Red Moon Demon (Demon Lord) (6 page)

“When was the last time you saw someone buy a five bedroom house without looking at it first?” I asked.

“You have a point,” Izumi said.

“So, Old Man, can you look this up while keeping Hiro safe?” I asked.

He arched an eyebrow, grinned, and sipping mead from the horn. “Yeah, no problem, but I’ll be keeping Leona with me, at least for now.”

“No problem, I don’t need her for my plan anyway,” I said.

“I don’t like it when you take a scenic route to your missions. You should be more focused on direct action,”
Old Man
said. “Getting fancy is often a mistake.”

“I’m killing two pigeons with one brick.” I took a drink from my cup. “The
Alpha
and his pack will be here in a few, and it would be better if you’re not here, Old Man. I don’t want them to panic, just yet.”

Old Man
gulped down his mead, got up, and slid his chair back to the table. He nodded goodbye to Izumi. Looking over his shoulder to Gloria, he said, “If any of Caine’s guests damage the premises, bill him double
.
He’s good for it.”

I hate it when he makes me pay for the crap I break.

“That’s why you never get Father Day cards, Old Man,” I said.

He patted me on the head and went his way.

SIX

“God kills a kitten every time a girl

masturbates. Save a kitten—sleep

with me.”

—
Caine Deathwalker

We still had time before the pack showed up, if they were on time. I wasn’t counting on it; they’d make sure to look around for traps before coming in. The
Alpha
would leave some outside
to watch his line of retreat, but most would come
in with
him
.
B
asic tactics the old man had beaten into
my
head by the time I was ten.

Izumi and I played a game of pool. I let her win. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I was about to rack up the balls for another round when the place went dead quiet. I shot a glance toward the door and saw the
Alpha
stroll in. He wore black cargo pants, a black long-sleeved tee-shirt, and steel-toes combat boots. A male wolf was one steep behind in a navy blue suit. Two more were behind him in jeans and button-up shirts, one chocolate brown, the other paisley green. That last guy was either metro-sexual or queer. All of them looked like they lifted weights with religious devotion. Their muscles stretched their clothes tightly.

This was all standard operating procedure for wolves, the most dominant in front, the weak ones in back, but only four wolves? He really didn’t know who I was.

Only William made eye contact, though he didn’t hurry to come over. The other wolves scanned the crowd, seeing who I might have on
my
side. That was smart. The
Alpha
and his wolves flanked the bar. Gloria welcomed them with a smile. William smiled back and took a seat, placing his order. The other wolves did the same, but didn’t relax their vigilance. They probably wouldn’t even taste their drinks without William’s nod.

I was about to go over when three female wolves came in off the street. Angie was in the lead. Her long red hair was braided, nothing loose to get grabbed in a fight. She wore a teal vee-cut, skin-tight blouse that displayed a magnificent rack. Skin-tight jeans and boots with one inch heels complemented her legs and ass, making her look like a runway model.

The two she-wolves behind her were the ones I’d seen unloading the truck with the guys back at the Wolf’s Den. The female wolves looked a lot better in evening wear. The short-haired brunette had on a tight, midnight blue, short sleeved shirt. I felt deep disappointment that she showed no cleavage. Her jeans were a little loose. Her robin
-
egg blue sneakers made her look ready for battle, or maybe high school. The other girl was ash blonde and too perky to live. She wore a silk shirt and tight leather mini-skirt. She was texting on her cell phone. I knew if William saw that crap, he’d ream out at warp speed.

William looked over his shoulder at the ladies and took a massive pull on his drink.

I couldn
’
t help but smile; I wasn’t the only one who had trouble with subordinate woman.

I set down my pool stick and waited as Izumi did her job, crossing the room to William, a smile on her face. She invited the
Alpha
to my table. As he followed her, I also headed for the table so we could both arrive at the same time. This showed we were on equal footing, technically. It’s so much easier just to kill and be done with it, but I had to bite the bullet on this one; I needed cannon fodder on this job. Plus, if I make them my enemies right now, I’d not have a chance in hell getting into Angie’s pants.

William timed his approach with mine so we pulled out chairs at the same moment, sitting down. The other customers in the room stirred, finally taking deep breaths of relief. They seemed to know they weren’t about to get chewed up in the middle of a turf war.

I waved Gloria over, as Izumi and the three she-wolves took a seat at the next table over. They avoided looking at me and the
Alpha
. I let a little dragon magic burn on my skin to let William know that even though I looked relaxed, I was ready for anything. Gloria arrived to take our orders.

“Eighty-year-old bourbon and six glasses,” I said. “The guys at the bar are on their own.” I only order bourbon when I’m trying not to rip someone’s head off.

She looked at the patrons of the bar, her stare commanding their attention the way only a very old vampire can manage. The bouncer turned off the jukebox. There was a mass exodus for the door. By the time Gloria returned with my order, only Gray and the male wolves remained to watch the coming show. Gray turned on his bar seat to face my table. He clutched a bowl of pretzels, munching avidly.

Gloria put a glass in front of me, William, and Izumi, and left the other three glasses at the other table. Gloria filed the glasses all around with the reddish brown bourbon.

Angie looked at her. “No ice?”

I shuddered at such sacrilege.

William only sighed.

The wolves back at the bar split their attention between my and Izumi’ table, and Gray, who ignored them with an ease they ought to find irritating. I saw one of them take a few steps his way, sniffing the air delicately for Gray’s scent. Gloria watched as well, showing no sign of interfering in what might happen.

William and I didn’t say a word for a long while.

I was trying to picture the red-headed wolf naked with open lips wrapped around my engorged—

“She’d eat you alive,” William said.

With that, I won the standoff. I looked at William, and grinned. “Yeah, but talking about biting off more than you can chew.” I picked up my drink and took a sip. The scotch tasted like smoky oak, and had a hell of a kick. I set my glace down, ready to talk. “I think we should reintroduce ourselves. I am Caine Deathwalker of the Atlantean Clan, wielder of dragon magic, Lord of the Territory. You have taken a house in my domain without giving notice or offering respect.” To make a point, I flared one of the small runes along my spine. I paid a price in gut wrenching nausea and temporary cramps in my left hand. Magic must always be paid for.

All mystic talismans and devices in the room revealed themselves to me alone, glowing the soft green of baby puke. Those like Izumi who directly wielded magical energies glowed as well, silver in her case, and crimson for Gloria since she used blood magic. William and his wolves glowed the same color as their eyes—sulfur yellow, the color of pack magic. Since the tattoos I wore on my skin were a mixture of ink and dragon blood, my own glow was a shifting rain, unable to make up its mind.

One of the cool side effects of this rune was that it made my pupils thin and long, like a dragon’s. Across the table from me, William inhaled sharply, a sudden tension making him rigid. Everyone in the bar stilled at the feel of my magic except Gray, and the redhead.

I put my magic away, feeling my skin cool, and the muscles of my left hand relax.

The
Alpha
broke the silence. “I am William Copper, werewolf and
Alpha
of my pack.”

We picked up our glasses, saluted one another, and threw back the drinks. I poured us refills. Izumi and the she-wolves had yet to take a sip.

I cradled my glass in both hands, keeping my voice soft and mild, “Tell me
Alpha
, couldn’t you tell you were in claimed territory?”

William shrugged. “I felt the boundary magic when I got here, but knew not many would fight with a wolf pack over territory. I didn’t catch the uniqueness of your magic at the time. I assumed you were fey.”

“No, definitely not fey. This must be the first time you’ve came across dragon magic?”

“Yes, it is. I didn’t even know there were dragons on this continent.”

“I’m no dragon, either,” I said.

Angie had turned to straddle her chair, resting her arms on its back. She studied me with intense eyes. “You don’t smell exactly human either, Mr. Caine, so what are you?”

William
didn’t object to her intrusion in the conversation, waiting for me to answer.

It was my turn to shrug. “Your guess is as good as mine, and unlike the fey you’ve known I’m quite willing to fight.”

William’s wolf-yellow eyes burned brighter, an indication of strong emotion.

My runes tingled in response. Every muscle in my body begged to be used to kill the wolves. My demon-blessed weapons all but wept to be used.

The wolves at the bar growled, crouching aggressively, hands thickening into claw-tipped paws. They were ready to attack but waited on their
Alpha
’s orders.

Eyes ice blue, Izumi stood at her table and pulled her chair out from behind her so she could back away from everyone.

The she-wolves bristled, wolf-yellow eyes locked on the pulse in my throat.

As William and I stayed seated, as pack magic filled the room like an invisible mist, thick and consuming.

With my tats active, I smelled something like burning roses.

Gray didn’t skip a beat on his drinking, throwing back a freshly filled mug he’ helped himself to. Gloria had her back to the pool tables. She watched with cool interest for the other shoe to drop.

William said, “You’re outnumbered, Mr. Caine, and matched by our own magic. Still, if I can help it, I’d rather not fight Miss Izumi. We’ve become friends, sharing hospitality.”

Hmmmm, I wondered just what she
had
shared with him. I shook off the thought, needing to focus. “William, I think you’ve got the wrong idea. She
’
s not here to fight for me. She
’
s my ride. As for the rest…”

The runes that ran from my left wrist, over my back, to the other wrist burned as if someone had poured liter fluid over me and set me on fire. I absorbed the pain, becoming one with it so it wouldn’t break the force of my will. The runes along my collar line came to life as well, markings combining my most potent spells. I kept those runes from completing their spell, but let their power flow out of me, battering back the pack magic.

The room darkened even more. A male wolf collapsed, wheezing like his ribs had been crushed, driven into his lungs. I was almost positive that hadn’t really happened. I hadn’t wanted it to. The brunette she-wolf followed him to the floor in full collapse. The other wolf soldiers dropped to their knees, trying looking anywhere but at me. Sweat dampened their shirts, dripping from their faces.

Gloria’s eyes shone blood red.

Izumi retreated a few more steps, radiating an icy cold I could feel across the room.

Gray put his drink down while a golden sword formed on his belt. I thought I saw the suggestion of wings at his back, wings made of charcoal shadows.

In my hand, the drink in my glass started to boil.

When a light curl of smoke eased up my throat and past my grin, the
Alpha
lunged to his feet. I wondered if he thought I was about to breath fire. I shut down the runes, letting him feel my power recede.

“I am not a poser. I can kill most of you easily without magic, using just the training I was raised with.” I held William’s gaze. “Only you might last a while, a short while.” I broke eye contact, glancing over to Gloria, raising a hand to signal her. “Hey, can I have a new glass. I hate boiled alcohol.”

Looking surprised, William stared at the steaming glass I held.

Izumi’s heels clicked on the floor as she returned to my side. She spoke to the room at large, “Don’t worry, guys, if Caine wanted blood, he’d have completed that spell and slaughtered everyone in the room.”

That news somehow failed to relax anyone.

Izumi pressed on, “So pick yourselves up off the floor and have a drink.” She glowered at me. “And Caine, stop being your normal self and just talk to William.”

She didn’t understand; that was only possible now that I’d demonstrated absolute dominance.

Gloria hadn’t wasted time. Her eyes were their normal emerald as she arrived with a fresh, empty glass she placed in front of me. She went on to help the she-wolves back to their chairs and pushed their table to mine, and dragging a third table over to form a long line. I looked at her, wondering what she was doing.

She said, “Okay now, everyone sit and talk, and don’t worry, the drink are on Caine.”

I scowled. Just like a woman to turn a perfectly good psychological beat-down into a peace conference. If the bitches in my life weren’t so damn hot, I’d have killed them both. I looked at Izumi, then Gloria, envisioning them naked, and put all my magic away.