by JL Madore
“Nothing would stop her.”
“Does she not deserve the same devotion?”
I set my hand over his balled fist on the rail. “I wish you’d known her before her decline. She awed people. She was an amazing woman.”
“I stand in awe of her every moment we spend together. Verily, that is why I came. Regardless of what anyone thinks, I am uniquely suited to aid in this quest and shall not fail her.”
The boat bumped the shore and jolted to a halt.
Aust steadied us both and then helped me to land. The heavy, humid heat of the waterway passage gave way to the dry singeing heat of Hell itself.
My skin tightened, growing pink. I called forth a breeze to encircle Aust and me, and the burning stopped. The air wouldn’t be considered refreshing by any stretch of the imagination, but it kept our flesh from scalding.
Kobi landed a few yards closer to the gates and took human form. By his instruction, the three of us wore suede breeches cut to our thighs, and I had the added fashion touch of a suede bandeau strip to cover my breasts.
He claimed fabrics other than hide would melt and burn our skin. Likely true but, by the heat in his gaze, I was pretty sure he just got off playing Robinson Crusoe.
He gestured to the satchel, and Aust swung it off his shoulder and handed it to Kobi. After drinking from the canteen, he passed the water to me. “Hell Hounds guard the entry points of Hell, so we shouldn’t have to venture too far inside.” Kobi drew the dagger from his thigh sheath. “This is a reaper’s gate. The full moon draws most demons, especially reapers, to the human realm so, with them gone, this should be easy peasy.”
I didn’t need powers to hear the lie in his voice.
“The trick,” he continued, “will be to find a litter of pups in May. Spring has sprung, and pups are good eating. They get picked off quickly, and that makes mommy hounds more than a little protective. If there’s a litter intact, that mommy will be a tough one.”
Perfect. Something scurried in front of my foot, and I jumped to clear it. “Aust, do you sense anything?”
“I am catching an awareness, but cannot form a bond or conversation to determine what creature it might be. Mayhap with closer proximity.”
“And what if Aust’s gift doesn’t work the same way on Hells creatures and she attacks?”
“Oh, she’ll attack, all right,” Kobi said, stretching his neck from side to side. “I’m hoping Aust’s affinity keeps the bloodshed to a minimum.” He waggled his brow, his piercings catching the strange red glow of the light above.
“That’s not comforting.”
Kobi shrugged. “Keepin’ it real, baby. If you’re having second thoughts, you can wait here with the boatman.”
I turned to the eerily handsome wraith who captained our passage from the entrance of the Downworld to Hell’s Gates. I doubted his appearance bore any similarity to the true likeness of the boatman of the damned. Though Kobi hadn’t said, I was certain this minion of lost souls could alter his appearance in the same way he could.
With my attention on him, our captain made a clucking sound and drew his black tongue along his upper lip. “She’s welcome to stay, Incubus. It would be my pleasure to amuse her while you’re gone.”
My stomach turned. Kobi’s smirk inspired me to throat punch him. “You’re an ass.”
Kobi’s chest bounced as he took my hand and gestured for Aust to follow us over the rocky terrain.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Gates of Hell weren’t so much gates, but an ominous ornamental opening to the land beyond. Rising to tower above us from the smoldering rock ground, the boundary walls of Hell spanned as far as I could see, both left and right. Elaborate symbols covered the outer face of the archway and wall with demonic warnings depicted in sculpted relief.
The missive spalled in places and bits of the detailing had worn and fallen to the ground below. I picked up a piece and threw it back down. “Fingers?”
“Not only fingers,” Kobi said. “Some of the darker wards use tongues and testicles.”
I cast another glance at the wall. The size. The sheer scope of the artwork. How many hundreds of thousands of body parts had it taken to create this? The surface of the wall wasn’t rough stone as I had thought; in places, you could still make out body hair and moles. “Is that flesh?”
Kodi gripped my wrist, licked my palm, and sucked each of my fingers. “What? Are you saying demons can’t decoupage?”
“That’s disgusting, and why are you licking me?”
He paused. “Would you rather the dark wards of Hell seep into your skin?”
“No. Go ahead. Lick once more to be sure.” When Kobi finished, I dried my hand on my suede cut-offs. “So, are we not touching anything, or just the gate?”
“Especially not the gate but touch as little as possible. Contact with things here makes it hard to fight off the dread.”
I sighed. “Why are we just hearing about this now?”
Kobi shrugged. “So much to tell. So little time. It’s oppressive anxiety you’ll feel while here. It should dissipate as soon as you get back to Haven. S’all good.”
“Right. Perfect. Aust, are you good?”
Aust nodded, staring off into the distance beyond the gates. “We should begin our search that way.”
“Then away we go.” Kobi took my hand and pulled me close behind him. Aust came up close behind me. “Inside voices, kids. Don’t draw any unwanted attention.”
We walked through the entrance of Hell, and I felt the impact of dread press on my lungs. It tightened in my belly and weighed on my chest. Other than that, and the sweat building and dripping into every crevice of my body, we could have been taking a stroll in a public park.
I thought there’d be more to this, I said, directly into Kobi’s mind.
It’s easy getting into Hell, he thought. The trick will be getting out . . . with a hound pup . . . before sunrise.
Once inside the gates of Hell, Kobi’s demeanor changed. Gone was the insouciant cynic and in his place stood a warrior at work. He walked with stealth and kept us to a path not in the darkest shadows but within cover. Aust and I soon learned his hand signals, crouched when he crouched, and grew as still as the rocks around us when he tensed.
The tortured wails of things unseen echoed from everywhere and yet nowhere, on the ground and from the air above. I tried to breathe through my mouth because even with my powers circulating the stale air around us, the stench of sulfur burned my sinuses.
Aust squeezed my hand, and I paused. Kobi nodded at him pointing to a jagged mound to the left and changed our course deeper into the darkness. Kobi’s demon blood and Aust’s Elven night vision allowed them sight. Even with my Fae powers, I was definitely at a disadvantage. I didn’t know how well they could see, but I could barely make out enough to maneuver.
Aust stepped past us and took the lead. “There are a few pups close by,” he whispered.
“And the mother?” Kobi asked.
Aust shrugged and shook his head.
Find the litter, Aust, I said into both their minds. Let’s get one and get out before the mother comes back.
Whether it was his skill as an Elven tracker or being able to connect with the hound pups, Aust led us through a low opening and into a cave we could never have found without him. You’re amazing, Aust.
“Nice one, Highborne,” Kobi said, unable to stand to his full height. “Now, go make a friend and let’s get gone.”
Aust shuffled further into the cave. When I lost him in the void of darkness, I forced my feet not to follow. I’m not sure how Kobi knew, but he laced our fingers and squeezed. He’s fine, Zo. We’re all good
I leaned over and kissed him. I hate it here. How did you ever live in this place?
This area is upscale. It’s unpopulated, so no one’s trying to kill you at every opportunity.
The pups let off a series of yips. I held my breath.
Aust reappeared a moment later with a little ba
ll of black tucked under his arm like a furry football. “All is well.”
Kobi turned, and we retraced our steps. My heart beat a rhythm far faster than our pace warranted. I wanted out of this place. The heat. The stench. Fear and doom invaded my body and mind, more pervasive by the moment. I couldn’t imagine growing up in this place. Kobi must have—
The hit came fast and hard from the left.
Kobi flew off his feet and disappeared into the shadows. My hands were up before the demonic canine turned to charge. Head down, she locked me in her red, glowing sights.
I pushed her back with a gust of wind.
The pup in Aust’s arm barked. The mother snarled, snapping her fangs in the air. The sound of her fury tore at my insides, angry and primal.
“I’m sorry,” I said, widening my stance. “We need him. Aust, can you explain that to her somehow?”
Aust stood beside me, dagger drawn. “I cannot sense her at all. I am trying.”
“Kobi? You alive?”
A hoarse cough and weak curse were my answer.
Mommy dearest howled, long and loud, pushing against the barrier. My command of wind held strong but wouldn’t get us out of this. The thing was the size of a small horse and built like a grizzly bear.
“Aust, can you tell the pup to stay put and help me?”
“Consider it done.” Aust set the puppy in the shelter of a rock overhang behind us and then disappeared off to my right.
The mother seemed confused by the unseen force keeping her from her young. She stomped clawed feet, shook her ragged mane, and howled again. The mournful cry rolled through the darkness like thunder.
So much for not drawing attention.
Kobi staggered out from behind a rock. He tried to stand but his legs buckled, and he dropped to the ground.
The guttural snarl of a white tiger had my heart thundering. Another of the pups dangled by the scruff of its neck from the jaws of the majestic beast. It narrowed its ice-blue gaze at the Hell Hound mother, and I almost fainted.
“Aust? Is that you? What are you doing?”
The tiger swung his head, and the young pup let out a yelp. The mother growled, her full attention now on the greater and immediate threat.
Kobi lurched to his feet. With one hand braced against a rock, his head hung as if it weighed too much for his neck. I wanted to go to him, but feared angering the monstrous hound.
Aust waved the pup again and turned to run.
“No—” He was gone before I could get the words out.
I looked back at the pup we’d taken. Still curled in a ball, it sat right where Aust had placed it. Kobi staggered toward me, then stumbled and landed hard on his side.
“How bad are you broken?” I said, helping him up.
“I’m pretty fucking dented but not broken,” he wheezed. “S’all good.”
“Liar.”
Kobi chuckled, and that at least made me feel a bit better. “Let’s get the pup and find—”
The crashing flap of wings had Kobi tensing in my arms. “Fuck. Stay here.” He burst into a black mist and shifted to his demon form mid-air.
Kobi’s dragon tackled the creature descending to attack, and the two tumbled through the air. End over end, wings beat and talons scored. The beast screeched and surged upward, taking Kobi with it.
I surveyed my surroundings, me standing alone in the open while screams and growls filled the distant air. “Come on baby,” I whispered, picking up the pup. “Let’s find cover.”
With Aust and Kobi off in different directions, I couldn’t go far. If separated, we were supposed to head back to the ship. There was still time. Nothing to worry about. No. Not worried.
Come on, boys. Where are you?
A shrill cry rent the air above. A fluttering and flapping of wings. The whistle of something heavy falling to the ground grew in volume.
I cradled the warm bundle of black fur and ran.
Something hit the ground like a meteor twenty feet behind me. Kobi’s dragon screamed. It surged on impact and then transformed, the man lying broken in a massive crater.
I slid down the bank of the impression and knelt beside him. Ash gave way beneath my knees, hot either from the friction of impact or from being in Hell’s unearthed underbelly.
I brushed the hair from his eyes.
How could he survive a fall like that? Even if his demon dragon took the brunt of the damage, they were one. Damage done to one was done to both.
“Kobi? Can you hear me?”
The growl behind me sent a chill down my spine. The pup squirmed in my arms, whining to gain freedom. I turned my head, ever so slowly, and gazed over my shoulder. The demon dog dropped her head over the ridge and eyed her young struggling against my hold.
If she was here, where was Aust? Her lips raised on her snout and sharp canines caught the scarlet hue of the sky above.
“I swear,” I said to the mother. “We mean no harm to your baby.” Hell’s dread weighed heavy. My hope was a dwindling thread, sheering more every moment. If ever there were a time for Shalana’s genes to shine, this was it. Oh, how the thought of letting my mother down cut me to the depth of my soul.
“You see, my mother’s in danger. Your young can protect her. In return, I will protect him.”
Kobi moaned. She canted her head and snarled. The bristled hackles of her wiry coat stuck up in spears.
I blocked her view of Kobi and tried again. “If I had anything to offer you, I would freely give it. All I have is my vow that we mean neither you nor your litter any harm.”
A glint of emotion flashed in the beasts glowing red eyes. Was it understanding or instinct? Reason or resolve?
“Please. Allow this one to lead a different life. A good life in the Realm of the Fair. Do you know where that is? Do you understand me at all?”
A pup barked in the distance and she lifted her head. After a torturous moment, she turned. I watched the vacant edge, waiting for her to return, for her to jump down into this ditch and rip us both to shreds.
She didn’t come.
Wind is a powerful force. It can spread seeds for creation. It can level lands in destruction. And it can lift fallen warriors out of pits and carry them to safety. With Kobi elevated and hovering in my care, I had two choices: take cover in the cave or try to make it to the ship.
Leaving Aust without knowing his fate wasn’t an option. Kobi needed to heal urgently, and every instinct I possessed told me the Hell Hound mother wouldn’t take her cubs back to the place they’d been discovered. It seemed, at least for the moment, I was right.
I settled Kobi at the low opening at the mouth of the cave. He looked whole. If I hadn’t seen him plummet from Hell’s ceiling, I would have thought he simply slept. I ducked inside to set the pup down. When I returned, Aust stood over Kobi, catching his breath.
“Are you all right?” I hugged him, then ran my hands down his arms and turned him so I could check his back. Gloriously filthy and other than a dozen scrapes, surface cuts, and bruises coming to the surface, he remained unharmed.
I punched him. “You took a century off my life luring that beast away as bait. What were you thinking?”
He picked up the satchel from where I’d dropped it and crouched. “Chastise me once Kobi is well.”
I lifted Kobi with my powers, and Aust crouched through the opening and directed him to the back of the cave. He laid out the groundsheet from the pack and then balled the satchel up to act as support under Kobi’s neck.
I knelt and cupped his face in my hands. “Now the fun part, warrior.” I kissed his split lip, wiped the grit from my mouth, and kissed him again. No pressure met mine. No sexual energy. No awareness. “Come on, Kobi, wake up. Ignite that insatiable hunger of yours.”
The rough ground poked my knees, and I shifted onto my hip. I tugged his nipple ring. Nothing. I nipped at the hoop piercing his lip and fumbled with the lacings of his shorts. The ties were knotted, and I fought to loosen them.
&nb
sp; Aust laid a hand on mine as he knelt on Kobi’s other side. “Allow me.”
Kobi’s mind fluttered. It brushed my thoughts with the faintest touch of a feather. My lips met his with firm determination. I swept my tongue into his mouth, challenged him to duel.
Aust tugged Kobi’s cut-offs down the carved muscles of his thighs, and I caressed the skin exposed. Down his navel. Between his legs.
“Aust is undressing you. Can you feel that? Come on, big man. There must be a million lude come-ons kicking around in that head of yours. Come play with us.”
I ran my hands up his chest and kissed him again. “It’s sexy, the three of us in this tiny cave, covered in sweat. We missed our exit before sunrise. How will we ever pass the time until nightfall? I bet you have some creative ideas.”
Aust set Kobi’s shorts to the side, looking puzzled.
“Sex triggers an Incubus Demon’s healing. He needs us to arouse him enough to have sex.”
“Intercourse is forbidden for Highbornes, unless mated. You are aware of that, yes?”
It struck me then, something I’d seen while studying Lia’s tapestry before her hearing. “Kobi was injured at the cemetery a few weeks ago, and Lia healed him. Either she specifically, or something in the Highborne nature, triggered his healing stronger than other realm races. They didn’t have sex. Her touch and kisses were enough.”
Aust’s eyes widened, and he froze.
“It’s unfair to expect you to pleasure Kobi,” I said, trying to breathe past the lump in my throat. “I regret putting you in this situation, but he’s dying. Highbornes view sexual freedoms and acceptance in much the same way as the Fae Pantheon. Please. Will you try?”
Aust swallowed. He looked nervous. Sad. “Verily, I have no issue with the idea of sexual play. I would be happy to oblige.”
“But?”
“I am a newling in all but the most casual affections. I fear I fail to possess the skill to aid him.”
I let out a breath and smiled. “If that’s all you’re worried about, don’t be. Do what feels natural. A kiss. A touch. I’ll help and take it from there. I promise.”
He slid his arm under Kobi’s neck and gathered him against his side. With gentle urging, he kissed him, tentative at first, but gradually growing in confidence.