Author's note: so many of you have asked to see the Demon Lady. This one is for you guys - keep the faith.

THE SERPENT'S TOOTH, Part 11

There was no sun, but the sky was hot-iron red. The craggy desert that surrounded us was barren of any vegetation, although a number of scaled creatures seemed to slither and skitter through the shadowy clefts of broken rocks. The air was blisteringly hot and tainted with a sulfurous stench.

"Hello, James, son of James, who was the son of the first Wolverine," Illyana called out to me. She was sitting on a plinth of broken basalt. Her eyes were pure red and her wide and deadly smile showed a jagged row of sharp teeth. Ram-like horns curled back from her forehead and her legs ended in hooves. She wore angular black armor, and a huge sword jammed into the rocky gravel at her feet only served to make her appearance seem even more ominous.

When Illyana isn't in what is now her home dimension, she can appear much more human. In fact, she has the appearance of an attractive woman with long blonde hair and pale white skin. When I was a boy, I thought she was one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen.

"Hello, aunt Illyana," I responded politely. I felt myself returning her smile. Long ago, back when Illyana wasn't known by such titles as "the Demon Mistress" or "Illyana the Mad", I knew her as a friend to my parents and grand-parents. I could still remember her thrilling - and terrifying - bed-time stories. Her tales may have brought us nightmares, but as far as myself and my brothers and sisters were concerned, we still loved her.

Behind Illyana, there was a hut. However, rather than resting normally on the ground, it stood on two huge bird legs. I recognized it from ancient stories that Illyana herself had told me.

I gestured towards the hut. "What happened to the original owner?" I asked.

Illyana shrugged, "She no longer needs it. In fact, she no longer needs anything."

I hesitated, and then decided it would be best to change the subject.

"I found a young Angel wearing your amulet. She took it from a dead Creed just a few hours before."

Illyana seemed to gaze into my eyes. "I sensed your presence through that amulet. However, it has no real power to harm either body or soul. She's not in any danger."

I let out a soft sigh of relief. "That's what I hoped," I said, "but why was a Creed wearing it?"

"I presume that one of the fools who claims to worship me was murdered and robbed by a Creed."

Actually, it is an open question if Illyana really cares about any of her 'worshippers'. She's certainly never expressed any unhappiness with my habit of killing any who dare to use her name to summon demons.

In fact, I think she approves.

Illyana is feared and perhaps hated, but she has come to the aid of the Blood more than once during our history. Back during the first war with the Dark Elves, her army of demons were critical to our victory. Ultimately, no mortal really understands Illyana and her goals. I've certainly never received a satisfying answer from her concerning her long-term plans. And possibly more than anything else, it's that aura of mystery that leave us so cautious of her. Illyana has never been one to explain herself.

"I see you've left the path of a seeker," Illyana noted. I think there was some approval in her voice.

"It was time," I replied with a shrug.

"I also hear that you're married."

"I've been lucky in that regard," I responded cautiously.

"Tell me about your wives. What are their names?"

"Anna is my senior wife..."

"The horny elf minstrel?" Illyana chuckled. "You're still with her? I assumed she was a passing thing - wasn't your marriage just to get her out of the clutches of some angry lord?"

Actually, there was some truth to that, but... "It turned out we had more in common than we thought."

"The world never ceases to amaze," Illyana marveled. "How many other wives do you have?"

"Two more. A Fire priestess named Emma is my second wife. A Storm-Hammer named Olivia is my third."

"That sounds like a group of most accomplished women," Illayana said approvingly. "How do they get along?"

"There are no serious conflicts. As the senior wife, Anna is a benevolent tyrant and Emma and Olivia have been remarkably tolerant of her rule. It probably helps that Emma and Olivia were once lovers - and have become so again."

"Children?"

"Four sons and two daughters. All healthy and growing like weeds."

"Are you and your wives happy?"

I hesitated before continuing.

"There's a problem," I admitted.

Illyana tilted her head as she waited for me to continue.

"Emma and Olivia have lied to me. There was a woman with child and..."

"The Loki-spawn," Illyana interrupted. He eyes were now narrow red slits. "The one who was supposed to be killed, but wasn't."

A descendent of Loki named Laufey Sigmundson had made some sort of pact with an ancient and dreaded being, but the details were obscure to me. In payment for the boon of power, Laufey committed a terrible act and the child was the result. Laufey was now dead and whatever might remain of his soul was undoubtedly a wretched slave to something horrible, yet the child born of himself and his sister still lived.

"You're well-informed," I responded.

Illyana nodded. "The ritual that created the boy echoed throughout the many realms."

"What's your interest in the matter?" I asked guardedly.

"The same as yours. The child mixes the blood of Loki and the essence of another entity of great power. One way or another, he must eventually be dealt with."

I wondered what she meant by "one way or another", but then I took a deep breath and asked a question that was even more important.

"The great power... the one Laufey invoked in exchange for magical power. Do you know who - or what - it is?"

Illyana was silent as she contemplated me.

"I will answer your question," she replied slowly, "but there will be a price."

I suppose I should have been frightened by that, but I wasn't.

"What sort of price?" I asked.

Illyana tilted her head as she gazed at me. "Once a year, I will visit you. I will appear as I once was - a mere mortal slip of a girl. And I will spend the day with you and your family and then leave. You have my word that no ill will come of it."

"Why?" I asked bluntly.

Illyana lifted her chin as she considered my question. Her eyes seemed to go slightly distant.

"I just want to see... something that is a remainder of a world that once was," she eventually told me.

Then it was my turn to be silent.

"No," I finally answered.

Illyana nodded her head stiffly. There was no particular expression on Illyana's face, but her barbed tail lashed behind her. I'm married to an elf and have half-elvish children. I've learned to read tails.

"There is no pact because it isn't needed," I added quietly. "Give me an answer, or don't, Aunt Illy. You have always been welcome in my home. It's just that for so very long I didn't have one. Now I do. Visit as you desire."

Illyana was silent for a moment. Then she spoke. "I've underestimated you, little James. My apologies for that."

Then she told me what I wanted to know.

"Yikes!" Samantha yelped as she dodged backward. She had touched my shoulder as I dreamed of Illyana. My reaction was extreme.

"Don't do that," I grumbled as I retracted the claws of my right hand and clambered to my feet.

"Yes, my lord," Samantha whispered, still backing away.

Everyone was staring at me.

Jessica hurried over. "I'm sorry, my lord. That was my fault - I told Samantha to wake you."

Then she took Samantha by the arm and rushed her over to the horse that Samantha and Sophie shared. Jessica always tried so hard to take care of the two girls she thought of as her little sisters.

The caravan was stirring. Our horses were fed, watered, and saddled. Benjamin was holding my horse. Gant was holding the other horses. Jessica's mare had taken a shine to Gant and was affectionately rubbing the side of her head against him.

"Everything okay?" Benjamin asked in a low voice after he led my horse to me.

"Yes," I said automatically as I took the reigns. Then I frowned. "Well, actually no."

Benjamin just looked at me.

"I had a visitor in my dreams," I told him quietly.

Benjamin just nodded as he waited for me to continue. The list of those who were capable of paying me such a visit was rather long. Longer than even Benjamin knew.

"It was Illyana," I finished.

Benjamin grimaced and looked around, checking to see if anybody had overheard. Even in the early-morning racket of the caravan breaking camp, privacy is not a given with so many sharp-eared Blood around.

"And just what did the Demon Lady want from you?" he asked worriedly.

"I think she's lonely," I replied.

It took Benjamin a moment to absorb that. "Why are so many conversations with you essentially insane? Anything else?"

I sighed. "I finally know what great power Laufey invoked within his damned circle of stones. The creature that contaminated both him and his son."

"Who?" Benjamin asked worriedly.

"Dormammu."