Tell (5 page)

“Put that down,” Tell hissed. He moved across the floor, dodging the creaky floorboards then pressed himself against the wall.

He'd expected the knock, but tightened his hold on his knife when it came. “Tell?”

Wystan.

Or something that sounded like Wystan. He drew the knife then threw open the door. Poised to strike, he balanced on the balls of his feet.

Wystan cocked an eyebrow.

Tell lowered the knife. He nodded at Eban over Wystan's shoulder. “Come on in.”

He stepped aside as his brothers passed through the entryway. And right in the middle of the floor, mold-flecked bread disappeared bite by bite for his visitors to see.

I give up.
He walked around Dochi and the falling crumbs. He needed coffee. Gallons of it. Made with holy water, which would effectively end his misery.

“Before you ask, I'm fine. Never felt better. I talked to Father. He has minions looking into it. The crumb-dropper there is one of his. And I haven't set fire to anything today.”

“That's good news. How's Father?” Wystan closed the gap between the front door and the kitchen. It only took a small room to realize how much space his brothers occupied.

He gestured at the crumb-dropping demon. “Annoyed with me. Meet Dochi. I'm pretty sure he's punishment for pissing off Father's prize minions.”

He put off further conversation by grinding coffee beans, a noise as loud and grating as Dochi's laughter. Wys and Eban watched him. They probably wished they had another half-demon sibling with his talents, one who could look inside his head to make sure he wasn't about to explode with demonic madness.

He poured the grounds into his percolator and faced them. “A demon wouldn't be interested in coffee. The part of me that's human, that's what needs coffee. Before long, I'm gonna be thinking about food too. I'm not talking blood of virgins either.”

“Master Tell promised fish.” Dochi laid the bread crust aside. “Because I helped him.”

“That so?” Eban knelt next to the invisible creature. “What did you help Master Tell with?”

Tell snapped his fingers. “Not another word, Dochi.”

The little demon slowly came into focus. He looked miserable, clearly torn between listening to Tell and obeying his beloved baron's other son.

“It was nothing. I broke the mirror and turns out our friend here can put it back together.”

Wystan put his hands on his hips. “How'd you break the mirror?”

“It was an accident. Everyone drops things.” His shoulders tightened at the memory of the grinning creature that had stared openly at him. “I was shaving, the damn thing slipped. No harm done.”

“Sylvie's worried about you.” Eban patted Dochi's head, then rose. “We're all worried, Tell.”

“Father's not. So let's all go about our business as usual.” He was certain he could speed up the coffee making process if he added a little of his own fire to the stove, but he doubted his brothers would appreciate the effort.

“Tell.” Wystan took a few steps farther into the kitchen. “We need to talk.”

Every hair on his body rose and he narrowed his eyes at Wystan. “You asshole.”

“Wait a minute, I didn't say anything.” Wys thumbed the tie holding his bowie knife over the hilt.

“But you were about to.” He wasn't afraid of Wystan or his bowie knife stained with the blood of uncountable demon kills. “I know exactly what you were thinking. I'm not going into a circle. I'm the best circle caster in New Mexico Territory, probably in the entire United States. Neither of you is strong enough to cast one I couldn't get out of. Besides, you're not strong enough to get me
into
one either.”

“It's for your own good. We wouldn't ask if we didn't think it was for the best.” Eban pulled furiously at the cuticles on his pointer finger. “We're not asking you to spend the rest of your life inside the circle. Just a few days, until Father—”

“Nah, just until you figure out how to exorcise me. Nobody exorcised Sandra, and I don't want to be either.” He drew his little silver knife. “It comes down to everything I do seems evil and I'm bent on destruction, you kill me. Until then, leave me alone.”

Wystan's face twisted into a grimace. He'd killed their sister when she was possessed by a parasite imp. Tell barely remembered the incident because it was so long ago, but Wystan had never gotten over it.

“Master Tell wishes for peace and quiet.” Dochi bared his teeth. “You must go.”

“Bald rats don't tell me where to go or what to do.” Wystan took a step toward Dochi.

Dochi squalled and Wystan flew backward into the door. His knife appeared in Dochi's paw. “Master Tell wants you to leave.”

Wystan rubbed the back of his head. His eyes flashed red for a moment. “Little son of a bitch.”

“Wys.” Eban offered his hand. “We're not solving any problems here.”

Things were getting out of hand. “Dochi, heel. Wystan, Eban, thanks for the visit, but I'd like to be alone now.”

“But you'll come to us if anything else happens? We don't want to hurt you and we don't want you hurting anyone.” Eban's voice was low, soothing.

Tell managed a half smile. He'd thought he was the only who could manage the mind voodoo. “I'll do that. I don't want to hurt anyone either. So let's call a truce for today, boys.”

Wystan pointed at him. “One toe out of line, Tell.”

“I understand.” Becoming a father hadn't softened Wystan toward demons in the least. “Thanks for…for caring. I mean that.”

Eban and Wystan exchanged a look.

Tell gritted his teeth. They were
still
thinking about shoving him in a circle. He shook his head. “I wouldn't. I'd put the pair of you on the floor faster than a cat shimmies up a tree. Nobody jumps Tell Heckmaster.”

They left without another word. He almost regretted rebuffing their concern. They were his brothers, his only family except for Seneca. But it wasn't fair of them to assume he'd turned evil overnight.

Dochi came to his side. “They are not nice like the pretty lady.”

Tell laughed. “Not much to look at either.”

“She will come back?” Dochi cocked his head. “Dochi likes her.”

Tell liked her too. More than liked her. He pulled a cup off the shelf then poured coffee. “I don't know. Maybe she's afraid of me the way they are.”

And maybe everyone had a good reason to fear him.

“Dochi, you know how to find things, right?”

The imp bounced up and down. “I do.”

A willing helper would save him time. “What about texts? Old books that have spells and magic in them.”

“Dochi can do that. What do you need, Master?” His eyes gleamed with eagerness.

“Anything you can find about name curses.” Hell, they needed Dochi more than they'd ever needed Seere. At least the imp didn't want anything but fish for lunch.

“You must promise not to become evil while Dochi is gone.” Dochi gave him a stern look.

“On my honor. Whatever that's worth. I'd swear on a bible, but you'd probably melt.”

“Dochi isn't afraid of bibles. Back soon, Master.” He popped out of the kitchen.

“Huh. Look at that. All alone at last.”

He turned toward the bathing area, where the mirror Dochi had repaired hung. Uneasiness crawled over him. Suddenly, being alone didn't really appeal.

Chapter Five

Another knock came from outside. Tell groaned. Facing the demon in the mirror didn't seem like such a bad option now.

He strode to the door, knife in hand, then threw it open. “What?”

Jeffrey Spinner's eyes widened and his jaw went slack.

“Oh hell. What do
you
want?” Tell tucked the knife back into its sheath. He didn't need to be able to read Jeffrey's mind to know what the man was doing here. “Come to blame me for ruining your relationship with Sylvie?”

Jeffrey squared his shoulders. “Yes. It's your fault. If you didn't give in to her every whim and quibble, she'd be perfectly happy with me. I know you're the one who talked her out of seeing me. Now I want you to convince her that I'm the man she's supposed to marry.”

“Just why would I do that, Spinner?” Tell leaned against the doorframe. “It ever cross your mind that I think you're a prissy little man who pushes people around because your head's too big for the rest of your body?”

Jeffrey's face reddened. The tips of his ears turned purple. “You're a fine one to talk. You walk around here carrying weapons as though you're a savage redskin. Do you know how foolish you look? Sylvie thinks it's wonderful, but I'll bet she's never seen you fire that crossbow. I'll bet you've never killed anything with it.”

Tell gritted his teeth. “I think you'd be surprised by I've brought down with it.”

“I don't care about that! The important thing is, you have to tell Sylvie to come back to me. She deserves better than this backward little town with these odd people who inhabit it.” Jeffrey inched closer until he was right under Tell's nose. “I demand you fix things between me and her. Or else.”

Tell ran his tongue across his teeth. “Or what? You man enough to make good on a threat, Spinner?”

Some ugly thoughts cluttered Jeffrey's spirit, darker than anything Tell had noticed about him before.

“I'll tell everyone about your inappropriate relationship with her. How long have you loved her, Heckmaster? Since she was a child who couldn't begin to understand a man's desires? I know that Rhia left her alone with you for extended periods of time. Oh, the stories I can conjure about a man who's known to cavort with whores on a regular basis.” Jeffrey sneered. “Sylvie will be ruined and you'll stop being one of the town's favorite sons. Why, you'll be run out of here for defiling an innocent child. If you're not outright hanged.”

Hotter than before, the heat filled Tell from toes to crown. “Don't you dare open your fucking mouth, Spinner. I've never so much as kissed Sylvie Duke. You want to talk about defiling girls, maybe you ought to explain why your last lady friend won't have anything to do with you.”

“That isn't your concern. Sylvie is. She always was. Whenever you turned a smile on her, she jumped to do your bidding. No more. You send her back to me, or I'll do it. Everyone will know what you did to her.” Jeffrey poked Tell hard in the chest.

Tell snorted. “There will be snow in Berner before I give in to your demands. Get the hell off my porch.”

Jeffrey grabbed Tell's upper arm. His palm burned through Tell's shirt and the skin beneath.

Tell hissed and jerked, but couldn't break Jeffrey's hold.

“I know what you are. The three of you are an abomination. This town is an abomination and it will burn. I compel you, Tell Heckmaster, to do as I say or I will destroy everyone you love.” Jeffrey drew his hand back and held it palm up. On his middle finger, he wore a silver ring emblazoned with the crest of Solomon. “She is an innocent young woman who shouldn't mix with the likes of you.”

Tell laughed. He grabbed Jeffrey by the collar and jerked him off his feet. He pulled the other man into the house. As he let Jeffrey go, the fire poured from his fingers. It crawled up his arms and covered him.

“You might have guessed what we are, but you ain't seen nothin' yet, pal.” He lashed out and grabbed Jeffrey's hand. He yanked the ring off the man's finger. The silver seared his palm. With a burst of fire, the silver melted until it dripped down his hand and puddled on the floor at his feet. “I don't think you know who you're messing with, Spinner. If I were you, I'd get out of town.”

Jeffrey's face paled. “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners—”

“Now and at the hour of death. Amen.” Tell laughed again. “I can recite plenty of scripture if you want to play. It won't do a thing to me except eat up valuable time I could use to corrupt innocent ladies. It's not your time yet, but if you don't leave my family—including Sylvie—alone, I'm sure I can come up with something real creative to do to you before your final hour. And the next time you try to compel a demon, make sure you have the right name. Now
get out.
”

Jeffrey raced for the door. It slammed behind him, rattling the windows.

The fire died and Tell slumped against the wall. His anger ebbed, replaced by the oh-shit feeling he got when the odds weren't in his favor. His hand stung where the silver had burned him. Blisters formed and the skin around them blackened.

Droplets of silver shone on the wood between his boots. Maybe Dochi knew how to get silver off a wood floor. Or maybe he'd have to replace the boards. He examined his sleeve, the hole created by his burning flesh and the black mark left behind. He hadn't really thought through melting the ring. The fire he produced had no effect on him. If he'd tried to burn Jeffrey…

He didn't want to think about that. He'd only defended himself. Jeffrey was the bad guy here.

Wystan and Eban were going to kill him. He'd revealed their secret, shown a human that something less than ordinary lurked on Berner's streets. He sighed. He'd kicked his brothers out of his house and of course, now he had to find them. Today got better and better.

This was one of those mornings he should have stayed in bed. It was difficult to say who would be angrier, Wystan or Eban. Eb's job as liaison meant he kept the humans from suspecting their neighbors were demons or deities and provided the magic that produced glamour. If Jeffrey started spouting off that the Heckmasters were demons, they'd have a riot on their hands.

Just like the one that ended in their mother's death. A pang hit him in the chest. He wasn't worried for himself or his brothers, but for Rhia, Beryl and Sylvie. Their children. The women were human and the kids were a quarter demon, but they were innocent in all of this. The same way Seneca's sons and daughter had been. He had to protect them no matter what. If it meant dying to save them, so be it.

He'd try to find Wystan at the jail first, then grab Eban from the clinic. The second he pictured the jailhouse, the floor dropped out from beneath him.

He landed on Wystan's desk, his heel inches from his brother's fingers.

“What the hell?” Wystan rolled his chair away from the desk.

Tell blinked and shook his head. “Well, that's new.”

Wystan's brow furrowed. “How?”

Tell stepped off the desk and thumped onto the floor. “I just thought about it and
poof
. Without a poof though. I was planning to walk. Doesn't matter, I have something else to tell you.”

“It's bad,” Wystan guessed.

“Worse. Jeffrey Spinner, Sylvie's buddy, came to my house and he
knows,
Wys.” He plucked at the hole in his sleeve, then showed Wystan his hand. “He burned me with silver.”

Wystan's jaw dropped.

“I might have scared God into him for that. I kind of melted his silver ring.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn't plan it, but I got so pissed at him for threatening me. He said if I didn't order Sylvie to start seeing him again, he'd say I did bad things to her when she was little.”

“Shit.” Wystan leaned back in his chair. “Where is he now?”

“Don't know. I ran him off, told him to get out of town, but I doubt he listens.” His chest burned with new anger. “I don't want this to turn into a witch hunt. I'm worried he might tell the rest of the town and it's all gonna go to hell.”

“Shit.” Wystan dragged his hand down his face.

“Before you get pissed off at me, I only did what I had to do to protect myself. I didn't hurt him.” Could have. Wanted to. But hadn't. “Might've scared him a little.” Or a lot.

Wystan's mouth pinched and he sighed. “I believe you did what came naturally when he threatened you. Can't fault you for that. It's hard to hold the demon when someone is at your throat. You're sure he's not hurt?”

“Pretty sure.” Relief nudged some of his anxiety away. If Wys wasn't mad, it was one less issue he had to worry about. “I wouldn't have done it if he hadn't come at me with silver.”

Wystan nodded. “Fair enough. That thing you did when you came here by thinking about it?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you do it again?” Wystan rose.

“I can try. I can't guarantee we're not going to end up on Eban's roof, if that's what you're asking.” If they were lucky. For all he knew, they'd wind up in Australia. But what the hell, the man wanted to travel. “When you're ready.”

Wystan rounded the desk. When he offered his hand, there was no backing out of it.

“Hope you kissed Rhia and the kids goodbye this morning.” Tell latched onto Wystan's arm.

Wystan grinned.

The floor swayed, vanished, and they dropped into the study of Eban's clinic. More precisely, on top of Eban. The three of them hit the floor in a heap.

Eban's eyes bulged and he groaned.

“Coulda been worse.” Tell disentangled himself from his brothers.

Eban coughed and pushed Wystan away from him. “What the hell are you two doing? How are you—why would you—don't ever! Stop doing things like that.”

“I didn't intend to use you as a cushion.” Tell picked up his hat. “It wasn't pleasurable for me either.”

“Stop using those powers. I swear, I think you
want
to turn into a hell-raising demon.” Eban brushed at his clothing. “Why are you here?”

A little guilt washed over Tell. “You're mad. C'mon, Eb, what's the worst that could happen?”

“I don't know—you could transport yourself to Hell and create all kinds of trouble. That's the last thing we need. I like the way my life is going. I have a wife and children to think of. You want me to have to tell them that uncle Tell is plotting to murder all of us because he has no impulse control?” Eban scraped his hand through his hair.

The motion was slow enough to reveal that Eban's cuticles were raw and red.

Anger and disappointment flooded through Tell. “I have control. Plenty of control.” His fingers tingled. “For example, I'm not setting you on fire right now.”

Eban jabbed his finger at Wystan. “And you. Letting him use those powers. I know you know better, because we both know about power.”

“You're jealous because you have to walk everywhere.” Tell shoved his hands into his pockets. “I swear by all that's holy, I'm not about to raise an army from Hell or try to take over the world.”

“Enough.” Wystan stepped between them. “Spinner knows about us. If he tells the other humans, we've got a problem on our hands.”

Eban's mouth opened and closed with a snap. His sharp gaze pierced Tell.

“Instead of blaming me, we could figure out a solution.” Tell ran his thumb over his knife sheath. “I say we kill him.”

Wystan glared. “Not an option.”

“He damn well didn't show any mercy when he thought he'd compel me into doing his dirty work.” He wasn't going to forgive easily for that.

“Wait, wait. He tried to
compel
you?” Eban's face reddened. “He doesn't know as much as he thinks he does then.”

Tell snorted. “I never thought he was particularly bright.” Nowhere good enough for his Sylvie.

“We need to find him and smooth this over before he makes it public that things aren't as clean-cut as they seem. So Eban and I will talk to him.” Wystan held up his hand when Eban started to protest. “Tell, you make sure he hasn't gone to bother Sylvie again.”

He bristled at the order. “Why do I feel like you're trying to get rid of me? Check on Sylvie? I taught her how to shoot. She doesn't need a bodyguard.”

“You think she carries a gun to work?” Wystan asked.

“You think she doesn't? That's cute. She's smarter than that. But if you think I need a mindless chore while the big boys handle the schoolyard bully, fair enough.” He shrugged. “I'd say I got the better end of the deal. Enjoy spending time with Spinner. I'm interested to hear what he has to say about me.”

Eban grabbed his arm. “You walk. Don't you dare show up in her shop the way you did here.”

Tell rolled his eyes. “It'd scare her employees to death if I poofed in there that way. I'm not an imbecile.”

“It's debatable. Don't do anything we wouldn't do.” Wystan threw him a dark look.

He yanked his arm out of Eban's grasp. “I've been taking care of myself for years. I think I can handle a little walk across town.” If he didn't get the urge to set someone or something on fire. Or run into Spinner before his brothers.

“You check on her, you go straight home afterward,” Eban said.

“Yes, Ma. I'll be sure to do that.” Tell shook his head. “Can I go now, or are there other instructions?”

Wystan gestured at the door.

“Give Spinner my best.” He winked at Wystan, faking humor he didn't feel. The temptation to disappear in front of them was strong, but he left through the door the way they'd ordered. Between the two of them, they could come up with some sort of story to feed Spinner that would put out the fire Tell had caused.