Page 21 of Fatality on the Field

“Okay, my lovely guests and fellow demons,” Xerxes says as they hold the book. “It’s time to unwrap this present or die trying.”

“That’s not very positive thinking,” Rogue grumbles. “I mean, I’m not Sunshine McGee, but maybe we don’t assume we’ll die for trying at the start.”

Slash gives her a supportive nod. “The Fae is correct, X. We may get your dark sense of humor, but they assume you are being serious. Tone it down.”

The pretty demon rolls their eyes exaggeratedly, but sighs an affirmative and unwraps the cloth covering the book and places it on the altar-type stone in the middle of the room before backing up. They run their hands over their hair as if gathering themself, and then look at the group. “Form a circle around it with space in between us. Anything you might need to reveal to work your most powerful enchantments, hexes, and spells should be shifted or accessed now so we are starting from a point of top-tier skills.”

I don’t need to do anything, but I watch as the scales appear on the long-haired demon and they half-shift to stand on an enormous cobra tail that matches their slitted gaze. I’m surprised when they add horns to the complement, but I suppose their demon is quite powerful as well. The shark turns into a standing behemoth that barely fits in the room with a fin and horns making him more terrifying than before. Next, the emo crow half-shifts between a dark, horned demon and shining black wings reminiscent of a painting of the Fallen.

Feeling a bit small at the moment, and I doubt it will get any better—this is probably what the others were trying to tell me about being among non-humanoid magic users.

When I look at the demonic visages of Damon and his twin with the insanely sparkly Fae form of their mate, I’m in awe. Together, they’re a picture of dark and light, keeping large wings folded tightly to their backs. Rogue said hers are poisonous, so I assume that’s her way of making certain we don’t actually die as X said, but the Geminis’ are also closed—that’s in support, I’d wager. The last two people I check out when I can tear my gaze from the Bay City folks are the Kitsuné and our siren. Both are quiet, but they have stunning half-shift forms as well. The flaming tails of Zavida’s fox paired with his horns and a Hell-toned glow of power is more menacing than he looks normally, while Slade is positively ethereal in the ocean-tinted scales, gills, and magical aura of the sea.

“Are you…?” Slash asks, his eyebrow arched as he gets my attention. “Should we be seeing something less college professorial when you power up?”

Clearing my throat, I shake my head in response. “No, not unless I need to access some things that… I’d prefer to leave until the very last moment if possible. It comes at a great cost to me physically and magically, so I will use it if necessary, but also… I prefer not to let people know about it. It’s… not strictly legal where I’m from—at least, not for my kind.”

My admission draws the curious expressions of everyone in the room, but the big guy just grunts. “Fine. Xerxes, let us begin. We do not want to be here draining our resources all day.”

The snake slithers forward a bit and closes their eyes as they tilt their head up to the ceiling to chant:

Per oculos Keres,

Spiritum Hecates,

Gutta sanguinis in stirpe serpentis,

et aeterna scientia fraudatorum...

magiam huius libri omnibus oculis videndam revela.

Da nobis secreta eius sub imperio stirpis regiae et serva.⁠*

Golden magic flows out of X and once it’s stable, they look at the rest of us. “Zavida, then Slade. After that, Slash and the Professor. Damon and Angelo, followed by Rogue, and lastly, Oriel will join. We must keep this balanced, so don’t delay when it is your turn.”

I watch as the fiery fox takes a deep breath and sends a shot of flaming energy to join the pretty coil as it climbs to the ceiling. Slade opens his mouth, a thin aqua rope representing his song snaking out to wrap its way around the joined energy. For a moment, I worry we’ll all be enchanted by it, but X shakes their head at me to dispel the notion. I guess what we’re sending out now will keep it from making us all his slaves?

Fuck, I do not know enough about his powers or how they mix with others’. I need to find that out when we get home for certain.

I’m surprised to be jolted out of my head to see a flash of power come from the big ass shark demon, and he gives me another of his toothy grins when I blanch. He’s got some sort of magic in his background, I suppose, which is odd given his focus on the physical shifter part of his presentation. Shaking that off so I can focus, I call my magic to the surface as soon as Slash’s is wound into the forming coil above the altar. Golden energy emits from my palms, heading for the others’ contributions eagerly like it wants to be part of this event more than anything.

Holding it in place, I cut my gaze to watch dazzling displays of red and pink come from the Bay City trio, followed by a heavy, powerful beam that makes the entire room shake a little as the purple and black power ekes its way out of the crow demon. I blink, tucking away the knowledge that Oriel is definitely the second most powerful demon in the caliphate, if not possibly the most, and he simply keeps that under his Hot Topic persona for some unknown reason. It’s probably to keep Jasper happy, which I get, but I have no idea why he’d even care.

After all, even on the surface a prince is a prince with little to no qualifications or skills to back it up; why not in Hell, too?

* By the eyes of the Keres, The spirit of Hekate, A drop of blood in the line of the serpent’s kin, and the eternal knowledge of the tricksters... reveal the magic on this book for all eyes to see. Give us its secrets under the command of the royal bloodlines and be spared.

thirteen

MORGANA

“Hilarious, shrimp.”

The lack of tantrum makes Archie and Lucas grin at one another, and I struggle to hide my own smugness. I know that the two of them have been up to mischief, giving the reluctant members of the caliphate and our family grief for being dicks. This must result from their nebbish meddling—if so, I can’t say I’m displeased. Iggy is being good to Slade, and less shitty; the dragons are holding back their ire. They might be a couple of hunky blond jocks, but somehow, they got through to the stubbornest asshats around.

Maybe they have potential careers in life coaching when they decide to leave hockey behind someday.

That idea makes me snort, and it gets the attention of the Keeper as he holds the small teacup with ridiculously oversized hands. The big man winks at me, so I hold back my laughter at the image of this demonic Viking man drinking high tea from delicate cups with a motley crew of supes like us. I’m thrilled to know that when Rogue and I have to depart, she has the two ancient demons to support her if the boys fuck anything up. It’s not the same, of course, but it’ll do in a pinch.