“As you instructed. She was completely unaware of what was happening underneath her very nose. Are you completely sure of this, milord?” Hermod asked.
Odin only nodded. The vision he was given was coming together. Reaching into a pocket, he pulled out a cigar. “Got a light?”
I stood in the darkness, watching them both for several moments before speaking. Christine was on her back as usual, with Doctor Norton on top. He was grunting and moaning while she directed his movements, a bored look on her face. I could have waited until they finished but ruining the moment would be a bit more fun. “I see nothing has changed here.”
Christine's head jerked away from Norton’s to look right at me. With her eyes glowing demonic green, she screeched out a cry of outrage. “You’re dead!”
Doctor Norton half fell, half rolled off Christine. His pants down around his feet, he was unable to stand, so he fell over onto the couch as the nurse jumped to her feet.
Giving my once former boss a quick evaluation, I could see that he was still a small-minded man, in more ways than one. I tossed him a towel I’d found next to the office sink and told him to “Sit. Stay. Nice doctor.”
“They killed you! The police interrogated all of us down here,” Norton exclaimed as he covered himself.
“Can’t stay dead when you’ve got unfinished business, don’t you know. You and I have a bone to pick, Christine.” I smiled at my former coworker.
“I’ve got nothing to say to a criminal and murderer. I don’t know how you escaped the police, but one call from me and back you go!” Christine reached for the phone on the desk.
Stepping out of the shadows, I approached them both. I reached over my shoulder and drew my new sword. “Don’t even think about it.”
Seeing the sword, the demon that was Christine froze. “Why do you have that?”
“I’ve learned a few new interesting facts since I died. Did you know that demons can only be killed by either Magick or removing the head? You can shoot them or blast them to pieces, but if the head remains, they will come back stronger.” I looked at Norton for a moment. Still clutching the towel to his privates, he was actually blubbering. “Too late for him then. That only leaves you, Christine.”
“You don’t know what you’re even talking about,” she said, stuttering a little.
“Oh, I understand. This is all about justice. You’ve turned the ward into your own personal snack bar and I’m here to shut you down permanently. Were you aware that Valkyries were real?” I asked the demon in front of me.
“No. No! This isn’t happening,” Christine cried out.
“But it is.” I angled my sword, making light sparkle off her. “Would you like to meet her? Her name is Kindness.”
Christine's scream of anger and my battle yell blended in nicely with the yells of the injured souls around us.
Updating the ever-increasing pile of files in front of him, Nurse Chris looked up at the sound of screams. Several yells and what sounded like thumping accompanied the screaming. He groaned and muttered to himself, “More work, less hours. You’ll stay on the job right, Chris? We’ll pay you a bit more an hour.” It was never ending. Genevieve was so right about the way this place was run. He hadn’t really believed the cops or the feds when they’d said she was a killer. Not the sweet girl he knew. It must be a conspiracy; she’d asked for more money or a promotion like she’d talked about and they killed her for it. No way she just jumped off the roof like all the stories said she did.
Maybe it was time to call up his cousin Jimmy and tell him about this one. The people should know what the government was doing to innocent folks. They should be held accountable. Jimmy told him once that he knew powerful people. They were supposed to be like-minded people called the Hammer of the Gods.
Genevieve will return.
Author Notes
Did you like that one? The Wings of Justice series of books may be set inside the Federal Witch Universe, but it’s a bit darker than the rest. More adult. As a reader, you may have noticed it had a bit more language and adult situations than any of my books to date.
We first met Genevieve Vogel in book seven of the series, Blood on the Moon. She and Hermod were the ones that took FBI Agent Bill Maxwell away after his untimely death. The character and basic story actually came from an anthology story that I wrote for a group I used to be associated with. The original wasn’t up to my style of writing, though. If you’ve read it, you might understand the basics of the story, but I truly think that this one is much better than the short. Longer too. Bill was a popular character, but his death was needed for the story arc to continue.
WOJ takes place in the late 1960s. I haven’t given the exact date but if you know your movies and television you might be able to guess. Future books will take place in other times. Gen gets around. She’s yet another sort of supernatural police officer but of the more permanent sort.
She kills with Kindness. What started as an in-joke has become reality. It seemed the perfect name for a sword to me. Especially one that has a person inside of it!
I started this writing life as a quasi-young adult / adult author, but I’ve been slowly drifting toward the more adult in the series. My roots are still there, and I will always write some YA, but the future will have more grit. Next up for me is the end of the Jack Dalton, Monster Hunter series. Jack is on his way to Washington to hunt down a Vampire. A Jack Dalton ten-book series paperback will follow soon. After that it’s back into the Federal Witch series. Death Awaits is in the works.
Keep us writing. Buy your books legally.
As always you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@Allaboutthehorn). Join the Fans of the Federal Witch Facebook group for more information.
Keep it magical,
Scott
Also By T S Paul
Federal Witch
Conjuring Quantico - Now Available in Audio!
Magical Probi - Now Available in Audio!
Special Agent in Charge - Now Available in Audio!
Witness Enchantment
Path to Otherwhere
Night of the Unicorn
Invisible Elder
Blood on the Moon
Child of Darkness
Child of Darkness - The Extra Chapter
A Draft of Dragons
Cat’s Night Out, Tails from the Federal Witch - Audio Available
Serpent Con
Darkness Revealed
Monster Hunter
Jack Dalton Book 1
Jack Dalton Book 2
Jack Dalton Book 3
Jack Dalton Book 4
Jack Dalton Book 6
Jack Dalton Book 7
Jack Dalton Book 8
Jack Dalton Book 9
Athena Lee Chronicles
The Forgotten Engineer
Engineering Murder
Ghost Ships of Terra
Revolutionary
Insurrection
Imperial Subversion
The Martian Inheritance - Audio Now Available
Infiltration
Prelude to War
War to the Knife
Ghosts of Noodlemass Past
Athena Lee Universe
Space Cadets - Coming Soon
Smuggle Life
Double Cross
Politics Equals Death
Cut and Run
A Grand Affair
Short Story Collections
Wilson’s War
Borscht is Boring
Box Sets
The Federal Witch: The Collected Works, Book 1
Chronicles of Athena Lee Book 1-3
Chronicles of Athena Lee Book 4-6
Chronicles of Athena Lee Book 7-9 plus the prequel
Athena Lee Chronicles (10 Book Series)
Camilla: The Collected Works
New Beginnings
Standalones or Tie-Ins
The Lost Pilot
Uncommon Life
Kutherian Gambit
Alpha Class. The Etheric Academy book 1
Alpha Class - Engineering. The Etheric Academy Book 2
The Etheric Academy (2 Book Series)
Nonfiction
Get That Sh@t Off Your Cover!: The So-Called Miracle Man Speaks Out
Study Guide and Timeline: The Athena Lee Chronicles