours on the floor. I looked at Taurin and felt his anger grow.

"You will not get past me today, Ray. You were inadequate then and you are inadequate now."

His steps were determined as he walked towards the chanting sorcerer, fielding his spells with ease. When Taurin was in striking distance Cliven cackled and grabbed Taurin by the throat. My eyes widened in surprise as he lifted him one handed. My gaze went to So'aan curled on the floor. He made no sound, but I could tell by his position that he was in immense pain. His eyes blazed pure hatred at Cliven. 

I watched So'aan's energy being siphoned away from him, he looked like he had thick liquid pouring out of every pore which turned into steam before it could drip anywhere. My jaw fell open as I watched it magically appear to drench the sorcerer.

Taurin was attempting to get past the sorcerer's shield to ice him over. I knew his lack of breath wasn't even close to fatal. Our eyes met and I read something from him that I didn't want to. I had a moment to whisper a horrified "Oh no" before he forcefully attempted to siphon parts of my own power to use against So'aan's stolen magic.

On my way down to mimic So'aan's position I was caught by warm hands. Ezra's furious whispers were in my ear. I had to fight past the pain of the horrible retching feeling to understand him.

"If he dies we will be free of him. I will take care of all else. Assist him with losing this fight."

I swallowed in an attempt to talk, "Ez," the pain was a combination of feeling pulled apart and as if my soul wanted to throw up out of my mouth. My sword sang discordantly in my head, confused as to who was the enemy.

Ezra interrupted my attempt, "I can destroy them all."

I rolled my eyes up as Ezra gently eased me down on the floor. I saw the battle at an impasse through the golden haze of my vision, each straining. I turned and So'aan met my eyes as we stared at each other from floor level. At that moment I didn't know the right path to take. I thought I would always know since I battled demons, but everything changed when I bonded with Ezra and again when I did with Taurin.

I believed that if Ezra opened himself up to the power that Taurin always insisted he possessed, and that he seemed to admit to me, that it would ruin the choice he followed now. I closed my eyes and hoped that Taurin could find a similar path if he stayed with me. It was conceited, but I let go of my wards against demons anyway, and gave Taurin full access to whatever it was I called my power. 

I felt Ezra block himself off spiritually from me and step away. The sword grew silent and the pain eased. I felt Taurin's icy progress, like soft footed ferrets, as he toured through my magic, pulling out parts to use against the sorcerer.

My submission and So'aan's fighting is what, in my opinion, tipped the scale for Taurin. My eyes were closed, but I heard the horrible crunching and liquid slopping of Taurin's victory. I felt his psychic grabbing of power off the dead body and again boulders felt like they were dropping from the sky. After some time, I felt a breath close to my face. 

'Thank you, my IshaDove.' He took a deep breath and continued talking inside my mind, 'There is still something for you to do, Isha.' He cajoled me to open my eyes with soft words. He blew a cold breath on me and my queasiness slowly faded. When I opened my eyes he smiled slightly.

I expected to see his face covered with blood, but he was pristinely clean. His eyes sparkled like ice in sunlight. I watched that elusive movement underneath it as he helped me stand up. We stood for moments with our hands touching, staring into each other's eyes. It wasn't a romantic moment. It was the realization of the possibilities within us.

"Taurin," So'aan coughed out. 

We looked at him together. His face was still held in a grimace, but he was standing. Taurin bowed without taking his eyes off So'aan. "You are a weak demon indeed if you have not figured out a way to free your self by now." He turned to look at me with eyes that were now dull, smooth ice. "No worries, our hunter will find a way to free you."

So'aan spoke harshly as his tail whipped back and forth. "You insult me. I will show you how weak I am when I am free."

I cocked my head as I looked at Taurin. Convenient of him to forget that I freed him from a cell not that long ago. I also didn't like the possession he implied while talking about me, it all went back to that 'pet' word.

"When you figure it out, tell me. I wouldn't want you to get hurt freeing So'aan."

Asshole. I guess it was o.k. for him to hurt me, but no one else. I finally registered Ezra's heat behind me and the sound of his wings moving restlessly. 

CHAPTER 23

"What you mean to say is that you want to bargain with So'aan for his freedom," Ezra growled softly.

Taurin shrugged and I stepped away from between the two of them. Not a safe place to be since I could hear and feel the anger in Ezra.

Ezra remained whispering, his words harsh. "You are no longer as one," he said with an agitated hand slash. "Your enemies have become our enemies and now is not the time to bargain your way into more." 

"You two are no longer one and it's eating you alive," Taurin smugly retorted back.

They continued arguing with each other in demon, the air getting thick with their disagreement. My sword returned to its constant whistle of warning in my mind. I moved farther away from them and concentrated on the task at hand. 

I knelt next to the circle and traced the etchings with my fingers. As I worked my way around So'aan crouched down low and followed me. I saw his claws on the cement and forced myself not to be focused by them. He blew a hard breath on my face to get my attention and I inhaled his heavily musked scent. My gaze meet his and I stared at the vertical dark blue lines that dripped down from the top of his eyes, a yellow glow behind them. 

"What will you do, demon hunter, if you find the secret? What will you do if you find out the secret lies in that dead body over there?"

I put my head down and resumed studying the etchings. "I will do what is best for us all."

"Just like you did when you let Taurin take over you. That speck of nothing could not even take a quarter of my power and he was choking the breath out of Taurin." I snorted at his know-it-all arrogance while he laughed in triumph of his strength. "Find out soon and I will not hurt any of you. Although for your sake I think you will be safer figuring it out from inside with me then outside with them."

I looked directly into his eyes. "You think you can hurt all three of us? You have quite the ego." I turned around to glance at the demons to the right of me. Their tones were angry with the volume, threatening soft.

"I know what they are saying, demon hunter." His breath was warm on my cheek. I turned around abruptly, surprised at how much closer he was despite the barrier. As my hand caught my body from falling forward I realized that I had never reestablished my shielding with three angry demons in the room. I felt so naive. My sword pulsed along my back in agreement with me. Unfortunately, that thought flashed through as the binding threads push down uncomfortably on my palm. His hand shot over mine and he dragged me in quickly.

"I also know that I cannot get out, but you can move either way." He leaned in close to me and whispered, "You're surprised. I guess you didn't know that about this cage." 

My face tightened as he smiled widely at me. I stared into those predator eyes and had a moment of paralysis. Adrenaline responded to my fear as I felt three demons tune into it. So'aan wrapped his left hand around the pommel of my sword to prevent me from using it. Without my shielding his proximity stifled my magic, making me feel like I had a head cold when I reached for it.

Ezra walked as close as he could get to So'aan's cage. "Would you rip apart your only way out of this?" He asked nonchalantly.

So'aan's eyes remained fixed on mine. "Not my only way, Ezra. The shortest one since Taurin killed that dirt, but not the only one. It's been so long since I had a demon hunter to play with." His claws quickly scratched the side of my neck and then wrapped me closer to him, imprisoning my arms. We were close enough to kiss.

Taurin came to stand by the circle. "Then kill her and we will leave. You are no concern to me." I watched him out of my peripheral vision as he touched the barrier and ice spread out in thin tendrils, only to melt away quickly. "And I am tired of being bonded to her. It is only a matter of time before I find myself killing her."

So'aan licked at the small amount of blood on my neck. "Did you hear that?" 

His whisper felt like liquid traveling down my ear canal and I gave an involuntary jerk. How quickly Taurin and I started in on each other I thought. I gritted my teeth and instinctively used bravado. "I'm not deaf. I'm tired of his ass too. Only I would rather you kill him instead of me." I tried for a smile, but it came out more like a sneer.

He held his hand over my heart. "How brave, when I can feel your heart beating so very, very fast. And I who have been drained so thoroughly."

I jerked at his continued use of his sandpaper tongue on my neck. "Let me finish," I demanded.

"By all means, I will not stop you," he said between licks.

I remained kneeling, resting on my thighs. So'aan continued to slowly lick and nip away at the scratches. I tried to pull away as much as he would let me and felt his lips move in a smile. I was not unaware of the demon's incredible restraint, considering he'd been imprisoned, probably tortured and undernourished. I worked hard at concentrating on the lock and ignoring So'aan. 

My face tightened at my initial lack of success. I tuned in momentarily to Ezra speaking forcefully in demon to So'aan. His answer rumbled from the curve of my shoulder. So'aan's musky perfume enveloped me from the front and I breathed it in. I tracked his scent outward and could see the pattern of his prison in front of my closed eyes. I wasn't actually touching it, but I followed it like a string in my fingers through a darkened room. I followed the line and searched for its end without leaving my position next to the demon. I opened my eyes and placed my hand hard on the demon's solar plexus. All I could see was the binding. So'aan was part of it and my eyes bore into his.

"I hope this hurts." 

I reached inside of him with my leaden magic and forcefully realigned his energy, carelessly ripping it from one place and smashing it into its proper one. I spitefully watched his eyes narrow. The only sound I was rewarded with was a hissing exhale. The barrier crashed down and he hastily tugged me up with him.

"Is she worth it? Should I save you both?" he asked.

Nobody said a word. The lines in So'aan's eyes moved sluggishly as we stared at each other. Then he grinned, "Would you like me to kill your demon?"

I gave a startled laugh. "Taurin?! No. I've always heard you shouldn't hold in your anger. Supposedly getting it out in the open is healthy."

I wearily watched his expression slowly turn blank as he stared at me. I'm not sure how I could tell, but his attention moved towards Taurin, "Don't try to bargain with me demon or you may find out just how much is your concern." 

His arms slowly released me and I hurriedly stepped away and enforced my guards while giving him a sardonic look. "Well, that's new. A demon threatening me."

His expression changed quickly again and he grinned at the other demons. "She is not a good demon hunter. I'm surprised she's still alive."

Taurin said dramatically, "Alas."

I rolled my eyes.

So'aan turned himself into an alley cat. A really, really big alley cat. I didn't know alley cats could get that big and found myself worrying again about my woeful lack of knowledge on demons. The cat turned to Taurin and hissed loudly.

Ezra followed him to the door. "So'aan," the cat turned its head and looked up at him. "There are days it is worth it." 

The cat flicked its tail and merged into the darkness. 

I pushed Taurin in the chest as I walked past him. He didn't move. I didn't expect him to.



Demon's Grace Ch. 24-27



CHAPTER 24

"What will the Affairs' Office do?" I asked.

Ezra answered, "Nothing, when the informants find the body and basement they will realize that he was dealing with demons. You know well enough that many are prejudiced against us, there will be no investigation and they will not tell our department for fear of retribution. Not to mention they would not be ignorant of his drug use. He reeked like he doused himself in gasoline."

"I didn't notice that smell." I shook my head and continued with my worries, "What if they know it's us?"

Ezra shrugged.

Taurin dramatically chimed in, "We were saving our brethren."

"No. Actually I was saving your brethren while you two were fighting. If you want to fill me in I'm totally ready to listen."

There was silence. "O.k. I'm totally ready to listen... now..." There was silence. "O.k... now." I put on a huge smile for both of them. Ezra raised an eyebrow at me, Taurin snorted. I plopped my self down on the couch and sighed gustily. "Oh well, it was worth a shot."

"You know what is going to be annoying, that damn hell hound you brought with us."

"You're just jealous that she doesn't growl at Ezra." I smiled evilly up at Taurin.

"I know exactly why she has no growl for Ezra." He said with a 'why don't you ask me' voice.

No way was I going to take the bait, so instead I said, "Think of it this way, at least the dog house is occupied and I can't tell you to move into it. Or wait, maybe I can..." I made a gesture as if I was thinking really hard about it.

He narrowed his eyes at me, "I hope the gordons' idea of a meal is dog."

"And maybe their next meal will be a caged Taurin."

Ezra stepped up and hissed, raising the hair on my arms, "You two bicker like children."

Before I could undo it, I felt myself push further into the couch. His seemingly unreasonable anger towards me caught me off guard.

Taurin directed his narrowed gaze at him. "At least when I play, I play the way I should, while you, you won't at all, but you used to."

Taurin shoved the table aside and jerked me off the sofa. My body was swung around so that I stood back to his chest. I watched his nails turn into sharp claws as he hugged me tighter and tighter to his body. His chin resting on the top of my head did nothing to distract my focus from his hands.

"I am tired of your staleness, Ezra. You do nothing when you could do everything."

The hound growled on the porch and I turned to look at her through the screen door. Taurin leaned in close, his cool breath feathering around my ear. "You know why there is no growl for Ezra, Dove? Because he is less. Less than he was and less than he could be."

Ezra moved in closer, his eyes blazed fire. "Do not."

"You would not play when I was in danger, but I think now. Come." Taurin said.

Several things seemed to happen at once. Taurin dug his claws in and tore them through my body. I screamed in pain. The hound jumped through the screen door and I fell, huddled low to the floor. Ezra snarled and jumped at Taurin as a bitterly, cold wind whipped my hair around me. Taurin surrounded us in his shield and I had goose bumps on every inch of skin. He seemed to effortlessly keep both the hound and Ezra from us.

"What are you trying to do to us?!" I screamed through shivering teeth.

He looked down at me with frustration. "Something! Anything! Through you he can become what he once was! He can break this shield without a thought, Dove!" He looked back at Ezra, "Without a thought."

"And what if he doesn't want to be what he was?!" I forced out.

He crouched close. "If he does not want to be what he once was?" He whispered then gestured towards Ezra with his arm. Taurin shook his head. "That idea is unfathomable," he emphasized as he inhaled deeply. I looked towards Ezra. Flames wrapped around his body.

"Kill her! Kill me!" Taurin yelled in challenge. "Do something!"

I looked up into Taurin's face and studied the intensity that emitted from it.

"You do not understand!" Ezra replied forcefully.

Taurin roared a forceful winter wind in frustration and pulled me up by the hair. My body jerked from his painful pull and the freezing of the wind.

"Fff..uck...Yyy..ooouu," I stammered, wishing that I had made him hurt more earlier tonight. I turned my thoughts inward and attempted to still my body. I closed my eyes and concentrated on warmth. 

He laughed bitterly. "She has more guts then you. Take care of that damn dog Ezra," he snared. "I will take care of Dove. As I have been doing all along."

"It would be better if I did not," I heard Ezra say.

"Yes, but how would Dove feel when I killed it?" He asked. 

I felt the floor fall away from me as Taurin picked me up. We were still surrounded by his shield of cold air and he used it to slam my bedroom door shut. There were black dots in front of my vision. Underneath me I felt the hardness of the tub. I closed my eyes and huddled. Taurin climbed on top of me and straddled my waist, forcing my body to stretch out. I jerked slightly as he casually ripped my shredded shirt. My move back into reality came slowly with his soft words.

"Dove... IshaDove... Open your eyes."

I opened my eyes to look at the demon in front of me. His eyes showed me ice with snow drifting quickly across the top of it.

"That's it. Stay with me." He placed his cool finger on my lips when I opened my mouth to swear at him. 

"It's a fine edge we walk. Remember when I said that to you?"

My teeth chattered against each other and I couldn't get any words out.

"It's all of us now. I cannot begin to describe to you how I feel. More than anger."

He pushed my hands to the side and I felt his icy fingers glide over the cuts. I gasped at how much colder he was. His lips brushed the outside shell of my right ear as he chanted another language into me.

The alien sounds felt like a snowstorm blowing into my mind and sounded like wind flowing over a frozen lake. I jerked to get away from the demon, instinctively knowing that he was doing nothing I wanted. Taurin's hand came up and held my head like a vise to keep my ear next to his mouth. I left streaks of blood where my hands slipped on the slickness of the white tub. His voice became breathy and he drew out his words while his left hand continued to play over my cuts. 

I dizzily watched him slowly move away. It felt like ice was spreading around the area of my injuries. His slow satisfied smile stretched across his mouth. I closed my eyes to help with vertigo. Vaguely, I felt the demon lick the blood off my slowly warming body with slow languid movements. I was too sick to even care about his mouth on my skin. My stomach rolled in pain. I spoke up when the bathroom stopped spinning. "All assholes out of the bathroom." 

He didn't stop. I pushed at his shoulder weakly. 

"That means you, Taurin." He gave a last long lick and gazed up at me with content eyes.

"I want to rub myself on your body." He paused, "Not very dignified I must confess."

"Since when have you been dignified?" I replied dryly.

"Is that an invitation?"

"Get the fuck off me," I said weakly as I pushed at him with shaking knees and hands.

He looked at me, face blank, as he climbed out of the tub. "Should I send Ezra in?"

"No. Fuck you both." 

His expression turned smug as he gave me a courtly bow, blue eyes staring into mine. I watched wearily as he shut the door quietly. 

I gingerly rose when I heard my bedroom door close and went about working up to a very hot shower. I ran my unsteady hands over the scratches Taurin gave me. They were deep enough for stitches, but Taurin somehow made that unnecessary. The water turned pink as I scrubbed vigorously at them. I knew they would scar into six thin raised lines across my torso. The flashes of light I saw out of the outskirts of my vision kept me disorientated. It was as if metal was creating tiny pinpoints of light. I stepped out of the tub and leaned up against the sink with closed eyes. The dizziness rose again and I felt like vomiting.

When it passed I wiped the steam off the mirror and studied myself. Same wavy, bronze hair. Same small nose. Same lips, although they still looked a tinge blue to me. Same hazel colored- I stared. I stared hard. I watched as something flashed across the whole of my eye. My head turned slightly and the other eye did the same. 

"What the hell?!" I got closer to the mirror and looked deeper. "Oh shit." 

In the black of my pupil, at a particular angel, I could see what looked like a cracked layer of ice covering it. My vision wasn't distorted, but it was altered just by the fact that I knew it was there. When I focused on the air it seemed to shimmer all around me. I blew on it and watched a glitter, like snow in light, swirl and flow. I etched spirals in it and stared transfixed as they dissipated. I decided that feeling dumbfounded was not a good way to confront a demon. I'd wait for my anger to take precedence so I could feel justified in doing something stupid. 

CHAPTER 25

My eyes narrowed in the mirror and I felt ready for battle. I grabbed my robe and stormed out of the bathroom. My bedroom was empty as I strode through it, paused to unsheathe my sword, and flung open the door. A fire crackled in the fireplace and Ezra stood staring out the picture window. Taurin was no where to be seen. My gaze went towards the guest bedroom that I allowed him to take over.

"You son of a bitch!" I shouted as I strode purposely towards the closed door.

Ezra slipped into my path so fast that I almost fell into him. "Move." I growled, enunciating the word. 

His hand shot out and grabbed my chin in a bruising grip. I never hesitated as I slashed his arm and pushed him away with my left hand. He hissed at me like a cat and his hold loosened. I ducked under his arm and ran, stumbling through the threshold of Taurin's now open doorway.

My breath fogged instantly and the door slammed behind me. I couldn't keep the surprise off my face as a light snow fell around me and moved in all directions it shouldn't. A second's worth of bewilderment was all it took for Taurin to pounce and ride us to the floor. His hand locked tight around my wrist restricted any movement with the sword. "My sweet, innocent demon slayer." He whispered harshly to me. I closed my eyes slightly as slivers of ice slashed my face.

The slashing pain didn't help me reign in my anger. "You branded me! I am not your servant!"

He stared at me hard in the face. "You are not a servant, but you belong to me, pet." He spit the word out. "If Ezra will not, then I will, and damn us all! You think you can step blithely into our affairs and not be changed and you are wrong!" His eyes flashed cold light.

"I'm not stepping into your affairs! What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Bonding," he spit out bitterly. "He has been too soft."

I gritted my teeth and interrupted him, stuttering in my anger. "You, you-," I inhaled cold air through my nose and was glad for the sting. "You wanted to be bound. This is your doing. You're so fucking arrogant. If you remember correctly you were going to kill me! What the fuck was I suppose to do?"

Taurin's right hand came up and slapped my face with enough force to knock my chin into my right shoulder. "You were suppose to die! Demon hunters DO NOT BOND with demons! You should have gone down fighting! There is no relationship! There is no friendship!" 

His body was so cold it hurt. With my senses I finally took stock of my position. His naked body pushed down heavily where he straddled my hips.

"Am I weak Taurin?" I asked between hard breaths.

He bent down near my ear and breathed. His grip remained strong as he spread his full body weight on me. "It doesn't matter. You have become our weakness. I thought I could..." He paused so long I believed he was done talking. Our breaths were the only harsh sounds in a room full of soft, drifting snow. 

He continued whispering so abruptly that I started. "Before the law we would say that when we bond ourselves to a hunter it is because we are ready to die."

"Are you ready to die, Taurin?" I whispered back to him.

"No. I am not ready to die, but there is more than two of us." He placed his face in the gap of my robe and nuzzled me between my breasts. His legs pushed mine apart and he slipped his between.

A warmth spread throughout my body and I turned my face into his shoulder. "Is that why you are so angry? Because you believe that Ezra is ready to die? Because you feel responsible for us? Are you trying to distract me from killing Ezra?" I asked incredulously.

His laugh was muffled in my skin. "You could not kill Ezra. He would get killed trying to protect you." Both of his hands started to roam my body, which was now mostly laying on my robe rather than wearing it.

"And you have brought that fate even closer."

He laughed again, but it wasn't happy. "Yes."

"I thought that demons liked it when other demons died."

He snorted.

"Something has happened to you with bonding to me hasn't it?" I worked hard at ignoring his sensual caresses, the hardness of his arousal between my legs, it wasn't easy.

"You don't understand us."

"Ezra doesn't feel the same way." I said, remembering how he wanted Taurin to fail earlier.

Taurin licked my skin as he shrugged, "I'm playing with his pet."

My anger spiked at his continual choice of that particular word. I purred suggestively, arching my hips towards him, "Well, maybe I can make you feel better." 

He moved his head down to look between our bodies and I brought my fist holding the pommel of the sword in the hardest, fasted arc I could muster towards his temple. The force of the contact caused him to suck in his breath and roll off me. When I was able to stand I kicked him in the side and immediately regretted it. My foot numbed with cold.

As I limped to the door I spoke low to him, spitting out my words in fury. "You cut me, slapped me, branded me, and did a lot more to me than I ever thought I'd let a anyone, much less a demon, do. I am this close to being done with you. Looks to me like you should re-evaluate why you bonded. You think you hate me. It's nothing compared to what I feel for you. There isn't a word in the dictionary for the way I feel about you." 

I reached the door and turned the handle. "And look what you did to this fucking room. It's a winter fucking wonderland."

I glared at him and saw his ice blue eyes harden as he flung out his hand. I slammed the door before his magic reached me and stared at frost covered wood.

"Well, that went well," I muttered out loud.

"It always does between you two," came the soft reply behind me.

I chastised myself for relaxing my guard and spun around to the demon behind me. Although Ezra stared at my exposed body suggestively I didn't forget the murderous look on his face when I cut him to get him out of my way. My sword was half way at the ready.

He stalked towards me, the fire light flickering behind him. When he spoke there was a bite of disgust to his tone. 

"Hold your sword with intent, Dove. If not, then do not threaten me with it." 

He never slowed and I couldn't decide the best course of action. He placed his hand on mine and I let him easily guide the sword so the tip touched the floor. My eyes moved up from the sword, over his unbuttoned jeans, over the sheen on his red chest, finally to stare into his now expressionless face.

"Are you all right?" I asked hesitantly.

He smiled sardonically. "It was a shallow cut. More surprised than anything." He gave me serious eyes. "Neither of us should forget that we are natural enemies. It is good that Taurin does not."

I glanced down and felt his finger trace a line down my reddened cheek. "Perhaps." I paused. "He thinks you are with me because you are ready to die."

I heard his deep breath and next I saw smoke in front of my eyes. He moved his chiseled face close to me and I looked up. The demon breathed more smoke in front of my face. I deeply inhaled the smell of cloves and straightened my posture. He followed my movements and stared intently at me with eyes completely black as a moonless night. "I am not ready to die, Dove." He moved in closer, I swayed towards his warmth. "He has claimed you." 

He pulled my robe closed and tightened the sash. I tried to read his facial expressions, but couldn't decipher any of his emotions at all. "I'm not sure I know exactly what's happened."

He continued, "You will. I warned you to stay away from him. He has always been rash." 

I decided to risk a question I was sure I didn't want the answer to. "Why didn't you do the same?" It came out annoyingly breathy.

He studied me like I'd seen cats do. Like they can see into your soul, or at least, like you're a stupid human being. His head turned slightly. "Do you want me to?"

"You can't answer a question with a question," I said with a short glare.

He gave me a lazy, seductive smile that brought a rush of heat through my body. I turned my head to look out the darkened window. I could only mumble, "I don't know."

He cocked his head toward me, still smiling, "Sorry, what was that? Did I hear you right?"

I knew he heard me, but instead my voice lowered and I said, "Nothing, it's been a long day." I put my hand on the cool window to battle with the heat radiating through me. Ever since Taurin came to live with us the house was cool even in the sweltering heat of summer. "What's happening to me?" I turned to look at him.

Ezra became serious. "Dove, I may tease you, but do not push me. It will not be safe."

I nodded my head as I started to talk. "I always thought I knew what was right. And I haven't done anything right. I should have been dead a hundred times." I let loose the sad laugh I felt. "And you," I gestured towards him casually. "Look at you. You're a damn demon. And If I ever stop to think about that... I don't know what I'd do. We should have never been together, but here I am doing this all willingly."

He quickly matched my somber mood. "I do not deal with what is not, Dove. You know that." He framed my face with one hand and guided me closer to him. "We are. Think of yourself as following the laws of the Affairs' Office. While I am following the laws of a different kind." 

I felt strangely validated, as if he agreed with me even though he never said so. He blew warmth on my mouth and laid the softest of kisses on my lips. I treasured it. 

"Come," he said with an open hand. I placed mine in his and we walked to the bedroom.

CHAPTER 26

I awoke early the next morning with an intense determination to finish business with Taurin. Ezra never moved from his sleep despite all the noise I made gathering my weapons and clothes. I stared down at his still form and contemplated his reason for being in my life. There were no answers, only questions. Briskly moving, I left his presence and went out to the yard to practice. 

There was no sign of the dog so I assumed that it was somewhere in the woods hunting for breakfast. I already warmed up with my wooden sword when Taurin stepped into view from the side of the cabin. The rising sun bathed him in a glow as I watched his fluid walk. His silken hair was loose and moving with the slight wind. I stood transfixed, gazing at this beautiful creature coming closer to me even though he was only loose fitting pants and a T-shirt, probably silk.

When he reached me I blandly spoke up, "You really know how enter with flair." 

Half of his face raised in a mocking smile. "And you really know how to give a compliment," he said just as blandly. 

"But, that is not why I am here. Although hearing you wax poetically about my beauty would be a fine way to start any day." He gave me a mean smile then and, I swear, his blue eyes actually sparked.




Demon's Grace Ch. 24-27



"So enlighten me, oh, wise one."

"That is too difficult a task, but I will tell you that I am here to help you train."

He looked as sweet as apple pie even as I glared at him and clenched my jaw. My eyes widened as he charged me. So started my excruciating day of training. Honestly though, I was more than willing to hurt him for all the shit he did to me last night and I did, with more force than necessary.

He kept me at it until I was dripping with sweat, his shirt was off and the sun was reaching its peak. Then, he went a little longer. I was bent sideways, holding a cramp in my waist when I sensed an attack from behind. Muscles aching, instinct taking over, I turned on guard. My ears pulsed with the loud clack of two pieces of wood striking. My breath came in gasps as I stared into Ezra's face. He had taken up my other practice sword from the house and was using it against me. I wanted to say "not you too", but I knew it didn't matter. 

My fatigue got the most of me as Ezra continued to spar. There was silence between us, whereas with Taurin, we taunted each other until we'd run out of breath. The practice session ended when I stumbled down to one knee and looked up defiantly at Ezra's sword coming threateningly down towards my tense neck. It stopped just short, but Ezra's stare was just as deadly.

Taurin placed a cool palm on my sweaty forehead and I sagged back onto his steady legs. "That was unplanned," he said.

I knew it, I just didn't have the energy to talk. I opened my eyes to see heat waves rippling around Ezra, making his loose hair fan around him. I watched his human form walk back to the house. A lizard twisted itself around and inside him. 

My breath came out hard. "I've never seen something weave itself in and out of him. Is that because of the bonding or because of what you did to me?" I whispered.

I was grateful that Taurin kept his cool hand on my brow as he answered. "Power is of its own mind, IshaDove."

That reminded me that I was going to ask him about the addition to my name, but I wanted to know about what I saw with Ezra first. "Did you see it?"

"Not now, but sometimes." He moved as if to pick me up.

"Stop that!" I grunted angrily as I pushed his hands away. "I can fucking walk myself!" Taurin snickered and left me just as Ezra did. I didn't see anything unusual so I just got to watch his amazing backside. In fact he didn't even look tired or sore. Bastard. I waited until I heard the porch door slam to groan. I felt a cool nose nuzzle my arm. When I turned to look at the dog it was several paces away from me and sat next to a rabbit carcass. We stared into each other's eyes. I swear the dog was judging me as big an idiot as the sorcerer for associating with demons. Maybe I was just projecting my insecurities on the dog.

Walking awkwardly I made my way to the kitchen, lulled there by the aromatic smells of food. Ezra moved in front of the stove and Taurin leaned across the counter drumming his fingers. I watched the demon as he leaned his head back and rotated it. He arched his back and stretched out his shoulders. He then reached over the counter with his fingers, gripping the opposite edge.

"It's good to know I'm not the only one who got a work out today." I mumbled, happy to see some evidence of our sparing.

Taurin flopped his head so he was facing me while still half way stretched on the counter top. "If we never got tired our death rate would be less, don't you agree?"

"I do," I said simply as I turned my attention back to Ezra. Well, truthfully, I turned my attention back to the food.

Ezra gestured with his head to the table. "Sit down." 

I was happy to oblige. The three of us sat down to a meal of scrambled eggs, cheese, and vegetables. It was heaven even though I was being lectured by Taurin that the only demons I needed to be in touching distance of were him and Ezra. I eyed him while I chewed silently disagreeing with him as I thought about where that landed me last night.

I moaned as I stood up. One hand gripped the back of the chair and the other the small of my back. Taurin face showed wicked amusement at my pain. Ezra stood up with his plate and as he passed me his left hand flared heat to my back to give me ease of movement. I gave him eye contact and smiled my thanks. He barely acknowledged it. I frowned my forehead, but decided to deal with one problem at a time. First, a shower.

I wanted to think about how to approach Taurin, but once hot water washes over me I rarely think about anything else but how good it feels. Therefore, when I finally was ready to talk to Taurin I had no idea what I was going to say. At least I was dressed and armed, which I now had beaten into my brain was the best way to deal with the demon.

Ezra was sitting on the couch leafing through another magazine. He bought the ones dealing with the supernatural community constantly. I stood in front of him and nudged in between his legs. He didn't look up. "I'm going to talk to Taurin." 

He made one of the biggest, dramatic sighs I had ever heard from him that I actually laughed. Carefully, he placed the magazine on the couch cushion. "What you mean is that you are going to confront Taurin about his behavior. Taurin will try to seduce you and you will both end up trying not to kill one another. Do I have it right?"

I crinkled my face. "I don't plan it that way. Anything could happen. Maybe we'll sit down to a cup of coffee flavored sugar and discuss it politely." 

Ezra didn't say anything, he just gave me a look of disbelief from the tops of his eyes. 

"You could always be our mediator," I said angrily.

He didn't hesitate with answering, "I enjoy seeing the two of you lash out at each other."

I stared for a uncomprehending second. "You're serious?"

He quickly sat up and swung his arms around my waist, moving his face just below my chest. "Absolutely."

I stood stiffly, thinking about the look the dog gave me this afternoon. 

He kept talking, "I accommodate much of myself to you. Taurin does that occasionally, but especially if he wants something that you can give and he decides not to take."

I leaned back slightly and looked down at the top of his head. "Why are you that way with me if you don't really want to be?"

The demon looked up at me with his chin resting on my chest. His eyes looked as human as they could. "Perhaps you may find out. It is for my benefit only though that I do what I do and act how I act with you."

I studied him, "Meanwhile, you'll meet some other needs by watching Taurin and me go at each other." 

He moved his head in a sinuous manner, but said nothing. 

I jumped at the sound of Taurin's voice behind us. "Am I interrupting something? Not that I care. I heard your conversation anyway."

Ezra pulled me closer to his body and pressed his legs tighter around me. I twisted my head around to look at the demon leaning against the entrance of the summoning room. His hair was pulled back in a pony tail and he looked tidy in his button down, linen shirt and loose flowing pants. I looked back to Ezra and noticed how casually he was dressed, jeans and a simple shirt. I wondered if that was one of the ways he accommodated me, to put me more at ease and less on guard with him. It looked like I was going to be re-evaluating a lot of things he did with me.

I took a step back and he easily let me go, whereas I knew that Taurin would have made me pay for it. He returned my thoughtful gaze and let me see a glimpse of himself that would have made it just as hard and as much as a game as Taurin did. I moved sideways so I could see the two of them and felt my body tighten with apprehension. There was a tension just by having the two of them in the same room. I maintained controlled breaths and stood still as Taurin purposely walked to me. I wasn't going to run, but damn if I didn't want to.

"Don't move," the demon said when we were standing face to face. 

I wasn't. I would set a reaction in motion if I did and we both knew it. I focused on the sunlight streaming in through the ripped screen door. I became aware of the slight breeze blowing the trees and knew that the hell hound was still in the back of the house. I focused on outside and was surprised at everything I sensed. In front of me Taurin stood very still, as if he knew he could not move either. I continued to direct my senses away from the demons so that my body would be calm, away from the flight or fight response they were eagerly anticipating. In the end it was Ezra who broke the spell. I didn't want to believe it was on purpose, but I knew better. 

He moved so fast that all I saw was Taurin smashed backwards and Ezra in front of me. My wrists were jerked up in one of his hands and a heat wave of power bowed my head back. It filled my throat, almost as if it was trying to suffocate me. My knee shot up to hurt him and he grabbed behind it with his free hand and that invisible tail of his. Only the tail didn't stop, something continued to curl around me. It slowed down when it reached the junction of my legs and caressed roughly as if it was actually on my skin. I felt a cold breeze, followed by the slam of the front door. I knew Taurin did it to keep the hell hound out. 

I was being squeezed by a coil and it continued to wind its way up. Ezra swiped my other ankle from behind me and we fell. He cradled my head before it smacked on the floor, but the rest of me felt the jolt. Carlos flashed in my mind and I finally knew what he was talking about. Talk about learning a lesson the hard way. Above me Ezra remained as human looking as any person crossing the street. I was afraid, but I wasn't giving up. Not that I could do much at this point, I was sufficiently wrapped up tight like a mummy with Ezra's power.

The demon's voice came out rough, "Every day Taurin is here he reminds me of what I am. He wants this. Look." He moved away from my line of sight so I could see the other demon.

Taurin's face showed triumph. As I watched, his tongue came out to lick his bloodied lip. He was not looking at me, I was merely a tool, his satisfaction was all for Ezra. There were times when all rationality went out of demons and they reacted on a different level then humans did. They both had a reason they bonded to me. Those reasons were secondary at this time. Maybe later they would be priority, but that was definitely not now. 

Ezra jerked me hard so I would focus back on him. Staring into his black eyes I realized that I never reached for him spiritually. My fear rose as he laughed at my attempts to find his link to me. 

"Not so easy this time is it, my Dove, but I like the fight." He looked thoughtfully down at me. "You brought him to us and he challenges me time and again." I frantically searched through my own power. It was almost as if he hid even that from me. 

He continued, "You were mine before he ever crossed our paths." His head down so that he was talking on my lips, almost a caress. "You would stay with me. You continue to do so with him." 

His hand inched up my shirt until my bra was exposed. He studied the marks that Taurin had made when he sliced me and touched them gently with his fingers. Then Ezra struck and it wasn't gentle. Bone cracked and I screamed, my body arcing with pain. Ezra didn't bother to use his voice to speak to me, he spoke directly into my mind. The unfamiliar language of screams, growls, and sighs felt like a building migraine. He drew out my power, drank down my blood, and chained up my mind to his with links of fire. 

When he was finally finished I felt like I was standing too close to a furnace, only the fire was in my body. My breaths came out in pants, my collarbone pounded in agony and my eyes tightly closed in pain. Then, it all blessedly went away and I was falling into darkness. 

I found myself standing in a cave lit with hidden fires. All I could see was their reflections jumping off slick black walls. Ahead of me, a woman spoke. I looked closer and saw Ezra's back, he looked exactly as he did when he attacked me. He was standing in front of woman in a full red veil, jewels sparkled from her head dress. The veil covered past her shoulders, a flowing matching red dress covered the rest of her body, hiding even her feet. I moved closer and found that I could understand what she was saying. Her arm raised in a gesture and light fractured and shimmered off it.

Her breathy voice told Ezra that he was closer than he realized. Ezra shook his head sadly and gazed down. She stood in absolute stillness. After what seemed like eternity Ezra bowed his head and lowered himself to one knee. She flicked his hair aside and placed her hand on the back of his neck. "It is good that you are tested time and again. Believe this." She whispered to him.

She raised her head and even though her face was hidden by the veil, I felt the weight of her stare. Finally she spoke to me in my mind. 'Eshera, do not let this infraction move you farther away. He needs you more than he accepts, it is our way. I ask you not to leave my son.' My eyes snapped open at her last words and I found myself staring into Taurin's intense blue ones.

Taurin cocked his head and seemed to search for something in my face. I swallowed and became aware of Ezra's demon body wrapped tightly around me. His face was nestled in the bend of my neck and on top of my hair, restricting my movements even more. I was on the bed with my jeans and bra still on.

"Water," I croaked, looking beseechingly at Taurin. He obliged, but not in any way I imagined. He placed his fingers on my lips and I felt cool water spill onto them. I licked hesitantly and then found myself sucking on their pads. He gazed heavy lidded at me and all I felt was grateful for the relief. Taurin moved his fingers away and I had only a moment to be disappointed until he placed his lips on me and I got the same relief. I drank down his water and nipped at his lips. His fingers traced cold trails down my face and neck. Slowly he moved his face away from mine and I followed, flinching when my hair was pulled. I felt his lips curl in a smile. I dropped my head back on the pillow and sighed.

"I like it when you reach for me," Taurin said,

I was too tired to say anything. Sweat continued to drip and settle in the hollows of my body. Ezra was just too hot, not to mention that the inside of me felt like there was enough heat to melt metal. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about the icky feeling of my hair plastered to my face. I realized that except for the heat and nausea there was no pain from other injuries.

"Move over, Ezra," Taurin said.

Surprisingly, Ezra did as he asked, propping his head on his hand to watch us. I adjusted to Taurin's sudden weight on top of me and reveled in the cool breeze he brought with his presence. His hands roamed, sliding up and down my skin. They moved to my back and slowly brought my temperature down.

He kissed his cool lips down my body, his fingers working at the button of my jeans. I moved my hips to help bring them down. They stuck and peeled off uncomfortably, my underwear going with them, but once they were off I felt immediate relief. Taurin brought his mouth back to mine and I sucked on his lip, searching for water. His hands went around to my back again and he deftly undid the bra, freeing me in seconds. It didn't matter. All I wanted was the coolness he could offer. His hands roamed and kneaded. His mouth licked and nipped. My body jerked away from him if he was too harsh, but it also moved up to his if it was pleasurable. 

Then the game began. Taurin eventually would work to the point where I was freezing and Ezra would push him away. Ezra would heat me up and Taurin would take over. The two of them moved in synchronization. Even as they pushed my body to the point of temperature extremes the pleasure was too overwhelming for me to want to stop.

I had sex with both of them and refused to pay attention to the ramifications that flitted through my mind. With Ezra under me and Taurin nibbling my back I got the initial effects of Ezra's brand on me. I gasped and could no longer see anything. I was blind. 

My hand spread on Ezra's chest and I whispered, "What have you done to me?" I felt his warm hands encircle my waist and place my back on the bed. 

"I can't see!" I gasped with terror.

Ezra placed his finger on my lips to calm me. "Shush, you can. Be still. It will come."

"How do you know?" I asked anxiously. 

Ezra remained silent.

"Have you ever claimed someone before?" Taurin asked at the same time I asked how do you know again. I felt the weight on the bed shift.

"No," came Ezra's calm reply.

Taurin laughed manically.

Ezra reached over to touch me. I felt the shift of warm air with his movement. Again the shifting of air, this time it was chilled and I knew it was Taurin. The air pushed into me harder due to Taurin's hurried touch.

They ignored me and started to discuss the problem in demon. My sight didn't come back, but my sense of smell intensified even more. I could actually smell the dimensions of Ezra and Taurin by their signature scents of fire, stone and cold. I relaxed and closed my eyelids, following smells around the house, the residue of my blood in the living room, the tang of bleach in the kitchen, a tracking of dirt through the back door, a whiff of dog. I flowed back to my body.

I wasn't normally a person who enjoyed surprising others unless I was working, but I felt spiteful. I took a moment to decipher the displacement of the air around their bodies and struck simultaneously at both of them. I struck nerves in their arms which caused them both to growl. I rolled off the bed and reached for my sword flawlessly, mostly due to it always being in the same place. I urged them to come at me. Ezra laughed and charged me. I could feel it before he actually hit. I moved effortlessly because I knew where he was reaching before he finished the movement. 

"Taurin, move," he ordered.

I laughed with delight, "Yes, move." 

We sparred in the bedroom, neither of them coming at me at the same time. Taurin snuck under the bed and I felt the air move against my feet. I smelled the blood from each nick and slash that I gave them. I was standing facing the bedroom door when I became confused from the divided smell and air displacement coming from Ezra. He was both in front and behind me. My new found sense dulled and my sight came back as I stood facing Ezra's smug smile. 

A shimmering tail was wrapped around him, only this time it didn't come from him. I followed it as it made a curve around my feet and got thicker. I turned fully around and made the sound of the last breath of a dying person. Shimmering, but distinct, was the form of a dragon, half in and half out of my house. I barely had time to register it when it made the most terrifying roar of challenge. I'd like to believe that I made some gallant effort, but I dropped my weapon and fainted.

CHAPTER 27

I was grateful when I woke up on my bed alone, because I didn't want to be with either of them. The blanket trailed behind me as I walked to the bathroom to look at my body in the mirror. There were no marks from our sparring in the bedroom, of course, it was more in fun then seriousness, so I wouldn't let my ego get away from me. 

On the left side of my neck, closer to my shoulder, where Ezra attacked me, a shiny, sunset colored surface had emerged. It looked exactly like I envisioned dragon scales. I tapped it and a resonate sound filled the air. My fingers glided down the interwoven scales, I changed direction and they sliced my pads. I didn't even feel the cut. I moved my way back into the bedroom and put on some loose fitting clothes.

I followed smells of cloves and smoke to locate Ezra in the summoning room. The smell of snow told me Turin was outside on the porch. I looked to the porch and listened to the sounds of the night coming through the duct taped screen door. The housekeeping attempt made me smile. I turned my head to the summoning room and debated where to go first. Definitely the kitchen. With a sandwich in my hand I debated the same question again.




Demon's Grace Ch. 24-27



Posed with the sandwich halfway to my mouth Taurin startled me by appearing from the back of the house. He grinned like a little boy. "Good to know that I can still startle you." 

That gave me pause as I concentrated on the air briefly. "I guess I wasn't paying attention." I took a bite.

"You should always be on guard."

I sighed around my chewing.

"Come outside with me," he motioned with his hand.

I shrugged and followed Taurin outside. We walked the deck until we came to the patio swing, where we sat. I felt the wood where the bullet went through the swing against my back. Steadily I swung with the tip of my toe while I ate the rest of my sandwich and waited for him to speak.

"What made you faint?"

I kept chewing the last of my sandwich. When I was finished I asked, "Are you actually admitting to not knowing something?"

Taurin raised an eyebrow at me.

"Alright. So, now I know you didn't see what I saw, but why should I tell you?" I gave him an amused smile.

"You should if it was something that scared you enough to make you faint."

"It did do that. You know it was Ezra though don't you?"

"Yes. I warned you that he was more than he seemed. He is one of the oldest and strongest of us."

"Is he one of the ones that you would not want to go against?"

Taurin refused to answer.

I let him have his silence. "Yet, you went up against and threatened his demon hunter?"

Taurin eased back into the swing. "Of course, it was you, not him, that I went against. Although, now that he has claimed you, too," his voice drifted away on his thoughts. He looked hard at me and continued, "I am unsure of many things, Dove. Tell me what you saw."

"What about your mutual understanding?"

"You mean our bargain. It's an understanding that we don't go against one another directly."

"Do demons always keep their promises?"

He let me turn the conversation, "Usually. Now tell me."

"I didn't believe they existed. And the sound was everywhere." I shivered in the night reliving that roar of challenge.

"It spoke to you," he asked calmly.

"Oh yeah. Loud and clear. I'm surprised you didn't hear it."

"Dove, tell me." He looked into my eyes, cajoling me to give him what he wanted.

I took his right hand and guided it under my clothes to the scales, studying his questioning face as he smoothed his fingers over them. I felt amusement when he pulled his fingers back and the pads were bloodied. He licked his blood off and looked towards the forest. We both leaned back on the swing. I took up rocking us with my foot again. 

Finally he spoke, "You are not going to confirm?"

"Nah. Just because you want me to so bad. I don't know what the big deal is, you already know what he is. Everyone knows that demons are of only two DNAs, two different species. Although how it's actually achieved we can only assume is magic. You are either a demon or not, there is no quarter blood."

Taurin snorted. "Yes, but some of those species have never mated with a us before. And if his mother is a dragon, then he is the first and only."

"I'll ask him about it."

Taurin turned his head to look at me. "You would."

I shrugged, "Why not?"

"Because he scared you enough to make you faint."

"Yeah, and you siphoned off enough power from me to make me wish I could vomit you out. Which, come to think of it, I'm not sure why you did. I felt it, Taurin, I don't think you were in any danger. As for this other tactic, you're trying to use it as a way for me to distance myself from Ezra."

He smiled wickedly. "I did do that. I did it to see if you would let me and to know what it felt like going against a demon's power with a hunter's power. And you're right, I will use any opportunity to get a fight brewing."

"You used my power as an experiment! Gods above Taurin, when I figure some of this bonding shit out you are going to be in trouble!" I shook my head at him in exasperation.

Taurin's expression turned serious. "Did he pick you or did the fates pick you for us?"

His face seemed lit from inside with some sort of conviction. I felt awkward interpreting that expression on a demon. "You don't believe in the fates, or the divine?" I said, turning it into a question.

"We believe in what we believe."

"What do you believe?"

He gave me a cocky grin. "What we believe."

I rolled my eyes at him, "That reminds me, what does 'isha' mean?"

Taurin studied me before answering. "It's part of a word of the Ice Dwellers and it is what I call you."

"That's all you are going to tell me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It announces my adoration and protection for you."

I rubbed my forehead as I stood up and mumbled, "Some protection. Definitely not from you," I continued, "Fine. I'm going to talk to Ezra."

I watched him as he stood up too, "I'll come in with you."

I slanted him a suspicious look, "Going to protect me?"

"No, just want to see the fight." He gave me a pleased countenance.

I knew he was telling the truth. As we walked through the door I felt his hand caress my hair. I closed my eyes briefly, enjoying the gentleness of it. I looked over my shoulder and watched him gracefully fold his body on the couch while I kept going into the summoning room.

Ezra was kneeling in front of the rock fountain with its smoking incense. His hands were relaxed on his thighs and his head bowed. Black hair cascaded over his face and shoulders. I watched the movements of his back and wings due to his deep breathing. The air smelled like cedar, underneath I smelled his cloves. A few candles lit the space and bathed his red body in a warm golden glow. I knew he was aware of me as soon as I walked in. The air abruptly pushed around me, filling a vacuum, as if there was more to him that moved itself back into the body I saw. I knew there was, now.

The demon turned his head slowly and looked at me through the galaxy in his eyes. We stared at one another as I waited in calm silence.

"You saw more than I thought you would."

I licked my lips and stared at the floor momentarily. "What did I see?"

"You tell me."

I looked down again, then back up. "Was it you?"

"It was," his dark voice made me twitch in nervousness.

I nodded as I looked around the room, not wanting to meet his stare. "That's some roar you got."

His breath came out in a hard laugh. "I got a little carried away."

"I'll say." 

"Dove."

I looked up at him, "Ezra."

"I got more than carried away earlier." My hand shot up to rub the scales on my chest, "I know. We might as well been trying to kill one another."

"Never. It is not my intention to scare you either."

I shook my head minutely, "I know." In the small pause the summoning mirror chimed. We both ignored it. "In the vision after you mauled me, that was your mother?"

He gave me a look from the top of his eyes. "It was."

The chimes became more insistent. "I'm answering that."

When I made contact I was staring into the face of an older male. He had half moon glasses on and trimmed gray hair framing his slightly lined face. Faded blue eyes looked at me steadily and I instantly knew I did not like him.



Demon's Grace Ch. 28-31



CHAPTER 28

"Dove Hawthorne, you have been granted a warrant." The man rasped as he placed the paper in his bowl. It transferred over to me.

"That's it?" I said in disbelief as I picked up the paper that fluttered into my own copper bowl.

"All the information is on the paper. I can't add anything."

I glanced down at the warrant and said crankily. "How 'bout how many hunters have died before it was given to me or past patterns?" When I looked up the man had an evil smile and narrowed eyes.

I cocked my head and studied him. I had never seen him before and he made my skin crawl. He was dressed conservatively, dark blue suit and tie. "Who are you? You're not a chronicler."

He ignored the question. "The warrant is authentic." 

He smiled wider and his vision transferred behind me. I felt the weight and warmth of Ezra's hands descend on my shoulders. "In fact, you have a fountain of information behind you."

"Is it for you?" Ezra remarked blandly.

"Warrants are only for those who let evil come onto them." He transferred his stare back to me and gave me a direct look as if to imply that I was evil, or maybe I was still projecting my insecurities. My lip curled in contempt as I terminated the connection.

When I turned around Ezra was human looking and dressed in a black suit, his traditional red garnet closing his shirt collar. He looked down pointedly at the warrant in my hand.

"Oh. Uh..." I scanned it again. "It's Melous."

He gently took the paper from my hand and let out soft laughter. "You will not kill Melous."

"Uh, what do you mean I won't kill Melous?"

"Oh, Doctor." Ezra said with a German accent as he stared at the paper.

I sighed heavily. "Was that the infamous Doctor Bardellis?"

"Yes."

"You can't tell this demon that I'm coming."

"He already knows you are."

"If you are not going to let me kill him what's your plan?"

Ezra tapped the paper in on his palm and said nothing.

"If you don't have a plan then I am going to kill that demon." I pointed at the warrant.

Ezra stared at me, "I will not let you kill Melous."

Taurin came in just as my mouth opened to disagree with Ezra. I looked at him suspiciously because I could smell blood mingled with his scent. "What did you do?"

"Me?" he asked innocently. He inclined his head towards me. "What do you smell?" He asked eagerly.

"You look impeccable as always, but I smell blood coming from you."

"What kind?" He asked, still eager.

"I don't know!" I said in exasperation.

"Wolf's blood," he grinned.

"Oh shit! Not again."

"Gordon's were hungry."

"And so were you apparently. Which reminds me that we need to address this little problem you have. Well, one of several problems, some of them clearly mental. And you," I pointed at Ezra, "you better have something to tell me."

I walked to the entrance and pulled back the material motioning Taurin to go before me. I raised an eyebrow as he mockingly inclined his head and went through. He leaned on the couch's arm and waited for me to speak.

"I found out a way for you to get over your predicament." I paused, "I think."

"Go on." He cocked his head and gave me his full attention.

"I found out that you could issue a challenge to the werewolf involved. The problem is that once you issue it you would have no say as to whatever else happens. The werewolf decides whether it is to the death. He also establishes other boundaries. Then there is the possibility that he will not accept it because you aren't a werewolf."

"That was a mouthful. Where'd you get your information?"

"I was doing research." I turned around when I heard Ezra walk into the living room and watched him take a crossed armed stance.

"I want to know where you were researching," Ezra added.

"I'm sure you do. Just believe me when I say that it's authentic."

"You, I would never doubt. You do not lie, at least not very well." Ezra said.

"Great. Good to know." I rolled my eyes and turned back at Taurin. "So?"

"You want me to issue a challenge?"

I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Taurin's face was blank. I shrugged.

"But what if I die, Dove?" He asked nonchalantly.

"I didn't think you were that insecure," I said sweetly.

The demon laughed under his breath. "It would solve our problem."

"If you died?" I said sweetly again.

Taurin barked a laugh. 

"Anyway, do you want to do it?"

"It would be an easy way to solve this. Tell me what to do."

"Part of the deal was that I would issue the challenge to the werewolf."

I felt the air move against my back and Ezra was immediately in front of me. "You made a bargain with a werewolf?" He tapped a finger on my forehead, "Taurin is a bad influence on you."

"What?! Are you kidding?! Taurin is a bad influence on you!" I said with bitterness while pushing at his chest.

Ezra made a noise of annoyance at me.

I continued, "It was the only way for me to get the information I needed." 

Taurin studied me from the couch.

Ezra continued with a glare, "For Taurin."

"Yes. What?"

"You are too trusting, Dove."

"I'm beginning to figure that out. After all look at the situation I am in now," I said gesturing to the two of them.

"Yes. Look at the situation you are in now," Ezra agreed.

"We will do this," Taurin said.

"At whose pain?" Ezra asked darkly as he stared intently at me.

"I guess that's the question," Taurin replied just as menacingly.

I sighed. I knew they thought that I had been manipulated, they were probably right. They would know, they were masters at it. I changed topics. "About the warrant." I looked pointedly at Ezra.

"We will not hunt him."

"Then give me another option or I will go alone, because I don't know what else to do. Unless you want the Affairs' Office to place a warrant on all of us. And I so don't want that, do you?"

"Bardellis did this because he we had a disagreement of a scientific and personal nature."

"How long ago was this?" I asked.

"One hundred years."

I nodded my head slowly, "That's a long time to hold a grudge. He doesn't look that old."

"He is."

"What is he?"

He spoke to Taurin in demon. Taurin responded with genuine surprise, that, at least, I could understand from his tone. I watched Taurin rub his thumb over his bottom lip. He bit his pad as he contemplated the words to use to explain to me. He finally spoke, "You know what vampires are."

"Not personally."

He rolled his eyes and I smirked at the behavior he picked up from me, wondered how long until he started swearing on a regular basis.

"Bardellis is something similar to that. He steals from others, takes their health. That is how they live. That is their only nourishment. They're a rare breed."

Ezra shook his head, "Not as rare as they want you to believe. They are the best at hiding than any of us in this realm."

Taurin looked at Ezra, "I guess I should be more on my guard when I'm feeling ill."

"You should always be on your guard, even when it is Dove."

I snorted and laughed at that. "Yeah, Taurin," I said sarcastically and laughed again. I stopped laughing when I saw the seriousness in his eyes.

"I have something to do." Ezra said as he walked back into the summoning room. I would have followed him, but Taurin stopped me.

"Tell me how to issue the challenge," he insisted.

"No."

"Even if you are being pushed into a corner?"

"You can't know that."

"Right," he said sarcastically. "What else did this werewolf want besides you issuing the challenge?"

Master manipulators always know that there is more. "To know the name."

He shook his head in affirmation. "That sounds logical. You did not have that information though so what else?"

"There was nothing else."

He eyed me wearily. "Fine. We will issue the challenge together. After you and Ezra figure out about this warrant. What is it about this warrant?"

"Don't know. Ezra only says that he won't do it."

"And will go to great lengths to make sure you don't either."

I shrugged.

"No," he said adamantly. "You do not want him to go to great lengths. As much as I enjoy the in fighting, this will go beyond that." He stood up and closed the distance between us. I watched wisps of his blond hair drift in the movement.

His hand cupped my jaw and he drew it down until it was resting on the spot where Ezra tore into me. I looked up into his determined eyes. "We all do what we need to do, Taurin." I turned to go into the summoning room.

Behind me I heard Taurin whisper, "Yes, but Dove, you'll forgive us for anything we do to you." I shook my head without looking back at him.

Ezra stood in front of the mirror with two pieces of paper in his hand talking to a man in an ill fitting gray suit. I moved closer and listened to them speak demon. As I watched there was movement under the other demon's suit jacket. I frowned in confusion. Something whipped a tail out from his open collar and snapped around his neck, then melded into skin. Holy shit, I did not want to know.

The demon on the other side of the mirror switched to English. "I know what Doctor Bardellis is Ezra. Give this warrant to your pet."

He didn't even look at me when he said the evil word. I scowled in anger. If I could shoot flames out of my eyes things would be burning.

Ezra laughed in disbelief, "Is this real?" He held up one of the papers.

"It is very real. This warrant dates back for decades. Before our inclusion."

Ezra sighed in frustration.

"This is what you decided. Give me Melous and I will override it."

Ezra breathed deeply and placed the warrant in the copper bowl. I watched and felt him burn it with his hand. It assembled itself on the other side as it flamed on ours.

"Doctor Bardellis is screwing with both you and Melous. You should have accepted the position on the council. You are one of the most strongest and controlled. If not the most." The demon's eyes narrowed and turned a bright red. "You gave up your power when you declined and now you see how helpless you can be. Everyone comes after the weak."

Behind me Taurin laughed. The demon in the mirror glanced at him briefly and said snidely, "My point is standing behind you. Pretty Icelander brother." 

Then he directed his red stare to me. I watched as he rubbed his clean smooth face and extra appendages appeared on his hand. When he moved down his neck his 'hand' completely covered it. I think I stopped breathing for at least seven seconds. His hand disappeared on the desk and I started breathing again.

His eyes started to bleed red. "I don't know what you are doing here, Ezra. You remember what I said if she survives this warrant." With that he wiped the mirror with something connected to him. It wasn't a hand.

"What the hell was that?!" I said shaken.

"Just another of us," Ezra said distractedly.

Taurin laughed again, "Oh yeah, no one important. Only one of the scariest of us. His name is Shorn and I don't think any other from his litter survived." Taurin had tears coming from his eyes as he laughed. "He ate them."

Ezra mumbled and walked out of the room. Taurin and I followed.

"So, Ezra needs a problem taken care of and he goes to the top." Taurin couldn't stop laughing. "That was not our 'contact' Ezra. I believe that honor goes to another."

Ezra looked at Taurin. "Cam is a rat sniffing entrails dragger who gives us a bad name. Do not tell me that you were actually going to contact him."

Taurin looked like he was going to bust a gut, "No, but I would never even think about contacting Shorn. He would have me eat my own... well, you know, and that would be before he told me the terms for assisting me. And now he knows what Dove looks like. He would 'help your weakness' by getting rid of her."

I took a deep breath and wondered if my fellow demon hunters really knew what was out there in the dark. I didn't interrupt, I was too interested in learning more about Shorn.

Ezra remained calm, "No. He reinstated my warrant because he knew what I wanted. The only way to get that was to have demon hunters come after me. He knew who Dove was before I ever did. Shorn made sure she was issued my warrant." He looked pointedly at me. "I was in no danger."

I took in a deep breath at his words, bewildered.

Taurin sobered up. "As you just pointed out, there is always danger somewhere for us."

"Yes, but not then. I was following my Path," he said in a tone of complete conviction.

I looked at him in confusion and disbelief. I had no idea what the 'Path' was and I had never heard such devoutness in Ezra's tone before. I kept learning new things about demons every day. I kept my mouth closed as I pondered his revelation.

Taurin started to say something, then shut his mouth. After a few moments he started again, "What does that warrant say?"

This time Ezra laughed. "You need to read this!" He waved the warrant in Taurin's face.

Taurin snatched it from his hand and scowled, "No wonder this has been sitting on his desk."

"Well, it gives us a good excuse for not looking for Melous."

I snatched the paper from Taurin, "Oh shit! You have got to be kidding me."

Taurin looked at me, "You know who this is," he asked.

"He's a fucking legend, myth, whatever!"

Taurin sniffed at my description and I looked up at him, "Well, he doesn't really hide his actions very well."

"No," he conceded, then barked a laugh, "Fucking would be the correct term. How are we going to find him?"

"As Shorn said to me before you came in Taurin," Ezra cleared his throat and began to mimic the scary demon's voice, "'You already have the perfect bait. Dogs know the scent.'" He looked directly at me.

"Oh, fuck no. You are out of your fucking mind. No way! This demon is way beyond me."

The air pushed towards me and Ezra was pressed up against me, "I was way beyond your skills, but look where I am now."

"Oh! Whatev-" Ezra stopped my words with a kiss that was way beyond me and I melted around him. The warrant fluttered to the floor. My arms encircled his neck and he picked me up. A subtle movement and I had my legs wrapped around his waist. He pushed Taurin out of the way with one hand and walked us into the bedroom. Master manipulator, yup. I heard Taurin growl as the bedroom door slammed behind us.

CHAPTER 29

I reveled in the coolness of the morning, but knew that the heat of the summer was going to climb in temperature by midday. The rising sun peaked through the trees as I looked around the yard for the hound after my run. She was no where I could see, which was fine with me. I wasn't really a dog person. I wasn't really an any kind of pet person actually. I turned and walked back into the kitchen where breakfast was waiting for me.

As I crunched on cereal I flipped through a huge book of reference for demon hunters. It was compiled by a journalist who walked with several of us. She wrote down trials, myths, and even several formalities demon hunters used. She didn't get all of our secrets, but she was granted a lot. The most important one being the permission to publish with the stipulation that any demon hunter could get the book for free. I'm sure she made a tidy sum for the book. It stayed on the non-fiction best seller list for years.

The book was well written and easy to read. It was interesting, even to demon hunters. I don't think there was anyone who didn't take up the offer of the free book. It became our reference. I wondered if she would do another one, this one was at least five years old, published shortly after I was out of training.

Presently, the book was open to the section about well known demons. As she explained in the introduction to the chapter, whenever she asked about the most well known demon his was always the first to be spoken. His name was Oldavai, half incubus, and the name on my warrant. He cut a swath through everything female and male. If he wanted it he'd get it. I finished my cereal and was engrossed in the book when Taurin came in. He poured himself a mug of coffee and read over my shoulder. I listened to him take a drink and turned around to face him.

"I never understood why some of us were never in that book." He stated.

"Huh. You read this book?"

"Several of us read and discussed it. Not like we went out of our way, but it would inevitably come up. I always said that she should tour our world."

Ezra spoke as he entered the kitchen. "I hear that she is actually in the underground with vampires right now. No one has heard from her so they are speculating that they killed or turned her into a vampire."

I looked from one demon to the other with disbelief on my face. Demon gossip, huh.

"Really." Taurin took another sip of coffee, "Where did you hear that?"

"It was an article about two months ago in 'The Torrid'." Ezra moved over to the coffee pot and poured himself some.

I looked at Taurin's mug and took it from him. I took a sip and felt sugar coat my tongue. I gave him back his coffee and tried to scrape it off with my teeth. "You would actually want her to roam the demon world?"

"Why not? She got really close when she was with all of you."

"I would not like it." Ezra replied as he leaned against the counter.

"There is no way that she would find out things that she should not know. Not if she kept traveling with different guides."

"So says the demon who taught a sorcerer to siphon off power from us," Ezra scoffed.

Taurin glared at Ezra. 

I waved my arms and shook my head. "Stop. I don't want to hear anymore." I directed my gaze to the book and pointed out a passage. "It says here that Oldavai travels everywhere quickly. I don't know how we are ever going to find him or even lure him here. You can talk to me about bait, but I am not really bait. Not compared to all the options he has in the world."

"Actually, I think that he will be seeking you out. This was Shorn's gift to you, a sanctioned move. Paid self defense." Ezra replied.

"That's another thing. This warrant. I only do kill warrants. I don't like to get involved in the magic of my job. This isn't a kill warrant. It's a trap and subdue."

"I know, Dove. Why do you think no one has been able to do it. The people in power want him. Preferably alive."

"How could you do this to one of your kind?! It's kinder to kill them then make them into a pawn in someone else's control!"

He leaned in close and exhaled fragrant smoke on me. "You worry too much and are not thinking like a demon on this one. He will not stay in such a state forever. Shorn will make sure of it. Think of it as jail time with Shorn as the jailer." He smiled thinly and Taurin laughed.

I was about to reply when I felt the air move around my feet. I stood up and looked to the back of the house. Outside I heard the scratching of the hound at the screen door. I walked up to the door and looked at her. She sat very still and a slow growl trickled out of her mouth. Taurin had followed me and placed a restraining hand on my arm. "Stop."

I shrugged off his hold and kept moving. She moved back when I opened the screen door. The door slammed behind me and we stared at one another. Eventually, a whine trickled out and she ran to the edge of the yard and bayed soulfully before disappearing. I turned around and looked at the two demons behind me. "What have you done to me?"

Ezra replied for both of them. "We made you ours beyond what your law understands as binding. Oldavai covets females that belong or those in keeping, such as servants. He will hear about you and will come to us, not that any of our brothers know the depth of our claim on you yet. You are unprecedented, there has never been a female demon hunter that has bonded to two demons, albeit through your own laws. When he finds out that we claimed you by the customs of our world his curiosity and competitiveness will make him careless."




Demon's Grace Ch. 28-31



I blinked and slowly walked back into the house. I didn't look at them as I passed. Automatically I cleaned up the kitchen and walked into my bedroom. From there I picked up my weapons and proceeded outside to train. Neither of them came out and I was glad for their absence. I continually had to refocused myself when I thought about the implications of what Ezra said.

Finally I stopped. The heat was too much and my thoughts were getting to me. I frantically rushed into the house and showered. My only option was to get out of the house and away from them. I couldn't sense Taurin anywhere, but Ezra was in the summoning room talking with someone. I didn't want to see who. I hopped into the jeep with my suitcase and left my cabin behind without leaving a word or note. I laughed at the thought, they were demons, what did they care.

When I got to Seattle I booked a hotel room for three nights. Evening was approaching and I felt like I was in the midsts of an identity crisis. I sat in a family restaurant close to the hotel and decided that I was going to have fun for two nights. At the hotel I changed into the sexiest clothes I had and, I thought, did a damn good job on the sultry look with my makeup. I sheathed all my weapons on me but the biggest blade and flew out of the hotel to hail a cab. Through the window I watched the city lights go by until the cab stopped and I saw the partially hidden sign for the club Zanzibar. It was named after the owner, although not his legal one, no one had figured that out yet. There was a running bet that never ended.

He was a demon hunter who didn't hunt demons. His club was populated by hunters and demons. Demons were tolerated because those were Zanzibar's rules. Trouble, in any form, was not tolerated. Demons were usually out numbered at the bar and I didn't quite understand why they would come. Lately though, I was starting to truly understand a demon's idea of fun, their lust for unpredictability. I walked into the barely lit alley and through the steel door. A bouncer sat on a stool as I walked through the torn curtains. He checked my ID and weapons' permit and waved me on. I wasn't a regular and it showed by the looks from the patrons. 

I weaved myself through the people to get to one of the bars at the back. Tables were scattered around and candlelight flickered everywhere. Glowing neon seemed to drip down the black walls and music played at a non screaming level. Televisions were scattered on the walls and a B- movie was playing on mute with closed caption. I glanced at the screen momentarily and saw a girl get killed by an eggplant. The woman behind the bar brought me my drink and I drank it slowly, diverting my attention between people and the movie. By the time I was done more patrons had entered and walked past me down the stairs. I swung off the bar stool and followed their lead. 

The light on the stairway was better and the music was louder. This was the basement dance floor. Just before the opening of the floor there was a huge, blackened cork board on both sides of the arched entrance. One side dealt with the dead, the other for the living. Notes, pictures, and mementos decorated both sides. I stopped and scanned the names. Reflecting on the life of demon hunters. Then I entered my haven.

People swayed, pounded, and stomped to loud music. There were less tables and more people standing against walls and pillars or leaning over rail ledges. Glass spheres were scattered and anyone could dance in them. Raised platforms where others sat. Lights flashed and writing was illuminated on walls from black lights. Tarot cards were stapled haphazardly on supports.

I went to the bar and ordered another drink. This time I leaned against the bar and watched people dancing. I was on my third drink of the night and feeling better when a man sided up to me. He wore glasses and had a few gray touches threaded through his brown hair. His smile was genuine and friendly. He placed his drink behind him and leaned his elbows on the bar.

"Hi."

"Hi," I replied without looking at him.

"I haven't seen you around here." His 

voice held a slight southern accent that warmed.

"I haven't been around here a lot." I took a sip from my drink.

"New to Seattle?" He inquired innocently.

"Not really, you?"

He looked at me from the sides of his eyes and smiled, "No."

"Oh." The music filled the silence between us.

"Are you a demon hunter," he finally asked as he reached for his drink. 

I watched him drink and waited until he was done before speaking. "Why do you ask?

"

He gave me a huge smile. "Do you know where you are?"

"Do I look like a demon hunter?" I was beginning to feel insecure with my profession, the whole incident with the hell hound came flooding back to me and I felt my eyes get watery.

"Jesus, how much have you had to drink? Are you about to cry?"

I took a deep breath and shook my hands in front of him. "No, no. It's been a long couple days, weeks...months."

He smiled at me again and placed his arm around me. He gave me a side hug. It felt like being hugged by a tree. I angled my chin at him. "Are you a demon hunter?"

"You first."

"Yes I am. I can kill any demon I see." I was trying to reassure myself in a drunken sort of way.

He gave me an amused look. "Are you sure? Because if you're not it's ok. You don't have to have anything to do with demons to be in this bar."

I frowned and my eyes filled up with water again. My mouth opened to say something.

The man interrupted me. "No. Stop. No more, I can't stand to see a woman cry. To me your a demon hunter, and even if you're not, you are tonight. You carry enough weapons to be one anyway." He smiled at me and rubbed his knuckles under my chin. He pulled me closer and, being in a drunken state, I let him comfort me.

"Let me tell you about the bar." He scanned the bar as if it was a familiar woman. He moved his head to indicate a huge black man moving to the beat of the music. His combat boots stomped on the floor and his shaved head moved back and forth.

"That's Luke. He comes here as often as he can. If dancing was on the second floor he'd shake the ceiling. If he's in the mosh pit," He looked at me and shook his head, "stay away. His attitude is as mean as his dancing." He pointed with the hand around my shoulder. "That's Patrick."

I watched the man he pointed to swagger around the edges of the dance floor. He was tall and lithe, but muscular with orange spiked hair, a red flannel wrapped around his waist.

"We call him Punk." He gave me a pointed look, "Because he is. He does contract work and odd jobs."

I reached for my drink and found it full again. "What do you mean, contract work?"

The man pursed his lips and looked at me. "Tell me again who you are?"

"Dove. Who are you?" I took a swallow and enjoyed the burn down my throat.

"I'm Zanzibar."

"No shit! You're the owner of the bar. The demon hunter who doesn't hunt demons! How do you keep them from coming after you?!"

Zanzibar smiled wide, "Years of practice. So, Dove, you really a demon hunter?"

I weaved a little in his warm embrace. "Yeah."

"Well, if you want to hold your weapons behind the bar or at the coat check you can. Many do and many don't. I suppose it depends on who's gunnin' for you, but I don't like to have fights in my bar. Bad for business. Anyone looking for you?" He gave me serious eyes.

I cocked my head at him, "Aren't they always?"

He laughed heartily, "Sure are. Anyway, Punk. He does contract work on demons so if you're too squeamish to do illegal hunts he'll do it for you." We both looked to the left at the table Punk was now sitting at.

"That's his girl, Bri. She's a demon hunter from Ireland. If her accent goes down like smooth whiskey his fake one goes down like cough syrup." He looked at me again. "We all wonder why she's with him. We think it has something to do with his shillelagh," he chuckled.

I gave Zanzibar a questioning look. He waved behind the bar at a black walking stick leaning against the mirrored wall. "It's a weapon. He likes that fact that it has something to do with Ireland. He's got an obsession. His weapons of choice are guns though."

"That doesn't get you close enough to the demon." 

Zanzibar gave a grim smile, "He likes living on the edge. He'll tell you how exciting it is to get close to a demon when you don't know if it's out or not so you can give the final chant."

I grimaced.

"Like I said, he's a young punk," Zanzibar continued.

I looked at my glass and saw that it was empty.

"You driving tonight?" He drawled.

"Taxi."

"Want another?"

"No, just water."

He nodded and signaled to the bartender. The tour of the bar went on. I found myself feeling better than I had in awhile. "Now, tell me about you."

"There's nothing to tell. I'm boring."

Zanzibar laughed around his drink, "There is no such thing as a boring hunter. If that's what you are."

"Hmph. What do you want to know?"

"Why are you drowning your sorrows in my bar?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You know the saying, 'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me'?"

"Yeah."

I straightened up and smiled wryly at him, "Well, shame on me." I walked to the dance floor and stomped to the music with the rest of the crowd. I spotted Regina through the weaving of the sweaty bodies and decided to say hi. I made my unsteady way to the platform she was sitting on. She was swaying to the beat while sitting and swinging her feet back and forth. "It looks like you had as much to drink as I have."

"Dove," she slurred happily. "Are you drunk too?"

I laughed, "I think so." I sat next to her. "How long have you been here?"

"Umm... A lonngg time. Vi's here," She looked around distractedly, "somewhere. Who cares though, maybe he won't come home with me tonight. Where are your keepers?"

My face frowned at her choice of words, "They're not my keepers and I have no fucking idea where they are. And, I could care less about them."

"Yeah!" She pushed into me and then gave me a sober look. "I think they sent him to watch me. He's always watching me."

I looked at her lithe, black leather clad body pointedly.

"No, no, no, not like that. They sent him to watch me," she said in a conspirator whisper.

I leaned into her, "Who sent him?"

"The demons on the Affairs'," she said adamantly.

"You think they ordered him to bind with you? Why?" My brain worked through the haze of alcohol slowly. I had a feeling she was telling me something important.

She cleared her throat and drank from her glass. "Because I'm saving their souls."

I squinted my eyes at her, "Whose souls?"

Her eyes widened and she took another drink, "The demons! They all need saving!" She gave me scary fanatic look, "Do you need saving? Because I know there's something different about you now."

I was speechless so it was a good thing she continued.

"My angel showed me how to save souls." Her face and eyes shined with adoration at her words.

My jaw dropped and I looked at her in amazement. "Holy shit," I whispered. "How are you doing that?" I asked.

"Well, I'm not doing anything now because Vi is always watching me. They sent him! Oh crap, here he comes." She looked up at the ceiling in exasperation.

I looked in front of us and watched him move forward with two drinks in his hand. He smiled politely and handed a drink to each of us. Regina swallowed half of hers while I sipped cautiously. His white hair was bound back in a french braid and his tanned skin was framed all in white. White boots went up to his knees and his collar was open at the neck. His eyes shone like emeralds in the darkened room.

"Vi," I said for a greeting.

He continued to smile, "Dove."

"Trying to get your date drunk so she'll profess her love to you and give you some," I said blandly.

Regina protested in drunken astonishment, "Dove!"

He smiled and said nothing.

I eyed him wearily.

"Hey, you two szzhould dance. You, all in white, Dove, all in black. It will be like ying and yang."

I sipped my drink and looked at Regina, "Regina, over half of the club is in black and it's yin, not ying."

"So." She pushed at me in a 'go' gesture that caused me to roll my eyes. Vi placed his hand palm up in front of me. I gave him a suspicious look and Regina took my hand and placed it in his. I acquiesced with an annoyed sigh and let Vi pull me to the dance floor. We ended up by one of the walls and Vi moved in enough so that he was chest to chest with me.

"You wouldn't be thinking about desecrating the neutral ground of Zanzibar would you?" I asked. 

Vi surrounded me with his arms and maneuvered me against the wall, one leg between mine. "Are you?" He asked.

"No." I responded.

"Good." He ground his thigh lightly into the junction of my legs.

I sneered and pushed at him. "What are your intentions?"

He shrugged. "To get Regina drunk and have sex with her. I believe that is what you said."

"You're a fucking liar."

He gave me an 'of course' look. "Dance with me and worry about tomorrow when it comes." He started to move slightly.

"How poetic," I responded.

He twirled me around and guided my body into the music. "Where are your keepers?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Now I see where Regina got that bullshit term. What do you care?"

His hands started to move over me and I stepped back. "I would hate to see you drunk and at someone's mercy that you're not familiar with."

"Like you give a shit, Vi. If you kill Regina I will hunt you down." We had both stopped dancing and were looking daggers at each other. 

"With what warrant, Dove? Because there will never be one. Then what will you do?"

I shook my head at him and turned. He grabbed my arm and pulled me harshly into his body. My back was held in close to the wall of his chest. He leaned in close to my neck. I determinedly stopped a shudder from showing itself.

"You better look out for yourself. My brothers are asking questions and watching. You have your own problems to deal with. Do you think that you can take on someone else's?"

I hissed, giving my anger precedence. "Is that because you can't keep your damn mouth shut?"

"Is there a problem here?" asked a southern drawl behind us.

Vi answered first, "No, Zanzibar. We were just dancing." His hands moved from the tops of my shoulders and caressed down my arms. I hastily stepped away from him and turned around. Zanzibar met my eyes. Vi looked down at me and raised my hand. As he brought it up to his mouth I pulled my hand away so all his lips touched were the tips of my fingers. He smiled and sauntered his way back to Regina. 

Zanzibar took my elbow and directed me to the bar at the other side of the club. "If I didn't believe that you were a demon hunter when I first saw you then I most certainly do now."

I rubbed my forehead with the palm of my hand. "And what's even scarier. I've had more demons walk into my bar at one time since you've been here then since I first opened. I ask again, someone gunnin' for you? Because they're all watching you."

"Shit."

"How about one reason for now," he demanded.

"I don't know. Really. Why don't you ask them?"

Zanzibar laughed good natured, "Honey, you're drunk if you think that I'm going to get a straight answer out of a demon."

I placed my chin on my palm and leaned over the bar. I sighed heavily and focused on the constant movement of the air. Zanzibar waved his hand in front of my face.

"Honey, you even listening to me?" 

"Hmm. I guess not," I responded distractedly.

He shook his head and looked at me through the sides of his eyes.

"Zanzibar, I think I've been made into a demon servant." The words slipped out of my mouth and I grimaced at what I just drunkenly revealed.

He rattled the ice in his glass, seemingly unperturbed. "Those are heavy words and heavy deeds. I'm not surprised that you're getting drunk in my bar."

I studied his face. 

"Come with me," he said. He led me to a door that was securely locked. After he put in a code the door unlocked itself and we walked up two sets of stairs. One more secured door and we ended up in his office. A window looked out over the outside alley of the bar. He gave me a searching look as he half sat on his scarred and well used desk. I listened to his boot heel as it rapped on the back of the desk. I finally moved my gaze from his swinging leg to his face.

"If you are a demon's servant you would have their mark. Do you?"

"I don't think so." I walked over the plush green carpet and sagged into one of his chairs.

He smiled gamely, "You don't know? Why do you think that you're a servant? It's not likely that a demon would mark a demon hunter as a servant. That's a voluntary position made by retards and hunters don't do something that stupid. We don't need their power like a servant does, we have are own and we can take theirs."

I pulled my shirt to the side and showed him the shiny, metallic scales on my skin. 

Zanzibar whistled and placed his hand on them.

"Don't rub up or they'll cut."

"Servant marks are actually demon language. Was that voluntary?"

"Not really. But I have another something from the other demon."

He stared down at me. "You have two demon brands! Where's the other mark?"

"My eyes." 

I watched Zanzibar's brown eyes move in closer to my face, then back away, "I don't wanna know." He sighed heavily. "What you have is a genuine 'stay the fuck away' sign. Demons always covet what their other brothers have. And, as far as I know, demons only covet power. Now I know why they're in my bar."

"How can they know?!"

"Most don't. They're coming here to find out what's true and what's not. Since you seem to be on familiar terms with Vi it has to be him fueling the rumor mill."

"No one knows about the marks. He only knows that they're with me because of the law. How do you know about all this?" I asked in wonder.

"Well, I've been around for awhile." Then he grinned, "Also, until I met you I thought I was the only hunter to have one of those."

I gave him a look of confusion as he untucked his shirt and lifted it. He had an irregular mark that shimmered and looked like gasoline on water, the colors constantly shifting. I tentatively touched his lower right side and it felt like I was skimming my hand on the surface of warm water. When I pulled away he dropped his shirt. "You asked, how can I be a demon hunter and keep them away from me. You are the only person I have showed that too. Let's keep it that way."

I nodded. "So they just leave you alone?"

"Mess with the horns and eventually they get the whole bull."

"Do they ever try?"

"In the beginning, but I searched out the biggest and baddest demons I knew." He gave me a level look.

I gaped at him, "You did that on purpose?!"

"Shure," he drawled out. "I didn't want that life style. So I researched for a way out of it besides death and made a deal. I ended up with something our kind had no idea existed and a great idea for a bar. He ended up with an income and information."

"Where is he now?"

"Wherever he wants to be."

"Mother fucker," I swore.

He gave a nonchalant shrug and continued. "I'll tell you this, they claimed you as theirs and that means that if anyone messes with you they are messing with them. But two demons is a bit over the top. I think you're in more trouble with them then outsiders. I don't want to know the details, just be careful with the young ones. They're always trying to prove to their elders that they're bigger and badder than them."

"That would be Vi."

He nodded in agreement, "That would be Vi."

I was quiet for a moment. I looked down, then back at his concerned face, "A hell hound rejected me."

He laughed, "Yeah, they do that. I imagine that two demons would definitely get their wires crossed. It goes with the territory, Dove, it doesn't make you less of a demon hunter, just different." He stood up, "Come on, I'll call you a cab."




Demon's Grace Ch. 28-31



"It's ok to come back?"

He smiled wide, "Honey, absolutely. It will be nice to talk shop with someone who has the same perspective as I do."

I smiled sadly as he hugged and ushered me downstairs.

CHAPTER 30

Despite words of caution, nothing eventful happened to me for the rest of the night or even during the day. I simply went window shopping and enjoyed the sunshine. People lazed around Pioneer Park and others hurried around in work clothes during lunch hours. I watched it all thinking about the banalities of life and wondering what Ezra and Taurin were doing. 

By the time night eased its way in I was feeling feisty. I debated about showing off the mark Ezra gave me and decided against it. I pulled on a tight fitting red cotton shirt and black jeans. My combat boots and heavy eyeliner finished my outfit.

I walked into Zanzibar's and went immediately to the basement level. When I ordered a drink the bartender told me the first one was on the owner. I gave a half smile and walked over to the platforms to sit down. The place was already crowded and heat rose in waves from the undulating bodies. 

I watched as Regina strutted in with her usual leather, her black braids held up high in a ponytail. She was almost as tall as Vi with her heeled boots on. I sipped my drink as I watched Vi's head twitch in subtle quick movements as if dissecting the smells on the air. He stilled completely and smoothly turned his head right to me. His hair was flowing loose around him much as mine was. He didn't smile and the visage on his face was almost challenging. I raised an eyebrow and saluted him with my glass. He acknowledged me with the slightest nod and turned back to Regina. She was steadily ignoring him, which probably wasn't too hard for her since she already had three men crowding her.

I decided to ignore him too and watched the dancers. I went to the other bar that was away from the demon and ordered another drink. I stayed there and contemplated my to do list. Challenge a werewolf for Taurin. Fulfill the warrant for Oldavai. Figure out how far Dr. Bardellis was willing to go to kill Ezra. I sipped my drink distractedly. What else? Figure out what to do with Regina, or at the very least pawn her problem off to someone else. Then there was that third Council member that had yet to try to knock off Taurin. And what about that other name that was after Ezra. I thought hard, but couldn't remember it.

I watched the ice clink around my glass as I swirled the liquid. The music faded and my vision focused on the wetness of the ice. I kept moving the glass in a circle and the ice cubes seemed to merge and move into each other. I stopped and brought my face closer to it. Indistinct movement appeared and threatened to erupt from under the ice. The rhythm of my breath increased and came out foggy.

"Ice demon's," came a whispery voice to my right. My head snapped up and I was looking into human looking brown eyes of a demon. I noticed that the air was doing that sparkling thing again. I turned my attention to the smell of the demon, it was rock dust. I studied him quickly and didn't see anything that distinguished him from anyone else. Black clothes, black spiked hair, exactly my height. Then there was the slightest touch on my back and I spun to my left. The air glittered in my vision.

Another demon stared into my eyes. "Ice demon's," he whispered. This one was taller than me and classily dressed. He had a scent and look to him that reminded me of Taurin. His hair was just as long as Taurin's too, only it was a strawberry wheat color.

"Pretty Icelander," I said, remembering Shorn's words.

The demon smiled smugly, "We are."

"I was repeating Shorn's words," I said, hoping to take that smug look off his face. It worked better than I thought. His white face actually paled more.

"Dove," came a southern drawl in front of me and I turned my head to Zanzibar. I watched him take a deep breath. "You weren't kidding. It's all in the eyes."

"What?" I inquired.

The Icelander demon next to me laughed and leaned in close, "Your eyes, love. Careful, or an inexperienced demon hunter might mistake you for a demon, even if you are a woman." His finger stroked down my arm, causing me to grimace.

"Excuse me." I slammed the glass on the bar behind me and headed for the restroom. I kept my eyes downcast as others passed me. When I was alone, except for another woman in the stall, I leaned in close to the mirror and studied my eyes. It was all in the eyes. They turned the color of glaciers that I'd seen in magazine pictures. Only it wasn't just the iris, the whole eye had been iced over in that opaque bluish color of Taurin's. It seemed to move and breath inside of me, constantly shifting hues and tones, this was no flat color.

"Oh fuck," I whispered.

The toilet flushed and I hurried out of the restroom, eyes downcast. I looked up briefly and made my way to Zanzibar, who was on the outside of the bar now. I leaned up against the bar and Zanzibar pushed a drink in my hands from my right. "Here," he said.

I downed it and placed my head in my hands. He rubbed my back and murmured comforting words that I didn't even hear. The Icelander demon leaned over and arched his face around Zanzibar's. He smiled at me, "It will go away, love."

I glared at him and debated telling him to fuck off or ask him how he knew. His hand stretched to me and he touched the back of my hand with the lightest touch of his long fingers. His face more serious, "It will go away. Don't look at any ice right now."

Zanzibar pushed his hand away from me. "This is Severin. He's a frequent pain in the ass at my bar," he explained.

My warm breath fogged in the chilled air surrounding me. "I can't handle this right now." I smacked the palm of my hand on my forehead. Zanzibar gently took it and placed it on the bar.

"Shhh. You'll get used to it."

I rotated my neck as I looked at the man next to me as he continued speaking. "It's going away even as we speak. Cole, a round." He pointed to the bartender and made a circling motion. A shot glass with multi colored liquids in it appeared in front of me. The three of us picked up the glasses. "To new and exciting times. May they be gentle when they put us to sleep."

I gazed thoughtfully at Zanzibar as he clinked his glass to mine and smiled. My gaze caught Severin's and we downed the shot at the same time. Zanzibar held up two fingers and signaled to Cole again. Another shot, different colors. "I'll take care of you." Zanzibar told me with a wink. "Now it's your turn," he continued as he picked up his shot glass.

I shrugged and moved the shot glass in circles on the table, "Ok. Never forget the beauty no matter how much horror you see."

Zanzibar quirked a grin to me. Severin looked at me and smiled slyly, "If I had you in my sight I would never be able to forget the beauty, no matter how much horror I dished out."

I gave him a exasperated look, said, "Fucking demons," and downed my drink.

"Amen to that," Zanzibar agreed and followed suit.

I swung around to look at the dancers and felt my attitude hitch up a notch or two. I took off my sword and handed it to Zanzibar. "I think I'll dance. You have to take pleasure where you can find it right?"

He chuckled, "Right. Just leave your killing pleasure out of my bar."

I looked up innocently. "I don't want any trouble," I said sweetly.

"Well, hell," I heard him murmur as I sauntered away.

I moved to the rhythm of the music. I stomped, swayed, and swung my hair around. My body heat went up and I felt sweat drip down my temples and still I didn't stop. All around me I smelled the scents of demons. The displacement of air caressed me everywhere, but no one touched me. I felt alive and ready to move into an even more seductive dance. The music accommodated me and I moved with heavy lidded eyes.

I turned and found Regina in front of me. We danced around each other as if it was the last night for us to ever dance. Then someone reached through that invisible boundary of air around me. I smelled sand and heat as I swung around with my dagger already out. It was Vi. He backed up enough that he didn't get nicked with the blade. 

"I believe this is my dance," he said indicating Regina.

Regina hugged my waist from behind. "You can dance Vi, but only with both of us."

I rolled my eyes, I did not want to dance with him. I turned to tell Regina this, but she gave me beseeching eyes. I sighed and placed the dagger back in its sheath. Vi moved to get closer to her, but she kept maneuvering me between them as we danced. He smiled evilly. I decided to ignore him and not let it ruin my night. So I danced and in the end Vi had no choice but to dance with both of us. He touched and guided with ease. As we continued his eyes faceted over and he started to glow softly from beneath his skin. The smell of the air around us was all Vi.

Vi slowly turning demonic didn't stop me, but Taurin definitely did. His scent was so familiar that it didn't register as anything threatening. I turned and he was so close I fell into him. He grabbed my face and kissed me, harshly. It surprised me, but I didn't object much due to the alcohol haze. My libido hitched and I couldn't get enough of sucking on his bottom lip. I pulled my face back, but my shorter body stayed comfortably merged into his. His hands anchored at my hips, thankfully, kept me from indulging in a drunken sway. I felt the air move into my back and I knew that Vi had reached for me. The hard look in Taurin's eyes as he looked behind me confirmed it. 

"Watch your reach, little demon," he whispered. He transfered his look to me. "Somebody's been drinking," he stated blandly and guided me off the dance floor. I smiled up at him as he sat me down on a stool. He stood in front of me and placed his hands on the bar on either side of me. I registered the heat in his iced over eyes. 

"I enjoyed watching you dance until Vi started to get a little too possessive. I like that my brothers want you."

"Your brothers," I whispered. "Other demons?" I'm sure his eyebrow rose in surprise from my ability to deduce his meaning while drunk.

"Yes, IshaDove. How are you enjoying your vacation from us?"

I stared into his eyes wearily. "Is that what this is?"

"Did you even eat today?" He asked.

"Not much, I guess."

He nodded his head and called the bartender over, "Water."

"Taurin, I don't want to go home yet."

"Are you begging me?" He cocked his head and grinned as he handed me the water. 

I put it down forcefully and scowled, "No, fuck you. Excuse me, I gotta go to the bathroom." He laughed as I slowly made my way to the restroom. 

Regina followed me in shortly after. As we washed our hands she leaned into me and her braids brushed my face. She whispered, "I need to see you tonight. Alone."

"Why," I asked as I watched both of us sway slightly in the mirror.

"I need to show you something, but it needs to be without Vi and without that demon you're with." She scowled when she mentioned the demons.

I shrugged, "Ok, but how are you going to do that?"

"Where are you sleeping?" She glanced at her watch.

"Hotel."

"Can you get away from it?"

"It?" I asked in confusion.

"That demon."

I nodded, "Oh. Yeah. You?" I totally felt like I was missing something here. It might have been the alcohol, but I didn't think that was the whole reason.

"Yeah." She paranoiacally watched women come in and out of the restroom.

"Are you ok?" I asked, getting more worried.

She looked at me, "Yeah. You'll come right?"

"You haven't told me where."

"Down by the water. Underneath the market. 2 a.m. That's a little over an hour."

"That's a little vague."

"Don't worry. You'll find me."

"Ok."

We walked out together and separated soon after. I reached Taurin and drank the water that was still waiting for me at the bar. "I think I'm done here. I just puked in the bathroom."

He studied me, of course he didn't believe me. "Really?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving."

"I'm going with you."

He moved closer to me and I had my dagger up against his throat. "No. I don't think so." My sheath came sliding into view on my left. 

Zanzibar was behind the bar with a stoic look on his face. "I think you need to listen to the lady." I grabbed my sword with my left hand and put the dagger away.

"Dove, I called you a cab."

"Thanks Zanzibar." I turned my attention back to Taurin. "Just go."

He gave me a calculated look, "I will go and we will be back. I hate to admit it, but you don't listen to me."

I snarled. 

He stepped away from me and swung his arm out gallantly. I didn't even look at him as I hurried to the stairs. When I reached the hotel I changed into more comfortable clothes, but kept my weapons on. As I watched the time tick slowly by I drank tons of water. I was ready to leave way before I needed to, so I went. 

CHAPTER 31

Regina was right, I was able to find her. She left me markers that glowed on the pavement when I walked over them. When I turned around they had vanished completely. The full moon made sure that I didn't trip over anything as the last of my drunkenness clung stubbornly to me. 

She was standing in a power circle waiting for me. I stopped just on the edge.

"What's with the circle," I asked suspiciously.

"Come in. It's to keep Vi from finding me." She hurriedly motioned to me with her hands.

"Oh," I said warily as I stepped into the circle. It slammed closed around me. My heart jumped and I turned around and tested the barrier. "It's awfully tight Regina." I couldn't get through it.

"Can you walk out?" she asked hopefully.

"Uh,Why?"

"Try to get out, please," she pleaded.

"I can't get out, Regina," I said slowly.

"Then you must be saved," she said resignedly as she looked down at the ground.

I eased my dagger out and tapped it on the back of my thigh. Talk about being gullible. Taurin would have a field day with this one. "What are you talking about?" I asked calmly.

"This is a demon circle. It's for demons and I know you're not a demon, but my senses tell me that there is something demonic in you."

"Well, I'm bound to a demon Regina, just like you." My heart was racing, but I kept my voice under control.

"No." She started to pace. "You see. I thought that too, at the beginning. So, I tested it with another demon hunter who was bound to a demon and he could walk freely in and out. He never knew that I was testing his soul."

"Testing his soul?"

"Yes. I have been chosen by God to save demons' souls."

"Oh." I couldn't bring my thoughts together, but I knew I had to keep her talking. "So, how do you know that you were chosen by God to save souls?"

Her face lit up and her eyes got wide as she looked at me. "He's beautiful, Dove. An angel was sent to me. He tells me what to do in my dreams."

I wanted to laugh and say 'are you serious?', but I didn't, she was dead serious. I could see it in her fanatical expression. "What do you do Regina?" I moved closer to the boundary of the circle to see if I could find the pattern. She didn't seem to notice. I constantly shifted my eyes from the boundary to her. She was gesturing with excitement.

"He taught me how to use my magic to take the evil out of the demon."

"Oh shit," I breathed.

"Yes! I take the demon out of the demon!" Her eyes glowed with the inner fire of good intentions.

"Are they happy that you take the demon out of them?" I asked, desperately stalling for time.

"Oh yes! Well...They would be, if I could succeed without them dying. Some of them just start screaming so I have to kill them. Others kill themselves within moments." She looked at me with genuine sad eyes.

Talk about your lobotomy! "Regina, I'm not a demon. How can you take the demon out of me?"

She looked down and frowned, "I know you're not a demon. I can't understand it. But, I can take out your evilness. Your evil is greater than Zanzibar's so I figure that if I can give you to the light then I can do it for him too."

"Oh fuck," I breathed. I was at a loss for words, but thankfully she wasn't done talking. I searched frantically for something familiar on the pattern of the cage using my power.

"My angel wants you. He wanted me to hand you over, but I can't corrupt him with your evilness so I am going to purge it out. It will be a surprise for him."

Oh fuck. "Regina, don't do this, please," I begged. My grip tightened on the dagger. "I'll go to church, I'll pray to your angel." 

She came closer to me, "Dove, I don't think it will work. It will be ok, you'll see." She spoke gently to me as if I was a child. The image was ruined since she held her ritual anathem threateningly at me. Very unwitch like, as far as I was concerned.

It wasn't going to be all right. I was going to have to kill my friend or she was going to kill me. If she didn't kill me it was going to be something worse, this I knew for sure. I breathed deeply and touched the unseen pattern behind me. It flared and burned my fingers, but I didn't let go. With my mind I followed the string, but I knew it was going to take too long. I grimaced in agitation and pain.

"Hold out your palm."

I just looked at her.

"If you don't, I'm going to make you." 

I took my hand off the boundary's line and held it out to her. She gripped my wrist and slashed my palm. Blood flowed over my skin and into the creases. It tickled over her fingers and trailed down my arm. I kept my other hand hidden behind my back. Regina started chanting and I drew a blank as to what to do. I angrily told myself to snap out of it and immediately looked for Ezra's link in me. It hesitated briefly, but let me wrap itself around my spirit.

I worked quietly in my mind, chanting and building power until I felt it consume me. Regina screamed in pain and jumped away from me. I hadn't even realized that I had closed my eyes until I opened them and saw my body consumed in flames. She held onto the wrist of her burnt hand and I recognized her healing spell.

"Regina, you may not have me. I'm sorry," I told her. 

I flung the dagger straight to her. It flew true to pierce her chest and she dropped like a stone. Neither her labored breathing or blood spilling from her mouth roused any emotion from me.

"Dove...," she gestured me down to her. I knelt my flaming body close to her. She shied away as she talked, "My angel, said.. would come for you... save you...," she coughed up more blood, "save you from demons. Not...for me..." She died with my dagger in her.

I gathered Ezra's fire into my left palm and stared at the blue flames, even as they started to burn my hand. I placed it down on Regina and kept it there until she was nothing but ash. My hand fisted around the red healed slash where she cut me. Focused on the fire, I watched until I could no longer see or feel its flicker between my fingers. Eventually it registered that someone behind me watched me. I turned, scenting heat and sand. Vi was staring at me from outside my cage, his face blank of any judgement.

"I guess I'm going to have to kill myself for killing her," I joked with sarcasm.

He narrowed his eyes at me, "Can you get out?"

I looked suspiciously at him, "Why, so you can kill me for ruining your mission?"

"I thought about it," he said nonchalantly.

"Eeeyah, that's a reason for me to want to get out."

"What did she tell you?"

"How'd you find us? Regina packs a mean spell."

"I did it the old fashioned human way, I followed her. What did she tell you?" He asked forcefully.

"No. You tell me what your story is."

Vi growled in frustration and slammed his palms up against the invisible boundary. They sparked and flared where he touched.

"You will tell me."

"Sure."

"You lie."

"Fine. Forget it, you can't stay here all night." I sat down on the ground and tossed rocks.




Demon's Grace Ch. 32-37



CHAPTER 32

I told Ezra what had happened and hoped that he would have some insight about it, but all he said was that he would think about it. Which I should have known. I squinted my eyes as we walked into the well lit lobby of the hotel.

His eyes bored into me with warning. "Enjoy your last night without me." 

I leaned in close and whispered into his ear, "I am not your pet and you are not my keeper." I moved in closer until the front of our bodies touched, "Nor are you to me."

Ezra became completely still, not even a breath stirred his chest. I turned and walked to the elevator, rubbing my head in an inadequate attempt to make the pain inside of it go away. It was later, when I was in the room and climbing into bed, that I felt a renewed flash of flame sear through me. I fell onto the mattress gasping for breath as a trail of unseen fire moved in and around me. Sweat beaded on my forehead and I swiped it out of my eyes. Groaning, I pushed my hand in my mouth to keep my agony from voicing itself.

Moments of time passed that I couldn't remember. Between them I crawled to the bathroom and climbed into the bath tub. I kept repeating to myself that I would not call Taurin to ease the fire inside of me. I bet Ezra was counting on my hesitation. I was almost 100 percent sure that this was his doing. I would rather it be his doing then the thought that I had completely fried my magic and it was only now burning itself to a crisp.

The cold water soaked through my clothes and I barely noticed. I sat in the tub in a daze while incomplete thoughts and memories flooded my mind. 'What the hell am I doing with two demons?' and 'I'm a killer.' were the dominate ones. The fire came back with force. My collar bone and shoulder burned. I clumsily tore my t-shirt off and looked at my smoking skin. 

More scales were appearing and burning themselves into my skin. I thrashed in the water and submerged myself to ease the pain. I pushed up through the water, gasping for breath and watching steam rise off the surface. Scales covered half of my neck, down to my hip, and over one breast. Stubbornly I refused to send even the faintest link that I wanted help from either of them. Then something inside uncurled and ran throughout me with fire on each limb. Inside and out I burned. Steam fogged the mirror and I leaned over the tub and passed out.

I woke to Ezra asking Taurin if all was ready. He leaned over me and I stared into his eyes. "Satisfied?" I coughed out of a dry throat.

"Dove," he gently cradled my chin in his hand, "I am your keeper."

I tried to laugh or even argue, but didn't have the energy to. "Then take me home," I barely whispered instead as he gathered me into his arms.

"I am," he said resolutely. "We're going my way this time." Ezra took a deep breath and seemed to slide sideways. Vertigo slammed into me and I groaned, passing out again. I awoke to see Ezra sitting in a chair next to the bed. He put down his magazine on his lap and looked over at me immediately. 

"Before you ask, you have two demons'... I hesitate to say marks since that denotes servant, but rather we put a piece of our magic inside of you. They seem to be," he smiled with irony, "fighting with one another for dominance." My eyes widened and I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up a hand to forestall me. 

"It seems I am winning. Which is no surprise to either Taurin or myself. Did you find yourself freezing at all last night in the bath tub?"

I paused to think about it. I cleared my throat and said, "No."

"Mmm hmm."

"Are you and Taurin aware of this fight going on inside of me?"

"We theorized it. We are aware when our magic is amped up and not within ourselves."

"So you knew there was something going on last night, but waited to check it out?!" 

"I wanted you to deal with it yourself. After all, it is a part of you now. If you are unable to acclimate to it then I will be your keeper for as long as you are alive, simply to keep you sane. It was only when Taurin and I felt you completely black out that I allowed him to go to you. I wanted to stay away, but he was going and I would not let him go to you without me."

My face tightened in anger, "You two are using me as a pawn for your power struggle! I don't fucking believe this! Aaaarrrggg!" I roared.

He shrugged. 

I looked up to see Taurin leaning on the door frame, arms crossed. "Not only that, but you're telling me that I might go crazy because of this bullshit! What is wrong with you two?!" I rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom, slamming the door. 

I heard Taurin laugh and say, "She took that rather well."

"You guys are shit heads! Go fuck yourselves!" I yelled through the door.

"I find that Dove has a calming influence on me," came Ezra's reply.

Taurin laughed again, "You're serious!"

I opened the door, tired of listening to them through it. "Get out of my bedroom, you... you... Rrrrggg!" I slammed the door again.

I looked down at my shoulder and noticed that the scales were back to their small patch on my skin. I needed a teacher to show me if there was a way to block Ezra and Taurin off. The only person I knew who had first hand knowledge was Zanzibar. I showered, changed, and headed into the kitchen to get the phone book. I ignored both of them as I furiously flipped through the yellow pages. Whipping out my cell I walked outside and dialed the number to the club. I left a message for Zanzibar asking for a meeting or at least for him to call back. I walked back into the kitchen, shoving my cell in my jean pocket. 

Back in the living room I watched Ezra make small colored flames dance and whirl above his palm. His eyes moved to me and the flames whizzed away from his palm to dance around me. "They like you. They approve of my choice."

My lip curled slightly, "You're controlling them."

"In a way, but you should know, especially after last night, that fire has a will of its own too."

I sighed heavily and leaned against the wall. "I'm going after Oldavai."

Ezra raised his eyebrows. "Now?"

"Yes. It would be good for me to go after one problem at a time and you and Taurin aren't going anywhere."

Ezra smiled and narrowed his eyes, "No. We are not going anywhere."

I stormed to the back yard, small colored flames dancing around me. I grabbed my blade off the kitchen table and twirled it around in my hand as I continued walking. When I got out into the sunlight I continued twirling the blade in ritual. I stabbed it forcefully into the earth and threw out my power to find Oldavai.

My breathing became deeper and slower the longer I stayed. The whole world was my destination. I scented him out, but he was moving through different dimensions. These were the places of Taurin's Ice Fields and Ezra's dragons and he was moving unbelievably fast. I would barely catch a glimpse of him before he was gone. The glimpse was like looking through moving water. I had no distinct image as to what he looked like.

Even when I caught up to him I couldn't tell what he looked like, his being a blur. He looked up at a sign I couldn't understand on a four story building. His hands touched the old stones as he walked around the building, searching. He bent down low and traced a symbol etched into the wall. His hand beckoned me to look at it. "You see this, demon hunter? I will find out who and where you are. This will tell me and I will be hunting you." He chuckled and vanished.

I shook myself back to my body to find the sun had set. I pulled my blade out of the ground and walked into the kitchen to rummage up a sandwich. The house felt strangely empty. I checked my cell and listened to a message from Zanzibar saying that I could meet him in two days at 3 p.m. in his office or on the phone. I called back and left a message agreeing to be there. I walked to the meditating room and lit four of the candles, placing them around me. Sitting on the mat I stared into the fire only to find that it stirred Ezra's magic inside of me. Unused to the sensation I hastily closed my eyes and concentrated on my breath instead. I imagined a thick fog warding my spirit and stayed there quieting my thoughts. A pleasant smell invaded my meditation and I sniffed trying to place it. I opened my eyes to a room full of dissipating fog, much as I imagined inside myself. My magic was changing faster than I could control or even understand. I stood up and scanned the room for anything unfamiliar. Finding nothing, I left the room, the unidentified scent faintly following me into my bedroom. The scent faded as I made myself ready for sleep. Without either of the demons nearby I found myself relaxing. My muscles unknotted around the shoulders and neck. 

I sighed and crawled on to the bed picking up the magazine that Ezra had left on the quilt. Flipping through it I read articles about the underground world while waiting for drowsiness to overcome me. I placed the magazine down in my lap when my thoughts moved to Regina. I wondered if she was completely delusional or if I needed to look out for an "angel" who was interested in changing me. From there my thoughts became even more depressing as I wondered about the state of my soul. 

I had killed someone and felt conflicting emotions. I knew I was defending myself and I felt that I was in the right, but... then why did I hide the evidence? I didn't cry over my decision to kill her, was that moral behavior? I never cried over the demons I killed, did that count? My thoughts chased themselves around and around in my head until I screamed out my frustration. Of course, Ezra choose that moment to enter the house. He slowly walked into the bedroom and gave me an analyzing stare.

CHAPTER 33

"Ahhh! No, I'm not going crazy so quit looking at my like that!" I picked up the magazine and threw it across the room. Ezra was tilting my face up to look in my eyes before it fluttered and smacked the wall. 

He studied me some more despite my efforts to wretch my chin from his grip. When my hand circled his wrist he finally spoke. He spoke softly. "No. Something is bothering you though." 

His other hand came up to smooth away the frown lines from my forehead and I found myself obliging to that touch. He moved onto the bed, pushing me over to the other side. As he turned over onto his stomach I let him grab me around the waist. I remained complacent with the movement that shoved me partly underneath him so that I was staring up into his galaxy of stars. 

I shook my head and gave a small smile, "Why is it that with even the simplest movements you must somehow assert yourself over me?"

Ezra merely tilted his head and gave me his own smile, "Tell me what is going on in that mind of yours."

I shook my head at him again. "What is going on in here?" I tapped my skull. "The state of my soul maybe. The consequences of killing a woman and fellow demon hunter. What's going on with me. Have I lost my morals? Do I even know what good and evil really are? What's so different from her doing whatever it was she was doing to demons and me killing them? The law?" I gave a heavy sigh.

Ezra chuckled. "You would worry about these things."

"I didn't even cry when I killed her. I don't cry when I kill demons."

"Killing is an assertion of power. A validation that you will live another day, at least when it comes to you killing, Dove. Your lack of tears means nothing to me, nor should it to you."

"I still feel like I should feel some sort of remorse and I feel miserable because I don't!"

Ezra shrugged. 

I grew frustrated with him and sat up against the wall. "You won't go after Melous. How would you feel if we did kill him? Would you shrug then?!"

Ezra burst out laughing. "Melous! Oh, Dove! Do you know how long I have been living?"

"I try not to think about demons in that capacity. Generally you are all very long lived. It's debated if you are actually immortal. Are you?"

He gave me a curious look, "Am I?" 

"Whatever!" I waved my hands in frustration, "Fu....dge... What's the point you're making?"

"My point is that I have a demon and dragon way of life. My reasons for not going after Melous are mostly scientific and prideful." He paused and looked at me thoughtfully. He stretched up and tenderly kissed me. I kissed him back in kind, wondering at his look.

"It is amazing how much you are learning about me. But, that is what happens when two become as close as we are. You will keep my revelations from others?"

I sighed in frustration. "I won't say anything Ezra. You were going to tell me about Melous."

"Yes. I made Melous what he is today."

I stared at him. "What exactly does that mean?"

"I made Melous into one of us."

There was silence for a few moments. "You mean... like you are his father or you made him more powerful?"

Ezra shook his head. "No Dove, I mean that I made Melous into a demon. Melous was Bardellis' son. Melous asked me to use him for my own experiments and to try to turn him into a demon. I succeeded beyond my own expectations. Bardellis disinherited him and he changed his name to Melous."

I was speechless. I opened my mouth and then closed it.

"We are not going after Melous because Bardellis wants it and because I made him into what he is today."

I closed my eyes briefly. "There are so many things wrong with this conversation I'm having with you."

Ezra laughed heartily.

"He wants us to kill his own son!? You made him into a demon!? He wanted to be a demon?!"

Ezra chuckled and then sighed as he inched closer to me on the bed. "The three of us are scientists. Each with our own agenda, but assisting with each other's experiments. We worked within close proximity to one another. Melous found out about my research and proposed a variation on it. So I took a willing subject. He may be a young demon, but he has lived a long time, Dove. He knew what he wanted."

I eyed him warily, "You know that I looked at your file in the Affairs' computer system?"

Ezra became still and stared at me. "Yes, Taurin left the print out on the table." 

I didn't look back at him, but stared distractedly at the clutter on my dresser top. "I saw the reports that they had about you. Were those your scientific research?"

"Yes."

"What were you trying to do?" The air in the room seemed thick and heavy around us. I finally turned to look at him only to find him looking away distractedly towards the closet.

He glanced my way briefly. "Did you notice that demons will not seriously reference themselves as demons?"

My eyes widened, the thought never occurred to me. 

"I thought not. In fact I do not believe that there was ever a non-demon that would ever realize that we do not call ourselves that word with dignity. We have taken it back and used it for ease of conversation, but it is an insult to call each other 'demon'." He gave a half smile, "We do do that to each other though, frequently," he chuckled. "It is also the easiest way to reference our kind when talking to those who are not us. We like to avoid it even then though."

Ezra took a breath and eased closer to me. I watched his hand turn red as it moved to lay on my leg. I followed the progress of his demon self flowing into view.

"My brothers," I whispered in understanding.

"Yes," Ezra confirmed.

"Should I refrain from calling you and Taurin demons?"

"No, it is easier that way. You realize that we are insulting your kind when we call you demon hunters?" He paused to look at me. "Because to us, you are hunting something that is non-existent. Like children chasing shadows." He laughed again and shoved at me in a teasing manner.

I gave him a play pout and huff. He flicked his hand at me and smiled.

"Let me continue," he said as his face grew serious again. "My research was to track down the DNA and magic of our race. Only it is more complicated because of our parentage." As Ezra talked he tapped the tips of his fingers together and peered from the tops of his eyes. He seemed to be looking at memories that were beyond me. "What you might have figured out by now is that we are demon through the male and other through the female. In my case, my mother was a Dragon." He looked over at me. "In Taurin's case, his mother was an Ice Maiden. And so on and so forth for all of us. Hence why we are different and yet the same. The question that has lived in us for so long is where does the demon DNA and power come from and what causes it to act the way it does."

Ezra took a deep breath through his nose. I kept quiet and wasn't about to interrupt him since this was the most he had ever talked to me about something so personal. "I thought that if I could decode where the DNA split and came back together that I could figure out any number of questions that plagued my mind. There are so many of us that want to be an integral part of a species and not one that is so incomplete, as many believe themselves to be."

He framed my face and stared me directly in the eyes. "I trust you, Dove. I trust you completely. These are fragile words that I tell you. They are the reasons for so many behaviors. They are full of wounds should you ever use them. The repercussions of using them as weapons against demons are beyond fatal. I would rather you swear then use them as taunts during one of our hunts. If you do say demon, speak as if you are ignorant, even if you are going to kill one of my brothers."

I swallowed, "You've made yourself very clear."

He pulled his hands away and I watched as his face became stoney and he stared off into space. "That was the core of my research. Melous offered me a variation and I was able to rip apart his DNA with my fire and insert a muddled, incomplete demon DNA into him, via injection and magic." He looked at me briefly, "DNA from a failed extraction."

I sat in silence as I played over his words. "And this failed extraction?"

"It has caused Melous to have three different species inside of him."

I nodded. "But, he's doing ok?"

"More than. His body has been able to accommodate the procedure and he is still learning what he is and what he is not."

"So, you are saying that other demons are trying to figure out these questions as well?"

He gave me an intense stare, "Yes."

"But, you stopped."

"Yes."

"Are there any female demons?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I do not know, Dove. There has never been anyone to answer that with definite proof."

"Oh. We never really talked about it." I said distractedly. "I mean demon hunters." I paused and looked at him, "Why do demons instinctively go after us?"

Ezra looked up at the ceiling and smiled. "Oh, that. There is no concrete answer that is acceptable for me for that question either."

My face frowned in confusion, "Explain what you heard or... deduced. Please." My thought strayed to my past as I thought about my mom.

Just as Ezra turned to look at me again I felt a cool waft of air circulate into the bedroom. "Taurin," we said at the same time. He never showed up in the bedroom door frame though. We looked at each other curiously and listened to the sounds of someone stumbling around the living room. As I moved off the bed Ezra placed his hand on my arm and gave me a cautious look. I silently moved to the door with Ezra just behind me. 

CHAPTER 34

We looked out and watched Taurin clumsily place pieces of plant on the coffee table. His bright blue shirt collar was open, the tails pulled out around his pants. He padded barefoot into the kitchen, never looking our way. I watched as his hands reached out to steady himself on what ever solid object was closest. I followed his progress to the kitchen while Ezra leaned over the crumpled plants. From the entry way I hesitantly called his name. He turned off the faucet and swung around to face me, a glass of water in his hand. 

"Dove!" He smiled wide at me.




Demon's Grace Ch. 32-37



My heart accelerated as I stared at him. He looked drunk through and through, all except his eyes. His eyes were iced over as a dull gray and bored a very serious intent on me. And they were cracking slowly, like you would see a lake start to crack on the surface. He downed his water as he started walking towards me. I backed up as he shattered the glass on the floor. I walked backwards into the living room and he shepherded me into a chair. The chair was on the back of my legs before I knew it and I sat down abruptly. He followed until he was kneeling between my legs and laying his arms and head down in my lap. I looked over at Ezra who was casually seated on the couch.

"How did you manage to get yourself drugged Taurin?" He asked calmly.

I brought my hands up and slowly began to run my fingers through his hair. He moved his head so he could sneer at Ezra. "Icehoth. Poison to Ice Dwellers, but intoxicating to me."

"Mmmm." He replied as he studied Taurin. He bent down and fingered one of the plants on the table.

"Dove," he mumbled into my lap, "I gave you part of me because I thought it'd be fun to push Ezra out of control." He started laughing uncontrollably, "It worked! But now," his laughter subsided and he looked up at me, "it worked too well and I don't want it to work anymore. None of it. Not his, not mine."

I felt heat wafting off of Ezra towards us. I kept my eyes on Taurin as his arms circled around my waist and he rested his chin on my stomach. "Too late. Too late, " he mumbled.

Ezra spoke inside of my head, 'Distract him. Ask him about the plants he brought in. Soothe him anyway you can. He will respond better to you than me at this point. You realize a drugged Taurin is more unpredictable than a sober Taurin.'

I spared Ezra a quick glance and then directed all of my attention on Taurin. I kept playing with his wispy hair. "What are those plants you brought in, Taurin?"

I watched him crack an eye to look at the plants on the table. "The poison is dried Icehoth. The other ones I found growing by your house. But, it's our house now, right, IshaDove?" He looked up at me with a stern expression.

"Eeeyes Taurin. You live here so it's your house too. But, what are the other ones?"

"I went to find out. I've never seen them here before and they are growing all around us. It is sage, sandalwood, and...something else..." I watched Taurin furrow his head in thought. In my peripheral vision I saw Ezra crumble the ones Taurin named off and blow some heat on them. He inhaled the scent and on his exhale it wafted over to me.

"Pepper." I said, "Oh. Strange. That is something I smelled in the meditation room." I inhaled it some more and looked over at Ezra. He was standing and had completely transformed. His wings spread out behind him. 

"Demon magic," he growled. 

Ezra sent off heat that moved like a wave through the house. When it reached outside, the barriers that kept us from smelling the magic dissipated and the combined smell of the plants billowed into the room. The overwhelming scent drenched me and I felt myself get wet. 

"Yes! Demon magic! That's what I needed to tell you. Someone has come." Taurin's voice grew husky at the end of his sentence and he crawled his way up my body to my lips. He harshly kissed me and I instantly responded, full of lust. On top of my head I felt Ezra's warm hand gently stroking my hair. I pulled away and gasped, "Wait! There's... something... Oh shit!" I was drowning in desire.

Taurin was already pulling down my pants. "I can smell you," he growled. 

Ezra kissed his way down my nose to my lips as I arched up to meet him. Meanwhile, Taurin had already stripped my flimsy pajama bottoms off and was licking me. I instinctively arched my hips to be closer to his mouth. My mind pulled away from the sensations for a second, and I hastily shouted, "Oldavai!" 

Taurin's head shot up at my warning. Ezra seemed to come to the same conclusion at the same time and I watched a flash of anger consume his eyes. He pulled away abruptly and just as quickly grabbed Taurin by the hair and threw him backwards. I yanked my pants back up and looked over to the two demons. Taurin seemed rabid and Ezra had flares of fire spark around him. I could feel the lust in the air and started to go to them anyway. A large part of me didn't care that they were going to rip each other apart. My body ached at the thought of celebrating with the winner.

Ezra effortlessly kept Taurin from attacking either of us. Although in my case, I was pretty sure that his attack would have been sexual. I couldn't decipher anything Ezra was saying to Taurin. Yet, his tone and reluctance to actively attack Taurin made me conclude that he had shrugged off the effects of the magic. 

Ezra never looked at me as he growled, "Dove! Leave. If he cannot smell you I have a better chance of bringing him off his high and Oldavai's magic." 

"Maybe you should just let us have sex," I suggested huskily.

The living room heated up in a second and I listened to Taurin keening softly. Ezra had surrounded him in a wall of volcanic heat that I could feel where I was standing. I watched as he slowly turned to face me. I felt the blood leave my face as I stared into those intense black eyes. There was nothing inside them I was familiar with.

"YOU WILL LEAVE or I will not be held accountable for what happens here."

I looked over at Taurin and watched a wind whip around him. I could feel him build his power in a way I had not felt since I set out to kill him with Carlos. I nodded with mortification and ran to the kitchen, ashamed at myself for being unable to fully wade through the influence of Oldavai. I couldn't fathom how he moved in for the kill so fast.

CHAPTER 35

I ran through the kitchen and out the back door. The silence outside could not compete with the furious language of demon erupting from my house. I debated on getting in the jeep and leaving, but realized I would need to go back in the house to get the key. I grunted in frustration and decided to wait for the sounds of arguing and wrath to fade.

I stared up into the starry sky and focused on its vastness. Sitting down on the crisp grass, I rocked back and forth with my arms wrapped around my knees. The lust Oldavai pushed into me was slow in dispelling and I was disgusted with myself. I could only imagine the fight Taurin needed to pull it out of his already drugged system. I deeply breathed in the warm air and eased myself into meditation. Freeing my focus from my body I negated the effects of Oldavai's influence and pulled myself into a trance. 

Heavy silence behind me pulled my awareness into my immediate surroundings. I threw out magic and felt gordons watching me from the woods, Taurin's presence inside the house, and Ezra behind me. He radiated an incredible amount of power that I had never felt from him. I didn't turn around as his voice drifted to me.

"You tranced yourself."

"Yes. It cleaned me." 

"You have no barriers surrounding you." His voice grew irritated. "You left yourself unprotected and I acted rashly with Taurin." 

"Did you knock him unconscious?" 

"No," he replied.

"This is what he's been asking for. You to use your power. Maybe he has a death wish."

"Dove! You are not listening to me!"

"You mean the Gordons?" I didn't turn around and he didn't close the distance between us.

"I mean everything, Dove! Especially now that Oldavai is hunting you."

"You don't think I can protect myself?" I asked calmly, unruffled by his exasperation.

He sighed heavily, "No. You just refuse to. Do you have a death wish?" He paused, "Is that why you accepted me?" 

I heard the sincerity in his question and quickly turned to look at him. "No, Ezra. Never." I hastily stood up.

He shimmered heat and held up a hand to forestall me from getting too close. The entirety of his eyes were completely darkened over and his body glowed red. He stood, bare feet firmly planted on the ground, wings flared behind him.

"Even now, knowing you can feel power I hid from you, there is no wariness. You come right to me. All I have to do is crook my finger and you come." He shook his head, "Shorn gave you to me because he deduced that your inability to make quick kills was due to a surfeit of compassion."

I made a sound in protest, ready to interrupt.

He waved his hand, "No, shhh, Dove. He was right, you are all defensive action. I fight with you, remember." He held his hand out as if to cup my face and I slowly went closer to him. He gave me a hard look and curled his arm around my shoulders, then chuckled. "It is a good thing no other demons want to bind to you. There would be no refusal in you."

I shrugged, my face buried in his chest. "You'd probably all kill each other."

He smiled as he pulled back and tapped the tip of my nose, "Now that is truth. Come, we need to talk with Taurin." As we walked his skin shifted and moved until his wings folded into him and he looked like a clothed human. We paused in the porch light at the front door and he scanned the vegetation around the house. "I will burn the surrounding plants here."

I gave him a wide look, "My flowers!"

He looked at me out of the side of his eyes, "Dove. You cannot be serious. This way we can track Oldavai's magic before it becomes a problem."

I shook my head and waved my hands over the plants, "He did this in less than a day, Ezra. Less than a day! Burning my flowers and his herbs is not going to stop him! We'll find another way."

Ezra puffed out smoke in irritation and pulled open the screen door. Taurin leaned against the wall, one foot propped behind him. He looked down at the carpet. There wasn't any physical evidence of a fight in the room, but a weight of violence and magic filled the air. Ezra directed me away from him and to the couch. We sat next to each other, our legs touching.

We waited in silence until Taurin lifted his head. When he did his eyes were all for me. I saw in his face the same I'm sure that he saw in mine. Shame. Shame that neither of us could pull away from Oldavai's magic as fast as Ezra. Shame that nothing mattered in a few moments but lust. Inside of me there was still one question though. The question if I was the only one who really didn't have the power to pull away of their own violation. Taurin was drugged and I believed that made all the difference for his weakness. He pushed himself off the wall and sat in the chair. He distractedly started to braid his hair. I gave Ezra a surprised look for Taurin's silence.

Ezra started talking. "First, know this, had we fallen completely into Oldavai's magic he would have been able to worm his way into any or all of us. He could influence us from inside our minds instead of through his simple herbs and magic."

I snorted in desertion, "Simple."

He gave me grave eyes, "Simple, but powerful, Dove." He stared at me to make sure I understood him. I nodded and looked away, peeking a look at Taurin. He remained playing with his hair never looking in our direction.

"Next, do not be deceived that lust is his only weapon. He has true love at his disposal if he is able to leech into your mind. His power is a progression, from lust to true love and everything in between. You will betray everything and everyone," he stared hard at me, "for whomever he directs you to love, usually him." He paused and looked at Taurin briefly. He still wouldn't look at us, now he gazed blankly at the wall.

Ezra continued. "His power is very different from many of our brothers. It is a subtle knife in the ribs, where as most of us are an axe to the head." Ezra gave me a bitter smile, but still Taurin said nothing. I was starting to worry, it wasn't like him at all.

"He will make you think that you are in charge. As if you decided to have a one night stand or fall in love with someone of your own choosing. As if a beautiful night of passion with someone you have been with for years was a normal night. This is why he has been sitting on Shorn's desk for years. He preys on a dream. The biggest dream of all, love." It was his turn to stare at the wall without seeing.

"Are there others like him?" I asked.

"In a way. He just happens to really enjoy himself and is incomparable, no species is safe from him. We are all masters of illusion, but he makes us look like novices. That is why he is legend in your book." He looked over at me. 

"How did he find me so quick? How did he grow plants that fast outside my house? I only just searched for him!"

Instead of answering my question he asked one, "What was it like searching for him?"

I arched an eyebrow and pursed my lips in thought. "You know, he was fast. Always ahead of me. Really fast actually." I paused to think about it. 

"He must have travelled your world in blinks. And... he brought me to a building and showed me something etched in the stone. Said it would tell him who was hunting him and where I was."

Ezra grimaced, "He showed you that? It shows how sure he is about killing you."

"This is secret demon stuff, huh." I gave him a wry smile. 

Ezra continued unruffled, "They do move fast. Faster than any of us. I am not surprised..."

Taurin interrupted, still staring at the floor, "It is rumored that they are able to time travel." I would of teased him about finally speaking up, but his dejected air stopped me. Instead I frowned my brow while I looked at his bowed head.

"It is rumored, but there is no proof." Ezra said matter of fact.

Taurin finally looked at him, "And you tried to find proof because you had a specimen under your knife?"

"Yes. I found out that they move in a dimension of time, but they do not travel time." Ezra said blandly.

I flopped myself deeper into the couch and sighed. They both looked over at me. I finally got a good look at Taurin's face. There was a dark bruise on his left cheek and just under his eye. His neck was a ruby red color. I cocked my head in wonder. He hastily looked down at the ground. I blinked and turned to Ezra. "Anything else?"

"They are a fast breed. I am not surprised that he moved so fast once he figured out who you were."

"He wasn't very subtle." I stated.

"No. Not after I dispelled his barriers that kept us from sensing his magic. Neither of us killed the other, but it would have been in his favor with one of us dead."

Taurin looked up again. I watched them stare at each other. 

"Do you think he wants me dead immediately?"

Ezra looked over at me and gave me a heavy stare, "I do not know what he wants."

"Does he have the ability to control a demon through love?"

Ezra opened his mouth to talk, but Taurin interrupted. "Absolutely." He gave me an intense look, "We want love too, Dove."

I shook my head and closed my eyes briefly before looking at him. "I never meant to imply that you didn't, Taurin." 

"Hmm." 

"So, what's next? No sex until he's taken care of?" I chuckled softly.

"Yes. I do not want Oldavai in our bed or our thoughts."

"You're serious!"

"Yes. Of course." Ezra replied, his tone surprised I questioned him.

"Huh." 

Taurin threw his head back and started to laugh bitterly. "Oh! This will be a treat! To watch you two try not to have sex!" He calmed his laughing down and wiped his eyes, "This will be a trial for both of you! It would be for me too if you didn't deny me so much, Dove." He started laughing again.

"Hmph. I fail to see the humor in this, Taurin." I said with crossed arms and legs.

He calmed himself again, "Ah well, that's ok. I'm off to bed." He stood up and stretched. He stopped just before he walked past the arm of the couch and leaned over to me. I looked up at him and he pushed my head down to kiss the top of it. I felt confused over his tenderness.

"Good night, IshaDove. Ezra," he said and continued to his room.

I looked over at Ezra and watched him narrow his eyes in contemplation.

CHAPTER 36

The sun was barely warming the horizon when Taurin burst into the bedroom. "Dove!"

I shot up and leaned over the blankets reaching towards Taurin, "What!? What's wrong?!"

Next to me Ezra grumbled, his dark voice coming muffled from the mattress. "You could have told her in your mind, Taurin. You are projecting so loud she should have heard you."

My arm dropped to the bed and my jaw dropped. I finally caught up to speed with the two demons. "Jesus, Taurin, you didn't need to make my heart jump out of my chest."

Taurin smiled widely as his legs hit the end of the bed frame and he toppled the top part of his body onto the mattress. "I can't get enough of her reaching for me, Ezra." 

Ezra growled and moved his legs away from Taurin, not even deigning to look at him. Taurin continued to climb onto the bed, crawling up my legs until his head was in my lap. I fell back into the pillows of the bed, my hand playing with his hair.

"We can talk about tonight's full moon later. I just want to sleep for a little while more," I said sleepily, picking up on Taurin's thoughts.

He mumbled into my lap and curved his arm around my waist. Strangely enough, we all fell asleep again. I woke up with Taurin cuddled around my body, his head twisted on my shoulder and breast. I sighed and moved my fingers gently through his hair. When I looked over him I saw Ezra watching me through slitted flaming eyes.

'I believe we were granted mercy,' he said into my mind.

'We who?' I responded.

'Not you.' His laughter echoed through my head. 'Taurin and I. I believe that we were guided to you through our guardians.'

I cocked my head and stilled my hand on Taurin's head. He mewed and shifted until I started again. I smiled down at him distractedly. When I looked back up Ezra's eyes were full open, still flickering with unseen fire.

'You mean God?'

'God.' He scoffed. 'It was your God who made it all right to turn us into outcasts. Your Gods of the human race who called us demons. Made us into what we are.' His face tightened in anger.

I looked at Ezra in wonder. "No, Ezra. You, all of you, made your own choices."

Underneath me Taurin stirred fully into wakefulness and curled his hand around my wrist. He brought it to his mouth and kissed my palm. 

Ezra sat up against the headboard and looked down at him then back at me. His words came out bitter. "Really, Dove? And how were we supposed to defend ourselves when we became the enemy? When the holiest people of all religions learned that they could trap and attempt to get us to do their bidding? And why not, we were evil because God said so, there is no ounce of goodness in us. They said they were saving everyones' souls because we did not have a single soul among us. We corrupted theirs just by being alive. So we learned that more power was our way out of their control. That just convinced them even more that we were evil because how do we gain power, Dove?"

Taurin bit the pads of my fingers hard and I looked down at him warily. His eyes were the shifting colors and depths of a glacier. "Yes, Dove, how do we gain power?"

"Through others," I whispered.

"How do we gain power, Dove?" Ezra said again forcefully. I looked back at him.

"By taking it from others." 

Ezra breath smelled of smoke and cloves, "Not good enough, Dove."

"By killing or binding with those who have their own magic." I said defiantly.

"Very good," Ezra patronizingly responded. "Your God does not send his miracles to the enemy."

I shook my head at him and he smiled grimly. I thought to myself about the hurt and bitterness that could accumulate in hundreds and hundreds of years. I pushed myself up to a sitting position. Taurin stayed curled around my waist.

Ezra gently put his hand on my hair and smoothed it over. "But you, Dove, is God punishing you by giving you to us? Or did our own guardians take you and put you in our path for our salvation? Making sure that every thought we had centered on being bonded. Making sure that you were the one in the way. If the demon hunter would not have me they died. No hesitating, Dove. None. Does that mean that your God stopped looking after his children? Or does it mean that he cared more about being righteous and validated about his demons?"




Demon's Grace Ch. 32-37



I didn't know what my answers were to his question, so I changed directions. "Ezra, a lifetime of bitterness cannot feel very good."

He laughed. "There is no lifetime with this, Dove. This life is very different from the one I started out with, the one I was born into. As I am positive it was for Taurin and all our brothers."

"This is heavy conversation for just waking up." Taurin said blandly.

I looked up at the ceiling and then back at him, "Are you looking for answers from me, Ezra?"

"No. I want you to understand that when I talk about my spiritually that it has nothing to do with yours, Dove." He said my name very deliberately, knowing full well why I had it.

"Yeah, I understand. Very much now." I looked at him irritably and then looked down at Taurin who had his face against my bare skin that showed between my tank top and bottoms. He was gently biting my waist. "And you, Taurin?"

He gave a mock growl and then looked up at me serenely. "I agree with Ezra. I simply have turned more agnostic little by little over the centuries."

"Where were we?" I sighed.

Ezra tugged on my hair, "I know there is no mockery in you despite your sigh. Just know that I believe that you were sent to me, and I mean before Shorn ever found you."

I stared into his eyes again, this time they contained their galaxy. I nodded, saying nothing, but feeling a bit overwhelmed by the mystic expectations he seemed to have of me.

He nodded, "Taurin, I believe that you were going to discuss something before we all fell asleep again."

Taurin stretched and cracked his back. He flipped his body over so he was facing the ceiling. He talked around his yawn. "There is a full moon tonight. I know where the pack will be meeting."

I greeted this revelation with silence. 

Taurin turned his head to look at me, "Are you ready to do what you said you would do?"

He got my full attention. "In front of his pack?!" I squeaked. 

"Think of it as a security measure. He'll have to follow pack protocol. Whatever that may be."

My mouth opened, but nothing came out. It's like having to actually do CPR for the first time. As far as I'm concerned you're scared as hell and hoping that it will all come back to you and, in the end, you'll save a life. Sure adrenaline takes over, but the doubt still simmers below. Like, what if he just kills me right there with a swipe of his hand. Full moon. Shape shifters. Something to think about.

Ezra chuckled, "Where is our savior?" He tapped me on the forehead, "You in there?"

I tsked and forced bravado at the idea, "Of course I'll do it."

Taurin slowly gazed over at Ezra, who sighed.

"You don't want me to do it?" I said looking at Ezra.

"No."

"I do." Taurin interjected. 

I put my head in my hands and rubbed my forehead. "Where are we going tonight?"

Taurin grinned. "Oregon."

"Oh, great. You wanna drive?"

"Yes!" Taurin said with excitement.

Ezra shook his head, "Why drive? We are not staying there."

I gave him a puzzled look, "How else are errrr... Oh. You want to make me sick." Ezra just looked at me like I was an idiot.

"He does have a point," Taurin interjected.

I moved my jaw back in forth in irritable contemplation, then clicked my teeth together. "Fine."

Taurin bit my waist again playfully, "It will be alright, Dove."

I snapped at his blasé tone. "You don't know that Taurin! What if you die? What if you are so injured you can't move yourself back here?!"

Taurin looked at me. His eyes turned into a solid block of ice. "I think you humanize us too much."

"I know you do," Ezra added. 

His red skin glowed and his eyes flashed fire as I looked over at him. I pushed on Taurin, but he wouldn't move. Instead he pushed me under him and rolled on top. He stretched himself on me and clenched my wrists on either side. "If you don't get off me I'm gonna pee on you," I said angrily. Ezra snorted a humorous noise and Taurin lazily rolled his body off to the side. 

That night we left. I held on tight to Ezra and closed my eyes against the vertigo. I don't know how they did it, but we ended up in a forest outside the boundaries of a circle consisting of a pack of predators.

CHAPTER 37

Ezra appeared in the shadows of trees and we stilled as I waited for the effects of demon traveling to disperse. Taurin stayed in plain view of dozens of eyes turned our way. A angry laugh travelled on the night air. I placed my forehead on Ezra's chest knowing I had to do my part soon. He placed his warm hand on the back of my head and then we moved simultaneously. I turned around and walked to the pack and never looked back as I felt Ezra merge farther into the dark.

So many were wearing loose clothing or nothing at all. I stood next to Taurin and listened to the warm summer breeze ruffle the leaves on the trees. An unfamiliar voice carried over the heads in front of us, "Have you brought us a snack before we kill you, Taurin?"

The circle opened and across from us stood the Alpha. There could be no one else, he practically glowed and all eyes constantly moved back to him. He looked muscular, but not as much as some of the other steroid looking shifters. He wore jeans and nothing else. His golden eyes stopped my breath and seemed to root me to the spot. I knew I didn't want to do this. I had to be the first to walk up to him without a single weapon. I couldn't look at Taurin, I had no idea what he would do if I hesitated. So, I didn't.

I immediately walked towards the circle with a chorus of growls and howls welcoming me as the prey I was. Just before I stepped into that circle I made a show of disarming myself. There were a pile of knives on the ground. 

The Alpha started to laugh again. "Taurin," he barked, "Are you such a coward that you would offer a sacrifice in your steed?" The air dropped a noticeable several degrees cooler and I hurried into the circle to delay Taurin from acting impetuously.

"Taurin of the Sikushe clan of the Icelands claims challenge." Without warning I felt as if I was being filled with a force of nature. My chest arched back as the full weight of pack magic jumped into me. A breath was forced out and I looked at the pack through ancient eyes. The magic compelled me to keep speaking, giving me their words, and I gave over to it. 

My voice lowered in tone and I whispered, "to Alan, Alpha of the Macha pack of Oregon." I continued walking to him, "By right you have all boundaries, but are compelled..." 

Alan interrupted me and held up his hand, "Stop." The hush of the pack got even heavier with his words. "The Speaker of Peace traditionally comes to the challenged in complete trust. No weapons, no clothes."

I paused and breathed heavily, the magic harshly pushing me forward. I fought for self control and had to fortify my will against following the order of the Alpha. No way in hell was I getting naked in front of a pack of restless wolves. To show my good will I took off my shoes and socks and walked to him barefoot. My white t-shirt and jeans were staying on. He put his hand down and let me continue. Thankfully, it was good enough.

I barely had time to sense the demons before the magic rushed over me again and propelled me forward. I continued finishing the challenge, "...by the ancestors to make a decision in full consideration of the pack and open notice to the challenger."

When I stood toe to toe with him he smirked and looked down at me, his eyes so bright they seemed to have the light of the full moon behind them. To finish my part of the magic I had to demonstrate my favor of peace between the two parties by kissing his cheek. I wrestled the magic to a stop again as I noticed a naked mexican woman pacing behind him. She pierced me with a deep look of hatred and flicked her black hair over her shoulder. Uh oh, Lupa. 

Her eyes glowed a warm amber. I had to complete or the challenge could be called void. 

I closed my eyes and stretched up to kiss him on the cheek. He gripped my chin as I did and I had to catch myself on his shoulders. A growl of threat vibrated into my ears from the woman.

"You shouldn't close your eyes on the enemy," the Alpha stated angrily. 

I lifted my eyelids and regarded him. Light brown bangs had fallen over one of his eyes. 

Ancient wolves paced inside my spirit, looking out at him. "If I am peace then I have no enemies." I sounded a lot calmer out loud then I felt. 

His voice came out gruff, "The soul of pack magic looks through your eyes." His pack stirred as they picked up on his puzzlement. He bent closer and inhaled, "But you don't smell like us." He harshly let go of my chin and pushed me into the arms of his Lupa. She gripped me hard, bruising my forearms. From here I was in the dark as to what to do next. I watched the Alpha move to the center of the circle. 

"As you have given us your peace, I will take it. The Speaker of Peace stays with us. I shall give you my decision during the third night. Today is the first. Take her weapons and leave." I watched Taurin look at the Alpha with suspicion, but he said nothing as he picked up my weapons.

'That was unexpected,' he said in my mind.

'Just go. Call Zanzibar for me. Tell him I won't make it. Make sure Ezra doesn't do anything rash, all I feel is anger.' I watched him walk away from the circle into the woods, completely unconcerned.

Taurin laughed mockingly in my head, 'If he does anything rash it will be to me and this pack will not know peace at all if he takes over.'

'Yeah, he'll probably eat them,' I said seriously.

'Be safe, IshaDove,' I heard before he faded away.

"Yeah," I whispered to myself as I felt my hands being tightly bound. I jerked out of her grip and glared. "If I'm Speaker of Peace then why are you binding me?" I asked Alan. 

He slowly directed his attention from the moon to me and smirked again. "You are, but you are also associated with a demon. And that makes me cautious. I have no idea if pack magic is strong enough to overwhelm the compulsion he has on you."

"Compulsion?! You think that he made me come here and do this?!"

He looked at me startled, "Of course. Unless you are his servant, but I don't think our magic would have entered you so freely and joyously if you were."

"Why?" I spit out. "Because I would be too evil if I was a servant to a demon?"

He smirked again, "Put her in my truck, Denny, and watch." 

The woman pushed me into the arms of a waiting man. Alan held out his hand to her and they started running, the rest of the pack following. Soon howls and barks floated up in the summer air.

Denny looked at me with warning, "Come on." He pushed me forward until we got to a jumble of randomly parked cars. He pulled down the hatch to a cab in the back of a red pick up truck. "Up you go," he said as he lifted me effortlessly into the back. 

"You've got to be kidding," I mumbled. 

Denny said nothing as he slammed the hatch shut. I sat down in the front corner, behind the driver's seat. I looked up into the sky and sighed at the moon while I tried to wiggle my hands free. Denny came around to where I was sitting. He lifted my chin so that I looked straight into his green eyes, "Don't run." Then he abruptly ran through the maze of cars until I couldn't see him.

It took me a moment to digest that order. It wasn't until I heard the sounds of someone shifting that I truly understood what he meant. First and foremost, don't be prey. Not very peaceful. It only got worse when I realized that he wasn't going to leave. A huge black and silver wolf soared over the truck and skidded into the cab.

"Holy shit!" I bent my legs until my knees were touching my chin. My heart jack hammered into my chest as I remembered the last time I came across a shape shifter wolf. I swear he had to be over half the height I was. The wolves inside of me yawned and lay down fading from my notice. Denny mimicked their yawn and stretched out, his claws almost touching my feet. I giggled as I thought 'Downward facing dog.' The wolf cocked his head at me and lay down, his bright glowing eyes never straying from my own. 

Halfway through the night I realized that I had fallen asleep because the rocking of the truck startled me. I lay on my side, my bound hands pillowing my head. Denny had jumped out.

Another weight jumped in and I found myself looking at a reddish colored wolf. This one slightly smaller than Denny. It studied me with angry intelligence in its eyes. I slid myself to a sitting position as this one slowly inched closer and closer to me. Again I was in the throws of fear as its lips curled and a growl trickled out.

"Oh, fuck this!" I pressed back as much as the cab would let me. With its hackles raised I was sure I was going to be eaten. My magic flared inside me and I had a second to decide to embrace my own or the pack magic still curled quietly inside of me. I grabbed the Speaker of Peace power and let if fill me. The air filled with soft caresses and I watched as the wolf whined in confusion. Inside of me, ears pricked up and I felt the tumble of wolves playing with one another.

Immediately the cab was filled with another wolf. This one so close that its fur rubbed the side of my face and my knees rested just under its belly. Its face turned to the other wolf and a growl sounded from its lowered head. The red colored one jumped out and I found myself staring into a pair of golden eyes in a white face. Fortunately, I still had pack magic running through me so I had no instinctual fear riding my blood. I took a deep breath and stretched out my legs. The wolf moved out of my way and turned around. When it lay down we touched side to side and I found myself being stared at throughout the rest of the night. 

I started awake at dawn by sounds of a wolf turning human somewhere on the ground. I watched as a very naked Alan stood up and pulled out some clothes from inside the truck. After he dressed he leaned casually up against the truck to look at me. He cleared his throat and started talking.

"I can't very well leave you here. So you'll be staying with me for the next two nights. I can guarantee it will be more comfortable then sleeping in my truck."

I narrowed my eyes at him and held up my bound wrists.

He smiled and shook his head, "Not yet, Peacekeeper. Let's wait until we are at my house." He gently pushed my hands into my lap. 

I was too agitated to say anything to him.

"Wolf got your tongue?" 

Suddenly I had a snapping mouth in front of my face. It startled me and I shrank back and grimaced, "Fuck you!"

He laughed loudly. "That's the spirit! Now get in the front seat so we can go."

Alan's house was set back far from a small forested community. Similar to mine actually. It was a small ranch style with plenty of back lawn before the forest actually encroached on the land. He propelled me inside and took off the braided rope. 

"How is it you had something handy to tie me with?"

"She speaks!" He mocked and then said dead pan, "We always have something handy to tie up prey."

I couldn't tell if he was joking or not so I just looked at him. He stared back at me, but never said anything more about the subject.

"So, feel free to raid the refrigerator. Use anything, whatever. Take the guest bedroom. Which is to your right, on the right. Don't be alarmed if members of the pack just walk in. Just don't leave or I'll be tempted to use the rope again." He twirled it as he walked into the kitchen.

"Come on. I'm starving, aren't you?" He asked. I hesitantly walked towards the kitchen.

"Sit, I'll fix you a sandwich." His words came out muffled since his head was in the refrigerator.

"Ok," I said slowly and sat at the circular dining table. There was something about this man that made me want to follow his every suggestion. First, he put down three glasses of water, then walked back into the kitchen. Next, he placed a plate with a sandwich and those little peeled carrots on it next to me. There were three sandwiches on his. 

Alan sat next to me and immediately started eating. He waited until I had a bite a sandwich in my mouth before he asked me a question."Why are you with the demon?"

My eyes bugged out as I hurriedly tried to chew. When I was finally able to swallow I only said, "It's complicated."

He laughed around his food and mumbled, "Aren't we all." He swallowed and took a long drink of water.

"Listen, your not pack so it's not any of my business." He leaned in close to me invading my space, "But you see, you are pack until you are no longer Speaker of the Peace. That is partly why you are so complacent, it's the deference of the wolf pack in you and your need to be at and give peace. That won't happen once I officially accept Taurin's challenge. You did know that was his name didn't you?"

I shook my head yes as his gold eyes stared unwavering into mine. He went back to his sandwich and I followed his lead. He glanced over at me briefly. "As Speaker of the Peace, and I'm making the assumption that you don't know, you give me the time to think of the ramifications of the challenge, you give the pack a measure of peace just because you are here, and most importantly..." He stopped as he started on his third sandwich. "Most importantly, you give me an honorable way out of the challenge. That's your job, you see, to keep the peace for all parties." He shoved the last of his sandwich into his mouth. I finished my carrots and looked at him, knowing there was more. 

"But, that's where you will fail. Because I will never know peace after what Taurin did to my family. I will accept the wolf to demon challenge, it's just a matter of how." He gave me a toothy grin and I pushed back into the chair. "There's a bathroom in my bedroom, so you can have the one down the hall. You'll find necessities in there. I have a lot of visitors. The way you act here will reflect on my decision, if he matters to you. Does he?"

"Is that a trick question?"

Alan laughed under his breath, "Absolutely."

"Yes. He does."

"Why?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"Because we all need a chance to find our salvation," I said with belief.

Alan snorted, "I see why you were filled so easy with this magic. What's your name, Peacekeeper?" He picked up his water and started to take a swallow.

"Dove."

Alan sputtered and turned away from me as his water sprayed out of his mouth and onto the floor. He laughed heartily as he wiped his face. 

"You're serious?!"

I smiled and shook my head at the irony, "Absolutely serious."

"Peacekeeper Dove." He studied me. "Go to bed, Dove. I expect you to sleep for awhile. I'm sure you weren't prepared for a night in the back of a truck. I'll be doing the same soon."

"No, I wasn't. Thank you for your hospitality." I rose to go. At the hallway Alan stopped me.

"Dove."

"Yes." I turned to look at him.

"The Speaker of the Peace accepts whatever the challenged determines as right and fair. Your position in this makes you part of the challenge."

I stared into his serious eyes, "I understand, Alpha."



Demon's Grace Ch. 38-40



CHAPTER 38

I slept a lot longer than anticipated. This peace magic effected me as much as the pack. I felt safe and loved, as if I was being watched over by something bigger than what I could see with my eyes. It was evening when I finally made my way into the living room where sleeping bodies littered the couch and floor. Alan's formidable frame stood highlighted by the moonlight shining through the open back door. He stood a few steps from the door staring into the forest. Again, all he had on was a pair of jeans. Farther off I heard yips and growls. Without turning around he beckoned me with his hand to come to him. 

"You influence the pack for one day, while sleeping I might add," he turned ironic eyes to me, "and the tension has left their shoulders. Even as far as their regular work day."

"Is that good?"

He swiveled his head to me again, "Good, for now. Not later. Peace is not the way of shape shifters. We must always be on our guard."

I asked why and regretted it as soon as he gave me an angry look.

"For problems like Taurin." He stared off into the night again.

"You work at the Affairs' Office?"

"Yes. From Oregon. I'm only called into Sacramento as needed. I can do most of my work through my home office."

"You're very forthcoming," I observed.

He glanced my way, "It's nothing that anybody can't learn."

I gave a head shake and looked out at the shining lawn. 

"I was so happy when I helped push through a kill warrant on him. Then I went into a rage when I found out he bonded." His eyes sparkled hatefully when he looked over at me briefly, then he chuckled to himself, "I thought for sure that you were coerced. But, you weren't were you?"

"You're sure it's me he bonded to?" I asked ignoring the question without looking at him.

"Yes. You're not a servant and you permeate too much of him."

"How do you know I'm not a servant?"

We both continued to look over the lawn and not at each other. "Because I work for the Affairs' Office. I know a bit more than your average werewolf. You're the demon hunter who bonded to Taurin. You smell like his ice... and stone, that one I don't understand." He turned to look at me.

I ignored his thinly veiled question and said instead, "You sent your wolves to kill us."

"I sent mercenary wolves who were looking for a challenge."

"They found it," I said dryly.

"I guess they did because they never came back for their money."

I shook my head silently, "What do you know of the bullets they used?"

Alan gave me a fake smile, "Why, Dove, is this any conversation to be having as the Peacekeeper!?" He placed his hand on his heart in mock concern.

I snorted silently and looked at him, "You're playing with me."

His face and voice grew cold, "When I play with you, you'll know."

"So, what now?" I asked.

Alan turned to look into his house. "Enjoy my hospitality, enjoy the company. No one will dare step out of place."

"Not even your Lupa?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just keep spreading peace and you will keep her confused." He said with a wry smile.

"A match made in heaven?"

"Something like that."

I watched him walk out onto the lawn. When he disappeared into the woods I turned to the living room. A few eyes reflected back light to me, but I knew they weren't turned into their wolf self. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a handful of carrots and an apple. As I walked back to my room eyes followed me and I was unnerved. The hush of silence was thick and I made no eye contact. Once secluded away and giving myself a measure of unrealistic safety with a closed door I breathed a sigh of relief.

I thought about everything while I chewed on the carrots. Then I realized something. First, I didn't have demons bothering me. Second, I really didn't have demons bothering me. I reveled in the feeling of not having them around. After all, that was the idea when I went to Seattle a few days ago. Yet, it was strange not to feel their connection to me. I crunched into the red apple and did a shallow search for them inside of me. Nothing. Something blocked my demon hunter abilities. I deduced that it was the pack magic, which was a revelation since, technically, this was the answer to my meeting with Zanzibar. Although, I wasn't going to have that magic in me after tomorrow night. This meant that I still needed an answer on how to control the demon magic inside of me. 

I continued to rifle through my spirit and decided it was time to meditate. I took my mind down into the spiral of myself and listened to what I needed to hear underneath my conscious thoughts. A deep sense of knowing draped over me as I discovered that it wasn't pack magic that kept me from sensing them. Or rather, it was. I was the arrow that decided which magic was going to dominate. Yet, I instinctively knew that without another choice I was all demon hunter and there would be nothing to block it out. At least, not until I talked to Zanzibar. 

With these revelations running through my mind I concentrated on Taurin and Ezra's sparks. They ignited in a burst with the merest thought. The smell of wolf faded from inside of me and I filled up with the scent of cloves and winter. 'There you are,' I said and Taurin answered.

'Dove. You've been silent.'

'Yesss,' came Ezra's whispered hiss.

I inhaled deeply through my nose, trying to breathe in scents that weren't outside of me. 'I'll see you both tomorrow night?' I asked hesitantly.

Taurin scoffed, 'Of course!'

Ezra's fire flared sluggishly through my spirit, like it was asleep or drugged. I frowned and projected my confusion somehow to them without words. 

'Ezra put himself into a deep trance after we came back. Probably a tactic to stop himself from killing me,' he laughed.

'Oh. I'll make it out of here ok. I just need to stay focused on wolf magic. That's why you haven't heard from me.'

'Hmm,' was all Ezra said. His fire flared brighter, but still moved slowly.

'I haven't been able to send you a thought while you've been there.' Taurin said blandly, hiding his true feelings.

'I'm surrounded by the pack and I'm focused too much on falling into the spell of their magic. I didn't understand until now how it works with my own magic. It may be that way until I see you again. Just wait it out Taurin.'

This time the 'hmm' came from Taurin. I felt the air push itself into the room from under the door. 

'I have to go,' I said anxiously. 

I took my focus away from them just as the door slammed open into the wall. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes as Alan said my name in a warning tone. He shook with suppressed anger and violence. Behind him I saw the curious stares of wolves and their human counterparts. I grimaced because I hadn't let go of my own spark of Taurin. The air shimmered with lights of moisture, some even turning into snow flakes before they evaporated from the heat. I could guess that Alan was looking into eyes filled with the cold blue of glaciers.

Alan firmly shut the door and strode towards me. I could almost feel his pack pressed up against the entryway to the room. 

"You DO NOT bring HIM to MY HOME," he yelled.

I closed my eyes and called the pack into me with. Turning my arrow to full bore on its magic. Only this time, I couldn't make the arrow go to full. Something walked four legged among those ancient wolves and they were wary. It had scales and burning eyes. I couldn't think about it anymore because the Alpha had my jaw in a bruising grip. My eyes opened and we stared into each other's eyes.

"I like your hazel eyes better."

The wolves pushed at me telling me the smart thing to do. I cleared my throat and didn't say anything, bowing to their authority on the subject. I even followed their advice to duck my head and refuse to meet his gaze. 

"That's better. Do you know what he did to me, Dove?" He didn't wait for a response. "He tore apart my family while we were..." He paused and forced my gaze to meet his, "at peace. He killed, not only every one of them in front of me, but those of my pack who supported my nomination into the Affairs' Office. He killed, tortured, and raped. He was... talented." His jaw clenched as he looked me dead on, "I won't go into the details. The only reason I survived was because the Affairs' Office found out. They came in to save the day, only too late. As I'm learning they often do. But look, he gave me you. And I don't think that you are expendable to him. I think he'll be there tomorrow night. Tell me I'm wrong, Dove?" He smiled at me serenely. 

"No, you're not wrong." I whispered. The wolves wanted me to lay down flat on my stomach, but I wouldn't. They soon scattered when a flashing, scaled, dark tail flailed into them.

He paused and I felt him staring at my bowed head. "That's good. Not for you, but for me. Soon it will be over," he whispered. 

He eased his grip off of me and stood up. He paused with his hand on the door handle and looked at me. I glared defiantly up at him. His anger would win tomorrow night and I would pay for it. I had no doubts and, truthfully, I couldn't blame him for it. He grinned with all his teeth, almost a snarl, as he opened the door.

I curled myself on the bed and into the ancestral wolves, projecting their peace out of me at a steady pulse. Somewhere inside, a pair of gleaming red eyes watched me. Outside of my spirit I gazed up at the dark ceiling unable to quiet my tumultuous thoughts. The next day seemed unremarkable at first. Except enemies don't leave you alone when other enemies are scheduled for your day. 

His Lupa came over and I could hear her anger from my room. There was a strong smell, potent and incense like, that wafted under the door. The dragon inside of me went into alert mode immediately. My heart raced from all the restless energy and I hesitantly opened the door. I heard Alan demand that she leave.

"You are too jealous and you'll nullify the challenge if you harm her before tonight."

I heard a crash of something fragile hit the floor. "You keep her here in OUR sanctuary knowing that she is with that... that... devil! And you want her! I can tell!"

"I want her blood, Luz!" He growled angrily.

She screamed, "I don't care what you want from her. Fuck her, kill her! It's all the same! She can't have any part of you and you can't have any part of her!" 

I walked just to the threshold of the hallway and saw them in front of the glass patio door. I briefly looked at two frightened people curled up on the couch. Luz turned her killing glance at me. I had no delusions that they couldn't hear my own quick, frightened breath. 

Alan looked over his shoulder at me and laughed sarcastically, "So much for your peaceful presence!"

Luz took his distraction to deck him left handed in the jaw. The very air seemed to still when Alan didn't move from the punch. Their pack members were flattened on the floor, barely breathing.

"Holy shit!" came out with my breath. 

It took her a moment to process what she did, but then she flew past him and reached for me. I was hit first with the complex incense smell and the knowledge that Oldavai somehow got to her. I was positive it intensified her own possessiveness to the nth degree, because I'm sure she never would have actually punched her own Alpha and lover. 

Her claws barely grazed my cheek before Alan tackled and slammed her into the floor. From there Luz was conflicted. Part of her fought with Alan, part of her was trying to kiss him, and another part was trying to get to me to rip me apart. Alan was shouting threats at her as my focus narrowed down to a pair of flickering eyes inside my head. Ezra had found a way to stay with me. I knew that the moment I saw him hanging out with the wolves inside of me last night. 

"I'm sorry Alan," I whispered, knowing that he heard me. 

I turned myself over to my own magic and filled myself with fire. Exactly what Alan didn't want, to let demons into his home. What he didn't know was that they completely bypassed his home and hit him at his heart. I knelt next to them. He struggled to subdue Luz without hurting her. She snapped at his throat.

He yelled at me, "LEAVE!" Such similar words I thought dispassionately as I placed a blazing hand between them. The wolf in both reacted instantly. Luz pushed herself into the floor and Alan made a startled movement backwards. Within a second they were in action again. But I used that second to place my palm just over Luz's forehead. Alan grabbed me around the waist to hurl me away from his mate.

"Don't." I said firmly, never looking at him. I hurriedly explained, "She is being manipulated by another demon to get to me. I'm not burning her, I'm trying to burn off the scent on her." Inside of me I asked the dragon to lend me his control. Ezra did without a thought.

Luz went quiet as she stared at me. I coaxed the wolves inside of me to look out of my eyes while I passed my hands over the air of her body. Sparks flared and little wisps of fire flickered as if catching on dried twigs and grass that no one could see. I moved my hand out of the way and hesitantly leaned into her. She didn't move as I inhaled deeply. My eyes crinkled as I looked at her again.

"Luz," I said softly, lowering my stare from hers, "I need you to turn over on your back." She waited and didn't move.

"Luz. The Speaker of Peace made a request. Now I am telling you. Turn over." Alan moved in close until he was barely a breath from her face. She put her hand gently around the fading bruise that she made on his jaw and then turned over.

I moved my hand over her long black hair. It flared more so than any other place. I shook out the fire and clenched it in my fist to make it disappear. I made a statement as I watched Luz turn around and sit up. 

"He touched your hair."

"Who touched you Luz?" Alan asked with suppressed anger.

"No one." She said dismissively and looked away with a shrug.

"Luz!" Alan demanded.

She growled at me and then defiantly met his gaze, "Just another wolf. He said he was looking for another home. He complimented me." She shrugged and looked down again.

"No," I said and shook my head slowly. "He wooed you. Made you feel special, beautiful,... wanted, with just a few words and touches." 

She snarled and got into my face. 

Alan thrust his arm between us. "Luz, is this true?"

I interrupted him, "You were just a pawn in his game. He has a magic that is illusion. I bet he smelled and acted perfectly like a shape shifter. Perfectly. Do you feel any lingering effects from him?"

She looked at me hatefully, "No, I felt cleansed from your fire. But, I know the difference between us and one who is part demon, part wolf. He was one of us." She looked over at me smugly.

"He wasn't," I looked over at Alan. "It was a demon that I am under contract for. I'm sorry that this came to your door."

Alan's lip curled and he looked over to the two who stayed face down on the floor. "Leave." They moved faster than I could take in and were out the front door before I even heard it close. We stayed sitting on the floor in a circle of three.

"Tell me everything," he ordered.

"I will tell you this. He is my contract and his focus is on me. If he's interested in Luz it won't matter as long as I'm alive and away from your pack. " I added the last to give him incentive not to harm me.

"That's all you're going to say to me," he asked with narrowed eyes.

"If you want to know more you'll have to go through the channels of your job. You know mine and Taurin's name. We all have a protocol of secrecy. I know your kind does."

A snarl came out of his mouth, "I think that we all could use some lessons from demons."

"Sometimes prejudices work in your favor," I said dryly.

"You don't think we have any?!" Luz jumped in, furious.

Alan reached over and touched her hair. "No Luz. Not anywhere close to the persecution they have."

She gave him an angry look for not backing her up.

"So, I guess this means I have to scratch my plans of killing you." Alan said calmly as he looked at me.

My jaw dropped in astonishment that he admitted it out loud to me. "Were you really giving it consideration?!" Luz gave a high little laugh.

"I can't believe you're a demon hunter. You're actually surprised that I would consider killing you." He shook his head, "You have a demon trying to kill you and you are attached to a demon who slaughtered my family and probably countless others." Alan clicked his tongue in disgust at me. Luz trilled again and snuggled closer to Alan, practically crawling into his lap.

I looked up, "Well, there is that."

He leaned in close to me, "You'll probably only wish you were dead, Dove."

"Well, It won't be the first time I suppose." I pondered this thought as I looked down the hallway to my left. 

"Your here now and I will not let Taurin leave unscathed. You can't imagine what it's like to have your family..." He trailed off, his eyes seeing more than just the living room. His hand absently twining in Luz's hair.

"Actually, Alan..." I waited till he gave me his attention, "I don't have to imagine."

He nodded his head slowly, "I see. So you understand me."

"As much as I can."

"It's nothing personal, Dove," he said absently.

I had nothing to say to that. Well, except maybe bullshit.

CHAPTER 39

I watched out the porch door as the colors changed from sunset to night. Alan called me. "We have to go."

"I know," I said. I didn't turn to him though.

"As soon as you are free of the wolves' magic my hate will be back in full force."

"I know. It never left."

We stayed in a companionable silence for a few minutes. I finally spoke up, "Anger destroys us all." 

"We feel what we feel."

"Yes." I turned to him then, "But, when do you realize that you need to be stronger than the anger?"

Alan said nothing for a long time. We climbed into the truck and drove to pick up Luz. "It's not so simple. Five years and I've had no vengeance. A promise kept to the dead is important."

"It is," I agreed.

We watched Luz lock her front door. I looked over at Alan, "Which wolf will you feed though, Alan?"

He quickly looked over at me, understanding the reference to the Cherokee story where a boy once asked his grandfather which wolf would win inside of him. His grandfather told him, the one he fed.

I continued solemnly, "The wolf of hate," and I looked askance at him, "or the wolf of love," and looked over to Luz as she approached the truck.

He said nothing as she sat in the back. This had nothing to do with seniority and everything to do with predator. You don't have your enemy at your back where you can't see them. We got to the forest first and I warily watched the two of them. Alan swung a rope back and forth in his hand and Luz's held something thin, black and coiled. Alan grabbed my hands and tied one wrist. He pulled me over to the big oak and threw the rope over a thick low laying branch. 

"I can't believe I'm just letting you do this to me. I can't believe this. This is crazy. I must be crazy..." I continued to mumble to myself as he completed tying me up. My bare toes barely touched the earth and I found myself gasping and stretching. I heard the other shape shifters make their way to the circle, but I could barely see them since I was staring at a huge tree trunk.

He grabbed my chin and forced me to look into his luminous, golden eyes, "Dove, the wolf of hate is getting fed tonight."

"I see that," I whispered. Already he pulled away from the influence of his own pack magic. A hush settled on those assembled, as a cold wind rustled the tree in front of me. 

"Taurin, how nice of you to show up," Alan said nonchalantly. I twisted my head to the right and got a brief glimpse of him.

"I accept your challenge," Alan announced icily. 




Demon's Grace Ch. 38-40



And just like that the magic whooshed out of me. I was left empty for a brief second until I felt a dragon shake himself, like a wet dog. I stilled my twisting body and listened carefully to the Alpha. 

"The boundaries are such, we stay here and it is blood flow." I heard startled, unhappy gasps from the surrounding wolves. Alan continued, "This means that we continue fighting until one of us collapses from blood loss or one of my wolves loses control." The wolves in my peripheral visions blanched and paled. I could only imagine what would happen to any who lost control.

Taurin finally spoke up with a joyous laugh, "So, you are challenging not only me, but your entire pack. You're a conniving bastard!" He said with admiration.

"I'm not done," he said and waited until his wolves settled themselves down again. "I will not hold my influence over them, so all they have is their own strength." This increased the assembled group's agitation.

I peered over to my left to watch Luz uncoil the black line she was carrying. She snapped it and the whip sliced through the air. 'Oh, so not good', I thought as a bead of sweat trailed down my spine and settled in the small of my back. Ezra hiss in my mind seemed to agree with me. 

Alan continued, "And as retribution for all the pain you caused me I shall give it you back to a lesser degree. Every third hit, regardless of who makes it, will make the whip crack."

Murmurs continued around me. Luz looked at me and cracked the whip to my left, making sure I could see it. The hiss carried down to me again. My eyes widened and I could only stutter a breath in. 'Holy shit, oh no!'

"Either you accept or don't. If you don't I will rip her apart as painfully as I can while my pack goes after you. Whether you survive or not, Dove will be dead." He gave a heavy pause, "You can count on it."

Taurin laughed under his breath, "Are you counting on that I care?"

"If you didn't, you wouldn't be here Taurin," he stated.

"Point taken Alpha," Taurin acceded dryly. "Weapons?"

"What ever is available."

"Good. I accept."

"It's done."

I jerked as Luz ripped my t-shirt off at those words. The fight commenced and so did my pain. Noises erupted all around me. I was surrounded by the voices of the pack and the sounds of the challenge. The most important sound to me was my breath gasping and the yelps of pain emitting from my mouth. The most important sensations were the tears coursing down my face and the feel of the bark on my bare feet as I tried to climb up the tree. Then there was the slap of the whip on my back and all else was lost to that strike.

I was in a pain induced silence when I realized that Ezra had been trying to get my attention. My blood pounded in my ears and I couldn't hear a damn thing over it. I blinked when I felt a strange slick feeling on my fingers, similar to the feeling of blood pouring down my back. I looked up and saw him sitting on the branch I was tied to. Only it wasn't him, my mind tried to make out his shape, and it wouldn't compute, he seemed to have a heat haze shimmering around him. Then it didn't matter because I was reeling in agony again. 

'Follow me.' Ezra cajoled.

I couldn't even answer him in my mind. I just looked up into glowing slitted eyes peering down at me.

'I will play by the rules only so long, Dove. You wrap me tight in your honor. It is time to put an end to this. So, follow me. Now.' He pulled me somehow and I looked down at my stomach and saw nothing. 'Sorry for this, Eshera,' he whispered.

He grasped me spiritually and ripped me from my body. My gagging reflex only lasted for the few seconds before my spirit was jettisoned next to Ezra on the tree. Below me I saw my body sag. I hung like a dead person. I watched Luz get closer and peer into my face. She slapped me a few times, but my body didn't respond. It was all so weird.

'Hurry!' Ezra said and I saw his dragon body snake to the ground. He stayed low and moved quickly through the pack. He looked about the size of an overgrown wolf himself. 

I floated down, following him. 'What are we looking for?'

'The weakest link.'

He continued to sniff and peer into the eyes of the surrounding shifters shouting and egging Alan on. I drifted over to the other side of the circle and started looking. I wasn't sure for what, a sheen of sweat, a strain in the eyes. There was enough blood between the three of us that I knew its scent flooded the air. I looked over to the fight and watched Taurin. He held a sword of ice coated in blood. Alan held a dagger in his hand, his eyes a weight of cold calculated hate. 

It all happened at once. I was on the opposite end of them both so I just stared, frozen. I watched someone hand Alan a gun into his right hand. I watched the spirit dragon grow in size until he towered over and through everyone. He whispered 'Fear' and even my spirit shivered. I was never so grateful as then that he had never focused on me that way. I watched as a tall woman freaked out over a dragon she couldn't see, but could smell. She started to change a few feet behind Alan. 

I got a whiff of smelling salts and turned to see Luz waving them over my nose. I could feel them pulling to me. I turned quickly and watched Alan point the gun at Taurin and fire. Something about those bullets I thought quickly before I was pulled firmly into my aching body. Taurin's shout of pain and surprise barely registered over the crack of the whip. The bullet must have been a third hit I thought wearily. Vaguely, I heard the commotion as the shifter completed her change. My eyes closed as I registered that the fight was over.

"Go." Alan ordered his wolves and a group of them immediate shifted. They ran past both sides of my tree and into the forest, chasing.

'Can you get her or do I need to?' Ezra said without a hint of concern.

'I'll get her. You won't have to show yourself then.' Taurin replied with bite.

'I would rather not reveal myself to a pack of flea carriers,' he said dismissively.

'Ezra, leave Taurin alone.' I swallowed past my dry throat, my back started to go into spasms. 'He's probably in pain.'

'Dove, were you ever sane?' Ezra replied blandly.

I heard Taurin burst a laugh out loud. Those left behind probably thought he was the crazy one.

I started to fade, 'The bullets...'

'Yes, Dove, I know.' 

Alan stared me in the eyes. "I can't decide if I want him to take you down or if I should do it myself."

I looked down at his body awkwardly and watched as blood flowed freely from cuts. I gasped roughly. "Not so easy to heal demon," I groaned and sniffed, "cuts," I moaned with pain, "is it?"

He gave me a stoney expression and spit a wad of blood at my feet, "I suppose they'll heal as fast as that bullet I put in him."

I swallowed and said faintly, "Maybe."

"I'm gonna let him do it," he decided and turned away from me. "Leave," he demanded of the rest of the pack standing there. Alan waited until they were gone and took Luz's hand. He started walking away stiffly, neither looked back. I hadn't even noticed that Taurin was already next to me. He deftly cut the ropes and I collapsed like a rag doll to the ground.

"IshaDove!" He exclaimed as he bent down towards me, his face remarkably pale. My eyes riveted to the gushing blood flow from a wound next on his left side, close to his collarbone. Then Ezra was there picking me up. I curled my hands close to his body, grimacing from the pain in my back and sides where the whip lashed around my body. 

"Time to go home," he said stonily, looking down at me. 

I closed my eyes and drifted from consciousness, trusting him to keep me safe. When I woke I found myself laying on my stomach on my bed. Towels placed under me. "Where's Taurin?" I mumbled.

"Tending to his own wounds, in his own room. You have no reason to think of him now."

Before I got a chance to ask Ezra what he was up to he was searing me with his fire. "Holy Shit Ez! Are you out of your fucking mind?!" I screamed, trying to move my weak body away from him.

He stopped his treatment of my back. "I'm cleaning and accelerating your healing. If you continue to move I will tie you down. I doubt your wrists can handle any more of that." His voice was devoid of emotion as he talked to me.

"Ez, whaatt the-?!" I screamed as he applied more fire to me. He didn't let up this time and I squirmed and screamed in pain until he was done. There was silence for a few moments as I drifted in my mind.

He breathed a warm breath on my face. "Dove?"

I mumbled into the towel and slowly opened my eyes. "What?" I asked irritably. His eyes swirled quickly with the movement and colors of a universe.

"As much as I know what love is, I love you." 

I looked at him speechless and struggled to sit. He helped ease my body up.

"Easy. Your wounds are closed, but that is all." He held up a hand to stop me from talking. "This need of yours to sacrifice yourself is not healthy. What are you proving? Who are you trying to prove something to? Your God? Paying for your sins? That you are a martyr?! What are you doing?!" He ended up shouting at the end of his rant, staring hard at me.

I rubbed my forehead and he eased me in front of him. His arms circled from behind and his legs held me close from either side. I relaxed against his chest and thought about his words. They were good questions, ones that had drifted through my own mind. I still didn't have an answer. "I don't know Ez. I just want to help."

"That is honorable, but why must you always find the most painful way? Through your lack of self preservation you have put yourself in, not only Taurin's, Alan's, and So'aan's twisted need to play sadist, but, even your friends."

"You left yourself out," I said quietly.

His arms tightened around me momentarily. "Yes, I did. Even myself. We need to think of ways for you to protect yourself better."

"Really?" I shook my head and snorted in disbelief, "We'd never get anything done!" 

"Have one of us around you at all times."

I barked a laugh at that, "You've got to be kidding! You were both there tonight! That reminds me, Oldavai tried to get to me while I was at Alan's. A jealousy scent on his Lupa."

"Hmm."

"Yeah." I paused in thought, distracted. "I don't think about being a martyr, Ezra. I don't dwell on my sins-"

Ezra interrupted me with a puff of clove scented smoke curling around my face, "Yes you do. Who was worrying about her morality just recently? About not crying over a woman who was trying to kill her?"

I made a sound of frustration, "I bound with you, not as a way to atone for my sins, but because you asked me. Because you didn't just try to kill me. You didn't want to die and neither did I. Why would I refuse that?"

"Simple, we are demons. Hunters know first hand how we manipulate everything and everyone. Taking advantage of others' good will is what we do."

"I know," I enunciated forcefully. "I still believe that I have to take the chance. I will give everyone the benefit of the doubt."

"Dove, you need to decide. Either you are following me into hell or leading me to heaven. Stop your moral quandary about your own actions." He paused and I reveled in the sensation of his nuzzling into my hair, his warm exhale on the back of my neck. 

He continued, "I do not believe there is the benefit of doubt in your God's eyes for us."

I shook my head vehemently, "No. You're wrong."

"And are you being watched over now by this being?" Ezra said evenly.

"Of course." I turned my head to look at him, ignoring the tightness of my back, "Why do you think you're with me?" I asked rhetorically.

Ezra grabbed my face and turned it so I was facing away from him. I felt him shake his head, "You are undecipherable to me. You must have some mental disorder. Why else would you accept my offer all those months ago?"

I laughed quietly and snuggled closer into his body. His sigh sounded perplexed as he curled around my body. I fell into a content sleep with his heat cocooning me.

CHAPTER 40

I sat up in bed the next afternoon. I wasn't going anywhere and they let me know it. Taurin sat at the foot of the bed and Ezra leaned on the opposite side of me. One leg was crossed in front of him and the other hanging off. A pile of bullets, some used, one in particular pulled from Taurin's body, sat in a cluster on the blanket next to him.

"Here's what's been happening while you were gone."

"Gone? You make it sound like a long time. It was a couple of days. Geesh." I rolled my eyes.

Ezra ignored my exasperation and started talking, "Marina Slovya called and reprimanded Taurin and I for ignoring our summons to discuss our 'progress' with our 'contact'." Ezra sneered while he said the last.

"Slovya? That name sounds familiar."

"It is. She is the woman who wants me dead."

"For what?"

"Yes, Ezra, for what?" Taurin baited. "We seem to be airing all of my dirty laundry. How about yours for a change?"

"Only because yours is so more active right now Taurin." Ezra replied. "She is the sister of one of my experiments."

I forcefully exhaled and closed my eyes. "One of these days you guys are going to surprise me with something pleasant about your past. I know it can't all be about torture and power." 

Taurin started to laugh and bent over briefly. He pushed into his left clavicle and rotated his arm. I stared into his blue eyes anticipating our discussion about bullets.

Ezra continued, "They are from a lineage part human, part hana."

"I don't know what that is," I said, interrupting him.

"They are beings from the sky. Keep to themselves. Somehow a human ended up in their midsts. Hana are long lived, but her sister took after her human side too much. She volunteered for research with the hope that I would be able to give her more hana genetics."

"Another volunteer?!" I said in disbelief.

"Very few were. It seemed our entire world knew about my research. I never tried to keep it a secret. Mostly everyone there stayed out of my way for fear that I would take them by force." He paused and gave me a steely black eyed gaze, "And I did."

"I never said I had delusions about you and Taurin. You don't need to convince me. Fu...ah!" 

Taurin started to laugh again, it turned into a clenched groan. 

"We really need to talk about these bullets," I said.

"We will, let Ezra finish. I'm tired of being the bad guy around here."

"That's only because you like being the bad guy." I said snidely.

Taurin reached over and squeezed my leg. "True."

Ezra continued, ignoring us, "Basically, the experiments failed, one after the other. She started to age even faster than before. I convinced her to stay and I threw in a mixture of demon magic and genetics without her consent. In the end, her sister had to kill her. I stopped the aging process, but she started to rip apart her wings. Her sister had begged me not to experiment on her in the first place."

"What is it with demons' magic?!"

"It seems that something about demon magic can cause certain side effects, usually they are more sever in females." Taurin replied.

Ezra looked over at him thoughtfully.

"How do you know?" I asked Taurin.

"A lot of us do. It's just the way it is."

I looked over at Ezra as he spoke up. "Yet, those of us who know it, know it because we lived through it." Ezra raised an eyebrow at Taurin. "Is that why you panic about Dove? Because you did. Nothing to worry about with Dove though." Ezra said in his devil-may-care voice.

Taurin's face hardened with bitterness."Why? She has not one part of a demon in her, but two," he said harshly.

"Because," Ezra grinned and winked at me, "Dove is already insane." 

I bust out laughing and bit my lower lip to stop it, not wanting to offend Taurin. Thing was, I knew Ezra absolutely believed it, otherwise he never would have said it.

Taurin stuttered while he tried to formulate his thoughts.

Ezra continued, "What sane person would take one demon, much less, two, just because they asked? We know that there is not a single hunter out there who accepted binding to a demon without being manipulated into it. And we know that it was for our brothers' benefit only, regardless of how abhorrent it is."

My eyes widened at this reminder, "Why is it so abhorrent?"

Taurin spoke, "Because, we give away a measure of our power." His attention fixed on Ezra, "I manipulated her and you told her to go along with it." 

I watched Taurin as he seemed to turn hard, as if waiting for me to attack him with words, but I wasn't angry.

"No, I never did. I told her to make her own decision with my assurance that all would be well, already knowing her choice." He paused. "I know Dove's secret. She would rather not kill. At that time I had no intention of killing you or having you kill her. She was just angry at you for the manipulation. I knew that all you had to do was ask."

I chimed in, "Don't get me wrong, I would have hesitated. But, in the end, especially if Ezra said it was ok, I would have done it. You demons are always so quick to kill, or manipulate. You would've had to catch me off guard, like Ezra did. He scared the shit out of me, but didn't try to kill me. We stared at one another in silence for like, I swear, five minutes. I didn't get a single warning from my sword when I faced him."

Ezra glanced my way and smiled, "As I said, you are all defense."

Taurin stared at us lost in contemplative silence.

I bit my bottom lip, lost in my own thoughts, and then smiled, "So it's understandable that Slovya wants to kill you. But, all she's done is tell you that you are neglecting you duty."

"And yours too," Ezra said with a studious look at me.

"Mine?!" I said in surprise. "My contact is going to call me, if he ever calls."

"No, she made a comment about your rejecting a warrant and not fulfilling your current one."

"She's being dense. I know my laws. I have more time with a 'trap and subdue' than I do with a 'kill'. And I have the right to reject a warrant if I don't think I can do it. It's just going to go to someone else."

Ezra shook his head, "No. It is piled on Shorn's desk and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Much like Oldavai's was. Melous is such a low demon that Shorn will burn it eventually, but keep it open under his jurisdiction."

"Really?! I didn't realize he could do that?" I paused and changed tracks, "She's just in league with Dr Bardellis." 

"Yes." His fingers picked up and dropped the bullets in front of him. They clanged together as he played with them. He looked over at Taurin.

Taurin looked steadily at Ezra and spoke to the unvoiced command in those black starry eyes. "Those bullets carry an energy, like poison, which is excreted from the bullet once it hits its target. The damage is extensive. I don't think they kill us immediately, but I might be wrong if it entered the heart or maybe even the brain. I'm not healing normally and I needed to exert considerable power to get the poison out." 

Taurin shook his head in wonder, "It was as if the poison knew I was trying to get it out."

"Pull the poison out, like a snake bite?" I asked.

"Yes, but it travels through anything, not just blood. And... It seems cognizant."

I reached over for a bullet and Ezra dropped a whole one in my hand. "Feels like a regular bullet. Will it effect anyone that way or only demons?"

Taurin answered rhetorically, "Who can say?" 

I turned the bullet around in my fingers. "I can think of someone," I said, thinking of an orange haired punk named Patrick frequenting Zanzibar.



Demon's Grace Ch. 41-43



CHAPTER 41

We had no time to recuperate completely. Thankfully, one of us was whole. Taurin and I walked stiffly, constantly taking in deep breaths as an indication of aches and pains. We were going to Zanzibar's so I could pick the brain of Patrick about the bullets. Thoughts about using a gun on Oldavai continued to race through my head. I still had no idea how I was going to fulfill my contract. Ezra wouldn't tell me any of his ideas until he completely and analytically dissected them. Meanwhile, Taurin came up with the idea of using a machine gun stocked with the bullets on him. I just looked at him with enough horror that he shut up, but not without first laughing at my sensibilities.

I had a brief argument with Ezra about driving to Seattle versus him just, well whatever it was that they did to travel. I won simply because I wanted my jeep in case we had to stay there longer than anticipated. We left within a day despite my unsuccessful attempts to contact Zanzibar. I could almost feel Oldavai closing in. The air felt like his breath on my neck.

   The drive there was unremarkable, except that both of them drove with me. In fact, I had to pull over and let Ezra drive because my body simply didn't want to be accommodating. I ended up curled on my side, my head pillowed on Taurin's lap. I heard Ezra clearly when he dryly mentioned how easy it would have been if I let him have his way. I didn't tell him what he already knew, that the real reason I didn't want to was because of how dizzy it made me feel. There's a reason why I never went on roller coasters in my youth.

Without Zanzibar available to me I needed to wait for his bar to open. Even then I had no idea if the man I was looking for was there. I paced restlessly in the hotel room waiting, my combat boots stomping on the carpet, my back involuntarily twitching. We had to wait for the social evening to really descend on the city. I could tell Taurin and Ezra seemed to enjoy watching me walk back and forth. Both had a slight smile on their face until I gasped and clutched the back of the chair I kept passing. 

I looked inside my spirit and saw the flames that Ezra had put in me. It felt similar to the first time I felt them when I was by myself, ironically, in a hotel. I looked closely at the sparks and noticed that it was a very small red dragon. That was what was causing all the trouble?! It cocked its head and looked up as if it could see me. It yelped, baby like and annoyingly cute. Then a small bubble of fire burst out of its mouth, which had me shooting out of my meditation and into the real world. 

I groaned and looked up. Ezra stood by Taurin's chair. His smoking hand gripped the left flared top of it, precariously close to Taurin's head. Taurin had a look of steel on his face. I gave them a crooked smile and quickly assessed the situation. Ezra was waiting for me to find my own control without any interference from Taurin. I stood and stretched my shoulders back, my breath came out in a whoosh at the tightness.

   "I'm fine. Do you know what you put in me?" I said without any inflection as I looked at Ezra.

"Not at first."

I bit down on the inside of my cheek in irritation. "But you know now."

"Yes."

I nodded and stared at the two of them, "Taurin puts a piece of glacier in me, but you, you put a dragon in me. And it's using me as a playground. Thank you, that was a brilliant," I said sarcastically. 

I held up a hand to forestall his next words. "I don't care. Know what? I'm hungry? Anyone coming with me?"

I ignored them, smoothing down my form fitting black t-shirt as I neared the door. The two of them decided to follow me. During dinner I calmly stated that I didn't want us going in together at the bar and thought it would be wise if people didn't associate the three of us. 

Taurin scoffed at that and mentioned that he had already been in public with me. "Not to mention that our brothers probably already connect us," he added.

"I. don't. care," I said enunciating each word. "If Patrick or Zanzibar are there I don't want you two hanging around making them paranoid."

"You worry too much, Dove," he said angrily.

"You will barely notice me," Ezra said as he took a drink of water.

Taurin and I looked at him with identical stunned expressions. Honestly, I though he'd put up a fight too. Especially after our talk about my inability to protect myself up to his standards.

"See!" I exclaimed to Taurin, gesturing to Ezra.

"You will notice me, Dove." Taurin replied.

"I'm still getting my way because I took a flogging for you. Regardless of Ezra's painfully healing magic."

Taurin narrowed his eyes, but said nothing.

"You go in first. Taurin and I will follow behind."

As Ezra dictated, that was exactly what we did. Once inside I gave a thorough scan of the first floor and promptly went downstairs when I didn't see who I wanted. Scanning this floor was significantly harder. Zanzibar's seemed to always be packed. Well, it wasn't like demon hunters had an actual work schedule. And demons... well, yeah. I waded through the people, spotting Zanzibar deep in a discussion with two of his employees by the back bar.

I sided up to the bar, close to him. He was still explaining something when I spotted Patrick seated in one of the booths talking to someone sitting across from him. I stood to go to him when Zanzibar spotted me and waved a signal for me to stay. I debated it for a moment and then leaned back up at the bar. As I waited for Zanzibar to finish I spotted Taurin on the other side of the room talking to someone. As if feeling my gaze he zeroed in on me and gave me an unfriendly stare, turning away promptly. I supposed he was still sore at me for not being able to actively annoy people who I needed to talk with. 

'Time to be a big boy, Taurin. You can't always get your way.' I sent out.

'If you'll notice, I frequently don't get my way around you. I believe I am doing an admirable job of not making you bow to my will.' 

His frustration came through clearly and I decided not to taunt him. After all, he really was acting admirably. I knew him enough now to know that he was unpredictable. I watched him from my position at the bar. He looked striking tonight. His blond hair was pulled back in the front by two small french braids, pulling attention to the clean beauty of his face. The rest of it was loose and free, flowing down his back. A dark red silk shirt and a pair of black pants framed him perfectly. His movements were fluid, like most demons. I became mesmerized as I watched his subtle shifting.

'When your done adoring Taurin from a distance you might want to turn to your right and do what you came here to do' came Ezra's sardonic voice.

He startled me out of my preoccupation. I looked casually around and didn't see him, just as promised. 'I wasn't adoring Taurin,' I said petulantly.

'Oh, I could have sworn I saw a forlone expression in you eyes. I must have been mistaken, because the Dove I know would have stayed focused.'

I didn't reply because Zanzibar took that moment to give me his full attention. I couldn't help but smile at his delight.

"Shugar!" He reached over and gave me one of his side hugs, my face tightened slightly from the pain he unintentionally inflicted.

"Hi," I said shyly, returning the hug gently.

"What are you up to, darlin'?! I keep hearing rumors, but I don't know what to believe. And when your demon calls to tell me you won't be able to make it! Damn! I didn't expect that! So, naturally, I started thinking that they were doing something to you. Made a few discreet inquiries, but when you disappear, you disappear." 

    As disturbing as his words were I was still charmed by his southern accent.

    "Yeah. It's been a regular three ring circus. I'm sorry I had to have a demon call you to cancel for me. Something totally unexpected came up." I shook my head over how bizarre my life was getting. "But, that's all settled. Right now I need to talk to Punk about a certain type of bullet."

"Ahh," he said slowly and softly.

"You know what I'm talking about?!" I said in anxious disbelief.

"Don't get excited," he laughed. "I do know what you're talking about. Punk would be the one you want to talk to. You looking to kill your demons?"

I stared at him open mouthed for a second, "God, NO. No."

He pushed his glasses farther up on his face. "You know, the longer you stay with them..." He bent down close to my face, staring in my eyes, "The tighter the rope. You see, the magic they put in you, it grows roots. It may become a part of you, but it was always theirs first."

I focused on Zanzibar. "Could they pull it out by those roots?"

His face got hard, "Absolutely. And, Dove, you know how when you pull up a plant and there's still dirt on those roots?"

My forehead frowned in thought, "Oh fuck. I need to talk to you about these things, but I need to talk to Punk first."

"Will it take all night?"

"Hope not."

He shifted his eyes over to the booth Punk sat in. "You know he's talking to a demon, don't you?"

I turned and looked closely, focusing for a scent, "I didn't. Although I would have noticed the closer I got. There are so many demons here that it overwhelms my senses." I studied them some more. "What could he be so engrossed in with a demon?"

Zanzibar laughed, "Officially, I have no idea. Realistically, making a contract for someone. As long as I don't know, he uses my bar to get most of his work. People always know they can find him here."

"You're shitting me!" My eyes widened, "You just keep surprising me Zanzibar!" I looked back over to the table.

"Punk does lots of odd jobs," he gave me a meaningful stare.

"My life just gets more and more interesting."

"Honey, it's bound to. Especially with two of them hangin' around you and one of them," he shrugged to where Taurin sat, "following you like one of you is on a leash. Downright terrifying if you stop to think about it. There's no way I would stand for that close proximity of a certain demon. And you know what I mean." 

I turned and looked at Taurin momentarily. 

He continued after a meaningful stare at me, "Are you gonna wait until he's done?"

I focused on my mission and smiled at Zanzibar. "Nah. I'm gonna see what happens when I get close." 

He chuckled, "Girl, you're one impatient kitty."

I shrugged, the smile still on my face as I walked to the table. The closer I got the more I could smell the demon sitting with him and it wasn't a smell I knew. They turned as one to me and I fell to a dead stop. The demon and I gazed at one another and an unreasonable shiver of fear went through me. Fear always propelled me forward. His eyes were a robin's egg blue with a line of clouds moving through them. He wore black on black. His spiked, pale hair sparked silver with his movements. His nose sloped slightly and his bottom lip looked slightly fuller than the top. His skin, too, was pale and as we continued to stare at one another a soft glow infused it, like the sun lighting up behind clouds.

"Dove Hawthorn," he spoke with finality.

A rustling of wings filled my ears, I blinked and it was gone. "Do I know you?"

"No, but you will," he replied.

CHAPTER 42

As if he couldn't sense the tension, Punk asked with a good natured smile, "Who are you here to talk to?" 

"Come, sit," the demon demanded. His grasp of the hammer loop in my jeans was as fast as the displacement of air he caused. I lost my balance briefly as he pulled me to him, my back protesting at my over compensation.

'No,' Taurin stated and then there he was, his hand tight around the wrist of the demon.

I could almost feel Ezra look upwards for divine guidance for his impetuous brother.

Punk stood up, "Looks like I'm not needed here."

"No. Wait," I said hurriedly, holding my hand up.

He paused and looked at me expectantly. I turned to go to him and was stopped by the other demon. He still had a hold of my jeans despite Taurin. I gave him an exasperated look, "Do you mind?!"

And then Zanzibar was there slamming his hand on the table. It wobbled under his force. "This will end. Now. You," he pointed to the demon at the table, "let her go." I could actually hear Ezra sigh in exasperation in my head this time.

Zanzibar only needed the full attention of the two demons although he garnered everyone's within hearing distance. The unknown demon gave a small head nod to him and let go, "Of course, Zanzibar." Taurin dropped his grip and did the same head nod to the bar owner.

"Go," he directed at me without taking his eyes off them. 

"Thanks, Zanzibar." 

I looked up at Punk, "I need to speak to you."

"Sure, let's go over there," he pointed as far away from the confrontation as he could without going up stairs.

I followed him to a platform where we sat down. I absently started to swing my leg. My boot thunked on the wood behind it. We studied each other and seemed to come to the same conclusion, to ignore everything that just happened. Less questions for both of us to answer. He went back to smiling at me, "What do you need?"

"I need to know about these?" I pulled out the bullet and showed it to him. 

He took it and twisted it in his fingers then looked at me without understanding. "It's a bullet. You can get them anywhere," His smile faded and he looked at me without any interest.

I nodded once very slowly, "I see." I tapped the tip of the bullet in his fingers. "This is a very special bullet and I need to know anything you know about it."

His muddy, green eyes regarded me for a long time. The pounding of the music filled the void in our conversation. He dropped the bullet into his palm and clenched his fist. He turned his hand over mine and I flipped it, palm up. He dropped the bullet and I shoved it back into my pocket.

"How many people know about that bullet?" He asked.

"I have no idea."

He put his hand up in the 'whatever' motion and jumped to his feet.

"Three," I said and watched him slowly sit back down. "That's including me, but not Zanzibar."

His mouth twitched, "Zanzibar knows everything."

"I'm learning that." 

"So, who are the other two?"

"Demons."

Punk looked me in the eye and did a slow head nod. "I suppose they're bound to be informed considering they're one of the creatures they were created for. You realize the Affairs' Office can't know about these bullets," he said in a grave voice.

"Shit. The Affairs' Office might already know, they definitely know unofficially. I forgot to include the people who tried to kill me with it."

"They already know? How?!"

"I don't know. One of their members was trying to kill a demon with mercenaries. How much of a secret it is is anyone's guess."

He laughed in irony, "Oh, that I believe."

On cue we looked back over to the booth, but it was vacant. The demons were nowhere in site. "Tell me about these bullets. Please."

He glanced askance at me, "What's your name?"

"Dove."

"Dove, do you want to use them in your arsenal?"

"I'm open to the idea," I said seriously. "I have a 'trap and subdue' warrant. How the hell do you do that?!" I asked rhetorically.

His demeanor changed as he looked at me. It felt like he reassessed me with that one statement. "That's big money."

I gave him a look of disbelief that that was the first thing that came to his mind.

"You do know that these bullets will never make it legally to the market?"

"No. I don't. I know very little about them."

"They are imbued with the magic of a race of beings that suck the health out of people. They're called Haelithics, or derisively known as, Parasites."

It was just a big night for surprises for me. Dr. Bardellis' image raced through my head. "Keep going."

"They die to make these bullets. They're hunted down, captured and their magic, spirit, power, whatever, is extracted and blown into bullets."

"Why do they have to die?"

"Because they don't voluntarily give such an essential part of themselves and if you leave them alive they'll kill you."

"It doesn't make sense. We give blood during blood drives."

"This is not blood. It's more complicated. Think multiple organ donation, but you're still alive."

I looked out at the swaying bodies and considered his words. "Do they kill demons?" I turned back to him.

It was his turn to look into the undulating bodies, "I don't know."

"Oh, come on. You use these. I know you do."

He turned and gave me a fake smile, "I'm a demon hunter. I'm not gonna wait for them to kill the demon. I get up close and personal while they're riddled with holes. I kill the demon."

I nodded in understanding, "So, you don't know much about how long it takes to kill them or the long term effects."

"I'm not into torture, but others are. All I know is that they make the demon weaker as soon as they hit their body. Those babies are a hot commodity right now."

"What about other species?"

"It's indiscriminate. It's a regular bullet with a special twist. Make it a silver bullet and it's doubly bad for a shifter. Especially if they have no one with the right kind of magic to take the poison out."

"Who do I go to to buy them?"

"Why, you come to me." He said with a shy look, biting both his lips at the same time. It creeped me out, seeing that look on such a big guy. 

"You make these?!"

His face and voice stayed innocent, "Do you want some?"

"I don't know. How much?"

"The bullets, price for the hunt, the extraction. Tell me what kind and how many and I'll give you a price." He smiled and it reminded me of the kids who were always a little slow in life. 

I shook my head, "I have to think about it." 

"One other thing. That bullet you don't have in your pocket. That's more than a bullet." He jumped off the platform and turned around, leaning on his elbows as he looked at me. Looking for all the world like he was bored. "If you have the magic you'll see a rune etched on it. That rune makes it fit any gun. Any gun. And that's BIG money. I don't do that, but I could send you to someone who does."

I stared at him thoughtfully, "You're awful trusting."

He studied me, his persona fading slowly. "I just have this feeling about you and I'm someone who relies heavily on intuition. It's never proved me wrong. But, think of it this way, you're awful trusting that I'm telling you the truth."

"Well, there is that." I gave a sharp laugh, "I think our kind hang around demons too much."

He gave an honest chuckled, "Oh, you'll get no argument from me."

CHAPTER 43

Punk and I parted ways after I told him I'd find him if I needed to. I found myself scanning the throngs again. I didn't see Zanzibar or Taurin. I sighed in frustration and sided up to the bar. I beckoned the bartender over and asked if he knew where his boss was. He gestured with a glass in his hand to the floor above us. I nodded my thanks and jogged up the stairs. Zanzibar was easy to find. He was standing by a raised circular table talking to a couple there. He immediately saw me and closed up his conversation. I watched him shake hands with the two before he turned to me.

"Follow me," he said, pointing to the bar. We walked to a door behind it and into the same hallway that led to his office from downstairs. Once there I sat down in the comfy, beige chair and he propped himself on his desk. I squirmed trying to find a position that didn't stretch my back too much.

"Trouble follows you." He stated without his usual smile.

"You don't know the half of it," I snorted. "Does this mean you have time to talk to me?"

"I've been requested to talk to you."

Something about his tone perked up my suspicion. "You told your demon about me, didn't you?"

"Oh please, Dove!" He stood up and paced briefly. He stopped in front of me and stared down hard. He leaned down and placed his hands on either arm of the chair. His body filled my sight. "You know better than-"




Demon's Grace Ch. 41-43



"Don't try to intimidate me!" I yelled and stood up, making him back away.

He help up his hands in a surrender position, "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm taking my frustrations out on you."

"Well, that seems to be happening a lot lately," I said as I stretched out my back and shoulders trying to get rid of the itchy healing feeling.

He gestured to the chair, "Please, sit."

"You first," I said, motioning to the desk. 

Zanzibar did, so I graciously followed suit.

"Of course I told him. That's what we do. That's why I knew about the possibility of the bullets. I leaked that information subtly to Punk."

"You helped create them?!"

He shrugged, "It's a dog eat dog world."

I ignored his pessimism. "Why would your demon give our kind an advantage?"

"Because I give him the advantage." Zanzibar looked steadily at me.

"You can't work both sides of the fence, Zanzibar." I said as I shook my head at him.

I watched his jaw clench. "Yes, I can. The laws have mixed everything up for us, Dove." His southern accent increased with his agitation. "They tell us who we can and cannot hunt. Now demons have the legal right to bind with us! And you know what?!" He pointed to me with anger. "You'll be working both sides of the fence too, if you aren't already. You can't not, especially in the position you're in. The world is gray, not black and white!"

I looked at him thoughtfully before I spoke, gathering my thoughts. "You're right, it's not. So, how much does he know?"

"He figured everything out. I gave him a description of the demon I saw you with. He knows the Ice Dweller, called him Taurin. I told him about your scales and he told me the other is Ezra. A particular demon who I should stay far away from."

I kept my face blank.

"Are you going to confirm?"

I raised a shoulder and laughed with condescension, "Why should I?"

He stared hard at me and continued. "He wants me to give you a message."

"Are you going to?"

"Absolutely, darlin'. He said 'Tell her there's a brother doing research for 'God' and that she's a perfect specimen.'" He looked at me expectantly. "And God was definitely said with contempt."

I took his words in, turning them around in my mind, when I noticed the look on his face. "What's with the look?"

"Do you know what research he's talking about?"

"Maybe. He didn't tell you?" I asked smugly.

"No. If one of us doesn't clarify, we don't ask."

"But, you'll ask me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Shure." He smiled and his eyes crinkled around their corners.

I nodded slowly. "Has he been around you a lot lately? Watching over you?"

He looked askance at me, "Actually, he has been in contact more than usual. In fact, the moment I told him about you he came to town.

"What?! Did you already call him to tell him I'm here?"

"No. I wanted to talk to you alone, not with him."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."

"Now, what do you know that I don't?"

"Did you know Regina?" I asked.

"'Did?' Something I should know?" He drawled.

Shit, I said to myself. And again, fuck. I stared at him with a dazed look. I thought for sure Vi would have run his mouth in some way, unless they ordered him not to. Which actually worked out in my benefit if they did.

He got off his desk and moved in a little closer to me, "What the hell happened?!"

I put my fingers in front of my mouth. "Ok, just... listen. Regina is not the only witch demon hunter out there right?" It was rhetorical and I kept talking, "She had this idea that she was going to save demons' souls and was basically performing lobotomies on them with her witch abilities." 

I looked at him as he stepped back, a look of incomprehension on his face. "Wait... I don't know what was going on with her, really. She talked about getting visits from angels who showed her how to do it. She said she could tell that I was... evil. I don't remember her exact words. You realize this was after I had a little too much to drink." I gave him a meaningful gaze and he nodded his head in understanding. 

"She wanted to save my soul. So, she was going to give me her version of a lobotomy. She mentioned your name, Zanzibar. That you needed saving too." I continued to give him full eye contact. 

His brown eyes narrowed behind his glasses, "What did you do to her?"

"She was going to kill me or close to. Do you understand?"

His jaw clenched, "World's not so black and white is it?"

"No."

"Where's the body?"

I just shook my head.

He paced some more as he rubbed his forehead. "Ok, so, you're telling me that I am in danger of witch zealots, like you."

"Yes, because of how intimately bonded we are to our demons."

"Do you believe in angels?" His pacing put him standing behind the desk.

I shrugged, "Do you?"

"No. Maybe. They've never shown themselves to me. And you?"

I pursed my lips, "Angels? In theory, I guess. It could've been illusion. Another demon using her to get whatever he needed from demons who weren't quite all there anymore. Thing is, she believed it. Completely. And there can be more out there doing the same thing. In the end, they'll be coming after us because of our," I put my fingers up in quotes, "evilness. We're on their radar. As far as what you said, we're the only two demon hunters with this problem."

"And you have two demons inside you. Just like Daemion said, 'perfect specimen.' But, for what?"

I growled in frustration, "I have no idea for what. Daemion, your demon?"

"Yeah," he said distractedly.

"There's something else I need to know."

"Well, it seems like today I might not know anything about anything," he scowled irritably.

I put my hands up in an open expression, "I just gotta know if there is anything that I can do to control this demon magic inside of me. It's wild and unpredictable."

"That's a tall order, honey." He shook his head. "I just meditate, a lot. I'm so good at it now that I can shut off one part of my mind and still talk to customers in my bar. It's like locking up the magic in it's own meditation room. I also call it up and use it when needed. We have a lot of access to their power. More than just a regular binding. Their barriers are weaker to us as ours are to them." He put his hand up and briefly wiggled fingertips reflecting back colors of gasoline in water at me.

"Do you feel like it's an addiction? Like they warn us about taking over the power of our demon kills."

He thought for a moment and stared down at a picture on his desk. I couldn't see it. He put the picture face down. "My belief is that those with an addictive personality will become addictive to it even if they know it's going to kill them."

I watched his fingertips trail over the smooth surface of the desk. "I'm not addicted to it. Are you?"

I started to immediately deny then stopped, "I don't think so. I'm warned by them constantly that I could go insane. Well, if they didn't think I already was."

Zanzibar threw back his head and laughed boisterously. His words drawled out, "Forgive me. That's really precious." 

I waited until his laughter died away before I started talking again. "Hmph. So, do they only come in at my invitation?"

"Yes and your invitation is not shielding yourself. The door opens wide when you use their magic. It will take practice to actually be with the demon and not be open spiritually to their presence. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I think so. If I'm with them then they can worm their way in to talk in my mind or use my magic, because... I'm thinking about them?"

"Thinking about them, shure, simply not guarding your mind. Also, with demons, being physically close makes it easier for them to use their power on you, or take yours. It doesn't mean that they can't do it if they can't see you, it just takes more energy and focus on their part. You have to be better at putting up walls. When your touching their ability to topple your defenses is inevitable. The same goes with us too, with practice, but most of us won't live that long to even get a fraction of their control. It won't even matter."

Then he gave a heavy sigh, "With us there's more than just a link. They actively put a piece of themselves inside of us, just like they initially drink our blood into themselves for the," his tone turned sarcastic, "'law abiding' binding they're allowed. So, can we keep them completely out, no, not entirely, because they have a part of themselves living inside us. Mostly, he can't read my thoughts as long as I'm shielded. If he really wanted to there would be a fight and I'm not sure who would win. The shields weaken when we're talking mind to mind. And, of course, physical proximity is still an issue."

My mind spun into anger as I realized about how first Ezra, and then Taurin, were programming me to think nothing of their touch, in fact I took it for granted and as a pleasure every day. My lips twisted at my gullibility. I refocused on Zanzibar, "I found out that if you have non-demon magic in you that you can shut them out." I hesitated, thinking about the difference between Ezra and Taurin while I was staying at the Alpha's house. I suddenly realized that Ezra had tapped into the pack magic through his own animal side. "As long as they can't figure out a way to interact with it."

"And that piece they put inside of you? Where did it go?"

"I don't know. And maybe that's the only reason why it gives them an opportunity to figure out how to interact with it."

"How do you know?"

I looked at him from the tops of my eyes, my expression guarded. "Experience."

"Fine," he said unhappily and rapped a knuckle on his desk. "It's a learning process. You'll have to figure it out or you'll just be a tool for them to use." Then he chuckled to himself, "Most of them have lived too long for us to even grasp the concept of using them as a tool without trapping them in a magic cage. Even then they'll eventually get the upper hand. The longer their magic grows in you the quicker they'll find you no matter where you hide. We're like their extra batteries."

I leaned my head back into the chair and looked at the ceiling. "Jesus. What a fu...uh nightmare. On a different note, do you know what I got?" I asked rhetorically as I directed my gaze back to him.

"What?" He asked distractedly, propping the picture back up, his fingers caressing the glass.

"A 'trap and subdue' warrant."

He slowly looked up at me. "Oh darlin'. Are you that good?"

I gave a bitter laugh. "NO. Never did one. Never want to. Any suggestions?"

He stared at me in silence.

"That sounds like a 'no'."

"Listen, you have two demons helping you. You'll be fine."

"Except this demon moves faster than anything I've ever experienced. And he can kill me, but I can't kill him." I stood up.

"Good Luck," he said with a big smile. He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a camera. 

"Dove," he said and I partly turned around. I flashed a look of annoyance over my shoulder and he snapped away. 

"Just in case," he said.

"Yeah. So everyone will know I'm dead. Do you have a picture of Regina?"

"Yeah."

"Don't put mine next to hers," I said as I started to walk out the door. 

"Wait." 

I turned and found him giving me a demanding stare.

"Eeeeyes," I prompted. I watched his thoughts pass over his face, waiting for an explanation, curious.

"It's Oldavai, isn't it?"

"Jesus! Do you know everything?!" I said with annoyed disbelief.

He nodded his head, but not as an affirmative to my question. "That's your trap and subdue." It should have been a question, but he made it into a statement. 

My head gave an erratic bob. I watched him bring his hand up to his face and rub his cheek. "Um, damn." He shook his head again.

"Spit it out, Zanzibar!"

He closed his eyes for a second and then finally looked at me with determination. "You need to find a vampire named Laci. She used to be a demon hunter before she was turned. She also used to be a lover of Oldavai and harbors a very, very deep resentment for him. If anyone can help you with trapping that damn soul sucker it's her."

"You're kidding me? You're kidding me!? You are FUCKING KIDDING ME?! No way in hell am I getting involved with vampires!" I slammed his office door closed and crossed my arms.

"You have no idea how many have tried to go up against this demon!"

Confusion marred my face, "This warrant hasn't been active, Zanzibar! How old are you?!"

"Old enough. As you'll find out," he said dead pan.

My mouth gapped, "You've got to be shitting me!"

"Dove. If you don't get killed, you are going to be alive with them for a long time. Call it another benefit."

"Fuck no, I won't call it a benefit. No wonder they have no desire to claim a demon hunter! Jesus! Why the hell didn't they tell me?" I had to pace. I had so much anger I didn't know what to do with myself.

"Stay focused." He strode up to me and grabbed my forearms to make me stop pacing. 

   I shook him off in agitation.

   He continued, "Find Laci. She'll help you. Go to the vamp clubs. Tell them who you're looking for and it'll get around. Or better yet, I'll do it so you don't have to set foot in there. It might take a while depending on where she is living... er, well... you know, setting up house or whatever it is they do." He shook his head, "Actually, me going there is a better idea. Vampires are nasty business."

I looked at him in disbelief and repeated my mantra, "Are you kidding!? Demons are nasty business!"

He licked his lips and gave me a stark smile, "Yeah, that's true. But, they're what we know. They're in our blood and I don't mean because of any bindings. I'll send word around. She's your only chance."

"Fine. Do that. I know this is not a good idea, but I'll take it. Thank you. "

"It'll work, Dove."

"Or I'll be dead and it won't matter." I waved distractedly at him and calmly opened and closed the door. I thought I showed rather good restraint.



Demon's Grace Ch. 44-46



CHAPTER 44

I pulled open the door to the bar and immediately saw Taurin sitting at a raised circular table across the way. He was talking to Severin, an Ice Dweller I met at this bar. They both had beer glasses in front of them. He didn't look around as he talked in my mind.

'Come to me?'

My anger dissipated and my insides turn soft as I walked to him, 'Yes.' When I was close enough he held out his hand and I took it.

"I remember you. Your eyes changed," Severin said, smiling at me. 

"Yes, we met briefly," I said, my eyes leaving Taurin for a second to glance at him. Taurin slid off the seat and placed a hand under my chin. I looked deep into his blue eyes as he bent closer to my face. We kissed, in public, and I didn't mind. It was one of the most lovely kisses I had ever received from anyone. I felt precious and loved through it and I ached to give him the same feelings.

Severin gave a low whistle and we turned our attention to him. His face was serious, "Best of luck with that Taurin." 

We watched him walk down the stairs and then looked at each other with affection. "He's talking about the crazy thing isn't he?"

Taurin gave a non-committal shrug, "It could be because you're ummm... what are you, oh yeah, a demon hunter." He laughed at me.

"Yeah, well, there is that."

"Are you ready to go?" He asked.

"Please." We walked out hand in hand.

It was after one am when we stepped into the alley. I inhaled the night air deeply. "Who was that demon who grabbed me in the bar?"

"I've never seen him before. I asked Ezra and he didn't know either."

"Is that normal? I forgot to ask Zanzibar."

"Not necessary. I was there for the lecture remember. Zanzibar had no idea who he was either, despite that my brother knew who he was. As for us not knowing each other, it happens, rarely, but still."

I changed subjects, "Is Daemion that much of a bad ass?"

Taurin turned to give me his full attention, "Honestly, we're all surprised Zanzibar's still alive."

I paused and decided to table the discussion about longevity for later, with Ezra around. Instead, I focused on another avenue, "Oh, so you don't know his real name either?"

"No. Never cared."

"Hmm," I responded as we kept walking in the heat filled night towards the jeep. My heart rate accelerated when he turned me around and pushed me up against the jeep. A cascading warmth permeated my body as I happily accepted the start of a passionate kiss. The front of our bodies pressed up against one another and I hastily wrapped my arms around his neck. I reveled in the length of his body against mine and the cage of his arms enveloping me. We were interrupted by a nonchalant voice.

"Attempting to make me jealous?" 

Out of my periphery vision I saw two small flames dance across Ezra's hand.

"Maybe. I'm tired of always being the jealous one." Taurin spoke with his lips against mine.

I stared deeply into his iced over eyes as we shared breaths. 

Ezra continued blandly. "Did either one of you stop to think about Oldavai?" 

I would have backed up at those words if the jeep wasn't in the way. Taurin didn't though, two of his fingers gently caressed down my lips.

"I'm not the one lying about my feelings." His intense blue gaze moved from my lips to my eyes.

"This distraction makes you both easy targets." His flaming hand came down hard, an inch from where my head rested.

Taurin grabbed me by my waist and pulled me away quickly. He gave me a quick kiss on the lips as he twirled me around behind him. "Yes, Ezra," he said dispassionately.

Ezra moved in close to him, until they were almost touching. "You can do better than this Taurin," he hissed. 

His flaming eyes looked over at me, but he didn't say anything. I could almost hear the accusation, 'and so can you'. But he didn't, because he wasn't so sure anymore, and Ezra didn't say things he wasn't sure about. I was starting to agree with him, because it never once occurred to me to question whether I was being influenced by Oldavai. 

Despite the ache in my back I decided to drive back to the hotel to help me from being distracted by Taurin. I kept glancing in the rearview mirror at him anyway. He never acknowledge me as he looked out the window, but he had a slight satisfied smile on his face. I wanted to be with him, it had to be Oldavai, only I didn't smell or feel any indication of it.

"How could he have gotten to us?"

'Are you sure it's 'us',' Taurin asked in my head. I ignored him and glanced at Ezra, who was also looking out the window.

"I have no idea," Ezra responded.

"Could he have been that demon who was pushy at the bar?"

There was a weighted silence coming from Ezra. I waited, knowing him well enough that he was figuring out what to say. 

"I know Oldavai."

I raised my eyes at that. "And you didn't think that was pertinent for me to know?!"

"I met him when he was a young incubus. I know the feel of him in my mind. I also told you that he is good at illusion."

We sat in the jeep at the hotel as I digested this bit of information. "So, it could have been him."

"Only if he can change his actual self."

"I wouldn't classify that as an illusion then."

"Exactly, I would know him no matter what form he choose to wear." Ezra said with satisfaction since I understood what he was saying. 

We all got out of the jeep. "Every day I feel like I get the short end of the stick. And you know what?" I said to no one in particular, "It all started the day my mother was murdered." 

Neither replied and I was happy they didn't. I didn't want pity, not that I'd get that from them.

When we got into the hotel I was irritable and antsy. I wanted to be with Taurin, in his embrace. I was positive it was Oldavai. I'd never felt this way before. Sure, the two of us were getting closer, but I didn't think feelings would just jump this way. Would they? 

I paced in the bedroom and thought about throwing Taurin out, but I couldn't say the words. I could hear the two of them talking in demon behind the closed door of the adjoining sitting room. I wondered briefly for the hundredth time why I never bothered to learn the language. Probably because I thought I was only going to kill demons and not live with them. I scoffed and laughed sourly at myself, so short-sided Dove.

I decided to focus on getting ready for sleep and practically threw myself down on the bed when I was finished. If Oldavai was in Seattle then I needed to try to hunt him down. I thought about getting back up and preparing a circle, but decided to toss and turn instead. 

I stared up at the dark ceiling as I thought about Taurin. I looked towards the bedroom door as I felt air push inward. My finger tapped on the mattress as it opened. Taurin stood behind Ezra. God, this sucked. I thought I really was starting to like Taurin more and didn't want Oldavai to fuck with my feelings. Ezra came closer to the bed. The fierce red glow from his body made shadows on the wall. His hand pushed back the hair in my face.

"I don't know what to do," I stated, refusing to look at him. I couldn't stand to see what he was feeling in his eyes. I wouldn't know what to do with that either.

"I know," he replied.

"Is it just me?"

There was a long pause before Ezra responded, "Taurin says he is not affected."

"So, I'm the weakest link," I whispered.

Ezra nudged me over with his hip, "What are you going to do next?"

"I'm going after Oldavai with everything I have."

"Good."

I glanced at him, "You kept the gun from the wolf attack?"

"No one tries to shoot ordinary bullets into a demon thinking it will kill. I kept the hand gun, but there was a rifle that Taurin found in the woods. The magazine was empty. I let him sell it. Now you need to tell us what you found out."

It was then that I realized I hadn't told them yet. I was distracted... by Oldavai. Oh, he was good. So, I told them what I learned from Punk. Ezra chuckled when he heard about where the magic came from. Then I told them about Laci. Neither demon said anything out loud, but I could almost hear the buzz between their minds at the mention of her name. I opened my mouth to ask what they were talking about when Ezra interrupted. Probably on purpose.

"I take it you are starting tomorrow?" 

"Yes." I said with determination.

Ezra stared at me, "If that is what you wish."

"Bad PR for demon hunters if you manage to find him in a public place," Taurin said from the doorway.

"I don't care anymore."

Ezra gave me a blank look and redirected the conversation. "You need to get some sleep. It will help you heal."

"I know," I turned and stared at the shrouded window, wishing that Taurin was on the other side of me.

"Will you sleep if Taurin is next to you?" Ezra asked blandly. 

I swear he read my mind with that question. Fragilely I whispered, "I don't know." 

I felt Taurin move from the doorway and my body unclenched itself. He flowed towards the bed feral like even fully clothed. I watched him, my eyes only for him. I barely registered Ezra moving me over more to lay down next to me over the blanket. I held my breath as Taurin and I stared at one another, his eyes completely iced over. The silence pervaded the room, cloyingly thick. The click of the air conditioning prompted me to exhale and with it all my fears. I reached for him and he crawled under the blanket to be closer to me. He held me and pushed my head on his shoulder. He wasn't as cold as I was used to.

Taurin bent towards me, "We're reasonably sure he doesn't know who Ezra is and therefore hasn't been able to focus his magic on him through you." He continued with a matter-of-fact tone, "You remember that he's trying to make one of us kill the other or each other, even without his knowledge of Ezra personally."

It was on the tip of my tongue to say I didn't care, but I forced myself to stop. I collected my thoughts before I replied, "You won't."

Taurin hugged me closer and said, "I'm glad you're full of conviction. It keeps us safe." 

Ezra reached over and touched my back like I was his touchstone for restraint. A little dragon inside of me whipped its shimmering tail back and forth.

CHAPTER 45

I slept late into the day. I guess I needed more healing sleep than I realized. Taurin stayed with me the entire time and I felt blissful because of it. This only caused me to worry. I was awake and thinking rapidly as I wiggled every part of my body deeper into his embrace.

"Your eyes are closed, but I can hear the clamor of you incoherent thoughts," he whispered into my ear.

I crinkled my nose and kept my eyes closed, "Then tune it out and stay out of my head."

Taurin laughed softly. "Are you ready to hunt, IshaDove?"

I stretched, focusing on the lack of suppleness on my back, but I'd live. I looked over at him and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Each day I feel better. I think that if that magic stayed in that we'd die. As it is, I keep wondering if I got it all out of my system. Ezra believes so."

My mind wandered over something he said and I replied distractedly, "Ezra only deals in certainties."

"He could have changed," he said with serious.

That pulled me out of my meanderings and I replied, "What do you mean?" Quickly followed up with, "I know what you mean, but, what do you mean?"

Taurin laughed and hugged me closer. "I only meant to imply that maybe he would like me to believe him and not concern myself anymore." 

I squirmed out of his embrace and looked at him, "You're saying that he would deliberately lie to you."

He shrugged and moved off the bed, "It's just a thought, Dove."

I rolled off the other side and went towards the bathroom, voicing a noise of skepticism. He left the bedroom to give me space to get ready for the day. I was adjusting my sheaths when I finally walked into the sitting room where they were.

"If you can maybe die with these bullets why do demon hunters chant a death incantation when we kill?" I looked up to find them both staring at me. They were completely stone faced. Suddenly Taurin broke into a wild laugh.

"You don't know! Are all demon hunters as-" He abruptly shut up. 

Shutting up was not at all like him, but I didn't care. Ezra was already in front of me with a death grip on my wrist that was pulled back to fling a dagger. I twitched my head when I noticed smoke coming from where Ezra bit me. I closed my eyes briefly, so frustrated at this point that I couldn't even swear. He slowly placed his hand where the scales were hidden by my t-shirt and looked steadily at me. I took a deep breath and stared into his eyes.

"It would be best to relax." His hand slid up my neck until his fingers brushed behind my ear.

I fought his other hand that was forcefully bringing my arm down. A subtle movement and he was even closer to my body. I finally eased into him and sheathed my dagger. "I'm going to kill him. Kill him for messing with my emotions. Kill him for making me think that I actually want to be with that." I motioned to Taurin still sitting on the couch.

Taurin slowly got up and walked to the door. Little by little his head turned to us, his hand on the door knob. "Shall we go?" He asked as coldly as the breeze he was making waft though the room.

I raised my chin and cocked my head at him, "Yes."

Ezra mouth sided up to my ear, "You can kill him. You would not do it though." 

I closed my eyes and knew he was right. Whether he was talking about Taurin or Oldavai I had no idea. 

Ezra wisely convinced me not to go on a rampage with an empty stomach. Taurin kept giving me side glances and small smiles. That probably had to do with the fact that he could feel my compulsion to be closer despite my anger at him. Because of that I purposely asked for a table with chairs. 

That also was the reason that I ended up tearing pages of the phone book as I agitatedly flipped through it looking for vamp bars, helpfully highlighted in red. I paused in thought and looked up Zanzibar's. It was highlighted in black with red letters. I laughed. I was surprised they didn't have it black on black or that it was even in the phone book. Demons seemed to be thought of as the worst of the worst. I laughed again and said my thoughts out loud. Ezra simply agreed. Taurin continued to annoy me with foot nudges under the table. I handed the phone book to the hostess, paid the bill, and we left. 

We hit the vamp clubs that stayed open during the day for meetings. Mostly for people booking events or those who were nervous about visiting them at night and needed reassurance. Watching a human woman practically dragged into a club by her boyfriend made me wince. If you had that much anxiety over the idea then I say ditch the guy and stay away. At that thought I looked at Taurin and wished I could take my own advice. I continued to be antsy as a live wire due to Taurin's behaviors; his casual brush ups, impish smiles, and fast touches. I couldn't decide if I wanted to kiss him or punch him. 

It was the fourth club that we never got into because I screamed a sound of fury in his face. "You have got to stop! Just stop!" I pushed at his chest. "I am not doing this!"

His mouth stretched into a huge smile and his body moved as if he was laughing, but no sound came out. I felt the air move towards me and he grabbed me. His hand secured the back of my head and I was being kissed with a fiery passion. 

I was lost immediately. My heart beat erratically and I latched on to him, responding in kind. Emotions I never knew I possessed poured out of my kiss. We were smashed up against one another and my hand was running through his hair. His hold on me felt like a safety net that I didn't want to leave.

A little dragon shrieked a battle cry so loud inside of me that Taurin and I both jumped back in an instinctive move. My heart beat from desire to fear in less time than it took for me to draw breath. I turned to my left very slowly, afraid of the sight I would see. He stood there, propped up against the wall, arms crossed. Still as a statue except for the flickering flames swirling in and out of his body. My attention was all for him, as his seemed to be for me. I doubted it though. I would bet he was aware of every movement from Taurin on my right. 

A man stepped out of the front door of the club. I cautiously turned my head from Ezra to the man. He wore jeans and a t-shirt and he wasn't smiling. He had an unassuming face with a stylish cut of brown hair. I figured him to be in his thirties, but the way he regarded us didn't fit with that age in human terms. His gym shoes tapped on the pavement. 

"There's a lot of magic going on outside this bar." His eyes focused on me. "I take it you're the one looking for Laci. Your message is being passed around. Zanzibar started asking for her last night."

Before I could speak Ezra moved next to me. He gently placed his hand on the small of my back. I glanced at him in astonishment at his soft touch after such an air of anger surrounding him. He surprised me again when he spoke to the man in what sounded like Dutch. 

The man responded in kind and bowed minutely to Ezra before he turned to me. "It takes a brave soul to live with the devil and not kill it or be turned into one," he said in a perfect American accent. He walked into the bar without another word. 

I blinked, speechless. I didn't know if he was talking about me or himself, because, as far as I was concerned, he lived with devils too. 

CHAPTER 46

Ezra directed a small pressure on my back to get us walking. "We have done all that we can in this direction. Would you look for him now through magic?"

I eyed him from the side. He was taking this fairly well. No mention of what just transgressed. As we passed Taurin I specifically kept my gaze from him. "I suppose I could do that. Find his secret hole or maybe do some research on him at the Affairs' Office."

"Search him out," Ezra directed. "Verify that he is close by."

"Ohh kay Ez," I looked at him in speculation. "What's on your mind?"

"I want to know his power range and how it pertains to his influence on you."

'If Oldavai is influencing you, I like it. I hope it stays after we're done with him,' Taurin said smugly in my mind.

I stumbled over my feet at Taurin's words. Ezra caught me by my elbow before I face planted myself in the pavement. I knew he liked it. It was obvious. I just didn't expect him to actually say those words to me. How could he be with someone not knowing if it was magic propelling them or not? Must be demon mentality.

"Taurin, I have no idea or inclination to know what you just said to Dove, but enough. She needs to focus."

I looked up at Ezra and was amazed at the intense fury he showed me belying his calm tone. My awareness pivoted solely on him, Taurin's words forgotten. His loose hair moved from the heat wafting off him. He moved, snake like, closer to my face. 

"I will be intensely exhilarated when this is over, Dove."

My breath stuttered as I stared into those flickering eyes. His rage had so noticeably intensified since Taurin came into our lives. It smothered the air around us. I breathed in heat through my nose and cupped the side of his face. I hoped he could see the concern and love reflected in my eyes as I moved in to kiss him. He closed his eyes and placed a finger on my lips, effectively stopping me.

"I cannot look at you when you open yourself to me. Not now. You strip me bare. The stare of your dawn eyes would drown me and I am so very... very... angry." He opened his eyes and I finally saw the flames that I only glimpsed reflections of. "And I do not want to be calm," his voice was harsh and adamant to my ears.

"Ezra," I whispered. "Don't lose me because of your anger."

He grabbed me so quick I felt the air displacement as it happened. He hugged me close and spoke into my hair. "I will never be able to lose you." I felt his lips curl into a smile, "You would never let me."




Demon's Grace Ch. 44-46



I chuckled into his chest. Feeling warm and safe, and this time I knew it was all me.

He pulled me away and held me at arms length. He opened his mouth to say something, but I watched him change his mind. Instead he gave me heavy lidded eyes and said, "Get to work. Pull yourself into shadows and search for him. His kind do not walk the shadows. They walk another dimension of time." 

I raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing. Thoughts about actively using demon magic flew through my head. Ezra waited with a guarded expression as if expecting an outburst from me. Instead, I decided to surprise him and abruptly leaned against the wall of the building. 

I closed my eyes and it was almost too easy to lure myself into the shadow world. I felt momentarily disorientated as my mind altered itself to inhabit that place. I stood inside the darkness brought on by the walls of the buildings. 

The world seemed the same, yet not. The lights were brighter, the shadows darker. Everything seemed to pulse like a heartbeat. I looked over at Ezra staring at where my body had been. The darkness inside of him blazed as if it was light. I turned my attention to Taurin leaning up against another outside wall, nearer to the entrance of the alley, he had shades of gray inside him that seemed to crash into and swallow one another constantly. I realized that I could get lost in this wonder, so I redirected myself to work.

My sword rang with music as I pulled it out and started my ritual for finding a demon. 

I sniffed out Oldavai immediately. His scent clung and I realized that it surrounded me. Over it hung the incense combination that he had been using at the house. I followed it slowly to Taurin and smelled it ever so faintly on him. Not even close to the way it seemed to saturate me. Which was a relief and not, all at the same time. Miraculously, there was no scent coming from Ezra. It gave me hope that he would continue to keep Taurin and me sane. I shook my head and spread my magic out, searching for him.

He was everywhere in this city. I opened my eyes in awe at the vastness of his abilities. His scent lingering on so many people, man, woman, human and not. And then over that particular scent of his were combinations of other scents. It was as if I stepped into an herbarium shop. Zanzibar called him a soul sucker and I wondered if he knew how right he was.



Demon's Grace Ch. 47



I remembered enough to show Ezra exactly where Oldavai's lair was. He wouldn't let me get close enough to the entrance though. He stopped me with a hand on my arm and ordered me to tell him in exact detail how to get there. I gave him directions as best I could.

"How long do you think this is going to take? I could just go now and forget meeting with Laci. I mean, if all I'm going to do is wrap a cage around him, well, I can do that."

Ezra raised an eyebrow at me. "Your new found confidence in your abilities astounds me. You will have no problem doing that quickly and effectively? Even while distracted by an incubus?"

I shrugged and looked away, "Well, in theory."

He laughed, "Mmm Hmm. Maybe you should practice."

"On who?!" I asked with surprise.

"A certain Icelander comes to mind," he said nonchalantly.

I bust out with a laugh! "Oh that's sweet, Ezra!"

As if talking about him conjured him, Taurin talked into our minds. 'Laci is requesting Dove's presence.'

I started and thought to myself, 'so soon'. Unfortunately, they both heard me. I really needed to practice shielding.

'No time like the present,' Taurin retorted.

'Where are you Taurin?' Ezra asked.

'Her lackeys found me at Zanzibar's, and request that Dove, and only Dove, meet her in the business district. The offices of Chrysalis Designs."

"Well Shhheeeesh." I gave Ezra a sideways look at my attempt to control my swearing.

He gave me a look of pity, "Good try." Then burst out with a short laugh and head shake.

'Tell her I'll get there as soon as I can. We're not too far.' I took off at a brisk walk, Ezra right beside me.

'It is not wise to go alone.'

I gave Ezra my own pointed look. 'Well, I seem to do a lot of unwise things. Don't I,' I said, making it into a statement. 'Anyway, knowing you two, you'll both be around the corner.'

Taurin contributed to the conversation, 'You're really going alone? You're right Ezra, she is insane already.' 

Ezra ignored Taurin, 'You do many unwise things but, you are right, I will be there.'

'Make that two of us.' Taurin's tone rose in excitement, 'Even if she does come hunting for our blood.' 

I stopped and looked at Ezra, "What does he mean?"

'He means that Laci likes to drink the blood of demons.'

My face registered surprise and I took a long blink, 'I thought vampires couldn't drink demon blood?'

'This one can,' Ezra said dryly.

'And enjoys it!' Taurin added happily.

I could almost see his smile at the thought of coming up against Laci. 'How long has she been a vampire?'

Ezra answered, 'If I remember correctly she was turned just over thirty years. She has quite the reputation with our kind.'

'Huh.' I continued walking. 'So, does she only drink from demons?'

'No,' Ezra said with finality.

I gave him a questioning look.

'You know I keep up with what is going on with different races.'

That was true. Probably why I always caught him reading all those supernatural magazines. As I passed a building I felt a gust of bone chilling wind and had one incredibly handsome Taurin jump in front me. His arms and kiss melted me and I simply responded in kind without a second thought. I barely registered Ezra walking pass us with a sigh of disgusted resignation.

CHAPTER 48

Taurin took my hand and practically skipped us to our destination. Once there I looked over the area and glimpsed the demons doing their own scan.

'Do either of you sense any other vampires?'

'Yes.' Ezra replied.

'A few on the roofs,' Taurin added. 'Not enough for us to worry about though. Go inside and enjoy your girl time.'

Ezra looked at me with his head cocked to the side, his face showing me no clue as to what he was thinking. I walked to him and softly kissed him, my fingers tangling in his black hair. He barely responded, except for his hand caressing down the line of my body. I pushed into his body.

'None for me, IshaDove?' Taurin asked humorously.

'No.' I didn't even look at him. I figured if I did that I would run to him and smother him with kisses. I walked into the building without a backwards glance or a 'be careful'. I knew I didn't have to worry about them, it was me I needed to worry about. 

The building seemed empty, dead. Not the best choice of words. It was a modern office building with four floors. There was a piece of paper taped on the doors to the elevator. A big arrow done in red marker pointing up was drawn next to the number four. An outline of a butterfly balanced itself on the point of the arrow. I looked for the stairs and used them instead. I climbed slowly, wishing that I could be silent, but no one is silent enough for the dead, except maybe a demon. 

The fourth floor had two sets of metal doors. One of them had a stylized butterfly etched on it. I deduced that I needed to go through door number one to see my prize. A yellow glow sparkled through the cut glass window that framed the entrance on either side. I felt like I was in a horror movie as I watched my hand reach for the door knob. Such a bad idea. It was wretched out of my grasp and I jumped to the side, knives at the ready. 

"Please. Come in," a woman said impatiently. 

She was just short of my height and stood with her hand on her hip. The other beckoned me inside, her long bright nails reflecting the light.

I stood warily and cautiously walked towards her retreating figure into the office. I watched her curly auburn hair sway across the middle of her back. The desk she leaned up against looked solid and imposing. Her black skirt inched provocatively up her thigh as she leaned forward.

"I'm Laci." 

"Figured." I moved off to the side, away from the open entry. Behind her was a patio door and balcony that looked out into the city. Bright lights doted the night landscape.

"You're not much to look at."

"Thanks," I replied drily, tapping the flat of my knife on my right thigh. 

She looked so very professional standing there in her crisp white shirt and black suit jacket. Her red high heels matched her nail polish. I didn't look anywhere near that professional in my jeans and stretchy black t shirt. My combat boots definitely didn't go with her theme.

"Well, let's get on to business. I do so love business." She looked down at her ebony desk and stroked a finger over the top of it. She turned her shrewd gaze back to me and I was pierced with the intense blue gaze from a pair of wide eyes. "I figured out what you want."

"You did huh." My tone still conveying my lack of humor.

She gave me a disgruntled snort, "A woman of few words. You'll never trap and subdue Oldavai that way."

I tempered my enthusiasm about the subject, "Do you know how to trap and subdue a demon?"

"No. But, I don't want you to trap and subdue Oldavai." She stalked towards me, every bit the sexy business woman. 

I eyed her, "Then what do you want me to do to him?"

She got close enough that I put up a knife in her way. She stopped and gave me a fleeting amused look before she turned serious.

"I want you to kill him."

I cocked my head to the side, "I see."

We stood in silence for a moment and I stared at her eyes, even knowing I never should. She wasn't thinking about me though. I could see a lost expression on her face as she relived some memory. Then she smiled hard and focused back on me. Her expressive eyes lit up like blue neon. We spoke at the same time.

"Tell me what you know." 

"You know he never actually fucks his prey." 

It was such a vulgar word coming from her red lips and professional demeanor. I had a passing thought that maybe this was something similar to the way Ezra and Taurin thought of my swearing. I opened my mouth to reply, but she interrupted.

"You, he won't fuck." She pursed her lips and shook her head.

"Why, thank you. I'm glad he won't fuck me." 

She walked back to the desk. "No. I think if you could get him, that actual bastard of a demon, to screw you that it would weaken him. At the very least, get you close enough to shove a sword in his decaying heart. I can't tell you any more except I know that he does not have sex with his victims. He's there, but he's not. It took me becoming a vampire to sense this, if not understand how he does it."

"Where are you going with all this?" I asked

"You silly demon hunter. You see, he is all over you. I can smell him. He is going to make you love him, if you don't already. You, you don't understand, but I do." She pointed to herself adamantly.

I shook my head in denial of her words that I loved him. I knew where the focus of Oldavai's magic was on me and it was definitely not its author, it was all Taurin. She turned around and looked down at the desk. Her hands spread as she leaned forward, her head bowed as if in deep contemplation. Then she whirled like a little girl and stared at me with determination. 

"The minute you are within killing range he has you. You know, physical proximity is powerful for demons. You won't have time to kill, much less trap him."

"Have you tried to ki-" She interrupted my attempt to contribute to the conversation. 

"Yes! And look at me, over thirty years ago, undead and still tied to him before I was a vampire! And he doesn't even acknowledge that I love him!" 

Her voice shrilled and I stepped back closer to the door. I watched as the white of her skin cast a pale glow matching her eye's light. I figured she didn't even realize that she made no sense. 

She visibly calmed herself. "He won't give you the chance to do anything. I didn't even have a warrant when I first met him, it was a dare, not even to kill him. You see, I love men. I call myself a connoisseur of men." She smiled sincerely at me and it changed her into something beautiful and touchable. Definitely preferable to the glowing, Oldavai hating vampire. 

"But, Oldavai I ABHOR and absolutely love. His magic makes me different. Not that I wasn't different before." Her words ended in a deranged laugh.

I eyed her warily, "Are you sure his magic still lives in you?"

Her mood changed to serious within a second. "No. I have no idea if it's his magic or if I've loved him for so long that it's part of who I am." 

"Do you have advice for me?" I asked cautiously, concerned that I would cause her to swing into some other unpredictable emotion.

"Yes." She hissed quietly. "You need every lucid second. You won't get a second chance and your first chance will be almost unobserved."

"Wh-"

"You're not listening! You won't want to do ANYTHING to hurt him. You will be so engrossed in loving him and sating his ego that the mere thought of trapping him will appall you! And that is WHY you must kill him. It takes less time. And... you can't take back death."

Laci dissolved into laughter again. "Well, in my case you can." I watched her laugh so hard she doubled over and wiped at her eyes. Blood marred the white perfection of her fingers. She continued between chuckles, "And I want him dead."

Laci moved fast, but I still felt the air at her movement. I turned just a moment behind her as she reached behind my back and pulled out my sword. My eyes widened at the grace of her airborne move to draw out my blade even as I spun defensively with my knives. And she was in heels, no less! She was now in front of the open doorway and gazing at the blade's metal. Turning it back and forth. 

"You're fast. No one is as fast as Oldavai though." She said.

Laci looked at me with an admiring expression and a nod. Her face looked so innocent with her sincere smile on it. Blue eyes wide, as if she wanted me to see everything that was going on in her thoughts. Maybe she did, so I would understand better. 

"I'm going to tell you a secret. And I have no idea why it's a secret. Maybe it has something to do with mental institutions, or maybe it's a way to control demon hunters."

I had a moment to be disgusted with the whole insanity issue that kept popping up around me before she lunged under my guard and shoved my own weapon up into my chest. I didn't even feel my grip loosen on my knives as I dropped to my knees. They clattered to the floor just before I did. Stuttering noises came out of my mouth as I looked up at her. Pain radiated everywhere and I fluttered my hands over the pommel of the sword sticking out of my body. She pressed one hand on my shoulder and whispered next to my ear.

"Shhhh. It's alright. Now pay attention."

Blackness moved in rapid flashes over my vision. Fire and ice welled up inside of me as I felt the demons respond to the irregularities of my thoughts and power. Their voices came to me, rapid and anxious, as if they talked underwater. Suddenly, Laci's neon blue eyes were in front of me and she demanded my attention with a stinging slap in the face.

"I sent for Oldavai, so listen! That sword is a part of you made manifest. You are the weapon, Dove. It cannot kill you. If you are not in tune with that part of yourself the sword will seem a thing unto itself. It's not! It's YOU! It will come to you at the merest thought and that gives you all the advantage you need."

My vision blurred her face as she shook my shoulders violently. When she started to whisper in my ear it sounded as if the words were echoing through an empty tunnel.

"Bring it into yourself, get up and kill my worst nightmare." She whirled and stood up so fast that I was struck with a moment of vertigo. 

I slowly focused through my narrowing vision to the door and saw Oldavai standing there. Laci jumped in excitement, "Oldavai! I brought you a present. Do you like it?"

Her entire voice changed to someone who only wanted to please. Soft, hesitant, yet eager. At that moment my jumbled mind couldn't put together the two different Laci's. Did she betray me or not?

"What's wrong with her, my butterfly?" Asked a smooth, rolling voice.

"Oh, just vampire wiles. She'll be fine soon." She waved a hand in my direction nonchalantly. I wobbled on my knees. Was I drugged? No, I'd been stabbed... with my own fucking sword! My hands clumsily fumbled around my midsection. Nothing. There was nothing there! I gasped and looked back at the two of them.

He had what looked like a bruising grip on her chin. "It's not much of a gift if you destroy it first, Laci."

Unable to keep my gaze on them I lowered it and became enthralled with the smoke drifting lazily from the cigarette he held. Its scent wafted into my senses. I knew it was a clove cigarette by its coloring. Cloves. Ezra. A moment of lucidity. Where was Ezra? It past as my mind wavered. In fact, it felt like I had one too many drinks. They continued talking, but I didn't have the energy or ability to make out any words.

Eventually, I felt her hand graze just over the top of my hair, a fluttering movement. Her retreating steps bounced around strangely in my ears before they hit the carpet in the middle of the office. The cold floor reached up and touched the side of my face as the heavy night air from the patio door swept over from behind me. 

Oldavai's beautiful golden eyes came directly into view. Was I laying down? I didn't remember doing that. I was so tired though, so it made sense. His velvety last words wrapped themselves around me as I reluctantly closed my eyes and was dragged into sleep. 

"What a thoughtful gift my butterfly gave to me."

CHAPTER 49

I couldn't move. I felt groggy and heavy, in that half wakeful state where your body is paralyzed even though you know it's in your best interest to wake the fuck up. The dragon inside of me whirled, hissed, and did everything but eat its way out of me. It must have been that little monster that dragged me from the night inside my mind. The night that held talking razor blades protruding from my body and arms that were swords instead of functioning limbs. Laci told me I was the weapon and my nightmare played to her words.

My arms and hands decided to tingle themselves into awareness. My eyes opened fully and went from blurry to clear. My body finally caught up to my mind with the rattle of metal, and the feel of cold steel running with magic encircling my wrists. I cranked my head back and freaked at the sight of my wrists in handcuffs. The lines of runes snaked into my veins and into my arms scattering my magical abilities like a jigsaw as secure as the metal that trapped my hands. So not good. And I was naked. So very, very naked. Oh god, so not good! The dragon inside of me shrieked in fury and my scales started to smolder. I immediately reached out for Ezra. 

Oldavai swooped on me in a flash. My chin was held fast in his strong fingers. "No! I want you here with me. All of you, with me." 

He breathed on me and I caught the smell of rose mingled with other scents. I inhaled deeply and felt something rise inside of me. A fog that dulled and hid everything I could call on for my defense.

"And for you, you get the whole deal, Dove. You get it all. You and Laci can compare notes." He brought his face closer and licked his tongue across my lips. "Open up, sweet one."

And I did. No thoughts. No hesitation. He brought his lips to mine and expertly french kissed me. I felt goosebumps raise along my arms from the intensity of it. My eyes closed even as his stayed open. My heart sped up and I lifted myself off the bed to get closer to him.

He slowly pulled away and I reluctantly moved back to lay on the bed. "You'll do."

His fingers changed from a grip to a caress and moved down from my throat to land between my breasts. My breathing deepened and I felt my chest rise and fall just to feel the weight of his hand more securely. 

"Now, tell me. Who actually handed you my warrant?" 

His hands idly traced designs on my skin as he gave me the full weight of his golden gaze. I wanted to tell him everything, anything he asked of me would be his. It was wrong on some level, but I couldn't figure out why. I shook my head at the thought and let it fly away. I gave him a slight smile.

"Shorn."

His hand stopped moving and he looked at me steadily, seriously. "Shorn? He personally gave you my warrant? You saw Shorn?"

There was no way I could miss that he was upset, but I refused to placate him. Sometimes love needed to be hard. I licked my lips, wishing he would keep caressing me. 

"Yes, I personally saw Shorn."

His palm moved over my nipples, slightly flirting with them over their surface. They beaded immediately and I closed my eyes in rapture. 

"Tell me more, my sweet."

"We traded warrants. I needed a replacement." My eyes stayed close. As long as he continued to touch me I was content. But then he stopped. My eyes snapped open. His hand hovered over my right breast. I wanted that hand to fall and grope me. My eyes went to his face and he gave me a knowing smile.

"Keep talking, Dove. Who is we? Taurin?"

I licked my lips again. "No. Ezra."

At my words his face grew agitated and he shot off the bed to pace. I groaned and closed my eyes. "Ezra. Ezra!? You are with Ezra!? You're sure?"

I didn't want to, but I laughed and it was mocking. I couldn't help it. Yes, I wanted his body sitting next to mine, but to ask me if I was sure about the demon I lived with for seven months. You have got to be kidding. The conversation pushed me to remember something that I forgot. Something important. My face pursed up in concentration.

He stared. It was annoyance and alertness wrapped into one. "I see that I need to be more vigilant with you, my sweet." 

He immediately sat down next to me and continued touching. My mind blanked and I was tuned into only him. Oldavai brought his face down until it barely rested on the mound of my breast. His breath warmed my skin and he brought his gold eyes to look at me.

"Do you want this?" His voice turned silky and I felt that I was the only one he cared about.

"Yes," I breathed out. "Please."




Demon's Grace Ch. 47



His long, graceful fingers came out to tap the scales on my collar. "Ezra?"

"Yes," I said huskily.

His pink tongue barely licked my skin. "And Taurin too?"

"Yes," I affirmed, holding so still. Afraid that if I moved that he would leave me again. I didn't want him to leave.

"They both bonded to you?" He asked disbelievingly.

"Yes."

He immediately sat up. "Why?"

I groaned again at the way this was going. "Ask them," I responded waspishly.

He snickered under his breath and gave me a smug look. "You're a viper when you don't get your way aren't you?" 

He closed in toward my face, there was only a half inch of air between us. I needed him to close that distance. Just fucking kiss me I wanted to shout, but I kept my mouth shut. I wanted it too much and didn't trust the feeling. 

"But you know what?"

His tongue came out to touch the tip of my nose. His face slid up against mine as he made his way to my ear. "I'm a nastier viper." His mouth latched on to my ear lobe and he began to suck.

Oh sweet, sweet heaven. He's going to kill me from lack of fulfillment. I made a humming noise of happiness in my throat as he continued to suck and his fingers played along the contours of my face. I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply.

"Dove, do you like this?"

"Mmm Hmm."

His hand gripped my breast harshly and his teeth bit. I stilled completely. "Tell me why they both bonded to you, a demon hunter?" He ground out around my earlobe.

"I don't know."

He bit harder. "Try again. Power?"

"Mercy," I hissed out acidly.

He gave one more steely bite and squeeze and pulled away. "Mercy? What does that mean?"

"It means they are looking for someone who accepts them."

He looked at me sideways, as if he was trying to figure out if I was lying to him. I didn't want him to think that. "At least that's my theory. You asked. I'm not saying it's right." 

My words ran into one another as I raced to explain. I didn't make sense to myself. It was acceptable that he be angry at me, but not that he didn't trust me.

His expression didn't change. "Do they know where I live?"

"Yes. Well, Ezra does and if he does, then Taurin will." 

I didn't even blink and he was up against me. One moment he was away from the bed, the next sitting smashed up against me. I had forgotten how incredibly quick he was. I didn't even feel air displacement. I couldn't conceal my fearful shiver. 

He chuckled, "Did you forget when you where chasing me through my world, demon hunter? I am fast. Is this the place that Ezra knows about, Dove?"

I gave him startled eyes and then looked around the room. It looked the same. "I think so. We are in the underground tunnels?"

His eyebrow shot up as he regarded me, "Yes. This could cause a problem if they know which room I'm in. Could cause a very bad problem for you."

I swallowed as he continued to contemplate me. I knew I wouldn't like the outcome of some of his decisions at the end of that contemplation. He draped himself over the top of my body and propped his chin in his clasped hands, gazing at me steadily. Magic swirled and draped heavily on the air. I looked above me, but the room didn't look shorter, even though my senses seemed to tell me that the ceiling lowered. He bit me quickly above the breast to get my attention. I smiled and immediately looked back into his eyes. He returned a smile and my heart twittered at the attention.

"Would you protect me if they came storming in here?"

I immediately opened my mouth to say yes, but the word didn't emerge. My forehead furrowed in puzzlement. Why would I hesitate? I loved him... didn't I?

When he spoke, his words cloaked in his incense, draped over my face like a veil. "I didn't think so. I was hoping by now that they would have killed one another. Stands to reason that they shouldn't even need my influence to nudge them in that direction." He gazed at me, "But why are they both with you? What do you have..." His voice trailed off in contemplation. He moved in closer to me, positioning his entire body over mine.

"Please," I whispered, desperate.

"Please what, Dove?" He whispered back, his lips just barely moving over my own.

"Please kiss me." My tongue came out to flick over his mouth.

"Yes. I think you need a kiss. Several, it seems. Until I can figure out this dilemma." 

My heart speed up at his agreement and then he did just that. He kissed me, nudged his long legs between mine and kissed me over and over again. His scent covering me in a cloud of warmth and fog. His tongue painted my lips just before his teeth caught my lower one and bit softly. I arched up, unwilling to stop myself. His hand wondered down to cup me between my legs.

"You're so hot for me, Dove. Would you like to be mine and only mine?"

"Oh God, yes! Mother fucking yes! Don't stop!"

He pulled away slightly from me and chuckled. Under his breath he said, "Mother fucking is it?"

I made a whine of irritation as I tried to stretch my neck to kiss him. His hand came to grip my chin again, "The thing is, Dove, I think it would take too much effort on my part just to keep you as my toy. Especially as ill behaved as I think you'll be."

I groaned and fell back on the bed. 

"But, you and I, we could have some fun? See what happens. See how tight I really can wrap you up in my magic, in me. Maybe make you never want to hunt me again. Let me feed from you whenever I wanted... or I can just kill you now."

The only words I registered were the last ones. I voiced my dismay, "Why would you want to kill me? I love you."

He shook his head, "Yes," he kissed me quick. "But," he kissed me again. "You," and again. He continued to punctuate each word with a kiss as he continued, "won't protect me from Ezra or Taurin."

I started to deny it, but I just couldn't get the words out and for the life of me I didn't know why.

"You see. She wounds me with her capricious love."

"But, Oldavai! I would protect you from Shorn!" I smiled at him with satisfaction, sure that would satisfy him.

He laughed wildly, "Save us all from that! He'd eat you before you could do anything. It's a kind thought though, my sweet."

I frowned at my inability to please him. 

"No frowns." He wiped away at the grooves in my face. "You'll get what you want and through you'll I'll get what I want."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "And what do you want, Oldavai?"

"You, my sweet."

"You lie." I was angry because I was almost sure that he didn't reciprocate my love.

"There's truth in there somewhere. Now shut up." He curled his hand around my neck and forcefully kissed me. 

All thoughts flew out of my head as he gave to me exactly what I wanted from him. And then the air displaced, but nothing stopped and nothing changed, but something did. My body ached for him as I watched him slowly strip himself of his clothes. He launched himself back on me and his hands applied pressure everywhere, gentle and bruising. The fog in my head shifted and slid. His fingers just barely touched my opening and I attempted to help them find their way in deeper. He chuckled. My vision sparkled with ice crystals.

I panted in excitement as he surged up my body and sucked hard on my neck. I knew there would be a mark and I reveled in it. He moved his head down to my nipple and I yanked at the handcuffs. I was impatient to bring them down so I could play with his hay colored hair. He looked up at the sound and smiled at me. Those gold eyes of his blurred and slid sideways. His face became almost transparent.

Suddenly, he slammed a finger into me and I shoved myself towards it in response. He breathed a noise of satisfaction and nuzzled between my breasts. I opened my eyes, not even remembering closing them. The world shifted to my left, my insides turned and I was looking into the world of shadows even as my body stayed firmly on the bed. Oh shit! This is what Laci meant. I might have a chance, but never realize I had it.

I glimpsed him just over the shoulder of his doppelganger, smoking his damn cigarette! I quickly averted my eyes so I wouldn't let on that I knew. What had she said? 'Make him fuck you.' He wasn't. He was hiding behind an illusion. My emotions wretched me into sadness and anger that he didn't want to be with me. The fog inside of me parted and I got a glimpse of my scattered power through the mist. Damn! I was worried about his love and not my warrant! This doppelganger was of no use to me. I needed him close if I was going to trap him. Otherwise he'd run as soon as he felt the spell. He'd probably see me doing it immediately since he wasn't preoccupied with having sex with me. Not really.

A second finger slid into me and I was pulled out of my thoughts. I moaned as they started to move just the tiniest bit, teasing. I couldn't help but feel how bizarre this situation really was. I was in love with him. I wasn't in love with him. I wanted to kill him, I think. At least I knew I was suppose to trap him. My body definitely was only thinking about itself. I was so confused that I didn't know whether I was willingly having intercourse or being manipulated in thinking I was willing. He rubbed circles and I threw my head back on the pillow hard, gasping.

Oh God. If this was just his doppelganger how would I ever concentrate if I actually succeeded in getting the real him on top of me. And I needed to concentrate, especially if I had to nullify the effects the runes on the handcuffs had on my magic. One step at a time. Hit him where he's weak, and I bet it was his pride. It was more strenuous than ever to find and use Taurin's ice through the haze of fog inside me. My attentiveness switched to the doppelganger as he sensuously moved until he was staring up at me from between my legs. He placed one palm on my mound. My eyes widened in ecstasy as he used a finger to press a line from top to bottom. 

Focusing on the frigidness I knew was inside me thanks to Taurin I recited a mantra of all things icy and shut my eyes tight. The glacier inside of me froze everything, freezing Oldavai's fog of power in place. It crept through me until I could look at the doppelganger with detachment. I was so emotionally cold that I couldn't even feel a sense of achievement. 

The doppelganger's hands gripped my hips. I didn't move, instead I grew even more still. His tongue bathed my vulva, full strokes that I knew should be driving me crazy with desire, but weren't. My perspective changed and I started watching the doppelganger as if I was a spectator at a movie. Everything slowed and I changed my gaze to look directly at Oldavai. He no longer had a cigarette in his hand and was closer to the bed, studying me. It took no time for his glowing golden eyes to narrow to slits when he realized I really was looking directly at him. 

"You can see me."

I ignored his remark. "Trying to make me go brainless with lust? It's gonna take more than that, Oldavai."

In my peripheral vision I saw the doppelganger bite me on my labia. I didn't flinch. I wanted to shift away, knowing it should hurt, but it didn't, wrapped as I was in glacial cold.

"Be careful, my sweet," the real Oldavai admonished me.

"Afraid you can't actually live up to all the hype? Need a doppelganger because you can't do it up close and personal?"

He seethed and hissed at me. "I said, be careful, Dove."

The doppelganger had now moved up my body and was pinching my nipples. I really hoped that I wouldn't feel the effects of these hurts when I got back to my self. Continuing to provoke Oldavai, I held myself exquisitely still. "Are you done, because I think we need to talk business." 

"Lust is my business," he snarled. 

I rolled my eyes. "Really? Could've fooled me," I said blandly.

The doppelganger started to suck on my nipple again, his arms wrapped around my body in an embrace.

"Obviously it's not good enough for me, so if you would please. You can use your wiles on someone who cares." I looked down pointedly at the figure trying to move me to lust.

Oldavai let go a shriek of such unhinged rage that I instinctively yanked at the handcuffs, trying to get away. My heart raced and I said under my breath, "Fear's obviously your business too." 

I admonished myself to calm down and to remember that I was the weapon, whatever that meant. Oldavai threw himself towards me and his body streamed around itself. 

My breath left in a huff and a squeak as he landed on me naked. He was uniquely gorgeous. So absolutely amazing that I could only stare. His face was long and graceful, sloping nose, cat shaped eyes, and delicately pointed ears. Noticeably diagonal cheek bones were directing my gaze from his eyes and down to his wide lips. His body swirled with trains of golden sparks on top of a mellow golden glow of sunrise skin. They flowed and moved around his body in a twisting motion. Then he smiled at me and showed sharp pointed canines.

My heart wanted to jump out of my chest. My body was telling me in no uncertain terms to get away. Just like my sword would have. That revelation didn't last long because Oldavai spoke to me and it didn't sound anything like what I already heard. This voice echoed inside of my body. It reverberated, setting every nerve on fire. My glacier calm started to melt.

"Is this more to your liking, demon hunter?" He licked my skin and if sparkles had a feeling that's what it was.

I liked it, could see myself getting addicted to it. Oh God! He gave my nipple a harsh suck and then I immediately saw him staring at me from between my legs. I never even registered him moving. His eyes flared streaks of golden hues.

I whispered, fearing that if I spoke too loud it would set him off, "No. Oldavai."

I shouldn't have bothered, he was already set off. As if the fact that I had sparkly demon between my legs didn't give me a clue. I played on his ego and obviously he had a big one. He smiled evilly at me and gave me the barest flick of his tongue. I writhed under that simple onslaught and grew wet immediately. There was so much of it that I could feel the liquid flow from inside me.

He kissed my pussy, his lips moving in a sensuous manner, and his hands pressed down hard on my hip bones. Every touch sent waves of Fourth-of-July sparks through my body, mind, soul. I panted rapidly as his tongue started to move in and out of me. Swear words and endearments mumbled out of my mouth.

"I know, Dove," he replied.

"I don't even know what I said!" I panted.

He chuckled and it vibrated from the petals of my groin and into my body. Rubbing inside of me like a cat around my ankles until I held my breath from the ecstasy of it all.

"I know that too," he said.

I let out a harsh breath, "Good. Great."

"Yeah, I am," he murmured against the skin of my leg, causing me to shiver with expectation. 

He bit the inside of my thigh gently then turned it into a blood vessel breaking suck. Meanwhile, his fingers found me easily. They glided in without problem and pulled me into a rhythm of his making. I moaned and followed his movement without hesitation. The lower half of my body thrust upwards faster with each thrust driving and curling movement of his fingers inside me.

The quickness of my orgasmed shocked me. He allowed me no time get over the hyper sensitive moment afterwards. He merely told me 'uh huh' when I tried to get away and gripped my legs like steel. He pushed his incredibly long hair off on my leg and I had a moment of disbelief. I had never seen hair that long, shining like a golden curtain. And then I nearly shot off the bed because one of his fingers found its way down the crease of my ass while his mouth continued to lap between my legs.

I groaned again and my head dropped to the pillow, my eyes shut. Then I really started to go crazy as his teasing increased. Stopping, slowing, moving in circles. Playing with the front and back of me. I tossed my head back in forth in euphoric frustration.

I was going to die. Oldavai was going to kill me with lust. Oh God! He was an incubus and I was his food. My breathing hitched as he crawled his kissing way up my body. He blew his breath on my face, but I kept my eyelids tightly closed. I was swathed in his intensified demon scent. I couldn't even name it, all I hoped was that I never smelled the likes of it again, simultaneously hoping that it never left me.

"Dove. Look at me." He gave little sparkly kisses all around my face and on my eyes.

I shook my head vehemently, "Uh huh."

"Come on, just a little peak." He sounded so reasonable. 

Some sane part of my body was telling me don't you dare open those eyes of yours. I just didn't remember why looking at him would be a bad thing. He was beautiful to look at.

"But Dove, you love me, remember?" 

Oh yeah. I opened my eyes and immediately regretted it for a split second before he had my complete attention. 

"You smell that?" He whispered.

His scent was like a shroud over me, smelled it, breathed it, bathed in it. I looked at him dumbfounded, surly that was a rhetorical question. He smiled as if he knew my thoughts and was amused by them.

He continued whispering just above my face, "Now don't move, my sweet. That's the fragrance of true love, Dove. Frankincense, jasmine," he slid his lips over mine in a loving caress, "rose and vetivert. And that," his tongue lapped at my bottom lip, "is all me."

We stared into each others eyes and his hardened. I felt distress at his expression. "What? What is it?" I yanked at my restraints, wanting to comfort him. "What do you need?"

His face looked at me unwavering, "Nothing, my sweet." 

I narrowed my eyes at his look and tone. They did not match his words.

He paused and then said in a rough voice, "Still think that I can't get it up? Still think you won't be moved?" His voice rumbled through me and I felt a small nudge of his phallus at my wet opening. Just that barest touch sped up my heart. I arched up even as I shrank back from him.

Somehow I found the will power to whisper, "No, don't."

"But, Dove, you told me to."

My voice came out surprisingly wounded, "I did?"

He slid his face down the side of mine towards my ear, "You did, my sweet, and now I want to prove it to you." 

With one simple thrust he entered my drenched pussy and I lost all breath. What little was left of my glacier shattered. An exhale of pain bled out of my voice as shards of ice cut the inside of my body, then melted from the heat of Oldavai dancing in the depths of me. I closed my eyes and gave myself to the searing sex of a demon incubus. There was nothing left of me. I was just another extension of him. It felt amazing, complete, like shifting on the waves of a warm ocean, knowing the eternal was above and below you. 

As if to seal the deal, Oldavai entered my thoughts, 'You are ruined. You'll have to stay with me or wither and die from lack of me.'

I flew on the wings of intense joy knowing that I was going to be with him forever. Then another orgasm smashed through me and he laughed as the core of my sex squeezed him over and over again. I screamed in ecstasy as he thrust harder, touching and bumping every part of me. 

When he finally let go he bellowed as if he had just conquered an enemy. I was insensible over the rapture of experiencing his magic pour deeply into me. Gold sparks threw themselves off his body, burning themselves on my skin. They were gorgeous as they floated around us like dust particles in sunlight.

Every barrier broke down at this onslaught. All shields and guards disintegrated as the orgasm continued for both of us. Inside my mind everything clarified for an instant and I realized I was getting a second chance to do my job. Then, Ezra appeared like a beacon in my thoughts. There were no words, only fury, lava boiling over fury. I felt him hone in on me and within seconds he was literally blowing through the door. Ezra, in his full demon self, air burning my throat and Oldavai torn off of me quicker than I could register his weight gone.




Demon's Grace Ch. 47



My whole body shook at the abruptness of losing him and then at Ezra's roaring voice I'd never heard before, "SHE IS MINE!"

I felt the bed and the entire room quiver from his power. Oldavai hit the wall with a sickening, solid thud. Bricks crumpled away. My eyes glazed over and I emptied. I looked at the blasted doorway and saw Taurin enter, furious in his own right. I had no emotions to give him. 

Behind him Shorn walked delicately through, avoiding the fractured wood, the smell of brimstone surrounding him. I locked onto his bleeding eyes and watched the billowing movement under his skin. I almost choked on the sensation of my emotions flying back into me, because the first one to arrive was terror.

CHAPTER 50

Behind Shorn came two more figures, a man and woman. I pulled away as I watched the man come around to the left side of the bed. The dragon inside of me hissed through my mouth at him as he reached for my hands. He paused. 

"Do not touch her," Shorn directed sternly to him. 

I quickly looked back at Shorn and watched him put a restraining hand on Taurin's arm. Taurin did his own version of hissing. The blue mica of his demon self gleaming through his designer clothes.

"Don't restrain me," he told Shorn with strain in his voice to keep from shouting.

There was a slamming noise to my right and I turned to watch Ezra throw Oldavai up against the wall again. Behind Shorn and Taurin the woman hesitated in her decision as to which direction to go. Distraught clear on her face.

The man focused on Shorn, "Sir, what do we do? We can't leave her handcuffed to the bed?"

At the same time Taurin shrugged off Shorn's hand, which had turned into a claw sometime while I wasn't looking. "I will deal with this," Taurin said as he strode to me.

I shied from him as his fingers first touched one handcuff then the other. The metal froze colder than I ever felt anything, following their lines of power into my veins. Then they shattered.

He reached for me quickly and I moved up against the bed frame to get away from his hand. Simultaneously, a sword flew out of my wrist until the handle curved into my palm. The point never touched him, but it stayed an unwavering inch from his throat. A warbling sound of distress erupted from my lips and I immediately wanted to take back the action. 

But, I couldn't, I was so confused and scared. My emotions were in turmoil. The rational part of me was trying to explain to the other part of me that I never loved Oldavai. I was uneasy with the two demons that were an integral part of my life because I didn't know what was real anymore. Taurin stared uncomprehendingly at me and slowly backed away from the bed. With a flick of my wrist the sword vanished into me and I pulled up the sheet to hide my nakedness. 

Shorn moved just as slowly towards Taurin, "I tried to warn you. I'm surprised she didn't immediately run to Oldavai's defense the moment you freed her. She has had sex with more than an incubus. She has had sex with a demon incubus and is still alive. One of the most peculiar things I've seen in a long time." He eyed me with speculation.

Taurin shook his head, "I don't understand. Oldavai has sex with anyone."

Shorn gave a stuttering laugh like the sound of crunching glass. To my right Ezra and Oldavai had gone quiet. I turned and saw the man I loved bleeding in the grip of Ezra's claws. My confusion intensified at my inability to sort out what the hell was going on in my mind and heart. My breathing quickened as I continued to stare at the two of them. The dragon inside of me twisted and chirped in its own bafflement. Somehow it let me know that it wanted us to go to Ezra. 

Shorn talked into the chaos of the moment. "No. Oldavai does not have sex with anyone, he feeds off of them. Look at him and look at her. Here is proof that our brother has had sex with your Dove." He gestured to the demon and another appendage shot out of his suit to double the gesture.

I don't know how my heart could accelerate anymore, but it did at his simple gesture made monstrous. That demon was so damn unnerving. All I could think about when watching him was that I told Oldavai I would I go up against Shorn for him. I shuddered remembering my words. Yet, I felt that I would do just that if Shorn threatened him. Probably die, but still I would attempt to protect him. I think. Would I? I prayed over and over that he did not go near Oldavai. I started to laugh hysterically at the churning thoughts. Aware of, but ignoring, all eyes turning to me. Eventually the laugh turned into an under my breath chuckle. 

Taurin looked at me in concern, "Why would he do that?"

Shorn moved his viscous gaze from me to Taurin, "Now that is one of the few intelligent questions I've ever heard from an Ice Dweller."

Taurin's mouth started to sneer, but he controlled it and looked over to Ezra. The conversation changed and continued with all the demons present, but it didn't hold my attention. Oldavai laughed drily and my brain tuned to him. I forced myself to stop being riveted and made myself meditate to figure out what was wrong with me. It didn't take long. I snapped my eyes opened and looked down at my hand gripping the sheet. Shit. There were definitely gold sparkles marring my skin. That was why Oldavai never had sex with anyone. It was his way of bonding to them.

I wanted to shriek, but didn't. I needed to concentrate and pull him out of me. I couldn't go on pining for a demon because he manipulated me to feel that way. He had said 'wither and die' and right now that felt just about right. All I wanted to do was run up to him and help him escape. 

I flew deep inside of me and looked for it. As if seeing the dragon with my own eyes, it stared at me. A little red dragon with huge slanted eyes sighed and whistled to keep my attention. It turned around in a flash of fire and looked at me over its half folded wings. We ran deeper into my soul until I found Oldavai's presence hidden behind a wall of fog. 

His magic was already rooted in me. It presented itself like a ball of gold twine with streams of shimmering blue knotted into it. I tentatively placed what I thought of as my hands around it. It vibrated and glowed brighter. I pulled. It wouldn't budge. Not acceptable. I pulled harder and felt it start to give. I focused all my power on the act of ripping him out of me.

I came into my actual body screaming as I tore out his glowing sphere of power and magic streaming from my solar plexus. Between those heart wrenching screams I panted and continued to rip pieces of my soul out with what he planted in me. The glitter of gold on my skin flared and disappeared.

Then, I was done, exhausted and dripping with sweat. I knew, beyond a doubt, that the few pieces of knotted blue were me. I watched in horror as the entire power structure attempted to merge back into me. I turned to Oldavai. 

His eyes were wide with shock at what I'd done. Ezra held him from behind the neck. The look on his face was rigid, conveying to me warning.

"My sweet," Oldavai croaked out. Ezra's hand tightened on his throat and he wheezed out a breath.

My voice came out just as strained, "Liar! I am not your sweet anything!"

He gave a faltering laugh around Ezra's grip. "Then so are you. Were you not telling me that you loved me?"

My facial expression fell. Ezra simply placed two fingers on the top of Oldavai's skull and he was down on his knees in seconds, panting. Meanwhile, the woman practically ran to me, hands grasping forward. I sneered and moved the magic closer to my body. This caused a problem because all it wanted to do was go back home.

I grunted at her, "Get back or I'll kill you."

She stepped back in shock. I watched her regroup herself, "You don't have the authority, Dove Hawthorn."

Manic laughter bubbled from my lips, "This isn't about authority. This is about fact."

She backed up another step, unable to hide her fear at my apparent dementia. My face blanked as I looked down at what I held suspended between my hands. I finally lifted my gaze and looked directly at Shorn. As if reading my mind he walked up to me. He stood closer to me than I wanted, but I let it go.

"I have to trust you, because he's your brother," I whispered to him.

He tilted his head into my personal space and something moved from inside his neck. I stared into those bleeding eyes and watched the blood seep back into his skin on the line of his cheek bones. His eyes narrowed and he spoke loudly, "Sorcerers, leave." All the power of his office came through in his tone. The man did his bidding immediately. I wasn't surprised that the woman put up a fight.

Her voice came out angry and snide. "You have no right! We are here with the Affairs' Office's authority, outside your jurisdiction. We're staying until this warrant is fulfilled."

I noticed the pace of his constantly shifting and bulging body increase. Clearly he was annoyed, his scent hung heavy in the air. I shied away from his stare, which turned an even darker red. He didn't turn, at least, his body didn't, but his head sure as hell did! I made a choking sound and swallowed down my fear. The woman's skin turned ghost like and she fled from the room, almost running.

His head turned back to me, all business, then he spoke. "This may cause an irreparable rift between demons and the Affairs' Office, Dove. You have done something that no one should ever do. You voluntarily pulled a part of yourself out. You have left my brother and yourself alive and without a home. Rip out your soul, lock it in a box, would you remember it's missing?"

I paused before answering. "We won't die, will we?"

If eyes filled with waves of blood could hold a look of contemplation then I would say that somehow his did. "No, you won't die, not in the way you mean." 

He hesitated and looked down at the pulsing power between my hands. "Hand me my brother, Dove."

I looked at him and then down at this intimate part of myself.

He continued, "No one will ever touch this except the three of us."

My eyes widened at the thought of Oldavai having a part of me in his control. "No. No one, but you!"

My inner conscious was shouting strings of obscenities I never thought I'd put together for contemplating giving myself to Shorn.

"You have no choice if you will not take it back."

"Never! I never want him manipulating my emotions again!" I growled vehemently. My voice lowered, "Can I pull us apart..." I said distractedly to myself looking at the glowing sphere. It pulsed in my hands burning to seep itself back into me. I tried to pull at a blue string, but a golden one twined itself onto it like tentacles. Inside I felt an empty hole howling, almost like my stomach growling because it was hungry. I grimaced and huffed out a dismayed noise. 

Shorn shook his head. "Leave it to my discretion."

"Wait! What does this mean exactly? What will happen?" I could barely look at him, knowing that I was asking him to tell me the truth and that he would distort it. It was all I had at the moment though.

"Dove." He shook his head and turned to look at Oldavai. The room was strangely silent. It felt like all the demons were waiting to see what I would do. He turned back to me and crossed his arms. I was relieved to see there were only two this time. He started to speak and then stopped, his lips pursed as he looked at me. "This would be easier if you would take that back into yourself. I would control Oldavai from here."

I shifted my eyes back to Oldavai, passive in Ezra's grip. He looked beaten, figuratively and literally. I looked at Ezra then. His wings stretched and flared as if responding to my attention, otherwise he gave no indication what he was thinking. I swallowed again and cleared my throat before talking. It still came out scratchy sounding. "Unacceptable... mostly. I can't go on thinking that I actually love him."

Shorn nodded. "You'd probably be dead within the month, although, with you, stranger things have happened. So, I will have this until you ask for it back or Oldavai serves out his sentence and is granted it back. I have no theory as to what will happen when he takes it back. This is unprecedented." 

He glanced over at Taurin and I followed his gaze. Taurin was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He was strangely as silent as Ezra. 

Shorn continued talking. "Which seems to be the way most of your life is." He stared bleeding eyes down at me, "Very. Unprecedented."

I considered his words and added my own, "Will you be able to control Oldavai?" I looked down at the shining sphere and whispered, "Will you be able to control me?"

My head shot up in surprise as I heard Shorn laugh openly and loudly. I knew it was some type of glee, but it sounded like a murder of ravens. Then it stopped abruptly, which also startled me.

"If Ezra can't control you, then no one can."

"Ah... seriously."

"I am," he said in a dead, no nonsense voice.

"Then you won't be able to control Oldavai." 

"Not in the way you mean. Not in the way they think we can be controlled. You and he will have a piece of yourself missing. How you both decide to deal with it is your choice. I'm just giving Oldavai limited options at this time. He is missing noticeably more than you." He gestured to the mostly golden sphere. "But, his warrant will finally be destroyed and off of my 'to do' list."

I gave him a look of disbelief, "'To do' list? You have a 'to do' list?"

He shrugged, "This power comes with paperwork. Thank you, by the way. You seem to be clearing up a lot of paper for me. I'll have to give due consideration about who to send you to next." The entire half of his brow lifted as he looked at me.

Shorn wiggled his fingers in a hand-it-over motion at me. His hand had eight fingers and a very wide palm. "Now finish this. You or me."

He was right. There was nothing I could do. The longer it stayed next to me the weaker I felt denying the compulsion to place it back where it belonged. I harshly thrust it at Shorn. He grabbed it and somehow condensed it down to fit in the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

"We leave." He looked over at Oldavai. "Oldavai!" 

Shorn left no argument for the demon to debate what he meant. Shining Oldavai passively went to him, refusing to look in my direction. I watched as Shorn yanked Oldavai's head back by his hair with something scaly that came out of somewhere from his body. He spoke harshly in demon and spit a wad of vilely yellow liquid on the ground in front of him. 

Oldavai said nothing, simply took it all and let Shorn usher him through the blasted entry. On their way out I listened to the woman brave Shorn with words of loud rebuke. I was surprised that she got over her fear. She shouldn't have. 

I looked over to the two demons on my right. Their attention was pivoted on me. I realized that I could do to them what I had just done to Oldavai. Of course I had to be willing to tear myself apart and callously discard pieces of my soul as if my well being meant nothing at all to me. I studied the two of them and then turned to gaze out the doorway. Maybe my well being did mean nothing to me and I just hadn't realized it yet.

Epilogue

I had received an unimaginable amount of money for Oldavai's warrant. It didn't make up for the trauma or missing part of myself. For some reason Ezra and Taurin decided to stay with me. There was no compulsion to speak to them, I barely ate, and I wouldn't leave the house for days. I refused Ezra my bed and in a way I refused both of them my company. Yet, they stayed and more than that, they talked to me about everything and anything, even though I almost never responded. 

I found out that Oldavai had thrown so many intricate illusions over one another, inside my own head and outside, that they couldn't find me. That Laci had called in more vampires to battle with them while Oldavai had come for me. They told me all this without me ever asking. I didn't feel any concern that they didn't come soon enough to help me. It was over and done. 

I learned from them about the numerous calls, both professional and personal, that came through. Calls for warrants, information, concern, and eventually, as word got around about my reclusiveness, invitations to get out of the house. Ezra was denying all warrants for me. Taurin, all social calls. Taurin even deterred a couple of demon hunters who came personally to kill both of them. Some misguided gossip to thank for that. He made sure to tell me that he didn't kill them. I said thank you because I felt that was what I should do, but my blank face belied the words.

I think that was the final reason that I found a card on my bed for a psychologist specializing in incubus victims. There was even a support group for...us, I guess. Because that's what I was, an incubus victim. Only, it was so much more in my case. Or maybe that was all vanity. I tore up the card and threw the pieces on the floor in the living room. I wanted them to see what I thought of their interfering. I definitely didn't want to talk to someone about my "interlude". I didn't even want to remember it, except those echoing hollow parts in me reminded me of it all the time. I hoped that I would get used to the feeling. 

I inhaled the crisp scent of autumn as I looked out from the porch. Some seasons come faster the closer you are to the mountains. Fall was reminding me that sometimes it's good to change and go into hibernation. A chance to renew.

When I stepped back into the house my eyes immediately settled on Ezra standing in the threshold of the kitchen. He held out his palm toward me and flames appeared above it, mimicking wild flowers in a breeze.

I smiled softly.