Demons & Hellholes_A Grimmer Legacy novel

by Eleanor Rousseau

  “But it would keep people from going after your boyfriend and would also prevent the others from demanding we go after it.”

  “You’d do that for me?” I glanced up at him, ignoring the ‘boyfriend’ comment.

  “Of course, someone has to look out for you. I know mum’s been putting that rubbish in your head about the next generation and dad’s being a bit overprotective.”

  Our mother was second generation Grimmer. Our grandmother had been one of the founding members of the Grimmers. She had been a powerful witch and she dedicated most of her life to sleeping with the most powerful supernaturals in the world so she could pop out a brood of powerful hybrids who could grow up and be trained to protect the public from all magical threats.

  My mother was the youngest of her siblings and the only full blooded witch and as such she had followed in the footsteps of her mother. I was the youngest in my generation and also a full blooded witch, so you can imagine she had a few hopes for me.

  I was, in theory, the best candidate. I was pretty and I had the whole seduction thing down. I wasn’t, however, a brooding mare and I’d have kids when I was good and ready.

  Dad hadn’t quite caught on to the expectations mum had placed on me and if he had he would think it was archaic, rightly so, and he probably would never forgive my mother. He wasn’t the biological father of any of us, being human, but he had raised us and had earned the right to make judgements about our lives.

  Jay, on the other hand, knew everything and he defended me against our mother.

  “Thanks for the ice cream, you wanna stay and watch tv?”

  “Sure thing, honey.”

  I grabbed the remote and switched on my tv before handing it to him because I needed my hands free for the ice cream.

  Chapter Eight

  I awoke suddenly as darkness pressed down on me. I was confused and disorientated but things became clear when a blast of light emanated for the warm body beside me and blew the darkness back.

  Jay hopped off the bed and stood, his own glamour gone, revealing two large wings that sprouted from his back. A large saber also appeared in his hand. Two blades collided, the other one familiar.

  “Stop!” I tossed off the blanket Jay had wrapped around me and dropped off the end of the bed. They didn’t appear to hear me, their focus on trying to skewer each other.

  I leapt forward and fired to two quick punches into each of their solar plexus. They gasped but it only stunned them for a fraction of a second, long enough for me to knock they're blades aside and step between them.

  I faced Avon and placed my hands on his chest. His eyes were completely black. Which from experience I knew wasn’t good. “Kia,” Jay warned.

  “Avon, stop.”

  He leant forward, baring his teeth. I bared my neck in submission, it was a move that worked to calm werewolf’s so I hoped it would work for a Daemon. He paused, his eyes dropping to the vulnerable expanse of skin.

  He leant slowly closer until his teeth bit down on my neck, not hard enough to break the skin, just enough to hold me in place. A growl vibrated through his chest as he grasped my hips and held me against him.

  After a moment his eyes cleared and he released my neck, “Kia.” His voice was mostly growl.

  “That’s my brother,” I said.

  “Your- your brother?” He blinked.

  “Yeah, that’s Jay.”

  “Jay, of course.”

  “How'd you get in here?”

  “I- the window was slightly open.”

  I glanced at the window, “Ah.”

  “I bruised your neck.”

  “I’m okay.” I pressed a hand to the sore spot.

  “Sorry.”

  “Ah, why are you here?”

  He glanced over my shoulder at my brother who was glaring steadily at the Daemon.

  I turned to Jay. “Could you give me a minute?”

  His wings fluttered in irritation. “I’m leaving the door open, if he hurts you again, he’s dead,” he warned, eyes serious but he stepped outside without argument.

  “The Axitross is worthless, I can’t get it to do a damn thing,” he said, shadows clouding his eyes.

  ”I’m so sorry.”

  “You lied to us, for days, for what?” he asked seriously.

  “I was going to take the Axitross once you found it.” I said softly, stepping away from him and crossing my arms below my breasts.

  He growled. “But you didn’t.”

  “I couldn’t, not after what you told me.”

  “After all you went through to get it you still didn’t take it.” He stepped forward and ran his fingers through my hair.

  I glanced up at him warily, “You’re not mad?” I chewed my bottom lip.

  “I’m half evil, soulless Demon, little one. If anything I admire the skill with which you executed the deception.” He pressed even closer, his hard body crowding mine.

  “Does it change things?” I asked, sounding breathless even to myself.

  “Absolutely.” He muscled me back until I hit the wall. “Now I know you’re bad I can be bad.” He gave me a look that managed to express some of the bad thing he intended to do to me before kissing my neck.

  A shiver went down my spine. “I really thought you’d be madder than this,” I gasped.

  His hand cupped my breast and I leant heavily against the wall at my back as I struggled to even out my breathing. I was wearing my PJ’s so the only thing between his palm and my breast was a thin layer of cotton. “Don’t worry, little one, I will get my revenge, and it will be sweet.”

  I closed my eyes and my body began to rock gently against his.

  Then he let go and he disappeared out the window, leaving me stunned and needy. I moaned softly. He really was a jerk. I took a moment to cool off before stepping out into the hall.

  Jay bared his teeth at me in a smile, “Nice guy.”

  “He’s unpredictable.”

  “I should go home so I can shower before work. You make sure to lock that damn window,” he said, kissing my hair.

  I smiled, “Yes, sir.”

  “You come into the office later and we’ll talk,” he said.

  I huffed, “Fine, as long as mum’s not there.”

  He smiled, “I’ll make sure she’s out of the office.” He squeezed my shoulder before heading out the door.

  I walked back to my room, it was just past six in the morning so I’d need at least two more hours sleep before I was ready to face the world. I closed my window but couldn't bring myself to lock it before diving into bed.

  I ended up sleeping for three more hours and I found Maya in the kitchen the following morning. “Have an eventful night?” she asked with a knowing smile.

  This is why I should live alone. “Meh.” I shrugged.

  “Ah, so we’re venturing out of the room but we’re still not talking,” she observed.

  I shrugged again and poured myself a bowl of cereal.

  “We’ll at least you’re dressed. I’m leaving for work soon, I’ll bring back some food so you don’t starve to death.”

  I murmured my appreciation, mouth full.

  She patted my head on the way out of the door. I loved Maya because she understood me and just went with my madness. She didn’t even question it. I could come home, bloodied and bruised and she would just offer me a hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows.

  I really show be less ungrateful towards her.

  After eating I grabbed my gear and headed to the main office.

  The first face I saw when I walked in was uncle Gordo. I grinned, “Hey, old man.”

  “Young enough to kick you're ass, missy.” Gordo was half Fey and looked twenty years younger than his fifty plus years, with the exception of his hair which was completely grey, but it was a silver kind of gray that most hair stylists would envy.

  “How did your dragon hunt go?” I asked. A week ago he had left to investigate a reported dragon sighting.

  “Anothe
r bust, very disappointing. I heard about your little assignment. Don’t worry about it, Daemons are unpredictable, at least no one can get their hands on it now. You managed to get the twins pretty riled up, the gossip is very juicy.”

  The twins were Cas and Wes, they were Fraternal twins and both my half brothers. Gordo threw an arm over my shoulder as we walked towards the lift.

  “For the record I haven’t slept with anyone,” I said firmly.

  He studied me from a moment, then laughed as I pressed the button for our floor. “You’re telling the truth. There’s be all kinds of talk about you having a threesome with a Daemon and a Fey.”

  I rolled my eyes, “I mean, they’re both handsome men but I was on a job!”

  He grinned, “Oh, I know that. You’re a professional, in your position I would have totally slept with them, well, it they were women. Wait, how handsome were they?”

  I bit my lip, “Pretty hot, they were in great shape.”

  He made a thoughtful sound, “I might sleep with them, it would depend on the circumstances,” he told me.

  I laughed, “I don’t think they swing that way.”

  He shrugged, “Plenty more fish.” The door opened and we stepped out.

  Amber stood by the front desk as she spoke on the phone. She saw me and smiled. Gordo’s look was hipster grandpa where Amber’s was aging badass. She wore all dark clothes, a leather jacket and her makeup was flawless, giving her smokes eyes that had men half her age swooning.

  “I’ll get back to you by the end of the day.” She hung up and came over to hug me. “There’s the baby.”

  As the youngest in our entire family I was often referred to as ‘the baby’. “Didn’t you hear about all the threesomes I’ve been having, Aunty Amber? That’s not very babyish behaviour.”

  She squeezed my cheek. “Oh, honey, I’d never believe that, you’re entirely to classy for such uncouth behaviour.”

  I beamed at her, “I have no idea what uncouth means.”

  She chuckled, “Now, have you spoken to Bonny since you’ve been back?”

  “I have no intention of speaking to her anytime soon.” Bonny was my mother.

  “She worries about you, you know.”

  I raised an eyebrow, “She’s worried I’m using protection,” I said bitterly.

  “And are you?” asked Gordo with a wink.

  I rolled my eyes, “Despite mum’s hope I don’t intent to become a brooding mare so if I were to become sexually active then I would use protection.” Not that I’d need to, having had Gordo place an enchantment on me when I had turned sixteen to prevent me from conceiving until I chose to remove it.

  “You have to understand, honey, it was the life your mother chose. Come, sit,” she tugged me to the chairs behind the desk. “Your mother hated fighting, she wasn’t all that good and she can’t tolerate pain without falling apart.”

  I took a deep breath.

  “Just, let me finish. For her mothering children was a ‘get out of jail free’ card. She enjoyed sleeping around and she loved being a mother, it gave her the life she had always wanted. It was her way out,” she explained.

  “That’s nice to know, Amber, but it won't change things. I like independance, I like knowing I can protect myself. I can’t even get a date, I’m not going to be able to sleep with a man after reading a file with his stats. I don’t have it in me. And if I do ever have a child they will be mine, there won't ever be the chance that some random guy I slept with once can come and take them from me.”

  I glanced away and blinked rapidly.

  “Oh, honey.” She reached over to hug me.

  “I’m fine, Amber.”

  “I’m not. I didn’t even consider that what happen back then could make you feel this way.” She let me go and sat back.

  “It was a long time ago.”

  “Clearly not long enough.” She sighed heavily. “I’ll talk to her, have her back off.”

  I smiled, “Thanks.”

  “Kia!”

  I winced and span to face Amy, my oldest sister. “Amy!”

  She wore a form fitting pants suit, as she always did in the office, I wasn’t sure why, it wasn’t like she could fight demons in that outfit. She brushed her long black hair over her shoulder as she reached me. “I’d like a word with you,” she said, resting her hands on her hips.

  “Can that word be ‘no’?” I was hopeful.

  She pointed to one of the ‘conference’ rooms. “Get your ass in there.”

  I glanced at Gordo, “Remember, I want to be buried, not cremated,” I told him.

  He smirked, “She’s not that bad.”

  I gave him a skeptical look before following her into the room. She closed the door behind us, which was definitely a bad sign.

  “What were you thinking?” demanded Amy.

  “You’ll have to be more specific.”

  “Sleeping with a Demon Blood, of all creatures.”

  “I didn’t sleep with him but even if I had it’s my business, not yours.” I sat on the table at the center of the room.

  She huffed, glancing skyward. “Cas saw him grinding on you in a motel room.”

  “What!” Oh, I suppose there is a chance it may have almost looked like that. “He was healing me!”

  She raised an eyebrow, “Is that what he told you?”

  “God! Amy, it wasn’t like that. I had a gash across my stomach and he was straining because heal takes effort.” It didn’t sound much better when I said it. “Look, I can handle myself. I was on a job, I did what I had to do but I didn’t sleep with anyone,” I said firmly.

  She studied me closely for a moment. “Fine. If you say you didn’t sleep with them, you didn’t sleep with them but you’ve got a lot of explaining to do to dad.”

  “Okay, can I go now?”

  She nodded with a sigh.

  I ran out of there like my tail was on fire, just as Jay stepped out of a room at the other end of the reception area. “Jay!” I ran over and hugged him.

  He hugged back tightly, “Look who’s out of the house. Kia, this is Ebony,” he said, gesturing to the woman who had followed him out of the room.

  I released him and stepped back so I could see her. Her hair was pale blond, a few shades darker than Jay’s and she carried herself the same way he did. “She’s like you?” I asked, there had been no reported sightings of their kind since his father. Mother thought he may have been the last of his kind.

  “Yes, we met in the time you were away,” said Jay.

  “Wow, nice to meet you,” I told her.

  She nodded slowly, “And you.”

  I smiled at her before turning to Jay. “So, I came, can I go home yet?”

  He smiled, “Have you done your paperwork?”

  My eyes widened and I pouted a little at him.

  “That face might get you what you want with our aunts but it’s not working for me,” he stated.

  I sighed heavily. “Fine. I hate paperwork.”

  “So does the rest of the world,” he said with amusement.

  I walked to the office I shared with my sister Tia. She sat at her computer playing Skyrim. She made an incoherent sound in greeting and I fired up my computer. After half an hour of typing I had fabricated a wonderful, fictitious, tale of my adventures.

  I sent the file to Jay and sat back in my chair, rubbing my hands over my face. A moment later Tom stepped into the room, “There you are, squirt,” he said.

  I grinned, “Tom- what is that goo you’re covered in?”

  He grinned back at me, “Sea monster blood, I was going to clean up but first I just had to come and give my baby sis a hug.” He held up his arms.

  “No, ew, get away.” I leapt to my feet and moved around our desks.

  “Aren’t you happy to see me?” he demanded as he began to stalk me.

  “You’re getting it all over the carpet,” I complained, edging around the desks.

  I glanced at the door and we both paused. I m
ade a run for it. He almost caught me but I was faster. I sprinted down the hall to the reception area and leapt up onto the desk. I turned back as he reached me. I hopped lightly onto the second desk.

  “Get down off there, girl, before you break your neck,” said a familiar voice.

  “Tell him to stop chasing me and I’ll come down.”

  Tom lunged to grab my ankle but I moved away with ease, careful to avoid stepping on the keyboard or kicking the monitor.

  “Leave the girl alone, boy, before she kicks your ass.”

  Tom turned to our uncle Tyler, “You have no faith in my capabilities.”

  “I know your capabilities, that’s why I’m worried.”

  Tom turned back to me and found my sword pointed at his chest. I grinned.

  He sighed and glanced at Tyler, “This is your fault.”

  Tyler smirked, drying his hair with a towel. “Should have done what I did and washed up straight away, get in the shower, boy.” He tossed the towel at Tom who reluctantly headed to the showers.

  I hopped down, “Thanks, uncle Tyler.”

  He walked closer and squeezed my shoulder. “No worries, girl. Nice job with the Axitross, I’ve always said we should destroy things like that. Too powerful, even in the hands of good guys,” he said.

  I smiled.

  “Come, I’ll buy you some lunch,” he said, putting an arm over my shoulders.

  Chapter Nine

  I was pulling guard duty for the son of a millionaire. It was really boring. We occasionally took jobs like this for the money because most jobs didn’t pay well. A lot were done pro bono. Doing this gave us a lot more freedom regarding the jobs we could take on.

  Usually either Amy or Amber played the ‘date’ but this guy was only twenty which put him in my territory. I wore a cute little black dress and Amber had done my make up so I was rocking a mysterious kind of look. She’d had to do it a number of times

  I also wore four inch heels, at Amy’s insistence. She was clearly still mad at me. “Dance with me?” asked Antony.

  “Sure.” I knew the twins were also nearby so I could afford to lose my focus a little.

  He took my hand. He was actually not a bad dancer. He took the lead and it was easy to follow, even though this wasn’t the sort of dancing I was used to.