I blinked tiredly, acting still out of it. “What-” I cleared my throat, licking my dry lips. “What happened?”
“You, my dear, are my mother's replacement.”
That sobered me up fast. “Tax.”
He smiled. “I don’t believe you’ve been formally introduced to my father. This is Marax.”
I snorted, “Somebody’s parent’s thought highly of him.”
The tall intimidating beast of a man bared his teeth. “No, pet, I’m that Marax.”
“Well, that certainly makes me feel better,” I informed them.
He raise his eyebrows and I realised his hair wasn’t just hair, raven black feathers were mixed in with the hair. I guess even using a glamour a Demon couldn’t completely hide what he was.
“Imagine the street cred I’ll get when I kill the king of hell.” I bared my teeth at him.
He chuckled, the sound deep, threatening, like a cheese grater over my senses. I clenched my hands on the arms of the chair.
He dropped to one knee in front of me, black eyes dark with amusement. “I can see what my boy sees in you, you’re funny.”
“Untie me and I’ll amuse the fresh hell out of you.”
He grinned happily. “You know, this almost makes up for you letting them get away in the first place.” He glanced at Tax.
“Sure, maybe he dropped the ball on guard duty but that was your house we bulldozed. Bet that had to sting a little.”
He smirked, “I have dozens of places just as large, you and my estranged son barely made a dent. I am a little put out about my daughter. She was killed by a gun just like this one,” he held up my gun.
“Hexenbiests are not easy to come by but don’t worry, I’m sure we can make another one.” His hand came up to touch my face and I snapped my teeth at him.
“Anything you put near me I’ll just snap right off.”
He chuckled and I cringed. “I have some business to attend to but Tax will take good care of you while I’m gone.” He squeezed my thigh and I tried to kick him but my ankles were tied firmly to the legs of the chair.
Instead I just hissed at him.
His laugh drifted back as he left the room.
Tax pulled up a stool in front of me and toyed with my cane. “I find it comforting to know you didn’t get out unscathed. Must be a broken bone, Avon would have fixed anything more cosmetic. Which one?”
“In what universe could telling you where I’m injured end well for me?”
He smirked. “Maybe it’s the knee.” He slammed the cane down on my right knee.
I gasped in pain.
“How about the other one.”
I gritted my teeth as he hit the other knee.
“Hmm, I really thought it would be a knee.” He drew the shaft of the cane down from my knee to my shin in a way that would have killed if it had hit an injured piece of bone. He did the same with the other one. Then, for good measure he smacked it against my shins.
“You know, torturing really brings out the resemblance between you and your father,” I said as I struggled to swallow the pain.
“Flatter won't get you all that far, my dear.”
“It wasn’t a compliment. Don’t get me wrong, you’re not as bad as him, you’re not quite a psychopath. I don’t fear you, I pity you.”
He dropped the cane and backhanded me.
My vision went black for a moment and I tasted blood. “Do you pity me now, witch?”
“Oh hell, yeah. It’s a common story, abusive father wields power to control you, to make you want to earn his approval. Then there’s your little brother who you’re jealous of because he never got it as bad as you did.”
“My brother will die for his betrayal!” he snarled.
“You’ll never find him.”
“I won't have to when he finds out I have you! My father will reward me once I bring him Avons head.”
“Still trying to earn daddy’s approval? Avon walked away, you could too but I bet you secretly like being his whipping boy.”
He slapped me again.
I took a minute to catch my breath, then ran my tongue over my teeth to make sure they were all still there.
“You know nothing!” he spat.
“I know you treat women like objects because that’s how your father treated your mother. I bet it eats you both up that you were out maneuvered by a girl.”
“That’s funny coming from a girl tied to a chair.”
“Oh, believe me I would kick your ass in a fair fight, drugging me was just not playing fair.”
He grabbed my throat, “In a fair fight I’d snap you like a twig.”
“The hexenbiest wasn’t able to, what makes you think you could to better?”
“Vex was weak.”
“Must run in the family.”
He slapped me again. “You should stop talking, father wouldn’t be pleased if I killed you.”
“And we wouldn’t want to displease daddy, would we?”
He pulled out a needle, showing it to me. “This is a paralyzing drug, it lets you stay conscious but means you won't be able to move a muscle.”
My heart stopped.
“We don’t have much at the minutes, we’ll send someone out for more at some point but for now this is it. I was saving it, father wanted to use it when he returns but he never, specifically, said I couldn’t use it.
“Now, this is what’s going to happen when I use it, I’ll untie you and take you to that nice comfy bed behind you where I’ll strip you and do any number of unspeakable things to you... What, nothing to say?”
My heartbeat was thudding in my head, fear coursing through my bloodstream. No, he wouldn’t touch me. No matter what I could not let that happen. I’d die first.
“Why don’t I call up my brother and put him on speaker phone so he can hear.”
I tried to calm my breathing. Avon would not hear that happen, I couldn’t let him.
“Fortunately you just so happen to have his number.” He held up my phone.
I froze, the fool had kept my phone?
He hit dial.
“Kia, where are you? Your family is freaking out.”
At the sound of Avon’s voice something inside me cracked. I missed him.
“Hey little bro, Kia can’t talk right now, she’s a little tied up.”
The sudden silence on the other side was menacing. “If you hurt her I’ll kill you.”
“I don’t intend to hurt her, in fact if she’d just relax she’ll probably enjoy it.”
An animalistic growl vibrated through the speakers, “I’ll tear you apart.”
“Not before I tear her up.”
“What do you want?” Avon snarled.
“You. We even made it easy for you, you don’t even have to find a portal, we’re at our building on the outskirts of the city. Of course, you won't get here soon enough to keep me from having some fun with her but you might get here before father does.”
“You sick bastard!”
“Don’t you dare come, Avon,” I growled.
“Kia?”
“I’m fine, he won't touch me!”
Tax laughed, “It’s funny how she actually believes that. Now, you best get moving, bro but if you stay on the line you can hear me fuck her.”
He put phone down on the table and knelt in front of me.
“Don’t worry, pet, you’ll love this.”
He raised the needle and plunged it towards my skin. The metal melted less than a centimeter from my skin and the metal liquid and drug both spilt onto my skin.
“I’m still a witch, asshat, it’s not that easy,” I growled.
He snarled in frustration, “That’s fine, we can do this the old fashion way.” He opened the door. “Untie her and carry her to the bed.”
Two large henchmen stepped into the room and began to work on the knots tying me to the chair. One gave up and pulled out a blade but I melted it in his hand. He dropped it suddenly.
“Stall
ing won't work,” said Tax.
I just glared back. Eventually they got the rope around my wrists lose. I punched one, lightning fast but I’d had to spin into it and the flare of pain in my hip caused me to whimper. The henchman was only dazed for a moment before snarling and grabbing my wrists.
“So you do have an injury,” Tax smirked with satisfaction, scooping up my cane.
I rose to my feet but he jabbed my hip with the cane and I cried out softly, falling back.
The men untied my legs quicker. Then they both grabbed me and dragged me back to the bed.
I yanked one hand free and Tax tried to hit me again but I grabbed the cane from him. I twisted the head, yanking out the hidden blade. I stabbed the man still holding me and slashed at Tax.
He cried out and the other guard’s fist collided with my head.
Chapter Eighteen
“You had one job!” growled a chillingly wrathful voice.
“The bitch caught me off guard, how was I to know there was a blade in the cane?”
“She shouldn’t have gotten her hands on the cane in the first place. Now I’ve got a dead demon and your face is fucked up, I’d say you got what you deserve.”
“At least I got her on the fucking bed.”
I was on a bed, my arms were spread wide and tied to the bed. My legs were mercifully free and my clothes were still in place.
“Get out, you’re banned from playing with her.”
Tax snarled but I heard the door open and close behind him. A hand rested on my hip and my eyes snapped open. Marax was above me. I shuddered as fear ran through me. He took a deep breath, scenting me.
“He’s an idiot. Should have known better than to trust a witch. I suppose I’ll have to frisk you for any other hidden weapons.”
I tried to kick out but he blocked my knee with his thigh.
His right hand started at my knee, moving slowly up my body.
“You’re a sick bastard,” I snarled.
“You think it’s sick to want the girl who’s been with one of my sons?” He sat up, resting his weight on my legs to keep them still as he continued to feel me up. I cringed. “Fact is it would be impossible to date a girl my age, a few centuries make no difference to me.”
“I meant it in more of a general sense.” I pulled at the ropes holding me down, giving myself wrist burn but I was beyond caring. I was in full panic mode, his hands had reached my breasts.
He pulled out a knife lighting fast. It had cut through half of my shirt before the blade melted into a puddle on my abdomen.
He laughed, “Nice trick.” Then he grabbed my shirt in both hands and tore it the rest of the way open. “Mmm.” He surveyed me with sickening intent.
The door opened behind and he straightened. “Yes?”
“Your son has arrived, sir.”
“Ah, good, send the rest of the men to go kill him and then return to your post.”
“Yes, sir.” The door closed again.
“He was able to break into your fortress, why wouldn’t he be able to get through your guards?”
He smiled. “We had a dark witch in the fortress, her guard said she died approximately the same time the Axitross was activated. My bet is he’s not willing to use a device that could kill the person he’s here to save.”
“I bet you think you’ve thought of everything.”
“Not everything, after all I’ve been rather busy thinking of things I’m going to do to you.” His hand wrapped around my throat.
“I’m going to tell you something I told your son, and I’m paraphrasing here, ‘next time you tie a girl up, make sure you’re not an idiot’.”
His eyes darkened and he squeezed my neck.
I was gasping for breath.
“Don’t test me, I’m no child like that fool who gave you the chance to draw a blade.” He eased up his hold
“But there is still a lot you don’t quite understand.”
He narrowed his eyes at me, “Like what?”
“Avon’s not the only one in the city willing to kill for me.”
He shook his head, “He’s hot headed, he wouldn’t stop to call back up, even if he could convince anyone that he’s not one of us.”
“He wouldn’t have to, my family would have been monitoring all calls to and from my phone. That fool you were talking about just so happened to make a call and he left the line open for minutes, allowing plenty of time for a trace.”
Please let them have actually been monitoring my calls.
“Then I guess I’ll just have to take you elsewhere.”
“That’s right, untie me, I dare you.”
He pulled pulled out a knife, faster than I could blink he cut me loose. I dived off the bed and scrambled away. “You’re not getting away that easily. I’m not leaving this post without a prize.” In a single leap he was standing over me.
There was a crash outside. “Avon!” I yelled.
Marax grabbed me by the neck and lifted me up. Then he walked backwards until my back hit the wall. “Shh.”
The door burst open and Avon stepped inside, Jay at his back. Relief filled me and my gaze met Avon’s black eyes. I smiled.
“You’re too late, boy,” said Marax.
Avon’s eyes widened and he lunged forward, roaring in fury but suddenly I was falling back, the wall that had just been there suddenly gone.
Chapter Nineteen
A fucking portal. Another fucking portal.
I had been lying down for some time, I wasn’t sure how long, it could have been seconds, it could have been days. There was a buzzing, I wasn’t sure if it was in my head or just in my ears. Probably both.
“How long did it usually take for your last one to snap out of it?”
Someone was talking? That was just rude. I was dieing here.
“I don’t know, usually the boy would come over and heal her somehow.”
I felt a sharp sting in my cheek. Clearly I was already dead and this was hell.
“Have you gotten a report back yet?”
I knew that voice but I couldn’t place it. I could hardly think straight. I needed... something, or was it someone?
“A few got out alive, the Grimmers overtook the building in a matter of minutes. No word or sign that Tax got out alive.”
“No huge loss, with any luck her people will have killed Avon for association.”
I tried to move but it was like I was trapped in concrete, my muscles wouldn’t respond. What was happening? Why would I have gone through another portal? My head hurt, thinking hurt. I needed to go home.
“Get me the best healer, and you tie her up while I attend to some business, in case she becomes more aware.”
I felt something but it was fuzzy, I couldn’t distinguish the sensation. Then there was nothing, time had no meaning, all I had to occupy myself was muddled thoughts and an ache in my chest.
I felt something, a warm soothing heat. “Avon.” That was my voice.
“Sorry, girl, it might be awhile before you see that lad again. I fixed you up as best I could but I’m not as good as he was and the wound was exasperated by going through the portal.”
The darkness that clouded my vision was starting to recede. A face looked down at me, one that was half man half fox. “Could you please untie me?”
He shook his head, “I’m afraid not. I may not approve of his behaviour but my loyalties lie with Marax.”
“You don’t seem like a psychopath.”
“I’m not, not truly, hence why I’m in the business of healing.”
I let my eyes fall closed for a moment. “Good. I’m a sociopath, for the record we have way more fun.”
He smiled. “Avon chose his partner well.”
“Even in hell people are making assumptions about my love life, it get’s old fast, you know.”
His smile widened.
I sighed heavily, “You know what Marax is going to do to me?”
He glanced away, “I have a good idea.”
<
br /> “It’s not going to happen, I’ll kill him first.”
He bowed his head for a moment “Stronger than you have tried.” He reached to brush my hair away from my face.
“I doubt anyone smarter has tried.”
His smile was sad. “You go ahead and outsmart him.” His voice was soft and encouraging but there was no optimism in his gaze.
“You can’t untie me but I bet it’s been awhile since you’ve spoken to Avon. Maybe you could give him a call.”
He glanced away “I can’t lead that boy to his death.”
“That’s okay, could you just make sure he’s alright though? He get’s emotional sometimes.”
He closed his eyes briefly. “He does. I’ll call but I won't mention you,” he stated.
I nodded, “Thank you.”
He squeezed my shoulder and then left the room.
I wasn’t completely without power. I still had the Last Resort. It wasn’t something to be used lightly and it would drain my reserves but I wasn’t going down without a fight. The Last Resort was a creation of my uncle Felix, he’d crafted it after an incident that had left one of my aunts with a prosthetic leg.
He had equipped each of us with one and told us that it could have major side effects, not just on us but on the environment. Luckily none of us had had the opportunity to discover what those side effects were.
I pulled myself further up the bed, whoever had tied me had left more slack this time.
I leant to one side, stretching my other arm to the limit as I tried to loosen the knot with my teeth. I had good teeth, they were relatively sharp, although not inhumanly sharp. I felt like I was almost getting somewhere when I had to move back or risk dislocating my arm.
The door opened and closed.
“Have you ever hated anyone?” I asked.
There was a brief pause “Have you?” asked Marax.
“No, it’s not in my nature. Even you, as much as I’d like to gouge your eyes out, I don’t hate you. Because you are beneath me.”
“Is that right?” He sounded amused.
“Of course. That’s no slight to you, by the way, few individuals do rate high enough for me to give them a second thought.”
Demons & Hellholes_A Grimmer Legacy novel Page 13
