by Amos Cassidy
The thunder of hooves filled the air a moment after, and I glanced sharply up the dirt track that led toward the city to see a dust cloud of epic proportions moving our way.
“What the heck is that?” I pressed closer to him, but he pushed me away roughly. I hit the ground and scrambled up. “What the hell!”
“Run, hide. I’ll find you.” He stepped forward, away from me and toward the dust cloud, a cloud that was dissipating, clearing to show me four riders, huge human-looking beings sitting on beasts that looked like a cross between a horse and a bear. And Daemon was moving toward them. Was this something to do with why the others hadn’t wanted him to come here?
Shit. I wanted to do something to help, but I had no idea what. I took a step toward him, but someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back into the shadows of a nearby hut just as the riders surrounded Daemon.
I glanced at the creature who’d grabbed me: a female with huge amber eyes and a ridge of red puckered skin running from forehead to chin down the centre of her face. Her body was covered in loose, dark robes, and she held a slender red finger to her lips before transferring her attention to the scene in the square.
Daemon was speaking to the riders in that strange language again. One of the riders threw back his head and barked—I thought he was laughing—and another gesticulated wildly with his pawlike hands.
“I wish I could understand what they’re saying.”
“They’re arresting him,” the female Hellion said.
I looked at her sharply. “You can speak my language?”
She inclined her head. “My master taught me.”
Daemon held out his arms and one of the riders, the bark-laughing one, clipped some heavy shackles on him, and then they were moving away.
I wanted to call out, but common sense had me pressing my lips together in silence.
“Where are they taking him?” I asked.
“To Brialla, his former owner.”
“Owner?”
Her eyes widened. “You don’t know?”
I shook my head.
“Daemon is an abomination, born, not created. He was claimed by Brialla when he was just a babe, raised in her home. They say she watched him for some kind of special ability, something she could use to her advantage. The council wanted him dead, but she argued that he would be more useful alive. When he showed no power, she argued that the taking of such a unique life could be considered sacrilege. They let her keep him, but in truth, it would have been kinder for them to execute him.”
“Why? What did she do to him?”
The female’s eyes misted. “Anything she wanted. Daemon is the product of abuse you could never imagine. But not content with that, she warped him, changed him, turned him into something he wasn’t. Brialla is a Succubus and, using Aether, she altered Daemon, turning him into an Incubus. But it didn’t completely work. Maybe it was his inherent nature that fought the change, or maybe Brialla did a terrible job of it. Whatever the reason, Daemon became a monster; his sexual appetite a beast that could not be tamed, his hunger insatiable. Still, Brialla kept him chained like an animal in her chambers to use as she pleased, until he was chosen as a successor to the Dream Eater Trinity. They came for him and took him away, altered him once more. I heard tales of how his control over his hunger grew after he became a Dream Eater. Maybe the consumption of dreams was enough to sate his hunger. I did not expect to see him back here, but if he is here, then Brialla will surely want to know. Now that the Dream Eaters no longer serve a purpose, I’m afraid she may try and reclaim him as her property once more and, unfortunately, there is no one to oppose her.”
“How do you know so much?”
She ducked her head. “Until a few moons ago, I worked in Brialla’s home as a kitchen maid. I heard plenty. My new master is kind.” Her eyes widened. “He will help you, I’m sure of it. Please, come with me.”
I hesitated for a moment, but only a moment. If what this female said was true, and my gut told me it was, then Daemon was in danger, and it was my fault. Bernie came first of course, but if there was some way I could help Daemon then I had to try.
“Okay, take me to your master.”
She smiled and then reached to caress the material of my suit. “Enchansa magic?”
I blinked dumbly at her.
She leaned in. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. The others can’t see you, not really.”
“What do you mean?”
It was her turn to do the blinking thing but this time in surprise. “You don’t know what you’re wearing?”
“A bodysuit?”
She shook her head. “My dear, that . . . bodysuit is woven with some of the most powerful magic that I’ve ever felt. It doesn’t just cover your body, it glamours you to look like a Hellion, while at the same time forcing people to avert their eyes. They see you, but they don’t see you, understand?”
I think I did. It explained why no one really paid me any attention here except . . . “How come you can see through it, if it’s such powerful magic?”
I wasn’t sure but I think she flushed. It was hard to tell, her skin was already so red.
“Come, we should get going, it’ll be nightfall in a few hours. If we are to rescue the abomination then we need to make a plan.” She turned to exit the abandoned hut.
“Don’t call him that!”
She glanced at me over her shoulder.
“His name is Daemon. You can call him Daemon.”
She smiled. “Come.”
I followed.
***
The ride was bumpy, uncomfortable, and humid. Lying under a tarp surrounded by woven baskets filled with sweet-smelling fruit wasn’t the smoothest ride, but Darma, my saviour, had explained that a permit was required to enter the city, and I didn’t have one. So I hunkered down and waited.
Finally, we came to a halt. I heard the murmur of voices, but couldn’t make out what was being said. Then came footsteps round the side of the cart. The cart tipped to the side. Someone was getting on. I tensed, suddenly afraid. What if Darma had lied? What if she’d brought me here as meat? Food for her noble master? Shit! I shifted into position, ready to fight if I had to, just as the tarp was ripped away, and I was blinded by the light. I raised an arm to shield my eyes.
“It’s small, isn’t it?” a male voice said.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Darma said in a hushed tone.
“Ah, yes, the enchanted suit.” He cocked his head. “So what does it look like?”
My eyes adjusted to the light, and I lowered my arm and met the male’s eyes. He was big, not Daemon big, but big nonetheless. His skin was inky black and polished to a shine, and his eyes were deep crimson and turned up at the corners, as was his mouth. He was smiling at me, but the action did little to soften his overall demeanour. The Hellion looked dangerous, smile or no. He was dressed in similar robes as Darma.
He held out his hand. “Come, you’re safe here.”
I glanced at Darma, who nodded slightly. I took his hand and he hauled me up.
“Master just returned from his hunt. I’ll take you to see him.”
Darma pouted. “Hey, I found her!”
The male chuckled. “You can come too if you want, chicklet.”
Once again, that deepening red in her cheeks, this time accompanied by a twinkle in her eyes. She was so crushing on this guy.
They continued to gaze at each other, and I cleared my throat.
The male ducked his head to hide a grin. “Yes, we should get going.” He jumped down off the cart and held out his hand to help me down.
I grinned at him before leaping off the cart and landing lightly on my feet.
He lifted a huge shoulder in a shrug.
I took in my surroundings. We were in some kind of enclosed courtyard. The ground was level, smooth, red slabs, and the walls around us were a lighter shade of red brick. Shrubs grew up against the walls in all shades of green. The contrast was startling, and
I had to blink a few times to get accustomed to it. Two other carts were parked alongside the one I had ridden in.
The male allowed me a moment to assess my surroundings before glancing up toward the sky and frowning. “We need to hurry. Night may be falling sooner than anticipated.”
Darma sighed and I matched her frown.
What the hell did he mean? I was about to ask when he turned on his heel and headed off round the cart. Darma waved me along and I quickly followed.
I rounded the cart and got my first view of the back of the house. Well, house was an understatement. This abode looked like it could hold several families. It was huge. Four storeys tall made of black stone, it rose up into the red-misted blue sky like a titan.
I gulped as I followed the male Hellion through a door and into the building. I could feel Darma at my back as we passed through a kitchen so big it was half the size of the assembly room at Shelter. We passed copper pots and shiny knives, thick wooden work surfaces and one of those huge ovens similar to the one at Apocalypse. And then we were through into a dimly lit corridor, passing several closed doors, up two flights of stairs and into another corridor, this one bright and filled with light streaming in from the windows to my left. It dappled the grey stone floors and lit up the crystal light fixtures so they threw shards of light against the walls. It was beautiful and I was almost distracted by it, but then we were coming to a halt outside a set of double doors and Darma was shooting me excited glances. The male knocked on the door and waited a moment before pushing it open and entering.
Darma nudged me in the small of my back. Reminding myself that this noble could be my key to helping Daemon, I squared my shoulders and stepped over the threshold into a room bathed in sunlight. The windows took up the whole of the wall before me. A monstrosity of a bed sat to my left, and in the centre of the room, stood a man, tall and built, his back to me as he shrugged on a jacket. His legs were clad in tight trousers, calves encased in leather boots. The male Hellion whispered in his ear, and I watched the noble’s shoulders tense a fraction. The Hellion stepped back and to the side.
For some reason, my heart was pounding in my chest. I told myself that it was anxiety about whether this noble would help me or not, but my gut told me I was fooling myself. The heart pounding wasn’t due to anxiety. I’d been in some pretty dicey situations in the past and I’d managed to keep a level head, a level heartbeat. This was something else, something . . . The noble turned to face me and I locked eyes with him. Hazel eyes . . . eyes that crinkled in confusion. Eyes I knew, lips I knew. A face I cared for, but the body . . . how could this be?
“Take off the suit,” he said. His tone was soft, yet undeniably male.
Could I be mistaken? I swallowed and reached for the zipper on the suit, hidden so neatly it was almost invisible.
I began to pull it down slowly, watching as the noble’s chest rose and fell rapidly, watching as his fists clenched in anticipation.
I kept my gaze fixed on his as I pulled the zip all the way down, as I slipped the hood off my head, revealing my hair, and shrugged the fabric off my shoulders, allowing it to pool at my feet before I leaned down to tug my feet free. A tingle ran over my skin.
His eyes lit up, his lips curved in that slow burn smile I was so familiar with and I knew.
“Ash.”
“Bernie?”
And then we were moving across the room that suddenly felt way too big. We met in the middle and paused, suddenly unsure how to greet each other. I felt a wave of shyness wash over me as he drank me in. This was Bernadette, but not Bernadette. The name Bernie seemed more apt now because, unless I was somehow mistaken, she had been changed.
“You came for me.”
I nodded, my throat tight with emotion.
Sheshook her head, and then I was being lifted off my feet and enveloped in a huge bear hug.
I returned it with fervour, my eyes stinging with relief. I’d found her . . . or should I be calling her him?
Bernie set me back on my feet gently, her eyes roving over my face, travelling down the column of my throat and over my bare skin. I realised I was dressed only in my bra and knickers.
Her gaze heated and my cheeks grew warm. I ducked my head.
“So do I refer to you as a he now?”
Bernie’s lips twitched. “I’d like that.”
“You got a shirt I can borrow?”
“Sure.” His voice sounded thicker. He wanted me. I could feel his desire zinging off my skin, and I liked it. But this was Bernie, my friend. Yeah, she’d done amazing things to me with her tongue and, yeah, I thought she was kinda hot, but I wasn’t into girls, not really, and now she was a he . . . a man. This was so confusing. I needed a shirt.
I lifted my chin. “Shirt?”
Bernie blinked and stepped back. “Of course.”
Darma stepped up and held out a robe for me to slip into. It was long, falling almost to my ankles. I had to roll up the sleeves.
Bernie moved in again, his body so close it stole my breath. He locked eyes with me as he reached around me for the robe ties and knotted them around my waist. His fingers lingered against my hips. I could feel them like a brand through the silken fabric of the voluminous robe.
My mouth went dry, my heartbeat kicked up a notch, and I know he felt it too because those hazel eyes of his, Bernadette’s eyes, grew dark with need. I couldn’t deal with this right now, so I broke eye contact.
“We have a lot to talk about,” I said.
His hands slid off my hips as he inched back. “Yes, we do. Darma, prepare a room for our guest.”
The two Hellions bowed out of the room, leaving me alone with Bernadette.
“How?” I asked.
Bernie sighed. “A lot of time has passed since we were separated, Ash.”
“Like a week, if that!”
His brows shot up. “You don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Time passes differently here in Inferna. It has its own rules. For me it’s been several years since I last saw you.” He reached for my face, but stopped mere centimeters from my skin. He dropped his hand. “There were so many times that I thought I must have imagined you. That you were nothing but a dream I once had, that our world, Earth, was nothing but a nightmare.”
“Nightmare? How can you call our home that? Sure, it’s not the most comfortable place, but we were free, safe. You were taken by Traders and brought to one of the most dangerous realms of the Tri-realms. They said they were going to sell you for sex or meat.”
He swept out his arm. “Look around you, Ash. Does it look like I’m in any danger?”
“No, but what the hell happened to you?” I glanced down the length of his very male body.
His lips curled in a smile that was more seduction that humour. “You don’t like it? Maybe you need to see a little more of it before you make up your mind.” He reached for the buttons of his jacket and I held up my hand.
“No!”
He chuckled, low and deep, the vibration tugging at something deep inside me.
“It’s not funny!”
He sobered. “I’m sorry, of course it isn’t. Come, let’s sit and I’ll tell you everything.” He led me over to a sofa and we took a seat.
He angled his body toward mine and began to speak.
“It feels like a dream now. In the early days, I prayed that you would come for me, and then I prayed that you wouldn’t. It wasn’t great to begin with. I was sold to a male noble, who liked to inflict pain. If not for the kindness of his noble wife, I’m sure I would have broken within the first few months. She kept my spirits up. She tended to my wounds and counselled me, and eventually, we became secret lovers. I belonged to him for almost two years and then he died. I was suddenly free. My lover said I could leave, go back to my people, wherever I wanted, but I found I no longer wanted to leave. I realised I could have her, that I had the chance to be happy with the woman I loved, and so I stayed.”
“Where
is she? This woman?”
“She died last year. Infernans age differently than us. They retain a youthful appearance for most of their lengthy existence, it’s only when they decide to die that they begin to age. I noticed her aging before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do to change her mind. She told me that she’d been alive for centuries, that she was tired, ready to rest, and that I’d given her the most glorious years of her life. She said that she could go fully satisfied.” He sat back and looked about the room. “She left me everything. Hera was a powerful woman. She left me her estate and her seat on the Infernan council.” He chuckled. “There was some uproar about that, I can tell you, but as she’d never created an heir, she adopted me as such and used her quota of Aether on me. She changed me, giving me this gift, the body that I’d always known I should have been born with.”
I didn’t know what to say, but I knew there was more to this story than he was telling me. He. So weird but so right.
“So what do I call you?”
“Bernie, of course, like you always have.” That smile again. “You came to find me.” This time, when he reached for my face he didn’t pull away again. He caressed my cheek with the back of his hand, so gently and with such longing it made my heart ache.
I couldn’t help but return his smile. If Bernadette had been striking as a female then as a male she was stunning.
“I came to find you, yes. Daemon, a . . . a friend brought me, but now he’s in trouble and I’m hoping you can help me.”
“Tell me everything.”
And so I did.
When I finished, Bernie pressed his lips together. “It won’t be easy. Brialla is used to getting what she wants. If she’s taken Daemon, then she’s reasserted her ownership over your friend.” He caught his bottom lip between his teeth, his eyes narrowing in thought. “I doubt any amount of gold would persuade her to sell. Aether, on the other hand, may persuade her. Unfortunately, there is little of that to go round at the moment. The mines are shut due to the Shadow problem. Inferna is in crisis and . . .” His eyes widened and his gaze dropped to my hands.