Kai shuffled about a bit and stuck his hands in his jeans, my jeans. There was a green sparkly hair clip in his hair and a couple of necklaces. He bit his lip, still unsure, and stepped into the room. “Is OK?” he asked me, tugging at the blouse and looking around everyone with big eyes.
“Course it is,” Rodney said and then chuckled. “Jéhenne's just jealous ‘cause it looks better on you than it did on her.” He smiled, a little bolder now, looking up at Rodney from under his lashes. “Pretty?” he asked.
Rodney hesitated for a split second before giving a decisive nod. “Yeah, mate, pretty.”
Kai beamed.
Chapter 6
From my bedroom window I could see over the valley. It was late spring now, the trees a soft green haze against the perfect blue of the sky. Birds called, a cuckoo sounding deep in the heart of the woodlands. The world looked renewed, regenerated. The ground that had been so cold and hard and unforgiving all winter was alive with growth, seeds and bulbs thrusting their heads above ground for their first taste of sunshine. I wanted to burn it all to the ground.
“It's too long!” I shouted, not bothering to turn and look at my brother. “What the fuck is he playing at?”
“Jéhenne.” There was a warning in Cain's voice that I chose to ignore, mainly because I didn't give a shit. “Be reasonable, it's just not that simple.”
I turned then, wanting to lash out, to punish someone. “He said we'd have the cuffs by the end of this month and now ... now, he wants another three weeks. No!”
My anger flared, and I felt the shock run through my blood as the vampires were startled awake, felt Lucas stirring, anxious for me, sitting up on his bed. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to calm down. It's fine, it's fine, go back to sleep. How the hell did Corvus deal with this shit all the time?
“OK, then, Jéhenne,” Cain said, throwing the book he'd been holding onto the desk. “I tell you what, you go to the Fae Lands and find a way for Dragon to get past the gates in Light Fae territory when not only every border has been closed but everything for miles around the gates there is out of bounds - and we'll see you tomorrow shall we?”
I glared back at him, silent.
“He's got to get back across to Mechstrana, Dark Fae territory, to get to the gate there, and that means figuring a way to get across the border and then a week of travelling if he goes hard, all the time avoiding the guard. If he's caught with those cuffs he's a dead man. Slave trading is bad business, and it carries the death penalty. They won't believe a known smuggler would have any other use for them.” He sighed, his expression losing a little of its anger. “I know, Jéhenne, I know how hard this is for you, but you have to be patient. We have to make sure we can contain Corvus safely so that no innocent people get hurt and that takes time.”
I tried to let go of the anger I'd been holding onto. I knew he was right. “I'm sorry,” I managed, forcing the words out and seeing his mouth quirk. Neither of us was good with apologies. “I--I just can't bear it, he's suffering ... every day and ...” I knew I didn't need to say any more.
He nodded.
I walked away and looked back out of the window, swallowing down my misery. “So why the lock down with the Light Fae,” I asked. Anything to keep my mind from where it would inevitably go.
“King Auberren's finally lost the plot by the sounds of it,” he said, coming to stand beside me. I turned to look at him and wondered what he looked like when he wasn't frowning; had he ever been happy, light-hearted? I had a sudden memory of a little red-headed boy with freckles, grinning at me as Roman soldiers rode past. My heart ached. “There'll be a war there sooner or later,” he said. I looked at the scarred profile of the man he'd become and tried to return my attention to our conversation.
“Why?”
“The Fae are dying - their land is dying. People are afraid, they want to know why and they want someone to blame. Sooner or later that will stir up civil unrest. Auberren closing the borders has everyone on edge. There will be something, sooner or later, that pushes them over the edge.”
I felt a tremor of real fear, my heart turning in my chest, and couldn't understand why. Not that I was unsympathetic, far from it, but it was another world, a long way from here and had nothing to do with me. There was no one that I cared about there. Corin. His name sprang to my mind, and I suppressed the immediate anger that came with it. He could die in the war as far as I was concerned. I took a breath, shocked, both by the vehemence of my anger and by the sudden sense of loss that followed it.
***
I stood looking at the enormous metal cage that would house the man I loved. It was finally complete. I tried to be glad about that; it meant I was getting closer to bringing Corvus home. I just couldn't stomach the idea of rescuing him from one hell only to lock him up again. He would still be a prisoner, just without the monsters chasing him. I couldn't think of him as a madman, a monster himself, something less than he had been, no matter how hard I tried. I knew he would be damaged. I had done research and there was little enough to go on, but the evidence was overwhelming. Anyone who was condemned to Tartarus didn't come out again. They lost their minds, the constant terror and pain too much for anyone to bear. I rejected the idea despite everyone's warnings. I wasn't going to give up. No matter what. I turned as the door opened and Rodney pushed through, and he looked on edge.
“Message from Dragon; he's through the gate.”
My heart leapt and I ran after him. Cain had pulled the car up out front by the time Rodney and I were outside and barely gave us time to get in.
“He's got them,” Cain said as he put his foot down, but there was something in his voice.
“What? What is it?”
“He's hurt. I told him to get to the rendezvous we agreed but he says he was followed. There are men out looking for him. I don't know if he'll make it.”
“Why didn't he cross at night?” I demanded. With the family behind us we could have been there by now and any resistance would have been dealt with in seconds.
“I don't think he had a choice.”
I felt a sick feeling swirling in my stomach. If we didn't get the cuffs we couldn't get Corvus, but I couldn't dismiss the idea that a man was injured because of that. If he was discovered, he'd die.
“How badly is he hurt?” I asked.
“Phone went dead,” Cain said, his face taut. “Bad,” he added.
We left the car on the road and approached the old barn on foot. It was late afternoon, the weather was glorious, the scent of summer almost discernible as late spring gave way to longer, warmer days. I could taste the change in the seasons now, but not as forcefully as the tang of blood that filled my senses.
“This way,” I whispered as we pushed through dense woodland that caught at our clothes, and tangled around our feet.
I heard voices up ahead and we all stopped, crouched low in the undergrowth as two men stood on the track ahead, discussing the likelihood that Dragon had got away. They were huge men, like Dragon himself, but both of them white blond.
“Bastard was done for, I reckon. He'll have bled out by now, where ever he's hidden himself.” The men's voices drifted to us through the woods.
“Aye, let's call it a day. No need to go traipsing through the woods for hours to find a corpse.”
“They're not soldiers,” Rodney whispered and Cain shook his head.
We moved as quickly as we dared, and I grimaced as the stench of blood grew stronger, filling my nostrils.
We followed the scent and the blood until we found him, unconscious and hidden under a pile of old sacking. I could hear his heart, a feeble thing, his pulse weak. The blood had soaked through his clothes, thick and dark and sticky, pooling on the dirt floor beneath him. The ragged wound was deep and ugly and only too clearly visible. We exchanged anxious glances before Rodney and Cain bore his weight between them as we raced to get him back to the car and home, before it was too late.
***
Shouts and
bustle filled the Château. We had the cuffs which meant things could move forward and that had filled the family with excitement. That a man might have lost his life added a sharp, unpleasant edge of guilt. That the Château was filled with the scent of Fae blood had the vampires jittery with restrained need. My nerves were shattered.
I sat with Cain as he paced, waiting for Inés to come out. He'd done what he could for Dragon before we attempted to bring him home but Inés was undeniably the greatest healer among us. But the knife wound had been so deep. So much blood. I prayed she could help him. I didn't want a man's life on my conscience. Not even for Corvus.
“He's your friend?” I asked Cain.
He paused, as though he'd never really considered the question before and then nodded. “He’s not so bad.”
Inés came out and gave us a grim smile. “He wants to see you.”
She pushed her hair from her eyes with a weary gesture and nodded. “He's going to take a while to recover, but he should be dead by rights. He'd almost bled out.”
“Thank you,” Cain said and Inés patted his shoulder as she walked past.
“De rien.”
We walked in, and I paused in the doorway as the scent of blood enveloped me. Happily it didn't make me salivate like Lucas' did but it was overpowering, making my head spin.
Dragon was propped up on a pillow, his huge chest swathed in bandages, his skin a deathly shade against the white bed sheets.
“Hey,” Cain said. He sat on the edge of the bed and Dragon grasped his hand, giving it a brief squeeze before letting go.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice little more than a whisper.
I walked a little closer to the bed. “It's us that should thank you. I ... I had no idea what you were risking.”
“Going to pay me double?” he asked with a feeble grin.
Cain snorted. “Don't push your luck.”
Dragon chuckled and then groaned, his hand moving over his side.
“They think you're dead,” Cain said. “They weren't soldiers,” he added.
“My boss won't believe I'm dead unless a body is found,” Dragon replied with a grimace.
Cain scowled and gave him a hard look. “Am I right in thinking you cut someone out of this deal?”
Dragon shrugged. “I need to get out of this business. Need to put something aside.”
Cain got up, looking down at his friend. “You can stay until you're healed but then you need to get out of here. I won't have your ... associates causing the family trouble.”
Dragon snorted. “Vampires? I think you're OK. My associates are tough bastards but they're not suicidal.” He paused, looking a bit uneasy. “Speaking of which, am I ... I mean, is it ...”
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head at him. “No one will snack on you, you have my word.”
He looked me up and down, frowning. “No disrespect but ... who are you and why should the vampires listen to anything you say?”
I paused with my hand on the door and gave him a bitter smile. “I'm Master here.”
I heard Cain laughing at his expression as I left.
***
The cuffs weighed a ton, adapted for a powerful vampire. They were made of iron with an empty chamber into which the pearls were slotted. Rodney turned one in his hand.
“Beautiful work,” he said, admiring the gold scroll work that embellished the visible surface. There were pictures of lovers in various intimate positions.
“I guess people like their bed slaves to look pretty,” Cain replied, deadpan.
“Ugh.” Rodney dropped the cuff in horror
Cain snorted, shaking his head. “I don't think the Fae are sought out for their ability to graft in mines or clean floors. Why else do you think people want them?”
Rodney grimaced and moved away from the cuffs. “I reckon I don't wanna think about it at all, bleedin' disgustin'.”
I finished stretching out my calf muscles. Cain had given me no let up in the punishing schedule he set to keep me fit. In fact with everything ahead of us he'd upped the ante, demanding that I was as fit and strong as I could possibly be.
I looked at the cuffs, imagining them around Corvus' wrists and ankles. My stomach clenched. “They'll work?” I queried, not entirely sure if I was hoping they would or wouldn't. Of course I didn't want Corvus to hurt anyone. Once he was cured - a cold creeping fear that I was being naive surfaced, but I pushed it away - once he was cured ... he would hate himself if he discovered he'd hurt anyone. But I hated the idea of making him so vulnerable.
Cain looked at me. “Up to a point.”
I picked up a bottle of water and took a swig, frowning at him. “What does that mean?”
His red hair was sweaty and stuck to his forehead, and he wiped his face on a towel, his voice muffled as he spoke. “It means you could ruin everything if you're still harbouring some idiotic notion that Corvus isn't a danger to us.”
“What the hell do you mean by that?” I demanded, wondering at Cain's uncanny ability to piss me off in the course of a few words.
He threw the towel down and leant back against the chair he had collapsed in after our run this morning. It hadn't struck me before but my invincible brother looked tired. He rubbed his hand over his eyes. “I mean that Corvus is the rightful Master of this house, Jéhenne. He gave you the power.” He gave me a meaningful look and the knot in my stomach pulled tighter.
“And he could take it back again,” I replied, annoyed. As if I didn't know that - he'd done nothing but remind me of that fact. “I know that, Cain, you know I know that!”
“Do you, Jéhenne?” he demanded. “Do you really?” He got up, and I fought the urge to take a step back as he focused his attention on me. “You may have to be harsh with him, you may have to use force - you might need to hurt him to keep control.” His voice was urgent but his eyes held my attention. There was little more terrifying than looking into Cain's eyes when he was angry. “Can you do it, Nina?” he demanded. “Can you hurt him if you have to? Because if you can't ... If you can't, he'll kill us all.”
Chapter 7
I decided every room in the Château needed a privacy spell cast around it immediately. I couldn't take any more. I could hear Amelia's voice shouting in fury, even through my bedroom door when she was at the other end of the corridor. Of course with my new freaky vampire hearing I could have heard her if she was whispering, or I could have just listened into her thoughts. Unfortunately I didn't want to hear at all, but I wasn't getting an option. Neither was the rest of the household.
“That sneaky little bastard took it!” she yelled. “Don't you dare defend him, Rodney. We both know he's got it so go and get it back!”
A door slammed, and I heard Rodney muttering before everything went quiet again. Sighing, I felt grateful she was off to stay with Cyd for a few days to try and cheer her up as her and Kai had not hit it off. Big surprise. I turned and raised an eyebrow at Kai who was painting his nails a combination of yellow and pink and purple. I decided I hadn't noticed it matched the colours of Rodney's hair. He kept his eyes on the tiny paintbrush and steadfastly refused to look at me.
“You've got to stop winding her up, Kai.”
He pouted but didn't look up.
“What did you take this time?”
He looked up then, his expression sheepish and then held out his wrist. There was a gold chain around his wrist with little charms attached. It was certainly Amelia's. I groaned. “Bloody hell, Kai, you can't go around taking things that don't belong to you!” Bearing in mind he seemed to have free reign over my wardrobe - my favourite green jumper and jeans today - I wasn't sure I was getting the point across. On the other hand it was only Amelia he seemed to pick on. Of course that could be because she had the prettiest stuff ... Or not.
He looked away, his face downcast. “Sorry, Jéhenne.”
I went and sat beside him. “Please, Kai, promise me you won't do it again? I have enough to worry about without Amelia throwing a fit ev
ery other day.”
He sighed, obviously reluctant and then nodded. “Promise,” he said but his eyes were intent on mine still. “You will go ... soon.” He paused, his voice soft as he considered his words. His language was coming on in leaps and bounds now he was getting plenty of practice. “You will bring Corvus home.”
I nodded and felt tears prickle in my eyes. Rodney had told him the story and apparently Kai had been enraptured by the romantic nature of it. Somehow it didn't feel very romantic from where I sat. From where I sat it was bleak and cold and desolate. He reached out and put his hand over mine.
“I will help you, Jéhenne.”
I smiled at him, seeing the sincerity in his pretty, mascara-framed eyes and kept my thoughts to myself. To me he was little more than a child for all of his eighteen years. I was barely a year older but with everything I'd lived through it might as well have been a century between us. Kept so long from the world with the Selkies, he was an innocent in a world he was ill-equipped to deal with. I nodded just the same.
***
“Just for once will you listen to reason, you pig-headed, selfish little bitch!” Lucas said.
The sound of my responding slap resounded through the room.
Guillaume left, sidling silently out of the kitchen door, rightly deciding that discretion was the better part of valour. Lucas just stared at me. He was shielding his feelings so hard the effort of it must be killing him. From the look in his eyes I imagined killing me was pretty high on the list of things he didn't want me to know he was thinking. To my surprise he didn't retaliate, didn't shout at me, didn't make some sarcastic comment designed to make me lose what little control I had left judging from the blue flames engulfing my wrists.
Cain, Inés and Rodney were keeping very, very still.
The next minute I watched in astonishment as Lucas turned on his heel and followed Guillaume.
The Fires of Tartarus Page 5