Green Flame Assassin (Demon Lord series, book 2) (50 page)

“Bring him in,” Achill said.  “I want to see who the next wolf pack will have to deal with down there.”

“Sure.”  I went back to the door and opened it.  “Hey, Josh, come in here a moment, will you?”

He came through the door, tall as anything, blond mane tousled, narrow waisted, broad shouldered—like a cinema hero with an aw-shucks grin in place.  His lion-gold eyes betrayed his fierce and indomitable will.  He strolled over, not put out the slightest to see an ancient Atlantean demon, a spirit leopard, and the Fenris. 

Leona took a few steps on the bar toward him as he approached.  She sniffed delicately.

He reached out and caressed the side of her head.  She pressed her head hard into his hand, closing her eyes, all but drooling.  Josh hugged her, smoothing down the fur along her spine.  He murmured, “Greetings, sister.”

Her purr raced out of control.

Old Man stared a moment, and nodded to himself.  “Then you’d be the liger we’ve all been hearing about.”

“Liger!”
Achill barked out the word.  “You’re the one that killed my Alpha.”

Josh slanted a cold stare at
Achill.  “Anyone who threatens to murder my woman, my clan, must face me.  If that gets them killed, it’s their own fault.”  Josh released Leona in case he had to fight here and now.  He grinned, flashing white teeth.  “His heart sure was tasty.”

I rolled the fingers of my sword hand and my wrist, preparing to summon my demon sword.  I needed Josh.  I wasn’t going to risk him just when we were about to leave on a mission.

Old Man recognized the signs, and held up a hand to stop me.  He turned to Achill.  “If you think you have something to settle, do it elsewhere.  My guests aren’t allowed to kill each other in my home.”

Achill
’s eyes smoldered amber yellow.  He smiled widely, his teeth as white, but showing fangs.  Stiffly, he started toward the room.  “Not in your house then.”  He left the room, his gait stiff with anger.

Old Man shrugged.  “It was time for him to go.  The bar has been severely depleted.”

“Like you weren’t matching him drink for drink,” I said.

Old man shot me a look of reproach.  “It would have been rude to let a guest drink alone.  Don’t you have a job to finish?”

“On it.  C’mon, Josh.”

He followed me from the room.  Leona padded along after him.  I called back to her, “You’re coming on this mission too?”

She huffed.  “You would be totally lost without me.”

It had probably been a while since she’d gotten laid by another spirit leopard or a cat shape-shifter.  She might be coming along, hoping to get lucky.  She’d just heard that Josh was married, but cats have never been known for their fidelity.  I briefly considered telling Josh that his big manly ass had an admirer.  Nah, I’d need something to laugh about later.

In the living room, Vivian and Izumi had been busy.  They’d rounded up some heavy weather parkas I’d stashed in storage, and raided the kitchen for supplies.

“Ready to go, or what?” Izumi asked.  “Mom’s giving us horses and a mounted escort.  She says the dream stone belongs to the Oracle, and the Oracle belongs to all the fey.  Besides, Autumn Court fey really frost her butt.”

“Open the portal,” I said.  “We’ve got a war to win.”

THIRTY-SIX

“Life is like a box of chocolates

that muggers will kill you for.”

                                              —Caine Deathwalker

Gravity jumped away and back again as we stepped out of silvery-blue mist.  The portal closed behind us, and I was glad to have the fur-trimmed, hooded parka.  Snow flakes the size of my thumb were languidly swooping on capricious winds.  The flagstones of the courtyard were icy under a thin layer of snow that must not have been falling long. 

To the side stretched a massive stable.  I heard the stamping of hooves and the welcoming whinny of horses.  A white-bearded man stepped into view, a pitchfork in hand, a tuft of hey caught in the tines.  He ignored the rest of us and bowed with grave dignity toward Izumi.  “Welcome, princess.  However I may serve…”

She smiled at him.  “Thank you, Ravenwort.  Just see that the horses are ready at dawn.  We can fend for ourselves otherwise.”

In front of us, a rustic, two-story log cabin was lit up against the twilight.  Stepping from Earth to Fairy, we’d rolled back time.  Morning was further away.  We couldn’t start our journey this late.  Fairy’s a realm of magic and deception, dangerous enough by daylight.

“Where are we?” I asked.  “This isn’t your mother’s castle.”

“This is a hunting lodge on the edge of our lands,” Izumi said.  “From here, it is only hours to the Dream Marshes, and a two day ride to the Oracle’s Retreat.”

Izumi led us up a flight of stairs with a railing down its center.  The porch was covered, a ten foot deck that wound around the left side of the building.  Twin copper lanterns shaped like balls hung on chains near the door.  The door itself was sturdy oak with hand-hammered bronze hinges, handle, and a door knocker gargoyle head with a ring in its mouth.  The brass head looked rather pissed to have the ring stuck there. 

As I reached for the handle, it spat the ring at me.  “Not so fast, chum.  Let’s get a good look at you first.  You don’t smell fey to me.”

“For which I’m eternally grateful,” I said. 
Guard spell.  They don’t want just anybody wandering in and making themselves at home.

Izumi smacked me in the arm.

I looked at her.  “What?”

“What’s wrong with the way fey smell?” she asked.

The knocker rolled its eyes to her.  “Princess!  It is such an honor.  Forgive me; I have left you standing at your own door.”  By itself, the latch turned and the door opened wide for her.

We stomped off snow and went inside, throwing back our hoods, unbuttoning the coats as we entered heat.  A huge fireplace greeted us with a mouthful of flaming logs.  I was grateful it didn’t try to carry on a conversation as well. 

Vivian and Josh entered, copying me by dumping packs by the door.  Despite appearances, I knew Leona was around.  It was her habit to stay invisible and immaterial in new locations, a hunter’s instinct.

As the door closed, I saw a small bronze body attached.  The guardian of the door was more than just a head.  I wondered if it was stuck there, or if it could detach from the door and deal with the wrong kind of visitors.  Maybe it occasionally left its post to raid the fridge or take a leak.  As I watched, its right hand moved.  It scratched its ass and then went limp again.  I thought of the little bronze guy on sentry duty, creeping room to room in the middle of the night, toy sword in hand.

Creepy.

A fey blonde approached, wiping hands on a white, lace-trimmed apron.  She curtsied to Izumi, pretty much ignoring the rest of us mere humans.  “Welcome, my lady.  However I may serve you…”

Izumi nodded and pointed at me.  “This one’s trouble.  Feel free to beat him as needed.  The rest are honored guests.  Please see that they’re settled and made welcome.”

The maid curtsied.  “Yes, my lady.”

“Keep it up,” I warned Izumi, “and you’ll be sleeping alone tonight.”

Vivian glowered, eyes brightening from black to a luminescent pink.  “Don’t you ever think of anything other than sex—with other people?”

I put on a look of profound befuddlement.  “Is there something else?”

Vivian looked at the maid.  “I’m going to need some rope to tie him into bed tonight.”

I let my face light up.  “Oooo, sounds kinky.  I didn’t know you played those kinds of games.”

Josh stepped up, looming over the maid.  He smiled down on her.  “When’s dinner?  I’m starved.”

She reddened in the face, shyly averting her eyes, batting her lashes.  “Very soon, my Lord.  The pantry here is not as well stocked as other holdings that see regular guests, but there is much I can do with very little.”

“We brought peanut butter and granola bars, if that will help,” I said.

Vivian smiled, flashing fangs.  “As for me, I only drink blood.” 

Staring, the maid paled.  “I-I’ll see what I can find.”

“In a pinch, I take donations,” Vivian said.  “Any blood type will do.  But no rats.  I don’t do rats.”

With a sigh, Josh shed his coat and offered a bare arm.  “Help yourself.”

I pulled Izumi over to a fur-covered bench near the fireplace.  We sat, and I kicked off my boots.  “So, this lodge puts us close to our goal, but how close are the Autumn Court warriors going to be?”

She smiled at me.  “You know better than to ask a question like that in Fairy.  The land is in flux.  Two places are never the same distance apart, nor can the same path ever be used twice in the journey.  The better question is, can we summon a path we can control this close to the Dream Marshes.”