Hellhounds

by Esther E. Schmidt

  Os stands up and laughs. Reaching out, he gently pets her head. “That’s my baby. Fucking gorgeous. Shift back because I need your mouth on mine.”

  In the next moment Os is being thrown back onto the floor and my sister is standing over him, her tongue lapping from his chin to the top of his head. She shifts and her legs are straddling him and his head is being cupped by her fingers while she kisses him intently.

  Glancing around, I notice how bodies are scattered everywhere, some headless, some not. Those who aren’t are being talked to by bikers from Alistair’s crew. From what I hear, they are agreeing to…being patched over? Surrender? Yet I have this gut feeling that there’s something we’re missing. Like…holy shit.

  I shoot out from Alistair’s grip and run in the direction of the hallway knowing he is very close behind me. It’s not a gut feeling I have; his curses are letting me know this little fact. There’s a door that’s slightly ajar, when I step inside I see a stairway leading down. The door slams shut behind me, but I speed up to get downstairs. At the bottom, I take a left and see a woman, her wrists are bound with rope.

  Strangely enough it’s not tied that tight, but her wrists are all red. She doesn’t back away from me but holds up her wrists, a sweet smile on her face like she knows me. She’s got the same bright blue eyes as me and Velma. Her lashes are so long, making her eyes stand out. She has pale white skin and she’s got long red hair flowing freely around her face.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice says behind me. I recognize it as Gabriel’s voice, his words are directly followed with a growl.

  “Hurry up, then me, please. I can help. Oh, shit…what’s that smell?” another woman says from behind the redhead.

  My hands make fast work and the moment the rope falls away, the redhead is gone. That fast, in the blink of an eye. I’m still processing that fact as I catch movement in front of me.

  “Now me, hurry,” the woman with hair as black as night before me says.

  The growling behind me intensifies and I look over my shoulder to see Gabriel standing there in his Guardian’s white glory, blue flames surrounding him. He jumps straight at us. I throw my arms around the woman, fearing for both of our lives.

  A yelp of pain bounces off the walls. Looking behind me again, while I’m still embracing the woman, I see Gabriel on the floor like he’s been thrown back hard enough to have the wind knocked out of him…

  Something bursts through wood as I see Alistair and Jagger running down the stairs. Gabriel gets to his feet again, ready for his next attack, but he never gets to because Alistair rips his head clean off. Like it’s not even an effort for him to use all his strength.

  “Eliana,” Jagger calls me with a firm voice. “Let go and back away very carefully.”

  What the hell is he talking about? Why would I? My head turns to glance at the woman I’m still holding close. She’s like a statue with her eyes closed. It’s like she’s not even breathing. I feel fingers wrapping around my arms and then I’m being held by Alistair while screams are now filling the room.

  Jagger is holding back the woman who’s now trying to get to me in a tight grip.

  She has the same blue eyes as…I have no doubt in my mind, that’s my half-sister. “Let my sister go,” I scream at Jagger, but he’s shaking his head.

  “Get her out of here, Alistair,” Jagger bellows. “I need to contain this one and your woman ain’t helping with her hint of witch blood. I can contain myself when I put my mind to it, but she’s too young and hungry to be reasonable. It’s a fucking miracle she didn’t attack Eliana when she was so close to her a moment ago.”

  “She’s my sister she wouldn’t…oh, shit,” I realize that, “she was holding her breath when I had my arms around her. She didn’t want to…”

  I let Alistair drag me upstairs so Jagger can help my sister. Technically my half-sister…but like Velma and me, and what Alistair and his men have taught me also…family doesn’t do things half way. Even when she didn’t know me, she kept herself in check. Not breathing so she didn’t inhale my scent and therefore wouldn’t hurt me. That part vampire in there is my sister. And witch blood or not, nothing will keep us from getting to know each other.

  Although that might have to wait until later.

  Chapter Eighteen

  ***Eliana***

  “Are you sure she’ll be okay?” I ask Alistair for the tenth time.

  His face softens. “Yes, love. She’s in good hands. Or did you mean Velma? If so, she’s in good hands too.”

  I release a deep sigh. “Velma too of course. But I meant the one Jagger took with him. So unfair, I don’t even know her name.” I feel like a little whiny kid whose candy been stolen.

  “Tessera. Jagger just called me when you were in the shower. He told me her name is Tessera. Well, she calls herself Tess, but Eliana?”

  My heartrate picks up. Jagger called when I was in the shower? We’ve been at Alistair’s house for about an hour now. He brought me here because he said it would be too crowded at the clubhouse with the new members.

  They had everything under control, and burned the Heaven Charter’s clubhouse to the ground. Well, after they did a thorough walk through. In the space where we found Tess, there were two double beds, a table with five chairs, a bathroom, and that’s it.

  It feels weird being here. I feel like I should be with Velma, or together with our other sister. Like we need to talk, or have answers, anything other than sit around here. Okay, I might have needed that shower after all I went through. And I can also imagine Os wanting to spend some time alone with Velma. And I do realize now that the problem with our father is solved we have the time to take things slow and be together at a later point in time so we can each share a moment alone with our mates first too…but still.

  “Love, you need to sit down for a moment because there’s something I need to tell you.” He takes my hand and guides me toward the couch.

  I plant my ass on the large, black, linen couch itching to know what he’s going to tell me.

  Alistair starts to pace and rubs his neck. “Jagger managed to talk a bit with your sister. She told him what she saw and knows...and…”

  “And?” I ask, my ass now on the edge of the couch.

  “There’s no other way to put it, so I’m just going to ramble for a bit, okay?” Alistair waits for me to react, or give the okay, but all I can do is stare.

  A part of me is afraid of what he’s going to tell me, another part is curious. A tiny part inside me doesn’t really want to know, and would like to live in the moment. Without ugliness and enjoy the fact that this amazing man is mine. A man who’s now clenching his jaw.

  Oops. My cheeks heat and I mutter, “Okay, just…lay it on me, I guess.”

  “Tessera is Greek for the number four.” Alistair pauses for a moment and seems to wait for that little fact to sink in before he continues. “She told Jagger there was another woman there, you freed her, she had red hair?”

  “Shit,” I snap and stand up. “It happened so fast, I forgot to tell you. She was bound with some kind of rope and when I removed it from her wrists she was gone. I mean really, I blinked and poof, gone.”

  “She blinked.” Alistair chuckles. “You didn’t blink and she was gone, but she has the ability to flash. To cross a distance without time. Only a few paranormals have that ability. Those ropes she had on her wrist were probably laced with magic to prevent her from blinking.”

  “What kind of paranormal could she be?” I ask. And is it weird I think I feel a little left out because that right there is an awesome ability. No cab needed, always on time for everything. Wow.

  “Well, the most common would be Fae. And that happens to be what she and her twin were,” Alistair informs me.

  “Fae.” I muse. Wait…what? “Twins?”

  “Yes, Fae have exhilarated growth. They are fully aged after seven years. This is because they age three times as fast as humans and then they freeze and become
immortal. A lot of children have been murdered before they could become an adult.” Sadness washes over Alistair’s face. “At one point they were rare amongst paranormals. And, Eliana, from what Tess said…they haven’t reached the seven years yet. Tess said that she told her they were barely six years. What’s not rare is the fact that they are twins; that’s normal with their pregnancies.”

  “Okay, so, what? My father screwed every paranormal out there to create an army of half-bloods or something? Waiting years to do so?” I wonder out loud, something that seems even more crazy to my own ears.

  “Or something. I think he wanted to create something that would lead to a weapon, or an answer for revenge. And, gorgeous? A few years is nothing for an immortal, you have to realize that he was just getting started.” Alistair nods.

  “Revenge on who?” I ask, confused, before it rings a bell. “Oh, he wanted revenge on The Orderly.”

  He nods again. “That’s what I’m thinking. Create a huge gap in their balance. Fuck with creation so to say.”

  “Well, that’s just sick,” I state while my mind is reeling. “Wait…you said Tess was named number four, the two twins…that leaves one more.”

  “Yes. That leaves one more.” Alistair plunks his ass on the couch and puts his elbows on his knees.

  “And?” I ask with my hands spread wide, wanting for him to continue.

  He shakes his head. “I got nothing.”

  “I got nothing? What’s that supposed to mean?” I snap.

  “Calm down, I’m not the enemy here.” Alistair sighs. “What I mean is that we don’t know shit about the first one. Seems she was gone before Tess was brought in, and the twins are gone too, we don’t even know anything about them, except for their names and that they are a mixture of what you are, each trading the witch for something different. So half Heaven, a dash of human, along with Fae…and in Tess’ case, she was turned a vamp by Aura before Aura was killed.”

  “Will you help me find out?” I whisper softly. “Where they are? All of them?”

  “It’s kinda my duty, but even if it wasn’t, I would vow to you that I will find all three of them. I will always be there for you, whatever you need.” His voice is fierce.

  Crawling up on his lap, I cuddle close to his chest. “Thank you,” I murmur while I relish in the warmth and comfort only he can give me.

  “You’re welcome, love.” Alistair’s chest starts to rumble with laughter, making me turn and look at his face.

  “Why are you laughing?’ I question.

  “Remember how Jagger’s centuries old and never found a mate?” Alistair asks.

  I remember, because Alistair told me about Jagger and a little of his background after we met him the first time.

  Alistair continues, “How he always felt the need to protect Aura because he felt some kind of link to her, but not as a mate?”

  “Yes?” I slowly answer.

  “Well, turns out, he found his mate. But Jagger has a problem, and because it’s Tess…so do we.”

  “Oh?” I gasp. “So the connection he felt with Aura was because she was kinda like his future mother-in-law or something like that?”

  “Yeah.” Alistair sighs with sadness.

  “Well, that sucks,” I add with equal amount of sadness because Aura was killed by my father. I’m sure he did so either to cover up his tracks for creating a vampire or to dispose of something he had no further use of.

  “But I am happy for my sister, and for Jagger, to have found each other.” I cuddle back against Alistair’s chest.

  “Yeah,” Alistair chuckles again, “about that…”

  “What now?” I grumble, getting a little tired of the highs and lows, all these events and information are giving me whiplash.

  Alistair’s arms hold me tighter against him, before the words rumble through his chest. “The problem Jagger, and we, face that concerns Tess? Vampires aren’t allowed to be created, they are to be born.”

  “No.” I gasp in disbelief.

  “As I said, love… I will always be there for you, whatever you need,” Alistair swears to me.

  “Yes, but you also said it was your duty to find out. You have to do what The Orderly tells you to do. What if…” Oh, God no… “I haven’t even gotten a chance to know her yet. How can they decide she’s not allowed to live? She didn’t want this, my father laid this on her. Can’t they make an exception?”

  “Breathe, Eliana, we’ll pass that bridge when we get there. I haven’t gotten any direct job concerning Tess yet. But, love?” he swallows, “I wouldn’t be getting it…Jagger would because that’s for him to deal with. Unless it escalates and the job is given to me.”

  I feel like mere minutes ago I was handed the world…right now, I feel like said world is falling apart.

  “I’m right here. We’re going to handle this, one way or another. But you have to understand something.” His voice is harsh.

  I wait for him to continue, but he grabs my shoulders and creates some space between us so I have to look him in the eyes.

  “We’re going to get through this, together. We’ve barely even started and haven’t had the time to actually be together. We have a future in front of us and I intend to give you everything in my power to make you happy. Because to me, you are everything; the foundation of my existence.” The look on his face is laced with a kind of love that is all-consuming.

  I cup the right side of his face and feather my lips against his. “Together,” I agree with a fierce promise in my tone.

  “Hell-fucking-yeah.” He gives me a wink that makes my heart flutter.

  Epilogue

  Twelve years later

  ***Eliana***

  “Can you behave for like maybe five more minutes?” I sigh.

  Glancing around, I see the people around us don’t even notice how Alistair is misbehaving himself.

  “Don’t blame me. It was your idea to celebrate in a restaurant full of people. I wanted to stay behind closed doors and fuck you until you’re pregnant again.” There’s a delicious smirk on his face.

  “You do realize I’m still on birth control, right?” I’m happy to say that’s been doing its job for the last ten years, well that was until...

  He leans forward. “We should celebrate correctly and get you off of those. You still owe me four more kids.”

  I roll my eyes. “We have two already, and seeing how we’re immortals, there’s no rush. Let’s just give Balder and Reeta a chance to grow up some more, huh? Those two already drive me nuts with their demands and insanity. If I would have let you have your way, I would have been pregnant for years, popping out one after the other.”

  “Yeah, well...it ain’t my fault you didn’t give birth to twins,” the idiot states while I glare at him.

  Although he is right. I’ve got two sisters who are Fae. Those are known to give birth to twins. But Velma managed to give birth to twins three times. Nice way to taunt me, right? And, yes, if it were up to Os, they would have a whole army by now. Must be a Hellhound thing, the need to have a whole litter.

  “Well, maybe if you would have given me more time in-between pregnancies, my uterus would have time to accommodate more of your sperm,” I hiss through my teeth.

  Not that I’m mad at him, quite the opposite, I’m rather enjoying this so called discussion.

  He shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter, you were ready both times. Perfect circumstances.” He raises his glass of water and takes a sip.

  Come again? “What are you talking about? I’m sure Balder was conceived the first time we had sex. It’s like you have sperm that have the motto: shoot at first sight and don’t take any prisoners.”

  He chokes on his sip of water and coughs loud before actual words come out of his mouth. “Gorgeous…”

  The waiter appears at our table, placing the check on the table as we requested before we started this discussion. Alistair doesn’t give him any attention but instead continues to talk to me.

  “
I can smell when it’s the perfect time. It wasn’t the first, or the second, it was the third time when you were balancing one foot on the bathtub and I was balls deep.”

  I place my hand over his mouth and thank the waiter for the check, along with an excuse for my husband’s crudeness, but he’s already turned, heading for the kitchen.

  “Let’s get out of here,” I tell him, after I’ve removed my hand away from his mouth.

  I don’t even have a chance to glare at him when he says, “Thought you’d never ask,” and adds a freaking wink, making me swoon.

  We walk out of the restaurant where we were having dinner, celebrating our ten years of marriage. I haven’t told him that I stopped taking birth control a while ago. Even with our son and daughter, I know he wants like twenty more kids. I wanted to give my full attention to those two first, getting them through a few years of school and such before I need to change diapers again all day long.

  There’s a strong wind tonight and it makes me shiver. Alistair notices and pulls me close. I let my head fall back to give him access. Willingly, he trails his nose along my skin. He pauses for a moment before he growls and nips my neck.

  “I need to get you out of here,” he croaks.

  “Hmmm,” I hum, content with the warmth and attention he gives me in this moment.

  Our car isn’t parked far away and when Alistair opens the door for me, I step inside and don’t bother to hold my long black dress in place that has a side split, conveniently showing off almost my whole right leg. Hence the reason why we took the car and not the bike to our night out. The growl that rumbles through the air is making shockwaves that reach my clit in full force.

  I’m surprised he doesn’t slam the door, or jump me right here in the car. Instead he slowly drives us home. When he opens the garage door he still hasn’t spoken one word or even glanced my way. This is making me very uncomfortable because I have no clue what he’s going to do next. Well, I’m kinda hoping we’ll have some crazy, hot, sex when we get into our house. Velma and Os took the kids camping for a few days so we have the house to ourselves.