by Holly Evans
"I'm sorry, we all are, Evie. We really didn't mean to gang up on you."
I waved him off and headed to the bathroom where I peeled off the icy cold jeans and climbed under the scalding hot water. It took a minute or two for me to feel the heat of the water. I hadn't realised just how cold I'd become. I wrinkled my nose. Perhaps the hound had been right, and I was becoming more like him. Of course he was right; I'd felt the fire, the predatory distance while I was fighting the witch. There was no fighting it; I was becoming a beast. I slumped down in the shower and allowed the water to wash over me while the thoughts flitted around my mind. I allowed it to consume me, to overwhelm me and burn itself out. Once the tears had stopped flowing and the water had begun to run cold, I felt better. I'd purged the foolishness and was ready to face the world refreshed and renewed.
I wrapped a warm towel around myself, very pleased that we had a heated towel rail in the bathroom, and headed to the bedroom for some dry clothes. I was accosted with hot food and a steaming hot chocolate. Lysander and Quin both had eager grins on their faces. I offered them a small smile. They were trying.
"I am not eating in just a towel."
Lysander's gaze traveled up and down me, his bottom lip jutted out a little in a pout. The temptation to bite his lip and abandon the towel grew. Warm clothes were the more sensible solution, and I was nothing if not sensible.
They plied me with delicious food and more hot chocolate. Quin spoke with enthusiasm about how well his alchemy was going; Kadrix was apparently very impressed with his progress. They'd even invented a couple of new things and were working on some old formula. Unfortunately, the celestial was proving difficult, something to do with how its energies hadn't settled into their final matrix due to the point in training it was at. It made absolutely no sense to me, so I nodded and smiled. Once the food was gone and I'd drunk my third hot chocolate, it was becoming difficult to keep my eyes open. I tried to give Quin a suspicious look, wondering if he'd slipped some sleeping powder in there, but I couldn't quite manage it. Lysander scooped me up in his arms and carried me to bed. There was no fighting it. I stripped down to my underwear and wriggled under the warm blankets; he was soon wrapped around me. His firm body pressed against mine, his strong arms holding me close while that intoxicating scent surrounded me. Maybe a goodnight kiss wouldn't be so bad. His lips brushed over my neck, but I fell asleep before I could do anything about it.
Kadrix had been quite excited to get me involved in laying the protections around the lycan territories. "Hellfire is different to fire of this plane, it has different properties. It's fascinating, you see."
"Kadrix,” I said pointedly.
He huffed and pouted. "Lysander will help you, I'm sure. Push your fire into the sigils, Quin and I have already done the rest.” He shuffled his feet. "I could follow you, to make sure that you don't have any problems..."
"Kadrix, I am not an experiment. You are not going to stalk me."
He pouted once more. "Fine, fine. I have other things to do anyway."
He stalked off back in the direction of his workshop.
Lysander laughed quietly. "He's infuriating, but he means well."
I grumbled under my breath. We started with the bar, as it was something of a focal point for the pack. The sigil had been painted on the exterior wall of the bar; it flared to life when Lysander brought some of his fire to his fingertips. I wondered what it would feel like to have that fire trail down my body, to feel his fingertips... I cleared my mind and focused on the job at hand. Lysander flashed me that grin of his. The knowing one. I scowled at him and looked at the intricate sigil that now flared a pastel pink.
"Your fire is fueled by emotion. Dig deep, and focus on something you're passionate about, be that a burning anger or something more… sensual." The growl on the last word was just sinful.
I tried to focus and think of something that I felt strongly about. Images of Lysander naked popped into my head; I pushed them aside. It wasn't the time. Frustration started to pool within me when I couldn't feel the fire. I'd spent so long burying my emotions that it was difficult digging through everything to latch onto something I was truly passionate about. A spark flickered on my fingertips. It quickly burnt out.
"I can't do it,” I snapped.
His lips were dangerously close to mine, his hands roamed over my back and lower. "Yes you can."
His breath trickled over my lips, tempting me to claim him. My breath caught in my throat; it'd never been like that with other men. I needed him.
"I don't see why you don't just leave the mutts as bait. Kastien has clearly shown an interest in them," Zair said.
The moment was shattered. My blades were in my hands and my mind was assessing his stance for weaknesses before I'd even realised the kiss wasn't going to happen.
"We're not psychopaths, that's why,” I snapped.
"Oh don't be so melodramatic,” Zair sniffed.
"You're working with that?" a deep voice snarled.
I muttered a prayer to the moon goddess for strength and patience.
"No, we are not working with that,” I said as calmly as I could muster.
Tiel and Ioel strolled around the corner and stood behind Zair. Three big lycan males came from behind Lysander and me. It was supposed to be a simple task. Pour some hellfire into some sigils, head out for coffee and maybe a few drinks. Who knew, maybe I'd even relax for an hour or two. Instead, I was in the middle of a stand-off between lycans and celestials. In broad daylight.
"I was merely explaining that you're worse than pet dogs and you'd be best used as bait, to stop any further deaths,” Zair said.
The lycans all snarled and began to advance on the celestials.
“Evelyn, do control your beasts,” Zair said.
I shrugged and gave a sweet smile. "They're not mine."
He narrowed his eyes at me and looked at the broad heavily-muscled men that were slowly approaching him, murder written all over their faces. Any concern for what the humans might have thought clearly didn't enter into any of their heads. The lycans launched themselves at the celestials. They used brute force and savage attacks. I glanced at Lysander and wondered if I was supposed to interfere or take bets. A few less lycans in the city would make my life easier, as would taking out the arrogant celestials. I didn't see a downside.
That was, until the cubs ran down the street towards us. Their faces were full of panic as their pack was locked in a bloody fight with the celestials. Lysander leapt out in front of the two smallest ones and scooped them up in his arms. I crouched down and caught the other two, holding them firm while they squirmed and began crying.
"Sshh, little ones, it'll be ok,” I tried to soothe them.
The little boy sobbed and slumped against my arm. "That's our Daddy."
"No harm will come to him,” I said
I hoped that I hadn't just lied to a small child. The little ones were both relaxed in Lysander's arms; he seemed to have a way with cubs. He'd make a good father one day.
"Perfect! Well done, Evelyn, now if we place them somewhere more strategically sound..."
The lycan with pitch black hair punched Zair square in the jaw hard enough to make him stumble back a few steps after his head snapped around. The lycan snarled and set about pummeling the celestial. The cubs watched, rapt. I didn't know if I was supposed to cover their eyes or cheer their father on.
Ioel managed to break free from the lycans; he headed straight to the cubs I was holding onto.
"I'll solve this problem."
He eyed with the cubs with malicious intent. I stood and put myself between him and the cubs. His eyes flicked to the celestial-feather blades in my hands, some colour left his face.
"No one touches a hair on these cubs' heads,” I growled.
Fire erupted over my hands, the blades sang a sweet melody that encouraged me to slay the celestial that was quickly becoming a bane. Ioel remained rooted to the spot. Zair and Tiel both shouted with rage before
they vanished into thin air. The pale brown-haired lycan turned his attention to Ioel, who was in a silent standoff with me. The lycan picked up the celestial as though he were nothing more than a bag of sugar and threw him in front of the oncoming tram.
The tram driver pressed his high-pitched bell in irritation, but the celestial vanished before the tram could collide with him.
"Thank you," the dark-haired leader said.
"No one hurts innocents,” I said.
His mouth tugged up into a smile. "You're not so bad, for a hunter, Evelyn Hawke."
The cubs ran up to him and wrapped their arms around his legs. Lysander's two squirmed and leapt out of his arms into the open arms of the other lycans.
"Thank you. Hound," the leaner of the two said.
Lysander grinned. "It was a pleasure."
"We should finish these protections,” I said.
The lycans each said thank you once more before they headed into the bar. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched the cubs.
"You'll make a good mother, Evelyn."
I shook my head. "I couldn't raise kids, not with the life I lead."
"One day, Evelyn. One day."
I brushed him off and focused back on trying to pull up my fire. I'd managed it when that cursed celestial had been standing there like an idiot; I just needed to figure out how to do it intentionally. It was a puzzle to be solved, and I wasn't about to be beaten.
The rest of the day passed with increasing frustration. I'd accepted that I had access to hellfire. I wasn't happy about it, but I couldn’t remove it without losing Lysander, and I wasn't going to allow that to happen. I couldn't pull it up on command, though. I watched the ease with which Lysander formed a single flickering flame or an entire inferno. When I'd focused on the cubs and protecting them, I managed to muster a pathetic little flame that added a touch of colour to the sigils, for a brief moment. Lysander did his best to cheer me up, but I'd never been good with puzzles that I couldn't solve or things I couldn't control.
Kadrix was very happy with the protections; he'd checked on a few of them and practically danced with glee. He was rather excitable about anything relating to hellfire or my hound. He uttered the words 'mating ritual' but didn't get any further when he saw the look on my face. He'd covered his hair protectively and changed the topic abruptly; at least the damn elf had learnt to back off. I hadn't seen or spoken to Elise since I'd walked out. I missed her, but her pushing still stung; she, of all people, should have known better. She was my oldest friend. She was supposed to understand.
The thoughts swirled around my mind while I looked into my Dorian Grey. We were the first and at that point only patrons of the cocktail bar. Prague was a peculiar city, when it came to drinking. They were very much in love with beer and had no problems drinking it at all times of the day. Cocktails and other bars, as opposed to pubs and cafés, didn't tend to open until eight and didn't fill up until ten. The barman kept himself busy playing on social media. The emptiness of the bar only darkened my mood. Lysander's hand slid up over my thigh.
I muttered, “Not you, too."
His hand shot back. I instantly felt guilty.
"I'm sorry, Lysander,” I said as I stroked the nape of his neck.
"I understand, Evelyn,” he said quietly.
I ran my fingers along his jawline, the prickle of stubble adding a rugged edge to him. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to give in to the emotions; he was a hellhound, he could look after himself. I chewed on my bottom lip allowing the idea to run around my mind. Would it be such a bad thing to strip him naked and explore every inch of his toned, muscular body? To feel his hot breath on my neck while he explored my body in return? That smirk slipped across his lips, his beautiful blue eyes sparked and shone with promises. I concluded it really wouldn't be such a bad thing. If I was going to be an abomination, a creature, then I should at least enjoy the perks that came with it.
Lysander's eyes never left mine as he knocked back his whisky sour. I grinned at him and downed my strawberry and gin cocktail. The barman didn't seem to notice us leave. Electricity danced between us as we headed back home. I stroked his fingers that sat on my hip and stole looks at his face, drinking in the way the shadows caressed his features, highlighting his cheekbones and savouring his lips. I twisted around him and pushed him down onto a bench in a small park. The hedge behind us gave plenty of protection from prying eyes. His hands sat on my hips as I leaned over him, slowly kissing along his jaw, teasing him. I grazed my teeth over his bottom lip, feeling the quiver from him, the way he fought against his own restraint. I'd bent one knee to straddle him and enjoy further pleasures when I heard a deep snarl and the clicking of claws on concrete.
I cursed every god above and below as I turned away from Lysander to face the intruder. I swore that, if it was a lycan, after what we'd done for them earlier, I'd tear it limb from limb.
It wasn't a lycan.
A great white wolf stepped into the light. Its shoulder must have come halfway up my ribs, maybe higher. Its thick fur shimmered with an icy blue sheen, its eyes such a pale blue they almost looked translucent. I'd never seen a beast like it before. It held its head low, blood-red lips pulled back to reveal sharp white teeth. Every muscle was tensed beneath its dense fur. Its movements were slow, purposeful. It took in every small detail, every little movement. It ears were pinned to its skull. Its hind end sank down, and it coiled back on itself, ready to pounce. Lysander was at my side; his fire burned within me.
Time slowed as the great beast pounced, its huge body flying through the air. We side-stepped, but not quickly enough. It caught Lysander's shoulder and took him to the ground with a deep snarl. My hound's fire was extinguished. It went out with a blink, to be replaced with fear. I kicked the beast in the ribs; it felt like kicking a concrete wall. Lysander held its face away from his neck, his fingers digging in, trying to find its eyes. I slashed at its shoulder. It was enough to distract it. Lysander kicked its stomach and knocked it off him. Its eyes flashed with a sharp blue-white light; sigils flared over its coat. The temperature of the air dropped. The air rushed from my lungs. I'd never known cold like it. The beast snapped at Lysander, who had taken on a pale blue hue.
I put myself between the beast and my hound, trying to defend him. My movements were slower. My blows did nothing but piss it off, but I had to keep trying. Its teeth clamped down on my arm. I screamed. The pain was unlike anything else. Ice shards flooded my system. My teeth chattered, my muscles cramped. I gulped down air and drove my blade into the beast's cheek. I managed to draw blood, enough to make it release my arm. Lysander was shivering; he didn't have the energy or the fire to shift into his hound form. The realisation that we might die there in that park dawned on me. It was toying with us. Circling around us with soft rumbling growls. We couldn't hurt it. We were becoming more sluggish, less able to do a damn thing.
Another white creature stormed into the area. It barreled into the great beast, its teeth sinking deep into the other’s shoulder. The beast howled and thrashed against the newcomer. The air temperature lifted a little; Lysander had a flicker of a flame once more. The agony of the wound in my arm was clouding my mind, but I wasn't one to give in that easily. The newcomer lost its grip on the beast, giving it time and room to stand once more. Lysander and I jumped on it, hacking at its face and throat with everything we had. My blade cut through skin and muscle; not enough, but I'd done something. It tossed us aside like rag dolls, its teeth sinking into my shoulder, throwing me against the bench I'd been enjoying Lysander on earlier.
I crumpled against the wooden slats, unable to move while I tried to gasp for air. The newcomer, leggier and leaner, with a silver shine to its pure white fur, circled around the beast. The beast had its eye on Lysander, who was in a wide stance ready to hack at its face that was bloodied and torn. The newcomer launched itself at the back end of the beast, its teeth savagely tearing at the beast's hindquarters. Blood coated the white fur; a chunk of musc
le was torn free. The beast howled and cried out. The leaner wolf snapped at the beast enough to push it back before the aggressor lunged at Lysander. Its teeth sank deep into Lysander’s thigh. His fire extinguished. His skin turned an awful blue-grey.
The newcomer tore another chunk from its quarters. It released Lysander and ran, but my hound was lost. His body slowly gave way beneath him. He curled up on the floor, his eyes glassy while he shivered. I shivered against the bench and tried to think warm thoughts. I needed to move somewhere warm. Somewhere tropical. With friendly supernals.
I crawled off the bench to my hound. I had to re-ignite his fire. I had to save him. He trembled and shivered on the concrete, the beast somewhere on the periphery of my vision. I was aware of the sound of cracking bones and tearing muscle; I ignored it and forced my arms and legs to move. Almost there. I rolled my poor hound over on his back; his glassy eyes looked skyward, unseeing. He'd told me I needed to embrace my passion, that was the key to it all. I straddled his hips and put my hands just below his collarbone; I could do this.
I slowly kissed up his throat, allowing the emotion to take over. The desires, the need, and the fantasies trickled into my mind. I swore I felt the shimmer of a flame within him. I nibbled along his earlobe and stroked down his throat, his abdomen was beginning to warm beneath me. I brushed my lips over his, they were so icy cold. A small flame formed within him, I could feel it. Hope bloomed. I leaned down closer over him, pressing my body to his while I wrapped one hand around the back of his head and pressed my lips to his. The flame grew, but his lips remained cold.
"Kiss me damn you,” I growled.
He kissed me back, slow, tentative brushes of his lips against mine. I pushed back, kissing him harder, more fiercely. He was my hound; I wasn't going to lose him. The fire grew within him. His tongue slipped between my lips. I pressed my body tighter to his, the warmth spreading through his tight muscles. His hand gripped my hips, holding me close to him as he kissed me harder. The need spread through us. His fire exploded in an inferno as his hand sank into my hair and his teeth gripped my lip. He bit down my throat, eager little nips that sent thrills through every inch of my body. I gasped for breath, adrenaline flooding me. I'd never felt anything like it. I wanted more. I needed more.