Demon's Doorway Read online

  "You probably need a team of people just to clean the windows."

  Victoria laughed and nudged Alex. "Are people having fun in there?"

  "They were when I left, but I'm sure they're wondering where the hell the groom's been for the past hour." He looked down at his bare chest and Victoria's ruined dress, showing off much more skin than she would have liked. "I'm guessing we're not walking in the front door?"

  "No. There's a side door to the kitchen, but I'm sure the staff's in there working with the food."

  "This should be fun, sneaking into my own party."

  "Don't worry," Kevin said. "I'll take care of it."

  "Do you have more invisible potion?"

  "No, sorry. Most of my potions shattered when me and Alex crashed through the window."

  "Wait," Alex said. "You can turn invisible?"

  "Yeah. That potion doesn't taste too bad. It's got cinnamon in it."

  Victoria winced. "That crap was disgusting."

  "You think anything without hemoglobin in it is disgusting."

  "Well, it is."

  They laughed, and for a moment, the stranger in the airport, demons, the chaos in the office building was forgotten.

  She parked near the corner of the mansion in the grass. They heard the party as they circled around the side. They were halfway along the length of the house when Victoria stopped them.

  "The basement's right here. The other side should be clear."

  Alex rubbed his chin. He could walk through any wall, but couldn't take the living with him. Another strange demonic rule. Moving people to the demon realm was possible, but not the spirit realm.

  "Well, I can get inside, but I can't bring you with me. So, I don't know—"

  He stopped talking when Kevin stepped forward, a black marker in his hand. Kevin drew a huge circle, and placed his hand in the center. Alex jumped back when the wall inside the circle shimmered and vanished, leaving a hole leading into Victoria's basement.

  Kevin noticed his stunned expression and held up the marker. "Portals 101. Always have something to write with."

  Alex cautiously peered inside before stepping through first. "This…is pretty damn cool."

  Kevin smiled. Coming from a man who could fly and tell demons what to do, that was a strong compliment.

  He shook his head as he closed the portal behind him. His eyes didn't know what to look at first.

  "Some basement," he muttered.

  Victoria's basement was one continuous living space, the largest studio apartment he'd ever seen. The only true room was the bathroom. There was an entertainment area in one corner, a freshly-made bed in another, a work desk larger than his own basement against the far wall. There was a full-sized kitchen and dining area, and clothes, men and women's, hanging up neatly on racks.

  "Alex, they're waiting for you," Victoria said. "You shower first. I've got plenty of dress clothes. Just grab whatever fits."

  Alex disappeared into the bathroom. Victoria picked out a new dress, similar to the one she was wearing, and laid it out neatly on a table. She went to another rack and studied Kevin carefully.

  "Alex is taller," she said. "But I'm sure I've got something that fits you."

  Kevin said nothing. Victoria watched him, his demeanor, his body language. She wasn't the detective Jack was, but she was good. Two days ago Kevin was selling cell phone cases and potions at a mall. Now his clothes were ruined, he was covered in blood, and he very nearly died in helping her.

  "This was your surprise," she said, motioning around her. "I was gonna have you stay here, and not at some hotel room. I just had some guys go through the place yesterday, give it a good cleaning. Your suitcase is right over there."

  "You…did all this for me?"

  "Well, don't get too carried away," she said, smiling. "I used to live down here, away from the sun, until the wonderful gift you gave me. I just had them add a couple of things for you. I'm spread out through the rest of the house now."

  "I'd get spoiled staying in a place like this."

  "We all could use a little spoiling sometimes."

  He simply smiled, and admired her television mounted on the wall.

  "Are you okay, Kevin?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

  "Yeah, I'm fine. Except for, you know, the whole demon thing. I'm a little upset about my potions, too. Do you know how hard it is to find bat fangs?"

  She laughed, willing to accept his lie for the time being. "Well, it's time to relax. Eat all the food you want, and have a good time."

  "I'll try."

  Alex stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. He took a deep breath as he ran a hand through his wet hair.

  "This is not how I pictured my wedding."

  "Look at it this way. You'll never forget it." Victoria headed for the bathroom. "Lady's next. Don't worry, Kevin, I won't be long."

  She ripped what was left of her dress off in one motion and dropped it to the carpet. Alex and Kevin got an inadvertent eyeful of the beautiful vampire before turning their heads.

  "You can't look anymore, Alex. You're married now."

  "I'll try to control myself."

  Alex waited until she closed the bathroom door before talking, although he knew she could hear him.

  "She did that when we first met. Just pulled her clothes off, like it wasn't a big deal."

  "You're lucky. The night Victoria and I met, she broke my neck and buried me in a coffin."

  "Holy shit. I guess I am lucky."

  *****

  Alex left the basement first, with Victoria and Kevin waiting patiently on the stairs. Kevin heard the roar of applause and laughter as he rejoined the party. Victoria suggested the two of them wait, to avoid raising additional questions about what the three of them were doing.

  She laughed suddenly. The vampire was gorgeous once again after a fresh shower and a change of clothes.

  "What's funny?"

  "Alex's father-in-law asked him if he had diarrhea."

  Kevin scratched at his neck and pulled at his collar. The clothes he borrowed fit, but he couldn't wait to get into a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. He also felt naked without his potions.

  "You look great," Victoria said, playing with his collar. "I'll wash your coat later, now that it's already broken in."

  He managed a smile. "Yeah, I already love that coat."

  She hugged him, happy through and through. It was interesting to see how such little things could make an old vampire happy. Kevin was glad to call her a friend.

  They opened the door to the basement, leading to an empty hallway. Across the hall was the dining room. The dining room alone was the size of the house Victoria had given Kevin and his sister.

  There were rows of long tables and chairs, with a special round table to the side for Alex and Cindy. A television was mounted on the wall, which had a small crowd. Kevin wondered if Victoria had a television in every room. The food smelled delicious, and staff moved back and forth from the kitchen, refreshing trays. Some sat and ate while others huddled in small groups and chatted.

  "I have to go play hostess," Victoria said. "Get yourself a plate, grab any seat you want. You know what you should really try to do?"

  "What's that?"

  "Dance with a pretty lady. Plenty are here. And have some fun."

  She flashed a bright smile before disappearing into the dining room.

  "Okay, have fun," he told himself. "You're a witch, and you just got beat up by some demons. But don't worry. Just have fun."

  He spotted Alex and Cindy as he made his way to the food line. They were in a corner, having a serious discussion. He could almost see the conversation in his head. She was checking on him, making sure he was okay. After some reassurance, they kissed deeply and embraced. The sight, while bringing some jealousy, also brought Kevin hope. There certainly had to be someone out there that wanted a witch.

  He put together a small plate of food and sat at a corner table, far away from everyone else. T
he mood was infectious, and Kevin found himself smiling and laughing at some of the conversations around him. Although, he didn't dare approach anyone to talk. He wasn't trying to seem moody or brooding, but parties simply weren't a strength of his. He still wasn't sure why Victoria brought him to Baltimore.

  It struck him as he took a drink of soda. Jack. He was there for Jack.

  He laughed to himself as he poked at his food. All the magic in the world wouldn't solve Jack's problems, unless there was an obscure spell that could change someone's personality. In the short time they interacted Kevin knew they wouldn't get along. But he had trouble imagining Jack getting along with anyone.

  The music stopped, and a voice boomed over the speakers.

  "Uh, attention, everyone."

  Everyone stopped and looked toward the DJ. Alicia stood near the table holding a microphone, nervously rubbing the back of her neck. Kevin was mesmerized, and could only imagine the kind of guy she dated.

  "We finally found Alex and pulled him out of the bathroom, so I can give my speech now."

  "I wasn't in the bathroom, Alicia!" Alex called. Cindy giggled and kissed him.

  "I think everyone here knows me, but if not, I'm Alicia, Alex's sister. Cindy asked me to be her maid of honor, and of course, three hours later, Alex asked me to be his best man, because he's weird like that. And I couldn't say no to either one of them, so here I am. But you're only getting one speech."

  She paused for laughter, and Kevin glanced at the newly married couple. They were indeed cute together.

  "Alex and Cindy met when I was a baby, on this very day, nineteen years ago. They were five years old, in kindergarten. Alex was getting picked on by a bully, and Cindy had to go save him."

  More laughter. Alex waved his finger and shook his head. Kevin could barely hear him.

  "That's not how it happened," Alex said.

  Kevin laughed, too.

  "All I can say to that," Alicia said. "Is thank you, Cindy. Not only did you save my brother from getting picked on, but you started probably the greatest love story I've ever seen, and I watch a lot of movies. It's taken a long time to get here, and I've loved watching every minute of it. I can't wait to see what happens over the next nineteen years."

  Alicia dabbed at her eyes, and walked to meet Alex and Cindy halfway. The three of them hugged, and there was a collective chorus of oohs and ahhs. Kevin clapped along with everyone else, and could finally feel the tension in his shoulders melting away.

  The music came back on, a slow song, and the women shouted when Cindy held out her arms. Alex feigned trying to run away, only for Alicia to push him to his wife.

  "You know I can't dance," Alex said.

  Cindy responded by shoving her tongue down Alex's throat, drawing more cheers from the crowd. Kevin couldn't take his eyes off the couple as the world slowed down for them. They danced close. Cindy rested her head on his shoulder while he gently rubbed her neck. They whispered to each other, and Kevin could see how much they cared for one another just from the look in their eyes.

  He was glad he came, even if he didn't know anyone.

  He stifled a yawn when the song ended, and everyone else joined in the dancing. It was only mid-afternoon, but he felt like he'd been awake for days. His nerves attacked him when the local news was on TV, showing the office building near the airport. There were no pictures of any demons, a sphere floating through the air, or any other supernatural creatures, and he let out an easy breath.

  Nearly two hours passed, and the reception was still going strong. Victoria certainly knew how to put together an event. Two photographers drifted around, taking pictures. Alex caught his eye from the across the room, giving him a thumbs-up. Kevin only got up once to refill his drink, and sat down alone again at the table. He was having as much fun as he could, but wouldn't have minded a change of scenery. He doubted anyone would miss him if he vanished to the basement.

  He was a second away from standing when a voice from behind made him tense.

  "Weddings. Receptions. Don't they suck?"

  He looked up to see Jack standing next to him. Jack had changed clothes as well, a simple white shirt and slacks. He glanced around the dining room, disdain in his eyes. Kevin had to laugh at the look on his face. Jack seemed like he'd rather be getting a root canal than attend a wedding. Despite his attitude, Kevin could see Jack was very intelligent, simply watching the world around him. He knew nothing about him, but had the sense Jack was old.

  Jack sat next to him, surprising the witch. Kevin took a long drink of water.

  "Weddings actually showcase mortals very well. Everything here is lovely, beautiful, not a hair out of place…on the surface. But underneath is the worst humanity has to offer. The women gossip about how long they think the marriage will last. The men simply want to leave to watch sports."

  "You're not very romantic, are you?"

  "My girlfriend and I screw all the time."

  "That's not what I…nevermind."

  Jack rubbed his hands together. "They can provide good entertainment, though. Do you see that woman at the buffet, with the scarf over her shoulder?"

  Kevin spotted her. "Yeah."

  "Well, she's got a thing for that man two tables in front of us, the guy eating with his wife. He doesn't know."

  Kevin rolled his eyes, and nearly looked away, but then he saw it. The woman gave a quick, fleeting glance to her crush.

  "Holy crap. You're right."

  "Of course I'm right. And the DJ's been staring at the lady handling the green beans."

  "How do you know all this?"

  "All you have to do is keep your eyes open. Mortals can't seem to do that. They go through their short lives with blinders on. Do you want to see something really scary? Look at that face the redhead over there is giving us."

  Kevin saw Victoria standing in the doorway to the kitchen, her arms crossed, staring at them. She seemed agitated, concerned.

  "Is she mad? What's that about?"

  "She's afraid I might cause a scene."

  "Are you?"

  "I haven't decided yet. It depends on how boring this party is."

  Kevin actually laughed with Jack.

  Jack winced when his gaze fell on something else. "Oh, man, that's not cool. Those two over there just had sex in one of Victoria's spare rooms."

  Kevin looked at the couple in question, and had to admit he was fascinated. "How can you tell?"

  "Her face is flush, hair slightly out of place. His pants are just a little crooked, his belt one notch looser than it usually is." He stole a piece of ham from Kevin's plate. "I'm sure Victoria smells it, probably heard it. I'll bet she loves that."

  "What about Alex and Cindy? What can you see about them?"

  Not satisfied with only a piece of ham, Jack slid Kevin's entire plate in front of him and grabbed a fork.

  "Just take my food, why don't you," Kevin said.

  "I did. Let's see…Alex and Cindy." He stared at them, laughing and talking, for thirty seconds, before they got up and danced once again. "Those two…actually love each other."

  "Well, it is a wedding, Jack. You'd think love would show up somewhere."

  Jack scowled at him. "How naive are you?" He returned his attention to the newly married couple. "They're intensely attracted to each other, but there's also an old love there. It's strange to see. She knows everything about him, and loves him all the same. They remind me of an old couple I knew, Mr. and Mrs. Soon."

  "Are they still together?"

  "They're dead, murdered."

  "I'm sorry to hear that."

  He smiled a disturbing grin that gave Kevin a chill. "Not as sorry as the person who killed them."

  They sat in silence while Jack ate Kevin's confiscated food. Kevin tried to drink some water, only for Jack to snatch the bottle and take his own drink.

  "You didn't touch this, did you? The way you witches turn water blue, it makes me think of toilet water."

  "I guess you're the
person Victoria wanted me to meet. You know about us? About witches?"

  "Oh, believe me, I'm quite familiar with witches and witchcraft. But we'll get to all that later. There's something you should see."

  "What's that?"

  "Look up and check out your three o'clock. But don't stare, be quick."

  Kevin spotted Alicia looking at him from across the dining room. She glanced away quickly when their eyes met, returning her attention back to Cindy's mother.

  He had trouble processing what just happened.

  "That was Alicia. Holy crap, was she checking me out? Why would she do that?"

  "I see why Victoria didn't have a problem letting you live. You're not bright enough to come up with anything really dangerous."

  Kevin ignored the snarky attitude. "Uh…what do I do?"

  Jack dropped his fork, almost angrily. "Is that a joke? Young, hot lady, undressing you with her eyes…maybe you should go hide under a rock? Okay, let's see what we can figure out about the blonde bombshell here."

  He studied her, and Kevin looked around to make sure no eyes were on them, almost feeling guilty. He was a little amused, though. He suddenly felt like Jack and he were a team, working on some mission.

  "She's got nice breasts, nice legs. Very lovely body."

  "Nice, Jack. I can see that from here."

  "Okay, okay. She likes to laugh, good sense of humor, full of fun. She had braces growing up. A little clumsy, not very comfortable in heels. Get ready to look away, she's gonna look at you again."

  Kevin averted his gaze, waving at nobody across the room. "Did she look? Is she done?"

  "Yeah. That's four looks. I don't think even you can screw this up."

  "I thought it was only two."

  "That's because you don't pay attention. She had long hair until recently, past her shoulders."

  "How do you know?"

  "She keeps touching her neck. It's a different feeling for her." Jack cast him a sideways glance. "Stop asking me stupid questions. Let's just assume I'm smarter than you."

  "Whatever."

  He watched Alicia again, and slapped Kevin on the shoulder. "She just asked who the smoking hot guy was across the room. You're in."

  Kevin opened his mouth to ask the question, but hesitated. Jack answered before he could ask.