by Maribel Fox
How could I not?
People are breaking in and hijacking my consciousness without me knowing who they are, how they’re doing it, how we’re connected, what’s going on… The list goes on and on, and not knowing things is something I don’t handle very well.
It makes me cranky.
Another thing that makes me cranky is doubting myself. That guy — the hunk with the crazy hair and a scholar’s inquisitiveness — claims he wants to help me.
Why the fuck would he want to do that?
What’s in it for him?
He wants you, obviously, a voice in my head chimes.
Well, yeah, of course he does. Everyone does. Succubus problems.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I mutter, pushing his hand off my shoulder. I know he’s worried about me, but I don’t need his support. I need answers. I need to know why that guy thinks he saw me in ‘Lupine Bay,’ and also, I need to know what that is. I need to know who he is, why he’s in my head, and what he thinks he has to gain by ‘helping’ me.
“We need to keep moving,” I say, looking around for signs of any guards. We’re already outside the prison walls — Ocho’s wolf friend did an impressive job of clearing the yard and surrounding area of anyone who might interfere with our escape — but I’m still collared, we’re too exposed.
And I don’t know who else is going to find their way into my head.
So far, it seems to only be decent people. Ones that don’t want to hunt me down and test me until I’m a dessicated pincushion.
How long do I have before that changes?
If there’s a vulnerability in my mind, it’s access for just anyone to come in and…
I shudder, wrapping my arms around myself before heading off away from the prison.
Shit.
I don’t know where I’m going.
It’s been a hundred years since I’ve left that place, and I’m not even exactly sure where we are. Hell’s a big place. A city of millions, built up in terraced levels like a coliseum. Right now, I can’t even see the rim — the prison’s built into the wall, no surprise there — so that’s the first order of business to get my bearings.
There’s no need for me to look back to know that all three of them are following me. Maal’s cuffed, being led by Dmitry at knifepoint, and Ocho is my shadow, sticking close enough behind me that I can smell the scent of smoked meat that always seems to cling to him like he’s just come from a cookout.
Why are we sticking together, though? How did this happen? I’m grateful that Dima and Ocho thought to bust me out, but what’s the plan now?
We didn’t come up with one.
Big mistake.
How long until they realize that this makes no sense? I barely know Ocho, Dmitry seems to have a new snide name to call me every time he deigns to acknowledge my presence, and Maal… Well, he’s kind of my prisoner. What am I expecting to do with a prison— Right. A snack.
I can’t rely on my old tricks for feedings. With this stupid collar killing my powers, I won’t be able to snack on innocent bystanders and erase their memories.
…To be honest, it seems like I’ve got a perfectly good reason to keep three strong, handsome, virile men at my side. It’s definitely not just a justification for myself because they’re so damn pretty.
Seriously. Not sure how I hit the rescuer lottery here, but I’ve got three very attractive men with me, looking extremely ready to cause all kinds of trouble for my sake.
How could it not make my knees weak?
“Where do you want to go? I know this place like the back of my hand,” Maal says, suspiciously enthusiastic for a prisoner.
I wince as pain sparks through my head, echoes of what that guy from the fire room is going through. It’s like a lightning storm in my head, and I’m desperate for it to stop. I can’t think when every time I move my eyes there’s sparks and my brain feels like it’s being jostled.
“How do we get out of here, buddy?” Ocho asks, looking at Dmitry.
“Why would I know? Portal disappeared after I arrived,” he answers, gruff as always. It suits him though. And I know he can get shit done. What other werewolf could tear through Hell, break into a high-security prison, steal two prisoners, and a guard, all by himself?
Dude’s impressive, and that’s coming from the Demon with half a dozen assassination records.
“I know all the portals around town,” Maal offers.
I glare at him. Why is he trying to be helpful? Shouldn’t he be more upset about this?
He’s already smitten, I think, though he really shouldn’t be after one time…
He could be faking it, to lull me into a false sense of security so we let him loose.
Nice try.
“I can’t teleport us anywhere with this stupid thing,” I growl, tugging at the metal collar. It’s not going anywhere, though. It’s magic. Even if the collar breaks and falls off, the magic is spelled on. We need stronger magic to get them off.
“I can teleport,” Maal says, still chiming in cheerfully like we’re on the same team. “Though, to be perfectly honest, I’m not very good at it, and I doubt I could handle three other people… I might not get us where we want to go anyway.”
“Super helpful, man,” Ocho says, half laughing, half sneering.
Though he doesn’t say it, Maal brings up another problem: even if we could teleport, where would we go? The portals in Hell that go to Earth are… ludicrous, to be honest. Because of the limited access, and the strict circumstances under which someone is allowed to go to Earth, the locations of the portals are always changing. Where the portals go changes too. If you’re not privy to the intricate rotation schedule, you’ll never find the portals, and never know which one’s going to take you where you want to go.
There’s only one way around it — anchors. Any Hellion on Earth can create an anchor to get him back to where he needs to be. It’s a quick workaround for field agents that need to make impromptu trips back to Hell for whatever reason. Anchors would be great, but they can’t be made in Hell. They need to be brought here.
If we’re going to get out, we need someone with access to the schedule. We need somewhere safe to recoup, where I can eat, and we can plan our next step.
I turn to Maal, narrowing my eyes at him, daring him to lie to me. He looks so damn earnest though. Shaggy blond hair, icy blue eyes, too-long beard scruff that makes him more approachable, since otherwise he’d be a little too pretty. He’s got this perpetually goofy smile, like he’s just so damn excited to be here, but I don’t get it. He’s not a willing participant here. Right?
“My parents… They didn’t disown me, you’re sure?”
He scoffs. “Yeah, I’m sure. They didn’t care about you being a Demon, you think they care about you being a dragon?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ocho chimes in with a growl.
“Which part?”
“Watch it funny boy,” Ocho growls again, his hands balling into fists. I step between them, my hand up to stop Ocho from advancing. We don’t need a fight amongst ourselves right now. “What do you mean they didn’t care about her being a Demon?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I mutter. “Let’s just move on, shall we?”
Maal shrugs. “Do you know anything about Hell? Demons are…”
“Are what, ojete? Say it,” Ocho challenges.
“They’re second-class citizens, okay?” I butt in. “Or… Not even citizens at all really. Some of the lucky ones get to live and work among the Devils, but at the end of the day, they’ll never let us be like them.” I don’t mean for it to happen, but bitterness slips into my voice, and I know they all noticed it.
Damn it.
“Not your parents, though. They adopted you, they love you,” Maal says. “Even with your… heritage.”
“Watch it, pendejo.”
“He’s not wrong, Ocho. That’s the way things are here. But my parents… I should’ve known they wouldn’t be as small-
minded as Valephar said. They can help us get these collars off. Then I’ll have my powers and I can go after that bastard that betrayed me and put me in that wretched place.”
“Don’t you wanna take the time to learn some dragon powers?” Ocho asks.
“One thing at a time,” I say, waving it off. He doesn’t get it. He’s a dragon — a full-blooded one. He’s never dealt with not being enough, not fitting in. Being a succubus is bad enough, but at least it’s demonic heritage. Dragon? That’s not Hellish at all. It just means I fit in here even less, and I don’t want to think about it. All I’ve ever done is try to fit in more, and it’s like Hell itself is rejecting me, even after all I dedicated to it.
“Sounds like we’re going to your parents, then,” Ocho says.
“Da.”
“I can get you there faster if you unchain me,” Maal says.
“Why does being chained prevent you from giving directions?” I ask.
He starts to answer, his jaw dropping slack before he snaps it shut, realizing he’s got nothing.
“Lead the way, then.”
17
Dima
“You seem frisky, querida,” Ocho says, sliding his hand up Lili’s arm as we wait in an alley for clear coast.
“I’m pretty hungry,” she says, licking her lips, eying him like piece of meat. Not that he minds. He loves it.
“Haven’t you come close enough to death for one day?” I growl, glaring at them both. He’s already given her more of his — our — strength than he should have. Now is not the time to keep giving.
“We probably should wait until we’re safe at my parents’ place, anyway,” Lili says with a sigh.
“Come on,” Maal says, waving for us to follow him. Lili follows him first, and I catch Ocho watching the sway of her hips from behind.
I can’t blame him for wanting to look — she is perfection; hourglass curves hiding muscles strong as steel. But looking should be enough. Any more puts us at risk.
“You gotta be such a cockblock, man?” he sneers under his breath as we fall into step behind the others.
“Da,” I grunt.
“The fuck is your problem?”
“Have you forgotten where we are, mudak? Because of you. Because of your blyad dragon senses. Stop thinking with your cock for once if you want to get out of here alive.”
His shadows darken, making it almost impossible to see him, but it bothers me none. He can sulk all he wants.
“What is this place?” Lili asks, looking around, her neck craned back to look up at the tops of the crooked buildings that seem impossibly tall.
“You mean you of all people haven’t been…” Maal stops, makes a face that’s hard to read, and then tries to carry on like he didn’t hear her.
“Maal?” she asks, yanking on the chain to his cuffs. He grumbles, staggering backwards.
“What?”
“Don’t play stupid with me,” Lili growls. “It doesn’t suit you, and I don’t have the patience for it.”
He sighs, then clears his throat. “This is the incubus and succubus district… Erm… among other things obviously, but, that’s… That’s mainly the thing…”
Lili narrows her eyes at him, hands going to her hips.
“How do you know your way around here so well, hmm?”
Maal looks stricken, eyes wide as he stammers and shakes his head. “N-no, it’s not like that. I-I… I learned all the city—”
“I’m fucking with you, calm down,” Lili says, cracking the first smile I’ve seen from her.
It’s… attractive.
Maal lets out a sigh of relief, his shoulders sagging forward, tugging on his bonds.
“Seriously, though, I’m not going anywhere. Can we do away with the cuffs?” he asks.
Lili scoffs. “How do I know you’re not going to immediately run off and report me, get us all caught and thrown back in jail?”
Maal makes a face. “What good would that do me?”
That’s clearly not the response Lili’s expecting, because she’s speechless, without a response for a moment. She rallies quickly, though.
“A promotion, influence for your family, your House’s status… Plenty of things.”
He laughs at the suggestion and Lili is not sharing in his amusement.
“What’s so funny?”
“That you think any of that shit matters to me,” he says, still laughing. “I just got a promotion — one I didn’t ask for and didn’t want, I might add — my family would love the influence, but they’re barking up the wrong tree looking to me for it, and as far as my House… Well, we’re no Seven Flames, Lil. It’s been a long time since we’ve been on the Council, and I’m not sure we’d know what to do there if we found our way back.”
She considers it all for a long moment, searching his face for signs of dishonesty.
“If you try to get away, you will regret it,” she hisses, removing his cuffs.
“Do you think that is—” I start to ask, but her sharp look cuts me off.
“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea, but walking him through the city any further bound like this is just going to draw attention. That’s exactly what we don’t want.”
“Beautiful and smart,” Ocho says, completely smitten with this woman. Great.
“Whatever, let us keep moving. I do not like this place,” I say, feeling too exposed. Though the buildings are all close together here, they’re too tall. It feels like there are people looking down on me from above. Like I’m a rat in a cage on display for them.
I stick to the shadows as much as I can.
Maal leads the way, and in order to not look like we’re traveling in such an obvious pack, Lili is staying a few paces behind him. Ocho of course isn’t keeping far enough away from her, even as he does his best to stay out of her line of sight, but I’m staying back enough to keep a decent perimeter without him.
Typical.
Someone on the street makes a comment to Lili — something I don’t hear with the busyness of the day, but it’s enough to get a sharp look out of her.
“In your dreams,” I hear her say to the antagonist I can’t see yet. Maal hasn’t noticed that something’s up, and Ocho’s already bristling.
I’m close enough to hear the guy when he responds.
“Why you gotta play hard to get?” he asks, a hand reaching out from the doorway of a building, grabbing Lili and yanking her in. My instincts tell me to jump into action, to protect a member of my pack, but I stop myself.
This isn’t my pack.
Lili’s not part of it.
And she doesn’t want my help.
“What part of ‘not interested’ is confusing to you, shithead?” she curses, wrenching herself away from him.
He grabs a fistful of her long, silken hair and yanks hard enough that she yelps. Now I’m halfway to shifting.
“The part where we both know you’re just a Demon whore who’ll spread her legs for anyone,” he sneers.
“That’s enough, ojete,” Ocho growls, shadows swirling in around him. Lili’s already pulled herself free of the guy, and now she has to break them up.
“Ocho, come on, let’s go,” she whispers, looking around, seeing as I am that no one is watching right now, but that won’t be the case for long if they keep getting louder.
“Oh-ho-ho, the slut’s got a pet, eh?”
Ocho starts swearing loudly in Spanish, and I roll my eyes, moving in behind them. It’s not the first time I have had to end fight Ocho started. He talks too much shit, and knows I will not let too much trouble come his way.
Another part of the curse. The witch never knew how much she was punishing me.
For what, though? Caring about my pack?
I learned my lesson. No more pack for me.
“People are going to start looking,” Lili hisses, but I already know that reasoning with Ocho in this state is useless. He is an idiot, but he is not stupid. He knows how this will end.
Th
anks to adopting some of his shadow powers, I’m able to slip around the guy, and before anyone has even noticed I moved, my trusty dagger is through his heart.
“The fuck?” Maal’s rejoined us at the worst moment, realizing something was holding us back. It would have been the perfect time for him to escape if he wanted to. Lili may not realize it, but I don’t think she could make him leave.
“He was drawing attention,” I say, pushing the guy back into the doorway he’d been loitering in. “Let’s go,” I say, moving quickly. There may be someone in that building discovering his body right now.
Maal takes us down a few twists and turns until we feel we have put enough space between us and the corpse.
“Can you explain to me what just happened, please?” he says, once the urgency has fled.
“What is confusing?” I ask, cleaning my knife thoroughly in the down moment.
“What kind of knife is that, for starters?”
“What do you mean?”
“He means that most normal blades won’t even slow a Devil down and you just…” Lili says, miming my stab through the heart. I shrug.
“Is good dagger.”
“That thing is not going anywhere near my junk again,” Maal protests, voice trembling a bit. Lili snickers just as my stomach growls.
She arches a brow.
“Murdering Devils works up quite the appetite, huh?”
“Da. Your brother sent rations, but I’ve run out.”
“Oh man, there’s a great food cart run by an Oni just a couple blocks away—”
“Nyet,” I growl. “Raj warned not to eat Hellish food.”
Lili smirks, one hand on her hip. “I’ll check it out for you. You think I’d steer you wrong?”
I don’t answer that.
She rolls her eyes.
“What, you’ll trust my brother but not me?”
That point I had not considered.
“Let’s get you some food, wolfie,” she says, talking to me like I am her pet.
That is all I am to these dragons. I know how they think. Ocho has made very clear dragons are superior in every way. Ha. It is how they think, though. I am only a wolf. A pet dog to them.
