Carnagors, thickly muscled and armored with almost impenetrable gray-black hides, erupted from the ground as they tunneled under the battlefield to surprise the defenders. When they came aboveground, their massive heads snapped out at those luckless enough to be around them, gulped them down, and retreated once more into the earth.
Blade Minions swung their spiked forearms against their foes as they took on the frontline defenders. The armor that the humans wore shredded like paper under their blows. Ripped and torn bodies lay scattered behind them as they drove forward.
Occasionally the defenders got loads of rock airborne. When they did, the rocks crushed and injured the imps and demons that made up the bulk of the invading force. Huge crossbow bolts flew across the battlefield and speared through the Fetid Hulks and other large demons.
But those victories were too few to even begin to turn the tide of battle.
From horseback, Warren watched the battle. Part of him wanted to see how things turned out even though he was certain he knew. But part of him wanted to return to his room in the brothel.
The thing that scared him most was that he didn’t even know if that waspossible. He could be trapped in the book forever. He was certain that was where he was.
Do you know now? the voice asked. Do you wish to know more?
Before Warren could answer, he looked farther up the hill the demons were taking and saw a castle high among the jagged peaks. A narrow dirt trail wound back and forth across the foothills to reach up into the mountains. Warren assumed the trail led to the castle, and he wondered who lived there.
Do you wish to know more?
Warren almost answered yes before he had time to think. Is that part of the glamour? Does curiosity bind you to the book? And what happens to you when you stay here?
“Not yet,” Warren answered. “Let me know more later.”
As you wish.
The landscape swirled then went black. Dizziness wrenched Warren’s stomachand he would have purged if only his stomach and throat were still connected. He was certain they weren’t.
Then everything faded away.
Warren roused as if from a heavy sleep. He gazed blearily at the book before him on the desk. At the moment it only looked like a book again. Curious, wondering if he’d only imagined the whole thing, he lifted his hand and laid iton the book.
The eye and mouth didn’t reappear. He wondered if he could call it forth ifhe wanted to.
“Warren?”
Startled, Warren snapped his head around.
EIGHT
Ill at ease, Warren rose from the chair at the desk. He thought about putting the book away, but knew that doing so would only draw more attention to it. Instead, he focused on the woman who had intruded into his sanctuary and wondered how she’d been able to do that.
Naomi sat on the unmade bed in the center of the room. Covered in tattoos and piercings, the woman was a couple years older than Warren. Two short, curved horns stood out on her smooth forehead and gave her an evil look. Petite and womanly, she wore dark red leather pants, hiking boots, and a sleeveless, high-necked blouse.
At one time she’d been more skilled in the ways of demons than he was. Thatwas no longer true. These days he was the teacher. From the beginning, he had more power.
“Is anyone else here?” Warren demanded. He rose from his seat and gazedaround the room for anyone that might have accompanied her.
No one else was there.
“I came alone,” Naomi said in her soft contralto.
Warren glared at her. She was the kind of woman that wouldn’t have given hima second glance before the Hellgate opened. If he hadn’t been as powerful as hewas, and definitely more powerful than her, she probably still wouldn’t havegiven him the time of day.
“How did you get in?” he demanded.
“Through the front door. It isn’t locked.”
It wasn’t locked because it had been broken down. Fixing it would only havedrawn attention to the fact that someone lived there. And zombies didn’t repairdoors.
“The zombies should have stopped you.”
“They didn’t,” Naomi replied casually.
When he’d first met her four years ago, Naomi had been among the hierarchy ofthe Cabalist sect that had taken Warren in and explored the power he’d possessedthat had drawn Merihim forth. Most of those people were dead now, some of them at Warren’s hand.
“Why?”
“You’ve had me here with you.”
Warren had. She’d since become a sometime lover. At first he’d been excited.Then he’d learned she was only truly with him to learn what he knew. The passionhad quickly cooled, and he hadn’t wanted to let her know she’d hurt him by beingso mercenary.
“They didn’t know they were supposed to keep me out,” she said.
“I need to tell them to guard against you,” he said.
Naomi frowned. “Do you see me as a threat?”
“No. Of course not.” Warren said that quickly, a gen-tie rebuke to remind herof how much power he wielded rather than any form of endearment. “But this is mysanctum.” He’d always liked that word when he’d read it in the comics.
She smiled a little at that. “I would have called if I could. Niceties likeannouncing yourself are a thing of the past, I’m afraid.”
Warren walked to the window and looked out over the city. Darkness had given way to light, but it was far past dawn. He couldn’t help wondering how long he’dspent ensorcelled by the book.
“What are you doing here, Naomi?” he asked.
“I came to see you.”
He leaned a hip against the window and gazed at her. “You don’t do thatoften, and only then to get something from me.”
“You make
