The Dark-Hunters, page 546
“I’ll try and slip out in a little bit to see you.”
He smiled at the thought. “I’ll be here, waiting.”
“Okay. I love you.”
“Me too.”
She gave a short laugh. “‘I love you, Aimee.’ You know it wouldn’t kill you to say that, right?”
“I know.”
“All right then. On that note, I better go. See you later.”
Fang winced at the sound of her hanging up the phone. He closed his clamshell and wanted to cry from the pain inside him. But he wasn’t that kind of wolf. Tougher than steel, he refused to let anyone know just how much Aimee meant to him.
His heart heavy, he went downstairs to relay her message to Vane, who wasn’t thrilled by it. He left immediately to warn Wren while Fang stayed to watch over Bride.
“Is that blood?”
He glanced down at his shoulder. “A little. I’ll go clean it.”
“Sit.”
The sharp command of her tone made him raise a single eyebrow.
Bride smiled. “Sorry. I’m bossy, I know. My father’s a vet who works with Carson and I grew up in my dad’s clinic. Sit down and let me see what I can do.”
He did as ordered while she went to the bathroom to pull out a small medicine kit. He started to pull the shirt off, but the pain was such that he simply dissolved it.
Bride sucked her breath in as soon as she saw the nasty wound. “Did you get bitten?”
“Yeah. By one pissed-off bear.”
“Papa Bear?”
He nodded.
Bride pulled out a piece of gauze and soaked it in peroxide. “You’re probably lucky he didn’t aim lower.”
Fang didn’t speak as his gaze fell down to the mark on her hand. He looked at his own that was empty. “Is it hard for you living with animals?”
She pulled back. “I don’t consider any of you an animal, Fang.”
“We’re certainly not human.”
She took his chin in her hand and forced him to look up at her. “I was raised to respect all life-forms. Hairless, furred, finned, and feathered.”
“Yeah, but it has to be hard to live here without your kind around.”
“Hardly. You’re all my family. My kind fills this house.”
Fang pulled away as he considered her words. Most of all, he wondered if Aimee would ever really feel that way about him. Love was one thing, but she’d already chosen her family. Apparently his love wasn’t good enough.
And that made him sick. Besides, even if she did, he was still in service to Thorn and he had no soul. He had no real freedom.
What could he ever really offer her?
* * *
Aimee knocked lightly on her mother’s office door. At her welcome, she pushed the door open to see her mother at her computer.
Nicolette leaned back slightly in her chair. An impeccable pose that was sophisticated and authoritative. “Is there something you need?”
Fang.
But she bit her tongue as fear rushed through her. Her mother had been understanding earlier. Would that continue?
“I wanted to talk to you about Fang.”
A shield fell down over her mother’s face. “There is nothing to discuss.”
“You had me warn him.”
“As a favor and to right a wrong. You know, daughter, exactly why you and he can never speak again.”
Aimee tightened her grip on the doorknob behind her. “And if I can’t live without him?”
“You will do as we all do. Your duty. Feelings have nothing to do with our mating and this you know. Look at your brother Alain. Does he pine for his love? Non, he has his mate and he has taught himself to be happy.”
“I want to be happy, Maman.”
Nicolette pinned her with a cold stare. “Your duty will make you happy. Trust me, ma chérie. In time you will do as you should and Fang shall be forgotten.”
Aimee didn’t believe that for a minute, but she knew better than to argue. Her mother wasn’t about to budge on this.
“Very well, Maman.” She opened the door and left.
What am I going to do?
She wanted to thumb her nose at her family and be with him. But would it be worth it?
Flashing herself upstairs, she materialized in the nursery where Alain’s youngest cubs were napping in bear form. It was a sparse room that had a fake tree for them to climb on and the walls were painted with a cozy forest theme. The two of them curled together like giant balls of fluff on the thick green carpet, instead of on the bed in the corner. One cub was brown and one black. Beautiful and sweet, she adored her nephews.
Aimee lay down beside them so that she could lift Bryce’s paw and play with his claws while he slept. She remembered lying on her brothers in much the same fashion when she’d been a cub.
Pain ached in her breast as she remembered Bastien’s face. She missed her brothers more than anything. Time had done nothing to ease the pain or the sadness.
Which made her wonder if she’d ever be able to get over Fang. Or would he haunt her the same way?
Yet as she looked at Alain’s cubs, she had to think it was worth it. Had he not done his duty, he wouldn’t have such beautiful children.
If she went with Fang, she’d be sterile. A wolf and a bear would never be able to have children.
You could adopt.
That was certainly true. She loved Wren like family and Fang even more so. But an adopted child would never inherit her seat.
Maman would never forgive her for that.
“Why do I have to choose?” she breathed, choking on unspent tears. Why couldn’t she have found one single bear to mate with?
I’m so broken.
Sighing, she left her nephews and headed for her own room. But with every step she took, she felt sicker inside.
* * *
Eli Blakemore paused beside Cosette as she communed with her spirits. On her knees in the middle of the room, resting in the center of a black cloth with a pentagram and strange writing painted on it in blood, she held her hands up and spoke in gibberish while her eyes were rolled back in her head.
Honestly he hated this bullshit and the stench of her incense offended every olfactory sense he possessed. Most of all, he wanted to swipe his hand across the voodoo altar she had in front of her and send it all flying across the room.
But that would offend her. So he waited as she danced and sang and carried on.
It seemed like forever had passed before she finally settled down and opened her eyes.
“Well?” he asked.
“There is disharmony in their home. The daughter is promised to a wolf.”
He curled his lip in repugnance. In that one moment, his resolve against the Peltiers was set. How dare they be so unnatural. “That’s disgusting.”
“Not to them.”
“Trust me, it is. But…” He let his voice trail off as ideas rushed through his head.
“But what?”
He laughed at the simplicity of the plan that could ultimately ruin them. “The bearswan will be looking for a way to be with him.”
“And?”
He smiled wryly. “I think it’s time for you to brew one of your potions.”
Cosette laughed as she finally understood.
Pleased with himself, Eli folded his arms over his chest. Soon those parasites would be gone and if he played his cards right, he would also eliminate his greatest obstacle of all.
The wolves who had taken his seat away from his family on the Omegrion.
Oh, yes … this was about to get good.
CHAPTER 25
Fang couldn’t breathe as he lay on the bed in wolf form. His branded shoulder was killing him. The mark burned in a way that made him want to tear his own arm off.
What is wrong with me?
The pain was excruciating as he pawed at the bed, trying to bury himself inside the white and blue quilt. Nothing eased the pain. No position or stretch.
Panting, he felt like his insides were being shredded. I’m giving birth to the alien in Alien.… Every sound made was too loud for his ears. Every heartbeat tore through his skull.
He wanted to kill something.
The scent of blood hung in his nostrils, enticing him. Calling him …
If you kill the bears, you can take their powers and have Aimee.
He scowled at the foreign voice in his head. Was he losing his mind?
What did they really do for you? Nothing. They threw your brother out and left him to fend for himself and his mate. They don’t care about any of you. Pay them back for what they did to Vane and Wren.
Death to the bears.…
Fang shook his head, trying to clear it of the hostile anger. What was wrong with him? He felt drunk as sounds echoed around him and his vision dimmed.
“Fang?”
He heard Aimee’s voice as she appeared in his room. She looked like a sugary morsel, standing in front of his dresser with the light shining in from the window to highlight her pale hair. The shadows played on her skin, cutting angles across her beautiful face. It reminded him of the way she’d looked the first time he’d seen her at Sanctuary.
But tonight, he didn’t want her kindness.
The demon inside wanted her blood.
“Go away,” he growled at her. He didn’t want to be around her while he felt like this. He didn’t have control of himself or the demon. It was growing larger and it was seeping through every part of him.
Violent and lethal, he was afraid of himself.
He didn’t know how much longer he could hold it off. May the gods help her if it broke free while she was with him. The hatred and desire to cause her pain was ever harsh and demanding.
Don’t let me hurt her.…
But he wasn’t sure he could abide by that. The hunger inside him was too great.
Aimee hesitated at the feral sound of Fang’s tone in her head. Something was obviously wrong with him. Uncertain as to what it was, she moved closer and held her hand out to stroke his fur. “What’s wrong, baby?”
He turned on her and snapped at her hand as if he’d gone mad. One minute he was a wolf and in the next human.
He came off the bed, stalking her. Completely naked, his body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. His cheeks were dusted by whiskers as his damp hair fell into his eyes. Every muscle of his tawny body was taut and corded as if he were pulling back from lashing out.
A new wave of fear consumed her as she backed up. There was a predatory gait to his walk. One that said he was assessing her as prey.
“Talk to me, Fang.”
“And say what?” He continued to advance on her until he’d pressed her against the wall and cocked his head. There was a light in his dark eyes that was truly scary. It was a light that warned her to be wary and one that told her this wasn’t the wolf she’d learned to love.
This was the one she’d seen that first day in Sanctuary. The feral wolf who terrified everyone.
He buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply while he stroked her cheek with one hand. “I can already taste your blood.”
He sank his teeth into her flesh.
Hissing, Aimee knocked him back with a fierce blow to his solar plexus. “What are you doing?”
He grabbed her arm and pulled her against him in a hold made of steel. “This is what you want, isn’t it? Your wolf to attack you?”
Aimee twisted out of his offensive grip. “Who are you?”
“I’m Fang, baby. Can’t you tell?”
No. This wasn’t Fang. There was something definitely wrong. He didn’t even smell right.
Then she saw it. The tiniest flash of red in his eyes. And in an instant, she knew what it was.
He was possessed.
“No…,” she breathed as terror consumed her.
Had something followed him back from the Nether Realm?
He tried to bite her again.
Aimee reacted on instinct. Kneeing him in the groin as hard as she could, she shoved him back. He stumbled away, cupping himself.
Please let it only be the demon feeling that and not Fang. Fang she wouldn’t hurt for anything. But the demon was a whole other story.
She stood over him, aching for his pain, but not enough that she would be his willing victim. “If you can hear me, Fang, I need you to push this away and come back to me.”
His eyes glowed bloodred in the darkness as he straightened up. Without responding at all, he grabbed her roughly.
Aimee whimpered in pain.
That single sound seemed to reach whatever part of the real Fang was still there. She saw the regret flash in his gaze as he released her.
Pure anguish contorted his features as he staggered back. “Run, Aimee. Get out!”
She hesitated, not wanting to leave him here. But she could tell he was holding on to himself by a narrow margin and doing his best not to hurt her. Staying here would only make it worse on him. “I’ll get help.”
His legs buckled an instant before he fell to the floor where he writhed as if in utter agony. He flashed back to his wolf’s form.
Aimee winced, desperate to soothe him.
But first she had to make sure he didn’t hurt her. Torn, she knew she had no choice but to leave. It was the best for both of them.
With no idea of what she should do, she flashed herself to Club Charonte—the dance club and bar that Xedrix and company had opened with her brother Kyle’s help. Surely a demon would know and be able to tell her how to help Fang with his current dilemma. She couldn’t think of anyone else who would have an inkling.
If Xedrix couldn’t help her, she didn’t know what she’d do.
The club was packed tonight with college students, young locals, and tourists dancing while demons moved through them as staff.
If the humans only knew.…
But they weren’t what concerned her. Only Fang did.
Loud hip-hop music thundered through the club as lights flashed and danced across the people, demons, floor, and bar. The crowd mingled all around her in couples or in groups while the demons tried to blend in. A few did have their horns showing, but the humans seemed to accept those as fake. Some of them were even showing their real mottled-colored skin, but again, the humans complimented them on the makeup.
Weird.
Aimee stopped a male Charonte with red horns and orange and red skin as he passed by her with an empty tray tucked under his arm. “Hey, where’s Xedrix?”
He gave her a suspicious once-over.
“I’m Kyle Peltier’s sister and I need to speak to him.”
That seemed to reassure him. He pressed the mic on his headset. “Xed, there’s a bear down here for you.” He nodded, then looked back at her. “He’s on his way.”
“Thank you.”
The demon wandered off toward the mirrored bar area.
She saw a door open from an upstairs room that must be the office. It had a mirrored window where Xedrix could no doubt look out and spy on his workers and patrons.
Dressed in jeans and a loose blue T-shirt, Xedrix made his way down the steps. Aimee had to give him credit. For a demon, he was damn good-looking. That lean body was ripped and his black hair framed near-perfect features.
But the dismal expression on his face was almost funny as he stopped by her side. “This can’t be good for me.”
“Nice seeing you too.”
“Yeah. What do you need now?”
“Information about a demon.”
His features hardened. “Don’t piss us off. We don’t like that.”
She gave him a droll stare. “If someone’s possessed by a demon, how do you get the demon out?”
“Call a priest.” He started away from her.
Aimee caught his arm and pulled him to a stop. His entire stance oozed impatience. “I’m serious, Xedrix. And this isn’t a human. It’s Fang. Have you any idea how much damage a demon could do in the body of a Were-Hunter?”
“Oh, a lot.” His tone was as dry as the Sahara. “Would definitely suck to be their victim.”
She didn’t appreciate his humor. “What can I do?”
“I’d leave town.”
“Xedrix!”
He lifted his hands in an exaggerated stance of hopeless innocence. “What do you want me to say? Rub his furry belly? I don’t even know what kind of demon has him. In case you haven’t noticed, there are hundreds of species of us. And you’re talking to a demon who comes from one of the nonpossessing kind. We kill whatever gets in our way. Or on our nerves.” He gave her a very pointed stare for emphasis on that. “Possession’s for…” His voice trailed off as he looked past her.
Aimee turned to see a gorgeous blond woman who was eyeing him irritably with her arms akimbo.
“You were about to say?” the female prompted.
“Uh … possession’s for really great demons who have … lots of powers.”
It was actually entertaining to watch him squirm. Obviously the blond woman meant a lot to him and he didn’t want to make her angry.
The blonde offered Aimee her hand. “I’m Kerryna and you would be?”
“Kyle’s sister,” Xedrix answered so quick Aimee realized that he and Kerryna must have a relationship close enough that he didn’t want Kerryna to mistake why he was talking to her. “Aimee. And she was just leaving.”
Aimee let go of Kerryna’s hand to correct him. “Not yet, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. Adios. There’s the door. Doorknob twists to the left. The hinges open in. You should use them. Keep them working. Keep you breathing. We’re all happy here.”
Aimee sighed at his sarcastic tirade. Ignoring him, she tried Kerryna. “I have to know how to break a possession. Would you happen to have any kind of suggestions?”
Kerryna frowned. “What kind of demon?”
“I don’t know. Is there a difference?”
“Oh, definitely. There are those you can kill, those you can drive out, and those who become a permanent part of you. The latter, to quote Xedrix’s favorite phrase, really sucks.”
Aimee slid a glance at Xedrix, before she returned her attention to Kerryna. “How do I know what I have?”
“Take me to it.”
Xedrix made an inhuman sound of protest. “Oh, hell no.”
Kerryna gave him a chiding stare. “Xedrix…”
