Chasing Demons, page 14
As the chanting got louder, blood seeped from her nose, ears and eyes. The pain felt like every nerve ending had been lit on fire and that fire was making its way through her veins; destroying her from the inside out.
‘Chris, I need you.” She thought she called it out loud, but she couldn’t be sure it wasn’t all in her head.
21
Chris
“Lyss!” Chris shot up, the drips were torn out of his arms and he was up on his feet before Maddy could stop him.
He had been dreaming of Alyssa in a white room, she was strapped to a table surrounded by demons and she was screaming, she was hurt.
“Daddy?”
“Mads, they are hurting her I can feel it, I can see it.” He began to sway back and fore still not able to get his balance.
“You were dreaming; you’re just worried about her that’s all. Come and lie back down.”
“No Mads, call the others for a meeting this was more than a dream. It was a connection; I think I know where she is.”
He headed into the shower on unsteady legs though he felt less weak than the last time he had awoken.
A quick shower later and he was tugging on a pair of black joggers, in his hand he held the loosest t shirt he could find and went in search of everyone else.
He found Jake, Maddy, Digby and Abey in the family room, Jake had a little trolley filled with bandages, creams and tablets.
“Chief and Mato still on their spirit walk?” He asked walking over to Jake to get bandaged back up.
“They have taken Chantay’s body back home,” Abey replied, her voice sounded hoarse.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” He nodded to her.
“Thank you,” she pulled her arms around herself.
Chris noted how Jake placed his hand briefly on Abey’s arm and wondered if his best friend and the Chiefs daughter had a thing going?
“Jake, patch me up quick. They are hurting her,” he sat dutifully in front of Jake.
“Chris, there is no evidence of the bond being able to link you both when so far apart. Maybe it was just a dream.” Jake’s voice was soft.
“It wasn’t a dream, he’s taken her home Jake, he’s taken her to Hoeminata. Jake you have to believe me it’s the bond. I can feel her.”
“Shit, the one place we didn’t think he would, because it would be the first place we looked.” Jake was starting to believe.
“Yeah, maybe that was what he was banking on. That we would be so focused on what he would do we didn’t sit back to think what we should be doing.” Maddy stood up and began to pace the room.
“Okay, Chris, all done. But you’re still not fit enough to go.”
“Just try and stop me Jake, I failed her once before I’m not going to do it again.” Chris pulled his t shirt over his head and tried not to show how much it hurt him to do so.
“Jake?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I have some pain killers? Some really fucking good ones please?” He sat back down hard on the sofa.
“Mads, can you please call a portal lord? Preferably Jangor, but if not, anyone will do,” he popped the two pills Jake handed him into his mouth and swallowed them down with a glass of water from Jake’s medical trolley.
“Yes daddy,” she left the room quickly with Digby close behind.
“I’m going to get some food inside me and then we are going to open a portal.” He pushed himself up off the sofa and walked into the kitchen; whatever Jake had given him was working, the pain was manageable already.
“I’ll make you some pancakes and bacon, sit down Christopher.” Abey was texting furiously on her mobile.
He did as was asked knowing he needed to keep his strength up, he couldn’t pass out again. Not after seeing what they were doing to her. He knew it was no dream, they had been connected, he had felt her pain. She called out to him like a lighthouse in the pitch black.
He was going to get her back, then he was going to make Vilgrun scream like he had made Alyssa. He called the Abbot quickly to fill him in, the Abbot was like his father, his voice broke and he couldn’t give any more details.
“Christopher, it will be okay. You will save her. You are a true hunter.”
“Thanks Chief.” He ended the call and pressed his forefingers into the corners of his eyes, trying to stave off the tears.
Chris shook his head, some kind of fucking husband he was, he couldn’t even protect his wife.
“Don’t.” Abey said from behind the stove.
“Don’t what?” he asked looking up at her.
“Don’t blame yourself, pity parties are not welcome here. We are not focusing on the past, we are looking to the future and when, not if, we bring her home.”
“Fuck, I can’t go on without her,” he choked up again.
“And you won’t have to,” she placed scrambled eggs and toast in front of him.
The doorbell chimed, “That’ll be the others,” Abey smiled and left to open the door.
Dozens of hunters from Chief Arwan’s tribe had returned with the chief, “We seek revenge for our fallen,” the chief spoke.
“Chief, thank you for coming back. I am sorry for your loss.” Chris stood and hugged the older man, “Make yourself at home. The transporter will be here soon, and we can get a plan together.” Chris swept his arms out in what he hoped was a welcoming gesture.
Another ring at the door revealed Digby’s adoptive parents, Tania and Danny.
“We came to help, we are sorry about Alyssa, Chris.” Danny shook Chris’ hand firmly.
“Thank you both for coming.” Chris tried to shake off the feeling that Alyssa was already lost. He wouldn’t ever give in until he got her back safely.
Maddy ran about offering refreshments, and Jacob stood in the kitchen doorway eyeing up Chris, “What?” Chris asked as he passed by him heading for his office.
“I guess it’s too much to ask that you stay behind?”
“Not happening Jake, I lost her, I have to get her back.” He poured a drink and sat behind his desk, downing the drink in one.
“As your doctor, I’d tell you not to go. As your friend and the uncle of your bonded I’m minding my own business.”
“How about you?” he gestured to Jake’s face.
They had taken off the eye patch. Luckily, Jake had retained the sight in his eye but a deep and angry red scar ran down the whole of his face.
“It’s well healed by now. I’ll be okay.”
A shimmer and a pop interrupted their conversation and announced that his friend Jangor had arrived bringing along his partner Edward.
Jangor was a warlock from the UK, the most powerful one that Chris knew. He was seven foot and covered in tribal tattoos from head to foot, even his face was covered. His hair was shaved closed to his head but what little there was, was a bright orange.
“Jangor, thank you for coming.” Chris got up and shook the man’s hand, “Edward always good to see you,” Chris clapped his old friend on the shoulder.
“After speaking to Digby, I couldn’t let you go hunting without me again,” the shorter man smiled at him. His amber eyes shone bright.
“I hear there’s a damsel in distress?” Jangor asked.
“Yes, take a seat, can I get you a drink?”
“Vodka, neat please,” Chris bowed his head and moved to his drink’s cabinet, “Jake?”
“No, thanks, I need my head clear.”
“Edward?”
“Water please.”
Jake called in the rest of the hunters so that they were all gathered around in the study.
Chris went over everything that had happened from Alyssa’s 21st to them being bonded, to her kidnapping.
“I can’t believe they sent so many demons with Vilgrun. It’s not like he has many followers. Has that changed?” Edward asked. He had come up against Vilgrun a few years back and it was why Digby had called him for his advice.
“We honestly don’t know, but there were hundreds of them; some lower and some middle level demons. Though once Alyssa stepped through the portal they disappeared leaving us to escape.” Digby replied.
The plan to save her was he, Maddy, Jake and half of the tribe would teleport inside the castle, the others would teleport just outside the castle. It wasn’t much of a plan but they had no idea where Alyssa would be held and so would start at the throne room closest to the cells.
Luckily for them, Jangor had been to that particular hell hole before and knew enough of what it looked like to draw them a rough plan of the castle and was able to accurately open the portals.
Jangor would have to stay behind to hold the portals open, the Chief and Abey volunteered to stay behind just in case a demon or two got through. They thought that the charms around the house should help ward them off, but they weren’t sure and weren’t leaving anything up to chance this time.
“Right, is everyone ready?” Chris stood, holding his faithful guns in both hands.
“Are you?” Jacob asked.
“I’ll be fine Jake, I’ll rest once she’s home, I promise.” He strapped on his gun belt and checked the hand guns for ammo one more time, even though he knew they would be full, he had loaded the himself with extra demon fuck them up juice; aka, holy water and iron filings.
“Let’s get this show on the road then.” Jangor stood and stretched out both of his hands, he began a low chant that got louder and louder with each turn, soon wind whipped at their hair and magic hummed through their blood.
“Don’t forget, I can only hold the two for an hour, get in get her and get out,” Jangor called as two orange portals appeared.
“Good luck everyone, stay safe, see you soon,” Chris called and stepped through the portal first.
22
Alyssa
Vilgrun and his demons had left her as soon as the hunters had swarmed outside.
They had been on their way back to her cell from the white room when the whispers had first started.
Her head was hung low from exhaustion but perked up when she heard them talking about hunters.
“What do you mean hunters outside?” Vilgrun asked.
“Many of them sire, they are already through the first guards, and are at the throne room.”
“That’s not possible. How?”
“We fear the powers of the one have grown, and she has called out to him. The bonded is also very powerful now, and demonstrating massive power, you need to leave.”
“You too beauty,” he grabbed her arm painfully.
“Oh hell no,” she concentrated hard on Chris being there just a few hundred feet away fighting for her and blasted Vilgrun with all the power she could muster. He didn’t fly across the room like the nurse had but instead, stumbled backwards, letting go of her arm.
“I’ll be seeing you again, Beauty,” he told her at the door to her cell which he had opened intending to place her inside.
He and Solgul disappeared before she had a chance to reply.
She noted the screams of the tortured had finally stopped and the quiet was like white noise.
Alyssa ran towards the sound of fighting and spotted the she mistress’ cape running down the centre of the room.
Chris, Maddy, Jake, and a whole other tribe of people burst through a portal at the entrance to the throne room. Her heart swelled when she saw them. Her man, her husband, the person she loved most in the world was alive and fighting for her. He had come for her.
Though the castle was empty of Vilgrun’s demons it was still swarming with the she mistresses’ minions.
Alyssa watched as Chris, and Maddy fought back to back, his gun firing at the skeletal type creatures with tentacle like tails, Maddy’s blade jabbing and slicing through them like a knife through butter.
Alyssa caught a glimpse of the she mistresses cloak heading away from the fighting and knew that she had to try to stop her. Alyssa felt that the woman was the key to it all. That if she caught her then everything would make sense.
“Lyss, here.” Maddy threw Alyssa her favourite fighting stick as she ran by.
She caught the stick easily and carried on running, she was so close, she couldn’t focus on them, she needed to get to the she mistress before she disappeared.
She ran as fast as her legs could carry her focusing on her power to drive her, she drowned out the sounds of fighting behind.
The woman was waving her hands and Alyssa felt the air hum with magic, a black portal opened, it’s purple swirls almost served to mesmerize Alyssa who snapped back to focus just before the woman stepped inside it.
“No,” she lunged forward and pulled down the woman’s hood, the woman turned and snarled.
Alyssa took a step back; the woman was in human form though her glowing red eyes and green tinged skin kind of gave her away as demon born. Alyssa knew the woman well, or thought she had.
“Beth? You?” she was staring at Maddy’s mother. Though the woman had the colour skin of a crocodile, her nostrils were jagged slits.
“Yes, me. I had my predictions since your brother died that you would be the next one hunter.” She made claw marks in the air when she said the word ‘one’, “So, I’ve kept an eye on you and I was right,” she clapped her hands slowly and sarcastically “Yay for me, the shock though was who you bonded with; Christopher, mhmm, he wouldn’t have been my first choice.” She laughed nastily.
“He never was your first choice, or second or third, you fucking bitch. You never deserved him.”
“Good thing I was only with him to find the one hunter then isn’t it? It had to come from either your family or Chris’. Since your father was already with your mother I had to settle.” She spat the last word.
“Then why did you leave?”
“My powers were fading in your world. There’s not enough magic there to keep up my glamour for long. I’m sure Chris would have noticed his wife had green skin. But with your powers I will be able to do anything, rule anywhere.” Alyssa waited for the maniacal laugh that never came, instead she turned her raging eyes to Alyssa, “Maybe I’ll even try to get him back. He does look good enough to eat today. The way he fights is so damn hot. I could use someone like him on my side,” She licked her lips, her black tongue wetting them and darting back in and sneered at Alyssa.
“Stay away from him bitch or I will rip you a new breathing hole.”
“Mom?” Maddy called out.
That snapped the bitch out of it and for a second Alyssa saw her face drop for just a moment.
“I’ll see you soon Alyssa,” she stepped through the portal and was gone.
“Lyss, love are you okay?” Chris was scooping her up into his arms and hugging her as tight as he could.
“Chris,” though this time the word was not laced with lust but rather disbelief.
“It’s me love, come on we have to go.” He pulled her towards the portal where only Maddy and Jake remained.
It felt surreal and she kept thinking she would wake up at any moment, strapped to the table surrounded by demons.
As they approached the portal Maddy jumped through, followed by her and Chris together, Jake came last and Alyssa held her breath until he came through and the portal closed.
They were the last to come through, the hunters from outside the castle had already returned safely.
There were many tears and hugs and laughter, they took it in turns to hug her and kiss her until it came to Chris.
For a moment they just stood and stared at each other, Jake hugged her hard and long before kissing her on the forehead and backing away, she could see the others creep from the room quietly.
The door closed behind them with a soft audible click, snapping Chris out of the daze he had been in.
He stepped forward and cupped her face with both hands, kissing her long and hard.
“Love, I’m sorry, I couldn’t save you sooner,” another kiss, “are you alright?” he looked her all over, up and down, for any injuries.
“I’m fine, Chris, are you?” her hand fell to his chest where it hovered.
“Now you’re home I’m perfect.”
“Can I?” she tugged at his t shirt.
“Yeah,” he helped her to pull his t shirt up and over his head.
She gasped to see his chest still covered in bandages, too many bandages, blood had started to seep through them.
Alyssa ran her hands over his chest lightly, fingering the bandages as she went.
“Chris, I thought you were dead,” she whispered, thinking back to that awful day; tears fell from her eyes and ran down her cheeks.
“Hey, it will take more than that to take me out. I’m fine love, I promise you.” He took her hand and lay it over his heart space, “It beats good and strong for you Alyssa, only for you.”
“Mine too,” she mimicked his movements feeling a bloom of warmth spread out from where he touched.
“Let’s go celebrate.” He pulled at her hand towards the doors.
“Actually is it okay if I go to bed? I’m so tired.” She asked feeling a little guilty because she knew that everyone would want to catch up, to see her safe and well and to spend time with her, yet she felt dead on her feet. Her legs felt like they weighed a tonne and her head felt too heavy for her neck.
“Of course, love,” she saw his eyes dull but when he saw her looking, he forced a smile.
“Come with me?” she tugged at his hands.
“I’ll be up soon I promise. Let me go and fill the others in,” he walked into her and pulled her in close, “I’m so glad you’re home love, I missed you so much.” He kissed her head, let her go and left the study.
Alyssa took her time leaving the study and walking up the stairs to Chris’ room, or their room now she decided; she could hear happy voices, and corks popping from the family room and wanted to take in as much as she could.
She got to their room and made her way towards his wardrobe planning to nab one of Chris’ shirts to wear to bed when she spied a worn one draped over the chair at the side of the bed.
