Bound To The Demon

by C. J. Brookes

  "This isn't going to be a rapid, easy project," Thadd added quietly. "But if even one antibiotic is found for our Kind, it can mean the difference between survival of our Kind—or eventual extinction. We're losing Dardaptoans at a rate faster than we are birthing more. We have to take the chance. If Kindara sends us back samples from the field, so to speak, Barlaam and I can handle the research on our end. And if we find something that works, the new TI lab could possibly produce enough doses that we can change Dardaptoan medical care forever. We have to take this chance."

  Kindara finally settled into the chair in front of the large mahogany desk. "I don't think we have a choice. And right now...we can form an alliance with the highest demon king in the entire realm. That opens up so many resources that we haven't had before. Please. I very rarely ask for anything, but please. I'll beg if I have to. This might be the only way.”

  44

  Relaklonos was gray. That was Kindara’s first thought, that and the chill of the demon’s home realm was enough to sink into her. She didn’t think she’d ever be warm again.

  She pulled her coat around her shoulders, shivering despite the layers she wore. The demon had warned her that his home would be colder than what she was used to. And had fussed at her to keep herself warm. Maybe she should have listened a bit better than she had.

  Her days leading up to this had been consumed with prepping. With a few minor interruptions involving the girl Jade that still had her concerned.

  “Colder than hell?” Aureliana’s tone was wry as she stepped up to Kindara’s side. She had her sword ready, and her eyes scanned the horizon constantly. “What are the odds?”

  “No kidding.” Kindara said. Aureliana hadn’t balked when Kindara had asked her to join the expedition. She’d greeted the adventure with enthusiasm. Aodhan hadn’t been happy to see his sister off, but Kindara had reminded him that it was for the good of their entire Kind that she have a team she could trust and depend on in this strange land. After that, she’d left the big archaic ass to his female to deal with.

  And it was a strange land—Kindara took another look around the small outcropping a mile or so outside of Rathan’s home city. She felt like she’d been tossed into a Tolkien novel.

  Kindara had gotten the team she wanted—Aureliana, Belnus, and Bronwen. Theo had been remarkably easy with his young sister joining the expedition, stating only that her inclusion was the will of the Goddess. That was all the prognosticator would say on the subject, but his face had been sad when he’d kissed Bronwen farewell.

  Kindara feared what he had seen.

  Theo had pulled her aside and told her the answers she sought were down this path. That it was meant for all of them to go now.

  Bronwen shivered uncontrollably in the coat that dwarfed her smaller frame. Theo’s sister was remarkably delicate and always had been. Kindara had assisted at her birth nearly fifty years ago; and it had been close then.

  Her mother had been one they had lost in childbirth. Kindara had felt a responsibility toward the girl ever since. “Bron, pull your coat tighter, sweetling. You don’t need to catch a chill.”

  “I’m fine, Kinney. What are we going to do first?” Bronwen’s excitement was clear in her canary eyes. Her first love was herbs; she often helped Kindara with the experiments to find drugs for their people. So far those experiments had all failed epically.

  “We need samples first,” Kindara said, cataloging their surroundings. They had been told to wait here where it was the safest, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t use that time to get things started. Every moment could count, could mean another of their Kind’s life or death. She would never take that lightly. “Once the demon arrives to get us settled in wherever.”

  “I suggest we wait until the morning to start the collecting,” Belnus spoke, his words low and ponderous as usual. He was charged with their safety, and Kindara knew he took the responsibility seriously. “I think the demon said the sun sets early here this time of year. And it will just get colder. If he is gone for too much longer, Aureliana and I will start a fire.”

  “He did.” Kindara fought the urge to worry. The demon had unlocked a port opening less than an hour earlier and led their party through to his Relaklonos.

  He’d promptly abandoned them. Supposedly to ensure all was safe at the castle for her arrival, as he’d sent word to his sister to prepare for them. Why a castle needed to prepare for her and the other three Dardaptoans wasn’t clear—but he was the king.

  He had some definite arrogance associated with that.

  But this was more than that. Kindara suspected she knew the truth.

  Rathan had been worried when his sister had failed to return his message.

  He’d given instructions for them to wait for his return and had flashed himself away, giving them a weak excuse. “He also said he’d be back as soon as he could. In the meantime, we can take samples of this area. I want everything we can get—soil composition, moisture density, plant samples. Bron, you and I will handle that. Aureliana and Bel—”

  “Perimeter.” Belnus nodded, hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. “Aureliana and I have done this before, you know.”

  “I know. But hopefully, this time will bring more positive results.” This expedition was just the beginning of her work in the demon lands.

  She knew that thorough study would take years to complete—finding even one drug that worked would take a considerable amount of time. That they were searching for everything would multiply that time exponentially. And they needed it all—painkillers, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories. Coagulants. Even a simple blood replacement other than human blood would work wonders in situations where blood transfusions could save Dardaptoan lives.

  Bronwen immediately set to work, taking samples of the huge gray plants slightly to the north of them. Kindara started on the southwest. Aureliana kept one hand on her weapon—a sword inlaid with the insignia of her family line—and her eyes trained on the flat and barren area the demon had referred to as Klanea.

  His castle was off in the distance to the east. To the west, she could see the lights of what he’d referred to as Thrun.

  He’d specifically told her and Belnus both to avoid Thrun at all costs.

  Belnus stood with his arms crossed over his chest and watched the area behind them.

  Kindara wasn’t concerned; she doubted the demon would leave her in an area that he didn’t feel was entirely safe.

  She still felt edgy. Like someone was watching them. Planning.

  She pulled the small knife she carried from her pocket, keeping it close in her left hand. It never hurt to be prepared, and they were in a realm—a world—they knew nothing about. Her fingers wrapped around the medallion she still wore.

  She hadn’t thought about taking it off even once.

  “So, Kinney, what’s up with you and this demon guy anyway?” Aureliana asked, though her attention never broke from the landscape. “Ji said he’s an incubus.”

  “He is. King of. And of all the Demon Kind apparently. Fierce, arrogant, determined.” Kindara slipped her knife into the thick leaf in front of her, pulling a strange purple substance from its veins. “Just my luck, he’s also relentless.”

  “So is it true?” Aureliana looked over her shoulder at Kindara. “About Incubi?”

  “Is what true?” Bronwen asked.

  “That they can make a female do anything…gladly?” Aureliana’s eyes sparked with lust and humor. “He’s one hot piece of demon, Kin. Tell me nothing happened between you when you were all alone with him. I’m not sure I’ll believe it, considering the way he looks at you…but you can say it.”

  “Let’s just focus on why we’re here.” Kindara felt the heat hitting her face as she thought of the things the demon had done to her—and she to him. “That’s what’s important. Not this thing between the demon and me.”

  “So there is something between you?” Aureliana asked, swinging her sword expertly to cut another, l
arger leaf. Kindara knew the other female spent countless hours practicing with the sword that had been her great-uncle’s. The Dardaptoan had died with no issue and had left the sword to Aureliana. “Was it good? And was it hot?”

  “Aureliana! I’m sure this is not something Belnus wants to hear about!”

  “Hey, it’s been two hundred years since I was abducted by that Druid from Canada. I want to live vicariously.” Aureliana sent her a wicked grin.

  “No. Keep going. I’m always interested in hearing about…other creatures’ bedroom habits.” Belnus’s dry humor had Kindara’s own lips twitching. Until she noticed the blush on Bronwen’s face. The young female was kept closely sheltered in her brother’s hall, and if she’d had even a simple date in the last twenty years, Kindara doubted it. Teasing about sex, even just implied sex, apparently upset the girl. She most certainly hadn’t had an affair—if she’d been kissed, Kindara would be surprised. Though she was close to fifty, Bronwen was extremely naive about anything outside the hotel. And exceptionally naive about males.

  Many Dardaptoan females were—especially those of the ruling families. They often just waited for their males to find them. Even if it took hundreds of years.

  “Aureliana, knock it off, and let’s get back to work.” Kindara nodded toward Bronwen, who’d turned back to the plants in front of her. Aureliana got the message and nodded. She wrapped an arm around Bronwen briefly.

  Aureliana was the closest female to a mother Bronwen had. Aureliana was particularly close to Bronwen’s brother Thadd and had been instrumental in raising the babe when Thadd and Theo had taken custody of Bronwen after their parents had been lost.

  The wicked spark in her friend’s eyes told Kindara that the discussion wasn’t over. Aureliana would want all the details, everything that had happened between the demon and her. Kindara just had to decide how much of those details she’d be sharing.

  Soon, one significant detail would be made clear to all of her Kind. Kindara knew her body would show the signs of the ripening babe within her.

  She still had to tell Jierra and Cormac.

  Leaving her daughter behind at this crucially vulnerable time had been horrible for Kindara, but only the knowledge that Theo had promised her the answers she needed were here had separated Kindara from Jierra now.

  These medications and plants from the demon world could very well be used to help her daughter safely through pregnancy. Dardaptoan females rarely, if ever, had twins, at least not successfully. Kindara would do everything in her power—even travel to other realms—in search of ways to ensure her daughter’s safe delivery. And the safety of her daughter’s children. And her own babe. Dear Goddess, if she could ensure the babe’s safety, she would.

  “Kinney? Did we lose you there for a moment?” Aureliana drew her attention back in her direction. “You kind of went away for a while. Anything you want to share?”

  “Not at the moment—” Kindara broke off as the sound of a familiar snap sounded beside her. She turned, expecting to see the demon.

  It wasn’t him.

  Standing in his place was a warrior even taller than Rathan, taller than Cormac. Taller than the tallest of their Kind, Aodhan.

  Huge, muscled, and dark red and purple. Bellowing at them all.

  She screamed, arms rising to defend herself.

  In his hand was a sword nearly as tall as Kindara. He raised it over his head as she screamed again. He swung, and some of the tall leaves behind her shot into the air behind her, raining down on her.

  “Down, Kinney!” Aureliana and Belnus yelled together, charging toward the creature. Aureliana’s sword clanked against his. She battled him back desperately. Kindara grabbed Bronwen and dragged the girl away from the fight as Belnus—who’d been farther away from Kindara—tried striking the creature from behind.

  Kindara pulled Bronwen down into a crevice between two large rocks situated where they could watch the battle, knowing that was what Aureliana and Belnus would expect. She had been through attacks before—as a healer, someone was always trying to take her.

  Aureliana would look for her once the battle was over.

  Aureliana had never lost a battle. Not in four hundred years.

  There was always a first.

  Bronwen was shaking, staring at the fighting. Kindara prayed to the Goddess that Bronwen wasn’t about to see her foster mother killed before her eyes. “Should we help them?”

  If Bronwen wasn’t there, she would have already. But…she was the last defense between the demon and the girl healer. And the babe Kindara carried. The future king of this world. Terror coated every nerve she had. She had to keep them safe. “No. We stay put. We’d only get in the way.”

  “What do you think he wants?”

  “Us. Healers are prized, Bron. Worth our weight and then some in gold.” Kindara held the girl tight to her side as Aureliana and Belnus battled the large male. The demon faced off against Belnus, who presented the most obvious threat. “And…and I carry his babe. The heir to this entire world.”

  Aureliana was just shy of six feet tall, more than a foot shorter and at least two hundred and fifty pounds lighter than the warrior she faced. But she fought hard. She darted around the creature, slashing at him with the blade she carried. It was less than three feet in length—half of what the demon’s blade measured, at least. He countered her move with a backhanded blow to her sword arm that sent her to the ground. His reach was long and he used it.

  He didn’t even look at her as he turned and struck out at Belnus.

  Belnus hit the ground hard and didn’t rise. There was blood beneath his head. Kindara fought the instinctive urge to run to his side. If it had just been her, she would have. But Bronwen would be such an easy target for a male like this.

  The creature faced off against Aureliana. “Where is she, female?”

  “Who?” Aureliana asked, dodging a blow from the creature’s blade.

  “My sister! I know she has been taken! The seers said strangers from another land took her. You will answer for your sins.”

  Kindara half thought he sounded like he was toying with them.

  “Come on! She can’t handle him herself!” Kindara pulled Bronwen from their hiding place. She scooped rocks into her hand and threw them at the demon. Bronwen did the same, though her aim was far poorer than Kindara’s.

  She just prayed they could stop him—she and Bronwen wouldn’t stand a chance against him. Especially the half-blind girl next to her.

  There was no way a girl like Bronwen would ever be able to defend herself against a demon warrior like this.

  Aureliana lost her footing, then slid in the mud, went down hard on one knee, just as the creature jabbed almost half-heartedly with his blade.

  Blood spurted over the white of Aureliana’s coat, and her smaller sword dropped to the ground. She screamed.

  Her hands covered the blood as she fell to the ground, a look of pain, surprise, and terror on her face.

  “No!” Kindara screamed, grabbing a larger rock and heaving it at him. “No! Leave her alone! Goddess! What do you want? She’s done nothing to you!”

  She threw more rocks, pelting him with everything she could. Bronwen dropped to the ground beside Aureliana, desperation in her actions.

  The actions of a young female faced with losing the only mother she had ever had. Kindara would never forget how it had felt when she had lost her own parents in childbed, the babe lost before she’d had a chance at breath.

  “She’s bleeding so badly, Kinney!” Bronwen’s fear was clear for everyone to hear. Kindara threw another rock at the beast she could only assume was some sort of demon.

  “Stop throwing those rocks, or you’ll join your friend, female!” The demon pulled his sword back, though he kept it at the ready as he stared down at Bronwen.

  It was obvious why—neither she nor Bronwen were warriors, and neither carried weapons. Both wore the blue band around their arms that denoted they were of the healing ca
ste of Dardaptoans. Never in any world except that of humans would Dardaptoan healers be harmed—not with them worth so much to each Kind.

  It was unspoken among the Kinds—healers weren’t harmed. Ever.

  Healers of any Kind. That law was as ancient as the Kinds themselves.

  Kindara ignored his orders. “Just leave us alone. We have nothing for you.”

  “You can tell me why you are in my lands, violating the edict. And tell me what you’ve done with my daughter and my sister.”

  “We know nothing of them, and this is where we were told to stay by your demon king.” Kindara dropped to the ground beside Belnus. She checked him for a pulse and found it strong and steady beneath her fingers. Just knocked out, then. She jerked toward Aureliana. Belnus would live—but Aureliana could bleed to death so easily. The creature stood watching; surprise and suspicion on his features.

  “I am a demon king.”

  “Goody for you. Apparently, there are several to go around. Just my rotten luck. Bronwen, you’ll have to give her blood. I cannot, it’s not safe for me now. I’ll work on stopping the bleeding in her side.”

  “Kinney, take Bron and call for the demon. I know you can.” Aureliana’s words were faint. She never took her eyes off the demon threat. “I don’t think you’ll be able to stop this—or that it will even matter. Get away from here before he takes you and Bron, too. Go. He…he is a monster…Damn the Goddess for what she has done to me now…”

  “Shut up, Aureliana. I am not explaining to Aodhan that I lost his sister in demon land.” Kindara touched the medallion the demon had given her. She closed her eyes and whispered his name. “I need you now.”

  45

  Kindara was on her knees with blood on her hands. The Dardaptoan who’d been charged with protecting her was prostrate on the ground.