Unholy Alliances: Snakeheart, #4

By Damien Benoit-Ledoux

I thought my boss was just another eccentric billionaire…

…but I didn't realize he was the financier of a global satanic cult, too.

No matter how much sleep I lose thinking about my life, I can't escape the numbing evil that surrounds me. Ever since the Vampires dragged me into this mess, my life has been an uphill battle against supernatural forces I barely understand.

I'm not a religious man by any stretch of the imagination, and the mere thought of stepping into a church makes me nauseous. But the insane, unexplainable events happening in my life make me truly wonder if destiny has condemned me to an unholy fate: the Herald of Satan, or the Antichrist himself.

When I found out the company I work for is nothing more than a front for a secret human organization that has been financing the end of the world (aka the apocalypse) and the coming of Lucifer Morningstar, well, that was the day I decided to foil the Devil and end it all.

Unholy Alliances is the fourth book of The Snakeheart Series (Season 1), a supernatural novelette series about Dante Coranguis and the ancient prophecy of the End Times.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Purple Spekter™ LLP Press
• Release date: Aug 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9798215178621

Damien Benoit-Ledoux

Damien Benoit-Ledoux is an author and freelance editor. His mind is a magical and nerdy place where fantastic heroes defend amazing worlds from dangerous villains who run amuck in an epic struggle to take over the universe. Recently, the brightest and best from this colorful cast of characters have made their way into notes, plots, stories, and novels for you to read and enjoy. Damien strongly believes the real world we live in should be a place where LGBTQ equality and respect are second nature and never questioned. When he's not working or spending time with his husband, their son, and their dog, Damien weaves this philosophy into the exciting lives of his characters and the fantastic space battles and romances they endure so they'll stop taking over his dreams at night. And finally, he wants you to remember a very important thing: No matter how bad your day is at work, it’s always important to be grateful that you don’t work for a Sith Lord.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Dante Coranguis sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic muttering to himself about the inconvenient timing of unexpected traffic in the downtown area, most likely caused by careless driving that resulted in an accident.

While stopped, he quickly tapped out a message to his boss, Marvin, explaining his circumstances. Normally, it wouldn't matter if he was a few minutes late, but the CEO requested his presence first thing in the morning. Dante hoped nothing was wrong, but he didn't know why the CEO, Sandor Van Kilrich, would summon him. Marvin didn't seem to know either.

Twenty minutes later, he passed the site of a three-car accident—someone had run a red light and crashed into two cars—and drove the last few blocks until he entered the underground parking structure of Hyperion Dynamics. Since most of the employees were already in, he rode the elevator in solitude with his thoughts. When the doors opened on his floor, he waved to the receptionists and immediately went to Marvin's office.

Although Marvin was in a meeting, he waved him in. Dante open the door and popped his head in. Hi.

Go drop your things in your office and head on up. I explained the accident delayed you, and Mister Van Kilrich understood.

Do you know what this is about? Dante asked.

I do not. If you are thusly inclined, come down after and tell me.

Okay, Dante replied. Then he went to his office and dropped off his jacket and laptop. Solange Ankara, his Spellcaster co-worker, happened to be in the hallway walking toward his office, and she waved at him. Hey, do you have a few minutes?

No, sorry. I'm expected upstairs right now, and I'm already late.

Well, okay. Check in with me later, she said.

Fine, Dante muttered with irritation. Jesus Christ, everybody wants something from me, and I've barely had a second cup of coffee.

He swung by the men's room to check his appearance and retuck his shirt. Then he made his way back to the reception area in the elevator lobby. The chatty receptionists ignored him as they sorted through several filing boxes together. He punched the button, and when the elevator car arrived, he stepped inside and ascended to the executive level of Hyperion Dynamics.

When the elevator doors opened, Dante stepped into the lobby of the executive suites and nodded to Tanner Cohick, the attractive young gay upstart with OCD who always wore tailored business suits and spent most of his free time in the gym. Dante didn't know if the guy had a social life because of the intense demands of his position. Then again, rumor had it Tanner was an expert in multiple positions—especially the under-the-desk blow job position—that won him the role after a grueling hiring process. Although Dante found the tall dirty-blonde-and-brown-haired and blue-eyed Swedish man attractive, Tanner showed no interest in anyone at Hyperion Dynamics. Dante figured that was smart, given his high-profile position, but that didn’t stop him from fantasizing about the handsome man.

Good morning, Dante, Tanner said, his eyes visibly tracing up and down Dante’s body. The slightest frown betrayed Tanner’s thoughts.

That little shit doesn't think I'm dressed properly for the meeting. Fuck you, otter. Actually, I’d like that too much.

Good morning, Tanner. Apparently, I've been summoned, Dante replied, trying to squeeze out any notion of disdain in his voice. Why can't the gays just be nice to one another? It's bad enough when the rest of the world wants to beat you down or kill you simply for being LGBTQ.

Indeed, Tanner replied. He gestured with his hand to the doors that led to the CEO’s office suite. Mr. Van Kilrich is waiting for you in the boardroom. It's to the right once you're through the doors.

Weird. Usually he escorts everyone in. Okay, then. Have a good morning.

Thank you, Dante, you as well.

Dante smirked and made his way to the frosted glass doors of Mr. Van Kilrich’s office suite. Tanner was predictable. He strove for perfection and performed more than admirably when it came to professionalism and courtesy. Whether he sucked the boss off or not didn't matter to Dante, because he worked hard and excelled at his job, even if he came off as a prick at times.

As Dante approached, the frosted glass doors automatically slid open for him. The lighting on the other side shifted, adopting a warm yellow hue as he entered the foyer of the executive suite. Hyperion Dynamics was known for integrating technology at the intersection of form and function in the office space. Also, Mr. Van Kilrich was a total geek with lots of money who loved acquiring expensive gadgets and toys to decorate his home and office.

Dante crossed the foyer and made his way to the right until he found the boardroom. Like the meeting spaces downstairs, the walls were made of thick glass with an etching of the company logo at eye level.

Dante made eye contact with