Dead and Horny Ch. 24

Dana sat on a bench, her eyes scanning the sky for any sign of Lily. The succubus had returned to the rental house early that morning to declare that Deacon's daughter was in fact Legion Prime, then had dramatically thrown herself off the master bedroom's balcony to go for a flight to cool down. That had been almost twelve hours ago.

At her side, Tasia leaned back against the scratchy wood frame. The former knight had a bag full of cheeseburgers in her lap and was eating her sixth one of the afternoon. Eulalie had promptly gone searching for Deacon's daughter after Lily's announcement, only to discover that the woman had yet to leave any sort of trail that could be followed. While it didn't surprise Dana that the demon had pulled one over on them, it had been disappointing that they had all overlooked the obvious.

Tasia belched. When Dana looked her way, the werewolf flinched.

"You look pissed," Tasia said with a frown.

"I'm not pissed." Dana looked away from Tasia. "I'm not anything, actually." The effects of vampire flesh and werewolf blood had tapered out earlier in the day, and her undead condition had settled back in place. While her memories of Tasia were hot and fiery, the feelings behind them had been turned off like water from a spigot. "Permanent resting-bitch face is all." Just another dead girl problem.

"I see." Tasia sighed, then stood from the bench. "Are we going to wait here all day for Lily?"

"No. Why? Do you have somewhere else to be?"

Tasia nodded. "I do. Eulalie was going to help me get home so I could speak with my father. It's the middle of the night there, which means the house won't be packed full of Order personnel."

"You're leaving now?" Somewhere in Dana's mind, a part of her whispered that she should feel hurt. She ignored it.

"Now...ish. I was going to go earlier, but I wanted a little more time with you. Figured if you reverted, it would hurt you less."

That wasn't true. While Tasia leaving now wouldn't hurt Dana, she would feel that loss next time she fed. She had no doubt that Tasia's heart was in the right place, though. It really was a logical decision.

"Did you...want to come and see me off?" Tasia looked nervous to even be asking.

"Sure." In truth, Dana didn't care, but she knew she would later. Lily would come home when she was ready.

The two of them rose and walked back to the rental house. Eulalie waited for them inside wearing a headset and using a pair of laptops set up by the couch. The Arachne was surrounded by a small retinue of magical rats who seemed to be waiting for further instructions.

"There you guys are." Eulalie took off her headset. "Any sign of Lily?"

"Nope."

"Damn. She really is pissed." Eulalie sighed. "She's taking the Legion thing really hard. Honestly, I should have known something was off, too, but--"

Tasia put a hand on Eulalie's arm. "What's done is done," she said, then looked at Dana. "There will be other opportunities to catch that fucker and make them pay, right?"

Both Dana and Eulalie nodded.

"Anyway, I've got your portal just about ready. Say the word and we'll get you home." Eulalie gestured over to one of the spare bedrooms. "I didn't want to tunnel into your father's house and leave it open. Once you're ready, the rats will finish their job and we can send you through. We'll detonate the portal from our side, just so you know."

"Detonate is a drastic word," said Dana.

"Not this time." Eulalie gave both of them a knowing look. "I'm not taking any more chances and showing up on someone's radar. Once you're through to the other side, I'm shutting the door and blowing up someone's old wood shed." She had explained her chilling encounter with the Hat Man to both of them over lunch. Someone out there now knew the Arachne were no longer extinct, which meant Eulalie had to be far more careful in terms of openly getting involved.

Tasia nodded, then looked at Dana. "I guess this is it, then. Walk me to the closet?"

Dana nodded and walked with Tasia to the spare bedroom. When they opened the closet door, a hot breeze blew through the room and ruffled the curtains. Through the portal was an empty structure that looked over sandy terrain that reminded Dana of the Middle East. Sunrise had smeared golden rays across the nearby hillside like paint.

Tasia cleared her throat and looked awkwardly at Dana. "If things go bad for me--"

"Then I'll burn the world down." Dana pulled Tasia into a hug. "Won't even hesitate."

They hugged each other for nearly a minute. Eventually, Eulalie cleared her throat, reminding them that she was there.

"Portal is open," she said, then took Tasia's hand and shook it. "You know how to reach me if you need help."

"I do." Tasia looked at Dana. "I'll send word when I can."

"You'd better." Dana watched as Tasia stepped into the closet. For just a moment, she almost begged Tasia not to go. What they had together had been brief, but it had also been exciting and so full of promise. She didn't look forward to the next time she fed, knowing that these emotions would lurk deep inside her like a bomb, waiting to break her into pieces.

"Fifth portal is your dad's house," called Eulalie. "Just so you know."

Tasia looked over her shoulder and gave a thumbs up before turning left and disappearing through another portal. There was a loud thud, and the closet wall reappeared, the surface shimmering.

"Lily's going to be pissed she missed this," said Eulalie.

"You really think so?"

Eulalie nodded. "The dog jokes pretty much write themselves at this point. I saw how you two looked at each other. Only thing that would have made it worse would be if you yelled and were mean so that she'd wander off into the woods to have a better life or whatever. I'm more than a little depressed just thinking about it." She sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a demon to track."

"Need any help?"

The Arachne shrugged. "You know what? No, I don't. Not really. And that's not me just blowing you off. I have connections I can rely on, programs that will monitor, queries to send. I can do all those things faster on my own." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Honestly, I wish I had done all of this on my own. I started this mess, you know? And it was stupid of me. Books and movies literally have a trope about the dangers of seeking revenge for this very reason. Was it ever going to bring my sister back? No. That's a wrong that can never be made right. I did this whole thing just to make myself feel better, and for what? I put my friends in danger, I put myself in danger, and I may have even put the House itself in danger as well. And what do I have to show for it? Regret. Guilt. Anger."

Dana contemplated the Arachne, but remained silent.

Eulalie stood there, her fists clenched at her sides and her jaw tense. The Arachne took a deep breath, then exhaled.

"I fooled myself into thinking I was doing all this for Velvet," she muttered. "But I was really doing it for myself."

"And me," Dana added. "Lily, too. You can fool yourself into thinking that this was all about you, but you didn't force us to do anything. We all wanted our pound of flesh and got more than we bargained for. Next time--"

"There won't be a next time."

"Next time," Dana continued, "we don't walk in thinking we've got this on our own. Maybe you feel like you're alone now, but you aren't. You're part of a family. We all are. And if you ever say the word, I bet you'll have everybody lined up and happy to kick ass for you. So I guess I'll ask again...do you need my help?"

The Arachne stared at Dana for several long seconds before speaking. "No, I don't. Not this time." Eulalie looked down at her hands, then unclenched her fists before looking back up at Dana. "But I think...I think that I wouldn't mind the company."

Dana moved to Eulalie's side and bumped the Arachne's leg with her shoulder. "Anything for family."

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The moment Tasia stepped through the final portal, she heard a dull thud behind her as the magic was severed. Eulalie had warned her that there would be no escape route if things went wrong; she couldn't risk the Order or Tasia's father learning about the rats' existence. Still, Tasia had gone ahead with the plan, knowing full well that it needed to be done.

Though it hadn't been possible, she wished Dana had come along.

Tasia found herself in a dark room, most likely one of the kitchens. Any servants working this time of night weren't likely to be in here, which meant she would have a better chance of avoiding discovery.

Moving toward the nearest window, she peered outside in the hopes of figuring out where she was. The skies were dark, and she could barely make out the silhouette of the central building under the soft glow of distant lights. She took a deep breath through her nose and sifted through the smells, hoping something would catch.

It didn't. Scowling, she moved stealthily across the room and pushed the door open a crack. The hallways were dimly lit and nobody was around. She stepped free of the kitchen, her senses on full alert as she moved through the old fortress. It took her a few minutes, but she finally figured out that she was in the southern wing and on the bottom floor. She needed to get to the central courtyard first before she could find a path to her father's study.

She was more than a little surprised when her nose picked up the smell of three men and two women near the exit to the courtyard. Sliding into a closet, she heard the gentle click of a door opening, followed by the sounds of footsteps. She could see the shadows of their feet along the bottom of the door, then tensed up when someone came to a stop. Clenching her fists, she flinched when the person on the other side of the door sneezed.

"Bless you," said a male voice.

"Thanks." The woman on the other side sniffed. "I think it's all the stormy weather. It keeps messing with my sinuses."

"You two are too loud," someone else muttered. "Don't forget that people actually live here."

The shadows moved on, and Tasia let out the breath she had been holding. She waited until their scents receded, then stepped free of the closet and moved toward the exit.

It was drizzling out in the courtyard. Visibility was low, which meant it was easier to move among the shadows. Tasia looked up toward her father's study and was a little surprised to see that the light was on. If her father was alone, this would be in her favor, as they could have their conversation in private. But if he was in an emergency meeting with others...

None of this mattered, however. The main entrance to the central building was guarded. Tasia's options were to take the long route through the east wing or attempt scaling the exterior of the building until she could find an opening. With the falling rain, she didn't dare attempt the climb. She might be able to accomplish it in wolf form, but that would make her look more like an assassin instead of a troubled daughter in need of help.

The east wing door wasn't guarded, but she did have to wait for a patrol to pass by before slipping inside. Luckily, the storm blowing through increased in ferocity. During a temporary downpour, Tasia slid through the door and shook herself off before continuing any further. These halls were familiar to her, as they were once the stomping grounds of her youth. Prior to joining the Order, she had run through these very hallways with a training blade, assaulting some of the decorative armor to defend the Laskaris family honor. Even now, she could see a suit of armor from the 1300s still sporting a massive dent in one of the greaves that she put there almost twenty years ago.

"Your father refused to let me fix that one," said a voice from behind. Tasia spun around, startled that somebody had been able to evade her senses. Standing in a doorway that hadn't been there before was Basil. "He always thought it added character to the piece. Armor that has never seen battle is little more than fodder for a museum gift shop."

"How did you--"

"Your father spotted you from his study. The rain masked my scent, and I've dedicated years to traveling these hallways unseen." He gestured toward the secret door. "Please, come. We would prefer that you not be seen by the others."

Trembling, Tasia followed the man into the secret passage. She thought she knew most of them, but had never seen this particular doorway opened before. Even knowing now where it was, she marveled at how smoothly the door slid into place from inside the secret passageway itself.

"Wh--" Tasia's words were cut off when a gloved finger was pressed to her lips. Moments later, she heard murmuring through the wall as somebody passed by. Basil tilted his head to one side as if listening, then nodded and gestured for her to follow.

The twists and turns of the secret labyrinth were dizzying. Basil maintained an unhurried pace, leading Tasia up a flight of stairs and then exiting into an empty bedroom. Moving silently, he tripped a switch behind the headboard and took her into another passageway.

"Your father has been expecting you," he said, breaking the silence. "Admittedly, not quite this soon. He figured it would be at least another week before you found a way to get here."

"So my father, he--"

"Has his assumptions, Miss. I do not wish to speak in his place, however, so please don't ask." Basil cleared his throat. "However, I will voice that we appear to be on the edge of troubling times."

"Troubling how?"

Basil ignored her question, then held up a hand for them to stop. They stood that way for nearly a minute before they continued onward, crossing through an empty hallway to access yet another secret door.

"With the recent death of Master Lynn, many higher ranking officials have come under the direct purview of the Council. Though I will not speak to their motivations, know that the men and women patrolling these hallways will grant no quarter nor explanation." The man's lips pressed together so hard they threatened to disappear. "But if you truly were Mistress Lynn's killer, then I am not certain what they hope to accomplish by packing this place with mere children."

"Basil." It was the closest thing to an opinion the man would likely voice on the matter.

"Not another word until we reach your father." The servant put a finger to his lips and pointed upward. "He wouldn't allow them to place wards detecting his staff through the walls, but they will hear our passage. Please match your footsteps to mine, just in case."

She nodded, then followed closely. They were in the main wing now, ascending a tight spiral staircase that would have an ordinary person winded. Tasia was careful to match her steps to Basil's, even though the man didn't seem to make any noise. Even so, she could hear the soft clink of her shoes on metal as they walked.

Several minutes later, Basil pushed open a door to reveal her father's study. She took a moment to contemplate the family crest on the door, a wolf's head guarding an open book. Would her father still see her as a protector? Or was he planning to deal with her personally?

Alexandros Laskaris stood by the fire, a blade strapped to his waist and his arms crossed. When he turned to face them, those predatory eyes gleamed.

"That will be all, Basil." Alexandros' voice was as cold as the storm. "I will let you know if I need you."

The servant nodded, then left through the secret doorway.

Alexandros walked toward his daughter, his arms still crossed. He studied her in silence for several minutes, his eyes lingering on the recently healed wounds of her body. She said nothing as she allowed her father to inspect her.

"Where is your sword?" he asked.

"Lost to me," she replied. "I learned recently that I fought better without it."

"As the wolf," he said. "But not as a Knight."

"I am no longer a Knight," she replied, her eyes straight forward. "A Knight is a valuable part of a team, a protector. Even before the death of Master Lynn, I realized that the others would no longer see me as one of them. My new abilities came at a cost, and the events in Florida cost me any trust I had earned."

Alexandros stopped in front of his daughter, one hand dropping to his hilt. "If I decided to take your head, would you try and stop me?"

Tasia tensed her jaw and met his steady gaze. "I would," she admitted. "And you had better strike true, because I won't make it easy."

Her father stepped forward, his embrace gentle. Tasia stiffened up at first, then raised her arms to reciprocate. Her father's voice was soft in her ears as he spoke.

"I never believed for one second that you were the monster they claimed," he said.

"Father." Tasia bit back tears as the man stepped away.

"Master Lynn was one of the greatest swordsmen the Order has ever known. Even if you got the drop on her, she would have left her mark. I see that someone has cut you recently, but they are not the marks of a master." Her father studied her once more. "While studying the autopsy reports, I found discrepancies between witness statements and what was left of the bodies. Brother Esteban was adamant that we catch you right away, but has suddenly gone missing. Reports indicate that he is en route to a retreat for emotional support, but he is already a day late."

Tasia opened her mouth to share everything that had happened with her father, then paused. There would be massive holes in her story, and he would see them immediately. No matter what happened next, she couldn't reveal what she knew about the others, but needed to give him enough to validate her tale.

"I wasn't there when it happened," she said. "Esteban captured me and turned me over to a man named Deacon Osgrove."

"The pastor?" Alexandros looked thoughtful for a moment. "What for?"

"I'm not entirely certain," she said. She went on to describe Esteban's strange behavior, and how she was turned over to Deacon to be given to a man called the Curator.

The moment she mentioned his name, her father paled.

"You are sure of this?" he whispered. "He used that name?"

Puzzled, Tasia nodded. "I learned this information later, but yes. I was rescued from Deacon by a woman in a similar situation. She helped keep me one step ahead of both the Order and the Curator."

She half expected her father to ask about Dana, but he didn't. Instead, he fingered the hilt of his sword as if he expected to draw it any moment.

"Who is the Curator?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he replied, "but it's a name only known among the highest ranking members of the Order. If the organization has a boogeyman, it is him. It has been decades since we've had a confirmed sighting, but if he's in play now..." Alexandros stroked his chin.

"He wanted to take me apart," said Tasia. "To see how I worked."

Alexandros gripped his sword, then let go. "Then perhaps the stories are true," he said, his glistening eyes turning toward the fire. "A man going by that title has been around since the late 1700s. We're not certain what he is, but he has a certain...proclivity for dissecting his victims. On at least three occasions, the Order has fought this man. We last encountered him during World War II, running experiments for the Nazis. It was believed that we killed him just after the war, but I now have my doubts."

"I see." Tasia watched her father study the fire. She cleared her throat and took a step toward him. "Father, you've seen the discrepancies. I don't know that I would ask to return to my duties as a Knight, but would you at least help me clear my name?"

"No." Alexandros spoke without hesitation. "I will not help you with this."

"Father?" Tasia blinked in surprise and took a step away from him. If he knew that she was innocent, then why would he allow her to remain a fugitive?