The Dragon King's Shaman

Angels And Demons

Erik

I still felt rotten even after breakfast, a shower, and a shave. I guess spending a sleepless night on a small chair imagining ways to kill a demon wasn’t particularly refreshing.

By the time I made it out to the training field, Marco was perfecting his poser landing. I’d only met the angel once, and I found him irritating. A worse ladies’ man than Quinn’s beta, and that was saying something.

“Long time no see, Huntress.” Marco bowed low in front of Irina.

“Why are there always half-naked men landing in my training field?” Quinn asked, irritated.

I smirked. The last man landing here was totally naked - after I shifted. Quinn didn’t realize I was Irina’s brother at first and wasn’t happy. He had a jealous streak.

Irina rolled her eyes at him.

“Never a dull day with you, Luna.” Quinn’s beta, Grady, jogged over, eyeing the newly arrived angel. “Hang on, aren’t you?”

Irina ignored Grady’s confusion. “Marco, welcome to New Moon Pack. This is Quinn, my mate and Alpha King, Grady, our Beta, and you know Erik.”

Marco bowed low again. Poser. I tipped my chin at him.

“I never pictured you with the hell hounds, Irina, but it looks good on you,” Marco said.

Quinn and Grady bristled at the term. Marco wasn’t known for his tact.

“Don’t come to my house and insult my family, Marco. Did you bring me blades?” Irina eyed him sceptically.

“I’ve brought my own, and once I know what we are dealing with, I’ll bring more. You know as well as I do, I cannot just lend out blessed blades, and not everyone can wield one.”

It was my turn to roll my eyes. f*****g angels.

“I’ll try it,” Grady said, stepping forward.

Marco eyed him and unsheathed a large dagger from the leather straps he wore across his bare chest.

The dagger’s handle looked to be carved from bone. Its blade appeared like steel but shone just a little too brightly. Marco handed him the blade, and Grady’s arms dropped like someone had handed him an anvil. The blade sliced down into the grass between his feet.

“Holy s**t!” Sweat broke out on his forehead, and his muscles strained as he held the blade, attempting to bring it upwards.

Irina snagged it off him and handed it back to Marco.

“What the f**k?” Grady stared at her, aghast.

“Wasn’t it heavy?” Quinn asked her.

“Blessed blades weigh differently depending on personal power level, intention, and righteousness,” Marco said, re-sheathing the knife.

“We need at least three blades, Marco.” Irina stared him down.

“Three? Baby, you can’t go demon hunting while you are pregnant.” Quinn’s arms went around Irina.

Here we go.

Irina threw Quinn an angry look.

“We have lots to do here. Surely, a guardian angel and Erik will be enough for one demon?” Quinn said, rubbing her arms.

I’d be enough for one demon, just me and my dragon claws.

Irina scoffed, clearly unimpressed at the thought.

I could hear Quinn clamouring around in his mind to keep my sister away from harm. The exact place she loved putting herself. I blocked them out after their internal spat turned into something I wished I never overheard.

“Still peeking into other people’s minds, Erik?” Marco asked me with a grin.

Dick.

“Occupational hazard,” I replied.

“I need to see your friend, Irina, to know what we’re dealing with,” Marco said.

“A soon to be dead demon,” I replied, baring my teeth.

“No, I mean the crime will need specifying to arrange the punishment.”

“Death! That will be the punishment! Maybe some dismemberment.” I kicked a training pad fifty feet across the field. “f*****g hell, Rina! I thought you called him to help, not to introduce angelic bureaucracy we don’t f*****g need.”

“Calm yourself, dragon. I understand this concerns your mate, but for me to lend out blessed blades, there must be a justification. Proper procedure followed. At present, I only have a case of domestic abuse and stalking.”

“What the f**k?” I exploded, starting forward.

Grady placed a hand on my chest, and I gave him a murderous look. He dropped his hand with a shrug.

“I need to speak to your mate,” Marco continued. “And sadly, we need my brother on the line.”

“So, him breaking all her bones isn’t enough?” Blood pounded in my ears.

Quinn and Grady grimaced.

“The stronger the case, the more action we can take,” Marco replied, emotionless.

“f**k your actions. I’m going to tear him apart as many times as it takes to commit him to the fires of hell.” I stormed off up the field.

Fucking wasting my time.

“Erik, wait!” Irina caught up to me, and I treated her to the same look I gave Grady. She just narrowed her eyes. “You know we need to know more. I don’t want to upset Avery either, but we need to get this sick fucker.” She laid a hand on my arm. “With or without Marco’s blades, he will pay.”

I nodded my head. Good, she was on the same page. That said, letting my pregnant sister go after a sadistic demon wasn’t top of my priority list, no matter how badass she was.

On my return to the hospital, it turned out Avery was deeply asleep. She’d finally taken some pain meds. Alec seemed mournful. I hadn’t realised he was close to my mate. We sat in silence for a few hours, watching her sleep. I studied her features, wishing she were sleeping in my bed. Her fiery red hair would look amazing on the white pillows at my penthouse.

“What is House Ignis?” Alec asked.

He made me jump. I’d forgotten he was still here.

“One of the original great dragon houses. They were a royal family for centuries. White dragon’s House of Draco was the other royal line. Together they ruled Ignis Terra.”

“The dragon lands.”

“Yes, their line died out, and only white dragons remained.”

“So, the dead guy she was running to, he was a dragon?”

“Yes, Maurice was a guardian of House Ignis. His dragon was green. They are a smaller species and often act as guardians to the royal houses.”

“Did this demon kill him to get to her?”

“I don’t know, but I will find out.”

I texted Yiannis to see if he’d found anything.

“Do you think she’ll talk to Marco?”

“She shouldn’t have to.” I clenched my fist.

“But she’d want to if it meant it might spare others.”

“True.” One thing I’d already realised about my mate was that she put others before herself.

“Who do I need to talk to? The angel man?” Avery’s sleepy voice said.

My eyes flew to her pale face. I gritted my teeth. “Not if you don’t want to.”

“But his help depends on it?” she asked.

Even drugged, she was still astute.

“We don’t need his help,” I said.

“I’ll talk to him,” she said, her voice stronger, adjusting herself on the pillows. Cordelia had affixed a collar and cuff made of foam for her arm.

“Ezekiel needs to hear, too.” Irina came into the room and walked over, gripping Avery’s shoulder briefly.

She gave my sister a small smile. “Is he here?”

“No, we’ll video call him.”

She closed her eyes. “Okay.”

I moved forward instinctively, and she held out her hand. My heart leapt. Sparks broke out as I enveloped her tiny hand. Alec dragged a chair over so I could sit.

“We’ll go get them if you are ready?” Irina moved towards the door.

Avery nodded, and I handed her a glass of water.

“This will not be easy to hear. I noticed you smoke when you’re angry. If you don’t want to stay…” she trailed off, not meeting my gaze.

I stood and threw open a window, coming back to take her hand again.

I tipped her chin up, so she’d see my eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She closed her eyes with a small smile. “For now.”

I didn’t know if she meant she would drive me away with her past or that I wouldn’t stay. Neither of which was happening.

Marco appeared in the doorway. Thankfully, he’d tucked away his wings.

Avery gasped; her face screwed up in confusion.

“You must know my brother,” Marco said with a smile. He bowed low again. “Dr. Jones, I’m sorry to be meeting you under such difficult circumstances.”

Avery dropped my hand and nervously smoothed her hair. That pissed me off.

“You look beautiful. Not that you need to for him,” I whispered to her and retook her hand.

She looked at me as if I was crazy and shook her head.

Alec returned with a tablet and Marco’s mirror image, but with dark hair on the screen. He wore his usual sharp business suit and was sitting at his desk. Black leather gloves adorned his hands, which was unusual for him.

Ezekiel smiled at Avery. “Pleased to meet you, Dr. Jones.”

“Hi.” Avery swallowed thickly.

Marco settled back against the wall, a scowl on his face.

“Is my brother with you?” Ezekiel asked.

“Here,” grunted Marco.

The term ‘terrible twins’ came to mind - it would apply to them, except there were actually triplets.

Ezekiel’s expression darkened. “Please tell me the name of the demon who terrorised you.”

Avery swallowed again and squared her shoulders. She tightened her grip on my hand, and I gave her an encouraging look.

“Kai Stevens was the name he gave me, but later I overheard others refer to him as Kaius.”

Ezekiel made a noise. “I know of him. When and for how long did he hold you?”

“Eighteen months, three and a half years ago.” She trembled.

“What did he do during that time?” Ezekiel asked.

“Do we need to go into it?” Adrenaline rushed through me.

“Yes. You are a shaman with a dragon spirit, I understand?”

“Yes.” She pulled at her top with her bad hand and winced when it jostled her shoulder.

“How is that relevant?” I asked through clenched teeth.

“I think it’s the reason he kept her,” Ezekiel replied.

She took a hitching breath, staring at the bed. “He called it ‘the transfer.’ Maurice said he poured darkness into my dragon spirit. That was why I’d aged by the time I fled to him.”

What the f**k? Irina drew a breath. It clearly meant more to her than it did to me. I felt edgy and twitchy.

“Maurice Smith, green dragon guardian of House Ignis, who died this week?” Ezekiel asked.

“Yes.”

“Do your elders know yet what killed him yet?” Ezekiel turned his gaze on the screen to me.

“I am waiting to hear.”

“How did he transfer the darkness?” Ezekiel switched his gaze back to Avery.

Tears ran silently down her cheeks, and the sight tore at my soul. “It was a blade, a...a black knife that glowed blue as it c-cut me.” Her eyes fell on the scar on her forearm.

“A Dagger of Tenebris,” Marco said.

“Anything else?” Ezekiel pressed.

“He used to transfer it during.... during intercourse.” Her body folded in on itself.

I slid my entire arm behind her. Splinting her, sheltering her as my vision tunnelled and my beast thrashed with rage inside me.

“You don’t need s*x to transfer darkness,” Irina said.

“I know,” Avery said, her voice sounding dead.

I glared at my sister. How was that relevant? That sick fucker cut her up and transferred his evil to her whilst raping her? I clamped down hard on my dragon, and my nostrils flared.

Avery looked at me sadly for a few seconds and dropped her eyes. She tried to pull her hand away, but I refused to let her go.

“How many transfers did he do?” Ezekiel asked.

“I don’t know. Every week?”

Marco lurched forward from the wall.

Ezekiel's eyes flew wide before he recomposed his face. “For eighteen months?”

Marco gasped. “You must have aged close to death.”

“I didn’t feel or look great when I got away.” Avery shook her head, tears still streaming.

“Did Maurice absorb the darkness from you?” Ezekiel asked.

“Yes. He reversed the transfer. It aged him, but not as much as it had me.” She shivered again.

I took a chance and nudged her forward, sliding my body partly onto the bed and pulling her against my side. She sagged against me.

“Did he give you any idea what he was doing to amass that level of darkness?” Ezekiel asked.

Fuck’s sake, this is like the Spanish inquisition!

“f*****g rape, assault, and battery isn’t enough?” Scales flickered over my exposed skin.

“No,” Ezekiel answered simply.

“f*****g hell.” I pressed our connected hands against my forehead.

She pulled her hand from mine again and began running her hands through my hair. Her touch on my scalp was calming. She was baring her soul to a room full of near-strangers, and she was comforting me? I looked at her and her red-rimmed eyes brimmed with compassion. This woman.

“I overheard him talking about an arena. One where he and others hunted humans, tortured them, then tore them apart. The other demon asked how he didn’t pay the balance’s price. He said it was because of me. I siphoned all the darkness, and it allowed him to do what he wanted. I knew I had to leave for the sake of myself and others.” She looked into my eyes while she spoke.

I saw it, all the pain, the hopelessness and then the determination. The horror she’d experienced and her answering internal strength, and I fell a little bit more in love with her.

“How did he get away with it, brother?”

“You know as well as I do, the balance exacts its price, and I have to watch for word of it taking its toll, then move in.”

“Where would he hold it? Is the arena still active?”

“It would be underground.”

Marco swore. “Pass me the screen.”

He took the screen and began conversing in a language even I couldn’t understand. It wasn’t the Latin or Ancient Greek that beings of their age usually used. They were certainly arguing if Marco’s body language was anything to go by.

“Ancient pissing contest in long-dead languages, it all looks the same to me,” Irina observed dryly.

Marco ended with a growl and thrust the tablet back into Alec’s hands, storming off. Alec turned the screen around, and Ezekiel was smoothing one gloved hand down on his tie.

“We will help you. I will begin my search now, and Marco has gone to get more blades. He will either stay in the pack or travel with you wherever you go.”

“Yes!” Irina said, excitement lighting her eyes.

“No, not this hunt, Pulchra.”

“f**k off, Zee. I’m going.”

“No, the only thing we agree on is you won’t be helping. I will not allow you to risk your unborn hell hounds.”

Irina huffed.

“He’s right, Rina,” I said.

“Please, Irina, I couldn’t bear it if they came to harm,” Avery said, slumping further against me.

Irina walked out huffing about ‘serving eviction notices to womb-renters’ and ‘stubborn alpha males’.

“Better give Quinn the heads up through your pack link,” I told Alec.

“I’ll be back in touch soon.” Ezekiel’s screen went blank.

“I didn’t know dragons could act as a siphon for evil,” I said.

“Well, Irina did for Ezekiel. That’s why he owes her more than a life debt,” Alec said.

“What the f**k?”

“It was a long time ago. She wasn’t the same afterwards. So, I do not know how you survived that, Avery,” Alec said.

Avery’s eyes were already closed.

I needed to have a word with my sister. Over the years we hunted, I was away a lot, too much, it seemed.

“I still don’t understand. What is the balance?” Avery said in a tired voice.

I’d never been overly interested in demon and angel affairs, but I knew the basics.

“It’s a celestial force that keeps demons and angels in check. They can’t do too much evil without balancing it with good. I’m not sure how it keeps them in line, but I know Ezekiel and several guardian angels are tasked with helping maintain it,” Alec answered for me.

“Huh.” Avery was flagging.

“I’ll leave you guys to rest now. I’d suggest getting some sleep this time, Erik. You look like s**t,” Alec said, then left.

Zena appeared at the door, a glass vial of green liquid in her hand. “Is she asleep?”

“No, just drained.” Avery popped an eye open.

“Well, I’ve prepared something. It’s a tonic of sorts. It will heal your broken bone in about forty-eight hours and help with the soft tissue damage too, and the emotional trauma. It won’t taste anything like the other.”

“That sounds like a brandy on steroids.” Avery smiled tiredly. “He used to add salt to the bone potion, anyway. Make it harder to take.” Avery shuddered.

For the hundredth time, I suppressed the desire to shift and trash everything in sight.

Zena’s lips formed a tight line. “Well, this one tastes like mint.”

“Yum. How did you make it so that it heals bones too?”

“There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” Zena’s hard eyes caught mine, and we shared a look.

I was sure she’d be supplying me with some demon-level potions. Bring the skinning on.