Hellhound: Dogs of War, page 1
HELLHOUND
Book Two
“Dogs of War”
R U E V O L L E Y
Copyright of Rue Volley 2013
All rights reserved
Published by Hot Ink Press
Cover by Rue Volley for Vivid Book Designs
“If you are going through Hell, keep going.”
~Winston Churchill
Note to fans….
I think I say it as often as I can, but honestly I don’t think it can be said enough. Thank you, all of you, for making this my career and supporting me. I think it is very important that authors remember who put them where they are and trust me when I say that my fans are the very best in the world. I have spent years finding my own voice in my writing. My style is all my own and although some cannot connect to me and how I do things I have many who do. I am thrilled that you enjoy the worlds that I build and the characters who insist on becoming immortal on the blank page. I don’t think that anyone chooses to become an author. I know that I didn’t. I woke up at 40 and suddenly I had these people screaming to get out of me in worlds I did not know existed. To any authors who are just starting out just remember this. STAY TRUE to your own vision and your books will become your legacy. Do not allow critics of your creativity to ruin your voice. Now, I hope you enjoy part 2 of the HELLHOUND series as much as I enjoyed writing it. xoxo
~rue
~Legacy
I find that grieving is a subjective journey for each person. I mean I may react to it in a completely different way than the next person will. Some eat, some stop eating. Some fuck…a lot, I guess to try to fill the void. Some turn to drugs and some literally die, either at their own hand or a lack of being cautious. Problem with me is this, I am dead, well dead for all intense purposes. A Hellhound dies and is reborn to fight another day. At least that is what happened with me when I fell into purgatory and he found me.... I momentarily stop thinking as I stare out into the night sky from my bedroom window. I watch as one bright star falls through the black void, beautiful at first and then fading as it came to an abrupt and violent end. Was this my fate? Was I to shine so brightly in a world of evil, only to burn out in a fiery ball of particles? I mean a Hellhound can die, Gunner’s sister had…I stopped thinking again and placed my fingers against the cold glass of the window. Lucifer was right, I fucking think too much, even annoying myself at times. I leaned forward and my breath steamed the glass up, I lost the reflection of myself, not unlike I felt deep inside. I was losing who I am, at the core of me. I was not sure what I was supposed to do or who to turn to. Dorin was gone, my only true ally in the house and Ari and Finna were playing nice with me, but their underlying bitterness could be felt in all corners of the mansion. The meals were mostly silent, the halls empty and the fighting intense in the training room. I know they blame me, but my only confusion is this…we had not received a new Hellhound. With Gunner and Dorin gone I would think that we would get two more…well, you know. Replacements.
I felt a slight chill roll through me, the thought of both of them being dead was a horrible realization. I know Finna said that Gunner agreed to sit at Lucifer’s side but Lucifer doesn’t seem like the “share my power” kind of asshole. I would think that his true reasoning would be to make Gunner suffer as often as possible and seeing how his patience was little to none, how long could Gunner survive before
Lucifer found him old and useless? I guess my feelings for him may be his only salvation at this point. I was almost relieved and terrified at the same time as I thought it through. I stood up straight and watched the stars again as I then heard a tap to my door and turned to see Ari standing there. He held something in his hands, but the shadows didn’t allow me to see it clearly. I turned and nodded to him as he then stepped forward and the small amount of light in the room let me see that he had a blade. I stepped towards him as he held it out to me.
“I think he would want you to have this.”
I narrowed my eyes and saw it more clearly, it was Gunner’s weapon, his favorite and I cleared my throat and shook my head ‘no’ as Ari tilted his head and shook the blade as if he was insisting I just accept it.
“A weapon is nothing without a master.”
“It has a master and it is not me Ari.” I said as I turned and stared at the flames in the fireplace. He stepped up next to me and I glanced sideways but refused to accept it, I could not. To accept it would be to…
“He is gone Halo.”
I let my head fall slightly as the words tore through my chest and settled like cancer in my heart.
“I don’t believe that.”
He walked to the fireplace and then raised the weapon. The fire lit it up as the blade was perfect; in fact everything about it was perfect, as was Gunner. A detail I did not realize until this moment. In the beginning he seemed chipped and weary, as if time had worn him down, but as I really thought about him I knew that it was possibly my way of making him more human to me. Truth was he was Brutus, a vicious warrior of Rome. A man who could hold his own and had far longer than history dictated it. He was the first Hellhound to rise from Lucifer’s need to control his empire. That small realization comforted me to a certain degree. I mean Lucifer needs Gunner, right? Ari interrupted my thoughts.
“If one thing holds true…Lucifer does not set his prisoners free. It is not in his nature.”
“Gunner went on his own, he was not taken.”
“I need to apologize.” He said as he looked the blade over in his hand.
“For what?”
“The hatred we have felt towards you, that of me and Finna. Gunner…”
“I know, he is a friend to you.”
“He was more than that, he was family and family deserves loyalty.”
“I really want you to use words like “is” and not “was”.”
He looked at me and firelight played off of his face.
I swallowed hard as I looked down and then back up at him. If one thing could ring true it was that Ari was as noble as he was beautiful to look at. Don’t get me wrong, I am not attracted to him, but his shoulder length blond hair, tanned skin, full lips and blue eyes would seduce any woman who allowed it to happen.
Ari stopped staring at the blade and lowered it. He then walked up to me and took my hand as I tried to jerk it back from him but his grip was tight and unrelenting.
He placed the blade in my hand and wrapped his fingers around my own as I felt the hilt and hated it. I don’t want this, this is not for me. I stepped back quickly and the blade fell to the floor as Ari stared at me. He did not look angry in anyway just maybe a bit tired. I mean he had been with Gunner much longer than I had.
He sighed and then started to speak as if he was from another time and place, in truth he was and always would be.
Now awful it is to be without,
as blood-red rack races overhead;
is the welkin gory with warriors' blood
as we valkyries war-songs chanted.
“That sounds very sad Ari.” I said as he stopped and looked at me.
“It is a poem for king Haakon the first of Norway who died in battle, and although he was Christian, he requested that since he had died "among heathens, then give me such burial place as seems most fitting to you", or so he said.”
“You talk like you knew him.” I said and Ari paused and then looked up at me. “Haakon died on the same slab of rock that he was born upon, he was greatly mourned by friend and foe alike, and his friends moved his body northward to Sæheim in North Hordaland. Haakon was buried there in a large burial mound in full armor and his finest clothing, yet with no other valuables.”
“None? I mean Kings normally were buried with all of their most prized possessions, if I remember correctly.”
He looked back down as if he was remembering everything and then his eyes lifted to my own.
“Material things are just that. They corrode and fade into history but there are some things that mean more to a man.”
I hesitated, I had to. His eyes looked sad, as if the memory of something was eating away at his heart. I decided to try my best to change the direction of the conversation.
“Was he a friend to you?”
Ari smiled and then picked the blade up and stared at it. His eyes lighting up again.
“Friend, Foe…in my time it was hard to see through the veil.”
“Ari” Finna said as she stepped into the room and stared at him. He grinned and then shook the blade again.
“To accept a warrior’s blade is to continue his legacy and see that he lives on forever.”
I stepped forward and took it from him as his look softened and he glanced at Finna.
“It is an honor to accept and carry a warrior’s blade. Sometimes it is the only true memory of us that is left behind.” She said as her eyes remained locked onto his.
He grinned at her as she started to recite more of the poem as she walked toward him.
'What kind of a dream is it,' said Óðinn,
in which just before daybreak,
I thought I cleared Valhǫll,
for coming of slain men?
I waked the Einherjar,
bade valkyries rise up,
to strew the bench,
and scour the beakers,
wine to carry,
as for a king's coming,
here to me I expect
heroes' coming from the world,
certain great ones,
so glad is my heart.
“Fi
“What happened?” I asked them as Ari looked at me and Finna began to speak again.
“In our time women were not thought of as warriors, although many a song was designed to celebrate them. The most famous account of this was for King Haakon, who died in battle, but not before a warrior woman tried to ride to his aide, it is said that she killed 12 men to get to her love before she fell at his side as it should be. The love she felt for him was eternal but her ability to share his kingdom was not.”
“Why? I mean why could she not share his kingdom?”
Finna looked at me and narrowed her eyes. “She was not of noble blood, from a noble house. She was simply a handmaiden who hid behind chores. But one man, that of King Haakon caught her practicing with a sword one day under the light of the moon and instead of banishing her from his house he drew his own and she showed him her worth that night.”
“I counted 15 that lay dead at your hand.” Ari said as he stared at her lovingly.
She turned to Ari as he placed a hand to her face and it was then that I understood the bond that they had. Ari was King Haakon and Finna was the warrior who tried to save him on the battlefield. She stepped up to him and stared into his eyes.
“I would have given anything to you, my riches, my weapon, my seed.” He said.
“I know.” She whispered as I took a breath and they stopped remembering their own history and looked at me.
“Gunner would want you to continue on with his weapon, as I am sure you would for him.” Finna said and I nodded.
“I will take this and fight through the gates of Hell for him.”
“Now that sounds like an adventure.” Ari said and Finna held her hand up to him and shook her head ‘no’.
“Lucifer has sealed the gates behind him to us, only Dorin and Gunner had the mark to use the elevator.”
“Well then maybe I just have to go a different route.” I said and Ari smiled as Finna nodded to me.
“We will leave you to your thoughts.” Finna said as she took Ari’s arm and pulled him along behind her. I took a breath and clinched my fist on the hilt, it was then that the weapon finally had some weight to it in my hand. I lifted it up, only to see my reflection in the metal, suddenly feeling as if I may know who I am and what I have to do….
Chapter One
Take One
For The Team
After weeks of waiting and a few breakdowns, well, to be fair it was actually more like a million breaks downs. I finally did the unthinkable as I sat in my room and fingered at the silk sheets on my bed. I missed him, more than anything in this world and my heart ached like I would literally die from it. I stood up and looked around the room and then sighed. I had tried in so many ways to get the elevator to work and nothing. Nothing would activate it and without that link I was trapped here, topside, without Gunner and without any hope of seeing him again. I turned and stared at his weapon. I had refused to use it, not out of disrespect, but from hope. I felt that if I took it out on the hunt and spilled any blood with it I would lose him forever and the weapon would become mine. I understood why Ari gave it to me, I accepted that and I appreciated it, but I just could not take it out because in my heart it had to be returned to the hand that owned it. I clinched my fist and then said it with my teeth slightly locked.
“Lucifer?” I said as my voice sounded small. I then adjusted my footing and grew some balls.
“Lucifer? It is Halo, I need you.”
I felt the room drop in temperature. I breathed out and a puff of white laced the air. I turned and the flame in my fireplace shot up in a dramatic fashion, it was then that he suddenly appeared from the shadows, looking me over.
“Booty call?”
I swallowed hard and decided that I could not be a shit about this. He had all the power here and I knew it was true, just as Gunner had remained in Hell. I raised an eyebrow and stepped out in front of my bed, holding onto the bedframe. I stopped and looked up at him like a schoolgirl would to get out of trouble, or perhaps into some.
“Now you have my interest.”
“Good.” I said softly as he stepped towards me. I stood up straight and looked him over.
“Have you been working out? You look tone.” I said, completely bullshitting him.
“I have been eating souls, it takes quite a bit of effort on my part.”
“Oh.” I said as he grinned at me.
“They taste like chicken, I know that sounds strange, but everything seems to.”
“Fascinating.”
He stopped walking and narrowed his eyes.
“Why are you not yelling at me?”
“I don’t feel like it.”
“You must be joking. I mean I have your man in Hell.”
I let it flow through me, if I had any chance of getting through to the prince of fire I would have to try my best to not be a bitch about it.
“Yeah, about that.”
“Oh here we go.” He said as he raised his arms up and let them drop. I have to admit that for being what he is, he does make me laugh.
“I thought maybe, I could come and visit.”
“Oh…in Hell? No Halo, you will not be coming to Hell.”
“Why? I said as I walked towards him slowly. I stopped just as he stopped moving and looked up and down my body. I had been careful to wear what I knew he enjoyed the most, barely anything at all, in shiny vinyl.
“Do you think I am a fucking fool? I am the master of manipulation.”
I walked up to him and whispered it close to his lips. “Really? I thought pussy was.” He hissed as I walked past him and he turned to watch my ass very closely. I stopped by the fireplace and fingered at the mantle above it as he watched fire play off of the vinyl of my dress. It hugged my hips and barely covered my crotch. I knew I was looking a bit whorish, but the need to make this happen was very important to me. With that being said, what I had to do to get it has to be subjective…
“Mmmmm.” he said, half hissing as he stepped up behind me. I closed my eyes as his hands momentarily rested on my sides, but he pulled them back as if he was injured. I turned to look at him, but he looked away. Trust me, I am as confused as to what the fuck is happening as you are. I mean this is Lucifer, Prince of Fire and king of the asshats.
“Lucifer?” I asked as he walked away and stared at my bed and then he turned back to me and grinned.
“So, this is where you sleep.”
“Uh yes, when I sleep.”
“Oh right, I mean you must be busy killing shit.”
“I am a Hellhound.”
“That you are.”
“Okay, what is it?” I asked him as he sounded so fucking weird to me.
“Nothing, I mean this is small talk right?”
I laughed as I walked towards him and he watched me very closely. I stopped and placed a hand on my hip, cocking it out as well as one leg with my black combat boot shining in the firelight.
“I guess it is.” I said as I watched him. He is playing a game, I fucking know it but so am I. I tapped my fingers against my hip. He watched them and then looked into my eyes when I cleared my throat.
“Do you want to come out with me?” I asked him and he lit up.
“Oh, you mean on a date?”
“No, I mean on a hunt.”
“Oh.”
“What?” I asked him and he sighed as he waved his hand in the air.
“Just when I thought we had made some progress.”
I grinned and then crossed my arms on my chest.
“Inviting you on a hunt is not a small gesture.”
“I have killed shit for a very long time, nothing surprises me.”
I paused and then had an idea that may turn this around.
“There is a diner.”
“Yes.” He said as he raised an eyebrow.
“Where they have coffee and shit, I mean we could…”
“It’s a date.” He said as he snapped his fingers and suddenly disappeared from the room. I stepped forward, but he was gone to fast to even take a breath or blink.
“Fuck.” I muttered as I realized that I was now fucked, worse than being actually fucked by Lucifer, this may be worse.
