Infernal Bonds (14 page)

The sun was just beginning to rise over the rooves, not that it could be seen properly through the slate grey clouds that were gathering. I leaned back against the cool stone wall and tried to think how to phrase my answer.
 

I couldn't lie to him, the words refused to form in my mouth, much to my frustration.
 

“I don't like being so honest so... vulnerable with you either,” he growled.
 

I glared at him. "Just how much do you get from this cursed fucking bond?"

The corner of his lip rose in a small idea of a smile. “Hints mostly, but your face and body language give away a lot."

That idea didn't sit well with me, the concept that people could read me so easily.
 

I finally said, “I deal with them because I have to. Because I promised Quin that I wouldn't shut myself off from the world. We can't afford to cut all ties, despite my desire for it. We need a support network."

His mouth tightened a little, but he let whatever thought irked him fade.
 

The tram showed up, he said, “Why don't you have a car, something more... convenient?"

“Because it's not more convenient," I said simply.

We sat on the uncomfortable seats, the tram almost empty.
 

“How can it be less convenient than this?" He gestured around the tram, with the uncomfortable seats and simple sliding windows, as it lurched forwards.
 

I looked out the window watching the city go by, and said absent-mindedly, “Because this city was not designed for cars, it's too old. There isn't enough room for them, and they're extortionately expensive. By the time you've found somewhere to park, you could have got there and finished if you were using public transport."

He seemed to chew over the idea while I watched the raindrops trickle down the plastic window. The city looked so beautiful in grey. A quiet sense of mourning settled over the buildings, their bright colours subdued. The usual hustle and bustle was dulled by the pattering of rain, a contemplative air filled the space. I loved the rain. I just hoped that the mourning wasn’t for something larger.

My phone vibrated when we got off the tram. Quin had texted asking where we were; Viktor was getting pissy.
 

I replied with, "Is he worried he'll melt in the rain?"

Lysander grinned as we walked into the park. "We should run, it'll get us there quicker."

His desire to run edged around the bond in the back of my mind. I was in no rush to ease Viktor's mind, but the happiness that came from the hound was too much. I gave a small nod and took off at a quick run up the hill. Exhilaration filled me; he was happiest when he was running. His long legs easily matched my pace. I pushed myself harder, my muscles beginning to burn. Still he matched me without thought. Soon we were racing, footsteps echoing through the trees, laughter filling my chest. I couldn't hold back the grin as my own endorphins mingled with his sheer glee at running. That was his freedom, his deepest, simplest pleasure, and I couldn't help but partake in it too.
 

The hunters were huddled under a tree, muttering thick curses to each other. Quin stood slightly aside from the main group. He turned to face us when we showed up at a steady jog. I couldn't keep the grin from my face; it was inappropriate to the situation, but the pleasure was too much to hold back. Lysander stepped closer to me when the hunters gave us all dark looks.
 

“You think this is fun, little girl?" Viktor growled.

I held my held palm back towards Lysander telling him to stay put, it was my fight. I set my shoulders back and walked over to Viktor, who stepped out from under the tree to greet me. His lips were pulled back in a deep snarling expression, his hands balled into fists. He wanted a fight, and I was more than ready to give it to him. We went almost literally toe to toe. He gestured behind him at the blood on the ground, I held his eye-contact refusing to look away or flinch.
 

"Is this a game to you? You're pathetic,” he spat.
 

I laughed full-heartedly. "You have the nerve to call me pathetic? You can't even deal with a small group of playful fucking shades. I am tired of your shit. You keep calling me and Quin in to clean up your messes, and every time you whine and moan."

"You brought this down on us."

I punched him square in the jaw. It was time to make my point. I was not going to back down. They needed to either step up and fulfil their job, or fuck off and get out of our way. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His shoulders tensed, but his balance was thrown. He was already on tilt after a single punch, and he had the nerve to call himself a hunter. I blocked his attempt at a punch with my forearm and slammed the heel of my hand into the bridge of his nose. He stepped back, blood pouring down his face.
 

"I am tired of you fucking things up," I growled. I glared at the other two, who stood in shock. "This city is under threat of invasion from the infernal realm, and you can't even do something as simple as round up a few shades. I am fucking tired of you screwing things up and wasting our time. Either you find your balls and help us, or you get the fuck out of our way."

Viktor spat but refused to look me in the eye; the other two looked over to Quin who had his arms crossed.
 

I strode over to them. "No. Do not look at him for guidance. I am the one talking here, you answer to me."

Matyas squared up to me, but quickly backed down.
 

"We will help you,” Dimitri said.
 

Viktor growled something in Czech behind me; I ignored him. The other two relaxed a little. It was over.
 

I looked back to Lysander who was growling at Viktor. "Hound. What do we have here?"

He flinched at my tone and calling him hound, but I couldn't afford to look weak of front of the hunters. He walked over to the blood stained ground behind me.
 

Quin followed him and pointed at a roughly drawn symbol with a bloody finger bone next to it. "This means sun, doesn't it?" He pointed to the symbol on the far side of the circle opposite it. "And that's darkness?"

Lysander stopped dead and looked at him. "How do you know that? Only those with infernal blood can read this language naturally. Evelyn didn't tell me you'd studied this language..."

Quin shrugged. "It just makes sense in my mind."

I stepped up next to Quin. I couldn't allow that conversation to continue, it started too many questions.
 

"What does this ritual and mess mean?"

Lysander pulled himself up a little taller and said, “He tried to attempt the first ritual last night, but being the brainless pup that he is, he fucked it up. The symbol there," he pointed at Quin's feet, "is wrong. He also lost control of himself and ate the sacrifice rather than finishing the delicate ritual."

He gestured at small shards of bone and what appeared to be a lump of intestines that sat in the hollow at the base of a tree. “This is a mess, it did nothing more than kill a woman."

I breathed a small sigh of relief; one life lost was better than I'd anticipated.
 

The hunters grumbled behind me, but I ignored them. We needed to push Kadrix and get the tracker so that we could stop any more innocent lives from being lost. We'd got lucky that time, but there was no doubting that the hound would try again soon. Quin and Lysander exchanged looks while Quin tried to subtly gesture at various markings on the ground. The blood mingled with the earth, forming sharp markings that surrounded the circle. Small parts of the woman remained scattered about the circle, not enough to identify it as a human, let alone who.

I looked pointedly at the hunters. "Clear this mess up before the humans stumble across it."

Viktor glared at me. I clenched my fists, but he looked away. They were close on useless; I was regretting my promise to Quin to try and deal with more people.
 

A sliver of guilt formed in my stomach as I said, "Hound, come."

The rough tone and blunt manner didn't sit right in my mouth. He had already become more than a beast to me, and I hated it. Yet there was nothing to be done about it, and appearances had to be maintained either way. Lysander came and stood at my side as I gave the bloody mess one last look. I hoped that the woman had died quickly. Her life had come to nothing. I bowed my head a little and asked the moon goddess to watch over her spirit in the beyond. It was becoming more natural to lean on the goddess. A maelstrom started forming in my mind as we made our way back to the road at a quick pace. Everything was changing, and I had no control over it; it was unpleasant. The sensation of losing who I was, of no longer being myself, invaded my thoughts. There were too many questions, too much chaos. I needed some peace and order. I needed to kill the other hound.
 

Lysander kept fidgeting and shifting his weight. I ground my teeth and glared at him; he was drawing attention to himself. Quin wasn't helping things. His sombre expression weighed on me. He was such a happy soul; it was rare not to see a smile on his face. I hated the idea of something weighing on him. The people parted for us without word or argument when we got off the tram; our mood was clearly written all over us. Not a word had been said. None of us dared mention what we'd witnessed in public. The questions bubbled up in my mind, but the one that wouldn't let go was how on Earth Quin could read those infernal symbols. It took years, or more likely decades to be able to read that language with any proficiency, and it was limited to only the most committed witches and necromancers, although I had no doubt that a few fae had learnt it as well.
 

A collective sigh of relief left us when we stepped into the passageway down to Kadrix's lab. We were free to speak freely. Quin forged ahead and went straight to Kadrix, his shoulders tighter than usual and his gait more stilted. I vowed to help him, to remove the weight that he carried. I'd sworn to protect him. Lysander's hand brushed over my lower back, drawing me from my dark thoughts. I subconsciously stepped sideways away from him. Part of me craved contact with him, but I wasn't going to let it win any time soon.
 

I cut Quin off before he could start a recounting of what had happened. “How is the tracker?"

Kadrix tore his eyes from Quin, his hand stopped in mid-air between him and Quin's cheek.
 

The elf pursed his lips and glared at me. “It will be done by sunset."

His voice was icy cold, but I shrugged it off.
 

“Did you know that Quin can read the infernal language?" I demanded.
 

I couldn't afford to ignore the fact there were likely things the elf knew about my twin that I didn't.
 

His eyes flickered to Quin as his lips pursed and he looked away. “I did not."

Quin made a soft growling noise and dragged his fingers through his hair. I needed to take control of the situation.

Kadrix sniffed and said, “His alchemy has come on leaps and bounds since the ritual as well. It seems you've both gained a little something... infernal."

His eyes lingered on Lysander who bared his teeth at him.
 

My heart felt heavy; Quin couldn't have been tainted. We'd been so careful, what did it all mean? Kadrix's grin was wicked.
 

“Only those with demon blood can bond to a hound, or read that language,” he said with some glee.

“Your books are clearly missing some key information, elf. Our parents were both human hunters," I snapped back.

His attention returned to Quin, he brushed his thumb over Quin's cheekbone, a gesture that I couldn't help but feel a little jealous over.
 

I tore my eyes away and said quietly to Lysander, “I'm sorry for my manner, in the park. It had to be done."

The corner of the hound's mouth twitched with a smile that I felt in the back of my mind.
 

“When you're quite finished examining Quin, we need that tracker. One woman has already lost her life to the hound,” I snarled at Kadrix, but refused to meet his eye.
 

“Evie!" Quin said.
 

The shock and shame in his voice made me look away from him and shove my hands into my pockets. I muttered an apology and found a space to sit, I didn’t have anywhere better to be. Lysander sat on the floor next to me, his head near my thigh.
 

After a long moment filled with clanking and elvish swearing, Lysander said softly, “It's not his fault."

I sighed heavily. “No, it's mine, I failed him."

He laughed quietly, a rumbling sound just under his breath. “The elf makes him happy, how is that a failure?"

I glared at him. “You heard Kadrix, only those with demon blood can speak the infernal language."

The hound refused to yield to my dark look. “I'd say you've done quite well from your demon blood."

A smirk crept across his lips. I couldn't help but smile, and I hated myself for it. Quin had relaxed some and was talking animatedly in hushed tones with Kadrix while they both gestured. The elf was wrong about the demon blood. Our parents had been dedicated hunters, they'd taught us everything we knew. They moved to Prague to help the local hunters bring the supernal population under control. Something else was at play. The witch behind the abominations, perhaps.
 

Lysander relaxed next to me. His contentment at being in my presence slithered around the back of my mind, reminding me of the bond and what I'd become involved in. I wanted to hate him, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
 

Time crawled by. Kadrix shouted at me every time I dared move from my assigned corner. Eventually I gave up and flicked through some of the books closest at hand. The history on redcaps was vaguely interesting for the first fifty pages, but I was almost falling asleep from boredom before long. Magic, history, none of it interested me. If he had a book on martial arts and assassination techniques, then I’d be quite content. Instead, it was all tedious things on varying alchemical theories, the breakdowns of elements and fae-related crap.