Because of her mothers necromancer abilities, Tiara had been dragged around with the PIT team all her life.
Hed heard from some of the others that it was kind of like being an army brat... just better protected. While the parents went out to war, the child was usually placed in a secure area normally a hotel room that was guarded by the CIA. There was something about being different sometimes the last of your kind that made their lives harder than most. It tended to kick in their strongest instincts too survive and protect their young.
Every PIT member had enemies it was one of the drawbacks of being a trained demon assassin. Those same enemies had learned a long time ago that the fastest way to get a rivals attention was to steal their child. In this case, it would be a demon stealing the child of a PIT member that had crossed them. Lessons were a bitch to learn and the children being kept in seclusion was the price.
From what Zachary noticed, Tiara had been one of the most guarded children out of all of them. Even hed only seen her a couple times and he had top clearance.
Well, the lack of contact could be blamed on the fact that for the last ten years, hed gone out of his way to avoid her mother Myra. But Tiara always had someone shadowing her, following her every move, especially if she ever ventured out into the occasional eye of the rest of the organization.
After Myras death only a couple weeks ago, her team had dispersed into other areas of PIT, as was the tradition when the leader of a team dies. Making that a golden rule had cut way down on distractions and complications or so hed heard.
He himself was more of a freelancer, a gun for hire, and he worked best when he was alone. Angelica had been the only stable person in his life because she could see past the mask he wore the mask that led everyone to believe he was a bit of a comedian.
Myras necromancy powers had passed on to her only child at the exact moment of her death. Tiara had taken the reins and stepped forward as a permanent player by showing up here. He thought it was a little strange that she was so quick to get over her mothers death one would have thought shed still be mourning.
Zachary had been privy to seeing her mother work several times. Hed been a teenager at the time, about sixteen years old actually. He still remembered the first time hed watched Myra raise the dead. Shed done it in order to find the location of the demon that killed the victim shed revived. Zachary shivered in remembrance of that night it had filled him with fear and longing of the afterlife. It still haunted his dreams.
Myra had been the most beautiful and mysterious person hed ever met and he was drawn to her so were many men. Hed seen other guys beg to be put on her team for the night in hopes that they would get to sleep with her.
Rumor had it that those she slept with were more than simply lovers or one night stands there was also a deep-seated friendship attached to it that kept the group together even when they were between jobs. It was almost impossible to get on her team because the men never left her side willingly only by way of body bag.
The PIT members with wives or mates were never allowed to accompany her on missions as a rule, much less become a member of her regular team.
The dead also seemed to flock to her like a sirens call. Unfortunately, demons were prone to the call as well. It was usually a powerful demon that had awakened the dead in the first place and when their underlings were called back to their graves, that demon would follow to see who was stealing from them. It was the reason why Myra had never been left alone in graveyards, funeral homes, or morgues.
The third time Zachary had been chosen for her team hed shown up late, having been caught up in a fight with another demon. As he entered the graveyard, hed witnessed something he knew he wasnt supposed to see even at that distance.
Myra had just put the graveyard back to sleep when her necromancy was answered by a very powerful demon.
The other PIT members present abruptly crumbled to the ground, knocked unconscious by an unseen force. Zachary had still been young, with only a few demon killings under his belt and quickly took refuge behind a tombstone uncertain of what else to do. The power coming off the demon was something hed never felt before and he knew it had to be one of the few master demons that still roamed the earth.
After a few moments of nothing happening, he gathered his courage and peeked around the edge of the grave marker.
The shadows in front of Myra were writhing, almost breathing with anticipation. That was when a tall handsome man with long silver hair much like Myras appeared from the darkness. Even with the distance separating them, Zachary could see the way the demon gazed at Myra like he wanted to devour her. The demon then approached the necromancer who had just laid his zombies and ghosts to rest.
The panic that filled Zacharys mind overwhelmed him and fire leapt from his hands in anger. He stood up from his hiding place, desperately rushing to save the woman he was supposed to be protecting.
Zachary hadnt wanted the demon to hurt Myra and had every intention of rescuing her even if he had to burn the entire graveyard to the ground doing it. However, the demon had something else in mind. He slowly turned his head and locked his startling silver eyes with Zachary's.
Much to Zacharys horror, his fire went out so had his control over his own body. Although hed fought it with everything in him, he still hit the ground, unable to move or speak. The first thing that went through his mind was that he was still conscious unlike the other men littering the graveyard, and he had a perfect view of what was about to happen.
Myra had let the demon touch her appearing to welcome it as she smiled seductively and placed her hand on his chest. Shed even called the demon by name Deth.
Clothing was quickly removed and Zachary watched as the demon laid claim to Myras body. Theyd made love against the tombstone behind them multiple times before the demon had whispered something in her ear making her lock loving eyes with him. They had shared one more kiss before the demon vanished into the night.
Zachary watched as Myra had slowly turned her head and looked at him shed known he was watching the whole time. Without a word shed gathered her clothing and gotten dressed then waited for the rest of the team to gain consciousness. Zachary had regained use of his body after only a couple minutes and sat up, remaining where he was as far away from Myra as he could get without leaving and silently stared.
She still looked just as lovely and even wore a soft smile. He didnt understand he didnt understand any of it.
When the others awoke, they had no memory of what attacked them and, when asked, Myra had simply explained that all was quiet and the attack had been nothing more than the backlash of power from returning the dead to their grave.
Zachary never repeated what hed seen that night to another soul. However, after that, his trust in Myra had been shattered. Hed even made it a point to request other jobs so he would not have to go near her.
Hed also done his research on the demon shed met in the graveyard and discovered that hed been right Deth was an ancient demon. The demon could have killed them that night, all of them including Myra if hed wanted because he had killed in the past killed many.
Myra was obviously playing for both teams and that was a line none of them ever dared to cross. He found it mildly ironic that shed met her end at the hands of a demon or so the story had been told. Apparently, crossing that line had dire consequences.
Myra was obviously playing for both teams and that was a line none of them ever dared to cross. He found it mildly ironic that shed met her end at the hands of a demon or so the story had been told. Apparently, crossing that line had dire consequences.
Zachary refused to feel the sadness that tried to creep across his chest at her death the last thing PIT needed was a traitor walking among them.
Pulling himself from the past, Zachary watched Tiara move across the large room below, listening to the India bells around her ankle jingle quietly and wondering how much like her mother she was. She could have been her mothers doppelganger just a younger version. She resembled a child in a womans body, completely innocent of the violence around her yet more than aware of it at the same time.
She possessed a golden tan, flawless skin, and the wide eyes of an innocent child. That innocence was somehow tainted by full pouty lips that made him want to feel them against his own. As he gazed at her, he realized he was wrong her mothers beauty didnt hold a candle to Tiaras. Just watching her made him feel like a stalker but instead of backing off he looked closer.
Her way of dressing made her look like shed been taken straight from the caravan of a gypsy clan that had been lost in time. It was the same way Myra used to dress. He assumed it was tradition within that line of necromancers.
Tonight, her shirt was little more than a black square scarf folded into a triangle and tied around her chest, leaving her sides and back bare to show her temptingly flawless skin. Her skirt was dangerously low on her hips but covered everything else clear down to her ankles.
Doors started opening all around and people appeared from all corners of the castle, crossing the main room under him and he frowned at the distraction. Zacharys cell phone went off and he took it out to read Storms text message.
Meeting in Rens office, bring Jason.
How the hell am I supposed to do that, use smelling salts? Zachary muttered putting his phone away. Looking back toward the medical room, he blinked in surprise when the door opened and Jason poked his head out in the hall.
He cocked an eyebrow wondering if Storm spent every day popping in and out of existence to make things happen on the right time line. Just thinking about how long a day could stretch for the time traveler gave him a headache. But then again, if something was done wrong, couldnt Storm always go back and fix it if he wanted?
Glad to see youre awake, Zachary said with a smirk. I trust you slept nightmare free?
Jason came the rest of the way out of the room and slowly approached Zachary. Yeah, I feel a lot better now that the death mark is gone. He looked down at the activity below them and asked, Whats going on?
Zachary threw his arm around Jasons shoulders and steered him toward the stairs. Wanna see something really cool?
Jason shrugged, Sure, why not?
Good, Zachary smirked, youre presence has been requested by our boss your first official PIT meeting.
Jason cocked an eyebrow. But Im not a member of PIT.
Zachary smiled mischievously, Its either join us, or suddenly come down with a huge case of amnesia.
Jason pulled away from Zachary with a worried frown. Holding his hands up in surrender, he nodded, Lead the way.
When Zachary laughed and took off down the stairs, Jason had no choice but to follow though he did so at a safe distance.
*****
Ive got something for you. Storm said and took out a small USB drive from his shirt pocket.
Ren took it from him and plugged it into the computer. He smirked when he saw the same map hed created only this one was more updated. Where the original map had only a few blips on it focusing on the centralized power recorded, this map resembled a childs Lite-Brite on speed. Different colored lights now lit up every inch of the city and were extending outward toward the slums, the preserve, and even the beaches they were everywhere now.
Where did you get this? Ren asked in awe, slowly rising from his chair in the process to get a better look at the huge screen on the wall.
Storm looked down at his nails and examined them with great interest, You.
Before Ren could say anything, the doors of his office suddenly opened and some of the PIT members who had filtered back to the castle walked in. Ren felt the accumulated power in the room and fought to keep his own power under control. Though his face was outwardly expressing boredom, inside he was almost panicking.
Reaching out for the blocking power hed felt earlier, Ren latched onto it and felt his world stabilize again. He nodded at Zachary as the other man entered and joined him and Storm at the desk.
Zachary let his gaze slowly filter across the people, quickly skipping the area Tiara was standing in just to prove to himself he could do it. It was harder than he thought. When his gaze swung back to her, he noted her flinch and she quickly looked from him toward Storm. Zachary frowned and crossed his arms over his chest wondering why shed reacted to him like that.
Jason looked around for Angelica and was disappointed when he didnt see her among the exotic looking group. He quickly drew back against the wall swearing hed just seen a guy teleport into the room. One second the spot beside him had been empty and the next it wasnt.
Guy immediately sought out Tiara with his gaze and tried to think of the best way to approach her with his plan. Hed just spent the last couple of hours tearing his and Carleys room apart trying to find a spell for what he had in mind.
During his grief-fed rage, he had remembered Carley stumbling across it in one of her acquisitions as shed called the stolen scrolls. The two had shared a bit of amusement at the time, believing they would never have a need to bring the dead back to life.
The spell was an old one that had been transcribed from an ancient text a way to bring the dead back. In this case however, it would only tie the spirit to the human realm while it remained attached to the spirit realm. In short, Carley would become a ghost.
Guy knew there was another part of the magic that would allow Carley to return to her body but you had to have the power of necromancy for that to work. Tiara was the only one who could help him bring Carley back it would take Tiaras power to bond his sisters soul back to her body.
Tiara felt eyes on her and looked up wondering if it was Zachary. Instead, she found Guy staring longingly at her. She calmly met his gaze knowing what was going through his mind. Shed heard about his sisters death and hoped that he would change his mind. Her mother had often been approached by the loved ones of those who had been killed in the line of duty. Shed have to avoid him for a while at least until he calmed down.
Glad all of you could make it, Storm said once the doors were closed. Ive got good news and bad news. He nodded toward the huge computerized map on the wall, Thats the bad news. There were several murmurs within the crowd.
Whats the good news? Trevor frowned from the doorway as he entered the room.
The good news is that the most powerful demons are smart. They just made it back into this world and theyre not stupid so theyre not going to out themselves right away by going on killing sprees.
In the past, the master demons liked to control humans not kill them. They will set up shop first and try to claim a territory. My hope is that some of them will even kill each other in order to stake their claim on an area and it will narrow down the playing field.