It was my turn to raise my eyebrows. “And by loan, you mean stole?”
“You Naturals manipulate things out of humans all the time. Don’t think I don’t know all your tricks.”
“Can Darkness do that?” I wondered. Demons could influence humans, but only subtly. When they wanted more direct control, that’s where possession came into play. Elijah couldn’t possess anyone, but he had Darkness at his disposal thanks to his mutation.
He began to look bored and I was wondering if it was his way of avoiding questions he didn’t want to answer. “Alteration, manipulation, mind control—it’s all the same thing.”
“So, what happens if I tell my boss about you?”
His eyes sparkled as he laughed. “You won’t.”
“You sound so sure.”
Elijah rose to his feet. “If there’s one thing I know about you, Madeline Greenbriar, it’s that you’re loyal…to a fault.”
I didn’t like it when he said my name, but I was just telling myself that to make myself feel better. It was creepy, yet kind of alluring. I was so weird.
The front door opened and he walked out, leaving me standing in the cottage.
“If we hurry, I can get you back to your crumbling castle by bedtime.” His voice echoed around me. “Or you can wait here for your friends in the mountain to collect you.”
I yelped and scurried after him, wondering if I was choosing the lesser of two evils. The only way to know was to let Elijah’s game play out.
7
The car Elijah had ‘borrowed’ was a slate grey Jaguar F-Pace—a forty-thousand-pound luxury SUV. The leather seats were so soft, I caught myself stroking them once too often. It was way posh. There was an eight-inch touchscreen in the dash that gave all kinds of stats about the car, along with navigation and music, and little buttons that controlled the heating and cooling…and the seat warmers.
Elijah slapped my hand away from the screen with an annoyed sigh. “Stop it. You’re like a child.”
“I’ve never seen a car like this before.” I rubbed my knuckles as the Scottish Highlands flashed past and glared at the demon behind the wheel.
“It’s the twenty-first century,” he scoffed.
“So?” I stuck my tongue out at him and settled back into the seat.
“I would’ve thought you would have utilised technology to win the war.”
“Technology makes us weak.”
“I’ll never understand you Naturals.”
“I’ll never understand you…whatever it is you like to call yourself.”
“There’s no one else like me,” he revealed, “so I wouldn’t know.”
I raised my eyebrows and studied his profile. No one else like him, huh? That was good news—it meant Human Convergence hadn’t fired back up to its previous production levels.
Elijah’s expression revealed nothing else, so I turned back to the window, watching the wild landscape change as we descended from the Highlands.
Scotland was beautiful. I preferred the city, but there was something about the untamable wilderness at the top of the world that tugged at my heartstrings.
“We’re being followed.” Elijah’s voice snapped me out of my daydream.
“Really?”
“Yes, really. I can sense them.”
“Who are they? The same arseholes who captured me?”
“It seems like it.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “Those things can drive a car? Have you seen their nails? I can’t believe how they get through life without having to clip them.”
Elijah snorted. “How did you people ever survive?”
“With—”
“That was a rhetorical question.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Do you know what rhetorical means?”
“It’s a question that doesn’t require an answer.”
“Exactly.” What a complete a-hole.
“How many?” I asked.
“Two.”
“What are they driving?”
“A Volkswagen Polo.”
I snorted, almost choking on my spit, then burst into laughter. “Demons are following us in a Volkswagen Polo? Seriously?”
“They’re not good at selecting cars, but it’s not funny,” he barked at me. “It won’t stop them from killing me and taking you.”
“Can we outrun them?” I asked, wiping at my tears.
“Yes, but that would be a bad idea. Best to kill them before they give away our position.”
“I don’t have my arondight blade,” I told him. “We’ll have to lose them and cover our tracks somehow.”
His hands tightened around the steering wheel. “You rely on your weapons too much.”
“How else am I supposed to kill demons?” I demanded. “I can’t slice off their heads with my resting bitch face, you know.”
“You kill them with your Light.”
“My Light? It’s not strong enough to take down a demon. That’s what my sword is for.”
Elijah sighed. “You’re really starting to irritate me.”
“Excuse me?” I huffed. “If I’m so annoying, then why bother saving me at all? You seem pretty comfortable being a demon. Were those tears just for show last night?”
He growled and slammed his fist down on the steering wheel. “Bitch.”
“Your demon is showing again.” I smirked and looked back at the car behind us.
As if he was taunting me, Elijah pressed the button to kill the ignition and the engine died. We began to coast down the road, sailing around the bend.
I tensed as we began to slow. “What are you doing?”
“I can’t let them live,” he replied. “Sword or no sword, we will fight.”
I supposed I had to agree with him. If the Dark found out he’d helped me escape, he was dead—regardless of his allegiance to them. Considering I was bound to the guy who knew what that meant for me, I seriously hoped this wasn’t one of those ‘I get hurt so you get hurt’ scenarios.
Besides, I didn’t want to go back so we were still on the same page…for now.
“But it’s broad daylight,” I argued.
Elijah scoffed. “Demons aren’t vampires, Madeleine. We can withstand direct sunlight.”
“That’s not what I meant. What if a human comes along and sees us?”
“We’ll be cloaked.”
“Until a car crashes into an invisible Volkswagen Polo!”
He smirked at me, his lips pulling up on one side. “We better make it quick, then.”
The handbrake ratcheted on and the car jerked to a halt. Behind us, the Polo stopped five car lengths up a gradual incline, the rear end was obscured by a raggedy box hedge.
Elijah threw open the door and stepped out onto the road like the cocky bastard he was. Sighing, I clambered out of the passenger seat and followed him.
Cool air brushed against my skin as we stood together, waiting for the demons to make their move, but they stayed put in the Polo.
“They’re not getting out,” I said.
“Obviously,” Elijah drawled. “They’re just confused.”
“Or calling for back-up.”
“Unlikely.”
“How do you know?” I demanded and glared at him.
“You’re really asking me that question?”
“Yeah, you’re a demon, but that answer is a cop out. How do you know?”
He grunted and began to walk towards the Volkswagen. I guess that was as good an answer as I was going to get.
I threw up my hand, more to check if we were concealed than anything, and followed him. Knowing I was about to fight without my arondight blade felt as if I’d lost a limb, but there was nothing I could do about it.
Elijah was right. They had to die, and if he was right about my Light… Well, that was another can of worms I’d have to deal with—if it was opened.
The front doors of the Polo opened as we approached, and two slimy black demons slid out. Not concerned their birthday suits were s
howing, they lopped towards us, their tongues darting between their thin lips like a slithering snake.
Man, every time I saw one of these things, they creeped me the hell out. I couldn’t imagine what they used to be before the rift was closed—seven-foot-tall walls of rubbery black muscle, snappy teeth, and razor-sharp claws. I couldn’t believe Scarlett had fought these and lived, but then again, she was the living embodiment of Arondight—and Arondight could do just about anything.
I allowed my Light to flare, hoping my meagre power had at least enough zap to take down one of these things in their weakened state.
Elijah edged towards the creature on the right, leaving the other to me.
“Okay, no sword,” I muttered. “I’ve got this.”
The demon lunged and I dodged to the side. Twisting, I struck its back with a burst of Light, but it merely stumbled as if I had jostled it.
I cursed and tried again before it could regain its footing. The heel of my boot collided with its ribs, but the creature was too quick. Claws wrapped around my ankle and the demon pulled. My knee buckled and I landed on the flat of my back with an angry grunt.
I rolled to the side as claws rushed towards my face, then back as its other hand struck. Both sets slammed into asphalt, cracking the surface of the road. And here I was thinking they wanted to capture me alive. What a fool I was!
The demon pinned me under its slimy body, trapping me in its grasp. I pushed my lower half off the ground and kicked upwards with both feet. The soles of my boots slammed into its gut and I added a pulse of Light which sent the creature flying. I flipped, landing on my feet, and raised my fists.
I turned to check on Elijah, but he was doing fine. His hand was grasped around the other demon’s neck, his Darkness searing through flesh. What was he trying to do? Squeeze its head off?
His gaze met mine. “Madeleine.”
I swung back just as the demon I’d sent rolling down the road came at me with incredible speed. We collided, the impact jarring my body.
Unfortunately, I landed on my back again with it straddling me. This was getting embarrassing.
I slammed my palms against the demon’s head, the strength in my arms the only thing stopping it from eating my face off. Struggling against it, I sent pulse after pulse of Light into its brain, but it wasn’t enough to bring it down.
“Just. Die!” I screamed at it, the limits of my power beginning to flicker.
Dammit, I needed my sword!
“Elijah!” I shouted.
A boot collided with the demon’s ribs and it rolled down the road. Elijah leapt over me, not even stopping, and tore into the demon like it was putty in his hands.
Turning away from the carnage, I breathed deeply. Sucking in a lungful of sulphuric air, I gagged. Slick, congealed black blood—and other juicy things—coated the road. Elijah had torn the demon apart like a savage beast.
I must never forget what he is…
A shadow loomed over me, and sensing Elijah, I looked up at him.
“I should have left you in the car,” he drawled, glaring at me. He didn’t even bother to offer me his hand, so I was left to stand on my own.
“And I told you I needed my sword!”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I do.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I do!”
“No, you don’t.”
“We will be here all day if you keep that up,” I snarled.
“Your Light is meant to protect the innocent,” he said, looking down at the dismembered demon. “A sword is merely a tool.”
“But we’ve never been able to do that. Light doesn’t vanquish the Dark.”
Elijah rolled his eyes. “Light and shadow, night and day. Whatever. You’re a good warrior, Madeline, but you could be great if you just got over yourself and opened your mind.”
“I can’t change biology,” I argued. “And I can’t change the laws of physics.”
“You can.”
“But—”
“Things are different now. The Dark is evolving to survive. It’s not a simple fight for balance anymore. You’re so worried about the things you can’t do, you’re blind to the things you can.”
“Why do you care so much?” I exclaimed. “If I don’t get your cure, I’m toast, and if I do, you’re gone… Why does any of this even matter?”
He levelled his gaze at me. “You stupid girl.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. One second he was making me swoon, the next he was a condescending prick. Talk about extreme whiplash.
He snorted, irritated at my stunned silence, and began to walk towards the Polo. I was slow on the uptake and I grimaced in annoyance.
My mutation evolved to survive.
I followed him up the road, my cheeks red with embarrassment, helping him roll the car off the road and into the field. The police would chalk it up to an abandoned stolen vehicle. The bodies however…
I walked back down the road, but I frowned when I stood over the first demon. It was bubbling like hot tar in the sunlight. It’s black eyeball popped and I jumped out of the splatter zone.
“Leave it,” Elijah said, striding past me.
“But—”
“They will be gone in five minutes. Ten at the most.”
Getting a whiff of decaying fart gas, I curled my nose and jogged after him. This was one thing I wasn’t going to argue about.
When we returned to the Jaguar, I’d barely closed the door when Elijah stepped on the accelerator. I didn’t have it in me to chew him out over it—not after I had witnessed his fighting style.
The car tore off down the lonely road, back on its path south.
* * *
We arrived at Camelot just after sunset.
Road-tripping with a demon-hybrid hadn’t been on the top of my bucket list, but all things considered, eight hours in a stolen car with Elijah wasn’t that bad.
As we left the road behind and climbed the hill, I thought over my predicament. Bound to a demon-hybrid, hunted by a Balan, and still harbouring my mutation. That wasn’t even counting the precarious ground I stood on with the Regula.
I had to help Elijah. As long as I was bound to him, he’d protect me from the Balan, and searching for his cure might help with ridding me of my own internal issues. What other choice did I have?
Reaching the rise, we looked down at Camelot and I shivered. The lights of base camp filtered through the veil, warm and inviting after being stuffed in a cage.
“How does this link work?” I asked.
Elijah seemed to hesitate beside me, his expression troubled. He probably thought I was going to screw him over, though he’d all but insured I wouldn’t. Revealing his existence would reveal mine.
He glanced at me. “The farther apart we are, the less physical control I’m able to exert.”
“That’s reassuring.”
“But I’ll always know where you are.”
I sighed. “And that’s less reassuring.”
“They can’t know about me,” he said. “If your people find me…” he trailed off, but I understood his meaning. The Dark was using him, but the Light would want to cut him apart and figure out how he worked.
“They would help you,” I started slowly. “Ramona is an excellent doctor. She stopped my mutation from progressing after Scarlett brought back my soul. Hey, maybe Arondight could help you? And Jackson is developing technology to—”
“You’re one of them, Madeleine,” Elijah interrupted. “They’d help you, regardless.”
“But you’re an innocent.”
He shook his head. “You better go.”
I nodded and began to make my way down the hill. I felt his gaze on my back, burning into my flesh. He was just letting me go? Surely there was a failsafe in his plan other than letting his demon side hunt me down. What was the catch?
Maybe he saw something in me I didn’t. I had an overwhelming urge to run back up the hill to persuade him to come with me
.
But when I turned for one last glimpse, Elijah was already gone.
8
I strode through base camp and ignored the stunned looks as I walked towards the security tent.
“We’ve searched every inch of these bloody hills and there’s no sign of her.” Thompson’s voice filtered through the gap and I paused.
“She can’t have just disappeared into thin air.” Aiden.
“Those demons took her. I saw it with my own eyes.” Trent’s voice joined the argument. “They were just like the creatures Scarlett said she fought when she went back in time. They were much smaller, but I could hardly stand against one, let alone two. Madeleine had three on her.”
“She’s been gone three days,” Thompson said. “She could be anywhere by now. We have to face facts.”
“Face facts?” Trent shouted. “You’re giving up on her?”
“No one’s giving up on anybody,” Aiden replied calmly. “We need to contact the field offices in Edinburgh and Cardiff. We’ll have to inform the London Sanctum. Her parents—”
“Are on a deep cover operation,” Thompson snapped. “Madeleine has trained for this…we all have. She’s on her own.”
I scoffed. Seriously? Thompson was giving up on me after three days? That was hardly anything, but he was right—I trained for this. But if it hadn’t been for Elijah, I wasn’t sure I would’ve been able to get out of that cage on my own. At least not right away. You keep telling yourself that, Madeleine.
I lifted my hand and went to push the flap aside and make my grand entrance, but I hesitated. Did I belong here? It didn’t matter. Elijah needed a cure and I was stuck to him like superglue.
I gritted my teeth and stormed into the tent. All eyes turned towards my abrupt entrance and I scowled at Thompson. “She’s on her own?”
“Madeleine!” Trent exclaimed.
“You better thank the bloody Light I got out of that stinking cage, Thompson, otherwise—”
Trent threw his arms around my neck, cutting off my tirade before I could insult my superior officer further. “I thought they’d killed you. When you fell—”
Demon Bound: The Camelot Archive - Book One Page 6
