Demon Seed

  Aidan reddened. “Okay, all right, Ami—” He froze, then smiled. “I always liked that name better.” His face grew sad. “Why did you change it when you left?”

  “My father selected it. I asked him to pick something. Anything. I didn’t care.”

  “Why?”

  Ryan turned to the windows. “It was too painful a reminder,” he softly said.

  Aidan stood and walked over to him. “Why couldn’t you have told me? About who Abby had been?”

  Ryan shook his head. “You’re too close to Will. It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? He and I have mended fences, as it were. Please, let’s let the past stay undisturbed.” He looked at Aidan. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect Chloe. I swore to you when I took her that I would protect her with my life, and I failed. I’m so sorry.”

  * * * *

  Aidan’s eyes widened in surprise. They had never, not once, talked about this after Chloe’s death. Aidan and Will were too busy keeping Ryan alive. Later, they were too busy living. “Hey, dude, no! Don’t think like that! You nearly died.” He pulled Ryan to him and hugged him, his soul brother.

  His sister’s husband.

  Ryan tightly hugged him back. Aidan sensed Ryan crying but didn’t acknowledge it. “We nearly lost you, Ami. I’ve never, ever blamed you for her death. That bastard would have taken her and crossed with her if she hadn’t fought back. We might never have seen her again. You did all you could. I never should have left her alone when she told me she’d seen that guy hanging around town and asking about her. If it was anyone’s fault, it was mine. I just wish I’d been able to take a whack at him myself.”

  After a few moments, the men broke apart. Ryan turned and wiped his face on his sleeve. “Thank you.”

  “Yeah.” Aidan uncomfortably shifted on his feet, wanting to redirect the conversation. “Brothers?”

  Ryan nodded. “Brothers.”

  Aidan patted him on the shoulder. “Promise me one thing?”

  “Anything.”

  “Don’t go siccing a wraith on Jeff.”

  Ryan laughed, loud and hardy. “Well, you already took that option off the table, didn’t you now?” He turned back to Aidan, smiling and leaving Aidan wondering if Ryan knew more than he was letting on. “I swear I will stand back and let nature take its course. Just remember he is mortal. Don’t make the mistake of waiting too long.”

  “You understand why I want to wait.”

  Another amused laugh from Ryan. “Of course I do. I respect and commend you for your caution. I think it’s safe to say, however, that he loves you and won’t change his mind.”

  Aidan remembered the night with Jeff’s parents in Ohio. “I had to mojo Jeff’s sister at dinner. Fucking quicksand, that woman is. You know the type I mean?” Ryan nodded. “This was after the wedding, while we were still up there. Wiped me out, totally. Just holding Jeff’s hand made me feel like I was recharging.” He studied his hand. “Jeff said he didn’t feel tired though. So it’s not like I was sucking his energy dry.” He looked at Ryan. “Is that a good sign?”

  Ryan broadly smiled. That was starting to worry Aidan. Usually Ryan only smiled like that when he knew something you didn’t and it amused the home out of him. “It certainly is. If that happened, then rest assured he is meant to be with you. He’s already strengthening you.”

  “I… That won’t hurt him? Doing stuff like that?”

  “If it didn’t hurt him that night, it won’t hurt him in the future. It’s time you seize the day, Aidan.”

  “Yeah, but can I take care of him?”

  Ryan’s gaze softened. “You of all people need not question yourself in that regard. Do you honestly believe I would have let you take a soul mate if I didn’t think you capable of protecting and loving him properly?”

  “Thanks, Ami.”

  Ryan nodded. “Anything else?”

  “No. I’ll leave you alone.” With one last hug, Aidan returned home.

  * * * *

  Ryan tried to read his paper, but with his heart marginally lighter, he found it impossible to concentrate. Inside all the eons of pain constantly consuming him, he’d found a little peace.

  He had his soul brothers back. With both Will and Aidan’s happiness cemented, he didn’t dare say anything that would taint or shadow it. He especially wanted Aidan to have happiness. The man deserved it after so many long, lonely years. He felt it best he didn’t tell Aidan that Kal knew the Chloe-Abby connection. He wanted Aidan steering clear of all those topics as much as possible with Kal. No reason to increase her risk of putting the pieces together.

  Although Ryan had to admit he’d nearly let another cat out of the bag during their talk. He’d been so distracted managing the situation with Bera, the wedding plans, and Kal’s grief, that he’d totally overlooked the truth of the situation between Aidan and Jeff. That Aidan was, as usual, endearingly clueless.

  You’re slipping, Ausar. You should have recognized that a lot sooner.

  He wondered how long it would take Aidan to figure it out. Not that it would hurt anything to let him stay in the dark a while longer.

  He laughed. It would be pretty damn funny, although Aidan might not find it so amusing when he realized it.

  Ryan’s only remaining regret was he could never confess to Aidan the one last bittersweet fact that would have totally crushed Aidan’s heart. The news he and Chloe had planned to happily share with Aidan upon his return home that evening, before their world was destroyed.

  It was bad enough Aidan lost his sister. He didn’t need to know she’d been pregnant when she died.

  * * * *

  Kal taped the box shut and wrote on the outside. Office supplies.

  Aidan walked in, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. “How you doing, sweet cheeks?”

  She looked up at him from where she knelt on the floor. “I think I’m done.” She waved at the boxes surrounding her. “You can do this room next.”

  Will walked in. He was also dressed casually. “We ready?”

  Aidan handed him a box and grabbed one himself. “Yep.” Both men disappeared.

  Jeff walked in a moment later. “I thought Aid and Will were here?”

  Kal grinned. “They were. They’ll be right back.”

  He shook his head. “Never knew moving could be so easy.”

  “Doing it demon style,” Kal joked.

  They both laughed.

  “You’re next, you know,” Jeff said.

  “Yeah, but I don’t have furniture to move, just clothes and a few odds and ends. I’m almost totally moved in with Will anyway.”

  Ryan appeared. For once, he wore jeans and a T-shirt. “Right. Purs and Gery rearranged the living room. Aidan says he needs your opinion, Jeff.”

  Jeff smiled. “Okay.” He closed his eyes as Ryan sent him along to Aidan’s house.

  That left the two of them alone in what was soon to become Jeff’s former home office.

  Kal smiled at Ryan.

  “And what is that cheeky grin about, love?” he playfully asked.

  “I told you so.”

  “Told me what?”

  She held out her hand for him to help her to her feet. “I told you I would get the three of you back together.”

  Kal wished she’d kept her mouth shut when the flicker of a frown crossed Ryan’s face. “Yes, love, you were right.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “But we are perfectly clear on one particular point, are we not?”

  “Yes. I understand.” She wouldn’t breach his trust. If he didn’t want Aidan and Will to know Abby had been Chloe, she would keep that secret.

  She was simply tickled to death the three were back on good terms. It was nice having Ryan a part of their life, dropping into the office just to chat or joining them for dinner. She no longer felt guilty being friendly with him around the other guys. Purs and Gery had reluctantly dropped their grudges now that Aidan and Will had made up with him. He’d even mentioned possibly taking an apartment in Tampa.


  For some reason, that thrilled Kal in a way she didn’t think she wanted to understand.

  Aidan felt like her big brother. Purs and Gery were friends, even closer than that, but not like Aidan. With Aidan’s growing relationship with Jeff, he felt like a brother to her, too, now.

  But Ryan…

  She didn’t understand it. She wouldn’t question it. Will had assured her he was okay with her being friends with Ryan, that he completely trusted him and her. She idly twisted her wedding and engagement rings on her left hand before she reached up and started playing with the amulet around her neck.

  “What are you thinking, love?” Ryan asked.

  She shook her head to clear it. “Life goes on, right?”

  “Right.” He picked up a box full of office supplies. “Life goes on, as it should.” He disappeared, leaving Kal alone with her thoughts.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Life settled down over the next few days. One evening, Ryan felt an incessant tapping against his mind. It wouldn’t let up, increasing until he finally relented. After grabbing his sword and standing ready, he slid the barrier open enough the presence could come through.

  The Selkie froze when she saw Ryan’s upraised sword. She ducked her head and held up an arm in supplication. “I’m unarmed. I just need to talk to you.”

  “Talk about what, Cyadna?”

  “There’s some really bad shit in the works you need to know about, Ausar.”

  “Why would you want to tell me? You’re from Tavares. Isn’t this a little odd?”

  “Because it involves me and my people. Look, there’s a bunch of us that are perfectly happy with the status quo. There’s a real shithead, Boorman, who’s got his eyes set on bigger better things.”

  “Let him try.”

  “That’s just the point, he is trying. He wants to take over Tavares.”

  “No offense, but how is that my concern?”

  “You’d better make it your concern. Apparently there are plans in the works to take over Earth, too. He’s using one of your demons to do it.”

  Ryan hoped he successfully concealed his shock. “Who?”

  “Bera.”

  Ryan lowered his sword and indicated the Selkie could take a seat. In this form she looked like a slight, middle-aged woman. She could be a librarian if it wasn’t for the ornate Tavarian robes she wore. While Ryan wasn’t surprised to discover Bera’s involvement, it chilled him to think he’d literally slept with the enemy.

  When Cyadna finished her story, Ryan nodded, reeling. It was far worse than he’d suspected. “What do you want in return?” he asked, barely able to speak. The truth behind Abby’s death stunned him, rocked him far more than he ever imagined it would.

  “Protection. I know you can’t guarantee it to the whole joint over there, but there’s about two thousand of my kind who are kind of caught in the cross fire. The colony here, they’re well established. Some of them still have kin, can cross back and forth like I can. Once the shit hits the fan on Tavares, we’d like a safe haven.”

  “I won’t be able to offer you an armed guard. I’ll have my hands full if he tries to bring his fight here to Earth.”

  “If you let us cross, we’ll do the rest. We don’t need a babysitter, just a place to escape to. He won’t have the manpower to chase us down over here once he goes after the Council. Not with the kin combined. If we stay there, we’ll be sitting ducks because he can hunt us down. We’re allied with the Council, and if it goes down, we’re dead. For obvious reasons, we don’t want to ally ourselves with the asshole. Over there he’s a lot more powerful than us. At least here we’ve got a fighting chance against him.”

  “So that works the same as it does for us, your powers are different here than there?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. We’re actually more powerful here than at home, believe it or not. Him and his kind aren’t, they lose powers. I know you guys lose a little of your skills when you cross over to some of the other realms, but we’re the exact opposite when we come on-Earth. That’s why so many of us settled here in the first place.”

  Ryan sat back and considered it. “How do I know I don’t have to worry about you turning around and taking us on?”

  “We could have tried that whenever we wanted in the past. Hades and The Firm always left us alone, we left humans alone. If you’ll look at the history, plenty of Selkies have gotten screwed, blued, and tattooed by humans.”

  She had a valid point. “True.” He didn’t want to agree too quickly. “No migration until something happens. I’d be willing to bet Boorman will have his ear to the ground. A mass exodus of your kind will tip him off. You’ll have to wait until he starts something and is otherwise occupied.”

  “Agreed. We don’t want to leave if we don’t have to.” Ryan extended his hand and she shook it. “If it gets to that point, if he tries to cross on-Earth to fight you, we will stand our ground beside you, Ausar. Our Clan and kin have sworn loyalty to Hades and the other Dodeks, and we will abide by that. You have our solemn word.”

  “I would damn sure hope so.”

  She returned home through the barrier. He closed it, stunned, shaken.

  Enraged at himself and beyond any describable anger at Bera’s actions. If Ryan ever got hold of her, it would be no exaggeration to say he’d remove her head with his bare hands.

  He’d fucking done it. His emotions had dulled his senses, allowing him to not only miss what was right beneath his nose, but tacitly helping it along.

  Shit.

  He didn’t know this Boorman character, although he had heard rumors of him, didn’t have any idea why he would want bring his shit over to Earth. And using Bera of all operatives?

  At least it proved the man couldn’t be very bright.

  Ryan planned.

  * * * *

  It took several hours for Ryan to calm down long enough he could speak without screaming, and for his hands to stop trembling with anger.

  It also took several bottles of bourbon.

  By two in the morning, he was steady enough to approach this and keep control of himself and his men.

  First he summoned Tosko and his crew of Enforcers to his living room. The six archdemons appeared, fully armed and ready for action.

  Tosko stepped forward. “How can we serve you tonight?”

  “I need to have a meeting with Will, Aidan, and a couple of others. Your first job is to listen to what I tell them, because you’ll need the information for your duties.”

  “And our second?”

  Ryan took a deep breath. “To physically restrain them from leaving, if necessary, until I say so.”

  Tosko frowned. “Are they in trouble?”

  “No. Quite the opposite. I need them to not go off half-cocked out of revenge when I break the news to them.” He took another swig of bourbon to keep him calm. No wonder humans called it liquid courage. “You will understand shortly why this is necessary.”

  Tosko nodded but said nothing.

  Ryan convened the Enforcers in his dining room. There were enough chairs at the table for Will and the others. Tosko and his men would stand behind them. Fortunately for Ryan, Aidan hadn’t yet sensed exactly how strong he now was, so thank the gods for his clueless nature. With Will and Aidan together, it might be impossible to keep them from immediately traveling to Tavares to hunt Bera down.

  Not that it wasn’t what Ryan wanted to do, too, but they needed to come up with a plan first. He wasn’t even sure she was on Tavares. He refused to lose anyone else in this war.

  And it was war, as far as he was concerned.

  Ryan grabbed four more bottles of bourbon, glasses, and poured several servings. Then he sat at the head of the table and first summoned Purson.

  He appeared a moment later, wearing slacks but holding his shirt and looking outraged. “This better be really fucking good, asswipe. I was on a goddamned date.” He pulled his shirt on but didn’t button it.

  Ryan kept his voice calm, forcing hi
s Head of The Firm demeanor to take over. “Please, Purson. Sit.”

  Purson started to argue, noticed the gathered Enforcers, then without another word sat where directed in a seat on Ryan’s left. He looked at the glass of bourbon in front of him, then to Ryan.

  Ryan nodded. “Trust me. You’ll need it.”

  Purson grabbed the full glass and took a large swig.

  Gery was next. “What the home do you want?”

  Purs spoke first. “Sit and swig, buddy. There’s apparently some bad shit afoot.”

  Gery looked at Ryan, who nodded. Gery sat across from Purson and grabbed a glass.

  Ryan summoned two other Protectors, Osmond and Davies, who usually didn’t have to do anything but surveillance. They quietly took their seats on the other side of Purs and Gery without comment or protest. Ryan had reserved the seats directly on either side of him for Will and Aidan.

  Ryan looked at the gathered men. “I’m warning you, none of you will like what I have to say, but it must be said. Before I summon Will and Aidan, I also must warn you that none of you will leave until I say so, and until I give that permission, we must keep Will and Aidan here.”

  Purson glared. “What the fuck?”

  Ryan leveled his gaze at him. “You will understand once you hear the story.”

  Purson challenged him for only a moment longer before looking away and taking another large swallow of bourbon.

  Ryan slid one of the bottles over to him.

  Now for the two hardest. Ryan’s plan was to erect a barrier, hopefully keeping Will and Aidan inside once they arrived. But if the two soul brothers decided to join forces they might be able to break through anyway.

  Not that Ryan would blame them for trying.

  He summoned Aidan first. Fortunately he took the time to don a robe. At first he looked sleepy and irritated, until he saw the assembled archdemons. “Holy fuck, Ami—I mean Ryan. What’s going on?”

  Ryan indicated the empty chair on his left. “Please. Sit.”

  Aidan did, automatically reaching for the glass of bourbon at his place.