Keeley Thomson (Book 4): Demon Trap (16 page)

Smiling, Keeley quickly finished the food and threw the container away carefully, the cool paper slipping out of her hands, without even feeling sticky at all.

"Tell Zack I said hi? I don't want him to think that I'm avoiding him or anything. I just need to get this delivered." She hefted the white velvet in her right hand. It was sitting on top of her little bag, which was required gear it seemed, since Darla insisted, but inconvenient. What she needed was a small pocket universe to keep her things in, that would follow her around.

That was, she knew, possible to arrange. It took some energy and focus to create, but it was no harder than going onto the inroads really. The skill was similar enough that she was pretty certain she could set one up. Then she could have stuff with her all the time. Weapons for instance, so that when she had to fight next, which was coming soon no doubt, she wouldn't be at a huge disadvantage.

Lenore gave a stiff nod in her direction and murmured something that was polite enough for a goodbye, but seemed almost as if she was about to feel relief that the Greater Demon was gone. It was kind of obvious really. So much so that Keeley knew she should probably feel insulted, but didn't bother. They'd either work out how to be friends in the long run or not. For the moment she was only important because the being had attached herself to Zack.

It was a clever move, and Keeley knew that, in good part, it was really the point.

Vampires weren't incapable of love, but the woman in front of her wasn't fooling herself into thinking that Zack was her soul mate. No, her intent was to keep him bound closely enough to her to benefit from his abilities. She
didn't
get that the very idea of a human line walker was a farce though. She really thought that he was what everyone thought. A boy with a magical talent that was more than a bit insane, if affably so. So far gone that it opened the universe to him in a way that couldn't happen for anyone else.

That part was right at least. Zack was sweet and gentle, in his own way.

Keeley waved on her way out the front door of the yogurt shop.

"That was good, I think I'll come here for all my future frozen treat needs." She made her voice and body language seem sultry, just to change the demeanor of the situation. After all, confusion was a state that caused people to be easily manipulated, and that worked for Vampires as well as humans. They were just another kind of person after all.

The mall had decorations up along the hallway, but it was clearly a lackluster attempt by a being that both didn't care about the holiday and clearly didn't know what they were really doing. It was a copy of something from an old magazine, most likely. Bits of fake green pine were hung with golden bells and bright red ribbon. It was enough that most wouldn't notice, but the patterns were reproduced too perfectly for it to be real. It would play on the subconscious mind of anyone coming in to shop.

The Knife and sword place was open already. There was no sign in the door, but the front was open, so that anyone could walk in. The display cases were full, so Keeley walked in, having just thought about the fact that she needed to be armed. A sword and long knife were a starting place. She'd also need some firearms, and eventually magical weapons too. Those were harder to get though. Until she could arrange that, just having
something
would help a lot.

It didn't take long for her to see the one she wanted, since it was hanging on the wall to the right. It wasn't the shiniest thing in the place, but the amount of carbon in the steal meant that it was hard enough to keep a good edge. A katana. The name popped into her head from an old television show that she'd seen. One about ninjas, but this was the kind of blade their enemies, the samurai, carried. It was heavy enough to be strong, but light enough that, if she were careful, her low body weight would still allow her to use quickly. A heavier blade would work too, but even given her new strength levels would be slow, since she couldn't wield it properly. Not without using magic at least.

The Kobold, who looked like a man in his fifties or so and had a lot of slightly wild gray hair at the moment, or at least his magical disguise did, walked from the back, a ten inch long blade in his right hand. It was excellent quality too and had power strumming through it.

"May I be of service to you today?" He sounded very skeptical for some reason. Probably just because she looked like a schoolgirl, and was there too early. The being even set the knife down, so it was pretty clear she wasn't being taken as a real threat. Or a target.

Keeley could work with that.

"Yes, I'd like to see about getting that sword." She smiled happily and pointed, knowing it would make her seem young and fragile. A delicate flower that didn't belong in a place like this.

The Kobold sighed and shook his head. His words were professional though.

"That would cost five thousand dollars, miss. Perhaps you'd be more interested in something decorative? I have some things in a similar style that would look lovely on the wall. I can even help arrange for a display rack, if you wish?" It was clear he didn't want a good blade to languish, so Keeley shrugged.

"I notice that you made this with high carbon Toledo steel? It's in the Japanese style of construction, but the metal is wrong. Strong though. I keep being attacked, and need something that will hold up against things that are more than human. As it is, the poor thing probably won't last long. Not with the things I have to face. Would you be willing to take three thousand for it? I'll go to four if you throw in a quality knife as well." Thanks to the knowledge that floated around her at all times, she was able to see the blade for what it was. For one thing it was worth a lot more than what was being asked for it, since it was built in a lost style, but you haggled with Kobolds, or they wouldn't trust you at all.

"Five thousand, and I'll find a blade worthy of this one to act as companion to it." At least the being looked shrewd then, instead of upset or suspicious.

Walking toward the back suddenly, the knife being picked up as he moved, the man flowed. It was unnaturally graceful, and wrong at the same time. The real body under the glamour and illusion he wore wasn't built the same way as a human. The limbs were too long for one thing, and the thick fur caused slight ripples along the seeming. Most wouldn't have noticed it, but it was a sign that he could use a better mage or shaman for the work.

She looked through it, at his back, to see the tall, nearly wolf man like thing underneath. It was pretty, in a tooth and claw type of way.

Keeley waited though and only five minutes later he returned, holding three knives for her to look at. It was so clear that she was supposed to pick the second one he set down that she didn't even bother pretending to look at the others. The being seemed shocked though.

This one wasn't Toledo steal though, but Damascus, made in a different style all together. It was oddly shaped, with a point for stabbing, but a single curved edge on it for slicing as well. The watered pattern on the side and matte gray look gave it away though.

She shrugged.

"Seven thousand for both?" Again she was cheating the being horribly, but the grizzled looking form didn't seem upset. Probably because she was indicating that she actually knew what she was looking at.

Besides, that was all the cash she had on her.

They dickered back and forth, but after a few minutes they settled on what she actually
had
, and her new weapons were wrapped up in plain brown paper and tied with plain brown twine. They didn't have sheaths, but she wouldn't need them really. Not after she set things up at least. That would have to wait though, because it would take about twenty hours to do the work. More maybe. She had a meeting in a few hours, and needed to get to that first.

The trip home was normal enough, and she was able to set her new toys down in the living room without Sherry seeing them. Her mom wasn't stupid, and she had to know how dangerous things were for them at the moment, but she had a feeling that told her that, as the adult, it was her responsibility to protect her child, not the other way around. That wouldn't work though, so it was easier just not to mention certain things until they came up.

"I'm home." She used a singsong voice, which got Sherry to spin, her hands busy on her work table, putting together a string of garlands that was cheery and glittery, while not being all that tacky, at the same time. It was the use of real greenery and pine cones that helped that way, Keeley thought.

The velvet ribbon got handed over carefully, since she was holding both of the decently large spools in one hand, their cardboard sides warping under the pressure.

"This will work really well. Thanks honey. Were there any problems?" The tone of voice she used was nearly comical, it was worried, but her face held a near panic that only parents could feel. The fear that their minor daughters were out having
the sex
.

"Well, a bit. Nothing that I couldn't handle. Before you ask, no one tried to get busy with me." It was easier to say this time, since it was just a throwaway line, instead of an examination of her personal habits, or lack thereof.

"Oh? Good. I was a bit worried. I'm probably wrong, judging people for being different, but Succubus is kind of a
thing
, isn't it?" She got back to work, finishing the project she was on, rather than working on poinsettias again yet. Her OCD wouldn't let her do anything else, most likely.

Keeley looked at the amount of work and then projected the average time for an adult, but business oriented party. That would be starting at six or seven. Given the amount of supplies, things actually looked to be well in hand. It was still before ten after all. Time for her to get things ready for the day, but she had enough time still. Two hours to prepare or so.

First she took a shower, since being clean was important, even if you were a Greater Demon. Then it was on to hair and make-up, standing nude while she did that, since she planned to wear a button front blouse with a high collar. The trick there was blending things properly so that her face wouldn't try to smear on the white material. She noticed that her abs finally had the faintest hint of fat over them. There were still hard looking boy muscles there, but it was better than it had been even a few days before. While she changed she made a point of drawing and absorbing energy.

That part, taking it into herself, was still a problem. She was getting about half of it, most of the time, but it wouldn't be hard to collect far more. Her limit seemed to be a physical one though, which, if she had it right, would only be fixed with a lot of practice and a good amount of time. That was a bit sad, since she already didn't have to eat as desperately. Not all the time at least. She would though, before she left the house, extra energy or not. It was just a good habit for her to have.

The Sword and knife were placed with her stack of Christmas gifts in the garage. After all, Sherry knew not to poke in that pile too much and they were wrapped, if kind of obvious looking. For the time being she'd miss what they really were, Keeley thought. At the moment she didn't trust leaving anything in her house, but that was reality. No place was going to be safe for her, or her friends and family, until whoever was coming at her either got taken care of, or got bored enough to leave her alone.

That could be a while, either way.

Especially if it was Xenses behind it all, which was still her prime bet. After all, no one else had a personal reason to come for her and after the thing with Fram, all the Greater Demons that knew she existed now, also knew not to mess with her directly. That meant someone with a grudge was coming at her.

Most likely at least.

There just wasn't enough data yet, so she kept her skirt smooth, and spent a little time cleaning her car, which sat on the left hand side of the driveway. She was careful, since her knee length skirt and matching green jacket weren't exactly work clothes, but it was already clean for the most part. It
looked
horrible, but that was fitting really. Most of the time. Not currently, since
she
looked like a twenty something business woman, but it would serve well enough. She didn't want to attract attention really. She was just out to make friends.

As far as they knew.

"Balthias. If you aren't busy at the moment, could you come here please?" Extending a breath of energy down the line between them she led the being in. He wasn't visible when he showed up, stepping out of the inroads in the driveway, since that was the rule, but even if he had been, almost no one would have been able to make their minds understand what they were seeing. People were like that with supernatural things. To her he looked about normal though.

Big and with a nice reddish-brown color that was a lot better than the pure red he used to be. He smelled like fresh cut wood, the sulfur scent almost gone now. That was part of him being linked to her, she had to figure. He was a being of thought energy, but close association with a Greater Demon meant that he was taking on the form she wanted for him. It wasn't a purposeful thing, but it worked. Even his face was more even and handsome now. His horns were white and a bit bigger on the top, and his teeth a bit less beast like and pearly looking. He had strategically placed hair, but if you were paying attention you could see the large thing between his legs. Really, he was pretty good about not making that overly obvious most of the time, so it was nearly like he had clothing on, except of course that wasn't the case.

"We have some work to do today. I need you to take Hally, very carefully, to the warehouse I want burnt down. Aid her in doing it, as planned. She should be able to use the device I got for it." She paused, debating the need to explain more, but Balthias, though a slave, had been good and loyal so far, even though he didn't really have a reason to be, if he could fight. Treating him like a friend would draw him a lot closer over time than acting like he was a mere tool. "She got in debt to me, for cash. It isn't a huge thing, but her payment is this bit of arson. I figure it will tie her to me more closely than gifts will, committing a crime like this. Also, I'd rather not bother with more slaves, if I can help it. I actually like her." It was hard to know if that would mean anything to a Lesser Demon, but he nodded.