by Cara Wylde
“Don’t underestimate her.”
“I’m not, Kain. But I don’t want to underestimate the Count either.”
A soft knock on the door startled them. They exchanged a glance before Alexi set his glass down and went to see who it was. It was his room, after all. He was met by Leila’s pretty eyes. The fear and apprehension he saw in them hit him like a hammer. That was how humans felt around demons, except they didn’t quite understand their feelings or the reasoning behind them.
“I’m sorry to bother you… Mr. Leraje, right?”
“Yes. Please come in.”
“Oh, no sir, I mustn’t.” She blushed furiously, and her eyes went to her feet. This man was handsome, but he also seemed dangerous. She could feel it. On one hand, there was nothing she would have liked more than to let him guide her inside, but on the other hand, deep down she was sure it would have been a mistake.
“Then… what can I do for you, Leila?”
“Sophie asked me to give this to you.” She took a small piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to him. An electric shock went through her entire arm when their fingers touched.
“Thank you.” Alexi felt Kain by his side, so he gave him the note. His own fingers were trembling so badly that he was afraid he might not be able to unfold it without ripping the paper. The girl made to leave, but he couldn’t let her go without making sure she was fine. “Wait, Leila. Are you okay?”
She found the courage to look into his eyes again. “Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Did Sophie tell you anything?”
“She just told me to give you that. You are her friends, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I hope your investigation goes well.” She offered him a bright, innocent smile, as if she hadn’t just said something that could get them all in trouble.
Kain sighed and ran his fingers through his golden hair. It was clear Sophie had used her powers on the girl, so why did Alexi insist? Why did he always need confirmation when it came to their apprentice and the way she worked? He really didn’t believe she had things under control, did he?
“You won’t tell anyone about… about this.”
“Of course I won’t. Even if I wanted to, I can’t.”
“Why not?”
She cocked her head to the right and thought for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I just can’t.”
“Good, that’s good.” Alexi let out a long, shaky breath of relief. “Thank you, Leila. Take care of yourself.”
The girl nodded and went on her way. Finally, Alexi closed the door and turned to Kain.
“What does it say?”
The blond had unfolded the note and was staring at it in mild confusion.
“Not much… Just two words, actually: ‘Chalet. Irvene.’ What the hell do they mean?” He gave Alexi the piece of paper and crossed his arms over his chest. Why didn’t Sophie take the time to write more? Two words? Just two stupid words when they had been here all afternoon worrying about her?
“Irvene is a hellhound, Kain.”
“I know that, smart ass. She’s probably the most feared demon hound after Cerberus. But what does she have to do with D’Argyle?”
“When was the last time she was spotted?”
“I’ve no idea… Centuries ago. It’s hard to keep tabs on hellhounds. They do whatever the heck they please.”
“Unless they are caught and tamed by a master.”
“Holy shit!” Kain shook his head slowly. “Don’t tell me the Count has Irvene.”
“Sophie wouldn’t have mentioned her otherwise. Remember her torn dress?”
Kain started pacing the room. This case was getting more fucked up by the second. “And a chalet,” he said. “D’Argyle has a secret chalet guarded by a hellhound.”
“That’s where he took Sophie after lunch. If we got her message right, then he might have hidden the rest of the men and women there.”
The blond stopped and looked at Alexi. His cold blue eyes were filled with something between disbelief and exasperation. “How the fuck do we get past a hellhound?”
“There has to be a way.”
“We can’t kill her.”
“No. Hellhounds can’t be killed. It wouldn’t be fair, either. Irvene is under the influence of her master.”
“Which means…”
“… we have to set her free.”
They were both surprised at how fast they could come up with solutions to the worst problems when they worked together.
“We don’t have the power or the knowledge to set her free,” said Kain. “This is a job for someone who practices magic.”
“And we happen to know someone who likes meddling with magic in their spare time.” Alexi smiled mischievously, and Kain couldn’t help but smile back.
“The shaman.”
END OF BOOK FOUR
CHAPTER ONE
Alexi thanked Father Michael for the warm welcome. Even though he wasn’t in the mood, he couldn’t help but smile at the man’s enthusiasm and assure him that his daughter, Leila, was fine.
“Is the Count pleased with her? Is she doing a good job up there at the mansion?” The families of the young men and women who went to work for Casimir D’Argyle every year rarely got word from their children, so the priest was happy that Alexi came to visit. It was a unique opportunity to send his daughter his best wishes.
“She’s doing great, Father Michael. The Count is very much pleased with her work and dedication.” This time, Alexi’s smile was forced. Oh, he would make sure the girl was safe and returned home as soon as possible, but he still didn’t feel comfortable lying to the innocent man who had so kindly welcomed him, Kain, and Sophie into his house. There was no other way, though. If they wanted their plan to work, they needed to tread carefully and stop involving everyone who crossed their path. It was enough that Leila was now their accomplice.
“I am so glad you stopped by,” continued the priest while leading Alexi into the living room. “I was just making tea for our friend here. It took me some time to convince him to quit wandering the village like an old beggar and come live with me, but I did it! He’s as stubborn as a mule, but I did it. Haha!”
Alexi’s eyes widened with surprise when he saw the old shaman sitting in a comfortable armchair by the window. He had been worried that he’d have to go looking for him in the village or even up in the mountains, given how he seemed so opposed to staying indoors. It was beyond him how an old blind man, so thin that the faintest gust of wind could lift him off his feet, could roam the woods and the mountains without getting himself killed. March was a cold month in Ukraine, but the shaman refused to wear anything else but his ancient rags. “He is quite a character,” Alexi mused. “His magic is probably keeping him safe and warm.”
“Would you also like a cup of tea?” asked Father Michael. He was unaware of the tension in the room. “Or maybe a cup of coffee?”
“Tea is perfect,” said Alexi. He took a seat in front of the old man. “So… you decided to stick around.”
“Great! I’ll be back in a minute!” The priest disappeared into the kitchen, leaving his two guests alone. One might have said he was under some sort of mysterious spell which urged him to lock himself up in the kitchen every time his paranormal guests had secrets to share and strategies to discuss.
“I had no other choice,” the old shaman finally answered Alexi. “I knew you’d need me again eventually, and you’re my only chance at finding my missing artifact, anyway.”
“The phial with dead water and living water…”
“Indeed.”
“We will help you find it, I promise.”
“I’ve never doubted you.” The old man smiled, his glassy eyes fixed somewhere above Alexi’s head. It sent a shudder up the cambion’s spine. “Now, tell me: what do you need?”
“It turns out Count D’Argyle has a hellhound guarding the prisoners. We need you to help us set the beast free.”
The old man sat up straighter in his seat. “A hellhound you say…”
For a second there, Alexi thought he saw a shimmer of light make its way out of the void of his white orbs. He blinked and the illusion was gone.
“What’s the name of this beast you speak of? I’ve never encountered a hellhound in my life, even though I’ve lived longer than most people. Fascinating creatures they are…”
“Irvene.” The fact that the shaman had never dealt with a hellhound before was bad news, but his enthusiasm helped Alexi calm down a bit. Maybe there was still hope.
“Irvene…” The man smiled again. “One head with two faces, silver fur, red eyes… Beautiful, beautiful creature.”
Alexi scrunched up his nose. “I don’t know about beautiful, but I’m sure she’s dangerous.”
“Oh, she is. Very dangerous. Almost as wicked as her brother, Cerberus. At least, that’s what I’ve read. What wouldn’t I give to come face to face with such a majestic beast! They’re very rare, you see. If they’re not bound to a master, they travel the world forever and they might not reemerge for ages until they are summoned by someone who knows the right spells. So, let me ask you this: are you sure you want to set her free?”
Alexi relaxed against the backrest and threw a concerned glance to the kitchen door.
“Oh, don’t worry, he’s having trouble finding the kettle.”
“Oh…” Had he underestimated this relic of a man? He looked so frail and harmless, but he seemed to know so much. He knew about incubi and succubi, about Lure Academy, he was practically giving him a lecture on demon hounds, and now he had just admitted he had made sure the priest wouldn’t interrupt them. He made a mental note to research shamans after they wrapped up this case. It wouldn’t hurt to know more about these wise men who had dedicated their life to magic. They could become amazing allies. He tried to focus on the man’s question. “We must set her free. If Irvene is guarding the prisoners, then there’s no way we can get to them. And as long as the hound is around, the Count is untouchable. We can’t drain the beast of energy, we can’t fight her, and we can’t kill her. The only solution is to set her free and let her go on her merry way.”
“Or…” the shaman leaned forward even if his empty eyes were far from being aligned with Alexi’s face. “… you could bound her to someone else, give her a new master.”
“What are you saying?”
“Don’t you think it would be a shame to let Irvene disappear again? And what if another powerful demon summons her after some time and she ends up under the influence of another evil master?”
“I guess we wouldn’t want that to happen…”
“Of course not!”
Alexi considered the shaman’s words for a minute, and the man waited patiently. “Lure Academy could use a hellhound,” he thought out loud. “Irvene could help us guard our prisoners, or we could use her to sniff out demons. Yes, I see how she could become an asset.”
“You’re finally thinking straight, my dear boy. See… it’s not enough to know your job and do it well. When you encounter an obstacle, you first have to ask yourself if there’s any way you can turn it into an advantage, and eliminate it only after you’ve exhausted all other options.”
Alexi smiled tensely, almost sarcastically. It was a good thing the old man couldn’t see him. He hadn’t been lectured on anything, or given unnecessary advice for too many years for him to be able to take it lightly now. “Do you know how to do it?”
The shaman took a deep breath. “No. But if you tell me who Irvene’s new master will be, I’ll leave this house right away and go find my old book on hellhounds.”
“Find it? Where?”
“Where I’ve spent half of my life in trance until that wicked thief stole the phial from me. You need not know the place. All you need to know is that there is an ancient book on demon hounds which contains everything about them, including the spells to summon them and bind them to a master. It was one of the first I collected. I had to go all the way to Greece to find it, and you can’t even begin to imagine how much I had to pay for it… in spells, not money.” He fell silent for a long minute, allowing his mind to wander to a faraway land and an indefinite time in the past. He sighed and slumped in his armchair. “The details don’t matter. Just leave everything to me. All you have to do is decide on a master for Irvene, then bring me some fur from the hellhound and a few strands of hair from the one who will become her master.”
“… or mistress,” said Alexi. An idea had just come to him and it was perfect. “Sophie. I think we should bind Irvene to Sophie. It makes sense. Out of the three of us, only Sophie has seen the hound, so she’s the only one who can reach her the second time. The Count won’t be able to tell a thing because he and Sophie are together most of the time, so she can control Irvene while making him believe he is still in charge. This is brilliant!”
“Yes, yes… It might work.”
Alexi stood up, eager to set everything in motion and run back to the mansion. He had left Kain there to keep an eye on Sophie, but even if he trusted both of them, he didn’t feel comfortable leaving them alone with the Count and all his demon guests. “Well, what are we waiting for?”
“Tea. We’re waiting for the tea.”
♥
Alexi found Kain in the gazebo, pretending he was reading a book while keeping an eye on the two dark-haired demons, Casimir’s guests, who were talking to a young maid.
“You can’t protect everyone, you know that.” Alexi took a seat next to the blond and leaned in to whisper in his ear.
Kain took a second to enjoy the feel of his partner’s breath on his skin, then turned his eyes away from the unpleasant scene. “They asked her to bring them something to drink and now they’re not letting her go back to the kitchen.”
“They won’t do anything until the Spring Celebration. She’s safe.”
“For now. Five more days and no one with human blood in their veins will be safe anymore. Did you find the shaman?”
“He was waiting for me at the priest’s house.”
Kain closed his book and turned around to face Alexi. He wouldn’t admit it, but he was relieved he was back. He had been edgy all morning. Unable to find his place, he had walked around the mansion, visited the greenhouse, made small talk with the other guests, then investigated the garden to make sure everything was all right. He hadn’t seen Sophie and he was pretty sure she was in the Count’s chambers. It frustrated him that he couldn’t approach her. Alexi’s presence put him at ease. If anything were to happen, at least he wouldn’t have to deal with it by himself. Kain had always been a tough cambion, but even he was aware this time there were simply too many demons involved.
“So, will he help us?”
Alexi smirked. “Not only that, but he came up with a pretty good idea.” He stood up and motioned for Kain to follow him. “Let’s go back to my room and I’ll tell you all about it. The minute I got here I asked Leila to take a message to Sophie. We’re going to need her help.”
The blond followed his partner reluctantly. Going past the two guests and the young maid, he made sure to smile and nod. He felt a bitter taste in his mouth and he wondered if it would ever go away. No, this was one of those cases a cambion could ever forget. He increased his pace to catch up with Alexi, but they kept silent all the way to the guest house. Once they were in Alexi’s room and the door was locked, they could finally talk about their plan.
Kain listened to Alexi carefully. He had to admit it was a good one. Freeing Irvene would have alerted the Count and ruined everything. Maybe he would have canceled the Spring Celebration or rushed things. Either way, it would’ve been bad. However, if Irvene became loyal to Sophie, she could easily control the beast without alarming the Count or his assistant, the demoness Berith. Then, when all this would be over, they could take Irvene to Lure Academy and have her serve the good guys for a change.
“This will work!”
Alexi was slightly
taken aback by the blond’s enthusiasm.
“It has to work. I mean… it’s perfect. Also, it’s the best news we’ve had so far and I really needed it today.” He took a step towards Alexi and their eyes met. Finally, it seemed they were headed in the right direction and, for the first time since they got the case, he didn’t care about Alexi’s stupid secret and the mysterious demon mark on his back. He just wanted to hug him. “We can’t see Sophie, and it’s driving me insane. Knowing she is with D’Argyle almost all day… What if the Count breaks his own rules and starts feeding off her energy before the Spring Celebration?”
“She’s okay, she knows how to take care of herself…” The combination of hope and fear he saw in the blond’s blue eyes melted Alexi’s heart. He brushed Kain’s hair off his left temple and looked at the thin, white scars around his eyes. He had to tell him everything when all this was over. He simply had to. Kain had entrusted him with his dark secret, so why couldn’t Alexi return the gesture? He felt his mark burn at the simple thought of telling someone about it.
“I know she does, but I’m still worried.” He knew Alexi was looking at his scars, but he didn’t care. He was already lost in those dark green eyes. “Thank you for being here…”
“I was gone for only three hours…” Alexi smiled softly at the thought that the blond had actually missed him. He leaned in to capture his lips in a kiss, and Kain immediately responded by pressing his whole body against his and engaging his tongue in a playful battle. They both had yet to say it out loud, but they were pretty sure that after solving this case they would only work together, the three of them.
A knock on the door interrupted their kiss, and Alexi went to open it. He smiled down at Leila and invited her inside, but the girl refused again.
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly… I’m too busy, Mr. Leraje. I just came to tell you Sophie will wait for you and Mr. Andras in the greenhouse right after midnight.”
