Friday Freebie with Jack: Peace, Love, and Death #1

Aaaaaand we're back. Last week, I was caught up with my new release, In His Custody with Morganna Williams. No excuses this week and I'm delivering. We're starting a new series arc, Peace, Love, and Death - one if you'll remember from my update will take place in the 1970's.


Let's join our hero, Death, whose story is already in progress...

Peace, Love, and Death #1

“Whoa, just what the hell is that?”

“This is the good shit, Graham. Not that weak crap you bought last week.”

Yep, here I was, the all-powerful horseman Death (going by the pseudonym Graham Reeper - get it?!) sitting in a rundown apartment in Boston with my stoner roommate, Herman. I liked Herman; he was the first human in a good long time that wasn’t concerned with the stupid shit, you know? Herman cared about weed and women. I cared about those things, too.

A few years back, in 1968 I think, I settled on Boston as my newest hangout. Yep, you guessed it, a girl was involved. Her name was Alyssa and she’d been a stripper in the Big Apple. Khloros and I were taking a loop around the Bronx when I saw her. A one night stand turned into a two night stand which, in turn, led to some sort of sex driven relationship. I’m not proud to say that a woman’s ability to bring about multiple orgasms in a row is a quality I look into.

So yeah, Alyssa wanted to go to Boston to pursue a modeling career or something. Alyssa always had dollar signs in her eyes. Well, we moved and two days into our adventure, she got gunned down by the Irish Mafia. Turns out, the dollar signs were so big that she tried to rob an underground poker parlor. The guy I butchered into tiny pieces confessed that to me right before his passing.

Killing off a big portion of the Irish Mafia didn’t sit well with the people who kept tabs on me. Yuri, one pompous angel, basically put me under house arrest and told me I needed to work off my debt to the Big Guy, Upstairs. I did, but in the time I spent here, grew to love it. That’s brings us today where I’m currently lighting up joints with old Herman.

The deadbeat took another huff. “The problem, Graham, is you’re cheap. If you want the good stuff, you have to pay for it.

“Where did you get money to pay for this?”

“I’m a courier, dude. I get a nice stash of cash for each item I successfully deliver for my employers.”

I didn’t even want to know. Money was never a problem for me (one of the perks of being immortal), so jobs were technically useless. I was thinking of starting up in a university or something. A good education and access to all the co-eds one could ever want? That’s the American Dream if I ever understood it.

However, even as high as I was, I had a nagging feeling. “Who do you courier for?” I asked.

And damnit, didn’t the answer destroy my buzz. “Ah, some chill dude I met down by the wharf. His name is Balthazar.”

My joint hung for a moment from my mouth, before falling to the floor. Balthazar was a bloody wizard, and not just any old wizard. That asshole had trained under Morgan Le Fey, the long dead witch who wanted to start an apocalypse or something.

If Balthazar was here, that’d only mean trouble for me. I took another hit off my joint and pretended I didn’t hear a thing.

*Tune in next week as Death’s high is ruined even further when Herman gets into something way over his beatnik head!

Jack - jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Friday Freebies with Jack: Enter the Crusades!

Ahhh, we've reached the conclusion of our first miniseries. With that in mind, before we start the tale, our next miniseries will take us to the 1970's. Peace, Love, and Death will be the title of it and I think there will be a cameo or two from some of your favorite characters from the main series. So stay tuned!

Enter the Crusades! #4

War charged the Lust demon queen, but went right through her. He fell ungraciously to the stone floor and Lilith waved her hand. War was frozen in place. “That’s better,” she said.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I’m not truly here, Death.” She stretched her arms out in front of her. “The ritual these idiots performed was never going to be strong enough to bring an Arch Demon to this plane.”

I couldn’t help but notice behind her and over War’s frozen body was the Spear of Longinus. “I take it you’re not here for the spear?”

She shook her head no. “I just wanted a bit of adventure, even if I’m not truly here.”

This was truly an odd situation. I decided just to go ahead and walk around her. “If you’re not here for this, I’m going to just go ahead and snatch it,” I said as I plucked it off the wall.

She watched in intrigue as I basically ignored her for the holy artifact. “I can’t say how long’s it’s been since a man ignored me when I stood in front of him.”

“Considering your reputation, and the fact that he goes away when I turn this in,” I gestured over at War. “I have all the reasons in the world to focus on the spear and not you, Lilith.”

She tittered, a small chilly laugh. “You are indeed an unpredictable one, Death.”

With the spear in my hand, I had no more reason to stick around. “Can you let him go once I’m good and far away?”

“Ohh horseman, you can’t go just yet.” Another wave of her hand and the door leading out snapped back on hinge and shut. “I didn’t sneak into this spell just for your entertaining banter.”

I couldn’t imagine what business she’d have with me. “Okay, I guess I’ll bite. What do you want, Lilith?” I asked defeated.

“Oh, just a simple request – watch your back.” The last part was especially cold. Whatever light and amused tone she was portraying was gone in a snap. “As the last celestial who lives on the human’s plane, you’ll be the first soldier recruited.”

“What… why are you telling me this?”

“The rules in Hell are changing, Death. Arch Demons aren’t happy with their lot and Lucifer’s reluctance to start the Apocalypse. Plans, many of them unfortunately, are in motion to get that ball started.”

Lilith was helping me prepare to stop the End of Times? Wow, this was turning out to be quite the day. “The Apocalypse won’t start until the Four Seal are broken. Unless the horsemen charge forward with trumpets playing, everyone’s okay.”

She twirled around, her wings fluttering for a moment. “If you think Beelzebub, Mammon, or the rest are going to wait for the horsemen to start the riot, you’re more naïve than I gave you credit for.”

Still, her warning would have to be taken seriously. “Death,” she said with a bit of finality in her tone. “The demons of Hell work at their own speed. A being as old as you, you’ll forget all these small blips in your life. However, when the time comes, the world will need the Death of old, not the one of self doubt and quips.”

Just like that, Lilith was gone. War jumped out, shouting. “Where did the bitch go?”

“It’s over, buddy. Let’s get this back into the proper hands, okay?”

The two of us left with the Spear of Longinus and me with a lot more questions about the future of this plane. Had Lilith just dropped a prophecy on me?

Jack

jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Friday Freebie with Jack: Enter The Crusades!

So, after a 2 week sabbatical, I'm back. I apologize for last Friday, I had a bad flight the evening before and spent most of my day in bed with migraines and such. Today is a new day and we've got an adventure to get back to! Let's see what Death has gotten himself into this time.

Enter The Crusades!: Part 3

Markos was incredibly strong, as all Wrath demons were. I used his weight against him, easing up on my blade. He stumbled forward as his axe slid down Leviathan and to the ground. Thinking I was quicker than him, I tried to attack his prone back. Markos was ready, using the backside of the axe to block it. He pushed me away and stood back up to his full height.

“I’m impressed. I was under the impression your reputation was inflated.”

Hmph, that was rather annoying. “Oh no, Junior. You didn’t just say I was overrated.”

He leaned forward and dug his foot into the broken floor. “I’m afraid I did.”

The Wrath demon came at me again, no fear in his eyes. That was quite the insult. He swung the axe hard and it missed, cracking even more of the floor. I danced away from a second and third blow, patiently waiting for my opportunity. When it came, I was just too far away. Not willing to risk it, I bit my instincts down and didn’t attack.

With his assault over, “Are you planning on avoiding me forever? Come now, you can do more than prance.”

Ohhh, he was really good at taunting. The best taunters are the ones who actually mean each word that comes out of their mouths. If you don’t believe what you’re tellin’, then it comes across as pathetic. Markos was right, if I wanted to keep going, I had to actually do something.

With Leviathan dragging against the ground, I came at him and performed a double jump at the very last moment. I somersaulted over him He hadn’t been expecting the move so it was no surprise when I was able to sink the sharp edge on my scythe into his unprotected back before he had a chance to do anything. From there, it was easy pickings. One more solid thrust into the back of the head as he fell to a knee finished off the impressive Wrath demon.

“Bravo brother.”

“Damnit War,” I said. There, as smug as ever, was my brother. “How long were you standing there?”

He pried his lazy ass off the marble wall. “Long enough to see if you still had it. Apparently, you do.”

The two of us fell in line, walking back towards the exit that led under the mausoleum. Who did this moron think he was, grading me? Ohhh, he was lucky he was my brother or I’d open a can of whoop ass on him.

As we wandered down the stairs, “Did you get all your jollies out watching humans kill each other?”

“It’s been a wonderful battle, brother. You should’ve been there,” he said. Was he reminiscing about a battle that was still raging outside? What a weirdo.

When the stairs reached the bottom, War bashed the wooden door open with the sort of bravado you’d expect from a guy named War. Inside, it seemed Hell had come to Earth. There were two Lust demons, a Wrath demon, and a human witch. The witch, who ironically seemed to be leading the demons in some sort of ceremony, reached out and grabbed a dagger.

Neither War nor I knew what to expect. I half expected the witch to try and throw It at one of us. Instead, she plunged it into her heart, blood spitting out of the wound and on to the demons around her. This was black magic like I was unfamiliar with. As the blood hit the demons, they all began to smoke and burn. Shit – this was a summoning ritual.

A portal opened as the demons fell to the ground dead. A burning pentagram appeared out of their ashes and a figure emerged from the smoke.

“Hello boys,” came a sultry and dangerous voice.

Oh shit – Lilith was here.

Next week we wrap this first adventure up. Have a great and bacon filled weekend everyone.

Jack

jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Project with Morganna Williams

Hey everyone. Sorry for being MIA last week, the real world caught up with me. Those pesky job things, what are they thinking for taking up so much time?! ::shakes fist angrily::


As many of you know, I'm good writing pals with erotic novelist, Morganna Williams. Last year at some point, the two of us thought it'd be great fun to join forces and write a story together. Well, that story is very close to coming true. Half FBI procedural drama, half erotic novel, the working title is Under Leo's Hands. Here's a quick and snappy synoposis:


FBI agent Leo Jackson is on the trail of a serial killer who targets beautiful ladies with grey eyes with the intent to put them in his collection of dolls. Having lost his partner, Leo hunts for this psychopath on his own, with little back up.


Erotic novelist Mona Hyatt is in a rut when it comes to her writing. Preoccupied with visiting BDSM chatrooms, she gets lost in a sea of self pleasure. Unbeknownst to Mona, her and her grey eyes are the latest target to the serial killer. The only way she's going to be able to survive is if she can let herself trust Leo and submit to his protection.


I'm very happy with how the story turned out. It's got action, sex, more action, and thrills by the minute. The serial killer, Dollface, may be one of the most intriguing characters in a novel in a good long time. His demented actions and cruel nature give the story an antagonist worth rooting against.


Over the next few weeks, look for snippets here and there, as well as a cover reveal. This has been one of my most ambitious projects and I am glad that I got to share in it with Morganna.


-Jack

The Electric Mile: Nominated!

Hey people, it's Friday which normally means a Freebie Friday with Jack story. We'll get back to those next week as something really cool happened yesterday. As many of you know, The Electric Mile just came out on June 29th. Somehow, someway, it got nominated for the Summer Indie Book Awards, even though nominations ended on July 1st. How in the hell did that happen? No clue! But, as my dad once told me, ignorance is bliss.



From what I gathered in my investigation into the award, voting begins on September 1st. The awards are being hosted by Metamorph Publishing and this is the second year they are being offered. Last year, quite a few rather well known authors won in their categories along with a few undiscovered writers getting their first exposures.

I'm also quite proud to be representing the adult fiction categories. For some readers, authors who use sex and adult activities as a writing vehicle are frowned upon. I know so many of you and have read your books. They are well written and have excellent stories to go with the hanky-panky parts. Today, I plan to look over the list to see if more authors than just me were nominated. I hope so, as I want as many of us recognized for the great writing we provide.


I'm going to end today's post with a thank you to everyone. I'm not sure who nominated me, but if my book resonated with just one reader, that is more than I could've ever have hoped for.


Jack
jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Wip-It-Up Wednesday

Hey everyone! Welcome back to another great Wednesday. I hope you enjoy the two excerpts I have up for today's...



First up is a short clip from my brand new release, The Electric Mile!

I was back in the Neon Underground. This was odd. Something told me that I wasn’t supposed to be here. But I couldn’t place it. Either way, I followed the path down into the market place just to check things out. The different guns, blades, and armor that they were selling were pretty damn cool.

While I was checking out a modified pistol called a Repeater, I felt a hand touch my shoulder. Turning around, “You!”

“Welcome back, Ash,” Ira greeted me warmly. She was in charge of this place. “Though if you prefer, I can call you Vector, as the others do.”

Vector was a cool name, but when she called me Ash, it made me melt. “No, no Ash is fine.” I turned around and pointed to the Repeater. “Pretty cool firearm, huh?”

“I’m a healer; I’m not much of a frontline fighter.” She looped her arm through mine. “Come, there is much I’d like to show you.”

We went on a tour around the Neon Underground. All of this felt so much like déjà vu. She said welcome back, as if I’d been here before and met her. Had I met her? I couldn’t quite reach this fleeting memory that was drifting in the back of my mind. It was just out of reach.

Finishing up the tour at her office, “I hope everything was to your satisfaction.”

That was odd, why would I need to be consulted. “You’re doing a fine job, anyone with two eyes can see that.”

Ira gave me a small bow. “Thank you, sir. I do my best.”

“Have we met before, Ira?”

As soon as I asked the question, everything went fuzzy. When it focused back in, “I’m glad everything is up to your standards. Still, if you feel the need to discipline me…”

Her intoxicating butt, still covered by her pencil skirt, was presented to me. What was I asking again? It didn’t matter. I gently patted her ass, each pat reacting with a giggle from Ira. She looked back around, “You tease. Don’t hold back, Ash.”

If she was asking… “Okay.” No longer holding back, my hand cracked her soft ass, sending it wiggling under her skirt. God I loved that. Once more, and I listened carefully to her moans. “Is that what you needed?”

“Again,” she cooed. “I’m such a naughty girl.”

Carefully rolling up her skirt, I saw her bare ass staring at me. I inhaled the musky scent of lust from her exposed love hole. If she wanted a good spanking, she’d get one. Each time my palm connected with her, it was a well-placed, loving blow. After the fourth or fifth strike, I couldn’t help but notice how wet she’d gotten. The spanking had done its job. She was ready.

I unbuckled my pants, freeing myself. As each inch slid into her, something amazingly right washed over me. I’m not sure what it was, but it sent me straight into a far too early orgasm. But Ira never blinked. She took it all in with just a smile.

We kept going after. Every so often as I bucked my hips against her, I added a spank to her supple ass. The added contact was driving my girl crazy. Her intensity picked up, and then mine did. Soon, we were fucking like wild animals, not being able to get enough of each other’s touch.

The second orgasm was the most fulfilling sensation I’d ever had. Ira came with me, the beauty of the scene overwhelming both of us. As soon as the last drop of cum found its way into her, I went limp. Seconds later, when she finished, she joined me and we collapsed to the floor. All I could do was wrap my arms around her and bring her in close.

Ira nibbled on my ear. Then, in a low voice, “You have to go back soon.”

“What do you mean?”

A tear fell from her eye. “You have to go back.” She touched my heart. “Remember this feeling. One day, you’ll experience it again.”

****

I woke up in a cold sweat. I’d been asleep inside our tent, right outside Binary Cove. I’d been dreaming, but I couldn’t remember about what. The feeling had been so real, yet now that I was awake, I had no recollection of what happened. I sat there for a few minutes, trying to will myself into remembering. Eventually, when nothing returned to me, I laid my head back down, to finish resting up.

As my eyes shut once more, a lovely blonde woman welcomed me as I drifted back off to sleep. I dozed off in her warm embrace.

If you'd like to read the entire book, you can find it on Amazon! Just head over to my author page: www.amazon.com/author/jackcrosby

My next offering is from a title that is currently in the works with talented author, Morganna Williams. The project title is Facebook Killer and here's what we got today!

My experience with the opposite sex wasn’t all that great. From what I could tell in this room, I loved them. “I think bad girls are sexy.”

Then she did the weirdest thing. She leaned over my lap. “Bad girls are sexy. We’re even sexier when we are punished, Mister.”

The way she said Mister, it was so damn sexy. “How are bad girls punished?”

She grabbed my hand and guided it to her leather clad ass. “Spank me, Mister. Make me beg for your forgiveness.”

She wanted me to spank her? I hesitated, unsure of what to do. I rubbed the leather for a moment before an impulse overcame me. I lifted my hand high in the air and hit her ass with everything I had. Flesh met leather and it cracked like a whip. My nasty little bartender let out a moan I’d never forget.

“Mister, oh Mister, harder! You don’t know how bad I’ve been!”

At her urging, I connected again on her ass and again. With each successive crack of the hand, Mindy let out breathless sighs that told me she was very much enjoying this. Going with it, I grabbed the waist of her pants and pulled them down. There was no underwear, just a bare ass. It was getting red from the punishment.

She looked back, her grey eyes meeting mine. “You’re entering the Land of No Return. You spank me now, and you’ll never be able to give it up.”

I didn’t respond with words, I responded with the flat of my hand. The feel of her soft skin under the contact sprang my semi erection into a full blown hard-on. Seeing my handiwork against her pearly white ass was a joy in of itself.

My next crack got a bit closer to her womanhood. There was heat coming off of it. When I plunged my finger down, I could feel just how wet this made her. It only took two strokes of my middle finger to get a mine tremble from her. Feeling around some more, I ran my hand through her small tuft of hair.

Her voice was unsteady. “Mister, can you finish the job? Can you really show me whose boss?”

I picked her off my lap and placed her ass down on the couch. Her pants were around her thighs, so I pushed them down a bit further over her boots, giving me leverage to insert my throbbing erection into her. Her eyes widened as I entered, a guilty pleasure shared by the both of us in that moment.

My sense of horniness took over. There’d be no slow build up, there’d only be maximum pleasure at warp speed. I don’t know how long it took, not long I am sure, for me to dump all of my seed into Mindy’s precious womb. On the second rope, the feeling of my cum against her brought her to her orgasm point and she let loose a wild scream as her body succumbed to mine.

When we were finished, she looked over at me. With satisfaction in her eyes, “You’ve made me yours, Mister.”

Jack

jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Friday Freebie with Jack #2 - Enter the Crusades!

Who is ready for the second part of our story? I know I am.

Enter the Crusades!

“This place is creepy as hell,” I said to Khloros as we entered.

And not just from the smell of demons. The dead, they were restless here and the Reaper walking in was like an invitation to come out. These souls weren’t properly put to rest. They were given half rites, causing them to be trapped on this realm. My heart went out to them. Eventually, I would need to take care of this.

Unfortunately, that moment wasn’t right now. With War out giving into his need to slaughter things, I was left alone in this mausoleum crawling with demons. And the first batch to slaughter just arrived.

Imps, fifty to sixty imps shot out of one of the tombs along the wall. “Khloros,” I sighed. “It never ends…”

“That it doesn’t, Death.”

Imps are the lowest of the low in terms on demonic hierarchy. Think cockroaches with buggier eyes, really. As the army of imps flew, crawled, flopped towards me, Leviathan joined the party, as well as my celestial fire. This wasn’t going to be pretty.

The blade of the scythe met the first wave of poor assholes as they got into range. The familiar squish and splat associated with popping imp heads filled the air. Khloros, a bit more refined than I was, charged into groups of imps, using his hooves like a fighter would use his fists. He was getting pretty good at that.

The imp slaughter went on for a bit longer. I’ll save you the glory details, but the residents of the mausoleum weren’t pleased that their pristine marble home was being covered in guts, slime, and black, tar-like blood. Oh well, they were dead, they shouldn’t even be here.

As the last imp was sent to the Pit, someone began clapping. “Bravo, what a spectacular show put on by a wonderful showman.”

There was a stairwell that led down, deeper into the tomb off to the east end of the building. That’s where our new friend had risen from, a very large Wrath demon. “I aim to entertain,” I replied back with some snark.

“Forgive me, horseman.” The Wrath demon gave me an exaggerated bow. “I am General Markos, liege to the Arch Demon Baal.”

Great, this just wasn’t any old demonic shindig, this involved Baal. To give you an idea, Baal’s feared even amongst the angels, second only to Beelzebub in Lucifer’s fallen court. If he was here…

“My master sends his regards to any who try to oppose his plan,” Markos went on. “That would seem to include you, Reaper.”

Knowing an Arch Demon wasn’t underground waiting for me, I felt a little better. Still, I had a very impressive looking Wrath demon to take care of. “It’s a shame your master sent you. I do hope you enjoy your journey to the Pit, courtesy of yours truly.”

He unhooked the axe on his back and with my scythe, the two instruments of killing met in a shower of sparks.

----

As always, come back next Friday and we will see what old Death gets himself into once again. Until next week!

Oh and make sure you check out Morganna Williams and her blog, as her Friday Freebie will be up later today: www.morgannawilliams.com

Jack

jack.crosby25@gmail.com



Annoucement: The Electric Mile

So team, big announcement today. Earlier this year I had a book called The Electric Mile up on Amazon for a cup of coffee before pulling it down for various reasons. Today, I'm happy to report that The Electric Mile is back in business all thanks to the good people at Baronet Press Publishing. Casey McKay and her team have been fantastic to work with and I couldn't be happier that they took a chance with a story that I consider to be one of my finest.


With its release right around the corner, what I'd like to share with you guys today is the awesome cover that their designer, Craig, came up with for the book.

To me, this perfectly captures the video game like feel that the plot line has.

Before I go, I wanted to bring back the playlist I listened to while writing this book. Some of you might remember it from before, but for those who are new, here's the 14 song mix-tape I created to jam out to while dropping some words on pages:

The Electric Mile Soundtrack

Thunderstruck - AC/DC

Bring Me to Life - Evanescence

Stairway to Heaven - Led Zepplin

Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne

Creep - Radiohead

Here I Go Again - White Snake

War Pigs - Black Sabbath

Slow Ride - Foghat

Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum

Showdown - Electric Light Orchestra

Baba O'Riley - The Who

Volunteers - Jefferson Airplane

The Unforgiven - Metallica

Through the Fire and Flames - Dragonforce

I encourage you to get those songs through legal means and when you grab your copy here soon, jam out just like I did.

Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow for the second part of the Friday Freebies with Jack, as we continue looking into the past of Derrick Grimm, aka Death!

Jack

jack.crosby25@gmail.com



Friday Freebie with Jack #1 - Enter the Crusades!

Welcome friends to the brand new segment I was rambling about earlier in the week. We kick off the series getting in the way-back machine and heading to the Crusades. Death (not Derrick this time around) has his hands full with his brother, War. Let the shenanigans ensue!

Enter the Crusades #1

The Crusades – humans creating conflict for the sake of killing each other. Why War and I were called to duty over any more than capable angel was beyond me, but alas, here we were. Nothing made me more irritated than being called away from my all day and night party life than to be paired up with War. The guy could suck the fun out of a Bacchus inspired orgy if given the chance. And he would never be given the chance.

And you’d think that’d be the worst of it! Nope, just a few weeks earlier we ran afoul of a being called Vlad he Impaler. A demon-infused vampyre, War and I barely escaped that mess. But that’s a story for another time. Nope, we were in the midst of a battle against the Turks. This was more of a human problem than a divine problem, but Michael asked us to continue all for one reason: to gain the Spear of Longinus.

The spear was one of the holiest of relics out there. War and I originally got involved in the Crusades due to the pushback against the church. Demons were influencing the other side and the power of the horsemen was needed to draw them out and slay the unholy creatures. But, with the discovery of the spear, this became priority number one.

Night had fallen and while trying to sneak away, the battle found us. So here we were, engaged with numerous Turks alongside the Christian warriors. “This is great fun,” War shouted in Latin.

“You’re idea of fun is so foolishly skewed!”

On top of my best friend and horse, Khloros, the two of us followed War and his steed, Pyrrha. With his great sword, War sliced down two charging Turks with the greatest of ease. This left me little to do, which was okay. I felt ridiculous in the Crusader get-up and bringing out Leviathan, my scythe, would look a bit suspicious.

War continued to wade towards the battle and not the mausoleum where we were needed. “War,” I scolded. “Enough of the battle; we need to go to the spear.”

“Death, you are no fun,” he countered. I was a ton of fun, just not in battle situations. “Just allow me the pleasure. Go get the spear yourself.”

If he was going to be a flaming dick, fine. “Do whatever you want. I have a task to accomplish.” With that, I turned Khloros and we sped off towards the mausoleum.

“Death, was it best to leave our back-up behind?” Khloros asked.

It wasn’t like I was given much of a choice. “War will grow tired and rejoin us.” Even as I said it, I wasn’t all the confidient with the prediction. “We must remember who he is.”

Khloros accepted the answer as we continued. With the wind out our backs, we made excellent time getting to our location. The grand stone mausoleum stuck out like a sore thumb. I hopped off Khloros and checked out the entrance door. The thick stone sealed in whatever secrets the mausoleum was intent on hiding. Fortunately I had the key.

My celestial fire blazed into action and with two well-placed strikes of the ghostly grey chains that formed, the entranceway was clear. And the awful smell of demonic brimstone rushed out, filling my nose with the ill-fated warning.

Looking back at Khloros, “It seems we’re not to be alone.”

------

Well that was fun! Be sure to check out my friend and fellow author, Morganna Williams, blog for her free Friday story: www.morgannawilliams.com

See ya next week!

Jack

jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Roxanne Short Story - Red With Lust

Greetings my fellow humanoids. I hope you had a great Christmas and have some cool plans for New Years. Me, I'm going to chillax in Chicago as I am off for the rest of the year!! No need to tell me it is only 4 days, I will take my vacation and run.


So, my tag team project with Morganna Williams has been very well received. The Primal Heat/Merciless: A Pirate's Tale combo platter is up on Amazon and neither of us realized just how popular it would be. Well, when something is good, you keep running with it. Morganna asked me if I had another Grimm's Reapers tale to tell and, naturally, I did. So with her next novella that'll be released right at the kick off to 2017, Roxanne is coming back for more.


In the short story, Red With Lust, our favorite demon has been tasked with assassinating JFK. What happens next is a tale that sends us from the east coast to the heart of Texas as we follow her adventure. By the conclusion, you'll know a lot more about her and how she came to be in Derrick Grimm's (aka Death) life.


Real quick, The Witch Wars Volume 2 is coming along nicely - should be an early 2017 release there. Plus, my other new(ish) book, The Electric Mile is free this week. You should grab it at www.amazon.com/author/jackcrosby. Video games, hot ladies, and a wacky plot that makes little sense? What's not to love?! And finally, me and some dude named CG Blade are up to no good with the Grimm's Reapers series. I am super stoked to continue to work with that mad genius. Just don't tell him I complemented him, okay? Good.


That's all I got party people. Have a safe and great New Years and I will see you in 2017.


-Jack
jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Working with Morganna Williams

As I get back into the swing of things, I had a tempting offer happen this week. Good friend of Crosby Entertainment, Morganna Williams approached me to put two of our short stories together and give readers a chance to get to know us. A lot of you are familiar with my short - Merciless: A Pirate's Tale, which is the story that I offered her.


Well, Morganna, her work is unique. She writes in the sub-genre called spanko-erotica. Her books are fun, action packed, and highly good time reads. I wanted to fit in a bit with that, so I upgraded Merciless just for this opportunity. Adding in the same elements she uses, Merciless: The Bad Girls Edition is now out as a bonus story in her book, Primal Heat. You can pick it up over at Amazon, of course!



Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZ047ST/


Before we go today, I figured it'd be best to give a little sample of the novel, a bit from each story. Please enjoy!


-Jack


Merciless: The Bad Girls Edition

Cooing in my ear, “Oh captain! What a magnificent sword you have! Slay me like the evil vixen I am…”

Bless her, the dirty talk in my ear softly made the situation that much more unbearable. She locked her ankles around my back to keep me from going far as I grinded myself deep inside her. Roxanne loved it the dirty little girl. Something in her eyes though drove me to do something even more. I pulled out and turned her over on my desk. “Bad girls get a jolly old lashing.” I took my hand across her ass, hard.

Quicker than I could’ve imagined, she had me on my back and her eyes were like embers. “I will pardon you once, Captain, but do that again and I will disembowel you on the spot.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Primal Heat

“All right little girl, it’s time for some answers,” a grumbling voice above her said sternly. Kyra squinted trying to adjust her eyes to the sudden bright light. He came into focus about the same time his scent hit her, wrapping around her comfortingly.

Shit! It was her mate…hell no…she was getting out of dodge immediately. Kyra had no plans to mate at all in her future.

She sprang from the trunk with a lithe grace the unknown shifter wasn’t expecting and spun to face him with a glare. Her hair was coming loose from its moorings and hanging rather haphazardly around her face and her glasses were at an odd angle, but she raised her hands in front of her ready to knock him for a six if he came at her.

“You can’t just go around kidnapping people!” she yelled.

“Don’t give me that line sweetheart. You paid me 4k to kidnap you and give you a fantasy weekend,” he told her with a little growl.

Kyra refused to let the big ox intimidate her, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard; you’re clearly delusional. I insist you let me go this instant or face criminal charges.”

“Stupid? Delusional? You better stop while you’re ahead little girl. I like a little role play on occasion but you aren’t going to get away pretending this whole scheme wasn’t your idea to begin with,” he told her firmly as he stalked towards her. “Now, would you care to explain to me why any of this was…oomph”

She stopped his words by rushing him and ramming her tied hands up into his chin while kicking him hard in the groin simultaneously. Unfortunately, she hadn’t checked her momentum and ended up knocking him on his ass with her sitting on top of him.

Free Books

Morning everyone.  Have you entered your name into the "Become a Character" contest yet?  We've still got plenty of time and there's already sixteen entrants.  Get your name and reason in ASAP.


So, the title of the blog gives this away - there are free books to be had.  Being the company man that I am, and owing a lot to Jeff and Jeremy, I feel the need to hawk their wears today.  Plus, one of them includes a short story written by me, so it's not all totally shilling out.


Twisted and Sinful Stories - The Anthology (This one has my story in it)


https://www.amazon.com/Twisted-Sinful-Stories-Morganna-Williams-ebook/dp/B01FWZYU26/


Jimmy Blades: The Puck Stops Here


https://www.amazon.com/Puck-Stops-Here-Blades-Season-ebook/dp/B01CDIUJGQ/


The Curse of Oberon (The Inglewood Chronicles Book 3)


https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Oberon-Inglewood-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B01BRG9GCI/


There you have it.  3 books for free, so go and grab them.  At the very least it'll help the download numbers, and that'll make us all happy.


-Jack
jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Witch Wars #2 and Contest Time

Hey guys, what's good? Me? I've been slumming it up in hotels along the eastern seaboard the past few weeks as the family business is in full swing. However, I've begun drafting the second book in the Witch Wars series, so that's good right?


Haven't read the first book yet? For shame padawan, for shame! It picks up from the conclusion of the Grimm's Reapers series and stars Death's kid Oz. Do you need to read the first series? No, you can enjoy Witch Wars without previously readings any of my books, but if you do, you'll catch a lot of cameos and inside jokes.


So yeah, number 2 is in the outline phase. I might not be able to make this deadline, but I'm hoping for a Halloween delivery date, as that seems really appropriate. But you know what; you guys can help me out. Keep reading to see how.


If you've followed me for awhile, you'll know in the last series, Sabrina was named after a reader who won a contest. So, we're bringing it back. While I'm on the road, I'd love to get some reader email stating your case why you should be a character. Could be just five words or it could be fifteen paragraphs, either way state your case.


On August 21st , I'll pick a winner (or two) and then on the following Monday I'll release the names on the blog here. You need my email address? Yeah, that'd help - jack.crosby25@gmail.com.


Good luck everyone and I look forward to reading your shenanigans!


-Jack

The Witch Wars: Character Dossier #2 - Cassandra Zane (along with cover reveal)

Real name - Cassandra Zane
Age - 21
Species - Witch
Skills - Control over the elements, seduction, critical thinking skills
RPG Classification - Black mage


Notes:


Cassandra Zane is the other Zane Twin that was recruited by Merlin to oppose Morgan Le Fey.  Unlike her brother, she was born a witch and as such, has control of a great many elements.  Her spells are varied by color - if you see black fire appear in her hands, run!


Another gift of hers is dream premonitions.  In her case, she has just one; a vision of her and the Son of Death Oz hand in hand defeating Morgan Le Fey.  Because of this and her insistence that Oz is the key, Merlin reluctantly allows her and Caspian to venture out into the realm of humans to find him.


Much like her brother, Cassandra has no wish to discuss her parents or whatever happened to them so many years ago.  The Zanes' parents are a great mystery, one neither Twin is looking to rehash.


Look for more from Cassandra soon as The Witch Wars: Jacoby's Revenge is churning up for its big release.  But before we go, how about a cover huh?  It only seems appropriate to release this on the day I spotlight Cassandra:

-Jack
jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Excerpt of Merciless - A Grimm's Reapers Short Story

Last week, Merciless - A Grimm's Reapers Short Story was released as part of an anthology.  A few of you wanted a sneak peak at the book to see what I was exactly up to.  Well, you can't say I'm not a man of the people.  So here it is!  Enjoy!


-Jack
jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Chapter 1 – Ahoy Matey

“Cappin’ Fletch, we got a vessel approachin’ we do.”

I pulled out my brass spyglass and looked in the direction First Mate Anders pointed in.  Sur enough, off the portside of the ship was a merchant cruiser.  “Anders, get the boys ready.  We got ourselves a pay day coming!”

Anders looked alive.  “Aye aye cappin’!”

The short man scurried off to rouse the crew.  I knew my band of bloodthirsty animals would be willing and ready to do whatever it took to capture that ship.  With that in mind, I retreated below deck to my quarters to grab my pistol and blade.  None were as feared on these waters as me, Captain Argus Fletcher.  Though those who knew me just referred to me as Captain Fletch, the Merciless.

When I returned topside, Oggles was steering my ship, The Black Cat, towards our target.  “Get us in range of the long cannon.  I want to make a good first impression.”

He gave me a lumpy look and spun the wheel hard.  As the ship turned, I looked down and screamed, “Prepare the Cat’s Tail!  I want these merchants to cower in fear.”

The Douglas Triplets signaled at my command and began preparations.  The thrill of the chase and capture was on.  I returned to the highest point, ready to watch everything play out.  The Black Cat was the fastest pirate ship on the Eastern Seas.  I had no fear that my target would escape.

The winds favored us this day, blowing hard with the ship, allowing us to gain great ground.  Through the spyglass, I could now see their captain shouting orders to his crew.  I couldn’t read lips, but I gathered he was giving them orders to prepare to be boarded and to protect their cargo.  Good – I never liked it when sailors gave up without so much of a fight.

“Prepare to fire!”  It was one of the Douglas Triplets, but I didn’t know their individual names.  Hell, I didn’t care to be honest.  “Fire in the hole!”

A few seconds later and the water rocked with the sounds of the Cat’s Tail.  The long cannon sent its ammunition towards the other ship and the aim was true.  The iron ball shattered their main mast, leaving them a downed duck in the water.  With nowhere to go, it was time to fight.

In no time, our ship caught up to theirs and the boarding party was ready.  I joined the team and tossed the first rope across.  No one wanted to be the first, but if the captain was willing, his crew was inspired.  At six foot one and close to two hundred pounds, I had little fear of being overpowered.  Two sailors rushed me as soon as my feet touched down on their wooden deck.  I shot one in the chest with my pistol and engaged the other with my sword.

He was skilled no doubt, his sword play kept me on my feet.  As we were dueling, my crew stormed forward and fights were breaking out everywhere.

Parrying away the sailor’s blow, “You have good form.  It’s a shame it won’t serve you much longer.”

“Fuck off ye bugger!”  He lunged with a jab, leaving himself wide open for a counter.

I slapped away the attack and sliced him from chest to hip.  Shock appeared on his face and for good measure, I kicked him overboard.  The amount of blood rushing out of him would no doubt attract sharks to complete nature’s cycle.  With that attacker out of the way, I continued forward.

Hacking down opponent after opponent brought me face to face with the captain.  He was an older man, chiseled hard from a life at sea.  “So, you be Fletch the Merciless eh?”

“That am I captain.  Command your crew to stand down and no more need to become chum in the water.”

He had a duty to his employers, but dead men have no masters.  “Aye, we’ll stand down.”  He hollered his directive to the crew and each of them after a moment laid their weapons down.  “The ship is yours.”

I circled my finger in the air, giving my crew notice to take everything of value.  “Your mast is broke but Sannigel Island is not but a day’s row from here.  Send for help.”

“Merciless they say, yet you’re giving me a chance to live.”  He looked on skeptically.  “What’s in this for you?”

I did a quick count; he had about ten survivors left on his ship.  “You spread the word about my pirate crew.  Your recollection of this attack will strengthen my grip on the Eastern Seas and leave no question what ship is the most dangerous.”

He comprehended my wishes.  A pirate’s reputation is his calling card.  Having fear before we even come into view is a victory in itself.  With this captain telling his story, mine would increase tenfold.

When we had plundered all we could, my crew returned to The Black Cat, all except for me.  “What is your name captain?”

“Levenworth.  What’s it matter to you?”

I would commit that name to memory.  “Whether you believe it or not, you’ve made a friend today Levenworth.  I appreciate a man who is honorable, but knows when to yield.”

As I returned to my ship, I gave one last glance to the disabled ship floating.  The crew would have to wait a bit; three great whites were fighting over the remains of the body I sent to the depths.  Once the sharks left, they would be clear to row to help.  They may call me Merciless, but I’m no heathen.

Chapter 2 – The Hurricane

We made good time returning back to Lost Haven, the pirate port town at the far reaches of the Eastern Seas.  Few pirates called this port home, which made it perfect for me.  My crew, filled with pride after a successful raid, stormed off the ship to their favorite watering holes.  As for me, I still needed to add up the total haul and plot our next course.

A strange wind blew across the deck of The Black Cat.  I wandered out of my quarters to take measure of the breeze.  As soon as the wind buffered my face, I had a very ill feeling.  “Mother Nature, you wicked vixen!  It is far too early in the season for a hurricane.”

I’d been on the seas far too long to be surprised by any occurrence.  Still, spring was no time for weather like this to whip up – unless there was something supernatural behind it.  The seas were filled with hidden spirits and monster alike.  Though what would cause this to happen, well even that was beyond my purview.

Based on the speed and direction, we maybe had five to six hours before the powerful storm hit the island.  That was plenty of time to get the ship ready, even if I could only scrounge up two or three of the crew.

“Cappin’!  I have ill feelings in me bones.”

I located the source of the voice, Anders.  The first mate was as reliable as any could be.  “I’m glad you returned Anders.  We need to get The Cat prepared.  I’ll begin the preparations while you go get some of the crew.”

He gave me a half drunken salute and ran off into the streets.  In no more time than it took me to get the first mast tied down, Anders returned with the Douglas Triplets and Oliver, our youngest member.  They needed no direction and the five of them went to work like busy bees tending to The Cat.  In less than an hour’s time, we finished and were off ship.

The Black Cat had been my ship since the previous captain wiled it to me.  Long John Shanks was my mentor to the pirate game, but he succumbed to a bad case of the plague.  Shanks had no reservations about eating suspect meats and drinking spoiled wine and it caught up to him.  I wouldn’t make the same mistakes.

With the ship secure, I sent the crew back into the night for more debauchery.  The tavern life never really suited me, but this evening called for a drink.  I followed the cobblestone street up to the last establishment in town, Whore’s Tap.

The name was very misleading; there were no whores in the bar.  The keep, Finnegan, was an old Irishman who was hiding from the Royal Navy.  He preferred to be left alone, hence the bad advertisement.  I too enjoyed the quiet, so we bonded over quality ale and lack of spoken word.

My second ale had been poured when another entered the establishment.  It was a lady, but she wasn’t dressed like a proper wench at all.  She wore an open tan shirt with leather pants and proper pirate boots.  Attached to her belt was a long thing sword, a rapier I believe they’re called.  She took off her hat and put up one finger.  Without a word, she sat down next to me.

Red hair cascaded down her pale face.  There was something of amusement in her eyes as she kept gaining my attention.  After her first sip of ale, “Argus Fletcher, I’ve been watching you.”

I tipped my cup towards her and drank as well.  “Well met my lady.  And who do I have the pleasure of sharing a beer with?”

Her laugh was angelic, not fitting her figure at all.  “Honestly, I doubt you’d believe me.  For the meantime, please just call me Roxanne.”

To Be Conitinued in Merciless!

Get the story: https://www.amazon.com/Twisted-Sinful-Stories-Morganna-Williams-ebook/dp/B01FWZYU26



Monthly Update

You've probably been wondering where your good pal Jack's been huh?  Well, to keep it short, I've been just about everywhere the past few weeks.  The IT consulting firm my dad and I started is really picking up steam, so my day job has been robbing me of opportunities to write.  Honestly, it could be awhile before my next book comes out and for that I apologize.


Now don't be mad at me as I offer some exciting news.  An original short story entitled Merciless will soon be available as part of an anthology on the Kindle.  Everyone's favorite Lust demon is coming back for a pirate tale for the ages.  The main character Captain Argus Fletcher will be the human she's helping out this time and it's full of cannons, cutlasses, and orgies.  The anthology will be out in May sometime, so as soon as I know for sure, I'll relay it to you.


Well that's it for now.  If you're looking for another bad review taken to task, I hit the road on Friday so cross your fingers that tomorrow might be a Good Day to One Star.


-Jack
jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Feast or Famine Q & A

Dudes and dudettes, you sent me a lot of questions this time around.  I ended up sorting through what I had on Monday night for my top 5 and answering them last night so I could get them up today.  Real quick, there are a lot of spoilers coming, so if you haven't finished this book in the series, I would recommend coming back when you did.  Now on to your questions.


Q1 - Sabrina is one powerful and evil girl.  How do you see her playing out in the last book?


A1 - I don't want to give a lot away, but she maintains her hatred for her mother all the way through.  That hate, because of Roxanne's betrayal to Beelzebub defines her really.  The fun thing is when you see how she treats Jacoby, it'll go a long way in defining her character.


Q2 - This was by far your best writing effort to date.  As an author, what do you do to keep improving your writing?


A2 - With Death Among Us, I tried to do everything myself.  It was my first effort and I didn't want anyone to help me because I didn't want to lose the integrity of the story.  I learned that's not a good thing.  In Old War Stories, I had Jeff and Jeremy help me a lot plus I got a few Beta readers.  Getting Sarah, my English teacher turned editor friend on board was a big boon too.  Then with Feast or Famine, I took everything I learned from my first two attempts and really fine tuned them.  I'm sure there are still issues here and there, but I hope it reads smoothly.


Q3 - You dirty son of a gun, you brought Roxanne back into the fold.  Was that because of peer pressure or was that always the plan?


A3 - Roxanne is my favorite character bar none.  The journey she goes on from the start of the series to the finish is one that has a lot of bumps in it.  I wanted her character to be the one that experienced the most growth, yet also got the most emotional connection from readers.  I know her "death" in Old War Stories pissed a lot of people off, but that's good.  I did my job as a writer by creating a character people love.


Q4 - Will we see more Lucifer?  The scenes with Derrick dealing with him were awesome.


A4 - Minor spoiler here - his role in the story is just about finished.  He does come back in Divide and Conquest briefly, but it's not a huge role.  As you'll see, he's going to have a lot of other problems going on.


Q5 - I'm going to ask it but I don't expect an answer.  Oz and Jacoby, there going to be the focus moving forward right?


A5 - A lot of people wanted to know about the step brothers and their roles.  As you know, Oz is with Derrick and Roxanne while Jacoby grew up with Sabrina.  Their different upbringings will play a huge focus in their individual stories, but as the end of the day, Grimm's Reapers is about Derrick Grimm.  That said, what the future holds after this series, well that can be up for debate.


Thanks for everyone and their curiosity.  Divide and conquest is out now, so feel free to grab the last book in the series and see what the future is going to hold.


-Jack
jack.crosby25@gmail.com

Grimm Comes Early - to a Kindle Near You!

First off I need to give a shout out and a huge thank you to my friend Sarah and her husband Doug.  Over the past few days the two of them have hung out at my apartment while Sarah and I finished editing and revising Divide and Conquest.  We really wanted to get the book finished earlier for you guys, so a few long nights with beer and pizza and whammy!  As of last night, D & C is ready for upload.


My goal today is to get all the small stuff taken care of - keywords, description, and pricing set so I can upload the final product.  Look for book 4 to be out as sooner as maybe tomorrow afternoon.


That doesn't mean I'm going to cheap out on the chapter 2 preview, no way.  Plus I already have a ton of emails about both Derrick and book 3, Feast or Famine.  So on with the show as the say, and enjoy chapter 2.

Chapter 2 – The Treaty

The two of us were whipped into a frenzy.  If Jacoby and Balrog were here, that meant Sabrina was close by too.  Philadelphia was my city and if she was here, I’d find her.  Just as I was about to storm the city, Roxanne grabbed my arm.  “Derrick, what about Oz?  He could be in danger.”

Father of the year goes to me, the guy who forgot his own child in a fit of bloodlust.  “Shit, you’re right.  We’ll have to split up, one of us goes and gets him while the other starts hunting down any leads.”

“She’s my daughter; I’ll track her down.”

There was no talking Roxanne out of this.  Especially after what Sabrina did to her in Iran all those years ago.  “Fine, but take Khloros too.  I’ll feel better if you’re with him.”

I tossed her the keys which she caught with a deft hand.  With determination, she got into the driver’s seat and Khloros’s engine roared to life.  Together the two of them were pretty good.  My fear of something bad happening went down… slightly.

I headed up the street in the direction of Oz’s friend Jesse’s house.  Call me a bad parent again, but I never met Jesse’s parents, just the boy himself.  He was a redheaded kid with leprechaun like eyes, aka, he looked like he was always about to get into trouble.  However, the two of them never did, so I was cool with them hanging out.

Not really paying much attention as I turned the corner, a large blast of brimstone hit me.  I stopped in my tracks – it was still early afternoon and the streets were full of walkers and bystanders.  Where in the blue blazes was that smell coming from?  I looked all around me, trying not to look like a nut job, finding it hard to pinpoint the epicenter of the brimstone.

As my gaze came back around closer, boom there it was.  Sitting on the other side of the glass in a coffee shop was none other than Belial.  An Arch-Demon right here in downtown Philly having a drink of coffee.  What next?

He motioned at me to come in and join him.  I was still quite worried about Oz, but remembering this thing called a cell phone, I shot him a quick text.  ‘Hey, it’s dad.  Let me know you’re okay.’

Stuffing my phone back in my pocket, I opened the door and went to meet a demon.  No one else seemed to notice what was amongst them; the other patrons were happily drinking their brews and listening to hippy music.  I sat down across from Belial and a young girl asked me if I wanted anything.  “Yeah, can I get just a regular coffee with some sugar?”

She took my order and left.  Biting my lip as to not unleash a tirade of profanity, “Strange day isn’t it?”

He straightened the tie under his jacket.  “If you mean this meeting between the two of us, then yes.  If you’re talking about the witch who is toying with you, than no.”  His voice rumbled like a bass drum.

Demons always had a high fashion sense.  Nothing like me and my board shorts and unbuttoned plaid shirt.  “If you have something to say, just get on with it.”

He took a sip of his coffee, his black eyes never leaving me.  “You have been out of touch for a long time Reaper.  There is much information you need to know.”

I looked back at my phone, nothing yet from Oz.  “Listen, I don’t have all day…”

“Patience Death, your son is out of harm’s way.  Lucifer himself is seeing to that while we speak.”

My phone buzzed; I got a message back from Oz that everything was A-Okay.  I swallowed hard.  “What cares does Lucifer have with my boy or me for that matter?”

The Arch-Demon snapped his fingers and everyone all at once left the coffee shop, including the staff.  The last guy on the way out flipped the sign from open to closed.  Locking the door, just the two of us were left.  “A war is coming, one that has not been seen in millennia.” 

He brushed his hand over the table and it lit up.  It was a map of Hell.  “The witch Sabrina has conquered Beelzebub’s and Astaroth’s old territories.  Baal is currently fighting her off as we speak, but it does not look good for him.”

“By war, are we talking Armageddon?  Have the seals been broken?”

He shook his head.  “No, the seals are intact.  This is a war not predicted by any of the prophets.  This is a war against the Celestials.”

Celestials – angels, demons, Horsemen.  “Sabrina is out to wipe us all off the playing field.”

“Yes, that is her goal, from what we can tell.”  By his look, I got the feeling the other shoe was about to drop.  “In the midst of the fighting in Hell, a small platoon broke off and invaded Eden.”

I ran a hand through my hair.  “What happened?”

“The battle took place last night.  From what I understand it was a small skirmish involving the Minotaur King, Balrog, an unknown demon clad in black versus the three Horsemen and a squadron of angels.”  The unknown black demon had to be Jacoby.  “The fighting stopped when Balrog broke off a piece of the Tree of Life and the Horseman Conquest was captured.”

“My brother, captured?!”  Rage washed over me and I flipped over the nearest table.  “FUCK!”

Belial stay calmed and continued to drink his coffee.  “The worst part is they sealed Eden shut.  War and Famine are trapped there until the seal can be reversed.”

“Where did they take Conquest?”

“An angel by the name of Veronica located him early this morning.  He is in an old prison in Russia called the Gulag.  There is quite the force keeping that place under guard.”

“Isn’t the Gulag controlled by angels?”

He tried to smile, but I could tell it was bad news.  “Sabrina has taken it over.  She started a mutiny amongst the prisoners and killed what forces of Heaven tried to resist.”  He gave a halfhearted stir of his coffee.  “Most of those creatures were vile enough that Hell wasn’t even sorry to see them captured.”

I fell back into my seat.  Not really caring too much, “And the piece of the Tree of Life?  What did they need that for?”

For the first time this whole meeting, Belial shifted uncomfortably.  “She wishes to do something only Beelzebub dreamed of – invade Heaven.”

“Isn’t that something you all can get behind?  I mean, that sounds like an Arch-Demon scheme.”

The Arch-Demon seemed to be taking his time on this one.  “Arch-Demons like to talk a rather big game, but we know going after the Almighty would end poorly for us.  This is not a battle to be taken lightly.”

“So if your territories fall, with the minor demons follow her lead?”

“Depending on how she gains control, there is a good possibility she could marshal the troops of Hell into invading Heaven.”

Foolish demons, always wanting to kill things.  “Hopefully this isn’t a problem we need to worry about.  When I free Conquest from the Gulag, we can go from there.”

I got the sense from him that our meeting was coming to an end.  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a scroll.  As soon as he placed it on the table, it rolled out for me to read.  “This is a treaty, signed by all remaining Arch-Demons in blood with Lucifer as witness.  We propose peace between us and the Horsemen in exchange for help.”

Very carefully, I read over the scroll, written in a very ancient dialect of Ozkavosh, or the Demon Language.  There were no catches, hooks, or fine print.  These guys must’ve really been up shit creek without a paddle.  “So in exchange for getting rid of Sabrina, you guys leave me alone for good?”

“It is as you say Death.”  He pointed to an empty space below their signatures.  “If you sign the treaty in blood as well, we will honor the peace agreement immediately, only to be broken if you fail or choose not to finish your bargain.”

I pulled out Leviathan and brought my weapon to life.  Using the edge of the blade, I nicked my finger drawing blood.  In the space below, I put my name with theirs.  “Our interest is mutual in this venture.  This job will be far from easy and without help, it will take some time.”

“We know, that is why we’ve given no end date to the contract.”  Well wasn’t that thoughtful of them?  “However, do not come for us for help.  As our kingdoms are under siege, our forces must remain.”

I wasn’t counting on that anyway.  What did bother me is where Sabrina got her force from.  “How did she gather an army so quickly?”

“It has been fifteen years Death!  I know in terms of our lifespans, that is but a blink of the eye, but to gather an army?  It was more than enough time.”

He paced around the table.  “She started off by enslaving most of the minor demons, the Minotaurs, the Nyxes, and the Yeti just to name a few.”  All powerful beings, that was for sure.  “She claimed her birthright by taking the throne of Beelzebub’s kingdom and inherited his force.  Then with the conquering of Astaroth’s former kingdom, her force expanded yet again.”

I saw where this was going and why Hell’s services were out of the question.  “I got a few friends I can still call on, I think.”  Besides Khloros and Roxanne, there was a certain Pride demon that I fought beside once before I thought of.  “But my first order of business is to break my brother out of the Gulag.”

“Going there will cause you to face your greatest fear, so I caution you to beware.”  He snapped his fingers and the closed sign on the door flipped over to open.  In only a matter of time, humans would be returning to the café.

The scroll rolled back up and flew into Belial’s hand.  “But that’s what we expected from you.”  He looked at the watch on his left wrist.  “I’ve been away from my kingdom for long enough and must return to shore up the defense.  Good luck Reaper, in both endeavors.  You will need it.”

-Jack
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