“Sod that, I’m not going to stand here and watch them get slaughtered.” I shrugged him off and dove into the fray, my sword cutting a swathe through the darkness. Around me the dark djinn fought back to back, side to side. Their blows were ineffectual, but there was no giving up. They’d fight until all their people were gone. I caught a flash of Erebus’s silver hair, the whites of his teeth bared in exertion as he hauled a dark djinn out of harm’s way and missed getting slashed by a hairbreadth.
My heart sank. This was futile; a fight we could not win. And then the air was filled with cackles. Could it be?
The upright hyena beasts erupted into the clearing through the trees, their fur glowing eerily in the darkness. Behind them floated the lights—so many tiny orbs. They attacked as one, hitting The Hunt head on. The hyenas slashed and snapped with their glowing fangs and claws and the lights zoomed into The Hunt, swarming like a multitude of fireflies.
The Hunt faltered and then turned its attention on this new threat, the dark djinn forgotten. Whines and growls took over the night as The Hunt attacked the wisps and their offspring. I fell back with Baal at my side.
A wisp zoomed toward us. “Go. Go now.” It was the woman’s voice, the wisps’ leader.
“We can’t leave you like this.”
“You must. We will weaken it enough to force it back, but it will take the remainder of our power. This is the end for us. But it is one we choose. Consider it penance for all the djinn lives we took. Now go.”
Erebus called out to the dark djinn in that strange language and they began to retreat. I made to follow, but then Baal had me in his arms again and we were airborne.
***
We landed on my balcony and I shoved him away stumbling into my room. “What did you do that for? We should have stayed with Erebus and the djinn. What if the wisps fail to stop The Hunt?”
“Then you will be safe here in the palace.” He strode back onto the balcony. “You may have been able to order Erebus to do your bidding, but I am not your lackey.” He turned away and vanished in a whirl of air—probably headed back to check on Erebus and co.
God, I hated my lack of justification for being pissed off. He was right. If I’d died today, the fifth dimension would have fallen into chaos once again. But still, did he have to be so harsh about it?
In hindsight, waiting for Baal to get back and formulating a solid plan may have been the wiser move, but he’d have talked me out of going. He would have made me accept that I was needed here as the figurehead of peace. The Fearless inside me craved the thrill of the hunt, and I’d let it take the lead on this case. Not to mention the damn efreet fire that burned in my veins.
If not for the wisps, we’d all be dead. They’d sacrificed themselves to save us, and it was suddenly clear why Orin had chased them out of their home. He must have known that they were able to fend off The Hunt. But then why trap them in the Black Forest, the main route from Twilight to the fifth dimension? If he’d ever intended to attack us, he’d have had to send The Hunt in that way. Maybe he’d been banking on the wisps hating djinn so much they wouldn’t have cared, or hoping they’d just wither and die. But the wisps had proven to be more resilient than that, and now they were gone. Was this our fault? We’d climbed into the lion’s den and yanked on his tail. We’d prompted Orin to release The Hunt and it had resulted in the wisps being wiped out. But leaving the dark djinn in Orin’s hands hadn’t been an option.
The night sky glared back at me accusingly. “Fuck you, sky!” Maybe Davin would provide a distraction until the others returned. After all, we did have a coronation to prepare for.
***
Davin was in my office hunched over a bunch of papers, working by the light of a crackling fire and a single lantern. Yeah, I had an office, more of a library really—who knew that Ibris had been such an avid reader?
Davin looked up from the papers he was reading and exhaled in relief. “Thank goodness Baal found you,” he said.
“I was wondering how he’d figured out where I was.”
Davin smiled. “You gave no express instructions not to pass on the information.”
Yeah, I’d impressed the do-not-tell-Baal on Irina, but failed to do the same for Davin, which was kinda a good thing, because it had saved my skin.
“He got to me just in time. Thank you.”
Davin inclined his head. “You’re welcome.”
I walked around the monolithic desk and looked down at the paperwork, all squiggles and lines. “Whatcha doin?”
He held up the scroll. “Checking the guest list.” He picked up another scroll. “Organising seating.”
My brows shot up. “Seating? For the coronation? Why can’t people just sit where they want.”
He choked back a laugh. “Do you wish to keep the hoard silent?”
“What’s the hoard got to do with seating plans?”
He sat back in his seat, pen in hand. “Organising such an event is similar to organising a wedding. You must look at the history of relationships between the parties and place them accordingly. For example, I would not place Overlord Phenex beside Overlord Zaghan, their families have been feuding since before our world collided, something to do with a marriage alliance gone sour and an unfortunate death.”
“Well, I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had to organise a wedding before.”
“I was responsible for managing Kai’s social events.”
And now he was managing mine. “Look Davin, you really don’t have to do this. I can get someone else to takeover.”
He looked up horrified. “What? After all the effort I’ve put in so far?”
I grinned at his exaggerated expression. “Fine. You can keep the wonderful job of seating plans and guest lists.”
I threw myself into a wingback by the window and stared out at the twinkling stars. “You were right, you know, I don’t think I should have gone with Erebus. Baal is furious with me.”
Davin turned in his seat to face me. “Is that the only reason you now regret your decision?”
Regret my decision? “Oh gosh no, I don’t regret going.” I filled him in on what had happened. “If I’d stayed at the palace we may never have found out the truth about the wisps, and Erebus and Irina may have been killed. And even if they’d made it through the Black Forest, they would never have made it through the small grate and into the chamber, and if by some chance they’d found their way in, then Erebus would have had to stay behind to hold the door closed, and I doubt Baal would have gone back to save his arse.”
Davin chuckled. “So, you going contributed to the success of the mission.”
“Yes it did. But still. I was thinking like a Fearless officer, not a queen, when I made the decision to leave.”
The firelight caressed Davin’s handsome face and his lips parted in a warm smile. “I believe there is a reason for the existence of every creature, and a purpose to every event. You were meant to go on this mission. You were meant to survive. As queen you will come across many difficult decisions and choices, and a good leader not only listens to their head but also heeds the counsel of their heart.”
“So in other words, I did good?”
He let out a bark of laughter. “Yes, you did good.”
It was strange sitting across from him—the first djinn I’d ever met. I’d been sixteen at the time and I’d saved him, and now he was on my team. Maybe he was right. Maybe there was a purpose and reason for everything. Maybe Karma wasn’t always a bitch.
I stood and pulled my chair over to the desk. “Well, come on then. If I’m going to do this queen thing, I need to know my public. Tell me about the Overlords.”
Davin picked up the guest list.
***
There was still no sign of Baal two hours later. The journey back to the palace on foot or beast would take at least a night and a day, but for Baal, who travelled on the wind, it was a matter of minutes. But he still wasn’t here, which meant he’d either decided to travel with them or
had gone off to do other shit.
Gah! If this was his way of punishing me for keeping him out of the loop, then it was working. Where was Fargol when you needed him? I would have flown off to find Baal myself if my gargoyle friend was here. Prosthetic off, I swung my legs into bed and pulled the sheet up to my waist. Sod waiting up. I closed my eyes. Long minutes passed and eventually the knots in my body unwound and my breathing evened out and slowed.
A body pressed against my back, warm and familiar. A hand trailed down my arm then slipped round to cup my breast.
Baal.
My heart kicked up and my annoyance melted away under the immediate heat of my desire. I arched my back and pressed my ass into his crotch. I was so ready for him, wet and warm and tight in all the right places. He rolled my hard nipples between finger and thumb, tugging gently and sending sharp shock waves down to my core. I ground into him, urging him to take those clever hands south, and like the obliging lover he was, he did just that, skimming my abdomen and then pressing the palm of his hand to my crotch and dipping in with his fingers. Oh god, fuck yeah. He played me and I danced, moving against his hand, gasping and moaning as the pressure built until I was shuddering and panting and mewling with release.
So good, but I needed more.
“Baal,” I turned to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling his lips to mine for a kiss.
He pulled back, his cerulean eyes dark with desire and something else I’d come to recognise as concern. “You could have been killed.”
His tone was soft and un-accusing, as if he was stating a fact. But I knew better. I’d heard him use the same tone just before verbally ripping an opponent to shreds. There was no point arguing just for the sake of it, plus the orgasm he’d just given me had left the world soft and hazy.
I caressed his cheek. “I know. I’m sorry.”
He exhaled through his nose. “I wasn’t expecting that. Maybe we should precede all potential arguments with an orgasm.”
I smiled. “I’m sorry I went without telling you, and I kinda know it was a bad idea, but I had to go.”
He brushed back my hair and sighed. “I understand why you felt that way. It’s your nature to lead in all things including battle, but our biggest battle is with the hoard, one that can only be won by your soothing, reassuring presence on the throne as queen. The people need you, Kenna. You make them feel safe, and we need them to feel secure if we are to tame the hoard.”
“But if the hoard was keeping Orin away, then either way, we’re fucked.”
“All we can do is focus on one issue at a time. Orin will come, there is no doubt about that, and when he does we will fight him. The land surrounding the realm is being salted as we speak. The Hunt will not set foot in the fifth dimension again. Erebus is travelling here on foot with his brethren, and I’ve taken Irina to Caldwell to aid him in creating an anti-serum. Once we have it, we can use it on Brett and any modified denizens that crawl into Lindrealm. We’ll take away his advantage, and then we will attack.”
“You have it all figured out, don’t you?” I ran my thumb across his full bottom lip, my body tightening as his breath hitched. “There is something you need to get on right away though.”
His brow furrowed. “What?”
I leaned in, ran my hand down the length of his hard cock, and whispered. “Me.”
His chest vibrated in a chuckle, and then I was on my back and he was obliging.
12
BRETT
Everything in his house looked just the same as he’d left it, complete with a coffee mug sprouting mould. The trip to Twilight seemed a lifetime ago, and here he was, a monster in his own home. Baal had been right. The announcement had done the job. He was a hero to his people, but it didn’t change the flash of fear in their eyes when they looked at him. Being feared sucked. It was lonely and isolating. Lauren was the only person he’d come across that looked him in the eye without flinching. Baal was excellent at masking his reaction, and Kenna, bless her, had done her best, but it was Lauren who made him feel almost human. In his presence he forgot what he’d become. But Lauren was gone, back to Twilight and the black mages, back to doing whatever the group did to gather intelligence and work against a tyrant king. And Brett had a job to do to.
He climbed the stairs, boards creaking under his bulk, and squeezed through the door into his bedroom. The bed looked like a child’s toy. No way would that hold his weight. He yanked off the mattress and threw it on the floor, then lowered himself onto it. There was no need for a duvet. He no longer felt the cold. He no longer felt anything. But he was determined to sleep, to do something normal, even though he suspected that sleep was no longer a necessity. Tomorrow was a big day. It was his chance to rally the troops, to inject urgency by telling them his tale first-hand. The Fearless needed know what they were up against, what they were fighting for, and the Academy would be packed with every Fearless officer in the city.
He closed his eyes and drifted.
Low malevolent laughter pulled him back to consciousness. He opened his eyes to gloom and dankness.
“Shit.”
It was the damn cave again. His gut contracted in fear.
The laughter echoed toward him, taunting. “You cannot escape me, human.”
He’d been wrong. He was capable of feeling something—bone numbing terror. Time to get the heck out of here, but just like the last time, he was unable to move. No. He was not getting stuck down here. He had a job to do. Lindrealm needed him.
Shadow tendrils seeped out of the inky black maw ahead of him, curling and twisting their way toward him. He wasn’t sure how, but he knew if they touched him then he was lost.
“Do not resist, do not delay the inevitable,” the wicked voice said.
“Nope, delaying sounds good, thanks.”
The creature chuckled. “I will so enjoy you.”
“Who are you?”
“I am the father, the mother, the womb. I am chaos and order, and I am hungry.”
Well that was certainly an introduction. “What do you want?”
“To feed.”
Made sense. Was this supposed to be his fate? Had Orin somehow tied him to this creature, whatever it was? Maybe there’d come a time when he’d be too weak to fight it, but that time wasn’t tonight. He had too much to live for.
“Sorry, my soul is not on the menu.” Ice filled his veins, searing cold, and then he was in motion, stumbling away from the tendrils and avoiding the brush of death.
It was time to wake up.
The creature’s bellow of rage filled his head, and when he opened his eyes the plain white ceiling stared back at him.
He sat up, heart pounding. He needed to tell Baal and Kenna about this. There was no doubt in his mind now that this thing, this monster, was real and somehow connected to Orin. It was something they hadn’t factored into their defence plan. And that needed to be remedied ASAP.
Hauling himself onto his feet he thudded out of the room. There would be no more sleep tonight.
***
Message sent via pager, Brett made his way to the Academy. The bike Baal had provided was perfect for his new height and breadth, and for a little while he pretended he was himself again, flesh and blood and on a case. But one glance down at his fingers curled around the handlebars was enough to shatter that illusion. And soon he’d be the focus of almost one hundred Fearless Officers. He fixed his attention on the winding lane bordered by wild brush and foliage. Magick was potent here, seeping in from the other dimensions and settling into Lindrealm soil. The scent was heady and lifted his spirits. Funny, he’d never noticed that magick had an aroma of its own before, but he was no longer human and his senses were now otherworldly.
The Academy came into view as he reached the top of a rise. It sat in a lush expanse of greenery surrounded by the crazy magick-infused woodland. The bike hurtled down the road, bumping onto the dirt track that cut through the forest. Branches slapped at his shoulders and scraped at his
face. He picked up speed, flying over roots and brush, and for a brief moment his heart was gripped by exhilaration, and then he was flying across the grass toward the imposing Academy where the future of Lindrealm waited.
The Fearless would fight. No doubt—it was their fate, their destiny. But to save Lindrealm they needed to be prepared to die. It was up to Brett to convince them of that.
13
A monster stared back at me from the mirror. Puffed sleeves, smothering lace, and ruffles in places ruffles didn’t belong.
Behind me Baal choked back his laughter. “You look … impressive.”
“I look like an overdressed peacock.”
The maid stepped back as Baal approached me and placed his hands on my shoulders. “It’s just one day. People expect a spectacle at a coronation, and it has been a couple of centuries since their last one. A century since there was any real reason for celebration.” He leaned in, his lips brushing my ear and sending a delicious shiver through me. “And afterwards I get to peel it all off, layer by layer.”
Yep, that would do it. “Fine. I’ll wear the dastardly dress.”
His lips twitched. “I promise to make it worthwhile.” He caught his bottom lip between his teeth. “If I didn’t have to go pick up your mother I’d give you a preview.”
My face grew warm and I couldn’t help but smile. “Go fetch my mum. I’ll see you at dinner. Heather can help me out of this.”
“Lucky Heather.” He met my gaze in the mirror, his pupils large with desire.
My pulse responded with a trot. He cupped my shoulders, brushed the base of my throat with his lips, and then released me. He exited the room, leaving me trussed up like a Christmas turkey.
The maid, Heather, stepped into the space Baal vacated and set to work on the millions of buttons running down the front of the outfit.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Oh lord. Did Ibris wear something like this when he was crowned?”
She stared blankly at me.
I exhaled sharply. “It’s fine. Just get me out of it please.”
Under Twilight: an Urban Fantasy Novel (Fearless Destiny Book 3) Page 7
