Infernal Hunt Complete Set

by Holly Evans

  I quickly put the infernal dagger around my thigh and we took off out the door. At least the celestial had shown up and saved us from trekking around the city after it.

  Felix and a number of his pack were standing at the edge of the short grass by Klarov road. Cars meandered by, entirely oblivious to the situation going on next to them. Stately hotels and homes stood on the far side of the grassy area, no doubt far too expensive for my pocket with their pristine pale facades and proximity to the castle. The celestial stood tall and proud, his broad shoulders pushed back and his muscles relaxed as he held a rather pissed off looking man at his side.

  The celestial, with a manic grin and mussed pale blond hair, held strong eye-contact with Felix before he said, "This is your wife's lover, how does it feel that she couldn't stand to be in your bed? You filthy abomination."

  Quin had the net; he had the better throwing arm. Lysander remained close at my side as we slowly approached Felix while Quin casually circled around behind the celestial. Elise and Kadrix took up positions on the other side of him. The celestial tore his eyes from Felix and fixed that cold stare on me, his eyes barely darker than arctic ice.

  "Another abomination, this is my lucky day."

  I sniffed. "I'll have you know that I am rather well-bred."

  Quin edged a little closer, his head down and his pace relaxed as though he were taking a casual stroll. The celestial's lips pulled back showing perfect white teeth before he laughed.

  "You are a filthy mudblood. You're worse than that mutt there."

  He gestured at Felix. I took a few steps closer and looked entirely bored with his bullshit.

  "I don't know where you got your information, but you're wrong."

  Felix's men began spreading out, closing in around the celestial. His eyes remained fixed on me. His mouth tightened and his head tilted to one side.

  "You're not aware of the shame you bring, are you?"

  "I suppose that depends on how we define shame, and to whom I'm bringing it."

  I took another couple of steps closer. Quin was almost ready.

  He tossed aside the man he'd claimed was Felix's wife's lover. The man stumbled but caught himself; dark purple bruises lay around his throat. The celestial took a few steps towards me. Quin was almost there.

  "You've even embraced half of your heritage with that infernal beast you proudly flaunt."

  Lysander snarled; his fire rippled below the surface. My own threatened to engulf my hands. I forced a smile onto my face and gave a little shrug.

  "What can I say, I like predatory men."

  One of Felix's men flashed me a smirk. I kept my expression smug and focused on the celestial.

  "You could have been so much more, if you'd just have purged that filth from your blood."

  I shook my head and sighed melodramatically. "Sweetheart, you really need to get a better informant. You have me all wrong."

  He laughed, a wicked hyena cackle that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Quin threw the net. It struck the back of the celestial's calves and exploded in a blinding gold-white light. The celestial shimmered for a moment before he pivoted and glared at Quin.

  "Abomination. You dare trap me."

  Quin pursed his lips and said, "Really, with the abomination shit again?"

  I pulled the dagger. Elise gave a short nod. Felix grinned and raised his hand just enough to catch his men’s eye.

  We closed in around the celestial; we had to overwhelm him. He was bred as a warrior, his strength and speed surpassed anything we could hope to achieve, all without the restrictions of his brethren; we needed to work as a team to take him down.

  The lycans rippled and snarled as they took on their full lycan forms. Lysander shifted into his hound form; we closed in around the celestial, each with weapons brandished. The dagger felt odd in my hand, too warm. My fire flickered and added a tremble to my hands, and I growled. It wasn't the time. The celestial cackled, that manic, mirthless laugh of a madman. Felix's wife reached him first. Her auburn fur highlighted the moss green of her eyes, her muscular form barely smaller than that of the hulking males around her. She snarled something that sounded related to honour; it was hard to understand wolf snarls. The celestial's focus remained fixed on Quin, who was grinning at him. It was always a game to him.

  The lycans were on the celestial. They worked as a fierce unit, their strong arms pounding him, sharp claws raking at his flesh. His clothes tore, blood trickled over his pale skin, and yet he still laughed. The largest of the lycans was tossed like a ragdoll some fifteen or more feet; Felix’s wife was close behind him. Lysander remained at my side while Elise danced around the celestial, her silver blades twirling in her hands while she looked for her opening. Felix bit the celestial's calf and received a kick to the head for his trouble; he fell back with a sharp yelp. It was down to us.

  "I will rid this world of the filthy impurities."

  "Are you still on about that bullshit?" Quin taunted back.

  The celestial took a long leaping stride and was on Quin. We descended on him. I barely noticed as I jumped over the prone form of a lycan; my twin was in danger. I thrust the dagger deep into the celestial's back just as Quin cried out. Lysander jumped onto the celestial's back and dug his claws into his muscular shoulders before he snapped at his throat. My hound flew backwards when the celestial tore him off. I felt the shock of pain. The dagger slipped out of my hands; the bastard had moved too quickly. Elise slashed at his stomach with her daggers while Kadrix threw some powder in his face. Quin was disorientated, but sitting up. Lysander groaned, but remained on the ground. The bastard would pay.

  He laughed again, his gaze fixing on me once more. His tongue flicked over his lips as his hands balled into fists. Kadrix threw a delicate knife at his temple; the celestial batted it out of thin air as if it was nothing. The lycans were stirring and preparing for the next round. I glanced to Elise, hoping to see the dagger. It was still in his back; he paid it no attention. Had Kadrix been wrong?

  “Stop denying yourself, Evelyn,” Kadrix shouted at me.

  I ducked under the celestial’s swing and glared at the elf while trying to get behind the celestial to retrieve the dagger. Elise was near me, her daggers blurs as she slashed at the celestial, trying to keep him occupied. Kadrix joined the fight, spinning and dancing, drawing the celestial’s eye towards him and Elise. I pulled the dagger free of his back and drove my foot into the back of his knee. He barely faltered. Elise cried out when he tossed her aside. Lysander was getting to his feet; the lycans were circling around us, waiting for their moment. The dagger shivered in my hand; once more, my fire rippled and threatened to consume my hands. I breathed deep and tried to push it aside; it wasn’t the time.

  “Evelyn! You stupid girl, embrace the fire,” Kadrix shouted from the celestial’s shoulders while he hacked at its face with his knives.

  He was soon flat on his back, groaning some twenty feet away; the lycans leapt on the celestial as one unit. It was a chaotic heap of fur, claws, and vicious snarls. The fire became unbearable, I couldn’t control it any longer. It engulfed my hands. The dagger consumed it, leaving nothing more than a faint flicker along the dark blade. A lycan flew over my head; another collided with me, sending me sprawling on the hard earth. I was growing tired of the celestial's shit.

  Once more Lysander was at my side; his teeth were bared, and fire replaced his coarse fur. The time for games was over. Kadrix huffed and groaned on the floor, Quin glanced between him and the celestial. It was a moment of weakness we couldn't afford. I couldn't get there quickly enough. The celestial's fist collided with Quin's face with a sickening crunch. He foot connected with my twin's ribs just as I came level with the celestial. Fury filled my veins. Any semblance of control I had before vanished. The dagger swirled with blue flames in my hand, an extension of me.

  "Abomination," the celestial snarled with his foot raised over Quin's throat.

  Lysander sank his teeth deep i
nto the celestial's thigh, causing him to yowl and step back, giving Quin room to crawl away. Elise was a whirling dervish of blades. Blood coated the celestial's abdomen and chest. Kadrix coughed and shouted my name and some curses once more. My moment came. The celestial tried to pull away from Elise's onslaught to kick at Lysander, who clung on, his teeth deep into the heavy muscle of the celestial's thigh. I dove forward and hacked at the celestial's ribs; he screamed, a satisfying sound of pure agony. It pushed me on. Determined to avenge the injuries of my family. I jumped, my foot finding purchase on the celestial's bent knee. I clutched the dagger in both hands and buried it the bastard's eye. Fire consumed him. Elise jumped back as he became a tower of blue flames, a screaming inferno.

  There was nothing left after a few seconds. He was gone.

  I dropped the dagger and ran to Quin. His breathing was ragged, but a smile remained plastered on his face.

  "I knew you could do it, Evie,” he coughed.

  I stroked his hair and tried to choke back the tears; he was a bloody mess. Elise knelt next to him.

  "Check on Lysander, I'll help Quin." Kadrix said.

  I didn't want to leave him.

  "Evie,” Elise said firmly.

  The lycans were all shifting back to their human forms and gathering around Felix. Lysander's shift lacked his usual grace; pain filtered through my mind. It cut through the numbness. I had no idea if it was mine or his. Strong arms wrapped around me. I didn't know what I was any more. Soft lips brushed against my forehead.

  "It's over, Evelyn."

  Fingers stroked my hair; the familiar warmth of happiness trickled in around the edge of the pain. I took a deep breath and looked around. The lycans were battered and bruised, but all seemed to be standing. Kadrix knelt next to Quin, holding his hand and stroking his hair; I hadn't known the elf was capable of such tenderness.

  “I should have embraced the fire sooner,” I whispered.

  Lysander nuzzled against my neck, his pain trickling around my thoughts. I cupped his face in mine and kissed him softly.

  “How badly are you hurt?”

  He gave me a crooked smile and a small shrug. “I’ve had worse injuries.”

  The lycans growled and yipped at each other, drawing my attention to them. Felix was fussing over his wife while she preened and smiled.

  "What did the celestial mean when he called you an abomination?" I asked Felix.

  He pulled away from his wife, who had been nibbling down his throat. His eyes flicked around his pack, all of whom lowered their eyes and showed submission.

  "My father was a hellhound,” he growled.

  I raised an eyebrow; I hadn't thought that possible.

  "I gained none of the hound abilities."

  "You're strong and fierce,” his wife said with pride.

  "And you?" Felix asked.

  Lysander held me against his chest, his hand trailed down my back keeping me focused and grounded.

  "I am no abomination,” I said.

  "He only targeted mixed-breeds," Felix pushed.

  I narrowed my eyes at him.

  "The nymph was part changeling, the witch had some elf in him. And you?"

  "I am not a mixed breed,” I snapped.

  "And yet you collared a hound and use his fire."

  My blades were in my hands. I took two steps before Lysander's arms were around my waist, holding me firm.

  Felix held his hands up. "Thank you for your help, hunter."

  With that he and his pack walked away.

  "I am not an abomination,” I growled to myself.

  Lysander kissed my temple. "Let us check on Quin, Evelyn."

  I sighed softly and turned to see if Elise had finished her work; she seemed to be unscathed. Quin sat up and smiled. Kadrix kissed him passionately and said something too quiet for me to hear. It was over. I took a deep breath and relaxed. It was over.

  Tiel leant casually back against the wall of the lékárna, a little smile on his pretty mouth, his arms crossed across his chest. Lysander bristled and held me closer to him; I stroked down his hand and prepared myself for a pissing contest.

  "Why are you here?" Elise snarled.

  Tiel pushed off the wall and opened his arms, his eyes danced with dark amusement while his mouth spread into a broad smile.

  "That's no way to greet your favourite man, priestess."

  Elise appeared on the periphery of my vision, her fists clenched. Tiel had the good sense to keep his mouth shut as he followed us through into Kadrix's workshop, where the other two were waiting for us.

  "You killed him,” Zair said.

  "We told you we would,” I replied.

  Kadrix eased Quin down onto a stool. Elise pulled out a silver bowl and some cloths.

  Zair looked over them with his lips pursed. "He put up a fight."

  "He hurt my twin, my hound, and my alchemist,” I growled.

  He took a step back; Ioel was already pressed back against the bookshelf lining the wall behind him.

  "You owe us a favour,” Elise said.

  Zair's face darkened, his mouth tightened and his jaw clenched.

  "We do,” he said.

  "Until we choose to call that favour in, I suggest you leave,” she said.

  Quin flinched when Kadrix applied some purple and silver gloop to his ribs. The elf brushed his lips over Quin's cheekbone and whispered something to him.

  Lysander pulled my attention back to him. "If you wouldn't mind easing my injuries, Evelyn."

  Guilt riddled me. I'd been so consumed with my own shit that I'd forgotten the injuries my dear hound had sustained. He peeled off his shirt to reveal deep black and purple bruises. Dried blood marked the edge of his ribs and painted the top of his jeans. I stroked down his chest, his muscles firm and warm beneath my touch.

  "I'm sorry,” I whispered.

  Elise passed me the bowl and a cloth.

  "We shouldn't see those celestials any time soon. I'm rather tired of their attitude,” she said.

  I dipped the cloth in the gloop and gently stroked it down over Lysander's injuries. He stood tall and proud; he didn't even flinch, despite the pain I could feel through the bond. Elise slumped down on a stool and watched with a wry smile on her face.

  "How are you two? I could use some good news."

  Lysander's tongue slid over his lips and he gave her his most devilish smile. I didn't look at her.

  "That well?" she said with a laugh.

  "Have you finally screwed him Evelyn?" Kadrix called out across the workshop.

  Heat burnt across my cheeks.

  "Was screwed not the correct term?" he asked no one in particular.

  "It was the right term, hun,” Quin replied.

  I glanced over at the pair; I'd never heard Quin call anyone ‘hun’ before. A smile sat firmly painted on his lips as he watched the elf tidy up the bowls and such. He'd never been that happy with any of the women I saw; it must have been love.

  “Lysander looks at you the same way,” Elise whispered conspiratorially.

  I stole a glance at my hound as he tidied a place to sit.

  “Stop denying yourself, Evie, he's good for you." Sadness tinged her words.

  "No word from your lady?"

  She shook her head. "I feel like I'm ready for love, to take that step. My lady will send the perfect person when everything is ready."

  I pulled her into a hug, it couldn't have been easy for her.

  "Isn't this sweet?” Azfin snarled.

  Lysander’s hackles were up, his teeth bared.

  Quin simply rolled his eyes and said, “Jealous, Azfin?"

  The Sidhe grinned and dropped a large red body on the floor. "This is what got through the hellmouth."

  I walked over to it and nudged it with my boot. Haeyl rolled it over so I could make better sense of the tangle of limbs and bare red skin, marked with black infernal symbols and pale pink scars. An angular face with a narrow jaw and deep red lips looked up at me.


  Lysander looked over my shoulder and snorted. "A low level demon. Judging from his markings, he was a banished slave. A worthless runt."

  "How did something so low level get through?" I asked looking around the room.

  "I thought the hellmouth opened further than that?" Quin added.

  Azfin shrugged. "Not my problem. What price will you give us Kadrix?"

  Kadrix raised an eyebrow. “You still owe me for the knives I gave you, and the amulet."

  Azfin's mouth puckered before he huffed and the demon went up in flames. "Then we're even."

  "How do you figure that?" Quin asked.

  "I killed your demon."

  Quin and Kadrix looked between each other. Kadrix's eyes hardened and his mouth tightened; Quin tilted his head and shrugged slightly. Kadrix looked back to Azfin.

  "Fine,” he spat.

  Azfin grinned and bowed low. "Pleasure doing business with you."

  With that, he left.

  Lysander visibly relaxed. A smile danced along his lips. Elise glared at the door where Azfin and Haeyl had left, but soon stood and brushed herself off.

  “It’s been a long day, I’m going to retire for the evening.”

  I pulled her into a tight hug; it couldn’t have been easy for her seeing us in relationships. My heart fluttered. Was I in a relationship with Lysander?

  Elise kissed my temple. “Enjoy him, Evie, I want the gossip tomorrow.”

  My cheeks burned and she laughed; Lysander’s growling chuckle only made my blush deeper.

  “Did I miss something?” Kadrix called out.

  “Nothing,” I replied.

  He gave me a dark look and huffed but turned his attention back to Quin. “In that case, go home, or wherever you feel, I’m taking Quin for the night.”

  “Charmed,” I muttered.

  Lysander had been particularly affectionate on the ride home. His lips grazed my jawline and his fingers trailed over my stomach and up my thighs. The nagging voice in the back of my mind that told me to push him away quietened with every thrilling touch. Elise was right. I'd allowed fear to hold me back for too long. I'd wanted nothing more than enjoy each and every inch of the sinfully sexy hellhound since the first time I'd laid eyes on him. My moment had come.