Bound To The Demon

by C. J. Brookes

  “And help him abduct females? Somehow, I don’t think Mallory would be on board for that. Mickey either, for that matter.” She did not know the two Taniss females well—she had limited her contact with them deliberately to avoid the memories they evoked—but she knew enough to know that after what those females had experienced, they would not have supported this.

  Not many females of any Kind would.

  “Help him protect, defend, and vindicate his family.” He stopped, and the sudden movement had her stumbling into his broad back. He spun to face her, both hands grabbed her upper arms and tightened bruisingly.

  His face showed his rage—demon rage.

  Kindara fought the urge to flinch away. For all of her needling of him, she couldn’t forget just how dangerous of a creature he was.

  “Poor Joselyn? Tell me now what you mean by that.”

  Kindara hesitated. He looked deadly in the little moonlight there was, and she didn’t doubt that he was just that. Fear had the words tumbling out. “Half a dozen Lupoiux from a rogue pack attacked her and Emily in the gardens a little over a week ago. Joselyn couldn’t hear them coming...”

  “Does she live?” Fear and fury mingled in his question. Kindara did not doubt that the revenge he sought was just as much his as the Taniss wolf’s. What that meant for her brother and the rest of his little buddies, she didn’t know. But she would not let the demon harm her brother. Ever.

  She’d kill him herself before she ever let that happen.

  “Yes, she lives. She is weak but healing well. I treated her myself.”

  “You?”

  “Yes, me. I am the Chief Healer for my people, remember? Joselyn is now my sister-in-law. Mated to my brother Cormac. A part of my family that I will do anything to protect.” Kindara felt a rush of worry. Cormac would be hunting for her; but he needed to be at home with his female. Helping Joselyn heal.

  She looked at the demon.

  There was concern and worry in the dark demon eyes staring at her. For her sister-in-law. And there was love. Real love. That had her softening. He loved them, the Taniss females. Perhaps demons weren’t as soulless as her brother had always insisted. “She is doing surprisingly well, demon. I swear to you. She still possesses some human antibodies that helped her fight any infection. And she has some of the best healers of the Kinds at her side, if needed. The brother of the dhar is overseeing her care now that I am…unavailable. I will not let anything happen to her. Ever.”

  She sent him an arch look. He was the reason she wasn’t at her sister-in-law’s bedside right now, and they both knew that.

  “And the Lupoiux? What pack? What became of them?”

  “Dhar Rydere and his advisers killed them during the attack. We don’t know any more about them. Mallory’s Rajni is charged with hunting the pack down. Aodhan is our fiercest warrior, and he will not stop until he has his answers. Jierra witnessed the attack, and she still screams in the night. She must be terrified right now.”

  “Rand is a good male, pet. I promise you this. He will not hurt her. He took her from you, yes, but we both know the rules for these types of abductions. She will not be harmed. Any more than you have been. We’ll treat this as a political abduction from here on. I promise you that.” He wrapped one arm around her and pulled her closer. Like he thought she needed his comfort or something.

  She definitely needed his warmth.

  “I just want her back, safe.” Kindara tried to shrug his hands away, but they felt too good on her icy skin. “I just want this to end, all of it. Why should we be at war? What have we done to cause this? Any of us? I lost who mattered most to be because of Leo Taniss, yet I never condoned for a moment taking those girls from their homes and terrifying them. Yet this is where I find myself now—captive of a demon. Because of a Taniss. How many years will this continue? The rest of my life, however long it may be?”

  “I don’t know, pet. I will see it ended; I promise you this. Even if I have to get the armies of the Incubi involved.” He pulled her against his chest, and she fought the urge to burrow as close as she could. Take what little comfort she could get from this strange creature.

  “He murdered my daughter’s birth parents.”

  He stilled. “Taniss?”

  “Leo Taniss. Twenty-six years ago. Jierra is two months younger than Joselyn, and she was born in Leo Taniss’s lab. They found her clutched in her dead mother’s arms in the dark, screaming and crying and near starved. She still hates the dark, demon. The trauma she endured…she has nightmares she cannot identify and that I cannot help her heal from. It has caused her to be so frightened of everything.”

  “Your daughter is not yours by birth? She is not your male’s?” he asked in a tone she didn’t recognize. As if that question was so important to him.

  “No. She came to me three years after I lost him, two months old with a tattoo of the number 328 upon her. He’d captured and tortured 127 Dardaptoans and Druids between us.” She hadn’t breathed for those three years. They had been dark hours of agony and grief. Endless grief.

  She had rarely been left alone.

  They had all feared what she would do to herself, in her pain.

  It had just been when that babe had been placed in her arms by her brother that she had started to live again, even a little.

  She was not exactly happy in the life she had now, but she had found contentment. Purpose. Saving her people was her quest, and she had long understood that.

  And being Jierra’s mother.

  That mattered. In the days after Iavius had first been lost, she had never thought she’d be able to say that anything mattered.

  She had a life she cherished now. Even if she was alone. She had a daughter; she had a purpose. She had a family.

  But she would always hurt for her Rajni.

  No other male could take his place in her heart. But now she knew—she didn’t have to go through the rest of her life alone. There were males out there she could take companionship from.

  Just so she didn’t have to be so alone.

  That was something she would have to process—once she was back home where she belonged.

  Home, and putting the demon behind her.

  “I am truly sorry for the pain he has caused you. I will find him and see he pays for what he has done to you.”

  “I’ve heard that from other males before. I didn’t believe it then, and I don’t believe it now.”

  “I swear this oath to you. I will find Leo Taniss, and I will pull him into a thousand pieces. For you, and what he has taken from you. He will pay for his sins—at my hand. And no other’s.”

  17

  Rathan needed to speak to the wolf.

  Halfway to their rendezvous point, he could sense she was tiring. Poor angel, the spawn was already making changes within her, taking from her what the spawn needed to thrive. The cold did not help. It was down into the thirties now. Only the clothing he had provided for her kept her warm enough to survive now.

  He would have to see she was warmed soon, that she rested, and that she drank from him as soon as possible. “We will find a place for you to rest, pet.”

  “I’m fine. Not your pet, remember? I’d rather keep going. I need to see my daughter. This…she has never been outside of the resort alone. She…is helpless out here. Will he know enough to keep her warm?”

  “You’ve stumbled twice. You will rest now, or I will compel you to.”

  He led her to a large outcropping of rocks that overlooked the Colorado countryside. He lifted her to the top of one, then draped his cape around her shoulders. “Sit. I am going to go a bit ahead, check for threats.”

  He had done so several hours before. But he could not be too careful. His instincts were flaring. Something, a threat, was near.

  A threat to her.

  He would find it and slay it before it got within a mile of her.

  “You stay here. I will return for you.”

  “Of course, you will. I’m your too
l of revenge.”

  “You are so much more than that, pet.” And now was not the time to tell her more. He would check the path ahead and return to her. When he returned, he would carry her the rest of the way, share demon heat with her. Protect, as was his right and duty now.

  Kindara gave great thought to taking the opportunity to run, but decided against it. For one good reason, and one reason only.

  Jierra.

  She didn’t know where Jierra was, and the demon did. It was as simple as that. She waited impatiently for his return, and when she heard footsteps in the woods behind her, she stood. “My daught—”

  She screamed when a large shadow lunged for her. When it growled. Howled.

  Lupoiux.

  Kindara raised her hands, clawing at the werewolf’s eyes. She aimed for his groin with her knees.

  Her struggles did little damage.

  This was a full-grown male, probably an alpha. His teeth snapped closer to her neck, and she clawed at his eyes, praying she could stall the animal long enough for the demon to arrive.

  The cape he’d wrapped around her almost lovingly was now just getting in her damned way.

  But it was also protecting her skin from the teeth and claws as she fought.

  He’d promised to keep her safe. He had to be coming back for her. He had to.

  The demon would come back for her.

  She just had to keep fighting now.

  18

  Rathan heard the sounds of her screams, and he didn’t hesitate. He flashed to her side.

  With a single hand, he yanked the filthy Lupoiux from his feet and shook him, roaring his fury.

  Rathan’s feet left the ground, and the smell of sulfur rose as demon ire sizzled in the early morning air. “You die, cur. How quickly is up to you.”

  He dropped the wolf to the forest floor.

  The wolf snarled, backed away. While it may have been an easy match for a small, defenseless Dardaptoan female, it stood no chance against a fully enraged demon king.

  The wolf would die this day.

  “You will not slink away like a frightened jackal. You attacked my female, who carries my heir. Mine, high demon king of Relaklonos. Do you know the consequences of that?”

  The wolf tried running away, but Rathan flashed in his path. The beast veered left. Rathan flashed into that path as well. But he could not take the time to play, not with her lying so still and the temperature dropping by the moment. He grabbed the wolf and twisted the creature’s neck with one jerk, then dropped the body to the ground without thought. “Now, you do.”

  With one gesture, he incinerated the corpse before flashing to his female’s side.

  There was blood on her skull, her eyes were closed, and her body was still.

  She still breathed. There were very few main ways to kill a Dardaptoan, even the females—blood loss and starvation, hypothermia were at the forefront of that. But the wolf could have bitten her. He ran hands over every inch of her but found no Lupoiux mark.

  She would not change to Lupoiux.

  He cradled her against his chest and stood after finding no other injury but the one to the back of her skull. She’d wake eventually, probably with one hell of a headache. But she would wake.

  As long as he kept her warm.

  Fury had his own skin heating. Fury at himself for his failure. He tucked her close against him. She had to be kept warm now.

  19

  He carried her into the small cabin and met the wolf in the main room. “Hello, brother.”

  Rand’s hackles, which had risen at Rathan’s sudden entrance, subsided. “Took you long enough to get her here.”

  “A small hindrance. A rogue Lupoiux six miles from here. I took care of it.” He carried Kindara to the couch in the center of the room.

  There was a blanket on the back of it that Emily had knit during her creative phase. Emily was not a talented knitter, by any means, but Rand treasured the blanket greatly. It might be lopsided, but it would keep Kindara warm. He wrapped her in it quickly, after pulling the snow-drenched coat from her narrow body.

  Movement from his left had him turning toward the young female of her Kind.

  “My mother?” The girl’s eyes widened, and Rathan could see the tremors shaking her. She stood from the corner in which she huddled near the fire. Poor little thing looked frozen herself. “Is she ok? What happened to her?”

  Rathan stepped closer to her. This was his female’s child. She would be a part of his life from now on. He was filled with a rush of tenderness equal to that he’d often felt for Mickey or Cass.

  This little strawberry-blonde with big yellow eyes and a delicate way reminded him of those two waifs.

  He tenderly pushed the hair from her brow. The girl just stared at him, awe in her big eyes. He doubted this sheltered little creature had ever seen a demon before. Doubtless, her mother had kept her far from any danger. Safe and protected in that hidden castle of their Kind.

  Rand growled and stepped between them.

  “No touching her, demon.”

  Only from Rand would he tolerate such an order. He sent the wolf a look, one brow raised.

  Hmm. Rand looked rather stirred up at the moment.

  “Relax, brother. I mean nothing by it. I am quite satisfied with my own female this day.” Rathan turned to the girl again. “And your mother is fine, poppet. The wolf and I must speak of things now. Sit with your mother a while.” The female curled up next to her mother on the couch at his command.

  Rand started toward the door. Rathan followed.

  Rathan studied his friend, sensing easily that the beast inside the male was more in control than he’d ever seen before. Rand was holding onto his control by a thread.

  “The girl possesses a tattoo. It’s similar to her mother’s, I suspect. I need to see it, to confirm what her mother told me.” Once he did, then he would plan. He had meant his vow to Kindara; he would see Rand’s grandfather dead for the scars upon her small body.

  He’d just have to do it without pissing off his closest friend in nineteen realms. Somehow.

  “Then we will go see it. She will show you.” Rand stalked back toward the living room where the females rested before Rathan could tell him what else he had learned. Rathan followed. As much as he trusted the wolf, he would not leave his female alone with such a dangerous beast, unless absolutely necessary. The wolf stopped in front of the two females and stared down at the daughter. “Jierra, I wish to see the tattoo the demon is talking about.”

  Her hand flew to rest over her left rear cheek. “Why?”

  “Do you have the tattoo?” the wolf practically growled.

  “Yes.”

  “When did you receive it?” Rathan asked, quietly. He could practically smell her nerves on the air around them.

  “When…when I was a few hours old, I think.”

  “Why do you need to see it?” Rand turned toward Rathan, stepping between him and the young female.

  “I think we both need to. It may make things a bit clearer to all of us.”

  The girl shook her head, her cheeks flushing. “Can’t you just take my word for it? It’s there. Believe me: it’s there.”

  “Jierra, show us the tattoo.” Rand’s words held a clear order. He stepped toward her. The female paled and stepped back.

  She was clearly frightened of the wolf, almost terrified. If what her mother had told him was true, it was no wonder. This abduction was not helping.

  “Now.” Rand stepped toward her. Her hands flew up protectively, and she paled. She shook her head, silently begging them to leave her be. Rand took matters out of her hands. He wrapped his hands around Kindara’s daughter’s waist and lifted her against his chest. “Rathan? Where is this tattoo?”

  “Left ass cheek.”

  Rand turned her around and jerked her muddied jeans down a few inches, revealing the top of white cotton panties. The wolf ignored the girl’s yelp.

  Her hands went to her jeans, holding t
hem in place enough to preserve her modesty.

  Rathan had promised her mother she’d be well-treated. “Leave her some dignity, wolf. She’s no older than Mickey is.”

  “Than Mickey was, you mean.” Rand’s lips pealed back in a snarl. “She refuses to tell me what happened to my sisters. Won’t say a word about them.”

  Rathan stepped closer, focused on the green ink revealed just at the top of her flesh. It was exactly as the girl’s mother had said. Number 328, though the flesh was distorted by time now.

  “What does it mean?” Rand asked, his hand touching the writing—the brand—that marred smooth feminine flesh.

  “Taniss Industries, specimen number 328. Your grandfather’s doing. He branded her as an infant like an animal. Her mother bears the number 211. She’s violently terrified of any Taniss male. She bears dozens of scars from his torture of her. From the wrists he bound, to the ankles.” Rathan grabbed a blanket from nearby and wrapped the female in it. Rand never released her. “And your sisters, Emily, and Joselyn all live. They’re in Dardanos—all have been converted through blood exchange to Dardaptoan. Hence, the reason I couldn’t sense their human blood any longer.”

  “Why would she not tell me this?” the wolf demanded.

  “Girl, tell the truth now.”

  “Because…I didn’t know…” Her words trailed off. Her chin rose and her voice firmed. There was spirit there, beneath the fear. “I didn’t know who sent those wolves that attacked that day. I didn’t know who you were. Not when you were interrogating me. Just that you were a Lupoiux. I couldn’t risk you going after them and hurting them. I wouldn’t—I haven’t known them long, but they are my friends. I wouldn’t turn new Dardaptoan females over to a Lupoiux!”

  Rathan nodded to the wolf. “She speaks the truth, you know. And she is just a young female. Your sisters, and cousins, have been mated. To Dardaptoans. I wish to see this with my own eyes. Hear from their own mouths.”

  “When?” Rand glared at the female and stalked her around the room with his eyes. She settled on the couch, next to her sleeping mother. She watched Rand, out of wary eyes. “When did they take them as mates?”