Not Just Another Fae (Vegas Fae Stories Book 4) (17 page)

"Although we have concluded that the same Demon was not
in evidence here, the outcome could be just as dangerous. As you are aware, Stockton's
spell has released at least four Demons, all of which were later killed by our
Fae partners. A fifth, which has yet to be identified as a Demon, or other Spirit,
appeared here after the original four, and was also dispatched by the Fae. What
you may not know is that at least three other beings who are not Demons, nor
Mesopotamian, have also been freed from their Hells as a result. These...
humans, are being debriefed as we speak. What that means is that Stockton's
spell is still active, and the doorway he created on the other side is unstable."

He paused as the room digested what he had said, waiting
only for the buzz of voices to quiet down before continuing.

"Teleportation, whether by spell or design, is nothing
new. Wizards and Mages have been summoning Demons for as long as history has
been recorded. In most cases, once the spell has been cast the Demon appears
and that is that. Another spell must be used to bind the Demon to this world.
To open a gateway to any of the Hells, by itself, is not that difficult, but
what Stockton did went beyond that. It was not a summoning. Instead, he created
an actual doorway into the Underworld. One that appears to be moving between
the various Hells; including those of cultures long dead and once thought lost
and inaccessible.

"Hell is a relative term. There are as many Hells as
cultures to serve them. Some are places of punishment, such as Tartarus. Others,
places of reward, such as the Elysium Fields. They are also supposed to be a one-way
street, to coin a phrase. With very few exceptions on record, one is not simply
able to waltz in and out of the afterlife with ease. In any case, access to a
particular Hell is limited to the people it is bound to. Once they are gone, the
Hell is closed off. Only a powerful summoning can call a Demon forth once that
has occurred." He stopped and looked around the room, then smiled and
shook his head.

"My apologies, I did not mean to turn this into a
lecture. Suffice it to say, that while we do not know exactly what Stockton
did, we have been able to determine that he used a talisman, most likely one
belonging to this Marissa, or Mary Aiken, as she is also known, and teleported
it into the Underworld, attempting to create a portal to free her. Obviously,
it did not materialize in Tartarus. Instead, his spell went awry, and now this
same talisman is somehow jumping between the various Hells, including those
once thought lost. While it could eventually make its way to its intended
destination, which is a problem in and of itself, we have no idea what else
will appear in the meantime. While we cannot track the spell at that end, if we
can have a team close by the moment a gate opens here, I believe I can craft a
spell to close it permanently. But timing will be critical. These gateways do
not stay open for long. Fortunately, this phenomenon seems to be contained
locally, so we have an area small enough to monitor."

"Agent Mark Browne will be leading the teams of Mages
and Wizards assigned to that task," Samson said, getting up from his seat.
"The rest of you will be coordinating with Lieutenant O'Malley and
Siegfried Dorvaror of the Neptune to handle anything else that appears until we
can get this gateway closed. Remember, should you be confronted, magic alone
may not be not enough. Therefore, your teams will also be armed with weapons
specifically chosen for this case. Your particular assignments and team make up
are in your files."

"There is one more thing," Ordunez said, before
Samson could dismiss the meeting. "As Director Samson indicated, last
night's sweep identified several more of Stockton's followers. Two of which had
these." He pulled a cellphone out of his pocket and held it up. "This
one has been modified and contains a rather sophisticated enchantment. One used
as a transportation spell. That is most likely what was used to convey the Demon
to the boy after Stockton summoned it. We know that there are more of his
followers carrying these out there. Once the spell, is cast, the phone is
rendered useless. Do not take chances. It could be used to escape, or to bring
reinforcements when confronted."

"That's it then," Samson said. "Agent Theno
will be available to discuss additional resources if needed. Dismissed."

There were a few minutes of greetings between us, as many of
the Agents stopped by to introduce themselves. Jay and I had a moment to speak
before he was called away as well. He was going to be pretty busy today, so
he'd probably grab a room at the office tonight. They had a number of single
rooms for use during long operations. After he told me he'd see me tomorrow, I
left him to his duties. As the room started to clear up, Samson and Ordunez
approached.

"Do you two have a few minutes to meet in private?"
Samson asked, indicating me and Meredith. "It'll be quieter next door and
our agents will be meeting with your people to discuss coordination of assets."

She looked over and we both nodded. Samson then led us to a
smaller conference room just next door.

"I just had a few things," Samson said as we all
sat down. "I also wanted to introduce you to Doctor Ordunez."

"A pleasure,' I said, getting up and extending my hand
as Ordunez stood.

"The pleasure is mine," he replied. "I had
heard that the High Fae had returned. Pardon my saying so, but you are not
quite what I expected; even after hearing about you from the Director."

"I get that a lot," I said, with a chuckle. "And
I expected something different when I heard a Sorcerer was going to be here."

"No doubt someone wearing robes and a hood, carrying a
staff, perhaps?" Ordunez said, chuckling as well.

"Something like that," I replied. "So how can
I be of service?"

"To begin with," Samson continued. "We
received word that one of the Keres made an appearance here."

News travels fast, but it wasn't surprising. Meredith, still
the coordinator for Fae activities in the area, was also responsible for
keeping the government abreast of any new Fae that came into the area. While I
doubted that she passed everything along, the arrival of the Keres would
certainly warrant a report.

"That's true," I replied. "One showed up
after I had a run in with a local Mage and his troupe. That's the first time
that one has been seen here, from what I've been told."

"The Keres do not normally socialize with other beings,"
Ordunez remarked. "As Angels of Death, their... interests, do not coincide
with the rest of the Fae. However, as a High Fae, it has occurred to me that she
might be drawn to you. If only to watch for your victories, expecting there to
be many, as there were for the Gods of old. Should she appear again, we were
hoping that you might be able to garner information from her."

"About what?" I asked, glancing over at Meredith
who was suppressing a smile.

"While it is not known if they enter the actual Hells
themselves, they do deposit souls at the gates," Ordunez replied. "I
had hoped it would be possible to convince her to let us know if they see
anything out of the ordinary. Such as the appearance of the talisman, or even a
gateway or portal. With such a warning, we would be better prepared to find its
location here. It is highly unlikely, but every bit helps."

"I thought you said you couldn’t track it," I
said. "What good would watching Hades do?"

"We believe the Keres travel to many Hells,"
Ordunez replied. "Warriors that die in battle can be from anywhere. If
that is so, it is possible that she could have access to many such places in
the Underworld."

"There is one more thing," Samson said. "You
are the heir of Demeter, which means you are also the heir of Persephone. Is it
possible that you could go there and return?"

"I've considered that option," I replied. "But
I've been to the gates, at least those of Hades, and I don’t know any way to
enter, let alone get back."

"That is correct," Meredith said. "We have
been there together. Even if one of the Fae could get inside, they would be cut
off from their source of magic. Even Robert would have to deal with that issue.
As best I know, there are none now living that can do such a thing."

"That is unfortunate," Samson said. "But it
is the same with my kind. Banished from both Heaven and Hell, we cannot make
such a journey."

"Wait a minute," I replied, Meredith's response made
me think. "Let's say I could get into one of the Hells. Where would I even
start to look for this thing?"

"That is something I have been thinking about since I
heard that Stockton was tied to a dark High Fae," Ordunez said. "I
had hoped that since you both are bound by your Fae prophesy, whatever talisman
of hers he used might call to you as well. If it does, then perhaps you could
locate it. Assuming, of course, that you could travel there."

"That's a pretty big if," I said. "And even
if I was drawn to it, how would I get from one Hell to another?"

"I'm still working on that," he admitted. "You
would need something that would get you past the gates."

"And we have already agreed that it would be impossible
to test this theory," Meredith said. "It would be a fool's errand."

"I never said I was going," I said, raising my
hands in defense." I was just curious."

"Thank you for at least considering it," Samson
said. "It was something we had to ask."

"Yes," Ordunez said, lifting one eyebrow. "As
I explained, it was just a thought."

"I understand." I replied, aware that he knew he
had gotten my attention. "I will at least try to talk to the Keres. As you
said, it's a long shot, but what do we have to lose?"

"I can’t believe you would even consider such a thing,"
Meredith said as the four of us exited the compound. With Browne involved in
the search for the gateway, we'd hitched a ride back with Siegfried and
Meredith.

"Well, I had to at least act like I was considering it,"
I said.

"What are we discussing?" Siegfried asked, without
turning his eyes from the road.

"They wanted him to go to Hades," Meredith
explained. "As if it were that simple."

"An interesting idea," Siegfried replied. "Unfortunate
that it is not possible."

"Even if you could get there," Michael said. "What
makes them think you could find the portal, or even which Hell it is in?"

"Ordunez seems to think I would be drawn to whatever
object that Stockton sent there," I replied. "He thinks it was
something of Marissa's and thinks we are both linked by the prophecy of the
High Fae."

"Sounds like he's grasping at straws," Michael
said. "Did he have anything to back that theory up?"

"Not that he mentioned," I said. "But he's a
Sorcerer. Who knows what his thought process is."

"Sorcerer or not," Meredith said. "That was an
irrational thought. It is one thing to risk one's life, it is another to do so
foolishly."

"I agree," Siegfried said. "There is still
the issue of crossing multiple gates. How did he expect you to travel between
the worlds?"

"We didn’t get that far," I replied. "So what
are you two going to be doing?"

"Coordinating any future sightings," Siegfried
replied.

"Not much will change," Michael said. "We'll
still use the current system of notification. The only difference is that we'll
field a few more Fae and pair them up with some of the locals and Feds. I've
already talked to Martin and he's in. Hopefully, the Wizards and Mages will
find some way to give us a heads up when a portal appears."

We spent the rest of the drive discussing policy. Meredith's
people knew what they were doing, so I didn't worry too much about the
specifics of the operation. I'd had my fill of Demon slaying, so sharing the
responsibility was just fine with me. When we arrived at the house, I said my
goodbyes and went in through the gate. Charlie was already waiting.

"You didn’t miss anything," I said as he followed
me into the house. "Let me get some sleep. I'll let you know what we're
going to do next."

A couple hours later, and only a little bit more refreshed,
I went downstairs and started the coffee, deciding on a
God does not protect
fools
mug that I'd found at a garage sale. I tried to figure out my next
move, but my caffeine starved brain refused to cooperate. Instead, I waited for
the coffee to brew before making any decisions.

Ordunez had a good point, I thought, as the caffeine jump
started my brain. But not just because the portal needed to be closed. I'd
actually considered the possibility before he mentioned it, but I hadn’t put
all the pieces together to make it happen. And it wasn't just about the Demons.
No, there were some interesting possibilities there. But first, I needed more
information. Time to play investigator again. Contacting the Keres was on my
list, but first, I needed to know about the orb.

Its appearance just hours before the fight with the.... whoever
he was, was just too convenient. As was the ease of dispatching the attackers
that carried it. And the Keres? Amazing how someone that transports souls to
Hell shows up the day before you're asked if you can go there. Too many
coincidences. I figured that Gaea was pulling the strings, but I still couldn’t
tell what game we were playing. But first things first. I picked up my
cellphone to make a call.

His name was Walter Ferrer. He was a descendant of Vulcanus,
the Roman God of Fire, and an expert on ancient Fae weapons. Once again, I was
meeting him at a restaurant near Sahara and the Strip. This time it was the
Flock and Fowl. Walter had a thing for Asian fusion and this place boasted the
best Hainan chicken rice in town. I'd eaten here before. Owned by the same Chef
that had built Fat Choy's, it was another hidden gem among Las Vegas' finest
eateries. Not to mention that the dipping sauces were akin to ambrosia.

"Thanks for seeing me," I said as I sat down.

"I've been trying to get out of the office all day,"
he replied, glancing at the menu. "Let's order."

"So what can I do for you?" he asked as the
waitress left.

"I need to know if you've ever seen one of these,"
I said, pulling the orb out of my pocket and placing on the table.

"Where in the Gods!" he said, his eyes wide. "Hold
on a minute." He took out an old lighter and lit it, muttering a few words
of what I knew to be a privacy spell. When he was done, he looked around the
restaurant. Satisfied, he turned back to me.

"Where in Vulcan's name did you find that?" he
asked.

"Took it off a Mage," I replied. "One that
was trying to kill me."

"A Mage?" he repeated. "Carrying this? Here?
May I see it?"

"Just don't throw it at anything," I replied,
handing the orb to him.

"This is odd," he said after he examined it for a
moment. Then frowned as he ran his hands over the worn script. "Someone
has obliterated the characters?"

"I thought it was just worn."

"Wait," he replied. Glancing to the side, he
covered the orb with his hands and said a few words, the privacy spell lifting
a bit as the waitress returned with our order. When she had gone, he recast the
spell, then turned back to me. "Worn? No. Someone did this intentionally.
I couldn’t even begin to tell you how. Bastards!"

"Walter," I said. "What are you talking about?"

"This," he replied, holding the worn spot towards
me "It's been defaced!"

"So you know what it is," I said.

"Of course," he said, shaking his head "But
how did the Mage come by it? And how did it get here? Its existence has only
been spoken of in legend."

"I don’t know," I replied. "And he's dead, so
I can’t ask him. So what is it?"

"Oh. Sorry," he replied. "It's just that weapons
like this are a passion of mine."

"I know it's a weapon," I said. "I've used
it. But where did it come from?"

"It's a Demon Queller," he said after a moment. "Or
at least part of a Demon Queller's kit. It's ancient Chinese. Way before our
time. Way before
The Fall
, as a matter of fact. The characters have been
obscured, but I'm sure it was a weapon carried by Zhong Kui."

"And he is?"

"A Demon Slayer," he replied. "One of the
best, too, at least according to the legend. He was sent out by the king of
their Hells to return rogue Ghosts and Demons. The Chinese have a lot of Hells
and apparently that was a problem in those days. He had a variety of weapons he
used to dispatch them. This is one of them."

"You mean those that escaped?" I asked, holding my
hand out.

"I suppose, since this is probably only effective on
the outside," he replied, returning the orb. "Trying to kill a Demon
or Ghost in Hell isn’t going to work since they’re already dead. They'd simply
come back. Although it would slow them down for a bit. But why would he do that?
He was after those that escaped, he would have had other tools to handle
internal matters. We also know he could travel between the worlds. The legend
says that he later became the King of Ghosts and would visit the Earth once a
year."

"Why would someone try to obscure the name?" I
asked,

"That's what I can’t figure out," he replied. "Unless
it was to hide what it is. There is no way to know what characters have been
removed, but there’s nothing else like it, so trying to hide it is foolish. But
I am curious about how a Mage could get his hands on it in the first place.
This thing is ancient. We wouldn’t even have known it existed if Zhong Kui
hadn’t appeared to the Emperor of China sometime during the 8
^th
century. Even then, it was only in a dream. But the dream was so vivid that the
Emperor had everything transcribed. That's the only reason we know about it at
all. This shouldn't be here. Wait, you say you used it? How? When?"

"Killed a Demon," I replied. "The other night.
Well, at least I think it was a Demon. Big thing, like a Centaur on steroids,
only it had the body of a bull."

"Damn," he said, taking a bite from his plate. "I
wish I could have seen that."

"Trust me," I replied, picking up my chopsticks. "Be
glad you didn't."

I dug in. I hadn’t eaten since yesterday and the meal was,
as always, delicious. I spent the rest of the time answering questions between
bites, but I didn't mind. Although he'd only given me more to think about, the information
I obtained was interesting. It made me more convinced that someone else had
already decided where I was going. If that was the case, then I needed to make
sure it was worth it.

It was dark by the time I made it back home. First, I asked
Charlie to go find Alf, then I started the coffee. As I poured my first cup, he
returned with the Imp in tow.

"Sit," I said as I poured a double shot Middleton
whiskey into a tumbler, before pushing it in the Imp's direction.

He jumped up into the chair, eyeing me warily as he took the
glass and raised it to his lips.

"Tis just a thought, " he said, wryly. "Perhaps
it is your intent that I become a wee bit tipsy." Then he downed the
whiskey in one gulp, wiping his mouth with his hands."

"Just payment in advance," I said, noting the use
of the accent again. He hadn’t used that one since the day he was first caught.

"How then, may I be of service?"

"First off," I said. "Let's cut the bullshit.
There's several things going on and I've got a feeling you know more than I do.
So tell me what you've learned."

"Much you already know," he replied, and preceded
to tell me what I had already been told by the Fed's during the briefing. But
then it got interesting. "The Keres is the key. Kyras is a queen herself, she
can take you to Hades."

"Even if she leads me to the gates," I said,
wondering how he knew so much about her. "What then? How do I get in? Everyone
is telling me that it's a one-way trip, and I'll have no power when I get
there. That's not gonna be much help. "

"You are not like the other Fae, as I am sure Bernd has
told you. You do not need the forests and the light. You can draw magic from
anywhere. But it is true; your powers will be greatly reduced in that place."

"I can find the way," Charlie said. "You will
need my nose if you must travel there and I already know the dark Fae's scent."

"I'd already planned on taking you," I said. "If
I can be sure of at least a chance of being successful. But there's still the
matter of getting in; not to mention crossing the gates."

"It is true. Even though you are of the line of
Persephone, you cannot cross the Acheron while alive to get to the gate,"
Alf continued. "But if you could find another way in, as the heir, you would
be able to enter the palace of Hades. Therein lies the Helm of Darkness, as
well as other artifacts. If you can acquire that, then all the gates will be
open to you."

"What about Charlie?" I asked. "How am I
going to hide him?

"The Helm is more than a simple cap of invisibility, as
some myths have held. Instead, it shrouds your presence from view and senses,
as well as anything with you. As long as he stays close, he will stay hidden as
well.

"So all I need to do is find a way into Hades."

"That, the Keres can do," he said.

"I don’t understand," I said. "I thought she
only delivered souls to the gates."

"That is true," he replied. "But that does
not mean she is barred from entry. It is said that Nyx herself had a palace in
Tartarus."

"How do you know this stuff?" I asked,
suspiciously.

"Because he is a purveyor of lost and hidden secrets,"
Lucinda said.

I hadn’t noticed when she came into the room.

"As are all of his kind." She jumped up on the
table, her tail twisting back and forth. "Usually dangerous ones, and not
always accurate. But this time he may be correct. Now tell him the rest."

"I was getting there," Alf said, defensively. "You
didn't let me finish."

"Wait a minute," I said, not sure if I understood
what was going on. "Are you two actually agreeing on something?"

"In this case," Alf replied. "She wants the
same thing as I do."

"Which is?"

"To return Bernd to the land of the living." she
said.

If I was being led down this path, at least this was
something that made the risk worthwhile. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be a
cakewalk. I wasn't sure what they knew, or even how they knew, but both had
warned me that my powers would be weaker there, and I couldn’t use my sword. At
least not without abandon. While the Helm of Darkness would help the wearer
stay hidden; Zeus' sword would stand out like a beacon in the night. Stealth
was the battle plan here, not a full frontal assault. This was not my domain, after
all, and each version of Hell had its own rules. I doubted it was even worth bringing
a gun. If I was really going to do this, then I'd have to choose my weapons
well.

Now, I just needed to call Diantha for any advice she might
have as to dealing with the Keres. I could have guessed what she'd say.

Throwing some sweats over my Fae armor few hours later, I left
the house looking like just another guy on a jog. The cemetery wasn't far,
maybe a mile, and I took the side streets to be less noticeable. I always found
it interesting to note the temperature drop as you got close. I'd like to say
it was something otherworldly, but most likely it was just the large amount of
real grass and the late sprinklers that made the place a bit cooler than the
surrounding asphalt and desert. Cutting through a gap in the fence, I ditched
the sweats and switched into my Fae persona. No one was likely to notice. At
this time of night, the place was deserted.