Fox Among the Demons

By Trudie Collins

What would you do if you found out you were not human? 

What would you think if someone proved to you that magic is real? How would you react if you discovered that supernatural creatures are not just a figment of the imagination and that people from another dimension have been sent to Earth to destroy them? What would you do if you were informed that you are one of them?

When Natasha witnesses a vampire being executed, she finds herself having to answer these questions. At first she doesn't believe what she is being told; how could she? Vampires and werewolves don't exist, nor do fairies, dryads or sirens. Magic is just slight of hand or misdirection and people from other realms do not live on Earth. How wrong she was.

Komi is a demon, but not the sort usually associated with evil and hell. He is from another dimension and is on Earth to kill creatures created by wizards on his home world and released on Earth. When Komi first meets Natasha, he knows she isn't a normal human and he is determined to find out who, or what, she is. Discovering she has no idea that she is a demon, he enlists the help of his family to teach her about the people of Yong, their world and the creatures they are on Earth to kill, not knowing just how much she will affect all of their lives.

Fox is a wizard who refuses to do magic. Curious about her, he reluctantly agrees to be her teacher. As she learns more about supernatural creatures and how to kill them, she is also taught about the world she comes from and how dangerous it can be.

Now that Natasha knows what she is, she needs to find out who, little knowing that discovering the truth about herself will not only destroy her own life but also the lives of those she loves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trudie Collins
• Release date: May 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393202813

Book preview

Vampire

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Natasha tied the band around her long, light brown hair then released it, letting it snap into place. She was irritable, but had no idea why. As she usually did when she was in this type of mood, she decided to go for a run. The physical exercise would calm her down while letting her mind run free. 

She stepped out of her house and pulled the front door closed. Looking at the sky, she decided to take the shorter of her two favourite routes. It would still be light for another hour or so, but the dark clouds approaching threatened to bring rain with them and she didn’t want to get wet.

She soon reached the smaller of the two lakes located near her home and opted to follow the track clock-wise. She took a deep breath, the scent of the nearby trees filling her nostrils. Enjoying the clean, fresh air, she slowed her pace.

Though she was not far from civilisation, there were no sounds to disturb her, other than the steady, regular pounding of her feet on the track. She let her mind empty of all thoughts and felt her unease begin to evaporate. Only once she felt completely calm did she think about what could have caused her irritation.

Reasonable day at work with no run-ins with her boss? Check. All of the urgent items on her ‘to do’ list accomplished? Check. The latest chapter of the book she was writing complete? Check. Her niece, Lucy, finished all of her homework and chores? Check. Lucy’s boyfriend not visiting that night? Check.

She continued her mental list of things that could have put her in a bad mood, but came up blank. Nothing seemed to be wrong. She frowned. Why had she felt like she wanted to yell at someone? She was usually a calm person, only losing her temper when pushed to her limit, so what had happened today that could have annoyed her?

Then an image of a calendar formed in her mind and she noticed the date. Oh. She stopped running. Today was her brother’s birthday. How could she have forgotten? She would have to light a candle for him later, once Lucy had gone to bed. She doubted her niece would remember it was her father’s birthday and she didn’t want to remind her; it had taken a long time for either of them to get over his death.

Chiding herself for letting something so silly upset her, she began running once more. At least she had solved the mystery of what was wrong with her. Now all she had to do was figure out how to stop simple things like birthdays she could no longer celebrate affecting her so much.

She was so distracted by her thoughts that she almost didn’t see the group of people in the distance as she rounded the corner. When they did catch her eye, she would have ignored them, but something about the scene seemed wrong. She slowed to a walk as she approached the group, taking in all of the details.

The woman appeared to be in her mid-twenties, about Natasha’s own age. Her short hair was such a vivid red that it had to be dyed. She was holding something in her hand as she confronted a youth, who was being held by two men.

Natasha’s eyes flicked between them. Both had short black hair, deep brown eyes and suntanned skin. It was impossible to ignore the family resemblance; they had to be brothers. They had the same shaped chin, high cheek bones and ears that were almost pointed. The younger must still have been a teenager, though only just, while the other one was a couple of years older.

Natasha’s eyes drifted from the siblings to the boy they were holding. He couldn’t be more than fourteen and from the way he was struggling, the conversation he appeared to be having with the woman was not a friendly one.

His skin was so pale it was almost white and he seemed frightened, though he was doing his best not to show it.

One of the brothers moved one hand from where he was pinning the youth’s arm behind his back, leaving the other to maintain his hold on him, and punched him hard in the stomach. The boy doubled over before being jerked upright by those holding him.

This made Natasha realise what about the scene was troubling her. She had a strong sense of right and wrong and three against one did not seem like a fair fight, especially when it was three adults confronting one child.

Not knowing what she was getting herself into, she took a deep breath and walked up to them. What is going on here? she asked.

The woman turned around, her eyes full of distain as she looked her up and down, assessing her.

None of your business, she sneered.

I’m making it my business. Three against one isn’t fair. Leave the boy alone.

You have no idea what you are talking about. Get out of here, the youngest of the three aggressors said.

Bloody humans, the other man said. I told you we should have made ourselves invisible. Something was strange about the way he spoke, but Natasha couldn’t put her finger on what.

What do you mean ‘humans’? What are you supposed to be if you’re not human?

Three pairs of eyes looked at her, the faces they were attached to showing shock.

How..... the woman started to say, but didn’t know how to finish her sentence. Natasha had no idea what she had said to surprise them so much, but whatever it was it made the two men loosen their grip on their hostage as they stared at her.

The boy took advantage and tried to shake them off, his movements bringing their attention back to him. They both tightened their grip.

Finish it, the older one said. Then we can deal with the human.

The woman raised her hand and Natasha noticed it held a wooden stake. She could not believe her eyes as she watched the woman stab the youth in the chest, directly into the heart.

There was no blood. The stake clearly pierced the skin, but no red stain appeared on the boy’s white t-shirt. He looked down at the piece of wood sticking out of his chest, then raised his head to look at Natasha. She was sure she saw him smile before he vanished. One moment she was looking at a teenager who should have been bleeding to death, the next all she saw was the three attackers.

She looked down and saw a pile of dust on the ground.

It was at this point her instincts took over and she began to back away. She could not have seen what she thought she had. Nobody turns to dust when stabbed in the chest; at least not in real life.

She took one more look at the three strangers, then turned and ran.

————————————-∞————————————-

Where are you going? Bolene asked her brother. He was a couple of years younger than her, which meant she was technically in charge. But only technically. The three siblings worked so well together, an official leader was not needed when they were out on a ‘kill’.

After her, Komi replied, indicating with his head the direction Natasha had taken. I want to know how she understood us.

For a moment Bolene considered telling him he couldn’t go, but he would ignore her so she didn’t bother to waste her breath. Besides, she too was curious about the young woman. Komi had been talking their own language when he had called her a human; there was no way she should have been able to understand what he had said.

She nodded her head. Be careful.

Komi grinned at her. When am I ever not? He turned away and sprinted down the path before she could reply.

All the time, she muttered under her breath before turning to her youngest brother. I suppose we should go home and report.

Will he be alright on his own? Trey asked. He didn’t like leaving his brother alone.

He’ll probably follow her to her house, chicken out of approaching, then head home. The way he rides his motorbike, he will probably get there before we do.

Trey assessed Bolene’s words and was forced to agree with her. While Komi usually had no problem approaching strange women, this time would be different. She had witnessed them killing a vampire and his brother would have no idea how to explain it without telling her the truth, which was something he would never do.

I’m driving, he said, holding out his hand for the keys.

In your dreams, Bolene said then headed over to where they had parked the car.

————————————-∞————————————-

Natasha shut the door behind her, then locked it. Lucy was out with friends, but had her own key so she could let herself in.

She was breathing hard, and not just from the exertion of running. What she had seen had frightened her. What she thought she had seen, she quickly corrected herself.

Moving away from the door, she walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge door and took out a bottle of water. Her hands were shaking as she removed the lid then drank deeply. She almost dropped the bottle when she heard the doorbell ring.

Get a grip on yourself, she said as she replaced the lid and put the bottle on the counter. It was probably just a neighbour, or a door-to-door salesman. It couldn’t be a murderer, come to dispose of a witness; not in her neighbourhood.

She opened the door and almost screamed. One of the attackers was standing on her doorstep. True, he hadn’t actually performed the killing, but he had helped.

She stepped back and tried to close the door, but he put his foot in the way.

Please, he said in a calm and gentle voice. Let me explain what you saw. I’m not here to hurt you.

If he was lying, there wasn’t a lot she could do about it. He was taller and stronger than her; if he wanted to, he could easily overpower her.

She looked at him closely. He was attractive, in a boy-next-door kind of way. The smile he was giving her was almost shy and he had dipped his head a little so he was looking up at her through his long eyelashes in a very appealing way.

Natasha didn’t feel intimidated. Though his foot was preventing her from shutting the door, he gave the impression that he would remove it if she asked him to. She had no reason to trust this stranger, but she found herself doing so.

Go round the back, she said. The gate’s not locked.

He stepped back, allowing her to close the door. She made her way through the house to the patio door and looked out. The strange man moved fast. He was already there, leaning on her pool fence, looking at the water.

She contemplated shutting the blinds and walking away, but she wanted to know why he was at her house and what she had really witnessed.

Taking a deep breath, she unlocked the door and entered her garden. He glanced up at her as she approached and watched her take a seat at the table on the deck.

Taking this as an invitation, he gracefully sauntered over and took a seat opposite her. He spoke before she had chance to. What do you know about us?

Us? Who is us? You and your brother?

And my sister.

Natasha didn’t react. She had not noticed the family resemblance to the girl, just the two brothers. Then again, the bright red hair had held her attention, preventing her from focusing on any other features.

What are you? she asked. Magicians? Illusionists?

No. What you saw was real.

She stared at him. He had to be winding her up.

What you saw was a vampire being executed, he continued.

She had heard enough. She stood up, her chair scraping along the wooden boards. If you just came here to make fun of me, you might as well leave. She turned her back on him and walked toward the house.

Wait, please, he said, rushing over to her. He grabbed her arm and swung her around so she was facing him. There was no smile on his face. I’m not making fun of you. I’m telling you the truth.

He sounded sincere, but how could he be? Vampires didn’t exist. They were just a figment of the imagination, based on half-truths and urban legends.

Please, sit down, he said and coaxed her back into her chair. He took the one opposite her once more. I don’t expect you to believe me, but I am being honest with you. A number of creatures you believe are just fictional actually exist and my family and I hunt them down.

Natasha didn’t believe him. She couldn’t believe him. But she was curious as to how far he would go before he admitted he was lying.

Go on, she said.

Vampires, werewolves, dryads, sirens, incubi, succubi. They are all real. They are the result of witches and wizards experimenting on people. The results of those experiments escaped through a doorway between your world and mine hundreds of years ago and ever since they have been increasing their numbers by infecting humans or breeding with them. Dedicated teams volunteer to spend time here, hunting them down and exterminating them.

Natasha looked at the man sitting opposite her. He was talking about things that could not possibly be true, but he looked so sincere she could not help herself. She burst out laughing.

I was wrong, she said when she managed to get herself under control. You’re not a magician, you’re a comedian.

He frowned at her, attempting to look insulted, but not quite pulling it off. Then he shrugged. I didn’t expect you to believe me.

So why did you try to feed me all that bullshit? Natasha was surprised to find she was enjoying herself. It had been a long time since she had laughed with someone. Technically she was laughing at him, not with him, but who wanted to get technical?

Because it’s not bullshit. I really do come from another world, another dimension.

Natasha struggled, but somehow she manged to not laugh again. Why don’t you tell me all about it. What’s your world like?

Komi did just that, telling her everything about his homeland that he thought would interest her. His words flowed and she found herself mesmerised as she tried to picture the things he was describing. She had no idea how much time was passing until they were interrupted by someone knocking on the patio door.

Natasha turned around and spotted her niece opening the door. She looked at her watch and her eyes widened in surprise. She had not realised it was so late. She was so caught up in listening to what this strange man was telling her that she had not noticed that the sun had set. Light from inside the house was streaming through the glass door, illuminating the undercover entertaining area, but further back, where the light couldn’t penetrate, it was pitch black.

Not interrupting I hope, Lucy said as she stepped onto the deck and closed the door behind her.

Natasha glanced at the man sitting opposite her and saw him giving Lucy the once over. He would be impressed with what he saw; most men were. She was a beautiful young woman and, being a typical seventeen year old, liked to flaunt the fact. Her long hair, dyed ash blonde, was currently tied back in a ponytail and the subtle makeup she was wearing hid the paleness of her skin. Her eyes were the most gorgeous colour of green Natasha had ever seen on a human and every time she looked closely at them, she felt tears form in her own eyes. Her brother’s eyes had been the same shade.

Lucy, this is... Natasha started to say, then realised she didn’t know his name.

Komi, the man said and rose to his feet. He held up his hand, palm outward, before turning it and moving it forward so Lucy could shake it. It was a strange gesture, as though he had suddenly remembered he was supposed to shake hands instead of whatever it was he was going to do. I’m very pleased to meet you.

Likewise, Lucy said. Then she turned to face Natasha. I’m going to shower then head off to bed. You two have fun. The look she gave her aunt clearly said she suspected Komi was a potential love interest and that she wanted to know everything as soon as she and Natasha were alone.

Good night, Natasha said, a little more sternly than she intended. Lucy got the message and made a swift exit.

Natasha waited until the door was closed once more before turning to Komi. It’s a lot later than I expected. You should go.

Komi looked at his watch and swore. You’re right. My family are going to wonder where I am. Can I come back tomorrow?

Natasha paused before answering. She was not interested in starting a relationship with anyone and didn’t want to lead this man on, but he had entertained her with his vivid imagination.

Alright, she said. Any time after lunch. I’ll be home all afternoon.

It’s a date, he said and winked at her. She watched him walk around her house to the side gate and let himself out, all the time wondering who this strange man really was.

Demons

––––––––

Fox was watching Bolene pace up and down the room, doing his best not to laugh at her. 

Where is he? she said once again. She had tried to contact her brother on his communicator numerous times, but it would not connect. He must have turned it off.

He’ll be home when he’s ready, Fox said in such a reasonable tone that Bolene glared at him.

I am going to murder him when he gets here, she muttered, just loud enough for the two men in the room to hear.

Calm down, Trey said. He, too, was trying not to grin. I’m sure there is nothing to worry about.

The look Bolene gave him made him close his mouth before verbalising his next comment. He was supposed to find out information, then come straight back. I should have known he couldn’t be trusted. Knowing him he decided to go partying instead. If I find out−

Exactly what she was hoping not to find out was left unsaid as the sound of the front door closing reached them and all three turned to look at the open door of the lounge, waiting for Komi to enter.

Well?

Yes I am, thank you, Komi said. Trey had to grab Bolene’s arm before she hit him.

I swear to the Creator, Komi, if you were not my brother I would murder you.

Komi grinned at her. If I wasn’t your brother, you wouldn’t want to. He then let the grin drop from his face. However, if you are asking what happened after I left you, I followed the young lady to her house and knocked on the door. She let me in and we talked.

She hadn’t actually let him into the house, but being in the garden was close enough. His family and Fox didn’t need to know all of the details.

So you found out why she could understand you when we spoke in our own language? Fox asked. Bolene and Trey had told him all about their evening’s adventure.

Komi refused to look at anyone when he answered. That would be a no.

What happened big brother? Trey asked. You actually failed to charm a woman into telling you what you wanted to know?

It never came up in the conversation.

Bolene threw her arms in the air. I give up. Why can you never do what you are supposed to do? Tell me you found out something useful.

I know where she lives. That’s a start. To Fox’s ears, Komi sounded defensive.

You didn’t find out anything, did you? Komi didn’t need to answer. So what did you talk about all evening? I assume you did talk at some point.

Of course we talked, Komi snapped. What do you think I have been doing for the last few hours? Fox raised an eyebrow. Komi knew him well enough to know what he was thinking and grinned.

Fox rolled his eyes. Tell me you at least got her name.

Silence filled the room.

I have another date with her tomorrow, Komi eventually said.

Bolene could not believe what she was hearing. We have a serious problem on our hands and your solution is to go out on a date?

Did you really expect anything else? Fox asked. It is Komi we are talking about. I’m surprised he didn’t stay the night at her place.

We’ve only just met, Komi said.

When has that ever stopped you? Fox had a point, not that Komi was going to admit it.

I’m going to have to report this, you know that, Bolene said.

No you don’t. Nobody except the four of us know what happened. We can keep it that way until we know more. There’s no point in making a report when we don’t know anything for certain.

Bolene looked around the room at the three young men. Each one nodded. They would keep their mouths shut. As the teacher and weapons maker, technically Fox was in charge, but he had no interest in running the team, so he always deferred to Bolene.

Alright, she eventually said. But nobody is to hear about this. Not even Lukine.

Keeping secrets from your husband isn’t good for a marriage. Komi grinned at her.

Neither is telling him things that could get us all into serious trouble. At least he can truthfully say he knew nothing about it if the council find out and decide to take action.

Fox didn’t think Bolene was doing the right thing, but kept his thoughts to himself; what went on between husband and wife was none of his business.

I’m going to bed, Komi said. I have a date I have to look my best for tomorrow.

Bolene signed. At least try to find out something useful this time.

————————————-∞————————————-

Natasha was not expecting Komi to turn up for their ‘date’ and jumped in surprise when she heard someone open her gate. She was in the back garden, typing on her laptop, so would not have heard if anyone had rung the front doorbell.

There was no answer at the front so I thought I should try round the back, Komi said as he walked over to the table.

Help yourself to a drink, Natasha said, indicating with her arm the fridge that was located in the corner, next to a wooden door. When she had the pool installed, she had a changing room, containing a shower and toilet, added to the back of the house. It saved having to walk through the house when wet. Having an outside fridge meant she was able to spend a good part of the day in the garden without having to go into the house for anything, especially in the hotter months.

Komi grabbed a can and took a seat at the table, opposite Natasha.

What are you writing? he asked as he opened the can.

The next chapter in my latest novel. I’m a part time author. I write detective stories.

Komi saw this as an opportunity to get some information. What name do you write under? I may have read some of your work.

Frederick Thompson. It’s a pen name. I was told by my publisher that male authors sell better than female.

Komi had no idea what a pen name was, but he was sure that her name wasn’t Frederick. Natasha smiled at the look of frustration that crossed his face. I’ll make a deal with you. Tell me more about yourself and your alleged homeland and I will tell you a little about me.

Alright, Komi said. My name is Komi Santash. I’m twenty two and live with my older sister, Bolene, and my younger brother, Trey. Bolene is here on Earth with her husband, Lukine, who is a wizard.

Komi went on to explain how people from his world were sent to Earth in teams to find and destroy the abominations created by witches and wizards centuries ago, their descendants and the humans they infected. He noticed that Natasha was typing the entire time he was speaking and he was momentarily angered that she was not paying attention, until he worked out that she was taking notes.

We have home bases set up all around the world, though not many from my world live in them. Most prefer to have their own homes and only go to their nearest base for weapons, practice, training and education. My siblings and I live at our base as it’s run by a family friend, Fox.

Fox? Natasha said in surprise. Is that short for something?

Komi smiled. No. The word means something different in our language. When we came to Earth and found out that here it means a small, red, furry animal, we had a great time teasing Fox, until he threatened to ban us from the base.

You have a real wizard living with you? Natasha asked. Who can do magic?

Yes. Our witches and wizards are highly skilled, though their powers are no longer appreciated. They once held high positions in our world and were well respected. Until it was discovered that a group of them were experimenting on demons.

Stop, Natasha said before he could continue. Demons?

Komi grinned at her, guessing what she was thinking. Not that sort. It’s what we are. On Earth the people are called humans, on Yong we are called demons. My younger brother found it very amusing when he found out what humans refer to as demons while my sister did not take it well. She saw it as an insult for some reason.

Let me summarise to make sure I have this right, Natasha said. You come from a planet called Yong, which isn’t even in the same dimension as Earth, let alone the same solar system. Your people are called demons and some of you are sent here to kill mythical creatures. Komi nodded. Why do I feel like this is a bad ‘straight-to-DVD’ movie?

Komi had no idea what that meant and didn’t ask. He had more important things to find out. Now it’s your turn. Who and what are you?

My name is Natasha. Natasha Simpson. Her friends called her Nat, but she wasn’t sure yet if she wanted to class Komi as a friend, so she withheld that bit of information. Natasha told him everything about herself, how she had grown up in the nearby town and had met the man of her dreams at a nightclub. She had been eighteen at the time, just finishing school. He was a little older, having left the year before. There had been an instant attraction and they began dating immediately.

Komi found his eyes moving down to look at her hands, which she had moved away from her keyboard when she had started to speak. He was aware of the human custom of wearing wedding rings and was glad to see that her hands were empty of all jewellery. Did that mean she was not married or engaged to this so called ‘man of her dreams’? Or did she just not like wearing the symbol of her relationship? Then he realised she was wearing her swimming costume. Maybe she just took her jewellery off when she went in the pool.

He realised that she had stopped speaking and looked up to find her staring at him. She must have noticed where his eyes had gone. Sadness crept across her face. Paul moved to London, she said so quietly he could only just hear her. We were supposed to go together, but my brother was killed in a plane crash and I stayed here to look after his daughter.

She looked down at her hands and gently rubbed the ring finger on her left hand, the finger that would have contained a ring by now if Paul had not left. It was over a year ago now. Despite the age gap, Jim and I were very close and I still miss him greatly.

I’m sorry, Komi said, not knowing what else to say. He watched her wipe away a tear which had trickled down her cheek and wondered if she was going to continue.

She did not look at him when she started to speak once more. It was Jim’s grandmother-in-law’s birthday and Jim, his wife and her parents were flying up to help her celebrate. Lucy, their daughter, had a ballet exam so I volunteered to look after her. The plane crashed. All four died. Lucy was left an orphan. Her only relatives left were me, my sister and my parents, who are not the easiest people to live with. My sister travels a lot and I couldn’t bear the thought of making Lucy go through the same sort of childhood I did, so I told Paul I couldn’t go to London. He didn’t take it very well.

Natasha went quiet, staring into space, lost in her memoires. Komi didn’t want to disturb her, so remained silent. It gave him a chance to study her closely. She was pretty, but not beautiful, unlike her niece. Her brown eyes currently held no happiness and he felt an overwhelming desire to make her laugh, just so he could see how they changed. She was slim, but not skinny. Her swimming costume showed she had a few curves and the muscles on her arms and legs indicated she worked out regularly. He found her attractive, but was not attracted to her. At least not yet. But that wouldn’t stop him bedding her if he got the chance.

Bringing up a teenager when you are only a few years older than her was hard, Natasha continued, forcing Komi to pay attention once more. But we had both suffered a terrible loss and we helped each other through it. It helped us become close. She means as much to me as if she was my own flesh and blood.

So you and this ‘Paul’ person are no longer together? Komi could not stop himself from asking.

Yes, we are, she surprised him by saying. We are somehow making a long distance relationship work, though we don’t seem to speak as often as we used to anymore. He loves London and doesn’t make it back very often.

Can I ask you something? Komi said, suddenly remembering he had a reason for being there. How can you understand me when I speak my own language?

Something sounded odd about the way Komi pronounced the words. It was almost like English was not his first language, though up until then Natasha had not noticed. She frowned at him.

I don’t understand. What do you mean your own language?

I’m not speaking English. I’m speaking my native tongue, the language that demons speak.

Natasha stared at him. While she doubted everything else he had told her, she did not doubt this. It explained why the words felt strange to her ears. She suddenly shivered as a sense of dread filled her. She could understand the language of demons!

Then she remembered that, in this case, a demon was a human from another world, not a creature from Hell. On top of that, Komi was making up everything about himself and his home world. He had to be.

She tried to smile, but couldn’t quite manage it. I don’t know how I can understand you, she said quietly.

Komi was disappointed with the answer, but at least she wasn’t calling him a liar; she believed that he was speaking his own language.

Can you speak my language as well as understand it? he asked.

Natasha shrugged. I don’t know how. I thought I was hearing English, so how would I know if I wasn’t speaking it?

Komi had no answer.

Tell me more about your home world, Natasha said, wishing to steer the conversation away from the question that neither of them could answer.

They talked for the next few hours. Natasha’s thirst for information was insatiable and Komi was more than willing to tell her everything she wanted to know. Before going to bed the previous night, she had made notes on her laptop, writing down everything she could remember. She made Komi go over the same things and was stunned to find that what he told her matched perfectly with her notes. Either he had rehearsed what he said in order to remember it all or he was telling her the truth.

Evening approached and hunger set in. Natasha found she was enjoying Komi’s company and invited him to join her for a meal, an invitation he willingly accepted.

She would not, however, let him into the house. She had no idea why. She knew she