Vengeance of the Demons (32 page)

“Mother? Mother!” Selene shook her mother’s ragged form, but Yelena didn’t respond. Selene’s body grew and darkened. A tail split a hole in her pants. She rose from the ground, her eyes glowing like purple embers. Mason continued to punch Mephisto as Selene unleashed her magick upon him.

Mephisto’s body glowed from the inside out and Mason slammed his fist through Mephisto’s ribcage.

“For our mothers.” He yanked Mephisto’s beating heart from his chest, and roared into the sky.

Mephisto’s body spasmed from the onslaught. All around, fighting ceased as everyone gathered to witness the triumph.

Mason got to his feet, Mephisto’s heart still in his hand, and raised it to the sky, letting out a ground-rattling roar. Then he took the heart and bit into it.

William wrinkled his nose. “Must be tradition or something.”

All of the demons grew silent. Mason’s eyes glowed brightly and he became engulfed in flames. Mephisto’s body went rigid and then turned to ash underneath Mason’s foot.

“I am Maelstrom, son of Mephisto, Lord of Destruction, and I now take his place.”

“That can’t be good,” said Tommy.

Evan grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowd. She met up with William and stopped.

“There you are.” William slipped his arm around Evan.

Danika walked to Mason and spoke to him in low tones. He replied but no one could hear what they said. Finally, Mason nodded and he followed Danika, Selene, and Neeman to the huge assemblage, throwing Mephisto’s heart to the ground.

“Bow,” he commanded the group.

The demons grumbled but all took a knee.

“I am your lord. You will do my bidding. Return home and await me there.”

The demons looked around and then slowly got to their feet, slipped through the rift, and disappeared. William himself felt the compelling nature of Mason’s words, the pull in his gut telling him to follow the rest of the pack through the portal.

Mason’s eyes fell on William. “Not you.”

A wash of relief bathed William and the tug in his gut ceased.

“Where is Lord Garon?” Danika called.

The Vampires looked at each other and someone from the back called out. “He’s here!”

The crowd jostled and rumbled and pushed Lord Garon forward. He ripped from his traitors’ grasps and stood proud at the front of the group.

Danika walked forward and faced Garon. “This man is a traitor to our kind. He consorted with demons and with others to destroy our society. He sold us out in order to save his own skin. For gain, power, and money. In our society such actions are punishable by death.”

A murmur of agreement circled the crowd.

Danika walked to where Garon stood waiting.

“You killed my family. You tried to kill me. You are poison to our kind. A blight on the history of our world. I thereby sentence you to death.”

“You have no authority,” said Garon. “Only one of the kings can sentence me to death.”

“I can.” The white-haired older Vampire, leaning on a cane, walked out of the crowd.

“Sherman,” said William. “I didn’t know he was here.”

“I sentence you to death,” said Sherman. “Your name will be blotted out of our society, your lands divided, and your body left for the sun.” Sherman nodded. “Let it be so.”

“Let it be so,” everyone chanted.

Roth stepped forward with two other trackers and they grabbed Garon by the arms.

“Lord Danika, he has done you the greatest offense; therefore, you are given his blood.”

Danika stepped forward, her hands shaking. She stared at Garon for several minutes opening and closing her mouth as if to say something. Finally, she spit on Garon and turned to Mason.

“I can’t,” she said.

Mason pulled her close and whispered in her ear. She nodded and in an instant whirled around and slashed Garon’s throat with her fingernails.

The gurgle of blood carried on the wind to everyone that gathered around. Then they carried Garon’s body to the middle of the park, stripped it, and dropped it to the ground.

Selene stepped forward to Lorcan. “You will take the fae and depart now.”

“You must come with us,” he said.

“No. I’ll stay behind and close the rift.”

“But the bloodline must continue. Your magick is ancient, and it must be carried on.”

“And it still may, but not with you and not with the fae. You wanted to be safe. To live out your lives apart from this world and safe from the demon realm. I am giving you what you want.”

Lorcan looked like he wanted to argue, but he merely turned to the fae and called them forward.

“You will follow Lorcan through the rift, and I will close the way behind you. Never again will you see this world or be in danger from any of the other races.”

“What if we want to stay?” someone called.

Selene looked to Danika and Mason.

“Those who wish to stay may do so, but you will never be able to return to your plane, and you will be subject to the same laws as everyone else,” said Mason.

Several dozen fae walked forward to stand with Selene. The rest walked to Lorcan and disappeared into the void.

Selene went to the rift and chanted until it closed and disappeared.

Mason walked to the other rift and Selene joined him. Together they closed and sealed the rift to the demon world. Silence fell over the entire park as both rifts drifted away.

Then Sherman turned to the Vampires. “You will return to your respective residences and we’ll meet tomorrow night with a new lord of Las Vegas and two new kings decided.”

The Vampires and vampyr dispersed with murmurs from all around.

“I’ll take the fae to the building where my old apartment is. There are more than enough empty apartments for them to choose from,” said Selene. “We should stay with them until everything is decided.”

Sherman nodded.

Selene walked to her mother’s body. Neeman lifted Yelena and carried her behind Selene out of the park.

Roth gathered up the remainder of the fledgling vampyr and the Tracking Squad.

“We need to clean up the bodies,” said Sherman.

“Put them in a pile and I’ll deal with the rest,” replied Mason.

Roth set about ordering the fledglings around and Evan smacked Tommy in the chest.

“Come on, let’s help.”

“No!” said Mason.

Evan started and a shiver ran down her spine.

“I’d like for you to get William back to Doc and have him check out William’s leg to make sure he’s fine,” said Danika.

“I feel perfect,” replied William.

“Still. I’d like for you to be checked out.” Danika gave him a warm smile.

“You should as well.” Mason nodded at Evan.

William turned to her. “Are you injured?”

She glanced down. “I don’t think so.”

“We want to make sure you’re both all right,” said Danika. “Both of you should rest. We’ll clean up and be home soon.”

William shrugged and wrapped his arm around Evan’s waist. “I think they’re getting rid of us.”

Evan nodded to Tommy and the three walked back to the awaiting vans. Questions swirled in her head about what had happened and what the future held for all of them. The fight with the demons was over and the fae had left as well, but Selene and Mason were as powerful as ever, and the Society was in serious jeopardy of falling apart if Sherman wasn’t able to put it together.

* * * *

“Are you sure?” Evan stared at Doc.

“My dear, I’ve been doing this for a long time. I know a pregnant female when I see one. The heartbeat is strong and you seem to be healthy enough. As vampyr babies grow faster than human babies, I’d say you should be due in about six and a half months.”

“Six?” At this point, she wanted to wait about six months before telling William. She should have remembered these things go faster with vampyr, but somehow that knowledge had slipped her mind.

“I take it you know who the father is?”

“Oh, I know whose he is.” She tried to process the information but couldn’t seem to do it. A baby. She was having a baby. The knowledge both elated and terrified her at the same time. The last time she’d had a baby… This time she was more afraid of raising the child alone than the baby being stolen.

“Would you like me to inform the father?” Doc asked.

Evan shook her head and jumped from the doctor’s table. “No. I’m good, thanks.”

“Are you sure?” His expression remained unconvinced.

“Totally.”

“Well, I’d like you to take these vitamins.” Doc walked to a cabinet in the corner and pulled out a white bottle. “And you need to come see me every two weeks.”

Evan nodded; her mind was numb yet her body ached from the fight.

“And no drinking or too much activity.”

Evan burst out with a laugh. “I guess fighting demons is out of the question?”

Doc’s brows furrowed. “Absolutely.”

She laughed again and covered her mouth with the back of her hand. “Sorry. Can I go now?”

“Yes.”

Evan rushed from the room. Tommy waited in the hallway and stood when she came out.

“Are you okay?”

“Peachy.” She headed for the elevator at the end of the hall.

“Sis, what’s wrong?” He ran to catch up with her.

“Nothing.”

He laid his hand on her arm. “Was it the fight? I know killing can be overwhelming. It takes a lot out of a person to do what we did.”

“It’s not that.” She shook her head. How could she tell him? She wasn’t sure what he’d do when he found out. Would he be happy for her, or would he be like any older brother and want to kill William for getting her pregnant without them being wed?

“What are those?” He pointed to the bottle.

She looked down at the bottle and then shoved them in her pocket. “Vitamins. I’m anemic,” she lied. She pressed the button on the elevator.

“Should we wait for William?”

She stepped into the elevator and pressed the up button. “If you want, stay. I’m tired and sore. I’m gonna take a shower and then head to bed.”

Confusion etched Tommy’s features. “Okay… Well, I’ll walk with you. I could use a shower too.” He jumped in before the doors closed.

Evan refused to look at him. More than anything, she wished she could get in a car and just go for a drive.

* * * *

William exited Doc’s office with a clean bill of health. At least as far as Doc knew. He wasn’t completely up on demon physiology.

He scanned the hallway but neither Evan nor Tommy were anywhere to be seen. He stepped back in Doc’s office.

“Did Evan and Tommy leave?”

“She left about ten minutes ago. Is she your slave? I didn’t realize.”

“No. She’s not my slave. We don’t have slaves anymore, remember?”

Doc nodded. “Oh yes. I forgot.”

“Is she okay?”

Doc stared at him for a minute. “She’s perfectly healthy.”

“Great. Thanks, Doc.”

The old Vampire nodded and William shut the door. He walked up to his room with butterflies in his stomach. He’d been horrible to Evan the last couple of days. He needed to apologize to her. A pit grew in his gut, and he hoped the two girls from earlier hadn’t left anything in his room that Evan would see.

He stepped inside. “Evan?”

His room was spotless. The bed had been remade, the broken chair had been removed, and all of his clothes had been cleaned off the floor.

“Evan?” He looked in the bathroom. His heart sank. She wasn’t there.

He didn’t understand. They’d had a moment, and she knew that he remembered her.

He leaned heavily against the doorjamb of the bathroom. Maybe she’d gone to get a shower and some clothes. He should do the same. Then he’d go see her.

* * * *

William walked to the barracks where all the remaining humans were milling around speaking to anyone they could find. Tommy stood in the midst of them like the day’s hero, chatting and smiling. Sue clung to him as if she’d purchased a new toy.

The two girls from earlier sat on the couch. They spotted him and smiled. Memories of their hours together made him smile but then he coughed and turned away. No. Evan. He wanted Evan.

He walked to the bottom of the stairs, but Tommy caught him by the arm.

“Hey, William. Uh… Evan was super tired so she went to bed.”

William looked up the stairs. “Oh. Of course. It’s been a long couple of days.”

“Yeah. I’ll be sure to let her know that you stopped by when she wakes up.”

“Of course. She knows where I am.”

Tommy gave him a genuine smile. “It’s good to have you back, man.”

William nodded. Every ounce of him wanted to rush up to Evan and make love to her. The happiness and pheromones floating in the air made him twitchy, and after the fight he’d just been in, he needed some good lovemaking to calm him down.

He glanced up the stairs once more and then headed back to the main house.

* * * *

Evan woke up and ran to the bathroom. She barely made it before she retched in the toilet. Damn, she hated this part. She leaned over the toilet bowl, breathing in the bleach fumes and waiting for the nausea to pass.

She’d fallen into bed the night before and cried herself to sleep. There was nothing to do and nowhere to go to think things out and figure out what to do.

If she ran, there was nothing out there. What would she do with a half-vampyr baby? How would she protect it and take care of it?

She dropped onto her butt and hung her head.

The bathroom door opened and she scrambled to her feet.

“Evan?”

She held back a groan. She gripped the door lock and then flushed the toilet and opened the door.

“Hey, bro, what’s up?”

His brows furrowed. “You feelin’ okay?”

“Yup. I’m great.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m fine.” She crossed to the sink to wash her hands.

“Were you drinking again?”

“What? No.”

“Then what?”

She turned off the water and wiped her hands on a towel. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. How’s Sue? She seemed happy to see you come back last night.”

“Yeah, she’s good.” He blushed.

Evan smiled. “Did you two…”

He blushed harder.