by James Cox
He didn’t know what punishment was.
“Alexander.” Aneen’s delicate voice filtered through the hall. “You have to tell these guards to give us some space. Stefen and I were…” She was blushing as she opened the door and then jerked to a halt. “You.” Aneen instantly lifted her hands. “Where is she? Where’s my mother?”
Alexander didn’t move a step.
“Dullahan is hunting for her! Tell me where she is.”
He was hunting … for her. “Fucking son of a whore!” I spun on my feet and leapt through the door. The fallen God that Aralynn had tricked to get her with child was out in the world. The fear that came over me was so potent I nearly fell face first to the floor. I stumbled into the wall and charged forward. I’m such a fucking idiot. I left them alone. I left them alone in the middle of the woods without many weapons with a fucking God hunting them. I moved faster, shoving the secret door open. Two guards turned around. I kicked one and punched the other then kept running.
They were defenseless.
They were fucking defenseless.
I ran out into the kitchen among the panicked screams of the cooks. Using all fours I galloped to the side of the castle and leapt onto the nearest wagon. Just as I started the crank, a quick form landed in the seat beside me. I shoved my hand around Alexander’s neck as he jabbed his dagger against my chest. “I don’t have time for this.”
“Then stop being a dumb fuck and let’s go.” He eased the blade off me.
Fuck! Fuck! I let go of his neck and cranked the wagon faster.
“Where are they?” He asked as we shot forward.
“The woods between the river and the beach.” I soared past guards and ducked when an arrow flew towards us. “Your people suck.”
“Shut up and drive, shithead.” Alexander held on.
He’d need to. I was going to go as fast as I could for as long as I could. Aralynn was being hunted and it’d only be a matter of time before the fallen God found her.
Chapter Ten
“Use your vampire speed and get there,” I shouted at Alexander as we soared through the streets.
“If Dullahan is there, I can’t defeat him by myself and I’m not exactly thrilled to risk my life for Aralynn.”
I growled. “You have no idea what she fucking went through.”
“Like the assassination attempts on Aneen or nearly wiping her memory and killing me, not to mention Stefen? Yeah, you can go fuck yourself.”
I cranked faster, balling my fist, and grinding my teeth together. Hours. It was taking hours to get there and for each second my heart raced. Dullahan was set loose on the world once again. That alone struck fear, something I wasn’t accustomed to. Knowing Aralynn was his target and Joen was dispensable… “There.” I swerved, slamming the side of the wagon into a tree and stopping our momentum. I leapt out, followed by Alexander, and charged through the trees like noisy bait. I didn’t even care who came at me. I’d rip their fucking throats out.
Alexander hissed and bared his fangs.
Two men came at us. I spun around one and left them for Alexander. The line of trees was my guide and I surged through them only to find our small site demolished. The blanket was caught on a bush, the basket overturned and the firewood scattered all over the ground. The scent of blood struck me first then I saw the bloody thing tied to the tree. “Joen?”
His hood had been knocked back and his colorful hair flopped around when he picked up his head. “Trap,” he muttered, blood staining his lips.
No trap would be able to contain me. I let out a deep roar and ran toward him, well aware of the three men hiding. The first one swung his sword with a war cry. I spun, elongated my claws, and sliced his back. He cried out as the second attacked. I kicked number two in the leg, swiping my claws across his throat. As he fell to his knees bleeding out, I kicked One in the head and faced Three. This one had more self-control. He held each dagger like a professional, but his eyes glanced just for a moment to my left. I leapt to the right. The arrow soared past me and slammed into his leg. He screamed, but didn’t drop the blades. I jumped at him, my claws digging into each wrist as Alexander whirled past and went after the fucker with the arrows. Number three died screaming and when that sound finally died, I shoved to my feet to get my healer. “Joen? Joen!” I sliced the rope tying him up with my claws and caught him as he fell.
“They took her.” He pushed against me to stand on his own. “They took Aralynn.”
My world shattered.
Alexander was suddenly beside us. “How badly are you hurt?”
“Just knife wounds and…” He held up his bloody hand, his pinky was now a bloody stub.
Those motherfuckers cut him! I wanted to kill them again.
Alexander tore at his shirt and handed it to Joen. “Can you heal yourself?”
Joen shook his head. “But I didn’t lose that much blood and the cut’s clean. I’ll live. I think.”
“Wait. Heal himself?” The fuck. “He’s human.” Wasn’t he? I sniffed. He smelled human.
Alexander glanced at me. “The hair…”
“What about his fucking hair?”
Alexander lifted a blond eyebrow. “He has Mer ancestry.”
“The fuck he does!” I would have known right away if he was part merman.
“What got into your nose?” Alexander took Joen’s injured hand.
The wince made me flinch. Before I could think I was grabbing Alexander by the shirt and flinging him backward. “You don’t touch him!” I finished the threat with a growl then stared down at my hand like I had no idea why the I just did that. But I knew. I did. Joen was more than just a fuck. When had that happened? I was practically itching to let my claws free and rip Alexander to shreds.
“Can you fight later?” Joen asked, leaning against the tree and cradling his hand. He was surprisingly aware and nimble for someone who was just tortured. He had a black eye and some blood trickling from his nose. Fuck, he lost a damn finger!
“Which direction did they take her?” These same fuckers were taking Aralynn to Dullahan.
“I don’t know. I thought toward the castle.” Joen glanced at Alexander. “I guess not. My king.” He bowed his head. “So … not behind the assassination attempts?”
I grunted. Unwilling still to believe the truth. As if not saying it would make it less real. “Dullahan.”
“I think I hit my head.” Joen frowned. “What did you just say?”
“Dullahan’s free. He’s got our woman.” I hit the nearest tree, breaking skin on my knuckles, but didn’t feel the pain. We made it to the wagon in record time, considering Joen’s blood loss. He was paler, quieter, and I helped him into the wagon. “Do you know where they’d take her?”
“We’re working on it.”
“And I’m helping.” I glanced at the new king. “I don’t give a fuck if you want to kill me afterwards, but I am getting Aralynn back.”
“Fine.” Alexander hopped into the wagon. “And Darrow…”
I looked up at him and got punched right in the face.
“That’s for throwing me, you stupid fuck. Now get in the wagon.” Alexander started the crank.
“Fucker.” I hopped in as it started to move and wrapped an arm around Joen. “Not just a healer, huh?”
Joen didn’t say anything, just curled into my side and held his bleeding hand to his chest. “Darrow, can you pull up my hood?”
I nodded with a frown and covered his vibrant hair. Mer ancestry. How did I miss that?
“Where are we going?”
“Back to the castle.” We surged down the street. “And then to save Aralynn.”
Joen locked eyes with me. “They came out of nowhere. We tried to fight them off…”
“I know. I shouldn’t have left you.” Guilt tore at my heart. Another new fucking emotion. Great.
“Why would he want her?” We bounced and Joen winced.
“I have no idea how she escaped him. I’m assuming he’s
focused on revenge. Alexander thinks he doesn’t have his full strength yet. And we have to catch him before he does.” Or we’d all be dying a lot sooner and much more violently.
****
“You have to have a fucking idea as to where he’s hiding.” I spoke as I leaned over the full map of Otherworld on Alexander’s desk. “Where did the first attacks start?”
“Do you think I’m stupid?” Alexander shouted back. “If we knew where this shit started, I’d have kicked Dullahan’s ass already.”
“Yeah, you and an army.” Just how they defeated Aralynn in the first place.
“Fuck you, Darrow. She needed to be off the throne.”
“She was the only one doing the dirty work to keep this world running smoothly. The second Aralynn’s off the fucking throne a fallen god returns!”
“Could you stop swinging your dicks for all of five seconds?” Joen asked as he walked into the room, followed by Aneen and her other king, Stefen. I knew him when he was still her bodyguard. Prick then, prick now.
“How are you?” He looked cleaned up and had more color to his face. Joen was whisked away for nearly an hour after we stormed into the castle. It wasn’t until I was pacing with worry that I realized just how much I cared for him. I’ll admit that freaked me out quite a bit, so what better way to not focus on something than by focusing on something else? Mainly, Dullahan’s whereabouts.
Joen lifted his hand and wiggled his stump. “Alexander gave me his blood before. It’s healed over, but looks like this is permanent.” He frowned, glancing at his four fingered hand. “This is going to put a serious damper on … alone time.” He made a wanking motion and winced. “I’m suddenly wishing I was left handed.”
Queen Aneen blushed and walked past him.
“I’m glad to see you’re back to normal.” My gaze lingered on him for a moment, going over his color, his stance, the lack of pain written all over his face. Begrudgingly I added, “Thanks be to you.”
Alexander crossed his arms over his chest and smirked.
Stefen slapped him in the stomach. “He means you’re welcome.”
Alexander rolled his eyes.
Queen Aneen, the half human, half fallen god, was Dullahan’s only child. Her red eyes unnerved me as she glanced at me and then the map. The white dress was so simple, followed with black trousers and her blonde hair in a bun at her nape. “A lot of homes at the base of the high peaks were hit. The families taken, the homes burned. I’d assume he was somewhere in there.”
“But…” Alexander leaned forward, placing his hand close to hers on the map.
Stefen pointed to Cockburn. “There are reports of people going missing here. Nothing burned, no witnesses. It’s an odd time to have another killer on the loose.”
“Not impossible,” I added.
“But un-fucking-likely.” Alexander eyed me. “He can’t be in two places at the same time. A lot of these attacks are on the same day.”
“The vampires.”
Alexander, being half vampire must have taken offense to that. He let out a growl that made Joen step back.
I countered his with an angry growl of my own. “Don’t you fucking growl at me!”
“He’s right.” Aneen whispered.
“What?”
“Dullahan supposedly had vampires before he was banished to that island. What if they’re still loyal to him? They live for decades, we don’t know how many there are…” She shook her head. “The trolls aren’t exactly our allies either.”
“And those caves are a mass of holes under the ground.” Stefen finished her thought. “With the trolls’ tunnels, the vampires can come out at night, take or eat who they want, and have enough time to hide when the sun comes up, making us unsure of where Dullahan really is. But if he’s weak, how far could he get from the island?”
“Fuck me, that’s brilliant.” Alexander smiled proudly at his mates.
“And hard as dick to cover.” I glared at him. “He has Aralynn. We don’t have time to go wandering around in caves like a bunch of humans!”
“Not humans. Half vampire, half fallen god, half merman and whatever the fuck you are.” Alexander raised his voice.
Joen opened his mouth, but I gave him a sharp look. He wisely remained silent. “Bring some of your Aos Si friends. They’ll be able to get through collapsed areas.” I hated being underground. Being locked in a cage in a basement was close enough and fitting in those pits as a kid still gave me nightmares. “And Joen’s not coming.”
“Yes, I am!” He broke his silence.
“No, you’re not.” I pointed to the map. “If we take a boat past the reefs and have another team visit the base of the high peaks we’ll have a better chance at finding their trail.”
“I know that.” Alexander hissed the words.
“Excuse me.” Joen shoved his way around the crowded table. “First of all, fuck you, Darrow. I can make my own damn decisions. Seconds, fuck all of you, queen excluded, if you think I can’t be helpful. I’m a healer. I know flowers and herbs that could save your life in a heartbeat. You need me.”
All three of those assholes were grinning. At me.
“No.” I straightened.
Joen lifted an eyebrow. “Did you miss the part about five seconds ago when I said you can go fuck yourself? I meant it. You’re not leaving me behind. I am not going to leave Aralynn out there with that mad god.”
“And I said no!” My voice raised and a growl echoed in the small room. “He’ll rip your heart out.”
“I’m pretty sure I can heal that, too.” He lifted his chin.
I rubbed a hand over my face and groaned. “I miss working alone.”
Joen grinned.
“Fucking Dullahan. Fucking vampires.” I glared at Alexander.
He held up his hands. “Half vampire.”
“Close enough.” Just because Alexander could walk in the sun and eat real food didn’t make me hate him. “Let’s go before I change my mind and tie Joen to the bed.”
Alexander’s grin slowly lifted into a smile. “I do believe he’d like that.”
Joen, Aneen, and Stefen blushed.
I punched Alexander the face before I walked out of the room.
Chapter Eleven
“You do know you punched the king of Otherworld?” Alexander wasn’t even bruised as we walked out of the castle, through the gardens, and to the cliffs.
“Stop it, Alexander.” Aneen marched past us with a handful of armed guards.
“Stop what?” Alexander wiggled his eyebrows.
“Stop looking for a fight.” Stefen bumped him so he started walking again. “There’s no time.”
I had to agree. I wasn’t going to take the bait anyway. Not when every second we were here meant it was less time going after Aralynn. Two solid, well-crafted boats bobbed in the calm water as the afternoon sun shone overhead.
“There are reports of attacks in Little Fairaine. A fire started there last night, and the count is five women missing and one female child,” Alexander said, then climbed the rope down the cliffs and into the boat.
Aneen followed. We all wore the same black clothing—what better way to blend in? Mine pinched under the arms and there was a white smudge on the back. Based on Alexander’s smirk that had come from him. Joen was next with his hood up and a dagger strapped to his thigh. Did he plan on poking our enemies? “I can do more harm with a hard dick than that weapon,” I muttered as I climbed down. Four guards joined us and the rest went in the second boat. As I settled on the smooth wooden bench, the material under my arms groaned and split. Alexander didn’t hide his grin this time. As tempting as it was to hit him a third time….
The boat cranked up and we all held on as we jerked into forward motion.
We’re coming Aralynn, we’re coming. Hold on a little longer. It would take us twelve hours to get to Death Falls, which was right beside the troll caves. And this was the fastest way. I had no doubt Alexander with his half vampire abilities wo
uld be able to cut that time down, but Aneen didn’t want him fighting the Dullahan alone. I rolled my eyes every time I thought about that. So what if Alexander died? She still had her other king, Stefen. All three of them were standing at the front of the boat like they were already searching for trouble. Trouble had already gotten what it wanted. Aralynn.
Joen settled between me and a guard. “He won’t hurt her, right? I mean he won’t … k-kill her right away?” He bit his lower lip.
“She’s alive.” Or I would go on a crazy rampage and no one was safe. I didn’t say that though.
“Darrow.” Joen swallowed hard. “I know I didn’t want her in my house when all this shit started but…” He licked his lip and stared at the castle as we passed.
“I know.” He didn’t have to tell me. I knew how Aralynn could get under a man’s skin until all he could think about was her, all he could dream about was her. I sounded like a fucking idiot. “When the fighting starts, stay right next to me. If I go down, move to Aneen.” I didn’t have a single doubt that she would try her best to protect Joen. She had that kind of personality, full of heart and an inflated sense of goodness.
“Has her memory returned?” It was Aneen that asked. She held onto one of four thick poles that kept the canopy over our heads.
“Bits and pieces.” Joen answered.
“Do I have to worry about another war with her?” Aneen leaned against the pole and crossed her arms over her ample chest.
“I don’t think so.” Joen was saying.
“How the fuck should I know?” I growled and stared back out at the ocean. We wouldn’t be in this mess if she had let Aralynn rule Otherworld. She would have kept everyone in check, she would have made Otherworld a stone fist without any cracks.
Aneen scowled and walked away.
“Seriously?” Joen gaped at me. “She just wants to know about her mother.”
“She can fuck off.” I gripped the bench, scraping my elongated claws into the wood. Talking with Aneen always managed to piss me off and threaten my control.
“Can’t you just be nice?” Joen whispered.
“I’m not good at nice.”
