by Lori King
Raina held her ground as Kyrene began walking around her. The rhythmic swaying of the other being’s body almost hypnotic. In her world of paranormal knowledge, she should have known not to trust anyone at face value. The childlike image, and the use of Creed’s name had lured her in. Well, if this thing thought she’d be an easy kill, she had another think coming.
“I guess you surprised me. What with the crouching child, hidden beauty routine.” Raina let her wolf push forward just enough that her bones were ready should she need the extra power.
“I’m not sure what you are referencing, but I feel it has something to do with your culture.” Kyrene stopped in front of her. “Tell me something. What would you do to save your own life? Would you give up something precious, like Creed, or your first born child?”
The thought of giving up either of the things Kyrene suggested would be worse than death. “Never,” she said with vehemence, her words came out a deep growl as her wolf agreed.
“Hmm, interesting.” Kyrene reached out to touch the side of Raina’s face.
Tired of watching the swaying form, and fear of the unknown had her shoving her arm into the chest of the creature in front of her. Red eyes widened before a smile flitted across Kyrene’s face. The demon fell off the boulder, leaving Raina alone to watch as she fell onto the red ground.
“You pack a hard punch, youngling.” Kyrene sat with her legs crossed, lava flowing all around her, the red liquid moving past her without touching.
“I think you have been underestimated.” The words again came out with the stress on the s.
She’d seen her father and brothers shift to half wolf, half vampire enough times, and if she’d ever needed to tap into that ability, now was the time. If this thing was related to Creed, sparing her would be something that she’d try to do, but only if the creature didn’t do anything stupid.
Her claws came out, fangs dropped. The sound of seams ripping was loud to her ears. “You want to see how much you underestimated me, bitch? Bring it,” she said, waving her fingers, which didn’t look anything like a human’s any longer. She braced for impact, knowing even in her altered form she’d not be able to take the heat from the melting ground.
Beady red eyes narrowed, then Kyrene was crouching. “You don’t want to fight with me, thing of Creed.”
Shaking her head, Raina agreed. “I don’t want to fight anyone. However, I will gut you and see what color you bleed.”
* * *
Creed looked back at the bed, expecting to see Raina where he’d left her. His feet froze at the sight that met his eyes. An empty bed, and the smell of brimstone. “Motherfucker,” he yelled.
The foundation shook beneath him, his demon form took over. Their mate was gone, and they wanted blood.
“Calm down, Creed.”
He turned toward the door, staring at the tiny Fey. “I need to go back to Hell. They have Raina.”
Kellen tried to put his body between him and the female. “You need to chill, dude.”
Looking at the alpha, he tried to figure out what the hell he was seeing. “What are you?”
“Hello, you really asking me that?” Kellen looked Creed up and down, then sighed.
“You know what, I don’t give a flying fuck what you are. Fey, I need out of here. Raina is gone.”
Jenna stepped closer to the bed, with Kellen right next to her. In the next instant, the air seemed to suck out of the room. Two men Creed had never laid eyes on entered the room; their bodies vibrated with anger, yet he scented Raina on them. Instantly, he wanted their heads on a platter.
“Where is she?” He reached them in a few strides, holding each up off the floor by his neck.
Voices rang in his ears, but all he wanted to hear was where his Chosen was. His black claws pricked their skin, making blood well. His nose twitched as he inhaled the familiar scent.
“Why do you smell like my Raina?” His red skin was startling next to their tan, all-American looking ones. “Speak now, or forever lose your ability to do so.”
The fact they were identical all of a sudden registered. They were blond, while his Raina was dark as night. He brought them closer to him, inhaling deeply.
“If he fucking tries to kiss me, I’m gutting him.” Brown eyes blinked out of a face that most women probably thought was handsome.
“Shut up, Damien. No need to piss off Big Red here. Now, listen, unless you want my big brother to get really angry, you should probably let us go so we can work together to find our sister.”
The one named Damien smirked. “Baby bro is trying to be nice. I am finding I am not wanting to bleed all over our Heart’s Love’s home.”
Jenna gasped. “Boys, really. Let’s not do this in front of company.”
“Little Fey, we are as far from boys as this thing is from a human. Now, release us, before I get a real good mad on. My baby sister would not be happy if we gelded you.”
“Will you two wear a fucking sticker with your names on it, for fucksake? Yo, big red dude, you’re wasting time trying to kill those two. They are not the enemies. Well, I mean, they would kill for your woman. Now, I did want to kill them, but that’s another story.” Kellen’s deep voice came from beside him.
Creed allowed the two beings’ feet to touch the ground. “You got here, you can get out. How?” He asked, not stepping away or releasing them completely.
“We were finally able to track her here. Shit, she’s gone.” Damien moved his hands in the air, electricity crackling.
“You don’t want to go where she is. Just get me there, and I will bring her home safely,” Creed swore.
At the exact same time, Damien and Lucas disappeared. He spun, expecting them to come at him. Only they stood next to the petite Fey. Their focus completely on her.
“You, little love, are in so much trouble once we get back from rescuing our sister. Now, before you add more infractions onto the laundry list we’ve already compiled, I suggest you zip it.” Damien covered her lips with his, followed by Lucas.
Creed wasn’t one to judge. “If you two are done sucking face, could you please get me the fuck out of here?” The last word was yelled so loud even his own ears hurt.
“We will all go,” Kellen said.
“You all will die. No, scratch that. In order to go to my world, you must be dead. Nobody goes to Hell who is alive. Are you all fucking nuts?” He clenched his fists.
Jenna held her fingers against her lips. “They might be a little, but I do think you need a little backup, and in my mind, you are going to need them.”
One of the twins looked down at her. “You trying to get rid of us?”
Her eyes widened in shock and horror at his words. Creed was an expert at reading those two emotions, having seen them his entire existence.
“How many is that now, Lucas?”
“I believe the Iron Wolves call it a shitton.” The man’s eyes shifted to red.
Damien shook his head. “Nah, I think we moved right on to the fuckton I heard them talk about.” His eyes, too, had gone from brown to red.
The Fey stepped from between them, her arms going out to her sides. “You two are the dumbest, most gorgeous mates. You are lucky I am too weak to zap both your asses.” Her fingers moved as if she was reaching for her powers. The scent of her tears hit him, and if she were his, he’d be begging for forgiveness.
“While I do appreciate this soap opera, I need to be going. Every moment we fuck off here, is a moment she is in my father’s clutches. Do you know what he had planned for her?” He shot the images of what he had seen done to those his father chose to be his consort. The willing, and the not, into both Cordell twins minds. The last thing he expected was the alpha of the Iron Wolves to shift into the beast he’d partially seen and attack him. Although Creed was still over eight feet in his demon form, the wolf with his iron-looking claws came at him without fear.
The vicious, dirty assault had a whole new appreciation flowing through Creed. He deflected
the first swipe of the deadly-looking claws, but got sliced with the next. He stilled as Kellen came at him again, coming low in an attack sure to separate his intestines from him. Creed had fought many opponents, but never had he met one whose arms and legs moved as fast as this one’s. His own claws met the flesh, yet he found himself unable to truly make a killing blow.
“Enough,” Jenna screamed. Her arms out, long blonde hair flowing around her.
Wind buffeted him, pushing him away from Kellen. They both fought an unseen force, trying to get at each other.
“Kellen Stiles, I said enough. Do you want me to send you back to Laikyn with a pink bow in your hair? I will totally do that, and you will even have matching nails. Try me, boy.” Her eyes swirled, no longer the same brown, but the palest blue he’s ever seen.
“Be easy, Fey Queen. I will not hurt him. I just want to go to my Chosen.” Creed pulled his demon back, returning to his natural looking state.
Kellen snorted. “Yeah, you keep thinking that, demon.” He raised his hands at Jenna’s shriek.
Even the Cordell twins appeared apprehensive of their woman.
“Baby, you need to dial it back before you hurt yourself.”
She turned to the speaker. “Shut it, Lucas.”
The speaker who must be Lucas made a show of his thumb and pointer finger running across his lips.
“Can you get us to the Hell realm if Dumb and Dumber can get a lock on their sister again?” She pointed over her shoulder.
Creed nodded. “Absofuckinglutely.”
“You are not going with us. Period.” Damien glared at Jenna.
“In that, we are in agreement.” Kellen cracked his knuckles.
“I will have to agree with them. And, before you say anything, you have too much light in you. Once you entered Hell with us, Satan would know, and the jig would be up. If we have a chance of saving my Chosen, we will need to use a little stealth.”
Jenna took a deep breath. “Fine, but I expect all of you to come back safely.”
“See, I told you she cared.”
“Lucas, I swear by all that I love I will kick your ass one day.” Damien took a step closer to Jenna.
Creed turned away, giving them a sense of privacy. His eyes caught Kellen’s. “So, what the fuck are you exactly?”
Kellen shook his head. “I’m the Iron Wolf. What the fuck are you, the original Hell Boy?”
He thought of grabbing his dick and telling him he had his boy, but shook his head. “I’m not quite a demon, yet not an angel.” He left it at that.
“Cool. I think my mate Laikyn would say the same about me. You’ll have to come to my club and have a drink. Do you drink whiskey, or what?”
“Does a bear shit in the woods?”
“I think we’ll get along just fine.” Kellen held out his hand.
Looking at the tattooed arm and the man willing to go into the depths of Hell with him, Creed took the outstretched hand.
“Aw, look. A bromance happening right before our eyes, Damien.”
“Can I kill them?” Creed tilted his head toward the twins.
Kellen sighed, the sound truly regretful. “Sadly, I’ve asked the same thing, and been told no each time.”
6
Raina knew they were being watched. Clearly, Kyrene realized it at the same time as well. Her body shifted back to the form she’d been in when Raina first saw her.
“Come, we must hide,” she hissed, waving her hand, impatience stamped on the childlike face.
She looked around them, trying to figure out which one of the damned was responsible for the threat she could feel coming.
“Thing of Creed. I implore you to come with me. I will not let any harm come to you. This I swear on my life.”
A glimpse of Creed and the creature playing together entered her mind before Raina could shore up her walls.
“Raina. My name is Raina, not thing of Creed’s.” She hopped down from her place and stepped carefully over the charred remains. Her boots sank into the softened ground.
“Hurry, they are coming.” Kyrene ran, her hand grabbing Raina’s.
Without looking back, she could feel they were being stalked. Where they could hide, she had no clue. Heck, she didn’t know if this creature was leading her to the Devil himself. Like a lamb to the slaughter was a thought that blinked like neon lights in her mind, but she ignored it.
They practically flew across the ground, their feet leaving little indents in the black ash for anyone to follow. I’m not a hunter, and even I could track us. She expended a little energy, wiping away their tracks.
“What did you do?” Kyrene questioned at a rocky cliff.
She looked back, air sawing in and out of her. No way up, and down looked like a black abyss straight out of a horror movie with fog shrouding her vision. Taking a step back, she tried to move away. Kyrene’s grip tightened. “We must go down. It is the only way.”
“Fuck that. Hell is down.” Her heart threatened to beat out of her damn chest.
“No, Hell was straight ahead. Actually, it’s all around you. Down here, is my home. Sanctuary, if you will. Come, I promise it’s not as scary as you think. Climb on my back.”
Raina laughed. She couldn’t help it. This childlike spider monkey creature wanted her to climb onto her back, and descend further into the depths of Hell. Sure, and sign her up for a waterfront property while she was at it, please. Not!
“How do I know you aren’t taking me straight to him? Or luring me into a trap? Or just going to kill me?” Proud of herself for speaking in complete sentences, she waited for answers.
The last thing she’d expected was Kyrene to morph into the lovely woman and take her choices away from her. “I tried it the nice way,” she muttered, then she gripped Raina around the waist and jumped over the edge.
A terrified squeal escaped Raina as they fell, or rather as they jumped off the craggy edge into the pitch black. Wind whipped past, the air hotter the farther they fell. She forgot to adjust her inner temperature. Forgot she could see in the dark. In all honesty, she almost forgot to breathe. Panic had her gripping Kyrene around the waist in a death grip that would have killed a human.
“You’re fucking insane.” Raina squeaked out before a bony hand covered her mouth.
The Johnny Cash song about falling into a burning ring of fire began playing through her mind the farther they fell, and she was sure any second she’d go up in flames. At the last moment, her two halves must have taken control and her body cooled of its own accord, for she had no recollection of doing it.
They landed on a surprisingly cool gray ground. Kyrene gave her a hug, then stepped back. “You are very dramatic.” Sighing she paced away. “Poor Creed, getting stuck with a thing as drama-ridden as he himself is. I’m not sure this era is prepared for two of you. What if you procreate?” She spun around. “Are you with spawn?”
Raina put her hand out as Kyrene looked ready to touch her stomach. “Come near me again, thing of whatever, and I will gut you from head to ass. We clear?”
Kyrene tossed her hands in the air. “That’s the thanks I get for saving your skinny hide? Do you have any idea what those Gallo demons would have done had they found you? Let me tell you so you don’t stress that little brain of yours. They’d have first fought over who got the head. That being your head. They enjoy brains. you see. Then, they’d have had a free for all, splitting you between them. Or should I say whoever was strong enough to rip bits of you away from the others. Oh, did I mention they don’t care that Satan has claimed you as his next whore? They are mindless things that search for their next meal, and you would have been a nice feast.”
“How about you? Why won’t they eat you?” Raina ran a hand over her arms, the imagery of the scene had gooseflesh popping up.
She laughed, but the sound held no mirth. “They have tried.”
The childlike image disappeared again, replaced by the woman. Raina wanted to know which her true form was, and which
the façade was. “Where are we?” She asked instead.
“Home,” Kyrene said walking toward a cave.
With nothing else to do but follow, she surveyed the area. Her vampire half ached, while her wolf scented predators close. Down here, neither half felt like they were the top of the food chain.
At the cave entrance, Kyrene stopped and chanted. The words too low for even Raina’s enhanced hearing to pick up, then a veil seemed to lift.
“Come quickly, thing of Creed’s.”
She bit her lip to keep from snapping and followed. Once inside, her eyes took a moment to adjust to the light. The saying Creed had muttered about being in Kansas popped out, making Kyrene smile.
“Not what you expected? I may be a demon, but I do like my creature comforts. Make yourself comfortable.” The demon disappeared behind a sliding door.
Low comfortable looking chairs in hues of blues and pale pinks were so at odds with what she’d expected, Raina was still standing when Kyrene returned.
“I am sure you are hungry, but I don’t think my blood is good for your kind. I also can’t get you any. The best thing to do is wait for Creed. He will come for you.” She flopped onto a huge chair, one that swallowed her small frame and looked as if she used it a lot.
“How do you know he’ll come for me?” Taking the seat across from Creed’s sister she waited.
Kyrene smiled, her teeth looked human. “Pa-lease. You are here. He will come. The question is, how did you get here? Which I happen to know the answer to. Why haven’t you asked that one?”
“All right, I’ll bite. How did I get here, and how do you know the answer to that?” If she was the one who brought her here to lure Creed back, Raina would kill her, and to hell with the consequences.
“Ah, I can see the wheels turning in your head. Yes, I did facilitate your return. You see, I, too, am a dream walker like you. I didn’t know you were my Halfling’s Chosen when I snatched you from your dreams. Ole Satan Dearest left that out, the bastard. I was to take you straight to him, but something had me stopping for a chitchat with you first, luckily for you.” She flicked a piece of lint off her shirt.
