Mate to the Demon Kings by Lacey Carter Andersen

3

Sharen strode into the room.About a dozen chairs faced a large screen. To the side of the screen, a large black chair faced a simple-looking computer.

“Take your seats,” she ordered.

Everyone hurried in.

As she made her way to the front of the room, Rorde spoke up. “We going to try P-90-5478 tonight?”

The suspicious demon realm we came across last time.

Her eyes narrowed as she sank into her chair. “Did you Search it?”

Sharen hated relying on him for information, but he was the only one on her team who could use magic in their realm. It was a powerful tool. A tool she’d be a fool not to use.

But it didn’t make her like it.

“Yes,” he answered her slowly, avoiding her gaze. “I believe the reason we detected a demon, then not, is because it may be a demon so weak it can’t keep itself in that realm. I think now would be the time to strike.”

His answer didn’t sit well with her. “You sure it isn’t a powerful demon trying to lure us to it?”

To her complete annoyance, he smirked. “Powerful demons completely hide their presence. It wouldn’t allow its shield to keep slipping.”

That was how it usually went, but most weak demons simply kept a constant, feeble presence.

“I don’t like it,” she said, after a time. “I think we should try—”

“But this is our chance to stop it before it gets too powerful, not going would be a mistake,” Rorde argued, then looked to Lily.

Her skin tinged pink. “I agree with Rorde, but it’s your call.”

Rorde beamed at the younger woman.

Blake turned Lily’s face towards him. “I don’t usually agree with The Bug, but who could argue with this pretty lady.” He brushed a kiss against her lips.

Sharen glanced away in time to catch the look of pure torture on Rorde’s lips. Good, the sooner you accept that she isn’t for you, the better for everyone.

Now, visit the realm we’ve already found something suspicious in? Or a different one?

Sharen fiddled with her wedding ring, then shrugged. “Okay, we go to P-90-5478.” Then, she turned to the screen. “Computer, show me P-90-5478.”

The screen flicked on. For a moment, everything was dark, then the tiny floating green shapes that represented different realms on the odd map popped up. In a nauseating motion, it slowly zeroed in on the realm in question, passing red squares that they, or other teams, had entered and found too dangerous, and yellow squares the teams had simply found empty.

At last, they came to the square in question. They couldn’t see anything of the actual realm, but the system gave a universal way for all the teams to communicate what they found as they crossed over.

“Computer, record the following: Team Scorpion will enter P-90-5478 at approximately,” she glanced at the clock in the corner of her screen, “10:30 pm. A Level One demon is suspected, although it has not been confirmed.”

The computer beeped, and the information appeared on the green square.

“Alright team,” she turned back to them. “Let’s suit up.”

Her team left the room in an orderly fashion, standing next to their partners. There was one fighter and one symbolist in each team. Each duo consisted of a boy and a girl, because the girls typically did better with creating fast, powerful symbols, and the boys were better with brute force. Rorde’s team was the exception. He was both a sorcerer and a symbolist, so he was partnered with Valentine, a boy with the build of a linebacker.

Again, Rorde typed in the code and let the group into the Portal Room.

Sharen gritted her teeth.

The students walked to the back wall where there were at least ten uniforms in each size. Rule Number One, never bring anything personal into another realm. Sharen picked up a random uniform in her size and went behind a screen to change. She dressed quickly, then stepped out to find her students dressed and ready to go. Their white uniforms, with silver scorpions sewn onto the backs, looked brand new, as always. They’d all donned white sneakers, again from a huge collection lined under the uniforms.

Next, Sharen walked to the cubbies. Twisting her ring off, she went to drop it in her usual compartment, but found a gold band already there. She almost moved it, no doubt Lily or Blake had dropped it in by mistake, but instead she just put it in the cubby next to it, along with tucking her phone and wallet in the back corner. Turning, she almost slammed into Rorde.

“Careful, we wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

Creepy.“Thanks.”

She went to stand in front of the students. “Everyone, check yourselves for personal items.”

A second later, Rorde’s partner, Valentine, stood up. Pieces of his long blonde hair fell over his face as he pulled the silver cord off from around his neck. The boy, who no doubt had Viking in his blood, slunk past her, as she glared, to drop his necklace off.

Someone mumbled. “Rookie mistake.”

And it was. If a demon had got his necklace… well, he’d be the bitch of a demon for the rest of his lifetime. Idiot.

Sharen waited until everyone took their seats before speaking. “Alright, we all know how this goes. Get in and get in position, without being seen. Put up your protective circles, and then Rorde will draw the demon out. Symbolists strike first, warriors only if it gets close. And as always, never follow a demon into its den. We all understand?”

“Yes, Captain!” they all shouted at once.

“If things start to go south, look to me or your captains for guidance. Questions?”

The room was silent.

“File up!”

They all went to the opposite wall from the wardrobes and pulled their weapons off the racks on the walls. The Splicers shone beneath the fluorescent light, the combination of smooth steel and sharp edges creating a weapon that was both beautiful and dangerous. Sharen picked up a weapon at random, automatically sliding her hand into place. The weapon was the size of her forearm and fit like a glove. A creation of pure brilliance, it was a sword and a magic discharger, all rolled into one.

Sharen stopped ogling her weapon, the one she rarely got to use, and passed her students, who waited in two rows. She went to the wall at the back of the room, with its massive block of black stone. Demon Stone. With a practiced hand, she curled her fingers around the thick, white chalk and drew a large door onto the black stone. Above the stone, she drew the sweeping symbols, and at last the name of the realm.

The door began to glow, slowly transforming from black, to white, and then to red. A soft gurgling sound was followed by a slowly swirling circle of red and white, like the caps on ocean waves in the shape of a doorway.

She dropped the chalk in its bin and stood back. “Let’s go.”

Blake and Lily led, matching expressions of fierceness on their faces.

The other students followed in quick pairs behind them. And at last, she herself stepped through.

No one ever got used to the sensation. Of being too hot and too cold. Of being stretched and squeezed. Of being weightless and so heavy the weight of your own body might crush you. But the uncomfortable sensation only lasted a moment before she stumbled out into the demon realm.

It was like every other. Hot as hell, even though it probably wasn’t. White sand and rocks covered the landscape, where white plants like long, twisted mushrooms grew between boulder-like rocks. The sky, as always, burned brightly, with three suns so large they appeared close enough to touch.

Next to her, Rorde’s Splicer glowed, and deep red symbols appeared on the side of the blade. Valentine’s weapon glowed as well, less elegant blue symbols appearing. All the students stood still, equipping their own weapons with whatever shot they preferred the most.

Closing her eyes, she created symbols in green. Her weapon would fire simple strikes that would explode ever-so-slightly on impact. She could create something even more powerful, but it’d be like killing a fly with a grenade, pointless.

Lily and Blake broke off from the group, and each pair followed the next after a minute, spreading themselves out evenly. Rorde and Valentine were the last to go, since it was their job to keep an eye on their teacher. Everyone worked like one organism, creeping up the closest stack of boulders on their right.

Her captains reached the top of the boulders first, sinking low onto their bellies, then glancing back to signal they’d spotted the demon.

Sharen released some of the anxiety building in her chest. She hadn’t liked this mission. But if the demon had already been spotted, it was likely she’d be home in time to get a decent night’s sleep.

She, flanked by Rorde and Valentine, moved further from the exit, mostly to get a good view of the battle, but still staying close enough to escape in case of trouble. They scaled the boulders closest to them and lay on their bellies. A demon, definitely a Level One, sat in the center of a clearing in the middle of the boulders. Near it, the large hole signifying its den had been dug out of some of the rocks surrounding it.

The demon itself was young, judging by its small horns, and probably no more than Rorde’s size. It used its sharp teeth and nails to dig between its toes, eating whatever it found of interest.

Sharen sensed the others creating their Protective Circles, just as Rorde created one around them. In this realm, it wasn’t necessary to draw them, only to imagine them just as they should be. It was a difficult skill to master, but her symbolists were the best.

A tingle spread through them. Lily’s signal, and suddenly, the symbolists opened fire.

The demon barely had time to look up, before the multi-colored lights slammed into its flesh, slicing it into bits.

Silence held after the attack.

Rorde closed his eyes. His slimy magic tugging at her flesh, and then, he opened his eyes. “All clear.”

Her team stood up and cheered.

Not the most exciting battle, but exciting battles were rarely a good thing.

They made their way slowly back down the rocks when a terrible stench struck them. One of rotting bodies and death.

“Back, back!” Sharen screamed, shoving Rorde and Valentine backwards.

The students scrambled onto their rocks and threw up their Protective Circles in a terrified rush.

Sharen flattened herself back onto the rock, safely in Rorde’s shield and watched, her stomach twisting.

The air shimmered, and suddenly the clearing near their portal was no longer a clearing. What seemed like one hundred demons, or more, of every size, shape, color, and level crowded the space. Directly across from their portal, on the other side of the area filled with demons, a huge mountain rose, blocking out all three suns. The clearing disappeared into shadows.

A den with an opening as large as the side of a house stood quiet and dark, with three thrones in front of it.

On the thrones, three Level 10 demons sat smiling.

Sharen trembled. She’d never seen a Level 10 demon before, but her mentor had said she’d know it when she did. And she knew it. They looked almost… human, but with red skin and foot-long horns standing out on top of their head. All three of their features were symmetrical, handsome.

Okay, ridiculously handsome.Seeing them took her breath away, which was crazy. No man had ever made her feel this way; it made no sense for a demon to. Or three demons.

The one in the center was the largest of the demons. With an eight-pack tightening his sculpted stomach, and massive, thickly-corded arms. He had dark hair around his pale white horns and a face that was dangerously attractive.

“Welcome,” the demon’s smile widened. “I’m Alec, and I’ve been waiting a very long time for you.”

His minions cheered, grunted, and roared.

“These are my brothers, Kade and Ryder. We together rule this realm and many others. And we are only too pleased to welcome you to your new, permanent home.”

Sharen swallowed, and curled her hands into fists. “Conceal my words from the demons.”

Rorde nodded, and his oily magic raced over her flesh.

“When I give the signal, fire at the roof of the den. It should crumble on their leaders, giving us a chance at escape. Strike anything down that gets in your way, but race for the portal. We can’t win this battle.”

Her students raised their fingers ever so slightly, crossing one over the other, to show their understanding.

She nodded, then went back to staring at the demon.

“Some of you,” Alec continued, “will enjoy their time here more than others.”

His black eyes slid over the students, then landed on Sharen.

Shock registered on his face. “What’s this? A woman?” His gaze burned over her flesh. He turned to his minions, pointing at her. “None of you are to touch her. Understand? She’s for my brothers and I alone.”

Sharen’s stomach turned. He would possess her, and use her body to exit through the portal and into their realm. The chaos such a demon would havoc… dark days would follow.

She had to get free. No matter the cost.

Pointing her weapon at the roof of his den, she turned to her soldiers. Locking eyes with Lily, she nodded.

Their weapons discharged silently but boomed as they hit the roof of the den. The ground shook as the den caved in on top of the Demon Kings. Their minions raced to their aid, and Sharen stood, half-climbing, half-running down the hill.

Valentine kept pace with her, the others just shortly behind them, but she had no idea why Rorde had hung back. They were nearly to the portal, when the demons seemed to realize what was happening. They leapt toward the students, who blasted and slashed out with their weapons. Valentine severed the head of a demon who stepped just in front of them.

Sharen skidded around the flailing creature and darted the last few steps to the portal, but paused. Pushing her strength into her weapon, she created the symbols for a powerful spell. The blade on her Splicer glowed a blinding red. Even as her students escaped through the portal, even while she knew she was being foolish, she turned back to the horde of demons.

Rorde was surrounded. One of his spells created a small shield around himself, but terror filled his eyes. How long could he keep them at bay?

Why the hell didn’t he follow us when we ran?

Gritting her teeth, she fired, praying his shield was strong enough. The blast was like a volcano exploding. Demons went flying and smoke filled the air, blocking her vision.

She needed to escape. Everyone else had made it through. But had Rorde made it?

Squinting her eyes, she tried to see through the black smoke, but there was nothing but shapes. Damn it. Damn it.

When a demon’s claws curled around her arm, she slashed out, cutting his handoff. She ignored his screaming, knowing that she already stayed too long. Risked her life in a way that could cost her job at the least, and her eternal soul at the worst. It was time to go. Inching backwards, she prayed for Rorde’s soul, and leapt through the portal.

The horrible feeling of traveling back to her realm only lasted a moment, and then she was smashing into chairs as she rolled on the ground. Rising shakily to her feet, she stood by the side of the portal.

I’m sorry, kid. She might not have liked him, but no one deserved the torment he would soon endure. But leaving the portal open any longer was too dangerous.

Rising on her tiptoes, she went to erase the first symbol.

“No,” Lily shouted. “Rorde!”

She hesitated, then raised her hand again. We can’t risk it any longer.

But it was in that moment that Rorde came rolling into the room.

With quick movements, she erased the symbols, and the portal closed with a disgusting sucking sound.

The room was filled with the sounds of their heavy breathing.

“What the hell was that?” Blake shouted.

Sharen stumbled to a chair and sat down. “My thoughts exactly.”

Blake turned to Rorde. “You said it was safe!”

Lily put a hand on his chest, but Blake towered over Rorde, who lay sprawled on the floor.

“Your job is to make sure this shit doesn’t happen!”

“It wasn’t his fault,” Lily said, shooting Rorde an apologetic look. “He can’t always be right.”

“But—“

“Blake!” Sharen silenced him with a single word.

Rorde looked to her, his face pale. “Thank you for—“

“We don’t need to discuss it.” She cut him off.

And it was true. If her superiors found out what she’d done…

Sharen opened her mouth, planning to stop the useless blame-game, when she spotted the blood spreading down Lily’s neck.

“You’re hurt,” Sharen said, pointing at Lily. “We better get you looked at.”

Blake’s anger fled as he glanced at his fiancé. “Sweetheart, why didn’t you say so?”

She shrugged. “I think we’re all a bit hurt.”

“How bad is it?” Sharen asked bluntly.

Lily gave a pained smile. “It looks worse than it is. I’ll hit the med-area soon and be patched up without issue, I’m sure.”

Sharen nodded. She knows a flesh-wound from a serious one.

“Maybe I can help,” Rorde said, struggling to his feet.

Blake sent him a glare. “I think you’ve done enough.”

Ignoring the argument, Sharen turned to the console. “Computer, label P-90-5478 as red. Put the following notes: Team Scorpion discovered three Level 10 demons and no less than one hundred minions. It appears the demons laid a trap for us, and they seem to be trying to acquire an adult human.”

The new information filled the screen.

“Contact, Director Manthen.”

The students shifted behind her, no doubt trying to look more orderly and less frightened. When the Director didn’t answer right away, they began putting their weapons back against the wall, and their chairs into place.

“This better be good,” Director Manthen said, his overly large head coming into focus, along with his messy hair and bare, hairy chest.

The room grew quiet.

She took a deep breath, then explained what happened.

The Director swore. “I’ll make sure the other teams know, including our Realm Enforcers. No doubt, the Level 10 demons are hoping to get a human body before they come over. But if no one else enters it, they’ll get desperate and come over on their own… even if doing such a thing will greatly weaken them. It’ll make them easier to kill, but hopefully, the Enforcers can figure out the most likely place they’ll cross over.”

Without another word, the Director signed off.

Sharen spent the next few hours checking over wounds and waking Doctor Marshall to stitch up anyone who needed it. Luckily, they’d gotten out without any broken bones.

When the last student left, she felt weary beyond words. Shuffling to her cubby, she reached in and found her phone and wallet… but no ring. Her finger suddenly felt bare without it.

Carefully searching the other cubbies, she eventually had to accept that it wasn’t there.

She sighed. Blake or Lily had probably taken hers by mistake. She’d have to get it back on Monday.

Great. Something else to look forward to.

She walked home, to her tiny house just off campus. Without undressing, she kicked off her shoes and lay down in her empty bed, completely exhausted. Sleep closed in like a rushing wave, and she gave in happily to its pull.