Caught by Demons: Laila of Midgard Book 1

By Kathryn Blanche

A city in chaos. A tentative peace between humans and Supernaturals. Welcome to post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. 

A determined new recruit with the Inter-Realm Security Agency, Laila Eyvindr investigates supernatural crime. With rumors of dark forces abducting supernatura

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kathryn Blanche
• Release date: Oct 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781732665125

Kathryn Blanche

Kathryn Blanche makes her debut as an author with Caught by Demons, the first book her series Laila of Midgard. In addition to writing in cafes, Kathryn can also be found traveling around the world, working in the theatre, and indulging her love of martial arts and stage combat. She has trained with professionals from Los Angeles to New York, and even as far away as London, and Moscow.

Book preview

caught

by

dmeons

laila of midgard book 2

by kathryn blanche

Copyright © 2023 Kathryn Blanche

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronical or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writen form from

Kathryn Blanche.

First edition published in the United States of America in October 2018 by Kathryn Blanche

ISBN: 978-1-7236651-2-5 (Electronic Edition)

Also available:

ISBN: 978-1-7358616-5-4 (Paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-7358616-3-0 (Hardcover Edition)

The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Editing by Zoe Quinton

Cover Art by: Damonza.com

Printed and bound in the United States of America

First printing October 2018

Excerpt from Summoned by Demons (Laila of Midgard Book 2) Copyright 2018

Distributed by Ingram

www.ingramcontent.com

Printed by Lightning Source

For a list of trigger warnings please visit: www.kathrynblanche.com

Author’s Note

Many have asked why I wrote an extended edition of Caught by Demons. The most important reason for extending this novel was to give readers more details surrounding the characters, worlds, and events.

When writing, there is a balance between how much detail you want to include and how much is unnecessary. And initially, I was hesitant to give away too much too soon. However, the more I discussed the Laila of Midgard series with my readers at events and online, the more I noticed that most readers simply wanted to know more.

My dear readers: you asked, and I have listened! Enjoy this extended edition of Caught by Demons (Laila of Midgard Book 1). Even if you’ve read the original edition, you will find many new details, characters, extended scenes, and more!

Table of Contents

Dedication

PROlogue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

acknowledgments

Characters

Worlds

Can’t wait for the next book?

About the Author

Did you know...

caught by demons

PROlogue

Colin Greyson’s heart pounded as he sprinted through the debris littering the street. Abandoned cars were piled up in wrecks along the road. Doors of shops and homes had been torn from their hinges, and the sidewalks shimmered in the moonlight with broken glass. Smoke billowed from a fire several blocks away, but there was no one left to put it out.

Colin’s police uniform was torn and splattered with blood and gore, but that was the farthest thing from his mind. Instead, his thoughts were on the precious few shotgun shells left in his pockets.

Grunts and snarls echoed through the streets as the dead clambered over each other, scrambling to reach their prey. People who had once been his friends and loved ones were now mindless, undead monsters. Nothing like the Zombies in the movies that fed on flesh or brains, these Zombies had only one goal: to kill the living and bring them into their undead army.

Keep going! Colin bellowed at the small group of survivors straggling behind him. There were just over half a dozen of them left now, all of whom Colin had found barricaded in houses and businesses, fighting to survive.

Now he had one last shot to get them to safety. They were just a couple of blocks from the airstrip where a helicopter was waiting—their only chance to escape certain death. In the distance, he could hear the beat of the helicopter’s blades as it prepared for takeoff.

Three more Zombies rounded the corner of a house in front of them. Colin raised his shotgun and fired. One of the Zombies tumbled to the ground as its head was nearly blown off. It was a lucky shot, but still not enough to stop the Zombie, after all, it was another Hollywood myth that Zombies could be killed. You couldn’t stop them; you could only escape with the hope that you would survive to see another day. The Zombie clambered to its feet and sprinted blindly past Colin, colliding with the rest of the hoard behind them.

The other two Zombies lunged for the townsfolk, teeth gnashing in their rotting faces. Shots rang out, but these were civilians, and few had ever held a gun, let alone used one. One kid—a linebacker from the high school’s football team—swung a baseball bat and bashed in the head of one Zombie. It bought them precious little time. The other animated corpse tackled a woman to the ground, its teeth tearing into the flesh of her neck. The woman’s scream morphed into a strangled gurgle as the corpse tore away a chunk of flesh. Colin knew there was nothing he could do for her now.

Behind them, the Zombies were gaining ground. Fear gripped Colin as he realized they weren’t going to make it. They were going to die there in the street, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Or was there?

Colin held a secret kept by his family for generations. No one knew the truth, not even his late wife. Revealing the secret was forbidden, but he was out of options. This way, he might buy the others the time they needed to get to the helicopter.

Another scream tore through the night as a man was seized by the Zombies behind him. Colin had to act now.

No matter what happens, or what you see, don’t stop. Keep running until you reach safety, he said to the others.

They looked at him with wide eyes as he skidded to a halt.

GO! I’ll hold them off! he insisted, passing the shotgun and the meager handful of remaining shells to the linebacker.

Thankfully, they listened.

Colin turned to face the horde of Zombies as his bones shifted and crackled. Dark fur sprouted and his teeth grew long and pointed. He snarled in wolf-form at the Zombies and lunged, his teeth sinking into putrid, rotting flesh. One of them threw itself at Colin, but he dodged out of the way and raced down a side street, howling as he went, drawing the undead away from the survivors.

He was faster in this shape. The street rushed past him in a blur as he loped over the asphalt. The sweet stench of decay assaulted his nose, and he knew that there were more Zombies up ahead. If they cornered him on the street, Colin would be dead. He spotted a truck up ahead and leapt onto the hood, then the roof. The van shook as Zombies ran into it, their bones crunching on impact from the force. Colin managed to keep his footing and leapt onto the roof of a restaurant and out of reach.

From here, he could see the others clambering over the fence up ahead, then soldiers helping them into the helicopter as they made it to safety.

There was still time. If he hurried, he might be able to make it. Colin took a running leap and landed on the roof of the next business before jumping down to the roof of a minivan to reach the ground. The Zombies were still two blocks behind him, and it was a straight shot to the fence. He loped across the pavement and noticed a small gap at the base of the chain link fence. He clawed his way under it as sharp bits of metal tore at his furry back. A low whine escaped his throat, but he pushed through the pain and inched his way through.

The helicopter was just ahead, and by some miracle, they were waiting for him. Shouts erupted from within, but their warnings were too late. A reeking blur of flesh collided with Colin, and he rolled to the side, tumbling through the dirt. The Zombie pinned him to the ground and Colin faltered. He knew that face—it was his wife, Karina, the first person in the United States to rise as a Zombie. Now she was nothing but a predatory, bloated corpse. For days she had stalked him, waiting for the opportunity to strike. In his moment of hesitation, Zombie Karina sank her teeth into his shoulder. Colin yelped.

Bang! Bang!

Shots rang out and Karina’s body shuddered as the bullets met their mark. Colin slipped from her grasp and hurried for the helicopter. His shoulder blazed with pain from the bite as he ran, but he ignored it. The helicopter was just leaving the ground as he leapt inside.

Go, go, GO! ordered a man in a helmet and tactical gear.

The pilot obeyed, taking them up into the cold night sky as Colin shifted back into his human form. The survivors stared at him in shock, but the man in the helmet seemed unaffected.

Y—you waited, Colin shouted over the beat of the helicopter’s blades.

The man shrugged. You’re not the first Werewolf I’ve encountered.

He removed his helmet and Colin saw the flash of red irises. He grinned at Colin, exposing his elongated fangs—their savior was a Vampire. Apparently, Colin wasn’t the only one revealing his secrets for the sake of survival.

I’m Darien Pavoni. Welcome to the team that will hopefully save Earth. He offered his hand, which Colin accepted, then winced as he moved his shoulder. He would need to clean the wound before an infection set in.

As they rose higher into the night, Colin looked back at his home. Below, Karina stared up at him, her lovely face bloated and her skull partially crushed. In forty-eight hours this town had gone from a sleepy suburb to ground zero of a Zombie apocalypse. He may not know the cause, but he was determined to uncover it—and make those who were responsible pay.

Most people knew that the planet had long been overdue for a catastrophic event, but whether it would involve nuclear war, disease, or a natural disaster, nobody could foresee.

Most people lived their lives paying little attention to apocalyptic prophecies. Such predictions were merely stories meant to encourage them to live a good life—or, perhaps, to recycle.

Some people imagined that a Zombie apocalypse would occur due to a disease that would reanimate the dead and turn them into mindless killing machines. Some were so fixated on this idea that they even began to create elaborate Zombie survival plans. Yet when it actually came, no one was prepared for the horror that would unfold.

This Zombie apocalypse—or The Event, as it was now called—began in isolated, untraceable cases that spread around the world in a matter of days. Wars and politics were abandoned. Leading scientists rushed to find out what was causing long-dead remains to reanimate, and more importantly, to find out how they could be stopped.

They found nothing.

These Zombies could not be killed, and would slowly reassemble themselves if someone managed to remove a limb or a head. Fire could reduce them to ashes, but even the ashes could regenerate.

They were totally unstoppable.

The worst part was that the Zombies killed by whatever means possible, whether it was by eating you alive, slowly ripping you apart piece by piece, or even suffocating you. Once your heart stopped and all brain activity ceased, you would become one of them.

People prayed for salvation out of fear that they had offended their Gods, for that could be the only explanation for this apocalypse—or so they thought.

The truth of the matter would turn all of human belief upside down.

As the remaining heads of state met for what they thought would be the last time, a strange group of people entered the hall. A woman with raven hair and purple eyes—more beautiful than any of the mortals gathered there could have imagined—was followed by two men. The first, pale as bleached bone, wore a grim countenance and blood-red eyes. The other was tall and strong, with shoulder-length brown hair and the brightest blue eyes they had ever seen. He was wearing a heavy gold necklace in the shape of a dragon curled around a large diamond.

Each of these individuals exuded an air of authority, and each claimed to know the cause of the apocalypse. They asserted that the Zombies were created by a group of Demonic Necromancers—that is, Sorcerers who practiced the magic of the dead and undead.

What was more, they knew where the Necromancers were hiding.

Naturally, the heads of state were unconvinced. They asked for some sort of evidence to support such an outrageous claim. The three reluctantly revealed themselves to be the Fae queen, an ancient Vampire, and a Dragon. They explained that some of them came from different realms, or dimensions, that were interconnected with Earth but had remained separate from the human world for millennia. Others had survived in hiding on Earth.

After demonstrations of their magic and superhuman ability, the trio eventually convinced the humans to send their few remaining soldiers with their own supernatural warriors to hunt down the Necromancers.

Their combined forces were successful, finding the Necromancers in a remote cave in the Himalayas and destroying them, putting an end to the Zombies that plagued Earth.

However, this aid came at a price. By helping the humans, the Fae, Vampires, and Dragons had violated an ancient treaty created to keep the realm of the humans separate from the others. This treaty had protected the humans, who were generally weak in supernatural abilities, from the wars that raged between the other realms.

Now, Earth was fair game for whoever, and whatever, arrived through the inter-realm portals. Practically overnight, every creature from the humans’ fairytales and nightmares appeared on Earth.

Despite their new visitors, the human realm remained safe for the time being—but the threat was far from over. The Demons who had sent the Necromancers were already plotting their next move…

Chapter 1

The aircraft rumbled and rattled around her, and Laila tightened her grip on the armrests of her seat. Humans had invented countless technological marvels, so why hadn’t they found a better way to travel by air? She shook her head.

What surprised her even more was the human boy fast asleep in the seat beside her, completely oblivious. He was about sixteen, with a mess of orange curls that stuck up at odd angles and a jacket that was several sizes too big—likely stolen. Laila had met the boy during her layover in Chicago, when he had attempted to pickpocket her wallet.

When Laila used her magic to trap him, he looked up at her in shock. Then he noticed her pointed ears. Woah! You’re an Elf, right?

Even though Supernaturals were more common these days, otherworldly creatures were less common in Midgard. His expression of fascination swiftly morphed back into dread as he remembered his predicament.

Please don’t turn me over to security, he begged, his eyes wide with fear as her magic held him captive. He was oddly desperate—more so than the average cornered thief, and Laila had dealt with plenty of those.

You have two minutes to convince me not to.

He squirmed under the intensity of her gaze. I—I’m sorry! I spent everything I had on the ticket. I guess I should have saved a little more, but I need to get to Los Angeles right away. His cheeks burned red with shame.

She narrowed her eyes. Why?

I think my brother, Eric, is in trouble. I need to find him. We were separated after The Event when he left to find work and I was sent to a boarding school. The boy looked away as his shoulders sagged at the memory.

What about your parents? Shouldn’t they handle this?

They’re dead. That’s why the state sent me to the boarding school.

Shouldn’t you be there now?

I graduated a month ago. I had to get out. They have good intentions, I guess, but it’s more like a prison than a school. I graduated as early as I could so I could get out. His eyes begged her to understand.

Laila’s frown deepened. So, your brother is the only family you have?

He nodded. Eric was supposed to be there at my graduation. We were supposed to fly back to L.A. together, but he never made it. It’s been months since his last call. His friends say he ran off, but that isn’t like him. I think he’s in trouble.

Laila watched him carefully, searching for any sign of deception, but found none. She knew she ought to turn him in to keep him from thieving, but as she stared at his pale, frightened eyes and gaunt cheeks, she had another idea.

What’s your name? she asked.

Liam.

She released him from her spell. Come on, Liam.

He stumbled and followed, hesitant at first, then jogging to keep up with her long strides. Where are we going?

To get you some food. Then you’re going to tell me the rest of your story.

As she suspected, the boy had been orphaned in The Event. His older brother, Eric, was usually good about keeping in touch, but according to some of Eric’s coworkers, he had been missing for four months. His last known location was in Los Angeles.

Liam was determined to find him, but the kid had few details to go off of. He texted Laila a photo of his brother. Eric had the same curly hair, but he was a brunette instead of a redhead. His most identifiable feature was a large, kidney-shaped birthmark on his right cheek.

She looked up from the notes on her phone solemnly. I will pass this information onto the LAPD.

They already know, but they haven’t found him yet. You’re not a cop, are you? You kind of sound like one. The kid eyed her suspiciously.

No.

Then what do you do?

I deal with Supernatural threats.

His eyes grew wide. "So, you are a cop!"

No, I work for IRSA, the Inter-Realm Security Agency.

The boy watched her with a curious look. Is that why you moved to Earth? For work?

Yes.

Why? It’s a shithole!

Laila scowled at the boy, then gave an apologetic look to a couple sitting nearby.

Well, it is. If I had the chance, I’d rather go to your world instead. I’d rather go anywhere else. Is it true your people call Earth Midgard?

Yes.

Is everyone who works for IRSA an Elf?

No.

He was about to ask another question when a waiter brought the food by, giving her a short reprieve. Liam scarfed down two burgers so fast that Laila wondered when his last meal had been. In Laila’s mind, he was far too young to be off on his own in a new city, but many laws had changed after the near-apocalypse five years ago, and legally there was nothing Laila could do to prevent him from setting off on his own.

As luck would have it, the kid was on her flight to Los Angeles. When he wasn’t bombarding her with questions, he spent the majority of the time chattering about himself and his brother nonstop. Finally, he exhausted himself and drifted off to sleep.

Laila glanced at her reflection in the grimy airplane window. Her suit was wrinkled and her auburn braid slightly disheveled. A human would guess that she was in her early twenties, but she was several decades older. There were dark circles under her bright green eyes from too many layovers. She should have slept on the flights, but it was hard to relax knowing that the plane might crash for any number of reasons. All she wanted was a nice long shower and to sleep. Preferably for several days.

With a lurch, the plane landed on the runway.

Thank the Gods, muttered Laila. She couldn’t wait to get out of this metal deathtrap.

Liam snorted beside her and Laila realized he was not only awake but watching her, amused.

What? She shifted in her seat.

Nothing. It’s just your reactions. You sort of remind me of a robot. Like, I think you might be irritated, but it’s hard to tell. He shrugged as he pulled a sandwich from his pocket. It was one she had bought him. He peeled away the plastic wrap and bit in.

I’m not fond of flying, she admitted with a shrug. And Elves avoid outward expressions of emotion. It’s how we are. Besides, sentiments cloud judgment. They are a weakness.

Liam made a face as he chewed his sandwich. Seriously? That sounds miserable. I mean, I guess it’s sort of true, but are you really living if you don’t experience emotion? I feel like that’s a part of life.

Laila blinked in surprise. For a kid, Liam was surprisingly deep. Well, it’s not that we lack emotion. We just learn to keep it under control—and to ourselves.

Well, you may want to reconsider that. Humans are super emotional. Liam popped the rest of the sandwich into his mouth as they left their seats. Laila had a small duffle bag, but he had no luggage. Look, if you’re living here, you’ll find it harder to fit in if you don’t loosen up a little. It’s already hard enough for Supernaturals, even a Shifter like my brother.

Laila stopped in the aisle. Wait, he’s a Supernatural?

Liam nodded. Yeah, he gets it from his dad’s side. We’re half-brothers.

This changed everything.

Liam stepped out of the plane, and Laila hurried after him into the terminal.

Hey, hold on! Liam!

They were swept up into the crowd and she lost sight of the boy. Travelers from a variety of flights were surging towards the doors, crowding together along a narrow channel created by a crude barrier of chain-link fences with vinyl posters advertising restaurants and local attractions. Beyond the fence were rows of makeshift tents whose inhabitants appeared to have taken up permanent residence.

As she passed a gap between ads, she couldn’t help but notice a man in the shantytown who was wearing a stained airport staff uniform. An airport worker living in the airport? That had to be against regulation. She shook her head and tore her eyes away from the tents.

The crowd stopped for some reason that Laila couldn’t see. She scanned the faces around her, but Liam was gone, swallowed up in the chaos. She needed to find him. If Eric was a Supernatural, then it fell to her agency to help. Laila had to make sure she wasn’t missing any important details—and that Liam didn’t get himself into any more trouble.

Liam! she shouted, but there was no response.

She huffed out a sigh and shouldered her way through the crowd, earning dirty glances from the other travelers. She ignored them and continued her search for that familiar mess of orange curls. Just past a set of overcrowded restrooms—the source of the traffic jam—the crowd thinned. The passage ahead was lined with worn restaurants and sparsely stocked shops.

I’m sorry! yelped a voice from a small, dark corridor between a bar and a café. Laila cringed as she recognized the voice and hurried towards the hallway.

As she peered into the gloom, Laila saw three men gathered around Liam. One of them was holding the boy by the collar of his shirt as Liam struggled.

Hey! she shouted, her voice echoing off the walls.

Keep walking. This kid tried to steal my wallet. He needs to be taught a lesson.

Then hand him over to me. Laila gave the boy a pointed look as he grimaced.

The men ignored her. Liam’s captor drew back his arm to strike the kid. With a twitch of her fingers, Laila cast a spell, and the man’s fist slammed into an invisible barrier. He howled and crumpled, releasing Liam in the process.

The boy scrambled to duck behind Laila as one of the others advanced on them.

Now what? Liam asked behind her.

Just stay back.

The temperature plummeted as she blasted ice along the floor, freezing their boots to the ground. They howled and swore, but try as they might, they couldn’t break through the ice.

Do not attempt to follow us. With that, Laila turned on her heel and pulled Liam back into the crowd.

What in the worlds were you thinking? She hissed at the boy once they were out of earshot.

He held his hands up in surrender. Hey, I thought they were too drunk to notice.

Clearly not. She opened her wallet, pulled out the rest of her cash, and shoved it into his hand. Here. Now stop picking pockets. Do you have a place to stay?

He nodded. One of my brother’s friends lives nearby.

Then use that money to get a taxi. Also, if you think of anything else that could be related to your brother’s disappearance, I want you to call me immediately. She handed him a white business card.

His eyes widened. You really are a Special Agent!

Since Eric’s a Supernatural, his disappearance falls under my jurisdiction. That’s why it’s important that you tell me anything else that could be relevant.

He nodded slowly. Laila led him out of the airport to one of the taxis and waited as he gave the driver the address.

Are you sure you’ll be okay from here? Laila asked through the back window.

Yeah, thanks. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you. He gave her an uncertain but grateful smile.

Laila watched as the taxi pulled away from the curb and sped off into the night. Liam was misguided and desperate, but he was only a boy who had been through hell, and she hoped he would be okay.

Unfortunately, she feared his suffering wasn’t over. If his brother had been missing for months and the local authorities hadn’t found him, it was likely the boy wouldn’t either. But maybe she could do something about that. She glanced down at the photos and information the boy had sent her and made a silent vow to Thor that she would do anything in her power to find his brother.

Chapter 2

Laila Eyvindr?

A voice carried through the airport’s crowded pickup zone. Laila spun to find a man in his mid-thirties approaching her. Even in slacks and a dress shirt, the man had a slightly rugged look to him. His sleeves were rolled up, the shirt wrinkled from a long day of sitting at a desk, and his wavy brown hair was slightly disheveled. His beard was scruffy, and there were circles under his eyes from too many nights of missed sleep. Beneath the weariness though, Laila could see strength and determination. Laila subtly searched his magical signature and found that he was a Shifter—specifically, a Werewolf.

Are you from the consulate? She had been told a representative from the Alfheim Consulate would be picking her up.

He shook his head. I’m Colin Greyson, the head of our team at the Inter-Realm Security Agency. He held out his hand, and she shook it firmly. "I figured I’d pick you up myself. It’s better if you stay away from those politicians at the consulate.

Come on, my SUV’s this way.

Laila was too exhausted to care who was picking her up or why. All she wanted was for someone to drop her off at a hotel. Yet as she followed Colin to his vehicle, her thoughts kept drifting back to Liam. She sent a prayer to Thor asking him to watch over the boy.

Despite the late hour, the streets of Los Angeles were crowded with impatient humans trying to get to their destinations as soon as possible. Shops and restaurants were open, and the parking lots were relatively full. She was amazed to find the city packed and thriving, considering that the people living there had nearly been annihilated five years ago.

Even under the cover of darkness, there was something different about Los Angeles. Unlike the pristine, modern streets of D.C., which had been rebuilt after The Event, these buildings were worn and neglected, with missing or damaged signs. Streets were crowded and chaotic, and from the way drivers rushed toward their destinations, it appeared that traffic laws were more of a suggestion than a rule. Many swerved through lanes and ran red lights, their cars dented and chipped, their windows either cracked or shattered.

Then there were the people of Los Angeles. Those she could see wore hard, tired expressions as they hurried down the sidewalk, watching the others around them with suspicious looks and fingering concealed weapons. While The Event was little more than a disturbing memory, Laila suspected these people would never trust as easily or sleep as soundly as they once had.

It’s a little different from Washington, D.C. said Colin, watching Laila take in her surroundings. He stopped with a lurch as a car nearly merged into them and sped off down a side street.

Laila

Reviews for Caught by Demons

[sylvia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a fun read! I love the idea of fantasy creatures solving crimes in LA. The characters are enjoyable, the action is exciting, and the creative use of magic makes this a page turner.