Fic: Brimstone [2/2]

[jade_dragoness]

Title: Brimstone [2/2]
Series: Following the Evil Overlord List, Story #4
Author: J.D. aka jade_dragoness
Rating: PG-13, violence and language
Pairing: Harry Dresden/John Marcone
Spoilers: Storm Front; with some dialogue lifted whole from the book.
Summary: Evil AU. A demon comes after Marcone.
Word Count: 3,025 for this part. Total: 6,049
Disclaimer: Never ever will be mine. *sadness* Nor do I own the Evil Overlord List.
A/N: This is a FEF, aka fluffy evil fic. And since I’ve been overloading my beta with fic, I reserve the right to sneak ninja fix it.
Feedback is hugely welcomed.
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Sequel to: Scare the Monsters
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[Part One]
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Marcone’s reaction was fast, freakishly fast.

I’d barely had the chance to open my mouth while he reached under his blazer, pulled out a Glock, aimed and shot three times into the demon’s body. All the bullets hit but they didn’t penetrate, merely ricocheted. Two buried themselves into the wooden doorframe. Another nearly hit Marcone, missing him by inches.

Marcone had come to our date armed. I was overwhelmed by admiration and lust for a split second then the demon hissed. Its throat undulated and it opened its mouth.

“Duck!” I shouted.

Marcone moved just in time, avoiding the spray of acid by falling back. The spray hit the far wall with a hiss and the acrid smell of burning chemicals as it ate a large hole in my wall. Marcone rolled away, clearing my line of fire.

“Fozare!” I shouted. I aimed my staff, pouring power into the spell. The blast of force hit the toad demon barely rocking back it on its heels. Hell’s bells, that’d been my best blow.

The demon stepped forward until it ran into my threshold. It paused for a moment then began slowly pushing forward.

Hell, that wasn’t good.

Marcone coolly aimed his gun and fired again. A head shot this time. The bullet hit the demon right in the forehead, nearly knocking it back.

“Aim for its eyes,” I said, skidding to a stop by Marcone’s side.

“Would that help? It appears to bullet resistant,” Marcone said calmly, his gaze firmly locked on the demon.

“Most things don‘t like things in their eyes,” I said.

“So… you‘re guessing,” he said.

“Pretty much,” I admitted. I haven’t exactly fought a lot of demons. I’ve called them up for information but trying to keep them from killing me… not so much.

“Then get ready for a ricochet,” Marcone said, and he fired again.

One of the demon’s glowing eyes exploded in violent mess of fluids. The demon hissed, and pressed a long-fingered and pad-tipped hand to its face. Black blood dripped from between its webbed fingers. Its other toady eye glowed with hatred.

Marcone tried to fire again but the pistol jammed. The demon spat its acid at him.

“Vento Riflittum!” I gestured desperately and caught the mass before it reached Marcone. I sent the acid splattering back on the demon where it dissolved away the trench coat. Unfortunately, I also got caught in a backsplash of a few droplets.

The cotton of my shirt and pants hissed and smoked. I dropped my staff, tore off my shirt, and wiggled out of my pants and underwear as quickly as I could. I was lucky. The thicker cotton of my slacks gave me the extra precious second I needed to get out of them before the acid reached my skin. I scooped up my staff and glowered darkly at the demon.

Admittedly my death glare probably lost a lot of its effectiveness since I was clad only in socks.

“Out! Out! Out! You‘re not welcome here! Get out of my home!” I snarled, pointing my staff at it again. I pushed as hard as I could with my will. The demon paused, leaning against the threshold. For a moment I thought that would be enough. But it slowly, slower than before, it pushed against both the threshold and my own power. It was still getting inside my house.

Hell’s bells. I took a deep breath, reminded myself of Rule 24 - the last thing I wanted to do was get killed by a toad - and backed out of acid range.- 4 “We need to get to the basement.”

“Do you have a plan?” Marcone asked. He took his eyes off the demon, and looked at me arching his eyebrows. “Nice socks.”

I couldn’t even take the moment to pose for him. Dammit. This isn’t the scenario I had in mind when I was planning getting naked with him tonight. “It’s ruining my date. The plan is to kill this sonuvabitch.”

Marcone shot me a slight smile. “Good plan, but a little lacking on the details.”

“It‘s a work in progress,” I grinned back. I shot the demon one last look to gauge how long the threshold would hold up before making a run down the stairs. At most, we had ten seconds. So to buy us time as soon as we were both in the workroom, I activated the wards. I hadn’t bothered to add wards to the entire house. Clearly a stupid decision I’d have to fix.

“Wake up, Bob!”

Bob’s blue eyes flickered on as he yawned. His eyes flickered dark as he blinked. “Harry, are you aware that there is currently a demon attacking the wards?”

“Yes!” I said, exasperated. “It’s kinda hard to miss.”

Marcone watched Bob with interest.

Bob stared right back with narrowed eyes. A neat trick considering he was spirit in a skull. “You,” he said coldly.

Marcone’s eyebrows rose. “You‘ve heard of me?”

“Bob,” I cut in as Bob’s jaw opened. “Focus! What do we have on hand that can take down a demon powerful enough to tear through my threshold?” I grabbed my .38 revolver, loaded it, and handed it to Marcone, with extra bullets. He was a better shot.

“At the moment? Nothing,” Bob said, turning to me and pointedly ignoring Marcone.

I paused in the middle of tying my shield bracelet around my wrist. “Nothing?”

“You used the last of the saint’s bone last month. I told you to replace it.”

I grimaced. Right, and this is why I need to remember to follow Rule 17.- 5 It’s on the List for reason!

“But if you want my analysis of the situation,” Bob continued. “It is more than likely that the demon isn‘t after you. After all why would it show up now when you‘re with him? Give it what it wants and it‘ll probably let you live.”

“That‘s not an option,” I said, catching Marcone’s eyes.

“I wouldn‘t blame you,” he said. “If the demon is after me at least then you would survive.”

I scowled at him. Stupid heroic tendencies. I protected what was mine. And Marcone was mine, even if he didn’t know it yet.

I felt the workshop’s wards buckling under the demon‘s assault. I thought furiously, I had another option other than throwing Marcone at the demon but it meant taking him down to the sub-basement.

“We‘re both getting out of here,” I said, coming to a decision. I grabbed a plastic bottle off one of the shelves, opened it, pressing it to my lips but was careful not to actually drink before I gave it to Marcone.

“Take a sip, just a sip,” I warned.

Marcone frowned slightly. “What’s this?”

“A potion,” I said, looking around to see if there was anything I could use. Dammit, even my sword cane was upstairs. “We‘ll need it to get out.”

He raised his eyebrow, but pressed it to his lips anyway. He took a small sip, the tightening of his mouth the only indication of the vile taste. He handed me the bottle. I put it back on the shelf. Then I shoved Bob’s table making him rock back and forth as it scooted three feet.

“Harry!” he protested. “Do you really think that‘s a good idea? He‘s an FBI agent!”

I ignored him and opened up the sub-basement door. A folding ladder-staircase led down into pitch blackness.

“Fine,” Bob continued. “Ignore my advice, breaking your own rules.”

“I only have to listen to you occasionally, Bob. I reserve my right to ignore you,” I said dryly. “Now activate your shield, this demon spits acid.”

“Be careful, Harry,” Bob said, his normally cold eyelights softening. “I‘d hate to have to break in a new employer.”

I grinned at him. “Careful or I‘ll start thinking you actually give a damn.”

He made a noise of disgust and activated the tabletop sigils. They glowed with bright blue power making Bob vanish behind a white opaque dome.

The wards chose then to give up the ghost. The demon appeared at the top of the staircase.

“Go!” I said, and Marcone rapidly descended the ladder. The demon spat, and I activated my shield bracelet. The acid splattered and slid down from head level. If I‘d been just a second slower I’d have gotten a face full of acid.

“Vento servitas!” I snarled. Wind howled from the end of my staff, slowing the demon’s descent.

I took that free moment to slide down into the subbasement. I fell too fast but Marcone caught me before I hit the cement floor.

I sprawled against his chest and grinned. “My hero.”

That earned me a wide smile, but unfortunately I couldn’t enjoy my position because I could hear the demon getting closer. I scrambled off Marcone, and snapped the door closed. I slipped the heavy lock into place and activated the second layer of wards. These wards weren’t really intended to provide protection. They were supposed to keep the feel of dark magic from spilling over into Chicago. At most, they’d buy us a handful of seconds.

“Flickum bicus,” I said. All the candles lit up revealing glass jars, boxes, Tupperware containers, tins, and various odds and ends. One entire wall was devoted to a large bookshelf. It practically groaned under the strain of the books. I walked over to it.

“Is that a jar full of hearts?” Marcone asked flatly.

“Don‘t worry, most of them aren‘t human,” I said absently as I felt under the third shelf. I found the hidden button and pressed it. I grinned at the sound of metal gears. And the entire bookshelf slid forward three feet.

Did I forget to mention that I’ve had the house remodeled after I bought it? A secret escape route was only one of the new tricks in the place.

“Mr. Dresden.”

The dangerous tone in Marcone’s voice made me turn to look at him. He was giving me a grim, deadly look which sent a mix of thrill and worry through me.

“It wasn’t anyone who didn’t deserve it,” I said, staring into his eyes. “You‘ve seen my soul. Do you really think I‘d kill anyone who’s truly innocent, and didn‘t deserve it?”

He stared hard at me for a moment before he relaxed. “No, you‘re right, you wouldn’t harm a true innocent.”

In my utter delight at his reaction I just had to grab him by the lapels of his blazer, pulling his towards me so I could kiss him. He stiffened at the feel of my lips and I softened my mouth, licking at his lips. Slowly, he thawed and kissed me back.

Only…

I pulled back. “Dammit, you won‘t remember this in a minute.”

He frowned slightly at me. “What do you mean?”

“Secret escape tunnels are only good if they‘re kept secret,” I said regretfully. The potion had been the memory erasing one I’ve been trying to perfect. I’d hated to do it, but I couldn’t afford for Marcone to remember what he’d seen in my sub-basement. If I’d thought he’d take it so well…

“Mr. Dresden, what-” he cut himself off, shaking his head. He blinked rapidly and without further warning he slumped towards the ground.

It was my turn to catch him and his head lolled against my bare shoulder.

“Crap, the potion isn’t supposed to do that,” I frowned and took the moment to check his breathing. It was steady but his heartbeat was a bit too fast. “Dammit, Harry. This is why we don‘t break rule 190.”- 6

I adjusted my grip to make him easier to carry and got us both out through the tunnel just as the wards broke. I made sure to close the bookcase behind us then I took the exit that would open into the small plot of land at the back of the house. I could’ve dragged us both into the sewers or even to my small claimed territory in Undertown but Marcone was too heavy.

The hidden door opened up into the pouring thunderstorm, but I kept going. The heavy rainfall made Marcone groan softly.

“You‘ve got to wake up,” I said, as I carried him to the street. If I could find enough running water the demon’s energies would break up and with all this rain, there should be some nearby. A flooding street would do. Hopefully.

Marcone groaned again and groggily tried to open his eyes but he closed them after a second. I gritted my teeth and got us to the sidewalk.

“I didn‘t think you‘d last this long,” a voice said.

I gently set Marcone on the ground, grabbed my staff and turned to face the source of the voice. There was a pool of shadows underneath a broken lamppost right in front of my house. The shadows were darker than they should’ve been. They stank of a familiar ugly and crude sorcery.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

The voice laughed. “Like I’d tell you. All you need to know is that I‘m the one that‘s killed Marcone, and I‘ll kill you too for getting in the way.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s not dead yet,” I pointed out dryly, “and I‘m not about to let him die.”

“My demon will kill you,” the voice said confidently. In the shadows a humanoid shape formed but I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman. “How much longer do you think you‘ll last? Five minutes? Ten? No matter how long, my demon will kill you.”

Ugh, gloating before the job was even done. If I hadn’t already planned to kill this sorcerer for interfering in my plans of getting Marcone into bed the violation of rule 6 would have been motivation enough.- 7

Then I remembered the junkie’s words: The shadow sells it.

This bastard was also a drug dealer!

I narrowed my eyes, gathered my remaining will, and smacked the Shadow as hard as I could. It earned a loud gasp of surprise. With added concentration I managed to tear apart enough of the obscuring elements of the spell to reveal a curvy feminine shape.

So the Shadow bastard was a Shadow bitch.

“What did you do?”

I snorted. “Unlike some people, I know how to actually use my power.”

“You will pay for this!” she shrieked. The Shadow-woman began calling out the name of the demon.

I tried to capture it all but a roll of thunder blocked out half of it. I swore. The demon came out of one of the windows of my house and straight for me.

I snarled, pointing my staff at the Shadow-woman. “Marcone is mine and under my protection! Stregallum finitas!”

“No! You can‘t do this!” She screamed in pain, as my counterspell began tearing the image apart. “No! My demon will kill you!”

The image broke apart and I barely got to enjoy the surge of satisfaction because demon was getting closer.

Bang!

I practically jumped out of my skin as Marcone shot the demon in its remaining eye with my revolver. It shrieked, shook its head but continued towards us. It opened its mouth.

Marcone shot again, and again and again. Each hit making the demon pause, but failing to stop it. A flash of lightning illuminated exactly how close it was to us. It wouldn’t miss with its next acid attack, and I was practically running on empty in terms of power. I wouldn’t be able to fight it.

I had a choice. I could leave Marcone and make a run for it. Or I could face the demon. Well, like I told the Shadow bitch, he was mine. I protected what was mine.

I stood to face the demon.

The thunder rolled as if calling out my name. The storm.

Lightning.

I raised my staff towards the sky, and pointed at the demon with my free hand. I reached into the storm, controlling it, shaping it, drawing its power down towards my staff. I grinned, as all that energy filled me with giddiness. I’ve always wanted to say this, though I really needed white hair to pull it off. “Do you know what happens when a toad gets struck by lightning,” I mocked. I bellowed, “Ventas! Ventas fulmino!”

A spark of my lingering will leaped up to the sky from my staff and brought down the lightning.

I screamed my fury, struggling against indescribable power and channeled it from my staff, through my body and out my pointer finger.

Pure lightning - living fire - smashed into the demon, driving it up into the air. It screamed, its squat body arching, and its limbs flailing. Then it exploded with blue light like a second blast of lightning. Chunks of charcoaled toad demon splattered down in gruesome rain which fortunately then dissolved into ectoplasm.

My knees went weak and I abruptly sat on the ground. Smoke curled up from my finger, and my toes. I couldn’t resist. I brought my finger to my lips and blew away the lingering smoke.

“So, what are you doing next Saturday?” I asked Marcone, wiggling my socked feet. My toes peeked through large burned holes.

Marcone stared at me. “I‘m almost temped to say yes just to see what would happen,” he said.

I grinned at him, “This one isn‘t over yet. Technically it hasn‘t even started.”

Sirens pierced the air, moving closer to my neighborhood.

“I believe we‘ll be spending most of our night answering the police’s questions,” Marcone said, his lips curled up. “Such as: Why are you naked in public, Mr. Dresden?”

“I know you‘re secretly enjoying the view,” I said, with a smirk. I got to my feet. Marcone helped steady me, and then shrugged out of his blazer to place it around my shoulders.

My grin got wider at that gesture, and he wrapped an arm around my waist. His fingers rested on my bare hip. I had to resist the urge to really encourage him feel me up. I wanted to get off the sidewalk before the cops arrived at my street.

I didn’t really want to get arrested for public indecency. Again.

End.

4. Rule #24. I will maintain a realistic assessment of my strengths and weaknesses. Even though this takes some of the fun out of the job, at least I will never utter the line "No, this cannot be! I AM INVINCIBLE!!!" (After that, death is usually instantaneous.)

5. Rule #17. When I employ people as advisors, I will occasionally listen to their advice.

6. Rule #190. If my mad scientist/wizard tells me he has almost perfected my Superweapon but it still needs more testing, I will wait for him to complete the tests. No one ever conquered the world using a beta version.

7. Rule #6. I will not gloat over my enemies' predicament before killing them.

Next in the Series: Gather the Minions

a/n: Harry is so going to get revenge for the ruined date.