Son of No One (28 page)

As they spoke, a dark, whirling vortex opened, similar to the one the demons had emerged from. Fighting against it, the demons began to shriek and run. With skeletal fingers of lightning, the vortex reached out and scooped them in, one by one.

Except for Valac. When the hands reached for him, he blasted them back and laughed.

He, alone, withstood the words of banishment as he hovered over the floor, wings flapping. His eyes a vibrant, scary orange, he glared at Thorn. “We are not done, Forneus! I know you and you will bow before me!”

Thorn laughed at him as he broke from their ranks and charged at the demon. “When hell freezes!” He sent a blast of color at him.

Dodging the blast, Valac attempted to vanish. But Cadegan knew that if he did, he'd be back for the Shield he'd been sent for.

Most of all, he'd be back for Josette.

And that he'd
never
allow.

As Valac dove for the portal, Cadegan did what he'd never done before. What Thorn had banned him from doing.

He summoned the addanc inside and rushed for Valac. Thorn cried out, but he ignored him as he wrapped his body around the older demon and held him.

Valac fought for his freedom. His claws shredded Cadegan's flesh.

It mattered naught.

His fangs elongated, he looked at Josette and felt his powers surge even more. “You will not leave this place,” he growled in their native demonspeak. “You will not threaten what I love. Never again.”

Valac hissed and screamed as Cadegan felt his powers mingle for the first time in his life. Demon crossed the
Tuath Dé
. And as it did so, he used them to rip Valac asunder.

With one last screaming cry, the demon disintegrated.

Cadegan threw his head back and roared as his powers absorbed Valac's and he grew even more powerful.

Jo stumbled back as Cadegan's form changed into something truly terrifying. His form merged with the mangled mess that had been Valac.

Thorn pulled her behind him. His features pale, he angled his sword at Cadegan.

“No!” She put her hand on his arm and angled the blade to the ground.

Swallowing her terror, she forced herself to step around Thorn and approach the demon god. “Cadegan … I know you hear me. And you don't want to hurt me, do you?” She used the same tone in him that she did her puppies. “No, you're a good demon boy, aren't you? You don't want to barbecue us … I can't keep my promise to you if you do.”

He cocked his head and frowned. For a full minute, she thought she was toasted Jo On The floor.

She reached out and touched his leg as he hovered in the air.

At first, he recoiled, then he paused to meet her gaze. “Josette?”

“That's right. You want to come down from the Halloween party now? I give you first prize for the costume, baby.”

He slowly began to transform.

Thorn stepped toward him and he immediately went back.

“Quit!” she snapped at him. “Everybody, step to the rear or out of the room.”

Cadegan lowered himself to the floor. Then he flew to her and wrapped his arms and wings around her body. He laid his head to her shoulder and immediately returned to his human form. Her entire body shaking, Jo handed the Shield, and as she did so, it returned to being a necklace, back to Cadegan.

He brushed his thumb over the three-headed dragon before he placed it around her neck. “You need this, lass.”

She smiled up at him. “Is it over?”

He met his brother's bitterly amused gaze. “Nay, love. The war never ends for those of us who fight it. But we won this day. They won't be back until they regain strength and number.”

Jo scowled at him and then glanced down to the Shield she wore. “I don't understand. How can I use this? I thought you had to be of Dagda's blood for it to work.”

“You do.”

She screwed her face up in distaste. “Please don't tell me we're related. Honey, I ain't
that
Southern.”

Cadegan laughed at her. “Nay, me love. We are not related. But a part of us that is, currently resides inside you.”

“Wombat spotting. What?”

He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. “The son you carry unifies your blood with mine. So long as you carry him, you can wield me shield. ‘Tis why I gave it to you. So that no one could cause either of you harm.”

Gasping, she placed her hand on her stomach. “I'm pregnant?”

He nodded. “The first time I touched you.”

Joy consumed her. She threw herself against his chest and held him tight. “Dang it. I'll never get my June wedding.”

“I will wed you any time you want. Anywhere you want.”

She shook her head. “No. If I'm pregnant now, he'll be born sometime in June. I don't want him to have to compete with our anniversary. June will always be his special month. Alone.”

Karma cleared her throat to get their attention from where she squatted on the floor beside Cal's body. He must have passed out when Valac jumped out to assume his demonic form in order to fight them. “Hey, Jo? Question? Did any of this shit that just happened make it to film?”

Jo sucked her breath in sharply. “No. Sorry. I didn't have time to set up.”

Karma sighed wearily as she rose to her feet. “Fine. That's it, Jo. You're fired. Love you, but you suck at this.”

Thorn scoffed at her. “Actually, she's better at it than you are. I'd take it easy on her. She held quite the swarm back without help. Damn impressive for a woman who has untapped powers and no ability to wield or control them.” He clapped his hand on Karma's shoulder. “Now I'm off to warn Acheron and Stryker that Kessar is back and gunning for them. We might have stopped him today, but he'll return.”

Karma nodded. “I'll let Xedrix know to guard his wife, too. Kessar might try for them. Last thing any of us needs is for the gallu demons to reunite with the Dimme and Charonte. That has demon holocaust written all over it.”

Thorn met Cadegan's gaze. “The war continues and worsens. Oh goodie. We still have jobs.”

Jo laughed at his dry sarcasm.

“Speaking of,” Ioan said as he sat back on his haunches. “You're not going to banish us back to Glastonbury, are you?”

Thorn hesitated. “You've both been a great help. But we do have a problem. You don't exactly blend here.”

“Wait!” Talfryn immediately changed from his gryphon form to that of an extremely handsome man. “If we look like this, can we stay?”

Thorn arched a brow.

Ioan also transformed.

This time, Thorn gaped. He looked at Cadegan. “Did you know they could do that?”

“Of course. Didn't you?”

Thorn appeared a bit embarrassed. “I need to renew my
Mythology Today
subscription.”

Talfryn ignored that. “So we can stay?”

Thorn nodded. “So long as you blend.”

“Awesome sauce!” Talfryn high-fived Ioan. “Now I just need to get laid, and it'll be a perfect day.”

Ioan rolled his eyes. “How did I end up as
your
babysitter?”

“Stop, bitching. I want to learn how to drive. Do you think…” Their voices trailed off as they wandered out of the house and onto the street, with Max and Illarion following at a discreet distance that said they didn't want to be mistaken for friends.

Mama Lisa and Karma surveyed the mess they'd made in the room. Artifacts and furniture were busted and scattered all over. Even one window had been broken out. She glanced to Cal's unconscious body. “Think we'll get paid?”

Karma scoffed. “Honestly? We'll probably be sued … again.”

Selena slapped Karma on the back. “Good thing I married a lawyer, eh?”

As they continued to worry over the pending suit, Jo pulled Cadegan out of the room to speak to him privately in the foyer. “So how did it go with Grace?”

“We were interrupted when you summoned the Shield's power and alerted me that you were in danger, but … she said that I have potential. She sees no reason why I can't learn to fit in here, in this strange world you call home.”

“Good. Is that all she said?”

“She also asked me what it would take to make this place home and to make me happy.”

“So what did you say?”

“You know what I said.”

“But I want to hear you say it.”

“I don't want to say it.” He placed his hand to his shield around her neck. “I'd much rather show it … and speaking of…” He took her hand in his and led her toward the door.

“What are you doing?”

“You have a promise to fulfill, me lady. One I intend to hold you to, as I was a most good boy for Dr. Alexander.”

Thorn watched as they vanished into thin air, no doubt returning to Katateros.

But as they left, the news slammed into him like a fist.

Cadegan had fathered a child with a woman whose bloodline ran straight back to Zeus, himself.

Neither of them understood the importance or strength of that child. Forget Acheron's progeny.

Theirs would be much more devastating in the right or wrong hands.

Shit. The war he feared most, was fast approaching and there would be no way to stop it.

 

20

Thorn froze the moment he returned home to his bleak, dark castle in the Nether Realm of absolute evil. At one time, this had been his father's home.

Until he'd banished the bastard and taken his place.

As he entered his study to drink what he needed for nourishment, he felt a powerful presence in the room.

Thorn glared at the last bastard he wanted to deal with. “What are you doing here?”

With long dark hair and mismatched eyes, Jaden stepped out of the shadows. “I felt that which should not have been done. Valac is dead?”

Thorn sighed wearily. “He is.”

Absolute horror darkened Jaden's eyes. “Only the Sephiroth has that power.”

“Apparently, Jared has a friend.” Thorn moved to his crystal decanter and poured himself his libation. “As the Chthonians rose from the Source as a counterbalance to the gods who were abusing their powers to prey on humankind, it seems we have a new species born to balance the demon races.”

Jaden cursed under his breath. “Forneus—”

“What would you have me do? Tell me what power can destroy this one?”

“The Malachai.”

“You want to pit the Malachai against him and make the Malachai all the more powerful? Is that really your plan?” He laughed. “Good one. Let's set off nukes, while we're at it. At least then, the planet would be habitable again … eventually.”

Jaden rubbed his hands over his eyes. “You're insane. You should have killed him at birth.”

“As you should have killed your progeny?”

Jaden's eyes flared with his hatred. “We don't speak of
that
. Ever.”

Narrowing his eyes on the beast he hated most—the bastard who was solely responsible for Thorn's regrettable birth—he swallowed his drink. “Ditto. What do you think would happen if your boss, my grandfather, ever learned of his great-grandchild's existence?”

Well aware of
that
nightmare, Jaden glanced away. “What game are you playing?”

“The same game you are.”

“No,” Jaden growled, “I know who and what I am. What side of this conflict I
clearly
fall on. You dance with a darkness that will one day swallow you whole.”

“For your sake … for the sake of the human world you love so much, you better pray that never happens.”

Jaden winced as he was summoned home by his masters. His gaze dark and filled with foreboding, he paused before he left with one parting shot. “I had this very conversation with your father, once. Let us pray, that when history repeats itself, your conqueror is kinder to you.”

Thorn set his drink down as those words echoed in his ears. Centuries ago, the Chthonian, Savitar, had warned him of the same thing. Savitar condemned the union that had brought him into being.

They both walked a tenuous line between opposing forces that constantly sought their very souls. Like him, Savitar had chosen to abandon the mortal realm for solitude. It was much easier to avoid temptation when it wasn't near.

We are all the architects of our own downfall
. Acheron's words haunted him now.

Yet, on the other side, everyone was also the architect of their own salvation and redemption.

Sadly, there was only one creature who could tell the final outcome of it all. And thankfully the one still remained dormant.

Sleeping.

For the sake of them all, no one needed to disturb that beast.

Sighing, Thorn moved to sit before his fire and stare into flames that spoke to him in the quiet solitude of his lonely home. He used his powers to pull his drink to him so that he could toast the noise. “Here's to the future. May it never bring to me what I deserve.”

*   *   *

Kessar clutched the
ancient disk in his hand as he entered the cave where he and the last of his brethren remained hidden from the Greek Daimons who sought their blood so that they could walk in daylight and thwart the ancient god, Apollo's curse against their kind.

The Daimons had almost hunted them to extinction. But with this …

It was even better than the Shield of Dadga.

“What is that, my lord?” Namtar asked as Kessar walked past.

He smiled at his second-in-command. “Our salvation.”

“You have the Shield?”

Kessar shook his head. “Something better.”

“What would be better than…” His voice broke off as he read the inscription on the disk. “Is this real?”

“It is, indeed. Can you not feel it?”

Namtar grinned. “The Smaragdine Tablet,” he breathed reverently.

Cupping the demon's cheek in his hand, Kessar nodded. “With this, we don't just rise. We dominate. ‘Tis a new age coming. And we will be the overlords of all. Even the gods, themselves, will bow down to us.”