Shadow and Bones (Dullahan Book 1)

by Ryvr Jones

  “Saoirse.”

  Taken aback, Caeron sat on his hunches. “Is that…” he whispered.

  “Yes.”

  The real name of a supernatural—the one etched into their souls when they were born—could be used to exert power over them. If someone knew how, those names could be used to do all kinds of twisted and cruel things. That’s why they used aliases and nicknames. And she’d just given him her real name.

  “I’m honored.” He raised his hand to touch hers, then remembered she’d asked him not to. “I’d give you mine in return, but you already know it.” She could see the names on their souls when she transformed them into dullahans.

  Light sparkled in her eyes.

  “You’re laughing at me, aren’t you, boss?” He grinned. “Let’s get this over with, so you can go back to making our lives a living hell. I’m kind of missing it.”

  “Masochist.”

  “Not exactly. If you must now, I’m more of a sadist.” He winked, then sobered. “Hang on.” He leaned over her, getting as close as possible, without making contact. Then he sent what little light he had to give, blowing it through her lips.

  Seersha closed her eyes. He couldn’t see anything because she was literally covered in blood, but he knew her injuries were beginning to heal.

  Taking a deep breath, he straightened. “Now you know my big secret. I just ask that you don’t cut my head off when you’re back on your feet.”

  “Already knew.”

  “What? How—” He snorted, sitting back and crossing his legs in front of him. He’d done his best to mask his real nature when he’d become a dullahan, but… “I should’ve known you would know.”

  “Yes.”

  “Then why didn’t you call for me when you arrived, to heal you?”

  “Light is given, not taken.”

  Caeron watched her face. She hadn’t forced him to admit the truth, or to heal her. But above all, she’d kept his secret all this time. And hadn’t used it to blackmail him. “I’ll be damned.”

  “Probably.”

  He chuckled. “Tamerah is right. You’re not as bad as you want us to believe, are you?”

  “Don’t go ruining my reputation.”

  “I’d never dream of it, boss.” But there was definitely more to Seersha than he’d ever imagined.

  Tamerah left Rhys resting on his bed, after he’d promised to call Caeron immediately if he felt anything wrong. She didn’t want to let Rhys out of her sight, but she wanted to ask Caeron if being physically tired was usual for dullahans, because she could tell Rhys was tired to the marrow of his bones.

  As she’d expected, she found Caeron and Nell in the library. What she didn’t expect was to find Seersha lying on the floor, covered in blood.

  “What the hell?” Tamerah walked quickly to the fireplace and knelt beside the battered woman. Seersha was a pile of injuries, cuts, bruises, swollen flesh and open holes.

  “What?” Caeron looked up at her from the book he and Nell were examining.

  “Why is Seersha on the floor, injured and bleeding, while you two are reading?” Tamerah’s face warmed as her blood rushed to her cheeks. “I know you don’t like her, but this is cruel!”

  “She asked us not to touch her.” Caeron chewed his lip.

  “She’s right, you are morons.” Tamerah shook her head in disbelief. “Bring me a glass of iced water. Now!” she barked, and Caeron scrambled to his feet to run to the kitchen.

  Tamerah caressed Seersha’s hair. It was sticky with blood, already dried and hard in some spots. “I’m so sorry you went through this, dark light.” Her eyes filled with tears.

  “Worth it.” Seersha said in her head.

  “I’ll make it better,” Tamerah promised, smiling through the tears. “I’ll take care of you.”

  Caeron came back with a bottle of water. “It will be easier for her to drink.”

  Scowling at him, Tamerah took the bottle. She dribbled water into Seersha’s lips. “Drink. It will ease your throat.” Seersha obeyed, taking small sips.

  When she was done, Tamerah used the remaining water to clean Seersha’s face. She poured it on her hand and brushed it softly over the blood. “Let me know if I’m hurting you.”

  “Don’t worry. It only hurts when I breathe.”

  A chuckle found its way up Tamerah’s throat. “It takes a lot of courage to be joking when you’re this fucked up.”

  After cleaning the worst of the blood, Tamerah leaned back, thinking.

  “Here’s what we’re going to do,” she said to Seersha. “I’ll take you to the bathroom, and I’m going to clean the blood and bandage your injuries while that moron,” she turned angry eyes to Caeron, “changes the rug and puts some cushions here. Then I’ll bring you back to the fireplace, okay?”

  Seersha nodded slightly.

  “As for you,” she pointed to Nell, “you’re going to clean yourself up and get ready to help me if I need you. Let’s get clean clothes for you two.”

  “There are clothes for you at my place as well, Tamerah.”

  “Thank you.” Tamerah teared up again. Seersha had been tortured, was undoubtedly experiencing unimaginable pain, and yet was thinking about Tamerah’s needs. “Give me five minutes.”

  She stood, shooting daggers at Caeron. “Keep one eye on her and another on Rhys. If anything happens to either of them, I’ll personally deliver you to the Enforcers. Are we clear?”

  “Yes, Sergeant,” he said, bringing his right hand to his temple.

  “Don’t try me.” With that, she grabbed a stunned Nell by the hand and called the Shadows.

  Once Tamerah and Nell vanished, Caeron stepped into Seersha’s field of vision and shuddered. “You got her protective side going. I’m scared.”

  “As you should be.”

  With most of the blood cleaned, he could see her jaw was better, less swollen, the bruises getting smaller. It was still broken, though, and it would be a while before she could move it without wanting to rip it off from pain. At least she could broadcast her voice to anyone she wanted.

  “It’s not my fault. You didn’t let me do anything to help you.” He pouted, crossing his arms. “You could have told her.”

  “No fun.”

  “Right, fun. She was about to cut my head off.” He had no doubt Tamerah could kick his ass if she wanted.

  “That would’ve been fun.”

  Caeron grinned. “I see you’re healing nicely. Getting annoying and shit.”

  “Aw, you like your boss.” Seersha’s eyes lit up, and he could have sworn there was a smile in her voice. “How sweet.”

  “C’mon, now you are trying to ruin my reputation.” He winked.

  Four minutes and twenty seconds later Tamerah was back, carrying two bags. Nell stood at her side, clutching another bag and looking like she was about to pass out.

  “Take my clothes to Rhys’s room and check up on him.” Tamerah tossed a bag to Caeron. “Tell him I’ll be there as soon as I can. And take care of the rug and the cushions as I’ve asked.”

  “What am I now, your butler?” Caeron huffed and grabbed the bag before it fell to the floor. “This is my house, you know.”

  Tamerah growled, showing him some teeth.

  Time to retreat. “Okay, okay, I’m going! See?” Caeron pointed to himself as he walked. “This is me, obeying your orders, Sergeant.” Once he was out of her sight, he muttered, “Our little demon has spent too much time with Rhys.”

  Tamerah’s voice reached him. “I heard that!”

  “You better shut up,” Seersha said.

  “You’re definitely right,” he agreed, taking the stairs two steps at a time.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Tamerah used the Shadows to take Seersha to one of the empty bedrooms’ en suite. It was spacious and clean, and it would give them some privacy.

  Seersha managed to sit up on the floor, leaning against the bathtub while Tamerah opened the faucet and closed the drain. “Hot or cold?�
��

  “Cold.”

  Nodding, Tamerah adjusted the temperature, and bit her lip. Seersha’s clothes were mostly ripped to shreds, but it would be hard to remove what was left of them without causing even more pain, maybe further injuries.

  “Scissors. Cut them off.”

  “You’re a genius!” Tamerah walked to the room’s door and stuck her head out to the corridor. “Caeron! I need a pair of scissors. Move your ass!” Her blood was still boiling. How could they leave someone bleeding on the floor like that?

  “There you go, Sergeant.” Caeron came running and gave her the scissors. “Anything else?”

  “No.” She slammed the door in his face and stomped back to the bathroom, fuming.

  “Don’t be angry with them. I didn’t let them help.”

  “It doesn’t matter what you told them.” Tamerah started to carefully cut Seersha’s shirt. “It was cruel to leave you bleeding while they went back to their books. They could’ve called me.” After cutting the sleeves and front, Tamerah gently peeled the tattered fabric from Seersha, leaving her torso bare. “And if they couldn’t do anything else, they should’ve kept you company. No one deserves to suffer alone.”

  Tamerah unlaced Seersha’s knee-high boots and removed them slowly, trying not to move her legs. Despite her efforts, Seersha grimaced and whimpered a couple of times.

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s not that bad.”

  After removing the boots, Tamerah went for the pants, cutting them from ankle to hip. Once Seersha was naked, the extent of the damage was clear, and Tamerah covered a sob with her hand.

  There wasn’t an inch of Seersha’s body without bruises, cuts and holes. She’d been stabbed repeatedly on her stomach and breasts, and numerous long gashes ran along her arms and legs.

  “It looks bad, but it’s better now. I’m healing.”

  Tamerah closed her eyes for a second. She didn’t want to think about how bad it had been, if this was “better”. I won’t lose my shit now. She’d swallow her horror and help Seersha to feel better.

  “I’m going to move you to the bathtub now, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  It was going to hurt like hell to get water on the wounds, but they needed to clean them. Taking a deep breath, Tamerah called the Shadows and moved Seersha to the bathtub.

  As soon as her body hit the water, Seersha screamed, then bit down on her lip, closing her eyes and breathing through her teeth. “Excellent,” she quipped, even her thought-voice strained. “My jaw is working again.”

  “I’m so sorry, dark light.” Tamerah grasped Seersha’s hand, trying to comfort her. “I know it hurts. I wish I could do something to alleviate your pain.”

  “Stay with me,” Seersha pleaded, the words distorted by her damaged lips and jaw. She clutched Tamerah’s hand in a painful grip, but Tamerah was glad. At least she could share a minuscule fraction of Seersha’s pain.

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Tamerah blinked back her tears. “If you think you can bear it, I can wash you with a soft cloth. I’ll be careful and try to avoid hurting you further.”

  Nodding, Seersha gave Tamerah’s hand a final squeeze before letting it go. Tamerah proceeded to wash her body, trying to be gentle, knowing she was causing more pain anyway.

  “No one has ever taken care of me like this.” Seersha sounded sad and awed at the same time.

  Tamerah didn’t want her to be sad on top of being in pain. She tried to smile. “You took care of me for a long time. Still are. You’ve sacrificed yourself for me, for us.” Tamerah grimaced and tried to say something lighter. “You were the one who gave Rhys those lovely clothes for me, didn’t you? It’s a shame they got ruined by explosion.”

  “Yes. Did you get more when you went to my place?”

  “I did. I love them. Thank you.” She moved closer to Seersha’s legs, brushing the cloth softly over them. “The boots protected your calves a little. There’s hardly any cuts on them.”

  “I’ll get neck-high boots next time. My head is too hard anyway.”

  Unable to help it, Tamerah chuckled, then tilted her head. “How do you do it? You’ve been tortured for hours, not so long ago. You must be in agonizing pain. How do you manage to joke about anything? I’d be a blabbering slump of tears and insanity right now.”

  “I don’t have a choice, little sister.” Seersha closed her eyes. “I don’t have the luxury of flipping out. I need to keep going.” She exhaled a heavy breath. “Someone needs to keep the world from going to hell.”

  As sad and horrifying as that was, it was the truth.

  “At least now you don’t need to keep going alone.” Tamerah grabbed Seersha’s hand, smiling. “I know we’re not really sisters, but I like the sound of it.”

  Seersha looked at her, smiling back. It was crooked and swollen, but it was real. “I like it too. I shouldn’t, but I do.”

  Tamerah’s chest constricted. “Why not? I know I’m not—”

  “You’re amazing, Tamerah.” Seersha squeezed Tamerah’s hand. “You’re pure light, illuminating everyone with your kindness, your curiosity, your humanity. I shouldn’t like the idea of having you as my sister because it means I care about you. And if I care about you, I’m putting you at risk.”

  “I don’t care.” Tamerah pursed her lips in a stubborn line. “I was created to fight the end of the world. I’m in danger merely by breathing, anyway.”

  “Promise me you’ll try to keep yourself out of harm’s way.” Seersha pinned her with the dark gaze Tamerah had found so unsettling at first.

  “Of course,” Tamerah said, realizing she didn’t mind Seersha’s scrutiny anymore, because she could see the wisdom and kindness hidden behind it. “I’m not stupid, you know.”

  “I know.” There was the crooked smile again.

  “I think we’re done,” Tamerah said after she washed Seersha’s black hair with the handheld sprayer. The water was red, as if the bathtub was filled with blood. Tamerah suppressed a gag. “Just let me drain the tub and give you a rinse before we get you out of the tub.”

  Once that was done, Seersha sat upright, using the tub’s edges as support, testing her body. “I think I can get out without the Shadows. If you help me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Seersha nodded, and Tamerah helped her stand, inch by excruciating inch. When she was mostly standing, her knees buckled and she cried out. Tamerah held her body upright until she was able to step out the tub and sit on the closed toilet.

  Evidently exhausted, Seersha leaned back and closed her eyes. Tamerah got a huge, soft white towel, and patted Seersha dry the best she could.

  Seersha opened one eye. “Caeron is going to freak out when he sees this mess. He’s such a neat-freak.” She chuckled and coughed.

  “If Caeron so much as looks at me funny, I’ll cut his balls off and feed them to a pack of hyenas.” Tamerah was furious with him. She was also angry with Nell, but she was human, probably scared and confused, and had known Seersha for all of ten minutes. She wouldn’t know she should—or could—defy Seersha’s orders. Caeron was a different matter. “I’ll borrow Nell’s daggers and cut them off slowly. Then I’ll chop them into bits in front of him, before feeding them to the hyenas.”

  Seersha coughed-laughed again. “Where are you going to find the hyenas?” She sighed and opened her eyes. “Caeron did what he could. He did help me. And even if he did fuck up, he’s a good person. He was willing to fight the Enforcers so I could try to escape.” She touched Tamerah’s arm. “Don’t hold a grudge on my behalf. He doesn’t deserve it.”

  Tamerah bowed her head. “I’ll try. That’s all I can promise.”

  After resting for a couple of hours, Rhys felt better. The infinite tiredness he’d brought with him from the Abyss was mostly gone, and the black lines on his arm had disappeared. Even his bones were creaking happily, overjoyed because he was back, and hadn’t been devoured this time.

  To be eaten alive while remaining
conscious the entire time really, really sucked.

  Tarani saved me.

  Her presence in the Abyss had been a blessing for him, but the implications for her...He needed to discover how the fuck she’d ended up there, and how to keep her out.

  And he would. Later. Right now, he needed to be with her. To touch her and assure himself she was alive and breathing.

  Caeron had told him what had happened with Seersha and how furious Tarani was. Rhys knew Tarani was right, but at the same time he didn’t disagree with Caeron’s actions. If Seersha had told him to stay away and let her bleed on the floor, Rhys would’ve done exactly that. He’d keep his mouth shut about the issue, though. Caeron could fight his own battles.

  Rhys had something else on his mind. He wanted Tarani under him, around him, screaming his name while he lost himself inside her. His cock started to fill as he remembered being inside her, touching her breasts, kissing her swollen lips…

  He adjusted his pants and climbed down the stairs three steps at a time.

  They were in the library, of course. Caeron and Nell were huddled on the couch, chatting in low voices. Seersha was resting near the fireplace, on the pile of cushions Tarani had commanded Caeron to arrange.

  His silver light sat on the floor near Seersha, watching the flames. She was wearing only a shirt—Caeron’s fucking shirt— and her long legs seemed to glow under the fire’s light.

  Nell was the first to spot Rhys, greeting him with a smile. “Bony one, welcome back! Feeling better?”

  Tarani’s face lifted up to him, lighting up. He pinned her with his gaze, letting his hunger show on his face. Naked lust bloomed in her eyes and she flushed, lifting her chin, straightening her shoulders. Challenging him.

  He dipped his head a fraction. You’re so on.

  “Yes,” he said without taking his eyes off Tarani. “Much better. And I’ll be even better in a few moments.” He walked to her, then turned away. Looking at her over his shoulder, he winked. “Up,” he said, tipping his head slightly.

  Understanding washed over her face. With a huge grin, brighter than the sun, she scrambled to her feet and jumped at his back, clinging to him. She hid her face in his neck and inhaled.