by Swart, Karen
Finally, we reached the end, and I pushed her forward just to come to an abrupt stop. “Wait!” I instructed her. Oh yeah I forgot, freaking flames everywhere. In front of us the devil’s breath was scorching hot from all the fire.
“I don’t … think I … can do this, Kas,” Abby stuttered next to me. I looked at her and found her eyes full of tears. Crap, that’s all I need.
“Were getting out of here,” I replied and hoped to hell she followed my lead.
From behind us, the crazy hellhound burst out of the haze. One look at his completely red eyes, had me grabbing Abby’s arm and pushing off the ground with my wings. Just as we reached a reasonable height we were attacked by fire fae above us. “I’ll draw them away; you get your butt to the finish line!” I yelled at her, throwing her away from me. I watched as her brain finally kicked in and she started flying on her own. A fire bomb hit my back, sending me spiralling downwards; my wings already taking so much had a lot of trouble saving my butt. Eventually I stabilized in the air and turned around to face the attackers, whom were missing in action. Instead the crazy hellhound was heading straight for me. Okay, now how to get this guy off my butt.
“Kasadya!” I heard Chax yell, but didn’t pay a lot attention. I needed a plan of action or I might be dinner today. Taking a last look at the now on me crazy hellhound, I used my only option. I closed my wings and dived for him. When I reached him, I grabbed him and held on for dear life.
“Arhg!” he yelled, pissed at me. As we tumbled downwards at a free drop, I was holding and punching him in the face as much as I could, and getting a few shots back from him. With my back to the ground, my wings picked up that the ground was closing in and I did a quick turn to make sure he was the one below me.
Watching the ground closing in, I closed my eyes to what I knew was waiting. One hell of a thump, followed by fire. Well at least the crazy hellhound would have to deal with it, too. Bang! We hit the ground with him taking the impact with his back. His breath slamming out of him, I rolled away from him quickly and folded my wings around me. Suddenly I was engulfed in flames and the temperature around me was scorching. Crap, this hurts like hell. Finally the flames retreated, and I moved quickly. With my wings taking all the punches they were down and scorched, so I ran as fast as I could to the finish line, flames shooting up around me.
With a last jump and a blast of fire right in my face, I landed on the finish line and rolled away from the heat, my breath slamming in and out of me. I wasn’t regenerating fast enough and I’d lost all the feeling in my wings, which had never happened before. I sat up and grabbed one, frightened to death that I had pushed them too far. The flesh between the bones was burned off and hanging around like a piece of cloth ripped into tiny bits. Oh no, what have I done? Hitting a small panic, I grabbed the other one. Yip fried, too. I just freaking hope Maia or someone can heal them. I looked up and saw the crazy hellhound still stuck in the fire, screaming like mad. His wings had been burned badly, too and I could see he was losing strength. Oh crap no.
I flew up and started to scream. “You have to stop! You must stop now!” I yelled at the fire fae standing around. When they looked at me in confusion, I screamed, “He is going Hellhound Born!” At those words, all of them stopped at once.
Dragging my wings behind me, I walked closer to him, where he laid on the ground almost completely burnt to death. “Are you okay?” I asked, bending down to turn him around. His eyes were closed so I couldn’t see if they were still flickering or now permanently red.
“Kasadya, what’s going on?” Chax asked as he reached my side. I looked up at him, with his head bent down, he created that heaven look of hair falling around his face and his green eyes sparkled through them.
“His eyes, they were flicking between brown and red, and then somewhere in there he started losing control and we ended up trying to survive him. I had no choice Chax. He was getting out of control,” I answered looking over the male, who by the look of it was out cold.
“Get Maia now!” Chax yelled.
“And bring the half breed fae with her,” Caim yelled, too.
“Kasadya, look at me,” Chax said so I looked up at him, his eyes going wide.
“I’m okay, just a bit crispy. But is he going to be all right?” I asked concerned over the male’s health, but at the same time fearing to see what would happen if he really became hellhound born.
Chax looked at me and then at the male.“It is difficult, some can return in time but some … just don’t have the will power,” Chax replied. I looked at him, contemplating what he’d just said. Will I have the will power to stay sane?
“Oh dear Lord,” Maia’s voice sounded next to me and I moved out of the way for her to attend to him. Trying to get up, I felt my strength finally fading and I sank to the ground.
“Kasadya!” Chax yelled and then I felt someone pick me up. “Where is the half breed fae!?” He looked down at me, and it was nice to see this side of him; concerned yet still in control and giving orders. His green eyes sparkled with both anger and something else.
“Oh no, not Kas again. For Heaven’s sake, can’t you keep out of such fights,” Melissa’s voice came through the haze I was travelling into.
I turned my eyes and saw her concerned face hanging over me. “Now that wouldn’t be my thing, Melissa,” I finished and felt the haze take over me. Crap I hate passing out, the void and the darkness that comes with it. But worst of all the fear of what awaits me when I wake up.
Chapter 6
“You should have taken notice of it,” I heard Chax say.
“Easy for you to say! Look at your own hellhound, she is close to the edge herself,” another female voice said. Oh goodie I was waking up to a fight, how appropriate. Well who said a day couldn’t get any better? My head was pounding like mad, and my throat was burning from thirst. Trying to get their attention, I attempted to speak, but nothing came out. So I turned to moaning, hell what does a girl have to do to get some attention.
“Hey there,” Max said close to me. I opened my eyes and shut them immediately, because it felt like acid was thrown into them. “Easy, your body is still in the regeneration process. Take it slow when you open your eyes,” Max explained. Well hell, what happened to the fast healing fae abilities?
“Why is it taking so long?” I managed to ask him.
“Because you messed yourself up real bad, Kas. Why the hell didn’t you stop the fight?” Max threw back at me. Crap, why didn’t I? I could have just called it off and explained that the male was out of control. Hell alone knows how my brain cells work.
“Yeah, yeah I know,” I replied.
“Hello, Kas, how are you feeling?” Melissa asked next. Again I tried to open my eyes, and this time I could see the blur of a face. Blinking to try and clear my view, I slowly started to see her face clearer, and a very mad Max face behind her. Oh boy. “How are the eyes?” she asked again.
“They sting a little, but the blur is starting to clear up,” I replied, looking around the room. In the corner I could see another bed, and focusing in I saw Kali still fast asleep. “How is she?” I asked Melissa, forgetting about my own pain.
Turning to look at her, she said, “She is doing a lot better, she should be up and walking by tomorrow morning.”
“Want to tell me what the hell went down out there?” Max pitched in, and I tried to avoid the urge to roll my eyes at him. “Did you know that you had 3rd degree burns all over you?”
“No, but I am feeling it, so back off,” I growled at him. Why the males in my life always have to try and eat me alive I don’t know.
“Kas, Max has a point. You have been injured very badly. Why on earth didn’t you just stop or shift out of it?” Melissa complained.
“Because she doesn’t think,” Chax replied before I had the chance. Oh great, now Chax, too.
“Hey, I wasn’t the one going all psycho out there. I had a situation and I made my choices,” I threw back at them. With each move it f
elt like a thousand needles where being pushed into my skin. My throat burned really bad, but my eyes were the cause of the worst pain.
“Bad ones,” Max and Chax said simultaneously.
I sat up with force and had to grab the bed to steady myself. “Okay that’s it, back off now. Yes, I made a crappy decision but I also completed the damn course!” Chax was giving me the look like always and this time Max was joining him. Oh for Heaven’s sake. I tried to stand but lost my balance, and Max quickly grabbed me before I fell.
“Kas, you’re still too weak you need to lie down,” he said, pushing me down gently.
“You will be spending the night with Kali and Maia. We will come and fetch you first thing in the morning,” Chax explained, as he turned and walked out. For a moment I kept looking at the spot where he had been standing. He was confusing me, one moment he showed some sign of caring, the next he was the old, cold Chax. Melissa smiled and joined him, leaving me and Max in the room. Looming over me, I looked at him and gave him my pissed off face, how dare he?
“Kas, I know you are brave, and I know most of all your bravery has no limits. But if you continue on this path, it will not end well for you. We are not judging you, but rather trying to steer you out of it. How do we continue on in this world if you’re gone?” Max asked, moving until our faces were only inches away. My heart rate started to pick up, and my already sore throat went even drier.
“I know, okay? I will try, but it’s not easy. Everywhere I go disaster follows or someone is trying to kill me. I have no choice but to fight back,” I explained, trying to state my case. I mean, it’s so easy for all the rest. I have a freaking sign somewhere glued to me that says “kill now” and I have no idea how to get it off. But I will never surrender, that is something that is not negotiable.
“I know, Kas, but you have to start making better choices. Not just for yourself, but for all of us, too,” Max replied, his face showing something I have never seen before. What the hell?
“Okay,” I answered, knowing full well that it will find me again, but hey if he needed the reassurance I’d just give it to him. Smiling, we stared at each other and things started to become uncomfortable. Clearing my throat, I tried to break the silence and whatever the hell was going on.
“Sleep, we will fetch you and Kali tomorrow,” Max replied and walked out of the room. Okay, now that was freaking weird.
Lying there, I was thinking the whole thing over. Man my world just keeps getting weirder. I closed my eyes and folded my arm over them, trying to regain my strength to get up and get the hell out of here. “Kas?” a male asked. I lifted my arm and looked up to see who was bugging the hell out of me now. Standing in the doorway was Seth. Okay, just got weirder.
“Seth?” I replied. He walked in, smiling at me.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, sitting down on a chair that was near the bed.
“I have had better days, what are you doing here?” I asked, confused at his presence. That cute smile of his returned and he looked at me, shaking his head.
“Why wouldn’t I be here?” I looked around the room and at the door, expecting Arianna to walk in at any moment, but nothing happened. “Kas, did you think that I would stay away knowing that you are hurt?”
“Um, that’s great but I don’t want to create any trouble with Arianna. I have more than enough on my plate to deal with,” I replied. Why on earth is he here?
“I was worried for you, I came to ease my mind,” he said, chuckling and leaning back into the chair. His eyes were travelling over me, rather than looking at my own.
“Sure, well I am better thanks. I have a few hours to go then I will be back in action,” I answered, unsure about how to treat this situation.
“I’m glad. For a moment there I thought that you might be healing for some time,” he continued on.
I just looked at him, totally stunned. So what was this? Was he feeling guilty about me or something? “Don’t worry, Seth, I have survived more than today. It’s kind of normal for me.” I gave him my “I am brave” smile.
Smiling, he shook his head. “I wish I could take back everything that happened to you. We searched high and low, and I even tried to get info out of a few demons. It was when Chax returned with the news that I let go and decided to move on, but still I didn’t believe a word,” he explained.
So let me get this right, he didn’t believe a word Chax said but still he continued on with his life? “Well, as you can see it did me a lot of good, the perk of it was great improvement. If you will excuse me, I have some sleeping to get to, so get the hell out of here,” I dismissed him.
I could see how hurt he was by my words, but didn’t give a damn. Concerned my ass. Getting up he took a few steps back and said, “Then I will leave you to it. Vale, Kas.” He walked out of the room.
Fuming, I got out of the bed and held onto it until I could stand and walk on my own. I paced the room up and down, thinking it over. How could Chax have said that to the council and destroyed any chance of normalcy for me? How could he be that cruel? Did he really think that I would choose demons over the fallen? I was completely pissed off and the pacing just got worse.
Even worse, Seth says he searched high and low, but believed Chax when he told the council. Therefore, if he was so into me, wouldn’t he have thought it a lie and continued on? Argh! I grabbed my hair and released it immediately. There was almost nothing left on my head! Slowly I placed them back and softly felt it, by all that is holy, there is really almost nothing left. And even worse, three guys and Melissa saw me like this. I walked over to the chair and planted my butt in it. Bracing my head in my hands, I tried to shake off the whole embarrassment. After a while it felt no better so I took up pacing again.
Kali moaned and that had me stopping in my tracks; I turned and walked over to her. Her colour had returned to normal and she was looking good. By this time tomorrow I would have my best friend back and we would be at it again. But yes, I am going to have to chain her to me for a while, this was a pretty close call and I am not re-living it. I smoothed my hands over her hair and smiled down at her. I needed to kick her freaking butt over it.
Removing my hand my eyes caught something at her throat and I leaned in to get a closer look. Around her neck was a choker necklace made of black lace with a skull in the centre. I can’t remember Kali ever wearing this thing? I moved to touch the skull to get a better look at it and the moment my hand touched it, the world around me disappeared into mist. Standing at the end of my vision was Ballen smiling at me. “So glad you found the time to join me, hellhound,” he said, moving toward to me.
In reaction, I reached for my swords, only to find them missing in action. Crap, they removed my freaking swords. Ah hell I would have to use my hands, like that’s going to be quick. I moved to take him on when he lifted his hand and gestured for me to stop. “It would do you no good, hellhound, this is but a vision. This would be my way of communicating with my fallen in Exsilium, and now with you,” he explained, that devil smile of his taking place.
“I am not one of your traitorous fallen, so you can just drop it,” I growled at him. How dare he insinuate that I would become the very fallen I was going to kill?
“I see, well then the necklace around your friend is going to be a problem for you. Would you like to know what its purpose is?” he asked, leaning against an invisible wall. Crap, here we go with that freaking “surprise you’re it” thing. I just kept quiet and made sure I had my eyes on him. “It’s a death charm, designed to slowly choke the fallen until at last the fallen’s head is taken by it. About six months I am told,” he continued on. Oh double freaking crap.
“Take it off now!” I yelled at him, but he just turned around and walked over to a now visible table, grabbing an apple and biting down on it. He chewed slowly, watching me with a sly smile spreading across his face.
“In time, hellhound, but first I would require payment for it. Do you wish to know what you should give me in retur
n?”
“What do you want?” I asked, pain jumping to my jaws as I bit down to try and control my fury.
“In return for the removal of the charm, I require you to bring me the four blood relics. This must be done in person, not vision.”
“What do you mean blood relics? I have no idea what you are talking about?”
“Yes, of course. The four blood relics; the crown of thorns, placed on the head of Christ by the roman soldiers. The sudarium of Oviedo, the cloth used to wrap around Christ’s head. The holy lance or spear of destiny, which caused the death of Christ. Finally, the nails used to nail Christ to the cross upon his crucifixion. These are the blood relics I need as payment.”
“What? Are you freaking crazy? They do not exist.”
“Now, hellhound, you know that what humans see as nonexistent and what is the truth is not the same at all. They do exist, but are not in the hands of the humans. He placed them in the care of the fallen, and you must find them and bring them to me.”
