Moonlight: The Big Bad Wolf (Black Swan 4) (24 page)

"Hey, you should give me some respect. In two years I could be running this place." Glen looked around like he was imagining it before turning back to face Ram and Elora. When he saw the smirks on their faces he laughed. "Yeah. I don't believe it either."

Three nights later Stalkson Grey was reading an Isaac Asimov treatise on alternate dimensions by his fire and getting drowsy enough to think about going to bed, when he heard a knock at the door. He stood and set the old-fashioned, paper book on the table next to his mug of mulled wine that had gone cold before he'd finished it.

The king opened the door to a shirtless demon. "Deliverance. Come in. You must be cold."

"No. Not at all."

Grey's brows drew together slightly. "Can I get you something? I can warm up some mulled wine."

"I only consume sex energy."

"I see. Well, not really. What do you mean?"

"Dude. Do you not know the meaning of incubus?" Grey looked like he might be struggling for the right words. "I don't eat or drink. I'm sustained by having sex." He held his arms out. "And, as you can see from the state of my vigorously thriving good health, I do alright. You could say I'm prosperous."

"Well, would you like to sit down then?"

The demon sat in a large, leather chair that was worn but generously sized and comfortable.

"I have some properties to show you that match your specifications."

"Properties?"

"I heard it on 'House Hunters'."

"Oh."

"Okay, seriously. I tried the dimension where most of your ancestors settled. When I explained the situation, they said their world can easily accommodate another tribe. They kept calling you cousins and they almost seemed to like the idea of assimilating you.

"Then there's the dimension I told you about that's been favored with an overabundance of feminine occupants who are human with the propensity to whelp werewolves. They're not really interested in immigrants, but they agreed to give your young males one month visas to look for mates. If in thirty days they find a bride and convince her to go, it will be with the blessing of the local authority.

"We can move everybody in your tribe who wants to go to Lunark, where your 'cousins' are. Your boys can go vie for brides in Shrifthet and then join the others on Lunark when they're mated. I can show you some uninhabited dimensions that would be suitable if you prefer a true frontier, but this seems like it might be the best fit."

"You think the Shrifthet females would be willing to leave their families?"

"Depends on incentive I guess. Are your boys attractive?"

Stalkson had to think about that. "I honestly don't know whether they'd be considered attractive to humans or not."

"Well, what have they got to offer? Are they skilled as lovers?"

"Actually, most of them, maybe even all of them will be new to sexual experience with a female."

Deliverance was abashed. His mouth worked for a few seconds without making sound. Finally he managed to whisper, "Great Balls of Fire."

"I assure you it's not that they aren't eager."

The demon's body shuddered involuntarily when he tried to imagine life without women. "Have you... given them instruction?"

"Me? No! Of course not. They'll figure things out. It's not that hard."

The demon snorted. "Not that hard? Maybe it's not that hard if you're a wolf mounting a female in heat, but human women? That's a whole other story. Their anatomy, along with their sexuality is far more complicated. It's not hard for me because I was born knowing what to do, but most men
never
'figure things out' to the satisfaction of their mates.

"Somebody had better take them to school before they go shopping for wives. They're going to have to offer some powerful motivation to get girls to give up their friends and families and home world. A push in with a squirt just won't do it."

Grey winced at that. "What do you suggest?"

"I don't know. Training classes?"

Stalkson laughed out loud. "Training classes? Really?" He seemed to grow more serious the longer he thought about it. "Thank you for offering. I don't know how we can refuse."

"No. I didn't mean I would do it. I'm not a teacher. I'm an incubus."

"Well, I'm the spirit-damned Alpha of this tribe. You think it's my job to tell a gang of young bloods, 'Put this there'? No thank you very much. You're the one who's qualified."

Deliverance studied Grey for a minute. "I'll think about it. If I do it, you can come. I mean, you can attend."

"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Can you show me what we're talking about before we get deeper into planning?"

"Sure. You ready to go?"

"Ah, I guess." Bed had been calling before the knock on the door, but Grey realized that he was fully awake. If he went to bed at that point, he wouldn't be able to sleep.

"First stop, Lunark Dimension. I wore a belt for you to hang onto. Take hold and don't let go until we get there. And, wolf, it would be very bad if you let go."

Grey nodded and prepared himself for that unpleasant sinking of his stomach that felt like an elevator dropping too fast. The trip took a couple of minutes longer than it had taken to get to Jefferson Unit in New Jersey. One minute they were in halls of gray fog, then, without warning, they emerged onto a pink granite mesa overlooking a large settlement by a wide river with water so teal blue it didn't look real. It was early morning. The sun had barely cleared the horizon. The air was a little crisp but perfumed with a smell like ground thistle leaves.

"That's it." Deliverance pointed downward. "We'll walk from here. I've learned that it's not a good idea to startle people when you want something from them."

Stalkson turned in a circle. From that vantage point he could see that there was plenty of room in every direction for running and hunting. Temperate climate. Nature at her very best. He followed his guide down the path toward the village.

Everyone watched as the demon passed. The locals looked at the strange werewolf with curiosity, but not animosity. They were met by a delegation that included the tribe's Alpha, SilverRuff. She acknowledged Deliverance quickly and nodded toward Grey. "Is this one of them?"

"Yes, ma'am. This is Stalkson Grey." Grey was careful to avoid holding eye contact with her for too long, as it would be a sign of disrespect. "He is pleased with your generous offer of welcome to his tribe."

"Stalkson Grey. This world has enough resources to support many tribes for many generations to come. If there are tribes other than yours who wish to leave the human world, we will make room for them as well."

"Thank you, ma'am."

The demon looked into Ruff's rust-colored eyes. "Shrifthet Dimension authorities have agreed to give Grey's young males thirty days to find wives. Will your people accept human women?"

She frowned. "It would probably be easier on your tribe and mine if you establish your own territory. We know how much space we need for hunting and running and will not be greedy beyond that. We will welcome your people, offer friendship, and help you build, but it would be better for your tribe to stay intact and preserve its ways.

"To be sure we reserve enough for future generations, we will retain fifty sectares square for our tribe. There is a tribe to the east and another to the south, but you could make a claim on the lands to the west or north." Looking at Deliverance, she said, "Perhaps you could show the alpha his options so that he can make an informed decision."

Deliverance took Grey to the lands to the west and north.

"This is paradise for wolves."

Grey couldn't help but be elated. It was the first time he had felt optimism about the future since he was a very young wolf. He was reminded about how good it had once felt to have that blood-coursing tingle of aliveness.

He had raised a son without the benefit of a soft touch to his skin or a gentle breath near his ear. He had thought of nothing except his duty to his child and the welfare of his people. And, while he was busy being responsible, his heart had withered and dried up. Somewhere along the way he had become hard and cold and never realized it until that day.

"Yes." The demon looked around trying to view the landscape through the eyes of a wolf. "Paradise for wolves, but not for men. Your people have grown accustomed to human magic. You have vehicles on your reservation, electricity, communication equipment, some even have satellite TV."

Grey sighed and nodded. "It is true and something that I need to make my people aware of before they make a final decision."

"Good. On to Shrifthet."

They visited Shrifthet briefly so that Grey could confirm the demon's claim of plentiful females. Deliverance said that he would need to know the exact number of young wolves interested, along with their names, so that he could procure visas and living arrangements.

"How much money will be required to pay for living arrangements?"

"None. The Order will pick up the tab."

Stalkson wasn't sure he liked that idea. "We can pay our way. We have... resources."

"Whatever you say. I need to make a short stop on the way back if you don't mind. Got something to drop off with my mother's sister."

"Alright."

"What is that look for?"

"I... just never thought of demons as having mothers, much less aunts."

"Well. I do."

"Okay."

The exchange seemed to bother Deliverance. "You knew I had a daughter."

"Yes."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well, if you knew I have a daughter, then why does it come as such a surprise that I also have a mother and an aunt?"

"Why are you acting pissy?"

"I'm not."

"You are. And I'm not offering either an apology or a hug."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"You know, wolf, I've noticed that you're very partial to having the last word."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

They walked out of the passes into a forest on the edge of a large park. "Wait here."

***

CHAPTER_12

Grey stood in the shadows on the periphery of a vast area of park gardens surrounded by a forested apron of pine trees that reached for the heavens. On the far side of the park he could see the spires of modern glass buildings rising higher even than the trees. A city. A densely populated city where humans lived and worked in buildings with glass outer walls in a variety of colors. One would never guess an urban area was nearby, based on the deserted appearance of the park. The hundred foot slash pines did an amazing job of quieting the noise of the city beyond.

Though the werewolf king was of the opinion that nature didn't need improving, he had to admit that the sophisticated design of botanical placement, fountains, walkways, berms, canals, and grassy areas was pleasing to the eye and soothing to the spirit. There were also large, dense patches of flowers that were red with an intensity that didn't occur in his world.

The centerpiece was a large white marble building similar to the style of the Parthenon except that each of the supporting columns was actually a giant statue of a young woman in Greco-Roman style dress and no two were alike. It was an imposing structure that dominated the parkland in such a way as to suggest that the park was there to serve the purpose of the building.

In his world it would be assumed to be some sort of temple, but there was no guessing what it might be on Throenark - a laundromat for all he knew. He noticed that there were seven smaller buildings at the rear connected by covered walkways resembling fingers.

He wished he hadn't been ordered to wait. First, he didn't like taking orders and found that it made his teeth grate together of their own accord. Second, he especially didn't care for
that
order since it contradicted his desire to give the building a closer inspection. That impulse, in itself, was curious because he wouldn't have described himself as someone who was interested in art. After a few seconds of deliberation, he decided to follow his own counsel about where he would wait out the demon's family errand.

Fascinated by the sculpted relief apron that wound around the top of the sculpture just under the roof, Grey walked toward the rear. The frieze was a mural, apparently depicting either folkloric or historical events of the local culture. It was hard to interpret their meaning without knowing more. A door to one of the annex buildings opened suddenly and immediately drew his eye.

A group of young women emerged wearing red silk the same color as the patches of those remarkable scarlet blooms. They seemed to be conversing happily as they made their way toward the central building. They wore long, hooded, sleeveless shifts with side slits to the knee, cinched at the waist with thin gold belts with serpent clasps. The fabric was thin enough to conform to their figures, but loose enough for ease of movement. A sudden breeze whipped up and blew the hood back from one of them. Laughing to the others, she caught it in the breeze and pulled it back over her dark auburn brown hair, but not before he had seen her face.