Damned Souls and a Sangria

Damned Souls and a SangriaThe Guild Codex: Spellbound / Eight


Annette Marie


Damned Souls and a Sangria
The Guild Codex: Spellbound / Book Eight
Copyright © 2020 by Annette Marie
www.annettemarie.ca
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations for review purposes.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, places, or events is purely coincidental.
Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
PO Box 88106, Rabbit Hill Post Office
Edmonton, AB, Canada T6R 0M5
www.darkowlfantasy.com
Cover Copyright © 2020 by Annette Ahner
www.midnightwhimsydesigns.com
Editing by Elizabeth Darkley
arrowheadediting.wordpress.com
ISBN: 978-1-988153-52-0 (ebook)
ASIN: B08C2GSQW9
Version 2020.09.25


Contents
Books by Annette Marie
The Guild Codex
Damned Souls and a Sangria
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
Epilogue
The Guild Codex: Demonized
Delivering Evil for Experts
The Guild Codex: Warped
The Guild Codex: Unveiled
The Steel & Stone Series
The Spell Weaver Trilogy
The Red Winter Trilogy
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Thanks


Books by Annette Marie


The Guild Codex
The Guild Codex: Spellbound
Three Mages and a Margarita
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri
Two Witches and a Whiskey
Demon Magic and a Martini
The Alchemist and an Amaretto
Druid Vices and a Vodka
Lost Talismans and a Tequila
Damned Souls and a Sangria
The Guild Codex: Demonized
Taming Demons for Beginners
Slaying Monsters for the Feeble
Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped
Delivering Evil for Experts
The Guild Codex: Warped
Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors
Hellbound Guilds & Other Misdirections
The Guild Codex: Unveiled
The One and Only Crystal Druid


Steel & Stone Universe
Steel & Stone Series
Chase the Dark
Bind the Soul
Yield the Night
Feed the Flames
Reap the Shadows
Unleash the Storm
Steel & Stone
Spell Weaver Trilogy
The Night Realm
The Shadow Weave
The Blood Curse


Other Works
Red Winter Trilogy
Red Winter
Dark Tempest
Immortal Fire


The Guild Codex
Classes of Magic
Spiritalis
Psychica
Arcana
Demonica
Elementaria
Mythic
A person with magical ability
MPD / MagiPol
The organization that regulates mythics and their activities
Rogue
A mythic living in violation of MPD laws


Damned Souls and a Sangria


Chapter One
I’d never seen the Crow and Hammer this packed yet this silent.
Fifty-one members sat around the pub tables or on stools at the bar, and every face was turned toward the east wall. For some, a fearful shadow lurked in their eyes—the non-combat mythics. In others, a bright spark of expectation—the adrenaline-loving fighters. And in a few, a cautious worry—the wiser, older members who knew this wasn’t normal.
This wasn’t just a meeting. It wasn’t just a job.
Like the rest of my guild, my gaze was fixed on Darius, who stood facing the men and women for whom he’d created a home.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice.” His somber words carried across the room. “We have an urgent matter to discuss that will affect every member of this guild.”
Bracing my elbows on my knees, I searched for a hint of his usual quiet amusement. I couldn’t find any.
“Many of you are familiar with the incident eight years ago known as the ‘Enright extermination,’ where eleven demon mages were discovered in Oregon and wiped out by the Keys of Solomon. The Enright demon mages were part of a larger organization called the Court of the Red Queen. For lack of a better term, it is a cult—a demon-worshipping cult.
“Just over a week ago, an investigation undertaken by several of our members uncovered more.” His gaze swept across the room. “The Court of the Red Queen survived the Enright extermination and has been active for the last eight years. Furthermore, the cult has now taken up residence in Vancouver.”
A buzzing whisper sputtered through the room but fell silent as he continued.
“This group is extremely dangerous. Not only are they adept at hiding in plain sight, but their members include summoners and contractors with no regard for MPD regulations. And as demonstrated in Oregon, they know how to create demon mages. If the cult is in Vancouver, that means, in all likelihood, there are demon mages in Vancouver too.”
I expected another wave of whispers, but no one so much as cleared their throat. I understood why.
Demon mages were the most universally feared type of mythic. A human possessed by a demon, with access to the demon’s magic and a high probability of slipping into violent madness—yeah, they were nightmare fuel of the worst kind.
An unbound demon was more destructive, possessing greater magic on top of beastly strength and a nearly unkillable body, but demon mages were more feared because their danger was hidden behind a human face. You could spend years in the company of a demon mage and unless he drew on his demonic power, you’d never know.
My gaze slid to the mythic sitting on the stool beside mine. Ezra watched Darius with his usual poker face.
“After a week of careful investigation,” the GM continued, “we’ve identified eight suspected cultists. Though we haven’t uncovered their stronghold yet, we suspect their numbers are much higher, and an unknown percentage of them could be demon mages.
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll submit our investigation to the MPD, at which point their agents will take the lead. Multiple guilds will be involved—including, most likely, non-local demon hunters like the Keys of Solomon. But Vancouver isn’t a remote location like Enright, where the casualties of the battle were limited to cultists and guild combatants.”
My hands curled into fists. Cultist casualties … including Ezra’s parents. It turned out the Keys of Solomon hadn’t murdered innocent families at Enright, but between their excessively anti-demon members who’d tried to kill Ezra and their unexpectedly pro-demon members who’d tried to kill me, I wasn’t a fan.
“The Crow and Hammer has called Vancouver home for over fifty years.” Darius’s gaze speared each guild member, one after another, as he spoke. “And we will allow neither a demon cult nor an outside guild seeking bounties and glory to destroy it. Protecting our city will require every single one of you, whether you’re a psychic, alchemist, scholar, apprentice, or combat mythic who’ll step onto the battlefield.
“To defeat demons and demon