Part II CHAPTER 17
Ash heard the door to the room open again. Expecting Tory, he didn't move until he felt Dev's presence near him. He opened his eyes to find the bear looking down, his expression a mixture of dread, fear and anger.
"What?" Ash asked, half afraid of the answer.
"A group of demons just seized Tory."
It took a full minute for those words to penetrate the denial inside him. When they did, a rage so volatile Ash could taste it, rose up. Grinding his teeth against the pain, he clothed himself before he threw the covers back and stood against the injuries that made every molecule of his body throb. "Where did they go?"
"Kalosis."
He let out an expletive so crude, Dev actually blushed. It took every ounce of willpower not to lash out at the bear for allowing them to take her out of here. Lucky for Dev, he knew it wasn't the bear's fault. Sanctuaries only protected Apollites, Daimons and Were-Hunters.
Demons existed outside their rules.
And they'd gone to the one place Ash couldn't follow. The plan had been carefully thought out and executed. He'd congratulate them except for the fact he wanted their blood.
Simi popped in directly behind Dev. "I can go to Kalosis, akri. The Simi will get Akra-Tory back for you."
"No!" his voice came out completely demonic at the thought of what they might do to her. The gallu demons and the Charonte were natural enemies and while Simi could hold her own against virtually anyone, she couldn't fight all the gallu by herself. She was still a very young demon in terms of power and strength. "I won't risk you."
If they'd taken Tory to use against him, they'd take Simi in an instant. Honestly, he was amazed they hadn't tried. Of course even young, Simi had the powers to put up a strong fight and though they would have taken her, they would have paid for her abduction.
Tory on the other hand was completely at their mercy.
"Simi, return to me."
Her eyes large, she obeyed and placed herself back on his forearm. Ash turned back to Dev. "How many were there?"
"Six. They popped into the bar, right behind her and homed in as if she'd been marked by something. Before I could reach her, she was gone through a bolt hole. I'm really sorry. We did our best."
"I know you did." It was why the bear was still breathing. "Now it's between me and them." Ash flashed himself to Katoteros. His body throbbing, he walked through the main foyer and allowed his human clothes to melt away into the flowing silk formesta that was easier to bear on his bruised body.
He walked out onto the balcony that overlooked a tranquil sea. Even so, he wasn't overly fond of this spot. It reminded him too much of the balcony to the room where his adopted father had kept him in Didymos. But he needed the clarity of the balcony right now.
"Matera?" he called, summoning her from the depths of the hell realm where she lived.
"Apostolos?"
He counted to ten to get his temper under control so that he could talk to his mother without the fury he felt offending her. Even though they fought against each other over mankind, she was still his mother and he loved her enough to keep his tone respectful. "I forgave you for sending Stryker after Marissa Hunter in an effort to lure me into Kalosis to free you, but this . . ." He paused before he exploded in anger. "How could you?" he asked from between clenched teeth.
"How could I what?" Her tone showed genuine surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"Demons entered Sanctuary and took Soteria into Kalosis. Are you telling me that you have no knowledge of this?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying." The angry denial in her tone was too sincere to be feigned. Her shade appeared beside him and there he saw for himself her anger on his behalf. "I will take care of them, Apostolos. Have no fear. I'll be right back."
Ash inclined his head to her shade respectfully, but something inside him warned him that it wouldn't be that easy.
Apollymi left her dark garden with a swirl of fury as she teleported from her area of the palace to the hall where Stryker held court over his Daimons. He was sitting there, nonchalantly, as a group of them were feeding on some hapless human at his feet that they'd no doubt kidnaped and brought here.
Stryker looked up with a frown at her approach. "To what do I owe this honor?"
She ignored his sarcasm as she looked around at the Daimon horde. "I want them out of here. Now."
Stryker made a noise of irritation before he nodded. "You heard the goddess. Out."
They obeyed instantly, taking the human with them. Apollymi felt badly for the person they'd killed, but it was the state of nature that one life form invariably fed on another. While it wasn't fair the human had been prematurely killed, the Daimons had it even worse. They were cursed to watch themselves and everyone they loved decay over a twenty-four hour period because eleven thousand years ago a god had been angry over the actions of only a dozen Apollites.
No, life wasn't a balance sheet of fairness. It was survival of the fittest, smartest and swiftest.
And right now, that was her.
As soon as she was alone with Stryker, she narrowed her eyes on him. "Where is she?"
Stryker gave her a blank stare. "She would be?"
"Soteria Kafieri. Your demons took her out of Sanctuary in New Orleans. Where are they holding her?"
Stryker scowled as if he had no idea what she was talking about. "What do you mean my demons took her?"
Why was he playing this game with her? "The Sumerian gallus you welcomed here. Surely, not even you can miss their stench. They violated the Chthonian laws of Sanctuary and they took her hostage to hold against Apostolos. Don't you dare feign ignorance in this."
"I'm not feigning anything." He stood up indignantly. "Kessar!" He shouted, summoning the gallu leader who was as evil as any being Apollymi have ever met.
The demon appeared before him with an arrogance that was commendable given the fact Kessar would have been dead had Strykerius not taken him in. Tall and lean with brown hair and red eyes, he looked more like a fashion model than a demon and he used those good looks to his advantage whenever he sought humans to eat.
He curled his lip in repugnance as he faced Stryker. "I despise whenever you do that, Daimon. I'm not one of your pathetic minions to come when you call my name."
Stryker wasn't intimidated in the least. "So long as you reside here and benefit from my protection, you'll come when I call."
Kessar's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What can I do for you, my lord?"
His sarcasm made a mockery of the tone Stryker had used on him.
"I want to know about this woman you've taken hostage. How dare you move into the human realm without my knowledge."
Kessar shrugged. "We did what your sister asked us to do. I assumed she had your ear. If you have issue with what's happened. Perhaps you should have a family meeting." He vanished.
Stryker cursed. "I hate that sonofabitch."
"Then why did you offer him refuge?" Apollymi asked.