Demon Lord 4: White Jade Reaper (37 page)

EPILOGUE

Pleasantly drunk and recently laid, I staggered across the garage of my Malibu mansion, entering the kitchen.  Morning wasn’t far away.  The place seemed overly quiet, getting a lot less use since the Old Man moved back to the Clan House.  The light of the stove’s hood cast a soft, white glow that thinned the gloom.  Still, I almost walked unheedingly past the great black leopard with the blazing yellow eyes.  I stopped and swung toward her.  “Hi, Leona.  Nice of you to wait up.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, but that mutt of yours is back.”

“Dog?  I keep running him off, but he keeps coming back.”

“He’s brought you another bribe.”

“What now?  An old Nike, a sock-puppet from hell?”

“Old bone, I think.  Something white.”

“Maybe he’s done something right this time.” 

I went on across the room, cutting through the living room, into a hallway that ended with a magic door to my kingdom in fairy.  Before I got that far, I turned into the master bedroom and stripped off my coat and shoes.  I approached the bed where a mound of shadow waited.  As I stood at the edge of the bed, the darkness thickened, taking on a more solid form.  Ears flopping, Dog whined a greeting, hoping I’d be happy to see him this time. 

I kept my face stern and looked at what gleamed between his paws.  The white jade flute.  I picked up a pair of enchanted gloves Izumi had given me.  They provided magical insulation.  I slipped them on, picked up the flute, and finally smiled at Dog.  “Good boy.  You can stay, but not on my bed.”  He jumped down and pranced around my feet.  I petted him and then had him lie down while I put the flute in my sock drawer.  I’d find a place for it in my treasure vault later. 

I fell on my bed and mumbled, “That’s what I call fetch.”