The Demon King and I (3 page)

Each of us also chose a profession to keep our real jobs a secret. When I told everyone I wanted to study law, they made fun of me, but it came in handy. I helped my mother run the family businesses, and I bailed out my siblings when they found themselves in trouble. I like the law; the logic of it just makes sense to me.

On the side I dabbled in art and the occasional artist. For some reason that kept the creative side of me happy.

I sheathed my sword in the back harness. “I do like that ripping-heads-off part a lot.” Winking at her, I reached for the new infrared guns we’d been testing and put them in the holsters at my hips. Bailey, our brilliant and ornery brother, had made them. They were heavier than I would have liked, but they could blow up a demon faster than any bullet.

“Did they say exactly why they wanted you to come tonight?” She turned to the computer and typed in several codes. A panel on the wall opened and a tiny box popped out. Her slim fingers lifted what looked like a black watch with a large dial and she moved to put it around my wrist.

“It has something to do with the new king taking power, more a formality, and me showing respect, than anything. While I’m there, maybe I can convince him to shut down all the portals to keep his demon scum on the right side.”

Mira shrugged. “If anyone can do it, you can.”

I pulled on a leather jacket from the metal hook behind me. With the sword at my back it was a snug fit, but it worked.

We use the tattoos—each of us has a different design—imprinted on our wrists to go back and forth on Earth. The “watch” helped focus and magnify our natural power when going to other worlds. It opened portals that made traveling much easier. If we tried to do it on our own, there was a good chance of winding up dead floating around the universe.

That was never a good thing.

The devices we call watches (even though they don’t tell time) were devised by my brother and had made travel to other dimensions safer. The technology had been borrowed from another world hundreds of years ago, but my brother had a way of improving on things. Before he tweaked the system, we’d land on the other side wiped out, which was difficult when we arrived in the middle of a hostile situation. Now we landed fresh as flowers. Or at least as fresh as a flower who’d had a three-martini lunch would be.

Pushing the tiny button on the side of the watch, I lifted it toward the wall in front of me. A hazy fog developed and then a rush of cold wind brushed past. Think
Stargate,
but on a much smaller scale. A fine blue circle emerged and I moved forward.

Darn.
I slapped myself mentally. “Listen, I know it’s not your job, but could you make sure Mom signs the papers I left on her desk? There’s a meeting with Harrison in the morning and I don’t know if I’ll have a chance to talk with her before then. I could be a while if there’s a big reception for the new king on Maunra. Oh, and I left some briefs in the blue folder she should probably take a look at.” A lawyer’s work was never done. “Georgia was supposed to have the final guest list ready for the Arts in Schools Ball. Make sure Alex gets a copy.” Georgia was my executive assistant and I couldn’t live without her.

Mira made a swishing motion with her hands. “I’ll take care of it. Go and play with your stinky demons.”

I snorted. “Fine.” Stepping through the circle was always a strange feeling. My stomach did this weird thing for half a second as my DNA traveled faster than the speed of light and then dumped me, usually rump first, on the ground.

This time I landed feet first, and it was a good thing. Three Tresk demons stood before me. I’m tall, but the horned, hooded-eyed beasts had at least a foot on me.

“Nok to stord mid tonga.”
The greenish one on the left motioned toward a path.

Argh.
I’d forgotten to hook in the earpiece that translates their language, another Bailey invention. Unzipping the front left pocket of my jacket, I put the translator in my ear.

He repeated the phrase. “You follow us to castle.”
Ah, much better.

Most people believe demons live in a hellish world and are evil. True, they are ill-tempered and would sooner kill you than look at you, but they have a code they live by and are honorable beings in their own weird way. And their world is actually freezing cold, hence the need for toasty leather and a great pair of boots.

The green demon, who really needed an Altoid, led the way and the other two followed behind me.

I’d landed at the edge of the royal roost, which meant we had to walk about two hundred yards through twisted trees to get to the castle.

As we broke through to the end of the path, the world opened up, and against the grayish purple sky sat a huge medieval castle. I’d been here many times to speak with the hardheaded Shctock, the former king. He treated me like an invader and tried to find a way to kill me every time I stopped by. Not once in the six months I’d dealt with him did he ever do anything I asked. Can’t say I was sad he’d died, but I wasn’t really looking forward to meeting Arath.

Mira had done some quick research on the new guy, but all we found out was he was a lethal warrior who had put together the armies to defeat Shctock. The fact that he had requested my presence could be a good sign or not. I was prepared either way.

“You go.” The green demon pushed me toward the humongous wooden doors. “His Majesty wants talk.”

I smiled at him. “Thank you.”
Don’t kill the demon. Don’t
kill the demon.
I don’t like being pushed or touched in any way, especially by demons. It made me cranky.

I’m not sure why, but I’d expected a big reception for the new king. When I walked through the doors, no one was there. I’d imagined at the very least that the elders from all of the demon clans would be groveling at his hooves or something.

The heels of my boots echoed in the empty hall. Iron sconces lit the walls and a fire had been built in a fireplace that was as tall as me. Needing the warmth, I headed toward it.

“You are smaller than I imagined.” The voice was rich and deep and it spoke perfect English. I knew this because I heard him in my left ear as well as the right, which had the translator.

I turned but didn’t see anything.
You are much more invisible than I imagined.
I thought the words, but didn’t say them aloud. No need to be rude right away. Instead I cleared my throat. “Hello?”

I saw a quick movement to my left and then he appeared, standing next to one of the large tapestries hanging from the ceiling. I’m five ten, but he was at least six feet five with extremely broad shoulders.

Totally racist of me, but I’d expected scales. Most of the demons I’d encountered in my world and on Maunra were big ugly monsters. There. I said it. Think the worst of me.

But this was not an ugly monster. He was gorgeous from his short auburn hair and smooth bronze skin to his ripply muscles under his vest-covered chest. He looked more like a pirate on one of my sister Alex’s favorite romance novels.

“They tell me you can break a Norg in two.” He walked toward me in his jeans, Levi button-fly, to be exact, not that I glanced at his crotch or anything.
Who is this guy?

I slipped on my lawyer mask to cover the surprise-filled one I’m sure had hit my face for a split second, and smiled. “Hi, I’m Gillian Caruthers.” I waved rather than shook hands.

In the demon world if you offer your hand, it can mean all sorts of things, from agreeing to birth demon babies to being someone’s dinner. It’s just not safe to shake hands. I’d learned that long ago.

He made a slight bow. “I am honored to meet the Guardian Key.” He raised a large hand and waved back to me. “I am Arath.”

Whew.
The new demon king was a hot bod. There had to be something weird under the jeans.

I bet he has a tail or two—

Ack, Gillian.

“Your eyes show surprise. Perhaps you think me unbearable to look at, as I sport no scales.”

It was almost as if he had read my mind.
Yikes.
I know it’s not physically possible, but my tongue twisted into a knot. All I could do was shake my head no.

Finally I found my voice. “Your appearance is quite appealing, King Arath, and I offer my respect and congratulations for your new position.”

His eyes flashed orange and then back to brown. It was the only indication I’d seen so far of his demonic heritage. “You find me appealing?”

“Uh, um.”
Okay, lawyer brain, kick in any time here.
“I don’t find you displeasing.”
Change the subject.
“I understand you wanted to see me. I thought perhaps there would be a reception honoring you tonight.”

He moved closer now, and I smelled something strange, a musky scent, not unpleasant, with a touch of cloves. It made my stomach do strange fiddly things and I wanted to touch him, an unusual reaction to a demon for me, as I usually had an urge to kill them.

He didn’t speak.

I straightened my shoulders. “There are many things I’d like to discuss with you.”

He walked around me in a circle. Then he paused. “Follow me.” Striding to the other end of the hall, he motioned me toward another wooden door. “The fire is warm here and we can talk.”

A demon king who wants to talk?
It was beyond crazy, in a good way.

A million things ran through my mind. I needed to speak with him about the portals. That was paramount, but I had so many questions. How had he learned English? The queen’s English, to be precise. He sounded as if he’d been educated at Oxford. What clan did he belong to—and did they all look like him? How had he defeated the king and where was everyone? I’d never been in this castle when there weren’t at least fifty demons roaming the great hall. It had always been a loud and boisterous place full of danger, until now.

He turned and gave me a strange look, one I couldn’t decipher.
It’s still a dangerous place, Gilly.

The room we entered had a wooden table surrounded by thronelike chairs with intricate carvings of scary fanged beasts. “Sit.” He pointed to the chair nearest the fire. This room had stone walls with only the sconces and the fire for light.

There was a weariness in his eyes, the kind of tired that spoke of many battles and a warrior who’d been fighting for too long.

“I do not celebrate death. That is why there is no reception. Shctock would not listen to reason. That is why he is dead. I did not wish to be king, but change was necessary, and I trust no other.”

Well, okay then.

“I understand.” I scooted back in the chair, feeling like a child whose feet couldn’t touch the ground. “Change is never easy and this must have been a difficult time for all involved.”

He snorted. “You understand nothing, Guardian, but it matters not. You want the portals closed, and I’m agreeable to this.”

I was immensely pleased. In a matter of seconds I’d accomplished more than I had in the last few years with the other demon kings. And it had been his idea. I didn’t want to play devil’s advocate, but it was necessary to find out why this demon king wanted the portals closed. “You agree? What about the freedom of your people to jump dimensions?”

“They are not welcome in your world, and die if they dare to enter. Is this not true?”

“I only kill when necessary.” Which was almost always, but I didn’t want to tell him that.

“I protect my people by keeping them from your world, where you would butcher them.”

The conversation had taken an odd turn, one I wasn’t terribly comfortable with, but I kept my temper.

“I only kill them when they harm the humans or do things they shouldn’t. This began before my time or yours. The demons cause great havoc in my world and that is unacceptable.”

“Is this why you killed my mother?” His face was a mask of control and I wondered if I’d imagined the words.

I coughed. “Excuse me? I think I would know if I had killed your mother.” It would have come up when we did research on him before this trip.

“Your father did.” He shoved away from the table, knocking the chair back, and paced in front of the fireplace. “He would not grant her reentry into our world, and she grieved for us. So much so that her heart broke and she died. That is the story our father tells us. That is the reason my brother, Throe, and I became warriors, to make our mother proud. I despise the humans.”

It seemed an odd comment since up close he looked very human to me.

He shoved an angry hand through his hair. A strange yellow aura surrounded him.
Okay, maybe not so human.

“You must go. I will call for you another day.” The words were soft but menacing. His back was still to me.

I’d been dismissed.

“Look, I’m sorry about what happened. My father is dead, but he believed in family and how important it is that we all stick together. It would go against everything he stood for to keep a mother from her children. I will find out what happened and bring you the truth the next time you call.” I spoke the words with confidence I didn’t feel.

“You dare say my father speaks falsehoods? I do not need your version of the truth. Go!” The words roared from his mouth like from a great lion gone mad. Energy burst around the castle and before I could move, five guards appeared, all holding their swords at the ready.

Demons can move really fast when they want to.

Knowing my life would be in danger if I stayed a moment longer, I moved past them as fast as I could. At the front doors, I broke into a run and pushed the button on my watch to open the portal.

Great. The demon king hates my guts. Oh, well, nothing new there.

I jumped through the portal and landed in the weapons room with a big thud.

Mira had gone and I was glad. I needed a moment just to collect my thoughts and to breathe.

God, that was intense. Nothing like running from a horde of demons to get the adrenaline pumping.
I shrugged out of the leather jacket and put the weapons I’d been carrying away. Back in my room I changed from the leather outfit into some jeans and a yellow Theory blouse.