They set off down the hallway and walked through the doorway into a dining room. The woman was sitting at a table, looking anything but happy to see them.
“This mad lady also has very good hearing, dog boy,” she said. “My name is Miss Lynne to you two and you will follow my rules while I have to put up with you.”
Eloim and Oliver looked down at their feet as Lynne asserted the immediate authority of a school mistress.
“Now as Eloim and myself spend much of the day sleeping, I will put Eloim in the box room upstairs,” Lynne began. “You, Oliver isn’t it?”
Oliver nodded, still inspecting his feet. “Right, Oliver, you will have to sleep down here in the living room, I have put out bedding on the sofa.” Lynne informed them in a no nonsense manner. “I keep a clean and tidy house and you will both respect that. The use of hand sanitizers and removal of outdoor footwear for indoor slippers in not up for debate, neither is you turning all hairy and animal like within the house Oliver. I keep a clean and germ free house and that will not change while you are here. Now we have my rules out of the way, do you have any questions?”
Lynne took their silence as agreement and continued. “Good, I don’t like house guests, so let’s get down to why you are here.”
Lynne sat back in the chair and looked over at Eloim. He sat at the dining room table fidgeting; he looked uncomfortable in the dark hooded top. She felt a little disappointed at the sight of him. She had expected someone far more flamboyant. Oliver sat next to him, carefully inspecting the grain of the wooden table top. Eloim had quickly explained events that had led up to them turning up on her doorstep with Oliver adding a comment here and there. She had heard of the destruction of the cathedral and of vampires helping to stop a revolt in Transylvania but hearing the story first hand was hard to believe. How could this teenage vampire have killed a Vatican hunter and survived two encounters with one of the most powerful demons known? Lynne considered what he now requested, for a way into the demon realms to rescue his sister.
“Do you realise what you are asking? Passing between the realms is difficult and there are rules that cannot be broken. Do you even know the basics of opening a portal?” she asked. “And opening a portal to that realm is far from basic.”
“You draw a pattern on the floor; mumble a few words and you need some blood.” Eloim replied, shrugging.
“Well it’s a little more complex than that, it takes great power, that is why royal blood is so often used. Summoning a demon is not too difficult, the more powerful the creature you summon the more power it takes. Sometimes an artefact is also used to act as an anchor for the spell in our realm too, such as a stone altar. For a lesser demon such as the succubus, a human sacrifice and altar will work, but for a powerful demon such as this Alexia, it needs potent, royal blood, an altar and a powerful artefact, possibly a gemstone of rare quality so you can hold control of the demon in this realm. As for passing the other way into the demon realm, well no one has ever been stupid enough to want to. You drag a demon into this realm when you summon them; it’s not like opening a door, more like sucking the demon through a wall. I’ve got no idea what we will need to get you through.”
“There has to be a way I can get Polly back. The demons took her into their realm; they had a spell that worked.” Eloim whispered slumping back into his seat.
“The demon lore is far in advance of anything we know, but there may be a way,” Lynne began. “In ancient legends it is said there was a gateway from one of the astral planes into the demon realm. Getting to the astral planes is difficult, but something that can be done in your physical form. I need to look though some of my older grimoires so don’t give up hope for your sister just yet,” Lynne said with a reassuring smile.
“Follow me Eloim, the night is almost over. Before we turn in, just let me show you what it is I do and why your sister Karla sent you to seek my advice. Oliver, there is a television in the front room, why don’t you see if anything is on if you are not ready to sleep yet.”
Eloim followed Lynne up the stairs and into a room. It was neat and ordered, with shelves full of items in wooden boxes and large jars.
“What is all this?” Eloim asked as he walked over to inspect a shelf full of ornate wooden boxes.
“I am a solitary vampire and don’t have the benefit of extensive investments so I have to earn a living. This is my source of income. I sell magical items to those who can afford them, be they supernatural or human.” Lynne indicated the box that Eloim rested his hand on. “In there is a charm, not really powerful but it can influence humans to believe whoever wears it.”
“Why not just compel the person?” Eloim asked.
“It is a popular item for humans who want to enter politics; they don’t have the ability to compel like we do. It’s a really good selling object as it works so well for humans who buy one. How do you think the present Prime minister of this country got elected?”
Eloim shrugged. “Never really thought about humans having politics and leaders, beyond food and fashion they are of no interest to me.”
“You should not dismiss them so. If they ever united, they would destroy our kind very quickly. They are a future enemy so you should learn about them,” Lynne said, walking further into the room.
Eloim opened a different box and picked up a delicate ring that lay within. “This is pretty, what is it?”
“Be careful with that, it is a very powerful love ring made by the Faye. It is the ring of Helen of Troy. When someone wears it, the first person they see will fall under its spell, even if they are creatures of great power.”
Lynne turned back around and went to stand before a large bookcase full of large leather-bound books. Eloim shrugged and unseen by Lynne, slipped the ring into his pocket before closing the box lid. It would make a great item to use as an accessory for some of his outfits.
To be continued.