Chapter Fifteen

FIFTEEN

Diary of Effrijim, Demon Sixth Class

––––––––

"T o the left! No, your other left! No, sorry, my bad, your first left was right. I mean left. The left is the right left ... ACK!" I didn't know there were as many boggarts in the world as came pouring down the stairs and into the chamber containing the Lake of Upside-Down Sinners, but there was a metric butt-ton of them, and they were all heading straight for us.

"You're not—gah!" Parisi spun around, her sword slicing through the air, a couple of boggart necks, and two boggart arms. "Not helping with bad directions."

I lunged at the boggart that was bearing down on her, since she was twirling and twisting and leaping through the air as she fought. Ahead of us, Hunter and Finch were paring down the waves of boggarts, but about half of them slipped through to where Parisi and I were the next defense.

Behind us, I could hear Sally warning Mabel, "Be ready to get Parisi out of here the second we have these boggarts under control."

"All right," Mabel answered. I glanced behind as I bit deep onto a boggart's leg, its nasty blood filling my mouth with the taste of rotted vegetation, ignoring its screams and attempts to beat me on the head. I must have severed something important, because the boggart went down in a cloud of oaths and tried to crawl away as I spat out the nasty taste. "But ... I don't want to tell you what to do, but shouldn't you be helping them? I'm a dancer, not a fighter, but you're a former Sovereign."

"Sugar, do you honestly believe if there was any way I could wade into battle and open a can of whup-ass on those boggarts, I wouldn't do so? Alas, the Court has very strong opinions about former Sovereigns dismantling the security they put in place," Sally answered, handily sidestepping when the crawling boggart tried to reach for her. She kicked it in the leg I'd bitten, which left it curling up and howling in pain. She caught me staring and smiled a smile that made my hackles rise involuntarily. "A little kick between friends is fine, though."

Parisi had been busy while I was distracted, because when I turned back to help her—although I gotta admit, my mom had it going on when it came to dispatching boggarts—there was a smallish mound of green-oozing bodies to her left. "Way to go, Mom. Can I call you Mom?" I asked.

"No," she said, screaming something wordless when six boggarts with arms linked mowed down both Finch and Hunter. The latter was up on his feet immediately, while Finch appeared to have gotten in the way of one of the boggarts' swords, because when he got to his knees, I could see the blade coming out of his back.

Finch looked down at himself as he staggered to his feet. The hilt of the sword poked out of his stomach. "You bastard! Tatiana is going to tut at me, since I swore to her I wouldn't get harmed, and I hate making her tut over something so ridiculous. Have that, you filth!"

Heads went rolling down to the water, where they slipped into the lake with a whispered splash, bodies flopped onto the ground, and the stone floor become as slippery as a skating rink by the time the flow of boggarts had slowed to a mere dribble.

I picked up one of the small knives that had dropped, and, clamping it firmly with my teeth, attacked a boggart that was rushing toward Parisi. "I think this is the last of them," I said around the hilt of the knife. "We should be good now."

"Famous last words," I heard Sally say as an uncanny silence filled the room. Well, silent except for the panting and heaving of everyone who'd just battled what seemed like an entire battalion of boggarts.

"What—" I started to say, then felt it.

"What is this strangeness?" Parisi asked, ignoring Finch's strangled scream when Hunter, without warning him, whipped the sword out from where it pierced the vampire. She was panting heavily, sweat making her face red and shiny as she looked around. "What is this feeling?"

"Oh no," I said, the feeling of dread and absolute wrongness growing stronger with each passing second. "Don't tell me they can come here?"

The last was asked of Sally, who tried to smile, but it came out strained. There was something about her eyes that I didn't like, a worried light that had me regretting everything I'd ever eaten. And I've eaten a lot of things.

"I'm afraid they can. They are the gaolers of the Akasha, and this is technically part of the Akasha."

"Who are you talking about?" Parisi asked again. "And why do I feel like I am covered in honey and a herd of biting ants is heading my way?"

"I don't think ants make a herd—" I started to say, but just then, darkness settled at the top of the stairs and started to ooze its way down.

"Hashmallim," I heard Finch say in a voice filled with amazement.

"What is—" Parisi stopped when the darkness on the stairs resolved itself into four Hashmallim, the incredibly scary, insanely powerful, inhuman beings that guarded the Akasha, and were made up of darkness and terror and a stubbornness that would do any Newfie proud. She spoke a word I didn't understand.

"Yes," Sally said, moving a step closer to Mabel. The former's expression was fairly passive, but her eyes were bright and watchful. "That is their old name, before the Court made them the guardians of the Akasha."

Parisi studied them for a second as Hunter and Finch retreated to stand a few yards in front of us. Then she rolled her shoulders, cracked her neck, and strode forward between the two men, her sword in hand. "I am Parisi of Madurai, a Defender of the Blood. You will stand aside."

"Your mom has serious balls," Mabel said softly. "I don't think I could walk up to them like that. They make me want to run away screaming while setting my hair on fire."

"Yeah, they have that effect on people," I said, then, feeling it was important to make a stand next to Parisi, shoved my way between Finch and Hunter and stopped next to her.

One of the Hashmallim turned my way, although it was hard to tell if he was looking at me or not, since they didn't have actual faces. Not with the long cowls and robes that flowed over them, keeping them to a large, vaguely human shape that seemed to suck in all the light and joy and happiness around them and leave the air filled with fear, horror, and pretty much outright unending terror.

The Hashmallim suddenly reared back; then the long, robe-covered arms rose and seemed to cover his head before he spun around and oozed his way up the stairs at a fairly fast clip.

"Oh yeah, I remember you," I called after him. "Want some more of my hump, my hump, my lovely lady lumps?"

"What on earth?" Mabel asked, her voice momentarily incredulous.

I looked back again and waggled my eyebrows at her. "‘My Humps' by Black Eyed Peas. It got me out of the Akasha the time I was stuck here by a bad Guardian. Had to sing it nonstop for three days before he threw me out. Guess he remembers me!"

The other Hashmallim weren't so affected, and after standing like a row of intensely scary robe-covered statues apparently made out of the stuff that is in a black hole, one of them lifted an arm and pointed it at Parisi. "You are no longer Sovereign," he said in a voice that sounded like two granite slabs grinding together.

"I am a warrior of the blood," she repeated. "Stand aside, or you will be destroyed."

Behind her, Finch and Hunter exchanged glances; then both hefted their weapons and stepped forward next to us.

"Leave," the chatty one said. "Now."

"Excellent. You want to do this the hard way," she answered, and rolled her shoulders again before lifting her sword.

"I don't know that I'd do what you're thinking of doing—" Sally started to say, but Parisi evidently wasn't going to wait around to see what the Hashmallim would do.

She was on the first one in the time between heartbeats, slashing and cutting and twirling around him in a dance that was simultaneously beautiful and horrible.

Finch yelled something in French and jumped forward to another Hashmallim, while Hunter, with a profane oath under his breath, shifted into a smoky-colored dragon and roared so loudly as he attacked, the echoes seemed to go on forever.

I joined in the fun as much as I could, although it turns out that the Hashmallim's bodies were oddly intangible. Every time I thought I was clamping down on a calf or thigh, the form seemed to melt away in my mouth.

That's when the other three Hashmallim showed up and immediately jumped into the fray. Things went chaotic then, with dark power being splashed all over the place by the Hashmallim, sending both me and Finch flying across the room to slam into one of the stone walls. Little corgi-shaped stars danced before my eyes for a few seconds before I heard a high, feminine scream, and suddenly, I was on my feet, racing across the room to where four of the Hashmallim had ganged up on Parisi.

Hunter and Finch, now back-to-back, were attacking the other two while trying to stay out of the way of the spells and dark power that was thrown at them.

Parisi screamed again as she went down under a massive black mound that was the Hashmallim pig-piling on her.

"Nooo!" I yelled, but when I was halfway across the room, a black shape emerged from the water and, before I could blink, was throwing Hashmallim off my mom.

It was Desi, and he apparently had no trouble dealing with the Hashmallim, because he seemed to twist their forms until they dissolved into nothing, their long black robes drifting to the ground.

Parisi rose, blood dripping from a scratch on her cheek. For a moment she and Desi stared at each other; then he reached out and gently touched the blood on her face, saying something in a language that sounded really old.

"Get them out of here," I heard Sally tell Mabel. "As soon as the last Hashmallim is sent back to the Court, take them to Aisling's house."

"Is that what happens to them when they're destroyed?" Mabel asked, her eyes huge as she watched Finch and Hunter fight.

"Yes. Get ready," Sally answered, and I could feel her pulling in power around herself.

"All right, but it has to be their wish," Mabel warned.

Evidently Desi realized there were still two Hashmallim, now caught in battle with Hunter and Finch, and he left Parisi to fling himself on the gaolers.

It was over in less than a minute. I stood panting and still spitting out the taste of boggart blood when Mabel hustled forward. "Right, now is the time we leave. Parisi, I can take you and Desislav to Aisling's house. Sound good? Desislav, you agree? Awesome! Off we go."

She didn't really give them time to agree—she just grabbed Parisi's arm with one hand, and Desi's with the other, and boom! They were gone.

"And now you two," Sally said, her hands dancing as she spoke the words of banishment, sending Hunter and me to the Akasha.

I don't know how long we were there, but it was enough time for me to go to the nearest vending machine and see if they had anything good to nom. They didn't, because it was a place of punishment, so the whole thing was filled with Raisinets, Necco Wafers, and Circus Peanuts. "And ain't no one gonna eat those," I told Hunter.

He looked like he was about to answer, but blipped out of the Akasha. A few seconds later, Aisling summoned me, too.

"—and I don't know why you're making such a big deal about it," she was saying to an obviously furious Drake. He stood glaring at her with smoke curling out of his nose. "It was nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"What did I miss?" I asked, glancing around. Parisi and Desi were standing next to the big window that looked out on the square, but were looking at each other instead of the pretty park where I had my walkies.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," Aisling repeated, squeezing Drake's arm before she kissed the tip of his nose. "Hunter winked at me before he left, that's all."

"Another dragon winked at my mate," Drake said, sounding outraged. "A master of an ouroboros tribe winked at you. Why did he do so? He must want to steal you!"

"Oh, for the love of Pete ... Drake, it was a wink. He doesn't want me. I have three kids and a sexy-as-sin dragon of my own—no one else is going to want me."

"Why. Did. He. Wink?" Drake asked through gritted teeth.

"Jealous much?" I couldn't help but ask, still keeping an eye on my parents. Sally, who had been standing at the far end of the room speaking softly on her phone, turned around to smile at us all.

"I'm happy to say that all the Hashmallim are accounted for, and have been given new physical forms and returned to their duties protecting the Akasha. Are we all done here?"

"Why aren't you listening to me?" Aisling asked Drake. "Why do you think I'd lie?"

"I don't think anything so heinous. You are my mate, and you are madly in love with me. I trust you with everything I have, but the same does not apply to masters of ouroboros tribes who can challenge me for you and attempt to steal you from me and our children."

Aisling is made of nicer stuff than me, because where I thought Drake was being overbearing and ridiculous, she just smiled and leaned in to him to whisper, "You know full well I would never let that happen again. You're mine, and I'm keeping you, so get over your wyvern jealousy when it concerns unmated male dragons, and tell me how much you missed me while you were in Hungary."

He kissed her, murmured something that sounded a lot like a brief apology and reassurance that he couldn't live without her; then he turned to Sally and asked, "Why did he wink?"

"Hmm?" She looked up from her phone before tucking it away. "Oh, that would be the blood bond. Aisling had to have some sort of a bond with Hunter in order to be able to summon him from the Akasha, and since she refused to kiss him for an exchange that way, they pricked their fingers and mingled blood. A blood bond is always best, I find."

"You don't have one with me," I told her while Drake roared, outright roared, and Aisling had to take him to the other end of the room and have yet another round of reassuring the jealous dragon.

Sally gave me a curious look that melted into a tiny smile, one I felt was meant just for me. "But you are special."

"Amen to that, sister," I said, giving her a quick sniffle and head rub on her leg. "And speaking of that, thanks muchly."

She glanced to where Parisi and Desi were speaking quietly, her smile fading. "I wish that I could be certain you will continue to be grateful for the actions we've taken today."

It was an odd sort of thing to say, and I was about to ask her more, but Aisling's phone started dinging with an alarm for an upcoming video call, and Sally used that as an excuse to leave.

"I'm willing to let it go, but the next time we have dragon-fighting time, Hunter is going to be present," Drake said in a tone filled with portent. "I have a few things to work out with him."

"Yes, yes, you can beat the tar out of each other the next time you boys have a shindig. Sally, we can't thank you enough for everything you've done. I'm sure Christian and Allie share my gratitude." While Aisling and Drake saw Sally to the door, I wandered over to my parents.

"You came to rescue me? To save me?" Desi was asking when I stopped next to them.

"Of course." Parisi gave a little shrug. "It was my duty as a defender. You said we know each other? I have no recollection of you, and yet ..."

"Heya," I told Desi when he turned to frown at me interrupting their tête-à-tête. "So, it turns out you're my dad."

He blinked a couple of times, his expression filled with incredulity. "I did not sire a dog!"

I tipped my head to the side because Ash told me it made me look adorable. "Yeah, that's just my preferred form. Ever since I became a demon."

"You what?" he all but yelled, glancing again at Parisi. "Is this true? Our child became a demon? After everything I did to protect him, he became a demon?"

"I don't know," she said, lifting her hands in an obvious gesture of confusion. "I don't have a child, let alone a dog. I live by myself, although I do have two beehives. I like the bees."

"He says he's our son," Desi said, pointing at me.

"He's rather confused, I think," she answered.

"Maybe this'll help," I said, and shifted into human form.

Desi stared at me, his eyes first widening, then narrowing until they were slits of glittering black. "Effrijim?"

"That's the name, although I go by Jim now. Not that I want to complain, but the full name is a bit girly."

"I just hope you can move past the whole thing with Hunter—Jim, what the hell?" Aisling stopped midway across the room.

"Abaddon," Desi and I said at the same time.

"Why is it naked aga—" Drake stopped in mid-complaint and looked between Desi and me. "Well, that answers the question of whether or not Jim is really their child."

"You look just like your dad," Aisling said, coming forward to whip a throw off a couch and toss it at me. I wrapped it around my waist. She looked first at Desi, then at me. "Right down to the same hairline, and eye color. Although Desi doesn't have a cleft chin."

We all looked at Parisi, who looked unperturbed at the fact that her chin did have a slight cleft.

"Effrijim?" my dad asked again, leaning close to me as he searched my face. It was a bit uncomfy, because he was definitely exuding little tendrils of dark power, but I figured this was the best way for my parents to see who I was, so I stood there and let them stare. Then he hugged me, a full body hug, the sort that makes you feel like you're wrapped in soft, warm cotton. It was a hug that reassured, a hug that said the things that words couldn't say. I hugged him back, a bit moist of eye, because how often does a demon get to meet his parents?

"But ... this dog form ..." Desi stopped, and took a step back from me.

"Jim loves being a Newfie," Aisling said, leaning against Drake, their arms around each other in a way that made me feel a bit better. Not that I cared much about their tiffs, but seeing my parents was doing a number on my emotions, and things were always easier if Drake wasn't being unreasonable about Aisling. "It's the form it always chooses, and I have to admit, as dogs go, it's pretty handsome. Not that it's not very handsome as a man, but we are all happy with it being a dog. I hope that doesn't upset you. I've given it permission to change its form at will, so if it does, I'm sure Jim will be happy to go into human form around you. Clothed human form." The last bit was added with a side-eye at me.

"Yeah, but dog form is so much better," I said, then, figuring the parents had had enough time to come to grips with me, shifted back into my fabulous form, all floofy black fur, dashing white spot on my chest and some toes, and a truly magnificent tail. "So, Aisling is my demon lord, and I live with her and Drake and the spawn, but we should probably talk about visitation rights."

Aisling's laptop burbled to life before anyone could answer, and she moved over to flip it around.

"We're going to have a meeting," I told the parents, who were still at the window. I nosed Parisi until she sat on the love seat, Desi reluctantly joining her.

"We have much to talk about. How you found me, why you came after me, and what we're going to do in order to protect you and Effrijim," he told Parisi.

"Just Jim," I reminded him. "Protect us from what?"

"Are we early? I'm sorry if we are, but Christian was anxious to get things rolling." Allie and Christian came into view on the video screen, joined almost immediately by a window that featured Brom, looking mildly uncomfortable.

"Hi," he said when Aisling greeted him. "Sullivan is chasing Anduin. He's naked because he escaped his bath. Baltic is talking to the First Dragon. He's pissed about one of Baltic's brothers. Heya, Jim."

"Heya," I said in return, then tipped my head toward the love seat. "Got my parents here."

"Cool," he said, obviously studying them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Allie said, and Christian added a more formal greeting.

"My Beloved and I are grateful for your help, and are desirous of assisting both of you in whatever ways you need," he said with a nod of his head. "Should you seek aid in finding lodging, income, etc., we will be happy to do whatever is needed."

"It goes without saying that we're here to help, as well," Aisling said, sitting on the arm of Drake's chair. "We have more than enough room if you'd like to stay a few days while we're tackling the subject of the thane."

"Thane?" Desi asked.

"It's something the Dark Ones need help with," Parisi told him. "He's a very bad person, and they are worried that he will wreak vengeance through the mortal world."

"Perhaps if we give them the whole story?" Aisling said, sitting back as Ysolde replaced Brom on the screen. "Christian can explain it much better than I can."

I watched my parents while Christian and Allie explained the whole thing with the bad vampire ancestor. Parisi looked interested, but she kept sending quick looks toward Desi. I couldn't tell if she was ogling him, or trying to figure out who he was. Honestly, I think it was a bit of both. He definitely was returning her interest with glances that came close to a dragon's smolder, alternating with odd little looks cast my way.

Aisling had warned me before we started the expedition that they might be a bit put off by me being in dog form, so I decided Desi needed a bit more time before he could swing into the dad role. Since he'd been without us for sixteen hundred years, I reckoned it might take a couple of days to become comfortable with my magnificent form.

"Thane," Desi repeated slowly.

"Do you know him?" Parisi asked.

"No." He frowned at my toes. "Yes. Perhaps. I have a vague memory of four thanes who tried to interfere with Abaddon, but they were dealt with. Parisi ensured the Court handled them."

"I don't think so," Parisi said, shaking her head, although I noticed that her hand had slid over to rest on his leg. "There must be another Parisi, one who did all these things. I am just a simple Defender of the Blood."

"I don't think you're a simple anything," I said, looking at my mom. She still had the Sovereign mark on her forehead, and the way she'd dealt with the boggarts and Hashmallim said a lot.

"Thank you. I think." She lifted a hand like she was going to pat my head, but pulled it back before doing so.

"It's OK. You can pet me. I especially like belly scritches," I told her, and moved over to sit between them, leaning on her as I rested my head on her leg.

Aisling sniffled, and accepted the handkerchief that Drake pulled from his pocket.

"Oh. Well, I do like animals ..." Parisi gave my head a couple of pats. I enjoyed watching her expression change from hesitation to embarrassment to a sort of grudging pleasure as she gave my ears a quick pat.

I turned to find Desi watching me with an indescribable look. "You really prefer this form?" he asked.

"Yeah. You upset?" I turned so I could look at him better.

He was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "When I was a child, I fancied being a horse, so it makes sense. Very well. You're a demon dog. You live with the dragon?"

"That's right, we haven't done formal introductions," Aisling said, and quickly went through them, including Ysolde, Christian, and Allie. "As Jim said, I'm technically its demon lord, but it is a much loved member of our family."

Drake made a noise that resembled a stifled snort, but kept his face placid when Ash shot him a look.

"I see." Desi turned to Parisi. "Are you happy with this situation?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked in return.

Allie had evidently had enough of our family time, because she said, "Can you help us putting this missing thane back in the Hour that holds him? Our nephew is lord of the Hour, but of course, he can't leave it to help with the Thrall-wrangling."

Desi shook his head. "If the thane you refer to is one of the foursome I remember, then there would be no problem in returning him to the Hour. That is, assuming I had my blood moon, but I no longer possess it."

"What's a blood moon when it's at home?" I asked for Aisling, because I could see she was dying to ask it.

"My relic," Desi said, his gaze on Parisi's face. She looked mildly confused again, but somehow focused at the same time, as if she was trying hard to pin down her memories. At least, that's what I assumed she was doing. "It was destroyed when Effrijim was born. Without it, my powers are limited."

"You are still a demigod," Christian said, his voice velvety and smooth, but there was a hardness in it that was kind of normal with vamps.

"I am, but one with limited powers," Desi repeated. "Once the blood moon was destroyed, I was left depleted."

"I don't wish to be argumentative," Christian said, "but even a demigod who lost his relic should have had enough power to escape the imprisonment."

"Of course I could," Desi said without so much as batting an eye.

"You could?" Parisi asked, her hand now in his, both resting on his leg. "Then why didn't you leave?"

"Because I accepted the terms of my banishment," he said in that same matter-of-fact tone. He had a bit of an Eastern European accent, but for the most part, he spoke English well.

"How come you speak English?" I asked. "Aren't you from somewhere in the Balkans? That's what Sally told me."

For a moment, amusement flashed across his face, and he held up one arm. A big watch was on his wrist. "The boggarts. The last few years they all started sporting waterproof smart watches. Whenever they'd get close enough for me to grab them, I'd throttle them and take their watches and use them until they ran out; then I'd wait for the next boggart to swim past. Learning about the modern world helped pass the time."

"Wow," Ysolde said, and I noticed that she was now joined by Baltic. He wore his usual inscrutable expression. "That's amazing that you did all that. I'm sorry if we were late and missed the explanation, but why did you allow yourself to be banished in such an appalling place?"

"Parisi was dying." He looked at her, and for a moment, there was so much pain in his eyes that both my mom and I leaned into him. "She had childbed fever. The bleeding wouldn't stop after the babe was born. The only way to save her was to send her to the Beyond, where she would survive."

"I'm not who you think I am, but I am so sorry that happened to you," Parisi told him, giving him—and in the process me, because I was still between them—a hug. "How very tragic that you should lose your wife to childbirth."

He touched her cheek. "It was worth any sacrifice to know you and Effrijim were safe. I didn't expect you to come after me, however." His jaw tightened. "And now we must decide what to do to keep you safe again. The reaper could take you back to the Beyond, and as for Effrijim ..."

"Why does Parisi need to be kept safe?" Ysolde asked.

Aisling pointed to her image on the laptop. "What Ysolde said. And who is the threat to Parisi? As for Jim, I can't think of anyone other than some imp clans that would like to harm it."

"The threat is Abaddon, of course," Desi answered. "The terms of our agreement were that I would accept banishment to the Thirteenth Hour, and no harm would befall my son." He turned to look at me. "What I don't understand is how you became a demon. Parisi's woman swore she would see the Court protected you."

"They did," I answered, then scrunched up my face as I wondered whether I should tell them what happened before I met Aisling. I decided it didn't really reflect me in a good way, so I'd tell them later, once they appreciated just how fantabulous was my form choice. "And if you're talking about Mags, she was there for a long time, and got me into the sprite cadre. Then she moved on to the Beyond, and a few other Sovereigns rolled through, and the last time I saw Hildegarde, she told me that my future lay outside of the Court, so I headed out and ended up hanging around Abaddon for a few hundred years."

"Hildegarde," Parisi said on kind of a snort. "She was naught but a ..." She stopped and frowned, then looked puzzled. "She was ... who was this person? Why do I know her, but don't?"

"It was the spell I cast upon you as you entered the Beyond," Desi told her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close to him.

"You bespelled me?" she asked, suddenly bristling with anger and, to my surprise, also armed with a wickedly sharp dagger, which she held to Desi's throat. "I do not take kindly to people casting spells upon me!"

"My love, my stars, my moon," he said, shaking his head as he moved her hand so he could kiss her. "I could not ask for a better sign that your memories can be restored."

"Dude," I said, eyeing the dagger. "Being upside down for sixteen hundred years has done a number on your reason, 'cause it just ain't normal for someone who loves you to pull a knife on you."

"You don't know Parisi as I do," he said, smiling at her.

She smiled back and, with a move so fast I almost missed it, stuck the dagger back into the side of her boot. "Perhaps you do know me, after all," she told him, and probably would have gone in for another kiss, but at that moment, Ysolde spoke.

"I'm so sorry, I hate to be the one hurrying people along, especially those who are long-lost and somewhat amnesiac due to mind wipes, but it's date night tonight, and Baltic says he's taking me to a nursery so I can browse amongst the plants."

"That's a date?" Allie asked, then apologized. "Sorry, I don't mean to harsh your date-night mellow."

"Ysolde loves plants," was all that Baltic said, but the look they exchanged was unmistakable.

"I think maybe it would help zip things along if we updated Parisi and Desi about the current state of Abaddon," Aisling said. "There's been a big turnover the last twenty or so years. More recently, Bael has been trapped in the Duat, the Egyptian underworld, ruled over by his uncle. Asmodeus was killed by Bael before he went to the Duat, and a couple of the other demon lords got kicked out, banished to the Akasha, or outright killed."

Desi's head snapped around at the mention of Bael. "He is gone? You are certain?"

"Which one?" Aisling asked him. "Bael?"

"Yes. He long sought the blood moon. I can't believe he could be confined with it in his possession. That should not be possible."

"That's because he doesn't have it. Or rather, he didn't have it when he went to the Duat," Aisling said, glancing at Drake.

"Sally could explain the actual events, as she was involved with part of it," Drake said, one finger rubbing his chin as he looked into the distance. "But as I recall, she said the Tools of Bael had their origin in a powerful relic. I don't believe she named it, but if you say Bael had a hand in your banishment, then it makes sense that your relic was used in the creation of his three Tools."

"Where are these Tools?" Desi asked, leaping to his feet as if he was going to rush right out to go claim them.

"Destroyed," Aisling said. "They are no more. Drake used to have all three, but in a story that's way too long to tell now, they went into Asmodeus's custody for a bit, then were destroyed with Sally's help."

"Destroyed?" Desi sat down again, his face stark. I wanted to say something, but remembered Aisling telling me to take it easy on my parents for a bit while they got used to being reunited with me, so instead I just sniffed his knees in a supportive manner.

He absently patted me on the head. He gave nice pats.

"Let me be sure I understand this situation." Parisi, who had been looking sympathetically at Desi, pinned Aisling back with a hard look. "You're saying that this Bael person responsible for sending Desi to the Thirteenth Hour is no longer a threat to him?"

"He never was a threat to me, not so long as I held the blood moon," Desi said, his brows pulling together.

"And someone," Parisi continued, "one of you dragons or Dark Ones, said that the Court had domain over this Hour."

"That's what we were told by Finch and Sally," Christian answered. He, also, was frowning.

I looked over at Drake. Frown. Baltic—frown. I decided that was the look of the day, and furrowed my own brow, wondering what Desi would do once he realized what Parisi was chasing.

"I pointed out that Asmodeus, who was the second-most powerful demon lord next to Bael, was killed, and there's a new lot of demon lords running Abaddon," Aisling reminded him.

I saw the moment the penny dropped for Desi. He stood up slowly, his hands first flexing, then curled into fists. "The blood moon was destroyed, in whatever form it was. Bael was banished. The other two princes who founded Abaddon with me are long dead. In short, anyone who posed a threat to Parisi and Effrijim are no more."

"Uh-oh," I said under my breath. I think Parisi heard me, but she didn't pay any attention when I got up and moved over to sit on Aisling's feet, leaning back on her.

"Jim," she whispered, and tried to push me off. "Move!"

Drake looked at me, then at Desi, who had turned when Parisi got to her feet and put a hand on his arm.

Drake, too, got up. Aisling shot him a startled look, but his attention was focused on Desi.

"OK, that's cool, in a bad sort of way," I said softly when power began to emit from Desi. It was like his whole body was lit up with a weird blackness that was both glowing and yet as dark as ink, and exuded a coldness that made me lean back harder against Aisling's legs. Drake took a step forward, his eyes narrowed.

"Why," Desi said, and had to stop for a moment, obviously struggling to control the power that crawled all over him. "Why, if the Court was responsible for maintaining the imprisonment during the reign of Bael, Hath, and the others, did no one release me when they were no longer a threat?"

"That is a very good question," Parisi said, looking pointedly at Aisling.

Drake moved in front, effectively blocking their view of Ash and me. "Aisling is not responsible for any of the regrettable actions that led to your imprisonment. Quite the opposite in that she has worked a good deal to ensure your freedom."

"That's true, she did," Parisi told Desi, and murmured an apology at Aisling, who was holding my collar as she peered around Drake's butt to where the others stood.

"I see why he's upset," Ysolde told Baltic. "That really is evil that no one at the Court thought to let him out."

He said nothing, just watched the screen with his usual expression of knowing something the rest of us don't.

"I believe we're slightly off track, conversationally speaking," Allie said. "As horrible as it is that you weren't released earlier, the fact remains that we still need help with the thane. I'm sure you'll want a few days to get adjusted to the mortal world, but—"

"Who do I owe for my release?" Desi asked Parisi, gesturing toward us. "The dragons?"

"Somewhat, yes. They arranged for the reaper and Sally, along with the Dark Ones," she answered.

A muscle worked in his jaw; then his hands relaxed. "I will not repay kindness with sorrow. Come, Parisi. There is much we must do."

"Wait, you can't just leave!" Ysolde said at the same time that Allie and Christian also voiced protests. "The vamps need you."

"The Thrall can wait," Desi said, taking Parisi's hand and more or less storming across the room to the doors. "There is something I must attend to first."

"What?" Aisling asked, having finally shoved me off her feet so she could stand next to Drake. "If you knew how much trouble this thane could cause—"

Desi stopped at the door and looked back. I took the moment to nose the laptop around so it was now facing them. "The Court must pay for their actions."

"Holy crack on rye," I said with a low whistle. I mean, on one hand I was super impressed with how cool my dad was, what with the dark glowy power now snapping and crackling around him like he was one of those electricity globe things, but on the other hand, I had an idea where he was headed, and it wasn't going to be good.

Not for anyone.

"You're not serious, are you?" Ysolde asked. "You can't be seriously thinking to make the Court pay?"

Desi looked at Parisi, who met his gaze before turning to look at Aisling, Drake, and me. Then she nodded, and took his hand. "Yes, I will help you. I have sworn to protect those who need my aid. You have been done wrong by the people who have also sworn to protect, and for that, they must pay. For you, and only you, will I risk Don Diego taking over my Pilates class."

"Holy shit," Aisling whispered to Drake. "Is she saying what I think she's saying? The Don Diego thing aside, because I don't understand that at all. Who knew they had Pilates in the Beyond?"

Desi turned to look at the computer. "Dark One, you have my oath I will assist you with the thane in acknowledgment of the debt I owe you and the dragons, but that will only happen after I have wrought vengeance upon those who were responsible for keeping me imprisoned when I should have been released. Effrijim, I recognize you as my son. You will join us in our war."

"Er ... " I said, pursing my lips before saying, "Yeah, about that ... I'm more a lover than a fighter, really. Have I told you about my girlfriend, Cecile? She's an adorable, if cranky, Welsh corgi, and—"

"Where will we go?" Parisi asked Desi. "I have no home in the mortal world."

"We will find a place. We will need many provisions for the war," he told her.

"Jim, I don't want you thinking I'm telling you what to do, because despite being your demon lord, I never want to act like one, but I'm not terribly comfortable with the idea of you joining your parents at this time." Aisling's eyes were worried as she rubbed one of my ears. "I do understand that they're your family, though, so if you wanted to stay with them ..." She stopped and cleared her throat.

I answered her in the same near whisper she'd used. "They're fun and all ... well, interesting, maybe, more than fun, because that aura my dad is exuding is unlike anything I've ever seen in Abaddon, and yes, they are my mom and dad, but I don't really know them. Besides, you're also my family, and you'd be up a creek without a paddle if you didn't have me."

"Dammit, Jim, don't make me cry in front of powerful demigods and their equally powerful Sovereign mates," she said, but gave me a quick hug to let me know she cared. I rubbed my head on her leg in return.

"Effrijim?" Desi stopped speaking in low tones with Parisi and pinned me back with a look that had me sitting up straighter. "Do you join us in our war?"

"Like, can I help from the sidelines?" I asked, worried that I was going to lose parents I'd just found, but at the same time, I couldn't just bail. "Not that I have a particular beef with the Court, since I was treated well when I was there, but I can't really leave Aisling now. She has Guardian stuff she needs me for, and the spawn like to have me tell them about history and things like that, and then there's Cecile. We're working on a way to make her immortal, because dogs do not live long enough, and I can't really help Amelie—that's Cecile's mom—find a dog immortality spell if I'm busy fighting a holy war."

"Very well," Desi said, giving me a little nod. "If it is your wish to remain with the dragons, then I will honor that desire. Know that you will always have a home with us, but so long as you are not kept from us, we will agree to your terms. Once your mother and I are settled, we will contact you. As for your contribution to the war ... if it would make life with your dragons difficult, we will simply have to rely upon your sister, instead. A triumvirate is always stronger. Parisi?"

She cracked her knuckles. "Let's go find a domicile so that we may make plans. My sword itches for blood of the Court."

Protests emerged from the computer, with Ysolde saying again that he couldn't just walk off, but that's exactly what he did.

One moment they were there at the door, and the next, they were gone, and the sound of the front door closing drifted in to us.

Drake looked at Aisling. She stared first at him, then moved her gaze to me.

I blinked at her.

"Sister?" she asked.

"Yeah, that threw me, too. Fires of Abaddon, Aisling ... I have a whole entire family I didn't know about!" I got up, shook, and toyed with the idea of going to my room. I suddenly had a desire to tell Cecile about the happenings, which meant I had to have Amelie put me on speakerphone on her end.

"What about us?" Allie asked, her voice rising. For a moment, I'd forgotten they were still on the call. "What about the thane?"

Christian looked mad enough to spit, but rather than saying anything about my parents, he simply said, "We appreciate all the time and help you have given us. Since I'm sure you will refuse monetary remuneration, please text us with the name of a charity you support, and we will offer them a donation in lieu of that."

"Keep in touch," Allie said before Christian ended their call.

"This took a turn I absolutely did not expect," Ysolde said. "What are we going to do now? Should we warn Sally, or the Sasha person who's running the Court now? We can't leave the vamps out in the cold."

"No, of course not," Aisling said.

"It is not our battle to fight," Drake reminded her.

"Perhaps not, but that doesn't mean we can't help allies," she answered.

"Dark Ones are no allies of dragonkin," Baltic said.

"They're not really enemies, though, are they?" Ysolde asked. "Besides, I like Allie. I just don't know what we should do about Desi and Parisi."

"Let's call the others, and see what the Mates and Friends group can come up with," Aisling suggested.

I left to go to my room where my cell phone was sitting next to the super-comfy dog bed Aisling had given me as a Christmas present.

ME

Did you know I had a sister?

SALLY

...

SALLY

Who mentioned her? What am I saying ... it must be Desislav?

ME

Yeah. He said something about needing her.

SALLY

Oh, dear. I think ... yes, I think it's time to bring Terrin in. If Desi is going to summon her, all hell is going to break out.

ME

It's when you say things like that I wonder about whether you should have been running Abaddon rather than the Court.

SALLY

You know me so well. Did they declare war?

ME

Yup.

SALLY

I assumed that's the way it was heading. Very well. Lines have been drawn. I will inform Terrin.

ME

What about the Court? That's who Desi said betrayed him.

SALLY

And who was Sovereign for the last two hundred years of his incarceration?

ME

Crapbeans.

SALLY

Exactly. Ah well. A demigod and his pissed-off warrior of a mate after my head will add a little spice to my life. That is, so long as they don't find your half sister. If they do that, all bets are off.

ME

My sister is a half sister? Is she Parisi's kid, or Desi's?

ME

Sally?

ME

Great. Not only is there a killer thane roaming around the mortal world, now my pissed-off demigod father with a chip on his shoulder, and scary-as-Abaddon mom with a deep love of lopping off beings' heads, are starting a war they can't win.

SALLY

Some days, it's just not worth chewing the leather straps off the straitjacket, is it?

* * *