Burning Bright (Ivy Granger) (18 page)

An itch burned between my shoulder blades, but I didn’t look
back.  I’d done it again.  I’d landed squarely in the faerie cat’s sights, and
it wasn’t a pleasant place to be.  No, being Torn’s new curiosity was about as
comfortable as a pixie rash.

S
parky and I
made it to Wharf Street with two minutes to spare.  I yawned and rubbed a hand
over my face.  Oberon’s eyes, I was tired.

My eyelids drifted closed for a second, but the scrabbling
of claws on stone woke me from my near-nap.  God, I was stupid.  I couldn’t let
my guard down, not in this city, not with Moordenaar hot on my tail.

“Humphrey?” I asked.  A growl from behind me lifted the
hairs on my neck.  “That you, big guy?”

I turned to see the gargoyle baring it’s fangs at Sparky.  The
imp, to his credit, stood at my back, pencil at the ready.  Though what he
thought it would do to a stone gargoyle was anybody’s guess.  I suppose he
could get in some graffiti before Humphrey crushed him.  Not much of a
consolation prize that.

Guess it was up to me to make sure that didn’t happen.

“Um, Humphrey, meet Sparky,” I said.  “He’s with me.”

“He’s a demon,” Humphrey hissed.

“Well, yeah, I know,” I said.  I ran a hand through my hair
and sighed.  I should have thought about the gargoyle’s reaction sooner. 
“Actually, there’s another demon coming too.”

Unless the bastard stood me up.  Forneus was late.

“Not inside,” Humphrey said.  The gargoyle cracked his
knuckles, which was just damn creepy.  “Not without Madam Kaye or Mistress
Arachne’s permission.”

I held up my hands.

“Okay, okay,” I said.  “Let me call Arachne.”

The gargoyle and imp stared each other down while I grabbed
my phone and dialed the witch.

“Ivy?” she asked.  “Everything alright?”

“Um, not exactly,” I said.  “I’m outside with Humphrey and
I’ve got a demon with me…and another one on his way.  I was hoping you could
give us all permission to enter.”

“You’re kidding, r-r-right?” she asked.

“No, I wish I was,” I said with a sigh.

“But Kaye’s still not here,” she squeaked.

I lowered my head and massaged my temple.  I’d held out a
slim hope that Kaye might be here when we arrived.

“Yeah, I figured,” I said.  “But you and I need to talk, and
Forneus might be able to help us figure out how to fix Jinx.”

“Forneus?” she asked.  “Isn’t he the demon Kaye rages
about?”

“Um, yeah,” I said.

Arachne let out a laugh.

“By the Goddess, Ivy,” she said.  “You don’t ask much, do
you?”

Yeah, I was a shitty friend.  That wasn’t news to me.

“Sorry, kid,” I said.  “Kaye’s gone and it’s up to you to
make the call.  I can leave the demons outside, but I’d rather have them where
I can keep an eye on them.  And, for what it’s worth, Forneus has helped us in
the past…and he cares about Jinx.”

I left it at that, letting the silence hang between us. 
Either Arachne would let us in, or she wouldn’t.  There was nothing left to say,
and begging wasn’t my style.

“Fine, whatever,” she said with a sigh.  I heard the girl
set down the phone, mutter something unintelligible, and come back on the
line.  “There, it’s done.  You can pass through in the company of two demons. 
But if they do anything I don’t like, I’ll let Humphrey eat them for
breakfast.”

“Thanks,” I said.  “I’m just waiting for Forneus and we’ll
head on in.  Think you could put the kettle on for me?”

“I just gave you permission to enter with two demons and you
want me to make you tea?” she asked.  “How does Jinx put up with you?”

“No idea,” I said.  “But thanks.”

I could practically hear the eye roll as Arachne hung up.

“You catch all that, Humphrey?” I asked.

“Get to eat demons for breakfast,” he said with a grin.

“Hey, only if they misbehave,” I said.

“Demons always do,” he said, licking his lips.

I had a sinking feeling that the gargoyle had a point.  I
just hoped that Sparky and Forneus stayed on their best behavior while in The
Emporium.  That wasn’t too much to ask, right?

I heard a throat clear and spun to see Forneus dabbing at
his face with an honest-to-god lace handkerchief.  Someone really needed to
bring that man into the correct century.

“Where have you been?” I asked.

“A pleasure to see you as well,” he said.

“That’s not an answer,” I said.  “I called.  You didn’t call
me back—for an entire day.”

The demon tugged at his white gloves, not meeting my eyes.

“Yes, I was…detained,” he said.

I was sure there was a story there, and I wanted to know
what it was.  What would keep him from helping Jinx?  If it was something
petty, I might just kill him.  I stepped into his line of sight, cocked a hip,
and made a rolling gesture with my hand.

“Get on with it, Forneus,” I said.  “What was so urgent that
it came between you and your search for information that could help Jinx.  This
I’ve got to hear.”

Forneus gave a long suffering sigh and I held my breath
against the smell of sulfur.  Damn that guy needed some Tic Tacs, and this from
the girl with puke breath.  I took a step back, careful not to step on Sparky. 
The pipsqueak was sticking close to my heels.

“Apparently, my adversaries in Hell are jealous of the fact
that I am currently in the Dark Lord’s favor.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure they’re forming their own fan club,” I
said.  “And did you just say, Dark Lord?  ‘Cause that’s just cheesy.”

Forneus tensed, his hankie gone, replaced by his walking
stick.  He’d gone dead serious.

 “Trust me, it is best not to say His name,” he said. 
“Being in his favor does not mean I wish to draw His attention.”

“Noted,” I said.  “So why the delay?”

“Contrary to popular belief, we demons do not all sit around
and drink tea together while roasting human souls on a spit,” he said.  “Hell
is too large a place for us to know every other demon that those fiery pits
have spawned.”

I nodded and rolled my hand for him to get on with it.

“I did not have any first-hand experience with the incubi,
only their sister race, so I journeyed to Hell to learn more about the incubi
in hopes of discovering ways to break the spell on Jinx,” he said. 
“Unfortunately, while I was there I was set upon by over ambitious demons
looking for an expeditious way to advance through the ranks.  Hence the delay.”

“I take it you set these guys straight?” I asked.

I didn’t care much about demon politics, but if Forneus’
enemies started popping up on my city streets, things could get messy.  Even
without a Hell gate, there was a chance that powerful enough demons might enter
the city, especially with Kaye’s magic waning.  Our current plan was dicey
enough as it was without throwing angry, vengeful demons into the mix.

“Oh, I put those wastrels in their proper place, posthaste,”
he said, an evil grin crawling across his face.

A shiver ran up my spine, and I was suddenly glad that
Forneus was on my side.  Demons?  Kings of the evil grin, let me tell you.

At least I wouldn’t be facing off with Forneus’ enemies. 
Just a couple dozen fire imps and a pissed off glaistig.  Yeah, no big deal. 
Right.

“So, when you were done comparing pitchforks, did you find
out anything useful?” I asked.  “Please tell me you know an easy way to sever
the incubus’ hold on Jinx.”

“The simplest way is to kill the man, which is what he
deserves for touching Jinx and sullying her reputation,” he said.

“That’s on my to-do list, but I was hoping for an easier
option,” I said.  “As in, something we can pull off from a distance.”

“You could attempt to reason with the man,” he said, rolling
his eyes and flapping his hand as if to dismiss the idea.  “But what can you
offer him in exchange for Jinx’s freedom?  No, even if he was acting outside of
The Green Lady’s orders, which would be foolish to assume, there is nothing you
could do to persuade him from feeding off from Jinx.”

“Both of those options depend on getting close enough to
either kill or reason with the man,” I said.  “I have a plan for storming the
carnival and getting to the incubus, but it relies on a shitload of things to
go right if I’m to pull it off.”  And a lot was riding on Kaye turning up soon
and agreeing to something so insane I didn’t even want to think about it. 
Damn.
 
“I was hoping for something simpler and less messy.  Complicated plans have a
way of going sideways.”

“I cannot change the facts,” he said.  “Kill him or reason
with him.  If you wish to do so from afar, then use that phone contraption you
are so fond of.  Reason with the man.  Though the Dark Lord only knows what you
could offer him.”

I lowered my voice, hands clenched into fists.

“What if I gave myself in exchange?” I asked.  “Would the
feeding kill me, the way it would a human?”

For once, I was glad that Ceff wasn’t here.  I wouldn’t have
to see the pain written on his face.

Forneus raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, it would kill you,” he said.  “Not that the incubus
would accept that bargain.  His mistress would gain nothing by your death and
an incubus would never trade a sexy human for a prudish half-breed.  No
offense.”

I stiffened.  Prudish half-breed?

“I’ll have you know…” I said.

“Yes?” he asked.  He leaned forward, rolling his cane
between his hands.

“Never mind,” I said, throwing my hands up in the air.  I
was not going to defend myself by sharing details about my sex life, not with
Forneus.  Not ever.  “What is it with all demons being perverts?”

Sparky let out an indignant squeak and I reached down and
patted his head with a gloved hand.

“Okay, all except for you buddy,” I said.

Forneus’ eyes widened as he noticed Sparky for the first
time.  A ripple of magic flared in his eyes and raced across his skin.

“What is a Tezcatlipocan demon doing in your presence?” he
asked.  “Alive, that is.”

“I don’t know what a Tezca-whatever is, but his name’s
Sparky,” I said.  The name sounded familiar, but my head was killing me and I
couldn’t place where I’d heard it before.  “And he’s with me.”

The last I said with narrowed eyes, letting Forneus know
where I stood on the issue.  Sparky had experienced enough trauma for one day,
no matter what kind of unpronounceable demon he was.  I did feel smug though, I
just knew he wasn’t a fire imp.

“Your ignorance never ceases to amaze me, though in this
case it may be justified,” he said.  “Tezcatlipocans are rare, and often
misunderstood on this plane.  Let me see.”  He tapped his chin with his cane,
brow furrowed.  “You have heard of Nephilim?”

“Yes,” I said, nodding.  Father Michael loved to go on and
on about stuff like that.  “Nephilim are the offspring of fallen angels and
humans.  They were all wiped out in The Flood.”

“Not all,” he said.  “Though yes, many of the Nephilim were
wiped out during that time.  Their great strength was often unmatched by one
creature alone, but many believed their existence to be a blight on the earth. 
They were hunted, and their gigantic size became a disadvantage as men banded
together against them.  There are some who hide in the mountains, waiting for
man to forget their existence.”

“Okaaaaaaay, so what does that have to do with Sparky?” I
asked.

“Your…pet, ahem, is the offspring of a fallen angel and a
demon,” he said.  “Such a demon is extremely rare.  It is nearly inconceivable
that this one was cast out of Hell to fend for himself as a newling.  Yet here
he is.”

“Yep, and I sure didn’t take a trip to Hell,” I said.  Though
I felt like I had.  Oberon’s eyes, I was tired.  “I found him here in the city,
being toyed with by the
cat sidhe
.”

“They would have killed him?” he asked, incredulous.

Sparky whined and tucked himself in closer to my leg.  I
probably should discourage that kind of thing, but I couldn’t help but feel
sorry for the little guy.

“Yes, after they’d tortured him for awhile,” I said.  “The
cat
sidhe
like to play with their food.”

I grimaced.  The
cat sidhe
may be my allies, but that
didn’t mean I had to approve of their hunting practices.

“In their defense, I don’t think the cats knew that Sparky
was the son of a fallen angel,” I said.  “They were hunting fire imps.”

“Fire imps?” he asked.  “Here in Harborsmouth?”

I rubbed my face.

“Yeah, it’s a long story,” I said.  “How about we take this
inside and I’ll explain over tea.  I have a faerie bargain hanging over my head
and it’s giving me a headache.”

There was also a pack of faerie assassins out looking for
me, and when they found me, I had no doubt I’d be in big trouble.  The back of
my neck itched just thinking about it.

I moved for the door, but Forneus stayed as if rooted to the
sidewalk.  I followed his gaze to see Humphrey glaring down from where he
crouched on the stone lintel above the entrance.  Dust trickled from Humphrey’s
mouth onto the ground.

 “What, him?” I asked, pointing my thumb toward the drooling
gargoyle.  “Don’t worry about Humphrey.  He’s cool.  Right, Humphrey?”

Humphrey just glared at us, the snick of claws the only
sound.  I sighed and tried another tactic.  The gargoyle always liked my jokes
in the past, so why not give that a try?

“We get it, Humphrey,” I said.  I waggled my eyebrows. 
“You’re a stone cold killer.  You gonna let us pass?”

The gargoyle fought a smile, but I caught the twitch of his
lips as he waved us through.  Guess that was our cue.

“You are forgetting about the witch,” Forneus said.

He’d moved up behind me, his sulfurous breath hot against my
neck.  Too close for damned comfort.  I shook my head and opened the door,
stepping out of his reach.