Home for Horny Monsters Ch. 106

The men nodded, and the masked man clapped a hand on Cyrus' shoulder.

"You do your job, and we'll do ours." He fist bumped Cyrus, and then shooed him away in dismissal. Cyrus wandered toward the Order supplies and started digging through them.

"Seriously, though, you all have demon bullets?" Eulalie's voice rose an octave in excitement. "That sounds awesome."

Cyrus cleared his throat and crouched over a crate to hide his face. "No," he whispered.

"Oh." The Rat Queen sighed. "So since demon bullets aren't real, I assume that means you're up to something?"

"Uh huh." Digging through the box, he found the reagents he needed and then stood. He was going to leave the tent and get started on his secret project, but he saw Dirk messing with the projectors. Darius, who had yet to leave the tent, was staring at the empty screen with his hands behind his back. A couple of squad leaders were gathering around as the projector turned on, revealing a picture of the massive tree and Naia's fountain nearby.

"What's going on here?" asked Cyrus nonchalantly. "Do we have a lead?"

"That's on a need to know basis," said Dirk.

Cyrus held up his hands. "I'm not trying to pry. As you can see, we're having some leadership problems of our own and I'm currently in command." He tilted his head toward Laurel. The mage was lying down on her side and had fallen fast asleep.

Dirk looked at Darius, who remained silent for several seconds. The SoS commander looked at Cyrus with eyes that seemed to simmer with rage, but his face was neutral.

"We're planning a new approach," he replied, then gestured toward the images. "Since we cannot breach the perimeter of the house, we are forced to find a way to bring its denizens out. Your Director has asked us to secure the package via trading assets."

"Trading assets?" Cyrus frowned. "What assets?"

"That fountain is home to a magical nymph. If the supply of water becomes blocked, she dies." Darius gestured to the fountain. "So we're going to try and blow it up."

"What?!?" Eulalie yelled so loud that Cyrus flinched.

"Um, wait, so we're planning to kill the nymph?"

Darius nodded. "If need be. The real plan is to lure out the others and capture them. Then we can barter for what your Director wants. We have supplies coming right now in order to take them into custody, and have even hired a specialist to assist."

"A specialist?" Who on earth could specialize in detaining magical beings that wasn't already part of the Order? In his earpiece, he could hear Eulalie frantically chattering both to herself and somebody else, but was going so fast he couldn't understand her.

Darius nodded. "We have some other moving parts, but we'll start once we're ready. I assume we'll have your team's full cooperation?"

"Naturally." With Laurel falling apart, he would be able to take command of the Order once again, even if only temporarily. He thought about how best to guide his people to not only protect them, but Mike Radley's family. Thinking about the bullets in his pocket, he wondered if upscaling his current plan was possible.

First, he would have to figure out where all his people were. With Mads noticeably missing, he suspected that Jenny had taken more than a few of them. Maybe he would find some mages willing to put in some extra time on his new project.

"Sir." An SoS operative rose from his position by the computers and looked at Darius. "The specialist is here."

Darius raised an eyebrow, the shadow of a smile appearing on his face. He looked at Dirk first, then his gaze settled on Cyrus. "Would you please bring in our guest?" he asked.

Cyrus nodded, then excused himself from the tent. Back outside, a sleek black town car had parked next to the other vehicles. When the doors opened, armed SoS agents emerged from the vehicle, their eyes intensely scanning the roof of the Radley house.

Curious who would require such a retinue, he watched in silence as a woman stepped out. She wore a simple dress and her long, braided hair had been tightly coiled up in a bun. He recognized her face immediately.

"You're Elizabeth," he said, locking eyes with the woman. Though she looked to be in her late thirties, he sensed that the woman looking back at him was far older than her outer appearance. "From the Historical Society."

She smirked in his direction and held up a letter. "I am," she stated, walking toward Cyrus. "Your people found me this morning, quite by accident, and I had a little chat with your Director. We came to a deal."

"You were part of a secret cabal."

"I was, and now it's gone. Was pretty much being forced to work for them, you know how it is." She smiled weakly and handed over the letter. "Per your Director, my eventual release hinges on my cooperation with your operation here. You'll find me quite knowledgeable about what the denizens of this home are capable of."

Uncertain how to respond, Cyrus opened the printout. He scowled at the letter giving Elizabeth full rights and access to his team, including a leadership role. It bothered him how easily he would have rolled with this if he didn't already know the whole operation was crooked. The Order was severely lacking in critical thinkers, and he knew now it was by design.

"Let's go meet the man in charge," he said and gestured toward the tent. Elizabeth clasped her hands together in front of her body and moved past him. Cyrus shivered as her shadow passed over him, sucking the heat from his body.

Turning, he followed her into the tent where she immediately walked toward Darius unprompted. The two gave each other a look of recognition, then turned their attention to the screen. In his ear, Eulalie had stopped chattering and he could only assume they were working on a plan of their own.

Once he was satisfied that nobody was paying attention, he snuck away. If he was going to make a difference, he needed to get to work right now.

Mike felt his magic stirring, eager to act, but uncertain how. The woman tilted her head, her dark eyes studying Leilani first, then settling on Opal. He looked over the stranger's shoulder, noting that she had actually emerged from inside his property line. There would be no safety for them if they managed to cross the line, so whatever came next depended on what the goddess wanted.

"I'm afraid you have me at a loss," he confessed, ignoring the spirits that had now packed in so tightly that he could no longer see through their ethereal forms. "I wasn't expecting to find somebody here."

"And you shouldn't have. My involvement in these matters was meant to be a secret, for reasons you will understand very soon." She walked toward Mike, divinity radiating from her like light from a star. "For you see, I am the final line of defense in this place, Caretaker."

"You're the guardian?" he asked.

She snorted. "Hardly. Consider me a very invested third party. The guardian of this place would recognize your authority immediately, perhaps even welcome you. I, on the other hand, am here to ensure that you are worthy of this place."

"By what mechanism?" asked Leilani, her voice quieter than usual.

"This man is an outsider, daughter of the waters." The goddess stepped past Mike to confront the mermaid. "He knows not of the old traditions, nor can we expect him to understand. This place was never meant for his kind, and yet they have taken it. Our ancestral lands now belong to men and women of means, some who rarely walk our shores. These islands were not created for those who worship greed and power. I have been here since the beginning, and shall judge him in whatever manner seems fit."

"I am princess Leilani, of the--"

The goddess held up her hand, and Leilani froze. "I'm not interested in your opinions. You have not known him long, and I can smell him on your flesh. When you get to be my age, you learn that the whims of youth are no excuse for the wisdom of experience." She then turned to Opal. "As for you, I have no idea what manner of creature you are. You are made from the stuff of gods, yet your spirit is new like a child's."

Opal nodded introspectively, then signed to Mike.

"This is Opal," said Mike, translating out loud. "She wants you to know that she means no disrespect, but she is unable to reply verbally."

"You have interesting companions." The goddess turned back to Mike. "And is that a fairy I sense?"

Daisy came out of hiding and gave a shy wave.

"Daisy is the same," Mike added. "By the way, my name is Mike Radley. By what name may I address you?"

The goddess arched her eyebrows. "What an interesting way to ask that question."

"I got into a fight once with the Queen of the Fae," he explained. "I learned from her that names are important, especially to the gods."

"And would you presume to know who I am?" she asked.

"I would not," he admitted. "Before we came here, I studied some of the lore, but it's been watered down. I've also learned a bit about how divinity works, and that who you used to be may be vastly different from who you are now."

"Good." She stepped forward, her face now inches from his own. Though the air was cool and wet, he could feel the intense heat emanating from her flesh. "How about now?"

He wasn't about to be baited into such a trap. "I have some ideas," he admitted. "But I would prefer to hear what you would like to be called."

"Interesting. Very interesting." Her eyes searched his, but he could feel her gaze across his very soul. "Arrogance is a natural byproduct of the quest for power. You radiate with strength, yet it would appear you are not one who seeks it."

"That's not entirely true," he admitted. "I've worked hard to become stronger."

"Working to become stronger is a far different path than simply taking that strength for yourself." The woman took a step back and crossed her arms. "If I should let you pass, what comes next? Why have you come here?"

"I was brought here by the Order," Mike replied. "They said a dangerous creature came down from this place and boiled the bay, killing several of Leilani's people. They wanted my help in hunting it down."

"And you believed them?" she asked.

"I wanted to seek the truth for myself. A creature capable of doing such a thing is dangerous, but it's more important to understand why it happened."

"And if there was a good reason? What then? Will you just walk away?"

"No." Mike shook his head. "I need to learn what that reason was and find a way to fix it. This place has become a refuge for the merfolk, and I don't want them to be chased away by a problem I could have fixed."

"I see." The ground rumbled, but the goddess didn't seem to notice. "And what if I told you that I was the one who boiled the bay?"

Leilani flinched, but Mike kept his gaze on the goddess. "Then I would ask you why," he said.

"What if you don't like my answer?" The irises of the goddess blazed with fire.

"I doubt I would like your answer, regardless of your motivations. A lot of people died, and that's never good. Still, I will ask what I can do to help."

"Hmm." The fire in her eyes vanished and she took a step back. "The Queen of the Fae taught you well."

"It was not an easy lesson."

"Lessons from the fae realm rarely are." The goddess turned to look at the mouth of the cave. A small white dog emerged from the darkness, sniffing at the rocks before wagging its tail. "And what are you doing here?"

The dog barked twice, then came over to sit next to her feet. The goddess knelt down and rubbed the spot between its ears. Mike couldn't help but notice that the dog itself wasn't entirely here. Its body seemed more like thick vapor than anything else.

"Your companions have arrived," she said, taking a step toward the cave. "It would be rude to leave them waiting."

"So do I pass?" Mike asked, moving behind the goddess.

"For now." She paused at the edge of the opening, her toes right at the property line. "My name is Pele-honu-amea. You may call me Pelé."

Behind him, Leilani gasped, but Mike didn't react. Pelé was perhaps the most infamous of the Hawaiian gods, notorious for her fiery temper. However, she was also a devoted protector of her people. Whatever came next, he needed to make sure he stayed on her good side. When Pelé continued onward, he followed.

They were only a few feet into the cave when Pelé paused and turned around. "Stop doing that," she said. Mike looked over his shoulder to see that Leilani had bowed down, her forehead on the damp soil. Behind her, the night marchers had all vanished into the foliage.

"I mean no disrespect," said Leilani. "And I apologize for not recognizing you."

Pelé smirked and looked at Mike. "I have a bit of a reputation," she confessed with a wink, then exited the cave and knelt by the mermaid. She whispered something in Hawaiian, and Leilani nodded, then rose. Together, they came back into the cave where Mike and Opal stood. Nearby, the little white dog wagged its tail.

"Does the dog have a name?" he asked. Opal signed at him and he nodded in response. "And can Opal pet him?"

"You may call the dog what you wish. As long as you speak from the heart, he will know you speak to him." She paused for a moment. "As for petting him, that is also his decision."

The goddess continued into the cave with Leilani right behind her, the two of them chatting in the native tongue of the islands. Mike looked at the dog and grinned. "So may Opal pet you?"

The dog's tongue lolled out of his mouth as he stared up at Mike for several long moments. Eventually, his tail wagged and he moved toward the slime girl. Opal knelt down and started stroking the dog's fur. Wispy tendrils of white curled around her fingers, reminding Mike of smoke.

"Is Smoke an okay name?" he asked. "For us to call you, I mean."

Smoke barked in the affirmative.

"Awesome. C'mon, you two. We're getting ditched." He jogged after the others in an attempt to catch up. Behind him, Opal continued to pet the dog for several moments before rising. He had wondered more than once about getting a pet at home, especially for Callisto or Grace. However, Callisto had evinced no interest in pet ownership and Zel had explained that other than falconry, centaurs didn't technically own any animals.

As for Grace, Eulalie had quickly explained there was a good chance the little Arachne might eat whatever pet they brought home.

The cave was cool at first, but the temperature quickly rose. Glowing moss along the roof illuminated their path forward, and the trail was smooth and well kept. After several minutes, the cave terminated in a waterfall, where Pelé and Leilani had come to a halt.

"This is it, Caretaker. Once we cross the veil, there is no going back from the truth." Pelé turned to face him. "Just know that you have inherited a responsibility far larger than any you deserve."

Mike frowned. "I know I'm a stranger in your land, but I promise I'll work hard to be worthy of it."

"You misunderstand." Pelé's voice softened. "When I say you don't deserve it, I speak from a place of pity. From what little Leilani has told me about you, you sound like a decent man, maybe even an honorable one. I would not wish this fate on either."

"Well...that just sounds ominous." He took a deep breath and sighed. "But if I don't do this, someone else will. Both the Order and Captain Dickhead want whatever is here, and I don't trust either of them to do the right thing."

"On this, we agree." Pelé gestured toward the waterfall. "Come."

Mike walked toward the wall of water, then took a deep breath and stepped through it. The water parted, revealing a series of stepping stones to a pond beyond. Instead of being deep inside a mountain, he now stood in a bowl shaped valley, filled with trees. Up above, cumulus clouds had piled into a massive mountain with a hole in the middle, allowing light to shine through. On the other side of the pond, a large cabana had been built along the edge of a cliff.

The others followed him through, the waterfall filling back in once Smoke and Opal had passed. Once on the opposite shore of the lake, Mike turned around and looked up the side of the mountain.

"This is an extra-dimensional space," he said, then looked over at Pelé.

"It is," she said with a nod. "Are you familiar with how these islands came to be?"

"Depends on who you ask," he said. "Science says plate tectonics and volcanism. The stories say your sister tried to kill you."

Pelé nodded. "And they are both true, in their own way. My relationship with my sister is complicated, but the islands are the result of our battle. My sister holds dominion over the seas while mine lies in the fire of the earth. When I was young, I was forced to flee our home by canoe. This was how I came upon Hawaii as it was, just a single island in the middle of the ocean.

"When my sister Namakaokahai learned of my location, she came for my head. I barely escaped that time, so hid from her wrath. Though her powers were great, her attention was divided. Instead of fleeing, I used my magic and cracked the earth, raising the next island in the chain. And so we repeated this process over thousands of years. Each time she came for me, Namakaokahai was stronger than before, forcing me to build my islands even higher. My strength improved as well, and I was finally able to create a place that even she couldn't consume with her waves."

"Kilauea?" asked Mike. "I read somewhere that you're supposed to live there."

"I like to travel." Pelé grinned. "What use is immortality if I spend all of it in one place?"

"I'm kind of a homebody."

The goddess snorted. "Hardly. Back to my tale, my sister finally gave up in her efforts to claim my life. Even gods grow up sometimes. But before she did, I was already planning the next step. It wasn't until she failed to kill me on the Big Island that I realized I had outpaced her growth, and so this was my backup plan." She gestured to the valley. "This is the secret island of Hawaii, hidden between the cracks of time and space."

"You made a secret island and hid it inside of Maui?" Mike looked back at the pond in time to see Leilani jab at the water with her trident. She pulled out a large trout, which she eagerly consumed.

"Yes and no. I created this place, but I did not tuck it away." She turned and walked toward the cabana. "That would be the work of the one you call the Architect."

"Naturally." If something weird had been built across time and space, he could count on it being the Architect's work. "So does this mean that you are the host?"

Pelé paused and cocked her head. "Host?"

"The divine being used to create such a place." He frowned. "Actually, that wouldn't make sense. You created this island yourself, right?"

"I did. The Architect altered it for our needs. Come." She took Mike to the cabana. Wicker chairs hung from braided ropes looped to the ceiling with a king-size bed in the back. Flower petals had been laid in a circle at the foot of the bed.

"It's beautiful," he said.

"Yes," she replied. "But that is not what I wanted you to see. This way." She held out a hand, and he took it. Her skin was soft, and he felt his magic resonate in response to her touch.

"Oh." Pelé pulled her hand away and gave him a knowing look. "I forgot about that. We should avoid skin contact."

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

She chuckled. "I am the goddess of many things, passion among one of them. Your natural talents have ignited those feelings in me and I'm working actively to suppress them." Pelé looked past him to where Opal and Leilani stood, both of them now lavishing Smoke with attention. "I don't share well with others," she admitted.

"You lead, I'll follow." He gestured forward, and the goddess walked to the edge of the cliff.

A deck had been constructed of stone with wrought iron railing around the edges. Down below, the bowl shaped valley was host to a lake in which a tiny island sat. A building had been constructed there, but Mike didn't recognize the architecture. Wisps of steam curled up from the water around the rocky shores of the island.