by Cara Wylde
“Is she okay?” Kain had stepped behind Alexi. Leila was the only one who could see Sophie anytime she wanted, as everyone knew she was her cousin.
“She’s fine. She spends most of her time in the Count’s chambers, unfortunately, and I even told her she should go out more often. She is so pale! This morning, I thought she was ill. She eats well, though, and she said she’s actually getting a lot of fresh air because the Count takes her to his chalet almost every day.”
“Damn it,” muttered Kain. Now he was sure the bastard was feeding off her energy.
Alexi tried to smile. “Thank you, Leila. Are you sure she’ll be in the greenhouse tonight? The Count never leaves her alone…”
“Oh, she will. The Count will be busy with the party tonight. There’s this old friend he hasn’t seen in ages, as he himself has put it,” she chuckled. She had no idea she could actually take it literally. “He’ll arrive later this afternoon, and we’re all busy preparing for his welcome party.”
“I forgot all about that!” Kain slapped his forehead in frustration. “Any idea who this guy is?”
“No, sir. No one knows. We all asked Berith, but she wouldn’t tell. Apparently, it’s some sort of surprise for everyone.”
“Must be some high ranked…” Alexi almost said “demon”, but stopped himself on time. “Let Sophie know we’ll be there. We’ll slip out of the room right after midnight. I see no reason for anyone to notice our absence.”
“I’ll go tell her right away,” Leila chirped. “And I’ll also make her some tea.” She made to run down the corridor when Alexi grabbed her arm and squeezed it gently. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but the blood still froze in her veins. There was something about this man, something to which her body reacted almost violently.
“Please, Leila… Take care of Sophie. Make sure she has everything she needs, and if her health worsens, let us know immediately.”
“Of course I will. She’s my cousin.”
Alexi gave her a reassuring smile and let go of her arm. Sophie had done a great job at convincing the priest’s daughter they were related. And if the girl ever snapped out of the illusion, he or Kain could always compel her again. He hated doing this to her young mind, but it was the best choice.
♥
“Are you all right?” Kain closed the door behind them and ran to Alexi’s side. His voice was filled with confusion that turned to worry when he touched his arm and felt how hard he was shaking. “What happened? Talk to me, come on… I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”
Alexi banged his head against the wall – his last attempt at regaining control of his senses. His back burned so badly that he was sure his shirt would eventually burst into flames. The pain was excruciating. It went round his sides, pressed onto his ribs, and found its way right inside his stomach, raising bile in his throat. He was vaguely aware of Kain’s hand on his arm, and he could barely hear his voice over the constant buzz in his ears.
“It’s him…” he managed to whisper. He wanted to say his name, but his stomach clenched in agony and he bent over trying to alleviate the pain.
“Him who? Alexi, you’re scaring me. And Sophie is waiting. Can you walk?”
“I… I can’t. I need some air. You go talk to her.”
“I’m not going without you! We’re doing this together. Besides, I’m not leaving you alone when you’re like this.” Kain crouched down and touched his partner’s forehead. “You’re burning up. You have to tell me what’s wrong so I can do something about it.”
“There’s nothing you can do about it.” Alexi struggled to stifle a sob. All these years… He had never thought he would react this badly. He had played so many scenarios in his mind, and none of them had come even close to reality.
Kain sighed in frustration, but didn’t stand up. The corridor was sunken in darkness, and the heavy door kept out the music, laughter, and cheerful conversation which indicated there was a party somewhere in the mansion. He could tell Alexi was breathing heavily and trying to control his panic attack, so he decided to simply sit by his side for a while and wait for him to calm down. His hand found his shoulder blade and he started rubbing softly only to have Alexi flinch in pain and push him away.
“Don’t touch me!”
Kain’s eyes grew wide with realization. “It’s the demon mark, isn’t it?” He stood up and started pacing the corridor. Seeing Alexi wasn’t denying it, he shook his head and thought back to everything they did that evening to try and identify that one thing which triggered this violent reaction. They had gotten dressed for the dinner party, arrived in the main hall earlier, then chatted with the other guests until Casimir D’Argyle finally came down followed close behind by his mysterious friend. “It’s him… Duke Gremory, you mean?” Kain crouched back down and tried to meet Alexi’s eyes. He doubted he would say anything to confirm or infirm his conclusion, but he could read it in his eyes if it weren’t so damn dark on this corridor and Alexi’s eyes wouldn’t be hidden under his long bangs. He pushed his hair away, cringing at how hot his forehead felt. “Casimir’s old friend and oh-so-important guest? Is that the guy who left that awful thing on your back?”
“Yes…”
“I can’t believe it! When? How? Alexi, you have to pull yourself together and tell us everything. Come on, I’ll help you up.” He grabbed him by the arms and attempted to pull him up. “You have to, do you hear me? You have to! There’s no time for this. Sophie is waiting, Casimir might see that we’re missing…”
“I can’t go back there.” However, he allowed Kain to pull him back to his feet and drag him towards the greenhouse.
“We’ll figure something out. For now, let’s just take care of this. Sophie probably has what the shaman needs for the spell. We get this right and we catch all of them, okay? We spare no one. They’re all going to spend their miserable eternity in the dungeons of Lure Academy, I promise you. But you can’t fall apart now, or we’re finished.”
“I know… I’m sorry…”
They reached the greenhouse and Sophie threw the door open.
“What the hell happened? Is he all right?”
Kain made his way to the back of the greenhouse, dragging Alexi with him. The room was enveloped in a diffuse golden light that made everything glow eerily. Alexi sunk to the floor, his back against a huge flowerpot, and let Kain explain everything to Sophie. He was feeling better, the distance between him and Gremory making it easier for him to breathe and think.
“The demon who put that big, disgusting mark on his back is here.”
“What?” That was exactly what she needed: more complications. Sophie was exhausted, and it was obvious from her posture, weak voice, and pale face. In the past few days she had kept repeating to herself that she only needed to hang in there just a bit longer, just five more days. The only people she saw were Leila, who brought her meals and helped her get dressed, and the Count. She was so drained that she could barely walk straight, and it took all her will power to keep her shield down and not hit the greedy demon with everything she had. He never took much, and he never went all the way, but her energy was fading away with each passing day.
“He’s a mess… He almost collapsed on the corridor.”
Sophie threw Alexi a worried glance. She couldn’t see his face, and suddenly she hated all that dark, disheveled hair, no matter how sexy it was.
“What do we do? Does this mean our cover is blown?”
“No…” Alexi cleared his throat and forced himself to stand up. “We’re fine. He didn’t see me. The second I realized it was him, I made sure to stay on the other side of the room. He wouldn’t recognize me anyway, given that I’m imitating Leraje’s signature aura.”
“Well, yes, but if you can’t function while he’s around, we’re screwed.” Sophie’s heart clenched at her own words. She sounded insensitive, she knew that, but it was so hard for her to focus. It was so difficult to keep it together when all she had wanted was to get out of that roo
m and spend a couple of minutes with her two lovers. She had no strength left, that was why she had hoped they could help her. “I’m sorry, Alexi… I just…” She ran her hands through her long, brown hair, pulling harshly at the knots that dared stand in her way. The stupid corset the Count liked so much was too tight, and she would have given anything to throw away the high heels and walk around barefooted.
Alexi simply nodded and turned to Kain. The blond was the only one who was still functioning properly. And he was right, too. He needed to tell them the truth. He took a deep breath and ignored the burn of the demon mark.
“I met Gremory about 140 years ago. I was young, really young… Must’ve been around 19. It was before Hebe brought me to Lure Academy and told me what I was… I had no idea then. All I knew was that Grigori…” He made a pause and rubbed his temples. “… that was what he called himself then. Grigori was the only one who wanted to be around me. All the other boys and girls my age avoided me. I know why now. My presence must have drained them of energy, so they instinctively knew it was better for them to stay away. But then… it was horrible. I had no friends, no one wanted to talk to me, spend time with me… I wasn’t getting along with my parents either, and even my brothers and sisters avoided me. I don’t blame them now, but I did then. My mother… Nastasia…” He smiled when he said her name. “Of course she didn’t want me around. I was the living proof of her disgrace. Her husband, Nikolai, had married her to help cover her shameful pregnancy and offer me a home, but as the years passed and they had their own children, he had grown sour towards me. Grigori was the only one who cared, so I fell in love…” His voice cracked at the last words, and he needed a couple of longs minutes to recover and go on with the story.
Kain and Sophie listened to him patiently. Kain was leaning against a table filled with blossoming flowers, while Sophie was struggling to stand straight. Alexi’s story made her feel even worse, if that was possible.
“Three years it lasted.”
“Did you know…” Kain didn’t want to rush him, but it felt so unusual for a human, actually a cambion, to be in a long-term relationship with a demon and not feel that something was off. He would know… He closed his eyes at the quick memory flash which invaded his vision. “No, not now.”
“He told me after a couple of months, so yeah… I knew what he was.”
“What the fuck?!” Sophie couldn’t help her outburst.
“I… I even agreed to the mark. It was supposed to symbolize our bond… our happily ever after… I was so young and stupid.” He covered his face with his hands, suddenly unable to look into their eyes anymore. That was why he had tried to keep this a secret.
“What happened?” Kain’s voice was unusually soft.
“He left. March 4th. He disappeared and I never saw him again.”
They were silent for a long while, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Things were falling into place. It was all crystal clear to Kain now.
“My files. That’s why you wanted them. You wanted to know if I had caught him. Your obsession with the Duke cases, your intense study of their abilities. You were looking for him all along.”
Alexi nodded. “Not… not to be with him. To make him pay. To ask him why he marked me when he knew he wouldn’t stick around. I could have gotten over him, could have gotten over the fact that he left without a word, but his stupid mark would always remind me, always make it impossible for me to completely detach myself. It would burn three times a year: the day I met him, the day he carved his sigil into my flesh, and the day he left.”
Kain shuddered and squeezed his arms closer to his body. Alexi didn’t know, but the blond understood him more than he could have ever imagined. He had never thought there would come a day when that dark period of his past would be brought back to light, but if his own story would help Alexi come to terms with what Gremory had done to him, then Kain was ready to lay his soul bare. However, this was not the time for more confessions.
“Do you think you can hold up a little longer?” he asked Alexi. “I’ll help you avoid him. You don’t have to see him again until the Spring Celebration, even if you’re under the same roof.”
Alexi laughed bitterly. “Have you asked yourself if I can stay away now that I know he is so close? Within my reach?”
“You have to,” intervened Sophie. “Seriously, Alexi. We can’t risk it. Five more days, that’s all we ask.” She had no idea where she found the strength to speak so clearly and determinately. There was nothing she wanted more than to hug him tightly, but she knew the mark on his back was still burning. His posture made it clear he didn’t want to be touched, and oddly enough, Kain’s posture said the same. She needed to press her weak, drained body against their hard muscles and feel their auras recharge hers. It was a primal desire she could barely contain. She had asked them to come here because she had hoped they could help her relieve some of the tension, but she knew it was out of the question. They had to go back to the party anyway, before any of the guests started looking for them. “I have what the shaman needs to make that spell.” She pulled a small satchel out of her right sleeve. “See, Alexi? We’re moving fast. We’ll have everything ready for the Spring Celebration, and then all we have to do will be to seize the demons and free the prisoners.”
Alexi huffed. “It sounds so easy when you put it like that.”
“It’s not easy, but we have things under control.” Sophie gave the satchel to Kain and the blond hid it in one of his pockets. “I had to pet the damn thing to get that tuft of fur. Disgusting.”
“Awww…. Don’t talk like that about your future adopted pet…” laughed Kain.
“What do you mean?”
“Why do you think the shaman also needs strands of your hair?”
“Err… why?” Her brown eyes moved from one cambion to the other. Kain was clearly amused, and even Alexi seemed to feel better all of a sudden.
“We’re binding Irvene to you. You’re going to be her new mistress.”
“What the fuck?! Are you insane? Why?” That was it. Instead of making her life more bearable, Alexi and Kain had only managed to bring her on the brink of exasperation.
“Because you need a furry friend and Lure Academy needs a hellhound.” Kain winked at her and made his way to the door.
Alexi followed him, but took pity on Sophie and whispered in her ear: “If we set her free, the Count will immediately know something’s wrong, but we bind her to you and because you’re always with him, he won’t be able to tell the difference.”
“Oh… that makes sense…”
CHAPTER TWO
Sophie made her way through the woods, congratulating herself for having given up the high heels Casimir insisted she wore all the time in favor of her old, battered flats. She was holding her dress raised way above her ankles to make sure the hem didn’t catch any leaves or dirt. She didn’t know how much time she had, even though Leila had told her Kain and Alexi would do their best to keep the Count busy for at least an hour. There was no other way. She had to go to the chalet and see if the shaman’s spell had worked. It was the first time she was going there alone, so she really hoped it had worked because otherwise she’d become lunch for Irvene. Without the Count around, she doubted the hellhound would be so friendly.
The chalet came into view and Sophie stopped for a second to catch her breath. She looked behind her, studied her surroundings, and sighed in relief when she saw she was alone. No one had followed her. Berith, Casimir’s assistant, was busy ordering the cooks and maids around. Everything had to be perfect for the Spring Celebration. Sophie swallowed heavily and focused her attention on the small gate that was separating her from the chalet and Irvene.
“Here goes nothing,” she whispered and headed to the gate with big, determined steps. She opened it carefully, then sneaked into the courtyard and followed the narrow alley to the front door. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and she could barely control her erratic breathing. “This is not
a good time for a panic attack,” she told herself. Two steps away from the front door, she stopped in her tracks. She could swear she had heard a growl coming from behind her, but she was too afraid to turn around. “Okay, you can do this. It’s okay. The shaman knew what he was doing.”
She let go of her dress, feeling she had to have her hands free even if there was no way she could have defended herself against the beast if it decided to leap at her. She held her breath and turned on her heels slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements. Her eyes met the hellhound’s red orbs, and she was relieved to see the huge, ugly thing had stopped a few feet away from her. Sophie willed her breath to go back to normal and waited for two painful minutes to see what the beast would do. Apparently, it had no intention to do anything.
“Hi there… Irvene…” Sophie even managed a smile, which turned into a shriek of fear and surprise when she saw the immense demon hound launch itself at her. She was too paralyzed to do anything else, so she took two steps back only to hit the door. She raised her hands to protect her face when the beast rose on its hind legs and placed its big paws on Sophie’s shoulders. But the bite didn’t come.
Sophie opened one eye, then the other. She flinched when Irvene rubbed one of her two drolly snouts against her palm, then turned her head to rub the other snout as well. Sophie smiled and forced herself to reward the creature with a tentative scratch behind one of its four pointy ears.
“I guess it’s hard being a dog with two faces… How do you even eat?”
Irvene barked happily, then got off Sophie and barked again, louder this time.
“Shh… let’s not alert anyone.” Sophie wiped her hands on her dress, scrunching up her nose at the stinky droll which was stubbornly stuck to her fingers. “So, it worked. I knew it would work!” She would have jumped in enthusiasm, but she didn’t want to encourage Irvene’s barking. “Listen to me: no one must know we’re friends now, okay?”
