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  Demon Days

  Published by Jan Stryvant

  Copyright 2018 Jan Stryvant

  Copyright Jan Stryvant 2018

  Cover Credits: eBook Launch (http://ebooklaunch.com/)

  No part of this eBook may be reproduced in any form without expressed, written consent from the author. The material in this story may feature graphic depictions of a sexual or adult nature and is intended for a mature audience only. All characters in this story are fictional and of the legal age of consent for any activities they engage in. Any resemblance between characters, places, or things in this story, and people living or dead, actual places, or events, is purely coincidental. It's fiction; I made it up.

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be copied and given away, or copied and sold, to other people. Got that? No copying, please! If you would like to share this book with another person, it would be really nice if you purchased an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use, please consider purchasing your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  #66461

  Jan Stryvant Books:

  The Valens Legacy:

  Black Friday Book 1

  Perfect Strangers Book 2

  Over Our Heads Book 3

  Head Down Book 4

  When It Falls Book 5

  Stand On It Book 6

  Vegas Rules Book 7

  Desperate Measures Book 8

  Secret Treaties Book 9

  It Ain't Easy Book 10

  Red Skies Book 11

  Demon Days Book 12

  Shadow

  More Meetings, Bloody Meetings

  "... and with the events in Manhattan yesterday, that brings us up to two hundred and three sightings in the last twenty days," the director of Homeland Security said with a sigh.

  The president turned and looked at Carl and Kensington. "Gentlemen, would you care to enlighten us on just what our Mr. Valens is up to?"

  Kensington sighed, "He's outing the lycans."

  "Well, obviously," the president said with exasperated sigh. "I can see that. The question is, Why?"

  "I think it has to do with the war, Sir," Carl said.

  "The war?" General Baker said, looking surprised. But then, most of the people in the room were now looking that way. "What war?"

  "The one Sean tells us the lions claim is coming," Kensington said.

  "When?"

  "Well, from what Sean was saying, literally any day now."

  "What! With whom? Who's going to attack us?"

  The president waved General Baker back down into his seat. "Sit down, Jim. Sean's representative, Steve Bryson, already told me about it. Demons from the underworld are due to invade us in an effort to take over the world." The president shook his head slowly. "Apparently we're their favorite food."

  "And you believe this?" the secretary for Homeland asked.

  "Jill, I saw what happened to George with my own two eyes. Demons exist; I don't see any reason to doubt that. But the invasion story?

  "I'm willing to take a few precautions, but until we start seeing more proof, I'm not going to do anything that might cause a panic."

  "That still doesn't explain why he's started this program to out all the lycans," said Peter Cohen, the director of the US Marshals.

  "According to Mr. Bryson," Kensington said, "humans aren't much of a match for demons, but lycans are. So they'll be the ones leading the fight, and because of that, he wants the rest of the country used to them before the fighting starts."

  "Well, if the fighting is going to start any day now, I don't see how that's going to happen."

  "They originally thought they were going to have until winter before the gateway opened," Carl said, "but something changed, and now they're thinking by the end of September we'll be at war. If not sooner."

  "And of course you side with him," the director of Homeland said with a sigh.

  Carl shrugged. "He's a straight shooter; he hasn't really had the time or the years to learn how to lie to people and use them."

  "What about the other lions? I've gathered they're all more than old enough."

  Carl shrugged again. "The dwarves and the elves I've had the chance to talk to all claim that lions are pretty blunt and to the point. The lions view the earth as their territory, and are pretty serious about defending it. They also said this isn't the first time; it's more like the ninth since they came here. Apparently this has been going on forever."

  "If it's happened so many times before, how come there aren't any records of it?" asked Linda Welsh, the CIA's interim director.

  "There are," Kensington said, "but the last serious war was so long ago, it's all myths and legends now. As Carl said, we reached out to the dwarves and the elves, and they backed Mr. Valens' story up."

  "People, we're getting off track here," said Josh Andrews, the President's new chief of staff. "We're talking about these incidents, and what are we going to do about them?"

  The president nodded, "Thanks, Josh."

  "I don't see why we have to do anything about it," Kensington said with a shrug. "If the lycans want to join society, it's not really our place to stop them."

  Peter Cohen nodded in agreement. " I guess it shows that Mr. Valens' claims that the lycans didn't want any special treatment were truthful."

  "How are the magic users taking it, Vincent?" The president asked.

  Kensington nodded to Alistair, his deputy in charge of magic user affairs.

  "Well," Alistair frowned, "they're not exactly happy about it. Sapientia hasn't complained, Eruditio is taking a 'wait and see' approach, but the Vestibulum and the Ascendance have been complaining rather loudly. Same for several of the smaller councils I've had contact with.

  "Which reminds me, Mr. President, Sapientia has been dropping hints constantly about the Treaty of York. They want to know if you're really planning on renegotiating it?"

  "I say we let them sweat," Peter Cohen said with a laugh. "They're part of the reason we're all in this mess."

  "I'm not so sure," the president said, folding his hands on the table and leaning forward. "Linda here presented a very in-depth report on George. His ties to the Vestibulum went back several decades, and from what Sean told me, he had to have sold out to the demons quite a few years ago. Either he helped suborn someone in the Vestibulum, or they're the ones who suborned him."

  "Then why haven't they infiltrated our government further?" asked Tom Matthews from the NSA.

  "Who says they haven't?" the president asked. "Jill, tell them what you told me yesterday."

  Everyone turned to look at Jill.

  "After what happened with George, Vincent here undertook an examination of everyone working at the CIA."

  "I lost two of my best people," Linda grumbled.

  The director continued, "As Vincent continued to sweep through all the other important government agencies, I suddenly had a thought about those in elected office."

  "The Capitol building is warded, like the Whitehouse," Carl interrupted, "no demon or devil can set foot in there."

  "But George wasn't a devil or a demon," Cohen pointed out. "Just a traitor."

  "Anyway," the director said a little loudly, causing the others to look embarrassed. "I turned a bunch of my analysts loose, and they discovered that six lobbyists were either murdered—or disappeared—within a twenty-four-hour period."

  Everyone looked at each other, but Kensington got there first.

  "Are these the lobbyists who were pressuring the senators and congressmen who all suddenly switched their votes and introduced the new 'Freedom for All' act?"

  "Exactly."
She nodded. "And this all happened during the ten days Mr. Valens was in Washington. We're reasonably certain he had them killed."

  "Most likely he killed them himself," the president replied. "I've met with that young man several times now, even went to his wedding. He's the type that will do what has to be done and not hesitate."

  "So why'd he kill them?" Josh asked.

  "Jill and I suspect they were either demons, or in league with them."

  "Actually, I bet they were possessed," Kensington said.

  "What?" The director asked.

  "I found out about it about a few days ago. The demons can possess humans and take them over. That's what happened to George after he died. Apparently it's not a pleasant thing to have happen, as your soul is eaten in the process. Duncan hinted to me that Sean had found some people who were possessed and 'dealt with them'."

  "Just when were you going to tell me this?" she asked, looking at Kensington.

  "It wasn't something I wanted to put in a report, Jill. And this is the first chance we've had to talk face to face."

  The director sighed. "Fair enough. Back to the subject at hand; so what's our policy on the exposure of the lycans going to be, Sir?"

  "If it's what they want," the president said, "we should support them. They're citizens after all, and with the 'Freedom for All' act due to hit my desk to be signed tomorrow, this was something we were going to have to face sooner or later. Josh?"

  "Yes, Sir?"

  "Get our public affairs people on it, we'll need to start some sort of campaign. Carl, see if you can't help them out with it."

  The two men nodded. "Yes, Sir."

  "Anything else?" the president asked.

  "Yeah," General Baker said, "I'd like to know more about this war!"

  "Then I suggest you make an appointment with Mr. Bryson and let him fill you in. Now, I have to meet with a couple of senators on a corn bill."

  Taking their cue, they all stood up, said their goodbyes, and left.

  "Anything of interest for me, Jeff?" Kensington asked the secret service detachment head as he walked to the exit.

  "I think a couple of congressmen are werewolves," Jeff said in a hushed voice.

  "Really?"

  Jeff nodded.

  "Guess we'll have to look into that then."

  #

  "I tell you, he has to be stopped!" Geoffrey Marson said, looking around the table.

  "And just how would you propose we do that?" asked Will Bayer, who had only recently taken over as the Vestibulum head for North America. "He's a powerful man—a lot more powerful than we are, I daresay."

  "For that matter," Gloria of the Sorceress Guild spoke up, "why does he have to be stopped? It's not like what he's doing is having any effect on us."

  "That's just it!" Marson continued. "How long before he decides to out us as well?"

  "Why would he? He's got nothing to gain from it."

  "I have to agree with Gloria, Geoffrey," said David of the Lux. "Valens' actions have all been focused on the lycans and their welfare. Now that his people are free, he's moved on from us."

  "He warned us he was going to be making a few changes." Duncan sighed. "He even suggested to one of my people that we should consider 'coming down off of our mountain', as he put it."

  "What!" Geoffrey, Will, and several others said, looking surprised.

  "He's worried about our numbers, believe it or not."

  "Why would he be worried about that?" asked Kyle Wennegar, the head of the Tall Men.

  "Because of the war that's coming. He's let it be known that he wants our help."

  "Also," Gerald put in, "he is a magic user like the rest of us, and a powerful one at that."

  "I thought that was just because he was a lion?" Kyle said.

  "No, Sean was a magic user before he became a lycan, even if his powers had been blocked. From what we've been able to surmise, he taught himself magic in a period of weeks."

  "Weeks?" Geoffrey said with a look of disbelief.

  "Yes, weeks. His father was a magical genius, and apparently the fruit didn't fall far from the tree."

  "Still, I don't know how much I'd want to trust him," Will admitted.

  "Sean went to great lengths to avoid killing any of us, you have to remember that," Duncan pointed out. "Don't make the same mistake Rupert did; the Lions are neither weak nor stupid, and once upon a time they were our allies. We messed that up, not them; we should consider ourselves fortunate they're not carrying any kind of grudge."

  "Still," Geoffrey said, "it's only a matter of time before people figure out our secret, once they start to accept that the lycans exist."

  "Yes, well, that might be true, except for one little detail you seem to be overlooking," Gerald said with a heavy sigh.

  "And what detail would that be?" Geoffrey replied hotly.

  "That we're about to be invaded by a couple million demons? Did you ever stop to think about just what that is going to do to the world? They have powers of their own, and they're rather fond of wholesale slaughter, if our records and histories are to be believed. Do you really think anyone is going to care about us when cities are being leveled?"

  Everyone seated around the table got quiet then as they all looked at Gerald.

  "Is it really going to be that bad?" Gloria asked.

  Gerald shook his head. "I really wish I knew. The seers have come to an agreement that this will be the largest invasion our world has ever seen. The Fey we've talked to have told us that they now believe the last six attacks were all just probes of our strength and determination—which, I'm gathering now, they found to be lacking the last time they attacked, fifteen hundred years ago."

  "Fifteen hundred years?" asked Bill, the head of Goliard. "My God, man, just how long have the lions been fighting these things?

  "Many thousands of years," Duncan told him. "When the lions discovered what was going on, they apparently got organized and took a stand against it. Before that," Duncan shook his head, "human civilization kept getting knocked down every time it was just getting started."

  "What about the government? What are they doing?" Kyle asked.

  "They're taking a 'wait and see' approach," Duncan said. "They just don't have the experience with magic and demons the rest of us do."

  "You know," Kyle said slowly, obviously thinking about something, "we could use this to our advantage."

  "Oh? How?" Gloria grumbled.

  Kyle smiled. "We throw all in on the war, and I bet you any ideas about renegotiating the Treaty of York will quickly be forgotten."

  Duncan coughed and exchanged glances with Gerald. "Actually, Sapientia and Eruditio have been having that very same discussion."

  "Ha!" Kyle laughed and slapped the table. "Not so principled after all, are you?"

  "Actually, we're very principled," Gerald shot back. "We're not opposed to the Treaty, we just got too full of ourselves and started to abuse its terms."

  "And that abuse is going to end right now," Duncan said firmly. "That, coupled with doing everything we can to help in the fight, should put us back in the position of power and neutrality we once occupied.

  "This brings us to the reason we are all here today. It's not to discuss Valens, the government, or to bicker about our differences. It's to start making plans for the war. It's a matter of survival for all of us, and not just because of the standing we'll regain. Let's be honest, do you honestly think the demons aren't going to target us first? They already know who and where we all are."

  "They do? How?" Bill asked.

  Duncan looked at Gerald, who stood up and looked around the room.

  "After what happened in Winnipeg, we have reason to believe that the head council of the Vestibulum in Brussels has been suborned by demons."

  "Oh. Fuck," Bill whispered and slumped down into his chair.

  "I think that about sums it up rather succinctly," Gerald agreed.

  Counting Out Time

  Sean sighed and looked aro
und the room.

  "So, another one done?" Roxy asked, coming in and looking around.

  Sean nodded. "Someone should be here to pick them both up in the morning."

  "That's what, number ten?"

  Sean shook his head. "Eleven, and I'm done making tag machines for a while. Same for necklaces."

  "How many of those have you made?"

  "Just eight, but they turn out more per day, so we're still going to have a lot more necklaces than tags."

  "Did they ever pay us for the last two sets you gave them?"

  Sean nodded. "That's where those four Black Hawks sitting outside came from. How're Cali and Chad's training programs coming along?"

  "Fairly well, actually. Cali found out about the local SCA chapter and drafted about half of their swordsmen to help train everybody."

  Sean laughed. "I wonder what she told them? And Chad?"

  "Chad's wondering where you've been; he wants you to brush up on medieval tactics so you know what to do."

  "The First started teaching those to me several days ago, now that Keairra's passed on my sword training."

  "Has he said anything about the invasion?"

  "Other than 'any day now'?" Sean shook his head. "The only thing he's said is, that because it's going to start sooner, it'll end later."

  "Well, that doesn't sound good. How long is that?"

  "Three years, eight months, and five days," Sean sighed.

  "That long!" Roxy said, eyes wide with shock.

  "That was my response too," Sean admitted. "But he told me that it really started almost ten years ago, when small gates started to open here and there at random. There are lions who track those down, kill whoever comes through them, and shut them down."

  "Does that mean we'll be dealing with the smaller gates after the main war is over?"

  'Smart girl! How come you didn't ask that?' The First teased.

  "Apparently," Sean said with a nod. 'Oh, shut up. I can't think of everything. Even you miss things.'

  "But," Sean continued, "I don't even want to think about it until we get past the main invasion. No point in worrying about it, because if we don't win the big fight, it won't matter."