Cry of the Firebird (The Firebird Fairytales Book 1)

by Amy Kuivalainen

  “Absolutely. Let’s go take a look,” Katya pulled out her gun and looked over at Izrayl. His eyes were glowing again and she wondered if he was using his volk krovi senses to get a feel for whatever lay beneath their feet. Katya hoped Isabelle didn’t notice his eyes. That wasn’t the conversation for now.

  Isabelle was more concerned with the door to the stair well. She reached into a pocket and pulled out two small strips of metal and expertly picked the lock.

  “They have minimal security whoever they are,” Katya commented, “No electrical trips anywhere.”

  “Perhaps they don’t need them because people know better than to break in here,” Izrayl said and pulled out one of his guns. They stepped into the stair well and the hair on the back of Katya’s neck stood on end. There was a chemical smell in the air mixed with decay and sweat. A low growl began to rise up through Izrayl and Katya elbowed for him to cut it out. Isabelle had her knives out and ready as she stepped down silently in front of them. She opened another door which lead out onto the top floor. There wasn’t any sound coming from anywhere. It had the feeling of abandonment but Katya knew better than to trust it.

  Over- turned furniture and clutter littered the three rooms. It showed signs of a hurried departure. Isabelle placed a hand on a wall and shut her eyes. Izrayl opened his mouth to say something but Katya grabbed his arm. She had seen Isabelle do this before. She had told her that she could sometimes read objects and Katya had never questioned her abilities. Isabelle jerked her hand away from the wall. She had gone very pale, “Beneath us. I am sorry Katya I shouldn’t have bought you.” Without elaborating Isabelle strode down the stairs to the next level.

  Katya hurried to catch her and was almost bowled over by the smell. Blood and decaying flesh filled her nose and she gagged. Izrayl steadied her.

  “They were torturing them,” Isabelle said from the far side of the room. There were a few old metal hospital beds with corpses left on them to rot. There were chains on the walls, small tables littered with medical instruments and what remained of a science lab.

  Plastic sheeting had been hung up as a divider and Katya carefully lifted it with the barrel of her gun. It took her a few moments to recognise what she was actually looking at. Half of it looked human but one arm was the broken wing of bird. Feathers stuck out of it in odd places, disguising half of its face. Its liquid black eye blinked and Katya jumped. It made a glutinous sound and Katya struggled to keep her nerve. The creature before her tried again, black fluid running from its mouth.

  “Kill…”

  “It wants you to,” Izrayl said from behind her. “Do it Katya. It’s in pain.”

  “I know it is,” Katya lightly touched the feathers on its deformed face as she placed the barrel of her gun under its chin and squeezed the trigger. “Let’s find the fucking bastards who did this.” She pushed past him and tried to spot Isabelle. She was looking at a pile of papers tacked to a wall. Some of it looked like family trees.

  “These people were from magical bloodlines,” Isabelle said, her voice dull. “Obviously they weren’t getting what they wanted from them.”

  “But why leave the building like this?”

  “Maybe they spotted me watching it and thought they were compromised.” Isabelle handed her a piece of paper, it had a seal on it in black ink. A sword with a snarling dragon around it.

  “Fucking Darkness,” Katya spat. “This is what they will do to Anya if they get a hold of her.”

  “Who is Anya?” Isabelle questioned sharply.

  “She is a long story. One I won’t tell you about here.”

  “Very well.” Isabelle collected some of the papers together and stuffed them into the front of her waistcoat. Katya turned away from the collage of blood lines and spotted a small door, not even a metre high on the far wall. Gripping her gun she walked over to it. Her hand had just slid the bolt across when something burst out of it, snarling and snapping, knocking her over as she fired a shot. It was on top of her, its legs squeezing the air from her lungs. There was a snarl and a black wolf launched over the top of her knocking the creature off. There was a wet shriek and then nothing. Gasping for air Katya rolled onto her side and Isabelle helped her up. Izrayl stood over what remained of the thing that attacked her, his fur standing up high and vicious. Katya looked on the ground at the grey skinned stick figure. It was woman shaped but had long ropey strands of black hair and no obvious genitalia. Isabelle slammed the little door shut again and slid the bolt across.

  “It’s a hag. I didn’t think any were alive in the real world. They are a Skazki creature, which begs the question as to what the hell it was doing here,” said Isabelle. Izrayl stepped back from it and slowly transformed back into a man. Katya picked up his coat and passed it to him to cover up.

  “You didn’t tell me your friend was one of the volk krovi.”

  “Surprise,” Katya said numbly as she looked at Izrayl.

  “It’s time we left,” he said, his voice more growl than normal.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Isabelle said. “There is something I would like to do first.” Within moments the three of them walked out of the back of the mansion as flames engulfed the top levels.

  “Come by this address tomorrow,” Katya said and wrote Trajan’s house number on Isabelle’s hand. “We need to talk.”

  “That we do. Take care of her tonight Izrayl,” Isabelle said before she walked away from them and melted into the darkness of the street.

  They were silent on the drive back home. Katya’s chest was hurting from the hag and her heart was hurting from what she had seen. Tears slid silently down her cheeks and Izrayl was smart enough not to comment on them. It wasn’t until they pulled into the basement garage that Katya felt she could finally breathe again.

  “Katya-”

  “Don’t.” She got out of the car and hit the elevator door button over and over before Izrayl grabbed her hand.

  “Go on then. Make a joke about the hunter who cries after a job.”

  “I wasn’t going to say anything so stop putting words in my mouth.” The elevator binged and she stepped in. She felt guilty for jumping to conclusions. Mostly she felt heartsore. She hadn’t had to do a mercy killing in a long time and she had never seen fear and pain like she had tonight. When the doors opened again she headed straight for her room.

  Katya pulled off her boots and started to unload her weapons, placing them neatly on a table. “Don’t you have your own room to go to?” A small smile appeared on Izrayl’s face.

  “Are you ever going to stop trying to fight me?”

  “Probably not.” She was crying again and hated it. He turned her and pulled her close to him.

  “I would think less of you if you weren’t upset by the pure fucking evil we saw tonight Yakaterina. I have seen stronger men lose their stomachs over less. It’s not a weakness to have compassion.”

  “I need a shower,” she said as she pulled out of his embrace. She started pulling off her clothes as she headed for the bathroom. “Are you coming?”

  “I’m sorry?” Izrayl looked confused.

  “After a night like this I really don’t want to be alone. Usually I would go and pick up and celebrate being alive. I just thought I would see if you’re interested.”

  “You would have to be the most emotionally unpredictable woman I have ever met,” Izrayl laughed awkwardly.

  “Is that a yes you are coming for a shower?”

  “That’s a hell yes.” Katya turned on the shower taps and tried not to grimace as she pulled off her shirt. Two massive purple bruises the size of grapefruit adorned either side of her ribs.

  “It looks like you’ve been put through the ringer again,” Izrayl said as he ran his fingers along them.

  “It’s lucky there was only one hag to deal with if that’s how good my form is.”

  “You are pretty hard on yourself considering only just over a week ago I thought you were done for.” He kissed the base of her neck wher
e her first tattoo was. “You know I never would have picked you as a wearer of sweet girly underwear.”

  “We all have our weaknesses. Mine just happens to be underwear. What’s yours?”

  “Women who wear lavender underwear.”

  “Good answer,” she said and turned to wrap her arms around his neck.

  Chapter Twenty-Three - Cowboys and Indians

  At eleven o’clock the next morning Anya was tired of waiting for Katya to get up so she went to wake her. Katya had promised to train her how to fight and if Anya didn’t do something to occupy herself soon she thought she would go mad.

  Very quietly Anya opened the door to her room and quickly stifled a surprised shout. There was an unmistakable tangle of brown naked limbs and white sheets. She backed out of the room as quickly as she could, shutting the door behind her.

  She found Cerise and Trajan in one of the downstairs living areas. Cerise watched an old film on the flat screen with a face of pure joy, her hair carelessly pinned up and still in her night robe. Trajan sat nearby reading a book. He smiled as she entered at full speed.

  “You will never guess what I just saw!” she said breathlessly.

  “What?” Cerise asked as she paused her movie.

  “I went to wake up Katya and-”

  “Found Izrayl in her bed?” Cerise finished.

  “How did you know?”

  “How can you be surprised? Trajan, are you surprised?”

  “Not in the slightest,” he said as he turned a page without looking up.

  “But how did you know?” Anya flopped down on the lounge next to Trajan.

  “Darling, those two have been circling each other since day one. It was going to end in one of two ways; killing each other or fucking each other to death. I am glad they resorted to the latter. And I am sure so are they,” she laughed loud and dirty before lighting a cigarette. “Oh darling don’t look so crestfallen. Stay and watch this movie with me. It will educate you.”

  “In what?”

  “About Cerise’s obsession with Vincent Price,” Trajan said before Cerise could answer. She stuck her tongue out at him.

  “They don’t make them like him anymore,” she said with a dreamy look on her face. “I met him once.”

  “Really?” Anya asked. She had never seen Cerise so nostalgic.

  “I believe she may have stalked him,” whispered Trajan and laughed as Cerise threw a pillow at him.

  “I certainly did not. He was a magnificent kisser,” she smiled at the memory. “Like I said, they don’t make them like that anymore.”

  Katya’s alarm screeched loudly, shocking her out of sleep. After digging around in her discarded jeans she found her phone and looked hazily at the screen. 11.30 am.

  “The Twins!” she gasped and tried to unwrap herself from blankets and limbs. Izrayl murmured sleepily and pulled her back down against his chest.

  “Hey! Wake up you slug! Let me go!” she shoved at him. Izrayl opened his eyes and smiled groggily at her. Propping himself on his elbows he stroked the hair out of her face and kissed her gently.

  “What are you shouting about?”

  “I forgot the Twins! I need to get to the airport,” Katya stressed as she tried to disengage herself from his grip. Her strength was futile against him as he casually rolled over her. “No, no, no. None of those games this morning. They landed half an hour ago.”

  “Go on then,” he kissed her before rolling off and making himself comfortable again.

  ***

  Gladys Harding watched the cattle thunder into the station yards in clouds of red dust and spinifex. Hamish rode in and secured the cattle in the pen before he slid off his horse and gave Gladys a bright, white smile.

  “You finally got here then did ya?” she questioned harshly.

  “Gladys love, you knew I would deliver,” he replied.

  “Don’t ‘love’ me you good-for-nothing sod; you’re late.” He bent down from his great height and planted a wet kiss on her old cheek. She caught the unfriendly looks the girls were giving her.

  “You got something nice cooking for a hard working lad or what?” he asked hopefully.

  “I could if you can find me a hard working lad. Settle this lot first and wash up ‘cos you smell like hell. I won’t have you trailing cattle shit through my kitchen again. If you’re a good boy I might be persuaded to throw in a cold beer.” As he turned to go she remembered the weird phone call she had taken a few days beforehand.

  “Oi, some flash bastard called looking for you,” she yelled after him. Hamish stopped dead in his tracks without turning around.

  “What’d he want?”

  “Something about needing you to go to Paris or some shit. Posh sounding prick, I thought he was a copper.” A deep sigh rippled through his entire long body, like something was under his skin trying to break out.

  “Fuck Glad, you better make that dinner to go,” he said and walked off before she could take pieces off him for swearing.

  ***

  Katya steered Cerise’s red Jaguar through the tight streets of Paris trying to find the quickest way through the traffic. She was driving like a demon and promising herself to be Cerise’s slave for life for letting her use her car. Bloody Izrayl! If it weren’t for him she would have been waiting for the Twins when they landed, not getting pissy texts because she wasn’t there. She screeched into the five minute parking and dialled Chayton’s number.

  “Hey I’m here! I will get out and wave my arms like an idiot so you see me.” She left the Jag purring, climbed out and looked around the car park for her friends. She spotted them almost instantly. They were both very tall, very dark with long black hair tied half up. They had very defined features; high cheek bones, large almond shaped black eyes and straight noses. They saw her and smiled identical bright smiles.

  “Hey, hey ciqala,” Chayton said and they hugged her from both sides. She groaned under their sandwiching weight but couldn’t stop laughing. When they freed her she kissed them both.

  “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here on time. I am a terrible friend,” she apologised.

  “Yes, you are. You smell like wolf; what have you been doing?” Honaw asked. There was a very loaded silence that lasted a full thirty seconds. “I change my mind. Don’t tell me.”

  “Yehay the drought is over,” Chayton teased.

  “Don’t give him too much of a hard time. He saved my ass more than once in the past few weeks.”

  “Sounds like that’s not the only thing he has been doing with your ass,” Honaw muttered.

  “Does he have jet lag or what?” Katya asked his brother.

  “He is just grumpy and hungry,” Chayton said as he looked down the car bay. “Which one is yours?” Katya walked over to the red Jag and slipped into the driver’s soft leather seat. The Twins stood gaping for a few minutes before struggling with each other for the front seat. Honaw, the bigger of the two, won out.

  “Holy shit, you’ve been a thieving little gypo haven’t you?”

  “It belongs to one of my new friends. She’s got a thing for red as you can probably tell.” She eased the beautiful car out into traffic and hit the accelerator.

  “She will kill you when she finds out you have been revving in her car,” Chayton warned as he got sucked to the seat.

  “I’ve seen her drive believe me I am taking it easy. She’s a keres.” Katya couldn’t help but laugh at their faces. “What? You didn’t see that in your visions of the future?”

  “We just never thought we would see the day you would be friends with supes,” Honaw said. “Or be shagging a male volk krovi for that matter.”

  “I’m a big girl, Bear. I don’t need your approval.” Honaw grunted but said nothing.

  “Ignore him, he needs food.” Chayton placed a warm hand on Katya’s shoulder. “It is good to see you have found someone to love.” Katya swerved erratically and swore loudly.

  “What the hell?” Honaw was gripping the dash.

 
“Tell Chayton to stop scaring me,” Katya shouted back and she steadied the car. “Shut up about that sort of shit when I’m driving. Bloody hell, I barely know the guy. Sheesh.”

  ***

  “You really are distracted today aren’t you?” Cerise asked once the movie had finished. Trajan had disappeared some time ago and Anya couldn’t think of a good excuse to go after him.

  “It was a good movie. I am just cooped up,” Anya admitted. “I am used to working everyday…or running most recently.”

  “How about a walk? You would have to wait for me to get ready and dressed but it would get you out of the house at least.”

  “Really? Quick hurry up!”

  “You can’t rush perfection.”

  “Try,” Anya smiled sweetly. Twenty minutes later they were strolling under the overcast sky. Anya felt edgier than she expected. She felt exposed after the last few days inside the mansion.

  “What’s on your mind, Anyanka? You have that look on your face,” Cerise asked. “Surely you aren’t concerned with Katya and Izrayl having a little fun.”

  “No, it’s not that. I feel daft for not noticing what was so obvious to everyone else but I am sure they will be adults about it. I doubt it will change anything,” Anya replied as she looked along the tree line and the street lamps. “Did you really kiss Vincent Price?”

  “I really did, among other things.”

  “So people like you can have sex?”

  “Of course we can! We are in human bodies, why would you think….oh!” she stopped dead in her red heels.

  “What?” Anya asked as she focussed on the crow perched on a nearby branch and cawing loudly.

  “You are thinking about Trajan and you, aren’t you?” Cerise demanded.

  “Um…maybe, not really, I thought I would just check because you know, maybe one day, it may be an issue.”