How to Save a Hero [ManxMan]

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Veles Unveiled

~Chapter Twenty-Nine: Veles Unveiled~

No matter how many times I put it on, the mask still feels weird. I am not used to walking around with something obstructing my peripheral vision or covering half my face, especially not in broad daylight. The only exception is usually around Halloween for the costume parties. So, when paired with the cloak – which really should not be worn this close to summer; I am sweating like crazy under it – I feel like some kind of comic book villain.

After all, heroes don't go to super-secret meetings with demons.

"Is this one of your bases?" I ask Koa, following a couple steps behind him as he walks towards a three-story house in uptown Portland. It seems like a pretty expensive base considering the area and how incredible the view is, but I suppose no one would think to look for them here.

"It's a safe house, actually," the demon replies, unlocking the front door and stepping inside, holding it open for me to follow. "One of our supporters rented the house out to us. Because of the size, there are usually five or six of our people here at a time, but it's just one of our, uh, agents and some of her visiting family right now. The agent is the one who wanted to meet the Blood Master, but I need you to talk to her brother about Veles."

Why the brother instead of the agent?

I walk around Koa and he closes the door behind me. Since I have no idea where I am going, I wait for him to lead the way and fall into step behind him. We end up seated at a table in a large dining room area. The room has only three windows and they are not too big, which is greatly appreciated, since I still remember what happened the last time Koa and I were in a room with a lot of big windows.

An unknown person – possibly a demon – enters the room and, for a second, I thought she would be the person we are meeting. However, she quickly proves me wrong. "They'll be down in a couple of minutes," she says, and then leaves the way she came, proving that she is not one of the people we came here to see. Maybe she is the guard, then.

Since we have a couple of minutes to ourselves – and I failed to bring it up in the car – I ask, "Have you heard back from your superiors yet?"

"I only sent a messenger this morning," the demon captain says, and it sounds almost apologetic. Considering how important Aldis' help could be, maybe he is. "They could reply anytime within the next five days. There's a chain of command that the request has to go through before the king can make a decision on whether or not to accept the proposal."

Demons are ruled by a monarchy?

"King?"

Koa nods. "King Skamor. He is the main ruler or Yabrogath. He has been ruling for the past couple of centuries unchallenged," the demon explains, though I have no idea what that is supposed to mean. I know nothing about demon politics – demon kings face challengers? – and do not want to know, either.

Thankfully, I am saved from having to learn more about demonic monarchy by the arrival of a young, brown-haired woman who practically makes my brain itch with how familiar she is. However, I cannot place why I know her, just that I do. "Hello, Vepkoadur," she greets, somehow remembering the demon's full name. When she only gets a resigned sigh in return, she directs her attention to me. "You're the Blood Master, right? Mind if I call you 'Master'?"

The voice is familiar, too. Maybe she's an actress.

The wink that accompanies the request makes me roll my eyes. "Call me whatever you want, but I'm not responding to 'Master'," I retort, trying to figure out if she is flirting or just messing with me. Probably the latter. Hopefully, the latter.