Part 4 (1/2)
Tatiana shakes her head again. ”No. Sorry.”
I shrug and stroll past her, feigning indifference. But the truth is, every night he's gone the achy emptiness in my chest gets bigger, not smaller. Whoever said time heals all wounds was a total idiot.
My black velvet cloak hangs from the back of the door. I wrap it over my shoulders and fasten it with my Boumeaux-the most important possession I have. The black diamond broach was a present from Bones when I was just a young demion. The stone itself is a magical concoction forged from the deepest fire-wells of Thiberoux and can only be touched by those of us belonging to the sacred order of demonia angelis. If humans touch it they will instantly turn to ash. It also serves as the 'key' for entering the land of Thiberoux, the mystical realm of the Dark-angels. But most importantly perhaps, the black diamond will s.h.i.+ne bright white if I'm ever unfortunate enough to find myself in the presence of my most mortal enemy...the Light-angels. Thankfully, I've never had mine start glowing, but after the scare we had awhile back, I never let it out of my sight. I head to the back door.
”Lucky, I would prefer you stay close by tonight. Avoid Dryndara.”
I stop and spin around. ”And why would I do that?”
”I'm worried for your safety,” she replies softly.
”Sorry, Tat, but there's no way I'm not going in there tonight. I have to see what's going on. Remember, I'm not afraid of a good fight like you are. Truth is, I'd love to get my hands on some of those demons from last night and show them what-”
”This is different, Lucky. I fear something big is happening.”
I sigh and drop my shoulders, walking back to her. She seems so tiny and vulnerable right now. ”Tat, I appreciate your concern. Really I do. But this is something I have to do. Bones is in there, and as good as your stuff is, I need to drink from the Source. Dryndara is my home, and I'm not about to run and hide just because some a.s.sholes decided to ambush us during happy hour.”
”Lucky...”
I sigh again and give her a quick peck on the cheek. ”I'll be careful, Tat. I promise,” I whisper in her ear. I know she's concerned because she loves me, but sometimes she doesn't understand that she and I don't think the same way. Personally, I wouldn't mind if we were in a full blown war and could battle every night and kill whomever we wanted without repercussion from the Legionare. Actually, at this moment I can't think of anything I'd like more than to get my drink on, then find the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds responsible for last night's ma.s.sacre and rip them to pieces with my bare hands...
The image of Kieron's face floats in my mind. Okay, maybe there's one thing I'd rather do. The memory of him kissing me for the first time by the River of Kings...that feeling of complete euphoria that made me love being alive, if only for a moment...the intoxicating happiness that flooded through me, erasing my innate desires to hunt, kill, and destroy...Those precious memories of his love are all that have sustained me for this long.
But Kieron is gone, and from the looks of things, he's not coming back to me anytime soon, if ever. So, hunt kill and destroy it is.
Love can shove it.
I lean forward, wrapping my arms tightly around Diablo's neck as he tears through the forest at lightning speed. His silky mane flies back in the wind, mixing perfectly with my own hair. I don't know what's racing faster, his powerful legs or my apprehensive heart. When we near the Portal to Thiberoux, I wrap my hand around my Boumeaux and prepare to utter the silent words granting me pa.s.sage.
”LUCKY! STOP!” The firm command rings loudly through the night, even over the sound of Diablo's pounding hooves.
”Stop,” I whisper to Diablo. He immediately slows to a prancing trot, and we turn around to see Bones standing a few feet away.
His thick bronze hair is disheveled, his chocolate eyes deep as the night sky. He obviously has just s.h.i.+fted, and stands nude and proud...as exquisite and flawless a specimen as was ever created. Even though I've seen Bones in his natural state countless times, I always admire the pure beauty of his form. There is something almost G.o.dlike in the symmetry of his perfection. Yet, I know he is anything but perfect...and it is these flaws that make me want him. And the fact that I can never have him, really have him, makes me want him all the more.
You always want what you can't have...
”Bones? What're you doing here?” I jump off Diablo's back and into Bones' arms. He embraces me in the way only he can. Strong, yet gentle.
”I've been waiting for you. I-”
”What's going on?” I pull away to meet his concerned gaze. I've been friends with Bones nearly my whole life, and meet up with him almost every night on my way to Demon Bar. But always inside Thiberoux, usually near the River of Kings. He's never stopped me outside before.
He lets out a low whistle, and it's only then I realize we're not alone. Several figures I recognize as Bones' h.e.l.lhound buddies emerge from the shadows. A demon named Micah throws a pair of pants at Bones.
”Cover up, dude. You're making the rest of us look bad.” Micah, a h.e.l.lhound like Bones, has golden white hair that flows gently to his shoulders, and is wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and a c.o.c.ky grin. Standing beside him is another h.e.l.lhound, Alik, a silent, muscular, ebony-skinned demion. Just behind them is Khalil, a younger version of Adonis with the body of an Olympic athlete. All physically perfect in their human form, and wearing only jeans, they look like a group of male models getting ready to pose for an Abercrombie & Fitch commercial. Not the wicked predators that Sapie nightmares are made of.
I find it odd they are all dressed, but then I realize it's probably because we are still in the mortal world. In Dryndara they don't seem to care much what they look like when they s.h.i.+ft into their human forms. h.e.l.lhounds care nothing about nudity the way humans do.
But my pleasure at being greeted by four s.e.xy creatures is quickly replaced by unbridled fury. I fix a furious glare on Alik and Khalil and shout, ”What the h.e.l.l happened to you guys last night? Why wasn't anyone guarding the bridge?”
Alik steps forward, his dark face clouded with shame. ”I don't know what happened...one minute I was standing there, on post...the next, I was hundreds of miles away without knowing where I was or how I got there. I returned as soon as I could, and saw-”
”Lucky, we have an idea of who did it and why,” Bones interrupts, b.u.t.toning his pants.
My eyes narrow as I s.h.i.+ft my gaze back to him. ”Who? And why are we talking about this out here and not at Demon Bar?”
Alik moves closer and takes a quick, suspicious look around. ”We needed to meet you somewhere safe. The demons who attacked are very angry...and at a few of you guys in particular,” he says pointedly, glancing back and forth between Bones and me.
I frown. ”What do you mean?”
”Once I figured out where I was,” Alik continues, ”I had to cut through the Lakast's land to return here to Dryndara. On my way, I crossed paths with one of their h.e.l.lhounds who asked why I was in their territory. I explained what happened, a.s.suming he'd think I was lying. I thought I was a goner for sure. But it turns out we knew each other back in the day. Pretty wild coincidence, I must say. I sure dodged a bullet-”
”Just get to the point,” I snap impatiently. Bones rests a calming hand on my shoulder, and Alik grimaces.
”When I told him I was from Dryndara, he told me there was going to be an attack. Apparently, our enemies had gone to the Lakasts to ask for their support in a full-fledged annihilation of our tribe...”
I gasp. ”But why? Who'd want to fight us?”
Bones gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze before sliding his hand down my arm to wrap it around mine. Usually this would turn my insides into b.u.t.ter, but right now my stomach feels like it's been replaced with fire rocks from the river.
”Lucky,” he says quietly, ”it was the Hlbafa. They found out what we did. We killed five of their h.e.l.lhounds. They found out and declared war.”
I stare at him in shock. ”What...h-how...w-what?” I stammer.
Bones drops his gaze. ”Guess they followed my trail of blood, and someone was able to catch your scent. Lucky...”
”What?” I ask when he doesn't continue.
He sighs and squeezes my hand tighter. ”Lucky, I'm so sorry. But they've already tracked Kieron...they got him.”
Chapter 6. Lucky.
I stare at Bones, unable to speak...to breathe. ”Say that again,” I finally whisper, my body numb.
This can't be right. Kieron can't be dead. Not him. Not now. Now that I know how much I need him...
Bones wraps his arms around me, but even his warmth doesn't stop the ice flowing through my veins. ”I'm so sorry, Luck-”
The numbness inside me suddenly becomes a fiery rage. I push Bones away and storm over to Alik, who takes a few surprised steps back. He doesn't have time to react as I charge up on him and pin him against a tree with all my strength. My blood is on fire, and I wrap my hands around his thick neck, digging my fingernails into his flesh. He tries to pry me off, but in his human form, he is no match for my demonic fury.
”This is your fault! You did this!” I shout, slamming his body against the ma.s.sive tree trunk. With a sickening crack the mighty oak snaps in two, causing the others to scatter to safety. Khalil makes a move toward us, but Bones restrains him. Alik opens his charcoal eyes wide and flails his arms helplessly. I spin him around and shake him again, digging my fingers deeper into his throat until a trickle of blood runs down his neck.
”Tell me everything. Now,” I hiss through clenched jaws. Alik moves his mouth, but no sound comes out. He looks like a fish gasping for air, but I am unmoved.