Cat Devon: The Entity Who Came for Christmas

Merlin had turned Simon in order for Simon to serve as a better protector. And he had done so for a time. Until the battlefield at Camlann. Legend had it that Arthur had killed Mordred there. But no human, not even a powerful king, can kill a demon.

Simon had been the one who had shoved the spear through Mordred. Even so, despite Simon’s best efforts, Mordred had still managed to wound Arthur, who’d later died from those injuries. Merlin had been furious with Simon and banished him for centuries.

Remembering Mordred filled Simon with fury. Moving at vamp superspeed, he stepped outside and sniffed the air. “I smell the rot of demons.”

“Here in Vamptown?”

“No. Follow me.”

Simon took to the air. He didn’t consider it flying as much as airborne transport. It was fast, so fast that humans’ eyes couldn’t register his movements. It was also efficient and stayed well under the radar.

Maneuvering around Chicago’s famous skyline was no problem. He’d successfully navigated most of the major cities in the world, although there had been one towering 163-floor skyscraper in Dubai a few months ago that had been tricky. But Chicago, like New York City, had skyscrapers close together, which required increased concentration and due diligence. Simon had plenty of both, allowing him to arrive at his destination precisely two seconds before Damon.

“Here?” Damon looked around in surprise. “This is the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza. An outdoor market. It’s closed now obviously, but we’re in the middle of downtown Chicago.”

Simon ignored the towering Christmas tree with its twinkling white lights in the center of the plaza and instead focused on the rest of the holiday setup. “Quaint, hmm? The way they make the facades look like timber houses in an old European village. Just like the ones that sent out their inhabitants with torches to burn vampires.”

“Probably not what the organizers had in mind when they designed it this way,” Damon noted dryly. “What makes you think there are demons here?”

“This.” Simon drew his specialized dagger as a gang of demons descended upon them. There were at least a dozen. Their horns were protruding and their claws were sharp enough to slice through steel.

Simon used his powers to cut the electricity, shutting off the lights all around him and throwing the plaza into total darkness. He loved fighting in the dark. He could see the glowing reflection of the demons’ eyes and smell their putrid scent. Their snarls told him they were eager for battle.

Simon sliced the throat of the first demon to attack him and then the next. But each time he slayed one, the demon disintegrated and another took his place. These were not normal demons. These were mercenaries who didn’t disappear but left a pile of remainder that would regurgitate into an even stronger demon unless precautions were taken.

“Demon dust,” Simon told Damon, who was fending off a trio of demons. “Now I’m royally pissed.” Reaching into his right boot, Simon pulled another demon dagger out of its sheath just in time to stab it into the malevolent glowing eye of the demon who was millimeters away from ripping him apart.

Moments later it was over as fast as it had begun. Simon looked at the piles of demon dust surrounding him before turning to Damon and saying, “Call your witch. And tell her to bring a broom.”

“You rang?” Pru drawled sarcastically before looking around the darkened plaza with a grimace. The stench was nearly overwhelming. So was her anger at the way Simon thought he could order witches around. She’d made her appearance before Damon could phone Zoe. “I’m not here to clean up your mess.”

“Then why are you here?” Simon demanded.

“Because Zoe couldn’t come. This is the first time she has celebrated Solstice since her mom died. No way am I letting you mess it up for her.” After dinner they’d burned the yule log, which had included Pru’s hastily scrawled wish note. Then Pru had told Zoe and her grandmother that she needed some fresh air and gone out for a walk.

The truth was that she’d gone to look for Simon. She’d seen him fly off into the night sky and decided to follow him. At first it had been a stupid whim. Then she’d been almost compelled by a sense of urgency. She’d arrived in time to hear Simon’s comment about telling Zoe to bring her broom.

As if a vampire had the right to make such a demand. As if a witch still used a broom. Well, some did in special circumstances.

Clearly a battle had taken place here in the plaza, one that Simon and Damon had won. She saw the strange piles surrounding them but wasn’t sure what they were. So she asked, “What seems to be the problem?”

“The problem is that this is demon dust,” Simon said.

“Why didn’t you say so sooner?” She held out her hands, palms down, and recited the spell.

“Demons in dust

Do what you must

To disappear

As if you were never here.”

The piles of demon dust disappeared. She was rather pleased with herself at that accomplishment. She’d never actually seen demon dust in the flesh, so to speak, and therefore had obviously never had to use magic to eradicate it before.

Instead of looking pleased, Simon appeared suspicious. “How do you know to do that?”

“I’m a witch,” Pru replied. “We do spells from time to time.”

“That was a specific demon demolition spell.”

“It was a specific demon dust demolition spell,” she corrected him. “I leave the destruction of demons to you Demon Hunters.”

“Where did you learn that spell?” he demanded.

“From reading Demon Demolition Spells for Dummies, ” she said sarcastically.

He glared at her. Even though it was pitch-dark, she could see the anger in his face. She had really good night vision that way.

“I’m serious,” he growled.

She sighed. It probably wasn’t in her best interests to taunt him further. “It’s from my family’s Book of Spells.”

“It’s not in Zoe’s Book of Spells,” Damon said, joining them for the first time.

Pru laughed. “You’ll never know what’s in her book. Only Adams witches know and even then there are new discoveries even of old spells.”

“True,” Damon had to admit. “I had firsthand knowledge of that from our battles with Silas.”

Pru pointed to the now clean space on the ground where she’d made the demon dust disappear. “Were these Silas’s demon minions?”

“No, these seem to have been just run-of-the-mill demons,” Simon said.

Pru didn’t believe him. “Run-of-the-mill demons don’t generate demon dust. Their disintegration is complete. There is no trace left of them.”

“Since when are you an expert on demons?” Simon challenged her.

“Since I hooked up with you,” she retorted.

“A big mistake,” he said.

“Don’t I know it,” she agreed.

“You’re not the one cursed,” he growled. “I am.”

“I think we should continue this conversation somewhere more private,” Damon quickly interceded. “We do not want to draw any additional attention to ourselves. I’ve already had to disable the surveillance cameras and compel two security guards.”

“Race you back to the loft,” Simon said.

“You’re on,” Pru replied.

“I didn’t mean you!” Simon said, but it was already too late. She was gone. Damn, she got a head start.

“Hold on,” Damon told him. “Turn the power back on first.”

“Right.” With a flick of his hand, Simon did so. Then he took off after the damn witch who had turned his off his power—his sexual power.

Pru looked around the loft. So this was what a vampire lair looked like. Simon had never shown her his. Their sexual encounters had mostly taken place in a hotel room, although there had been that time in the back of a London taxicab in Covent Garden after a ballet. Yes, a witch and a vampire had gone to the ballet. Swan Lake. That was just one of the many ways Simon had made her fall in love with him.