Blood Frost (The Half-Demon Rogue Trilogy Book 2) Read online

  Blood Frost

  The Half-Demon Rogue Trilogy (Book 2)

  D.N. Erikson

  Watchfire Press

  Copyright © 2016 D.N. Erikson. All rights reserved.

  Published by Watchfire Press.

  This book is a work of fiction. Similarities to actual events, places, persons or other entities are coincidental.

  Watchfire Press

  www.watchfirepress.com

  www.watchfirepress.com/dn

  Cover design by Yoly Cortes

  www.cormarcovers.com

  Blood Frost/D.N. Erikson. – 1st ed.

  FREE BOOK: Get the FREE & EXCLUSIVE BOOK Storm Pale to see how Kalos met Isabella & Gunnar, found Woden’s Spear, and battled Marrack the Demon King in 979 A.D.

  Only available at watchfirepress.com/storm.

  Demon Rogue (Book 1) Recap

  This is a refresher of the key events in Demon Rogue that lead into Blood Frost. Obviously there are spoilers, so if you haven’t read Book 1, go do that first.

  Kalos Aeon is a 7,000-year-old, half-demon magical salvage and retrieval specialist who has lived in Inonda, TX for the past three years. A mysterious woman named Diana enters his office with a picture of a bloody crime scene: someone has been kidnapping supernatural creatures and chopping them up for parts. She drops a bloodied talisman on the table, which is something Kalos hasn’t seen for many years: the mark of Marrack the Demon King.

  Kalos agrees to take the case, since his three-part code (don’t make promises you can’t keep, don’t fuck over anyone who doesn’t deserve it and always complete the job you were paid to do) applies. Charon, his warden and former Ferryman of the Underworld, calls to tell him that he’s figured out something about the Crimson Conclave, an organization of dark essence creatures.

  Soon thereafter, Isabella Kronos, a former lover and powerful witch, arrives at his office. Kalos is surprised to see her, since he banished her to the Plains of Eternal Woe in 979 A.D. She, too, wants to hire him—to search for Woden’s Spear, the last remaining artifact of Ragnarök (when all the gods perished), which she has been obsessed with finding for many years. Kalos shoots her, and she hobbles off, leaving behind a bloodied paw, not knowing that the powerful spear is, in fact, sitting right in Kalos’ office behind some cabinets.

  Kalos puts some of her spilled blood into a vial for safekeeping.

  The gunfire raises the attention of the police, and so Kalos must use his demonic magic for the first time in two centuries to stymie the advance of Detective Scott, who has been determined to place Kalos behind bars ever since an incident three years ago on the night of Kalos’ arrival. Kalos successfully evades detection, although it costs him part of his soul to do so, since demonic magic requires a sacrifice from both the user and environment.

  Afterward, Kalos—helped by his vampire friend, Gunnar—discovers that the paw Isabella dropped belonged to a werewolf. Stranger still, it’s linked to the crime scene from Diana’s photo, and a new narcotic Kalos bought in the parking lot of Gunnar’s blues club. The kidnapped werewolves’ blood is being used to create a super-addictive, highly dangerous blood drug. Gunnar tells him that it will likely kill all supernatural creatures in a supernova, psychotic high—although perhaps a select few can survive. Kalos worries the drug is meant to generate chaos that will ultimately expose the supernatural to the mortal world.

  In the parking lot of Gunnar’s club, Kalos is accosted by Athena the Goddess Killer. This supernatural creature of unknown origin was responsible for killing the true Athena during Ragnarök. She is the Queen of the Crimson Conclave, and commands Kalos to immediately halt his investigation into the chop-shop and were-blood drug and leave Inonda within three days—or he will perish.

  When he heads home, his neighbor, Nadia Santos—who he has a slight crush on—gives him a box that he opens later. It contains an essence gauge and the Journal of Annihilation, an ancient leather-bound tome depicting five magical objects that, if controlled by a single user, will allow that person to control all the essence in the world.

  While walking in the druid forest near his apartment with Argos, his genius talking border collie, Kalos is attacked by a mountain troll controlled by Marrack. Kalos shoots the troll, but Marrack escapes.

  On the way out of the forest, Kalos bumps into Diana, who reveals herself to be a Fae working for the Sol Council, an organization of creatures of light essence. She tells him that the Council was attempting to breed werewolves—a creature of dark essence—with light essence coursing through their veins, before someone kidnapped a litter. Kalos must get them back to cover the Council’s ass, or risk being hunted by the Council, like all the other demons who dare live above ground.

  Argos and Kalos head to his office to further analyze the were-blood drug. Before they finish, Kalos receives an ominous text from Isabella that threatens Nadia if he doesn’t procure Woden’s Spear. He rushes home to find Nadia’s apartment on fire. Nadia is okay, but is taken to a hospital in Austin for smoke inhalation.

  The next morning, he receives results of analysis: the were-blood drug is laced with Demon’s Mercury, a substance only found in Agonia. The only person he knows who has been trapped in Agonia recently is Marrack, instantly vaulting the demon to the top of his suspect list.

  Kalos visits Nadia in the hospital. They flirt, and Nadia asks him for help finding out more information about her mother’s ruby necklace, which she believes might be magical (though she doesn’t suspect Kalos, at this point, is). She agrees to go on a date with him if Kalos helps her out.

  After he drops her off, he receives a tip on the crime scene in Diana’s original photo. He and Argos go to check it out, but are instead attacked by a member of the Marksmen, a mortal organization who hunt supernatural creatures. Kalos kills the attacker, but the crime scene is a bust. Afterward he returns home, where Nadia is staying; they get in a semi-argument, and she leaves.

  The next morning, he checks his voicemail. An ominous message from Charon tells him to search the office. Kal rushes over, finding a pebble-like magical recording device. The footage gives a glimpse of the crime scene, showing that Charon originally took the genetically engineered werewolves from the Sol Council—but then Athena the Goddess Killer stole them from him later, and chopped up one of the pups.

  Detective Scott confronts Kalos outside the office with an arrest warrant, telling him that a body has shown up on Kalos’ front steps with the half-demon’s name carved into the chest. Kalos shoots Scott’s partner in the leg twice and uses magic on Scott in order to escape. While fleeing, Argos calls him and lets him know that Charon was the murder victim.

  Kalos heads out to his secret air-raid bunker in the desert, filled with artifacts from past magical salvage jobs. He’s attacked by the Vanished, mortals who have been drained of their souls by a demon. He kills them all, but is bitten by one, triggering demon bloodlust.

  Finding an antidote amongst his stores, Kalos falls asleep, dreaming of his first encounter with Charon. The Ferryman of the Underworld was supposed to dispose of Kalos, since demons weren’t allowed. Kalos, a thief, had stolen a drinking chalice from Marrack, who had torn Kalos’ ribs open, infecting him with demon bloodlust and making the rogue half-demon. Instead, Charon saves him because he believes Kalos has a destiny, making himself Kalos’ warden. He commands Kalos to go out of the Underworld and seek a woman named Delphine for help.

  After awakening cured, but weakened—and suspecting that Athena the Goddess Killer is likely behind Charon’s murder and the growing chaos—Kalos
settles on a plan.

  Nadia texts him for help, and Kalos rushes to the motel where’s she staying. It turns out Gunnar, since he couldn’t get in contact with Kal due to the bunker blocking cell reception, dropped the Journal of Annihilation off with her, since Argos found a prophecy within the pages: the last of five magical artifacts will reveal itself only when those of magical blood walk freely amongst the mortals. There’s also mention of Nadia’s mother’s necklace being one of the five objects. Nadia wants answers, now, so Kalos takes her to a divinator capable of identifying the necklace’s power.

  He realizes he’s been watched by Isabella and Marrack for some time—through his trusty .45, which has a minor tracking spell cast on it—when Isabella attacks them at Gunnar’s blues club Lux, ripping it from the foundations. In the ensuing chaos, Isabella kidnaps Nadia.

  On the lam, Kalos returns home to get help from Argos with crafting a potion with Isabella’s blood. He also tells Gunnar to retrieve Woden’s Spear and the many magical objects from his lair. Before the potion can be brewed, however, the cops raid the apartment and arrest Kalos.

  Gunnar breaks him out, but Isabella’s blood, the Remkah Talisman and the Carmine Chain have all been seized as evidence. However, Gunnar has brought along the contents of the storage bunker and Woden’s Spear. They part ways, and Kalos gets the salvage transmuted into essence by an Alchemist. He drinks it to make himself more powerful, giving him a chance at defeating Athena.

  Following a magical flare in the forest, he meets Nadia’s father, a wizard named Javier. It was Javier’s family destiny to track down a half-demon and assist him in reaching his destiny by giving him the Journal of Annihilation and essence gauge. Javier is disappointed by what he sees, but agrees to help Kalos free Nadia from Isabella.

  Kalos drives out to the desert and contacts Athena after the deadline expires. They duel, and she reveals that she knew about the Journal of Annihilation and the absolute power controlling all five magical objects within would grant her. Thus, she fomented chaos so that the supernatural would be revealed to mortals, and the fifth object would also be revealed. She was also responsible for freeing Marrack and Isabella, as Marrack brought her an ingredient (Demon’s Mercury) critical to the were-blood drug’s creation. Both of them were bound to her in exchange for freedom. Kalos kills her with the spear.

  At an abandoned gas station, Kalos trades the spear to Marrack and Isabella for Nadia, who has lots of questions for him.

  Later, still on the lam for escaping prison and shooting Detective Scott’s partner, Kalos brings Athena’s body to the Alchemist to transmute into essence to pay off his various debts. Nadia refuses to talk with him, since her mother’s necklace (the Carmine Chain) remains in evidence at the Inonda precinct. Similarly, the vial of Isabella’s blood and Remkah Talisman are also locked away in evidence.

  The world remains chaotic, with the supernatural at risk of being exposed—and Marrack and Isabella sure to come after him, after the humiliation at the gas station—but, for the time being, Kalos can catch a slight breather. Until he has to find Isabella and kill her, which he promised he never would.

  1

  “Come on, there’s gotta be something.” I flipped through the ancient pages of the leather-bound Journal of Annihilation again, staring at the sketches. My sweaty back clung to the vinyl chair in that sickeningly sticky kind of way.

  I’d thought Inonda was the end of the earth. Turns out I was dead wrong. The dim overhead lights flickered. Rolling blackouts were commonplace during the dogged August heat waves. Trailer park power wasn’t renowned for its reliability.

  I sighed, attempting to get comfortable in my makeshift office chair. The weather was unbearable, but more irritating had been my complete lack of process.

  After two months of obsessive study, I knew everything the ancient book had to say about the five magical objects of untold power and their associated spells. Especially the four drawn inside: the Remkah Talisman, Carmine Chain, King’s Statue and Sabre of Immolation.

  And I knew the fifth, unknown object would only appear when those of magical blood walked freely amongst the mortals. Athena the Goddess slayer had tried to accelerate that process by crafting her own designer were-blood drug. But I’d put a stop to that, and to her.

  Which had led me exile in this desert trailer park.

  Too bad I had no idea where to find the King’s Statue or Sabre of Immolation. Embarrassing for someone who allegedly specialized in magical salvage and retrieval. The other two I had a good idea about—since they’d been in my possession, only to be confiscated by Detective Scott upon my arrest.

  Hopefully the Inonda PD didn’t know what they had.

  And hopefully no one else knew, either. Keeping certain assholes—Marrack the Demon King, Isabella Kronos, the Crimson Conclave and the Sol Council, amongst others—away from these magical items was a top priority.

  Because whoever controlled the five ancient objects could control all the world’s essence.

  With one catch. A silver lining.

  You needed all five to wield that absolute power. Otherwise the tenuous supernatural balance remained intact.

  Knuckles rapped against the trailer’s thin door, distracting me from my intense study.

  I ran my hands through my short black hair, sweat cascading to the floor as I tried to block out the interruption.

  The knocking just grew louder.

  “All right, all right,” I called, slamming the old book’s cover shut in frustration. I rearranged my workspace, making sure nothing suspicious was visible. I hid the Journal in the cupboard, next to an expired can of beans. Things get messy when you’re on the lam.

  Adjusting the .45 that had taken up permanent residence in my waistband, I walked to the door and opened it. The midday sun beat down against my shirtless torso.

  “I’m busy,” I said, shielding my eyes from the light.

  “You’re a difficult man to find, Kalos Aeon.”

  The man pronounced my name wrong. Kay-Los. Took a lot not to shoot him right there. But too many people were looking for me, and making a scene wasn’t going to reduce the heat index.

  Still, his self-assurance chilled my blood. I tapped the pistol’s stock twice. Best to encourage him to move along and leave me alone.

  “Impressive weapon, Kalos. I heard you were an aggressive man.”

  “I’m a man who’s shutting the door.” I reached for the flimsy aluminum. I’d spent too much time at this park. What I really needed to do was get the hell out of Texas. Something had been keeping me close to Inonda. Sentiment, maybe. A resistance to a familiar nomadic existence. But that type of carelessness got you killed or thrown in the clink. And now this idiot had tracked me down.

  The writing had been on the wall, and I’d given it the finger. It’s definitely time to move on when you shoot a cop in the leg, use magic on another, and have your warden turn up on your front steps murdered. With your name carved into his chest, no less. There was the small matter of the town’s destruction, too. But that wasn’t all my fault.

  The police would likely find a way to include that amongst the charges, though. Or at least mention the chaos during the trial.

  “You’ll wanna listen to me,” the guy said. My eyes finally adjusted to the bright afternoon light. Standing down on the cracked asphalt was a veritable mountain of a man, all sinew and muscle. Intricate tattoos ran from his arms up to his neck. Only his face was free from ink. His clean-shaven head reflected the sun.

  A vein in his right biceps quivered when he breathed. The tight t-shirt looked about ready to rip. This was a situation where I needed to draw down sooner, rather than later. This fella was a little beyond my weight class.

  “I don’t take well to threats,” I said, gripping the .45’s stock tighter. “You should know that.”

  I looked into his eyes. Yellow discs stared inten
tly back with an unnerving lack of aggression. If this guy was a shifter, or a wolf, I didn’t really want to meet his alter-ego.

  “I wouldn’t threaten a demon,” the man said with cool reassurance. He held up his broad hands to indicate he was no threat. A hard move to pull off convincingly when you stand at least six-six. “That would be idiocy.”

  I rubbed the stubble on my face with my free hand, assessing the situation again. Maybe living on the lam had made me paranoid. While there had been plenty of occasions throughout history where I’d had to clear out in a hurry, this time had hit me the hardest, by far. I’d been battling paper tigers at every shithole trailer park in Texas.

  “I suppose it would be.” I took the gun out anyway and crossed my arms over my bare torso. “You’ve got five seconds to explain how you tracked me down.”

  “Two months ago you caused quite the stir in Inonda. I wanted to meet the man responsible.”

  That turned my stomach a little, but I didn’t let it show. “You didn’t answer the question.”

  “I specialize in the hard to find.” One of his massive hands worked its way slowly toward his cargo shorts. His body language suggested it wasn’t an act of aggression. But you don’t live as long as I have by relying on assumptions.

  I cocked the hammer without lifting the pistol. “No surprises.”

  “I must admit, Kay-Los,” he said with a grin. “Thus far, I’m not disappointed.”

  “Kalos.”

  “My mistake,” he said, reaching into his pocket. “Never was much of a reader. More of a collector and entrepreneur.” My heart beat faster as his fingers disappeared. Across the way, my neighbor, an old woman named Miranda, spied on us through her raggedy curtains. If she knew about the wanted posters and hundred-grand reward for my capture, I have no doubt that her ancient ass would be on the phone in two seconds flat.

  My new friend began to extract his fingers from the khaki material.