Demon's Dream (10 page)

Coyote listened and sympathized with him as he contemplated which ancient artifact his family defended and how he could get his hands on it. As he plied the wolf with alcohol, he continued to make a mental note of all he was told; such as where the family lived, how many there were at the property at any given time and the dangers they endured on a daily basis, especially from a rival wolf pack who kept trying to claim their territory.

When he gleaned as much as he possibly could, Coyote left Sebastian to his own intoxicated devices while he headed back home to start doing some research and plan on how to get his hands on the covetous object.

Coyote quickly discovered that what the family watched over, or more aptly the women of the family guarded was the Gem of Avarice. The energy of the relic was reputed to increase the power strength of the individual who wielded it a hundred fold. With the abilities it provided, Coyote could overthrow most of the Native American Pantheon and lead those who would be loyal to him and his ideals. However, he was going to need to enlist some help in completing his plans, especially if he wanted his hands to appear clean, just in case something went awry.

Days later, Coyote materialized in the heart of the rival wolf encampment, who would just as soon see Sebastian and his family dead as to be friends with them.

The pack surrounded Coyote almost immediately, growling and snarling for dominance against the intruder who dared to teleport into their very midst. Although, admittedly, they were impressed with his gall.

Coyote held up his hands, palms outward. “I have a proposition for you. Or would you prefer that I go to the pack that lives on the other side of the mountain?”

That certainly caught their attention. Bitter enemies for centuries over who had the rights to the land that they both occupied just on different sides of the plateau, the pack would be damned if that let the intruder go to offer a deal to those of Sebastian’s pack.

The leader of the pack approached Coyote, sending him a telepathic thought, “Speak. I’ll listen and then determine whether or not your life is worth sparing.”

Coyote moved closer to the pack alpha. “I heard a rumor that the Lobos pack was planning on attacking yours at the light of the next full moon. They said they were done pretending you didn’t exist and they would make their desires happen by finally eliminating you once and for all.”

The alpha stepped forward while simultaneously shifted into human form. His fur retracted into his dark brown skin. His nose receded into his face as his features became rounder, more humanoid. As he stood on his hind quarters, his body elongated and his legs filled out. His arms became more muscular while his claws became pronounced fingers. When he spoke, his voice was rich and deep as his amber eyes continued to glare at Coyote.

“Just how, pray tell, do you happen to know what the Lobos pack plan on? Did they take an ad on a billboard announcing their intentions and asking for assistance? Because I know for a fact those weak asses are too decrepit to do anything on their own and far too benighted to come up with a plan without aegis.”

Coyote scoffed at them. “You sound more interested in
how
I know things instead of what the things I know are. Are you a wolf pack or a rat pack? Because I have better things to do than play ring around the rosy with you. If you’re not interested in my counsel then I’ll bid you farewell.”

“No. I’m interested in your information. However, one wonders what you get out of the knowledge you’re willing to share so freely. As we have learned long ago, nothing is free and everything comes at a price.”

“Do I fucking look like the United States Government? I’m not planning on stealing anything more from you or any of our people. We all suffered enough of that centuries ago. Why I share these details with you is of my own concern. You can take the guidance I provide or not. I won’t offer it again.”

The alpha wolf extended his hand as he stepped forward. “Come smoke the pipe with us and share your wisdom of our enemies.”

Coyote smirked as he followed the male to the fire that burned deeper within their village. Getting them to trust him enough with his falsified particulars was half the battle. Now he needed them to act on it. He wasn’t the trickster God for nothing.

Coyote stood on the hill in the dark shadows. He leaned against the mounds of stone and dirt as he watched his plans manifest out below him. The Lobos were being slaughtered by the rival pack with a viciousness he had not seen from his people in eons. The scent of blood was heady, permeating the air with a strong sense of finality and death.

His eyes narrowed as he observed the scenes enacted before him. He tried to sense the stone and wondered why the Guardian did not reveal it and use it against their attackers in order to protect themselves, their children, their families. Most of the Lobos were already slaughtered by the cruel attacks of the wolves. Coyote needed to know where the stone was hidden. If the Lobos clan did not use it, it must mean it wasn’t within their reach.

He would have to save a female Lobos and track her to the stone. One who was young and inexperienced would give him the opportunity to obtain his desire. It was then he saw her- a young woman with long blond hair and a lithe figure. She moved with a gracefulness that belied her youthfulness. His eyes never left her. She had to escape in order to lead him to the gem and he would make sure she was safe until her usefulness expired.

When Coyote noticed two of the rival pack give chase while her brother sacrificed himself in order to draw the rest of them away, he leant his omnipotent guidance to her to remove the threat of the wolves that would have easily overpowered and killed her otherwise.

He made sure she remained protected enough to get away. He then watched her for days as she wept over the loss of her entire pack while she continued to run. He almost felt for her. She was so innocent and so lost in the world she had been secluded from for the majority of her young life. She was alone and yet she still struggled to survive, despite her inexperience.

When she did not lead him to the stone immediately, or even months later, he decided he would call in some assistance. Coyote pulled Mani’s marker and set the spirit demon on her trail. It was months before Mani reported back to him. So many, in fact, that Coyote thought the wolf was the wrong choice and she would never be the Guardian for something so important. Imagine his surprise when he looked up to find the Mani standing in front of him waiting to be acknowledged.

“Well? What do you have to report?”

“She moved it to a cave in South American. Implanted the gem deep within.”

“Why did you not just bring it to me?” Coyote had never told him what it was so he didn’t fear the demon betraying him.

“I cannot. I don’t have the brute strength to get past her wards.”

“Ah, so the wolf is gaining her powers and knows to put wards up. She has grown up quickly. Give me the exact location and I’ll retrieve it on my own.”

Mani let Coyote enter his mind and retrieve the information for himself. Mani couldn’t get out of Coyote’s presence any faster if he tried, once Coyote had all the details from him. Coyote immediately dismissed Mani from his thoughts while he digested the knowledge he obtained.

The little wolf was smart or extremely lucky. She buried the stone in a cave in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana, lying southwest in South America, which shares borders with Brazil and Venezuela. Coyote was furious at where she had placed the stone. The area was under the protection of another pantheon and if he even thought of entering the area, not only would those Gods be furious and possibly start a war but his own pantheon would hang him out to dry for such an act of treason.

There had to be some way to obtain the stone and still maintain the tentative peace between the two pantheons. Then Coyote had a brilliant idea. Send a demon in for it, one whom Coyote could easily defeat and steal the stone from once he obtained it. If the demon failed then he would send another and none would be the wiser that he was the instigator behind the constant attempts at retrieval. Imagine his surprise when Azamel became involved. It would just be his luck that he would choose the demon, Xon, who was already on the run from the Judge, thereby getting Mel involved. What surprised Coyote even more was Mel’s apparent care for the young wolf. Granted, the woman was beautiful but something else touched a part of Mel that Coyote had not seen since he persuaded Nokomis. Mel didn’t care about her and was just using her to get to Astaria, the Goddess of the stars and a woman whom Nokomis hated with a passion.

Coyote convinced Nokomis by arranging a slight meeting between Azamel and Astaria and letting Nokomis see the two of them together, thereby confirming the story of Coyote’s as well as increasing Nokomis’ distrust of Astaria further. Coyote clearly remembered the tortured, pained look as Nokomis walked away from Mel on that day so long ago and the look of disgust on her face while Mel looked as if his whole world ended. Granted, thanks to Coyote’s little tricks, Mel was branded with a demon inside. Yet, somehow Mel managed to use the curse to his advantage. He rose quickly under their father’s guidance and became the judge and when need be, the executioner of demon kind, reigning in those who threatened the human race.

What Coyote did not expect was Jes sensing the stone once Xon freed it from the cave. He had to give Jes a bit of credit for understanding the atmospheric vibrations of the powerful stone as it reverberated throughout the cosmos. However, even Coyote had to admit that in a way it served his advantage to have Jes detect the massive power given off by the gem.

It was because of Jes realizing where the stone ended up after Xon was executed that got Nana involved. Once Jes was involved, it enabled Coyote to remain in the background should something else go awry. Jes would take the fall and not him. What more could one ask for?

It wasn’t like Jes had much to do anyways. He was a weasel as far as Coyote was concerned- never doing anything of importance. Despite everything that Coyote arranged for Azamel when the kid was sixteen, Mel managed to still be one of the most powerful beings in the cosmos. His older brother, Jes, however had no backbone and expected things handed to him on a silver platter.

Even when Nana did Jes’ calling it was obvious that the weasel wouldn’t amount to much of anything. Coyote laughed as his thoughts turned to what Jes was declared by Nana after the dream walk. The title of Supreme Being of the Malignant Man.

‘
Yeah, that was something to scare every creature that walked the land. Not.’

Coyote discontinued his pacing and plopped on his leather office chair propping his feet up. He would have to continue cautiously as he waited for Azamel to follow Nana’s orders and kick Clarissa back into the human realm with the stone. He would have to figure a way to get the gem from her without her realizing it and before she hid it again in some area that he would be unable to pursue.

As Coyote continued to plan, he realized he would have the best chance by involving Jes further into his scheme. Coyote rubbed his hands together as an idea began to congeal within his mind.

Chapter Ten

A light rap on the solid oak door reverberated throughout the room, breaking the oppressive stillness that surrounded Clarissa as she starred at words in a book but didn’t really see them. As she lifted her head from the book, Shara entered. Clarissa uncurled herself from the wing-backed chair by the lit fireplace to face the judge’s assistant and waited to see what was going on. Since Shara rarely interacted with her, Clarissa knew her visit was fortuitous as the woman strode into the room announcing Clarissa had a visitor waiting for her in the reception chamber.