by Becca Andre
“James?” Doug sounded worried.
James ripped open the portal and jumped through, then reached back and caught it before it closed.
Get in here.
Doug obeyed without comment.
Chapter
17
Gavin and Elysia weren’t anywhere in sight. James once again sent his awareness outward, sniffing, hunting. Excitement quivered within him, humming across his senses. The Hunt. This was what he was made for.
There. A whiff of strawberries. Close. She was still among the dead.
Without warning, James caught Doug’s upper arm. His claws bit through the fabric of Doug’s shirt, and the necromancer gasped—then shouted as James jumped. It was impossible to judge distance, but James didn’t think about it. He trusted his senses.
Doug’s shout cut out when they landed. James released him, and the necromancer fell to his knees.
Elysia stood a few yards away, her clothes torn from Gavin’s claws, and the perfume of her blood scenting the air in a way that had James strangling a groan.
Gavin stood before her, his form the mesh of human and hellhound James knew so well, but Gavin was no longer the emaciated shadow of a former grim. His black fur gleamed over muscle, a lot more muscle than James’s smaller form possessed.
Gavin glanced at him. We have an obstacle, little brother.
Kari stood between Gavin and Elysia. She wore a brilliant gown that glowed almost as brightly as her skin. James didn’t understand why he had considered her glow dim before.
Elysia turned with a gasp, her wide white eyes settling on James.
It’s me, he reassured her.
“J-James?”
Gavin snarled. With eyes squinted against the brightness, he sprang forward, slashing at Kari’s glowing form.
Her image blurred, swirling into the glowing orb, and darted out of his path. When she stopped, her human shape reappeared.
I won’t let you hurt her, she whispered.
Gavin growled and sprang again.
When Kari became the orb this time, she didn’t try to elude him. She streaked toward him and vanished into his chest, just as she had entered Elysia earlier.
Gavin snarled and spun in a circle, swiping at something James couldn’t see. Suddenly he stopped. He flexed his right hand, extending his claws. Then rammed them into his own chest.
James straightened, shocked by what Gavin had done.
Gavin pulled his claws free, the remnants of Kari’s glittering soul clinging to his fingers. He lifted his hand to his mouth and James tackled him. The impact took them to the ground, and Kari’s soul flew free, her shriveled orb winking pitifully.
“Kari, use me!” Elysia cried.
“Elysia, no!” Doug pushed himself to his feet.
Protect my son, Kari whispered, her form fading.
“Always.” Elysia reached out a hand, but Doug caught her wrist and pulled her back.
Elysia jabbed an elbow at him, but it was already too late. Kari was gone.
James didn’t get to watch the rest as Gavin took a swipe at him. James jumped back, narrowly avoiding his claws. They were both on their feet an instant later.
Mine, Gavin breathed, rabid eyes on Elysia.
James held his ground, positioning himself between her and Gavin. No. Elysia belongs to me. The words were out before James realized what he said. The bond surged to life, and he heard Elysia gasp.
“It is you,” she whispered. “James!” Her power flowed into him, swelling that sliver of her own soul buried deep within him.
Gavin turned his head in James’s direction, his pupils shrinking within the red irises. That’s when James noticed the glow. For a moment, he thought Doug had pulled out his cell phone, then he realized that the glow emanated from somewhere much closer.
James lifted his arm. Light seeped out between the dense fur that covered his body. His skin was glowing.
Gavin snarled and lashed out at him.
Distracted, James reacted too slowly, and Gavin’s claws raked across his chest. He yelped as liquid fire erupted beneath his skin.
You’ve got to be quicker than that. Gavin lifted his hand, a faint iridescent glow coloring his claws. A remnant of Kari or was it… James’s?
James pressed a hand to his chest.
You understand. Gavin chuckled, then lashed out again.
James sensed it coming and managed to avoid taking damage. They began to circle each other, two undead monsters with the ability to rip souls from the living—and the dead.
On the next pass, James lunged, ducking beneath Gavin’s claws and taking a swipe at his gut. Gavin twisted to the side, and James only scored a glancing blow. Even so, Gavin yelped and danced away.
James glanced at the sheen on his own claws. Dead God. Did they have souls here? Here where their two forms were one? Elysia had once told him that he possessed a soul, it just wasn’t on the mortal plane.
Gavin attacked, leading with his foot this time—a clawed foot aimed at James’s face.
James wasn’t used to fighting in this form. He pulled back, but not enough. Gavin’s foot slammed into his sensitive muzzle.
James yelped as fire ignited within his nasal cavities, making his eyes sting and water. He stumbled to the side, blinking furiously to clear his vision.
Without warning, he was seized around the throat and lifted from the ground, only to be hurled aside. He landed hard on his side, rolling on impact. The roll saved him as Gavin’s clawed feet thumped down where James had been.
Still blinking, James sprang to his feet. He shook his head, trying to track Gavin’s movements, when a roundhouse kick took him upside the head. James fell to the ground, this time landing at Elysia’s feet.
“Ely, open a portal,” Doug said, his voice pitched low and urgent. “The guy’s got almost a foot in height and close to a hundred pounds on him. We need to run while he lasts.”
Get up, little brother, Gavin called. Don’t quit on me now.
Elysia ignored Doug, squatting beside James while keeping an eye on Gavin. “You’re not done.” She touched a finger to his muzzle. Then cautiously slipped it between his fangs to his tongue. Ambrosia exploded across his senses, and it took every ounce of will not to clamp down on her finger.
“Get up,” she whispered.
No. Gavin snarled and swatted her away. He used the back of his hand, so his claws didn’t find purchase, but the powerful blow threw her several yards. She landed hard, and didn’t get up.
Furious, James shoved himself off the ground and lunged at Gavin. His claws ripped into Gavin’s thigh, digging deep.
Gavin yelped, then whirled, lashing out as he spun.
James rolled out of his path and sprang to his feet.
You like the necromancer. Gavin’s voice had almost a singsong quality. Very foolish.
Doug had crawled over to Elysia. He brushed her long blonde hair from her face. Her eyelids fluttered, but didn’t fully open.
Gavin moved closer and James attacked again. The power of Elysia’s blood still roared through him. He caught Gavin across his biceps with a slashing blow.
Gavin snarled and clutched his arm. She will betray you. He released his arm and took a swing at James. The wound in his thigh was gone, and the one in his arm already shrinking. They began to circle each other again. They landed blows and dodged them in equal measure, leaving no lasting damage behind. It became a contest of who would tire first.
The surge Elysia’s blood had given him faded quickly. Gavin’s blows connected more frequently, and James realized the injuries did take a toll. It took energy to heal them.
James’s fatigue got the better of him when he tripped over his own feet trying to avoid a blow to the face. He dropped to one knee, but to his surprise, G
avin backed off.
Tsk, tsk. You need to feed more.
James pushed himself to his feet. Feed?
Gavin gave him an approximation of a grin through a muzzle full of teeth. Then ran his tongue over one claw, lapping off the faint iridescent sheen. He shivered. A recommendation: magical souls are the tastiest. Gavin exhaled. But damn, a grim beats them all.
My soul.
Yes. Gavin gave him another twisted grin.
But you stuck your claws within yourself. James remembered how Gavin had extracted Kari. And on the heels of that, James remembered doing the same to Era when she had been possessed.
Must I explain everything? I am bound to the mortal plane, again. It takes more effort to rip a soul bound to multiple places.
Their true form, human and hellhound. The human was of the mortal world; the hellhound belonged to this one.
Gavin moved like lightning, connecting an upper cut to James’s lower jaw. The blow snapped his head back and smashed his teeth into his tongue.
James staggered to the side, but before he could recover, a second blow connected with the side of his head.
James was falling. A clawed hand gripped his shoulder and dug in, pulling a cry from him.
Consuming your soul might give me enough power to break the necromancer’s hold. He clutched James’s stomach, digging his claws in so deep, James imagined them brushing his spine. This time he howled in agony.
Gavin curled his fingers, raking his razor sharp claws through James’s intestines. Then he pulled.
James caught Gavin’s shoulders, digging in his own claws, but it was too little, too late. Gavin fisted his soul and James screamed.
I told you this was our true form. Gavin whispered.
“No, it’s not.” Elysia’s hand came to rest in the center of James’s back. “Release him, grim. He’s mine.”
The bond flared to life in all its glory. No, not just the bond. Elysia. She flowed into him. The power of life slammed through James’s withering body, flowing outward until it reached the tips of his toes and the end of each hair.
Gavin yelped and jumped back as light once again erupted from James’s skin.
Elysia rubbed her hand over his shoulder blade. “You are mine, James Daniel Huntsman.”
James cried out, arching his back as the power built, then exploded outward.
Elysia’s hand slid up to his shoulder.
He opened his eyes and discovered the area around them bathed in light.
Gavin took one step back, then another. Abruptly, he turned and ran. Before he had gone two strides, he vanished.
“Damn,” James said. “He’s gone.”
Elysia snorted. “I happen to think that’s a good thing.”
James heard her words, but didn’t respond. It occurred to him that he had spoken—out loud. He lifted his hand and touched his lips. They were human. Taking his hand from his lips, he stared at it. Though it glowed so brightly he had to squint, it was his hand. An average human hand. No fur, no claws.
Elysia slipped around in front of him. She was squinting as well, but an odd smile curled her mouth. “This is your true form.”
James realized that she hadn’t slid her hand up to his shoulder earlier, he had morphed out of the seven-foot monster into… himself.
“How?” he whispered.
Her brow furled. “I’m not exactly sure.”
He laughed and pulled her against him, belatedly remembering he was naked. She didn’t seem to mind, wrapping her arms around his waist, she pressed her cheek to his chest. Her sigh sounded relieved, and he thought, contented.
“What just happened?” Doug asked, his tone lacking the usual force.
James startled a little at his voice. He had forgotten all about the guy.
Elysia must have noticed because she laughed softly before lifting her head. “Send him home?” Her white eyes met James’s.
“You don’t want the honors?”
“I’m not sure how I got here.”
James smiled. “That’s getting to be a theme.”
“I’m serious. But I think maybe Kari brought me here.” Sadness filled her eyes.
“Ely.” Doug stepped up beside them, seeming to gather his composure. “I didn’t know what Neil was up to. You begged me to free the grim.”
Elysia turned toward him, though she kept one arm around James’s waist, her cheek still against his chest. “I asked for your help and you betrayed me.”
“Betrayed? Neil acted on his own. I didn’t—”
“Not about the potion, about James.”
The bond tightened, and James drew a shallow breath. She squeezed his hip, feeling it, too.
“You planned to give him to your father,” she continued. “Do you deny it?”
Doug frowned. “No. I don’t get how that’s betrayal. I did as you asked, and if you didn’t know, it wouldn’t be on your conscience.”
James tried to keep his amazement in check, but Elysia must have felt his soft snort. She looked up, brows raised.
“Sorry. His arrogance is impressive.”
Doug crossed his arms. “Don’t start, dead man.”
“See, right there.” Elysia released James to fully face Doug—much to James’s disappointment. “You have no respect for the dead.”
“Respect for—” Doug dropped his arms. “Ely, you know that’s not a healthy attitude.”
“About a corpse. I’m talking about a lich, or a grim. They’re as much in the mortal world as we are. Kari gave her life for you. Did you even notice?”
“She was already dead.”
“Physically. Metaphysically she was as alive as you or me. She was still bound to the mortal plane, and she had a child she very much wanted to see.”
“Seriously,” Doug said. “You need to stop this. Has Neil’s potion—”
“James?” She turned to face him. “Please open the portal.”
James ignored Doug’s protest and did as she asked. He considered dropping him into that crypt, but opened a doorway to the city morgue instead. The portal opened a few feet away, the bright light from the florescent bulbs pouring through the doorway.
“Ely.” Doug tried again.
“Just go,” she said.
He hesitated, looking like he wanted to say more, then turned and walked toward the portal.
Elysia’s shoulders slumped with what James hoped was fatigue, and not dejection. He laid a hand on the small of her back, silently asking if she was all right. She surprised him by leaning against him.
“And Doug?” Elysia called.
He stopped, then slowly turned to face them.
“Consider our engagement off.”
James slid his arms around her waist, knowing it wasn’t his place, but remembering well how Doug had mocked him. He tensed when she ran her hands along his forearms, but she covered his hands with hers instead of pushing him away.
Doug watched the movement, then gave her a single nod. “James.”
Having the necromancer address him by name was a shock.
“Take her to the Flame Lord’s alchemist,” Doug continued. “To Addie. She’s a troublemaker, but a talented troublemaker.”
“Consider it done,” James said.
Another nod, and Doug stepped into the morgue.
James let the portal go and Elysia sighed. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes. No.” She turned to face him. “Thanks for coming.”
“I would have come sooner, but your dumbass ex-fiancé wouldn’t listen.”
She smiled. A sad smile.
He lifted a hand to her face and gently rubbed his thumb beneath a gash along her cheekbone. “How bad did Gavin hurt you?”
“I’ll be okay, though I’ll probably be afraid of the dark for a while.”
“I can see in the dark.”
“Handy.” She looked up, holding his gaze. “You risked your soul to save me.”
“I didn’t even know I had one.”
“I told you that you did.”
“Guess I should listen to you.”
“Perhaps.” The corner of her mouth curled upward.
He continued to rub her cheek with his thumb.
“Heal me?”
He met her eyes, those white eyes. He would fix that problem soon; he would take her to Addie. But first, her request. He turned his attention to the slowly bleeding wound. This he could fix. He leaned down and ran his tongue along her cheekbone. Ambrosia. He swallowed and her power filled him once more. Dear God, he could never get enough of this.
Her palms came to rest against his stomach, then slid upward. He sucked in a breath as she simultaneously ran both hands across his nipples on her way up to encircle his neck.
“Ornery necromancer.” He ran his tongue along her undamaged cheekbone once more.
“Yes.” She turned her head and pressed her lips to his.
A groan that was almost a growl escaped his throat. His hands settled on her hips and he pulled her closer.
A howl sounded in the distance, and Elysia gasped. James lifted his head and snarled.
“Was that him?” she whispered. She pulled away from him, physically and magically.
“No, that was a hellhound, not a grim. I suspect it caught your scent.”
His skin tingled, and he glanced down. The glow began to fade, black fur replacing it. “I’m changing back.”
Elysia turned to face him, watching the transformation. He hoped it was wonder and not fear that widened her eyes. “I dreamed about you once,” she whispered. “As the monster.”
Monster. He sighed. “It wasn’t a dream. Somehow, you managed to sleepwalk into the land of the dead. I went after you.”
She looked around. “Is that what I’m doing? I’ve had that recurring dream since I was a child.” The howl came again, closer, and she turned to face the sound. “What if a hellhound had gotten me?”