May, 1922

  Silver Dollar clutched her head, because it ached in quite an awful fashion, but the pain soon faded. She’d been attempting to kill a human on Earth, who’d been eliminating her men, but she hadn’t realized the lone wolf of a private detective had finally found himself a partner, who’d hit Silver Dollar from behind.

  She was in one of the high-rise apartments of the Lust district of Castigation City. Since her rank was rather high, it was fairly nice, with a bed that featured a furred blanket, a little desk to one side and a big, full-length mirror, which helped her look her best.

  She wore what was currently fashionable on Earth, including a knee-length dress in a light blue shade and a bell-like cloche hat. Her hair was bobbed, further completing the impression of a flapper. She also wore a necklace that appeared to be made from five silver dollars, though, like her humanoid form and clothes, it was merely a glamour, a physical illusion. The one at the center showed Lady Liberty’s face, while the other four displayed the eagle.

  She rose from the bed, which was where she’d left Hell from. She stepped over to the mirror, which had been enchanted for communication. She was intent on managing her small empire from home for a time, because it wasn’t easy to find a sinful human mind that was both compatible with her own and near her power base; most of the madams in New York City had already been replaced by other demons.

  She reached out to her minions over the course of the next few weeks, disturbed by reports of her every stronghold on Earth getting raided by a mysterious child that had the powers of a demon.

  With a look of embarrassment and some fear, Silver Dollar looked on the mirror, which displayed nothing, because the one at the opposite end had been covered by a black cloth.

  “Master, are you there?” She asked, “It’s your servant, Silver Dollar.”

  “Give me a report on your current operation.” The business-like voice was male and familiar, definitely the Master.

  She wished she could see his face, but he often kept his mirror covered and only allowed her to see him when she’d done well. Silver Dollar craved that more than anything else, because she was obsessed with the Master. She wasn’t entirely sure, because it wasn’t a common experience in Hell, but she suspected she was in love with him. As it was, she fawned over his every word and feared to disappoint him, because she worried she might never see his face again.

  She bowed her head and shed a few tears, “I must report complete failure at my infiltration mission. I’ve lost Lust’s favor and I’m likely to be sent back into the streets, because the detective I’ve been telling you about has a new partner, who’s very strong. She caught me by surprise and shattered my skull with brute strength. After that, she began systematically wiping out my operations on Earth, guided to them by the detective.”

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  “What’s the detective’s name?” The Master asked, quite calmly, which was very surprising, “I should note such a strong human and put a bounty on his head.”

  “Reggie Stewart.”

  “I’ve heard of him and he already has a high bounty. I suppose I’ll have to add fifty souls to it.” The Master mused, still surprisingly calm, “What of his new partner?”

  Silver Dollar trembled, “She’s a child with the strength of a demon, but lacks our scent. She looks ten years old, with brown hair, blue eyes that reflect light like a cat’s and a tendency to wear black. I know nothing else, aside from the fact she made my best men look foolish.”

  “That one is a wildcard, to say the least.” The Master chuckled, “I don’t blame you, because it was just rotten luck and there’s nothing you could have done different.” Relief washed through Silver Dollar as the Master went on, “Fortunately, where you failed, others have succeeded.”

  “You’re more merciful than I deserve, Master! I praise and adore you for your kindness!”

  “Yes, yes, of course.” The Master seemed pleased, “Since your mission has concluded and you’re about to be ousted from Lust’s ranks, I have another mission in mind for you.”

  “Yes?” Silver Dollar spoke with excitement.

  “You may not like it, because it will be exceedingly difficult, but it is vitally important.”

  “I would do anything for you, Master!” Silver Dollar enthused, “You have but to ask, because it’s my pleasure to serve!”

  “Quite so.” The Master chuckled, his light tone filling Silver Dollar with joy, “I want you to eat Istrozan. I’ve found where she’s hiding, but she has many enchanted defenses. It will take some time to circumvent them.”

  Silver Dollar’s black and inky blood chilled as the full horror of what the Master had requested suffused her, “Istrozan?” She was almost as terrified of Istrozan as she was of disappointing her beloved Master, “How can I do that? She can see the future!”

  The Dark Seer, as Istrozan was titled, was an ancient demon, one of the very oldest. Before the corruption of the Unseelie, which had turned them into demons, Istrozan had been an oracle other Unseelie reluctantly sought for advice. However, that had always been a dangerous proposition, because she was a spider at the center of a web, always patiently waiting for some fool to enter her lair and make one wrong move. Istrozan had been a cannibal before she became a demon and her reputation was the stuff of legend, because even monsters feared her.

  “It won’t be easy, but I’ll work with you every step of the way.” The Master answered.

  Silver Dollar felt a wonderful giddiness as she enthused, “Thank you, Master!”

  “Between the two of us, I’m sure you’ll succeed, but it may take a thousand years. To keep you motivated, I will grant you one wish at the conclusion of this task. You have but to ask and I will give you up to half my empire, but only if you succeed.”

  Silver Dollar’s imagination ran ahead to the future and her marriage to the Master. He would fall madly in love with her and whisk her away to somewhere nice, perhaps Earth, and they would lose themselves in each other’s arms…

  “-paying attention?” The Master’s tone became serious and angry.

  Silver Dollar realized she’d gotten lost in her dream and had even been drooling a little as the fantasy progressed. The Master had been talking to her for some time, but she hadn’t heard a word of it.

  “Apologies Master!” She bowed her head, “My mind was caught up in your generous offer and I couldn’t help but imagine what I want most. I was lost for a time in that wonderful dream.”

  The Master sighed, then chuckled, “I’m sure you were. I suppose I can hardly blame you for that. As I was saying…”

  Ashen Blades, titled She Seeks Peace, where she was a relatively minor antagonist, during a flashback.

  She Seeks Peace on both the fiction page and my website.