Demons & Hellholes_A Grimmer Legacy novel

by Eleanor Rousseau

  “Maybe I wasn’t really trying.”

  A growl rumbled through his chest and I felt the vibrations against my back. “My turn,” he growled as the three other Demon bloods in the room regained their footing.

  Avon stepped around me and I stepped back to give him room to maneuver. This would be interesting. Grant leant casually against the wall beside me.

  “You’re not helping him?” I asked.

  He waved a hand casually. “He’s got this. Let’s talk about you. What do you look for in a man?”

  I blinked but my attention was drawn to Avon. He had turned up the scary but so had his opponent. I swallowed. So Grant was trying to distract me, to keep me calm, it was probably for the best. I turned back to him, “In a man?”

  The sound of flesh hitting flesh came from the direction of the fight. Someone grunted. “Yeah, I’m considering letting the glamour I’ve got you under drop but when I do I need a solid plan to seduce you,” he informed me.

  “Oh, okay, we’ll I’m really not that picky when it comes to guys. I just want someone who’s smart, relatively good looking and in good shape.”

  “I’m all of those things!” he exclaimed and I heard the very distinct sound of someone being stabbed. “Except I wouldn’t categorise myself as moderately good looking because, well, look at me, I’m a knockout.”

  “I don’t know, I just don’t think I could date someone prettier than me,” I told him seriously.

  “Hmm, that may be a problem but I think I could sway you with my capabilities between the sheets,” he said reasonable.

  “See but I’ve heard that before and I’ve learnt from experience that their performance is usually underwhelming.” I’d blown the secret of my acting abilities but luckily they still thought I was under his thrall.

  “Could the problem be you?” he asked.

  I shot him a look, “I’ll have you know I am an incredibly attentive lover.”

  He grinned, “I bet you are. I didn’t mean that, it’s just that some girls have trouble relaxing. Tension can prevent you from reaching your full... potential, during sex.”

  “You think so?”

  “Absolutely. I was with a girl once who’d never, in her life, orgasmed. I broke up a muscle relaxant in her drink and I swear to God that was the best night of her entire life.”

  “Seriously?”

  “One hundred percent.”

  This total honesty thing actually felt good, I should pretend to be under thrall more often. “Well, I suppose I do have trouble letting go. It’s just, I’ve never met a guy who I’ve really trusted, you know. Who I feel comfortable enough with-” I broke off as a loud cracking sound rang through the room.

  I started to look but Grant put his hand over my eyes. “Just, give him a moment to change back.”

  “Did he drop his glamour?” I whispered.

  Fey’s glamour made them beautiful and alluring, a Demon blood’s glamour made them monsters that were bone chillingly scary. It’s why even in human form they can practically emanate scary.

  “Yes, just another moment.”

  “If you girls are done gossiping, we need to get a move on,” said Avon calmly.

  Grant dropped his hand and nodded. “You’re just jealous that she likes me more than you,” he stated as he took my hand and guided me over the limp, battered bodies. Avon had really done a number on them.

  “Keep telling yourself that, buddy.” Avon paused by the door and lifted my gun, phone and sword from a small table by the door.

  I smiled as he handed them to me, “The fools didn’t even get my ankle weapons.”

  “They probably figured the gun and sword were enough. One might consider the rest to be overkill,” he said with a small half smile as he picked up the other weapons, a large sheathed sword that would have been too heavy for me to wield and several throwing knives.

  “Clearly they weren’t as both you and these guys failed to disarm me.”

  He just smiled as the knives went to Grant and Avon took out the sword before strapping the sheath to his back. “Size isn’t everything,” Grant told me as I eyed the sword.

  I laughed.

  Avon turned to me and met my gaze, “Stay close,” he said softly. I nodded and he opened the door.

  The hallway was empty and the walls were made up of some kind of smooth black stone. “Where are we?” I asked, voice low.

  “This is the Underworld,” said Avon.

  Shit.

  Contrary to popular belief the Underworld wasn’t Hell, it was just another realm that existed parallel to ours. There were no fiery pits or damned souls. There were, however, Demons and, more commonly, Daemons.

  The difference being that Daemons, like Avon, were half human. “Oh, okay.”

  Avon turned to me again, “We’ll keep you safe, just keep it together.”

  “No, yeah, I’m fine, just fine.”

  He kept his gaze on mine. He wasn’t buying it. He cupped my cheek, “We’ll get through this then I’m taking you home.”

  I blinked. No. I needed to stay long enough to get the Axitross.

  “Avon-” Grant tried to protest.

  “No! We’ve put her through enough,” Avon snarled.

  I leant closer, brushing my lips lightly against his cheek. “We’ll talk about it later,” I murmured before walking past him.

  He was too surprised to argue, which, of course, had been my intention.

  I FOUND A STAIRCASE at the end of the hall. “How do we escape the underworld?” I asked.

  Avon brushed past me to take the lead. “There will be a portal somewhere within the compound. If we are where I think we are then it will be at the top of the tallest tower, on the opposite side to the dungeon.”

  Super. “Is there anyway we can move through the building without instantly being attacked by anyone we see?”

  He started moving up the stairs. “A Fey and a Witch moving around a Demon compound? Why would anyone be the least bit suspicious?”

  Sarcasm. I liked it.

  “You are Daemon,” I pointed out.

  “A wanted Daemon. By now everyone must know that I have something the family wants. Chances are we’ll have to fight our way through.”

  We reached the top of the stairs and paused.

  “I should go first. That way if there’s anyone I can draw them back to you and you can kick their ass.”

  “We’re not using you as bait,” growled Avon.

  “Just listen, Demon’s have rumours about witches, don’t they?”

  He expression went blank, “You know about them?”

  I rolled my eyes, “Of course I do. Any Demon who believes those rumours isn’t going to kill me on site so I’ll be fine.”

  Grants eyes sparkled, “Are those rumours true?”

  I smirked, “I’ll never tell.”

  “Step out there, if the way’s clear you tell us, if it’s not you come back immediately,” said Avon seriously.

  I smiled, “Yes, sir.”

  “She never calls me sir,” muttered Grant as I stepped out into the hall.

  Two guards stood at the other end of the hall, each wore a sword almost as long as Avon’s. “Hey, those guys said I could stay up here while they torture information out of those other guys. I would have stayed but I really can't stand the sight of blood, even the smell makes me gag.”

  They shared a look and one of them started walking towards me. He stopped in front of me “Why don’t we go back down and I’ll asked if they still think that’s a good idea?”

  “Oh, okay, you go first though because I really can’t handle all that blood.”

  He shoved me through the doorway in front of him.

  “Ow, no need to be pushy.”

  He stepped through and in a flash Avon skewered him with his sword. I stepped out of the way as the body collapsed down the stairs.

  “He hurt you?” demanded Avon.

  “I’m fine, didn’t even knock the wind out of me,” I as
sured him.

  “Stay put, don’t move a damn muscle,” he ordered, giving me a hard look before stepping out into the hall.

  “I don’t know what his problem is, it worked, didn’t it?” I muttered.

  “He’s just sexually frustrated,” said Grant, making me laugh. “Speaking of which, why don’t you and I get a cozy little motel room after this is all over and I can show you what you’ve been missing.”

  I rolled my eyes “We’ll have to get out of here first.”

  He waved me off and leant to nuzzle my neck, “Avon’s got this.” He kissed my skin, just behind my ear.

  “Grant.” Avon’s voice was little more than a growl.

  “Be with you in a minute.” Grant’s hand grasped my hip.

  Avon shoved him against the wall and raised his sword to Grant’s throat. “I told you not to!” Avon snarled, baring his teeth.

  Grant raised his hands in surrender. I’d known that Demon Blood’s were unstable so I probably shouldn’t have been too surprised. I rested a hand on his arm, “It’s okay, we don’t have time for this, Avon.”

  His eyes had gone completely black and he didn’t seem to hear me.

  “Avon.” I lowered my tone, making it seductive.

  He shifted, dark eyes moving to pin me to the wall. He seemed to forget about Grant and his hand grasped my throat.

  “He’s shaded, he’s not thinking straight, don’t do anything to provoke him,” said Grant softly.

  “Avon, come back, it’s okay. We just need to get going,” I breathed, reaching up to touch his cheek.

  The black in his gaze shrank down to his pupils and his touch became gentle. “Sorry, I- didn’t mean to do that. Being here’s got me wound pretty tight. Come on.” He stepped back out into the hall.

  We followed quickly.

  The complex was made up of endless maze-like halls, so confusing that I had no idea how Avon was navigating. We came across the occasional Demon Blood and Avon took care of them with ruthless efficiency.

  We had reached a stairwell when there was a noise behind us, like a loud clang. Avon glanced back, “They know we’re loose, we have to hurry. You two go first,” he said. I began to jog up the stairs.

  Two flights up we heard footsteps below us. “Hurry it up, dove,” said Grant seriously.

  I began to take the steps two at a time but soon the muscles in my legs were burning. Grant scooped me up by the sixth flight and started moving faster. On the eighth flight the stairs ended and Grant barged through the door.

  Avon stabbed at someone and then slammed the door shut.

  Grant put me back on my feet and I moved to the door, using my power to seal the lock shut.

  Avon took my arm and led me further inside the room. “It’s here,” he said, approaching the doorway in the middle of the room.

  “Do you know how it works?” I asked.

  He nodded and pulled open the door, revealing a black void. I took a step back. “We just have to visualise where we’re going. Kia?”

  I tore my gaze from the void. “I don’t think I can.”

  He gestured me closer. “Grant, you go first and meet us at the motel room,” he said as there was a loud bang at the door behind me.

  Grant clasped forearms with Avon, it was a warriors greeting. “Good luck.” He squeezed Avon’s shoulder and leapt through into the abyss.

  The door exploded and I hurried to Avon. He lifted me against him, pulling my body tightly against his. “Don’t let go, no matter what,” he whispered.

  “Don’t do this, son, you can still redeem yourself from this,” said a deep voice and I could feel that threatening aura even from where I was.

  “I’m not looking for redemption. Goodbye, father.” Avon stepped back through the doorway and I buried my head against his neck.

  Air, gravity, everything disappeared. I was lost, confused. All my wounds hurt, far more than they had since they had been inflicted. I couldn’t move, couldn’t see, couldn’t speak. The only thing I knew was the male body pressed against mine, holding me tight.

  Then light pierced the darkness and it blinded me. I gasped as air returned to my lungs. A hand stroked my face which was slick with sweat. “It’s okay, little one, just rest,” Avon soothed.

  “I forgot about the toll the portal would take on a witch,” said Grant softly.

  “As did I. She’ll be fine.” Fingers brushed down over my cheek. “I’m so sorry, little one,” he whispered.

  I peeked carefully up at him. “Everything hurts,” I moaned.

  “I know, it will wear off soon enough. You take it easy.”

  He straightened and moved away to talk to Grant. I didn’t bother trying to overhear, my ears were ringing and my head was pounding.

  My phone started ringing and I jerked upright, cursing at the sound before quickly answering. I cleared my throat, “Hello?”

  “There was an attack in a motel near where you were last night and a witness gave a description of two men and a woman who looked very much like you,” said a familiar voice.

  Avon glanced at me. Right, supernatural hearing.

  “Interesting.”

  “What are you doing, girl?” growled the voice on the other end of the phone.

  “You want to know what I was doing, in a motel room, with two men?” A motel room I happened to be in again.

  “If you were doing what it sounds like you were doing you and I are going to have a long chat about respecting yourself.”

  Jay genuinely hadn’t told him, I realised suddenly. I didn’t know if this development was hilarious or horrifying.

  “Daddy, I’m a grown woman!” I said in my best petechelant child's voice.

  There was a stunned silence and I put my hand over the receiver as I burst out laughing. Then I winced, laughing hurt. “I’ll kill them,” he stated.

  I composed myself. “It’s okay. I’m screwing with you. Don’t you trust me?”

  “Not right at this moment, I want you to come see me immediately.”

  “I can’t right now. Do you remember the Wednesday incident?”

  There was a telling silence. “We don’t talk about the Wednesday incident,” he said firmly.

  “I’m aware of that. This is like the Wednesday incident, except you don’t have evidence.”

  He cleared his throat, “You are my least favourite child,” he stated.

  “That hurts me. That hurts me deep in my soul,” I said in a serious voice.

  “Come see me soon and we’ll talk about this like reasonable adults,” he said with equal seriousness.

  “Reasonable, consenting adults?”

  “Fuck off.”

  I gasped in horror, “Language!”

  “I’m telling Amy.”

  I laughed, “She’ll kill me, you wouldn’t dare!”

  “I’m at her house.”

  I paused, “You’re bluffing.”

  “You wanna bet?”

  “That’s it, I’m going into hiding. Tell Cas I’ll contact him via secret messages in the local newspaper once I’m safely across the border.”

  “You think you’re funny.”

  “I know, I’m a narcissistic bitch.”

  “As least you’re honest. I want you back ASAP, Amy’s looking forward to seeing you.” He hung up.

  He’s an ass. I adore him.

  “Your old man think you’ve been off having a threeway?” asked Grant with a grin.

  I huffed, “Seems like it.”

  “You done anything like that before?” he asked, a spark glinting in his gaze.

  I smirked, “Not that he’s aware of.”

  He laughed and Avon shot him a dark look. “I’m taking you home,” he said, walking back to me.

  “What about the artifact?” I asked.

  “We don’t need your help and we’ve already put you in enough danger,” he said seriously.

  I pushed unsteadily to my feet, “I’d like to see this through. Besides, I can’t go back now, I nee
d to give my father time to cool down.”

  “And we need to move in immediately on the Axitross, before anyone else catches up to us,” said Grant.

  Avon crossed his arms stubbornly, “Stop glamouring her and then if she still wants to tag along she can.”

  Grant shook his head. “Doing that now could be more dangerous. She could go and run right into the hands of the Demons or the Vampire council.”

  Avon huffed.

  “I’m an asset,” I reminded him.

  “You’re a distraction,” he growled.

  I smiled, “Where is the Axitross?”

  “We need to get a ride and then I can drive us there, knowing the location before we get the thing just seems like it could put you in even more danger.”

  I nodded, that actually made sense. I didn’t need an even bigger target on my back. Avon sniffed the air suddenly. “I smell blood.”

  He walked to me, I stepped back automatically and my back hit the wall. He closed the gap and raised the hem of my shirt, revealing a gash across my abdomen. He cursed. “You should have told me about this sooner,” he murmured.

  I shrugged, “Not much you could do about it.”

  He shook his head, “I’ll heal it. Grant, this’ll take a few minutes, why don’t you find a car to hotwire,” he suggested.

  “Yes, sir,” He pulled on his jacket which he must have taken off before I had woken up.

  Avon leant closer until his mouth was beside my ear and he pressed a hand against the wound.

  I gasped as heat began to build beneath his touch.

  “Guys, trouble,” said Grant.

  “Just a minute,” murmured Avon. I moaned as he pressed harder against the injury.

  “Oh hell no!”

  My eyes opened suddenly. “Cas, this isn’t-” I grunted.

  “Nearly there,” whispered Avon.

  “What it looks like,” I breathed.

  Cas grabbed Avon’s shoulder and yanked but he wouldn’t budge. Then the burning sensation disappeared and he let himself be pulled off me.

  Cas looked furious, and he was usually one of the most laid back of all the Grimmers. “The fuck, Kia?”

  “He was-” I gasped for breath. “Healing me, you jerk.”

  “I saw what he was doing! He’s a Demon Blood, Kia, what the hell are you doing?”