Mihalis laughed, then standing up he bowed. "Doc, that's amazing! If I had a hat, I'd be taking it off to you. Guess you might have won that bet!"

  Mihalis smiled as Dr. Ruxton actually blushed. "Well, let's not be too hasty on that! I still need to see if I can cure a terminal patient."

  "Isn't that jumping into the deep end?"

  Dr. Ruxton shrugged. "Perhaps, but it's like the policeman they treated with penicillin back when they first discovered it. Treating a terminal patient will get you clear results, and they're already dying, so you can't make them any worse, and hopefully, you can make them better. Nothing proves a new medicine or new procedure like unqualified success."

  Smiling, Dr. Ruxton got up. "Well, let me call Sheethal, and we can celebrate with a nice bottle of wine to accompany our lunch."

  "Sounds good to me!" Mihalis said with smile.

  To Rein-in Hell

  Mihalis looked around his 'throne room'. It was really just the auction area in the rotunda of his home—the Auction House. He and Sawyer had talked it over when they were planning all this. The Auction House was his first move in this game, and it had been a bold one, and the Auction House was clearly the most important place in Bartertown. Using it as the symbol of his power would make it clear that he was going to rule differently from what the djevels had come to expect.

  Which was all part of the long con. Putting them in a situation where they could see power and strength clearly before them, but had no expectations or understanding of what was going to come next. They'd quickly come to agreement that this was to be the center, then they'd discussed what they could do to take ruthless advantage of the situation and the symbolism.

  The throne he had looked like something off the cover of one of those ancient Conan the Barbarian novels, and a fair number of fantasy novels published since. It looked uncomfortable, but Estrella had warned him to make damn sure it wasn't, because she'd regretted that little mistake for close to a thousand years!

  The throne sat to the back of the stage the auctions took place on; he'd had it installed before the last auction. Over time, it would become a subtle acknowledgement that all of what took place here did so with his approval. Again, another subtle power play.

  Lord Ennakoida would be showing up today. Today was the day Mihalis was going to do something nobody was quite sure what the end result would be. Not even him.

  He knew this was going to affect him, probably in ways he hadn't foreseen, but the benefits and the possible gains outweighed all the drawbacks and downsides they could think of. The idea of binding up the djevels here in the DEZ for the next hundred years was a good one. The simple truth, they were starting to discover, was that leaving them to their own devices, uncontrolled, wasn't. So if he could get in here and take control of them, or at least enough of them to keep them from accomplishing anything of importance, it was well worth whatever cost he might have to pay.

  As a lion, he innately understood this.

  That the First still hadn't said a single word against it made it quite clear to Mihalis that even the First understood clearly that this was something they at the very least should do, and at the worst must do.

  "Ennakoida is at the North Gate," Jade said, relaying the reports she was getting via the earpiece of her radio. Both Jade and Kerrie were standing off to the sides of his throne in their hybrid forms, their fur the same ink black the djevels were, their eyes now non-reflecting pools of blackness.

  "Are there any problems?"

  "No, Cathal says Ennakoida is leaving his soldiers and guards outside, and proceeding in solely with his advisors and scribe."

  "And the honor guard I sent to escort him?"

  "Sampson reports he's not having any problems."

  "Good," Mihalis said with a nod and looked out to the floor of the rotunda. He had two of his råge stationed to either side of the room; the other two were standing to either side of the short staircase that led up to the stage. At the top, to either side, were Talin and Caitin, wearing faerie armor and a lot of weapons.

  Taeria stood in the place where a prince's head guard would normally stand, similarly attired, and with her wings out, while Hengity stood in the place of his first advisor. Mihalis had to admit that Hengity had been more than helpful in laying out the scene and stationing everyone in the room. Mihalis had copied the rings he'd made for Jade and Kerrie, and added a half dozen wolves to stand along the back wall and look menacing, in the same black fur, with pits for eyes.

  But the crowning barbarian touch, to show that things were just a little bit different here, were Azure and Rika, who were both sitting on the floor to either side of his legs, leaning against the throne with their wings out. Azure had made some minor changes to her appearance so she looked a tad more demonic, more like an Earth demon than a succubus, and of course Rika now looked like an angel, and they were both wearing slave collars with his name on them.

  He'd told Hengity they were Earth demons who preyed on humans with their looks and their voices, which was how they'd ended up as famous models, because of their ability pass themselves off as elves. He'd taken them as pets because it pleased him to do so.

  "Just like you took Cynthia?" Hengity had replied with a smile.

  "Very much so," he'd agreed, and nodded and smiled.

  Hengity had been quick to latch onto the concept that, because things were different here, a certain degree of adaptation had been required for his prince and his court to thrive here. Mihalis knew Hengity talked to Ärsyttävä, and Arsy would then pass what he'd learned back to Lord Ennakoida.

  It was all just a part of the con, setting the proper context, keeping most of what they were going to see and learn familiar to them, but also adding a few things they didn't understand.

  His sisters Noje, Harmony, and Cinnamon escorted Lord Ennakoida and his retinue inside the building and into the rotunda. Lord Ennakoida walked to the foot of the short stairs and kneeled, as all the members of his entourage prostrated themselves behind him. He then prostrated himself as well.

  "Prince Michael, I would seek to enter your service as one of your lords."

  Standing up and walking towards the top of the steps, Mihalis extended his wings slightly and made sure he had a firm grip on the power pool. The ceremony was a short and simple one. Djevels weren't into pomp and ceremony, parties, celebrations, or any of that. Hengity had gone over it in great detail with him. Audiences tended to be short to avoid possible conflicts—which, when one realized just how contentious djevels could be, only made sense.

  "Lord Ennakoida, I have heard of your exploits, the strength of your demesne, and the strength of those sworn to you. So you would now swear yourself and your strength to me and my service?"

  "Yes, Prince Michael. It has become clear that I can go no further without a prince to call my own. My power is squandered when it is not joined to one greater than I. If I do not join my strength to yours, I may one day find myself prey to, if not the lions, then a greater lord."

  "Lord Ennakoida, will you swear yourself, your power, your being, your vassals, all to me, Prince Michael, understanding that I shall rule over you, as is my right?"

  "Yes, Prince Michael."

  "Further, do you understand that we no longer find ourselves in the Onderwereld, and that this place, this reality, is different in ways that will require certain changes in some of our practices if we are to raise our power to such a level that one day, we shall rule all of this as we once ruled our home?"

  Mihalis could feel Lord Ennakoida's surprise at this change in ceremony. Normally you asked for their oath next, but again, the con, the story they were telling, required that he set certain 'facts' in the minds of the djevel lords. That their lack of success wasn't due to the lions' strength or the djevel lords and princes being weak, it was that they'd been doing it wrong , but he, Prince Michael, knew how to do it right.

  He could feel it when it clicked for Lord Ennakoida.

  "Prince Michael, standing there before me, after all our scholars thought your kind had been destroyed so many daers upon daers ago, is proof of your words, and I am not such a fool as to ignore your power, your success, or your knowledge."

  "Then swear to me, Lord Ennakoida, swear to me, and become the first among my lords."

  "Prince Michael, I give to you my service, my wisdom, my essence, my life, my power, and the power of all those sworn to me. I swear to you my loyalty and all that I am. I will serve you until the end of my days and follow your commands, and my life shall become yours should I ever falter."

  Mihalis felt it as Lord Ennakoida offered up his power, and when he took hold of it, it was like grabbing onto a live wire! The initial blast of power burned through his body and his soul with a force he wouldn't have believed possible! He wanted to tip his head back and roar as it burned through him—a rush of such anger, such lust, chaos, and destruction! It flowed into his body like molten lava, filling him from the tips of his toes to the tops of his ears! He was invincible! Indestructible! All belonged to him and would bow before him or be consumed by his might and his rage!

  All that power, from every djevel that belonged to Ennakoida, was flowing into him, power Ennakoida himself could only touch a small piece of, but Mihalis had it all! He shifted without even thinking into his hybrid form, his wings invoked as the power inside him spread, and he sought to contain it, to control it, as it filled him. All his incubus abilities activated as his fur stood on end, and his mane fluffed out like it was charged with static electricity.

  It wasn't that there was more of it than in the lions' power pool; in truth, it was far less. No, this was like a fire hose that had been stuck between your jaws! It was all flowing into him and filling him up! Blasting into him uncontrolled, and as it filled him, he could feel some changes in his being, some things awakening from somewhere deep inside as his body all but burned from the heat of it.

  "TURN IT OFF! " his lion growled in his head.

  " What? "

  " Turn it OFF! Turn off this fire hose before we drown! "

  Mihalis understood immediately. The lion power pool was a pool ! You drew from it. The djevel power was literally a hose that pumped into you. With the biskop, and again with Hengity, he'd gotten that initial rush because he'd drained off their reserves, and then just got their steady feed after that. He wasn't just getting all the djevels under Lord Ennakoida's control right now; he was getting all their reserves to boot! You didn't draw , you turned it on and off like a faucet! Holding onto that thought and grabbing it, he throttled it immediately.

  "Arise, Lord Ennakoida, first among my lords, and behold the true visage of your prince! Prince Nega-lion Incubus Michael!"

  Mihalis spread his wings fully, and he could feel that his eyes were on fire with all the power now inside him. He wondered if his fur was smoking, because there was so much energy trapped inside right now, he could feel the heat radiating from his spread wings.

  The look on Lord Ennakoida's face as his eyes came up and met Mihalis' eyes was one of pure shock. There was still enough of a connection there that he used his Read Mind ability on Lord Ennakoida and felt him wonder if perhaps he hadn't sworn to a prince, but instead a former king! He'd felt the power flow through him and into his prince, and Prince Lykta had never come close to drawing and holding so much power!

  " If you don't dump some of this soon, we're going to burn ."

  Mihalis grabbed his Convert ability and noticed that the only thing keeping him alive at this point was his incubus healing ability, which was running flat out to keep up with the damage he was taking from all the power roiling inside him. Triggering his Push ability, he converted and pumped power into the power pool as hard and fast as he could, while Ennakoida got to his feet and bowed.

  "What are your orders, My Prince?"

  Mihalis took a moment to gather his wits, thankful they'd gone over this before today. The power rolling around his head, and the effect it was having on him, was making it hard for him to focus.

  "My advisor Hengity has messages he has drafted for Lord Hjul and Lord Forrude, that I might call them to me. I would bid you lend him three of your messengers, two to carry those missives, and a third for the one he will soon be drafting for Lord Kova.

  "Next, I would have you look to your eastern borders. There are still a good number of Prince Talt's former djevels roaming wild and unguided. They need to be taken in hand or eaten. Once Lords Hjul and Forrude are mine, I will bid them to help you in that task. I would also bid you to be wary of Bratsch to the east. I believe he styles himself a prince now, but I have not yet looked to him to find out."

  "Yes, My Prince. What of the lions and the wall that holds us in?"

  "The lions are only an annoyance; now is not the time to enter into an open conflict with them. We have lost much, with the loss of the Onderwereld, and the destruction of Talt and several of his lords. We need to rebuild, and not just our numbers, but our holdings. This will be the base from which we will rule this world, so we must put it in order first before we strike out to take on the world and the lions.

  "This will not be a quick or easy process; it has taken me many thousands of Earth years to learn how to survive here, and many thousands more to understand what is necessary to rise to such power as to take all that is here and rule it as my own. Do not fret about time! We are immortal! We are forever! Time is our ally, because it will allow me to teach you my ways, once I have put our house in order."

  "Yes, My Prince," Lord Ennakoida said, bowing once more. He had a prince again! A prince who knew this world, who knew how to bend it to his will, and who would teach all of them the same! He would send his own messengers to the other lords, as well, to let them know that not only was Prince Michael powerful and wise, but that he knew with time, Prince Michael would be a king, and they would all be princes!

  Mihalis realized suddenly that he was still tapping into Lord Ennakoida's thoughts, and as he dropped that ability, he realized his Influence abilities were all running full bore, as well as a lot of his Empathy abilities, and even a few of his Dominance ones. He'd completely overwhelmed Ennakoida's mind, convincing him of all that he'd told him. No doubt he'd overwhelmed all of Ennakoida's entourage, as well as all his wives, and everyone else in the room.

  "Do you require tribute, My Prince?" Ennakoida asked as his entourage started to rise.

  "Currently, I do not. I have no further need of Ärsyttävä on my council, however, so you may take him with you. He serves you well, Ennakoida."

  "I will see him rewarded, then. Thank you again, My Prince."

  Mihalis smiled and watched as they filed out. Lords didn't typically stay long in the audience of princes, just as princes didn't stay long in the audience of kings, lest their superior become hungry and decide to eat some of their retainers. Lord Ennakoida could get here in a day, so if Mihalis needed him, it wouldn't take him long to appear. Sending him off quickly wasn't strange or suspicious. It wasn't like djevels partied or celebrated.

  "Everyone, please ignore the effects of everything I said," Mihalis growled while stretching. He had his power under control now, and had stopped fighting to push it into the power pool as his body cooled off, his wings still radiating heat.

  " That was a bit of a rush," Talin said. "What happened? Why'd you shift? That wasn't in the script!"

  "When I took his oath, the amount of power I pulled down was overwhelming," Mihalis said, panting to cool down his core. "I couldn't stop it from flowing into me at first, and I got so full, I did everything I could think of that took power. If I hadn't discovered I could throttle it, turn it down and almost off, I'd probably have burst into flames."

  "Considering the scorch marks on the floor in the shape of your feet, I'm surprised your pants didn't burst into flames!" Caitin laughed while pointing at the floor.

  "Oh, they're fire resistant."

  "Why the hell are they fire resistant?" Caitin asked, looking up at him.

  "Umm, it's a family thing. We've been known to, ahh… set our clothes on fire in the past?" Mihalis said with an embarrassed grin.

  "Well, now that's done, how about we adjourn to the bedroom?" Azure said, rubbing her body shamelessly into his on one side, as Rika did the same on the other side.

  "Yeah, there's just a bit of a tent in yer trousers there," Talin teased.

  Looking down, Mihalis noticed that, yes, there was a tent in his trousers, and he was horny as hell!

  "Like the horns, by the way. Why'd you do that?" Taeria asked, coming over to join them.

  "Horns?"

  "Yeah, the ones on your head?"

  Raising his hands to his head, Mihalis realized, sure enough, he had horns now!

  "What the hell?" he growled.

  "You didn't do that on purpose?" Azure asked.

  "No, I didn't. Damn, I need a mirror!"

  Rika, unsurprisingly, had one in her pocket as part of her makeup compact. So did Azure. Holding them up, he looked at them, they were just forward of and above his ears, and swept backwards, ending in a point. They were jet back and felt like ivory.

  "Huh, I wonder if I have them in my other forms as well?"

  "Bed first; you can check it all later!" Azure said, laughing, as all his wives came over and pushed him towards the door to their quarters.

  "What's the rush?" he teased, because honestly, yeah, the horns could wait.

  "Let's just say we all got a little proximity hit from whatever it is that got you hard, and we're all horny now as well."