American Demon Read online

  BY KIM HARRISON

  BOOKS OF THE HOLLOWS

  DEAD WITCH WALKING

  THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNDEAD

  EVERY WHICH WAY BUT DEAD

  A FISTFUL OF CHARMS

  FOR A FEW DEMONS MORE

  THE OUTLAW DEMON WAILS

  WHITE WITCH, BLACK CURSE

  BLACK MAGIC SANCTION

  PALE DEMON

  A PERFECT BLOOD

  EVER AFTER

  THE UNDEAD POOL

  THE WITCH WITH NO NAME

  THE TURN

  AMERICAN DEMON

  ACE

  Published by Berkley

  An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

  penguinrandomhouse.com

  Copyright © 2020 by Kim Harrison

  Penguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.

  ACE is a registered trademark and the A colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Harrison, Kim, 1966- author.

  Title: American demon / Kim Harrison.

  Description: First edition. | New York : Ace, [2020] | Series: Hollows

  Identifiers: LCCN 2019045861 (print) | LCCN 2019045862 (ebook) | ISBN 9780593101414 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780593101438 (ebook)

  Subjects: GSAFD: Fantasy fiction.

  Classification: LCC PS3608.A78355 A84 2020 (print) | LCC PS3608.A78355

  (ebook) | DDC 813/.6--dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019045861

  LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019045862

  Jacket illustration by Chris McGrath

  Jacket design by Katie Anderson

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  pid_prh_5.5.0_c0_r0

  Contents

  By Kim Harrison

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Preface

  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

  About the Author

  For Tim

  Acknowledgments

  I’d like to thank Jennifer Jackson and Anne Sowards, one for giving me a chance to prove my work, and the other for giving me a chance to prove my work . . . again.

  PREFACE

  INDERLAND SECURITY

  Internal Document DOX W 143.1739

  Fact Sheet: Rachel Morgan 2000 to present

  Document Shepherd: Jeffory Gradenko

  INTRODUCTION: Rachel Morgan successfully terminated her I.S. contract in 2006, buying her way out by implicating Trent Kalamack Jr. in the illegal bio-drug trade. Several years of antagonism between them were rubbed out after she helped him regain sole custody of his out-of-wedlock child, Lucy, from his ex-fiancée, Ellasbeth Withon, in 2008. Morgan currently freelances security for Trent on an as-needed basis.

  SPECIES: Witch-born demon who survived infancy when Trent “Kal” Kalamack Sr. applied illegal genetic tinkering to bypass the lethality of the Rosewood syndrome, a suite of lethal genes that ancient elves cursed the demons with to stunt the magic capabilities of their children, with the intent to commit slow genocide. It’s unknown if this was Kalamack Sr.’s intention, or if it was accidental, but with the ongoing feud between the demons and elves, it seems accidental.

  NOTE: Kalamack Jr. seems to be continuing his father’s work, as there are currently more than a dozen children surviving the Rosewood syndrome. They are collectively called the Rosewood babies and are to remain under close I.S. observation, as they have the potential to bring about a rebirth of the demons.

  RESIDENCE: Currently lives aboard a gas yacht (The Solar) docked on the Ohio River at Pizza Piscary’s in the Hollows, KY. Previous residence condemned after a vampire mob consisting of several camarillas destroyed the back of the church because of the mistaken belief that Morgan was responsible for bringing the souls of the undead back from the ever-after. Further damage was sustained in a separate attack from the elven Goddess.

  POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS: Morgan has a surprising number of political contacts, both in and out of her favor.

  The Federal Inderland Bureau: Morgan has a solid in with the human-run FIB through her association with CAPTAIN EDDEN and his son, MATHEW GLENN. It was Edden who arranged for the payoff on Rachel’s I.S. contract.

  Demons: Though currently the only mature female demon, Morgan maintains an uneasy relationship to her “kin.” This is in part because of her past association to the elven GODDESS and her continued dabbling in elven magic, and in part due to her ongoing relationship with elf TRENT KALAMACK. The demon collective overlooks her nonconformity, as she and her gargoyle (BIS) created a new ever-after (and hence a continuation of magic) when the original was destroyed by the elves in yet another attempt to eradicate the demons. Demons range from neutral to antagonistic toward her, apart from her instructor, AL, and possibly the demons’ self-proclaimed leader, DALI.

  NOTE: It was the elves’ miscalculation, not Morgan’s, that freed the demons to walk freely in reality, but the I.S. sees no reason to correct this misunderstanding.

  Elves: Trent’s ongoing relationship with Rachel has caused a deep rift between Trent and both the elven’s political group, the ENCLAVE, and their religious order, the DEWAR. His refusal to reunite with ELLASBETH WITHON and his relationship with Morgan have resulted in the loss of considerable political power, turning him from a prince-in-waiting to an outcast. The income from his illegal bio-drugs is gone, and Trent spends much of his time and many of his remaining assets staving off blackmail from previous buyers. In the absence of his usual political tasks, Trent has been developing his magical skills. His mother (FELICIA “TRISK” CAMBRI-KALAMACK) was a spell caster of considerable note, and though he’s improving quickly, the I.S. sees no threat apart from his association with
Morgan.

  The Goddess: Though not being actively hunted for anymore, Rachel remains vulnerable to an attack from the elves’ goddess, a deified energy being. She’s the source of all magic, as her mystics (tiny, independent motes that function as her eyes) power the ley lines as they bring images and elven prayers from reality back to the Goddess, who exists in the space between particles of mass.

  Both demons and elves can bypass the ley lines to utilize the Goddess’s power directly through prayer, though it’s only the elves who do this ever since the Goddess’s betrayal of the demons thousands of years ago and the demons’ subsequent enslavement. That Rachel performs elven magic is grounds for severe punishment, but again, demons are ignoring this, as she not only saved them from extinction but forced modern society to grant them citizenship.

  Before becoming the Goddess in a fight for supremacy, demon NEWT changed how Rachel’s soul resonates, to hide her aura from the mystics who would otherwise swarm Rachel and force her to join the Goddess, which would destroy Rachel in the process. It’s believed that elven magic is currently not working well because Newt is now the governing force in the Goddess.

  Vampires: Rachel is currently enjoying a balanced to good situation after thwarting the latest elven attempt at world domination—when the elven dewar and enclave under the leadership of LANDON worked to pull the souls of the long undead from “storage” in the ever-after, allowing them to roam in reality until finding their original bodies and committing suncide.

  Morgan remains a person of interest to the I.S., as she was successful in capturing the departing soul of a living vampire (NINA LEDESMA) at her first death and installing it within the body of living vampire IVY TAMWOOD. It has resulted in a surprisingly stable undead vampire who, unlike her undead brethren, remembers how to love and therefore has a reduced need to feed. Ivy and Nina remain under observation as this new kind of “undead master vampire and scion” pair holds the potential to end the vampire curse—but it is fraught with its own complications and there’s much resistance from the old undead.

  Under the original curse, living vampires are molded by the vampire virus before birth, giving them increased strength and sharp, normal-length canines useful in dealing with the undead on a daily basis and serving as their main means of acquiring blood. Being alive, living vampires have no light or religious limitations, and are accustomed to doing the daylight work of the undead, as is expected. An undead’s favorite, or scion, maintains special privileges as well as enjoying heightened strength and senses, as well as an increased blood drive due to sharing blood with their master on a regular basis.

  After their first death, living vampires become true undead. Even reflected light will cause their second death, and they must feed on the living to take in not only blood but, to remain emotionally stable, the auras of those they feed upon. Though having no morals, they police themselves and hide much of the ugliness from humans lest society become afraid and take action against them.

  With Ivy holding Nina’s soul in addition to her own, Nina is in the unique position of taking in her own aura while feeding on Ivy, resulting in an almost normal emotional baseline. It has been noted that though Nina displays many of the sultry, powerful characteristics of the undead, she looks to Ivy for direction, not the other way around. Simply put, because Nina is dependent on Ivy for her aura, Nina is recessive and Ivy is dominant. This needs to be examined in detail before allowing any more such master/scion pairs to develop, as, in time, the living may control the dead, not the dead control the living.

  NOTE: Emotionally damaged by the thought of regaining his soul, RYNN CORMEL is no longer effective as Cincinnati’s master vampire. Replacements are being considered, and the master/scion pair of Nina Ledesma and Ivy Tamwood is fulfilling his function in the interim with surprising efficiency.

  Weres: Rachel no longer has a contractual link to the Weres after abdicating her alpha position in DAVID HUE’s pack. Though it’s not widely known, Hue still retains the focus artifact that Morgan gave him, enabling him to gather multiple Were packs under his will at his discretion. Hue is savvy enough to know to lie low, but he should remain under observation for future problems.

  The Order: Morgan is currently a potential target of this humans-only, highly funded vigilante task force that has been illegally catching, judging, and incarcerating Inderlanders.

  The Dewar: The elven religious order, currently under the leadership of Landon after BANCROFT’s mystic-induced suicide. The dewar is actively trying to discredit Morgan to gain political security. Having once enjoyed moderate sway with the dewar, Kalamack is on the outs with them due to his association with Morgan.

  The Enclave: The elven political faction is also currently siding against Morgan, though that stance is beginning to shift to neutral as Kalamack works to rebuild his once-considerable pull with them and regain his Sa’han status. It’s unlikely that Kalamack will ever regain his past strength if he continues to shun his responsibilities with Ellasbeth Withon in order to create good relations with the demons, something neither the elven nor the demon societies are interested in.

  HAPA (Humans Against Paranormals Association): Due to Morgan’s actions, HAPA is currently in disarray after she identified their leader/mole deep within the FIB and helped the Order capture and incarcerate her. It’s believed there are several HAPA sleeper agents remaining in the FIB.

  Additional: Though Morgan does not hold sway with any subspecies of Inderlanders, it should be noted that her association with a particular pixy, JENKS, is causing small waves that might evolve into long-term societal impacts. Having been cursed to extend his life, Jenks is the first pixy to own property (1597 Oak Staff, Hollows, KY) and the first to remain alive after his spouse’s death. He’s currently the oldest living pixy at twenty, and he’s creating innovative ways to function in a world that still affords him few rights or responsibilities.

  Also of note, Morgan is responsible for the release of the demon hostages taken as familiars over the last several thousand years. Though they are lying low and many are suffering from culture shock, they are a potential threat, as they see Rachel as their savior and might react if she finds herself attacked. This has led to upper management’s continued hands-off policy concerning Morgan.

  KNOWN ASSOCIATES:

  IVY TAMWOOD—Living vampire. Rachel’s former roommate, now Nina’s scion.

  JENKS PIXY—Urbanized pixy who acts as Rachel’s backup when needed. Loyal to a fault.

  TRENT KALAMACK—Elf. Recently lost most of his wealth and political clout because of his continued close association with Rachel Morgan and his refusal to condemn demons.

  AL (GALLY)—Demon. Morgan’s onetime adversary, now teacher and pain in the ass.

  DALI—Demon. Al’s “parole officer” and leader of the few remaining demons.

  NEWT—Formerly the demons’ only female demon, crazy from knowing too much. Now incorporated into the elves’ Goddess and causing mischief at will.

  SAMUEL EDDEN—Human. Captain in the Federal Inderland Bureau (FIB). A friend and backer of Rachel from the beginning, he fights for more understanding between the species.

  MATHEW GLENN—Human. Edden’s adopted son. Used to work for the FIB, but is believed to have been lured away to the Order.

  QUEN HANSEN—Elf. Kalamack’s head of security and confidant.

  JONATHAN DAVAROS (JON)—Elf. Kalamack’s publicity adviser and personal assistant.

  LUCY KALAMACK—Elf. Child of Trent Kalamack and Ellasbeth Withon. Born out of wedlock.

  RAY HANSEN—Elf. Child of Quen Hansen and Ceri Dulcet. Born out of wedlock.

  BIS—Gargoyle. Adolescent gargoyle (fifty years old) who bound himself to Morgan.

  MARK (JUNIOR)—Witch. Once an employee of the coffeehouse Morgan frequents, now the owner.

  ELLASBETH WITHON—Elf. Kalamack’s ex-fiancée, cur
rently trying to win her way back into Trent Kalamack’s and Lucy Kalamack’s lives.

  LANDON—Elf. The current head of the elven religious order, the dewar.

  ZACHARIAH OBORNA (ZACK)—Adolescent elf. Leader-in-waiting of the elven religious order, the dewar.

  BENNY—Elf. Until recently, the only dewar representative in Cincinnati.

  WEAST—Human. The leader of the human-run Order.

  MATTIE—Pixy. Jenks’s deceased wife.

  BELLE—Fairy. A wingless assassin fairy who has taken on a few of the traditional duties of a pixy wife in Mattie’s absence.

  KU’SOX SHA-KU’RU—Demon. A psychotic, failed attempt to bioengineer a fix to the demons’ fertility problem. Originally freed from his prison by Kalamack Jr. and later killed in a joint effort between Kalamack and the remaining demons to cement future good relations.

  MIA—Banshee. Incarcerated after allowing her infant child to recklessly feed on the auras of multiple humans and Inderlanders to the point of death.

  CERIDWEN DULCET (CERI)—Ancient elf. Al’s longtime familiar rescued by Morgan. Ray’s birth mother. Died while attempting to kill Ku’Sox to save Lucy.

  NICK SPARAGMOS—Human. Morgan’s ex-boyfriend who died in Newt’s oubliette after aligning himself with Ku’Sox.

  PISCARY—Undead vampire. Former city master vampire and owner of Pizza Piscary’s. Ran the city through his contacts with the I.S. Died his second death when DOROTHY CLAYMORE killed him in a jealous rage over Ivy Tamwood.

  KISTEN FELPS—Living vampire. Piscary’s former scion and restaurant manager. Both Ivy Tamwood’s and Rachel Morgan’s boyfriend, though not at the same time. Died his first death when Piscary gave him as a blood gift to an undead vampire after he refused to kill Morgan, then died his final death to protect Tamwood and Morgan.

  RYNN CORMEL—Undead vampire. Served as president of the U.S. during the Turn; since retired to serve as master vampire in Cincinnati. Author of underground bestseller The Vampire Dating Guide. Emotionally damaged from the thought of getting his soul back.