CHAPTER 20

'Witch.'

Rachel, who was curled up against Ivy in bed, stirred but did not awaken.

'Witch! Can you hear me?'

The redhead jerked awake, breath catching in her throat as she sat up. "Is someone there?"

'Finally. I need to speak to you, witch.'

"What?" Rachel's inner fear spiked, and this woke Ivy. 'Not now.'

'Yes now. It's important.'

Ivy sat up. "What's wrong?"

"Someone is talking to me," Rachel replied. "In my mind." She closed her eyes. 'Dali. Is that you?'

'Yes.'

Rachel frowned. 'We really need to talk about privacy issues.'

'No, what we really need to talk about is what you and yours are doing to the ever after.'

'Fine. Only not like this. I'll be right there.'

'Very well.'

Rachel opened her eyes as she felt the demon sever the connection. "I have to go talk to Dali."

"You mean go to the ever after?" Ivy asked. "Rachel, no."

Rachel took her lover's hand. "I know. I don't want to go either, but he's insistent."

"He's not like Newt though, right? He can't come over on his own? He has to be summoned?" Rachel nodded. "Then forget him. You said you didn't want anything more to do with the demons, didn't you?"

"Yeah, and Dali is my best chance of arranging that." Rachel got up and started putting her clothes on. She couldn't help noticing Ivy was doing the same thing. "Dali is an authority figure. The other demons listen to him. If I can get him to agree to let me out of my agreement with Al, he and Newt won't bother me anymore." She frowned. "Probably."

Ivy snarled. "Fine." She grabbed her leather jacket. "Then I'm coming with you."

"What?"

"I love you, dear heart, but you don't always make the best decisions where demons are concerned." Rachel wanted to argue the point but they both knew Ivy was right. "Besides, if things go bad, I want to be there to help."

Rachel sighed. "Truth be told, I always feel safer when you're with me." She held out her hand, smiling when Ivy took it. "You should take a deep breath, and you might want to close your eyes."

Ivy did as her witch how suggested, hoping she didn't look as nervous as she felt. She had never traveled through the lines, though Rachel assured her it was no big deal, and if the ever after was even half as bad as Jenks said, following his one and only excursion there, she hoped it would be a very brief trip. "Ready whenever you are."

"Here we go." Rachel, remembering something Newt had told her, and that thought gave her a bit of a shock, focused on the desk in Dali's courtroom as she tapped the line. Even if he weren't there, he would be able to find her easily enough. She heard Ivy start to gasp as they were pulled into the line, and expel it as they rematerialized. "See? No big deal."

Ivy slumped forward, hands on her knees and took a slow, deep breath, but that proved to be an even bigger mistake. Taking in a big lungful of burnt amber made the living vampire gag. "Crap on toast!"

"You okay, babe?"

"Depends. Am I supposed to feel like I just got turned inside out?"

Rachel nodded. "First time? That's about right." She looked around, relieved to find they were indeed standing in Dali's courtroom, and the demon was looking down at her from behind his desk. "Hi, Dali."

"Rachel Mariana Morgan." Dallkarackint's red, goat-slitted eyes turned. "And this delectable creature must be Ivy Alisha Tamwood." He looked her up and down and nodded. "Let me guess. You don't feel safe with me alone, so you brought your vampiric lover along as a bodyguard? I'd be insulted, but it's a surprisingly wise move from one so young."

"I'm really not in the mood for your games today, Dali." Rachel crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"You sound tense." Dali glanced at Ivy. "Perhaps you require some instruction on doing your due coital duty, vampire?" The demon smirked as both of them blushed. "Now then, down to business." Leaning back in his chair, he steepled his fingers. "As I'm sure you are aware, the matter of your tutorship has recently become a point of contention."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Let me guess. Al is whining?"

"Not any longer." Dali was silent for a moment. "I am afraid Algaliarept has disappeared."

Ivy glanced at Rachel, who shrugged. "It's night. Maybe he was summoned?"

"Do you think me stupid? I would not have mentioned it were it not relevant. Algaliarept hasn't simply stepped out his rooms have been destroyed. Traces of Newt's energy are everywhere. At the very least, we know she had attacked him. He may have suffered the same fate as Minias, though we cannot be certain since we never did find his body."

"Why would Newt do that? I mean, I know she and Al were fighting about who gets to teach me, but…"

Dali shook his head. "Witch, do you really think that's all this is? You must know you are far more important than that. Your kind stem from us, and you are among the first in hundreds of generations to survive the resurgence of demonic aspects. You can spindle ley lines and twist out curses. Many demons would covet you if they knew."

'Good thing he doesn't know I can bear their children, or I'd never get out of here.' The thought of becoming a demon-breeding machine made Rachel shudder, and she took a deep breath. "Present company included?"

"Yes." Dali's red, goat-slitted eyes stared into Rachel's green, and she was the first to turn away. He chuckled. "But I have my own plans for the future, and not all of them involve you, Rachel Mariana Morgan."

Ivy stepped forward and put her arm around the redhead. "Why did you call her? Surely you don't expect Rachel to shed a tear over the fact Al may be dead? If anything, I'd say that's a cause for celebration."

"Be careful love," Rachel said softly. "I have a deal with Al. I don't know if I can stop Dali from taking you."

"I have no use for an ornery vampire and neither does anyone else in the ever after." The demon was not smiling, however, and his voice had become slower and deeper. "I informed you of the situation, witch, because what is happening between Newt and Algaliarept is because of you. If he is indeed dead, his belongings and responsibilities may fall to you."

Rachel blinked. "Me? What?" She shook her head. "No way in hell am I becoming a slave trader!"

"That's not what I meant, witch. Damn it to the darkness, you are thick. Algaliarept was your teacher. Newt has shown herself to be incapable of maintaining her senses long enough to take over the task. If he is no longer available, I see no reason you cannot use his books and whatever else of his may still be intact to teach yourself."

"You'll let me be my own teacher?"

Dali nodded. "Until Algaliarept or Newt gives me cause to say otherwise. She hasn't been seen since she attacked Algaliarept so I suspect you will have some time to yourself. Make use of it. You can travel the lines on your own, Rachel Mariana Morgan. You can lock Algaliarept's rooms to prevent entry from any other demons, thus protecting what is yours, and come and go as you please. I will make sure the others who are aware leave you alone, at least so long as you do not interfere with them first."

"What if I decide not to set foot in the ever after again?"

"Your prerogative. I honestly do not care one way or the other." Dali turned in his chair and disappeared.

Rachel took Ivy's hand. "Let's go."

"Home?"

"Not just yet. I need to see this for myself."