“Keep that son-of-a-bitch away from her,” Trey said.
Joonie ignored him. “So what is your answer Nat?” Joonie asked.
“My name is Natasha. Only my friends call me Nat. And my answer is no. Goodbye. It hasn’t been nice talking to you.”
She hung up the call before her mother could say anything more.
“How could you?” Trey said, with venom in his voice. “You have sentenced her to death.”
“Grow up,” Natasha snapped at him. “I have done no such thing. They won’t harm her until they know for certain that I won’t show.”
“And will you?”
“Of course I will. You don’t honestly believe I would let anything happen to Bo do you? I may be mad at her right now, but that doesn’t mean I want her harmed.”
“We need to make plans,” Komi said. “Grab your things and let’s get back to the hotel. There has to be a way to save Bo without handing over Nat.”
“And if there isn’t?”
“Then I hand myself over,” Natasha said.
“Over my dead body,” Fox muttered.
Plans
When they got back to the hotel, they found a fire letter waiting for Fox. He read it through, then handed it to Komi.
“Things just got more interesting,” he said as Komi was reading it. “I have been summoned. I’m to appear in the same place as Nat, only a few hours earlier.”
“What are you going to do?” Natasha asked.
“Find out why.”
He took out his communicator and called Bolene. Lukine answered. “Now why am I not surprised?” Fox said. His letter hadn’t mentioned Lukine’s involvement so Fox had to pretend he didn’t know.
“Because you are more intelligent than most people give you credit for, brother. Though I supposed technically that title isn’t true.”
“Brother?” Komi said, loud enough for Lukine to hear.
“Yes Komi. I suppose you could call Fox my step-brother, if you want to use the Earth term for our relationship.”
“What do you want Lukine?” Fox asked. Though he was curious as to why Lukine would call himself his step-brother, he was more interested in what his plans were.
“As you know, Joonie and I will be resurrecting our father, or should I say my father seeing as you now know he isn’t yours. When we do, I want to give him a present. You. At his feet. Begging for his forgiveness for never treating him how a son should.”
“And why would I do that?”
“Because Bo will die if you don’t. I think I might actually enjoy killing her.”
“What will happen to me?”
“That is up to my father. But why bother asking? Everyone knows how you feel about Bo. You will hand yourself over to me to save her. After all, unlike me, you do love her. Had I felt anything for her, I would have been jealous of your relationship.”
“She was there for me when I was growing up. She is more like family to me that my real family could ever be. Of course I will do anything for her.” He squeezed Natasha’s hand. She understood his feelings for Bolene and was not upset by his comments.
“I will see you soon then.”
“One thing before you go,” Fox said. “I’m not your step-brother. One of your parents would have had to have married one of mine. Adoptive brother, maybe. I’d prefer to say we have no connection whatsoever.”
“Fine by me,” Lukine growled then disconnected the call.
“You’re not really going to surrender to him are you?” Natasha asked. “Who knows what will happen to you.”
Fox slipped his arm around her. “I have no choice. If I don’t go, they will know we are up to something. I have no idea, yet, what we are going to do, but I do know that we can’t make them suspicious.”
“You will be giving them two hostages instead of one,” Komi pointed out.
“I know, but I trust you to rescue me.”
“And how are we going to do that?” Trey asked.
“I don’t know,” Natasha said, “but I know someone who might.”
She took her mobile phone out of her pocket and dialled a number. “Maylan. We need your help.”
————————————-∞————————————-
Alignment day was only a few hours away and it was time for Fox to leave. Natasha would create a ‘door’ for him so he would arrive at the house he had been staying in on Yong. There was a chance that Lukine would be there, but it was unlikely. He couldn’t go straight to the required destination as he would need to arrive by ‘hover’ car. Lukine and Joonie would be suspicious if he didn’t.
They had discussed Fox using the one public ‘door’ that was still open instead, just in case Lukine or Joonie was somehow monitoring who was using it, but decided it was worth taking the risk. It would have taken Fox a long time to get to it and his time was better spent with the others, making preparations.
He was wearing his invisibility bracelets, but Maylan had altered the spell. Now, when he activated them, only someone wearing bracelets with the same altered spell on them would be able to see him. At the right time, he would make himself invisible to Joonie and Lukine. He had a spare pair in his pocket, in case he was able to give them to Bolene.
“I wish you didn’t have to do this,” Natasha said.
“Me too. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’ll see you soon.” He gave her a quick kiss, then turned away so he didn’t have to watch her cut herself.
Once the ‘door’ was ready, he turned to Komi. “I’m counting on you to look after Nat.”
“I will. Be careful.”
Fox closed his eyes and stepped through the ‘door’. When he opened them, he was in a hallway. It was dark and there was no sound of movement.
He switched on a light, then searched the house. It was deserted. Lukine and Bolene’s things had been removed, indicating they were living somewhere else. Fox didn’t have much time to spare, so he went outside and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the ‘hover’ car he had been using. He had no idea how he would have reached his destination if it hadn’t been there.
It took a while to travel around the city then head out into the countryside. He knew where he was going; he had visited there a few times in his youth. It wasn’t exactly a church, but had been used for praying and making sacrifices to the Creator. That had been a long time ago. Now it was abandoned and falling into ruin. He understood why Joonie had chosen this location. Spells were always supposed to be more powerful when performed on sanctified ground.
Light was pouring through the building’s windows when he arrived, but it didn’t look right. It had an eerie glow to it. It wasn’t flickering, like candlelight would, but it still didn’t seem like the normal light produced in houses on Yong.
He tried the door and nervously entered. He had no idea what was about to happen to him, but he knew it wasn’t going to be pleasant. Once inside, he looked around. The light was coming from glowing balls, which floated in the air. Joonie or Lukine must have created them. It was only then that he realised the enormity of what he and the others were going to do. They were about to take on two well trained, powerful magic users with just one student witch and three non-magic demons. If their plan failed, they had no plan B to fall back on and none of them would survive the night.
Joonie and Lukine were standing by a large stone sacrificial altar. They were facing away from him and had not heard him enter. He wondered, momentarily, who the sacrifice was going to be. One was required for necromancy, though whether it would be himself, Bolene or Natasha, he had no idea. Alternatively, it was just as possible that another victim was being held hostage, just for this task. He found it hard to picture Lukine as a murderer, but then again, he found it hard to picture him turning against Bolene. He had always seemed so devoted to her.
Fox heard a noise coming from the corner of the room and glanced over. Bolene was huddled on the floor, hugging her knees, which were drawn up tight against her body.
She looked terrified. When she spotted Fox, her eyes widened. She made no sound as she slowly rose to her feet. Then she ran across the room and threw herself into his arms.
“I knew you would come,” she said. He slipped the bracelets he had brought with him into her pocket.
“Put these on when nobody is looking,” he whispered into her ear. “Don’t activate them yet. You will know when.” He felt her nod against his chest. “Are you alright?”
“No,” she said and he could hear her struggling not to cry. “But I’m better now you’re here.”
She spoke louder than she had intended and Lukine looked over at them. “Put her down,” he said, as though he had been expecting to look up and see Fox. “Nat wouldn’t like you holding her like that.”
“Nat wouldn’t care,” Fox said. He wasn’t lying; she wouldn’t care, but not for the reasons Lukine thought he meant. “I’m here now, you can let Bo go.”
Lukine laughed. “Oh no, brother dearest. We need to keep her for a while longer. You’re not the only person she is bait for.”
“Don’t call me that,” Fox snapped. He released his hold on Bolene and took her hand in his, which she gripped tightly.
Lukine ignored the outburst. He casually walked up to Fox and placed his hand on his chest. “You may want to let go of him,” he said to Bolene, then whispered the words of a spell.
Pain flowed through Fox, starting in his chest and working its way outward. The intensity increased and Fox was unable to stop himself from screaming. His legs gave way and he crumpled to the floor.
“Enough,” Joonie shouted out. “You need all of your magical ability for the resurrection spell. Stop wasting it.”
“Alright,” Lukine said and the pain stopped as suddenly as it had begun.
“Why do you hate me so much?” Fox gasped. He remained on the floor; he didn’t have the strength to stand.
Lukine crouched down beside him, grabbed hold of the front of his t-shirt and pulled him close so their faces were only inches apart.
“Because my father acknowledged you. You weren’t even his flesh and blood yet he told the world that you were his son, while I remained a secret, hidden in the shadows. I should have been the one to grow up by his side, not you.”
“I would gladly have traded places.”
Lukine pushed Fox away from him. Then he strode to the altar and picked up a metal bar which had been lying on it. He carried it over to Fox and ordered him to stand, which, with Bolene’s help, he managed to do. Joonie just watched, her face unreadable. “Place this behind your head,” he said to Fox and handed it to him. There were two leather straps attached to it and Fox didn’t need to ask what they were for.
“Strap his wrists in place,” Lukine said to Bolene once Fox had carried out his instructions.
“No,” Bolene said defiantly. Fox’s presence was giving her courage.
“Do as I say,” Lukine said. “You won’t like the consequences.”
Bolene glanced at Fox, who nodded. Bolene placed one of his wrists in a strap and tightened it, making sure it was loose enough that Fox could get out of it if he needed to.
“Tighter,” Lukine demanded. “I want it so tight it cuts off his circulation. Not enough that he will lose his hands, but enough to make him lose all feeling in them.”
Unwilling, Bolene tightened the strap, making Fox wince. Then she repeated the procedure on his other hand. He was now unable to defend himself, should he need to, and they both knew there was no way for him to activate his invisibility bracelets. His only hope was that Bolene would be able to do it for him.
“Step aside,” Lukine said to Bolene. As soon as she was far enough away, he punched Fox in the stomach, winding him. He doubled over in pain, but soon managed to straighten himself.
When Lukine hit him again, it was much harder and his legs gave way once more. While he was on the floor, Lukine kicked him in the ribs. Not satisfied with only breaking one, he kicked him again, in the same place. Pain tore through Fox, but he refused to cry out.
He raised his head and glared at Lukine. Enraged, Lukine balled up his fist and hit him in the face, splitting his lip. He hit him over and over and over. Then he took hold of his head by the hair and slammed it into the concrete floor again and again and again. The last thing Fox heard before passing out was Bolene screaming his name.
Rescue
“Ready?” Natasha asked. Trey and Komi both nodded. Lucy had wanted to go with them, but everyone had argued against it. While Maylan had assured them all that there was no issue with humans using ‘doors’ to go to Yong and that she had personally seen a number of them successfully doing so, everyone wanted Lucy to stay on Earth, where it was safe.
All those present were wearing invisibility bracelets, which had been magically altered, even those who were not going to Yong. Only Trey and Komi had activated theirs. They could all see them both, but nobody else was going to be able to, except for Fox, and maybe Bolene, if she had managed to put hers on.
“Be careful,” Zem said to Natasha. “At the first sign of trouble, run. Abandon Fox and Bolene if it’s the only way to save yourself. We will find another way to rescue them.” Natasha nodded, though everyone knew she wouldn’t. She would do whatever it took to get Fox back, even if it meant risking her own life.
Natasha held out her hands and Trey and Komi took one each. “Empty your minds,” she said and all three stepped through the ‘door’.
Having been there before, Komi had told her what to expect, but the abandoned building she now found herself in still surprised her. It looked a lot like a church, minus the pews. Stone benches lined the walls. The magically created light caused strange shadows, making it impossible to see if anything was hidden under the benches or in the darker corners of the room.
Her eyes fell on the altar and she shivered. Komi had told her its purpose. ‘Sacrificial altar’ was not just a term on Yong, it was a reality.
Joonie and Lukine were standing near it, but there was no sign of Fox or Bolene. Komi and Trey moved away from Natasha and she waited until they were at either side of the room before making her presence known.
“What a lovely venue you have chosen,” she called out, her voice filled with sarcasm.
Joonie and Lukine both looked up in surprise. Lukine smiled. “I knew you would come, given the right leverage.”
“Oh I’m not here for Bo. I would have closed the ‘door’ if that had been the case.” She needed them to notice that it was still open. Both looked behind her at it.
“Impressive,” Joonie said. “You will have to teach me how to do that.”
“Not a chance.”
“If you’re not here for Bo, then why are you here?” Lukine asked.
“Curiosity. I want to know if Bo really is an innocent victim or if she has been involved all along. Where is she, by the way?” In her own head, she sounded like she was calm and she hoped that Joonie and Lukine believed that. In reality, it was taking all of her self-control not to shake. She wanted to jump back through the ‘door’ to safety, but she was there for a reason and she would not leave until her mission was complete.
“Come on out,” Lukine called out. There was movement from one side of the altar and Bolene appeared. Natasha gasped. She was just a shell of the woman she used to be. She was pale and tear streaks stained her cheeks. Her eyes were red and puffy from her crying. She was hunched over and was hugging herself as though trying to get warm. Natasha had never seen anyone look so defeated. She was, however, wearing the bracelets Fox had been told to give her, Natasha noticed.
“Oh Nat,” she said and took a step forward, but Lukine stopped her taking another. “Fox−” she started to say, but Lukine struck her face so hard she fell to the ground.
Natasha forced herself not to react. “Well I guess that answers my question,” she said. She looked at Bolene, sprawled on the ground, and saw Trey approaching. He signalled that he would look after Bolene and that Natasha should distract Lukine and
Joonie.
Natasha turned her back on everyone and returned to her ‘door’, closely watched by Bolene’s two captors.
“Don’t move,” Trey whispered to Bolene, making her jump. She had been so focused on Natasha she hadn’t noticed Trey or Komi. “I’m going to get you out of here. When I tell you, activate your bracelets. Lukine and Joonie won’t be able to see you, I promise. Just like they can’t see me or Komi.” Bolene nodded, keeping her eyes on Natasha. Should Lukine or Joonie turn around and look at her, she didn’t want to arouse their suspicions.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Lukine asked as he approached Natasha.
“Nowhere,” she said. “Yet.”
She spoke a spell and the ‘door’ disappeared, at least it did as far as Joonie and Lukine were concerned. In reality, instead of deactivating it, Natasha had made it invisible. They still had an escape route back to Earth.
Joonie and Lukine had their backs to Trey and Bolene so he took advantage of their distraction. “Now,” he said softly and Bolene activated her bracelets.
Nothing happened, but Trey had not expected it to. He was still able to see his sister and he had to hope that Lukine and Joonie couldn’t. From the other side of the room, Komi silently watched.
As quietly as he could, Trey picked Bolene up and cradled her in his arms. Maylan had assured him that anyone who could not see them also would not be able to hear them, but he didn’t want to test the limits of the spell by making unnecessary noise.
Natasha saw Trey approaching and started walking away from the door, heading for the altar. Joonie and Lukine both followed her, like sheep following a shepherd. For now, she was in control.
Trey instructed Bolene to think of nothing, then closed his eyes and stepped through the ‘door’.
He appeared in Maylan and Zem’s house, making Lucy jump. “Get Maylan,” Trey instructed. He placed Bolene on a sofa; she was trembling uncontrollably.
“What’s wrong with her,” Maylan asked as she entered the room.
“I’m fine,” Bolene stammered. “Just a little overwhelmed. I can’t believe you got me away from that monster.”
Fox Among the Demons Page 32