“I could feel that,” Kay said, opening her own. She looked worn. “Lord Yaweh, you’re powerful. Was that coming from your channel?”
“No,” Barb said, taking a deep breath. “Duncan, I don’t think anyone on earth could compel you.”
“You could,” Duncan said, smiling and batting his lashes. “Just by smiling.”
“I mean magically,” Barbara said, sighing. “It’s like punching fog.”
“That’s me,” Duncan said, shrugging. “I guess it’s because I’m never really in the present.”
“I’d love to know what it actually is,” Barb said. “I doubt it’s that simple. But you could make it out and be safe from the necromancer.”
“Unless the necromancer just killed him,” Kay pointed out. “A bullet kills you just as dead as being soul drained.”
“That would be who was faster on the draw,” Duncan argued. “I’ll take that chance.”
“He could use power to take your gun from you,” Kay said. “To make the bullets not work. To pull it apart. I’ve seen it, had it done to me. It’s… annoying. Stakes just aren’t my favorite weapon.”
“Oh,” Duncan said. “I wasn’t looking forward to a long walk in the snow anyway. Heart condition, donchaknow. Too many cigars.”
“You should quit,” Barbara said, automatically.
“That’s what my doctor keeps saying,” Duncan said, shrugging. “But chicks really dig it. We’re wasting time, here. We need to figure out some way to get people to cluster so we can keep an eye on them and protect them. The only problem with that is that a convention is like…”
“Herding cats,” Barb said. “You said that before.”
“And the way that you herd cats,” Duncan said, smiling, “is you offer them treats where you want them to go and then shut the door. Another thing a girlfriend taught me.”
Chapter Sixteen
Yes, Miss Ruby,” the manager said, waving his hands at the power outage. “The hotel is not with power. Most of the guests are with your convention. To be telling them we will open the restaurant and bar for occupancy. We have heat to heat those rooms, but all other rooms will be no heat.”
“This is insane,” Ruby said, tearing her hair then stopping and trying to be composed. “I’ll start circulating the word, but it will take time to even get the staff up to speed. When are you opening the dining room?”
“Now,” the manager said, waving his hands. “Is open! But should bring blankets, pillows. Is no maid service, none come to work today.”
“I keep saying we need to move this thing to summer,” Ruby muttered, darkly.
When she was gone the manager went back behind the reception desk, where angry guests were already lining up, and into his office.
“Is done,” he said, shaking his head. “My cousin is cutting power to all the wings. Is only power here in the lobby and in restaurant and bar.”
“Open the bar,” Greg said, the shook his head. “Not free but open the bar. That will give them even more reason to stick around. But we need to get people centered in one area.”
“Then, we hunt,” Barbara said, standing up and walking out the side door.
She stopped when she was out in the snow and looked up at the sky. The snow was just barely coming down, now, but it was thick and deep in every direction, mounded up in drifts along the north sides of the buildings. They’d be lucky if they could get out of here in a week.
“What are you doing?” Janea coming through the door behind her. “It’s freezing out here!”
“Thinking,” Barb said. “Why hasn’t he struck again?”
“I dunno,” Janea admitted. “He might be resting after the kill, sometimes that’s necessary depending upon the spell. Or he might be communicating with his demon.”
“We’d feel that,” Barbara pointed out. “Wouldn’t we?”
“Not if he’s using a circle,” Janea said. “And within it, which I wouldn’t do with a demon. But I don’t know how he’s dedicated himself. We don’t even know where he found the spell to build this much power. Usually with necromancy, you lose most of the power. There’s a rush that you can use, but then it fades. From that stone, he’s found a way to store it.”
“What’s he going to use it for?” Barb asked, frowning into the distance.
“A major summoning,” Janea said, shivering from more than the cold. “A really big one.”
“How many souls?” Barbara asked, sadly.
“Lots,” Janea said. “If it’s Tiamat, lots and lots. And after that…”
“All hell breaks lose,” Barb said, softly.
“You have to get me out of here,” the man said, turning away from the image of the demon.
“You will escape, that is our bargain,” the demon rasped. The sound was like the buzzing of wasps. “And you will live. If it is in my power to support you. But you must act. Now.”
“There is no way I can do this and not go to prison,” the man snarled, angrily. “There’s evidence, you stupid beast!”
“It can be changed,” the demon responded. “It has taken me time to research the new skills of this world. But it can be changed. Another will be made to be the killer. You will be one of the survivors. And you will be famous, which will make your sales even higher.”
“Myself and my friend,” the man said.
“No, only yourself,” the demon snarled. “The other will be a binding. I guarantee your survival but only if your… friend is gone. That is a liability. End the liability.”
“Agreed,” the man sighed after a moment’s hard thought.
“And a few will survive, besides,” the demon mused. “And the one who will be chosen to go to prison in your place. The minds of the humans will be changed, computers will be changed, paper will be changed. With the power that you will gather, there is nothing that cannot be done. My Mother will return.”
“Your binding holds, even upon her,” the man said. “I wrote it well; being a lawyer has its uses. There is no escape. You must keep me alive and make my sales the greatest in the world. Or I am freed.”
“It was agreed,” the demon said. “But now is the time to act. They are gathered for the slaughter. But you must get more power. At least twenty must die before you can do battle with the White God’s witch. The other is of no consequence; her goddess is weak.”
“What about guns?” the man asked.
“They are of no consequence, either,” the demon promised. “I have examined them as well. Simple alchemical properties, easily tampered with. But the White God’s witch is strong. She is your only true enemy. All others will fall before us and then… My Mother will be manifest on earth!”
“Come on, folks, let’s pack up the food and booze,” Leo said, lifting up a case of homemade beer. “If we’re going to be stuck in the restaurant we might as well have fun.”
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to handle being around all those people for… how long?” Sadie asked, picking up a case of chips.
“We can wander out,” Don said, picking up a laptop and a bottle of Glenlivet. “To smoke at least. But it’s going to be cold, lass. Best bring as much cold weather gear as we can gather.”
“We’ll do the S-starship Troopers th-thing,” Baron stuttered. “All p-pile up for heat.”
“In your dreams, Baron,” Sadie responded, sticking out her tongue.
“Go down the south hallway. When you get to the third floor, just pull the vest out of the bag. Hold it out for two minutes, then walk down the stairs and back to the room.”