Kingdoms Of Hell: Vampire Paranormal Romance (Transfusion Book 7)

by Stephanie Hudson

  But then it was clear he also felt something towards me, which for obvious reasons, I was not prepared to encourage. Even if I had to admit that on a survival basis, this wasn’t a bad thing and may even mean he might feel conflicted in handing me over to whoever this King was. Now, would it be enough by the time we got there for him to regret his decision or even decide against it?

  I didn’t know, but the very least I could do, was be nice.

  However, it was seconds later that parts of that hope were shattered, as Nero ran into the room and shouted,

  “We got a problem, boss man!”

  “Aye 'n' what’s that?” Trice said after letting go of my chin and folding his arms, once again annoyed at the intrusion, one we were soon to discover, was needed.

  “Someone sent an army out to get the girl!” Nero shouted and my mouth dropped.

  Because it looked like one thing for sure…

  Hell wasn’t done with me yet.

  Chapter 25

  The Devil’s Cup

  After this news from Nero and what was the star of my next ‘oh shit’ moment, things started to happen pretty quickly. This began of course, when Trice switched from flirty Scotsman to commander mode and was issuing orders in seconds,

  “Git ye boots on, Lass, time tae go!”

  So, I did as I was told, dragging on a pair of wedge style boots that laced at the sides and put me at least a good three inches higher. I also stuffed my head inside a poncho style jacket that fell around me in waves of navy blue fleece. After this Nero stopped me and as I looked back at her, she opened her hand and blew a light green dust in my face, making me shout in surprise.

  “Blink through it, as it should only take a few minutes before the blurriness clears, then you will be able to see,” she told me, making me blink rapidly as she advised, as right at this moment in time, my eyesight was even worse!

  “You’re sure this will clear?” I asked rubbing at them and making her slap my hands away.

  “It will but it will take time. I have added enough in this pouch to last you about a week, as you will need to do this each day when your vision returns back to the way it usually is,” Nero told me, prompting me to confirm,

  “So, it only lasts a day?”

  “Yeah, two at most so go sparingly with it, and if I were you, I would time it so you don’t waste it, as it’s not like you need to see when you’re asleep.”

  “Good point,” I said nodding, then I grabbed her to me to hug her in thanks,

  “I will repay you for all this one day,” I told her, making her hug me back and laugh,

  “Yeah, well we will consider it even, if you try and keep asswipe out of trouble,” she admitted whilst I was still blinking through the fog in my eyes. At least it didn’t make them sore, unlike my contacts had done. But her reply made me comment.

  “The kiss was that good, eh?” I asked making her smirk before telling me,

  “I’m still trying to convince myself it was just my own kissing skills that made it that good.” I laughed once, patted her on the back and said,

  “Yeah, good luck with that.” It was at this point that Trice came back in the room, now fully dressed as he was before, then he threw Nero a bag of what I assumed was coins and asked,

  “Did yer see what flag their wur flying?” Nero shook her head, telling him,

  “No, but it’s rumoured they were the King’s army that were ordered to leave the camp and instead of charging into battle on the Shadowlands at first light, they were told to march here…now, I am no war expert here, but a human girl pops up in Hell and suddenly a piece of land he has been campaigning to claim for three hundred turns of the sky is forgottenand next thing is they are coming to this shit stain of a town…cowinkydink…I think not, my friend,” Nero said, sounding a little like Pip with that last comment. Oh, and also, adding to the ‘oh shit moment’ for me.

  “It's nae a coincidence…where be mah brothers?” he asked with his accent showing his frustration.

  “Where do you think they are?” she said making him release a groan of frustration and reply with a question,

  “The Spiked Monkey or The Devil’s Cup?” She grinned before telling him,

  “Well, they talked about rum, so I am guessing the Devil’s Cup, besides, you know Gryph has a thing for the curvy ladies.”

  “Aye,” Trice replied and when I raised a brow at Nero in question, she mouthed the word, ‘pub’ at me.

  “Well, I hope yer right, as tis closer,” Trice said making Nero walk towards the far wall in her room that held what I knew was a bookcase. Then, through blurred eyes, I half watched as she ran her hand in front of it until I heard a click. I stepped closer and could just make out two book spines as they inched forward from the rest. Then she pulled on them like handles and opened the two doors that had been hidden. When she turned back to face us, I could just see the blue line down her chin glowing from the magic.

  “Here, go through this, it’s a bridge that leads you across to the side the pub is on, first door on the right and down the spiral staircase will lead inside the pub.” Trice nodded as he walked to the chest the rest of his things were on and started strapping them to his body, including his massive sword. So, I turned to my new friend and said,

  “It was nice meeting you, Nero.”

  “You too, human,” she said letting me see the whites of her teeth, telling me that she was grinning. After this Trice finished by stabbing a small dagger through the holder at his side and walked towards the open bookcase. I quickly followed, and after knocking my hip into the corner of one of the side tables, Nero added,

  “Her vision will clear in a few minutes.”

  “Right,” Trice said before reaching out and grabbing my hand, and I had to say, I was thankful as I wasn’t sure how far I was going to get without being able to see through my cloudy sight. Then he pulled me through the small tunnel until he pushed what looked like a fake wall at the end. It was one which seemed to lead out onto one of the bridges I had seen from the street when we first arrived.

  “Kin ye run, Lass?” Trice asked making me smile up at his blurred face and say,

  “Not saying that I will do well in keeping up with those long legs of yours, but yeah, I can run.”

  “I kin work wi’ that,” he said before he broke out into a what must have been a light jog for him, which was a full on run for me. We reached the other side quickly and I yelped when my legs were suddenly pulled from beneath me.

  “Whoa!” A shocked sound came out of me in a whoosh of air as he was ducking us both under something I couldn’t make out. After this he jumped down to another part of the building and I soon found my feet once more. Then I was being led through a door and down the spiral staircase Nero had spoken about.

  The sounds of a busy pub met me and I could smell fresh meat and a sort of hops’ scent that wasn’t quite beer but came close enough to being recognisable as something similar.

  “Och, bloody typical,” Trice muttered still with a firm grasp on my hand.

  “What?” I asked getting really frustrated at not being able to see now.

  “Gryph is chatting up th' barmaid 'n' Vern is gambling…C'moan,” he said pulling me through the crowd and growling at anyone that got too close. It was a guttural sound and unlike the type of growl I had heard before, but most definitely effective as the blurred figures soon backed off. And in all fairness, Trice also looked utterly fearless as he shoulder barged his way through the crowd, one that all seemed to be focused in one place.

  “Ha, good show chaps, but better luck next time for the gracious lady must be…”

  “In trouble,” Trice interrupted after leaning down closer to where Vern was obviously sat at the head of the round table playing some kind of game of cards. It was with a pack that were black and flashed with glowing red patterns I couldn’t really make out. Vern stood then and started collecting his winnings, telling them,

  “My apologies, gentleman, but I must be on m
y way now, for duty calls in the name of honour.” I would have giggled at the sound of his posh accent had the humour of the moment not been robbed by an angry demon. This was one who stood up after first banging what looked like it could have been a giant fist on the table.

  “GRAGRAGKO! OGN!” The loud boom of a pissed off demon roared in another language making Vern gasp in horror. Then, just as my vision was starting to clear, it did so as Vern was pulling off one of his gloves. Then I looked up to see as he faced off against the huge demonic beast that looked like he had swallowed other beasts for breakfast. His skin looked as if it still had their remains trying to escape through the dark green flesh, as they looked barely beneath the surface. On his snarling head one broken horn might have, at one time, met the other over his forehead and he was all teeth, claws and spiked bone, standing about seven feet tall.

  Then I watched flabbergasted as with the glove in hand Vern slapped the demon across the face with it, making me gasp.

  Gryph came up beside us and said

  “Why th' fck did ye dae that fur?!” Vern puffed out his chest and said,

  “I have not the faintest idea, dear chap, but do excuse me as it looks as if this fellow wants a tussle.”

  “Oh Aye, he wants a fcking tussel a'richt, he also wants tae knock yer fcking block aff!” Gryph replied making Trice mutter in irritation,

  “We dinnae have time fur this shit, Vern, just end it quickly 'n' wi' out th' fcking glove!”

  “I dinnae kin, I kinda lik’ th’ glove bitch slap,” Gryph commented making me giggle. Then the demon lunged for Vern and at the same time, Trice grabbed me around the waist and turned with me in his arms, before handing me off to his brother, saying,

  “Ere’ tak’ this.”

  “Oi!” I shouted as Gryph took hold of me and walked me over to the bar before sitting me down on top of it. This was after first swiping aside all the wooden tankers of what looked like black ale. Then I looked over my shoulder and saw a curvy barmaid with curled horns and reddish skin shrug her shoulders at me before she carried on cleaning, showcasing a large amount of cleavage as she did. Gryph looked smitten.

  I looked back to see Vern slip out of the way of the oncoming demon, before he kicked out a chair so it hit him in the face, making Vern put his hands on his hips and throw back his head to laugh like some amused Robin Hood or Peter Pan character. Then, just before he could charge at him, Trice released his blade making it ignite in a blue glow as its steel hit the air. He quickly kicked out at the back of the demon’s legs, and forced him to his knees, before grabbing the broken piece of horn. Then after using it to drag the demon’s head back, he placed the edge of his glowing steel at his neck and said,

  “Dae ye yield?” The demon roared in anger trying to twist from Trice’s hold, but this made Trice’s eyes glow in a strange dark blue colour that bled into crimson red at the centres. Then the demon’s horn started to freeze under Trice’s grasp, which prevented the demon from fighting his way free. Then he growled,

  “Fine, we dinnae have time fur this shit...Vern, ignite this asshole.”

  “With pleasure, brother,” Vern said rolling his shoulders and taking a deep breath before he shot out a long stream of fire from his mouth. It was one that formed into a flaming sword by the time it was embedded in the demon’s chest and to say that I was impressed was an understatement. The demon seemed to die instantly, and Trice dropped him as if he was nothing but dead weight. Then he held out his sword to the rest of the demonic crowd and as angry sparks ignited from it, he said,

  “Now, does anyone else wantae piss me off today?” Their answers came in the form of them backing away and clearing a path to the door, making Gryph comment on a chuckle,

  “Weel that wis entertaining.” After this Trice lowered his sword making the glow simmer down back to steel and then stormed his way over to me. He grabbed me and bent me over his shoulder, making me yelp in shock.

  “Right let's go, Vern, lead the way, Gryph, ye behind us.”

  “Will do, old…” Trice cut him off by pointing the end of his sword at him and warned,

  “End that by callin' me Chap ‘n’ ye shall see whit happens, Lad.” At this Vern swallowed hard and ran his finger and thumb across his lips saying,

  “Mum’s the word.”

  “Aye, mak’ sure tis,” Trice said before walking out of the tavern style pub that looked as rough as its name.

  “Gryph!” Trice shouted and I looked up after pushing off Trice’s back to see Gryph now downing his ale before winking at the barmaid. Then he picked up his hammer, threw it back against his shoulder and walked through the crowd with everyone giving him an even greater distance than they had Trice.

  Trice kicked open the old black flaked wooden door and stepped through with me telling him,

  “You know I can see now.”

  “Good fur ye, Lass,” he replied in a stern tone making me snap,

  “Then why aren’t you putting me down?”

  “Because pissing in th' wind is faster than ye,” he told me making me growl at him. I looked up to see Gryph giving me the thumbs up with a grin, one I didn’t return making him chuckle. But then the second we all heard the thundering sound travelling along the cobbled street, Trice stopped dead and the brothers did the same.

  “I am going to take an educated guess and surmise this to be the reason for our haste?” Vern asked making Gryph scoff,

  “Th' joke there, is yer bein' educated.” I watched as Vern fought the posh impulse long enough to give his brother the middle finger in return. However, I kind of wanted to point out at this juncture the impending doom that was now making its way up both sides of the street and closing in on us. Although, at least even through their joking, they still took their positions. One which put them sort of back to back, covering each other as this stance seemed to have been as natural as breathing.

  “Oh shit!” I muttered, making Trice respond dryly,

  “Aye,” he agreed as the black wave of armour came marching towards us, one that was getting closer and closer and being led on one side by what I gathered was the general of the army. He was huge, being much bigger than the rest, and was wearing similar battle armour as the rest of the army, only just a variation of it. It was all black spiked interlocking plates that covered each of them from head to toe and reminded me of some medieval knights in Hell.

  The general’s armour rose up higher than the rest in deadly points at his shoulders, along with his helmet being bigger, with the front section rising up like a crown of daggers. He was also riding a winged beast that had the body of a horse but the head of a demonic horned sea creature. It also had eight tails that each looked tipped with deadly barbs and reminded me of black snakes, lashing out behind it.

  Both rider and beast were terrifying.

  “I think it’s time to drink that elixir Nero gave you and let’s grow some wings and fly away…yeah, sound like a plan?” I said with the panic in my tone easy to detect.

  “Aye, that it would, Lass,” Trice replied making me frown at the disappointed way in which he said it and prompting me into discovering our next problem.

  “Okay, so what are we waiting for?” I asked making Trice slowly lower me to my feet before looking down at me, the grim expression was soon joined with the reason why, when he told me,

  “She didn’t have any left.” This once again forced a quick flash of deja vu from only moments before as I said,

  “Oh shit.”

  And of course, his reply was what it usually was…

  “Aye.”

  Chapter 26

  Something Out of the Blue

  The moment the general commanded his beast forward Trice released a sigh and muttered to his brothers,

  “Better leave th' talking tae me, Lads…especially ye, Vern.”

  “Aye, ye know how he likes tae piss off the' heartless bastard,” Gryph agreed, no longer smiling which I naturally took as a bad sign. Then Trice took a step forward and in doi
ng so, tagged the front of my poncho and tugged me in a way that I had no choice but to step behind him. He was protecting me.

  “Carn’reau, what brings yer army all the' way tae these shitty parts?” Trice asked the general who I gathered was named Carn’reau. Well, it was this or a Scottish insult I hadn’t heard yet. This was when he grabbed the edge of his helmet and tore it from his head, making me suck in a breath at the sight. Holy shit, what was it with the demons with human hosts in Hell! They all looked like damn cover models or sexy superheroes!

  Only this one would have most definitely been your antihero as he looked darker in every sense of the word. He had straight black hair that I couldn’t tell the length of as it was hidden, but at a guess then I would have said long and he looked like some kind of royal dark elf, only without the pointed ears.

  Maybe he was some kind of Fae being, but I had never seen one before, as they rarely came to Earth. This was said to be because of their well-known disdain for human life, even though they were happy to inhabit one of us as a host. And the utter disgust for my kind could be seen as he looked down his nose at me at the same time he lifted a gauntleted hand my way, pointing a talon tipped finger at me.

  “You know why I am here, now give me the girl so I may give her to the King,” he demanded in a deep voice, despite the beauty he held, for his high cheekbones and regal features didn’t suggest someone that was more comfortable spilling blood on the battlefield. More like sitting his ass on some cushy throne somewhere. But obviously this wasn’t the case, as here he was, leading his army.

  "Aye that’s funny, ye see we wur commanded by th' King tae retrieve th' girl, which as ye kin see, we have done 'n' are now on our way tae deliver th' lass.” Trice said making Gryph lift his hammer and slap it to his palm before agreeing,

  “Aye.”

  Carn’reau just raised one of his perfectly shaped black brows in the barest hint of irritation and Gryph had been right, he did look like a heartless bastard. Of course, this was mainly down to those incredible eyes of his that gleamed silver and were ringed black around the iris. Even the skin around them looked darker, giving him a sinister vibe, as if all it would take was a single look before he had the power to crush his enemies.